AUDIO: Jesus Ramos Media Conference after his decision win over Javier Molina
Former Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. had to shake off an early knockdown, but righted himself to win a 12-round unanimous decision over Chris Arreola in front of a restricted sellout of 3,940 fans at The Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
In round two, it was Arreola who landed a chopping right that sent former champ, Ruiz down to a knee. That was the high-point for Arreola as Ruiz was able to get in a rhythm and land hard three-punch combinations throughout that were mostly of the Jab/:eft-hook/Right Hand variety, Arreola seemed like he would be dangerous, but that was thwarted as in round eight, Arreola seemed to hurt his left shoulder after absorbing a right from Ruiz Ruiz was methodical down the stretch and boxed his way to a 118-110, 118-110 and 117-109 victory.
Ruiz landed 161 of 626 punches; Arreola was 109 of 521.
Ruiz, 256 lbs of Imperial, CA is 34-2. Arreola, 228.6 lbs of Los Angeles is 38-7-1.
ANDY RUIZ JR. “Chris is a veteran and a hard puncher. We did what we had to do tonight. We got the victory that we wanted. I was at my lowest point and now I have to climb the ladder again. I’m thankful for the victory and I’m ready to move on to the next.
“He got me with a good clean right hand in the second round. I was too overconfident and dropped my hand a bit. Hats off to him. We just kept pushing and pushing. I switched up and started focusing on counterpunching and working the body.
“I felt a little rust and I know other fighters can relate to that. If he wants to run it back, we’ll run it back with him.”
“I just have to get back to work. I learned a lot about throwing different combinations in training, but the rust showed in the ring. Arreola was very good tonight.
“When you go down, you just have to climb back up. That’s exactly what I did. I got dropped, but I got up and got the victory.
“I could have done a lot more. I couldn’t really find my distance, but some of that was Arreola doing a good job. I could have kept my hands up better, but I just need to get back in the gym and stay busy.
“I got a little overconfident in the early rounds. The most important thing was that we came back and got the victory.
“I’m going to stick around this weight, but I’m going to tighten everything up. I faced a strong veteran who knew exactly what he was doing.
“A fight against Luis Ortiz would be an exciting matchup. I have to get back to training so I can keep feeling better in the ring. I’m actually happy to get the 12 rounds in.”
CHRIS ARREOLA“I respect the judges, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. He might have won, but don’t tell me I only won two or three rounds.
“I got hit in the shoulder and it kinda threw it off. It wasn’t a big deal though. It’s a part of boxing. I didn’t take too much punishment. I’m ready to run it back with Andy.”
“A lot of punches he threw were hitting my gloves. He never put me in danger. It’s dejecting to not get the respect from the judges that I feel I deserve.
“There’s no moral victory. I came here to beat Andy. He might have beat me, but I felt like he won seven rounds at the most.
“I give me and Joe a lot of credit. We trained hard for this fight. I did everything I had to do in the gym.
“I was a better fighter than Andy Ruiz expected. This version of Ruiz would knock Joshua out, but I was in great condition and ready for everything he had to offer.
“I absolutely hurt him, but Andy is a dangerous fighter. I didn’t want to get hit with a suckerpunch like Anthony Joshua.
Ramos stops Figueroa After 6
Abel Ramos dominated and beat up Omar Figueroa Jr as the fight was stopped after round six of their scheduled 12-round welterweight bout.
Ramos landed a plethora of hard shots on an awkward style of Figueroa, who would be holding his glove up on the side of face, Ramos started breaking down Figueroa in round five, as Figueroa was developing a mouse under his right eye. In round six, Ramos dominated Figueroa by landing hard thudding shots to the head of body. Figueroa was spitting up blood and the fight was stopped in the corner.
Ramos, 146.6 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ is 27-4-2 with 21 knockouts. Figueroa, 146.4 lbs of Weslaco, TX is 28-2-1.
ABEL RAMOS“Omar is a very tricky fighter. He has an awkward defense and it was hard to catch him clean at first, but the fight overall went as planned.
“I trained so hard for this fight. I knew my career was on the line. I knew I needed a win and I knew Omar would bring a good fight. I’m glad to be back on the winning side and I’m ready to take on the best of the division.
“We trained to attack the body. Our plan from the beginning was to pressure him. We wanted to score points to the body. I could hear him groaning and I knew once I hurt him bad, that the fight was over.
“I missed the feeling of the crowd cheering. My adrenaline was through the roof. They give you excitement and we missed that in boxing.”
Fundora Stops Cota in 4!
6’7″ Sebastian Fundora continues to be one of boxing’s most exciting and unique performer as he stopped Jorge Cota in round four of their scheduled 12-round junior middleweight fight.
The two stood toe-to-toe for the whole fight as they were winging and whaling shots on one another. In round two, Cota was cut on his nose. Fundora continued to lay a beating on a game Cota, who kept trying to fight back and land an ois fhccasional overhand shot. In round four, Fundora hurt Cota with chopping lefts and body shots. Cota was staggered but he was getting caught and the fight was stopped at 2:35.
Fundora, 152.8 lbs of Coachella, CA is 17-0-1 with 12 knockouts. Cota, 153.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is now 30-5.
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA“I’m extremely grateful to fight in front of the fans tonight. It was fun to hear the cheers, the boos and everything. I’m honored to be in this position.
“It was a good trading fight. We were hitting each other, but my punches were doing more damage and that’s why the referee stepped in. I think he could have been stopped earlier in the round. I just kept fighting until the end.
“I saw his leg wobble in the first round, but he took it and kept coming. The second time I saw it, I knew I had to go for the kill.
“My message to the rest of the division is that we’re here. If youre ready for war, we’re ready to take it. Bring it on.”
Ramos decisions Molina
Jesus Ramos remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Javier Molina in a welterweight bout.
Ramos was cut over his right eye in round six. In round seven, Molina was deducted a point for hitting behind the head.
Ramos landed 135 of 579 punches; Molina was 77 of 413.
Ramos, 150 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ won by scores of 99-90 twice and 97-92 and is now 16-0. Molina, 149.2 lbs of Norwalk, CA is 22-4.
JESUS RAMOS“It was my second time going the distance and that’s what we wanted. We love knockouts, but we’re glad at this point in my career that I got the experience. I thank Molina for taking the fight, he’s a great fighter.
“I might have been looking for a knockout too much in the early rounds. I got used to it and I settled down and I felt like I was breaking him down little by little. He was trying to survive a little bit, so it made it harder to get the knockout.
“I learned a lot today. I’m going to keep building on that. I feel like I have a lot of momentum. It was a big step up for me and I feel like I showed a lot. I showed I have good conditioning and good movement along with my power.
“My father told me to invite him to come to me. We were pressuring him to start. My dad had me change it up. He came in a little bit, but then he backed off. That’s how I tried to counteract his movement.”
Lara Knocks Out LaManna in 1; Wins Middleweight Title
Erislandy Lara won the WBA Middleweight title with a devastating 1st round knockout of Thomas LaManna.
Lara landed a huge left to the head that put LaManna on his back and the fight was stopped at 1:30.
Lara, 159.4 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 28-3-3 with 16 knockouts. LaManna, 159 lbs of Millville, NJ is 30-5-1.
ERISLANDY LARA – KO1 at 1:20
“He said at the press conference that he was going to knock me out, but he ran right into that punch. Maybe he was overthinking it all along.
“I felt strong and sharp tonight at middleweight, but I still want all of the big fights at 154-pounds too. I want the winner of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Carlos Castano unification fight. (WBC Middleweight Champion) Jermall Charlo is like family, we worked in the same gym for years, but this is a sport and I’d welcome the challenge.
“I feel great physically. I’m going to keep doing this until my body tells me I can’t do it anymore. I don’t feel like I’ve taken a lot of punishment in my career and I know I have at least another three years of my prime left.”
Ramirez Stops Avelar in 3; retains Interim Featherweight title
Eduardo Ramirez retained the WBA Interim Featherweight title with a third round stoppage over Isaac Avelar.
In round three, Ramirez dropped Avelar with a perfect right hook. Ramirez finished the fight woth another huge hook that rocked Avelar and the fight was called off at 1:16.
Ramirez, 125.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 25-2-3 with 12 knockouts. Avelar, 125 lbs of Mexico is 17-3.
“I am beyond happy right now. I’m just elated and moved by having been able to fulfill the promise I made to my baby boy Eduardo Ramirez Jr. He just turned two years old and I wasn’t able to be there to give him a hug for his birthday, but I had promised him that I would bring the title back home to him as a gift, and that is exactly what I’m doing now.
“You have to have a stone-cold mindset, and that’s what we had to finish Avelar off. We were able to connect the right combinations to finish the fight off exactly how we wanted.
“This was a perfect coronation. To be honest, I would now like to have the chance to fight against Leo Santa Cruz. I previously fought against Miguel Flores, who barely lasted 4-5 rounds against me, but Leo couldn’t knock him out. This convincing knockout should be my ticket to have that opportunity”.
Adrian Granados and Jose Sanchez battled to a eight-round draw in a welt welterweight contest.
Granados took a card 77-75, while two cards were even at 76-76.
Granados, 146.6 lbs of Mexico City is 21-8-3. Sanchez, 146.2 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 11-1-1.
Carlos Negron won a eight-round unanimous decision over Scott Alexander in a heavyweight bout.
Negron, 238. lbs of Villaba, PR won by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 and is now 23-3. Alexander, 235 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 16-4-2.
Anthony Garnica remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Jesse Bassie i a featherweight fight.
In round one, Garnica dropped Bazzi with a right hand.
Garnica, 125.2 lbs of San Francisco, CA won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is now 6-0. Bassie, 126.4 lbs of Deerborn, MI is 1-2.
Fernando Molina won a six-round unanimous decision over Prisco Marquez in a lightweight bout.
Molina landed 116 of 358 punches; Marquez was 44 of 264.
