Resendiz Shocks Plant; Wins Super Middle Title Via Split Decision

Armando Resendiz won the WBA Super Middleweight Title with 12-round split decision over Caleb Plant at The Michelob Ultra Arena inside Mandalay in Las Vegas,

It was a close fight early as each fighter took their time getting into the fight. Resendiz started to land some hard hooks that got Plant’;’s attention.

In round six Rsendiz landed a hard left hook that rocked Plant. Resendiz followed up with another left and right. Resendiz took control over the second half of the fight as he continuously beat Plant to the punch. Plant started to bled around his right eye in round 11. The two battled down the stretch, but Resendiz announced himself with the victory.

Resendiz landed 186 of 600 punches. Plant was 108 of 509.

Resendiz took two cards by 116-112 scores. Plant won a scorecard 115-113.

Resendiz, 167 lbs of Nayark, MEX is now 16-2. Plant, 167.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 23-3.

“I knew that everybody was going to be against me, because on paper of course he was the favorite, but I believed in myself,” said Reséndiz. “My corner believed in me. And then we did exactly what we came to do.”

“I felt like it was close and in a close fight, sometimes it switches the other way,” said Plant. “I feel like I was in control enough and using the whole ring, using my jab, but the judges saw it the other way.”

“It wasn’t that he was putting so much pressure on me,” said Plant. “He caught me with one overhand right. That was pretty good. But other than that, nothing really hurt me or stunned me.”

“I didn’t really worry about what people say,” said Reséndiz. “I knew I was going to win. I didn’t worry at all. I knew it was gonna be a tough fight and we gave them a great fight…I’m ready to fight anyone. Whoever the public wants.”

“I felt like I did good,” said Plant. “I used my jab, I used the whole ring and was patient, but I wasn’t the better man tonight…I’ll just get back with my team. Go home to my family, spend time with my daughter. My son’s on the way and you know we’ll regroup and we’ll be back.

Charlo Stops LaManna in comeback bout

After more than two year layoff, former two-division world champion Jermall Charlo stopped Thomas LaManna in round six of their 10-round super middleweight bout.

In round two, LaManna began to swell around the left eye. In round three, Charlo landed a hard right that put LaManna down. LaManna began to bled under that left eye. In round four, Charlo landed a left hook that made LaManna step back and his knee touch the canvas. In round five, Charlo landed a big right that dropped LaManna in the corner.

After the round, the ringside doctor recommended the fight be stopped. The official time was one second of round six.

Charlo, 167.4 lbs of Houston is now 34-0 with 23 knockouts. LaManna,166.4 lbs of Millville, NJ is 39-6-1.

“It feels good to be back,” said Charlo. “I’m thankful to everyone who stood by me, I love y’all. It goes on man. I’m back. You know you gotta go through things to get better…I felt good. I got to work and I knew my timing was there. Shout out to my trainer Hylon Williams Sr.”

“I’m just looking to stay well-known and relevant,” said Charlo. “No more dark places and keep my head straight. I just want to encourage everyone in the world, keep God first, keep God first.”

“It is what it is, I did the best I could,” said LaManna. “The doctors are here for a reason and they made their decision. I’m disappointed, but it’s boxing…Charlo was sharper than I expected. I expected him to come out guns blazing a little more. He’s a two-time world champion for a reason. He has a great, heavy jab and he did what he had to do.”

Yoenli Hernandez Decisions Kyrone Davis

Yoenli Hernandez won a lopsided 10-round unanimous decision over Kyrone Davis in a middleweight bout.

In round two, Hernandez dropped Davis with an uppercut that punctuated by a power left jab.

Hernandez landed 217 of 715 punches. Davis was 41 of 394.

Hernandez, 159.6 lbs of Cameguay, CUB won by scores of 100-89 on all cards and is mow 8-0. Davis, 159 lbs of Wilmington, DE is 19-4-1.

“In a way, the fact that it wasn’t a knockout allowed me to test myself going the distance,” said Hernandez. “I never thought I would feel as good in the 10th round as I did in the first round, but that’s what it felt like.”

“I just couldn’t catch my rhythm from the beginning,” said Davis. “I started fighting from behind and wasn’t able to establish my offense. He’s a good fighter and he’s got a bright future. I’m gonna go back to the drawing board and figure out what’s next.”

“I dominated based on the results of my preparation and the conviction I have in my skills,” said Hernandez. “I want to thank all the fans that showed me their love and support, and I want to go after the belts next. Bring on the champions.”

Isaac Lucero Stops Omar Valenzuela in 2

Isaac Lucero stopped Omar Valenzuela in round two of their scheduled 10-round super welterweight bout of undefeated fighters.

In round two, Lucero landed a perfect overhand right that put Valenzuela on the canvas. Lucero then pounded a way at Valenzuela that capped by a perfect straight right that forced referee Michael Ortega to stop the bout just before the bell sounded at

Lucero, 154.8 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 17-0 with 13 knockouts. Valenzuela, 154.6 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 23-1.

“I’ve been preparing for better and better competition,” said Lucero, who is trained by top trainer Bob Santos. “I’m going to train hard and take it fight by fight with my team behind me.”

“It’s a painful loss, but I leave with my head up high,” said Valenzuela. “I felt like I could have continued, but I will learn from this and become stronger for it.”

Slap 2: Plant, Charlo taking the first step toward a sequel

By Norm Frauenheim

It wouldn’t exactly be a rematch. Let’s just call it a sequel, Slap 2.

It’s been all but inevitable ever since Caleb Plant slapped Jermall Charlo nearly three years ago in perhaps the biggest slap since Will Smith delivered an open-handed right to Chris Rock’s face at the 2022 Academy Awards.

Neither Smith nor Rock got an Oscar for that one. There was just an apology from Smith and a ready supply of punch lines for Rock’s stand-up rivals. They called it Slapgate, The Slappening and The Slap Heard Round The World. Social-media went slap-happy. Yet, there was no sequel.

But this is boxing where one good slap always sets the stage for another. That’s exactly what a card featuring Plant against Armando Resendiz in the main event and Charlo against Thomas LaManna Saturday in Las Vegas is all about. It’s supposed to be the sequel for later in the year.

Plant confirmed as much Thursday at a final news conference and throughout the days before first bell at Mandalay Bay on a card streamed live by Amazon Prime.

“I’m going to fight two times this year,’’ said Plant, a former International Boxing Federation super-middleweight champion who will be fighting for the second time since his dramatic scorecard loss to Phoenix-born David Benavidez in 2023, also in Vegas.

When asked if Charlo was the planned opponent for the second fight, Plant said:

“Yes, as long as he takes care of business.’’

On a card with both Plant and Charlo heavily favored, Charlo is the key question. Nobody knows what to make of the former middleweight champion, who last fought an undersized Jose Benavidez Jr. — David’s older brother. Charlo won easily, but only after failing to make weight in November 2023. Charlo came in several pounds heavier than the limit. Sources told 15 Rounds/The Boxing Hour that Charlo paid Benavidez $75,000 for every pound he was over 160.

Charlo, one of boxing’s most prominent prospects a decade ago, has had issues outside of the ring, all of which have fans and pundits wondering about his readiness for an always-prepared Plant. Throughout much of Thursday’s live stream of the newser, both Plant and Charlo appeared to be respectful. There were a few glares. There might have been a couple of words. But not a single slap.

The slap that ignited the rivalry happened after the Terence Crawford-Errol Spence weigh-in July 28, 2023, the day before Crawford’s defining welterweight victory at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. Plant and Charlo ran into each other in a nearby parking lot. They began to exchange insults. Then, Charlo, Plant said, began pulling on Plant’s beard amid an escalating torrent of obscene insults. That’s when Plant countered, delivering the slap that has generated most of the questions this week.

Those questions are no surprise, at least not for Plant, who addressed them to reporters after the formal portions of the newser.

“I’ve been prepared,’’ said Plant, who returns to the ring more popular than ever after a solid stoppage of Phoenix super-middleweight Trevor McCumby last September on a card featuring Canelo Alvarez’ victory over Edgar Berlanga. “I knew this would happen. I’m on my mark, completely focused on my next opponent. But I also knew that everybody would be asking questions.’’

Charlo knew they were coming, too. Thursday, he mocked LeManna, who was quick to counter with some of his own pointed mockery. LaManna, Charlo said Thursday, was only there because he put him there. Charlo promised to knock him out if he made a mistake or got too close. Other than that, Charlo dismissed LaManna as only an opponent for the beginning of a comeback.

“I need to get some rounds in,’’ Charlo said. “It’s been a while, you know.’’

Charlo also confirmed Plant’s plans beyond Saturday.

“We got bigger things in the future,’’ he said.

Yes, Plant said.

“We’ve definitely got unfinished business,’’ Plant said in a tone that suggests he’s anxious to slap a finisher onto this rivalry.

VIDEO: FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE | Plant vs. Resendiz & Charlo vs. LaManna

PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LAS VEGAS – May 29, 2025 – Super middleweight stars Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo previewed their respective co-headlining showdowns at Thursday’s final press conference ahead of PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video this Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Plant will step in against Mexican knockout artist Armando Reséndiz, while Charlo faces veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna on the four-fight card that streams exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries.

The press conference also featured top middleweight contenders Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez and Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis, who duel in a 10-round showdown, plus rising contender Isaac “La Bestia” Lucero and hard-hitting Omar Valenzuela, who match up in a super welterweight attraction that opens the streaming presentation at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino:

CALEB PLANT

“It feels good to be back on the big stage. My team put in a lot of work and left no stone unturned and that’s gonna show on Saturday.

“I’m looking to put on a show. This is a big moment for Armando, but it’s big for me too. I have a lot on the line. He may have nothing to lose, but I’ve got everything to lose. I sacrificed a lot and you’re gonna see it in the ring.

“I’m a competitor and I’m a winner. I’ve been a winner my whole life. Regardless of whatever I’ve done, that’s not what wakes me up in the morning.

“At this point in my career, I’m a complete fighter. Whether its inside, outside or midrange, I have great legs and great feet. Whatever he decides to do, we’ll be right there with him, but levels above. We’re gonna show him there’s levels to this.

“Experience plays a big factor in every fight and that’s something that I’ve had. I’ve faced the best in the sport. I’m the biggest and baddest dude he’s ever fought.

“You’re gonna be hearing ‘And still’, and it’s gonna be in impressive fashion. So make sure you tune in.”

ARMANDO RESENDIZ

“This has me so motivated and happy that I can’t even express how excited I am. My team has gone above and beyond and I’m feeling like the best version of myself.

“I don’t care what Caleb says. I’m just focused on myself. I’m gonna speak with my fists when that bell rings.

“Caleb is right that I have nothing to lose. But I have a lot to fight for too. I just announced yesterday that I’m gonna be a father for the first time. So I’m fighting for more than just myself.

“I’m going to listen to my corner, be disciplined and do whatever it takes to win. I know what I have to do in order to get the victory.

“The fight will show me how I have to approach Caleb. I have a lot of strategies past plan A. If I have to be in a brawl, I will. All that matters is that I get the win.

“He’s the toughest opponent of my life and that motivates me. I want to represent my people and give everyone a great show. I can’t wait for Saturday night.”

JERMALL CHARLO

“If he makes the wrong move, makes a miscalculation, or gets just a little too close, then I’m gonna knock his ass clean out.

“I feel the energy and the energy is great right now. I’m thankful to my whole team that’s stood by me. I’m ready to showcase my talent and give you all the old Jermall Charlo.

“Las Vegas is like a second home to me. I’ve got a lot of friends and family here and I’m happy to be back. There’s no other place like Las Vegas.

“I’m moving up to 168 because the competition is better. I’m not overlooking LaManna, but there are other fighters I can face in this division that would solidify my legacy. But right now I’m focused on getting wins and getting to the next level. I’m always learning and enjoying the sport.

“I don’t know if he’s trying to intimidate me. I wouldn’t expect nothing less than for him to be locked in. He knows who he’s up against.”

THOMAS LAMANNA

“This is my last opportunity at greatness. It’s been a long journey for me and now I get to test my skills against a two-division world champion. Come Saturday night, we’re gonna shock the world.

“I know the show is based around Caleb and Jermall, but I’m here to do my part. I’m gonna upset the apple cart. Let’s let these fights happen.

“I’m real locked in. I know what I’m up against, so I had to train my ass off. I’ve been training like that for six months.

“Every fighter when you turn pro wants to fight in Las Vegas. Seeing my picture on the billboards is an honor. It means everything to me.

“I’m gonna shock the world by any means. That’s the only thing we’re coming to do.”

YOENLI FELICIANO HERNANDEZ

“This is one of the biggest cards of the year and I can’t wait to perform. I’m here to win, there’s nothing else.

“I’m not gonna underestimate anybody. I’m ready for any challenge that comes my way. Let’s see what he’s capable of. I hope he can withstand what I’m bringing.

“I’m prepared for what’s coming my way. I’m excited to perform and show everyone what I’m capable of.

“There’s gonna be an easy knockout coming. I don’t know what round it’ll be in, but I know that I’m getting the knockout.”

KYRONE DAVIS

“I’m coming here to put on a show. I’m used to being in this position, so being the underdog is not a big deal to me.

“Hernandez is good and that’s what we wanted. We want to face the best and that’s what we’re gonna keep doing until I get my shot at the title. Enjoy the fireworks on Saturday night.

“What he’s talking about now doesn’t matter. If he has what it takes, he’ll have what it takes. I’ve faced a lot of great fighters. I know he’s gonna give it his all, but we’ll see if it’s enough.

“There is a lot that’s gonna go into me winning this fight. I don’t care about what he’s done or where he’s from. You don’t win fights on paper. All that matters is what happens when that bell rings.

ISAAC LUCERO

“I’m so excited that we were able to make this fight happen. I can’t wait for people to get to know what I’m capable of.

“I have prepared better than I ever have in my life for this fight, and I hope Omar is equally prepared so that we can give the fans the action they deserve. We’re coming to steal the show.

“There’s gonna be dynamite in the ring on Saturday night because I’m gonna knock this guy out. That’s what I’m coming to do.

“Bob Santos is such a pro and he’s instilled so many things in me both inside and outside of the gym. He preaches about how discipline is key and that’s something that I’ve loved to experience throughout training camp. I’m going to use that to win on Saturday.”

OMAR VALENZUELA

“I’m very thankful to be here and pumped up for this opportunity. I’m glad that everyone is going to see this great performance on Saturday night.

“Las Vegas has been home to many memorable bouts and you’re gonna get another one on Saturday. It’s gonna be two Mexican fighters going hand to hand until someone wins. He’s got nowhere to hide.

“We’re both gonna give it our all, but I’m gonna come out with my hand raised. There’s no doubt about it.

“I know that Lucero comes into the ring well prepared. I’m gonna face this challenge head on and be ready for whatever comes my way.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“I’m really excited about this card. I’ve always said that I love promoting these events at Michelob ULTRA Arena. We’re thrilled to have this event on Prime Video, we’ve had a great partnership and will have more big fights announced coming up this summer.

“Make sure you get out to the arena early because we have a great card from top to bottom. This is a tremendous event, so make sure you get your tickets. It’s another great night in the Fight Capital of the World, Las Vegas, Nevada.”

# # #

ABOUT PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA

Plant vs. Reséndiz and Charlo vs. LaManna will see super middleweight stars co-headline PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video in separate attractions as Interim WBA Super Middleweight Titlist Caleb Plant takes on Mexican knockout artist Armando Reséndiz and undefeated two-division champion Jermall Charlo battles veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna on Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The lineup will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and stream exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card.

Action also features top middleweight contenders Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez and Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis dueling in a 10-round fight, plus rising contender Isaac “La Bestia” Lucero faces hard-hitting Omar Valenzuela in a super welterweight attraction that opens the streaming presentation.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

For more information visit Amazon.com/PBC, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #PlantResendiz & #CharloLaManna follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing on Instagram @PremierBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions

PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

LAS VEGAS – May 28, 2025 – Super middleweight stars Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo kicked off fight week events with a media workout Wednesday before they co-headline PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video in separate attractions this Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Plant will step in against Mexican knockout artist Armando Reséndiz, while Charlo faces veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna on the four-fight card that streams exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries.

The workout also featured top middleweight contenders Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez and Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis, who duel in a 10-round showdown, plus rising contender Isaac “La Bestia” Lucero and hard-hitting Omar Valenzuela, who match up in a super welterweight attraction that opens the streaming presentation at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino:

CALEB PLANT

“It feels great to be here back on the big stage again. I’ve been in nothing but world title fights and title eliminators since 2017, so I’m ready to show out.

“I never get too high or too low. I’m focused and even-keeled. I’m locked in. We had a great training camp and I’m ready to whoop ass.

“I appreciate all the fans and their continued support. Make sure you stay tuned and come out on Saturday.”

ARMANDO RESENDIZ

“I’m very excited and motivated to be on such a huge card and I promise I’ll give everything in the ring on Saturday night.

“A win will mean everything. I’m fighting one of the best fighters in the world, so it will mean so much. I promise to give the fans an exciting fight.

“The Mexican support means everything to me. It motivates me to give it my all.”

JERMALL CHARLO

“Las Vegas, I missed you. It’s been a long time coming but I’m back. It’s Lions Only.

“You’ll see I’m back when you see me jabbing and doing my thing. I’m really excited to get back in the ring

“Get your popcorn early. Don’t blink. I’m coming to show everyone what I can do.”

THOMAS LAMANNA

“I feel great and I’ve come back from the loss to Erislandy Lara by doing it the right way. I’m gonna go in there it and give it everything.

“We waited for a big opportunity and this is a great one. He’s a big name and a two-division world champion. But I belong here and I’m gonna show everyone why I belong here.

“The fans make boxing go. Without them, there is no boxing. I’m so grateful for everyone supporting me. I’m using it all as fuel for the fire and it’s gonna help give me the edge against Jermall.”

YOENLI FELICIANO HERNANDEZ

“I don’t worry about my opponents, I came here prepared to win like I always do.

“I know that I have to be calm in the ring, because eventually things are going to go my way. If I stay steady in there and do what I have to do, victory will be mine.

“My mentality is what leads to my power. It’s about mind and body.”

KYRONE DAVIS

“We’re ready to have some fun in the ring in Las Vegas. I can’t wait for it to be fight night.

“I’m ready to go. This is what I’ve been working for. This is my time, because we train for these moments.

“If you get in the ring with me, you have to know that I’m coming to win. I’m going in there to take his ‘0’.”

