MONTREAL, June 29, 2026 — As previously announced by Ring Magazine and DAZN, Riyadh Season has decided to postpone the world championship bout between Christian Mbilli and Mexican legend Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, originally scheduled for September 12, to a later date at the end of October.

“I’ve been waiting for this fight for years. One more month or one less won’t change anything—my time will come,” said WBC super middleweight world champion Christian “Solid” Mbilli.

“Whether it’s in September or October, Christian Mbilli will leave the ring victorious. And now more than ever, Canelo will have absolutely no excuse for not being fully prepared,” added Eye of the Tiger President and Founder Camille Estephan.

The official date for the event, which will still take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be announced shortly. Photos from reigning champion Christian Mbilli’s (29-0-1, 24 KOs) most recent bouts are available in EOTTM’s press kit (HERE).

London, May 2026: His Excellency Turki Alalshikh today announced that Canelo
Álvarez will return to the ring on 12th September in Riyadh to face WBC
super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli.

The Mexican legend and former undisputed champion returns to Riyadh with the WBC
title in his sights after a defining run at super-middleweight, including nine successful
defences during a near five-year reign at the top of the division.

The bout marks one year since Canelo’s clash with Terence Crawford in Las Vegas,
which became one of the most-watched boxing events in history, drawing more than
41 million viewers on Netflix.

Mbilli enters the contest as WBC champion following his rise through the ranks, having
claimed the interim title with victory over Maciej Sulecki in June before being upgraded
to full champion in January.

Positioning himself as a dangerous contender in the division, Mbilli carries an unbeaten
record and has featured on the major Riyadh Season card, Canelo vs Crawford.
The press conference will take place in Cairo on Saturday 23rd May at 14:00 local time,
giving the media a chance to see Canelo and Mbilli face-off for the first time.
Canelo said: “After so many years in this sport, my motivation is still the same: to
challenge myself, represent Mexico, and continue building my legacy. Mbilli is
undefeated, and a great fighter, and I respect that. But my focus is always on my
preparation, performance, and giving the fans another great night of boxing. On

September 12 in Riyadh, we begin a new chapter with the same discipline, ambition,
and vision that has carried me throughout my career.”

Mbilli said: “My last fight was the fight of the year. In September, against Canelo
Alvarez, it will be the fight of the decade. And when the fight is over, the world will
witness a historic victory for me.”’

To apply for press conference accreditation, please fill in the form attached here.

About Riyadh Season
Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year
during winter. Since launching in 2019, Riyadh Season has welcomed millions of visitors from
around the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting events, immersive attractions,
and cultural experiences. The festival has evolved into a global entertainment powerhouse,
hosting international boxing championships, WWE events, tennis tournaments, concerts by
global superstars, comedy festivals, fashion showcases, and many more large-scale events
across the city.

Following the record-breaking success of Riyadh Season 2024, which surpassed 20 million
visitors for the first time, Riyadh Season 2025 continued its rapid growth trajectory, attracting
more than 17 million visitors across its latest edition as Riyadh continues to be one of the
world’s leading entertainment destinations.

MONTRÉAL, January 27, 2026 — The patience and hard work of Montrealer Christian Mbilli have finally paid off, as the World Boxing Council (WBC) officially elevated him to full WBC super-middleweight (168 lb) world champion, no longer interim, on Tuesday in Mexico.

This decision follows several busy months for Team Mbilli, both inside and outside the ring. On June 29 at Quebec City’s Centre Vidéotron, Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) captured the WBC interim world title by stopping Maciej Sulecki in the first round. On September 13, on the undercard of the #CaneloCrawford showdown—broadcast to nearly 40 million viewers on Netflix—he successfully defended his interim title against Lester Martinez. The Mbilli–Martinez bout was named Fight of the Night and, more recently, Fight of the Year by the WBC.

That night, WBC world champion Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez lost his title to Terence Crawford. The American then chose to vacate the belt and eventually announced his retirement in the following weeks. The WBC ordered a bout between Mbilli and the top-ranked contender, Hamzah Sheeraz, but the British fighter declined to face the Quebecer. As a result, the Mexico-based federation decided simply to remove the “interim” label from Mbilli’s title, making him the sole WBC super-middleweight (168 lb) world champion.

“I earned my world title through hard work, discipline, and merit. I promise to double down on my standards and intensity—in training and in every aspect of my life—to defend it and remind everyone why I’m at the top,” said Christian Mbilli, nicknamed “Solide.”

“We’re extremely happy with this crowning achievement for Christian and the team after so many challenges and sacrifices. This is only the beginning—the best is yet to come,” added Eye of the Tiger president Camille Estephan.

The event headlined by Christian Mbilli will be announced in the coming weeks. Photos from his recent fights are also available (HERE).

MONTREAL, December 29, 2025 — Eye of the Tiger is closing out 2025 in an unprecedented position in its nearly 15-year history. The numbers speak for themselves: among the 23 athletes under contract with the team, 17 are currently world-ranked, including three world champions — Osleys Iglesias (IBO), Christian Mbilli (WBC Interim), Albert Ramirez (WBA Interim).

At the top of the list, what a year it was for Montreal’s Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs). On June 27, in front of nearly 5,500 fans at Centre Vidéotron, the Marc Ramsay protégé finally realized his dream of becoming a world champion. That night, “Solide” needed just one round to stop Poland’s Maciej Sulecki, the world No. 7 contender, to claim the WBC Interim Super Middleweight World Title. Less than three months later, on September 13, Mbilli successfully defended his title by fighting to a draw against world No. 3 contender Lester Martinez.

Adding to the significance, the Mbilli–Martinez bout was featured on the undercard of the highly publicized “fight of the century” between Saul Alvarez and Terence Crawford. The event took place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in front of more than 70,000 spectators, with an additional 40 million viewers watching worldwide on Netflix. Mbilli seized the opportunity to shine before an unprecedented audience for a Quebec boxer, with his bout against Martinez being named Fight of the Night.

Although he has held the IBO Super Middleweight World Title since 2022, Osleys Iglesias (14-0, 13 KOs) used 2025 to secure his path toward a second world championship. On September 4 at the Casino de Montréal, “El Tornado” dismantled world No. 2 contender Vladimir Shishkin in eight rounds, becoming the mandatory challenger for the IBF 168-pound title. Initially, this positioned him for a bout against IBF champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who was later defeated by Terence “Bud” Crawford before announcing his retirement. As a result, Iglesias will now have the opportunity to fight for the vacant title in his next bout. The only remaining question is who will step up to face him, as the Cuban has built a reputation over the past two years as one of the most feared fighters in the sport, pound for pound.

At light heavyweight, Albert Ramirez (22-0, 19 KOs) completed EOTTM’s trio of world champions on August 8 by stopping world No. 9 contender Jerome Pampellone in the seventh round to become the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight World Champion. The bout took place in Libya before a crowd of more than 10,000 fans and was broadcast worldwide on DAZN. It marked Ramirez’s third victory of the year, following dominant stoppage wins over Croatian contender Marko Calic and Asian champion Michael Flannery in three and two rounds, respectively, at the Casino de Montréal.

Continuing along the world-title path, two Eye of the Tiger fighters competed in unified world championship bouts in 2025. After a powerful knockout win over Elhem Mekhaled in June, Leïla Beaudoin (13-2, 2 KOs) earned a shot at the undisputed super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner on December 19, fighting on the undercard of the highly publicized Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul event. Despite losing by unanimous decision, the Quebec fighter impressed with her courage and determination in front of thousands of fans at the Kaseya Center in Miami — and, more importantly, tens of millions of viewers on Netflix.

A few weeks earlier, on October 31, Canadian Mary Spencer (10-3, 6 KOs) fought for three world titles. Already holding the WBA title, which she had successfully defended for the first time against Ogleidis Suarez in April, she faced American Mikaela Mayer with the vacant WBC and WBO super welterweight titles also on the line. Mayer ultimately claimed her fifth, sixth, and seventh world titles via unanimous decision, but Spencer fought valiantly against one of the sport’s growing legends.

In the world rankings, no fewer than 14 other Eye of the Tiger fighters made their mark across eight different weight classes. The latest addition to the EOTTM stable, Lenar Perez (15-0, 14 KOs), already sits at No. 3 in the WBA cruiserweight rankings, while also ranking No. 12 with the IBF and No. 18 with the WBC. Still in the top five, Canadian Olympian and NABF super lightweight champion Arthur Biyarslanov (20-0, 16 KOs) is currently ranked No. 4 by both the WBC and IBF. At lightweight, WBC Continental and IBF Intercontinental champion Dzmitry Asanau (11-0, 5 KOs) also holds the No. 4 WBC ranking and No. 12 with the IBF.

Inside the top 10, Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs) enjoyed a triumphant return by dominating Britain’s David Allen on his home turf in England, capturing the WBA Intercontinental Heavyweight Title and climbing to No. 6 in the WBA world rankings. Imam Khataev (11-1, 10 KOs) also found success on the road. Fighting on a Ring Magazine–promoted card in New York, he became the first fighter to knock down David Morrell Jr. Although the judges awarded a highly controversial split decision in favor of the Cuban, Khataev left a strong impression. He left no doubt in his return bout, stopping former world title challenger Adam Deines in the third round in December in Gatineau. The Olympic medalist closed out the year ranked No. 6 and No. 7 by the WBC and WBA, respectively, at 175 pounds.

A third light heavyweight also stood out within EOTTM. Marc Ramsay protégé Mehmet Unal (14-0, 12 KOs) enjoyed a breakout year. He first stopped Olympian Ezequiel Maderna in three rounds, then demolished Polish and Latvian contenders Jan Czerklewicz and Ralfs Vilcans in first-round knockouts. In the latter two bouts, Unal captured and defended the WBC Continental Light Heavyweight Title, placing him at No. 9 in the world rankings.

Marc Ramsay’s youngest protégé, Jhon Orobio (16-0, 14 KOs), also broke into the world rankings. Currently ranked No. 15 by the WBC, the WBC Continental super lightweight champion and Ring Magazine ambassador earned four victories in 2025, including a second-round stoppage of former world champion Xolisani Ndongeni. At just 22 years old, Orobio clearly has a bright future ahead, as does Quebec sensation Wilkens Mathieu (15-0, 10 KOs). The pride of Quebec City — also a Ring Magazine ambassador — experienced a true breakout in the fall. On October 30, he completely dominated and dropped veteran Quebec fighter Shakeel Phinn to capture the NABF and WBC Continental super middleweight titles. The WBC currently ranks him No. 17 in the world — a remarkable achievement for a 20-year-old, especially considering all other fighters in the top 35 are at least 24 years old.

Among the stable’s other ranked fighters are WBC Continental welterweight champion Christopher Guerrero (No. 18 WBC at 147 lbs), Canadian “Dragon” Steve Claggett (No. 22 WBC at 140 lbs), two-time world title challenger Steven Butler (No. 24 WBC at 168 lbs), Montreal’s Luis Santana (No. 31 WBC at 135 lbs), and EOTTM’s 2024 Prospect of the Year, Moreno Fendero (No. 36 WBC at 168 lbs).

The future looks just as promising with EOTTM’s two newest recruits. Canadian Olympic medalist Wyatt Sanford (5-0, 2 KOs) and junior amateur world champion Erik Israyelyan (4-0, 2 KOs) continued to rack up victories throughout 2025. Overall, Eye of the Tiger closed the year with a team record of 52 wins in 58 bouts, including 34 victories by knockout. These results were achieved across eight events held in Quebec, as well as through successful outings on the road in the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

“When we say we’re taking Quebec boxing to another level, the numbers don’t lie. We worked relentlessly to get here, and our team is now built to win in the short, medium, and long term. I can’t predict the future, but I truly believe this is only the beginning. Three world champions is already a lot, but with the talent we have, I’m confident we can bring even more world champions to Quebec,” said EOTTM President Camille Estephan.

Eye of the Tiger will return on February 5 at the Casino de Montréal, where Albert Ramirez will make the first defense of his world title against former world champion Lerrone Richards. A limited number of tickets remain available through Ticketmaster (HERE). Photos from Albert Ramirez’s most recent bouts and from all Eye of the Tiger fighters are also available (HERE).

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS – There was no blood. There were no knockdowns. There was only Terence Crawford.

Crawford’s dance, as brilliant as it was defiant, continued Saturday, reaching a peak few others have achieved or even imagined with an upset of Canelo Alvarez in front of a crowd of 70,482 at Allegiant Stadium.