Molina, 133.6 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX won by 60-53 scores on all cards and is now 6-0. Marquez, 135 lbs of Liberal, KS is 4-3-1.
CASA GRANDE, AZ. (April 14, 2021) – Welterweight contender Abel Ramos and his nephew, rising welterweight star Jesús Ramos, discussed their family’s bond through boxing while previewing their upcoming respective showdowns taking place Saturday, May 1 in FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View undercard action from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Abel Ramos will step in to face former world champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa in the co-main event of the pay-per-view, while Jesús Ramos will battle Javier “El Intocable” Molina in a welterweight attraction that kicks off the pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Abel and Jesús are trained by Abel’s brother and Jesús’ father, Jesús Ramos Sr. in their hometown of Casa Grande, Arizona. Both have spoken effusively about how training alongside a family member, and a fighter at a different point in their career, helps push them during camp.
“It’s great working with Abel,” said Jesús. “We both have the same goal, which is to win on May 1. If I’m ever tired, I just look to Abel and know that I have to keep pushing. I’m always able to ask him for advice and we help each other a lot.”
“It’s great training with a young, hungry fighter like Jesús,” said Abel. “We feed off of each other’s energy, and there’s lots of competitiveness when we train. I think that’s a good thing for both of us.”
Both Abel and Jesús have known since Jesús was little that this was a path the younger Ramos would eventually walk. For Jesús, he’s always used Abel as his inspiration to help get him where he is today.
“Deep down I always knew he’d get into boxing,” said Abel. “He was at all of my fights when he was younger and he always showed an interest in the sport.”
“Abel is the guy that I’ve looked up to since I was a little kid,” said Jesús. “I watched him box from a very young age and have learned a lot from him. Seeing him do it has always inspired me. He’s always taken tough fights and that’s inspiring too. He’s played a huge role in getting me to where I am today.”
While the 20-year-old Jesús is considered a young up-and-comer in the sport, who will be taking on his toughest test May 1 in Javier Molina, Abel believes that his nephew will show wisdom beyond his years in this fight.
“People think because Jesús is young that he doesn’t have experience, but that’s where they’re wrong,” said Abel. “At a very young age he displayed a lot of the abilities of a veteran fighter. He’s always had great patience, as well as the ability to think in the ring. His ring IQ is really high for his age.”
Ahead of the two fighting Ramos’ sharing the pay-per-view undercard on May 1, here is what Abel and Jesús had to say about their training camp, their respective showdowns and more:
ABEL RAMOS
“We’re less than three weeks away now, and every week I feel stronger and more ready for May 1. I’ve been sparring with a bunch of local fighters from Arizona who are helping prepare me. The hardest part is yet to come, but I’m just focusing on the game plan and executing the same program that’s worked in the past.
“It’s great to be a part of this event and show the fans the warrior mentality that us Mexican and Mexican-American fighters have. I can’t wait to put on a great show! It’s motivating for me to showcase our warrior style and it’s making me work my absolute hardest in order to give my best on fight night.
“I learned a lot from facing Yordenis Ugas. I went back and watched that fight, and I saw some things I can improve on. It serves as motivation, but it also showed me that I belong in there with the best in the division. I don’t feel like it was a total loss because I learned from it. But in this fight, I’m going to show all the improvements I’ve made since the Ugas fight.
“I watched Figueroa’s fight against Ugas. But styles make fights and I think my fight against Figueroa is going to be different than what Figueroa and Ugas had. I expect way more action when I face Omar.
“The majority of the game plan is preparing for Figueroa to come forward. We’re getting sparring partners that mimic what Figueroa does. Even when I’m working on the heavy bag, we’re keeping that in mind. I’m constantly imagining someone in front of me who I know is going to throw a lot of punches.
“At the end of the day, I just want the win by any means necessary. I love that people are expecting a great fight from us and I just use that as motivation to prepare myself for what I know will be a grudge match.”
JESÚS RAMOS
“Everything is going how we planned for in this training camp. It’s a grind seven days a week. I’m just keeping up a good diet and focusing on strength and conditioning. We’re going 12 rounds in sparring and I’m feeling ready. I’m in great shape already and we still have two and a half weeks to go. I’ve been sparring with my uncle Abel, Jorge Cota and some other local fighters from Arizona.
“I think Molina has a lot of experience, which I know he’ll try to use against me. He’s a fighter with good speed. But when he fought Jose Pedraza, he struggled against a southpaw. So, I might cause him some problems there, but I’m also bigger than Pedraza. I’m a legit welterweight.
“This fight being so close to Cinco De Mayo, this is a huge deal for me. There are going to be tons of events and festivities that week and to be a part of all of that is an honor. I just want to represent Mexico in the best way that I can.
“A victory over Molina would be a big statement. A lot of people are saying that he’s my toughest opponent to date. And beating him will get me fights with some even bigger names. But I have to beat Molina first.
“I’d love to get a knockout against Molina. He’s faced some tough fighters and nobody has been able to knock him out. But if I can’t get the knockout then I just want to dominate him and look good getting the win however I can.”
ABOUT FOX SPORTS PBC PPV: RUIZ VS. ARREOLA
Ruiz vs. Arreola will see former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz, Jr. battle all-action heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare’’ Arreola in the main event of an all-Mexican boxing extravaganza on Saturday, May 1 headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former world champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa, Jr. clashing with Abel Ramos in the 12-round welterweight co-main event. Sensational super welterweight contender Sebastián “The Towering Inferno’’ Fundora takes on hard-hitting Jorge “El Demonio’’ Cota in a 12-round battle and rising welterweight star Jesús Ramos duels U.S. Olympian Javier “El Intocable” Molina for 10-rounds of welterweight action in the pay-per-view opener.
The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park will be open to fans in a limited capacity, with all guests remaining socially distanced and subject to local and state health guidelines throughout the event.
The FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View is priced at $49.99. Buy now on foxsports.com/ppv and watch on any screen!
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
CARSON, CALIF. (April 6, 2021) – Fighters competing on the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View undercard Saturday, May 1 previewed their respective showdowns during a virtual press conference Tuesday before they step in the ring for the event headlined by former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. battling all-action heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The virtual press conference featured former world champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa, Jr. and Abel Ramos, who meet in the co-main event, sensational super welterweight contender Sebastián “The Towering Inferno’’ Fundora and hard-hitting Jorge “El Demonio’’ Cota, who battle in a 12-round attraction, and rising welterweight star Jesús Ramos and U.S. Olympian Javier “El Intocable” Molina, who square-off to kick off the pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park will be open to fans in a limited capacity, with all guests remaining socially distanced and subject to local and state health guidelines throughout the event.
The FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View is priced at $49.99.
Here is what the press conference participants had to say Tuesday:
OMAR FIGUEROA JR.
“I’m definitely looking to make this an interesting fight. We don’t get paid for overtime. If I can get it done in a round, trust that I’m going to try. It all depends on what Abel brings to the ring. We’ll see what kind of fight he brings and go from there.
“When you’re facing the top guys in the sport and you know you’re not 100% healthy, the weight of it all becomes unbearable at times. I needed to give my body time to heal, and right now I feel like all of that is behind me. I feel as close to 100% as I’ve ever felt and I’m excited to see how my body holds up.
“All I’m focused on is Abel Ramos. He’s no light task, so I can’t look ahead to any possible matchups in the future. The only thing I can control is my performance in this fight on May 1.
“These last couple of years have been tough for me. My life has been this sport ever since I was three or four-years-old. Thinking about a loss never crossed my mind until it actually happened. Having that ‘1’ in the loss column gave me a different perspective on everything and you’ll see it on May 1.
“I’ve given fans great fights throughout my career, including a few times at this venue. It takes two to tango, so we’ll see what Abel brings on fight night. I can’t wait to get this show on the road.
“I’m excited to continue this new chapter in my career and show everyone how I’ve grown. I appreciate everyone who has stood by me. I really believe this is going to be the best chapter yet.”
ABEL RAMOS
“I’ve been training hard and I’m going to be ready to step in against Omar on May 1. I have a great opportunity and there’s nothing on my mind but taking advantage of it.
“The experts are right to say that we can steal the show because of our styles. The styles are going to mix very well. The fans are definitely going to love this fight.
“Omar is a warrior and we can’t look past him. The winner of this fight will definitely be placed in a great position. There’s no chance I’m overlooking Omar, but I’m still very aware of where I can go with a win on May 1.
“There have been a lot of great wars in this venue. Something about that place just attracts these types of fights. Like always, I’m just focused on my job heading into this fight. To me, that job is giving fans an exciting fight.
“To everyone watching this fight, this is going to be a great battle between Mexican warriors. It’s a whole card full of warriors and we’re going to do our part to give everyone a great show from start to finish.”
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA
“I’m excited to be on this card and be part of the Cinco de Mayo legacy of fighting for the Mexican fans.
“We just picked up training right where we left off after my last fight. I didn’t take any time off after the fight in December. Since we were originally supposed to fight Cota then, this is really my second training camp preparing for him.
“If I wanted to, I could squeeze down to 147 pounds. I walk around at my ring weight. This camp was probably even easier than my last camp in that sense, because it’s getting a little hotter so that there’s no problem with any weight coming off.
“We’re looking to get that shot at the champions in this division. No matter who is in front of us, we’re aiming to impress and show everyone we deserve to be on that level. We don’t really worry too much about what the competition in my immediate future is going to look like, we just keep working hard one fight at a time.
“I know that they say Cota has a lot of power, and his record shows it. We’re ready for war, a boxing match or anything he brings. I’m ready to win no matter what.
“I felt the competition level changed with fighting Nathaniel Gallimore. Winning that fight and my most recent one has really helped boost my confidence up so I feel like I can take on anyone in this division.
“This is going to be a war. We’re both going to be bringing it from the opening bell and I can’t wait for it to take place in front of live fans.”
JORGE COTA
“I know that I’m facing a tough undefeated fighter who’s very talented, but I’m bringing my best. I’m training very hard to be 100% on May 1.
