DETROIT (May 23, 2025) – Salita Promotions today announced two high-level supporting bouts for Claressa Shields’ Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship event taking place on Saturday, July 26 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, airing live on DAZN, the global home of boxing. Undefeated Samantha Worthington and France’s Caroline Veyre, both rising world title contenders have been added to the card in separate and significant bouts. 

The GWOAT, Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 KOs), will return home when she puts her undefeated record and Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship on the line in the main event against the reigning IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion from New Zealand, Lani Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO).

Worthington (11-0, 7 KOs), who is co-promoted by Shields’ T-Rex Promotions and Salita Promotions, looks to take one step closer to achieving her world title dream when she collides with France’s Victoire Piteau (14-2, 2 KOs) for the WBA Jr. Welterweight Women’s Interim World Title. An undeniable rising star under the Salita Promotions banner, Kentucky’s Worthington has passed every test in the ring impressively. Stringing together three statement victories in the past year, Worthington has earned the interim title opportunity in a division that features superstars Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

Opposite Worthington, Piteau competes for a spot atop the star-studded 140-pound division. On the strength of five straight victories, Piteau will fight for the first time in the U.S. in a pivotal matchup against Worthington on July 26. The winner of this bout will be in line to face the winner of Taylor vs. Serrano III taking place earlier that month.  

“I believe with all my heart that Jesus created me for this very moment,” said Worthington. “Stepping into the ring to fight for the WBA Interim World Championship isn’t just a career milestone—it’s part of my purpose and an opportunity I am extremely grateful for. I feel so confident that I’m more than ready to make a statement at this level, and that statement will be made in the ring July 26, at Little Caesar’s Arena. The super lightweight division isn’t ready for ‘The Heat’ and I’m about to show exactly why I belong at the top.”

“My ambition is to conquer the most prestigious fights and win the most iconic titles in the world of boxing,” said Piteau. “To get there, I will give everything—my strength, my courage, and my unwavering determination. I can’t wait to fight in the United States against Samantha Worthington. From now on, I continue writing my story in the United States, ready to win with heart, fierce determination, and the utmost respect for this sport.”

“Samantha Worthington is one of the most exciting junior welterweights in the world today,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “With a decorated amateur pedigree, an undefeated professional record, and the backing of co-promoter Claressa Shields, she represents the next wave of American boxing talent. From rising through the ranks of USA Boxing to now competing for her first title on one of the year’s biggest stages—Samantha is on a fast track to greatness. It’s only a matter of time before she follows in Claressa’s footsteps and becomes an undisputed world champion.”

The reigning WBC International Women’s Featherweight champion, Caroline Veyre (9-1), who fights out of Montreal, steps into the ring for the second time this year when she faces France’s Licia Boudersa (23-3-2, 4 KOs) in a WBC Women’s Featherweight World Title Eliminator. Signing with Salita Promotions in 2024, Veyre has proven to be one of the most dangerous contenders in the featherweight division. On the heels of two dominant unanimous decision victories in back-to-back fights, Veyre prepares to take the next step towards WBC gold against the battle-tested Boudersa. The 32 year old makes her promotional debut for Salita following a closely contested loss to Beatriz Ferreira for the IBF Lightweight World Title last year. Boasting championship experience, Boudersa stands as a stiff test for the surging Veyre.

“Caroline Veyre is, without question, one of the most technically brilliant boxers in women’s boxing today,” said Salita. “Her smooth, textbook style and exceptional ring IQ make watching her a true showcase of the sport at its highest level. I have no doubt she’s on the path to becoming a world champion and a fixture on the pound-for-pound list.”

Tickets for the event at Little Caesars Arena are on sale now and can be purchased online at 313Presents.com and Ticketmaster.com or in person at The XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena.

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ABOUT?SALITA?PROMOTIONS? 

Salita?Promotions?was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy?Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a?promotional?entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed?Salita?Promotions?fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring.?Salita?Promotions?looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.? 

Check the?Salita?Promotions?YOUTUBE CHANNEL?for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.  

BROOKLYN (MAY 20, 2025) – Ahead of her monumental homecoming, the GWOAT, Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 KOs), participated in an open media workout in Brooklyn at the esteemed Gleason’s Gym. Shields will return home on Saturday, July 26, when she puts her Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship on the line in the main event at Little Caesars Arena against the reigning IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion from New Zealand, Lani Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO). Shields vs. Daniels will air live on the global home of boxing, DAZN. Shields, the most decorated female boxer in history, made headlines earlier this year by becoming the first woman ever to claim the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship—and the first boxer, male or female, to achieve undisputed status in three weight divisions.

Tickets for the event at Little Caesars Arena are on sale now and can be purchased online at 313Presents.com and Ticketmaster.com or in person at The XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena.

Claressa Shields:

“I am super excited to be fighting against another world champion in Lani Daniels. She’s very confident, she’s from New Zealand, she wants the smoke, and she and her team are confident that they can come over here and get the upset. “

“I’m always happy to fight at Little Ceasars Arena. My team and I are working to make sure we sell this thing out – all 19,000 seats. Last time I was able to do 12,000 with just me doing my hard work, and now I have a team behind me that wants to do it. I look forward to fighting at LCA and putting on a great show. To me, this is my biggest fight.”

“I don’t know how good Lani Daniels is. I’ve seen film, and she’s pretty durable. She’s very, very tough. But after my last fight with Danielle Perkins, I know that I’m the toughest of them all. If I was able to fight Danielle Perkins and drop her in the 10th round … she may not have looked like she was a lot because I’m so great, but Danielle Perkins is highly avoided for a reason. And Lani Daniels didn’t want to fight her for a reason. I stepped up and fought against a bigger and stronger woman who had just as much experience as me, and we put on a great show.”

“I’m super excited to fight in Detroit. A woman boxer being able to fight in front of 12,000 people is great, but 19,000 is even better. I have continued to grow in my stardom and bring more things to women’s boxing than I ever thought that I could. To me, this is my biggest fight.”

I’m working on everything. I’m working on making sure I turn my punches over. I’m gonna hit Lani very, very hard to her face, to her chest and to her body. I’m working on breaking somebody mentally more than I am working on breaking them physically. Inside the ring, it’s still a mental fight, and I can’t wait to see how tough she is. She seems like she’s very tough, hearing her backstory and everything that she’s been through. But I know that I can do it.”

DETROIT (May 8, 2025) – The GWOAT, Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 KOs), will return home on Saturday, July 26, when she puts her Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship on the line in the main event at Little Caesars Arena against the reigning IBF Lt. Heavyweight World Champion from New Zealand, Lani Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO). Shields vs. Daniels will air live on the global home of boxing, DAZN.

Shields, the most decorated female boxer in history, made headlines earlier this year by becoming the first woman ever to claim the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship—and the first boxer, male or female, to achieve undisputed status in three weight divisions.

Undefeated and seemingly unstoppable, the Flint, Mich., native is riding high after a dominant performance in February, where she dismantled the towering and dangerous Danielle Perkins in front of a roaring hometown crowd at the Dort Financial Center in Flint. With the win, Shields cemented her place as the inaugural undisputed women’s heavyweight champ.

A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Shields now looks to extend her reign against former heavyweight titleholder Lani Daniels, as she continues rewriting the history books one fight at a time.

“I am so excited to be defending my Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena,” said Shields. “My fights continue to get bigger and better. My opponent, Lani from New Zealand is coming to bring all the smoke, or so she says! This fight will be a sellout of 19,000 so get your tickets and be there to witness herstory on July 26 with the GWOAT.”

Daniels, coined “The Smiling Assassin,” is the former IBF Heavyweight World Champion, looking to regain her crown and add three more world title belts to her collection in July.

“To be the best you have to fight the best. I te p? pouri rawa, ka ara te marama, ?, ka kitea te pono,” said Daniels in her native M?ori. “On the darkest nights the full moon will rise and the truth will be revealed.” 

Recently signed to Salita Promotions, Daniels made history of her own when she became the first New Zealand-born fighter to win two world titles, and the first to win world titles in two different divisions when she defeated Desley Robinson in 2023.

On the strength of seven-straight victories, Daniels has proven to be a fighter inside and outside of the ring. At 14-years-old, Daniels tragically lost her younger brother to leukemia, sending her down a troubled path with drugs and suicidal thoughts. Today, Daniels is a champion of mental health and takes opportunities to inform, educate and support mental health awareness both at home and abroad. Daniels has become an inspiration for her home country as she continues to lead a worthy cause and challenge herself inside the boxing ring.

Tickets for the event at Little Caesars Arena go on sale Friday, May 9 and can be purchased online at 313Presents.com and Ticketmaster.com or in person at The XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena.

“Women’s boxing has grown by leaps and bounds since Claressa Shields headlined the very first women’s main event on a nationally televised card,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Now, she stands atop the mountain, defending the undisputed women’s heavyweight world title for the first time. Over a century ago, Jack Johnson traveled to Australia to become the first African American heavyweight champion of the world. On July 26, Claressa Shields writes her own chapter in that on-going legacy—bringing the fight home to Detroit and facing a significant challenge in the reigning light heavyweight world champion, Lani Daniels. This is more than a fight—it is a defining moment in the evolution of boxing and women’s sport. Claressa is linking generations, breaking barriers, and etching her name deeper into the fabric of the sports history.”

Michigan is a world-renowned hotbed of boxing talent and history that runs deep. Producing legends in the sport, including Thomas “Hitman” Hearns, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and James “Lights Out” Toney, Michigan, the greater Detroit region in particular, continues to breed the best of boxing. Salita Promotions features an impressive roster of Michigan-grown fighters including Shields, Ardreal Holmes Jr., and rising Michigan stars Joshua James Pagan and Joseph Hicks Jr., as they continue to build their legacy in the sport. Marking Shields’ seventh time competing professionally in Detroit, Salita Promotions will spotlight the rich history and world-class talent in Michigan once again on July 26.

# # # 

ABOUT?SALITA?PROMOTIONS 

Salita?Promotions?was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy?Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a?promotional?entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed?Salita?Promotions?fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring.?Salita?Promotions?looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe. 

? 

Check the?Salita?Promotions?YOUTUBE CHANNEL?for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.? 

NEW YORK CITY (February 5, 2025) – Last Sunday, the boxing maturation process continued for developing Brooklyn heavyweight prospect Pryce Taylor (6-0, 3 KOs) who fought on the high-profile Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 KOs)-Danielle Perkins (5-1, 2 KOs) card in Flint, Michigan.

Taylor, 28, blasted late replacement Jerell Nettles (4-11-1, 1 KO), of Denver, who was unable to get out of the second round against the heavy-handed Taylor.

“The beat goes on…….literally,” Taylor said after the fight. “I hit him with a right hand and he almost landed outside of the ropes. He tried to hold on to me, but his legs couldn’t keep him up, and he flopped down on the canvas.”

Unfortunately, due to the late replacement, Taylor fought in the opening bout of the evening in front of only a handful of fans.

“There weren’t many people there for my fight,” Taylor explained, “because I was supposed to fight somebody else who got hurt. But I got to watch the other fights and see the crowd. It felt electric there. I’ve been to some other big fights like Wilder vs. Washington, but sitting in the first row for these fights felt exciting. I wish that I had fought on television, but it’s going to come. All I can do is keep putting on a show.

“As we entered the arena, my manager, Keith Sullivan, said to me, ‘Look around and take it in because one day you are going to be the headliner.’ I am motivated to get to that point in my career.”

“I was hoping he would get more rounds this time out in his first six-rounder,” Sullivan added. “Trust me, he is just getting started. He spars with all of the tri-state area heavyweights and handles them like a seasoned pro. When he lands, it’s like a cinder block getting dropped on you. I plan on getting him back in the ring in a few weeks.”

A boxing lawyer as well as a former Deputy Commissioner for the NYS Athletic Commission, Sullivan also manages 3-time, 2-division World Champion, IBF No. 1 rated  Miyo Yoshida (18-5) and undefeated Bronx NYPD Officer Nisa Rodriguez (3-0, 1 KO), the WBA No. 3 rated welterweight, in addition to co-managing world-rated (WBA #5, IBF #6, WBC #13) welterweight contender Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-0, 11 KOs), the reigning WBA Continental Champion from Limerick, Ireland. Sullivan co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who is also Donovan’s head trainer.

Claressa Shields won the Undisputed Heavyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Danielle Perkins at The Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan.

Shields dominated the fight and in round three rocked Perkins badly with a overhand right.

Shields continued to win every round and in the last 10 seconds of the fight landed a perfect counter right to the jaw that made Perkins glove hit the canvas.

Shields, 173.6 lbs of Flint, MI won by scores of 100-89, 99-90 and 97-92 and is now 16-0. Perkins, 177.2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 5-1.

Shields: “I felt strong in there. Danielle Perkins is very strong. She was definitely a problem. My skills and experience got me over it. In the last round when I scored the knockout, she got greedy. I have power. Danielle was just big and strong.”

“I was so happy to perform at home. I couldn’t believe it when I walked out and saw the amount of people who came out to support me. I was so excited. Between my walkout and everything, it was too much. I had to calm myself down and focus on the fight and on Danielle. It was an amazing homecoming.”

“Whenever I hit Danielle, especially in the third round when I stunned her and in the 10th round when I dropped her, it was like fireworks going off all over the ring. Fighting in Flint shows me that the best fans in the world are here. They make a lot of noise, and there is never a quiet round.

In a horrible display in a heavyweight bout, Brandon Moore defeated Skylar Lace via eighth round disqualication.

Both guys were deducted points in round four for holding. Lacy continued to hold for the rest of the fight. In round eight he was deducted another point for holding. Seconds later, Lacy held and pushed Moore and they both when splattering out through the middle ropes and on to a broadcast table that broke. Referee Steve Willis started a 20-count but finally stopped the count and awarded the bout to Moore at 51 seconds.

Moore, 249.4 lbs of Lakeland, FL is now 17-1. Lacy, 260.4 lbs of Indianapolis, IN is 8-1-2.

Moore: “This was all crazy because the camera man fell off the ring first and then he (Lacy) threw me out of the ring. That has never happened to me. He was holding me down, but I was able to push him off of me and jump back into the ring. I knew he wasn’t going to be able to go any more rounds against me.”

“It means everything to become champ. I know other fighters will watch this and think it was ugly, but it was because my opponent made it that way.”

Joseph Hicks remained undefeated with an seventh round stoppage over Keon Pappillon in a battle of undefeated junior middleweights.

In round one, Pappillion suffered swelling around left eye from an accidental headbutt.

In round seven, Hicks landed a chopping right that hurt Pappillon. Hicks jumped on Papillion and landed a hard flurry of punches and referee Ansel Stewart ackowleged the corner and stopped the bout at 1:35.

Hicks, 152.6 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI is 12-0 with eight knockouts. Paillion, 152.2 lbs of Lafyette, LA is 10-1-1.

Hicks: “I felt like I had the fight secured after the third round when he (Papillion) took a deep breath. It’s a dream come true to be able to fight in my home state. When you first start boxing, you dream of the crowd cheering you on while you perform doing what you love.”

Joshua James Pagan remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Ronal Ron Ramirez in a lightweight bout.

In round one, Pagan was cut over his left eye

Pagan, 135 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI won by scores of 79-73 and 78-74 twice and is now 12-0. Ramirez, 133.8 lbs of Caracas, VEN is 16-8.

Pagan: “It’s an honor to perform on a historic card like this. This is probably the biggest event in Flint in years, especially with Claressa Shields’ movie (“The Fire Inside”). Fights are only going to get tougher from here. You are only as good as your last fight.”

Caroline Veyre won an eight-round unanimous decision over Carmen Vargas in a featherweight bout

In round two, Vargas began to bleed from her right eye.

Veyre, 123.1 lbs of Montreal won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 9-1. Vargas, 124 lbs of Houston is 5-3-1.

Ashleyann Lozada made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Denise Moran in a super bantamweight bout.

Lozada landed 59 of 145 punches. Moran was 22-109.

Lozada, 122.6 lbs of Corozal, PR won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is 1-0. Moran, 122.8 lbs of Cathedral City, CA is 3-1.

FLINT, Mich. (January 30, 2025)– Ahead of “SUPER FIGHT SUNDAY” taking place on Sunday, February 2, at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich., global superstar Claressa Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) and undefeated Danielle Perkins (5-0, 2 KOs) participated in an official press conference at The Dome at Flint City Hall today. Two-time Olympic Games gold medalist Shields is en route to making boxing history again as she will be battling to become an Undisputed World Champion in a third weight division. Recently defeating Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse for the WBC heavyweight title, Shields will be squaring off against Brooklyn’s Perkins for the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship as the WBA, IBF, and WBO each have agreed to sanction the bout for their respective women’s heavyweight world titles. “SUPER FIGHT SUNDAY” will air live globally on DAZN, boxing’s leading streaming television provider. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online HERE or in person at the Dort Financial Center box office.

