Leigh Wood retained the WBA Featherweight title with a shocking 12th round stoppage over mandatory challenger Michael Conlan in front of a raucous sold out crowd at The Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England.

At the end of round one, Conlan uncorked a wild left hand that landed right on the jaw of Wood that sent the hometown champion to the canvas. In round four, Conlan was cut around his left eye.

Conlan was winning most of the rounds as he was getting the better of the exchanges.

In round 11, Wood came back and dropped Conlan with a short left hook. In round 12, Wood stunned Conlan with another left hook, and a follow up flurry knocked Conlan out of the ring, and the fight was stopped at 1:25.

Woodm 125.7 lbs of Nottingham, ENG is 26-2 with 16 knockouts. Conlan, 124.4 lbs of Belfast, NI is 16-1.

Agyarko Decisions Rubio

Caoimhin Agyarko won a 10-round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Rubio in a middleweight fight.

Agyarko was 130 of 430 punches; Rubio was 59 of 454.

Agyarko, 159.2. lbs of Belfast, NI won by scores of 100-90 twice and 98-92 and is now 11-0. Rubio, 159.3 lbs of Zapopan, MEX is 18-2.

Harper Decisions Abellaneda

Former world champion Terri Harper won a 10-round unanimous decision over Yamila Abellaneda in a lightweight fight.

Harper landed 127 of 357 punches; Abellaneda was 62 of 433.

Harper, 133.25 lbs of Denaby Main, ENG won by scores of 99-91 on all cards and is now 12-1-1. Abellaneda, 134.2 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 13-5-1.

Cully stops Former Champion Vazquez in 5

Gary Cully remained undefeated with a 5th round stoppage over former world champion Miguel Vazquez in a scheduled 10-round lightweight fight.

In round three, Cully dropped Vazquez with a straight left. In round five, Cully dropped Vazquez with another left for the 10-count at 41 seconds.

Cully, 134.4 lbs of Dublin, IRE is 14-0 with eight knockouts. Vazquez, 134.1 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 44-1.

Farias Decisions Sandy Ryan

Former two-division world champion Erica Anabella Farias won an entertaining 10-round split-decision over previously undefeated touted prospect Sandy Ryan in a super lightweight fight.

It was a good back and forth fight with Farias getting the better of most exchanges.

In round seven, Ryan had some blood over her left eye and nose. In round 10, Farias had a point deducted for leading with her head.

Farias, 141.1 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG won by scores of 97-94 and 96-94 with Ryan taking a card 97-93.

Farias is now 27-5. Ryan, 144.5 lbs of Derby, ENG is 3-1.

Nico Leivars made a successful pro debut with a four-round decision over Jose Hernandez in a bantamweight fight.

Leivers, 120.1 lbs of Mansfield, ENG won by a 40-34 score and is 1-0.

Thomas Carty stopped Michal Boloz in round five due to Boloz being cut up over his left eye,

In round two, Boloz began to bleed from the bridge of his nose.

In round five, Boloz had a cut and bad swelling over his left eye. Seconds later, the ringside doctor was called in for a 2nd time and the fight was stopped at 2:27.

Carty, 243.25 lbs of Dublin, IRE is 3-0 with two stoppages. Boloz, 232.25 lbs of Nowy Sacz, POL is 2-4-2.

Thomas Whittaker Hart stopped Ben Thomas inside of a minute of their six-round light heavyweight bout.

Hart landed a left to the body that sent Thomas down for the 10-count at 43 seconds.

Hart, 178.2 lbs of Liverpool, ENG is 6-0 with three knockouts.

(Sept. 30, 2021) — Former lightweight world champion Miguel Vazquez continues his march back to contender status this Saturday, Oct. 2 in a 10-round lightweight main event against former world title challenger Oliver “Trombita” Flores at Verite Social Venue in Monterrey, Mexico.

Vazquez-Flores and a full slate of undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Vazquez (43-10, 17 KOs) held the IBF lightweight world title for more than four years, from August 2010 to September 2014, and made six successful title defenses. He is 9-6 in his last 15 bouts, a run of fighting top competition that’s included a ninth-round stoppage defeat to current undisputed junior welterweight world champion Josh Taylor and last October’s highly controversial split decision loss to Lewis Ritson. He rebounded from the Ritson disappointment with April’s seventh-round TKO over Isai Hernandez. Flores (30-3-2, 19 KOs), from Leon, Nicaragua, challenged Takashi Uchiyama in 2015 for the WBA super featherweight world title, falling via third-round TKO. He is 3-1 since that setback and has not fought since a second-round TKO win over Rolando Giono in September 2019.

In other streaming action on ESPN+:

The heavyweight co-feature will see American southpaw hopeful Brandon Moore (9-0, 5 KOs) fight hometown favorite Jesus Angel Nerio (15-9-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-rounder.

Mexican junior welterweight puncher Jimerr “Mortero” Espinosa (10-0, 9 KOs) looks to extend his knockout streak to four against Jorge Luis Melendez (14-7-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Rising Cuban contender Neslan “Pitbull” Machado (17-0, 8 KOs) will face the upset-minded Alan “Malagueno” Salazar (11-8-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-rounder at a contract weight of 124 pounds. The 25-year-old Machado previously won the WBA International and WBC Latino belts at 122 pounds. Salazar has lost only once by stoppage.

In an eight-round junior welterweight contest, Christian Uruzquieta (19-4-2, 7 KOs), unbeaten in his last three fights, will take on 30-fight veteran Juan Ocura (13-15-2, 6 KOs).

Featherweight Jonathan “Geo Don” Lopez (4-0, 2 KOs), an 18-year-old phenom from Puerto Rico, will step up in an eight-rounder against Jorge Amaya Diaz (6-1, 3 KOs), who has never been knocked out as a pro.

Dominican junior welterweight standout Hendri Cedeño Martinez (3-0, 3 KOs) will look to notch the third first-round knockout of his young career in a four-rounder against Mexico City native Oscar Moreno (2-2), winner of two straight fights.
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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

(April 14, 2021) —From two continents, #MTKFightNight returns this week with a pair of evenly matched main events.

The action begins Friday at Verité Social Venue in Monterrey, Mexico, as former lightweight world champion Miguel Vazquez battles Isai Hernandez in the 10-round junior welterweight main event.

The fights continue Saturday from University of Bolton Stadium in Bolton, England, as undefeated middleweight contender Danny Dignum will make the second defense of his WBO European middleweight belt in a 10-rounder against Russian veteran Andrey Sirotkin.
 
Vazquez-Hernandez will be an evening affair, streaming live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The Dignum-Sirotkin card will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
 
Vazquez (42-10, 16 KOs) held the IBF lightweight world title for more than four years, from August 2010 to September 2014, and made six successful title defenses. He is 8-6 since losing the world title via split decision to Mickey Bey, but a few of those defeats have been controversial in nature, including last October’s split decision nod at the hands of Lewis Ritson. Hernandez (10-1-1, 7 KOs), from La Paz, Mexico, has won four consecutive fights since the lone defeat of his career.
 
In other streaming action from Mexico:

• Former Cuban amateur standout Ariel Perez (5-0, 4 KOs) will take on Mexico’s Brandon Romero (11-1-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the WBC Youth Intercontinental super bantamweight belt.
   
• In an eight-round lightweight battle, Argentina’s Ronan Sanchez (5-0, 3 KOs) will fight Mexico’s Jonathan Escobedo (4-1, 1 KO).
   
• Jonathan “Geo Don” Lopez (2-0, 2 KOs), a 17-year-old phenom who was born in Puerto Rico and had extensive success as a U.S. amateur, will face Omar Santillan (5-1) in a six-round featherweight tilt.
   
• In other six-round bouts, welterweight veteran Ricardo Salas (15-1, 11 KOs) will face off against Sergio De Leon (8-4, 1 KO), while junior welterweight puncher Jimerr Espinosa (9-0, 8 KOs) looks to extend his knockout streak to three against Ricardo Diaz (8-4-1, 1 KO). 

Dignum (13-0, 7 KOs), from Essex, England, won the WBO European middleweight belt in November 2019 with a fifth-round knockout over Conrad Cummings, then defended it less than four months later with a ninth-round stoppage over Alfredo Meli. He returns against Sirotkin (19-1, 7 KOs), a former WBO European super middleweight champion who has won four in a row since a TKO loss to John Ryder.

In other streaming action from England:

• Dan Azeez (12-0, 8 KOs) will defend his English light heavyweight title in a 10-rounder against former British title challenger Ricky Summers (17-2-1, 6 KOs); junior featherweight prospect Jack Bateson (12-0, 3 KOs) will step up against Joe Ham (16-2, 6 KOs) in an eight-rounder; upstart super middleweight Lewis Edmonson (4-0, 1 KO) will battle former Commonwealth king Luke Blackledge (26-9-2, 9 KOs) in a six-rounder; middleweight Paul Ryan will make his professional debut in a four-rounder against Kyle Hughes (2-2); and middleweight prospect Fearghus Quinn (2-0) will fight Jan Ardon (2-6) in a six-rounder.

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ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 12.1 million subscribers.
 
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

Lewis Ritson won a dubious 12-round unanimous decision over former world champion Miguel Vazquez in a junior welterweight bout in Peterborough, England/

Vazquez landed 193 of 1001 punches. Ritson was 141 of 544.

Ritosn, 139.3 lbs of Forest Hall won by scores of 117-111, 115-113 and Vazquez won a card 116-113 to go to 21-1. Vazquez, 139.3 lbs of Mexico is 42-10.

“It just depends what you like doesn’t it,” Ritson told Matchroom afterwards. “He was tapping me and running away. I was hitting him with the cleaner jabs. It was very frustrating being out the gym a year and then facing that style.

It was probably more awkward than I thought it was going to be. The more the fight went on the more frustrated I got. It was a big eye opener. We’ve been mentioning the Prograis fight, tonight was a bit of an eye opener that we’re a million miles off that fight.

“We need a couple more fights like Vazquez, maybe not his style. That’s what you get when you step up. We had a hard job doing it. I’m improving as a fighter but I’ve got a lot more improving to do.”

Leach Decisions Ashfaq

Marc Leach won a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Qais Ashfaq in a super bantamweight fight.

In round four, Leach dropped Ashfaq with a hard right off the clinch.

In round seven, Ashfaq was dropped with counter left that was followed by a left inside.

Leach, 121 lbs of Salford won by scores of 96-92, 95-92 and 95-93 and is now 15-1-1. Asfaq, 121.7 lbs is 9-1.

“I’m feeling over the moon,” Leach told Matchroom afterwards. “I’ve said before in previous interviews, the underdog tag means I’ve got nothing to lose and lots to gain. I felt good in there. Mine, Jamie’s and Nigel’s tactics worked to a T. Happy days.

“I felt like I had had him in trouble. Nigel and Jamie know that I’ve got power behind me. We moved up a weight as well. I presume he didn’t know I had that power. I believe in myself and it worked. Even at my weight, Bantamweight, I’m supposed to be next in line for the British Title. Whichever one comes first, I’ll happily take.

“Hopefully after one or two more fights at this level I won’t have to work anymore. This is the life I have chosen. I work nights, six until two. It’s not ideal but I’ve got kids to feed and a family to look after. Hopefully this turns into more opportunities for me.

In a battle of undefeated super lightweights, Rylan Charlton stopped Joe Laws in round three of scheduled six-round super lightweight.

In round one, Charlton dropped Laws with a left hook to the chin. In round three, it was another left hook that sent Laws down again. Carlton finished Laws off with a combination that sent Laws down for the 10-count at 1:39.

Charlton, 144.4 lbs of Norwich is 6-0-1 with three knockouts. Laws, 146.9 lbs of Benwell is 9-1.

“It’s what I expected,” said Charlton afterwards. “I’ve been training my ass off for this. No disrespect to Joe, I think he’s a great guy, a great boxer, but he’s a ticket seller. He sells loads of tickets to get into the positions that he gets in. He’s a good fighter and he’s a very nice guy. I have been training my ass off. I can’t really sell that many tickets. I’m the fighter. I’m just pleased I got the opportunity to showcase my skills. 

“I felt like it got a little bit scrappy at some point. I was trying to stay as composed as possible. I saw the opening and I stuck it up there. That’s all she wrote. I always knew that this would be the result. I trained too hard for it not to be the result. My power was too much.

“Pint Size Powerhouse all the way! He’s got a massive following and this won’t be the end of Joe. He’ll be back. This has just rocketed my career in the right direction. Eddie get this contract, and let’s go! Get me out before Christmas.”

Thomas Patrick Ward and Thomas Essomba fought to split technical draw in a super bantamweight fight.

In round seven, Ward was cut over the left eye from a hard head clash The got was bad with the eyelid split open and the fight was called after eight.

Essomba won a card 88-85; Ward won a card 88-84 and a 3rd card was even at 86-86.

Ward, 123.3 lbs of West Rainton is 29-0-1. Essomba, 123.2 lbs is 10-6-1.

“To be honest, the fight was close, but I knew I was better than him,” Essomba said afterwards. “We had the accident, and then the judges decided the outcome, I have to respect their decision. I didn’t see the head clash. I don’t know who’s fault it was.

“I’ve had a really long and good camp since my last fight against Sunny Edwards. If I would have had two or three more weeks’ notice then I could have prepared more for Tommy. I had six days’ notice. I know if we fight again the fight will be totally different. I will give him a rematch, any time and anywhere.”

Kane Baker won a six-round decision over previously undefeated Meshech Speare in a super lightweight bout.

In round two, Baker was cut around the left eye.

Baker, 138 lbs of Birmingham won by a 5-56 score and is now 14-7. Speare, 138 lbs of Liverpool is 5-1.

“I’m floating,” said Baker afterwards. “It’s amazing. I’ve been here a few times. That winning feeling is something else. When I fought Fiaz two weeks ago my corner was quite confident in how I was doing. Tonight, they were telling me I was losing every round! I did think I’d won, but you just don’t know.

“When I heard Birmingham first, I knew then and it was amazing. He caught me twice to be fair. He caught me with two good shots. He’ll be back again, he’s a strong kid. I hope it was a good fight for the fans. It was a lot tougher this time than it was two weeks ago. The two weeks off didn’t recharge me as much as I’d have liked. It was tough but I was never going to say no to being here. I bit down on the gumshield and toughed it out.”

Ellie Scotney made a successful pro debut with a six-round decision over Bec Connolly in a super bantamweight bout.

In round three, Scotney put Connolly on the canvas from a right hand that was followed by a perfect left hook to the head.

In round five, Connolly started to bleed around the right eye.

Scotney, 125.9 lbs of Catford won by a score of and is now 1-0. Connolly, 125.2 lbs is 3-8.

“Bec is a tough person and she came to fight,” Scotney told Matchroom afterwards. “It was brilliant to share a ring with her. She gave it her all. She’s a nice woman. I feel like I’ve got a lot to work on still. I’m 22 and boxing at the weight above, so now I’ll be going down to the weight I should be at and I’m so looking forward to getting out again.

“I rushed it a little bit. I got a bit carried away when I landed a shot. I’ve got a lot to work on. I’m buzzing to get the first one out of the way. It’s been a long time coming. I’m going to get back in the gym on Monday if Adam lets me. I love boxing.”

19:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS ARENA

20:15 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT

6 x 2 mins Super-Bantamweight Contest 
ELLIE SCOTNEY 8st 13lbs 12oz v BEC CONNOLLY 8st 13lbs 2oz         
(Catford)                                           (Swindon)

Followed by

6 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest 
KANE BAKER 9st 12lbs 0oz v MESHECH SPEARE 9st 12lbs 0oz
(Birmingham)                            (Liverpool)

followed by

10 x 3 mins Super-Bantamweight contest 
THOMAS PATRICK WARD 8st 11lbs 3oz v THOMAS ESSOMBA 8st 11lbs 2oz         
(West Rainton)                                              (Wolverhampton)

followed by

6 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest 
JOE LAWS 10st 6lbs 9oz v RYLAN CHARLTON 10st 4lbs 4oz
(Benwell)                              (Norwich)

followed by

10 x 3 mins British Super-Bantamweight Title Eliminator
QAIS ASHFAQ 8st 9lbs 7oz v MARC LEACH 8st 9lbs 8oz
(Leeds)                                      (Salford)

followed by

12 x 3 mins WBA Intercontinental Super-Lightweight Title
LEWIS RITSON 9st 13lbs 3oz v MIGUEL VAZQUEZ 9st 13lbs 3oz
(Forest Hall)                                (Mexico)

Lewis Ritson – Forest Hall, England – 20-1, 12 KOs – fighting Miguel Vazquez for the WBA Intercontinental Super-Lightweight Title:

“We need to get past Vazquez, he’s our main focus. We’re not looking past Saturday. If we can get past him, and we’re confident that we can, then we’ll start looking at those other big names. I think I’ll put an even better performance on behind closed doors with no pressure on my shoulders. When I first saw him at the first press conference, I thought he looked massive. Now he looks quite skinny, quite frail, to be fair, but we’ll see on Saturday night what he comes to bring. We know that we’ll bring our A-game.

Asked if he is nearing world class, Ritson said: “Very close. Sparring is sparring, it’s totally different when you get in there and fight, so you can’t really take much off sparring, but if you did off the sparring, we’d be very happy with where we are and where we can end up. Get past this, hopefully the lockdown eases down, and we’ll get back to Newcastle and in front of a packed crowd and some big fights to come.”

Miguel Vazquez – Guadalajara, Mexico – 42-9, 16 KOs – fighting Lewis Ritson for the WBA Intercontinental Super-Lightweight Title:

“We have been training for this fight for a long long time. Obviously it got delayed, but we have been ready for this fight for a long time and I’m up against a really tough fighter in Lewis Ritson. It is a great opportunity for me. It is a really big fight for me and it’s not going to be an easy one at all which is why I have been preparing as hard as I possibly can for this. When people watch the fight they can expect to see a Miguel Vazquez that is prepared to go on to become a World Champion again. I’m ready to win. All the fights that I’ve had have enabled me to get to where I am now. It was a great experience fighting against Canelo. But all of the people I’ve faced during my period as World Champion as well were important for my career.”

Qais Ashfaq – Leeds, England – 8-0, 3 KOs – fighting Marc Leach in a Final Eliminator for the British Super-Bantamweight Title:

“It has been amazing. I feel like I’m coming on leaps and bounds with Angel Fernandez and the team in Loughborough. I’m looking forward to showing what I’m about on Saturday night. Get this fight out of the way on Saturday and get a good stylish win, and then move on and win that British Title. I’m part of a fresh new team, coaching as well as management. I believe it has freshened me up in many ways and I’m learning things that are going to show on Saturday. I look forward to showing the improvements. The management team will drive me in the right direction. I’m learning a lot in the gym now. My improvements in the gym have been huge. The facilities at Loughborough University are unbelievable, we have everything that we need.”

Marc Leach – Salford, England – 14-1-1, 3 KOs – fighting Qais Ashfaq in a Final Eliminator for the British Super-Bantamweight Title:

“We’ve sparred each other over the years so we know a bit about each other. I’m just going to take every round as it comes and perform to the best I can. I feel a bit stronger. As everyone knows, the last two or three pounds is the hardest to make. I haven’t had to do that this time so I’m feeling fit and strong. I can’t wait now. Jamie is my coach and he had the British Title. I’m bringing it back to Salford where it belongs. My weight or the weight above, I just need the opportunity to fight on shows like these. Thanks to Qais and everyone else for accepting it. It’s going to be a bit cagey as we know each other so well but I think I’ll win on points.”

Joe Laws – Benwell, England – 9-0, 5 KOs – fighting Rylan Charlton in a six round Super-Lightweight contest:

“I’m going to knock him out, flatten him. I’m a product of where I come from. But sometimes, at the weekends, it can be too comfortable to nip out and see my friends. I’m at a stage of my career where the fights will start getting harder. Lanzarote takes me out of my comfort zone.

“I’m a passionate kid. If I box, fight or play scrabble I am a passionate kid. I’m going to flatten him. I’m throwing with intent to hurt. He’s training to knock me out, know what I mean? Once I get in the ring, it’s personal. Come Saturday I will show no respect whatsoever.”

Rylan Charlton – Norwich, England – 5-0-1, 2 KOs – fighting Joe Laws in a six round Super-Lightweight contest

“He’s good at doing the talking, I’m good at doing the beating up. There isn’t much pressure on me. Joe is used to having a crowd behind him and there won’t be a crowd. All the pressure is on Joe! I’m going in there to do a job and this the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.”

Thomas Patrick Ward – West Rainton, England – 29-0, 4 KOs – fighting Thomas Essomba in a ten round Super-Bantamweight contest: 

“I’m ready to go. Obviously there was a change of opponent but our training regime doesn’t change at all. It doesn’t matter who we’re fighting, we train hard, give 100% and remain ready and focused. I’m ready to go on Saturday night. Every fight has to be won. It doesn’t matter what the calibre of the opponent is. I was supposed to fight Garcia who is ranked in the WBO. That would have pushed me on to get a World Title shot. We’re still pushing for them World Titles. I believe I’m ready to fight any of those World Champions. I believe I’ll beat any of them. I’m ready to take on the full division but we’ve got a fight on our hands on Saturday night.”

Thomas Essomba – Wolverhampton, England – 10-6, 4 KOs – fighting Thomas Patrick Ward in a ten round Super-Bantamweight contest: 

“First of all I want to say thank you for the opportunity. I fought as recently as August. I think that will help me in this fight. I didn’t expect to fight this soon after that. The notice they gave me was very short but I believe the camp I had for my last fight is going to help me for this fight. I will find the solution to win. Every fight is important for me. The opportunity to fight Tommy is a big one for me.”

Ellie Scotney – Catford, England – making her professional debut in a six round Super-Bantamweight contest with Bec Connolly:

“I’m just grateful to be given this opportunity in the circumstances. To be around those people in the gym, I’m learning outside of boxing. I’m trying to be a sponge to everything in that gym and I’m thankful to be there. In hindsight it seemed like a tough decision turning pro but I’ve never looked back once. My character and my boxing, it just wasn’t settling well there and I just didn’t love boxing like I use to. As soon as I made the decision to turn pro I fell in love with it again. I’m getting my journey started. As soon as I box on Saturday I’d like to be out again the next week! It’s a great time to be involved in women’s boxing. As soon as I get started I want to keep going.”

Bec Connolly – Swindon, England – 3-7 – fighting Ellie Scotney in a six round Super-Bantamweight contest:

“It’s quite exciting isn’t it. I didn’t think with all of this COVID stuff this year that I’d get to box at all. It’s a massive change on the management side of things, I’d been with Paddy for the best part of ten years. I’m with Mike in Malmesbury now with new management as well in Al Siesta. I can’t see small hall boxing coming back for a long time with this COVID stuff so it’s time to do the big shows. Experience is only good if you use it, and I plan on using it on Saturday. She’s not your typical debutant and I think people in boxing know that already. Ellie has got a lot of accolades behind her. Inactivity as a boxer is a killer. You want to be busy and you want to be out there. This is a great platform to be on and I’m just really grateful that it’s happening.”

Lewis Ritson believes the extra few months graft in the gym locked away with trainer Neil Fannon will pay dividends in the long run. 

The Geordie puncher has felt the knock-on effects from the pandemic, which ruled out his planned fight with Miguel Vazquez twice, back in April and then again June, but he insists the extra preparation has taken his game to the next level.

“It has probably benefitted me more than most other fighters,” said Ritson. “It has really allowed for us to gel and work on other areas of our game. Rather than wondering when a fight date may drop, despite the cancellations we have always had an end date in mind which has allowed for me to stay disciplined and sharp throughout.

“I’ve been in the gym the full year training hard and staying ready for whatever happens next. The start of lockdown gave me a chance to slow the pace down a little bit and work on a lot more of the technical stuff. I feel like I’ve improved a couple of levels compared to how I boxed against Robbie Davies Jr. We knew that we would get a new date confirmed eventually, we just had to stay in the gym.”

Currently ranked number two with the WBA, Ritson finds himself on the cusp of a shot at World honours and believes this Saturday’s Super-Lightweight showdown against former long-standing IBF ruler Vazquez, shown live on Sky Sports and DAZN, is the perfect bridge to the next level.

“If I bring my A game, I’ll be too much for Miguel and will stop him. I think he’s probably a little bit on the slide whereas I’m still on the way up, so we’re meeting bang in the middle. This is the exact type of fight where I can gain more experience to move to the next step. He’s been there and done it. We know what he is all about and what he will bring.

“Beating Robbie proved I’m at that European level, now it’s time to prove I can go to the interim world level stage with a good win against Vazquez. That will pave the way for more big fights. We never take anyone lightly and we definitely haven’t taken Vazquez lightly. If I bring my A game, I’ll have more than enough to beat him.”

Ritson vs. Vazquez headlines a huge night of boxing at the East of England Arena in Peterborough, Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs) meets Glasgow’s former World Champion Hannah Rankin (9-4, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO Middleweight World Title, 2016 Rio Olympian Qais Ashfaq (8-0, 3 KOs) meets Salford’s Marc Leach (14-1-1, 3 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the British Super-Bantamweight Title, Joe ‘Benwell Bomber’ Laws (9-0, 5 KOs) takes on Norwich’s Rylan Charlton (5-0-1, 2 KOs) over six rounds at Super-Lightweight, West Rainton’s Thomas Patrick Ward (29-0, 4 KOs) fights Thomas Essomba  (10-6, 4 KOs) over ten rounds at Super-Bantamweight and Catford’s Ellie Scotney makes her professional debut against Bec Connolly (3-7) at Featherweight.

Following advice from the Government and the BBBoC relating to COVID-19, Matchroom Boxing have postponed all events scheduled to be taking place in March and April, including David Avanesyan vs. Josh Kelly at The O2 in London on March 28, Lewis Ritson vs. Miguel Vazquez at the Utilita Arena Newcastle on April 4 and Terri Harper vs. Natasha Jonas at the Doncaster Dome on April 24.
 
Fights scheduled to take place on the Avanesyan vs. Kelly show will be merged into future cards, with ticket refunds for March 28 available at the original point of purchase. Ritson’s clash with Vazquez has been rescheduled to Saturday June 27^th, while Harper’s all-British World Title showdown with Jonas has also been rescheduled to June, with a date to be confirmed shortly. Tickets will be valid for these rescheduled dates or refunds will be available from your point of purchase. Further events may also be subject to change.
 
The health and safety of the boxers, staff, event contractors and fans involved with our events is the top priority for Matchroom Boxing and we thank everyone for their understanding. We look forward to bringing world class boxing events back to these shores as soon as it is safe to do so.
  
Our thoughts are with everybody affected by the COVID-19 outbreak at this difficult time.

Eddie Hearn:

“It’s a pleasure to be back in Newcastle and it’s fair to say that you guys here today and especially the man to my right have revolutionised the boxing scene here. It’s going to be nearly two years when we return on April 4 since Lewis’ first big fight there against Paul Hyland and we witnessed a great performance from him that night. 

“The Patera loss was one that made him as a fighter but at the time took the wind out of the sails and we wondered if we would be able to go on from there and claim this city as a major fight night location for Sky Sports.

“Lewis’ last fight against Robbie was a brilliant fight and a great occasion in what is remembered as a Fight of the Year contender. Boxing in Newcastle has become an experience now with fans wanting to be a part of the atmosphere that is created in the arena on fight night. Lewis has become a major draw in British boxing and that’s what it’s all about. 

“Miguel Vazquez is a great fighter, a former IBF World Champion who is smart and has a style which is very tough to beat. He is on the hunt to become a two-weight World Champion and that begins on April 4.

“When we look down the card, Kash Farooq is one of the best young fighters to come out of Scotland for a long time, Wardley against Vallily is a great Heavyweight match-up for the English Title and Thomas Patrick Ward is I believe the hidden gem of the North-East.

“Thomas is bang on the verge of challenging for a World Title, currently ranked #3 in the world and he is a great talent who has gone under the radar. With a victory on April 4 I believe that he will secure a fight for the World Title this summer.

“Savannah Marshall will challenge for the WBO World Light-Heavyweight crown and she has picked the right time to come forward. She challenges Peres in Newcastle and for me women’s boxing is at an all time high right now. Savannah steps out of her comfort zone to take on a World Champion and the North-East has a chance to crown another World ruler on April 4.”

Lewis Ritson – Newcastle, England – 20-1, 12 KOs – fighting Miguel Vazquez in a 12 round Super-Lightweight contest:

“This will be a very hard fight but I feel if I get through this we will have three World Champions in the North-East in me, Tommy and Savannah.

“He can do a bit of everything and he’s proved that as a World Champion. He was a champion for a long time but I know Fanno will put together a solid gameplan and we will come away with the win.

“This is the sort of fight that I need for the experience to get to that next level. I showed that against Robbie Davies Jr and I will show this again and bring back some big nights to the North-East.

“It’s not just Newcastle it’s the whole North-East. As long as the fighters on the undercard keep winning and the main event keeps winning then we will continue to bring great nights here in what I think is the best atmosphere in the country.

“I will be very tough to beat in the arena and Vazquez will feel like he is fighting two people in there with the noise levels. It’s a great time for the division and I’m confident that I am more than capable of beating any of them, I’ll get Vazquez out of the way and then I want that World Title shot.”

Miguel Vazquez – Guadalajara, Mexico – 42-9, 16 KOs – fighting Lewis Ritson in a 12 round Super-Lightweight contest:

“Thanks for the invitation to come here, it’s always great to be in the UK because I feel at home here.

“I would really like to kickstart my career here so I can open some doors and have a good end to my professional journey.

“I would love to become World Champion again and beating Lewis Ritson is the first step in achieving that goal. Lewis Ritson is very tough and a great fighter and I expect a great fight on April 4.”

Savannah Marshall – Hartlepool, England – 8-0, 6 KOs – fighting Geovana Peres for the WBO Light-Heavyweight World Title:

“I just want to say thanks for the opportunity, Eddie, Matchroom and MTK. Just for the chance to box for a World Title in Newcastle, even if it is at the weight above, I’m jumped at the chance. She’s a reigning, defending World Champion. She’s a weight above so I know she can whack. She’s a Brazilian-born adopted Kiwi, so that just screams toughness.

“These are the challenges that I want. Women can go up and down in the weights because there aren’t that many women about. This is just the start for me and I’m hoping to become a World Champion on April 4^th in Newcastle.

“I’ve got the height there for Light-Heavy, Super-Middle and Middle. I’m strict with myself and I train hard. That does allow me to go up and down the weights. I’m comfortable at Middle, I’ve never been a true Super-Middle. I know I can hold the weight and do it properly. I’m looking forward to this one.”