Crawford, booed when he entered the arena and booed for weeks after the fight was announced, did what he was always done in his historic path to undisputed title in three weight classes.

He did it with his feet, frustrating Canelo at almost every turn in winning a unanimous decision. It was 115-113 on two scorecards and 116-112 on the third. Two of the cards appeared to be closer than what the dominant Crawford did in moving across the ring, in and out of harm’s way and into history.

Canelo always seemed to be a step behind, a dance partner that couldn’t quite keep up with the master.

If there was a surprise, it was in Crawford’s footwork. He moved his feet with an agility not seen in almost a decade. For 12 rounds, the 37-year-old Crawford sustained the dance that earned him the undisputed super-middleweight title and a place among boxing’s all-time greats.

If he had been around in another time, the game would have Five Kings alongside the foursome of Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran.

In his hometown – Omaha, they simply call him Bud. On this night, however, boxing historians could have called him Sugar. He was that good, a former welterweight and junior-welter champion coming up two weight classes to take down Canelo, one of the most feared punchers in his day,

After it was all over, Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) went to one knee and looked toward Allegiant Stadium’s ceiling as though he was looking to the heavens.

Thanks, he said

The thank-you was preceded by a confident Crawford who opened the fight in the southpaw style. His right hand led the attack and hinted at imminent alterations. But he never switched up, never went from left-handed to right-handed. But the threat was always there, forcing Canelo to be wary.

Above all, Crawford’s two-handed, ambidextrous threat  threw some hesitancy, if not outright  confusion into Canelo’s tactical plans.

Crawford right hand landed first, followed by a glancing left in the opening round. The crowd roared. Canelo remained cautious.

But in the second round, the popular Mexican hinted, perhaps, at what he had planned. He moved forward, almost stalking and in an almost straight line that led him to his target: Crawford’s midsection.

The body punch landed, forcing Crawford to step to one side and then another. In the third, it began to look as if Crawford was poised to pick up the pace.

In the fourth, he did, landing a couple of quick hands, first a right than a left. Momentum in the fourth, however, suddenly shifted when Canelo landed a straight right hand. Crawford looked at at him and smiled as if to say: You can’t catch me.

Over the next eight rounds, Canelo never could.

Callum Walsh dominates in one-sided decision over Vargas Jr.

Callum Walsh had too much power and too much accuracy.

In the end, he had too much of everything in overwhelming Fernando Vargas, Jr, who has a legendary name but none of his father’s resilient skillset. 

On the scorecards, Vargas (17-1, 13 KOs) never had a chance. The judges nearly scored the 10-round junior-middleweight fight as a shutout for Walsh (16-0, 11 KOs), an agile Irishman who knows his way around the ring.

 It was 99-91 on two cards and 100-90 on the third in the final fight before the Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez main event at Allegiant Stadium.

Mbilli, Martinez fight to a bruising draw

It was punishing, a fight full of momentum swings and exhausting exchanges of punches that landed everywhere and from all angles. It was hard to pick a winner.

In the end, nobody could..

Christian Mbilli-Lester Martinez was a draw. The good news is that the super-middleweight fight set the stage for a sequel and perhaps a great new rivalry. The only winner was the gathering crowd for the main event, Canelo Alvarez-versus-Terence Crawford. The early undercards didn’t offer much in terms of drama. Allegiant Arena eats were empty. Knockouts were few. Cheers were muted.

Then, Mbilli and Martinez stepped through the ropes.

In the early rounds, it looked as if Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) might win easily. He appeared to have an edge in the number and power of inside punches. In the middle rounds, however, Martinez. (19-01, 16 KOs), showed a stubborn streak and and his own brand of body shots and uppercuts. The Guatemalan wasn’t going anywhere. In the eighth and again ninth, it looked as if the body assault had robbed Mbilli of his energy. He looked fatigued.

In the final moments of the tenth and final round, however, Mbilli recovered, scoring repeatedly and often enough to perhaps ensure a draw. One judge scored it for him, 96-94. One scored it for Martinez, 97-93. On the third, it was a draw, 95-95

Can’t wait for the rematchThe punishing fight ended with exchanges of punches and moment

Mohammed Alakel wins unanimous decision

Saudi junior-lightweight Mohammed Alakel (5-0, 1 KO) employed faster hands and feet, scoring quickly and repeatedly for a unanimous decision  overTravis Crawford (7-4) a hard working fighter from (7-4-1) from Corpus Christi, TX in the first fight on the Netflix part of a card featuring Terence Crawford-versus-Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium Saturday. 

Brandon Adams wins rematch, scores decision over Bohachuk

Brandon Adams wore a gray wig to news conferences and weigh-ins. He shed the costume in the ring and answered questions about his age with a variety of punches.

Body shots, hooks and uppercuts were repeated answers to Serhii Bohachuk, who called the 36-year-old Adams — a Los Angeles middleweight — an old fighter.

Age is just a number, or at least it was for 10 rounds of punishing shots from multiple angles from Adams in a rematch victory Saturday at Allegiant Stadium over Bohachuk (26-3, 24 KOs) , a Ukrainian known for his power. 

In the end, Adams made the 30-year Bohachuk look old.  Adams, who scored an eighth-round TKO of Bohachuk in 2021, landed shots almost at will, winning a unanimous decision in the final fight before the Netflix portion of the Canelo-Crawford card.

Jermaine Franklin wins dull decision

It was unanimous.

On the cards.

And in the seats.

Jermaine Franklin Jr. won the decision. He also shared some of the contempt hurled at Ivan Dychko from a few fans scattered across Allegiant Stadium’s 65,000 seats Saturday on the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford card in a heavyweight matinee Saturday.

Franklin (24-2), of Saginaw MI,  and Dychko (15-, 14 KOs), a two-time Olympic bronze medalist from Kazakhstan, clinched and clutched more than they punched through 10 forgettable rounds. By the fifth, the scattered crowd began to jeer. By the eighth, the boos began to echo through the empty arena.

By the end of the 10th, there were cheers.

Finally, it was over. 

Tsutsumi scores first-round stoppage

Reito Tsutsumi, a Japanese junior lightweight, didn’t need much time, mostly because Javier Martinez didn’t have much of anything at all.

Tsutsumi (3-0, 2 KOs) did it all within 2:18, walking down Martinez (7-3,4 KOs), hurting the Dallas fighter first with a succession of body shots and then finishing him with with straight punches that put Martinez on the canvas, a lonely figure in an empty building early on a card featuring Terence Crawford-versus-Canelo Alvarez fight.

Sultan Almohammed made a succsessful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Martin Caraballo in a lightweight bout.

In round one, Almohammed dropped Caraballo with a right to the jaw.

Almohammed, 132.5 lbs of Jeddah, SA won by scores of 40-36 on all cardsa and is now 1-0. Caraballo, 133 lbs of Hollywood, FL is 0-1-1….Marc Abrams

Raiko Santana scored a mild upset by stopping Steven Nelson in the opening round of their 10-round light heavyweight bout.

Santana landed a hard right hand that hurt Nelson and a follow-up flurry forced the stoppage at 2:38.

Sanatana Of El Paso, TX is 13-4 with with seven knockouts. Nelson of Omaha, NEB is 20-2…...Marc Abrams

Potential Mexican star, Marco Verde stopped Sona Akale in round our of their six-roumd middleweight bout.

In round one, Verde landed a right hook that put Akale on the canvas.

In round four, Verde continued the assault and referee Mark Nelson stopped the bout at 1:11.

Verde, 158 lbs of Mazaltan, MEX is 3-0 with two knockouts. Akale, 158 lbs of St. Paul, MN is 9-4….Marc Abrams

LAS VEGAS, SEPTEMBER 12, 2025 — Everything is set! Christian Mbilli (29-0, 24 KOs) will make his first defense of the WBC interim super middleweight world title against top-3 world contender Lester Martinez (19-0, 16 KOs) tomorrow night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The fight, featured as the quarterfinal bout on the mega-card headlined by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs. Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford, will be broadcast live starting at 9:00 PM (Eastern Time) on Netflix (HERE).

The Quebecer by adoption, Christian Mbilli, and the Guatemalan Lester Martinez both successfully made weight today, each coming in at 167 lb. They’ll meet tomorrow for their long-awaited 10-round showdown in Nevada.

“This is my chance to shine. I believe I was born for this kind of opportunity, and I don’t intend to miss it on Saturday night. I believe I’m on this card for a reason: His Excellency Turki Al-Sheikh knows that I’m always spectacular, and with an explosive performance, I intend to steal the show and send an indelible message to Canelo and Crawford—that I’m ready to face them anywhere, anytime, and at any place,” said WBC interim world champion Christian ‘Solide’ Mbilli.

“We’re all aware that this is the most important fight of Christian Mbilli’s career, but I want to point out that it’s just as important for our sport. With Netflix, we’re talking about visibility reaching tens upon tens of millions of people. It’s unprecedented for a Quebec boxer. But Christian is built for this kind of challenge. Boxing fans have known it for years, but tomorrow night, the whole world is going to realize it,” added EOTTM president Camille Estephan.

• Christian Mbilli 167.7 lbs vs. Maciej Sulecki 167.7 lbs
(Vacant WBC Interim Super Middleweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
 
•   Steven Butler 167.6 lbs vs. Jose De Jesus Macias 167.8 lbs
(Super Middleweight — 10 Rounds)
 
•  Arslanbek Makhmudov 265.8 lbs vs. Ricardo Brown 261.4 lbs
(Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Wilkens Mathieu 171.6 lbs vs. Adagio McDonald 170.7 lbs
(Light Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)

•  Jhon Orobio 139.5 lbs vs. Zsolt Osadan 138.8 lbs
(Vacant WBC Continental Americas Junior Welterweight Title — 10 Rounds)

•  Christopher Guerrero 146.7 lbs vs. Sandy Messaoud 145.1 lbs
(Guerrero’s WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title — 10 Rounds)

•  Leila Beaudoin 129.4 lbs vs. Elhem Mekhaled 129.1 lbs
(Beaudoin’s WBO International Junior Lightweight Title — 10 Rounds)

•  Luis Santana 135.7 lbs vs. Eduardo Estela 135.6 lbs
(Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Wyatt Sanford 139.6 lbs vs. Mark Andrejev 139.7 lbs
(Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

QUEBEC CITY, Canada (June 25, 2025) — Super middleweight destroyer Christian Mbilli has waited years for this moment and plans to take advantage of it against Polish veteran Maciej Sulecki.

Mbilli (28-0, 23 KOs) will lock horns with Sulecki for the WBC Interim super middleweight world title this Friday, June 27, at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada. The Montreal-based wrecking ball, who represented France at the 2016 Olympics, has stopped over 80 percent of his opponents ahead of his first shot at interim gold.

Sulecki (33-3, 13 KOs), a former middleweight title challenger, is coming off a stunning 10th-round stoppage over Ali Akhmedov on enemy territory in Kazakhstan.

In the co-feature, former two-time world title challenger Steven Butler (35-5-2, 29 KOs)takes on Mexico’s Jose De Jesus Macias (29-13-4, 15 KOs) in a super middleweight rematch. Macias stunned Butler via fifth-round TKO in 2021. 

Additionally, heavyweight knockout artist Arslanbek Makhmudov (19-2, 18 KOs) returns in a 10-rounder versus the unbeaten, Ontario-based Ricardo Brown (12-0, 11 KOs). 

Promoted by Eye of the Tiger, Mbilli-Sulecki, Butler-Macias II, Makhmudov-Brown, and additional undercard fights will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

This is what the Mbilli and Sulecki said at Wednesday’s press conference.

Christian Mbilli

“It’s been a long time. We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time, but we’ve finally made it. We’re making it happen. And Friday will be a day of glory. The belt will be coming home.”
 
“I always say that after such a difficult journey, this entire training camp, and all the ups and downs, there has to be someone who will pay the price. And think Sulecki will have to pay for it on Friday.”
 
“As usual, I expect a spectacular fight, and once again, I’ll be leaving with the victory.”

“I’m not going to say that I will put him out faster than {common opponent} Diego Pacheco did. But I can promise a more spectacular fight, and that, at the end of it, Sulecki will feel more pain than after his fight with Pacheco. That said, if the KO happens, good, because I’m not paid to do overtime.”