Claressa Shields

Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist/WBC Heavyweight World Champion

“It has been a crazy couple of years. The biopic “The Fire Inside” is about Flint, Mich., and how it helped me get here. I wanted to pay it forward and have Flint fighters on this card. Flint helped create who and how I am. You see how I was brought up and what I have become.”

“Boxing is personal. I take it very seriously because it’s really all I had for many years. Boxing was the first thing that I was actually great at and it made me feel really good.”

“Danielle (Perkins) might be stronger, she is smooth and has skills. She went to the world championships and won a gold medal and a bronze. I won three gold medals at the world championships and two Olympic gold medals.”

“I’ve seen “The Fire Inside” 10 times. I bawl and cry throughout the movie every time I watch it. I wanted to quit so many times. I wanted to give up and get a real job. I kept putting in the hard work, I kept winning, I kept proving the doubters wrong.”

“Danielle may not be the fastest, she’s unorthodox and is a southpaw, but when she hits her opponents, their whole game plans change.”

“I have gotten my flowers, but it ain’t enough. I didn’t get my flowers for so many years. I still have to talk about how great I am. I am going to continue to do this until there aren’t any doubters and the haters bow down.”

“I am trying to break barriers. I have to continue to do the unthinkable. Until I get there, the fire inside will keep burning.”

Danielle Perkins

Undefeated No. 2 Heavyweight Contender

“I always tell Claressa that her coming up to the heavyweight division is the best thing that could ever happen to me in my entire life. No one at any point cared about the heavyweight division until she became a heavyweight.”

“No one has ever wanted to fight me. I have only had five professional fights because no one wants to step in the ring with me. It’s unfortunate because I’ve got some skills.”

“I know that Claressa is up for the challenge. This is a real risk. No other middleweight would ever take this kind of risk.”

“We are both putting our lives on the line Sunday. We are going to fight because neither of us has any sense.”

“I am not thinking about making Claressa my wife, but I have been dreaming about this fight. I am looking forward to the first bell.”

“Claressa and I are good friends, and those make for the best fights. We respect each other. She is going to try and break my nose, and I am going to try and break her jaw.”

“I have never had any ill will toward Claressa outside of the ring, but I am going into this fight with 100 percent intent to kill. It has nothing to do with her outside of the ring.”

Dmitry Salita

CEO of Salita Promotions

“Claressa Shields is a true trailblazer.” 

“Since the movie about her life, “The Fire Inside” came out, we’ve had requests from some of the biggest cities and venues in the country asking for Claressa to fight there. With history on the line and the whole world watching, Claressa decided to fight here in Flint.”

“The world heavyweight title has always been synonymous with American greatness. Today, we do not have a heavyweight champion from the U.S. The last undisputed American heavyweight champion was Riddick Bowe in 1992, so the winner of this fight in Flint, Michigan, on Feb. 2, will restore that historic title.”

Brandon Moore

6’6” Heavyweight Contender/Former Golden Glove Champion

“I have been dreaming of Skylar (Lacy) every single night. No disrespect to him, but I am excited to make him my wife.”

Skylar Lacy

6’7” Heavyweight/Former NCAA Offensive Lineman

“I come here as humbly as I can. I am ready to handle business and show everyone what I’m made of.”

Sheldon Neeley

Flint Mayor

“I am an undefeated shadow boxer.”

“Claressa Shields is Flint’s favorite daughter. She is the greatest athlete we’ve ever had come out of this great city.”

UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Returning to her hometown of Flint, Mich., WBC Heavyweight World Champion Claressa Shields is back in action following her knockout heavyweight debut against Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse when she takes on the towering Danielle Perkins for the Undisputed Heavyweight crown. On the heels of her blockbuster film The Fire Inside, the two-time Olympic Gold Medalist has a chance to make history once again as she vies to become the first boxer ever to win the undisputed title in three different weight divisions.

Opposite the worldwide superstar is Brooklyn’s Danielle Perkins. Standing at 6 feet, Perkins poses a difficult task for anyone in the heavyweight division as she boasts a perfect record at 5-0. Perkins was a highly accomplished professional basketball player, playing throughout Europe before her professional boxing career. In her last outing, Perkins fittingly shared the same card as Shields in July of 2024 when she scored an impressive unanimous decision victory over England’s Christianne Fahey. On a special Sunday feature on February 2, Perkins will have the opportunity to dethrone inarguably the greatest women fighter in the world.

MOORE VS. LACY FOR THE USBA HEAVYWEIGHT VACANT TITLE

Lakeland, Fla.’s Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) will make his promotional debut against the undefeated Skylar Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs) in the highly anticipated co-main event as a new addition to Salita Promotion’s impressive stable of heavyweight fighters. Standing at 6-foot-6, Moore has proven to be one of the most dangerous heavyweights, with 10 of his victories coming by way of knockout. Moore made his professional debut in 2020 when he scored an emphatic first round knockout over Nick Pinnock, setting the tone for his dominant career. Born into a family of professional athletes, Moore’s father was the captain of the Trinidad & Tobago national soccer team, while two of his younger brothers are currently professional soccer players. On the strength of two straight TKO victories, Moore most recently defeated Miguel Viloria in November of 2024 and looks to build upon his momentum on Sunday, February 2.

WOMEN’S FIGHTERS IN ACTION

SUPER FIGHT SUNDAY will feature four women’s bouts throughout the talent-stacked card. Recently signed with the promotion, Paris’ Carolyne Veyre (8-1) will square off against Houston, Tex.’s Carmen Vargas (5-2-1) for the Women’s WBA Inter-Continental Featherweight Title. A former Olympian, the reigning WBC International Featherweight Champion Veyre aims to make a statement following her dominant win over Gabriela Bouvier last December. Opening up the televised main card and recently signed to the Salita Promotions banner, the first-ever female Olympic boxer in Puerto Rico, Ashleyann Lozada,will make her professional debut against Denise Moran (3-0) of San Diego, Calif. The 2023 Pan American Games bronze medalist Lozado boasts a decorated amateur career and looks to showcase her skills in her televised debut. Fighting for a world title opportunity, the undefeated No. 5-world ranked Samantha Worthington (10-0, 7 KOs) fighting out Folsom., Calif., looks to claim another statement victory in the women’s super lightweight division against Lithuania’s Vaida Masiokaite (10-26-1, 1 KO).

UP-AND-COMING MICHIGAN SHOWCASED

With Michigan being a hotbed of boxing talent, SUPER FIGHT SUNDAY will see various local stars showcase their skills. Hailing from Grand Rapids, Mich., undefeated fan-favorite Joseph Hicks (11-0, 7 KOs) returns to action when he takes on Louisiana’s Keon Papillion (10-0-1, 7 KOs) in a welterweight showdown. In his last outing, Hicks scored a unanimous decision victory against Ronnie Austion last September. This will arguably be Hicks’ toughest test to date as Papillion enters this televised bout on the strength of a second-round stoppage victory over Rondale Hubbert last September. Also featured on the televised card is undefeated Joshua James Pagan (11-0, 4 KOs) of Grand Rapids, Mich., who looks to continue his dominance in the ring when he squares off against Venezuela’s Ronal Ron (16-7, 13 KOs). Coming from a rich bloodline of fighters, Leon Lawson III (16-1, 9 KOs) returns to the Dort Financial Center on the heels of an emphatic knockout victory over Argentina’s Luis Alberto Veron in September. Opposite the Flint star, Christopher Thompson (9-2, 6 KOs) of Kansas City, Mo., will be a tough out as he started his career with nine straight wins after turning pro in 2020. Opening up the night of fights will be Flint’s rising Jaquan McElroy (2-0, 1 KO) taking on Nathan Mitchell (1-3, 1 KO) of Senatobia, Miss.

DAZN FLASH SALE: BOXING FANS TO SAVE BIG IN THE UNITED STATES AND UNITED KINGDOM

DAZN Group, the global sports entertainment company and leading destination for boxing fans worldwide, announced a flash sale on annual plans, offering discounts of 30 percent in the United States and in the United Kingdom. The promotion will run from January 24^th until February 3rd, making it more affordable for fans to watch boxing post-holiday season.

CATCH ALL THE ACTION ON DAZN

The night of fights will air live globally on DAZN at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. DAZN’s Emily Austin will debut as the event’s host, with veteran boxing sportscaster Claudia Trejos joining as the ringside reporter. In addition, Sergio Mora and Chris Mannix will serve as ringside analysts, while Corey Erdman will handle the blow-by-blow call.

FOR THOSE IN FLINT 

Doors open at 5:30 pm ET with the first fight to begin at 5:30 p.m as well. Tickets are on sale online HERE or the Dort Financial Center box office.

NEW YORK CITY (January 28, 2025) – Undefeated Brooklyn heavyweight prospect Pryce Taylor is excited about the added exposure he’ll receive this Sunday (Feb. 2) fighting on the high-profile Claressa Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) vs. Danielle Perkins (5-0, 2 KOs) card in Flint, Michigan.

Taylor, 28, demolished KeShawn Jackson this past December, also held in Flint, fighting for the first time for his promoter, Salita Promotions. Multiple world champion Shields, who is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is a native of Flint. Her fight with Perkins is for the undisputed world heavyweight title, which will headline the Salita Promotions’ event being streamed live on DAZN.

Taylor was originally slated to fight Robert Simms (12-4-1, 3 KOs), who recently withdrew due to an injury, and replacement Jerell Nettles (4-10-1, 1 KO), of Denver, will now be the opponent for Taylor’s first scheduled six-round bout.

“This is a step up for me as it’s my first six rounder. I’m excited for it; I wanted to step up the rounds two fights ago.” Taylor said. “I have no concerns about the change of my opponent. It happens and I train to be at my best and able to handle anyone. It’s great fighting on this show because Claressa is the headliner. She is an unbelievable fighter and story. I’m hoping to expand my fan base through the packed arena and streaming on DAZN. It’s a great way to start 2025 and I am eager to fight as often as possible. I’ll be ready.”

“The big guy has been putting in a lot of hard work both on his boxing technique and his strength and conditioning,” Taylor’s manager Keith Sullivan added. “He is moving in the right direction, and I am pleased to have him showcased on a big card broadcast through DAZN. Outside of the ring he is a gentle giant. Such a nice, likeable, respectful guy, but inside, he is a force to be reckoned with. When the boxing world starts seeing these two-sides to Pryce, they will become huge fans of his.”

A boxing lawyer as well as a former Deputy Commissioner for the NYS Athletic Commission, Sullivan also manages 3-time, 2-division World Champion Miyo Yoshida (17-5) and undefeated Bronx NYPD Officer Nisa Rodriguez (3-0, 1 KO), the WBA No. 3 rated welterweight, in addition to co-managing world-rated (WBA #5, IBF #6, WBC #13) welterweight contender Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-0, 11 KOs), the reigning WBA Continental Champion from Limerick, Ireland. Sullivan co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who is also Donovan’s head trainer.

DETROIT (Jan. 24, 2025)– Three heavyweight bouts led by headliner and hometown hero the GWOAT Claressa Shields taking on towering Danielle Perkins for the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship will be featured during “SUPER FIGHT SUNDAY” on February 2 from the Dort Financial Center and airing live on the premier global sports platform DAZN (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

Two new Salita Promotions heavyweight signees, Brandon Moore and Pryce Taylor, will also be in action as Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) takes on Indianapolis’ Skylar Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs) for the USBA Vacant Heavyweight Title in the co-featured bout. Taylor (5-0, 3 KOs) will return to fight in Flint after just six weeks as he squares off against Denver, CO’s Jerrell Nettles (4-10, 1 KO).

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased online HERE or in person at the Dort Financial Center Box Office. 

In addition to the heavyweights, Michigan’s top boxing talent will once again be on full display.

Hailing from Grand Rapids, Mich., undefeated fan-favorite Joseph Hicks (11-0, 7 KOs) returns to action when he takes on Louisiana’s Keon Papillion (10-0-1, 7 KOs) in a welterweight showdown. In his last outing, Hicks scored a unanimous decision victory against Ronnie Austion last September. This will arguably be Hicks’ toughest test to date as Papillion enters this televised bout on the strength of a second-round stoppage victory over Rondale Hubbert last September.

“I do not know much about my opponent, but I know that he is extremely durable,” said Hicks. “It is a blessing to perform in Flint once again. Flint has become a home away from home for me. Salita Promotions has put together an incredibly strong card, and it’s an honor to share the stage with the GWOAT Claressa Shields and some of the upcoming talent from Flint.”

Also featured on the televised card is undefeated Joshua James Pagan (11-0, 4 KOs) of Grand Rapids, Mich., who looks to continue his dominance in the ring when he squares off against Venezuela’s Ronal Ron (16-7, 13 KOs). The 25-year-old Pagan is coming off his first fight internationally last October when he defeated the grizzled Haskell Rhodes in Puerto Rico.

Coming from a rich bloodline of fighters, Leon Lawson III (16-1, 9 KOs) returns to the Dort Financial Center on the heels of an emphatic knockout victory over Argentina’s Luis Alberto Veron in September. Opposite the Flint star, Christopher Thompson (9-2, 6 KOs) of Kansas City, Mo., will be a tough out as he started his career with nine straight wins after turning pro in 2020.

It will be yet another Flint fighter opening up the night of fights as rising Jaquan McElroy (2-0, 1 KO) will take on Nathan Mitchell (1-3, 1 KO) of Senatobia, Miss.

Newly signed Salita Promotions prospect Canada’s Carolyne Veyre (8-1) squares off against Carmen Vargas (5-2-1) of Houston, Texas, in a highly anticipated vacant Women’s WBA Intercontinental Featherweight Title bout. A former Olympian, the reigning WBC International Featherweight Champion Veyre aims to make a statement following her dominant win over Gabriela Bouvier last December.

Opening up the televised main card and recently signed to the Salita Promotions banner, the first-ever female Olympic boxer in Puerto Rico, Ashleyann Lozada,will make her professional debut against Denise Moran (3-0) of San Diego, Calif. The 2023 Pan American Games bronze medalist Lozado boasts a decorated amateur career and looks to showcase her skills in her televised debut.

In a quick turnaround following an impressive unanimous decision victory last December, the undefeated Samantha Worthington (10-0, 7 KOs) fighting out Folsom., Calif., looks to claim another statement victory in the women’s super lightweight division against Lithuania’s Vaida Masiokaite (10-26-1, 1 KO).

ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS:? 

Salita?Promotions?was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy?Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a?promotional?entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring.?Salita?Promotions?looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe. 

DETROIT (January 15, 2025)– Some of the best up-and-coming women’s boxing talent will join The GWOAT Claressa Shields on the undercard of “SUPER FIGHT SUNDAY”, a special Sunday night world championship event taking place on February 2, at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich., and airing live on global streaming service DAZN. Shields headlines the card in her hometown and will attempt to win the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship against undefeated Danielle Perkins. Shields, along with leading promoter Dmitriy Salita and Salita Promotions, will shine a spotlight on women’s boxing throughout the night. 

Salita Promotions has signed WBC International featherweight champion Caroline Veyre, (PRO: v-air) as the Paris native prepares to fight for the vacant WBA Intercontinental title, as well as Puerto Rico’s Olympic darling Ashleyann Lozada who will make her anticipated professional boxing debut on Feb. 2. Also on the card is world-rated, 140-pound contender Samantha Worthington of Kentucky, who is coming off a statement victory in December and looking for a title shot against division kingpin Katie Taylor.

Tickets for the event at Dort Financial Center are on sale now and can be purchased online or in person at the Dort Financial Center Box Office.? 

“Four of the fights on this undisputed world championship fight card are exceptional women’s bouts,” said Salita. “Salita Promotions is proud to partner with Claressa Shields in an effort to advance women’s boxing. Together, we strive to create equal opportunities in exposure and promotion, push for equal purses and help all our fighters achieve their dreams of becoming world champions and stars in the sport.

“Ashleyann Lozada, Puerto Rico’s first female Olympian, and French contender Caroline Veyre are world-class athletes with incredible potential,” Salita continued. “I’m honored they have entrusted Salita Promotions to guide their careers to the next level. They join Claressa and Sammy Worthington, the current WBA No. 1 contender, on our expanding roster of the sport’s premier talent.”