Thomas Patrick Ward – West Rainton, England – 29-0, 4 KOs – rated no.3 at Super-Bantamweight with the WBO: 

“I believe I’m right in line for a World Title shot this year. I’m excited to get out and get a good win on April 4^th. The division is there for me. There’s some good champions in the weight but I believe I’m the best of the lot.

“I’ve been flying under the radar for some time like you said and I believe that I’ve got the skills to beat anybody. Anybody that steps in the ring with me have only got a chance of beating me by knocking me out, and my chin is perfect so I believe I’m the best in the division and I will show it. 

“They’re all great champions in this division. Like I said, I believe I am the best. My skills will be too much for them. I’m not saying it’s going to be an easy night, not one bit, but I’ve got a full bag of tricks and people won’t realise how good I am until the champions are in the ring fighting me.”

Joe Laws – Benwell, England – 8-0, 4 KOs:

“You alright Eddie? I’ve made the poster this time. I’m feeling good, camp has been going well. I’m moving down in weight; I’m feeling better and stronger in the gym. The last two arena shows have been amazing. The atmosphere we bring is special and I can’t wait for it. 

“My previous fights were like 148 and 147lbs, 150 some of them, so I’m going to move down slowly. I’m fighting two weeks on Saturday, one fight at 142 and then I’ll just keep bringing myself down until next year when I’m 135 and I believe at that weight I’ll be a proper handful. 

“I’m on six rounds now. Later this year I’ll do a few eights, test the waters and all that, and next year I’ll be ready for them titles. Devin Haney is one of the main reasons that I’ve moved down to 135, people having been saying ‘what’s the point in calling someone out when you’re a different weight’? So I thought I’d get to 135, put some wins together, up the rounds, and if he wants to step up then come to Newcastle. Let’s get it on.”

April Hunter – Wallsend, England – 2-0:

“Women’s boxing is in an amazing place at the moment. I watched Terri over the weekend and I thought she looked amazing. I feel like the hype for women’s boxing has grown and I’m just happy to be a part of it. I can’t wait for Savannah to get a World Title on April 4^th

^“I’m not going to go looking for the stoppage. I’m going to try and pick my shots a bit better. These journeymen fighters know how to survive don’t they so the more I go looking for it the harder it’ll get so I think I’m going to be a lot more relaxed and composed. I’ll show my boxing skills a lot more in this one.”

Lewis Ritson will clash with former long-reigning World Champion Miguel Vazquez on a huge night of action at the Utilita Arena Newcastle on Saturday April 4, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

Geordie favourite Ritson (20-1, 12 KOs) produced a career-best performance to beat bitter rival Robbie Davies Jr in an enthralling Fight of the Year candidate last time out in October to stay in line for a shot at the WBA Super-Lightweight crown.

Tough Mexican Vazquez (42-9, 16 KOs) previously held the IBF Lightweight World Title for four years, making six defences of the title in that time, before losing to Mickey Bey via a controversial split decision in Las Vegas.

“He’s obviously been there and done it and got the t-shirt,” said Ritson. ‘’He is a world class fighter who has fought at the very top level of the sport and continues to do so, I need to be on my A game to get the win here.

“That’s the sort of fights we need now to get the best experience at that level. Get past Vazquez and I’m knocking on the door.

“Vazquez can do a bit of everything. He’s awkward, he can fight, he can box, but whatever he brings to the table, we’ll have to adapt to that and work out a way to beat him.

“We cannot look past him, there’s a lot riding on it, but if we get the win over Vazquez then it could lead to a World Title shot down the line.”

“I think Ritson is a very strong fighter and I am expecting a very hard fight,” said Vazquez. “This fight will be very entertaining and it is a good fight for both of us, the fans will certainly leave happy.

“I think not only in Newcastle but across the UK fans will be supporting Lewis because they want another champion in the future, but I also want to be a champion again so because of this, I feel this is a really intriguing fight.

“I know that Lewis will be very well prepared and anything could happen. I will prepare as I need to, in order to win this fight on April 4.”

Hartlepool star Savannah Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs), Britain’s first ever female amateur World Champion, attempts to win a professional World Title in just her ninth fight when she faces New Zealand’s WBO Light-Heavyweight ruler Geovana Peres (8-1, 1 KO).

Dillian Whyte’s fast-rising Heavyweight protégé Fabio Wardley (8-0, 7 KOs) lands his first professional title shot as he steps up to take on Middlesbrough hard-man Simon Vallily (17-2-1, 7 KOs) for the vacant English belt.

Undefeated Super-Bantamweight slickster Thomas Patrick Ward (29-0, 4 KOs) takes another step in his seemingly unstoppable rise to a World Title after notching four wins in 2019 and cementing his place in the top 10 of the WBO and IBF rankings at 122lbs.

Glasgow Bantamweight contender Kash Farooq (13-1, 6 KOs) fights for the first time under the Matchroom Boxing banner as he targets a highly-anticipated rematch with British and Commonwealth Champion Lee McGregor following his controversial loss in November.

Some of the best up-and-coming talent in the North East feature on a bumper undercard with action for Benwell Welterweight Joe Laws (8-0, 4 KOs), Newcastle Super-Lightweight Terry Wilkinson (8-0), Wallsend Welterweight April Hunter (2-0), Bedlington Super-Lightweight Darren Reay (7-0-2, 1 KO) and Spennymoor Super-Welterweight Chad Ellis (9-0).

“I can’t wait to be back in Newcastle, it’s become an absolute must on the boxing calendar,” said Eddie Hearn. “After his FOTY contender with Robbie Davies Jr, Lewis Ritson is straight back in the deep end against former World Lightweight king Miguel Vazquez as he continues his quest to challenge for a World Title in 2020.

“Britain’s Savannah Marshall looks to continue the run for women’s boxing as she moves up in weight to challenge for the WBO Light-Heavyweight World Title against champion Geovana Peres and World number 3 Thomas Patrick Ward looks to continue his impressive rise.

“There is a great domestic Heavyweight battle as Dillian Whyte’s charge Fabio Wardley takes on Simon Vallily for the English title and the talented Kash Farooq returns to title action. The Benwell Bomber Joe Laws will once again light up the Newcastle Arena and with further additions to be added, we expect another electric atmosphere in the North East.”

Adam Smith, Head of Sky Sports Boxing Development, said: “We can’t wait to head back to Newcastle for another red-hot atmosphere as local hero Lewis Ritson returns against Miguel Vazquez. Ritson produced a classic domestic clash with Robbie Davies Jr, but now tests himself against Mexico’s Vazquez, a classy technician.

“On another action-packed night in the north east, Savannah Marshall is targeting a World Title triumph, just a few weeks after fellow Brit Terri Harper was crowned as WBC Champion, and Fabio Wardley is one to watch in the Heavyweight division. We’re ready to hear the Ritson roar in Newcastle!”

Tickets priced £40, £60, £80, £100 and £200 (VIP) are available to purchase for Fightpass members from midday today (Tuesday February 11) via StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)

General sale tickets are available to purchase tomorrow (Wednesday February 12) from midday from the Utitlita Arena Newcastle (www.utilitaarena.co.uk), StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)

(June 24, 2019) — British featherweight champion Ryan Walsh will make the sixth defense of his title in a 12-round showdown against the unbeaten Lewis Paulin on the latest edition of #MTKFightNight Friday, June 28 at York Hall in London.

In the 10-round super lightweight co-feature, loquacious contender Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies will take on former lightweight world champion Miguel Vazquez.

Walsh-Paulin and Davies-Vazquez will headline a scheduled four-bout stream on ESPN+ — the leading multi-sport streaming service — beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.

Walsh (23-2-2, 11 KOs) has held the British featherweight title since 2015, when he edged Samir Mouneimne by split decision to win the vacant belt. He is unbeaten in three bouts — all defenses of the British title — since losing a split decision in October 2016 to Dennis Ceylan for the vacant European featherweight title. Paulin (12-0, 3 KOs), from Edinburgh, Scotland, is taking a massive step up in class, as he has only two wins against foes with winning records. He is two fights removed from winning the Scottish featherweight title via decision against then-unbeaten Stephen Tiffney.

Davies (18-2, 14 KOs) turned pro in 2014 following a brief amateur career and became one of Great Britain’s leading prospects following a 15-0 start to his pro career. He stumbled in a bid for the Commonwealth super lightweight title against Josh Taylor, suffering a pair of knockdowns en route to a seventh-round stoppage loss. Davies rebounded with a trio of wins before dropping a competitive decision to Jack Catterall last October.

Vazquez (41-7, 15 KOs), from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, famously lost a split decision to Canelo Alvarez in his professional debut in 2006. In August 2010, he won the vacant IBF world lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Ji Hoon Kim. He would go on to defend the title six times before dropping a razor-thin split decision to Mickey Bey in September 2014. He is 7-3 since losing the world title, most recently upsetting Ghislain Maduma by split decision in Maduma’s adopted hometown of Montreal.

Friday’s stream will also include:
In a 10-round showdown featuring a pair of unbeaten super lightweights, Daniel “Danny Darko” Egbunike (4-0, 3 KOs) will take on Martin McDonagh (5-0, 0 KOs).

Former European super lightweight champion and recent world title challenger Anthony Yigit (23-1-1, 8 KOs) will fight Siar Ozgul (15-3, 3 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
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New York, NY (May 31, 2016)- The manager of junior welterweight contender Erick Bone feels that his fighter was not given a fair shake this past Saturday night against former IBF Lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez in San Antonio
.

The bout headlined a Premier Boxing Champions card on FS1, was scored in favor of Vazquez by tallies of 99-91, 97-93 and 96-94.

Bone did well when countering and when he decided to force the action, landed the harder shots.

Bone was very effective with the right hand showed good foot work and landed some good body shots.

“Erick won that fight on Saturday night,” said Bone’s manager Eli Mackay.

“It was unimaginable that Vazquez won that fight and for one judge to only give Erick only one round just shows that the judges had their mind made up on what they wanted to see. The only problem is that Vazquez did not do what they wanted to see and it is a shame that a fighter like Erick, who has fought three world champions in his last three bouts (two on short notice) gets deprived of a breakthrough win that could help set up his career.”

“Erick clearly beat Vazquez to the punch all night and he fought a good fight Vasquez barely did anything. These type of out comes even on main event fights hurt the sport”

Bone of Manabi, Ecuador has a record of 16-4 with eight knockouts.

SAN ANTONIO (May 19, 2016) – Former world champion Miguel “Titere” Vazquez (35-5, 13 KOs) is set to take on super lightweight contender Erick Bone (16-3, 8 KOs) in the 10-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FS1 and FOX Deportes from the Dancehall in San Antonio on Saturday, May 28 with televised coverage beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Bone replaces Felix Diaz, who was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury. Bone will return to 140-pounds after challenging Shawn Porter and Chris Algieri at welterweight in 2015.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to face a former world champion like Miguel Vazquez next Saturday night,” said Bone. “I look forward to fighting in front of the great fans in San Antonio and proving that I am a dangerous fighter that will leave it all in the ring.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Leija Battah Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $100, $85 and $20 and $1,000 and $850 for VIP tables, before taxes and fees and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, call (210) 988-8821 visit http://lbtickets.ticketleap.com/march28th2016/ or in person at Champion Fit Gym at 6824 San Pedro Ave.

The 29-year-old Vazquez had a successful reign as 135-pound champion and defended his title eight times during his championship run. After beating Ji-Hoon Kim for his title, he would go on to defend it against the likes of Denis Shafikov, Mercito Gesta, Leonardo Zappavigna and Ammeth Diaz. Fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Vazquez’s most recent victory came against Jerry Belmontes and he is looking to rebound from a decision loss to Algenis Mendez in October.

The 26-year-old Bone has fought in the U.S. since 2014 and began his career stateside with victories over Francisco Figueroa, Mahonri Montes and Peter Oluoch. Born in Manabi, Ecuador, Bone won the first 12 bouts of his career. His most recent losses have come at welterweight and against former world champions. Now, he returns to the 140-pound division where he picked up a South American title in 2012.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @TitereVazquez, @LeijaBattahPR, @TGBPromotions @FS1, @FOXDeportes, @CowboysDanceHal and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsportsand www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. PBC on FS1 and FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

SAN ANTONIO (May 5, 2016) – Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz (17-1, 8 KOs) and former world champion Miguel “Titere” Vazquez (35-5, 13 KOs) will meet in a 10-round battle of super lightweight contenders that headlines Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FS1 and FOX Deportes from the Dancehall in San Antonio on Saturday, May 28 with televised coverage beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. This marks the first Saturday primetime PBC card on FS1 and FOX Deportes and anchors an action-packed memorial day weekend.

“This is a great opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” said Diaz. “Miguel Vazquez is a great former champion and I’ll have to be at my best. I’m very thankful to be the main event again and I’m thrilled to fight in San Antonio for the first time.”

“I’m very excited for this opportunity to face a skilled Olympic Gold medalist like Felix Diaz,” said Vazquez. “He’s a good fighter, but he’s never faced someone as experienced and talented as I am. I look forward to a great victory in front of the great fight fans of San Antonio as I march towards becoming a world champion again.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Leija Battah Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $100, $85 and $20 and $1,000 and $850 for VIP tables, before taxes and fees and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, call (210) 988-8821 visit http://lbtickets.ticketleap.com/march28th2016/ or in person at Champion Fit Gym at 6824 San Pedro Ave.

A two-time Olympian representing the Dominican Republic, Diaz Jr. won a gold medal at his second Olympic games in 2008 in Beijing. Now fighting out of the Bronx, the 32-year-old increased the level of his competition with victories over Emmanuel Lartey, Adrian Granados and Gabriel Bracero before giving former champion Lamont Peterson all he could handle in losing a majority decision last October. Now he moves back to 140-pounds looking to make noise and grab a world title.

The 29-year-old Vazquez had a successful reign as 135-pound champion and defended his title eight times during his championship run. After beating Ji-Hoon Kim for his title, he would go on to defend it against the likes of Denis Shafikov, Mercito Gesta, Leonardo Zappavigna and Ammeth Diaz. Fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Vazquez’s most recent victory came against Jerry Belmontes and he is looking to rebound from a decision loss to Algenis Mendez in October.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @TitereVazquez, @LeijaBattahPR, @TGBPromotions @FS1, @FOXDeportes, @CowboysDanceHal and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsportsand www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. PBC on FS1 and FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather Jr. kept alive his pursuit of an unbeaten legacy. Kept his fingers, too.

In a rematch full of some unusual twists and Marcos Maidana’s mouth full of more than a mouthpiece, the result Saturday night at the MGM Grand was predictable.

Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) shook off some heavy punches from the wild-swinging Maidana (35-5, 31 KOs) in the early rounds, began to exert control midway through the fourth round and landed with precision throughout the rest of the fight for a 116-111, 115-112, 116-111 decision. On the 15 Rounds card, it was 115-113 for Mayweather.

Only a knockout eluded Mayweather in the rematch of his majority decision over Maidana in May. A KO was his goal, he said several times before opening bell.

“I give myself a C, C-minus,” Mayweather said after the fourth fight in a Showtime deal for a possible six fights and a potential $250 million.

A chance at a stoppage for an A might have been eliminated in the eighth round. That’s when Mayweather said Maidana bit him on his gloved left hand.

No, Maidana said. How could he bite anybody with a plastic guard on his teeth? Video of the mount appeared to
inclusive. But Mayweather walked over toward the press section, leaned over the ropes and yelled that Maidana bit him.