ISAAC LUCERO

“This is a dream come true for me to be right here on this stage in Las Vegas. I would have prepared for this fight the same way regardless, but to be facing a fellow Mexican on a card like this is something I know that I have to take advantage of.

“Valenzuela is gonna learn what it’s like to take a loss. I could care less about his record, because he has never fought someone like me before.

“If there is one thing I can guarantee, it’s that you’re gonna see nothing but action on Saturday night.”

OMAR VALENZUELA

“I’m really grateful for this opportunity. It’s exciting to be in Las Vegas where boxing is king and I’m pumped to show everyone what I can do.

“You can bet that we’re going toe-to-toe on Saturday. It’s gonna be an all-out Mexican classic and we’re gonna give the fans what they want to see.”

# # #

ABOUT PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

SENSATIONAL MAYWEATHER PROMOTIONS PROSPECT CURMEL MOTON BATTLES RENNY VIAMONTE HIGHLIGHTING NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD ATTRACTIONS THIS SATURDAY, MAY 31

LAS VEGAS – May 27, 2025 – Sensational Mayweather Promotions prospect Curmel Moton will step in for an eight-round lightweight matchup against Renny Viamonte that highlights a jam-packed lineup of non-televised undercard attractions taking place this Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The event is topped by a stacked four-fight PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video lineup co-headlined by pair of super middleweight stars in separate attractions as Interim WBA Super Middleweight Titlist Caleb Plant takes on Mexican knockout artist Armando Reséndiz while undefeated two-division champion Jermall Charlo goes up against veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna in a 10-round showdown.

Action on Prime Video begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features top middleweight contenders Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez and Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis dueling in a 10-round fight, plus rising contender Isaac “La Bestia” Lucero faces hard-hitting Omar Valenzuela in a super welterweight attraction that opens the streaming presentation.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

Undercard showdowns inside the arena will see undefeated Filipino contender Carl Jammes Martin (25-0, 20 KOs) battle Mexico’s Francisco Portillo (19-12-2, 11 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight affair, undefeated super middleweight prospect Daniel Blancas (12-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout against Baltimore’s Kwame Ritter (11-2, 9 KOs) and Phoenix’s super bantamweight prospect Brayan Gonzalez (3-0, 2 KOs) facing fellow unbeaten Osiel Flores (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-round tilt.

Rounding out the lineup is super lightweight Justin Cardona (9-1, 5 KOs) taking on Elijah Williams (10-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round fight, undefeated super middleweight prospect John Easter (8-0, 7 KOs) squaring off against Nicholas Molina (7-3-1, 6 KOs) for a six-round battle and unbeaten super welterweight prospect Cristian Cangelosi (10-0, 5 KOs) making his Las Vegas-debut in an eight-round bout against Puerto Rico’s Samuel Figueroa (13-2, 6 KOs).

Fighting out of the Mayweather Promotions stable, Moton (7-0, 6 KOs) grabbed the boxing world’s attention in March 2024 with a dominant eight-round unanimous decision victory over the previously unbeaten Anthony Cuba, going toe-to-toe and controlling the action throughout a scintillating bout. The 18-year-old was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and now trains and resides in Las Vegas, having most recently scored a third-round TKO over Frank Zaldivar on February 1. He’ll look to stay undefeated against the 28-year-old Viamonte (4-1-1, 2 KOs), who’s last outing saw him earn a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Hebreux Francois in February. Originally from Cuba and now fighting out of Las Vegas, Viamonte has solely faced undefeated foes throughout his career, with his opponents combining for a 20-0-2 record before entering the ring.

# # #

ABOUT PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA

Jermall Charlo Returns to the Ring Against LaManna for WBA Regional Strap

After nearly two years away from the ring, Jermall Charlo is back — and he’s coming in with something to prove. The former two-division world champion will face Thomas LaManna this Saturday, May 31, at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, with the WBA Continental Americas super middleweight title on the line.

Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) hasn’t fought since November 2023, when he outpointed José Benavidez Jr. in a dominant unanimous decision. Now, he’s jumping up in weight and eyeing a third world title — but after a long layoff, questions remain about his timing, sharpness, and whether he can still impose his will at a higher weight class.

LaManna (39-5-1, 18 KOs), meanwhile, has stayed busy and comes into this fight with confidence. The New Jersey native scored a knockout win over Noé Alejandro López in February and knows this is his shot to crash the elite ranks. He may not be the oddsmakers’ favorite, but LaManna’s experience and recent activity could play a key role in shaking up the narrative.

The WBA Continental Americas belt is up for grabs, but more than that, this fight marks a crucial turning point for Charlo. Is the talent still there? Has the fire endured through his time away? Or will LaManna seize the moment with a surprise upset and rewrite his own story?

It’s a classic clash of styles, timing, and trajectory — and fans will be watching closely to see which man rises to the occasion under the bright lights of Vegas.

THOMAS “CORNFLAKE” LAMANNA MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

ATCO, N.J. – May 21, 2025 – Veteran contender and Millville, N.J.-native Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna held a media workout at his gym in Atco, N.J. on Wednesday before he takes on undefeated two-division champion Jermall Charlo co-headlining PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video on Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Riding a nine-fight winning streak, LaManna will look for a career-best victory when he takes on the undefeated two-division champion Charlo in their 10-round super middleweight clash. The four-fight lineup begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is co-headlined by Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion Caleb Plant defending his title against hard-hitting Mexican contender Armando Reséndiz.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

Here is what LaManna had to say Wednesday from P4P Boxing & Fitness:

THOMAS LAMANNA

“I feel ready to fight. We put the work in this camp. It’s been a long journey to this point and I’m ready to go.

“We had a smart camp and did what we had to do. We had the right sparring and worked on the right tactics. I’m in shape and I’ve filled into 168 well…I felt the difference fighting at 168 in my last fight. I feel energized and don’t have to cut weight.

“Being a good person, I care about Charlo’s mental health struggles and know that it’s real. But as far as boxing, I don’t care about it at all. It is what it is. We’re still gonna fight.

“I learned from the Erislandy Lara fight that I can’t let the moment get to me. If I can do that all throughout the week and get there to fight night, it’s gonna be a long night for Charlo.

“My whole mindset changed after the Lara fight. I didn’t want to fight anymore. But when I came back, I knew I wanted to do it the right way. I knew this was my big opportunity at the biggest stage. Now I’ve got that great opportunity.

“I’m not looking ahead to anything. I’m fully focused on this fight. But when I get past Charlo, I want it all. I want the biggest fights out there.

“I definitely have the momentum over Charlo. But we have to let the fights happen. We’re gonna find out on May 31.”

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ABOUT PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA

ARMANDO RESENDIZ TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

LOS ANGELES – May 20, 2025 – Hard-hitting contender Armando Reséndiz promised to bring the fight to Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion Caleb Plant when they meet in the PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video headliner on Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

“Fans are going to see a fighter who leaves it all in the ring,” said Reséndiz (15-2, 11 KOs). “I’m bringing pressure, energy, and heart from the opening bell. I’m not coming to back up — I’m coming to bring the fight to him. You’re going to see someone who’s hungry to win and willing to go through whatever it takes to get the job done. I’m not showing up just to compete — I’m gonna make a statement!”

Trained by renowned coach Manny Robles, who guided Andy Ruiz to the heavyweight world championship, amongst other accomplishments, Reséndiz believes that his continued work with Robles will buoy him to a career best victory on May 31.

“Working with Manny Robles out here in Southern California has really taken me to another level,” said Reséndiz. “Every day, we’re motivated — not just on getting in shape, but on improving every part of my game. We’re fine-tuning my footwork, tightening up my defense, sharpening my punches, and building smart strategies for fight night. I’ve been learning so much throughout this camp. Honestly, I feel more confident, more focused, and more ready than I ever have before.”

While Reséndiz enters the ring as an underdog against the former IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Plant, it’s a position that Reséndiz has relished before. In March 2023, the 26-year-old sprung an upset on former unified world champion Jarrett Hurd, stopping him in round 10. He plans to bring that same confidence into a matchup against an opponent who he expects the best from in their showdown.

“I know Caleb Plant is a top-level fighter,” said Reséndiz. “He’s a former world champion for a reason — he’s fast, technical, and he’s been in there with the best. I respect everything he’s accomplished. But I didn’t take this fight to just be another name on his resume. I’ve put in the work, I’ve made the sacrifices, and I’m coming in prepared to give him a tough fight. This is the kind of challenge I’ve always wanted — to go up against the best and prove I belong with the best. He’s going to remember my name forever.”

A native of Guayabitos, Nayarit, Mexico, Reséndiz began his career as a prodigy in Mexico’s amateur boxing system, winning a gold medal in the National Olympics during his first year in the sport. He would go on to win three gold medals and two bronzes in national tournaments, making him the most decorated fighter from Nayarit. Now he has the chance to bring all that work to a climax with a career-changing victory.

“This fight is huge for me and I want to thank my team for giving me this opportunity,” said Reséndiz. “It’s not just another fight — it’s the opportunity I’ve been chasing since I first laced up gloves. If I beat Caleb Plant, people will have to take notice. A win puts me in position to fight for a world title. I’ve worked too hard and come too far to let this moment slip away. I’m treating it like everything is on the line — because for me, it is.”

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ABOUT PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

CALEB PLANT LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

LAS VEGAS – May 12, 2025 – Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion Caleb Plant, middleweight contender Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis and undefeated super welterweight Isaac “La Bestia” Lucero held a Las Vegas media workout on Tuesday to preview their respective showdowns taking place Saturday, May 31 on a loaded four-fight PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Plant will take on Mexican knockout artist Armando Reséndiz in the main event, while Davis battles the unbeaten Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez in a 10-round middleweight bout and Lucero duels fellow unbeaten Omar Valenzuela in the 10-round opening bout at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The co-headliner will see undefeated two-division champion Jermall Charlo square off against veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna.

The four-fight card streams exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday from DLX Boxing in Las Vegas:

CALEB PLANT

“Reséndiz is a tough competitor and this is his moment. He’s looking to seize his big moment and I remember what it was like when I had my big moment, and how badly I wanted it. I’m expecting him to come in guns blazing. But we’ve got something for him.

“In all of my fights I’m looking to go in and put a show on. Sometimes you may win in impressive fashion and sometimes you might get a close decision. The most important thing is getting your hand raised. But I’m still looking to dominate.

“First things first and that’s handling business on May 31. If Charlo can handle his business, or whatever happens in the co-main event, I’m looking for that winner…If he’s able to handle business, me and Charlo can run it.

“I feel like my skills are as sharp as ever. People can see that I’m smoothing out all the edges of my game. I’m going to keep becoming a more well-rounded fighter overall.

“My job is to stick to the game plan and listen to my coaches. I have a great team and we’ll be comfortable with wherever the fight goes.

“What I crave is to be a winner and a champion. I want to cement my legacy and show my children firsthand what it looks like to work hard at something. Have I fallen short a couple of times? Yeah, but I did it with integrity and the way a warrior would do it. If you fall short, you dust yourself off and you keep going.

“I’m an elite athlete and I’ve been tuning out things around me my whole life. No matter what’s going on, or what other fights might be in the future, I know how to lock in on the task at hand.”

KYRONE DAVIS

“I think this fight is gonna steal the show. I really believe that my opponent is a good fighter. He’s talented and we’re gonna make this the fight of the night. But I will have my hand raised in the end.

“My team has been studying Hernandez. I think I’ve only watched a round or two of his from his last fight. I don’t go too deep into that, because he’s gonna look totally different when he’s in the ring with me. I let my coach do the strategizing.

“I want all the champions at 160-pounds. I’m looking at anyone with a belt. I want the best. I believe I’m the best middleweight in the world, and the only way to prove that is to get in the ring with everybody. That’s why I took this fight. They’re hyping this guy up and he’s supposed to be the goods. That’s what they said about Elijah Garcia before I fought him. I’m here to show everyone that I’m the goods.

“We don’t mind taking on challenges. Life is about taking on challenges. It’s about knowing what you’re looking for, honing in on a goal and accomplishing that goal.

“I’ve been taking hard fights my whole career. Whether it’s undefeated prospects, top contenders, multiple-division champions, or going up in weight on four weeks’ notice. I’ve beaten the odds and I’ve done what they said I can’t do. It’s prepared me for this moment and it’s gonna keep preparing me for the next step. This is just another day in the park for me. I’m gonna shut it down. That’s what I plan to do.

“I’ve learned in my career to treat every fight like it’s just another day. We’re all getting in the ring and risking our lives, but we’re also doing what we love to do. By the time you get in the ring all the hard work is done. It’s time to have fun and that’s what I’m gonna do in the ring.”

ISAAC LUCERO

“I’m extremely happy to have this opportunity. It’s a dream come true to be fighting in Las Vegas on this card headlined by Caleb Plant on Prime Video.

“Being in this position is a testament to the hard work I put in every day for years and years to reach this level. Now I have to go in there and reward all those people who have supported me from the beginning.

“I want people to see me and realize that dreams can come true. I come from a small town in Mexico and now I’m fighting under the bright lights.

“Nerves will always be there before a fight. But I study how to stay even-keeled and focused mentally. Combined with the support from my team, and the motivation they give me, there’s nothing I can’t do.”

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ABOUT PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

CALEB PLANT VS. ARMANDO RESENDIZ & JERMALL CHARLO VS. THOMAS LAMANNA LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LOS ANGELES – May 7, 2025 – Super middleweight stars Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo previewed their respective showdowns at a Los Angeles press conference on Wednesday before they co-headline PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video on Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Plant faced off against Mexican knockout artist Armando Reséndiz while Charlo squared off with veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna at the event on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Plant will top the card with a defense of his Interim WBA Super Middleweight Title against the hard-hitting Reséndiz, while the unbeaten two-division champion Charlo begins his quest for a title in a third weight class when he faces LaManna in the 10-round co-main event.

The lineup will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also features top middleweight contenders Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez and Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis dueling in a 10-round fight, plus rising contender Isaac “La Bestia” Lucero faces hard-hitting Omar Valenzuela in a super welterweight attraction that opens the streaming presentation. The four-fight card streams exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from The Mayan in Los Angeles:

CALEB PLANT

“May 31 is gonna be fireworks. It’s gonna be a great show with a great card. From top to bottom, it’s a stacked card.

“Me and my team have been working really hard to make sure we step on Armando in impressive fashion and get my hand raised. Then we’re gonna go on about our business. It’s gonna be a show and I’m gonna step on him.

“This is his big moment and I know he’s coming with everything he’s got. But there are levels to this, and I’m gonna show him that. I’m gonna handle him and go from there. Whatever he’s got planned, best of luck, because he’s gonna need it.

“I’ve always been hungry and I’ve always been driven. I’m a competitor and I’m a winner in life. Regardless of the money or fame, I don’t care about stuff like that. I care about getting my hand raised and seeing how many titles I can rack up. I wanna show my kids what hard work looks like.

“I feel like I am the man in the division. Obviously Canelo is still active and I have a lot of respect for him, but I still feel like I’m the best super middleweight in the world. That’s just my mentality. May 31 I take another step toward proving that.

“Depending who gets their hand raised in the co-main event, I can get it cracking with either one. I’m not hard to find and I’m not hard to make a fight with. A lot of fighters make the mistake of looking past their opponent and they end up not even winning the fight in front of them. I won’t make the same mistake.

“I’m not gonna expand on the sparring we had. He remembers and he knows what happened.”

ARMANDO RESENDIZ

“I’m very excited for this opportunity. I’m thrilled to represent my people on May 31. That means the world to me. I’m here to stay. I’m capable of everything inside the ring. I have what it takes to win and I promise May 31 is gonna be a great show.

“This is a big challenge, but I see it as a great opportunity. I’m going to lean on the work that I’ve done so far and you’re going to see me at my best.

“His talk just gives me fuel. I’m not a talker, I’m a doer. I’m gonna talk with my fists. May 31 is gonna mark a new chapter in my career.

“This is a very important fight for me. This isn’t just for me, it’s my family’s future on the line. My family is counting on me. I can’t let them down. I’m telling everyone right now that I’m gonna put on a show and it’s gonna be fireworks. I can’t let this opportunity pass me by.”

JERMALL CHARLO

“It’s been a journey and a long time coming. I’m going up to 168 to make a statement. I’ve been focused and locked in. I wanna get this fight out of the way and possibly get it on with Caleb Plant. I have big plans in the works, so keep it locked in. Lions Only.

“I just miss boxing period. I miss getting up and just focusing on boxing and I’m back to doing that at the highest level.

“The sky’s the limit for me at this weight. I’m sparring bigger guys and I can lift more now. I’m squatting more than I ever did and using my body more than I ever did. I feel like this is the division I’m gonna end my career in.

“You’re gonna see me go out and be more explosive than you’ve ever seen me before in my life.

“I’m gonna go do my job. I got bigger fights and bigger fish to fry. I’m not overlooking him. I know he’s training for Jermall Charlo. I know how they come at me. ‘Breadman’ Edwards is sitting right there, he’ll tell you that I stand up to the challenge every time.

“This guy LaManna is trying to Facetime me and write me on Instagram and all this stuff. Go train, I’m busy man.”

THOMAS LAMANNA

“I’m grateful to be here. Professionally and personally, I’m not supposed to be here. A win over Jermall Charlo changes my life. I’m glad he’s here and on May 31, we’re gonna rumble and the best man is gonna win.

“I’ve been in this same seat before and I came up short when I fought Erislandy Lara. I never want to go through that again. It messed me up. We all know what the task at hand is and we’re gonna give this my best shot. I’m gonna give it my all. We’re gonna upset the apple cart.

“He’s a two-division champion who’s been at the top level. I won’t take that away from him. We can talk about what we’re gonna do, but that’s why we fight the fights. Talking about sparring and training won’t win the fight.

“We’re gonna see what happens on May 31. I’m gonna shock the world. That’s what I’m coming to do.

“He’s put me on ice since the end of September. I just wanted to know what we’re doing. I wasn’t getting answers and I wanted answers. I’m not trying to play mind games. We don’t know each other. But now I know we’re fighting May 31 and that’s all that matters.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“I’m really looking forward to this card at a great venue for boxing at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, the ‘Fight Capital of the World’. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no such thing in boxing as a tune-up fight. Boxing is boxing, and one good shot can change a whole night. We all saw what happened this past weekend when Rolly wrecked some serious plans.