“Women’s boxing is at such an exciting moment right now,” said Shields. “Having three women’s bouts on DAZN is a milestone we couldn’t have imagined five or 10 years ago. I’m proud to have blazed the trail for incredible fighters like Samantha Worthington, who’s quickly making a name for herself, and the talented women signed with Salita Promotions. This reflects my vision of not just excelling in the ring but creating opportunities as a promoter. I’m building a blueprint for the next generation to show them what’s possible. On February 2 in Flint, fans are in for several exciting matchups and one unforgettable night of boxing!”

Veyre, a 36-year-old Parisian, now fighting out of Montreal, is 8-1 and has a crowd-pleasing style. She will take on Carmen Vargas (5-2-1) of Houston, Texas, for the vacant Women’s WBA Intercontinental featherweight title.

Winning gold at the 2015 Pan American Games and reaching the quarterfinals at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Veyre joins Salita Promotions with world title aspirations. Most recently, she defeated Gabriela Bouvier last December for the Women’s WBC International featherweight title. Veyre made her professional debut in 2022 when she earned a unanimous decision victory over Liliana Marisela Borquez following an accomplished amateur career. Her sights are on division champs Amanda Serrano and Skye Nicholson.

“I am so excited and elated to join Salita Promotions,” Veyre said. “Their actions, dedication, and belief in women’s boxing reassures me in the choice I’ve made with Dmitriy. Being part of the same promotion and co-manager as Claressa Shields, the best female boxer in the world, is highly motivating for me. I work hard to always give my best, and I am more determined than ever to dominate this division. Let’s just say there’s a new sheriff in town!”

Ashleyann Lozada, remarkably,is Puerto Rico’s first female boxer to participate in the Olympic Games. She will make her professional debut against Denise Moran (3-0) of San Diego, Calif. A native of Corozal, Lozada qualified for the 2024 Paris Games by clinching a bronze medal at the 2023 Pan American Games. She is the only Puerto Rican athlete, male or female, to win gold medals at the 2018 and 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games. The 33-year-old Lozada was influenced by watching Miguel Cotto in her youth.

“I have worked my whole life for this moment,” said Lozada. “I can’t wait to step into the ring as a pro and show my fans in Puerto Rico and everyone watching around the world that nothing will stop this Boricua from reaching my dream of becoming a world champion.”

The power-punching Sammy “The Heat” Worthington (10-0, 7 KOs) of Lexington, Ky., by way of Folsom, Calif., returns to the Dort Financial Center just six weeks after a statement win in December to square off against Lithuania’s Vaid Masiokaite (10-26-6, 1 KO). Worthington continues to make her way toward a world title shot. She is currently ranked No. 2 in the IBF, No. 3 in the WBO and No. 6 in the WBC and WBA at 140 pounds and, with a win on Feb. 2, could be in-line to fight for a world title this year.

“The Heat” is co-promoted by Shields’ T-Rex Promotions and Salita Promotions.

“Katie Taylor is the ultimate goal I’m striving for,” said Worthington, 29. “She is the best in the world, and there’s nothing more I would like than a shot at her world titles.”

To request media credentials for the February 2nd event, please apply today via https://www.bzapr.com/events/super-brawl-sunday-claressa-shields-vs-danielle-perkins 

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ABOUT?SALITA?PROMOTIONS 

Salita?Promotions?was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy?Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a?promotional?entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed?Salita?Promotions?fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring.?Salita?Promotions?looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe. 

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Check the?Salita?Promotions?YOUTUBE CHANNEL?for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.

DETROIT, Mich., (January 7, 2025)– Ahead of “SUPER BRAWL SUNDAY” taking place on Sunday, February 2, at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich., global superstar Claressa Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) and undefeated Danielle Perkins (5-0, 2 KOs) joined an open media workout in Detroit today. Two-time Olympic Games gold medalist Shields is en route to making boxing history again as she will be battling to become an Undisputed World Champion in a third weight division. Recently defeating Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse for the WBC heavyweight title, Shields will be squaring off against Brooklyn’s Perkins for the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship as the WBA, IBF, and WBO each have agreed to sanction the bout for their respective women’s heavyweight world titles. “SUPER BRAWL SUNDAY” will air live globally on DAZN, boxing’s leading streaming television provider. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online HERE or in person at the Dort Financial Center box office.

Claressa Shields:

“I am super excited to be able to face Danielle Perkins. I think me going to the heavyweight division did scare a lot of people, including my family. My last opponent, Vanessa [Lepage-Joanisse], was someone we took very seriously. Now, we have a better opponent in Danielle. She has a decorated background and is tall and big. I look forward to having an all-out fight with her. What better time to have a fight in Flint than after The Fire Inside has come out all over the country? I just want to show that people from Flint can actually make it.

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Lepage-Joanisse made a pretty big noise when she fell, and I look forward to making Danielle Perkins make a bigger noise when she falls.

“I saw somewhere that Perkins said that I was not the GWOAT of boxing. She said someone else was. The mistake that she made was that she didn’t say herself. When they ask you who you think the greatest of all time is in women’s boxing while you’re getting ready to fight for a world championship, and you say someone else, that shows you are doubtful.

“I think she has a very proud story. I respect all of the girls that I fight. I know it is a fight for all of us in women’s boxing. This is a great opportunity for her. Of course, she wants to get the upset. Of course, this is life-changing money for her. But at the end of the day, it’s still a fight, so I’m not super friendly.

“Danielle Perkins is a very tough challenge for anybody, especially with her size. She says that she is a real heavyweight. I’ve been hit hard before and taken it pretty well. I’m not overlooking Danielle. In a strange way, I think she is overlooking me. She thinks that Lepage-Joanisse didn’t have a chance and that she was slow. Lepage-Joanisse was the heavyweight world champion. Lepage-Joanisse had 12 weeks to prepare for me and called me out. I didn’t plan to move up to heavyweight. I look too good to be called a heavyweight.

“It was important to have this fight in Flint because I never had my true homecoming. The last time I fought at the Dort Financial Center was during COVID. I think only about 300 people were allowed in the arena then. I know when I fight in Flint this time, 8,000 people will show up, and that’s what we want.

“My experience will be a big factor in this fight. I have not conquered the world once, but twice as an amateur. Professionally, I have conquered the world 15 times. That means I have been in the ring with 15 world champions or competitors fighting me for a world championship. A lot of those belts I have are ones that I went and took. I have been to girls’ countries to take belts. It’s just different being in there with high-caliber fighters. Every training camp, I get up. It doesn’t matter who I am facing.”

Danielle Perkins:

“I don’t think I’ve ever cried tears of joy. Hearing about this opportunity to fight Claressa [Shields] was my first time doing that.

“The person you are meeting right now is not the same person that shows up to the fight. The mission is still very much the same. The person who shows up in the ring does not have that much respect for anybody. I am also very cautious and aware of who she is.

“My second fight, I fought the No. 1 girl on Team USA. She had 44 fights and was undefeated. I had to realize that whoever someone fought before does not matter. You have never fought me, and I am a different challenge. I went out and won that fight.

“Size, strength, and power are the attributes I will bring to this fight. I don’t think I am like anyone else she has ever fought. Claressa [Shields] is a phenomenal middleweight but has never gone more than two rounds at heavyweight. All my experience is at heavyweight, so I have a lot of rounds under my belt.

“Training camp is going great. I have gotten severely uncomfortable during this camp to prepare for the intensity that she brings. Our level of camp has elevated in the last couple of weeks. We’ve been consistently and aggressively picking up the pace. Sparring is no longer just sparring; we are fighting. No one in my camp is taking this fight lightly. The thing is that I have so much respect for Claressa [Shields]. I have to give her one of the best fights in front of Flint. We have been thinking about this opportunity for a while now.”

Dmitry Salita:

“Women’s boxing is at an all-time high. The Shields vs. Perkins press workout in Detroit drew tremendous media attention, building excitement for Sunday, February 2, at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich., live on DAZN.

“This fight marks another historic chapter for Claressa Shields as she goes for the Undisputed Heavyweight World Title. Shields will challenge to become the first fighter ever to be an Undisputed World Champion in three weight divisions.”

DETROIT (Dec. 12, 2024) – From Flint to Hollywood and back, the hits keep coming for four-division world champion Claressa Shields.

The reigning WBC and WBO World Champion will defend her unified titles and fight for the vacant WBA Heavyweight World title against undefeated contender Danielle Perkins on Sunday, February 2. The event, aptly dubbed SUPER BRAWL SUNDAY, is promoted by Salita Promotions and will take place at Dort Financial Center in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Mich., and air live globally on DAZN, boxing’s leading streaming television provider.

An announcement regarding ticket sales for SUPER BRAWL SUNDAY will be made soon.

Shields, by far the most accomplished female boxer in history, is undefeated at 15-0 with three knockouts. She won the coveted WBC heavyweight green belt (and the vacant WBO Lt Heavyweight belt) in July when she knocked out defending champion Vanessa Lepage Joanisse. Shields is also the current, reigning Unified Middleweight World Champion, a testament to her dominance in women’s boxing as she continues to break barriers and inspire female athletes around the world.

Shields, with an impeccable professional record and a mounting legacy, adds another chapter to her remarkable career that now includes a feature film. Shields is the subject of an upcoming theatrical film chronicling her incredible life story. The highly anticipated biographical drama, titled THE FIRE INSIDE, premieres in theatres on Christmas Day and spans her rise from humble beginnings in Flint to becoming a two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist. The film promises to inspire a new generation of athletes and fans, offering an intimate look into Shields’ journey and the challenges she has faced on and off the canvas.

“I feel so blessed at this point in my life and my career,” said Shields. But make no mistake, every blessing came with blood, sweat, and tears behind it. My home in Flint helped make me the person I am today. That city, with all its struggles and strengths, built something in me that can’t be broken. Without Flint and the determination I developed there at a young age, I don’t know if I’d be here today. I can’t wait for this homecoming event. Danielle Perkins is undefeated and a strong contender, but I’ve been fighting my whole life, not just in the ring. Whether it was in my personal life, in the amateur boxing ring, or as a professional world champion, I simply do not fail. February 2^nd will be no different.”

“Claressa Shields has been breaking glass ceilings for her whole career,” said Dmitriy Salita, president of Salita Promotions. “She was the first American boxer to win two Olympic gold medals. She was the first woman to headline an event on premium television. She is the only two-division Undisputed Women’s World Champion, and she has the chance to make history yet again unifying the women’s heavyweight division on this special Sunday event. Claressa is at the peak of her career and has an incredible film coming out honoring her life, achievements and determination. We could have taken this event anywhere in the world. Claressa wanted to come back to Flint to share her success with her fans and to give the city of Flint the shine it deserves for helping produce an incredible diamond of a world champion.”

Renowned boxing executive Mark Taffet, Shields’ manager, said, “What an incredible period this is in Claressa’s life. From the theatrical release of her biopic on the silver screen on December 25, to the heavyweight championship on the silver canvas on February 2, it is truly a dream come true for her.”

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Perkins (5-0, 2 KOs), like her upcoming opponent, is a decorated amateur and a survivor.

Before winning gold at the 2019 IBA Women’s World Championships and defeating the tournament’s top seed in the finals, Perkins saw success outside of boxing. A former collegiate basketball standout at St. John’s University, standing 6-feet tall and 200 pounds, Perkins boasted a successful professional basketball career in Europe. That was until Perkins sustained severe injuries when struck by a car on a busy city street in Brooklyn. While unsure if she would ever walk again, Perkins’ undeniable pursuit for greatness drove her to a full recovery and, ultimately, to the sport of boxing.

Perkins earned the WBC No. 1-ranked, mandatory position with a unanimous-decision win over Christianne Fahey on the undercard of Shields vs. Joanisse in July. Known for her power and technique, she has made a name for herself with an unblemished record and relentless drive to claim a world title.

“I am more than excited to get in ring with one of the best fighters in the world,” said Perkins. “I am looking forward to showcasing my skillset to the world and winning my second, third and fourth title belts in Flint. I won the WBC Silver belt there in 2020 and I coming back to make another statement.”

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?ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS:

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

FLINT (September 10, 2024) – Ahead of Thursday night’s “BIG TIME BOXING USA” event taking place live at Dort Financial Center in Flint, homegrown superstar Claressa Shields joined fighters from the highly talented card for a media open workout at Berston Field House today. Michigan’s most talented and emerging fighters, such as Leon Lawson III, Da’Velle Smith, DeAndre Savage, and Jaquan McElroy, all showcased their skills. Shields, one of the most prominent boxing stars today, accompanied Ardreal Holmes Jr., who is widely regarded as the future top contender from Michigan, into the ring for a star-studded workout.

Dmitry Salita:

“Some of the best boxers in the world happen to live here locally. It is so prestigious in Michigan. Claressa Shields, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Thomas Hearns, Chris Byrd, the Dirrell brothers and many others are a testament to that. Fighters like Ardreal Holmes are the future of the sport, and people are going to see that come Thursday as this will be broadcast worldwide live on DAZN.”

“That is what the Big Time Boxing USA series is about — giving the best young prospects and contenders an opportunity to show out in great fighting cities like Flint and before a global television audience. This is how you build the future stars of the sport and develop new boxing fans to keep the sport healthy, vibrant, and growing for years to come.”

Ardreal Holmes Jr.:

“It has been a blessing to be able to headline a card in my hometown. It will be excitement come fight night, then I will execute. I’ve watched Claressa [Shields] do it for years, and now I get the opportunity to headline.”

“It means everything to have Claressa here. In addition, I am so excited to be fighting on the same card as my brother [Jaquan McElroy]. I can’t even put into words how excited I am. We’ve been so close to each other for so long, so it’s just an honor to share this moment with him. It’s a dream come true.”

“My dream in this sport is to have every title possible. Once I achieve that in my weight class, I will probably go up and get those titles next.”

On how becoming a father has helped him in his career “I feel like when times get tough, it gives me motivation. I want to show him not to give up, so I have to practice what I preach.”

Claressa Shields:

“I respect his [Holmes Jr.] skills. I think he is a very patient fighter. He picks his shots, and he is very strong. He doesn’t mind sitting back and throwing out that jab. He is ready for this next step. In his last fight, he scored a second-round knockout.”

“I’m not the only one who has all this knockout power. All these guys have that power and skill. When holding pads for Ardreal, I could tell he was extremely strong and fast. He is going to get the chance to display his talents this Thursday. I also believe that he rises to the occasion with his opponents. So, when his opponents come with that smoke, he comes with that smoke.”

“BIG TIME BOXING USA” INVADES FLINT: The exciting night of fights features undefeated Flint, Mich., native Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes Jr. (15-0, 6 KOs) defending his USBA Junior Middleweight title against Cuba’s Hugo Noriega (10-2, 5 KOs) in the main event. The co-main event pits unbeaten prospect Joseph “Sug” Hicks (10-0, 7 KOs) of Grand Rapids, Mich., taking on Detroit’s Ronnie Austion (10-2, 7 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight bout while fellow Detroit native and SugarHill Steward-trained “Hitman 2.0” Da’Velle Smith (8-0, 6 KOs) collides against Esau Herrera de la Cruz (21-17-1, 8 KOs) in a middleweight fight. Kicking off the televised card on DAZN will be a showdown between surging Flint prospect Leon Lawson III (15-1, 8 KOs) and Argentina’s Luis Alberto Veron (20-8-2, 9 KOs). Lawson is the cousin of the Dirrell brothers and his trained by his father, former pro boxer Leon Lawson II. All the action takes place at Dort Financial Center in Flint, with the top four bouts airing live on the premier global sports platform DAZN (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased online HERE or in-person at the Dort Financial Center Box Office.

DETROIT – July 25, 2024 – The final press conference was held today for “BIG TIME BOXING USA: SHIELDS VS. JOANISSE” featuring Undisputed Middleweight World Champion Claressa “GWOAT” Shields attempting to win a historic title in a fourth weight division by challenging WBC Women’s Heavyweight World Champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on Saturday, July 27, from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and live on premier global sports platform DAZN. The vacant WBO Light Heavyweight Championship will also be on the line.  

Shields (14-0, 2 KOs) of Flint, Mich., and Lepage-Joanisse of Quebec, Canada, will headline a very special edition of “Big Time Boxing USA” presented by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents that also features two more world-class televised fights, an intriguing 10-round co-feature pitting world-ranked super lightweight Michel “La Zarza Ali” Rivera against 140-pound contender Hugo Alberto “Nato” Roldan and power-punching former world-title challenger Shohjahon “Descendant of Tamerlane” Ergashev taking on Julian “The Quiet Storm” Smith in a 10-round super lightweight bout.

Tickets for the July 27 event are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. 

Here is what the conference participants had to say today:

Claressa Shields

?Vanessa did not train hard enough for this fight. I saw her hitting the pads yesterday at the media workout, trying to impress me. I was not impressed. I sparred against bears for this camp. She’s sparring with girls I beat up already.