“After the eighth round, my fingers were numb,” Mayweather said. “I couldn’t use my left hand.”

His right was more than enough against Maidana, who appeared to grow increasingly wild with each round. In the 10th, Maidana was penalized a point for pushing Mayweather onto the canvas. It almost looked as if Maidana was about to walk over Myyweather like a fallen pedestrian about to get trampled. In the 11th, Mayweather was warned for a low blow. Maidana was given time to recover. Mayweather impatiently waved at him, urging to continue the fight. It was as if Mayweather wanted to finish the business at hand and move on to the next fight.

When it was time to address what was next, he was asked the inevitable. He was asked about Manny Pacquiao. When isn’t he? Pacquiao-Mayweather has been the subject of futile talks and rumors for years. It won’t die. The surprise was that Mayweather kept it alive this time around. He usually dismisses it.

“Manny Pacquiao, if that fight presents itself, let’s make it happen,” he said.

There wasn’t much doubt and Leo Santa Cruz made sure of it with a devastating one-punch demolition of Manuel Roman that strengthened his claim on being one of the world’s best junior-featherweights.

“I want to fight Guillermo Rigondeaux,” Santa Cruz said of the Cuban who is considered to be No. 1 in the competitive weight class.

Roman (17-3-3, 6 KOs) was just an impressive work out for Santa Cruz, who stayed unbeaten (28-0-1, 16 KOs) and retained the WBC version of the 122-pound title. In the second round, Santa Cruz grazed Roman, his former sparring partner and a 50-to-1 underdog at the sports book, with a jab. He followed with a straight right that landed on the soft tissue behind a Roman ear. Roman collapsed. As he tried to get up, referee Robert Byrd ended it at 5 seconds of the round.

It wouldn’t be a fight card without a wild card. It came in Mickey Bey’s split decision over Miguel Vazquez for the IBF’s lightweight title. It was deadly dull, which means it could have been a draw. After the boos, the first two scores were announced. A draw sounded likely. Judge Julie Lederman had it 115-113 for the Mayweather-promoted Bey (21-1-1, 10 KOs) of Cleveland. Adalaide Byrd scored it 115-113 for Vazquez (34-4, 13 KOs) of Mexico. But it was Robert Hoyle who dealt the wild card, 119-109 for Bey, who bloodied Vazquez early, yet was never dominant enough to win by a double-digit margin.

James De La Rosa of San Benito, Tex., celebrated with a back-flip. When he landed, he stumbled. But he didn’t fall. Nothing could knock De La Rosa (23-2, 13 KOs) off his feet. Alfredo Angulo (224, 18 KOs), of Mexicali, tried in a furious finish to a 10-round middleweight bout in the first pay-pr-view fight on the Floyd-Mayweather Jr.-Marcos Maidana card. Angulo landed a couple of wicked left hooks and followed with successive rights, but De La Rosa survived to win a unanimous decision over a bloodied Angulo, who lost the first eight rounds, suffered a knockdown in the second and was penalized one point in the seventh for a low blow.

In a foul-fest, Mexican junior-welterweight Humberto Soto suffered two low-blows and was penalized for throwing one of his own, yet survived to win by unanimous decision over John Molina Jr. of Covina, Ca., in a Showtime telecast before the first pay-per-view fight.

Molina (27-5, 22 KOs), who appeared to throw punches after the bell in the early rounds, was penalized for low-blows in the sixth and seventh. Soto (65-8, 35 KOs) retaliated and it cost him a one-point penalty in the tenth. In the end, however Soto was the stronger fighter and a 95-92, 96-91, 95-92 winner on the cards.

Las Vegas cruiserweight Andrew Tabiti, who promises to take the snoozer out of cruiser, continued to display power and promise, pushing his record to 8-0, all by stoppage, with a sixth-round TKO of Caleb Grummet (3-2, 3 KOs) of Lake Odessa, Mich. Tabiti dominated Grummet for five-plus rounds before Vic Drakulich stopped it at 2:01 of the sixth.

Armando Lopes scored the undercard’s first upset, beating junior-welterweight prospect Damian Sosa of Argentina in the third bout on the card’s non-televised portion. Sosa (8-1, 6 KOs), a Robert Gracia-trained fighter, suffered a knockdown in the second round and never really recovered, losing a unanimous decision to Lopes (5-3, 1 KOs) of Nogales, Mexico.

In the second bout on the non-televised portion of the card, welterweight Fabian Maidana (3-0, 2 KO) got things warned up for brother Marcos with a first-round stoppage of Jared Teer (2-3), an Illinois fighter was knocked twice in the opening moments.

Super-middleweight Kevin Newman and Azamat Umarzoda opened the show two hours after high noon and about five hours before the Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Marcos Maidana Saturday at the MGM Grand. Seats were empty. But there wasn’t much to see, anyway. Newman (0-0-1), of Mayweather Promotions, and Umarzoda (0-5-2) of Tajikistan, fought to a draw through an uneventful four rounds.

Follow all the action live as Floyd Mayweather defends two Welterweight world titles plus a Jr. Middleweight world title in a rematch against former world champion Marcos Maidana. The actions off at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT with a 4 fight undercard featuring Leo Santa Cruz defending his Super Bantamweight title against Manuel Roman. Miguel Vazquez defends his Lightweight title against Mickey Bey. Alfredo Angulo takes on James De La Rosa in a Middleweight bout and the action kicks off with a Jr. Welterweight tussle between John Molina Jr. and former world champion Humberto Soto.

12 ROUNDS WBA/WBC WELTERWEIGHT & WBC SUPER WELTERWEIGHT TITLE–FLOYD MAYWEATHER (46-0, 26 KO’S) VS MARCOS MAIDANA (35-4, 31 KO’S)

Round 1 Mayweather jabbing to the body..Maidana lands a right to the head..Mayweather lands a left..Mayweather moving all over the ring…10-9 Mayweather

Round 2 Maidana throws a 3 punch combo..Mayweather jabbing to the body..Jab from Maidana..Mayweather lands a right and a left hook..lead right..20-18 Mayweather

Round 3 Maidana coming with a combo..Mayweather lands a counter right..counter right..2 more rights..hard right..another hard counter right..Maidana lands a right..jab..Hard right from Mayweather…Maidana lands a hard right at the bell…30-27 Mayweather

Round 4 Maidana is crowding and hitting Mayweather..Right from Mayweather..right…counter right..double jab from Maidana…39-37 Mayweather

Round 5 Jab – right from Mayweather..Counter right from Mayweather..counter right from Maidana…Short left from Mayweather...49-46 Mayweather

Round 6 Counter left from Mayweather..right..59-55 Mayweather…mayweather outlanding Maidana 97-64

Round 7 Maidana lands a right to the body..Mayweather lands a right to the body…body shot..Double jab from Maidana..Mayweather lands 2 rights..69-64 Mayweather

Round 8 Mayweather counters with a right and intiates a clinch as he has been doing for a lot of the fight…Maidana lands a jab and overhand right…Good right from Maywather..Overhand right from Maidana…Good right..Mayweather lands a lead left..Mayweather is claiming he got bit on his hand…Counter left from Mayweather…79-73 Mayweather

Round 9 Counter right from Maidana…Good hook from Mayweather…Counter left hook..Maidana gets in a couple of rights..Jab and right from Mayweather..left,…89-82 Mayweather

Round 10 Right from Maidana..Combination from Mayweather..Maidana throws Mayweather down and MAIDANA IS DOCKED A POINT…Maidana chasing Mayweather in corner…counter right from Mayweather..uppercut..jab..999-90 Mayweather

Round 11 Sharp left from Mayweather…Left to the body..Mayweather lands a low blow..Mayweather lands 2 lefts (Body/head)…Good right to the head..left hook to body and a right…Maidna lands a jab…109-99 Mayweather

Round 12 Mayweather dancing around the ring..Maidana traps Mayweather in corner…118-109 Mayweather

Mayweather 166-326 Maidana 128-572

115-112….116-111….116-111 Floyd Mayweather

12 ROUNDS–WBC SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE–LEO SANTA CRUZ (27-0-1, 15 KO’S) VS MANUEL ROMAN (17-2-3, 6 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Santa Cruz lands right to the body..Left hook to the body...Santa Cruz 10-9

Round 2 BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ROMAN…ROMAN GETS UP AND 8 BUT ROBERT BYRD STOPS THE FIGHT

12 ROUNDS–IBF LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE–MIGUEL VAZQUEZ (34-3, 13 KO’S) VS MICKEY BEY (20-1-1, 10 KO’S)

Round 1 Sharp left from Vazquez..jab…10-9 Vazquez

Round 2 double jab from Bey…19-19

Round 3 Counter right from Bey..stiff jab..29-28 Bey…Vazquez cut on the right side of his head

Round 4 Counter jab from Bey…Vazquez lands a jab..left..Bey landing on the inside..39-38 Bey

Round 5 Vazquez lands a chopping right//counter left from Bey…49-48 Bey

Round 6 Double jab from Bey…59-57 Bey

Round 7 69-67 Bey

Round 8 Vazquez lands a jab..left from Vazquez..right..78-77 Bey

Round 9 Bey lands a jab..Vazquez lands a left hook..87-87

Round 10 Vazquez lands a jab..97-96 Vazquez

Round 11 107-106 Vazquez

Round 12 Bey lands a left hook..Combination..116-116

Vazquez 89-404 Bey 81-394

115-113 Bey…..115-113 Vazquez….119-109 Bey….Bey the New IBF Lightweight champion

10 ROUNDS–MIDDLEWEIGHTS–ALFREDO ANGULO (22-4, 18 KO’S) VS JAMES DE LA ROSA (22-2, 13 KOS)

ROUND 1 Angulo lands a jab…Body shot…double jab from De la Rosa..Body from Angulo..jab to body..10-9 Angulo

Round 2 Overhand right from De La Rosa..Jab..BIG LEFT AND DROPS ANGULO ON THE ROPES RULED A KNOCKDOWN..19-18 De La Rosa

Round 3 De La Rosa lands a combination..straight left.right…Body, hook and uppercut from Angulo..Counter overhand right from De la Rosa..29-27 De La Rosa

Round 4 1-2 from De La Rosa…Angulo lands a body shot..left to body..left hook..left hook from De La Risa..Right to body from Angulo..left and right…38 37 De la Rosa

Round 5 Combination from De La Rosa..Angulo lands a body shot..4 punch combo from De La Rosa..ANgulo lands a left to the body..nice right..48-46 De La Rosa

Round 6 Combination from De La Rosa..Angulo bleeding around the right eye..De La Rosa lands a combination…2 rights from Angulo…58-55 De La Rosa

Round 7 De la rosa landa an uppercut..Uppercut from Angulo..straight left from de La Rosa..nice right..ANGULO DEDUCTED 1 POINT FOR A LOW BLOW..68-63 De La Rosa

Round 8 De La Rosa landing combination..Angulo lands a counter left hook and straight right..short uppercut..Good right..combination..77-73 De La Rosa

Round 9 Left hook from Angulo..De La Rosa is hurt…86-83 De La Rosa

Round 10 Right from Angulo…Right from De La Rosa..3 punch combo from Angulo..Right and left..left hook..Angulo coming on strong…De La Rosa lands a left..Angulo trying to make 1 last stand…95-93 De La Rosa

98-90, 96-92, 99-89 FOR JAMES DE LA ROSA

10 ROUNDS–JR WELTERWEIGHTS–HUMBERTO SOTO (64-8-2, 35 KO’S) VS JOHN MOLINA JR. (27-4, 22 KO’S)

Round 1 Exchanging hooks..Big right from Soto..left hook..4 punch combination…10-9 Soto

Round 2 Right from Molina…overhand right..good right..right..Molina landing the right from distance..Left hook from Soto..another left hook..Left hook from Molina…good toe to toe action..Soto lands a 1-2..Molina lands a right…19-19

Round 3 Left hook from Soto….2 rights from Molina..Right from Distance..Right from Soto..Bih exchange AFTER the bell…29-29 Molina

Round 4 Molina lands a right..right hand..right..Soto comes back with a left uppercut..Soto backing Molina up..Uppercut from Soto..Body shot..Soto goes down from a Low Blow…38-38

Round 5 Molina lands a right…jab from Molina..Jab from Soto..right….Molina lands an uppercut to the body..Left hook by Soto..Combination…48-47 Soto

Round 6 MOLINA DEDUCTED A POINT FOR A LOW BLOW…2 hooks from Soto..Right from Molina..3 punch combo from Soto..Right from Molina..Hook from Molina..Uppercut from Soto…58-55 Soto

Round 7 Right from Molina..2 right hooks from Soto..Counter right from Molina..Left from Soto..Another Low blow from Molina and Soto goes down…Soto down on canvas in pain AND ANOTHER POINT DEDUCTION..right from Molina..67-64 Soto

Round 8 Left hook from Molina..Jab to body from Soto..right from Molina…3 punch combo from Soto..Left hook from body from Molina…Right to Molina and he goes down from a Low Blow…Big exchange at end of round..77-73 Soto

Round 9 Soto lands a left hook that goes low..Right and left from Soto..Soto lands a left that Molina complains that its low..Left from Molina off the ropes..uppercuts…1-2 from Soto..87-82 Soto

Round 10 Right from Molina..Soto lands a low blow…SOTO IS NOW DEDUCTED A POINT FOR A LOW BLOW..1-2 from Soto..4 punch combo…left hook from Molina…96-91 Soto

Punch stats…Soto 245-587 Molina 181-51

96-91, 95-92 on two cards for Humberto Soto

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 8, 2014) – “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” SHOWTIME PPV undercard fighters Manuel “Suavecito” Roman, Miguel “Títere” Vázquez, Mickey “The Spirit” Bey and James De La Rosa have wrapped up their training camps and have made their way to Las Vegas to set the stage for the most anticipated rematch of the year. Expectations are high, but the Saturday, Sept. 13 undercard promises to deliver, live on SHOWTIME PPV (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In the main event, undefeated 11-time world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather will square off against Marcos “Chino” Maidana in a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight, WBC Welterweight and WBC Super Welterweight World Titles.

In the co-feature, Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title on the line against Roman. In the second pay-per-view fight of the evening, Vázquez will defend his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Bey in a 12-round bout. In the opening fight of the telecast, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo will face De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout.

Fight week has arrived, and as the fighters prepare for their bouts, Roman, Vázquez, Bey and De La Rosa answered some questions about how they’ve trained for boxing’s biggest stage.

MANUEL ROMAN

Q: We’re less than a week away from fight night. How are you feeling physically?

A: There’s a little fatigue, but after training camp I’ll be in good shape.

Q: Where did you train and who did you train with?

A: In South Gate, Calif. with my trainer Salvador Casillas.

Q: What made you decide to train there?

A: I’ve been with Salvador for a couple of years and we wanted to keep things consistent.

Q: What did you do to pass the time when you’re not at the gym?

A: I like to be with my family. I rest a lot, and we like to go to the park for walks.

Q: What motivates you most during training camp?

A: This is pay-per-view and on Floyd Mayweather’s undercard. There aren’t a lot of fighters who get this opportunity so I want to take advantage.

Q: You make a living in the toughest, most hardnosed sport there is. So what makes you truly happy?

A: Performing at my best for the fans is motivation. My family comes first though. Them being happy is most important.

Q: Did any family come along with you for training as you prepare for this fight?