“It’s great to have Caleb Plant back headlining a show in Las Vegas. He’s a former world champion, a current interim champion and he’s done it at the highest level. I have a ton of respect for his work ethic. He takes no shortcuts in his preparations. I promoted his pro debut and followed his whole career and I have no doubt he will be back on the biggest stage very soon. But he’s got his hands full with Reséndiz, who’s a Mexican banger and who’s upset-minded. We know what happened when he bumped off Jarrett Hurd in a so-called tune-up fight. He’s gonna bring the Mexican pride with him to Las Vegas on May 31.

“In the co-feature, I’m really excited about the return of Jermall Charlo. This man is undefeated and a former two-division champion. Put some respect on this man’s name. Everybody up here knows how accomplished he is. He’s focused and back to make another serious run. He’ll be taking on Thomas ‘Cornflake’ LaManna. LaManna is a veteran of 45 pro fights and you don’t have 45 pro fights in the U.S. without gaining some very serious experience. I worked his pro debut when he was still in high school and I know he’s a smart boxing man and a hard worker and he knows damn well what a win over Charlo can do for his career.”

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ABOUT PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

KYRONE DAVIS TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

LAS VEGAS – April 30, 2025 – Middleweight contender Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis hopes to catapult himself into a world title shot when he faces undefeated WBA No. 1-ranked Middleweight Contender Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez in a 10-round showdown featured on a jam-packed four-fight PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) lineup on Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The show will stream exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card.

The event is headlined by a pair of super middleweight stars co-headlining in separate attractions as Interim WBA Super Middleweight Titlist Caleb Plant takes on Mexican knockout artist Armando Reséndiz and undefeated two-division champion Jermall Charlo goes up against veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna in a 10-round showdown.

“A win on May 31 will 100% let everyone know I need a title shot,” said Davis (19-3-1, 6 KOs). “Stop playing with my name. This is the second guy that’s ranked #1 by the WBA. So how many of these guys do I have to beat to get my shot? I want the big fights for the titles. I’ve fought a lot of world champions. I’m ready for the title.”

Davis has recently arrived in Las Vegas to continue training camp with the esteemed Stephen “Breadman” Edwards, who also trains Caleb Plant and who has led Davis’ corner for over a decade. As his stock in the sport ascends, Davis reflected on his relationship with Edwards and the advantage it gives him in the ring.

“I’ve been out here in Las Vegas for about a week so far and everything is going great,” said Davis. “Everything is growing and just getting better in general. ‘Breadman’ and I have been training together for 11 years, so there’s a lot of chemistry and learning together. When we started out, I was only 19-years-old, and he wasn’t a world champion trainer yet. It’s been a lot of coming up together and getting to know each other extremely well. Our communication is spot on. He knows how hard to push me, and when to tell me to turn it up and step on the gas. There have been a lot of learning curves and our careers have gotten better together.”

Entering this fight on a three-bout winning streak, Davis most recently delivered the best performance of his career as he defeated the then-unbeaten Elijah Garcia by decision in June 2024. After the fight was originally rescheduled for March before finally taking place in June, Davis’ victory allowed him to prove his standing in the middleweight division.

“I definitely needed it and wanted to win to prove some people wrong and show that I’m at a certain level,” said Davis. “I’ve taken the hard road sometimes. I haven’t always had the time to train properly. I came in on short notice several times. I came in on only 16 days’ notice for the David Benavidez fight. For my last fight, that was the first time in a while that I’ve had a chance to fully prepare, and I think it showed in my performance. It makes a huge difference and it’s a huge advantage to be able to fully and properly prepare. Sometimes you can go into camp with only two or three weeks’ notice of who you’re fighting. And even though you might have been in the gym for longer, you’re finding out about that specific opponent and able to prepare for them for only a short time. And sometimes I’ve had to take those kinds of risks in my career.”

On May 31, Davis will take on an accomplished Cuban amateur who’s quickly risen in the 160-pound division in Hernandez. Having most recently dominated Angel Ruiz on Prime Video in February, Hernandez will be highly-motivated to make a statement, just like Davis is. While Davis could put himself into world title contention, his focus remains on preparing for the best version of Hernandez and continuing to take on the toughest challenges he can get.

“I know he had a good amateur career and he’s a good fighter overall,” said Davis. “He seems like he knows what he’s doing and I expect him to be very motivated. “I’m coming to do whatever I have to do. I’d have loved the title shot, but I’m just fighting the best that’s available and the guy that’s going to be in front of me on May 31.”

In a pro career that now dates back over a decade. Davis appears now on the precipice of vaulting into the upper echelon of the sport. While some may be surprised by his rise, Davis believes he’s a sleeping giant who’s ready to take advantage of what’s in front of him.

“I feel like the media and oddsmakers don’t always know boxing,” said Davis, when asked about his underdog status heading into the Garcia fight. “Some people just look at records blindly. And even though they know better, they still don’t do better. In boxing, we know you can build up and pad your record.

“I have a loss against Davis Benavidez, but on only 16 days’ notice,” said Davis. “I have the draw with Anthony Dirrell, but I think I really won that fight. Vegas and the media don’t always see that side, and they just go by wins and losses. A lot of boxing insiders knew that was a real fight against Elijah Garcia though. You embrace whatever card you’re given. Whether I’m the underdog or the favorite, I embrace whatever I am. That’s the attitude I have in this game.”

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

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ABOUT PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

MATCHUP OF TOP MIDDLEWEIGHTS PLUS ALL-MEXICAN BATTLE OF UNBEATENS ROUND OUT FOUR-FIGHT PBC CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING ON PRIME VIDEO LINEUP HEADLINED BY PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA SHOWDOWNS ON SATURDAY,MAY 31

LAS VEGAS – April 25, 2025 – Two high-stakes showdowns featuring a matchup of top 160-pound contenders and an all-Mexican clash of unbeatens will round out a jam-packed four-fight PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video lineup on Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The show will stream exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card.

Action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features top middleweight contenders Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez and Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis dueling in a 10-round fight, plus rising contender Isaac “La Bestia” Lucero faces hard-hitting Omar “Cachorro” Valenzuela in a super welterweight attraction that opens the streaming presentation.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now through AXS.com.

**YOENLI FELICIANO HERNANDEZ VS. KYRONE DAVIS**

Two supremely-skilled combatants in the 160-pound division go toe-to-toe as Cuba’s Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez steps in against the rising Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis in a 10-round middleweight battle.

Hernandez (7-0, 7 KOs) is yet another in a long line of sensational amateur fighters to come from the Cuban program, with his long resume before turning pro featuring a 2021 gold medal at AIBA World Boxing Championships. Originally from Camaguey, Cuba and now fighting out of Providence, Rhode Island, Hernandez turned pro in May 2022 with a pair of stoppage victories and continued to dominate his competition on his way to earning the rank of number one contender in the WBA. The 27-year-old returned in 2024 with four U.S. fights, including a stoppage of the veteran contender Alejandro Barrera in June and a TKO over the previously unbeaten Bryce Henry in October. Most recently, the frequent sparring partner of top light heavyweight David Morrell Jr. dominated Angel Ruiz on his way to a fifth-round TKO on February 1.

“We’re training very hard to face a difficult fighter in Kyrone Davis,” said Hernandez. “We have to adjust to his style and do everything that we can to come out with the victory on May 31. After this win, I’m ready for everyone at 160 or 168 pounds. Don’t miss this fight, because I’m here to change the narrative that Cuban fighters can’t be exciting world champions.”

The 30-year-old Davis (19-3-1, 6 KOs) earned a career best outing in his last fight that ran his winning-streak up to three, as he out boxed top middleweight Elijah Garcia on his way to a decision victory last June. Davis had previously picked up two victories in 2023, dominating Cristian Fabian Rios in January before scoring a unanimous decision over Cruse Stewart in December. Those victories came after a run that saw Davis battle two-time champion Anthony Dirrell to a draw in February 2021, before stepping in as a late replacement two fights later to drop a hard-fought contest against light heavyweight superstar David Benavidez. An amateur standout representing Wilmington, Delaware, Davis trains in Philadelphia under the tutelage of top trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards.

“Everything in training camp is going as planned and I can’t wait to get back in the ring on May 31,” said Davis. “I’m very confident in getting another win against a strong, good fighter. I can guarantee action and I really think our fight may steal the show.”

**ISAAC LUCERO VS. OMAR VALENZUELA**

Returning to fight stateside for the first time since his U.S. debut, Isaac Lucero will look to announce his presence as a contender in the stacked 154-pound division against fellow unbeaten Mexican contender Omar Valenzuela in their opening bout.

The 26-year-old Lucero (16-0, 12 KOs) turned pro in 2019 after an amateur career that saw him earn five national medals representing Mexico. Representing his native La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, Lucero has stopped his last five opponents entering May 31, and also owns a pair of 10-round unanimous decision triumphs. In looking to make his U.S. takeover, Lucero has set up camp in Las Vegas, where he is trained by renowned coach Bob Santos. Most recently, Lucero scored a 10^th-round TKO of Juan Ruiz last September

“I’m very thankful to my team for believing in me and helping me land this important opportunity,” said Lucero. “Being in Las Vegas to train has brought the best out of me and I feel like everything is coming together at the perfect time. I’m working with one of the best trainers in boxing in Bob Santos and his whole team. I know I need to be at my best, because this is a very important step in my journey to the world title.”

A native of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, Valenzuela (23-0, 20 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on May 31 after first turning pro in 2017. The 28-year-old has shown impressive knockout power, racking up an 87% KO rate and will enter his showdown against Lucero with eight consecutive stoppages under his belt. His last outing came in February, as he blasted out Angel Zavala in two rounds.

“I am very grateful for this opportunity to begin building my name against a quality opponent on a big stage,” said Valenzuela. “Lucero seems to be getting a lot of attention, but we’re both undefeated, so I’m excited to punch the freckles off his face. After this fight, they will be saying that I’m the next great fighter coming out of Mexico.”

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VIDEO: CALEB PLANT VS. ARMANDO RESÉNDIZ & JERMALL CHARLO VS. THOMAS LAMANNA VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT STARS CO-HEADLINE IN SEPARATE BOUTS AS CALEB PLANT & JERMALL CHARLO TOP PBC CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING ON PRIME VIDEO ON SATURDAY, MAY 31

LAS VEGAS – April 2, 2025 – A pair of super middleweight stars will co-headline PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video in separate attractions as Interim WBA Super Middleweight Titlist Caleb Plant takes on Mexican knockout artist Armando Reséndiz and undefeated two-division champion Jermall Charlo battles veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna on Saturday, May 31 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The lineup will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and stream exclusively on Prime Video for all Prime members in the United States and select countries. Join today or start a free 30-day trial to catch the championship card.

Two of the sport’s most supremely talented and outspoken fighters, Plant and Charlo will look for emphatic victories on May 31 to set up a 168-pound grudge match and settle their feud in the ring after years of call outs and a viral dust-up that nearly saw the championship fighters come to blows.

Tickets for the live event will go on sale Friday, April 4 at 10 a.m. PT through AXS.com.

Pre-sale tickets are AVAILABLE TOMORROW, Thursday, April 3 from 10 a.m. PT until 10 p.m. PT through AXS.com with code: PBC

**CALEB PLANT VS. ARMANDO RESENDIZ**

The main event will see the former IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb Plant take on an explosive power-puncher in Armando Reséndiz in a 12-round matchup that sees Plant defend his Interim WBA Super Middleweight Title for the first time.

Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) is long established amongst boxing’s elite and has continued to show his mettle with memorable fight after memorable fight, including emphatic stoppages in each of his last two victories. He most recently vanquished the hard-hitting Trevor McCumby last September, bouncing back from a flash knockdown to stop McCumby in round nine. In his first fight with Edwards leading his corner, Plant ended an extended war of words with former champion Anthony Dirrell via a single punch in October 2022, knocking out the former two-time champion to deliver one of 2022’s most memorable KO’s. The 32-year-old Plant, who was born in Nashville, TN and now lives in Las Vegas, won the IBF title in a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Jose Uzcategui in 2019. Plant dropped Uzcategui in the second and fourth rounds and cruised to victory for the championship, before going on to successfully defending the title three times. His two lone defeats have come to two of the sports’ top fighters, as he dropped an undisputed championship match against Canelo Alvarez in November 2021 and a decision to two-time world champion David Benavidez in a March 2023 slugfest.

“I’ve been quietly grinding with my team since my last fight, and just like always, I’ve left no stone unturned in my preparation,” said Plant. “No setback and no amount of money or success can change the love I have for boxing or change my competitive spirit to be a winner. On May 31 I’m coming to put on a show and leave no doubt that I’m one of the best in the world.”

The 26-year-old Reséndiz (15-2, 11 KOs) was unbeaten in his first 12 fights after turning pro in 2018, showing impressive power with an eight-fight knockout streak. After coming up on the short end of a decision to Marcos Hernandez in September 2021, Reséndiz was impressive in stopping the former unified world champion Jarrett Hurd in the 10^th-round of their March 2023 matchup. A native of Nayarit, Mexico, Reséndiz dropped a decision to top middleweight Elijah Garcia in September 2023, before most recently bouncing back to earn a fifth-round TKO of Fernando Paliza this February.

“I’m very happy to have this opportunity on May 31,” said Reséndiz. “I’m thankful to be in a great fight once again, this time against a former world champion in the main event of a stellar night of boxing. I know this is going to be a tough fight, but I will prepare as hard as I possibly can to win and dedicate this win to my beloved Mexico.”

**JERMALL CHARLO VS. THOMAS LAMANNA**

In the co-main event, undefeated two-division champion Jermall Charlo will step back into the ring to face the upset-minded veteran Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna in a 10-round super middleweight showdown.

A former world champion at 154 and 160 pounds, Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) will now begin his quest to become a three-division world champion in the stacked 168-pound division. A native of Houston, Texas, Charlo first joined the ranks of world champion in 2015 with a dominant knockout of Cornelius Bundrage, and would go on to defend the title three times, including an emphatic stoppage of the then-undefeated Julian Williams in December 2016. The 34-year-old would then begin a middleweight run that saw him earn the WBC championship and add victories over top contenders including Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Matt Korobov, Hugo Centeno Jr. and more. Trained throughout his career by the renowned Ronnie Shields, Charlo’s most recent action came in November 2023 when he earned a unanimous decision triumph over Jose Benavidez Jr.

“I took the time to rebuild myself and I rebuilt my focus,” said Charlo. “I’m locked in with my team and I’m ready for this new chapter at super middleweight. The journey continues. I’m back in full effect and I can’t wait to show my fans what I’ve been working on. It’s time!”

A native of Belleville, New Jersey, LaManna (39-5-1, 18 KOs) has been a popular fighter in the northeast for years, taking on a slew of veteran contenders throughout his career. The 33-year-old lost a world title challenge against WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy Lara in May 2021 but has since put together an impressive nine-fight winning streak, with six of those wins coming by stoppage. LaManna’s resume includes going up against top fighters including Brian Mendoza, Jorge Cota, Antoine Douglas and Dusty Hernandez-Harrison, in addition to a draw against Gabriel Bracero and triumphs over Mike Arnaoutis and Juan Carlos Abreu.

“Facing a big name like Jermall Charlo is the kind of challenge I’ve been working for my whole life,” said LaManna. “A win against him on May 31 isn’t just a victory for me, it’s life-changing for my family, a statement to the world, and proof that I belong among the best.”

# # #

David Benavidez stops Andrade, calls out Canelo

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS –David Benavidez promised.

And he punished.

He did to Demetrius Andrade what he did to David Lemieux and so many others. It was another moment in his demolition tour, an uninterrupted dominance of every super-middleweight other than the one he has been pursuing for so long.It was also another edition of the long-running message he has been delivering like punches at a machine-gun rate.

“Canelo, give the people the fight they want, Canelo Alvarez-versus-David Benavidez,” he said in the center of the ring to a roaring crowd just minutes after breaking down and breaking apart Andrade.

Who knows if Canelo was in the audience for Showtime’s final pay-per-view fight Saturday night at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena? If he was, however, he had to be impressed.

Andrade, unorthodox and unbeaten before opening bell, was simply undone by the aggressive Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), who knocked him down with right hand in the fourth round and then battered him through the next two rounds. There are few fighters with Benavidez kind of momentum.

Once he gets going, he’s a freight train rolling down a steep incline. Get the hell of his way. Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) couldn’t. After six rounds, he had no option other than surrender.

At ringside, there was Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight great who gave Benavidez his current nickname, The Monster.

Benavidez, who emerges as the World Boxing Council’s mandatory challenger to Canelo, went over and hugged him, perhaps an embrace between the modern version of the monster Tyson once was.

“I’m the best and I’m going to be the best,” Benavidez told a crowd full of his fans from Phoenix, his hometown. “i’m going to be a legend.”

Tyson smiled.

Andrade didn’t argue.

No telling what Canelo thought

Charlo scores one-sided decision over Jose Benavidez

It was a fight preceded by insults, broken promises and fines.

But the profanity didn’t matter. The broken promises were followed by fines. The fight went on after one fighter, Jermall Charlo, paid $75,000 for every pound heavier than a contracted catchweight.

After all of that, it was a fight that went the way it was expected to. Chaos was the prediction. But there was none.

A bigger man beat a smaller man.

Charlo, a middleweight champion who hasn’t made a title defense in 29 months, beat Jose Benavidez Jr., a former junior-welterweight and welterweight contender.

Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) scored a unanimous decision. Saturday night at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena. Argue with the score cards. The margins might have been too wide. The judges had it 98-92, 99-91 and 100-90. The third card, a shutout, seemed unfair to Benavidez (28-3-1, 19 KOs) who was never off his feet and appeared to make a competitive fight out of the early rounds.

But in the end, he simply wasn’t going to beat a fighter who was at least 15 pounds heavier. Charlo’s weight at opening bell wasn’t announced. He was ordered to be no more than 176 pounds at a secondary weigh-in Saturday morning, about 24 hours after he failed to make the 163-pound catch weight. Anything more than 176 pounds, would have cost him at least another $75,0000 per pound.

Whatever the final toll, he left the ring with his wallet a lot lighter. But that didn’t weaken his leverage-per-pound against a fighter who was simply too small to be in the ring with him.

Charlo knew that. After the scores were announced, he sounded more relieved than happy.

“Thank God, both of us are going home to our families healthy,” he said.

Benavidez, never a man with nothing to say before the fight, left the ring without a word.

After a long 10 rounds, maybe there just wasn’t anything left to say. He was out of answers. Maybe, energy, too.

Later, during an interview from his dressing room, he had this to say:

“He’s a good fighter, I’m not going to make any excuses. I came to fight. He said he was going to back me up and I didn’t back up. I kept coming forward. The best man won tonight.