I’m happy she’s here. I hope she hits like a heavyweight because if she’s not punching like a heavyweight, she’s going to sleep.

She says she doesn’t trash talk. I trash talk and back it up. I will be heavyweight champion Saturday, and nobody will stand in my way. Her size means nothing to me. I’m coming from 160 pounds, but I will be the bear Saturday night.

She rubs me the wrong way. When I take her belt from her, she’s going back to Canada with nothing. She’s going home with a paycheck and beltless. That’s it.

I got to eat better and drink a lot more water for this camp. When you’ve beat everyone at 160 and 168, where else can you go but to heavyweight?

Pray for Vanessa because she’s going down Saturday night. If you’re not here July 27 you’ll be missing greatness. This fight will be one of my biggest fights. I’ll be a 15-time world champion come Saturday night. I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do to keep the T-rex off her Saturday night.

Amanda Serrano, Katie Taylor, Alicia Baumgartner, all of you can make a fight with me and we will see who the real GWOAT is. IT’S WAR TIME!

Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse

I’m thrilled to be here. It ‘s an honor. My hard work is done. I had a great camp, and my team is behind me. A lot of fans from Quebec will be here also.

I’m not a trash talker, I respect Claressa Shields and I know what’s she accomplished, but a fight is a fight. I’ll be ready Saturday night and I’m coming home with the belt in my suitcase. It’s going to be a fight, but I’m going to win it.

Honestly Claressa, I hope you didn’t waste to much energy putting on a show here. All this showing off is pointless. I’m ready to fight and nothing you say today will make a difference. Be ready Saturday night.

I had the best camp of my life and I’ve been focused on just this fight for a very long time. I’m in the best shape ever and I’m ready to shock the world.   

Dmitriy Salita, Salita Promotions

Over the last couple days, there has been a lot of debate about who the GWOAT is and I’ve learned not to be emotional, but it did stir me up. Claressa Shields is the most accomplished women in boxing in history and she’s done things never done before. The term GWOAT was never spoken before Claressa. Her incredible personality and accomplishments have made women’s boxing what it is today. She’s given other women the confidence to believe they can be the best someday.

Claressa dreamed of being a champion as a child in Flint. Flint is struggling every day and to be a young person and decide to become everything she’s become is incredible. There is absolutely no debate who the GWOAT is.

What concerns me about this fight is that Vanessa has all the right ingredients of a champion. There will be 20,000 fans will be rooting against her. We saw her in the gym, and she looks sharp and strong. This is Claressa’s biggest challenge, and we look forward to a fantastic night of boxing. Save your ticket. It will be a collector’s item.

Mark Taffet, President Mark Taffet Media

When we saw we had the opportunity to come back for another fight at Little Caesars Arena, we all said let’s do it! Thanks to everyone for all their hard work to make this incredible fight happen.

Claressa is the GWOAT inside the ring, but she also strives to be great outside the ring by fighting for women’s equality and encouraging women to be their best and realize their dreams.

Imagine being a child growing up in your own home and facing horrors that you can’t imagine, things that no child should have to face with every room you walk in and every door you go through. Those are some of the things Claressa Shields faced as a child. She was nine before she could utter a word. She was a teenager before her words were decipherable. Somehow this kid went to a boxing gym and became not just a survivor but someone who achieved the unthinkable, after going through the unthinkable.

Michel Rivera

Hello beautiful people. I’m glad to be here in Detroit and in a big event with the best woman in boxing. I’m so excited and I look forward to putting on a good show Saturday.

Roldan is a tough fighter with a good record and he ‘s coming to win but obviously he will lose. I am a superstar! La Zarza Ali Rivera!

Training went good because I am tougher than the toughest.

Shohjahon Ergashev

I love Detroit. I’m from Uzbekistan and the first time I boxed professionally was in Detroit. I met SugarHill here and my promoter Dmitriy Salita. Detroit is my second home.

Good luck to Claressa Saturday night.

I studied him on YouTube and he’s not bad. He can fight. I’m more experienced and I am a future champion. I will stop him before the fifth round. If not, I will break his ribs.

We prepared for a hard fight. I will continue progressing my boxing skills and I will be world champion very soon. Thanks to my promoter. He’s doing a great job.  

###

Headlining the un-televised portion of the night will be a 10-round super lightweight battle between undefeated knockout artist Ernesto “Tito” Mercado (15-0, 14 KOs) of Pomona, CA, and Hector Edgardo “Pajarito” Sarmiento (21-2, 14 KOs) from Cordoba, Argentina, as well as an eight-round women’s super-lightweight battle where WBO #6 and IBF #4 ranked Super Lightweight Samantha Worthington (8-0, 6 KOs) will put her undefeated record on the line against Budapest, Hungary’s Edina Kiss (16-20, 9 KOs).

In a six-round super welterweight battle, Dearborn Heights, Michigan’s Husam “Lion Heart” Al Mashhadi (9-1, 8 KOs) will take on Buenos Aires, Argentina’s Bruno Leonardo Romay (22-13, 19 KOs). In a six-round featherweight showdown, Pontiac, Michigan’s Cameran “The Problem” Pankey (9-1, 4 KOs) will take on Mooresville, North Carolina’s Shaileik Paisley (4-4, 3 KOs).

Also featured that night will be an eight-round female heavyweight fight between Houston, Texas’ undefeated Danielle Perkins (4-0, 2 KOs) and Scotland’s Christianne Fahey (2-1, 2 KOs), as well as an exciting all-Detroit six-round super welterweight scrap between once-beaten Gordie Russ II (6-1, 6 KOs) and once-beaten Josiah Shackleford (3-1, 2 KOs).

Rounding out the action will be Flint’s own Jaquan McElroy, who will make his professional boxing debut in a four-round welterweight bout against Travis Floyd of Douglasville, GA.

About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

About 313 Presents

313 Presents is Detroit’s premier live entertainment company. Inspired by the soul of Detroit, 313 Presents promotes and produces concerts, theatrical productions, sporting events and family shows at six world-class venues across southeast Michigan including Little Caesars Arena, the historic Fox Theatre featuring Proud Partner Comerica Bank, Comerica Park, Pine Knob Music Theatre Presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre Presented by Proud Partner Oakland University Credit Union and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. Headquartered in The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Pistons Sports & Entertainment. For additional information, visit 313Presents.com.

About DAZN Group 

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK. Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F. DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.    

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com. 

DETROIT – July 12, 2024 – The untelevised undercard has been announced for the upcoming “BIG TIME BOXING USA: SHIELDS VS. JOANISSE,” event on Saturday, July 27, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, and several local and national prospects will see action in competitive fights.

Presented by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents, and broadcast live on premier sports-streaming platform DAZN, “BIG TIME BOXING USA: SHIELDS VS. JOANISSE” features Undisputed Middleweight World Champion Claressa “GWOAT” Shields’ historic challenge for the WBC Women’s Heavyweight World Championship against Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, an intriguing 10-round co-feature pitting world-ranked super lightweight Michel “La Zarza Ali” Rivera against 140-pound contender Hugo Alberto “Nato” Roldan and power-punching former world-title challenger Shohjahon “Descendant of Tamerlane” Ergashev taking on Julian “The Quiet Storm” Smith in a 10-round super lightweight bout.

Headlining the un-televised portion of the night will be a 10-round super lightweight battle between undefeated knockout artist Ernesto “Tito” Mercado (15-0, 14 KOs) of Pomona, CA, and Hector Edgardo “Pajarito” Sarmiento (21-2, 14 KOs) from Cordoba, Argentina.

A fan-friendly fighter, Mercado is an aggressive, yet poised, boxer-puncher who was voted BoxingScene.com’s 2023 Prospect of the Year. Comparing his mindset to the (the late) former champion Edwin Valero, Mercado says he’s an old-school fighter who is not interested in looking pretty and wants to “take his opponents’ heads off.”

In his three-year professional career, Pomona, California’s Mercado won the North American Boxing Association USA Super Lightweight Championship in 2022 and successfully defended it twice and, in mid-2024, already has three victories under his belt this year.

Mercado stopped then 19-6-2 Cristian Bielma in February and was last seen taking out Colombian veteran Deiner Berrio (then 22-4-1) in April.

“I know he has experience,” said Mercado of upcoming opponent Sarmiento. “In his last fight, he went the distance with Denys Berinchyk from Ukraine, who is now a world champ at 135 pounds after beating Emanuel Navarrete. So, you know he’s a tough guy. He’ll pressure me to fight, and he throws very unorthodox punches, which will make it hard to counter him. I will have to be mindful and defensively sharp.”

22-year-old Mercado says he feels he’s closing in on a world-title shot and is looking forward to the exposure fighting in front of so many fans in Detroit can bring.

“I feel like I’m ready to fight for a world title right now. With the experience I’ve been getting, it shouldn’t be too long. I’m also very excited to fight in front of such a big audience. Getting the recognition of being in these big fights motivates me in the gym. I can’t wait and I hope to make a lot of new fans that night.”

In an eight-round women’s super-lightweight test, WBO #6 and IBF #4 ranked Super Lightweight Samantha Worthington (8-0, 6 KOs) will put her undefeated record on the line against Budapest, Hungary’s Edina Kiss (16-20, 9 KOs).

From Folsom, California, via Lexington, Kentucky, Worthington, the first fighter to ever sign with Claressa Shields’ T-Rex Promotions, finished her impressive amateur career with 36 wins (14 losses), including five national championships, a bronze at the Youth World Championships, and a fifth-place finish at the Olympic Trials for the 2016 Olympics. Thus far as a pro, Worthington has gone undefeated at 8-0, 6 KOs and was last seen winning her Universal Boxing Organization Super Lightweight Championship by scoring a near-shutout unanimous decision over Yazmin Rivas in front of her home-state fans in Kentucky last January.

“I am so grateful for this opportunity!” said Worthington. “Claressa has believed in me since the amateurs, so it is extremely special to have her backing me now in the pros. And I know that being able to fight on this stage is going to put the world on notice and let the super lightweight division know I’m here to dominate! Edina Kiss is a veteran of the sport and I’m so excited to display my skills against someone who has shared the ring with some of the greats! Training has been going great and I’m ready to show everyone that I deserve to be here.”

In a six-round super welterweight battle, Dearborn Heights, Michigan’s Husam “Lion Heart” Al Mashhadi (9-1, 8 KOs) will take on Buenos Aires, Argentina’s Bruno Leonardo Romay (22-13, 19 KOs). Al Mashhadi is a 21-year-old southpaw with an entertaining fighting style who was last seen taking out 58-fight Colombian trialhorse Daulis Prescott in one round at Wayne State Fieldhouse, Detroit in March of last year.

“I feel really blessed to get this opportunity in my hometown at Little Caesars Arena. It’s a big deal and I’m looking forward to it,” said Al Mashhadi. “I know my opponent is from Argentina and a veteran with a lot of fights. He’s coming to fight and give me a run for my money, so I’m training hard to ready for him. This will be the first southpaw I fight in the pros, so I’m sparring Ardreal Holmes and a lot of other tough southpaws to get ready.”

In a six-round featherweight showdown, Pontiac, Michigan’s Cameran “The Problem” Pankey (9-1, 4 KOs) will take on Mooresville, North Carolina’s Shaileik Paisley (4-4, 3 KOs).

Pankey is a 25-year-old slugger who was last seen putting on the fight of the night in his first career loss against Mexico’s Juan Hernandez Martinez via razor-thin six-round decision at Wayne State Fieldhouse, Detroit in February of last year.

“Training is going great,” said Pankey. “I’m hitting harder than ever before and I’m in tip-top shape. I could go 12 rounds today. I know this opponent has never been stopped, but I feel I will be the first to do it.”

Also featured that night will be an eight-round female heavyweight fight between Houston, Texas’ undefeated Danielle Perkins (4-0, 2 KOs) and Scotland’s Christianne Fahey (2-1, 2 KOs), as well as an exciting all-Detroit six-round super welterweight scrap between once-beaten Gordie Russ II (6-1, 6 KOs) and once-beaten Josiah Shackleford (3-1, 2 KOs).

“We have a stacked undercard featuring top local, national, and international talent,” said event promoter, Dmitriy Salita. “All eyes will be on Detroit at Little Caesars Arena on July 27, when some of the b?est boxers in the world look to take the next important step in their careers. Our goal is to be inclusive and work with everyone to give boxing fans the most exciting events, and this card is a testament to that mission statement.”

#         #         #

About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

About 313 Presents

313 Presents is Detroit’s premier live entertainment company. Inspired by the soul of Detroit, 313 Presents promotes and produces concerts, theatrical productions, sporting events and family shows at six world-class venues across southeast Michigan including Little Caesars Arena, the historic Fox Theatre featuring Proud Partner Comerica Bank, Comerica Park, Pine Knob Music Theatre Presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre Presented by Proud Partner Oakland University Credit Union and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. Headquartered in The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Pistons Sports & Entertainment. For additional information, visit 313Presents.com.

About DAZN Group 

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK. Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F. DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.    

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com. 

DETROIT – July 1, 2024 – Salita Promotions has announced a pair of world-class super lightweight supporting bouts for its upcoming “BIG TIME BOXING USA: SHIELDS VS. JOANISSE,” event, including an intriguing 10-round co-feature pitting world-ranked super lightweight Michel “La Zarza Ali” Rivera against 140-pound contender Hugo Alberto “Nato” Roldan on Saturday, July 27, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and airing live on DAZN.

Headlined by Undisputed Middleweight World Champion and boxing superstar Claressa “GWOAT” Shields’ historic challenge of WBC Women’s Heavyweight World Champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, the night’s televised undercard will also feature power-punching former world-title challenger Shohjahon “Descendant of Tamerlane” Ergashev taking on Julian “The Quiet Storm” Smith in a 10-round super lightweight bout.

“The super lightweight division is one of boxing’s deepest in talent and in personality,” said Dmitriy Salita, president of Salita Promotions. “Shohjahon Ergashev and Michel Rivera are both top contenders and they are in with live challengers who are looking to make their own claim to fame. These fights are going to be barnburners with the winners in line for world title shots.”

From Miami via Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 26-year-old Michel Rivera (25-1, 14 KOs) rose to prominence by rattling off a string of nationally televised victories over several then-undefeated or once-beaten foes, including Ladarius Miller (then 21-1), Jon Fernandez (then 21-1), Jose Matias Romero (then 24-1), Joseph Adorno (then 14-0-2) and Jerry Perz (then 14-1). Along the way, he captured the IBF–USBA and World Boxing Council Continental Americas Light lightweight championships.

Currently rated WBC #13, Rivera, who some say bears a resemblance to a young Muhammad Ali, was last seen shaking off his only career defeat by scoring an impressive unanimous-decision victory over former world champion Sergey Lipinets (UD 10) in November.

“My fans can expect a real fast, explosive Michel Rivera,” said Rivera during a break in training. “I’ve got a new team, but the same goal. And that’s to be a world champion and dominate the division.”

From La Banda, Santiago del Estero, Argentina, 31-year-old Hugo Roldan (22-2-1, 7 KOs) has already beaten former South American middleweight champion Lucas Bastida (TKO 3); former Argentinean super lightweight champion Damián Yapur (UD 10); former South American lightweight champion Sergio Gil (KO 1); former Argentine welterweight champion, Chaco Victor Hugo Velázquez (UD 10) and WBC Latino Super Lightweight Champion Emiliano “Cobrita” Domínguez twice (both UD 10) in his six-year career.

Roldan was undefeated before coming to North America to fight, where he suffered both his controversial losses via 10-round decisions to Joseph Adorno in September 2022 and, most recently, in September of last year to Batyrzhan Jukembayev. Between those two losses, Roldan returned home to Argentina in February of last year to win the WBA Fedelatin Welterweight Championship with a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Hugo Acevedo.

“We’ve fought twice in the United States and lost close decisions because of local favoritism,” said Roldan. “This time we are not leaving it in the hands of the judges.”

Currently rated IBF #13, Shohjahon Ergashev (24-1, 21 KOs) from Detroit via Rakhmon, Uzbekistan, is a popular southpaw puncher, who trains at the Kronk Gym with renowned trainer SugarHill Steward.

Before suffering his only career defeat, in an unsuccessful challenge for then-champion Subriel Matias’ IBF Super Lightweight World Championship in November, Ergashev had dominated his previous competition.

He stopped the previously unbeaten Sonny Fredrickson in three rounds in January 2018, and followed that up in 2019, by winning a unanimous decision over Mykal Fox, handing him the first defeat of his career. Ergashev most recently defeated Panama City veteran Juan Huertas by first-round knockout in March. In his native Uzbekistan, Ergashev is a celebrity superstar with over 2.7 million Instagram followers. Most recently, the 32-year-old starred in a national television commercial for the INFINITI QX50 line of luxury cars.