Maciej Sulecki

“This is a big honor for me. I’m ready for a great fight. I had a good camp, and I had great sparring partners.”

“I know Christian Mbilli is a good fighter. He is very strong and aggressive, and sometimes he’s very wild in the ring. But I know what I have to do in the ring. I’m ready.”

“The most important thing for Mbilli right now is this fight with me. This will be very difficult for him. He can talk all he wants about his plans, but he has to fight me first.”

Friday, June 27

 LIVE on ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT)
 

Christian Mbilli vs. Maciej Sulecki, 12 Rounds, Vacant WBC Interim Super Middleweight Title

Wyatt Sanford vs.  Mark Andrejev, 6 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

MONTREAL, JUNE 13, 2025 — It’s payback time for Steven Butler. Jose de Jesus Macias is heading to Quebec with plans to shock “Bang Bang” once again on June 27. The fight will serve as the co-main event on a stacked 10-bout card featuring four championship fights, headlined by the WBC Interim World Super Middleweight Title bout between #1 world contender Christian Mbilli and Maciej Sulecki, live at Videotron Centre in Quebec City.

“After two straight training camps, I’m not just hungry—I’m enraged. It’s not Erik Bazinyan, but it’s even better; Macias and I have unfinished business. I kept things polite for local fights. But this is a rematch—time for violence. I’m getting my revenge on June 27,” declared two-time world title challenger Steven Butler.

Montreal’s Steven Butler (35-5-1, 29 KOs) and Jose de Jesus Macias (29-13-4, 15 KOs) meet again four years after Macias’ swift victory. Butler is out to reverse the result, while Macias believes history will repeat itself.

“I’m happy to return to Quebec—but you really should stop inviting me! People wanted to see Lafrenière vs. Butler back in the day, and I beaten both. Butler’s going down again on June 27, and then I’ll get my revenge on Bazinyan,” said Macias, stepping in for the injured Erik Bazinyan, and coming off a win last November, just like Butler.

But before the rematch comes war: in a special heavyweight attraction between two knockout artists with over 90% KO ratios, Quebec’s own by way of Russia, Arslanbek ‘The Lion’ Makhmudov (19-2, 18 KOs) will take on Ontario’s adopted Ricardo ‘Big 12’ Brown (12-0, 11 KOs). The fight is scheduled for 10 rounds—but the stats suggest a much shorter story…

“He talked about slaying the Lion when the fight was announced. Funny, he was very polite at the face-off. But in the ring, the politeness ends. I’ll be hunting—and this will be war,” warned Makhmudov.

With an unusually deep lineup, the June 27 gala will feature three title fights before the three main attractionseven begin. In a bmatchup many experts call a “50/50,” Leïla Beaudoin (12-1, 1 KO) will defend her WBO International Super Featherweight Title for the first time against world #2 contender Elhem Mekhaled (17-3, 3 KOs).

Colombian sensation Jhon Orobio (13-0, 11 KOs) will face a triple first: his Quebec City debut, his first 10-round fight, and his first title shot, battling for the WBC Continental Americas title at 140 lbs against seasoned Slovakian veteran Zsolt Osadan (27-3-1, 17 KOs).

Top-15 world-ranked welterweight Christopher Guerrero (14-0, 8 KOs) will put his WBC Continental title on the line against former international champion Sandy Messaoud (20-8, 1 KO). Many believe this could be the fight of the night—Guerrero’s coach among them.

“A tall southpaw with an unorthodox style—he gives everyone trouble. His fights are always close, no matter the result. That’s exactly why we picked him. I expect the toughest fight of Chris’s career,” said Giuseppe Moffa.

Also on the card: Wilkens Mathieu (13-0, 9 KOs), Quebec’s hometown pride, returns for an 8-rounder against French champion Adagio McDonald (8-1, 6 KOs). Luis Santana (13-0, 6 KOs) of Montreal will face Uruguay’s heavy-hitter and former Steve Claggett opponent Eduardo Estela (17-4, 12 KOs) in his first scheduled 10-round bout. Canadian Olympian Wyatt Sanford (2-0, 2 KOs) will take on Israeli veteran Igor Lazarev (9-4, 3 KOs) in his first 6-rounder. Opening the night, rising star Moreno “The Soldier” Fendero (11-0, 9 KOs) steps up in competition to face the rugged Centenario veteran Billi Facundo Godoy (41-8, 20 KOs), nicknamed “El Niño.”

Tickets for #MbilliSulecki, set for June 27 at Videotron Centre, are still available (HERE) via Ticketmaster. Photos from Christian Mbilli’s recent fights and the undercard boxers are also available (HERE).

– 30 –

Members of the press wishing to cover the #MbilliSulecki gala must submit their accreditation request via the online form available on the EOTTM website (HERE) by Thursday, June 19 at 5:00 PM.

MONTREAL, April 23, 2025 — Christian Mbilli has been patient, has defeated everyone placed in front of him, and on June 27, will finally have the chance to get his hands on a world title. In the ring at Videotron Centre, “Solide” will fight for the WBC Interim Super Middleweight World Championship against Silver titleholder Maciej Sulecki, in a scheduled 12-round bout.

In recent years, Christian Mbilli (28-0, 23 KOs) has taken down no fewer than three top-10 world contenders: Venezuelan puncher Carlos Góngora, Australian brawler Rohan Murdock, and Ukrainian technician Sergiy Derevyanchenko. With all these wins earned decisively, the Montreal-based fighter has climbed to the No. 1 spot in the WBC, WBA, and even the prestigious Ring Magazine rankings.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, I’ve worked so hard to get here, and there’s no way I’m leaving without the belt on June 27. I want to salute my opponent for having the courage to accept this challenge. But once we’re in the ring, he’ll have to face all the intensity and rage I’ve built up against those who refused to fight me before him,” said world No. 1 contender Christian Mbilli.

“A world title is on the line, but in Christian Mbilli’s case, it’s also the culmination of a lifetime of work. That’s why we’re confident he won’t miss his chance. We saw the beating Sulecki handed to the fearsome Ali Akhmedov, but as we’ve been saying for years now, Christian is on another level. The winner of this fight will solidify their position as the top contender to Canelo and Scull’s titles. So the stakes are sky-high for Christian—and for all of Quebec boxing. We’re calling on the entire province to show up in Quebec City to support him on June 27,” said Eye of the Tiger President, Camille Estephan.

This past February, Warsaw’s pride, Maciej Sulecki (33-3, 13 KOs), went into hostile territory in Kazakhstan and shocked the boxing world by stopping Ali Akhmedov in the 10th round, claiming the WBC Silver 168 lb. title. Previously, he also handed Hugo Centeno his first loss in 25 fights, defeated former world champion Jack Culcay, and dominated American brawler “King” Gabriel Rosado. Sulecki’s only three losses came against elite fighters: Americans Diego Pacheco, Demetrius Andrade, and Daniel Jacobs. The Polish veteran sees his bout with Christian Mbilli as a springboard toward Canelo Alvarez and a shot at the undisputed crown.

“This is the fight that is between me and Canelo, so we can square away our beef from sparring. Of course, Christian Mbilli will not be an easy fight but I have never felt better since my return with my trainer. I am in a great place with my team and everyone is doing their part. June 27th I will make sure I do mine, with a statement in his home town, Quebec City. This is currently one of the top and most exciting weight divisions and I am proud to be the WBC Silver Champion. I am sure the Polish fans in Canada and those in Chicago, NY and the tri state area will come out and support so I will not be alone. We are coming as champions and leaving as champions with the mandatory spot for Canelo.,” said WBC No. 7 contender Maciej Sulecki.

While a world title bout headlines the card, a stacked undercard with local flavor and international stakes is shaping up at Videotron Centre. In the co-main event, Laval’s world top-15 contender Erik Bazinyan (32-1-1, 23 KOs) takes on Montreal power-puncher Steven Butler (35-5-1, 29 KOs) in a much-anticipated showdown.

As a special attraction, a clash of heavyweight giants will add a new chapter to the Quebec- Ontario rivalry. In a scheduled 10-round bout between two fighters with KO ratios above 90%, Quebec-based Arslanbek “The Lion” Makhmudov (19-2, 18 KOs) will face Ontario-based Ricardo “Big 12” Brown (12-0, 11 KOs).

“On June 27, I’m coming to Quebec undefeated, and I’ll leave undefeated. Go ahead and write it down: the Russian giant will fall before the Jamaican assassin,” predicted the 6’7”, 250 lb. powerhouse Ricardo Brown.

“I needed to come back at 100%. But now I’m ready to return to the hunt, and my opponent can expect a war—and in the end, a victory for the Lion,” said the 6’5”, 260 lb. Montreal- based Arslanbek Makhmudov.

In another scheduled 10-rounder, Témiscouata native and Lévis resident Leïla Beaudoin (12-1, 1 KO), a top-5 world super featherweight contender, will face the toughest challenge of her career. In her first defense of the WBO International title, the Quebec fighter will take on former world champion and dangerous top-5 super lightweight contender Elhem Mekhaled (17-3, 3 KOs).

Also featured on the card are Colombian phenom Jhon Orobio (13-0, 11 KOs) and Montreal’s Luis Santana (13-0, 6 KOs), all in scheduled 10-round fights. Quebec City’s own Wilkens Mathieu (13-0, 9 KOs) will return home for an 8-round bout.

Tickets for the #MbilliSulecki event, taking place June 27 at Videotron Centre, go on sale this Friday, April 25 at 10:00 AM / ET via the Ticketmaster network.

MONTREAL, February 18, 2025 — Y12 Boxing recently won a purse bid to organize the IBF eliminator fight between the world’s No. 3 and No. 4 contenders, Christian Mbilli and Kevin Sadjo. Of the winning bid amount of $878,000 USD, 60% would have gone to the EOTTM fighter as the higher-ranked contender. Nicknamed “Solide,” Mbilli was ready to travel to France for this fight, but he wanted assurance that he would indeed receive the purse he was promised. In the end, as the French promoter refused to negotiate anything beyond the IBF’s minimum requirements, Team Mbilli was forced to explore other options.

EOTTM is now revisiting its initial plan: an interim WBC world championship fight.

“After careful consideration, we have decided to pursue an avenue that better aligns with our short- and medium-term objectives,” said Christian Mbilli’s promoter and Eye of the Tiger president, Camille Estephan. “We are currently in discussions with the WBC for an interim world title bout in the super middleweight division against an opponent who will be announced shortly.”

“For such an important fight, it was just as important for my team and me to have certain financial guarantees. A lot has been said about the purse from the purse bid, but all we were asking for was confirmation that the money was actually there before the first bell,” said WBC and WBA No. 1 contender Christian Mbilli.

The main request was for his full purse to be deposited into an escrow account at least five days before the event. However, the French promoter—who was also attempting to schedule the event on May 8, beyond the initially agreed deadline of April 30—was unable to meet this requirement.

Further details will be announced soon. Photos from Christian Mbilli’s recent fights are also available (HERE).

Diego Pacheco believes he is ready to take on the biggest names in the Super-Middleweight division – but knows he has to see off Maciej Sulecki in style first on Saturday night at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Los Angeles, live worldwide on DAZN.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FROM AXS.COM

Pacheco (21-0 17 KOs) is knocking loudly at the door for World title action, sitting at #1 in the WBO and #4 with the WBC and IBF, and defeating Sulecki (32-2 12 KOs) will only bolster his credentials to land a marquee fight.

The 23 year old is fully focused on his toughest test to date, but identified three names that he would like to face next in Christian Mbilli, Edgar Berlanga and Erik Bazinyan – and facing them is the next step in Pacheco’s five-year plan to dominate the Super-Middleweight division.

“A win gets me that step closer,” said Pacheco. “If I can do that, it hopefully gets me a fight with someone that’s in the top ten with me, and then become mandatory for one of the titles and next year, get that World title shot. I don’t feel like I have to show anything in particular. People have already seen that I can knock people out, that I can hurt people to the body, I can drop guys with uppercuts, hurt them with jabs. It’s more just getting the win and looking good, that’s what I train for, there’s no added pressure.

“There’s Mbilli, Berlanga, Bazinyan; there’s a lot of good fighters out there that I would face and I’m ready for any of them. It’s hard for those guys to fight me because they think I’m just a young kid who hasn’t done much in the sport. But one fight at a time it’s getting to the point where they can’t deny me anymore and those fights will have to be made, and I have a promoter in Eddie Hearn and Matchroom who gets those fights lined up, so in due time I’ll be mixing it up with them all. 

