LAS VEGAS (September 12, 2020) — Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas is a top welterweight contender once again. In his first fight since losing to pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford last December, Kavaliauskas knocked out Canadian veteran Mikael Zewski in the eighth round to grab the WBO NABO Welterweight Title.

Kavaliauskas (22-1-1, 18 KOs) knocked down Zewski (34-2, 23 KOs) with a combination to close out the seventh round, then charged out of his corner to finish things off in the eighth. Following the second knockdown of the fight, referee Kenny Bayless immediately waved off the bout.

Zewski was leading on two of the judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

Kavaliauskas said, “I was controlling the fight. I was never in danger. I was never hurt.

“I wanted to knock him out faster, but it happened this way. You can never count on the knockout. I was working. I was putting pressure on him. I saw him slowing down round by round. I saw him getting weaker and weaker. I was just blocking his punches and not feeling his power.

“I don’t think Crawford has any other choices at welterweight. I can ask his team, with all due respect, to give me a rematch because these guys have no opponents yet.”

Gonzalez Topples Marriaga

In the featherweight co-feature, Joet Gonzalez picked up the WBO Inter-Continental belt with a one-sided unanimous decision (99-91 2x and 97-93) over three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga (29-4, 25 KOs). Gonzalez (24-1, 14 KOs) had not fought since losing a one-sided decision to Shakur Stevenson last October for the vacant WBO featherweight world title.

Gonzalez said, “This puts me back in the position I want to be. I wanted to be back in with tough guys. I told my manager, Frank Espinoza, and my team at Golden Boy that I didn’t want no tune-up fights. I wanted to show people that I could compete with the top guys and be in with heavy hitters and boxers and compete for another title real soon.

“I want another world title shot. I think I’ve earned it.”

Photos Mikey Williams / Top Rank

NABO Welterweight Champion Mikael Zewski vs. Egidijus Kavaliauskas & Vacant WBO Inter-Continental Featherweight Championship title Miguel Marriaga vs. Joet Gonzalez @ The Bubble, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV

Mean Machine-Zewski and Marriaga-Gonzalez to headline bill from the MGM Grand Las Vegas this Saturday, LIVE on ESPN+ (7:30 p.m. ET)

LAS VEGAS (September 10, 2020) — Three former world title challengers and a longtime contender met the media for a Zoom press conference Thursday afternoon ahead of their can’t-miss doubleheader Saturday from the MGM Grand Conference Center (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET ).

In the 10-round welterweight main event, the man known as “Mean Machine,” Egidijus Kavaliauskas, will take on Canadian contender and WBO NABO Champion Mikael Zewski in his first bout since challenging Terence Crawford for the WBO world title last December.

The co-feature will see three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga battle recent world title challenger Joet Gonzalez in a crossroads for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Featherweight Championship title scheduled for 10 rounds.

Here is some of what they had to say to the media.

Mean Machine

“I want to face the best opponents at welterweight. My goal is to become mandatory and fight for another world title. I would like to fight the top names at 147.”

“Zewski is also a pressure fighter like me. I think we have similar styles, and I really believe we will make a very entertaining fight on Saturday. I know the fireworks will begin in the very first round. This will be an action fight!”

“If I get the opportunity to fight Crawford, I would do it all over again. I want to face him again. I know he is beatable. Everyone is. I liked how the fight started, but not how it ended. I lost focus in the middle of the fight. At the end of the day, that fight gave me more confidence. I was definitely in the fight. It made me a better fighter. I corrected the mistakes I did make, and now I’m coming stronger.”

Zewski

“I would love to fight the top guy in the division. That’s Terence Crawford, but I’m not really thinking about that right now. The guy that I have to beat right now is Kavaliauskas, and I have my total focus on him. I’m not looking at the future. Mean Machine is the present and I’m going to beat him. This will be a great fight. This is a fight that could get ugly, and it could be a war, for sure.”

“I’ve been here before. I feel like I’m home. There is no added pressure. Kavaliauskas is the perfect opponent for me right now. He is the kind of top fighter that will give me the challenge that I want. He is a great fighter and did a great job against Crawford. I want to show everyone that I’m at that level. I have a lot to win. I’m here to get the respect I know I deserve.”