“I am happy to be back in the ring,” said Ergashev. “I look forward to climbing back up the rankings, winning a world title and knocking out my competition. Don’t blink on July 27. I am putting on a big knockout show.”

Born in Blue Island, Illinois, 33-year-old Julian Smith grew up in a tough neighborhood in the South Suburbs of Chicago. Smith contracted meningitis as an infant, causing him to become deaf and he was teased, mimicked, and bullied because of his speech and hearing impairment. Despite the challenges, Smith had a distinguished amateur boxing record of 84 -7 and was a two-time Chicago Golden Gloves Champion before turning professional in 2018.

In the professional ranks, Smith has fared well against top opposition and scored several noteworthy victories in his 10-bout career, including taking the undefeated 0 from then 14-0-1 Alfredo Escarcega via shutout unanimous decision in July 2022 and the undefeated “0” from then 8-0 Orestes Velazquez via ninth-round stoppage in February of this year.

Having always had to work harder than others to succeed, Smith says he feels a victory over Ergashev will be a major step in helping him become the first deaf African American welterweight champion of the world.

“I have worked hard for this opportunity, and I intend to make the most of it,” said Smith. “Ergashev is a good fighter, but he is in the way of my dreams. I’ve been the underdog my whole life and I’m good at it. July 27 will be a big step toward my goals and I’m training harder than ever to make that happen.”

#         #         #

About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

About 313 Presents

313 Presents is Detroit’s premier live entertainment company. Inspired by the soul of Detroit, 313 Presents promotes and produces concerts, theatrical productions, sporting events and family shows at six world-class venues across southeast Michigan including Little Caesars Arena, the historic Fox Theatre featuring Proud Partner Comerica Bank, Comerica Park, Pine Knob Music Theatre Presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre Presented by Proud Partner Oakland University Credit Union and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. Headquartered in The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Pistons Sports & Entertainment. For additional information, visit 313Presents.com.

About DAZN Group 

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK. Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F. DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.    

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com. 

DETROIT – June 20, 2024 – Undisputed Middleweight World Champion and boxing superstar Claressa “GWOAT” Shields of Flint, Mich., and her next opponent, Vanessa Joanisse of Quebec, Canada, came face to face today for the second time this week at a press conference at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

On Saturday, July 27, at Little Caesars Arena and live on premier global sports platform DAZN, Shields (14-0, 2 KOs) will rise of two weight classes to challenge Joanisse (7-1, 2 KOs) for her WBC Women’s Heavyweight World Championship and in the process attempt to win a historic title in a fourth weight division. The vacant WBO Light Heavyweight Championship will also be on the line.

The women’s super fight will headline a very special edition of “Big Time Boxing USA” presented by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

Tickets for the July 27 event are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. 

Here is what Shields, Joanisse and the promoters had to say today:

Claressa Shields – It’s always good to be here. I knew I blew the roof off this place last year, so I was excited to get the call they wanted to have us come back.

People talk about my stardom, but they always skip that I was poor until I was 16. They always skip that I didn’t have a bed until I was 17, after I won the Olympics. They always skip that I had to go and buy my first car because I watched my mom struggling in the snow while I was riding the bus. People never see the hard work I have to put into who I am.

I’ve fought as low as 154 pounds. Vanessa has fought as big as 231 pounds. I’m not taking her lightly at all. I have a lot of respect for her.

I’ve never had the pleasure of padding my record (against losing opponents) in my career. I’m the best female fighter in the world because I have beaten the best. In three different weight classes, I beat the best and I’m going for a fourth weight class on July 27.

I believe that on July 27, I will be heavyweight champion of the world. As we can see, I’m not a true heavyweight and that’s ok. For the sport of women’s boxing, I would go miles and miles to prove we deserve equality, equal pay, equal opportunities and equal fight venues.

I’ve been saying for years I can fill up stadiums like Little Caesars or Madison Square Garden. They never gave me the opportunity. Now I’ve had the opportunity once and on July 27 there will be 19000 people and it’s going to be a great fight.

I look forward to facing off with Vanessa. She does come forward and she’s a head-hunter. She’s big and she throws her weight around. I can’t wait for her to do that stuff to me so I can show her ‘you big and everything, and you’re strong, but there hasn’t been anyone I fought who wasn’t big and strong.’ I’m in the gym putting on some weight for you. I squatted 230 yesterday and I’m benching 185, just to keep this big girl off me.

Make sure you come to the fight July 27. Let me show you what women’s boxing is all about. It’s all about great competition and great competitors and proving who is really the best. Not just talking about it.

People talk about how I don’t have knockout power, but I have to kill myself to make weight too. Now that I don’t, I think I will be putting all that talk to rest. She’s coming big, strong and fast, but I’m coming big, strong and fast too.

Vanessa Joanisse – (When she got the call to face Shields) I said let’s go! I want the popularity Claressa has. She’s the face of women’s boxing and I want this fight. She has what I want.

(Are you ready for the big stage?) People know my strength and power, but what they don’t see is my heart. I’ve been through so much in my life. Just like Claressa, I feed off it. Little Caesars will be filled with a lot of fans screaming for her, but I will have all of Quebec behind me. They know my story and they know I’m going to bring that belt back home with me on July 27.

This is history in the making. I’m inspired by the history of Quebec boxing. When I won my belt, it was a dream come true. But now I want to take it further by beating Claressa Shields here in Detroit.

Dmitriy Salita, Salita Promotions – Claressa is going to follow in the footsteps of Roy jones Jr and also become the only female fighter to ever jump from junior middleweight to heavyweight and win the world title. I want to thank Eye of the Tiger and Mr. Estephan for helping to make this happen.

We’re going to announce the undercard next week, and it will feature some of the best fighters in Michigan and around the world in the most competitive fights. We’re bringing Big Time Boxing back to Detroit and making Detroit, once again, a hub of world-class professional boxing.

Howard Handler, President 313 Presents – We are so excited to partner up with two great fighters. 313 Presents promotes and produces over 350 shows every year and entertains over 2 million people per year. This venue is where a lot of incredible things happen and it’s an amazing backdrop to host an even bigger fight this year.

Everybody knows Detroit has a deep legacy in boxing and I cannot wait to see this fight. This is going to be an incredible battle. We want to keep establishing Detroit as a preeminent boxing destination in the world. We have to show them what we’re made of in Detroit.

Camille Estephan, Eye of the Tiger – This is a very important fight for women’s boxing. I’m here to present Vanessa, the WBC Heavyweight Champion of the world. We are going back home still holding this belt after the fight.

This will be the best fight of 2024. The goal for us, frankly, is to go to Detroit to take something very important with us. Not only the belt, but Claressa’s popularity as well, with no disrespect.

Mark Taffet, President Mark Taffet Media – Vanessa is a great ambassador for women’s boxing. She comes to fight, and she represents the style that women’s boxing wants to exhibit. For her to step up and put her WBC heavyweight championship on the line… she did not have to do this. She has the strength and courage to go forward.

Claressa makes history in every fight. In 2003, Roy Jones became the first man in 100 years to move up from middleweight and win the heavyweight championship of the world. On July 27, Claressa will attempt to duplicate that and become the first woman to do it. We’re thrilled again to have her continue to expand her legacy in this sport on her way to the boxing hall of fame someday. She has a lot of history still to make and she’s committed to making it.

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About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

About 313 Presents

313 Presents is Detroit’s premier live entertainment company. Inspired by the soul of Detroit, 313 Presents promotes and produces concerts, theatrical productions, sporting events and family shows at six world-class venues across southeast Michigan including Little Caesars Arena, the historic Fox Theatre featuring Proud Partner Comerica Bank, Comerica Park, Pine Knob Music Theatre Presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre Presented by Proud Partner Oakland University Credit Union and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. Headquartered in The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Pistons Sports & Entertainment. For additional information, visit 313Presents.com.

DETROIT (June 20, 2024) – Current Unified Middleweight World Champion and now promoter, Claressa Shields, proudly announces T-Rex Promotions has signed its first fighter, WBO #6 and IBF #4 ranked Super Lightweight World Champion Samantha Worthington to a co-promotional contract with Salita Promotions.

Shields and Dmitriy Salita have Worthington slated to make her first appearance under the T-Rex banner on Saturday, July 27, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, when Shields headlines against Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, the reigning WBC Heavyweight World Champion. Shields vs. Joanisse is the main event of a special edition of Salita Promotion’s “Big Time Boxing USA,” airing live on premium global streaming platform DAZN.

Before turning professional in 2019, Worthington fought on Team USA alongside Shields where she not only honed her skills in the ring but was also exposed to the highest levels of competition through representing her country on an international stage.

From Folsom, Calif., via Lexington, Ky., Worthington finished her impressive amateur career with 36 wins (14 losses), including five national championships, a bronze at the Youth World Championships, and a fifth-place finish at the Olympic Trials for the 2016 Olympics. Thus far as a pro, Worthington has gone undefeated at 8-0, 6 KOs and was last seen winning her Universal Boxing Organization Super Lightweight Championship by scoring a near-shutout unanimous decision over Yazmin Rivas in front of her home-state fans in Kentucky last January.

Worthington currently trains under the guidance of Mike Guy in El Dorado Hills, as well as with head coach Monyette Flowers in Tampa, FL.

“Fighting on the same card as the GWOAT, Claressa Shields feels like a dream come true,” admitted Worthington. “Going from fighting alongside one another on Team USA in the amateurs to being on the same card as pros is a special, full-circle moment in my career and one that I know God created me for. Being the first fighter signed to T-Rex Boxing Promotions is an honor I don’t take lightly. This opportunity is more than a fight; it’s a statement of intent. My purpose in the super lightweight division is clear: total domination. I’m on a mission to claim what’s rightfully mine and anyone who stands in my way will understand just why they call me ‘The Heat.’”

“Samantha and I go way back to the amateur days!” said Claressa Shields. “We fought at the Olympic trials together in 2016! She’s been in the ring with former champions. To sign her as my first athlete to T-Rex Promotions is an honor! I believe that she has done a great job this far! But under my tutelage, I believe she can compete and win against the best we have out there today!”

“The super lightweight division of women’s boxing is one of the most competitive,” said Dmitriy Salita, “and Samantha will be a great addition to make the division even more diverse and exciting. She will bring a strong US presence and be a new face on the global stage of women’s boxing. With Claressa in her corner, the sky is the limit. I am excited to be part of the team and look forward to an explosive start on July 27.

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About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

About 313 Presents

313 Presents is Detroit’s premier live entertainment company. Inspired by the soul of Detroit, 313 Presents promotes and produces concerts, theatrical productions, sporting events and family shows at six world-class venues across southeast Michigan including Little Caesars Arena, the historic Fox Theatre featuring Proud Partner Comerica Bank, Comerica Park, Pine Knob Music Theatre Presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre Presented by Proud Partner Oakland University Credit Union and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. Headquartered in The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Pistons Sports & Entertainment. For additional information, visit 313Presents.com.

About DAZN Group 

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK. Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F. DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.    

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com. 

DETROIT – June 4, 2024 – On Saturday, July 27, professional boxing superstar and current Undisputed Middleweight World Champion Claressa “GWOAT” Shields of Flint, Mich., will be looking to add to her storied career yet again as she rises two weight classes to vie for a world title in a fourth division against WBC Women’s Heavyweight World Champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse of Quebec, Canada. The vacant WBO Light Heavyweight Championship will also be on the line on July 27, as both main event fighters aim to unify 175-pound titles in a very special edition of “Big Time Boxing USA” at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit that will air live on premier global sports platform DAZN.

Shields (14-0, 2 KOs), a living legend in her home state, and Lepage-Joanisse (7-1, 2 KOs) will headline a blockbuster night of boxing presented by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents at downtown Detroit’s world-class venue and home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena.

Shields is the reigning WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO Middleweight World Champion and is the only women’s boxer in history to hold Undisputed World titles in two divisions, having also won the undisputed female light middleweight world championship in March 2021. In addition, Shields holds the record for becoming a two- and three-division world champion in the fewest professional fights ever and owns the distinction of having held titles in three weight classes, as she also won the unified WBC and IBF female super middleweight titles in 2017.

In her record-breaking amateur boxing career, Shields won gold medals in the women’s middleweight division at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, making her the first American boxer to win consecutive Olympic medals and the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. In her most recent boxing appearance, Shields defended her middleweight belts by scoring a unanimous 10-round decision over Maricela Cornejo in June 2023. The wildly successful event was the first boxing match ever held at Little Caesars Arena.

“The Queen of Boxing is back! I’m so excited to return to the ring, especially after my MMA victory in February.” said Shields. “I’m excited to bring another entertaining fight to Little Caesars Arena. Last time 12,000 fans filled the arena, and this time we’re going to lift the roof off the building! This is a significant and unique fight where I am moving up two weight classes against a very tough champion in my quest to become World Champion in my fourth weight division. It’s an exciting time for women’s sports, and I thank DAZN for providing a global platform for women’s boxing. I plan to do what I do best: bring that GWOAT energy and continue putting women’s boxing on the map.”

Lepage-Joanisse found boxing as a teenager in 2009 and quickly realized she had a talent for the sweet science. By 2013, Lepage-Joanisse was invited to join Quebec’s provincial amateur boxing team and later, the Canadian national team from 2014 to 2016. Lepage-Joanisse went on to win the Canadian women’s heavyweight title in 2014 and 2015 and finished her successful amateur career with a record of 17-4.

Lepage-Joanisse turned professional in March 2016 and, after just three fights, unsuccessfully challenged Mexico’s Alejandra Jimenez for her WBC World Championship in 2017. Jimenez would later test positive for the use of illegal substances. A heartbroken Lepage-Joanisse left the sport for nearly six years after suffering her only career loss but returned to fighting in March 2023, and won the WBC Heavyweight World Championship by defeating Argentina’s Abril Argentina Vidal by unanimous decision a year later.

“It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s Claressa or someone else. My life is all about challenges,” said Lepage-Joanisse. “I’ve always faced them head-on, and I intend to keep it that way.”

“From the beginning of her career, Claressa has been on a quest to make her story a part of history,” said Dmitriy Salita. “This fight is one of Claressa’s hardest challenges, moving up two weight divisions to challenge the current Heavyweight World Champion. It’s ‘Claressa vs. Vanessa’ for the unified world title in Detroit, one of boxing’s historic homes. There is no better venue for this epic showdown than the beautiful, world-class Little Caesars Arena.”

“With every fight, Claressa Shields continues to raise the bar for women’s boxing,” said Mark Taffet, President of Mark Taffet Media. “With history and legacy on the line, Claressa embraces the challenge of moving up two weight classes in her quest to win a world title in her fourth weight division. It is a real privilege to be by her side on her game-changing journey.”

“As Detroit’s premier live entertainment company, 313 Presents is excited to bring boxing back to Little Caesars Arena in partnership with Salita Promotions,” said Howard Handler, President of 313 Presents. “Detroit’s boxing scene has a rich history that has produced and embraced numerous champions and last year’s event proved monumental as we look to build upon the amazing entertainment and alive moments we bring to our world-class venues. Claressa Shields proved she can pack a punch as well as a crowd. July 27 should deliver another action-packed night of boxing.”

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About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

About 313 Presents

313 Presents is Detroit’s premier live entertainment company. Inspired by the soul of Detroit, 313 Presents promotes and produces concerts, theatrical productions, sporting events and family shows at six world-class venues across southeast Michigan including Little Caesars Arena, the historic Fox Theatre featuring Proud Partner Comerica Bank, Comerica Park, Pine Knob Music Theatre Presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre Presented by Proud Partner Oakland University Credit Union and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. Headquartered in The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Pistons Sports & Entertainment. For additional information, visit 313Presents.com.

About DAZN Group 

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK. Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F. DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.    

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit: www.dazngroup.com. 

Las Vegas (February 20, 2024) – Two-Time Olympic, Three-Time Undisputed and Thirteen-Time world champion Claressa Shields has confirmed that she will appear at the Seventh Annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Expo will also coincide with a mega fight that will take place later that evening in Las Vegas, featuring boxing star Canelo Alvarez.

Shields will hold a Meet & Greet with her fans at her booth during the fan event held over the Cinco De Mayo weekend.

The Box Fan Expo is an annual fan event that coincides with some of the sports’ legendary, classic fights in Las Vegas, including Mayweather vs. Maidana II, Mayweather vs. Berto, Canelo vs. Chavez Jr., Canelo vs. GGG II, Canelo vs. Jacobs and Canelo vs. GGG III.  