“It’s boxing. I thought it was way closer than the judges’ said it was. At the end of the day I lost, and I’m not going to make any excuses.

“I don’t know if his extra weight had anything to do with it. Maybe. Maybe not. I came prepared. I gave my best. I’m going to take some time off – it’s the holidays. Of course, I’d like to run it back at the actual weight. At 160. If you weigh me right now I’m probably 165, and he still can’t do s— to me. It’s all good. I’m not worried about it. I gave it my all, and I came up short.”

Benavidez, ever fearless, opened the bout with abundant energy. He landed a straight right hand that bounced off Charlo’s face like a wicked tennis ball. It echoed throughout the arena. Benavidez also moved stubbornly forward, backing Charlo into the ropes and then into his corner. It was then, however, that Charlo answered with a flash of power, delivered like a pointed message from his bigger, stronger body.

Benavidez backed off. But his retreat didn’t go far. Didn’t last long either.

In the second and third, he continued his march into harm’s way, straight into Charlo’s dangerous wheelhouse. Charlo would throw a punch; Benavidez would counter with combos. The crowd roared. There was a chorus of chants.

Benavidez, Benavidez, was the lyric from fans who had traveled to Vegas from Phoenix, his hometown.

Jose, Jose.

Benavidez continued to give them hope with more combos and repeated bursts of energy. Increasingly, however, there were signs that the bigger blows from Charlo were beginning to have an impact.

In the seventh, Benavidez’ face bore the reddening signs of a bruising impact from Charlo’s punches. In the eighth, there were fewer combos from Benavidez. His hands began to drop. His chances began to diminish. It looked as if an energy crisis loomed. In the tenth, it landed, leaving with one more loss in his record and probably a purse fattened by a percentage of the fines paid by Charlo.

Matias Retains Title with 6th Round Stoppage

Subtriel Matias is in the quitting business. Business is very good.

It continued uninterrupted and seemingly unstoppable Saturday,when Matias, the International Boxing Federation’s junior-welterweight champion, forced a fifth straight opponent to surrender Saturday night at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.

This time, it was a wiry-like fighter from Uzbekistan, Shohjahom Ergashev.

Matias (20-1, 20 KOs), of Puerto Rico, endured his punches early and then exhausted him with his own, forcing his corner to say no-mas a couple of seconds after the bell sounded for the start of the sixth round.

Matias’ stubborn power, he said, is a result of the work his team has done. It’s also a result of patience followed by wild bursts of energy. Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) simply could not slow him down.

Lamont Roach wins junior-lightweight crown

Wait and worry has been a story line to Lamont Roach’s career.

The story ended Saturday night.

He can quit waiting. For now, he can quit worrying.

Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) won, finally calming a junior-lightweight world title, with a split decision over Hector Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) in a Showtime pay-per-view bout on the card featuring David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

In an otherwise close bout, Roach took control in the final two rounds, knocking Garcia into the ropes with a piston-like punch in the eleventh and then scoring a debatable knockdown in the twelfth with a left to the back of Gracia’s head.

“I think I did enough,” said Roach, of Upper Marlboro MD, a winner on two scorecards, 116-111 and 114-113. “He played kind of a cat-and-mouse game .’

Garcia, who was favored 114-113 on the third card, said he accepted the judging.

“I thought I won,” he said. “But they counted it as a knockdown in the twelfth. He hit me in the back of the head. Without that, it would have been different.”

Mercado scores junior-welterweight shutout

Mercado scores junior-welterweight shutoutFrom precision to poise, Israel Mercado had it all.

He used it all, too, scoring a four-round shutout of Wesley Rivers Saturday night on the non-televised portion of the the Benavidez-Andrade fight at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay.

Mercado (10-1-1, 8 KOs), a junior-welterweight from Pomona CA, scored at will from several angles in a one-sided decision over Rivers (4-4), of Dearborn Heights MI.

First-time winner

It wasn’t easy, but Alenn Medina finally moved into the win column.

Medina (1-1), a welterweight from Las Vegas, had just enough of an edge in aggression to get a majority decision over Alex Holley (1-1), a Dallas fighter who landed in the loss column for the first time.

In the fourth fight of the night Michel “Salsa Ali” Rivera 24-1 (14KOs) of Miami, FL took on Sergey Lipinets 17-2-1(13KOs) fighting out of Woodlands CA. The action began with Rivera establishing his Jab and keeping Lipinets off balance. Jabbing continued through the round and not much action from Lipinets. Sergey stepped it up in the second round as both fighters picked it up with the volume of punches. The third did not see too much of anything, just a warning from the referee about holding and hitting behind the head area.

In the fourth — just as Rivera landed a stunning right — Lipinets came back in his own right, landing a good left just as the round ended. Rivera once again wobbled his opponent. The fifth of the scheduled 10 was arguably the best round of the fight. Each fighter seemed to hurt one another — Lipinets with lefts and Rivera with rights.

As the fight went into the later rounds the pace slowed. Few meaningful punches landed. The fight went all 10 rounds and was a good showcase for Rivera. Rivera went on to win the unanimous decision — 97-93, 97-93, 96-94. Improving to 25-1 (14KOs)….By David Galaviz

Vito Mielnicki wins first round stoppage

Vito Mielnicki Jr. calls himself White Magic.

Saturday, he was White Lightning.

Mielnicki (16-1, 11 KOs) struck fast. Struck twice, all within the first round of the third bout Saturday on the Benavidez-Andrade card..

First, he dropped Alexis Salazar (25-6, 10 KOs), of Norwalk CA, with what looked like a glancing blow. Then, he struck with a head-rocking straight hand, finishing Salazar at 2:27 of the first round..

Jubin Chollet scores knockdown, wins split decision

It was timely, It was precise. It was the difference.

Jubin Chollet (9-0, 7 KOs), a lightweight from San Diego, needed a knockdown and he got one, flooring Jorge Perez (6-1, 2 KOs) with a beautifully-placed right hand in the fifth round of the second bout Saturday on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade card. It was just enough for Cholley to win a split decision. He won 57-56 on two cards. It was 57-56 for Perez on the third.

First Bell: Daniel Blancas scores unanimous decision

The show opened In an arena filled with only chilly November temperatures and echoes from punches from super-middleweight Daniel Blancas and Raiko Santana.

In the end, the loudest shots were landed by Blancas (8-0, 4 KOs), a long and lanky Milwaukee fighter who won a 76-75, 78-73, 77-74 decision over Raiko Santana in a Saturday matinee, the opener on a car featuring David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Blancas, who had Benavidez trainer Jose Benavidez in his corner, relied on his superior reach to keep Santana

(10-4, 6 KOs), of El Paso, at a distance.

FOLLOW BENAVIDEZ – ANDRADE LIVE

Follow all the action as David Benavidez defends the WBC Interim Super Middleweight title against two-division champion Demetrius Andrade. The action starts at 8 PM ET with three-fight undercard that includes two-world title fights. Hector Luis Garcia defends the WBA Super Featherweight title against Lamont Roach Jr.; Subriel Matias defends the IBF Junior Welterweight title against Shohjahon Ergashev Plus Jermall Charlo takes on Jose Benavidez Jr.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED; THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.

12 ROUNDS–WBC INTERIM SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE–DAVID BENAVIDEZ (27-0, 23 KOS) VS DEMETRIUS ANDRADE (32-0, 19 KOS)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
BENAVIDEZ*	9	9	10	10	10	10–TKO							58
ANDRADE	10	10	10	8	9	9							56

Round 1: Right to Body from Benavidez..2 lefts to body from Andrade..Straight to body from Benavidez..Nice combination from Andrade

ROUND 2 Body/Head combo from Andrade…Benavidez an overhand right..Blistering combination from Andrade…

ROUND 3 Counter body shot from Andrade..Body shot from Benavidez..

ROUND 4 Benavidez lands a low blow..Straight left to body from Benavidez..Right uppercut..Double jab from Andrade..Left to body …BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ANDRADE

ROUND 5 Big uppercut from Benavidez…Big right hand..2 big uppercuts..Body shot…Right hook from Andrade….Big left..Andrade is hurt

ROUND 6 Uppercut rocks Andrade,,.Clubbing left hand..Uppercut from Andrade..right uppercut..Big right from Benavidez..Right—FIGHT STOPPED IN CORNER

10 Rounds–Middleweights–Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) vs Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-2-1, 19 KOs)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Charlo*	10	10	10	10	9	10	10	10	10	10			99
Benavidez	9	9	9	9	10	9	9	9	9	9			91

Round 1 Big Combination from Charlo..Lead left hook and uppercut
Round 2 3 Punch combination from Charlo…Jab..Straight from Benavidez..Right uppercut and jab from Charlo…Big right..Jab
Round 3 Benavidez landing combinations that are backing Charlo up..1-2 from Charlo…Sharp Jab..Good right..Left hook from Benavidez
Round 4 Uppercut from Charlo…Left hook..Jab from Benavidez…Benavidez lands a big shot After the bell
Round 5 Double left hook from Charlo..Jab..Body shot from Benavidez..Overhand right..Body..Body shot from Charlo..Combination from Benavidez..and another
Round 6 Overhand right from Charlo…Jab..Jab to the body..Big right…Combination from Benavidez..right hand
Round 7 Right from Charlo..Jab from Benavidez…Jab from Charlo..
Round 8 1-2 from Charlo..3 Punch combination..Sharp jab..
Round 9 Combination from Charlo..Right and left from Benavidez…Left uppercut from Charlo..Thudding left hook..Big uppercut..
Round 10 Hard right from Charlo..

99-91, 98-92 and 100-90 FOR JERMALL CHARLO

12 ROUNDS–IBF JR. WELTERWEIGHT TITLE–SUBRIEL MATIAS (19-1, 19 KOS) VS SHOHJAHON ERGASHEV (23-0, 20 KOS)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
MATIAS*	9	10	9	10	10–TKO								48
ERGASHEV	10	9	10	9	9								47

Round 1:Left from Ergashev..Combination..

ROUND 2 4 Punch combination from Ergashev..Uppercut and hook from Matias..Body shot from Ergashev..Combination from Matias..Chopping left..Left hook..Uppercut and left hook..

ROUND 3 Chopping left from Ergashev..left and combination from Matias…Left from Ergashev..Right uppercut…Combination

ROUND 4 2 left hooks and big right from Matias..Big flurry in the corner

ROUND 5 Big left from Left from Matias..Ergashev looks tired…Body shots from Matias..Sharp jab….ERGASHEV CANT CONTINUE IN THE CORNER

12 ROUNDS–WBA SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE–HECTOR LUIS GARCIA (16-1, 10 KOS) VS LAMONT ROACH JR. (23-1-1, 9 KOS)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
GARCIA	9	9	10	9	10	10	10	9	9	9	9	8	111
ROACH*	10	10	9	10	9	9	9	10	10	10	10	10	116

ROUND 1 Good right to body from Roach…Anther..Left from Garcia

ROUND 2 Left hook from Roach..Right..Lead right from Garcia..Straight from Roach..Nice counter left from Garcia

ROUND 3 Right from Garcia..Counter from Garcia…Body shot from Roach..Counter Hook from Garcia..Lead left…Body Combination..Nice left from Roach..Body shot from Garcia

ROUND 4 Body shot from Roach

Round 5 Counter combination from Garcia

ROUND 6 Left to body from Garcia..Jab from Roach..

ROUND 7 Roach lands a jab..Combination from Garcia…Nice jab..Roach lands a jab…Body counter from Garcia..Jab from Roach…Left from Garcia..

ROUND 8 Left Hook from Roach

ROUND 9 Good right from Roach..Good left hook..

ROUND 10 Right uppercut from Roach..Good left hook..Left from Garcia…

ROUND 11 Right from Roach..Right Buckles Garcia…Uppercut and big flurry on the ropes..Right

ROUND 12 BIG LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES GARCIA..

114-113 Roach, 114-113 Garcia, 116-111 for Roach

Benavidez-Charlo: Fight still on, Charlo fined

BY Norm Frauenheim –

LAS VEGAS – The Jose Benavidez Jr.-Jermall Charlo fight was still on late Friday, saved by a deal reached after Charlo failed to make weight.

Charlo, who was three-plus pounds heavier than the contracted 163-pound catchweight at the official weigh-in Friday morning, was fined $75,000-a-pound, multiple sources told 15 Rounds.

It wasn’t clear how much of that money went to Benavidez’ purse in an agreement that also included the Nevada Athletic Commission and promoters.

The size of the purses for both Benavidez and Charlo weren’t known. The Nevada Commission no longer discloses them.

Charlo faces further fines – for an undisclosed amount — if he is heavier than 176 pounds at another weigh-in scheduled for Saturday morning, according to Jose Benavidez Sr., father/trainer for Jose Jr. and super-middleweight contender David Benavidez.

David faces Demetrius Andrade in the main event after the Benavidez Jr.-Charlo fight at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena in Showtime’s final pay-per-view card (5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET).

Both David and Andrade came in under the super-middleweight’s 168-pound mandatory, David at 167.0 and Andrade at 167.6

“I’m very upset,’’ the senior Benavidez told 15 Rounds backstage at Mandalay Bay’s House of Blues after a mock weigh-in before a roaring crowd a few hours after the official weigh-in.

Benavidez’ father was not surprised that Charlo failed to make weight. But he was angered at how much heavier Charlo was.

“I thought maybe it would be a pound,’’ he said.

But it was more than three times more than that. Behind closed doors and under the Nevada Commission’s regulation, Charlo first stepped on the scale at 166.4 pounds. The second time he stepped on the scale, he was heavier – 166.6.

Benavidez’ dad would only say that he negotiated a stiff fine in an effort to ensure that Charlo would not come in heavy.

In bargaining, he said, Charlo said he wanted a catchweight at “166 or 167.’’ Benavidez said he refused. Eventually, they agreed on 163.

“This is my son,’’ he said. “I’m here to protect him.’’

Jose Jr. weighed in at 161.2 pounds Friday morning. Before the controversial weigh-in, he was already at a heavy disadvantage against Charlo, a 160-pound champion who has held the World Boxing Council’s middleweight title despite not fighting for more than two years.

The 31-year-old Jose Jr., held a secondary title at 140 pounds. He then fought at 147, including a competitive loss to pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford, who was on stage for Friday’s weigh-in. Crawford stopped Jose Jr. in the twelfth and final round of a competitive bout in Omaha 2018.

Jose Jr. is not expected to be much heavier than he was at Friday’s weigh-in. Even if he stays at 161.2 pounds and Charlo is at the negotiated limit of 176 Saturday morning, Charlo would outweigh the Phoenix-born fighter by 14.8 pounds.

“I told my son not to do it,’’ his dad said. “I told him not to fight. But he really wants to fight. He’s determined. Really motivated. So, we’re going to fight.’’

After the ritual face-off after the mock weigh-in, Jose Jr. left little doubt about that. He tried to step through and around security that stood between him and Charlo.

Finally, the weigh-in show moderator stuck a microphone in his face.

“I’m going to knock his ass out,’’ Jose Jr., yelled, leaving echoes that only an opening bell can silence.

Charlo Fined $75,000 per Pound for Missing Weight against Jose Benavidez

By Norm Frauenheim –

Jose Benavidez-Jermall Charlo fight on with deal made after Charlo is heavier than catchwt. Charlo 166.4, then 166.6. Charlo fined $75,000-a-pound above 163, sources tell 15 Rounds. Trainer Jose Benavidez says Charlo to weigh Sat morning. He’ll pay more fines if heavier than 176.

DAVID BENAVÍDEZ VS. DEMETRIUS ANDRADE MEDIA WORKOUT AHEAD OF SHOWTIME PPV® SHOWDOWN AT MANDALAY BAY

LOS ANGELES – November 22, 2023 – Undefeated super middleweight superstar David “El Monstruo” Benavídez and unbeaten two-division world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade kicked off fight week events in Las Vegas on Wednesday, as they participated in an open media workout ahead of their SHOWTIME PPV headliner this Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Wednesday’s event also featured fighters competing on the stacked pay-per-view undercard, including WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo and exciting contender José Benavídez Jr., who will meet in a 10-round non-title WBC special event in the co-main event.

Plus, unbeaten mandatory challenger Shohjahon Ergashev worked out ahead of his world title showdown with IBF 140-pound world champion Subriel Matías, and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Héctor García and top-rated mandatory challenger Lamont Roach, who battle in the telecast opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, showed off their skills.

Also participating was former world champion Sergey Lipinets, who will be taking on exciting contender Michel Rivera in a 10-round super lightweight fight in live streaming action on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing ^® Facebook page beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Plus, sensational prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr., who takes on Mexico’s Alexis Salazar in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and available at AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from Las Vegas:

DAVID BENAVÍDEZ

“Junior and I pushed each other to the limit. This is something we’ve dreamed about since we were little kids. He’s co-main event, I’m main event for a pay-per-view fight. It doesn’t get better than this. We’re just really excited to be here.

“I’m just grateful and happy to be in this position. I’m also happy to be able to give the fans this type of entertainment while everybody’s at their families’ houses on Saturday. It’s going to be a great night of boxing.

“I think the intensity comes from experience. With everything I’ve been through in my life, I’m probably the most motivated I’ve ever been in my life. I have my son, my wife and my baby Khloe on the way. She’s going to be born in three weeks. I’m motivated on a different level right now, and I really do want to prove to you guys that I’m the best in the world.

“I agreed to this fight with Andrade because he’s the hardest. Other than myself, he’s the best in the division. He’s the hardest task besides Canelo, so I want to challenge myself. I really do want to be the best, and I’m telling you guys that I don’t want there to be a doubt in anyone’s head that I’m the best at the super middleweight division. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.

“To be honest with you, I’m not worried about Canelo. I’m not worried about anybody. My job is to clear out the division, and that’s exactly what I intend on doing. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be the best in the division. This is the start of the Benavídez era.

“I’m going for a knockout Saturday night. I really want to give the people what they want to see. It’s not going to be an easy task, but I always find a way to secure the victory.

“All of this is surreal to me. When I was younger, I dedicated myself. I knew I wanted to accomplish this dream, and I accomplished it. There’s still a lot of work to do, and by the time I’m done I’m going to be the greatest of my era.”

DEMETRIUS ANDRADE

“I’m ready to rumble. I feel great. We’re going to put on a great show. It’s me again, baby. It’s showtime!

“I’m making my legacy. It’s history, and I get to be part of that. I’m going to show out and do what I do, and that’s win. As I’ve been telling everybody, I’m the signature chef. I have everything it takes — the skills, the ability, the coverage, and the boxing IQ – to beat anybody.