“Nothing is too different compared to the preparation we had for the first time we were supposed to fight Fundora. We both wanted to fight each other after it got cancelled, so I’m glad we’re able to still make it happen.
“I’m in Tucson, Arizona right now getting in great work to be ready and at my best on May 1. I only had a bit of a cough for COVID-19 symptoms, so I didn’t feel any ill effects from it and I certainly don’t feel any right now.
“It’s hard to find sparring partners with Fundora’s characteristics, but I’m very confident with what we’ve been able to do in camp. We’ve found guys with similar physical attributes to give me the looks I need in sparring.
“This is a fight that the fans are going to be on their feet for. This fight could end at any one moment. We’re going to be trying to knock each other out from the start and we’ll just see what happens on May 1.
“I’m going to go into the ring fully prepared and with no intention other than getting this victory. I know what this win means for my career. I prepared myself physically and mentally for what this fight means for my career.
“There’s no secret that when the bell rings, we’re going to come after each other. I can’t wait for this fight and I’m definitely ready to steal the show on May 1.”
JESUS RAMOS
“I feel that I’ve been stepping up with each fight. Javier Molina is a big step up. If everything goes right, we’re going to keep stepping up little by little. I want to be champion by the time I’m 21-years-old. I know that if I keep doing everything right, I can accomplish that goal.
“I set my knockouts up and I work hard each round. If the knockout comes, it comes, but if not, I’m always ready to go 12 rounds. That’s how it’s going to be on May 1.
“Molina is the opponent who will bring the best out of me. I hope for that to happen in this fight. I want to go past round four. I want to show everyone my true talent. Some people classify me as a knockout artist, but I’ve seen what I do in sparring and I hope to showcase that in this fight.
“Sparring with Terence Crawford and Maurice Hooker was a great experience. It’s given me a boost of confidence going into any fight I have. I’ve seen how champions train and been in there with champions. It was really intense sparring and it was great to learn from guys of that caliber.
“We’ve always had high-level training camps, no matter who the opponent is. I always prepare as if it’s a world title fight. I don’t take anyone lightly and that’s definitely the case with Javier Molina. A lot of people consider him my toughest test to date, but I think those tough training camps have me ready for this step up.”
JAVIER MOLINA
“We’re working hard in the gym because we have a young tough opponent here. This won’t be an easy fight and that’s what I expect at this point in my career.
“My last fight against Jose Pedraza was a tough battle, it just wasn’t my night. When I got this fight, I knew that this was the type of fight I needed to get back to where I want to be.
“I was off from the beginning in my last fight. I was impatient in the fight, But I’m grateful that I’m back with an opportunity to get to where I want to be.
“I think with a win over Pedraza I would have had a 140-pound title shot, but I always knew that going back to 147 was inevitable. I feel great at this weight and we’re working hard to put on a show.
“I’ve been doing this my whole life. After my loss to Pedraza, I just stayed in the ring and kept working hard. I’m thankful for this opportunity to showcase my skills. I have nothing but respect for Ramos, but when we’re in the ring, it’s a totally different story.
“A win over Ramos just gets me a level closer to a world title. I’ve been a pro since I was 19, so I know that we’ve been working hard and training great. I plan on taking full advantage of this opportunity on May 1.”
TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions
“We’re really excited about this pay-per-view undercard. We have three great all-action, toss-up fights. There’s been a lot of talk lately about great young welterweight prospects and I just have to say that everyone should keep their eye on Jesus Ramos. He’s stepping up to open the pay-per-view in his toughest opponent to date in a very good U.S. Olympian in Javier Molina.
“Sebastian Fundora is another top prospect stepping in for this pay-per-view, and he’ll also be facing a tough veteran who should provide a real test in Jorge Cota. Plus Omar Figueroa Jr. taking on Abel Ramos is a perfect style matchup that I believe is going to break out to be a ‘Mexican style’ Gatti vs. Ward fight. This is truly a stacked card from top to bottom.”
ABOUT FOX SPORTS PBC PPV: RUIZ VS. ARREOLA
Ruiz vs. Arreola will see former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz, Jr. battle all-action heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare’’ Arreola in the main event of an all-Mexican boxing extravaganza on Saturday, May 1 headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former world champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa, Jr. clashing with Abel Ramos in the 12-round welterweight co-main event. Sensational super welterweight contender Sebastián “The Towering Inferno’’ Fundora takes on hard-hitting Jorge “El Demonio’’ Cota in a 12-round battle and rising welterweight star Jesús Ramos, Jr. duels U.S. Olympian Javier “El Intocable” Molina for 10-rounds of welterweight action in the pay-per-view opener.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
CARSON, CALIF. – (March 24 , 2021) – Former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz, Jr. will battle all-action heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare’’ Arreola in the main event of an all-Mexican boxing extravaganza on Saturday, May 1 headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with an undercard stacked from top to bottom with fan-friendly, action-packed matchups, as the co-feature will see former world champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa, Jr. clash with Abel Ramos in a 12-round welterweight bout. Sensational super welterweight contender Sebastián “The Towering Inferno’’ Fundora takes on hard-hitting Jorge “El Demonio’’ Cota in a 12-round battle and rising welterweight star Jesús Ramos, Jr., the nephew of Abel Ramos, duels U.S. Olympian Javier “El Intocable” Molina for 10-rounds of welterweight action.
The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 26 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park will be open to fans in a limited capacity, with all guests remaining socially distanced and subject to local and state health guidelines throughout the event.
The FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View is priced at $49.95.
“This pay-per-view card is one of the best all-action lineups that I can remember and is loaded with fighters who know nothing but delivering toe-to-toe combat. Headlining the card is the only heavyweight champion of Mexican descent, Andy Ruiz, Jr., taking on Chris Arreola, the first serious Mexican-American heavyweight contender,’’ said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Andy Ruiz Jr. shocked the sports world when he destroyed Anthony Joshua to win heavyweight titles at Madison Square Garden. No upset in recent years has been nearly as big a story as Ruiz stunning Joshua and no boxer of Mexican descent weighing more than 175 pounds had ever won a championship before him. Ruiz has re-dedicated himself and is focused on regaining the heavyweight crown and Arreola is determined to make one more run at the title.
“The pay-per-view undercard matchups are toss-up fights that predicate great action, featuring top young contenders, a former world champion and an Olympian. No matter what happens on May 1, boxing fans will be the real winners.”
Ruiz and Arreola, two Mexican-American heavyweights from Southern California, have been circling each other for years. They both had designs on becoming the first fighter of Mexican descent to win the heavyweight title. Ruiz won it and lost it, while Arreola still hungers for it. This high-stakes match will determine who remains in the hunt.
Ruiz (33-2, 22 KOs) shocked the boxing world in 2019 when he was brought in as a late replacement to face heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua and turned the tables on the champion, knocking him out in the seventh round and taking home the titles. The 31-year-old from Imperial, California lost his rematch with Joshua by unanimous decision, but has now rededicated himself to regaining the heavyweight championship.
“I can’t wait to get back in the ring on May 1,” said Ruiz, who is now being trained by renowned coach Eddy Reynoso. “Training with coach Eddy in his gym has been amazing. I’m around great fighters like Canelo Alvarez and we’re putting in the work so that I can look better than ever.
“I have known Chris Arreola since I turned professional. He’s a Mexican warrior just like me, and I expect him to come at me with everything he’s got. This is going to be an action packed event between fighters who do not go backwards. I will be smart and ready to do whatever it takes to get the win and put myself back in position to become heavyweight champion again.”
Arreola (38-6-1, 33 KOs) has a career that has spanned 17 years and he remains one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the sport. Born in East Los Angeles to parents from Mexico, Arreola has fought for the heavyweight championship three times and come up short. He began working with renowned trainer Joe Goossen before his last match against Adam Kownacki and appeared to have turned back the clock. It was a back-and-forth, up-tempo match and Goossen’s work with Arreola was on full display. Arreola acquitted himself well, but came up on the short end of the decision.
“Training with Joe Goossen is tedious, hard work,” said Arreola, whose father was a boxer who would take him to Mexico to watch the legend Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr. train. “We’re doing everything that we can so that when Ruiz and I face each other, fight fans will get treated to an all-out war between the two best Mexican-American heavyweights to ever step in the ring. This matchup should be a fan friendly fight, and I plan on winning behind all of my hard work.”
The 31-year-old Figueroa (30-1-1, 19 KOs) is from a fighting family along with his younger brother Brandon, the WBA Super Bantamweight Champion. Figueroa won the WBC Lightweight World Championship with a unanimous decision victory over Nihito Arakawa in a 2013 “Fight of the Year” and successfully defended the title two times before moving up to super lightweight in 2015. In his last fight in 2019, he fought Yordenis Ugas, who is currently the WBA Welterweight World Champion, losing a unanimous decision.
“I’ve been training with Joel Diaz for the last six weeks and doing everything necessary leading up to this fight,” said Figueroa. “This is the best shape I’ve ever been in this far out from a fight, because I now realize what I need to do differently to ensure the longevity of my career. I’m training and preparing the right way. I can’t wait to prove on May 1 that I belong with the elite fighters in this division.”
Abel Ramos (26-4-2, 20 KOs) is also from a fighting family. His older brother, Jesús, Sr. trains him, and his nephew, Jesús, Jr., is a spectacular welterweight prospect featured on this pay-per-view undercard. Ramos, 29, is from Casa Grande, Arizona and lost a narrow split decision to Yordenis Ugas in his last fight. He got a chance to display both his comeback ability and his punching power in his previous fight before Ugas, when he scored a last second KO victory against Bryant Perrella. Ramos was trailing on all the judges’ scorecards at the time of the knockout.
“This fight will be exciting because Omar’s boxing style and my boxing style match up perfectly for an action-packed fight,” said Ramos. “I expect him to put on the pressure like he always does. But I will be prepared for that and anything else he brings on fight night. A victory over Omar will put me in position to fight for a world title again. I want to earn that shot with a great performance and prove that I can beat the best fighters in the division.”