Centered in boxing’s longtime home – Las Vegas – this year’s Expo is a must-do for fight fans coming in for this legendary weekend, with dozens of professional fighters, promoters, and companies involved in the boxing industry. The Expo is the largest and only Boxing Fan Expo held in the United States. http://boxfanexpo.com – @BoxFanExpo

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite –https://bit.ly/BOXFANEXPO2024

Shields will make her second appearance at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, photos, personal items and memorabilia. Shields will also have merchandise to sell for fans to enjoy. Boxing Fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures with this boxing star also known as “The GWOAT”. www.claressathegwoat.com – @ClaressaShields

About Claressa Shields

Claressa Shields, is an American fighter from Flint, Michigan. Shields is a three-division world champion with an impressive undefeated record of 14-0. Shields became the first boxer — male or female — to become an undisputed champion in two weight classes in the four-belt era (junior middleweight and middleweight). Shields is a two-time Olympic gold medalist that represented the U.S in London, England in 2012, and then again in Rio, Brazil in 2016. Both medals came at the middleweight division. Shields won in 2023 the prestigious Espy award in the category for best boxer. Shields has also expanded her brand and talent by signing a new multi-year contract deal with the PFL, a popular MMA organization, where Shields will be featured as the first-ever female to compete in an MMA fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 24, 2024. 

About Box Fan Expo

Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to meet the stars of boxing that represent the past, present and future of the sport. With hosted autograph signings, meet-and-greets with current and former boxing world champions, limited edition merchandise for sale, giveaways and more, this is the ultimate event for fans of the sport.

Past boxing stars that have participated include: Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Tommy Hearns, Roy Jones Jr, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, David Benavidez, Teofimo Lopez, Andre Ward, Ryan Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Devin Haney, Mikey Garcia, Errol Spence Jr, Fernando Vargas, Rolando Romero, Sergio Martinez, Tim Bradley, Jose Ramirez, Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Abner Mares, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Floyd Mayweather sr., Claressa Shields, Vinny Paz, Mia St.John, Franchón Crews-Dezurn, Seniesa Estrada, Jorge Linares, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris, Riddick Bowe, Earnie Shavers, Michael & Leon Spinks, Brandon Rios, Anthony Dirrell, Danny Jacobs, and many more.

Exhibitors include boxing promoters, gear, apparel, equipment, energy drinks, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies, and other companies who showcase their brand to fans and the boxing industry as a whole.

Throughout the next few months leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite –

To request information on exhibiting and sponsorship at the Expo:

For media credentials:

Contact us:

Telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

More information on Box Fan Expo visit: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

Follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter and Instagram at: @BoxFanExpo

Follow Box Fan Expo on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

NEW YORK (August 22, 2023) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced the signing of Super Middleweight boxing world champion Savannah Marshall. Marshall is regarded as one of the greatest women’s combat sports athletes in the world, with over two million viewers tuning into her October 2022 bout against Claressa Shields, making the event the most watched women’s professional boxing event in history.

Marshall is set to begin her MMA career inside the PFL SmartCage and join the deepest female combat sports roster in the world, which includes two-time Olympic gold medalists Kayla Harrison and Claressa Shields, PFL World Champion Larissa Pacheco, and Amanda Serrano. Together these women lay the foundation for PFLW, which will put the focus on women in combat sports while continuing the PFL’s fighter first merit-based approach to MMA.

“I want to welcome two-time boxing world champion, Savannah Marshall to the Professional Fighters League,” said Peter Murray, PFL CEO. “It’s an exciting time for PFL as we officially launch PFLW, and the addition of Savannah Marshall strengthens the best global roster of women in combat sports. PFLW is committed to the empowerment and equality of all female athletes and provides a dedicated platform for women to become PFL MMA champions.”

“I am thrilled to begin my journey in MMA with The Professional Fighters League,” said Savannah Marshall. “I am proud to join the most talented female combat sports athletes in the world and continue to raise the profile of women in sports through PFLW.”

In the creation of PFLW, the Professional Fighters League renews their commitment to empowering and leveling the playing field for women in combat sports. PFLW will strive for equality in and out of the PFL SmartCage.

The 2023 PFL Playoffs continue live from The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Wednesday, August 23, airing on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

PFL is the #1 fastest growing company in MMA and the #2 MMA company on a worldwide basis. PFL is the only league in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year, making PFL a “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports. PFL fighter roster hails from over 20 countries and 25% of PFL fighters are independently ranked in the top 25 of their weight-class. The company leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience.

About Professional Fighters League
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is the fastest growing and most innovative sports league. PFL is the #2 MMA company worldwide on all key metrics and the only with the sports-season format where individual fighters compete in Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship. Our global live fight franchises: PFL League Season, PFL Challenger Series, PFL PPV Super Fights, and PFL Europe.

PFL airs live in the U.S on ESPN and ESPN+ and is broadcast and streamed to 140 countries with 25 international leading media partners, including DAZN, Stan Sport, Viacom18, RMC Sport, Globo, Star Times, FPT, CSM, DirectTV, ITV, and MBC.  PFL has dozens of major brand sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, GEICO, Bose, US Marine Corps, and Celsius Energy Drink. 

PFL is backed by blue-chip investors including Ares, Luxor Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Knighthead, Legends, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners.

MMA is the growth sport of this decade, with over 600 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demo of any sport, and true global revenue streams.

PFLmma.com; Instagram (@PFLmma); Twitter (@PFLMMA); Facebook (/PFLmma)

NEW YORK (August 9, 2023) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, has announced two-time Olympic gold medalist and three division boxing champion Claressa Shields will return to the PFL SmartCage with a multi-year agreement. Shields is regarded as one of the top combat sport athletes in the world.

Shields began her MMA training in 2020 under the tutelage of Roberto Alencar. The PFL continues to bolster their roster with some of the biggest names in combat sports including Francis Ngannou, Jake Paul, Shane Burgos, Cedric Doumbe and Amanda Serrano.

“It is a privilege to announce the PFL has re-signed the most dominant women’s boxer in the world, Claressa Shields, to a new multi-year agreement,” said Peter Murray, CEO of the Professional Fighters League. “Claressa and the PFL share a fighter first, merit-based value system and take on the world attitude. We are proud to welcome “The GWOAT” back to the PFL and the sport of MMA.”

“I am excited to return to a fighter-first organization, and I can’t wait to return to The PFL SmartCage,” said Claressa Shields. “My goal remains unchanged; I will be the first athlete to hold championships in both boxing and MMA simultaneously. I have grown so much since my first MMA fight and cannot wait to put my skills on display.”

Shields is looking to make her PFL SmartCage return in 2024.

The 2023 PFL Playoffs continue live from The Theater at MSG in New York City on August 18 and 23, airing on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

PFL is the #1 fastest growing company in MMA and the #2 MMA company on a worldwide basis. PFL is the only league in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year, making PFL a “win and advance” meritocracy like all other major sports. PFL fighter roster hails from over 20 countries and 25% of PFL fighters are independently ranked in the top 25 of their weight-class. The company leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage powering real-time betting and next-gen viewing experience.

About Professional Fighters League
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is the fastest growing and most innovative sports league. PFL is the #2 MMA company worldwide on all key metrics and the only with the sports-season format where individual fighters compete in Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship. The our global live fight franchises: PFL League Season, PFL Challenger Series, PFL PPV Super Fights, and PFL Europe.

PFL airs live in the U.S on ESPN and ESPN+ and is broadcast and streamed to 140 countries with 25 international leading media partners, including DAZN, Stan Sport, Viacom18, RMC Sport, Globo, Star Times, FPT, CSM, DirectTV, ITV, and MBC.  PFL has dozens of major brand sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, GEICO, Bose, US Marine Corps, and Celsius Energy Drink. 

PFL is backed by blue-chip investors including Ares, Luxor Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Knighthead, Legends, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners.

MMA is the growth sport of this decade, with over 600 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demo of any sport, and true global revenue streams.

PFLmma.com; Instagram (@PFLmma); Twitter (@PFLMMA); Facebook (/PFLmma)

LOS ANGELES – July 12, 2023 – Boxing superstar Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields continued to make history this week, as the world’s top pound-for-pound women’s boxer was awarded the 2023 ESPY Award for “Best Boxer” prior to Wednesday’s award ceremony. Shields became the first ever female boxer to win the award that has been given out since 1993.

“First I want to thank God. I am truly humbled to become the first woman ever to win the ‘Best Boxer’ of the year award for the ESPYS,” said Shields. “This award may have my name on it but it is for every female boxer who has stepped into the ring and hopefully will inspire generations of young women in the future to pursue their dreams with no boundaries. I want to thank ESPN and all my fans who voted for me all over the world! To win this award against the likes of Shakur Stevenson, Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney is an incredible honor. What a feeling to be the GWOAT amongst men!”

Shields beat out men’s boxing stars Davis, Haney and Stevenson to win the fan voting for the award. The Flint, Michigan-native was already one of just three women since 2008 to be recognized in the category, having earned a nomination for the 2021 ESPYS, and is the only woman to receive multiple nominations in that time span.

Shields’ recent run has included her two victories in 2022, capped by an action-packed victory last October over Savannah Marshall that saw Shields become the undisputed middleweight world champion for the second time. Already boxing’s only champion to become undisputed in two divisions, Shields defended her four belts successfully this June in front of a huge crowd at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit as she shut out Maricela Cornejo on her way to a unanimous decision.

“This is an incredible honor for a generational great, the ‘G.W.O.A.T.’ Claressa Shields,” said Dmitriy Salita, Shields’ promoter and President of Salita Promotions. “It is yet another first for women’s boxing and most importantly more fuel for women’s empowerment all over the world. Claressa Shields is building the bridge to equality with the bricks of her unmatched, unparalleled accomplishments inside and outside of the ring.”

Mark Taffet, Shields’s manager and President of Mark Taffet Media, added: “Claressa continues to shatter every glass ceiling and accomplish what, prior to her, was considered unachievable. The only two-time US Olympic boxing gold medal winner, fastest man or woman to win world championships in three weight divisions, only man or woman to hold undisputed world titles in two weight divisions simultaneously, and only woman in the past twenty five years to win Sportswoman Of The Year twice is now the first woman to win the Best Boxer ESPY award!”

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ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

Claressa Shields won a 10-round unanimous decision over Maricela Cornejo to retain the Undisputed Middleweight Title at The Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Shields dominated the fight and was very aggressive throughout the bout and landed several hard rights that stopped Cornejo in her tracks. Cornejo was not very aggressive and took a lot of shots in her defensive posture.

Shields landed 124 of 485 punches. Cornejo was 32 of 307.

Shields, 159.6 lbs of Flint, MI won by scores of 100-89 and 100-90 twice and is now 14-0. Cornejo, 155 lbs of Los Angeles is 16-5.

“I feel great,” said Shields post-victory. “I was landing my shots. I won every round like I knew I could. I went for the knockout how many times this fight? Maricela is tough. She did a great job. Height doesn’t matter and power doesn’t matter either. It’s all about the skills and will and heart, and I always have more than the other girls.”

“Stay smart and not get hit with her big right hand,” she said of her strategy. “Hit bigger to the body and check her to the head. I knew I could win. Straight right for the money. When I would hit her harder, she would take off. I led off with the right too many times, so I will work on that when we get back to the gym. Maricela is super tough. She was in shape and able to take the shots and able to get away from them. It was a great fight. I can’t wait to go home and watch it and see what I can work on.”

“I’m good. I felt fine,” Cornejo said. “Obviously there is so much more I could work on. I want to see the fight again and see the mistakes that I’ve done just to improve on. I think I held my ground and I know I caught her with some good shots and I just need to work on much more to be able to continue those rights I know I landed on her.

“I’m not happy with the loss, I’m just disappointed,” she continued. “I need to just watch it. It’s intense the way she comes forward. I would have done better being more assertive going forward and not going straight back. That’s something I’ve worked on a lot.”

Ardreal Holmes Wins Technical Split Decision over Toussaint

Ardreal Holmes won a technical split decision over Wendy Toussaint in a bout that was stopped in round eight of a scheduled 10-round super welterweight bout.

In round four, Toussaint was deducted a point for hitting behind the head.

Holmes boxed well by using his height, while Toussaint was coming on late by pressuring the taller Holmes.

In round eight, the two clashed heads and the forehead of Toussaint immediately began to gush blood. The fight was allowed to continue, but only briefly as the blood continued to shoot out of the forehead and the fight went to the scorecards at 1:54.

Holmes, 153.4 lbs if Flint, MI won by scores o 77-74 and 76-75 while a third card went to Toussaint by a 77-74 tally.

Holmes is now 14-0. Toussaint, 149.8 lbs of Huntington, NY is 14-2.

“I was expecting a tough fight. Just wasn’t in the shape we wanted to be in, but no excuses. I got the job done,” said Holmes post-fight. “I felt like I didn’t catch my second wind until the seventh or eighth round. That’s when I felt like the fight was really changing. I felt like I took the earlier rounds and he started coming on late.”

Holmes said the fast pace Toussaint kept throughout the fight was unexpected. “He actually surprised me,” admitted Holmes. “Watching film, he usually slows in the fourth or fifth round. That’s what I thought he was going to do, but he shocked me. My plan was to come on halfway through the fight and I thought I was going to close it out at the end. I thought the decision was fair. It was four-four (in rounds), but the point (deduction) did it. He was out of gas the last quarter of the fight.”

“I didn’t lose that fight,” said a disappointed Toussaint. “It was my plan to come out fast and outwork him and it worked. I had him hurt. I don’t agree with the point deduction, and the judges got it wrong.”

Hicks Decisions Todd

Joseph Hicks Jr. remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Antonio Todd in a middleweight bout.

Hicks had Todd in trouble several times during the fight, and although he could not get the stoppage, he was dominant in winning the decision.

Hicks, 159.4 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 7-0. Todd, 158.2 lbs of Atlanta is 14-8.

“I didn’t expect Todd to be that awkward,” said Hicks afterwards. “I knew he was tough, but he was awkward. He did a lot of unorthodox things. He dropped his head after he jabbed. He switched back after his jab, and he got the counterpunch. I was trying to time him, but he was flinching back.”

“It means everything to be a part of this fight card and this event,” Hicks continued. “I’m very grateful to Claressa and Salita Promotions. The GWOAT, Claressa, she’s going to win tonight. I’m very grateful to her, because without her, this opportunity is not here for me. I’m ready for whoever they give me next. I’m going back to the drawing board. We’re going to fix a lot of things, get sharper and be better in my next fight.”

“He was the better man tonight. Hicks is a good fighter. We knew that coming in. We knew he was a good fighter; captain of the USA Boxing Team. We knew he was a good fighter the whole time. Sometimes you come up short. I wasn’t hurt like I was about to go down, but he hit me in the back of the head a couple of times, headbutted a couple times, but nothing major. I’m okay.”

DETROIT – May 31, 2023 – Undisputed Middleweight World Champion Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields and No. 1 rated contender Maricela Cornejo went face-to-face for the first time on Wednesday at the final press conference before they meet in the ring this Saturday, June 3 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and streamed live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

The press conference also included rising unbeaten and Flint-native Ardreal Holmes and his opponent Wendy Toussaint, who meet in the super welterweight co-main event.

Flint’s Shields will headline the first-ever boxing event at Little Caesars Arena, the home of the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. Shields has relished in the adoration of The Motor City, including a visit to throw out the first pitch at last night’s Detroit Tigers game, and will look to give her fans a thrilling show in defending her undisputed crown against Cornejo. Catch up on fight week with the “SHIELDS VS. CORNEJO: FIGHT WEEK DAILY” five-part digital video series debuting each night through fight night (episode one available HERE).

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from Little Caesars Arena:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“I’m facing a younger, taller and more savvy opponent in Maricela Cornejo than I was in Hanna Gabriels. I want to thank Maricela for accepting this challenge and coming here. I know that she’s always in shape. It’s gonna be a real throwdown in Motown.

“I know she said she wants to go out there and dance, but you’re gonna be dancing by yourself. Because I came to fight. She can salsa all she wants, but I came to throw down and show my skills.

“It’s fight week and there’s not much more to say. Boxing is changing. To be having this fight here in front of thousands of fans in Detroit, with the G.W.O.A.T. in the main event, we don’t get too many of these opportunities.

“I’m just happy and excited about this fight. I’m looking forward to putting on a show and showing that I’m the greatest once again.  

“People in Detroit are ready to celebrate. The city is already celebrating because it’s a big moment for Detroit. But I’m still focused on winning the fight. It’s big for all of us, but I’m keeping my head down.

“When I got the call about fighting at Little Caesars Arena, it felt like there was a slim chance we’d get to fight here. They offered a lot of money to fight again in the U.K., but I wanted to bring my titles here.”