“I think in five years from now I’ll be ruling the 168lb division, unifying it and ultimately becoming undisputed, that’s my goal. I want to dominate, keep the momentum going, keep knocking guys out and keep entertaining the fans.”

Pacheco’s clash with Sulecki tops a stacked card in Los Angeles, where Super-Featherweight KO artist Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez (27-1 27 KOs) faces former World title challenger Miguel Marriaga (31-7 26 KOs).

There’s an all-Mexican war as Arturo Cardenas (14-0-1 8 KOs) defends his Continental Americas Super-Bantamweight title against Jesus Arechiga (21-1 15 KOs), Britain’s Chev ‘C4’ Clarke (9-0 7 KOs) makes his American debut against Efetobor Apochi (12-2 12 KOs) and the action on DAZN begins with an interim World title clash, as Adelaida Ruiz (16-0-1 8 KOs) defends her WBC Super-Flyweight title against Ginny Fuchs (3-0 1 KOs).

Recent Matchroom signing Fabian ‘Zurdo’ Rojo (9-0 7 KOs) meets Alejandro Frias (15-10-2 7 KOs) over six rounds at Welterweight, Criztec Bazaldua (5-0 1 KOs) faces Kyle Erwin (7-2 3 KOs) over six rounds at Super-Lightweight, and Alex Gueche (5-0 5 KOs) kicking off the night over six rounds at Bantamweight against David Vargas (8-4-2 5 KOs).

# # # 

ABOUT PACHECO VS. SULECKI:

Super middleweight sensation Diego Pacheco is headlining for the second time in his hometown of Los Angeles and taking on Poland’s former world title challenger Maciej Sulecki in Matchroom Boxing first ever show at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, Calif., on Saturday August 31, live worldwide on DAZN. 

Tickets for the event are still available for purchase at axs.com. For more information visit www.matchroomboxing.com and follow #PachecoSulecki and Matchroom Boxing on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Christian Mbilli won a 10-round unanimous decision over a game Sergiy Derevyancheko in a super middleweight bout at the Videotron Centre in Quebec Centre in Quebec City, Canada

In round three, Derevyanchenko injured his left bicep. The Ukrainian became a one-handed a fighter as he could only throw the hand. He fought valiantly, but Mbilli was able to constantly and consistently land thudding shots in combination, swelling both of Derevyanchenko’s eyes in the process. Derevyanchenko did as well as he could, but the amount of the damage that was accumulated should have forced a corner stoppage, but Derevyanchenko fought on in round 10, but took unneeded punishment

Mbilli landed 215 of 696 punches. Derevyanchenko was 135 of 453.

Mbilli, 167.4 lbs of Montreal, CAN won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 28-0. Derevyanchenko, 167.1 lbs of Mykoslav, UKR is 15-6.

Mbilli said, “I had some problems with my left hand, and I was not able to bring it up. I had to throw punches. It was difficult, but I had to do my best.

“He’s a warrior. He was in a difficult position, but he fought back. I’m going to go back home and look at the fight again.

“Right now, I’m ready for big fights. I want to be a world champion. I know that to be the best, I have to beat the best. I don’t want to say any names, but everybody knows who’s number one. I want the fight with number one.”

Derevyanchenko said, “My legs were good. I only had one arm. I needed to move. When I stayed, he punched in combinations.

“He’s a good boxer, a strong boxer. But if I had two hands, I think it would be another situation.”

Vianello Stops Mahmudov In 8 Due to Closed Eye

Guido Viaello scored the biggest win of his career as he stopped Arslanbek Makhmudob in round eight of their 10-round heavyweight bout.

In round three, Makhmudov began to swell and bleed from around his left eye from repeated hard punches from Vianello. The left eye of Makhmudov was completely shut in round four.. In round five, Vianello began to bleed from around his left eye.

In round six, Makhmudov was docked a point for hitting behind the head. In round seven, Vianello landed a right hand that clearly made the glove of Makhmudov touch the canvas which should have been called a knockdown, but the referee missed the call. The fight was stopped just after the eighth round bell rang due to the left eye of Makhmudov being completely shut.

Vianello, 245.8 lbs of Rome, ITA is 13-2-1 with 11 knockouts. Makhmudov, 260 lbs of Montreal is 19-2.

Vianello said, “I am a contender now. I am ready for the world level, and I proved that tonight.

“I thought I beat Efe Ajagba, and I came into this fight with a lot of confidence. I was in the best shape of my career, and that showed tonight. I dominated him and then knocked him out.

“I just had to stay composed. There was a knockdown that wasn’t called, but I knew if I stuck to my strategy, I would get the knockout.”

Osleys Iglesias remained undefeated with a second round stoppage over former world title challenger Sena Agbeko in a 10-round super middleweight bout.

In round one, Iglesias dropped Agbeko for the first time in his career with a right hook. Later in the round, Iglesias continued to pound away on Agbeko and the fight was stopped at 1:16.

Iglesias, 169.3 lbs of Havana, CUB is 12-0 with 11 knockouts. Agbeko, 168.7 lbs of Accra, GHA is 28-4.

Abdullah Mason remained undefeated with a second round stoppage of Mike Ohan Jr. in an eight-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Mason dropped Ohan with a left uppercut. In round two, Mason landed a perfect left hand that put Ohan down in the corner and the fight was stopped by Ohan’s trainer Mark DeLuca at 40 seconds.

Mason, 136 lbs of Cleveland is 15-0 with 13 knockouts. Ohan, 136.7 lbs of Holbrook, MA is now 19-3.

“Right now, it’s back to the gym. We’re going to take a little time off and be right back. I’ve got another fight coming up at the end of this year, probably sometime in November. We’re going to get that finalized soon,” Mason said. “We executed the game plan how we wanted to. I set the initiative a little bit early because I saw that he wasn’t coming forward. I think he might’ve been surprised with how clean the shots were landing.”

Lelia Beaudoin won a 10-round unanimous decision over Lizbeth Crespo in a junior lightweight bout.

Beaudoin, 129.7 lbs of Levis, CAN won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 12-1. Crespo, 129.2 lbs of Tarata, BOL is 15-8.

Wilkens Mathieu remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Facundo Nicolas Galovar in a light heavyweight bout.

Mathieu, 178 lbs of Quebec City, CAN won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 10-0. Galovar, 180.9 lbs of Tucumain, ARG is 15-12-2.

Jahi Tucker won an eight-round unanimous decision over Santiago Fernandez in a middleweight bout.

Ticker, 160 lbs of Deer Park, NY won by scores of 8-72 on all cards and is now 12-1-1. Fernandez, 159.1 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 8-2-1.

Thomas Chabot remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Matias Ezequiel Guenemil in a junior lightweight bout.

Chabot, 128.6 lbs Thetdord, Miines, CAN won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73 and is now 11-0. Guenmill, 128.6 lbs of General DanielCorri, ARG is 10-4-1.

Dzmitry Asanau remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Akexis Camejo in a lightweight bout.

In round three, Asanau began to bleed from around his left eye.

Asanau, 136.3 lbs of Molodechino, BEL won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 8-0. Camejo, 136.4 lbs of Sante Fe, ARG is 8-4-2.

 •   Christian Mbilli 167.4 lbs. vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko 167.1 lbs
(Mbilli’s WBC Continental Americas and WBA International Super Middleweight Titles – 10 Rounds)
Referee: Michael Griffin
Judges: Efrain Lebron, Pasquale Procopio, and Steve Weisfeld

   • Arslanbek Makhmudov 260 lbs vs. Guido Vianello 245.8 lbs
(Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)
Referee: Albert Padulo Jr.
Judges: Richard DeCarufel, Nicolas Esnault, and Guy Girard

(ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT)

•  Osleys Iglesias 169.3 lbs vs. Sena Agbeko 168.7 lbs
 (Super Middleweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Abdullah Mason 136 lbs vs. Mike Ohan Jr. 136.7 lbs
 (Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Leila Beaudoin 129.7 lbs vs. Lizbeth Crespo 129.2 lbs
 (Vacant WBO International Junior Lightweight Title — 10 Rounds)
 
•  Wilkens Mathieu 178 lbs vs. Facundo Nicolas Galovar 180.9 lbs
 (Light Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Jahi Tucker 160 lbs vs. Santiago Fernandez 159.1 lbs
 (Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

•  Thomas Chabot 128.6 lbs vs. Matias Ezequiel Guenemil 128.6 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Dzmitry Asanau 136.3 lbs vs. Alexis Camejo 136.4 lbs
 (Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

QUEBEC CITY, Canada (Aug. 15, 2024) — Two super middleweight punchers are poised for a high-octane showdown with world title implications.

Unbeaten, Montreal-based contender Christian Mbilli (27-0, 23 KOs) will take on three-time world title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KOs) in the 10-round main event this Saturday, Aug. 17, at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.

In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, Arslanbek Makhmudov (19-1, 18 KOs) and Guido Vianello (12-2-1, 10 KOs) will lock horns in a battle of heavy-hitting contenders.

Mbilli-Derevyanchenko and Makhmudov-Vianello will be broadcast live in the U.S. on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. 

Undercard action, streaming exclusively on ESPN+, begins at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT and features the return of undefeated southpaw phenom Abdullah Mason (14-0, 12 KOs). The Cleveland native will take on Mike Ohan Jr. (19-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight tilt.

Also making his Canadian debut is New York-based middleweight Jahi Tucker (11-1-1, 5 KOs), who will face Santiago Fernandez (8-1-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Promoted by Top Rank and Eye of the Tiger, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.

This is what the fighters had to say at Thursday’s press conference.

Christian Mbilli

“I hope this opportunity is the final step towards a world title. I think we will have a great fight, maybe the Fight of the Year. I’m very happy to be here in Quebec City. We have a lot of boxing fans here. And it’s going to be a great fight.”

“I want to show that I’m the best. I want to show that I’m the real monster. We’re going to see who has the best conditioning. We’re going to see who has the best boxing. For me, it will be no surprise because I’m the best.”

“I don’t know {if this fight goes 10 rounds}. But I know that if he gives me any opportunity to knock him out, I will knock him out.”

Sergiy Derevyanchenko

“Every fight that I’ve had has helped me get this opportunity. I’m ready for an aggressive fight. I’ve seen him fight. He is strong. He is aggressive. But I’m ready.”

“As soon as I heard about this fight, I decided I was going to sign to fight him because this is the number one guy.”

“My experience is an advantage. It has helped me. And we will see what happens.”

Arslanbek Makhmudov

“I love this city. This will be the {fourth} time I have fought in Quebec City. I’m excited to fight on Saturday night. I can’t wait.”

“I respect my opponents. But I go in there to hunt. It’s nothing personal, but I will make this the baddest night of his life. This is my goal. I’m sorry, but the sport is like that.”

“Ever since I started my career, my goal has been to become a champion, and I have to destroy anyone who is against me.”

Guido Vianello

“I’m really happy to be here. I’ve trained a lot. This is my sixth year as a professional. I’m ready. I respect my opponent a lot. My last fight was very close. I thought I won that fight. But that’s in the past. We can’t change the past. So, we are here to change the future.”

“My opponent is the perfect guy to make a big step in the heavyweight division. I want to be among the top heavyweights in one year from now. So it’s the perfect time for me.”

Abdullah Mason

“It’s really important for me to stay active. I had five fights last year, and I’ll probably have the same this year. So we’re staying active and utilizing our youth while we still have it. There’s no better time to stay active than now.”

Jahi Tucker

“Growing and learning is the most important thing. I feel like this is going to be another win for the year. I’m ready.”

“I saw his last fight. He has nothing. This is going to be domination. 100 percent.”

Saturday, Aug. 17

ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

Christian Mbilli vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko, 10 rounds, Mbill’s WBC Continental Americas & WBA International Super Middleweight Titles

Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Guido Vianello, 10 rounds, heavyweight
 

ESPN+ (5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT)
 

Osleys Iglesias vs. Sena Agbeko, 10 rounds, super middleweight 

Thomas Chabot vs. Matias Ezequiel Guenemil, 8 rounds, junior lightweight 

Dzmitry Asanau vs. Alexis Camejo, 8 rounds, lightweight 

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Mbilli vs. Derevyanchenko, will be presented live this Saturday, August 17, at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+. The event takes place at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.