A: They all live close by, but my dad is always around. He’s my biggest supporter.

Q: You’re coming off of consecutive wins. Do you think that you’re carrying some momentum heading into your fight with Leo Santa Cruz?

A: Yes, of course. I feel great coming off of those two wins and there shouldn’t be any ring rust.

Q: Santa Cruz has said that you have nothing to lose coming in to this fight and everything to gain. Do you agree with his assessment?

A: That’s actually a good way to say it. I agree with him.

Q: Are you doing anything special to prepare for Leo’s style of fighting? Do you see anything unique about his style that you’re looking to expose?

A: I’m going to need to throw a lot of counter punches, and I’ll have to have a lot of oxygen to handle all the punches (Santa Cruz) will throw.

MIGUEL VAZQUEZ

Q: We’re less than a week away from fight night. How are you feeling physically?

A: I’m feeling very good and strong. I’m prepared in every way and ready to win.

Q: Where did you train and who did you train with?

A: With with Javier Capetillo Sr. at the Ponce De Leon Boxing Gym in Montebello, Calif.

Q: What made you decide to train there?

A: It’s a great private gym that I’m familiar with.

Q: What did you do to pass the time when you’re not at the gym?

A: I tried to rest and spend time with my family. That’s what I like to do with my free time.

Q: What motivates you most during training camp?

A: The Lord helps me and takes me to victory. That’s my greatest motivation.

Q: You make a living in the toughest, most hardnosed sport there is. So what makes you truly happy?

A: Jesus Christ and the money.

Q: Did any family come along with you for training as you prepare for this fight?

A: Yes, it’s been great having my family around. They help make camp more comfortable and are very supportive.

Q: You’re coming off of 13 consecutive wins. Do you think that momentum will help you come Sept. 13?

A: Yes, the momentum is definitely going to help. I’m just very motivated to get another win and keep this going.

Q: This will be your third fight at MGM Grand. Do you believe that your previous experiences there will help you, and if so, how?

A: Yes, the experience should help. I’ve matured more too and that is going to help also. I’m mentally prepared for this fight.

Q: You’ve been getting more and more professional experience against American fighters. Do you notice any major differences between Mexican and American fighters?

A: No, I feel like all fighters are complicated and risky. I prepare for each of them the same.

Q: Are you doing anything special to prepare for Mickey’s style of fighting? Do you see anything unique about his style that you’re looking to expose?

A: I really don’t watch too much video to study guys. I trust my trainer and let him guide me as far as the strategy is concerned.

MICKEY BEY

Q: We’re less than a week away from fight night. How are you feeling physically?

A: I feel great. I was ahead of schedule. We’ve been putting in a lot of work to get to this point.

Q: Where did you train and who did you train with?

A: I’ve been preparing with Floyd Mayweather Sr. at Mayweather Boxing Club.

Q: What made you decide to train there?

A: I’ve been training there for a while, so we just wanted to continue with what’s been successful.

Q: What have you been doing to pass the time when you’re not at the gym?

A: I don’t do that much actually. I rest. I might drop by the gym to see Floyd train. Other than that I just eat, sleep and train.

Q: What motivates you most during training camp?

A: I want to become a world champion. I know I could have done it a while ago, but I’m with the right team now and I have the opportunity.

Q: You make a living in the toughest, most hardnosed sport there is. So what makes you truly happy?

A: Living up to the expectations that I set for myself.

Q: You’re coming off of consecutive wins. Do you think that you’re carrying some momentum heading into your fight with Miguel Vazquez?

A: Yes, absolutely. I’m always working on improving. I think I improve rapidly and I’ll do whatever I can to get better.

Q: You’ve fought at MGM Grand once before. Do you believe that your previous experience there will help you, and if so, how?

A: As long as there’s a ring, it doesn’t matter where it is. If there’s a ring I’m going to fight. I might enjoy fighting on the biggest stage, but the fight is going to be the same no matter where it happens.

Q: Do you think that your 10th round loss to John Molina Jr. last year was a setback for you, and did you learn any particular lessons from that defeat?

A: It wasn’t a setback because I won every round. I started playing around at the end and he got me. I only really got hit three times, and he kind of blindsided me at the end. The fight was easy though.

Q: How’s everything going with Floyd Mayweather Sr. in training? Are you doing anything new this time around in training camp?

A: We stepped things way up this time around. We’re doing old school stuff. People wonder why he’s such a good trainer. It’s because he came up around guys who worked with greats like Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson. We’ve been working on some of the same things those guys practiced.

Q: Are you doing anything special to prepare for Miguel’s style of fighting? Do you see anything unique about his style that you’re looking to expose?

A: Yes, there are things I can expose. I’m not preparing any differently though. I’m good at adapting and my preparation helps me be ready for everything.

JAMES DE LA ROSA

Q: We’re less than a week away from fight night. How are you feeling physically?

A: I feel really good. This is probably the best I’ve ever felt and the closest I stayed on weight throughout camp.

Q: Where did you train and who did you train wtih?

A: I’m trained in my hometown of Harlingen, Texas with my dad.

Q: What made you decide to train there?

A: I wanted to be close to my family.

Q: What have you been doing to pass the time when you’re not at the gym?

A: I’m always at the gym. I’m always trying to stay consistent and doing something to keep myself loose.

Q: What motivates you most during training camp?

A: The opportunity that I have and the spot that I’m in right now. Sometimes it takes fighters a long time to recover from losses, but I have the opportunity to keep on going and prove that I belong.

Q: You make a living in the toughest, most hardnosed sport there is. So what makes you truly happy?

A: Being in the ring makes me happy. My kids keep me happy of course, but being at the gym and in the ring is always on my mind. I love what I do, and I love putting on a show for the people. I’ve been boxing since I was eight. So I really love everything about the sport.

Q: Did any family come along with you for training as you prepare for this fight?

A: My dad’s my head trainer so he motivates and pushes me. I’ve always asked my dad to treat me like any other fighter. So he works with me and always encourages me.

Q: After dropping two of your last four bouts, do you think your fights with Conyers and Willis were setbacks for you?

A: They were losses, but I learned a lot from both of those fights. Now I’m coming back harder than ever, and I know what I have to do to continue being successful in this sport.

Q: This will be your first fight at MGM Grand. Angulo has fought there once before earlier this year. Do you think that his familiarity having fought there previously will play to his advantage?

A: No, because when I get in the ring I feel that it’s my time to put on a show. It doesn’t matter who I’m fighting or where he’s been. Whether the crowd is rooting for him or not, he’s going to know my name by the end of the night.

Q: Are you doing anything special to prepare for Angulo’s style of fighting? Do you see anything unique about his style that you’re looking to expose?

A: I’ve seen a lot of stuff that I hope to expose. There are lots of things that he does wrong, and we’ve been working so that I can capitalize on them once we get in the ring.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight Belt and WBC Welterweight and Super Welterweight World Titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “The Equalizer” in theaters Sept. 26 and The Mexican Tourism Board – Mexico: Live it to Believe It!. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc. In the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC Super Bantamweight Title against Manuel Roman in a 12-round bout and Miguel Vazquez faces Mickey Bey in a 12-round bout for the IBF Lightweight World Championship. In the pay-per-view opener, Alfredo Angulo squares against James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout (162 lbs.). The event will be also available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Plus, SHOWTIME will televise John Molina Jr. against experienced Humberto Soto in a 10-round junior welterweight bout during “Mayweather vs. Maidana 2: COUNTDOWN LIVE” (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, immediately preceding the live pay per view event).

Mayweather vs. Maidana 2 will be shown on the big screen in over 500 movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. For more information visit www.FathomEvents.com

OXNARD, Calif. (Aug. 26, 2014) – Marcos “El Chino” Maidana, the former welterweight world champion who gets his eagerly awaited rematch with Floyd “Money” Mayweather in the main event of “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” on Saturday, Sept. 13 live on SHOWTIME PPV, world champions Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (WBC Super Bantamweight), Miguel “Títere” Vazquez (IBF Lightweight), junior welterweight contender John Molina, Maidana’s trainer Robert Garcia and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe participated in a Media Workout Tuesday at Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Oxnard.

In world title fights on Sept. 13, Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs), of Los Angeles, will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship against Mexico’s Manuel “Suavecito” Roman (17-2, 6 KOs) in the “MAYHEM” co-featured bout and Miguel “Títere” Vazquez (34-3, 13 KOs), of Tijuana, will risk his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Mickey “The Spirit” Bey (20-1-1, 10 KOs), a Mayweather Promotions’ rising star from Las Vegas. In the SHOWTIME PPV opening bout, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) will move up to middleweight to face James De La Rosa (22-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout.

Preceding the pay per view telecast, SHOWTIME® will present a live 10-round junior welterweight bout between John Molina (27-4, 22 KOs) of Covina, Calif., and Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (64-8-2, 35 KOs) on “COUNTDOWN LIVE” (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME ).

The boxers did brief workouts as dozens of reporters and TV camera crews looked on during a media workout that was streamed live via satellite, YouTube, Ustream and online at Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions’ websites.

Undefeated 11-time world champion and perennial pound-for-pound kingpin Mayweather (46-0, 26 KOs) was, like always, the main focus of the questions directed at Maidana (35-4, 32 KOs) on Saturday.

Here’s what the fighters said during Tuesday’s workout:

MARCOS MAIDANA, Former Two-Time World Champion

“Looking back at my first fight, I think I can improve my punching accuracy, but my attack overall was very good and effective. I felt I surprised Mayweather. You could see it on his face.

“Personally, I found it much easier to face up against Floyd this time. When we first fought, I thought I wasn’t going to be able to see him, but I found him in the ring many times.

“I always come out looking for the knockout, but I like the way I fought in the first fight. Maybe the biggest adjustment for me going into this next fight is to keep more of a distance between the two of us. But there is no doubt that I am coming out looking for the win and getting that knockout.

“With this rematch, I don’t know if this fight will be any easier or harder. Mayweather has many skills and I am getting ready for the best that he has to offer.

“There has definitely been more notoriety for me since our first fight. Many things have changed and I have many more fans. But, I have had many big fights in the past including my fights with Adrien Broner and Amir Khan that have given me a lot of recognition.

“Going into training camp for the rematch, much of it has been the same, but we have been doing a lot more sparring. We have worked more on my distance, but besides that everything has been the same.

“I thought at times that I was too aggressive in the first fight and I was able to let Mayweather move around a little bit too much. I will be much more careful in the ring for the rematch. I won’t load up so much, but instead fight fresher and with more distance.

“I honestly didn’t have any disappointments in the first fight. Besides a few minor adjustments, I liked our overall gameplan.

“Right after the fight, I felt that I had won. I was the aggressor and the one looking to attack. But, the judges saw it differently. I am still happy with the way I fought. I absolutely thought I won the first fight, and I will win again on Sept. 13.

“When I first heard about the rematch I was relaxing at home with my family and my first thought was that I had to start training again and I had mixed feelings about that. . That being said, I am happy to get this rematch and I am going to make the most out of my opportunity.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ, WBC Super Bantamweight Champion

“I feel as if I have a target on my back. There is added pressure for me in all of my fights because I am becoming a household name. At the same time though, it means that I am doing something right and my hard work is paying off. People want to fight me and take away my title. It keeps me mentally and physically strong at all times. Before, I was the one looking for them, now they are looking for me.

“Going into this fight, I will go out there and try my best. I know a lot of people are saying that the opponent is not up to my caliber, but I just go out there and fight who they tell me to fight.

“My body is rested and hopefully I will perform to the best of my abilities for this fight. I have been training really hard, I am always in the gym, even if I don’t have a fight coming up. I like to be ready just in case.

“I have a strong desire to put on a great fight for the fans since I have this opportunity because of them. If I give the fans a boring fight, then they won’t want to see me on TV again.

“I feel like I learned a lot from the [Cristian] Mijares fight. He moved around a lot and kept me on my toes. My plan was to go out there and break him down, but he was very experienced and knew what to do to survive. I feel like I learned more in that fight than I did in any other fight because I was able to figure out how to chase around my opponent.

“The health of my brother has been both a motivation and a distraction for me. In the past, when I would be getting ready for fights he would be in the hospital and I would go and visit him at the same time. I am constantly worried about his health, but at the same time I use it as motivation because I want to be able to support him financially and the only way I am able to do this is if I keep on winning my fights. I told him that if he keeps fighting for his life then I will keep fighting for world titles.

“My opponent [ Manuel Roman] is a great fighter and has many of the same qualities of my past opponents. The only difference with him is that he hasn’t received the exposure that some of my past opponents received, so many don’t know much about him. We know each other very well, we have sparred in the gym together before and he knows how to fight me.

“I am not looking at this as an easy fight no matter what anyone says. He wasn’t an easy sparring partner; we would go at it back and forth. I didn’t beat him up easily as I have with other partners. We have a lot of respect for one another and we are friends, but once I get into the ring there is no playing nice. This is a business and I have to do whatever it takes to come out with a victory.’’

MIGUEL VAZQUEZ, IBF Lightweight Champion

“Everyone wants to take the title away from me, but I train very hard with my team and I prepare every day to make sure no one takes away my title.

“Although I am on the card for the biggest fight of the year, there is no added pressure for me- if anything it’s a great honor. I’m ready to fight and show that I’m ready for the big leagues.

“I feel great physically, mentally and spiritually. I am more prepared for this fight than ever before.

“I know that Mickey Bey is strong and fast. There’s a reason why Mayweather has him on his team. But I feel ready for him and it’s an opportunity to show my fans and the world what I am capable of.

“At times I honestly don’t feel like I get the respect from Mexican fans and I do feel like they owe me a little bit. But that is also because of the lack of publicity from my old company and the lack of high profile fights. This is not only a great opportunity for me to make a big breakthrough in the United States, but also to get the Mexican people behind me fully. I will prove to the world that I am ready.

“I feel that I beat Canelo Alvarez in my pro debut. The second time I fought Canelo was a mistake on my part because I fought at 150 pounds and that’s not where I should be, but the first fight against Canelo I definitely dispute. Those previous fights, including the loss to Timothy Bradley, motivate me very much going into this fight.

“People may complain about my style, but I base my style off the fact that I don’t want to get hit. Thank God that my style has worked for me so far in my career.

“I have a lot of experience going into to this fight against Mickey Bey, but you always have to work hard. It doesn’t matter to me that we are fighting in Bey’s backyard; I have fought in many different places and overcome various obstacles. I always come out on top.”

JOHN MOLINA, Super Lightweight Contender

“To me, each fight is just like the last fight no matter if I am a huge favorite or a big underdog; I always train the exact same. I take all my opponents seriously and [Humberto] Soto is definitely not someone to take lightly. He is a crafty veteran that has been in the ring with the best fighters and has won some and lost some. I go in to each fight with 100 percent focus and I am not looking past him in the least.

“My last fight with Matthysse was definitely a great fight. Matthysse was looked at as this monster in the division and I was this newcomer coming into the division. Although I’ve been in the boxing game for a while, my name has barely reached the accolades of such fighters as Matthysse.

“What I was able to take away from that fight is that I am one of the strongest guys at 140 pounds. He fought a hell of a fight and won because he was more experienced than me. But, looking back at the fight, I made the mistake of stepping off the gas pedal a bit when I had him hurt and I should’ve gone in for the kill. I know that the fans want the fight to happen again and I am looking forward to the fight if it does happen again.