“I did everything I needed to do to get to the 168 division like I wanted to. I’ve been working with my team and my strength and conditioning coach to build up my body. I’m in tip-top shape, ready to go. I’m tall, black and handsome, in the best shape of my life. Thirty-five is just the age, and we’re going to show that I’m one of the best out there. That’s it.

“I’m going to frustrate him. You’ll see on Saturday night. When he’s not able to do what he wants to do, it’s going to play into my advantage.

“To fans who don’t know me, maybe they will be surprised by my performance on Saturday. But those who know me and have followed my career and know how I fight won’t be surprised by how I fight. They know what I’m capable of.”

JERMALL CHARLO

“I took a break from social media and got a chance to regroup and make myself better. I’m back. I now have a chance to show everybody the new me.

“I missed my fans. But now I get to go back out there and I have a tough opponent in front of me. He’s real confident. It’s my duty to break him down.

“José is different when the cameras come on. Maybe he’s not used to the lights. I don’t know. When I saw him in the elevator earlier, he didn’t say anything. But when he gets in front of the media, he acts different. That’s not me. I keep it solid the whole time. I’ve got him shook. He’s shook right now. He doesn’t know what to expect. He can’t size me up. He doesn’t know where I’m at in my mind. He doesn’t know where I’m at physically. It’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be a war.

“I smell blood. It’s been a while since I got a chance to really hunt and go eat and take my opponent down. I’m going to break him down inside the ring and outside the ring. I’m going to make sure I keep doing what I’m doing. In 2024, I’m going to give you all a lot more action and a lot more Jermall Charlo. I’m the new Jermall.

“I’m going to give the fans what they want. For the rest of my career, it’s going to be about my fans. With how much love they showed me over the years, I’m going to give the fans what they want. If they want to see me fight at 160 pounds and defend the title, I’ll do what I have to do to make the weight and do everything to be at the top of my level. Then I can go to 168 and fight there. I’ll probably move up to light heavy. Whatever the fans want to see me do, I’ll try it.

“Money doesn’t have anything to do with my motivations. I fight for my legacy. This is about me getting back to the best me. I want to be able to give the fans and everyone who supports me the best of me. I get a chance to go in there and I’m ready for war. Just know that. I’m motivated and I’m ready to show everybody.”

JOSÉ BENAVÍDEZ JR.

“This is something very special. It’s something we dreamed about as kids. Being in a big arena for this type of event is crazy. To know that we made it and we’re here, proves that all that hard work is paying off. The goal now is just to take on the world. I’m thankful to have my brother and my dad next to me.

“It was great training with my brother. I didn’t have to lose that much weight either. Doing 147 and 154 was just killing me, so now I’m at my natural weight. I feel strong, ready, and me and my brother had a hell of a time sparring. When we’re in the ring, there’s no brothers.

“I feel confident. I’m ready. I’ve never felt like this before. I’m hungry, and I’m going to come to eat. I’ll leave all of the talking in the ring. I don’t really care what Charlo is doing, what people think, I’m ready. I’m going to show him who the real champion is at 160. I’m going to show the world what I’m made of.

“I’ve been in the game since I was six years old. I’ve fought on Manny Pacquiao cards. I’ve fought on Cotto cards. I feel like I’m a vet in the game. At this weight I feel strong. I feel like I finally got my man strength, and I’m ready.

“I’m going to take Charlo out. I’m going to stop him. One hundred percent guaranteed. I’ll put money on it.”

SHOHJAHON ERGASHEV

“I’m very grateful to be here. This is a big stage and I’ve been training for this fight for six months. I’m not a big talker and I don’t want to talk much before the fight. On Saturday night, I’m going to show what I’m all about.

“Yes, Subriel is a knockout artist, but I am also a knockout artist. Let’s see how bad he really is. I think I can make it a short night.

“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. I’ve been training here in the U.S. for many years. I’ve been dreaming and working towards this moment my whole life.

“I want to thank SugarHill and all of my trainers who have worked with me to get me ready for this fight. This is the best training that I’ve ever had. When I first came to the U.S. in 2017, it was very difficult to get acclimated. But with each camp and each training session, I’ve gotten better and smarter. I have the best corner in boxing and I’m looking forward to showing everybody what I’m all about on Saturday night.”

HÉCTOR GARCÍA

“All I have to say to Roach is you can keep dreaming but be careful because by the end of Saturday night you might just be going to sleep. Obviously, nothing is guaranteed, but my goal is to knock him out.

“I’m a world champ at 130, but I learned a hell of a lot at 135. From fighting at a bigger weight class to learning from Gervonta Davis, himself, I learned valuable lessons, and you’ll see them applied on Saturday night.

“I feel equally well at 130 and 135, but I’m the world champion at 130. It’s where I belong. It’s where I feel right at home.

“I am ready to show that I am the best at 130, that there is nobody better than me. I’m going to prove to everybody on Saturday night that I’m here to stay and that I can beat absolutely anybody that’s in my way.

“I can’t thank Bob Santos enough. He has changed my career and my life and given me a new perspective on what it means to be a world champion. I can’t put into words how much that means to me. And not only Bob, but my entire team. The way they support me all the way through is something that I’ve always appreciated.

“You know what’s going to happen? Whatever Roach wants to happen. It’s going to be up to him to decide his destiny.

“My goal is to go out there and dominate. I feel equally good at 130 and 135, but I think that ultimately, I’ll end up at 140 and fight there.”

LAMONT ROACH

“This means everything to me. I put my whole life into this sport. It’s been blood, sweat and tears during this four-year journey since my last title shot. I worked my way back up to the No. 1 spot like I rightfully deserve.

“The key to my recent success has been putting my foot on the gas and taking control of everything. Just knowing that nobody is going to give anything to me so I have to go take it. You’ve got to beat the champ and I’m going to take the belt from Héctor and show why I deserve to be champion.

“It never gets old fighting on big cards like this. I love the lights. I like to showcase my skills. I’m made for this. I’ll be a superstar soon.

“I hope that the fans take away from this fight that I’m going to be the best in this division. Hopefully I can be a unified world champion and maybe even undisputed.

“García is a great fighter, but that’s when I perform my best. When people bring the best out of me. I think Héctor is a perfect dance partner for me to shine very bright on Saturday night.

“I’m not looking for this fight to be Fight of the Year or anything like that, but if plays out like that, of course I’m going to deliver on my end. But I’m looking to punish him and make this one-sided. If I can knock him out early, I’ll do it. If I can knock him out late, I’ll do it. If I can knock him out at any point, I’m going to try. I want to make this short and sweet.”

SERGEY LIPINETS

“It’s great to be back in Las Vegas and I’m excited to be back under the lights again. I was waiting for this opportunity for a long time and it finally came through.

“This is going to be a fight that will please all the boxing fans out there. Whoever likes to watch real boxing will enjoy this fight. It’s going to be a great scrap. If he stays in the pocket and bangs with me, it’s going to be even more watchable.

“This is like a make-it-or-break-it fight for me. No matter what, I still want to be a champion of the world. I believe I still have the skills. I still have the power in my hands. Winning this fight is going to put me on a rocket to the top.

“I’m just focused on the fight this Saturday night. I am 100 percent focused on winning and then we can look at the options we have going forward. All I know is that I want to be champion of the world again.

“I definitely like the fact that I’ve had a little bit of a layoff. It gave me a mental and physical break. We’ve been training with Justin Fortune for a long time, and he’s one of the best strength and conditioning coaches there is. He’s added a lot to my physical abilities. I’ve increased my punching power and improved my balance. Everything has come together and I can definitely have another run for the title.”

VITO MIELNICKI JR.

“Being a part of events like this is a blessing and I’m truly grateful. I’m just blessed to be a part of these big events and having a chance to keep growing as a fighter. I’ve been down in Houston, Texas working hard with Ronnie Shields away from my family for the past three months, so we’re just ready to put on a show come Saturday night.

“Ronnie Shields is a Hall of Fame trainer and I think he’s the best trainer in the game right now. To be able to work with a guy with his experience and the greatness he’s been a part of, who wouldn’t want to be around a guy like that? Plus, we got great work with Jermall Charlo throughout the whole camp. At 21 years old, who would turn down that opportunity?

“Alexis Salazar is a great opponent and I’m excited. It’s a step-up fight for me and it’s only going to raise my game. I’m excited to show everyone how I’ve grown in the gym and how I’ve grown as a fighter. We’re going to keep leveling up and getting better and better each time we get in the ring.

“The fans should just expect fireworks and an exciting fight. You don’t want to miss it so get there early. Expect a dominant performance come Saturday night.”

# # #

ABOUT BENAVÍDEZ VS. ANDRADE

Benavídez vs. Andrade will see undefeated two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez defend his Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title against unbeaten two-division world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade headlining a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will feature undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo against exciting contender José Benavídez Jr. in a 10-round non-title WBC special event in the co-main event. Plus, hard-hitting IBF 140-pound world champion Subriel Matías faces unbeaten mandatory challenger Shohjahon Ergashev and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Héctor García duels top-rated mandatory challenger Lamont Roach in the telecast opener.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #BenavidezAndrade, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

JERMALL CHARLO TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

HOUSTON – November 13, 2023 – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo discussed training camp and more ahead of his showdown against exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr., which serves as the SHOWTIME PPV co-main event on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Charlo will take on Benavidez in a 10-round non-title WBC special event as he looks to end an over two-year layoff with an emphatic victory.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and available at AXS.com.

Here is what Charlo and his trainer Ronnie Shields had to say from training camp in Charlo’s hometown of Houston:

JERMALL CHARLO

“I’m excited to be back – back where I belong. I’m really re-learning boxing, like in the amateurs all over again. I feel new to it. It’s a thrill at the same time. I’m putting my life on the line once again, to shock the world and let people know that I’m on top.

“A lot of people consider mental health when can’t stabilize your mind and think forward. And that’s kind of where I was at. I was in a place of not being able to explain it to anyone and kind of always shielded it and I had to fight through that through my learning experiences. The main thing I’ve learned this whole time is patience. I got ready on my own terms. I’m back in the ring on my own terms. I feel better at my own pace and I’m going to go in and face my battles on my own timing.

“Benavidez is just one of those guys who has to make a name for himself. Of course, talking s— to me would be the best thing you can do because you’re only amping the fight up. I mean, I guess he is trying to sell the fight, but I’m taking it personal and I’m taking it seriously. I’m not taking his words lightly.

“He wants to fight me I guess in revenge for his brother. There’s a lot of brother-brother stuff going on, you know, the Charlo brothers and the Benavidez brothers. So it’s the battle of the brothers and if you want this to be your biggest rival, let’s do it. I’m coming back after two years, no excuses. I’m here to fight.

“I don’t have respect for him. I have respect for myself to go out there and dictate the fight, be patient. Of course, if I hit him flush, I’ll knock him cold out. Walking all over him, AI (Allen Iverson) s—. I’m going crazy. I’m just trying not to let the excitement overpower me.

“I actually want to be more active next year, take on two or three fights. I’m ready to stay in the gym and stay focused and hopefully I can land one of those big fights you want to see. Maybe the winner out of the main event or maybe Canelo, YouTubers coming up. You know, I really don’t care. I just want to fight.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, CHARLO’S TRAINER

“I think Jermall Charlo is back. He’s back to where he was two years ago. His attitude is great and he’s really looking forward to training every day.

“Ring rust is ring rust, but this is why we train every day, to get the rust off. I mean, I wish the fight was tomorrow because he’s ready to go.

“I think Jose Jr. brings a lot, especially with his attitude, which is ferocious and that’s a good attitude to have I guess in this business. You know, look, Jose is like his brother David. They are both good fighters and you can say they train hard, and they come to fight. And that’s a good thing. But you know what, we’re looking for a fight.

“I’ve been dissecting everything, absolutely. I know everything about Jose and what we can exploit and everything that I see that he does that I think can work in our favor. So we’re definitely looking at everything. In the end, I think Jermall is going to be too strong.

“Jermall is like a son to me. He’s in a great place right now. He’s with his wife and his kids and really enjoying everything right now. I think it’s that frame of mind that it takes for him to succeed. Now that he has that back and he’s so happy and joyful about everything little thing, that’s a great place for him to be.

“I think Jose Benavidez Jr. is going to come out fast, like he always does and he’s going to try and put on a lot of pressure on ’Mall and try to hit him with things we don’t normally get hit with. But whatever he brings, we got something for him. I think ’Mall’s power is special and we’re going to keep backing him up with the power.”

# # #

ABOUT BENAVIDEZ VS. ANDRADE

Benavidez vs. Andrade will see undefeated two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez defend his Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title against unbeaten two-division world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade headlining a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will feature undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo against exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr. in a 10-round non-title WBC special event in the co-main event. Plus, hard-hitting IBF 140-pound world champion Subriel Matias faces unbeaten mandatory challenger Shohjahon Ergashev and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Hector Luis Garcia duels top-rated mandatory challenger Lamont Roach in the telecast opener.

Trophy Talk the only real news to come out of the Charlo-Benavidez trash-talk session

By Norm Frauenheim –

There’s trash talk and there’s chaos.

The Jermall Charlo-Jose Benavidez edition of boxing’s long running, increasingly redundant exhibition tipped toward the latter in a hide-the-kids kind of exchange during a virtual news conference Tuesday.

It’s been called wild, a polite description of what was really a verbal food fight. It was just off the wall, not to mention off the rails.

Kudos to all those who were able to put together a few cogent quotes from a session that had me reaching for my noise-reducing headphones. Subtract the profanity and there just wasn’t much left.

I’m not opposed to trash talk. It’s how boxing communicates. But let’s just say it’s getting harder and harder to listen to the language. It’s not talking. It’s screaming. At least, Muhammad Ali, trash-talk’s undisputed original, used to mix in a few poems and clever punch lines.

Trust me, there was nothing poetic or remotely clever from either Benavidez or Charlo. Put it this way: Nearly everything rhymed with puck.

Still, there was some news, but I’m only sure of that because of Boxing Scene’s Keith Idec, who makes sense out of chaos better than anyone else seated along press row.

Thanks to Idec, we know that the bout on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade Showtime pay-per-view card Nov. 25 will be at a catchweight, 163 pounds, and that Charlo’s World Boxing Council middleweight belt won’t be at stake in his first bout in more than two years.

The unbeaten Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) hasn’t fought since a decision over Juan Macias Montiel on June 19, 2021. That’s 28 months between opening bells. According to the WBC, he’s been battling mental-health issues.

Idec quoted Charlo as saying the belt was “nothing but a trophy.’’

It’s there. Hide the kids and listen to the tape. But WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman took exception, criticizing Idec on X (formerly Twitter) with a post suggesting that Charlo’s comment was taken out of context.

Sulaiman’s post: It’s very unfortunate to post such a misleading comment and not the many other statements he did. Charlo is a proud WBC Champion and fully respects the organization. We just spoke confirmed directly from him. It is very common to take a few words here and there and make a story

Sorry, but Charlo’s few words were the story, the only real story in what otherwise was a torrent of profanity. Blame Charlo. Benavidez, who has turned into one of boxing’s noisiest trash talkers, clearly got to him.

Benavidez (28-2-1, 19 KOs), David’s older brother, began his part of the PBC newser by saying: “I’m not ready to do much talking.’’

Then, he wouldn’t shut up.

In one shouting match after another, the Phoenix fighter called Charlo a baby and few other b-words. Benavidez, known these days for his movie role in Creed III, questioned why Charlo was fighting at 163 pounds instead of 160. He asked him if he couldn’t make weight because he’s undisciplined. He referred to his reported mental-health issues. He mocked him, begging him not to cry.

Benavidez, an actor when he’s not fighting, went over the line. He also knows all the lines, most of them obscene and each intended to outrage.

That was the context.

Idec simply did what he always does: His job. He reported – reported exactly – what Charlo said in reaction to the chaos that was the context.

Nothing But An Opinion: Charlo’s controversial line – “nothing but a trophy” – applies all over again, just a couple of days after he used it to describe his WBC belt. Late Thursday, news broke that the International Boxing Federation stripped Terence Crawford of its welterweight belt.

Before a formal announcement, the IBF quietly dropped Crawford and elevated Jaron Ennis to its 147-pound title in its ratings. Social media noticed.

Ennis figures to be a great champion. But only if he fights for the title. In confirming the move, the IBF cited no deal for Crawford to defend the title against Ennis, the mandatory challenger.

Therefore, the acronym said, it “has withdrawn recognition of Terence Crawford as the IBF Welterweight world champion.”

It’s fair to say that recognition isn’t shared by fans, who watched Crawford become the consensus pound-for-pound champion against Errol Spence just a few months ago.

More Notes: A strong undercard has fallen into place for Benavidez-Andrade. PBC announced this week that ex-junior-welterweight champion Sergey Lipnets (17-2-1, 13 KOs) will face former lightweight Michel Rivera (24-1, 14 KOs) in a scheduled 10-rounder at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay.

Off-TV, Floyd Mayweather’s heavily-hyped prospect, 17-year-old junior-lightweight Curmel Moton (1-0,1 KO) faces Hunter Turbyfill (3-0, 1 KO), of Memphis, in a four-rounder. Moton made his debut Sept. 30 on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez’ one-sided decision over Jermell Charlo.

JERMALL CHARLO VS. JOSE BENAVIDEZ JR. VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LAS VEGAS – November 7, 2023 – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo and exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr. went back and forth during a heated virtual press conference Tuesday ahead of their 10-round non-title WBC special event that serves as the SHOWTIME PPV co-main event on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by undefeated two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez defending his Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title against unbeaten two-division world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and available at AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday:

JERMALL CHARLO

“I’m thankful for this second chance to show my greatness. Training camp has been awesome and I’m ready to go. Benavidez is a great fighter and I really don’t have anything bad to say about him. He’s gonna see what it’s about when he’s in there. He can keep running his mouth, because he’s gonna find out.

“My mental abilities have caught up with my physical abilities, so you’re gonna see the best of me. I’m naturally stronger and I’ve really been working on my twitch and my speed. I’ve sparred strong guys, so I should be at the top of my game. I’m ready to blow this dude out.

“I won’t be rusty at all. There’s no excuses in this fight. I hope Benavidez isn’t thinking that I’m gonna be rusty. Because I’ve been working. You’ll see.

“You’re all talk. You ain’t nothing. This is my first step toward potentially fighting at 168 pounds and fighting his brother. This guy here has got little man syndrome. He’s gonna see when he starts eating right hands and jabs.