In the 10-round main event, unbeaten Montreal-based contender Christian “Solide” Mbilli will face three-time world title challenger Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko.

Mbilli (27-0, 23 KOs), a 2016 French Olympian, has been on a knockout streak since turning pro in 2017, winning his first thirteen fights by knockout and defeating top opponents like Nadjib Mohammedi and Demond Nicholson. Ranked in the top three by all major sanctioning organizations, including No. 1 by the WBC, Mbilli began his 2024 campaign with a 40-second stoppage of Mark Heffron. Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KOs), a 2008 Olympian for Ukraine, has been a professional for 10 years and fell short in three middleweight title fights, including close defeats to Danny Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin. After moving up to super middleweight and losing to Jaime Munguia last year, he returned to the win column in April with a dominant decision over Vaughn Alexander.

Battling in the 10-round co-feature are heavyweight contenders Arslanbek “The Lion’” Makhmudov and Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello.

Makhmudov (19-1, 18 KOs) has been motivated since recovering from a double fracture in his right hand sustained during a loss to Agit Kabayel. In May, he made a triumphant return by stopping Miljan Rovcanin in the second round. Vianello (12-2-1, 10 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, began his 2024 campaign in February with a first-round knockout of Moses Johnson in New York City. Less than two months later, he faced Efe Ajagba and lost a closely contested split decision. The two have history, as Makhmudov defeated Vianello in the World Series of Boxing in 2015 after Vianello retired in the fourth due to an ear injury.

Undercard action begins at 5:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. PT exclusively on ESPN+.

Calling the action will be ESPN’s Joe Tessitore, Timothy Bradley Jr., Bernardo Osuna, and Mark Kriegel. 

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Mbilli vs. Derevyanchenko (All Times ET)

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QUEBEC CITY, Canada (June 18, 2024) — Heavyweight contenders Arslanbek “The Lion’” Makhmudov and Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello will do battle in a 10-rounder on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.

The clash of 6-foot-6 behemoths will serve as the co-feature to the Christian Mbilli-Sergiy Derevyanchenko super middleweight main event.

Promoted by Top Rank and Eye of the Tiger, Mbilli-Derevyanchenko and Makhmudov-Vianello will be broadcast live in the U.S. on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Sky Sports will have coverage in the U.K. & Ireland.

“Guido and Arslanbek are two huge heavyweight punchers who like to mix it up, and the winner will be in line for even bigger fights,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “From the main event to the preliminary bouts, we have a sensational card in store for the fans in Quebec City.”

Makhmudov (19-1, 18 KOs) is hungrier than ever since recovering from a double fracture in his right hand sustained halfway through a loss to current heavyweight contender Agit Kabayel. In May, Makhumdov made a triumphant return when he sent Serbian giant Miljan Rovcanin out of the ring en route to a second-round stoppage. Makhmudov defeated Vianello in a World Series of Boxing fight in 2015, as Vianello was forced to retire in the fourth round due to an ear injury.

“Vianello is a tough fighter but also a very good fighter, as we saw in his last fight,” Makhmudov said. “This is an important step for me. I want to show that I am a top contender, and to get closer to my goal, I must prove that I’m better than this guy.”

Vianello (12-2-1, 10 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, opened his 2024 campaign in February with a first-round knockout of Moses Johnson in New York City. Less than two months after icing Johnson, he battled one of the division’s biggest punchers, Efe Ajagba, and was on the short end of a closely contested split decision.

“I’m ready to compete against the top heavyweights in the world. This is only the beginning of my journey,” Vianello said. “The fight with Arslanbek is exactly what I wanted at this point in my career, and I look forward to a great fight on August 17 in Quebec City.”

The ESPN+-streamed undercard includes:

Cuban super middleweight destroyer Osleys Iglesias (11-0, 10 KOs) returns following his one-round destruction of Evgeny Shvedenko earlier this month, already a leading candidate for Knockout of the Year.

On the undercard, combining the best talents from north and south of the border, Wilkens Mathieu (9-0, 6 KOs) and Leïla Beaudoin (11-1, 1 KO) will be back in front of their own in Quebec City. Thetford Mines native Thomas “The Ghost” Chabot (10-0, 8 KOs) will also be in action.

Two of Top Rank’s brightest prospects will appear on the bill in scheduled eight-rounders. Cleveland-born lightweight phenom Abdullah Mason (13-0, 11 KOs) and rising middleweight Jahi Tucker (11-1-1, 5 KOs) look to impress in their respective Canadian debuts.

Tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster.ca.

QUEBEC CITY, Canada (May 28, 2024) — Two super middleweight sluggers are set to meet in the can’t-miss fistic blockbuster of the summer season.

Unbeaten, Montreal-based contender Christian “Solide” Mbilli will face three-time world title challenger Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko in the 10-round main event on Saturday, Aug. 17, at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.

Mbilli has knocked out 85 percent of his foes, while Derevyanchenko has never been stopped.

Promoted by Top Rank and Eye of the Tiger, Mbilli-Derevyanchenko will be broadcast live in the U.S. on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Sky Sports will have coverage in the U.K. & Ireland.

“There are few fighters I enjoy watching more than Christian Mbilli, and I can’t wait to see him perform in front of the tremendous Quebec City fans,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “That being said, he has a difficult task with Sergiy Derevyanchenko, one of the great action fighters in the sport. This will be a Fight of the Year contender for however long it lasts.”

“Derevyanchenko’s achievements speak for themselves. This is a very dangerous fight, but extremely necessary for Christian Mbilli’s progression. A victory is not only crucial for the continuation of his career but also for Quebec boxing, which, with a significant victory, would be in an excellent position to host important fights,” said Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan.

Mbilli (27-0, 23 KOs), a 2016 French Olympian, has been on a knockout rampage since turning pro in 2017. He won his first 13 fights via the short route and has maintained his power while stepping up the opposition. Mbilli knocked out former world title challenger Nadjib Mohammedi in 2022 and stopped Demond Nicholson the following year. He kicked off his 2024 campaign last Saturday with a 40-second stoppage of former British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion Mark Heffron. Mbilli is currently ranked in the top three by all major sanctioning organizations, including No. 1 by the WBC.

Mbilli said, “It’s an honor to fight Sergiy Derevyanchenko. I’ve been hearing about him since I was 16, in the amateur ranks, where he defeated several Frenchmen. In the pros, he has only fought big names, so this will definitely be my biggest fight to date. I can’t wait for it. It’s going to be a war.”

Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KOs), a 2008 Olympian for Ukraine, won nearly 400 fights as an amateur. Now a 10-year professional, he fell short in three middleweight title opportunities, including a split decision defeat to Danny Jacobs in 2018 and a razor-thin unanimous decision loss to Gennadiy Golovkin the following year. Derevyanchenko moved up to super middleweight last year and lost to Jaime Munguia in a spirited Fight of the Year candidate. In April, he returned to the win column with a one-sided decision over Vaughn Alexander.

“I made the decision to move up to 168 to win a world title. During my entire career, I have always fought the best in the world, and on August 17, it will be no different,” Derevyanchenko said. “I’m fighting a tough opponent in Christian Mbilli, who’s ranked No. 1 in the WBC. If I win this fight, I expect to fight for a world title next, which has always been my ultimate goal. I expect August 17 to be a war and a Fight of the Year-type candidate, and I will be the winner.”

Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 30 at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.

SHAWINIGAN, Canada (March 27, 2024) — Super middleweight contender Christian “Solid” Mbilli, who recently signed a co-promotional contract with Top Rank, will defend his WBA International and WBC Continental Americas titles in the 10-round main event against Mark “Kid Dynamite” Heffron on Saturday, May 25 at Gervais Auto Center in Shawinigan, Canada.
 
In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, the man known as the “Lion,” Arslanbek Makhmudov, will fight former amateur nemesis Junior Fa.
 
This international event will be presented by Eye of the Tiger, in collaboration with the Cataractes and the City of Shawinigan. Mbilli-Heffron, Makhmudov-Fa, and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
 

“It’s always a source of pride to bring major fights to Mauricie, but this time, I can undoubtedly say we’re reaching another level. These are highly risky international fights we’ll present on May 25, where there will be no room for error. But, with Mbilli and Arslanbek, we aim for the top, so we must be ready to face real challenges,” said Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan.

Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) has run roughshod over a host of super middleweight hopefuls, including former world title challenger Nadjib Mohammedi and Ecuadorian puncher Carlos Góngora. Most recently, as the co-feature to the Artur Beterbiev-Callum Smith main event in Quebec City, he battered Rohan Murdock en route to a sixth-round stoppage in front of more than 10,000 spectators.

Mbilli said, “No matter where he comes from and who he is, my opponent will have to arrive ready because on May 25, I will once again demonstrate why I belong with the elite of the super middleweights. Mark Heffron is just another boxer on my path. I respect him, but I won’t be gentle with him, just like with the others. I am convinced that we will deliver quite a fight in Shawinigan, but victory is the only option for me.”
 
Heffron (30-3-1, 24 KOs), from Oldham, England, is a former British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion who once fought to a draw with one-time world title challenger Denzel Bentley. He rebounded from last September’s TKO defeat to Jack Cullen with February’s second-round TKO over Serhii Ksendzov.
 
Heffron said, “I am incredibly excited to be coming over to Canada to box Christian Mbilli. I have followed Christian’s career and always thought we would end up boxing each other. We are two of the most exciting super middleweights out there, so this will be an excellent fight that the fans will love. I am very confident of winning this fight. I wouldn’t be traveling all the way to Canada if I wasn’t sure of the win.”
 
Makhmudov (18-1, 17 KOs) steps back into the ring in Shawinigan to restart his conquest of the heavyweight division. After suffering a knockout defeat and a double-hand fracture against Agit Kabayel last October, he will attempt to settle an old score. Fa bested Makhmudov via five-round decision in 2012 in Mumbai, India, as part of the World Series of Boxing.
 
“I’ve already faced him in a very close fight that he won when we were amateurs, so I am more than determined to avenge that defeat,” Makhmudov said.

Fa (20-3, 11 KOs) is an eight-year pro who started his career 19-0 before dropping a decision to fellow New Zealander Joseph Parker in 2021. He was part of last December’s “Day of Reckoning” super event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hanging tough before being knocked out in the seventh round by unbeaten contender Frank Sanchez. 
 
Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. ET this Friday, March 29, on the Ovation network at www.ovation.qc.ca. The full card, which will also feature Mauritian adoptees Wilkens Mathieu and Mehmet Unal, as well as Alexandre Gaumont, Luis Santana, Christopher Guerrero, and Jhon Orobio, will be unveiled at a later date.

MONTREAL, Canada (March 12, 2024) — Undefeated super middleweight contender Christian Mbilli, the Cameroon-born, Montreal-based wrecking ball, has inked a long-term co-promotional agreement with Top Rank, who will work with Eye of the Tiger.

Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) is ranked in the top 5 of every major governing body and No. 2 by Ring Magazine. His ring return will be announced by Eye of the Tiger and Top Rank in the coming weeks.

“It is an honor for me that this co-promotion is taking place with Top Rank,” Mbilli said. “We all know the power of promoters and the significant role they play in the boxing world. So, with Top Rank and Eye of the Tiger joining forces, I certainly have an unbeatable team as I head towards a world championship. A big thank you to my team, which once again demonstrates their hard work with this incredible partnership!”

‘’I’m thrilled to be partnering with Top Rank. I believe synergy is key to achieving great things. With the right synergy, 1+1 equals 100. We have an ace, and we’re going after the big names,” said Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan.

“I had a ringside seat for Christian’s latest fight, and I was amazed with his power and ferocious nature inside the ring,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “He is a special super middleweight talent, and I am pleased to collaborate with our good friends at Eye of the Tiger to help this talented young man achieve his world championship dreams.”

Mbilli moved from Cameroon to France at 11 years old and began boxing at 15. He soon become one of France’s great amateurs, winning a national title and advancing to the quarterfinals at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Following the Olympics, he moved to Montreal to turn professional under the guidance of decorated trainer Marc Ramsay. Mbilli scored seven knockouts in his first year as a pro and captured his first regional title in May 2018. He notched a one-punch knockout over former world title challenger Nadjib Mohammedi in 2022 and grinded out a 10-round decision over Ecuadorian puncher Carlos Gongora the following year. Mbilli had a breakout performance on the Artur Beterbiev-Callum Smith ESPN-televised co-feature in January, beating down Rohan Murdock en route to a sixth-round TKO.