“I like the things that my new trainer has implemented going into this fight. I am going to utilize my jab and use my reach to my advantage. I am a lot bigger to many of the fighters at 140 and I think this will work in my favor.

“When I changed trainers it wasn’t because I didn’t get along with Joe Goosen, as he is a very good friend of mine. The reason I changed was because of location. I have a one-year-old at home and having to drive 100 miles round trip to train was wear and tear on my body.

“I have seen many of Soto’s previous fights. He is a seasoned veteran and a hell of a fighter. Believe it or not, when I first turned pro he was already at the top tier of the game and was the main event at a fight of mine. When I walked into the room I was like ‘wow that’s Humberto Soto’, but it shows that I have paid my dues and to me he is like any other fighter once I step into the ring.

“I haven’t felt any ill effects from the [Matthysse] fight except for the bad taste in my mouth. The competitor in me wants to come out victorious in each fight. Physically, I feel very strong and prepared going into this next fight. The stage is set for this fight and we will be a great appetizer for everyone to enjoy leading up to the main event.

“I never look at an opponent as someone that I need to knock out or beat impressively. All I can control is how I perform and what I do best is to fight a good fight. Whether I win decisively or by knockout, as long as I get the victory and give the fans what they want to see is all I care about.’’

ROBERT GARCIA, Maidana’s Trainer and 2012 Trainer of the Year

“Training camp has been going great. We have been doing more sparring and working on keeping a distance between him and Floyd. I think that was the biggest thing that we needed to work on after seeing film of the first fight. He needed to not be so aggressive to ensure that he is fresh for all 12 rounds.

“I don’t like the way that Floyd talks about my fighter. On the media tour he was telling everyone that my fighter fights like an MMA fighter and was constantly disrespecting him and I didn’t appreciate that.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“I am very excited for September 13th. The first fight was such a great fight and I think that the work that Chino has put in, he is coming into this fight with a tremendous amount of confidence. In the first fight, Chino was touch and go. He was able to be effective against Floyd in the early rounds and I know the fans loved watching it. Floyd is a mastermind and a warrior when it comes to being in that ring.

“Although the first fight was very close between Floyd and Chino, there are no nerves for me, mainly because I don’t have to step inside the ring. Floyd is very prepared for this fight and is extremely motivated in his preparation. He has some added incentive because Chino has been talking a lot of trash and Floyd finds that very disrespectful. Chino has said that Floyd isn’t the great boxer that everyone thinks he is because he has been in the ring with him already. Come September 13th, Chino has to confront all the things he has been saying about Floyd head on.

“I think this fight will start at the 13th round versus going back to the first round. Floyd is very determined to stop Chino. Floyd wants to stop him to make a point that he doesn’t want his ability to be second-guessed. Floyd feels in his mind that he absolutely won the first fight and some of the fans thought that Maidana had won the fight. Floyd has vowed that he will pick up right where he left off and make the fight as exciting as possible to prove to the fans that the first victory was warranted.

“I truly believe that this fight will be much more exciting than the first fight because you will see much more action.

“Floyd knows what Chino brings to the table and Marcos has made a great argument for a rematch. In all honesty, the fans are the ones who made this rematch happen. The first fight was such a great fight that he fans wanted to see this fight again. Chino was the best opponent that Floyd has ever faced; he came out and was very aggressive from the opening bell. Floyd was able to make the adjustments as the fight went on because he’s the best in the business at doing that, but this rematch will be non-stop action.”

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight Belt and WBC Welterweight and Super Welterweight World Titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “The Equalizer” in theaters Sept. 26. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc. In the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC Super Bantamweight Title against Manuel Roman in a 12-round bout and Miguel Vazquez faces Mickey Bey in a 12-round bout for the IBF Lightweight World Championship. In the PPV opener, Alfredo Angulo squares against James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout(162 lbs.). The event will be available in Spanish through secondary audio programming (SAP).
Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
Mayweather vs. Maidana 2 will be shown on the big screen in over 500 movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. For more information visit www.FathomEvents.com

Kelly Swanson
Thanks, everybody, for calling in. We really appreciate you taking out the time of your day to have this call. We do have a lot of fighters that will be on the phone and available for your questions, and just to give you the order we are going to start with the Alfredo Angulo vs. James De La Rosa fight, followed by the Mickey Bey vs. Miguel Vazquez fight, and end with the Leo Santa Cruz vs. Manuel Roman fight.

Now I’m going to turn it over to Leonard Ellerbe, Chief Executive Officer of Mayweather Promotions to go ahead and talk us through the fights and make the introductions.

Leonard Ellerbe
I’d like to thank everyone for joining us on the call today. Today we are on the call to announce the undercard of the Mayweather vs. Maidana rematch: “Mayhem.” Obviously in the main event we have Floyd and Maidana. Floyd will be defending his WBC and WBA titles, and also, in an unprecedented move, he’ll also be defending his WBC super welterweight title, which has only been done one time in boxing history.

To open up the undercard, we will be having three world championship bouts. In the first bout we’ll have Alfredo Angulo. He’ll be fighting James De La Rosa in a 10-round super middleweight bout, and in the next bout we’ll have the WBC lightweight championship where we’ll have Miguel Vazquez defending his title against Mickey Bey. Then in the co-main event we have Leo Santa Cruz defending his WBC super bantamweight championship, and he’ll be fighting Manuel Roman.

This event will be promoted by Mayweather Promotions along with Golden Boy Promotions. Our sponsors are O’Reilly Auto Parts, Corona and “The Equalizer.” “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” will be shown live in over 500 movie theaters nationwide. Before we get into the introduction of the fighters I’d like to turn it over to our partner, co-promoter, and Senior Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions, Eric Gomez.

Eric Gomez
Thank you, Leonard. Obviously we’re very excited about this undercard. We feel that we have a little bit of everything. We’ve got a strong Mexican support in the undercard, and these fights are can’t-miss. These are going to be very exciting fights and we’re going to start off the festivities with a great matchup, a dangerous fight between James De La Rosa and Alfredo Angulo.

James De La Rosa, with a record of 22-2, 13 KOs, he’s out of San Benito, Texas. He’s coming off a great win August 2, a TKO win. He has wins over Tyrone Brunson, Lenin Arroyo, and Tim Coleman, and this is probably the biggest opportunity of his career, and he obviously wants to take advantage of it.

So if I can have James De La Rosa please say a few words to the media and introduce yourself, James?

James De La Rosa
Hello. I’m doing well. I’m James De La Rosa, 22-2 with 13 KOs and looking to come out and put on a show out there in Vegas, and of course come out with a win.

E. Gomez
Great. Thank you very much, James. Now, obviously everybody knows “El Perro,” Alfredo Angulo. He’s always in action-packed fights. He’s always giving it his all. He’s got a record of 22-4, 18 KOs. He’s living in Los Angeles now and is originally from Mexicali, Mexico. Alfredo knows that this is a very important fight because if he’s going to be considered for future world title fights fighting the elite fighters in boxing he’s got to get past James De La Rosa.

This is a very dangerous fight for him but obviously a little bit-something a little bit different for Alfredo Angulo. He’s debuting as a middleweight. This fight will be fought at the middleweight division. So, Alfredo, if you could please say a few words and introduce yourself,

Alfredo Angulo
Hi. Good morning, everybody, and thank you so much for the call. This is Alfredo Angulo, and I’m ready for the questions.

Q
Alfredo, what is bringing on this move to 160 pounds and did the weight cut affect you greatly in the Canelo Alvarez fight?

A. Angulo
I think this is a good fight for my weight. I’ve been getting my weight and my body ready for the next weight class. I cut a lot of weight before the last fight and I think my body will be better at middleweight.

Q
Eric, is it any added pressure when you’re making these undercards because fight fans are holding these undercards to the standard of Lucas Matthysse and Danny Garcia type fights that you made?

E. Gomez
Well, I think that we’re a little bit of victims of ourselves. We are always competing against ourselves because we’ve had such great undercards, but that’s just part of doing a Mayweather fight. Mayweather insists he wants to have good fights, important fights, so I think that with this undercard here you have two world title fights. You have a very exciting fight and Alfredo Angulo’s fight.

I think that we’re going to continue to do that. We’re going to continue to do that. I know that that’s one of the things that Oscar also is very much interested in, making sure that the entire card from top to bottom is stacked and we’re making good fights, and I know that from working in the past with Floyd and his team with Leonard that they expect the same thing.

So they want action-packed fights. They want to do title fights, and it’s very important for the consumer to have a stacked show from top to bottom, and we’re going to continue to do that.

Q
Alfredo, have you already started training camp, and are you planning to get there early so that those mistakes don’t occur again in this new fight moving forward at a new division?

A. Angulo
Yes, definitely. I’ve come up early to the camp, and I’m working on a lot of things that are going to put me in top form by September.

Q
James, how do you get yourself prepared for this fight mentally because of the stage that you’re going to be on?

J. De La Rosa
I know it’s not any other fight, this is a big stage for me. Basically I’ve got to be in my zone, and I’ve got to block everything out and do what I’ve got to do and do what I do best on that stage to get that win and just train hard. That’s what I’m doing. I’ve been training hard and getting ready for it. I just can’t let the crowd distract me or anything like that. I’ve got to focus on myself.

Q
Alfredo, why the change in division, and what was it that you learned with your fights with Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara?

A. Angulo
Well, basically I’ve been saying it all along I was going to stay at 154 up until my body said otherwise. It’s not a struggle. I can still make 154 but not comfortably, so that’s why the jump to 160. You know, I think I’m going to feel more comfortable. I’m going to be the “Perro” that you all know.

As far as the Lara fight, I learned a lot. It was a great experience. I showed the people that gave me no chance, that Perro is always going to be here and give great fights. Honestly, in the Canelo fight I can’t tell you I learned anything because I wasn’t there. It wasn’t me. It wasn’t the one you all know, and I didn’t feel the strength and I wasn’t able to put on the performance that I would’ve wanted.

Q
Alfredo, what do you know about your opponent James De La Rosa besides the record that obviously is very good. But what can we expect in that fight with him?

A. Angulo
You know, in all honesty I don’t really look into too much of my opponents besides obviously their record. I don’t know really too much about James as far as what style he can bring. What I do know is that all my opponents when they are going to face me, they train extra hard. They give it that extra training because they know that it’s not going to be an easy night once they step into that ring with me.

Q
Alfredo, do you still think you’ll have the same power at 160 as you did as a junior middleweight?

A. Angulo
I don’t know. Honestly I think you’ll know come Sept.13 if I have the same or even more going into the new division. We’ll let you guys decide.

K. Swanson
Okay, thank you very much. Okay, that is the last question for Alfredo and James. Both of you, thank you very much for joining us. Good luck continuing to train, and we look forward to seeing you fight on Sept. 13.

Mickey Bey is on the line, and we’re waiting for Vazquez to call in. Leonard, if you would like to come back on and join us and talk a little bit about this fight and introduce Mickey.

L. Ellerbe
Next up I’d like to introduce one of our top fighters and rising stars. He has a terrific record of 20-1-1 and fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio. Mickey’s put together an exceptional professional career, obviously with only one loss coming last July, and it was a loss that he learned a lot from personally. He made a grave mistake at the end of the fight, and it was a valuable lesson that was learned, and I think that coming into the world championship fight this is something that he’s always dreamed of, to become world champion, and come Sept. 13 he’ll get that opportunity. He’ll be facing a tough Miguel Vazquez for the IBF lightweight world championship. So without further ado, I’d like to introduce Mickey Bey.

Mickey Bey
Training camp is going great, and I want to thank my team for making this happen. I’m really excited for the opportunity on September 13.

Q
How far are you away from the mistake that cost you the win against John Molina, and in what way has that motivated you to be a better fighter?

M. Bey
I got past it probably the day after, because it wasn’t like a thing where I had to go back and get better. One thing about it, I’m a humble guy, so I feel like I was kind of showboating to the crowd and I was looking out at the crowd and stuff, against a big puncher and that’s a mistake. So I was mad that that happened, but other than that I won every round, and I took his best shots the whole fight, and that’s a big puncher.

So I got over it the day after, but yes, I was disappointed because I don’t really-I don’t think anybody can beat me as far as if I didn’t do that I would still be undefeated. I love putting on great performances for the fans, but that’s not in my character to have went that far looking outside the ring and all of that type stuff.

Q
Floyd was at ringside for the Molina fight. Did he have any advice or counsel for you after the fight? Was he tough on you? What were his words for you afterward?

M. Bey
No, he wasn’t tough, but he definitely gave me some great advice. After he fought Canelo we watched the fight together, and we went over some things, and he told me that was just a mistake. He said it’s boxing, and anything can happen, so it’s not over until it’s over.

Q
Can you characterize Miguel Vazquez style? And also, do you think you’re fighting the guy that everyone considers to be the best in the division, and does that motivate you even more to get a win?

M. Bey
Oh, yes. It does. Yes, I think he is because people might not credit his style, but at the end of the day he’s been the champion for years, so you’ve got to give him credit. People can say he fights this way and that way, but he’s been the champion for years, so I think it’s going to be a great fight.

You got to give us both credit because, number one, a lot of fighters they might cherry pick or wait for a title. Me, I’m getting in and I want to prove that I’m the best by fighting the guy that’s the best in the division as far as being the champion for so long.

Q
Mickey, how do you prepare for a guy who will do anything to win a fight whether it be stink it out or do anything to take away your best weapon?

M. Bey
Well, I’ll tell you I’ve got way more tools than him. He’s just got the bigger name of course because he’s been the champion, but I think this is going to be a fight where he’s going to be trying to get around my puzzles. I can do it all, and nobody saw my best but you’re going to be your best when you fight on this level.

He fought at this level, so my trainer knows even though we’re expecting an even better Vazquez. But he’s going to have more of a puzzle because nobody really fully knows all the things that I can do.

Q
What do you think is the key to what makes him so difficult?

M. Bey
I think the guys in this game today, a lot of them fight the same pretty much. They don’t really know how to box. A lot of guys can’t beat good boxers. They just like the rock ’em sock ’em robot type style, and whatever happens, happens. A lot of guys just swing for the fences and they just fight with their eyes closed.

Vazquez is a crafty fighter, so I don’t think the guys that he was fighting had the ability and the speed and everything to keep up with him.

Q
Mickey, why did you take this fight?

M. Bey
I’m a beast at the end of the day. If Godzilla came or something came down from Mars I’ll fight it and come in 100% confident. He’s a good fighter. This is what boxing is about. It’s about wanting to prove that you’re the best, and to me it’s just that I want to fight the best and to prove that I’m the best.

Q
Now, both of you are boxers are you willing to change your style for this fight and become the aggressor because he plays the outside so much?

M. Bey
I’m just going to go accordingly really. I’ve got a great trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. and he taught me well, so I’m going to just pretty much act accordingly. You never know. I don’t really look at previous fights because any fight can go different, so I’m just going to act accordingly. It could be a boxing match. It could be a street fight. I just come out on top whatever it is.

Q
Is there pressure to not only get the win but also look good and stellar on the Mayweather undercard because of the fact that all of the people will be watching?

M. Bey
Really you’ve just got to do your job. All of you all know this cat’s style, so at the end of the day beating him is good enough. Of course I want to look good, but this dude is a legitimate fighter and a legitimate champion, so I can’t get too caught up into thinking how I look even though I’m sure I’ll look great. But getting the win, that’s the key.