“He loses at the top level. He’s not his brother. He keeps trying to be his brother, but he’s not that. I respect his brother. I’m not worried about Jose. I’m gonna straight up fight him like a man.

“I’m gonna stand in the pocket and fight you. So you better not run. Come to me. Don’t try to do that awkward southpaw stuff. You’re not like that and you’re not ready for me.

“I’m not sweating him at all. I’m not one of those fighters who’s gonna let you choke me at the weigh-in or anything like that. We’re gonna beat up his whole town.”

JOSE BENAVIDEZ JR.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity. I feel great and I feel strong. I’m not really gonna do too much talking, because I know Charlo is gonna do his talking, but I don’t care about any of his excuses. He’s gonna see what a real puncher is on fight night.

“You already look scared. It’s gonna be funny when I whoop you. I always keep this same energy. Ask anybody about me.

“I’ve fought at 160 pounds a few times before and I walk around at 180. The lower weights were hard to make. When I fought Danny Garcia, I was at 175 the week of the fight and had to lose 20 pounds. I feel strong now and ready to get this show on the road.

“I do thank him for choosing me to fight him. He’s right about that. It’s gonna be a fantastic night of boxing and we’re both training hard for it.

“When I fought Terence Crawford, it was the same weight I had been fighting at since 14 years old. He’s a world class fighter, don’t get me wrong. But I feel really good at this weight. I’ve always sparred bigger guys and I feel like it’s time for me. I’m in a great place right now.

“You gotta be confident. I don’t think he’s confident in himself. He’s knocked out bums. Watch what happens when I get in there. I’ve been in a tough training camp and sparring for a while. I’m really motivated more than anything.

“I felt good in my last fight stepping up in weight. It’s good to be active and it’s got me feeling very strong going into this fight.”

# # #

ABOUT BENAVIDEZ VS. ANDRADE

WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION JERMALL CHARLO BATTLES EXCITING CONTENDER JOSE BENAVIDEZ JR. TOPPING STACKED SHOWTIME PPV® UNDERCARD SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25

LAS VEGAS – November 1, 2023 – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will battle exciting contender José Benavídez Jr. in a 10-round non-title WBC special event in the co-main event of a stacked SHOWTIME PPV undercard on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The pay-per-view will also see hard-hitting IBF 140-pound world champion Subriel Matías against unbeaten mandatory challenger Shohjahon Ergashev, plus WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Héctor Luis Garcia duels top-rated mandatory challenger Lamont Roach in the telecast opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The event is headlined by undefeated two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez defending his Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title against unbeaten two-division world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade in one of the most intriguing matchups in the star-studded 168-pound division.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and available at AXS.com.

“Boxing fans will get a full feast of action on November 25 with three high-stakes fights leading up to the SHOWTIME PPV main event between David Benavídez and Demetrius Andrade,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Jermall Charlo will look to show why he’s the top middleweight in the world against the highly-motivated José Benavídez Jr., while champions Subriel Matías and Héctor Luis Garcia will enter the ring seeking to hold off fast-rising mandatory challengers Shohjahon Ergashev and Lamont Roach. From start to finish, fans watching on pay-per-view and at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas are in for a memorable night where every bout could truly steal the show.”

The 33-year-old Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) will return from a layoff of over two years, having held the WBC middleweight belt since 2019 with a run that includes a dominant victory over top middleweight contender Sergey Derevyanchenko in their September 2020 showdown. Charlo’s 160-pound victories have come after a championship reign at 154-pounds that lasted from 2015 through 2017. He has compiled a perfect 7-0 record since moving up to middleweight and owns victories over former champions Julian Williams, Austin Trout and Cornelius Bundrage at super welterweight, with both Williams and Bundrage succumbing to highlight-reel KO defeats.

“It’s been a long road to this point, but only the strong survive and I’m built different,” said Charlo. “I’m looking forward to reminding everyone that there is a reason why Jermall Charlo is an undefeated world champion and one of the best fighters today pound-for-pound. This is the next chapter of my life and it’s going to be my best, so I want all my fans to tune in on November 25, because I’m going to light up Las Vegas.”

Phoenix’s Benavídez (28-2-1, 19 KOs) is the older brother of headliner David Benavídez and is trained by his father José Sr. A long-established contender who was a highly decorated amateur, Benavídez moved up to super welterweight after dropping a 2018 world title challenge to Terence Crawford, concluding a long run at 147 pounds. He moved up to 154 pounds in July 2022, battling two-division champion Danny Garcia for 12 rounds before losing by a close majority decision. Benavídez made his 160 pound debut in August, blasting out veteran Sladan Janjanin in round five.

“I’ve been working hard and I feel strong and ready to take him out,” said Benavídez. “I’ve been wanting to fight Charlo for a while. I’m going to come that night and show him what I’m about. But I’m not here trying to use words. I don’t need to say anything. I’m going to let my fists do the talking in the ring on November 25.”

The 31-year-old Matías (19-1, 19 KOs) captured the IBF 140-pound championship in February, stopping the previously unbeaten Jeremias Ponce after five rounds of fast-paced, back-and-forth action on SHOWTIME^®. Matías has shown that his power lasts throughout a fight, as his last seven victories have come via stoppage in round five or later. The lone loss of his career came against Petros Ananyan via 10-round unanimous decision in 2020 and was later avenged. Matías, of Farjado, Puerto Rico, faced two unbeaten boxers after the loss, defeating Malik Hawkins and Batyrzhan Jukembayev by stoppage. In the rematch with Ananyan, Matías emerged victorious by ninth-round TKO, methodically wearing his opponent down and exhausting him before dropping him and ending the action.

“I would always rather let my hands do the talking inside of the ring, but I’m very excited for this fight,” said Matías. “This is a great opportunity to be a part of a big event in Las Vegas. I had my only loss there, so I’m going to avenge that defeat on November 25 and show everyone that Subriel Matias is here to stay. I’m dedicating this fight to my hometown of Maternillo and the people of Puerto Rico.”

Born in Uzbekistan and now fighting out of Detroit under the tutelage of renowned trainer SugarHill Steward, Ergashev (23-0, 20 KOs) has dominated his competition since turning pro in 2015, earning his shot at the world title. After the 31-year-old made his U.S. debut in late 2017, he stopped the previously unbeaten Sonny Fredrickson in three rounds in January 2018 in his second bout stateside. He’d follow that up in 2019 by winning a unanimous decision over Mykal Fox, handing him the first defeat of his career. Ergashev most recently scored a pair of victories in 2022, shutting out Luis Alberto Veron on his way to a unanimous decision in May, before stopping Angel Martinez Hernandez in the fifth round in August.

“It’s been a long journey to finally get this opportunity to fight for the world title,” said Ergashev. “On Thanksgiving weekend I will make the whole journey worthwhile. The U.S.A. is the land of opportunity and I want to thank my team for always believing in me. It’s also exciting to be fighting with SHOWTIME, where I’ve had many fights throughout my career. With my trainers Sugarhill Steward and Theo Chambers in my corner, history will be made November 25 and Uzbekistan will finally have a world champion.”

García (16-1, 10 KOs) followed up his spectacular 2022 in January by challenging boxing superstar Gervonta Davis for his lightweight world title on SHOWTIME PPV, giving Davis a competitive bout before losing in round nine. García has fought professionally since December of 2016 after a stellar amateur career that included representing his native Dominican Republic in the 2016 Olympics and a runner-up finish at the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto. Now training in Las Vegas under the watchful eye of respected trainer Bob Santos, García scored one of the biggest upsets of 2022 , dropping and defeating then unbeaten Chris Colbert in February of that year. Nearly six months later, García captured the world title with a one-sided unanimous decision over incumbent Roger Gutierrez in August.

“I’m happy to be back returning to the ring and fighting at my natural weight,” said Garcia. “I’m really looking forward to getting in there and defending my title against Lamont Roach. He’s a tough opponent, but I’m at my best at super featherweight and I’ll be ready for everything he brings. I’m having a great training camp and I can’t wait to show the world the adjustments I’ve made since the Gervonta Davis fight.”

The 28-year-old Roach (23-1-1, 9 KOs) enters this fight on a four-bout winning streak, earning his position at 130 pounds by defeating Angel Rodriguez via unanimous decision in their July 2022 title eliminator. Roach’s current run comes after he dropped a November 2019 130-pound world title fight via decision against Jamel Herring. A native of Washington, D.C., Roach began his pro career in 2014 with 16straight victories following an impressive amateur run that included a 2013 National Golden Gloves Championship and the honor of being named USA Boxing’s Most Outstanding Boxer.

“He couldn’t run for long, but we’re finally here,” said Roach. “I’m extremely excited for this fight and this opportunity. The world is going to get used to their new world champion and it starts when I get my hand raised on November 25.”

# # #

FIGHT WEEK KICKS OFF IN LAS VEGAS AHEAD OF FIRST EVER MATCHUP BETWEEN REIGNING, FOUR-BELT, MALE CHAMPIONS SATURDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME PPV®

LAS VEGAS – September 26, 2023 – Fight week in the Boxing Capital of the World is officially underway as global superstar and Undisputed Super Middleweight World Champion Canelo Álvarez and Undisputed Junior Middleweight World Champion Jermell Charlo make their Grand Arrivals to Las Vegas today before they meet in a historic, first-of-its-kind matchup on Saturday, September 30 for Canelo’s undisputed 168-pound belts live on SHOWTIME PPV from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Canelo Promotions will present the Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view.

As the two undisputed champions finalize preparations for one of the most anticipated fights of the year, here is a collection of news and notes from SHOWTIME SPORTS^® for Fight Week.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

For the first time in history, two reigning, male undisputed champions will go toe-to-toe. All four of Canelo’s 168-pound belts will be up for grabs as the 154-pound champion Charlo moves up two weight classes to challenge Canelo. The only other undisputed vs. undisputed matchup in the four-belt era took place when undisputed women’s light welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron defeated undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor in May.

Having captured world titles at 154, 160, 168 and 175-pounds, Canelo will look to become the first man during the four-belt era to defend all four titles successfully three consecutive times.

With a win, Charlo would become just the second man to earn the undisputed title in two divisions during the four-belt era, after Terence Crawford, and would add his name alongside legendary champions such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Roy Jones Jr. by successfully jumping two weight classes to win a world title.

FIGHT WEEK FESTIVITIES

The SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube Channel will be home to live streaming coverage of all fight week events, including today’s Grand Arrivals, starting at 2:30 p.m. PT, Wednesday’s main event final press conference at 1 p.m. PT and open media undercard workouts kicking off at 3 p.m. PT, the final undercard press conference Thursday at 11 a.m. PT, the weigh-in on Friday at 2:30 p.m. PT, and the post-fight press conference. Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell, co-hosts of the award-winning live digital talk show MORNING KOMBAT, along with ALL THE SMOKE co-host and NBA Champion Stephen Jackson and former world champion and SHOWTIME Boxing^®analyst Raul “El Diamante” Marquez will serve as the streaming hosts of the weigh-in. Thomas and Campbell will announce the SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN show on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. PT, which will include live coverage of preliminary bouts and analysis of the upcoming pay-per-view card.

WHERE TO CATCH ALL THE ACTION

The four-fight pay-per-view event kicks off at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is widely available for purchase and live streaming in the United States at SHOWTIME.com/ppv and via the SHOWTIME App on supported devices including Apple iOS and tvOS devices, Android Mobile, AndroidTV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, Samsung Smart TV and LG Smart TV (2019 models and newer), Xbox One, Xfinity Flex, the Cox Wireless 4K Contour Stream Player and online at SHOWTIME.com, FITE.tv and PPV.com. The event is also available for purchase in the U.S. via cable, satellite and telco systems including iNDEMAND, DIRECTV^®, DISH and Sling TV. The suggested retail price is $84.95 (SRP). In Canada, viewers can purchase and access the event via traditional cable and satellite distributors (Bell, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel/TELUS and digital distributor FITE TV). Liberty and Claro TV will offer the event in Puerto Rico. Joe Hand Promotions is the commercial distributor within the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada.

The official promotional spot, which spotlights the historical significance and star power of the September 30 showdown, is available HERE.

THE INDUSTRY LEADERS

SHOWTIME SPORTS is in the midst of one of the hottest runs in the network’s 37-year history of televising live boxing. Since the start of 2023, the industry’s strongest schedule has included 20 marquee events (including Saturday’s event).

The schedule has included Fight of the Year contenders – Subriel Matias stopping Jeremias Ponce on February 25 and Brandon Figueroa decisioning Mark Magsayo on March 4. It has included KO of the Year contenders – Brian Mendoza’s one-punch KO of Sebastian Fundora, Tim Tszyu’s left-hook KO of Carlos Ocampo and Jaron Ennis’ brutal finish of Roiman Villa. It has also included the biggest names in the sport facing each other: Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia in a matchup that captured the world’s attention and served to elevate the star power of both men; David Benavídez vs. Caleb Plant, establishing Benavidez as one of the world’s top super middleweights; Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford featuring two great, undefeated champions in their prime in the biggest welterweight fight since Mayweather-Pacquiao in 2015; and now Canelo vs. Charlo, another matchup with historic implications.

The 2023 slate adds to an industry leading schedule that has included the biggest names and most meaningful fights in the sport over the past seven years. Since the start of 2017, SHOWTIME has televised 103 world title fights (not including interim title fights), 13 world championship unification fights and five undisputed world championship fights. The network has been the home to some of the most memorable fights of recent times, including Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko (Ring Magazine 2017 Fight of the Year), Jarrett Hurd vs. Erislandy Lara (ESPN 2018 Fight of the Year), Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury I (Ring Magazine 2018 Round of the Year), Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz (Ring Magazine 2020 KO of the Year), Stephen Fulton vs. Brandon Figueroa (CBS Sports 2021 Fight of the Year) and Sebastian Fundora vs. Erickson Lubin (Ring Magazine 2022 Round of the Year).

AWARD-WINNING STORYTELLING

Two episodes of the EMMY^®Award-winning SHOWTIME^® original documentary series ALL ACCESS: CANELO VS. JERMELL CHARLO are available now on SHOWTIME, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel for non-network subscribers. ALL ACCESS, which is voiced by Barry Pepper,provides an exclusive look into the mental and physical preparations of both men, and reveals never-before-seen aspects about the two champions.

Episode One currently has 1.7 million views, while Episode Two has 1.3 million views on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel alone. Both episodes also are available on SHOWTIME and the Premier Boxing Champions YouTube channel amassing additional viewership.

The ALL ACCESS cameras will be in Las Vegas all week, filming ALL ACCESS: CANELO VS. JERMELL CHARLO EPILOGUE, which will premiere Saturday, October 7. The epilogue will spotlight the drama of fight week and provide an exclusive, first-hand account from fight night like no other show on television, revealing private moments between the fighters, their teams and loved ones.

SHOWTIME VETERANS

September 30 will mark Canelo’s seventh appearance on SHOWTIME and Charlo’s 16^th appearance on the network.

Canelo has previously appeared four times on SHOWTIME PPV and twice on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^®. Canelo’s September 2013 blockbuster against Floyd Mayweather Jr. stands as the third highest grossing pay-per-view event of all time. Canelo also defeated Alfredo Angulo, Erislandy Lara and Caleb Plant in SHOWTIME PPV main events.

Charlo has risen up the ranks, graduating from the prospect development series SHOBOX: The New Generation^®, all the way up to SHOWTIME PPV. He has appeared 11 times on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, twice on SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION and made his SHOWTIME PPV debut when he headlined alongside his twin brother, Jermall, in a SHOWTIME PP doubleheader in September 2020.

HIGH PRAISE FROM A HALL OF FAMER

Hall of Fame SHOWTIME expert analyst Al Bernstein, who has called over 150 major pay-per-view telecasts in his storied career, says that the September 30 undercard is “perhaps the best of any I’ve done.”

Three matchups featuring rising stars, top contenders and former world champions from 147 to 160 pounds highlight the robust pay-per-view undercard. In the co-main event, undefeated sensation Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. takes on hard-hitting top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator. The pay-per-view also includes former world champions Yordenis Ugas and Mario “El Azteca” Barrios going toe-to-toe for the Interim WBC Welterweight Title. Opening up the action are rising middleweights Elijah Garcia and Armando Reséndiz squaring off in a 10-round attraction.

“I think every one of these matches could be terrific and one or two may be fight of the year candidates,” Bernstein says.

HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO BET?

DraftKings, the official sportsbook sponsor of Canelo vs. Charlo, views the pound-for-pound Mexican star as the clear favorite on Saturday night. Álvarez is currently listed as a -400 favorite ($100 to win $25). Believers in Jermell Charlo have a chance to triple their money if he pulls off the upset, as he is currently listed at +300 ($100 to win $300).

The oddsmakers at DraftKings view the fight going into the later rounds as the most likely outcome. The odds for the fight to go over 10.5 rounds are -320 and the odds for the fight to go under 10.5 rounds are +220. For those who believe the fight will end via stoppage, the odds for Canelo to win by KO/TKO/DQ are +230, while the odds for Charlo to win via the same method are +900.

A HOMETOWN SENDOFF

Houston’s own Jermell Charlo received a hometown sendoff at Saturday’s University of Houston vs. Sam Houston State University college football game at TDECU Stadium. Charlo held a boxing clinic for kids from the Stafford Boys & Girls Club and was honored on the field during a timeout. Houston went on to defeat Sam Houston 38-7. Click HERE for photos from the sendoff event.

THE MAN BEHIND THE SCENES

David Dinkins Jr., the executive producer of SHOWTIME SPORTS, will once again be in control of what the fans at home see on September 30.

Since joining SHOWTIME in 1987, Dinkins has produced more than 600 world championship fights, 30 unification fights and over 1,000 professional prizefights. He has been in control of the two most-watched pay-per-view events in television history (Mayweather-Pacquiao and Mayweather-McGregor), and the three most lucrative (Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-McGregor, Mayweather-Canelo).

He has also produced six Fight of the Year bouts:

Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler (1987)
Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson I (1996)
Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo I (2005)
Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez II (2007)
Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez III (2008)
Anthony Joshua vs. Vladimir Klitschko

Dinkins has played an integral role in spotlighting the careers of many of the sport’s greatest fighters including Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Julio Cesar Chavez, Felix Trinidad, Pernell Whitaker and so many more.

“David Dinkins produced many of my fights,” said Tyson. “And as the years have gone by, I’ve watched them many times. The way he told my story as it was happening was excellent then and even better now.”