Fundora (16-0-1, 11 KOs) continues to rise up the super welterweight ranks and his match against the veteran Jorge Cota will be his toughest to date. He steps into the squared circle showing off the skills of a rugged boxer who is just as comfortable fighting on the inside as on the outside. The 23-year-old Fundora’s mother is Mexican and his father is Cuban, and both were boxers. He was born in West Palm Beach, Florida but now lives and trains in Coachella, California. Fundora is coming off a knockout victory over Habib Ahmed last December.
“I’m really looking forward to fighting Jorge Cota on this big event on May 1,” said Fundora, who at 6-foot-6 looks like he should be setting up on the wing of a basketball court rather than squaring off in a boxing ring. “I’m laser-focused because I know this will be a tough test for me. I’m sure that he will be training hard too, but I’ll be up for the challenge and I look forward to showing off my skills and fighting for all the hard-working people out there.”
Cota (30-4, 27 KOs) is a rugged slugger who always comes to fight. He has been in the ring with unified 154-pound world champion Jermell Charlo, former unified world champion Jeison Rosario and top contender Erickson Lubin. Cota, 33, is from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico and is coming off a powerful knockout victory over Thomas LaManna last January. With his experience and power, Cota will present a challenge yet-unseen by the rising Fundora.
“I am treating this fight like it is do-or-die for my career,” said Cota. “Fundora is very tall, but he can be hit. I think my style works well against his. I can’t wait to prove what I can do on May 1.”
Ramos (15-0, 14 KOs), the nephew of welterweight contender Abel Ramos, has paved his way to stardom in the talent-laden welterweight division with highlight-reel KOs. He has scored five-straight knockout victories following his only pro fight that went the distance, which came in a June 2019 unanimous decision over Kevin Shacks. He steadily increased the toughness of competition in 2020 and he has continued that trend in 2021. In his last fight, Ramos scored a spectacular knockout victory over rugged veteran Jesus Emilio Bojorquez in February.
“I’m looking to make a statement in this fight against a tough opponent in Javier Molina,” said Ramos, a 20-year-old from Casa Grande, Arizona. “We know it’s a big step up, but my team and I feel like it’s time the world sees my talent. Molina will bring out some of the many things that I’m capable of. This win would prove that I’m not just any prospect. Fight fans don’t want to miss this one, because they’re going to see an exciting glimpse of what I can do in the ring.”
The 31-year-old Molina (22-3, 9 KOs) also grew up in the sport, as his father was an amateur boxer. Molina was on the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing team, while his twin brother, Oscar, represented Mexico in the 2008 Olympics. He has an older brother, Carlos, who also is a boxer. Fighting out of Norwalk, California, Molina is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Jose Pedraza last September. Before that, he scored a unanimous decision victory over veteran contender Amir Imam.
“I’m excited for this fight and for the opportunity to face an unbeaten prospect in Jesús Ramos,” said Molina. “A lot of people are probably counting me out, but I’m ready to prove all the doubters wrong. This is going to be a great fight that fans won’t want to miss on May 1.”
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Former world champion Anthony Dirrell and Kyrone Davis fought to a 12-round draw in a super middleweight bout in Los Angeles.
Dirrell landed 161 of 435 punches; Davis was 139 of 521.
Both fighters took a card 115-113 and a third card was even at 114-114.
Dirrell, 167 1/2 lbs of Flint, MI is 33-2-2. Davis, 167 1/2 lbs of Wilmington, DE is 15-2-1.
“I thought I won the fight. I pushed the fight, hit him with cleaner punches,” Dirrell said. “He hit gloves a lot. I knew it was going to be a draw—as soon as they said it was going to be a split decision. I can’t control what the judges do and I respect them all because they have different perspectives and angles on what is happening.
“I was pressing the fight, I wasn’t tired at all. My jab was working. But I can’t stop what the judges think. Davis fought well. He did what he was supposed to, came in with a good game plan. He was boxing, he normally doesn’t do that. But we pressed the action.”
“I’m looking for a title. I’m not looking for just another fight. I’m looking for a big fight. That’s the plan,” Dirrell said. “I’ll take whoever has a belt, whoever we can get. I’ll take a Canelo, or a Caleb Plant.”
“I thought I won the fight, 116-112. It was a great opportunity. They doubted me. They told me he was going to knock me out. This was supposed to be a showcase for him but it wasn’t,” Davis said. “My body felt well. I felt good. Anthony Dirrell is a two-time world champion. I really wanted to make a statement. A draw is not as bad as a loss but I really don’t like breaking even.
“It was my first 12-rounder so it was a little unfamiliar for me. I knew he was experienced, but I kept my composure and pushed through it. I stuck to the game plan that (trainer) Stephen “Breadman” Edwards gave me.”
Ramos stops Bojorquez in 2
Jesus Ramos stopped Jesus Bojorquez in round two of a scheduled 10-round weltweight bout.
In round two, Ramos dropped Bojorquez with a hard left. Bojorquez was hurt and bleeding. He took more punishment and the fight was stopped at 1:44.
Ramos is now 15-0 with 14 knockouts. Bojorquez is 24-3.
“I was surprised he got up from that right hook. I was setting it up, throwing my jab to the body,” Ramos said. “I knew he was expecting another jab but I feinted and came back with the right hook. I didn’t think he would get up but he did and then I finished the job. This was a test run [at 147]. I felt really strong, the weight cut was a lot smoother this time around. I might campaign here. I have to talk to my team and see what they think.
“I want to be a champion at 21 years of age. That would be next year. I want to step up the competition this year, fight guys with names, and next year fight guys like Yordenis Ugas.”
Mielnicki stops Lopez in 3
Vito Mielnicki Jr. stopped Noe Alejandro Lopez in round three of a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.
Mielnicki pounded away on Lopez until the bout was stopped at 2:50.
Mielnicki, 146 1/2 lbs of Roseland, NJ 8-0 with five knockouts. Lopez, 146 lbs of Houston is 10-4-1.
“I felt strong tonight. I don’t know how long I’ll be at 147, moving up may be in my future. For this fight, I give myself an ‘A.’ I got him out of there, a guy who said was a step-up, a guy who they said would carry me into the later rounds. But I expect nothing less of myself because I know I’m going to be great,’’ Mielnicki said.
“I’m just going to keep learning. I’m still young. I’m still 18 so we’re not in a rush. We’re going to keep building and see where that takes us. I’m 8-0 with 5 knockouts and I’m not injured or anything so I’m ready to get back in the ring as soon as possible.”
Michel Rivera stopped Anthony Mercado in the final round of their welterweight bout.
In round six, Mercado took a knee after absorbing some solid body shots. In round eight, Rivera sent Mercado down from a combination. Mercado looked exhausted upon reaching his feet, and the bout was stopped at 2:26.
Rivera, 144 1/2 lbs of Miami is 20-0 with 13 knockouts. Mercado, 146 lbs of Camuy, PR is 13-5.
Anthony Cuba and Diego Elizondo fought to a majority draw in a four round lightweight bout.
Cuba landed 41 of 196 punches; Elizondo was 47 of 216.
Cuba took a card 39-37 while two cards read even at 38-38.
Cuba, 134 1/2 lbs is 1-0-1. Elizondo, 135 lbs is 3-2-3.
LOS ANGELES (February 16, 2021) – Two-time super middleweight world champion Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell takes on Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis in a 12-round WBC Super Middleweight World Title eliminator to headline FOX PBC Fight Night live on Saturday, February 27 from the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
The show features two of the most sensational teenage boxers in the sport as 19-year-old welterweight rising star Jesus Ramos battles Jesus Bojorquez in a 10-round co-feature and 18-year-old exciting prospect Vito Mielnicki, Jr. squares off against Noe Lopez in an eight-round welterweight match to open the broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is promoted by TGB Promotions.
“Anthony Dirrell is a natural-born fighter. He’s had to overcome several obstacles in his life to become two-time super middleweight world champion. Each time he has had to come back, he’s done it and been stronger than before,’’ said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Kyrone Davis believes this is his moment to shine under the spotlight of FOX PBC Fight Night. What Dirrell and Davis bring to the ring on February 27 are the ingredients for a terrific fight. The added treat is watching the continued rise of a pair of brilliant young boxers – Jesus Ramos and Vito Mielnicki, Jr. – as they take on tough challenges.’’
Dirrell (33-2-1, 24 KOs), a two-time WBC 168-pound world champion, is a battle-tested veteran who never backs down from anyone in the ring. The 36-year-old Dirrell won the WBC title for the first time with a unanimous decision over Sakio Bika in 2014. The native of Flint, Michigan lost the title the next year to Badou Jack by majority decision. He put together six straight victories after that loss to get back into position to fight for the championship again. He won the title with a technical decision victory over Avni Yildirim in 2019. Dirrell is the younger brother of Andre Dirrell, who won a bronze medal as a member of the U.S. Olympic boxing team in 2004. He is coming off a hard-fought loss to former champion David Benavidez.
“I feel great, camp has been great and it feels good to get back in the ring with everything that’s been going on in the world,” said Dirrell. “Kyrone Davis has fought some good guys but with me being me, he’s biting off a little more than he chew. Fans can look forward to a knockout on February 27. I’m not playing, I’m going to make a statement.”
Davis (15-2, 6 KO) will face the toughest challenge of his career when he steps in against the more experienced Dirrell. The 26-year-old Davis from Monmouth, N.J. will be moving up to super middleweight for this match. His last fight was a TKO victory over Antonio Todd at middleweight in January 2020. His only two losses came against Junior Castillo and Patrick Day in 2018. His most notable victory so far came against Marcos Hernandez in 2017. Hernandez was undefeated at the time.
“I’ve worked extremely hard and I’m thankful for the opportunity and plan to take full advantage of it,’’ Davis said. “It’s my turn and you’re going to see that on FOX PBC on February 27.”