Q
You were talking about a couple of different fight dates. Was it difficult for you in training camp to manage all of that not really knowing exactly what date you were going to be fighting?

M. Bey
Not really. I just pretty much I just go with the flow, man. I just stay calm, relax, and just do my job. I’ve got a great team, so I’m confident in them, and they’re confident in me. I just go accordingly pretty much.

Q
Can you just kind of talk about what this fight means to you? You’re fighting on Floyd’s card and all that. What exactly does this opportunity mean for you?

M. Bey
It’s huge for me to get to this point after so long. I know talentwise I could’ve been champion many years ago, but I just think that it shows if you stay dedicated and stick to your craft everybody’s got a different story. Some people get it fast. Some people get it later. But if you quit or you lose confidence you never get the shot to see what you can do, so I’m just mentally tough, strong, and dedicated, and that’s why I’m glad that everything paid off and I got to this point.

Q
Assuming everything goes well and you do end up winning the title, do you think that makes up for the blemish with John Molina, or is that something that you would still want to go back and take care of?

M. Bey
Either way. I think everybody saw it, so they know. We wanted to get it done right after. He didn’t want the fight, so at the end of the day everybody saw it. They know, okay, why did this guy goof off?. In the last round why did this guy goof off and throw the fight away? I wasn’t really hit and stuff like that, but it was one of those fights where it was just a bad mistake on my end.

It wasn’t anything that he did. I can’t take credit away from him. He got the win that night, but everybody knows it was because I just started goofing off at the end, and that’s something that normally I wouldn’t have done. But I hope the fans enjoyed it, because they will never see that again.

K. Swanson
Okay Leonard could you please introduce Mr. Vazquez? Mickey, if you want to stay on the line I do believe that was your last question, but if you’d like to stay on the line in case some come up. I understand if you have to train, but stand by. Let’s hear from Mr. Vazquez.

L. Ellerbe
Next up I’d like to introduce the current IBF lightweight champion. He’s currently on an impressive 13-fight win streak that goes all the way back to 2008. He won his lightweight world title in 2010. He’s a respected veteran, always come to fight, and come Sept. 13 he’ll be looking to make himself a household name when he puts his title on the line against Mickey Bey.

So without further ado, I’d like to introduce the current IBF lightweight world champion out of Guadalajara, Mexico with a record of 34-3 with 13 KOs, Miguel Vazquez.

Miguel Vazquez
It’s a great honor, and I’m very happy to be here with you guys on this call, and I’m looking forward to it.

Q
What does it mean to you to make your debut with another promoter and to be on this significant card, a Mayweather card?

M. Vazquez
It’s a great honor to be with a new manager like Al Haymon, and obviously another great honor to be on such a great card like it is to be on the Mayweather undercard, and I’m coming very well prepared to come and defend my title.

Q
Now that you’re with a new company, now that you’re on such a big card do you have any plans to change up your style or continue on doing what you do best?

M. Vazquez
No, this is my style. My style is the style that took me to become a world champion, and I don’t plan to make any drastic changes to my style. This is why I’ve maintained and been victorious. I may modify a little bit more aggressive attack, but again, this is the style that’s kept me here.

Q
What can you tell us about Mickey Bey? Obviously it’s the big fight of his life, and what do you expect in this fight?

M. Vazquez
We know Mickey Bey is a very good fighter, very talented fighter, fast, difficult. But I know I’m very well prepared mentally, physically, spiritually. I know that I’m blessed. God blessed me, and we’re prepared. We’re prepared, and we’re going to come out with the hand raised first, God willing.

Q
Miguel, could you sort of take us through the evolution of your style and how it came to be at this point in your career?

M. Vazquez
I’ll say it started off with my father, that he started teaching me the craft, and from there on I learned from the Cubans the art of boxing, to hit and not be hit, and now currently with my current trainer I’ve learned and picked up new things. It’s a style that’s got me there. I go in there, hit, don’t be hit, and I’m blessed by God.

Q
Miguel, it was somewhat of a surprise to see you signing with Al Haymon. How important is that for you at this point in your career?

M. Vazquez
No, besides an honor it was a blessing to have signed with such an important figure in boxing like Mr. Al Haymon, and obviously the dreams of having the biggest fights have now become reality, and now come fight night I have to do everything to come out victorious so I don’t let him down.

K. Swanson
Okay, now we have both Leo Santa Cruz and Manuel Roman on the call. We’ll turn it over to Eric Gomez.

E. Gomez
Yes, here we are. Great. Thank you. Okay, so obviously the co-main event pits one of the most exciting fighters in boxing, Leo Santa Cruz, defending his world title against Manuel Roman out of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico with a record of 17-2. He’s a hard-hitting fighter. He’s only 26 years old.

This is a great opportunity, the biggest fight of his career. He’s an underdog in this fight, but he’s going to give it his all, so I would like to introduce to you Manuel Roman to say a few words. Manuel?

Manuel Roman
Hi, everybody. I just want to thank God for the opportunity, and I want to thank everybody that’s listening right now. I hope everybody tunes in on Sept. 13, it will be a great night of boxing.

E. Gomez
Great. Thank you very much, Manuel. Now, one of the most exciting fighters in boxing, he’s undefeated, super bantamweight WBC world champion. He’s probably one of the most exciting fighters. This guy throws so many punches it’s hard to count, but he’s coming off so many good, impressive wins.

This is going to be a big stage for him fighting on the Mayweather card, and I would like for him to say a few words -Leo Santa Cruz.

Leo Santa Cruz
Yes, good afternoon to everyone. I just want to say that I’m very happy and excited to be on this big undercard. It’s a dream come true to be on the Mayweather undercard and to be the co-main event. For me it’s what I’ve dreamed since I was really small, and now I have to thank God, thank my manager, Al Haymon, Golden Boy, my team, and I invite you guys to come Sept. 13.

Me and Roman, we’ve known each other since amateurs. He’s a great fighter. I know a lot of people know him, but he’s a great fighter, and he’s going to come out and give me a great fight, and we’re going to give a great fight for all the fans.

Q
Do you feel that being in the co-main event before a Mayweather-Maidana fight you need to be spectacular in order to get the fight that you’ve been calling for against (Guillermo) Rigondeaux or any other fights?

L. Santa Cruz
I think that before I was knocking out people and everything, but I was never really used to fighting fighters that box a little bit more. But we weren’t used to those kinds of styles running and boxing, but now we been training in the gym. We have been fighting fighters that move a lot and chasing them, so I think we’re getting used to them, so I think we’re going to start doing what we were doing before, and of course I think that I need to look spectacular because I’m the co-main event, and that millions of people are going to be watching me.

So I’ve got to go out there and give my best, and that’s what I’m training for, and hopefully I’m going to be at 100% and go out there and give the fans what I always do, war, and go out there and throw a lot of punches so the fans can go happy.

Q
Is the fact there are so many Mexicans on the card and it’s on Independence Day weekend a motivator for you?

L. Santa Cruz
A great motivation-all my fans there are always a motivation, even the Mexicans for all the fans all over the world they give me motivation too because I have great fans. I have Mexicans, Chinese, from the UK, Colombia, Puerto Rico, everywhere, so that’s a great blessing for me, and really I always think about the fans because thanks to them I’m here and they’re always saying nice things about me and everywhere. That’s why I go out there to give them my best, and I always try my best, and hopefully we do it.

Q
Eric, can you address the style differences between Seda and Mijares when he fought them and what he said just now about wanting to look spectacular on Sept. 13?

E. Gomez
I mean, I think that if you look at the opposition that he’s faced, he’s faced really top-notch opposition. He’s fought some of the toughest guys in boxing. He hasn’t had it easy ever since he won the IBF title. I think that he’s popular because of his style, the amount of punches he throws. Obviously we put him in with Seda. He was a slick counterpuncher, a southpaw. Mijares was similar. He was similar, but I think the thing with Leo is that he wants to go to war. He wants to give the fans what they want to see. He wants to stand there toe to toe, throw a lot of punches.

But a lot of times when he starts landing those punches his opposition they change their tactics, and they change, and they start moving around and running because if they stay right in front of him they can probably get knocked out or it’s going to be a long night. They’re going to have to eat a lot of punches.

So I think that he’s one of the most exciting fighters. The amount of punches that he throws every round are incredivke and he’s just going to keep getting better.

Q
You’re going to be on a stage that you’ve never been on before as the co-main. All these eyes are going to be watching. What’s that pressure like?

L. Santa Cruz
Yeah, there’s a big, big pressure on top of me because I’m the co-main event, and to be on this big undercard is a dream come true. This is what I always dreamed, and I’m training 100% and giving my all. We trained really hard with the 12 rounds already sparring with my friend Daniel Garcia.

We’re doing 12 rounds over there, and we’re leaving it all in the ring. So on Sept. 13 we go out there and give it war because that’s what the fans want, and to be on a big undercard like this and a million people watching we got to leave it all right there.

Q
Now, we’re used to seeing you fight three, four times a year, and in 2014 you’ve only fought once. Any particular reason for the layoff, and is that something that you’re going to be giving us now, just two fights a year, or do you want to go back to your old schedule, four and more?

L. Santa Cruz
If it was up to me, I would like to fight three or four times a year, but I think the whole team decided that I needed a little rest maybe, and they are the ones that take care of me, so I respect what they say, and if they think fighting like this is better I respect them, and I’m just doing whatever they want.

But hopefully next year we fight three or four times because we like to stay busy. We’re always staying in the gym. We’re ready, and we’re asking for more fights in the future.

Q
I’d just like to know why you would like to fight Guillermo Rigondeaux, being as though you know that he’s a slick counterpuncher and basically undefeated.

L. Santa Cruz
No, of course. I thought he was running away from me, and then I heard that he’s saying that I’m scared, and some people are saying that I’m scared. So I want to prove that I’m not scared of fighting nobody. I’m here to fight the best, and if he’s the best why not fight him?

Like I say, he does have a hard style, very difficult and everything, but hopefully everything goes well on Sept. 13, and hopefully next year we get to fight that war. We know that it will be a great fight and a hard fight for me, but no matter if we lose, we win.

But we want to give the fans what they want because that’s what the fans want, and if they want it I’m here for them to fight for them and we’re going to try our best to make that fight happen.

Q
You said that you’ve been fighting fighters that move around a lot and that you’ve been chasing them. Is this in preparation for Rigondeaux or no? Is this just so you’re trying to broaden your range?

L. Santa Cruz
Yes because I know Rigondeaux, he’s going to be a future opponent, and we’ve been fighting boxers because we want to be ready so that whenever we fight Rigondeaux we’re ready to go out there and fight boxers that move a lot. We know that that fight is going to happen sooner or later, but we want to be able change styles because I want to know how to fight every kind of style from people that stay there, that bang and that move or fighters like me who want to move too. So I think we’re going to work on any style so that when we go out there we’re ready for anything.

Q
Manuel, are you inspired by all the other upsets you’ve seen so far this year?

M. Roman
Of course I’m inspired. It’s a big card. I’ve never been in the stakes like this, and I thank Leo for the opportunity and all his team, and it’s a great inspiration for me. It means the world to me right now.

Q
What do you say to the detractors that might say this fight isn’t worthy of being a co-main event for Mayweather vs. Maidana 2?

L. Santa Cruz
Yeah, they can say on paper it might be-you guys might say this and that and other things, but I’ve known Roman since amateurs, he was a really good in amateur, and I sparred with him two or three years ago, and we used to work really good in the gym. We used to go to war in the gym and the sparring and everything.

So other people that don’t know him but he’s a great fighter. He has great punches, great technique. He’s good at everything, so I think he’s going to give it his all just like me like me, I never underestimate nobody. I always train 100% because those are the fights that are harder. They’re the ones that are hungrier.

Manuel is going to come out here and he’s going to get a war, so I think we’re both 100% ready, and we’re going to go out there and give a great, great fight.

Q
So after this, considering if you’re successful, will you push for more crowd-pleasing fights or more difficult challenges? Are you interested in fighting anyone else besides him?

L. Santa Cruz
Yes, of course I am. Hopefully everything goes good and we do well in September. We want to look for harder fights, for the stronger ones, again Carl Frampton, Scott Craig and other fighters at 122. All of those, they’re great fights, but we’re going to push it, and we’re going to try to get those fighters to get in the ring.

Q
Manuel, are there certain things that you know from training with Leo in the past that you might be focusing on and try to take advantage of when you guys fight?

M. Roman
As far as I know, Leo is a warrior. He’s a warrior, and that’s what we’re getting ready for, war. So that’s why we’re training so hard too, and this is a big opportunity, and like he said we know each other, and we know it’s going to be a great match, so we’re ready for that.

Q
Leo, how is training going for this fight?

L. Santa Cruz
Training is going great. We’ve been doing 10 rounds, and today we did 12 rounds of sparring. The training camp, the sparring, the miles, everything is going great, strength, conditioning all great. Everything is going great, so we’ve been training really hard. We’ve been leaving it all in the ring and in the camp, so I think it’s going great, and we’re ready for Sept. 13 already.

Q
Carl Frampton was saying that his team and your team were talking, and it was looking good. What happened? Why did that breakdown?

L. Santa Cruz
The truth is I don’t know. I never heard about those talks. I was just training, and I was always in the camp training getting ready for the fight. I never knew the camps were talking or anything. They never told me about a possible fight with him, but like I said, if it was up to me I’d say yes to that fight. I’m here to fight the best, and Carl is one of the fighters I want to fight.

LAS VEGAS (August 14, 2014) – In keeping with Mexican Independence Day tradition, Mayweather Promotions has assembled a stellar undercard featuring some of this era’s most exciting boxers to co-feature on “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” on Saturday,September 13 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV.

Featured on the four-fight pay-per-view telecast, fan favorite Leo “Terremoto”
Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship on the line in a 12-round championship bout against Mexican contender Manuel “Suavecito” Roman, plus Tijuana-Baja’s pride Miguel “Títere” Vazquez defends his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Mayweather Promotions’ rising star Mickey “The Spirit” Bey. In the opening bout on pay per view, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo returns to the ring against James De La Rosa in a 10-round bout.

Rounding out a sensational night of televised fights, SHOWTIME will present a live 10-round Jr. welterweight bout between John Molina Jr. and Humberto “La Zorrita”
Soto on “COUNTDOWN LIVE” (SHO, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) immediately preceding the SHOWTIME PPV telecast.

“This is my second time fighting on a Floyd Mayweather pay-per-view undercard and I know that there is no bigger stage than this,” said Santa Cruz. “Manuel Roman is a tough customer. I know he’s going to come prepared and try to take my title. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain, but I plan on leaving the ring with my hand raised.”

“Leo Santa Cruz is one of the top guys not only in the super bantamweight division, but in all of boxing,” said Roman. “I’ve never been intimidated in the ring before and I don’t plan on starting on September 13. Santa Cruz better be ready because I know I will be.”

“I’m looking forward to fighting at MGM Grand again and on this amazing Floyd Mayweather card,” said Vazquez. “It’s time to get to business and get in the best shape ever so I’m ready to put on a show. I respect Mickey Bey, but I plan on winning convincingly to show that I’m one of the best in the lightweight division.

“I want to thank God for helping me persevere through the tough times and helping me overcome obstacles in my life,” said Bey. “I also want to thank my team for believing in me and helping me get to this opportunity. I plan on seizing the moment and becoming a world champion on September 13.”