Marriaga

“I have had the opportunity to fight for a world title three times, and I have not been able to be crowned as champion, but we hope that this time around I can finally conquer a world title. I’m hungry! I really want it. On Saturday night, Joet Gonzalez will face a very strong Miguel Marriaga. I have a great hunger for triumph. The motivation has always been there. I will not rest until I am champion. We will give everything on Saturday to get a big win for Colombian boxing.”

“It would be great to face the winner of the vacant WBO title fight between {Emanuel} Navarrete and {Ruben} Villa, but if that doesn’t happen, I’m ready to face any of the champions in the division.”

Gonzalez

“I told my team that after the world title loss against Shakur, I wanted to get right back in and face the best and biggest names in the division.”

“I want to show everyone that I’m a real contender and a top guy in the division. That’s why I took this challenge against Marriaga. He is one of the best, and I want to show that I’m a real fighter. I want to fight the biggest names possible. I would like to face the winner of Navarrete and Villa. I know I can compete with all these top guys at 126.”

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.

WBO Featherweight World Champion Shakur Stevenson was born and bred in Newark, a.k.a. “Brick City,” the oldest of nine children who dreamed of one day becoming a world champion and using his platform to give back to his community.

Stevenson, who won the title last October, will defend his belt for the first time Saturday from Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden against Miguel Marriaga (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). He joined forces with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Wednesday at the city’s Rotunda Recreation & Wellness Center to talk to a large group of local children about his journey from hometown kid to Olympic silver medalist and world champion.

Stevenson autographed posters, took photos, and gave each child an official Team Stevenson headband. Three days before his bout against Marriaga, Stevenson was all smiles and laughs, a champion embracing his celebratory homecoming.

“When I was younger, I didn’t have anyone to come and do something like this for me,” Stevenson said. “This means a lot to me. That’s why I enjoy coming here, and I will always try to come back to where it all started. You all make me feel good, and when I do something good, I do it for Newark.”

“Shakur Stevenson is a Newark native who has brought honor, Olympic glory, and a world championship to our city,” Mayor Baraka said. “Now he is bringing an inspiring message of hope, good sportsmanship, and empowerment to Newark’s youth, as a role model and exemplar. He defines the strength of Newark, and we are proud of him.”


Date: Saturday – August 5, 2017

WBO JR. LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:  Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, California, USA

Promoter:  Top Rank /Bob Arum

Supervisor:  Richard De Cuir

Referee:   Jack Reiss

Judges:  

Results:  The WBO Jr. Lightweight Champion Vasyl Lomachenko made a massive shot knocked Miguel Marriaga down in the closing seconds of the seventh round.  Lomachenko retained the WBO junior lightweight title with the win.

TV:   USA ESPN

By Miguel Rivera

WBO Junior Lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko mentioned that he was fully preparing to face Mexico’s Orlando ‘Siri’ Salido in a long awaited rematch on August 5, but then he was advised that Salido was out – and Colombian Miguel Marriaga was placed in the contest.

Vasyl was eager to avenge the only loss of his pro career to Salido, and an economic agreement had been reached but an injury to Salido’s hand prevented the deal from being finalized, and then Marriaga, who comes back from a solid fight against WBO 126-pound champion Oscar Valdez, was thrown in the mix.

“It really has not changed anything in my preparation, I was preparing for Salido but the opponent was changed. You have to be ready for the opponent they put in front of you and you have to give a good fight,” said Lomachenko to ESPN Deportes.

During the announcement of the card, Lomachenko (8-1, 6 KO’s) showed respect for Marriaga (25-2, 21 KO’s), who did the same, and promoter Bob Arum stressed that fights like this, and the one earlier this month with Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn.

“Boxing has been one of the major sports for many years, in the 1970s and 1980s, boxing was an essential sport not only in the United States but throughout the world. We’re working with ESPN to showcase these fighters and help boxing recover that top spot,”Arum said of the deal he had made with ESPN.

“We saw on July 1, Pacquiao-Horn’s ESPN broadcast had a tremendous audience, and Lomachenko and Marriaga, (Raymundo) Beltran and (Bryan) Vasquez will offer tremendous action to the public throughout the United States and the world, we are very proud to be part of this tremendous event.”