Artur Beterbiev retained the IBF/WBC?WBO Light heavyweight tiles with a decisive and destructive seventh round stoppage of former super middleweight champion Callum Smith at The Videotron Center in Quebec City, Canada.

Beterbiev came out with hard flurries, while Smith would occasionally jab and try to work the body. In round three, Smith began to bleed from the nose and swell around the right eye.

In round seven, Beterbiev landed a big right hand that rocked and hurt Smith. The champion followed up with a massive flurry of punches that wilted Smith to the canvas. Smith tried to fight back, but ate six flush shots on the ropes that put him down for a second time. Smith’s trainer Buddy McGirt climbed on the ring apron to signal that he had seen enough of his charge taking abuse and the bout was stopped at 2:00.

Beterbiev, 175 lbs of Montreal is 20-0 with 20 knockouts. Smith, 174.6 lbs of Liverpool, ENG is 29-2.

Beterbiev said, “It’s because of luck. It’s my coach. My team works hard with me, too. Maybe that’s why, too. But I think it’s because of luck.

“We had a couple strategies. We always have more than one. We need to be prepared for several strategies. He gave me a good fight. He stayed strong. Thanks to him. Today, luck is on my side.

“Yes, of course {I want the Bivol fight}. I need another belt. It would mean a lot to me.”

Mbilli destroys Murdock in 6

Top-ranked super middleweight Christian Mbilli battered Rohan Murdock to a pulp as he scored a stoppage after six-rounds of their 10-round bout.

Mbilli landed vicious power punches throughout the fight. He was relentless, especially with the right hand and he landed several shots that were right on the sweet spot.

Mbilli had Murdock in serious trouble in just about every round, and the fight could have been stopped at anytime after the fourth round. Murdock’s corner let him eat huge shots for another six minutes before pulling the plug on the fight after round six.

Mbilli, 167.3 lbs of Montreal is 26-0 with 22 knockouts. Murdock, 167 lbs of Burleigh, AUS is 27-3.

Mbilli said, “Tonight I sent a message. I am the future of the division. That’s what the message was today.

“Canelo is the best. Everyone knows that. But now I want to show that I’m the best in the division. My goal is to fight him. I would do anything to fight him.

“Murdock is strong. He took all of my good punches. But for me, I thought I would finish him in one more round. But his team ended the fight. He’s a good fighter, but I’m the best today.”

Moloney Decisions Sanchez; Retains Bantamweight Title

Jason Moloney retained the WBO Bantamweight title with a 12-round majority decision over Saul Sanchez.

In round three, Moloney was cut around the right eye, which was ruled from a headbutt. The fight was fought a close quarters and fought on the inside. Sanchez was very effective with his work on the inside.

Sanchez took the middle rounds by being agressive. Moloney came on late in the final rounds to eek the fight out by scores of 116-112 twice and 114-114.

Moloney, 117.5 lbs of Melbourne, AUS is now 27-2.

Moloney said, “Saul Sanchez is a warrior. I am proud to be the WBO bantamweight champion, and I was going to do whatever it took to keep my title.
 
“The era of Mayhem is only beginning. And the fans here in Quebec City were incredible. I felt like I did enough in the later rounds to retain my title.
 
“I’d love to defend my world title ‘Down Under’ in front of my Australian fans.”

Imam Khataev remained perfect by stopping Michal Ludwiczak in round two in a scheduled 10-round light heavyweight fight.

In round two, Khataev was battering Ludwiczak until a combination that finished up by a right put Ludwiczak. Khtaev continued to batter Ludwiczak until the bout was waved off at 2:17

Khataev, 174.6 lbs of Sydney, AUS is now 6-0 with six knockouts. Ludwiczak, 178.6 lbs of Leszeno, POL is 17-13-1.

In a rematch, Leila Beaudoin won an eight-round unanimous decision over Elizabeth Espinoza in a junior lightweight bout.

Beaudoin, 129.6 lbs of Temiscouata, CAN won by scores of 78-74 twice and 77-75 and is now 11-1. Espinoza, 129.8lbs of Torreon, MEX is 4-6-3.

Wikens Mathieu remained undefeated and won a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Arias Alvarez in a super middleweight fight/

Mathieu, 168.8 lb of Quebec City won by scores of 40-36 and 40-35 twice and is now 6-0. Alvarez, 167.7 lbs of Leon, MEX is 3-2.

Mehmet Unal stopped Dragan Lepei in just 57 seconds of their eight-round light heavyweight bout.

Unal dominated and hurt Lepei until the fight was stopped.

Unal, 177.8 lbs of Montreal is 8-0 with seven. Lepei, 177.7 lbs of Tuscany, ITA is 22-7-2.

Christopher Guerrero won an eight-round unanimous decision over Sergio Barrera in a welterweight bout.

Guerrero, 149 lbs of Montreal won by score of 79-73 twice and 78-4 and is now 10-0. Barrera, 149.6 lbs of Jalisco, MEX is 7-4.

Moreno Fendero stopped Victor Hugo Flores in the opening round of their four-round middleweight bout.

In round one, Fendero dropped Flores with a left hand. Seconds later, Fendero landed a hard combination that put Flores down again. Fendero got to his feet, but then crouched down and the fight was stopped at 2:16.

Fendero, 162.8 lbs of Chartres, FRA is 3-0 with two knockouts. Flores, 162.3 lbs of Pachuca, MEX is 7-3.

Foll

Follow all the action as Artur Beterbiev defends the IBF/WBC/WBO Heavyweight title against former super middleweight champion Callum Smith.  The Action begins at 9 PM ET with the WBO Bantamweight title between Jason Moloney and Saul Sanchez Plus super middleweight Christian Mbili takes on Rohan Murdock

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.

Round 1: Beterbiev lands a big flurry right at the start..Good Jab..Right to body from Smith..Left from Beterbiev..Short right

ROUND 2 Short right from Beterbiev..Right to body…Left hook from Smith..Good jab from Beterbiev..

ROUND 3 3 Punch combo from Smith..Hard jab from Beterbiev…Good body shot..Good body shot from Smith..Right to body from Beterbiev..Double jab..uppercut and chopping right…Blood from the nose of Smith and swelling around the right eye.

ROUND 4…Beterbiev pounding away and battering Smith..Right behind the jab..Smith lands an uppercut..Good combination…

ROUND 5 Combination from Beterbiev…Left to body from Smith..Right from Beteriev…Good jab

ROUND 6 Good lead right from Beterbiev…Good jab from Smith…Jab and right from Beterbiev..Good jab..Short right on inside..Chopping right..Good upjab..Combination from Smith…

ROUND 7  GOOD RIGHT ROCKS SMITH…HUGE FLURRY AND DOWN GOES SMITH…6 MASSIVE PUNCHES DROPS SMITH AGAIN….fight stopped by Corner

Round 1 Right uppercut from Mbilli..Right from Mbilli
Round 2  3hard rights from Mbilli…Big Barrage of punches
Round 3 Short from Mbilli…Uppervy on the inside…Ripping right..Left hook
Round 4 Mbilli lands an uppercut…Body shot from Murdock..Short right to head from Mbilli…Double left hook…Right from Murdock..2 huge rights to the jaw…Mudock;s left eye is swelling…
Round 5 Right from Mbilli…Left to body..Big Right,,,Mbilli is ianding vicious shots…Murdock taking a beating
Round 6 Combination from Murodck…Right from Mbilli…Right uppercut..Rught from Murdock..Left hook from Mbilli…Blood from nose of Mbilli…Short right and big left from Mbilli…Huge right…Murdock taking a beating….FIGHT STOPPED IN CORNER

Round 1: Sanchez Jabbing…Body shot from Moloney..Nice Left hook

ROUND 2 Counter right from Sanchez..Good Right from Moloney

ROUND 3 Body work for Moloney..Left hook from Sanchez..Right to the ribs..MOLONEY CUT AROUND THE RIGHT EYE…Nice uppercut from Sanchez..Jab..Right uppercut…Short left from Moloney

ROUND 4 Cut was ruled a headbutt. Combination from Moloney..Good right..

ROUND 5 Nice right from Moloney..Double Jab..Short uppercuts from Sanchez..Combination…

ROUND 6 Body work from Moloney..Nice combination from Sanchez..

ROUND 7 Body work from Sanchez…Nice uppercut..Body work from Moloney…Right-Left from Sanchez

ROUND 8 Leaping left hook from Sanchez..Right..Good Jab…Good combination. Short right…Good inside shots from Moloney…Short right..Sanchez lands a right..Nice jab and good combination from Moloney

ROUND 9 Nice Right from Sanchez…Uppercut from Moloney

ROUND 10 Great back and forth,,,Moloney pressing the action

Round 11 Left from Sanchez..Hard 1-2 from Moloney…Left hook from Sanchez..Body shot..Moloney lands a flurry to the head..Nice body work from Sanchez…Short right from Moloney…Nice combination

ROUND 12 Moloney landing body shots

114-114; 116-112 MOLONEY

QUEBEC CITY, Canada (Jan 11, 2024) —Boxing’s knockout king hopes to make 20 for 20 against a British former world champion intent on upsetting the long odds.

WBC/WBO/IBF light heavyweight king Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs)will defend his world titles against former super middleweight ruler Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs)this Saturday, Jan. 13 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada. Beterbiev, a two-time Russian Olympian who now calls Montreal home, is boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio.

In the 10-round super middleweight co-feature, Christian Mbilli (25-0, 21 KOs)will defend his WBC Continental Americas and WBA International titles against Australian contender Rohan Murdock (27-2, 19 KOs).

Beterbiev-Smith and Christian Mbilli-Rohan Murdock will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT) will feature Australian world champion Jason “Mayhem” Moloney (26-2, 19 KOs) defending his WBO bantamweight world title against Mexican-American challenger Saul Sanchez (20-2, 12 KOs).

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the main event fighters and their head trainers had to say.

Artur Beterbiev

“I’m excited, just like I am for every fight. For this fight, we prepared like we usually do, which is at 100 percent.”

“I’m focused on this fight. I’m happy that my supporters are coming to watch us. But I have things to do.”

Callum Smith

“I’m here to do a job. I’m here to become a world champion again. I’m here with my team. And as long as I’m with them, I can be anywhere and feel like home. I’m in a good place mentally and physically, and I’m ready to perform.”

“This will be exciting. He’s a very good fighter. He’s a three-belt champion. So, his achievements speak for themselves. But, I believe in myself. I always have. I believe that the best version of me can beat anyone in the world. I fully stand by that.”

“I’ve improved a lot over the last couple of years with {my trainer} Buddy McGirt. And the time is now. I’m ready to become a two-division world champion. I’m being presented with the opportunity this weekend, and it’s an opportunity I plan on taking.”

“Regardless of whether the crowd is cheering for me or against me, I’m there to do a job. My focus is on my opponent. It’s nice to have people cheering for you. But if they’re not, I’m still there to do the same thing.”

Marc Ramsay (Beterbiev’s head trainer)

“He’s a good fighter. He’s a complete. He’s No. 1 for a reason. But at the end of the day, Artur has been boxing since he was nine. He’s seen everything.”

“It’s always good {for him to start camp in Russia}. It’s a protocol that we’ve had for a long time. We’ve had success with that protocol. He goes to a high altitude to start training camp the right way and make sure he’s not starting the real camp at zero.”

Buddy McGirt (Smith’s head trainer)

“He’s very underrated. I think a lot of people underestimate him. He’s going to really showcase what he can do on Saturday night.”

“You can’t go into the fight thinking about his record. We know what’s in front of us. We’re not stupid. We know that it’s a tough test. We’re prepared for that. If you’re worried about that, you’re in the wrong business.”
 