Ramos (14-0, 13 KOs), the nephew of welterweight contender Abel Ramos, steadily increased the toughness of competition in 2020. The 19-year-old from Casa Grande, Arizona has scored four-straight knockout wins following his only pro fight that has gone the distance, which came in a June 2019 unanimous decision over Kevin Shacks. In his last fight Ramos scored a fourth round stoppage against Naim Nelson in December 2020 on FOX.
“I’m very excited to be back in the ring on February 27, just two months after my last fight,” said Ramos. “I want to stay active this year, and I can’t wait to kick off 2021 with another solid performance.”
Bojorquez (24-2, 18 KOs) has scored four straight victories since losing to Abner Lopez. All four of those victories came by way of stoppage. The 33-year-old Bojorquez from Sonora, Mexico will be fighting for the first time in the United States. He’s coming off a fourth round TKO win over Jose Luis Araiza.
“I know Ramos is a tough young boxer and he’s been on a hot streak. But I’ve been on a hot streak too and my experience will be the deciding factor,’’ said Bojorquez. “I’m looking forward to going against him in an exciting fight on FOX PBC in prime time. I expect it will be a tough fight but I’m ready for anything that he can come with on February 27.’’
Representing Roseland, New Jersey, Mielnicki (7-0, 4 KOs) began turning heads during an exceptional amateur career where he compiled a 147-22 record and was named the Most Oustanding Boxer of the 2011 Junior National Golden Gloves amongst many accolades before turning pro. Last December, the 18-year-old welterweight dropped Steven Pulluaim twice on his way to a six-round unanimous decision.
“Camp is going great and I’m in the best shape of my life,” said Mielnicki. “I can’t wait to showcase my talent on FOX in my first eight-rounder.”
Veteran Lopez (10-3-1, 4 KOs) hails from the fighting town of Jalisco, Mexico and currently resides in Spring, Texas. He’s remained active during the pandemic, fighting three times in 2020, including two victories and a points loss to Joseph Francisco last November.
“I’m really excited about this fight,” said Lopez. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this and I’ve been training hard for months now. Mielnicki is a young, strong kid. I’m going to go out there, test him and shock the world.”
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
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WBA Interim Super Middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. beat up Mike Gavronski on his way to a 3rd round stoppage in a scheduled 10-round bout at The Shrine Event Center in Los Angeles.
At the end of round one, Morrell landed a big combination that was punctuated by a straight left that sent Gavronski down to the canvas. Morrell continued to batter Gavronski with some hard uppercuts and straight lefts. Finally in round three, Morrell landed another blasting left uppercut that forced referee Jack Reiss to stop the bout at 2:45.
Morrell, 170 lbs of Minneapolis, MN is 4-0 with three knockouts. Gavronski, 167.4 lbs of Bellevue, WA is 26-4-1.
Montiel Stops Kirkland in 1
Juan Macias Montiel stopped James Kirkland in the opening round of their ten round middleweight bout,
In the first 30 seconds, Montiel landed a left hook to the temple that sent Kirkland down. Montiel landed two hard uppercuts and a left that dropped Kirkland for a 2nd tine. Two more hard uppercuts later sent Kirkland down again and the fight was stopped at 1:56.
Montiel, 161.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 25-4-2 with 22 knockouts. Kirkland, 162 lbs of Austin, TX is 34-3.
Ramos Stops Nelson After 4
Jesus Ramos remained undefeated with stoppage victory over Naim Nelson after round four of their scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout,
In round three, Ramos landed a left followed by a right to the body that put Nelson on the canvas. In round four, Ramos landed a wicked right hook that sent Nelson slumping into the ropes for a knockdown. Nelson was cut under his left eye. The fight was halted by the corner following the frame.
Ramos, 144.4 lbs of Case Grande, AZ is 14-0 with 13 knockouts. Nelson, 143.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 14-5.
Travon Lawson scored an upset 4th round stoppage over Angel Barrientes in a scheduled six-round super bantamweight bout.
Barrientes took the 1st three rounds until Lawson landed several big right hands that sent Barrientes down. Barrientes was unsteady as he got up, and the fight was stopped at 55 seconds.
Lawson, 122 lbs of Tuscaloosa, AL is 4-0 with three knockouts. Barrientes, 123.4 lbs of Las Vegas is 4-1.
Alantez Fox won a 10-round unanimous decision over Marcos Hernandez in a super middleweight bout.
In round four, Fox was cut on the inside of the bridge of his nose.
Fox landed 123 of 524 punches; Hernandez was 93 of 330.
Fox, 167.2 lbs of Forestville, MD won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94, and is now 27-2-1. Hernandez, 166.6 lbs of Fresno, CA is 14-4-1.
Chavez Barrientes remained undefeated by stopping Paul Carroll after round three of their scheduled four-round super bantamweight bout.
In round three, Barrientes dropped Carroll with a fight hand. The fight was halted by Carroll’s corner following the round.
Barrientes, 123.8 lbs of Las Vegas is 5-0 with four knockouts. Carroll, 122.4 lbs of Columbia, SC is 4-2.
Radzhab Butaev stopped Terry Chatwood in a scheduled eight-round battle of undefeated welterweights.
In round three, Butaev landed a crushing left hook to the body that sent Chatwood down to the canvas rolling around in pain for the 10-count at 1:01.
Butaev, 149.6 lbs of Russia is 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Chatwood, 148.6 lbs of Arkansas is 9-1-1.
LOS ANGELES (December 22, 2020) – Unbeaten rising star Jesús Ramos moved his training camp to Colorado Springs and believes the altitude and quality sparring he received will aid him as he prepares to take on Naim Nelson in FOX PBC Fight Night action and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
“The altitude in Colorado has definitely helped my conditioning,” said the 19-year-old Ramos. “My dad is my head coach, but we’ve also worked with strength and conditioning coach Jamie Belt. At first, it was rough training at this altitude, but I feel more comfortable and much better now.
“Sparring with former champions Maurice Hooker and Robert Brant is great experience for me. Combined with this being my second fight in ‘the bubble’, I’m ready to put on an explosive performance December 26.”
Ramos has continued to look for ways to improve his arsenal as he heads into the matchup against Nelson. Nelson’s most notable opponent is WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario Barrios, and Ramos’ goal is to outdo the performance that Barrios had against Nelson, while also showing off new aspects of his skillset.
“I have a shorter opponent for this fight, so I know I’ll be throwing my jab consistently,” said Ramos. “We’ve also been working on my angles and being more creative with my punches. I’ve only seen a couple of tapes on Nelson, but I know he likes to come forward. I feel strong and ready for whatever he brings.
“Nelson was stopped against Barrios, but I believe it was because of a shoulder injury. I’m looking to give him a loss but with an actual knockout this time. I’m going to perform with my style and make him fight my fight. I’ll take my time, use my jab, and when the time comes, I’ll take advantage and get him out of there.”
In addition to his father and head trainer Jesús Sr., Ramos’ uncle and veteran welterweight contender Abel Ramos has been by his side and providing motivation for Jesús Jr.’s burgeoning career. With seeing what Abel has accomplished, Jesús Jr. knows what it will take to reach his boxing dreams for 2021 and beyond.
“The most important thing I’ve learned from Abel is that anything is possible if I work hard and don’t give up on my dreams,” said Ramos. “I feel like by 21-years-old, I’ll be more than ready to compete for a title. I think I need a couple more tough fights under my belt before I go in there against a champion, but once I get that, I’ll be prepared for a title shot.
“Hopefully 2021 brings a lot more fights so that I can stay active and get those fights to prepare me for a title fight. We want tough fights and I just want to stay dedicated. Even when I’m outside of the ring I’ll be studying and doing whatever I can to get ready for my shot when it comes.”
ABOUT MORRELL VS. GAVRONSKI
Morrell vs. Gavronski will see Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. face Mike Gavronski in the 12-round main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will feature the return of renowned knockout artist James Kirkland dueling hard-hitting Juan Macías Montiel in the 10-round middleweight co-main event while unbeaten young rising star Jesús Ramos battles Naim Nelson in a 10-round super lightweight bout that will kick off the broadcast.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
LOS ANGELES (December 15, 2020) – Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. will face Mike Gavronski in the 12-round main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will feature the return of renowned knockout artist James Kirkland dueling hard-hitting Juan Macias Montiel in the 10-round middleweight co-main event while unbeaten young rising star Jesus Ramos battles Naim Nelson in a 10-round super lightweight bout that will kick off the broadcast.
The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.
“Cuban sensation David O. Morrell Jr. burst onto the scene in 2019 and followed that up in August this year by putting on a great performance to capture his interim super middleweight title,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He will look to continue his rapid rise at 168-pounds with a battle-tested challenger in Mike Gavronski. James Kirkland has entertained fans with his aggressive style and prolific power for years, and seeks another chance to face the best in the sport beginning December 26. Adding in the scintillating rising star Jesus Ramos returning to action against Naim Nelson, and fight fans can expect a late present the day after Christmas on FOX PBC Fight Night.”
Morrell (3-0, 2 KOs) arrived in the U.S. last year and immediately began to show the same prodigious talents that made him a standout in Cuba’s iconic amateur scene. In August he became interim champion by scoring a dominant decision victory over then unbeaten Lennox Allen on FOX. Now fighting out of Minneapolis, Morrell made his pro debut there in August 2019, stopping Yendris Valdez in the first round. The 22-year-old followed that up in November 2019, knocking out Quinton Rankin, who entered the fight with a 15-6-2 record and had most recently gone the distance with former champion Chad Dawson five months before facing Morrell.
“I feel very happy about being able to fight before the year is out,” said Morrell. “I want to reach the goals I set for myself and continue to provide for my family. I’m working toward being the best in my division and I know I will get there. I’m also thankful for my team’s efforts and trust in my talent. I’m ready to take full advantage of this opportunity.”