MARICELA CORNEJO

“When I got the call I was getting ready for another fight, so we were coming to the end of camp anyway. This isn’t a last minute thing for me, because I’m always ready. I’m always staying in the gym. I live, eat and breathe boxing.

“I’m ready for this opportunity and there’s no excuses come Saturday night. Claressa has done so much for the sport of boxing and everyone in this sport is trying to do our part. Our responsibility is just to make a difference in the sport and that’s what we’re trying to do. She needs a good dance partner to do that. When they called, I said I’m ready to dance.

“Being an underdog doesn’t affect me at all. I’m gonna go put some money on myself. I knew I’d be the underdog. She’s got the titles, so I know what I have to do.

“I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is the perfect time for me to take this fight. Some might think that it’s short notice, but I’m in tip-top shape.

“She’s coming after me, so I’m fighting fire with fire. There’s no backing down at all. It’s gonna take heart, endurance, everything and the kitchen sink. That’s the kind of fighter that Claressa is and I’m so ready for it.”

ARDREAL HOLMES

“I’m really happy that everyone came out and that Flint and Detroit are gonna get to watch us on Saturday. This is a Michigan thing. It’s a Michigan card. We all want to show out.

“I know that I have to look impressive and open the door for me to eventually fight for a world title. I’m taking it one fight at a time, but I’m coming for the top of the division.

“There’s not much more talking, I’ll just see everyone on June 3.”

WENDY TOUSSAINT

“I’m very happy to be here for this fight. I know my opponent is very tough, but this is nothing new to me. I’ll see you in the ring on Saturday.

“I’ve had a great training camp and I feel prepared for this fight. I respect Holmes, but he’s not going to be bringing anything that I haven’t seen before.”

DMITRIY SALITA, President of Salita Promotions

“Big-time boxing is back in Michigan on June 3 right here at Little Caesars Arena, and we’re going to see Claressa Shields defend her undisputed title against the top rated contender Maricela Cornejo. This is a big event for Detroit, Michigan and boxing as a whole. They say ‘a tree grows in Brooklyn’, but boxing grows in Detroit.

“This is going to be a historic night of boxing. Claressa Shields has opened the door for Michigan and Detroit talent to be seen on a worldwide scale. This card will feature some of the best talent in the world of boxing from right here in the state.

“The city of Flint has provided some of the best fighters in the sport of boxing and many believe that Ardreal Holmes is next in line. He is undefeated and stepping in for the most challenging fight of his career.”

HOWARD HANDLER, President of 313 Presents

“Welcome to fight week. As Detroit’s premier live entertainment company, 313 Presents is excited to present the first ever boxing event here at Little Caesars Arena. We’re making history with this fight.

“I want to thank Claressa and her whole team for all their hard work and preparation, as we’re just a few days away from the big event. I also want to thank Maricela for stepping in and taking on this challenge.

“In addition to the main event, Dmitriy has put together a terrific fight card featuring some of Michigan’s best prospects. On top of Flint, Michigan being represented we’ve got Dearborn and Grand Rapids, and each of these fighters are going to make this first ever boxing event here historic and memorable.

“Claressa, you definitely inspire and give hope to many people out there. Claressa has really gone above and beyond to give back to people who are often overlooked. We’re looking forward to a great crowd and the city being abuzz for boxing.”

DETROIT – May 30, 2023 – Undisputed Middleweight World Champion Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields kicked off fight week on Tuesday with a media workout as she prepares to bring big-time boxing back to Detroit when she takes on No. 1 rated contender Maricela Cornejo this Saturday, June 3 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and streamed live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

The main event fighters showed off their skills Tuesday at the Downtown Boxing Gym in Detroit, as they prepare to enter the ring in the first-ever boxing event at Little Caesars Arena. Here is what the main event participants had to say Tuesday:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“I had to switch my mind set up when Maricela Cornejo became the opponent. She’s tall, she’s fresh and she’s fought for the world title before. This chance to fight for undisputed is once in a lifetime for her. I’m excited to face an opponent who I know is ready to go.

“I’ve watched Cornejo on film and seen how she boxes. The thing is, I just feel like I’m a league above these girls, and I’m gonna show it on Saturday night.

“I’m super excited to fight in front of thousands at Little Caesars Arena. I’ve had to keep my head down and train. I might put the makeup and hair and nice clothes on, but I’m not doing anything but focusing on the fight. This is a big moment for Detroit and myself, but the most important thing right now is just winning this fight.

“No matter who is fighting me on Saturday, they’re getting their ass kicked. The same thing that was gonna happen to my previous opponent, is what’s gonna happen to Cornejo.”

MARICELA CORNEJO

“When I got the call, I was just about ending camp for a fight on June 6. It was perfect timing. Everything lined up so well that I couldn’t say no.

“This was the first camp I ever had a strength and conditioning coach. Coach Larry Wade put me in the best possible shape so that I could take advantage of this opportunity.

“I know what kind of fighter Claressa is, but I also know what kind of fighter I am. I have absolutely no doubt in my ability with this new team I have and the strength and confidence that they installed in me.

“This is Mari 2.0. I’m taking it on. If you watch any film that’s out there on me, there’s absolutely nothing that looks anything like this Maricela. I’m excited for the world to see the new me too.”

DETROIT – May 25, 2023 – Boxing superstar and two-division undisputed world champion Claressa Shields has raised the stakes substantially and will now face no. 1 ranked middleweight contender Maricela “La Diva” Cornejo in the main event of action on Saturday, June 3 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and streamed live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada. Hanna Gabriels was originally slated to rematch Shields. However, based on the results of a May 2, 2023 VADA test done as part of the WBC Clean Boxer Program, promoter Salita Promotions made the change.

Boxing’s G.W.O.A.T. and Michigan’s own Shields will live up to her promise to bring big-time boxing back to Detroit by stepping up to face the WBC, WBO and IBF no. 1 ranked contender Cornejo in the first-ever boxing event at Little Caesars Arena. The two highly-competitive combatants had strong statements about their June 3 showdown.

“I told my team to get me the best,’ said Undisputed Middleweight Champion Claressa Shields. “Cornejo is a tall, tough Mexican full of pride who’s in great shape and wants to beat me. She’s ranked number one. That’s exactly what I want for my Detroit homecoming and for my fans around the world. I’m looking forward to a great performance on June 3.” 

“When Shields faced a Mexican in the cage, she lost. Now she will lose to a Mexican in the boxing ring,” said Cornejo. “I just finished an amazing fight camp and am in the best, strongest physical and mental shape of my life. My team in Vegas has sharpened me like a knife for this moment. On June 3, I will become Undisputed Champion!” 

A two-time Olympic gold medalist throughout her storied amateur career, the 28-year-old Shields (13-0, 2 KOs) avenged her only amateur defeat last October when she traveled to the U.K. to win the WBO Middleweight Title from Savannah Marshall via unanimous decision. The Flint-native’s last fight in her home state of Michigan came in March 2021 as she bested Marie Eve Dicaire to become undisputed super welterweight world champion, her second undisputed distinction after originally unifying all the middleweight titles with a 2019 victory over then unbeaten Christina Hammer.

A native of Washington who now trains in Las Vegas under the tutelage of renowned trainer Ismael Salas, Cornejo (16-5, 6 KOs) enters this fight having won three-straight contests. She most recently fought in March as she stopped Sheila Cunha in the first round. The 36-year-old has previously challenged for world titles at middleweight and super middleweight, including a pair of close decision losses to undisputed super middleweight champion Franchon Crews Dezurn in 2018 and 2019. Cornejo’s first world title opportunity came in just her sixth professional outing, as she dropped a razor thin split-decision to Kali Reis in April 2016.

“Claressa’s goal has always been to fight the best, and we left no stone unturned in making sure we deliver the highest available contender in the undisputed multi organization no. 1 world-rated middleweight Marcelo Cornejo,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Fans watching the fight live on DAZN and those present for the comeback of big-time boxing in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena will witness the highest level of professional boxing between two hungry fighters fighting for the Undisputed Middleweight World Crown.”

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

DETROIT, MI. – May 16, 2023 – Flint’s undefeated rising 154-pound contender Ardreal Holmes Jr. will face once-beaten New Yorker Wendy Toussaint on Saturday, June 3 in a 10-round battle for the USBA Super Welterweight title that will serve as the co-featured bout in support of the Claressa Shields vs. Hanna Gabriels main event rematch.

The event marks the return of big-time boxing to Detroit live from Little Caesars Arena and streaming on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada. The action will also include Grand Rapids, Michigan’s undefeated Joseph Hicks taking on Atlanta-based Antonio Todd over eight rounds for the WBC Americas Silver Middleweight Championship. 

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents and streams live on DAZN.

“These are two highly competitive fights with significant consequences for the winner,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Both Ardreal and Hicks are some of the best talent from the state of Michigan and they’re stepping into challenging fights with titles and world rankings at stake. These are the kind of rising stars and fights worthy of big-time boxing’s return to Detroit.”

The 28-year-old Holmes Jr. (13-0, 5 KOs), known in the ring as “Bossman,” is a 6’ 2” southpaw and 2016 U.S. Olympic alternate coming off a pair of impressive professional victories. In March of last year, he scored a nationally televised unanimous decision over Chicago’s once-beaten Vernon Brown (then 13-1) and followed it up with a nationally televised split-decision over then undefeated New Yorker Ismael Villarreal (then 12-0) in February of this year.

Looking to close in on a title shot soon, Holmes says an impressive performance against the formidable Toussaint is crucial to his future plans.

“It means the world to me to be fighting in front of my fans in Michigan,” said Holmes. “I want to put on a great performance in this fight and open the doors toward contending for a world title in the near future. Flint watched me and Claressa train together for years, so it’ll be a treat for them to see us in action and in person on a night that’s going to be one to remember.”

Originally from Haiti, Huntington, New York’s Toussaint (14-1, 6 KOs), known in the ring as “Haitian Fire,” stands 5? 10½?. The 31-year-old has served as one of the main sparring partners for former WBO World Light Heavyweight Champion, Joe Smith Jr. and was last seen scoring a near-shutout unanimous decision over then 15-4-1 Asinia Byfield in June of last year.

Toussaint left his native Haiti at the age of 10 and first moved to French Guiana where he began to box. After joining a local team, and traveling to different countries to fight, he and his family made the move to the United States seeking better opportunity and competition. A win over Holmes Jr., will provide those opportunities.

“I’m really excited for this fight,” said Toussaint. “Winning this fight is going to propel me where I want to go, which is the top of the sport. I’m really happy with my team and promoter Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing for putting me in this position.”

The 29-year-old Hicks (6-0, 5 KOs) started boxing at 19 and became a standout amateur before entering the pro ranks. He was set to captain the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2020 summer games, before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the proceedings. By the time the games were back on, the IOC’s formula for picking fighters in his weight class left him on the outside looking in. Undeterred, Hicks has shined as a pro, including already scoring two wins this year with triumphs over Bilal Quintyne in February and Noah Kidd in April.

 If Hicks is to continue his march up the ranks, he first must get past Todd (14-7, 8 KOs), who has already scored one huge upset in Michigan, as he took a surprise majority 10-round decision over then world-ranked Huge Centeno Jr., in January of last year in Dearborn.

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL. – May 10, 2023 – Boxing superstar Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.”

Shields has set her sights squarely on an emphatic victory in her rematch against four-division champion Hanna Gabriels, even having her trainer John David Jackson paste a photo of her upcoming foe on their pads, as they near their showdown on Saturday, June 3 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and streaming live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

“My goal is to knock her out as soon as the chance comes,” said Shields. “I don’t want to be in the ring with her for 10 rounds. That’s respect to her. My goal is to train to catch her with a shot or multiple shots, and get the fight over with. I’m always in shape for 10 rounds, but I’m calculating where I’m gonna land those shots so that I can get her out of there.”

“Claressa is already in incredible shape and is working extremely hard to showcase her best in this historic homecoming fight,” added Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Everyone watching this fight is going to see a boxing great in the prime of her career performing on a big stage. Claressa wants to avenge the only knockdown of her career, and she knows the best way to do that is with a spectacular knockout victory.”

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

The only two-division undisputed champion in boxing history, Shields will continue to make history as she brings big-time boxing to the home of the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings for the first time. The Flint, Michigan native first faced Gabriels in Shields’ sixth pro fight back in 2018, with Gabriels putting Shields on the canvas in round one with a vicious right uppercut-left hook combination. It remains the only time Shields has ever been knocked down as a professional or amateur and although she recovered to win an exciting unanimous decision, she will look for an emphatic ending to their rivalry on June 3.

Here is more of what Shields had to say from training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“I have a very tough opponent in front of me. This is different from every other fight. I’ve gone in there and dominated almost everybody, except Hanna Gabriels. That’s why this fight is more important to me. She’s the only one who’s possessed the power to knock me down, and she knows that.

“She had moments in the first fight and she believes that she can win the fight. I’ve never gone into a fight against an opponent who knows they have the power to actually hurt me. This is a very serious training camp and I’m not taking her lightly. I’m going to fix my mistakes and make this fight easier for myself.

“I’ve gotten a lot better as a fighter. I can’t make a game plan based off our first fight, because I’ not the same fighter. That’s going to play into my favor.

“I see that Hanna has gotten more confident since our first fight. She’s a lot bigger having fought at heavyweight. She said something about the fire inside of her and how me being so great has angered her. Those are the only differences I see in her.

“Fighting is fighting, so I wasn’t worried about going to the U.K. to take out Savannah Marshall. But I am happy now to be at the point in my career where I can be the first boxer to headline at Little Caesars Arena.

“There’s something about people doubting me that really turns me up. Marshall had been bragging about winning an amateur fight for 10 years. I enjoyed going over there and showing her and all her people that she can’t do anything to me.

“If I was a man, I’d be the face of boxing. I’ve got more accomplishments than everybody. I’m just gonna keep continuing to build myself and let the world accept me and women’s boxing. This next fight is a big next step for me.”

DETROIT – May 1, 2023 – Four of Michigan’s top prospects will highlight undercard action as big-time boxing returns to Detroit on Saturday, June 3 headlined by the rematch between Undisputed Middleweight World Champion and Michigan’s own Claressa Shields and four-division world champion Hanna Gabriels live from Little Caesars Arena and streamed on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

The lineup will see Dearborn’s Da’Velle Smith take on fellow unbeaten Kahydlian Woods in a six-round middleweight showdown, Grand Rapids’ Joshua Pagan battling the undefeated Ronnell Burnett in a six-round super lightweight attraction, Grand Rapids’ Joseph Hicks Jr. in an eight-round middleweight bout, and Dearborn’s Gheith Karim in a cross-town matchup against Detroit’s Marlon Harrington scheduled for eight rounds in the super welterweight division.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

“Saturday, June 3 will be a night to remember from the opening bell, all the way until the world championship main event,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “The card will feature local talent with world class potential fighting in their most significant fights live on DAZN from Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit. Detroit legends like Tommy Hearns and Hilmer Kenty will be looking on at ringside as these contenders will be fighting their most challenging opponents and hoping to prove that they are next in line to continue the elite pedigree of this legendary boxing city.”

The 22-year-old Smith (5-0, 4 KOs) made his pro debut in September 2021, winning the WBC’s inaugural Big Belt Championship by knocking out Ricky Evans in the first round. Smith would follow that triumph with a pair of knockouts in November 2021 and May 2022, before winning a unanimous decision over Devontae McDonald last August. The Kronk Gym-trained prospect most recently stopped Gyorgy Mizsei in February. He will be opposed by the 27-year-old Woods (4-0, 3 KOs). Originally from California and now fighting out of Indianapolis, Woods turned pro last year and scored three-straight knockouts before a split-decision triumph over then unbeaten Ezekiel Scruggs in February.

Pagan (5-0, 2 KOs) won the 2021 U.S. Amateur Welterweight National Championship with a unanimous decision over Keon Davis, completing a big step on his boxing journey that began as a teenager with his father and trainer Tony. The 23-year-old followed that up by turning pro in January 2022 and earning four victories that year. Most recently, Pagan won back-to-back decisions in Detroit to kick off 2023 as he bested Istvan Bela Orban in February and Wesley Rivers in April. He faces Kansas City, Missouri’s Burnett (9-0, 5 KOs), a 32-year-old who has fought professionally since 2017. Burnett earned three wins in 2022, including knockouts of Lantz Nave and dan Abram.

The 29-year-old Hicks (6-0, 5 KOs) started boxing at 19 and became a standout amateur before entering the pro rank. He was set to captain the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2020 summer games, before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the proceedings. By the time the games were back on, the IOC’s formula for picking fighters in his weight class left him on the outside looking in. Undeterred, Hicks has shined as a pro, including already scoring two wins this year with triumphs over Bilal Quintyne in February and Noah Kidd in April.