THE A TEAM

Veteran sportscaster and “The Last Stand” podcaster Brian Custer will host the SHOWTIME PPV telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo will once again handle the blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. The telecast will include Hall of Famers Jim Gray as ringside reporter, Jimmy Lennon, Jr., in his role as ring announcer and Steve Farhood as the unofficial scorer. Sportscaster Alejandro Luna will call the action in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) with former world champion and SHOBOX: The New Generation commentator Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez serving as the expert analyst. Felix DeJesus will serve as Spanish language interpreter. Dinkins will executive produce the telecast with acclaimed boxing director Bob Dunphy directing.

BELLATOR 300: FOUR TITLE FIGHTS IN ONE NIGHT

On Saturday, October 7, San Diego’s Pechanga Arena will host the culmination of over 14 years of mixed martial arts excellence, which for the first-time ever, includes four massive world championship fights for BELLATOR MMA’s historic 300th event. Nearly 3,500 MMA bouts and 5,300 days will have passed on the illustrious road from BELLATOR 1 to BELLATOR 300.

The one-million-dollar BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix rolls on when incumbent champion Usman Nurmagomedov puts his belt and undefeated record on the line against former champion and current No. 4-ranked Brent Primus in a semifinal main event matchup. The top pound-for-pound female fighter in the world and current BELLATOR featherweight world champion Cris Cyborg faces No. 1-ranked Cat Zingano in what can best be described as a grudge match between two of the most recognizable athletes on the planet. BELLATOR’s reigning Heavyweight World Champion Ryan Bader defends his belt in a rematch against No. 1-ranked Linton Vassell. Finally, two of San Diego’s top fighters collide as Liz Carmouche defends her belt against former World Champion and No. 2-ranked Ilima-Lei Macfarlane in a highly anticipated battle between two close friends and training partners.

The action takes place live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

# # #

ABOUT CANELO VS. CHARLO

Canelo vs. Charlo will see pound-for-pound great Canelo Álvarez defend his undisputed super middleweight world titles in a blockbuster showdown against hard-hitting undisputed junior middleweight world champion Jermell Charlo headlining a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, September 30 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Canelo Promotions will present the Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will see undefeated sensation Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. take on hard-hitting top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin in the 12-round super welterweight co-main event. The pay-per-view also includes former world champions Yordenis Ugas and Mario “El Azteca” Barrios going toe-to-toe for the Interim WBC Welterweight Title. Opening up the action are rising middleweights Elijah Garcia and Armando Reséndiz squaring off in a 10-round attraction.

For more information visit SHOWTIME.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #CaneloCharlo, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

Nothing New: Canelo ignores Benavidez, agrees to fight Jermall Charlo

By Norm Fraueneim –

Last week, there was a question. Is Canelo Alvarez listening?

This week, there’s an answer.

No.

It’s a definitive no, delivered by Badou Jack, who spoke for impatient fans in a restless, yet evolving marketplace.

Jack, a sudden entry in a search for a fall foe, withdrew from the Canelo lottery and left Jermall Charlo as the only option after getting an offer that would have made him fight at about 20 pounds lighter than his current division, cruiserweight. It also included a deadly rehydration clause.

That’s not an offer. It’s an outrage, but also no surprise. In a column headlined by the aforementioned question, Canelo’s offer was predicted:

Market speaks, but is Canelo listening?

Jack, nobody’s fool, did more than just say no, however. He ended his twitter reply with this:

“Canelo let’s give the fans what they want to see and fight David Benavidez.”

Jack repeated what has been said, ad nauseam, for a couple years. Yet, Canelo ignores the refrain. Jack called for Canelo to fight Benavidez on Monday. On Thursday, there was news that Canelo ignored him and just about everybody else all over again.

Instead of Benavidez, he’ll fight the seldom-seen Charlo on Sept. 16, according to a twitter report from ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.

After his last few fights, Canelo wore a crown that symbolized his long reign. But his silence about anything Benavidez is turning him into the proverbial king with no clothes. You can speculate as to why.

Maybe, he fears the younger Benavidez’ abundant energy late in a long career when Canelo’s measured performances are characterized by fatigue in the late rounds.

Maybe, he’s angry at the trash talk from Benavidez and his trainer/father, Jose Sr. Canelo’s documented pay-per-view power has allowed him to dictate. He wants praise, not insults. Try to bully Canelo and he’ll walk away, angry and defiant. Maybe, that’s why it took so long for a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin.

Maybe, all of the above. Maybe, not.

Maybe, it changes.

But time isn’t exactly on Canelo’s side any more. Patience is quickly draining through the hourglass in a marketplace that is moving on. There are abundant signs that there’s business beyond Canelo.

It was there in April with Tank Davis’ stoppage of Ryan Garcia in a pay-per-view bout that drew a reported 1.2 million customers.

On July 29, there’s the long-awaited Terence Crawford-versus-Errol Spence Jr. Crawford and Spence continued negotiations after talks failed last October.

It’s still uncertain whether they’ll be rewarded with numbers even close to Davis-Garcia. Still, there’s good news in the attempt. It’s simply says they’re responding to a market demand, one of many. For now, it looks as if Canelo is only trying to satisfy himself.

Benavidez never heard from Canelo on an offer for a September fight from Benavidez promoter/manager Sampson Lewkowicz. Reportedly, the deal was potentially worth as much as $60 million. From Canelo, however, it was met with just more of the same:

Silence.

The Phoenix-born Benavidez is now talking about fighting Jamie Munguia or David Morrell. Morrell had been the original plan. Contrary to some reports, however, David Benavidez says there’s no tentative date or final deal.

Meanwhile, Morrell has started to sound a lot like Benavidez. Morrell is trash-talking him, through a publicist, in an attempt push him into a bout.

Long-term, Canelo’s moves are a signal for Benavidez to move up, from super-middleweight to light-heavy. That’s where his future is. Where his prime is. `

On the Benavidez clock, it makes little sense to wait anymore on Canelo, who will turn 33 on July 18 and then enter the next stage of his long career against Charlo on a PBC deal that reportedly includes two more fights, May and September in 2024.

An agreement for two more Canelo fights, both next year, could mean just about anything.

But Benavidez can only judge it from what he already knows. To wit: Canelo won’t fight him. There’s no other way to interpret what Canelo has done since the Benavidez-Canelo possibility entered the public conversation. Repeatedly, the undisputed 168-pound champion finds another way to avoid him.

The latest example: Charlo.

Charlo, a middleweight belt holder, hasn’t fought in two years. He’s never fought at super-middleweight. Yet, he’ll fight Canelo instead of Benavidez, the World Boxing Council’s so-called mandatory challenger and a former two-time WBC champion. From virtually every conceivable corner, there’s no reasonable explanation for it.

Before Thursday’s news, Canelo’s sometime promoter Eddie Hearn told several media outlets that Charlo was next. In almost the next breath, Hearn went on to say it wouldn’t be a competitive fight. With that kind of recommendation, who’s going to buy?

From Benavidez’ perspective, there’s only one conclusion. For the sake of his career, he has to assume Canelo won’t fight him, now or next year.

For years, Benavidez has been chasing Canelo as though that one fight will define him.

Now, he’s forced to think about a career without Canelo. At 26, he’s got lots of time to do exactly that: Re-define himself according to his own terms.

Move on. A lot of fans already have.

JERMALL CHARLO VS. MACIEJ SULECKIVIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

HOUSTON – June 1, 2022 – Unbeaten WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo and former title challenger Maciej Sulecki previewed their upcoming championship showdown during a virtual press conference Wednesday before they meet on Saturday, June 18 live on SHOWTIME from Toyota Center in Houston in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Charlo will hold a Juneteenth celebration in his hometown for the second-straight year on June 18, headlining in Houston again after defeating Juan Montiel in an action-fight last year at Toyota Center. Charlo seeks a fifth successful middleweight title defense but will have to get by the veteran Sulecki, who has gone the distance with former champions Daniel Jacobs and Demetrius Andrade and has added longtime Polish contender Andrzej Fonfara to his training team ahead of this fight.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will also feature undefeated top super bantamweight contender Ra’eese Aleem battling Mike Plania in the 10-round co-main event, and unbeaten lightweight contender Frank Martin facing Panama’s Ricardo Núñez in the 10-round telecast opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at toyotacenter.com. Martin vs. Núñez is promoted in association with Man Down Promotions.

Here is what Charlo and Sulecki had to say Wednesday:

JERMALL CHARLO

“Juneteenth is my day and I’m happy to be performing again on the main stage in my city at Toyota Center. It’s going to be a great night of boxing against another tough opponent. I’m ready to get in there.

“My opponents always talk. Once they get in there with me, they see that it’s a whole different story. I wanted someone like him who will come in not scared and ready to fight. That’s what I need.

“I’m in my prime and I’m ready for everybody. No matter who they put in front of me, I’ll make the adjustments and get the win. All those names are just names to me.

“Sulecki is a good challenger. A lot of people might not know him but he’s been in there with top competition. This is the right timing for this fight against a strong opponent. I’m ready for whatever he brings. He says he can beat my tactics, but once he’s in there he’s going to have to survive.

“I’m not in a rush. I’m the champion at 160 pounds. So these guys have to fight me no matter what. I have my sights set on bigger opposition. We’ll move forward when it’s time. If I have to move up to 168 to do that, let’s look at the drawing board after this fight.

“Juneteenth is a big holiday in my city and my town. It started in Galveston only 30 miles away from Houston. It’s a holiday here and I’m the best person to represent it at this time. I’m thankful to fight Juneteenth weekend.

“I’m very familiar with Sulecki. I’ve trained with one of his friends and he’ll be able to tell him what that heat is going to be like in the ring.

“This is going to be another war. I’m going to be in the pocket and ready to go. Whatever he does, I’ll make the adjustments. If I hit him with something flush, I’m going to knock him out.

“It motivated me to see my brother Jermell capture those goals that we’ve both always wanted. That’s something that I want to do. Sulecki is standing in front of that goal right now. Everyone wants to be champion, but not everyone is destined to be a champion.

“I’m fighting to get the biggest names and get the biggest fights. I’m fighting for my legacy. I’m fighting for something way bigger than just fighting Sulecki.”

MACIEJ SULECKI

“I took this fight because I like to be the underdog. I like to go into the lion’s den, I’m comfortable there. I took this fight because I believe I’m the better fighter. I’m ready to take my chance. I live for that moment to fight against one of the best fighters in the world.

“I don’t think Charlo is a better fighter than Andrade or Jacobs. I think they’re all similar fighters. Charlo is still a great fighter with an explosive punch. I’m just ready for this fight. I’m going to make it all happen on June 18 in the ring.

“Both fights against Jacobs and Andrade have prepared me for this fight. Charlo has made mistakes before and I want to exploit those mistakes. I know what it takes at this level now.

“Charlo is a different fighter than past opponents and I respect him for being a champion. I’m ready to face the best Charlo possible on June 18 and my only focus is on winning this fight.

“Words don’t win fights. This is going to be a different story than my other fights against top guys. I’ve been here before and training hard and I’m just ready to show everything on June 18.

“Since I was a child I always dreamed of that green belt. This is the fight of my life. I’ve done everything that I needed to do to get to this moment. I want to be the new champion on June 18.

“The talking doesn’t matter, it just matters what happens in the ring. I don’t think about anything but what I have to do. We prepared very well for this fight. Charlo is strong, but I have a good right hand too.

“I’m here because I always give my best. For the fans who are watching this fight, they’re going to see a lot of emotion and fire from me. I’m going to show everyone that I’m a great fighter and I’m not afraid of anyone. Charlo will bring the same thing and I know we’ll give the fans a great fight. I can’t wait to step into the ring on June 18. The ring will clarify everything.”

#

ABOUT CHARLO VS. SULECKI
Charlo vs. Sulecki will see undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo hold a Juneteenth celebration in his hometown for the second-straight year when he steps into the ring to face tough former title challenger Maciej Sulecki on Saturday, June 18 live on SHOWTIME from Toyota Center in Houston in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will see undefeated top super bantamweight contender Ra’eese Aleem taking on Mike Plania in the 10-round co-main event, plus the Derrick James-trained unbeaten lightweight contender Frank Martin battles Panama’s power-punching Ricardo Núñez in the 10-round telecast opener.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #CharloSulecki, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION JERMALL CHARLO BATTLES MACIEJ SULECKI IN JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IN HIS HOMETOWN OF HOUSTON SATURDAY, JUNE 18 LIVE ON SHOWTIME^®FROM TOYOTA CENTER

HOUSTON – May 4, 2022 – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will hold a Juneteenth celebration in his hometown for the second-straight year when he steps into the ring to face tough former title challenger Maciej Sulecki on Saturday, June 18 live on SHOWTIME from Toyota Center in Houston in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will see undefeated top super bantamweight contender Ra’eese Aleem taking on Mike Plania in the 10-round co-main event, plus the Derrick James-trained unbeaten lightweight contender Frank Martin battles Panama’s power-punching Ricardo Núñez in the 10-round telecast opener.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at toyotacenter.com.

Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) returns to fight in his hometown of Houston for the fifth time in his career, having most recently earned an entertaining unanimous decision win there over Juan Montiel last June on SHOWTIME. The 31-year-old scored an impressive unanimous decision triumph over top middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko in their September 2020 showdown and owns a 7-0 record since moving up to middleweight in 2017. A two-division world champion, Charlo also strung together an impressive run at 154-pounds, capturing the IBF title in 2015 and piling up victories over champions Austin Trout, Cornelius Bundrage and Julian Williams, whom he floored three times on his way to a memorable fifth-round knockout.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring in front of my people in Houston and put on a great show fighting on Juneteenth weekend once again,” said Charlo. “I’m ready to handle my business and give everyone what they’re coming out to see. Sulecki is a tough fighter who’s going to come in hungry. But I’m fighting for something bigger and I won’t be stopped from delivering a special performance on June 18.”

A native of Warsaw, Poland, Sulecki (30-2, 11 KOs) trains in Chicago, Ill. with his new co-trainer and longtime Polish contender Andrzej Fonfara. He will look to earn his third straight victory on June 18. The 32-year-old has never been stopped and has won four of his last five fights, including a unanimous decision over Gabriel Rosado that earned him the title shot against Demetrius Andrade that he would eventually lose by decision. Sulecki has fought professionally since 2010 and has also scored notable victories in defeating former titleholder Jack Culcay in 2017 and knocking out then undefeated Hugo Centeno Jr. in 2016.

“I’ve been training for a long time for this fight and I feel strong and ready to get in the ring,” said Sulecki. “Charlo is a great champion and I respect what he can do, but I don’t think he’s any better than the best fighters I’ve faced before. I think I am the stronger fighter mentally and physically. I don’t think he’s a killer. He hasn’t even been able to stop his last two opponents. I’ve fought as the underdog in my opponent’s hometown, so I’m not worried about fighting in Houston at all. We have a huge community of Polish fans in the U.S. and I know they’ll be there supporting me on June 18.”

Owning a top-10 ranking at 122-pounds from multiple sanctioning bodies, Aleem (19-0, 12 KOs) put on the most impressive performance of his career in January 2021 to capture the interim WBA title on SHOWTIME. Aleem dominated in a battle of unbeatens, dropping Victor Pasillas four times before eventually stopping him in round 11. Raised in Michigan and training out of Las Vegas, Nev., Aleem, 31, had stopped his past seven opponents inside the distance before most recently earning a decision victory over Eduardo Baez in November 2021.

“The time is now to take that next step in my career toward a world title shot and I know that a win against a tough opponent like Mike Plania will put me in that position,” said Aleem. “I’ve been waiting patiently for my opportunity to show everyone why I’m the best super bantamweight in the world. I’m grateful to my team for believing in me and my ability to bring excitement on the big stage. I’m never in a boring fight and you will see the best of me come June 18. I’m going to let my hands fly and do the talking.”

The 25-year-old Plania (26-1, 13 KOs) dropped Joshua Greer twice in their June 2020 clash on his way to a career-best decision victory, which he followed up in April 2021 by defeating Emmanuel Mogawa before stopping Ricardo Nunez in November. A native of General Santos City in the Philippines, Plania has put together a 11-fight winning streak since a 2018 decision loss against former champion Juan Carlos Payano. Plania has fought professionally since 2014, with five of his last six outings taking place stateside.

“Ever since I beat Joshua Greer to put myself in the world rankings, I have been looking for an opportunity to fight the best at 122 pounds to secure a world title shot,” said Plania. “June 18 is that time and by beating Ra’eese Aleem, I will show everyone I deserve to fight for the title. I want to thank my whole team for putting me in this position and I can’t wait to get in there and show what I’m capable of.”

The 27-year-old Martin (15-0, 11 KOs) rose up the lightweight rankings in 2021 with a pair of impressive victories before most recently delivering a New Year’s Day KO over Romero Duno. In 2021, Martin knocked out the previously unbeaten Jerry Perez in a dominating performance in April, before earning a unanimous decision over Ryan Kielczweski in August. Originally from Indianapolis, Martin now trains in the Dallas-area under the guidance of top trainer James alongside unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.

“I’ve been training hard in Dallas and I’m just excited and ready to go,” said Martin. “Núñez is a boxer-puncher, so I expect him to mix it up with some fast combinations and to try and throw my movement off, but I’ll be ready for all of that. Fight fans are going to enjoy an action fight with this one. We’ve got the speed, power and athleticism to put on an exciting show on June 18.”

Representing La Chorrera, Panama, Núñez (23-3, 21 KOs) enters this fight with knockout victories in his last two fights, including most recently stopping Richard Solano in the first round in October 2021. The 28-year-old moved back up to lightweight for those two victories after challenging three-division champion Gervonta Davis in July 2019 for a 130-pound title. Núñez has fought professionally since 2010 and has a brother also named Ricardo who is a veteran pro fighter in the featherweight division.

“I’m very happy to be back in a big fight on June 18,” said Núñez. “You’re going to see a whole new fighter against Martin. I’m coming to fight and impose my style on my opponent. Martin is a good boxer who’s made it to a high level, but he still has to show what he’s made of. I’m going to give one hundred percent to stop his rise and be the first person to beat him.”

                                                                     # # #

SHOWTIME SPORTS® UNVEILS LOADED BOXING SCHEDULE FEATURING MARQUEE MATCHUPS FROM PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS WITH TWO WORLD TITLE UNIFICATIONS, SEVEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOUTS AND THREE WORLD TITLE ELIMINATORS ACROSS FIVE MONTHS

NEW YORK – March 15, 2022 – SHOWTIME Sports and Premier Boxing Champions today announced nine boxing events across the first half of 2022 featuring some of the sport’s most accomplished and dynamic stars in highly competitive matchups. The lineup pits champions against champions and top contenders against top contenders to form the strongest and most ambitious schedule in the industry.