Saturday, January 13

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith, 12 rounds, Beterbiev’s WBC/IBF/WBO Light Heavyweight World Titles

Christian Mbilli vs. Rohan Murdock, 10 rounds, WBC Continental Americas & WBA International Super Middleweight Titles
 

ESPN+ (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT)Jason Moloney vs. Saul Sanchez, 12 rounds, Moloney’s WBO Bantamweight World Title

Imam Khataev vs. Michael Ludwiczak, 10 rounds, light heavyweight

Leila Beaudoin vs. Elizabeth Espinoza, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Wilkens Mathieu vs. Jose Arias Alvarez, 6 rounds, super middleweight

Mehmet Ünal vs. Dragan Lepei, 8 rounds, light heavyweight

Christopher Guerrero vs. Sergio Herrera, 8 rounds, welterweight

Moreno Fendero vs. Victor Hugo Flores, 4 rounds, middleweight

QUEBEC CITY, Canada (Oct. 17, 2023) – Super middleweight destroyer Christian Mbilli will defend his WBC Continental Americas and WBA International super middleweight titles against Australian contender Rohan Murdock on Saturday, Jan. 13, at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada. Mbilli-Murdock will serve as the co-feature to Artur Beterbiev’s WBO/WBC/IBF light heavyweight world title defense against former world champion Callum Smith. 

Promoted by Eye of the Tiger and Top Rank, in association with Matchroom Boxing, Beterbiev-Smith and Mbilli-Murdock will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. PT/7 p.m. PT.

Images of Mbilli’s most recent performances against Nadjib Mohammedi, Carlos Gongora and Demond Nicholson have circulated around the world, positioning him as the #1 contender in the WBC, #2 in the WBA, and #3 in the IBF. Although these performances should open more doors for him in the super middleweight division, Mbilli (25-0, 21 KOs) faces the congestion created by undisputed world champion Canelo Alvarez. 

Mbilli said, “Rohan Murdock is a quality opponent with a completely different style from my recent opponents. It will also be an opportunity to gain new fans before my crowning as a world champion. I look forward to starting training camp and can’t wait to be in Quebec on January 13 to wow the crowd!”

Murdock (27-2, 19 KOs) has won three straight bouts since a TKO defeat to Zach Parker, most recently edging Isaac Hardman by split decision in March to win the IBF Australasian super middleweight belt. 

Murdock said, “I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to the challenge. I have been in enemy territory before and learned my lessons. I know what it takes to win at this level, and on January 13, I will emerge victorious.”Additional undercard bouts will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are on sale now via www.ticketmaster.ca.

Top-rated super middleweight Christian Mbilli stopped Demond Nicholson in round four of a scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout at Hotel Lec Lemay in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.

In round one, Mbilli dropped Nicholson with a hard right hand. In round two, Mbilli dropped Nicholson with a right that was high on the head. In round four, Mbilli landed a vicious left that dropped Nicholson in the corner and the fight was stopped at 1:56.

Mbilli, 167.1 lbs of Montreal is 25-0 with 21 knockouts. Nicholson, 167.7 lbs of Laurel, MD is 26-6-1.

Steve Claggett scored three knockdowns en-route to a 10-round unanimous decision over Carlos Sanchez in a junior welterweight bout.

In round four, Claggett scored a knockdown as he landed a left to the body.

In round six, it was a head shot that put Sanchez on the canvas. In round seven, Claggett continued he beating and dropped Sanchez again with a body shot.

Claggett, 139.7 lbs from Calgary, ALB, CAN won by scores of 98-89 and 99-88 twice and is now 36-7-2. Sanchez, 139 lbs of Baja, CA, MEX is 24-2.

Alexandre Gaumont won an eight-round unanimous decision over Ulices Tovar in a middleweight bout.

In round four, Tovar was bleeding under his left eye.

Gaumont, 159.1 lbs of Buckingham, QUE won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 9-0. Rivera, 157.9 lbs of Guanjanto, MEX loses for the first time and is now 8-1.

Vanessa Lepage Joanisse won a six-round unanimous decision over Timea Nagy in a cruiserweight bout.

In round four, Joanisse landed a combination to that put Nagy on the canvas for a knockdown.

Joanissem 178.7 lbs of St. Abelein, QUE won by scores of 60-53 on all cards and is now 6-1. Nagy, 178.2 lbs of Hungary is 3-2.

Harley David O’Reilly won a four-round unanimous decision over Ismael Nava Lopez in a light heavyweight bout.

O’Reilly, 177.2 lbs of Gatineau, QUE won by 40-36 on all cards and is 2-0. Lopez, 178.4 lbs of Durango, MEX is 3-3.

Mehmet Unal won an six-round unanimous decision over Hernan David Perez.

Unal, 177.8 lbs of Montreal won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 5-0. Perez, 175.4 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 9-9.

Jhon Orobio stopped Luis Godinez in the opening round of their four-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Orobio dropped Godinez with a left hook to the body. He got up, but the fight was stopped at 3:00.

Orobio, 134.9 lbs of Montreal is 4-0 with four knockouts. Godinez, 135.6 lbs of Mexico City is 4-3-2.

Luis Santana stopped Sergio Palafox in round two of their six-round junior welterweight bout.

In round two, Santana landed a left to the body that was followed up by two hard rights that put Fox on the canvas. Santana continued to land flush punches and the bout was stopped at 2:29

Santana, 138 lbs of Montreal is 10-0 with four knockouts. Palafox, 143.1 lbs of Mexico is 9-4.

Christopher Guerrero remained undefeated with a third round stoppage over Vesselin Markov in a scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

In round three, Guerrero landed a left hook to the body that froze Markov. Guerrero landed another right to a wounded Markov and he took a knee and could not get up at 3:00.

Guerrero, 149.4 lbs of Montreal is now 8-0 with four knockouts. Markov, 149.5 lbs of Sofia, BUL 7-1-1.

Moreno Fendero made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Uziel Bueno in a super middleweight bout.

In round three, Fundero dropped Bueno with a right hook.

Fendero, 164 1/2 lbs of France won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is 1-0. Bueno, 162 3/4 lbs is 3-3.

Devin Tomko (9-2, 4 KOs) stopped Juan Santiago (6-8-1). Santiago was taken to the hospital.

(Sept. 5, 2023) — Undefeated super middleweight puncher Christian Mbilli defends his WBC Continental Americas belt in the 10-round main event against American contender Demond Nicholson this Friday, Sept. 8 at Theatre du Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau, Canada.

Promoted by Eye of the Tiger, Mbilli-Nicholson headlines a loaded fight card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Mbilli (24-0, 20 KOs), who was born in Cameroon and represented France at the 2016 Olympics, is a six-year pro who won the Continental Americas strap with a third-round TKO over Ronny Landaeta in September 2021. He has notched a slew of a high-level wins since then, including a near-shutout over American standout Ronald Ellis and a fifth-round stoppage of former world title challenger Nadjib Mohammedi. In March, he survived a two-way firefight to topple Carlos Gongora by unanimous decision. Nicholson (26-5-1, 22 KOs), a hard-punching 10-year pro, is coming off a decision loss in January to former two-weight world champion Demetrius Andrade.

In the 10-round junior welterweight co-feature, local favorite Steve Claggett (35-7-2, 25 KOs) defends his NABF title against Mexican veteran Carlos Sanchez (24-1, 19 KOs). Claggett has won six straight bouts, including a third-round TKO over former world champion Alberto Machado.

Middleweight prospect Alexandre Gaumont (8-0, 6 KOs) hopes to increase his KO streak to five when he fights Ulices Tovar Rivera (8-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

In other streaming action:

Vanessa Lepage Joanisse (5-1, 2 KOs) vs. Timea Nagy (3-1, 3 KOs), 6 rounds, light heavyweight

Harley David O’Reilly (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Israel Nava Lopez (3-2, 2 KOs), 4 rounds, light heavyweight

Mehmet Nadir Unal (4-0, 4 KOs) vs. Hernan David Perez (9-8, 3 KOs), 6 rounds, light heavyweight

Jhon Orobio (3-0, 3 KOs) vs. Luis Godinez Bautista (4-2-2, 1 KO), 4 rounds lightweight

Luis Santana (9-0, 3 KOs) vs. Sergio Palafox (9-3, 2 KOs), 8 rounds, junior welterweight

Christopher Guerrero (7-0, 3 KOs) vs. Veselin Markov (7-0-1, 5 KOs), 6 rounds, welterweight

Moreno Fendero (Pro Debut) vs. Uziel Bueno (3-2, 2 KOs), 4 rounds, super middleweight

Devin Tomko (8-2, 3 KOs) vs. Juan Santiago Colchado (6-7-1, 5 KOs), 6 rounds, light heavyweight

(March 21, 2023) — Two international fight cards will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ this week. The action starts Thursday, as super middleweight knockout artist Christian Mbilli takes on two-time Ecuadorian Olympian Carlos Gongora in a 10-round main event from the Montreal Casino in Montreal, Canada.
 
The ESPN+ action continues Friday from the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy, as undefeated 168-pound contender Ivan Zucco faces off against London’s Germaine Brown in a 10-round bout.
 
Mbilli-Gongora and undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+ on Thursday starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
 
Zucco-Brown and undercard contests will stream live on ESPN+ on Friday beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
 
Mbilli (22-0, 20 KOs) is a 2016 French Olympian who is inching closer to a world title opportunity. The 27-year-old is coming off an impressive 2022 in which he scored knockout wins over former title challenger Nadjib Mohammedi and DeAndre Ware, along with a decision victory last December over Vaughn Alexander. Gongora (21-1, 16 KOs) represented Ecuador in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics before turning pro in 2015. In 2020, he scored an upset knockout victory over Ali Akhmedov. He then stopped Christopher Pearson in 2021 before losing a close decision to Lerrone Richards. The 33-year-old southpaw is coming off a fourth-round TKO over Oscar Riojas last August.
 
In other streaming action from Montreal:
 
Canadian Olympian Simon Kean (22-1, 21 KOs) faces his stiffest challenge yet against two-time world title challenger Eric Molina (29-8, 21 KOs). Kean was 15-0 with 14 knockouts before an upset loss to Dillon Carman in 2018. He avenged that loss the following year as part of a seven-fight knockout win streak.
 
Junior welterweight Steve Claggett (33-7-2, 23 KOs) will attempt to score his fifth straight KO victory in a 10-round tilt against Mexico’s Rafael Guzman Lugo (26-2-2, 16 KOs).
 
Undefeated lightweight Luis Santana (8-0, 2 KOs) returns to the ring in an eight-round fight against Francisco Arturo Ramirez Martinez (11-4, 6 KOs) of Veracruz, Mexico.
 
In a battle of undefeated junior lightweights, Canada’s Leila Beaudoin (8-0, 1 KO) will collide against Mexico’s Laura Avendano Mondragon (6-0, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder.
 
Zucco (16-0, 14 KOs) is a 27-year-old southpaw who debuted in the paid ranks in 2017. He beat then undefeated Luca Capuano in 2021 via sixth-round knockout to capture his first regional title. In his last fight, he stopped Marko Nikolic in the second round to capture the WBC International super middleweight title. His last six opponents have not gone the distance. Brown (12-1, 3 KOs) is a 28-year-old native of London who captured a British title in 2022 with a decision win over Charlie Schofield. In his last outing, he lost the belt to Zak Chelli in what has been his only loss so far.
 
In other streaming action from Milan
 
Francesco Russo (12-2, 10 KOs) will put his Italian junior middleweight title on the line in a 10-rounder against Christian Mazzon (9-4, 3 KOs).
 
Maxim Prodan (20-2-1, 15 KOs) will see action in an eight-round welterweight tilt against Mirko Marchetti (8-4).
 
Undefeated Italian prospect Giovanni Sarchioto (6-0, 6 KOs) will participate in an eight-round middleweight contest against France’s Houcine Moulahi (4-13-2, 2 KOs).
 

# # #

About ESPN+ 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

(Dec. 15, 2022) — Two international fight cards will stream live and exclusively this weekend in the U.S. on ESPN+. The fight action starts Friday, as undefeated heavyweight wrecking ball Arslanbek Makhmudov defends his NABF and NABA straps against Germany’s Michael Wallisch in the 10-round main event from Centre Gervais Auto in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada.

The ESPN+ fight marathon continues Saturday from Parc des Expositions in Nantes, France, as super middleweight knockout artist Christian Mbilli steps up against American veteran Vaughn Alexander in a 10-rounder.

Makhmudov-Wallisch and undercard bouts will stream live starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Mbilli-Alexander and undercard contests will stream live beginning at2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT.