Finally, Marriaga expressed that he is not interested in the fact that Lomachenko is favorite. ”

It is normal that suddenly he is the favorite, he is the champion, but we are prepared, we come to fight, we’re coming to stage a war and God allows everything to go well,” he said.

www.boxingscene.com/lomachenko-i-preparing-salido-ready-marriaga–118729?print_friendly=1

By Steve Kim

While WBO super featherweight titlist, Vasyl Lomachenko, has an August 5th assignment against Miguel Marriaga at the Microsoft Theater at LA Live on ESPN, promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank says it wont be the last time we see ‘Hi-Tech’ in 2017.

“He’s going to fight again this year and I think Lomachenko is the one guy that could really deal with fighting four times a year,” said the veteran promoter, who says that under their new partnership with ESPN that all of their boxers will be afforded the opportunity to fight more often than in the past.

Lomachenko (8-1, 6 KO’s) last fought more than twice in a calendar year in 2014.

Back on April 8th, Lomachenko out-classed Jason Sosa in nine rounds in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Arum plans to keep the two-time Olympic gold medalist as active as possible.

“It’ll be a minimum of three (fights) but I would hope to do four and I would hope to get a hold of some opponents that we could then promote and make big pay-per-view fights down the road for Lomachenko next year,” Arum said.

But this wont just apply to the gifted Ukrainian, Arum noted to BoxingScene.com – “We’re re-doing all our contracts to guarantee our fighters three fights a year – minimum. And use our best best efforts to give them four.”

There used to be a time when all boxers – even the ones at the championship level – performed much more often. So what happened?

“It was like the Garden of Eden, ‘when the premium cable (networks) floated more money than the over-the-air networks were paying and we all bit into the apple because it was juicy and good, we ended up poisoning ourselves,” Arum explained last week at a press conference for Lomachenko-Marriaga.

www.boxingscene.com/top-rank-keep-lomachenko-others-more-active–118650

Date:  Saturday, April 22, 2017

WBO Featherweight Championship

Location: StubHub Center, Carson, California

Promoter: Top Rank/Bob Arum

Supervisor:  Richard De Cuir

Referee:  Jack Reiss

Judges:  Julie Lederman (119-108); Steve Morrow (118-109); Zac Young (116-111)

Results:   The WBO Featherweight Champion Oscar Valdez retained the title against Miguel Marriaga by Unanimous Decision.

TV:   USA iNDEMAND, USA Dish Network, USA Direct TV

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By Miguel Maravilla
Photos: Sumio Yamada

WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez (22-0, 19 KOs), of Nogales, México, won a hard fought unanimous decision against mandatory contender Miguel “Escorpión” Marriaga (25-2, 21 KOs), of Colombia Saturday night in defending his WBO featherweight title at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California headlining the Top Rank Pay Per View card. Oscar Valdez did not make the post fight press conference but spoke to us briefly

“It was a tough fight and it was my first time going 12 rounds. I knew he was going to be a tough fighter. It was nothing easy much respect to Marriaga. We did good thank god,” Oscar Valdez told Fightnews.com

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www.fightnews.com/Boxing/full-report-valdez-defeats-marriaga-401932/nggallery/page/3

 

42117valdez00t

Photos: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Oscar Valdez 125.6 vs. Miguel Marriaga 125.4
(WBO featherweight title)

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez 167.8 vs. Max Bursak 167.4
(WBO super middleweight title)

Jessie Magdaleno 121.8 vs. Adeilson Dos Santos 121.2
(WBO junior featherweight title)

Shakur Stevenson 124.8 vs. Edgar Brito 125
Fazlidden Gaibnazarov 138 vs. Victor Vazquez 137.4
Alexander Besputin 147.2 vs. Breides Prescott 147.4
Mahonri Montes 149 vs. Francisco Santana 148
Maxim Dadashev 143.2 vs. Bilal Mahasin 143.6

Venue: StubHub Center, Carson, California
Promoter: Top Rank
TV: PPV

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3817toprank00t Photos: Mikey Williams / Top Rank –

By:  Miguel Maravilla –

Undefeated WBO world champions featherweight Óscar Valdez (22-0, 19 KOs), from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, Mazatlan, Mexico’s super middleweight Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (34-0, 24 KOs), and super bantamweight champ Jessie Magdaleno (24-0, 17 KOs) of Las Vegas held an L.A. press conference Tuesday morning at the Manhattan Beach, Marriott to officially announce their upcoming title defenses taking place Saturday April 22, at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California live on Pay Per View. Also present at the press conference was 2016 U.S Olympic Silver medalist Shakur Stevenson of New Jersey.