The robust lineup includes:

Nine marquee events across five months featuring 21 undefeated fighters;
Two world championship unifications bouts, one for all four world title belts and the coveted title of Undisputed Champion, and one for three world title belts;
Seven world championship matches with at least 13 world title belts at stake and three world title eliminators;
All of the top-six ranked super welterweights fighting in a seven-week span;
Several pivotal crossroads fights from super bantamweight to super middleweight with an average of two events per month through July.

The massive schedule features the sport’s biggest stars: Errol Spence, Jr., Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Jermell Charlo, David Benavidez and Jermall Charlo.

There are also 18 fighters aged 27 years and younger including unified world champion Stephen Fulton, Jr., and highly regarded, undefeated welterweight contender Jaron “Boots” Ennis. With this emphasis on youth and kingmaking, SHOWTIME Sports and Premier Boxing Champions are well positioned to carry the sport into the future.

Led by Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc., and four-time Emmy^® Award-winning executive producer David Dinkins, Jr., who guides an all-star cast of commentators and production aces, SHOWTIME^® remains the most tenured and trusted platform in boxing.

Arguably the best active welterweight of this era, the undefeated Spence, already a unified champ, will seek to collect a third world title when he puts his WBC and IBF straps on the line against WBA World Champion Yordenis Ugas on Saturday, April 16 in the main event on SHOWTIME PPV^® at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Spence-Ugas is only the 12^th unification match in the history of the welterweight division, joining classic matchups such as “Sugar” Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns I and Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. The match is rich with intrigue as Spence attempts to claim supremacy in one of boxing’s deepest divisions, while Ugas, who nearly quit the sport, aims to complete a stunning turnaround after beating eight-division world champion Pacquiao in August.

Boxing superstar and five-time, three-division world champion Tank Davis will headline his fourth straight SHOWTIME PPV event against nemesis Rolando Romero on Saturday, May 28, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, for Davis’ WBA Lightweight World Title. The bout comes on the heels of Davis’ hard-fought 12-round unanimous decision win over Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in which Davis overcame an injury in front of a star-studded, sellout crowd in Los Angeles last December.

WBO 154-pound No. 1-ranked contender Tim Tszyu, the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, who fought many of his most memorable bouts on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, will make his U.S. debut Saturday, March 26 against 2012 U.S. Olympian and top contender Terrell Gausha at The Armory in Minneapolis. The streaking southpaws Erickson Lubin and Sebastian Fundora will engage in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator, for the WBC interim title, in the second of back-to-back, intriguing crossroads matchups in the division on Saturday, April 9 from Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.

Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño once again will seek to become the first undisputed 154-pound champion in the four-belt era and just the third overall undisputed champion today when they meet in a rematch of their 2021 classic on Saturday, May 14 in Los Angeles. Plus, rising welterweight star Ennis, possiblythe most talented boxer yet to win a world title, returns as the co-feature against Custio Clayton in an IBF Welterweight Title Eliminator.

Former two-time world champion Benavidez returns to action on Saturday, May 21 against knockout artist David Lemieux at 168 pounds in Phoenix, Ariz., in a bout between two of the sport’s biggest punchers.

Fulton, in his first bout since his title unification win in the 122-pound division against Brandon Figueroa, will defend his titles on Saturday, June 4 in Minneapolis, against former unified world champion Danny Roman in another can’t miss matchup.

Jermall Charlo will defend his WBC Middleweight World Championship for the fifth time on Saturday, June 18, when he faces former world title challenger, WBC No. 6-ranked Maciej Sulecki on the Juneteenth holiday weekend in Houston.

On Saturday, July 9, in San Antonio, Texas, newly minted WBC Featherweight World Champion Mark Magsayo will make his first title defense since dethroning Gary Russell Jr., on SHOWTIME against unbeaten mandatory challenger and former super bantamweight titleholder Rey Vargas.

Additional high-stakes matches will be announced as individual fight cards fill out.

“It’s a good time to be a boxing fan and SHOWTIME viewer with so many high-level, consequential matchups on our schedule,” said Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “We continue to grow the sport at every level, from our grassroots series SHOBOX to crowning unified and undisputed champions across boxing’s deepest divisions. When you consider the competitive nature of these fights, the star power of fighters like Errol Spence, Jr., ‘Tank’ Davis, David Benavidez, the Charlo brothers—and the youthful vitality of Stephen Fulton, Jr., Jaron Ennis and Brandun Lee—it’s never been clearer that SHOWTIME is the destination for the most compelling fights and will be for years to come. This SHOWTIME Boxing lineup is hands down the most potent of any network or platform in 2022.”

The SHOWTIME Sports boxing schedule features seven editions of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® and two significant SHOWTIME PPV events, all presented by Premier Boxing Champions:

· March 26 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

The Armory, Minneapolis, Minn.

Tim Tszyu vs. Terrell Gausha, Super Welterweight Bout
Michel Rivera vs. Joseph Adorno, Lightweight Bout
Elvis Rodriguez vs. Juan Jose Velasco, Super Lightweight (142 LBS) Bout

· April 9 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

The Theatre at Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas

Erickson Lubin vs. Sebastian Fundora, WBC Super Welterweight Interim Title
Tony Harrison vs. Sergio Garcia, Super Welterweight Bout
Kevin Salgado vs. Bryant Perrella, Super Welterweight Bout

· April 16 – SHOWTIME PPV

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas, WBC, WBA & IBF Welterweight World Championship Unification

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (preceding PPV):

Radzhab Butaev vs. Eimantas Stanionis, WBA Welterweight Title Bout
Brandun Lee vs. Zachary Ochoa, Super Lightweight Bout

· May 14 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Los Angeles

Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castaño II, Undisputed IBF, WBA, WBC & WBO Super Welterweight World Championship Unification
Jaron Ennis vs. Custio Clayton, IBF Welterweight Eliminator

· May 21 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Phoenix

David Benavidez vs. David Lemieux, Super Middleweight Bout
Yoelvis Gomez vs. Jorge Cota, Super Welterweight Bout

· May 28 – SHOWTIME PPV

Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero, WBA Lightweight World Championship

· June 4 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Minneapolis

Stephen Fulton, Jr. vs. Danny Roman, WBO & WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship
David Morrell vs. Kalvin Henderson, WBA Super Middleweight World Title

· June 18 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Houston

Jermall Charlo vs. Maciej Sulecki, WBC Middleweight World Championship

· July 9 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

San Antonio

Mark Magsayo vs. Rey Vargas, WBC Featherweight World Championship

For more information and future fight announcements visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount, owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME^®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX^®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

Carlos Adames Wants Jaime Munguia Now!

LAS VEGAS, NV (December 8, 2021) – After he soundly defeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) in a WBC title elimination bout this past Sunday, Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) now has his sights set on conquering Jaime Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs), in a winner takes all to fight for the WBC World tile against Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs).

Adames, who hails from the Dominican Republic, wants Munguia as soon as possible, and feels a clash with the Mexican star would be a huge fight, one the fans would love to see.

“I’m here to prove that I’m the best middleweight in the division,” said Adames, who trains in Las Vegas under the guidance of Ismael Salas. “I’m very thankful to the WBC for making my fight with Derevyanchenko a title elimination bout. Now that I’ve been victorious, I’m one step closer of my dream of becoming a world champion, and I want to fight Jaime Munguia next. Munguia has a fan friendly style like myself, and I know this is a fight the fans will want to witness.”

Adames has two fights under Ismael Salas, his new trainer, and feels all the pieces are in place for him to make a world title run.

“Since transitioning to Las Vegas to train under Ismael Salas, I’ve been able to get my career back on track,” Adames continued. “I feel I have a great team in place and I’m ready to challenge the biggest names in the sport. Jaime Munguia is the fight I want now!”

“I want to thank the PBC and Showtime for giving me the opportunity to fight on their platform,” concluded Adames. “Charlo is another name on my hit list, I’m coming for them all.”

LIVE VIDEO: Charlo vs. Montiel: Post-Fight Press Conference | SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

JERMALL CHARLO VS. JUAN MACIAS MONTIEL FINAL WEIGHTS

WBC Middleweight World Championship – 12 Rounds

Jermall Charlo – 160 lbs.

Juan Macias Montiel – 159.6 lbs.

Referee: Jon Schorle; Judges: Steve Morrow (Calif.), Nathan Palmer (Ind.), Chris Tellez (N.M.)

Lightweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Isaac Cruz – 133 lbs.

Francisco Vargas – 134 lbs.

Referee: James Green; Judges: Kellie Isaac (Texas), Jesse Reyes (Texas), Randy Russell (Texas)

Super Bantamweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Angelo Leo – 122 lbs.

Aaron Alameda – 123.4 lbs.*

Referee: Gregorio Alvarez; Judges: Jesse Reyes (Texas), Randy Russell (Texas), Eva Zaragoza (Texas)

*Alameda came in over the contracted weight. The fight will proceed as scheduled.

# # #

ABOUT CHARLO VS. MONTIEL

Charlo vs. Montiel will see undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo enter the ring for a Juneteenth Day celebration in his hometown when he takes on hard-hitting Juan Macías Montiel on Saturday, June 19 at Toyota Center in Houston headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event live on SHOWTIME.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and feature rising lightweight contender Isaac Cruz battling former world champion Francisco Vargas in the 10-round co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Angelo Leo returns to take on Mexican contender Aaron Alameda in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.

The event is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. Leo vs. Alameda is promoted in association with Mayweather Promotions.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LIVE VIDEO: Charlo vs. Montiel: Weigh-In | Showtime Championship Boxing

VIDEO: Charlo vs. Montiel: Press Conference | SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

JERMALL CHARLO VS. JUAN MACIAS MONTIEL FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

HOUSTON (June 17, 2021) – Unbeaten WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo went face-to-face with the hard-hitting Juan Macias Montiel Thursday during the final press conference before they meet live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, June 19 from Toyota Center in Houston headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

Thursday’s press conference also featured rising lightweight contender Isaac Cruz and former world champion Francisco Vargas, who meet in the 10-round co-main event, plus former super bantamweight world champion Angelo Leo and Mexican contender Aaron Alameda, who battle in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Saturday’s event is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased at toyotacenter.com.

Charlo has established himself as a force in two divisions and will seek to thrill his hometown crowd against Mexico’s Montiel, in a first-of-its-kind Juneteenth Day boxing celebration. Charlo and his twin brother Jermell Charlo were given a proclamation from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday, declaring this Juneteenth Day “Jermall and Jermell Charlo Day” in their hometown.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

JERMALL CHARLO

“I’m blessed to be in this position to showcase my talent. Camp was awesome. I’ve had great sparring throughout and I’m ready.

“On Saturday you can expect a hard fight. If he comes at me the same way everyone comes at me, you’re going to see the same Jermall Charlo. I can deliver explosive knockouts, go 12 rounds or beat you down from start to finish.

“If he’s strong like they say he is, I’ll show you my movement and attack the body. I have all the skills and ability of every other great middleweight throughout history.

“He’s strong, but I fight strong fighters. I spar heavy fighters all the time. I’m strong too, right? I’m not worried about his power. This is my hometown, and I’m going to stay champion. The talk about his power is just going to make me fight harder.

“This is a real fight. This isn’t James Kirkland or Hugo Centeno Jr. You’re only as good as your last fight. There are levels to this and I’m going to show what level I’m on Saturday. If he’s that good and if his team has a game plan that no one else has used before, then I’ll accept it. But I’ve trained hard for this fight and I’m going to show it.

“I’m honored to be fighting on Juneteenth with the opportunity to represent my people. I get to fight for all my ancestors who fought before me. I love it and I’m focused.

“Every fighter wants the belt. I remember being in that position, but I’m even hungrier now. I’m not sleeping on anybody. I’m still young in my career. I can’t make any mistakes right now. I know he’s coming to fight.

“I am not overlooking Montiel. Saturday is a holiday and that’s great. But I put my life on the line every time I get into the ring. I can’t overlook this guy. He says he trained hard, but I trained way harder.

“June 19 is going to be a party. Everyone get ready for a show. I’m coming for a fight. I’m putting it all on the line. This is going to be one of the fights where I do what I say I’m going to do.”

JUAN MACIAS MONTIEL

“I had an unbelievable training camp. It was the best camp of my entire career. It was very tough physically, but I feel great right now. We’ve worked hard to bring another world champion to Mexico.

“I plan to show everything we’ve worked on in training camp on Saturday night. We’ve worked on a variety of techniques and styles to use in this fight. I’m excited to show them in the ring.

“I was the underdog in the James Kirkland fight and everyone saw what happened. I wasn’t training the way I do now when I fought Hugo Centeno Jr. to a draw. I know that I have the best middleweight in front of me, so I knew that I had to train harder than ever for this fight.

“I believe that if he wants to trade punches with me, he’s going to be sorry that he chose that strategy.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity. On Saturday night I’m going to fulfill my dream of becoming a world champion. No matter what it takes.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“I had a great two and a half months of training and I’m ready for Saturday night. Vargas has a similar style to mine. We both like to stand in front of our opponent, so it’s going to be a great fight.

“I’m planning to put Mexico on top once again. ‘Pitbull’ Cruz is going to show up like I always do. This is going to be a war.

“I plan to deliver a wonderful gift for all of the fans in Houston. Just like I delivered in San Antonio two fights ago, I’m going to show everyone that same power.

“I’m coming to win and I’m ready to have my hand raised. I’m not looking past Vargas, but I’ll be ready for whoever is next after I win.”

FRANCISCO VARGAS

“I’m very motivated and I can’t wait for Saturday night. I had a great training camp and I know that this is going to be an action-packed fight for the fans.

“We both want to win for our country. Everyone knows what kind of fight this is going to be. Cruz is a strong fighter who comes forward, so I’d say our styles are definitely similar.

“There’s not much that needs to be said. People might think I don’t have anything left, but I’m going to prove on Saturday night that there’s plenty in the tank. Everyone is going to see on June 19.

“This is going to be a very entertaining fight. It definitely could steal the night. It’s shaping up to be that type of fight.

“When you’ve got two Mexican warriors, you can expect another Fight of the Year. Don’t miss it on Saturday.”

ANGELO LEO

“It’s a pleasure to be fighting in Houston, Texas. I came up short in my last fight, but this camp we’ve improved my strength and conditioning. I’m a lot stronger and a lot wiser from the experience I had against Stephen Fulton.

“Training camp with my dad has been great. We’re ready to go and put on a show for Houston on Saturday.

“I had COVID-19 about six weeks before the Fulton fight. As a fighter, I wanted to put on a show for the fans no matter what. In that fight, I didn’t have the same stamina that I had in the previous fight. I feel fully healed now and we’re going to deliver a good performance.

“I have a lot of motivation knowing that I’ve been champion once and that I can reach that height again. I just want to prove to everyone that I’m still at the top level of this division and a serious threat to anybody.”

AARON ALAMEDA

“We trained very hard for this fight. I got a lot of good experience from the Luis Nery fight and on Saturday I’m going to show everything that I’ve learned.

“It was a great opportunity against Luis Nery. I’m going to let my hands go, leave it all in the ring and be victorious on Saturday night.

“I’m very motivated by my previous experience against Nery. Everyone will see that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win in this fight.”

#

ABOUT CHARLO VS. MONTIEL
Charlo vs. Montiel will see undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo enter the ring for a Juneteenth Day celebration in his hometown when he takes on hard-hitting Juan Macías Montiel on Saturday, June 19 at Toyota Center in Houston headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event live on SHOWTIME.

The event is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. Leo vs. Alameda is promoted in association with Mayweather Promotions.

Resendiz Shocks Plant; Wins Super Middle Title Via Split Decision

Slap 2: Plant, Charlo taking the first step toward a sequel

VIDEO: FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE | Plant vs. Resendiz & Charlo vs. LaManna

PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

SENSATIONAL MAYWEATHER PROMOTIONS PROSPECT CURMEL MOTON BATTLES RENNY VIAMONTE HIGHLIGHTING NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD ATTRACTIONS THIS SATURDAY, MAY 31

Jermall Charlo Returns to the Ring Against LaManna for WBA Regional Strap

THOMAS “CORNFLAKE” LAMANNA MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

ARMANDO RESENDIZ TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

CALEB PLANT LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

CALEB PLANT VS. ARMANDO RESENDIZ & JERMALL CHARLO VS. THOMAS LAMANNA LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

KYRONE DAVIS TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

MATCHUP OF TOP MIDDLEWEIGHTS PLUS ALL-MEXICAN BATTLE OF UNBEATENS ROUND OUT FOUR-FIGHT PBC CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING ON PRIME VIDEO LINEUP HEADLINED BY PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA SHOWDOWNS ON SATURDAY,MAY 31

VIDEO: CALEB PLANT VS. ARMANDO RESÉNDIZ & JERMALL CHARLO VS. THOMAS LAMANNA VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT STARS CO-HEADLINE IN SEPARATE BOUTS AS CALEB PLANT & JERMALL CHARLO TOP PBC CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING ON PRIME VIDEO ON SATURDAY, MAY 31

David Benavidez stops Andrade, calls out Canelo

FOLLOW BENAVIDEZ – ANDRADE LIVE

Benavidez-Charlo: Fight still on, Charlo fined

Charlo Fined $75,000 per Pound for Missing Weight against Jose Benavidez

DAVID BENAVÍDEZ VS. DEMETRIUS ANDRADE MEDIA WORKOUT AHEAD OF SHOWTIME PPV® SHOWDOWN AT MANDALAY BAY

JERMALL CHARLO TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

Trophy Talk the only real news to come out of the Charlo-Benavidez trash-talk session

JERMALL CHARLO VS. JOSE BENAVIDEZ JR. VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION JERMALL CHARLO BATTLES EXCITING CONTENDER JOSE BENAVIDEZ JR. TOPPING STACKED SHOWTIME PPV® UNDERCARD SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25

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JERMALL CHARLO VS. MACIEJ SULECKIVIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

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WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION JERMALL CHARLO BATTLES MACIEJ SULECKI IN JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IN HIS HOMETOWN OF HOUSTON SATURDAY, JUNE 18 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®FROM TOYOTA CENTER

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JERMALL CHARLO VS. JUAN MACIAS MONTIEL FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

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WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION JERMALL CHARLO BATTLES MACIEJ SULECKI IN JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IN HIS HOMETOWN OF HOUSTON SATURDAY, JUNE 18 LIVE ON SHOWTIME^®FROM TOYOTA CENTER