Originally from Iraq and now residing in Dearborn, Michigan, Karim (9-0, 3 KOs) is trained by Jonathan Banks out of the world-renowned Kronk Gym in Detroit. The 25-year-old returned from a nearly three-year layoff last June and has won three-straight fights since then, most recently besting Ramses Agaton in March. He takes on Detroit’s own Harrington (8-1, 7 KOs), who trains in the same city as Karim, at Detroit’s World’s Best Boxing Gym. Harrington will be returning to the ring following his first career defeat, which came via decision against Marquis Taylor last October.

DETROIT – April 19, 2023 – Undisputed Middleweight World Champion and Michigan’s own Claressa Shields went face-to-face Tuesday with four-division world champion Hanna Gabriels at a press conference in Detroit to preview the return of big-time boxing to city on Saturday, June 3. The first boxing event at Little Caesars Arena will be streamed live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

The only two-division undisputed champion in the four-belt era, Shields will continue to make history at the home of the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. The Flint, Michigan native will be rematching Gabriels after originally facing her in 2018. In their previous fight, Gabriels put Shields on the canvas in round one with a vicious right uppercut-left hook combination. It remains the only time Shields has ever been knocked down as a professional or amateur. Although she recovered to win an exciting unanimous decision, Shields will look for an emphatic ending to their rivalry on June 3.

On hand at the press conference supporting Shields were a who’s-who of Detroit boxing legends, champions and contenders including: Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, Hilmer Kenty, Bronco McKart, Tony Harrison and more. Here is what the press conference participants had to say Tuesday:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“This is a dream come true for me. Born and raised in Flint, you know I’ve come to many games here to watch the Pistons play. Me and my grandmother watched the Pistons play on TV when they won the championship and now to actually be here fighting in front of all these fans…This was unheard of in women’s boxing when I turned pro.

“I’m fighting here in Detroit in front of all my family and all my friends. Hanna Gabriels is in a real heap of trouble come June 3. Y’all want to be there because this is the fight that will solidify what I’ve been saying, that there’s no girl in this world who can get in the ring with me and take me. I’m a problem.

“I took on the biggest challenges when I turned pro and Hanna Gabriels was one of my biggest challenges. Back then, I had two belts and I was 5-0. Hanna Gabriels was 18-1 and the one girl that beat her, she came back and beat her. So, we knew Hannah Gabriels was a dog.

“The knockdown pissed me off because it was a flash knockdown. After the fight I was very upset and very frustrated and I said ‘I want to fight her some more.’ I wanted to do the rematch immediately.  

“I beat her unanimously after being knocked down and this time I don’t want a unanimous decision. I want the knockout. She’s able to get knocked out, it’s happened to her before. I’m able to get knocked down. It happened to me before, but I got back up and won.

“I have traveled the world and fought girls who were way bigger than Hanna Gabriels and come out on top, so I don’t know why anyone would say I’ve been ducking her. That’s a lie. I haven’t ducked anyone.

“I’m from Flint, Michigan. I want all the smoke. Whoever got the smoke, let’s go. Let’s fight.”

HANNA GABRIELS

“I’m so honored to be here. It’s a privilege to be here in Detroit and hopefully we bring a war again that people will enjoy.

“We were here in 2018. I remember that fight was a great fight. I think it was a close fight and I wasn’t mad about Claressa winning. I was mad about the cards, because I think I didn’t deserve those cards. Even for your fights afterwards, I don’t think the other girls gave you as much of a fight and they did better on the cards, so I am here to redeem myself.

“Two years ago, you fought for the undisputed at 154 and I was still the champion there and you avoided me for whatever reason. I am here to take what’s yours at 160.

“I am very honored. I am very proud of Claressa. She’s done so much, she’s the face of women’s boxing and she is actually the greatest. She has accomplished so much. It’s not only about the ring, but she has handled pressure. She has backed up her words.

“She said she’ll beat my ass again and I thought it was a strong word because I didn’t feel like I’d been beaten. But we have the opportunity to do it again.

“For me, this fight is about heritage. My father used to box and just recently we were speaking about that, and he was telling me some stories about my grandfather, who was a street fighter and my Great Grandfather, who participated in the construction of the rails of the train in Costa Rica when there was slavery in Costa Rica. So it is about heritage today. I am so honored to carry so much and to bring it to this fight and to bring Costa Rica with me.”

DMITRIY SALITA, President of Salita Promotions

“The legacy of big-time boxing in Detroit will continue on June 3, when Claressa Shields makes a defense of her undisputed middleweight belts against current light heavyweight world champion Hanna Gabriels of Costa Rica.

“Claressa versus Hanna Gabriels first happened in 2018. Hanna was a top-10 pound-for-pound fighter and a world champion. When we started working with Claressa, she told me ‘Dmitriy, please make the biggest and the best fights.’ Many told us that it was too big of a step, but Claressa believed in herself.

“Claressa Shields is known as ‘The GWOAT.’ As a young girl growing up in Flint, Michigan, one of the most challenging places in the United States, every day of her life she made the choice to stay away from bad influences. She made a choice to go to the gym and became an Olympic gold medalist and only accomplished more and more from there. Claressa is incredible inside the ring and incredible outside the ring.”

MARK TAFFET, President of Mark Taffet Media and Claressa’s Manager

“To be here, to be part of history at the very first fight at Little Caesars Arena… you can only be first once, and it lasts forever. Boy, do I love this. It gives me chills to do this. Claressa Shields has been telling Dmitriy and I, ‘you gotta get me Little Caesars. You gotta get me Little Caesars,’ and here we are today.

I always tell people that the best three fighters I’ve ever seen fight are Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather and Claressa Shields, and not necessarily in that order. She has God-given abilities, not once in a decade, not once in a century, once in a lifetime ability.

“I want to thank all of you who are here today showing your support for Claressa Shields and your support for Detroit boxing. It’s a legacy that’s been earned for decades and generations. A lot of people put in a lot of hard work.”

HECTOR FERNANDEZ, Gabriels’ Manager

“The first fight, you guys know exactly what happened. But the second fight, we’re going all in. This is going to be fireworks. Hanna has been staying in shape. She’s been dreaming about this rematch. It took them five years to give us the rematch, but we finally got it.

“Every single opponent that Claressa has had, she’s been looking amazing. She’s been looking dominant. Even with Savannah Marshall. I thought Savannah Marshall was going to win to be completely honest with you guys and then when I saw her in the ring, Claressa just did her thing and she looked nothing but amazing. Congratulations.

“It did take her five years to give us a rematch, so that must tell you something. Hanna dropped her in the first round and Hanna is going to drop her again.”

HOWARD HANDLER, President of 313 Presents

“As Detroit’s premier live entertainment company, 313 Presents is excited to bring the first-ever boxing event to Little Caesars Arena, in partnership with Salita Promotions.

“Little Caesars Arena hosts some of the biggest tours in the world, which helps rank us among the top ten arenas in the nation, year after year. It’s great to say that now we can add boxing to our portfolio.

“Detroit‘s boxing scene has a rich history that has produced and embraced numerous champions, from the great Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson to ‘The Hitman’ Tommy Hearns to Hilmer Kenty, who are joining us today, which is fantastic and now Claressa Shields.

“We’re more than ready for an action-packed night of boxing in Detroit on June 3. It’ll be a historic night and we’re really so excited that you can all be a part of it. Thank you very much.”

DETROIT – April 11, 2023 – Undisputed Middleweight World Champion and Michigan’s own Claressa “GWOAT” Shields will make a homecoming return as she headlines the first boxing event in the history of Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, June 3 taking on four-division champion Hanna Gabriels in a rematch that will stream live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

Shields and Gabriels will go face-to-face to preview the exciting event at a press conference being planned for Tuesday, April 18 in Detroit. Additional press conference details will be announced.

Tickets for the live event go on sale Tuesday, April 18 and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

The only two-division undisputed champion in boxing history, Shields will continue to make history as she brings big-time boxing to the home of the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. The Flint, Michigan-native first faced Gabriels in Shields’ sixth pro fight back in 2018, with Gabriels putting Shields on the canvas in round one with a vicious right uppercut-left hook combination. It remains the only time Shields has ever been knocked down as a professional or amateur and although she recovered to win an exciting unanimous decision, she will look for an emphatic ending to their rivalry on June 3.

“The ‘GWOAT’ is bringing championship boxing back to Detroit!” said Shields. “After my historic victory over Savannah Marshall in the U.K., I wanted a true homecoming fight in the U.S. I’m really excited to headline the first fight ever at Little Caesars Arena. Hanna Gabriels knocked me down in round one in our first fight and I’ve wanted the rematch ever since to settle that score. She’s a four-time world champ but she’s fighting the GWOAT, who’s a thirteen-time world champion and three-time undisputed champion. This is a big, important fight for me and will be another great fight for women’s boxing. I’m ready to defend my titles and win in dramatic fashion in Detroit!” 

“I know that Claressa is looking for the right adversary to put on a Fight of the Year-type fight that Taylor vs. Serrano was, so I’ve done my homework since our last encounter five years ago and I’m a much more improved and dangerous fighter now,” said Gabriels. “Claressa and boxing fans can expect to see the best version of Hanna Gabriels come fight night. I knocked Claressa down in our first fight and I intend to do the same in our rematch. Only this time, she’ll stay down.”

“Claressa Shields is making history again by opening up professional boxing at the brand new world class Little Caesars Arena in the heart of Detroit,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “This is going to be a ‘HERstoric’ event in resurrecting the tradition of big-time championship events in Detroit, in an electric rematch against current light heavyweight and heavyweight world champion Hanna Gabriels. Tommy Hearns won his first world title at Joe Louis Arena in 1980 and now in 2023 Claressa will electrify fans watching the fight at the arena and live on DAZN in USA and Canada.”

“As Detroit’s premier live entertainment company, 313 Presents is excited to bring boxing to Little Caesars Arena in partnership with Salita Promotions,” said Howard Handler, President of 313 Presents. “Detroit’s boxing scene has a rich history that has produced and embraced numerous champions, from Joe Louis to Sugar Ray Robinson to Tommy Hearns to Hilmer Kenty and now Claressa Shields. June 3 will be a historic night for us and we’re thrilled to provide an action-packed night of boxing back in Detroit.”

“We are thrilled to have Claressa back on DAZN,” said Joe Markowski, CEO North America DAZN. “This homecoming fight for Claressa is highly anticipated by DAZN subscribers in the US and Canada. We can’t wait to have another massive women’s fight on the platform after making history with Taylor vs. Serrano last year. Tune in live to DAZN June 3rd for this very special event.”

A two-time Olympic gold medalist throughout her storied amateur career, the 28-year-old Shields (13-0, 2 KOs) avenged her only amateur defeat last October when she traveled to the U.K. to win the WBO Middleweight Title from Savannah Marshall via unanimous decision. Shields’ last fight in her home state of Michigan came in March 2021 as she bested Marie Eve Dicaire to become undisputed super welterweight world champion, her second undisputed distinction after originally unifying all the middleweight titles with a 2019 victory over then unbeaten Christina Hammer.

Representing her native Alajuela, Costa Rica, and promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Gabriels (21-2-1, 12 KOs) first became a world champion at welterweight in 2009, before capturing the super welterweight championship in 2010. She would go on to unify  154-pound titles with a TKO over Katia Alvarino in 2016 and followed up her 2018 loss to Shields with two successful 154-pound title defenses in 2019. Most recently, Gabriels captured both the WBA Light Heavyweight and WBC Heavyweight world championships with a second-round stoppage of Martha Lara Gaytan in April 2021.

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About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

About 313 Presents

313 Presents is Detroit’s premier live entertainment company. Inspired by the soul of Detroit, 313 Presents promotes and produces concerts, theatrical productions, sporting events and family shows at six world-class venues across southeast Michigan including Little Caesars Arena, the historic Fox Theatre featuring Proud Partner Comerica Bank, Comerica Park, Pine Knob Music Theatre Presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. Headquartered in The District Detroit, 313 Presents is a joint venture between Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Pistons Sports & Entertainment. For additional information, visit 313Presents.com.

About DAZN Group 

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialise, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.    

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com. 

LONDON, UK – (18 October 2022) – Fans can enjoy a full replay of the Fight of the Year contender between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall, LIVE on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer tonight at 10:30pm BST. 

In a deal struck between BOXXER and the UK public-service broadcaster, fans will now be able to watch Saturday’s epic fight in its entirety.

American superstar and two-time Olympic Gold medalist Claressa Shields became the first fighter in history to be crowned an undisputed champion on three different occasions, by defeating Britain’s Savannah Marshall with a unanimous points victory, in front of a sold-out arena at The O2.

The record-breaking event in London saw over two million viewers tune in on Sky, making it the biggest audience for a LIVE women’s sport event ever on Sky and the second most-watched non-PPV boxing event on Sky since 2014.

Having broadcast Saturday’s fight on BBC Radio 5 Live, fight fans can now re-live the epic night of history tonight on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer. 

BOXXER CEO & Founder, Ben Shalom, said: “It was a historic event that will go down in history. In partnership with Sky, we staged something many thought wasn’t possible.

“We believe in the power of boxing and the next generation. Our focus from day one has been to bring inclusivity, innovation and entertainment to one of the oldest sports in the world.

“We want BOXXER to be a force for good within boxing and have a positive impact on repositioning the sport for its long-term health and success. For women’s sport this was truly iconic. We want to thank all the fans for the support along with everyone involved and, of course, all the fighters.

“We can now look forward to an extremely bright future and carry such positive momentum into the rest of the year with some huge fight nights ahead.”

London, England – (October 17, 2022) – The most anticipated women’s fight of all-time is officially the most watched women’s fight of all-time.

Over two million viewers tuned in on Sky Sports to watch the historic BOXXER: Legacy event at the sold-out 02 Arena in London on Saturday, 15th October, making it the most-watched women’s professional boxing show in UK history and setting a new audience record for a live women’s sport event on Sky.

The ‘Fight of the Year’ contender was also screened in 150 countries worldwide, including ESPN+ in the USA, along with a live BBC Radio 5 Live broadcast which aired to hundreds of thousands of radio listeners.

In addition to the 2m viewers who watched the live event on Sky Sports, millions more watched the build-up and action across Sky Sports Boxing YouTube and Sky Sports TikTok live streams. 

Featuring two world title fights and some of the UK’s most exciting young fighters, the event produced numerous highlight moments. 

Fight fans who want to relive the epic night of history can watch full highlights of Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall on the BBC website and on the Sky Sports Boxing official YouTube channel.

Two statistics particularly underline the seminal nature of the event in the context of women’s sport: 35% of ticket purchasers and 40% of the Sky Sports television audience were female, unprecedented percentages for a professional boxing event.

American superstar and two-time Olympic Gold medalist Claressa Shields became the first fighter in history to be crowned an undisputed champion in three different occasions as defeated Britain’s Savannah Marshall with a unanimous points victory in front of a sold-out arena at The O2.

Shields was handed the commemorative WBC Elizabethan Belt too, in tribute to the late Her Majesty Elizabeth II after the initial date for the undisputed world middleweight title fight was postponed due to a national period of mourning following the passing of the UK monarch. 

In the co-main event, Alycia Baumgardner defeated fellow-American Mikaela Mayer to unify the world super-featherweight titles.And three Team GB Olympic heroes extended their unbeaten professional records in front of 18,000 fans as Lauren Price, Karriss Artingtstall and Caroline Dubois shone in night that will go down in boxing folklore.

BOXXER CEO Ben Shalom said: “It was a historic event. We staged something many thought wasn’t possible and it will go down in the history books. We hope it has set the stage for what is to come. 

“I want to thank Sky for their unwavering support for women’s sport and boxing. From a standing start, in just 12 months our partnership has achieved so much already and Saturday night culminated in a record-breaking event. 

“We believe in the power of boxing and the next generation. Our focus from day one has to bring inclusivity, innovation and entertainment to one of the oldest sports in the world. We want BOXXER to be a force for good within boxing and have a positive impact on repositioning the sport for its long-term health and success.

“For women’s sport this was truly iconic and we want to thank all the fans for the support along with everyone involved and, of course, all the fighters. We can now look forward to an extremely bright future and carry such positive momentum into the rest of the year with some huge fight nights ahead.”  

The next fight on Sky Sports will be headlined by Natasha Jonas world title unification fight with Maire-Eve Dicaire on Saturday, 12th November in Manchester.

For tickets, head to Boxxer.com

The historic event at The O2 was presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Village Hotels and FCI Markets.