Originally from Bellevue, Washington and now fighting out of Lockport, Illinois, Gavronski (26-3-1, 16 KOs) has won back-to-back fights since dropping a 2018 contest to top super middleweight Jesse Hart in 2018. Gavronski owns victories over Brian Vera, then unbeaten Jake Carr and Geraldo Ibarra, in a career that has also seen him face Tureano Johnson. Gavronski’s 2019 victories came in a decision over Emmanuel Sanchez and a stoppage of Tommy Hughes.
“I’m very grateful for an opportunity in a big fight like this,” said Gavronski. “I’ve watched film on David O. Morrell Jr and I have great respect for his abilities. My team and I have put together a great game plan and we believe it’s going to get me victory and the title on December 26 on FOX.”
Born in Austin and fighting out of San Antonio, Texas, Kirkland (34-2, 30 KOs) has made a name for himself as one of the most exciting and explosive fighters in the sport in a long career that’s only seen him defeated twice. The 35-year-old returned to the ring in 2019 with two knockout victories, his first action since losing to Canelo Alvarez in 2015. Kirkland sports an 83% knockout rate and has previously picked up notable wins against former champion Carlos Molina and Alfredo Angulo.
“Pressure is a blessing,” said Kirkland. “I can’t wait to go in there on December 26 to display all my skills and put on a great performance for all the fans watching.”
The 26-year-old Montiel (21-4-2, 21 KOs) steps back into the ring after his U.S. debut saw him fight Hugo Centeno Jr. to a split-draw on FS1 in December 2019. Representing his native Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Montiel had previously stopped Marco Reyes and Gustavo Castro to bounce back from a defeat to former champion Jaime Munguia in 2017.
“I know that a win on December 26 will catapult me into even bigger fights,” said Montiel. “I’ve prepared better than ever before leading up to this matchup. I’m more than ready to make the most of this tremendous opportunity.”
The nephew of welterweight contender Abel Ramos, Jesus Ramos (13-0, 12 KOs) has steadily increased his competition as 2020 has seen him deliver knockouts of Ramal Amanov, and most recently then unbeaten Esteban Garcia in action on FOX in September. The 19-year-old from Casa Grande, Arizona has scored three-straight knockout wins following his only pro fight that has gone the distance, which came in a June 2019 unanimous decision over Kevin Shacks.
“I’m super excited to be back in the ring a day after Christmas,” said Ramos. “I’m looking forward to closing out this year strong. I have a tough opponent in Naim Nelson. He’s been in there with some great fighters, but I’ve been working hard to prepare as best as I can. I’m confident that with the work we’ve been putting in, we’re going to get the result we want and in impressive fashion once again.”
A native of boxing-rich Philadelphia, Nelson (14-4, 1 KO) has challenged WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario Barrios and former champion Mickey Bey throughout a career that dates back to 2011. The 30-year-old won his first 12 pro fights and most recently earned a unanimous decision over Roy McGill in October 2019.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to fight this year,” said Nelson. “I’ve done my best to stay safe and healthy amidst the pandemic by continuing to train hard. I never took a break away from the gym. I knew that when the call to step on the big stage, I’d be more ready than ever. I’ve been in this position before against a young knockout artist, and I love these kind of challenges. It’s my job to go in there and use all of my experience to show him another level and bring home the win.”
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
Yordenis Ugas dominated Abel Ramos over 12-rounds, yet was only able to win a razor thin split decision over Abel Ramos to win the WBA Welterweight title at The Mictosoft Theatre in Los Angeles.
In round nine, Ramos started to bleed from his nose. Ugas was dominant with the jab by landing a career best 160 of them and wiping out Ramos in the punches landed category to the tune of 233-109, yet judges saw the fight just 115-113 twice for Ugas and somehow 117-111 for Ramos.
Ugas, 147 lbs of Santiago De Cubas, CUB is 26-4. Ramos, 146 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ is 26-4-2/
Ramos Stops Garcia in 2
Jesus Ramos stopped Esteban Garcia in round two of a scheduled eight-round bout featuring undefeated welterweights.
Ramos pounded away on Garcia until the bout was stopped at 2:45.
Ramos, 142.8 lbs of Case Grande, AZ is 13-0 with 121 knockouts. Garcia, 142 lbs of Brawley, CA is now 14-1.
Omar Jaurez won a eight-round unanimous decision over Dakota Linger in a super lightweight bout.
Juarez outlanded Linger 199-113.
Juarez, 142.8 lbs of Brownsville, TX won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice and is now 9-0. Linger, 144.4 lbs of West Virginia is 12-4-2.
Cody Crowley remained undefeated and won a 10-round unanimous decision over Josh Torres in a welterweight bout.
Crowley outlanded Torres 254-113.
Crowley, 145 lbs of Duoro, CAN won by scores of 100-90 on all cards, and is now 19-0. Josh Torres, 146.6 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 22-7-2.
Batyr Akhmedov stopped Rey Perez in round one of their scheduled 10-round super lightweight bout.
Akhmedov dropped Perez twice with body shots and the fight was stopped after the 2nd knockdown at 2:19.
Akhmedov, 140.4 lbs of Russia is 8-1 with seven knockouts. Perez, 140.6 lbs of the Philippines is 24-12.
Leduan Barthelemy stopped Recky Dulay in round three of their scheduled six-round lightweight fight.
In round three, Barthlelemy landed a right hook to the body that put Dulay down. Seconds later it was the same punch that registered a 2nd knockdown. Yet a few seconds later, Barthelemy dropped Dulay for a 3rd time in the round, and the fight was stopped at 2:39.
Barthelemy, 136.6 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 16-1-1 with eight knockouts. Dulay, 137.6 lbs of the Philippines is 11-9.
LOS ANGELES (September 2, 2020) – Top contender Yordenis Ugás and hard-hitting Abel Ramos will battle for the vacant WBA Welterweight Championship in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Sunday, September 6 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated prospect Jesús Ramos facing fellow unbeaten Esteban García in an eight-round super lightweight co-main event. Plus, rising prospect Omar “El Relámpago” Juárez takes on Dakota Linger in an eight-round super lightweight special bonus feature.
The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.
“Yordenis Ugás has clearly established himself as one of the elite welterweights in the world, and if he can capture the WBA title on Sunday night, he will be in a prime position in the stacked welterweight division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Abel Ramos is coming into this fight off of a last second knockout victory, proving once again that you can never count him out of a fight until the very end. Add in rising stars Jesús Ramos and Omar Juárez in tough matchups in two undercard fights on FOX, and fans can enjoy a high-octane Sunday night before the Labor Day holiday.”
The 34-year-old Ugás (25-4, 12 KOs) has established himself as an elite welterweight since returning from a layoff in 2016. Ugás, who is from Santiago, Cuba and now lives in Miami, Florida, was on an eight-fight win streak before losing a narrow split-decision to Shawn Porter in a world title fight on FOX last March. The Olympic bronze medalist beat then undefeated fighters Jamal James and Bryant Perrella, plus veteran contenders including Thomas Dulorme and Ray Robinson on his winning streak heading into the Porter fight. After the title fight, Ugás defeated previously unbeaten former champion Omar Figueroa last July before stopping Mike Dallas Jr. in seven rounds in February.
“I’ve done everything mentally and physically in the gym to put me in the best position to win this fight,” said Ugás. “This is not going to be easy because I know Ramos is coming with all his might. We are fighting on FOX, the biggest stage in boxing, and I promise to bring an exciting fight for the fans. This is my time to shine and win my first world title.”
Fighting out of Casa Grande, Arizona, Ramos (26-3-2, 20 KOs) enters this fight off of a career-best victory in February on FOX, when he stopped Bryant Perrella in the last moments of the final round to score an unlikely victory while trailing on the cards. The 29-year-old enters this bout on an eight-fight winning streak, including 2019 victories over Francisco Santana and Jimmy Williams. Ramos previously campaigned at 140 pounds, where he fought former champion Maurice Hooker to a draw while dropping contests to former champions Regis Prograis and Ivan Baranchyk.
“I’m very excited for this fight,” said Ramos. “I trained extremely hard and prepared myself for a tough fight. I know that Ugás always comes to fight and the fact that there’s a title on the line, makes this fight even better. It’s every fighter’s dream to become a world champion. I’m prepared for war. Boxing fans can expect fireworks on Sunday.”
The nephew of main event participant Abel Ramos, the 19-year-old Jesús Ramos (12-0, 11 KOs) made his U.S. debut in April 2019 with a knockout of Selfullah Wise. Fighting out of Casa Grande, Arizona, Ramos’ next fight would see him go to the scorecards for the first time in a triumph over Kevin Shacks. His competition increased after that, as he delivered stoppage victories over Rickey Edwards and Ramal Amanov to close out his 2019 campaign.
“I’m really prepared for this fight, especially after a nine-week training camp,” said Ramos. “We worked extremely hard to come in 100% for this fight. We’re going up against a tough, undefeated opponent that’s coming to win and take everything that I’ve worked for. That just motivates me to give the best of me, so that I can prove why I’m a top prospect in the sport. I expect the best Esteban Garcia on September 6th, and I think our fight can be fight of the night.”
Fighting out of Brawley, California, García (14-0, 6 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on September 6, after a 2019 run that saw him pick up four victories, including his first two eight-round decisions in triumphs over Emanuel Robles in March and most recently Juan Ramon Guzman in November. The 30-year-old first turned pro in April 2016 with a stoppage victory over Eduardo Melendrez.
“I’m extremely appreciative for the opportunity to enter the ring once again to fight this weekend,” said García. “I know my fans and people who love boxing have been waiting patiently during this pandemic for the return of the sport. I look forward to giving them a great show on Sunday night.”
Juárez (8-0, 4 KOs) carries the nickname “Relámpago”, or “Lightning” in English, and it could apply to how quickly he strikes in the ring and his plans to rapidly ascend into the contender ranks. The 21-year-old from Brownsville, Texas had an outstanding amateur career with over 120 fights, establishing himself as a “can’t miss” pro. He had a busy 2019, chalking up five straight wins before beating Angel Martinez in February and Willie Shaw in August on FOX.