Opening up the press conference was Hall of Fame Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank.

“The fighters we will be showcasing on April 22nd are the brightest of Stars,” Arum said. 

Oscar Valdez and his team introduced by manager Frank Espinoza

“Headlining this event means a lot to me. We put in the time and working hard for this fight. Miguel Marriaga is a tough fighter. We will do whatever it is to come out on top. Whatever I have to do to win, I will do that night,” Valdez said.

“My boys will be ready on April 22nd. They said Oscar hasn’t fought a hard puncher but I don’t think they have faced a fighter like Oscar before,” Trainer Manny Robles said.

“April 22nd, Valdez defends his title against Marriaga. Oscar welcomes him and is up for the challenge. On April 22nd you don’t want to miss this fight,” Manger Frank Espinoza

Valdez will be making his second defense of his title against NABO champion and number one contender Miguel Marriaga (25-1, 21 KOs) of Columbia. Marriaga and his team were also present.

“We have been working and now the time has come. I am well prepared for this fight and will come in 100 percent for this fight,” Marriaga said.

“Valdez and Marriaga will be a fight to remember. Stub Hub Center has always had great fights and this will live up to that. We are looking forward to it,” Manager Ruben Zavala said.

Gilberto Ramirez will be making the first defense of his WBO super middleweight title against Maksim Bursak (33-4-1, 15 KOs), of Kiev, Ukraine.

“I am really happy to be back. I have been training really hard. This will be a good fight. Max Bursak is a good fighter and this will be a good fight,” Ramirez said speaking English

“We have a lot of confidence in Gilberto that this will be a good year. April 22nd, he will comeback to please the fans. This will be his year,” Manager Jesus Zappari said.

Jessie Magdaleno will defend his title against Brazil’s Adeilson Dos Santos (18-2, 14 KOs).

“It feels good to be back and defend my title. April 22nd you will see another great Magdaleno. We are here to give everyone what they want to see, a great night of boxing,” Magdaleno said.

“Jessie Magdaleno will defend his title for the first time in a matchup you want to see. He will step in the ring to showcase and you will witness Magdaleno defend for the first time,” Co-Manager Frank Espinoza Jr. said.

Shakur Stevenson will be making his pro debut on the April 22 card at Stub Hub as he was introduced by Arum and also spoke at the press conference

“Let me introduce you to a young man that will be a superstar the way Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya were,” Bob Arum said in introducing Stevenson to the local media.

“I am excited to be making my debut and I cant wait to entertain my fans,” Shakur Stevenson said.

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By Karl Freitag
Photos: Mikey Williams / Top Rank –

In a clash of featherweight contenders, WBO #3 Miguel Marriaga (24-1, 20 KOs) scored a sixth round KO over #14 rated Guy Robb (18-2, 8 KOs) on Saturday night’s “Rural Rumble” at the Churchill County Fairgrounds in Fallon, Nevada. Marriaga connected with a series of right hands, finally dropping Robb in round six. Referee Russell Mora waved in off at 2:06. Former world title challenger Marriaga claimed the vacant North American Boxing Organization (NABO) featherweight title. Robb had his eleven-fight win streak snapped.

WBO #3 lightweight Jose Felix Jr. (34-1-1, 26 KOs) scored a punishing sixth round TKO over game journeyman “Red Hot” Rob Frankel (34-17-1, 7 KOs). A barrage of shots finished Frankel at 2:23 of round six.

Unbeaten featherweight prospect Jose ‘El Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (5-0-1, 2 KOs) outpointed Gelacio Cruz (2-4-2, 1 KO) in a four-round fight. Scores were 40-36 across the board.

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www.fightnews.com/Boxing/wbo-3-felix-tkos-frankel-351824