The Russian-born Makhmudov (15-0, 14 KOs) has been based in Montreal since beginning his professional journey in December 2017. The 6’5, 260-plus pound behemoth knocked out his first 14 opponents, including 12 in three rounds or less. Makhmudov, who is promoted by Eye of the Tiger and Top Rank, opened his 2022 campaign with February’s sixth-round knockout over former world title challenger Mariusz Wach. In September, he was taken the distance by another former world title challenger, Carlos Takam, after hurting Takam in the opening round. Wallisch (23-5, 16 KOs) has fought the likes of Joe Joyce, Efe Ajagba and Tony Yoka throughout a pro career that has spanned more than 12 years. He scored a second-round stoppage over Toni Thes in May.

In other streaming action from Shawnigan:

Mary Spencer (7-0, 5 KOs) vs. Femke Hermans (13-5-1, 5 KOs), 10 Rounds, Junior Middleweights

Steven Butler (31-3-1, 26 KOs) vs. Joshua Conley (17-4-1, 11 KOs), 10 Rounds, Butler’s NABF Middleweight Title

Thomas Chabot (7-0, 7 KOs vs. Jonathan Carrillo Baranda (4-2-1), 6 Rounds, Featherweights

Leila Beaudoin (7-0, 1 KO) vs. Valgerdur Gudstensdottir (5-3, 1 KO), 6 Rounds, Junior Lightweights

Luis Santana (7-0, 2 KOs) vs. Jonathan Uribe Hernandez (4-0-2, 1 KO), 6 Rounds, Lightweights

Alexandre Gaumont (5-0, 3 KOs) vs. Piotr Bis (6-2-1, 2 KOs), 6 Rounds, Middleweights

Mbilli (22-0, 20 KOs), a 2016 French Olympian, won his first 13 professional bouts by stoppage. After a unanimous decision over Ronald Ellis in December 2021, he had a power surge in 2022. In March, he knocked out former world title challenger Nadjib Mohammedi in five rounds, and less than six months later, he iced DeAndre Ware in the second round. Mbilli returns home for the first time since 2019 and is expected to be tested by Alexander (17-6-1, 10 KOs), a St. Louis native who is 2-0-1 in his last three fights. Alexander has only one stoppage defeat and a pair of victories over undefeated prospects since resuming his career in 2016.

In a six-round junior welterweight special feature, “The Fresh Prince of Monaco,” Hugo Micallef (4-0) goes for his fourth win of 2022 against Mexican veteran Jose Angel Rosales Romero (6-5, 3 KOs). Micallef signed with Top Rank prior to his pro debut last year and is currently the only active boxer from the Principality of Monaco. French lightweight prospect Christ Esabe (12-0, 3 KOs) is scheduled to return in a six-rounder.

In other streaming action from Nantes:

Souleymane Cissokho (15-0, 9 KOs) vs. Tulani Mbenge (19-1, 12 KOs), 12 Rounds, Vacant WBC Silver Welterweight Title

# # #About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).  

Christian Mbilli remained undefeated with a second round stoppage over DeAndre Ware in a scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout at The Montreal Casino.

In round one, Mbilli dropped Ware with a left hook. In round two, Mbilli landed a left to the body that was followed by a big right over the top for a second knockdown. Mbilli ended things with another hard right that put Ware down and the fight was halted.

Mbilli of Montreal is 22-0 with 20 knockouts. Ware of Toledo, OH is 15-4-2.

In a dubious fight, Simon Kean was awarded a first round stoppage when Newfel Ouatah took a knee just after the bell rang in their 10-round heavyweight bout.

The time was 11 seconds.

Kean of Canada is 22-1 with 21 knockouts. Ouatah of France is 18-5.

Mary Spencer stopped Cynthia Lozano in the opening round of their 10-round welterweight bout,

In round one, Spencer dropped Lozano with a hard left. Spencer landed four more hard shots and the bout was stopped at 1:03.

Spencer of Montreal is now 7-0 with five knockouts. Lozano of Monterrey, MEX is 9-2.

Martin Avery-Duval won a six-round unanimous decision over Mathias Ezequiel Guenemil.

Scores were 59-55 twice and 58-56 for Duval of Montreal who is now 8-0-1. Guenemil of Buenos Aires, ,ARG is 9-3-1.

Leila Beaudoin won a six-round unanimous decision over Karla Ramos Zamora.

Scores were 58-56 on all cards for Beaudoin of Canada who is now 7-0. Zamora of Mexico City is 9-9.

Luis Santana won a six-round unanimous decision over Cristian Rodriguez Gonzalez in a lightweight bout.

Santana of Montreal is 7-0. Gonzalez of Buenos Aires, ARG is 11-15-1.

Christopher Guerrero won a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Avila Ibarra.

In round two, Guerrero dropped Ibarra with a right hand.

Guerrero of Montreal is 4-0. Ibarra of Torreon, MX is 2-2.

NEW YORK (September 9, 2022)–TONIGHT, Three Split-T Management fighters will see action in anticipated bouts throughout North America.

At Ballys Atlantic City, junior welterweight Joseph Adorno takes on Hugo Albertp Roldan in the main event of a ShoBox: The New Generation card LIVE on SHOWTIME® (9 PM ETPT)

The bout will be contested for the IBF Latino Junior Middleweight Title.

Adorno of Bethlehem, PA is 16-1-2 with 14 knockouts. The 23 year-old Adorno has wins over Marco Antonio Ocano (1-0), Kevin Cruz (8-0) and Daniel Alejandro Sosa (9-2). Adorno has won two straight, with the latest being a second round stoppage over Roberto Monreal on July 23rd in Orlando, Florida.

Roldan of Argentina is 21-0-1 with seven knockouts. The 29 year-old Roldan has wins over Gustavo Fabian Calderon (2-0), Eduardo Martin Casal (2-0), Roberto Pablo Monzon (4-1), Lucas Andres Dadono (2-0-2), Lucas Brian Ariel Bastida (3-0), Gutavo David Vattori (22-4-1), Pablo Cesar Caldino (9-2). In his last bout, Roldan won 1 10-round decision over German del Castillo (10-1-2) on January 22nd in Panama City.

Adorno,, who is promoted by GH3 Promotions weighed in at 139.5 lbs. Roldan was 140 lbs.

In Montreal, Canada, super middleweight DeAndre Ware continues to take on top competition when he takes on undefeated Christian Mbilli.

Ware, 34 is 15-3-2 with nine knockouts. The Toledo, Ohio native has defeated the likes of Derrick Adkins (5-1-1), Enrique Collazo (11-0-1) and Ronald Ellis (16-0-2). In his last bout, Ware won a 10-round unanimous decision over Christopher Brooker on June 4th in Toledo

Mbilli of France is 21-0 with 19 knockouts. The 27 year-old has defeated Dergio De Leon (7-1), Cesar Lopez Ugarte (4-1), Marcos Jesus Cornejo (19-2), Ramon Aguinaga (13-0), Jesus Pina Najera (21-1), Ilya Kharlamu (8-2), Humberto Gutierrez (33-7-2), Abraham Juarez Ramirez (15-3), Jesus Antonio Gutierrez Velazquez (27-4-2), Ronny Landaeta (18-3) Ronald Ellis (18-2-2) and his last bout when he stopped former world title challenger Nadjib Mohammedi (44-8) on March 26th in Montreal.

In Plant City, Florida, junior middleweight Marques Valle will look to stay undefeated when he takes on veteran Benjamin Whittaker.

Valle of Wesley Chapel. Florida is 5-0 with five knockouts. The 23 year-old stopped previously undefeated Leonidas Fowlkes (2-0). In his last outing, Valle stopped Jorge Rodrigo Sosa in two rounds in Plant City, Florida.

Whittaker of San Antonio, Texas is 15-9 with three knockouts. Whittaker has defeated undefeated Felipe Reyes (5-0), Rodolfo Gomez Jr. (10-2-1), Skender Halili (8-0), Tre’sean Wiggins (7-1), D’Andre Smith (8-0) and Zsolt Darayni (15-0). On August 4th, Whittaker lost to Callum Walsh in Montebello, California.

Valle, who is promoted by Pro Box Promotions, weighed 152.4 lbs; Whittaker was 151.4.

The fight can be seen on Pro Box TV at 9 PM ET

Valle Photo / Courtesy ProBox TV

PHILADELPHIA–Oleksandt Gvodyk retained the WBC Light Heavyweight title with a 5th round stoppage over Doudou Ngumbu after Ngumbu could not continue due to a leg cramp.

Gvozdyk controlled the distance trough the abbreviated contest, with the rare occasion of Ngumbu trying to dive in. In round five, Ngumbu started hopping around injured, and it was ruled he could not continue at the 58 second mark.

Gvozdyk, 174.7 lbs of Ukraine is now 17-0 with 14 knockouts. Ngumbu, 174.3 of Toulouse, FRA is 38-9.

“It wasn’t what I expected, but I did my best,” Gvozdyk said. “Sometimes this happens in the sport of boxing. It is what it is.

“My goal is to unify titles. I will wait to see what my team tells me to do next.”

Egidjust Kavaliauskas and ray Robinson battled to a ten-round draw in a welterweight bout.

It was a nip and tuck battle that each guy take turns pushing the action.

Robinson took a card 97-93 ans two cards read even at 95-95.

Kavaliauskas, 146.1 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 21-0-1. Robinson, 145.8 lbs of Philadelphia is 24-3-1.

“I won the fight, and I won it clearly,” Kavaliauskas said. “The judges did not agree, and I can’t control what fight they were watching. I still want to fight for a world title because I consider this fight a victory. I am still undefeated, and I know I can beat all of the champions in the welterweight division.”

“I think everyone in Philadelphia knows I won this fight,” Robinson said. “At the end of the night, I know I beat him. I’m the last person to beat Terence Crawford in the amateurs, and that’s the fight I want.”

Sonny Conto destroyed Omar Acosta in under a round of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

Conto landed hard punches that backed Acosta into the corner, and then landed a wicked left hook that sent Acosta down. Acotsa got to his feet but wobbled, and the fight was stopped at 1:15.

Conto, 217.1 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-0 with two fist round knockouts. Acosta, 206.6 lbs of Hereford, TX is 1-6.

Jose Lopez stopped Askhat Ualikhanov after round six of their scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.

Lopez landed hard shots throughout and had Ualikhanov in trouble several times before the fight was halted.

Lopez, 141.5 lbs Humacao, PR is now 12-1 with 10 knockouts. Ualikhanov, 141.3 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 4-2.

Joshafat Ortiz stopped James Thomas in round of their scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

Ortiz dropped Thomas with a hard right, and the bout was stoped at 2:53.

Ortiz, 129.6 lbs of Reading, PA is 6-0 with four knockouts. Thomas, 130.3 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI is 6-5.

Juan Ruiz upset Frederick Lawson by scoring a 4th round stoppage in a scheduled eight-round super welterweight bout.

Ruiz seemed to have dropped Lawson in round four, but it was a ruled a slip. Lawson was groggy, and he took a flurry of punches on the ropes, and the bout was stopped at 1:16 of round four.

Ruiz, 149.5 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 22-4 with 14 knockouts. Lawson, 146.7 lbs of Accra, GHA is 27-2.

Christian Mbolli went the distance for the 1st time and pounded out a eight-round unanimous decision over Humberto Gutierrez in a super middleweight bout.

Mbilli, 163.3 lbs of Montreal won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice, and is now 14-0. Gutierrez 165.5 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 33-8-2.

Kudratillo Abudukakhorov won a 12-round unanimous decision over Keita Obara in an IBF Welterweight elimination bout.

Abudukakhorov, 145.8 lbs of Kuala Lumpor, MAL won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 115-113 and is now 16-0. Obara, 146.4 lbs of Tokyo, JPN is 20-4-1.

Cassius Chaney stopped Christian Mariscal in the 1st round of their scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Chaney registered two knockdowns, and the fight was stopped at 2:16.

Chaney, 248.6 lbs of new London, CT is 15-0 with nine knockouts. Mariscal, 251.2 lbs of Tijuna, MX is 12-3.

Jeremy Adorno made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Sebastian Baltazar in a super bantamweight contest.

Adorno, 120.1 lbs of Allentown, PA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 1-0. Baltazar, 120.3 lbs of Tacoma, WA is 1-4.

Donald Smith remained undefeated with a 4th round knockout over Jose Antonio Martinez in a scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

Smith registered a knockdown in round one. In round four, Smith landed a perfect counter left that plummeted Martinez to the canvas. The back of Martinez head hit the canvas, and the bout was stopped at 2:01.

Smithm 126.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 9-0 with six knockouts. Jose Antonio Martinez, 127.5 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 11-18.