“I’m truly grateful to be fighting once again on FOX, especially so soon after my last fight,” said Juárez. “My goal will always be to give the fans a crowd pleasing night of action. I know I have a target on my back being that I’m undefeated, so you better believe I’m training hard in-between fights. I’m feeling good and super excited to be showcasing my skills to all the fans watching around the world.”
The 25-year-old Linger (12-3-2, 8 KOs) enters this contest after most recently stopping Darel Harris in January. Fighting out of his native, Buckhannon, West Virginia, Linger has fought professionally since 2015, winning his first 12 fights until a 2018 defeat to unbeaten Danielito Zorrilla. His only other two defeats have come by narrow majority decisions in 2019 duels against Maurice Lee and Nelson Hampton.
“This is a great opportunity for me to show my skills on a big stage against a quality opponent,” said Linger. “We’ve put all the hard work into this training camp, and I’m ready to get in there and rumble on fight night.”
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
Former world title challenger Yordenis Ugas stopped Mike Dallas Jr. after round seven of their scheduled 12-round welterweight bout at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Bilox, Mississippi/
In round one, Ugas was cut on the forehead from an accidental headbutt. Other then that, Ugas dominated the battle and Dallas had enough after the 7th frame was over.
Ugas, 146.4 lbs of Santiago de Cuba, CUB is 25-4 with 12 knockouts. Dallas, 147 lbs of Bakersfield, CA is 23-4-2.
“I’m not overly excited about my performance, but the most important thing was to get the victory and take a step closer to getting the title shot,” said Ugas.
“The game plan was to come forward, come strong,” Ugas continued. “I always work the body strong and want to push the action and that’s what I did tonight.
“The main goal now is to keep winning and fight for a title. I’m ready for all of the top welterweights.”
Michel Rivera stopped Fidel Maldonado Jr. in the 10th and final round of their lightweight bout.
Rivera dropped Maldonado with a right hand flush on the jaw and the bout was stopped at 1:34 of round 10.
Rivera, 134.4 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Maldonado, 134.4 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 27-5-1.
“I feel very good,” said Rivera. “They matched me against a boxer with a lot of experience. So, I feel happy with my performance.
“I was ready to fight all the rounds, not just looking for the knockout,” added Rivera. “My corner was telling me wait, relax, take your time because he’s an intelligent boxer. I did what they were telling me and I got him out of there in the last round.”
Clay Collard stopped previously undefeated prospect Raymond Guajardo in the 2nd round of a scheduled six-round super welterweight bout.
In round one, Collard dropped Guajardo with a left hook in the middle of a vicious exchange. Guajardo was dropped again from three body punches/ Seconds later, Guajardo sent Collard to the canvas with a left hook of his own. Collard came to back to hurt Guajardo badly with a series of hard hook, which also bloodies the nose of Guajardo.
In round two they continued to go at it with Collard landing hard thudding shots that eventually had the referee stop the bout simultaneously as the towel being thrown in at 1:42.
Collard, 159 lbs of Cache Valley, UT is 6-2 with two knockoouts. Guajardo, 159.4 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 5-1.
“It was a war,” said Collard. “That’s what fighting is. I love it. It’s awesome.
“I thought (Guajardo) was going to use his length and pick and move, but he came out gunning, and that’s how I like to fight. I like to bang.
“I think I caught him with a good left hook the first time when I dropped him, and the rest is history,” continued Collard. “I knew I hurt him, and I’ve hurt people before and jumped on them really quick, and that’s why he dropped me was because the second time I knocked him down I got too excited and I went in and got caught. So, I have to be more patient.
“I need to learn how to be more defensi
Omar Juarez won an eight-round unanimous decision over Angel Martinez in a super lightweight bout.
In round seven, Juarez dropped Martinez with a left hook to the jaw. Martinez was cut on the top of his head.
Juarez, 140 lbs of Brownsville, TX won by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-73 and is now 7-0. Martinez, 139 lbs of Mexico is 19-19-1.
“It was a beautiful experience, especially fighting a veteran with over 30 fights, my first eight-rounder as well, and overall I learned a lot,” said Juarez. “There are levels to this, and I have a lot of work left to do, but I look forward to watching the film and correcting all of my mistakes.”
Jesus Ramos stopped Ramel Amanov after six-rounds of their scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.
Ramos, 146.8 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ is 14-0 with 11 knockouts. Amanov of Uzbekistan is 16-2.
Deon Nicholson had to go to the distance for the first time in his career, but won a 10-round unanimous decision over Earl Newman in a cruiserweight fight.
Nicholson, 198.6 lbs of Tuscaloosa, AL won by scores of 97-93 and 96-94 twice and is now 13-0. Newman, 199.6 lbs of Brooklyn is 10-3-1.
BILOXI, MS. (January 7, 2020) – Unbeaten top prospect Michel Rivera will take on veteran contender Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round lightweight duel as part of FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, February 1 from Beau Rivage Resort Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The action will also include unbeaten prospect Omar Juarez in a super lightweight showdown against Mexico’s Angel Hernandez, plus hard-hitting prospect Raymond Guajardo in a six-round super welterweight affair against Clay Collard. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by top welterweight Yordenis Ugas taking on Mike Dallas Jr. in a 12-round attraction.
Preceding the main card, FS1 PBC Fight Night Prelims begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT and feature rising 18-year-old prospect Jesus Ramos (11-0, 10 KOs), who most recently delivered a KO of the Year candidate on FS1 in September, as he faces Puerto Rico’s Bernard Lebron Figueroa (10-3, 4 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight battle. Plus, hard-hitting welterweight Jose Miguel Borrego (16-2, 14 KOs) takes on New Jersey’s Jimmy Williams (16-3-2, 5 KOs) in a 10-round affair on FS1.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office and through Ticketmaster.com.
The 21-year-old Rivera (17-0, 11 KOs) made his U.S. debut in June with an impressive victory dropping Rene Tellez Giron on his way to a unanimous decision. Representing Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Rivera has fought professionally since 2016 and most recently stopped Jose Luis Gallegos on FS1 in September.
Fighting out of his native Albuquerque, New Mexico, Maldonado (27-4-1, 20 KOs) has faced a slew of top contenders and has picked up a victory over Pablo Cesar Cano and a draw against Art Hovhannisyan throughout his career. The 28-year-old enters this fight on a three-fight winning streak since a 2017 defeat to Ismael Barroso.
The 20-year-old Juarez (6-0, 4 KO) was a highly decorated amateur who turned pro in September 2018 and has been on an active pace thus far. Representing his hometown of Brownsville, Texas, Juarez scored five victories in 2019 including a pair of knockouts on FS1 as he stopped Gino De la Paz in front of his hometown crowd in August and Kevin Shacks in November in Las Vegas. He will be opposed by 20-year-old Hernandez (10-1, 10 KOs), who fights out of Mexicali, Mexico, and will be making his U.S. debut on February 1.
Representing his hometown of San Antonio, Texas, Guajardo (5-0, 4 KOs) most recently delivered a highlight reel knockout over Donnis Reed in the first round of their December 21 showdown on FS1. The 19-year-old turned pro in March 2019 and has only gone the distance in one of his first five contests, including three-straight first round knockouts. He will take on the 26-year-old Collard (5-2-3, 1 KO) who fights out of Cache Valley, Utah and most recently defeating then unbeaten Quashawn Toler on January 3.
Also appearing on the stacked undercard is unbeaten super middleweight prospect Burley Brooks (5-0, 4 KOs) facing Ohio’s Melvin Russell (11-8-2, 7 KOs) in a six-round attraction and Bronx native Michael Coffie (8-0, 5 KOs) in a six-round heavyweight bout. Plus, Dallas’ Fernando Garcia (12-2, 7 KOs) competes in a six-round featherweight fight, while unbeaten Tuscaloosa, Alabama native Deon Nicholson (12-0, 12 KOs) battles Brooklyn’s Earl Newman (10-2-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round cruiserweight showdown.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
In an exciting 10-round super middleweight clash, Alfredo Angulo took a split decision over former middleweight champion Peter Quillin at The Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California.
The rocked each other throughout the bou
In round seven, Angulo was cut around the left eye. Although Quillin outlanded Angulo 291-164, it was the more powerful shots of Angulo that forged him ahead on two cards by 97-93 and 96-94 tallies. Quillin took a card 96-94.
Angulo, 167.6 lbs of Mexicali, MX is 26-7. Quillin, 167.8 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 34-2-1.
Chris Colbert scored a spectacular 1st round stoppage over Miguel Beltran Jr. in a scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout.
Colbert dumped Beltran face-first with a perfect 1-2 combination, and the fight was stopped at
Colbert, 132.6 lbs of Brooklyn is 13-0 with five knockouts. Beltran, 132 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is 33-8.
Thomas Dulorme outslugged previously undefeated Terrel Williams via 10-round unanimous decision on a welterweight fight.
In round eight, Delorme was cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt. In round ten, Dulorme dropped Williams with a hard left.
Dulorme, 146,4 lbs of Puerto Rico won by scores of 98-91 twice and 96-93 and is now 25-3-1. Williams, 146.4 lbs of Inglewood, CA is 18-1.
Jesus Ramos stopped Rickey Edwards in round three of a scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.
Ramos dropped Edwards hard with a straight left hand, and the bout was immediately stopped at 2:40.
Ramos, 142.4 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ is 11-0 with 10 knockouts. Edwards, 142.6 lbs of Paterson, NJ is 12-4.
Michel Rivera stopped Jose Luis Gallegos after round five of their scheduled eight round lightweight bout.
Rivera, 136 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR 17-0 with 11 knockouts. Gallegos, 136.8 lbs of Chicago is 16-8.
2016 Russian Olympian Petr Khamukov stopped Randy Fuentes in round four of their scheduled eight-round middleweight bout.
In round two, Khamukov dropped Fuentes with a left hook. Seconds later, it was a quick flurry that put Fuentes down for a 2nd time. Khamukov scored a knockdown from a straight right hand to begin the 4th round. Moments later, Fuentes hit the canvas again from a combination on the inside, and the fight was stopped at 2:21.
Khamukov, 160 lbs of Russia is 44-0 with one knockout Fuentes, 160.8 lbs of McAllen, TX is 9-9-1.
Jonathan Esquivel stopped Justin Steave in round two of their scheduled eight-round middleweight bout.
In round one, Esquivel dropped stopped Steave with a big left hook. Seconds later, it was another big left hook that followed by a right that sent Steave down again. In round two, it was a body shot that sent Steave down again. Steave got to his feet, but the fight was waved off at 1:21.
Esquivel, 164 lbs of Anaheim, CA is now 12-0 with 11 knockouts. 163 lbs of Pittsburgh, PA is 10-3.
BAKERSFIELD, CA. (August 22, 2019) – Former world champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin will duel hard-hitting Alfredo Angulo in a 12-round super middleweight showdown that headlines FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes on Saturday, September 21 from Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California.
Coverage on FS1 begins at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT and features fast-rising prospect Chris “Prime Time” Colbert entering the ring for a 10-round lightweight matchup against former title challenger Miguel Beltran Jr., plus unbeaten welterweight Terrel Williams goes up against Thomas Dulorme in a 10-round attraction, while unbeaten prospect Jesus Ramos takes on Rickey Edwards in a 10-round super lightweight match to open FS1 PBC Fight Night.
FS2 PBC Fight Night Prelims will precede the main card and begin at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT, highlighted by hard-hitting Jeison Rosario against unbeaten Bakhram Murtazaliev in a 12-round IBF 154-pound title eliminator.
“This is a great fight card with anything a boxing fan could want, featuring former champions, top contenders and future stars, all in evenly-match bouts that promise drama,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Peter Quillin vs. Alfredo Angulo promises to be a good, old fashion slugfest with two fighters looking to prove they’re ready for a world title fight next. With exciting prospects like Chris Colbert and Jesus Ramos, plus evenly matched fights between contenders in Williams vs. Dulorme and Rosario vs. Murtazaliev, this will be an action-packed night from top to bottom.”
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale Saturday, August 24 at 12 p.m. PT and can be purchased at www.rabobankarena.com and AXS.com.
Quillin (34-1-1, 23 KOs) is seeking to climb back into the championship ranks and must go through Angulo before reaching them. The 36-year-old, who was born in Chicago and now lives in Brooklyn, won the middleweight world title against Hassan N’Dam in 2012. He successfully defended it three times. He is coming off a no-decision against former super middleweight champion Caleb Truax on April 13 in an FS1 PBC Fight Night main event. He had taken the first two rounds on all three judges’ scorecards before the action was halted when a deep cut over Truax’s right eye, caused by an accidental head butt, brought an end to the fight and resulted in a no-decision.
“It looks like the Caleb Truax fight wasn’t meant to be, but this fight against Angulo is an important fight for me to establish myself in this division,” said Quillin, who was originally scheduled to rematch Truax on August 31, before Truax withdrew due to an Achilles injury. “I’m ready to go 12 rounds right now. I just have to stay ready and stay in shape because we’ve had a great camp where we were able to build on certain things. This is what was meant to be and I’m going to make the most of it with a great performance on September 21.”
Angulo (25-7, 21 KOs) enters the match against Quillin after a knockout victory over Evert Bravo on April 20. The 37-year-old veteran, who was born in Mexicali, Mexico and now lives in Coachella, California, has been in with some of the top boxers and sluggers during a career that has seen him in numerous exciting bouts against the likes of Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara amongst others.
“I am looking forward to showing my fans the best Alfredo Angulo on September 21,” said Angulo. “I have been working hard towards this opportunity. This is a chance to move closer to a world title and with hard work and the support of my team, I’m going to win that title.”
Representing his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., Colbert (12-0, 4 KOs) has begun to make a name for himself showing off tremendous skills across his first 12 pro victories. The 22-year-old turned pro in 2019 after an impressive amateur career and most recently dominated Alberto Mercado on his way to a unanimous decision on FOX in June.
“I’m dedicating this bout to the fight against childhood cancer,” said Colbert, who was inspired after recently being introduced to a young fan who has cancer. “I plan on going in to Rabobank Arena and doing what I do best on September 21. I never make predictions for my fights, but I’m always looking to dominate and if the knockout comes then it comes. I have a job to do and I just have to stay focused on the man in front of me. It’s going to be ‘Prime Time’ on September 21 so that fans will want to make sure to tune-in for this one.”
Fighting out of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Beltran (33-7, 22 KOs) will return to action after dropping a decision to former world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa last November. The 30-year-old challenged Roman Martinez for a super featherweight title and lost by split decision in September 2012.
“I’m very excited for this opportunity to fight Chris Colbert on FS1 and FOX Deportes,” said Beltran. “I have fought the best 130 pounders in the world – Rocky Martinez, Gamboa, Mickey Roman and I have challenged for the world title twice. This is the type of fight I need on national TV to get myself back in contention. I’m very serious about winning and happy to have my training camp in Los Angeles with my cousin, former world champion Ray Beltran, who is helping me prepare for victory.”
Williams (18-0, 13 KOs) extended his unbeaten record in April with a split decision victory over Justin DeLoach in Las Vegas. The 35-year-old from Los Angeles previously won a decision over David Grayton in September 2018.
A longtime contender, Dulorme (24-3-1, 16 KOs) earned a majority draw in his last fight against former world champion Jessie Vargas last October. The 29-year-old had previously dropped a narrow decision to top contender Yordenis Ugas in August 2017. That defeat came after a streak where the Puerto Rican fighter won eight of nine fights, with his only loss during that stretch coming in a title fight against Terrence Crawford.
At just 18-years-old, Ramos (10-0, 9 KOs) scored knockouts in his first nine fights since turning pro last May. The Casa Grande, Arizona-native most recently went the distance for the first time in his pro career, winning a shutout unanimous decision over Kevin Shacks in June on FOX.
Fighting out of Paterson, New Jersey, Edwards (12-3, 3 KOs) won his first 11 pro fights including victories over then unbeaten fighters Azriel Paez and John Delperdang. The 29-year-old most recently lost a decision to undefeated Mykquan Williams in May.
The 24-year-old Rosario (19-1-1, 13 KOs) has won his last five fights and is unbeaten in eight bouts since his only pro loss to Nathaniel Gallimore in 2017. The Dominican-born fighter residing in Florida has taken down a slew of contenders and top prospects including Jamontay Clark, Justin DeLoach, Marcos Hernandez and most recently, Jorge Cota on FS1 in April.
Russia’s Murtazaliev(16-0, 13 KOs), who now resides in Oxnard, California and is unbeaten since turning pro in 2014. The 26-year-old has delivered knockout victories over Elvin Ayala and Bruno Leonardo Romay in 2019.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
LAS VEGAS (June 4, 2019) – Exciting unbeaten prospect Chris Colbert takes on Puerto Rico’s Alberto Mercado in an eight or 10-round lightweight bout and unbeaten welterweight prospect Jésus Ramos battles Rondale Hubbert in a four-round attraction as part of a special FOX PBC Fight Night Prelims on FOX and FOX Deportes Sunday, June 23 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Prelims will lead up to FOX PBC Fight Night on FOX and FOX Deportes beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The show is headlined by former champion Jermell Charlo battling Mexico’s Jorge Cota in a super welterweight attraction and features former world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Julio Ceja clashing in a 12-round WBC featherweight title eliminator in the co-feature. Also in action is sensational unbeaten prospect Joey Spencer, as hefaces Akeem Black in a six-round junior middleweight bout.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions, TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.
Representing his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., Colbert (11-0, 4 KOs) has begun to make a name for himself showing off tremendous skills across his first 11 pro victories. The 22-year-old most recently blasted out Mario Briones by second-round knockout in April on FS1. He will take on a durable 31-year-old in Mercado (16-2-1, 3 KOs), who has never been stopped throughout a pro career dating back to 2009. The Humacao, Puerto Rico-native most recently won a unanimous decision over Sergio Lopez in March.
“I’m preparing for a big day on June 23,” said Colbert. “This is chapter 12 in my career. I know Mercado will come to fight just like he’s supposed to. I’m just focused on putting on another dominant performance, like I do every time. Mercado has a good record on paper, but I’ll do what I do best at Mandalay Bay and make it look easy. People say you have to fight in Vegas to become a top-notch fighter, so I’m excited to fight there. We’ll be fighting in primetime on FOX, so I’ll get a chance to show everyone why I changed my nickname to ‘Prime Time’.”
“I’m ready for this fight on June 23,” said Mercado. “I know who I’m facing and what I’m up against, but I’m working hard every day on a strategy that will give me what I need in to be successful. I have all the tools to make this a great fight and get the win. I’m going to be aggressive and bring the fight to him. His only advantage is speed, but I’m better at everything else.”
Having scored knockouts in each pro fight since turning pro last May, Ramos (9-0, 9 KOs) made his U.S. debut in April with a knockout over Seifullah Wise. The 19-year-old from Casa Grande, Arizona will be opposed by the 30-year-old Hubbert (13-8-2, 8 KOs), who fights out of Fargo, North Dakota.
Spencer (7-0, 6 KOs) will appear on the FOX PBC Fight Night broadcast with his bout against Black (5-2, 2 KOs) serving as part of the show following prelims. At just 19-years-old and having only turned pro just over a year ago, Spencer has shown the tremendous skill and promise he possesses across his first seven pro fights. In April on FS1, the Linden, Michigan-native displayed his boxing acumen in going six rounds for the first time to earn a dominant unanimous decision over Osias Vasquez. He will take on the Chicago-born Black, who enters this fight on a two-bout winning streak.
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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo, @MandalayBay and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.