“I’ve been anxious to get back in the ring ever since the end of the Canelo fight,” said Angulo. “I’m ready to get back on the winning track and this is a great opportunity for me to do that in front of the world on Mexican Independence Day weekend. This fight could not be more critical for my future in this sport and I want to put on a great show for the fans.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to make my name on a huge stage against a fellow Mexican-warrior in Alfredo Angulo,” said De La Rosa. “On September 13 I’m going to teach an old dog some new tricks.”

“Floyd always wants to ensure the paying fans get their monies worth by delivering a strong night of boxing action through compelling televised undercard bouts,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO Mayweather Promotions. “This fight night will be no different from the rest as Leo Santa Cruz and Miguel Vazquez will defend their world titles valiantly, electrifying Mickey Bey will seek to win that title from Vazquez and fan favorite Alfredo Angulo will look to revitalize his career in what will amount to a sensational night of boxing.”

“From top to bottom, the September 13th fight card is going to get fans out of their seats whether they are among the thousands in attendance at MGM Grand or hundreds of thousands watching from home,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president and founder of Golden Boy Promotions. “Golden Boy is proud to promote the most crowd-pleasing fighters in the sport and with Marcos Maidana, Leo Santa Cruz and Alfredo Angulo, all in action under the same roof, it’s sure to be a night that no one will forget.”

One of the most successful and exciting fighters in the sport, Leo Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of superstardom. Widely recognized as one of the highest volume punchers in the game, the 25-year-old, two-division world champion who fights out of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico will be making his third defense of the WBC 122-pound title he won last August. His exciting work rate and significant power have made Santa Cruz a mainstay on SHOWTIME as he prepares for his second consecutive PPV bout after defeating Cristian Mijares in March on the “TOE TO TOE: Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo” PPV card.

Tijuana-Baja, Mexico native fighting out of Paramount, Calif., Manuel Roman (17-2, 6 KOs) is ready for the spotlight. The hard-hitting 26-year-old is coming off of a two-fight winning streak. An underdog ready to upset bantamweight favorite on the biggest stage of his career could pull off the upset of the year.

A respected veteran and the current IBF Lightweight World Champion, Miguel Vazquez (34-3, 13 KOs) looks to make himself a household name on September 13 when he puts his title on the line against Mickey Bey. The 27-year-old from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico is riding an impressive 13-fight win streak dating all the way back to a 2008 loss against Canelo Alvarez. Vazquez won his lightweight world title in 2010 against Ji-Hoon Kim and has gone on to defeat undefeated fighters Leonardo Zappavigna, Mercito Gesta and, most recently, Denis Shafikov this past Feb. 22.

His opponent, Mickey Bey (20-1-1, 10 KOs) is one of the top rising stars in the Mayweather Promotions’ stable. The 31-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio was an amateur standout who defeated Brandon Rios at the 2004 Olympic Trials but was forced to miss the Olympics because of a bout with pneumonia. Since then, Bey has put together an exceptional professional career, with only one loss at the hands of John Molina Jr. last July, and has risen to contender status in the lightweight division. The winner of his last two fights, including a dominating decision victory against Alan Herrera in his last fight, Bey is ready to fight on the biggest stage of his career.

Despite losing his last two fights, Alfredo Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) remains a popular and extremely dangerous fighter, who is no doubt looking to take out his recent frustrations on his next opponent. The 31-year-old from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico always produces exciting fights, as evidenced by knockouts of Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, as well as his classic 2011 showdown with James Kirkland. Angulo’s last two defeats came at the hands of the top fighters in the 154-pound division in Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara. Both fighters controversially stopped Angulo in the 10th round, but on Sept. 13 it is Angulo who plans on inflicting pain and walking out victorious.

Angulo’s opponent, James De La Rosa (22-2, 13 KOs) is looking to make his name in the sport with an explosive win on September 13. The 26-year-old Mexican fighting out of San Benito, Texas is fresh off of an August 2 technical knockout victory over Fabian Reyes. This win adds to a list of solid triumphs that includes Tyrone Brunson, Lenin Arroyo and Tim Coleman. Now he looks for his biggest victory and to be able to say he has arrived as one of the sport’s elite.

The two fighters kicking off the night on Mayweather vs. Maidana 2: COUNTDOWN LIVE are sure to make sparks fly in the ring as both look to rise in their divisional rankings. John Molina Jr. (27-4, 22 KOs) from Covina, Calif., is looking to bounce back from his loss to Lucas Matthysse in a fight that immediately jumped to the top of the Fight of the Year list. The 31-year-old owns an impressive knockout victory over Mickey Bey that proved you can never count the powerful puncher out of a fight.

Humberto Soto (64-8-2, 35 KOs) is riding a six-fight winning streak since a 2012 loss to Matthysse. A former titlist in three divisions, the 34-year-old from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico looks to stay hot and earn himself another shot at a world title with a big televised victory on Sept. 13.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound world titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “The Equalizer” in theaters September 26. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information visit www.mayhemfight.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/chinomaidanaoficial, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

The August 15 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will feature an IBF eliminator between Lightweight contender Rustam “The Mongoose” Nugaev (27-6-1, 17 KOs) and former Lightweight title challenger Denis “Ghengis Khan” Shafikov (33-1-1, 17 KOs). The winner of the 12-round fight will be ranked No. 1 by the IBF and become the mandatory challenger for IBF Lightweight titleholder Miguel Vazquez. Friday’s show from the Chumash Resort & Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will air the fights on Saturday, August 16, at 8 p.m. The card is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.

New Picture (7)Commentators:
Todd Grisham will be ringside with analyst Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Doug Kezirian will provide all the latest boxing news and highlights. Pablo Viruega and analyst Leopoldo González will call the fights for Noche de Combates on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio.

In-Studio Guest: Former Three-Division Titlist Abner Mares:
Former three-division titleholder and 2004 Mexican Olympian Abner Mares will join Trejos as a special guest on Noche de Combates.

Main Event:
Los Angeles’ Nugaev has won his last five fights, including a fourth-round TKO over Marvin Quintero on Friday Night Fights in March. Shafikov, who hails from Russia, is looking to rebound from a 12-round unanimous decision loss to defending titlist Vasquez.

“Shafikov recently fought for the IBF world title but came up short against Miguel Vasquez,” Nugaev said. “That is his only loss, so I know he can fight. He does a lot of things well in the ring, and I’m going to have to be smart when we fight. I feel I have the power to slow him down and get him out of there before the final bell rings. This will be an all-out war and the fans will be pleased with my performance.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s 10-round co-feature will pit undefeated Jr. Lightweight José “The Sniper” Pedraza (17-0, 11 KOs) of Puerto Rico, against Mexico’s Juan Carlos “El Pez” Martinez (19-14-1, 6 KOs). In his last outing, Pedraza scored a first-round TKO over Arturo Uruzquieta. Martinez is looking to score another win following a 10-round split decision win over Alejandro Perez.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Fri, Aug 15

9 p.m.

Rustam Nugaev (27-6-1, 17 KOs) vs. Denis Shafikov (33-1-1, 18 KOs) — 12 rounds, Lightweights

Chumash Resort & Casino,
Santa Ynez, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, Aug 22

9 p.m.

FNF Season Finale: Austin Trout (26-2, 14 KOs) vs. Daniel Dawson (40-3-1, 26 KOs) — 10 rounds, Jr. Middleweights

Pechanga Resort & Casino
Temecula, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates Social Media:

· Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook.

· Score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

· Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo.

· For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.

Miguel Vazquez 134.8 – Denis Shafikov 134.8
Zou Shiming 111.8 – Yokthong Kokietgym 110.6
Ryota Murata 161.4 – Carlos Nascimento 160.6
Egor Mekhontsev 177.2 – Atthaporn Jaritram 173.6

MACAU, CHINA (February 20, 2014) — The Year of the Horse will get off to a galloping start when world championship boxing makes its 2014 debut at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Arena. International Boxing Federation (IBF) world lightweight champion MIGUEL “Titere” VAZQUEZ, of Mexico, and two-time Chinese Olympic gold medalistZOU SHIMING headline “Ring of Gold,” Saturday, February 22. Vazquez will defend his title against undefeated top-rated contender DENIS “Ghengis Khan” SHAFIKOV, of Russia, and Shiming will risk his undefeated record in an eight-round flyweight bout against the young seasoned YOKTHONG KOKIETGYM of Thailand. Both fights will be televised onHBO2, beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate, the “Ring of Gold” HBO2 telecast will feature Fran Charleshandling the blow-by-blow while former world champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and Hall of Famer Larry Merchantwill add expert analysis and commentary.

Remaining tickets for Ring of Gold can be purchased via Cotai Ticketing; prices start at HKD/MOP 80, with ferry and hotel packages also available.

Rounding out the troika of 2012 Olympic gold medalists will be RY?TA MURATA and EGOR MEKHONTSEV, from Japan and Russia, respectively, in separate bouts on the non-televised undercard. It is exceptional for so many Olympic gold medalists to be featured on the same boxing card. The “Ring of Gold” undercard will also feature former world champion and current No. 2-rated contender AKIFUMI “Sugar” SHIMODA of Japan, in a 12-round Word Boxing Organization (WBO) International featherweight title bout against fellow former world champion MARVIN SONSONA of the Philippines, and undefeated Hong Kong super flyweight sensation REX TSO in a 10-round rumble with MAKO MATSUYAMA of Japan, with the World Boxing Council (WBC) Asian super flyweight and the WBO Asia Pacific junior bantamweight titles at stake.

Vazquez (33-3, 13 KOs), of Guadalajara, México, captured the IBF lightweight title in 2010 when he won a 12-round unanimous decision over Jihoon Kim. Since winning the world title, Vazquez has successfully defended it five times during his four-year reign. Vazquez will be facing undefeated top-rated contender Shafikov (33-0-1. 17 KOs), from Chelyabinsk, Russia. A southpaw with an aggressive style, good skills and movement, the former European junior welterweight champion Shafikov has good punching power and is not afraid to use it.

Zou (3-0), from Guizhou, China, and trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, won his professional debut on April 6, 2013, via a dominant four-round unanimous decision over gritty Eleazar Valenzuela. He followed that up with six-round unanimous decision victories over Jesus Ortega and Juan Toscano on July 27 and November 24, respectively, last year, and all at CotaiArena. One of the most popular Olympic athletes in China, Zou was the world’s greatest light flyweight, capturing gold medals in the World Amateur Championships in 2005, 2007 and 2011, along with gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He also owns an Olympic bronze medal from the 2004 games, making him his nation’s first Olympic medallist in boxing as well as its first boxing gold medallist in the World Amateur Championships and the Olympics. He will be graduating to an eight-round bout when he faces Kokietgym (14-3, 10 KOs), of Roi-Et, Thailand. The vastly more experienced Thai enters this fight having won six of his last seven bouts, with two of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Murata (2-0, 2 KOs), from Tokyo, a sensational prospect at 160 pounds, captured the Olympic gold medal in the middleweight division at the 2012 Olympics held in London. It was the first gold medal won by a Japanese boxer since Takao Sakurai in 1964, and also is the first-ever boxing medal in a weight class other than bantamweight or flyweight. The six-foot Murata also became the 100th gold medalist in Japanese Olympic history. He made his pro debut last August, knocking out OPBF middleweight champion Akio Shibata (21-7-1) in the second round. Murata followed up that victory on December 6 with a fourth-round stoppage of David Peterson (13-1). He will be facing battle-tested slugger and one-time world title challenger Carlos Nascimento (28-3, 22 KOs), of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who enters this fight having won 12 of his previous 14 bouts, nine by way of knockout. Their fight is schedule for eight rounds at middleweight.

Mekhontsev (1-0, 1 KO), of Asbest, Russia, won his pro debut on December 4, knocking out Peter Cajigas in the third round. Trained by his father Leonid, Mekhontsev captured the Olympic light heavyweight gold medal at the 2012 summer games and as a heavyweight he won gold at the 2009 World Amateur Championships and the 2010 and 1008 European Amateur Championships. He’ll be battling fellow undefeated prospect Jaritram Atthaporn (3-0, 1 KO), of Bangkok, in a six-round light heavyweight bout.

Shimoda (28-3-2, 12 KOs), of Tokyo, captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight title in 2011, dethroning defending champion Ryol Li Lee via a unanimous decision aided by three knockdowns. Shimoda’s title reign was short-lived, losing his first title defense, to Rico Ramos, six months later. He immediately moved up to featherweight and enters this fight riding a two-year unbeaten streak. Sonsona (17-1-1, 14 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, captured the WBO junior bantamweight title in 2009, winning a decisive unanimous decision over defending champion Jose “Carita” Lopez . Sonsona lost the title in his first defense on the scale coming in two pounds over the division limit, against Alejandro Hernandez, though the official decision was a draw. After losing to Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in 2010 a battle for the vacant WBO junior featherweight title, Sonsona returned to the winner’s circle and enters this fight on a two-year winning streak with his last two victories coming by way of knockout.

Tso (8-0, 5 KOs), is the Pride of Hong Kong. This will mark his third time fighting at Cotai Arena where he has begun to develop a very big following. In his last bout, on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios event last November, Tso scored a first-round knockout of Susu Sithjadaeng Tso will be facing Mako Matsuyama (7-7-1, 3 KOs) of Tokyo, who enters this fight having won a unanimous decision victory over Masatoshi Nakamura last November. They will be facing each other in a 10-round bout for Tso’s WBC Asian super flyweight title and the vacant WBO Asia Pacific junior bantamweight title.

The undercard will also feature local favorite, “The Macao Kid” KUOK KUN NG (2-0), from Macao, China, who will be in a six-round super featherweight and a four-round super welterweight bout, respectively.

Tickets for the Ring of Gold multi-bout boxing extravaganza are on sale now at all Cotai Ticketing box offices*, and can be purchased in one of seven categories: HKD/MOP 4,680 (Gold), 1,680 (Silver), 1,280 (Bronze), 980 (A Reserve), 580 (B Reserve), 280 (C Reserve) and 80 (D Reserve). Packages with round trip Cotai Water Jet ferry tickets between Hong Kong and Macao are available for HKD/MOP 4,768 (Gold), 1,768 (Silver), 1,368 (Bronze), 1,068 (A Reserve), 668 (B Reserve) and 368 (C Reserve). Hotel packages are also available. Tickets can be booked online atwww.CotaiTicketing.com, or by phone at +853 2882 8818 (Macao) / +852 6333 6660 (HK) / 4001 206 618 (China). Tickets are also available through Hong Kong Ticketing (customer service fee applies), online at www.HKTicketing.com or by phone at +852 3128 8288; and through Macao Kong Seng Ticketing Network, online at www.macauticket.com, by phone at +853 2855 5555, or in person at selected retail outlets (for locations, visit www.macauticket.com/TicketWeb/
ServiceStations.aspx).

# # #

Entertainment at Sands China Ltd. Properties
Sands China Ltd. has as a clear vision to establish Macao as Asia’s top entertainment destination.

The 15,000-seat Cotai Arena is the only venue in Asia ranked in Pollstar’s Top 100 Worldwide Arena Venues based on ticket sales. It is the top entertainment destination in southern China, hosting the world’s and the region’s biggest names in music, sports and awards shows. Superstars frequently choose the venue as the starting point of their Asian tours.

The 1800-seat, multi-purpose Venetian Theatre is one of the most luxurious entertainment venues in greater China. Featuring ushers in black-tie, champagne service, gourmet food and beverage items and other unique, premium amenities, it offers an intimate, luxurious and exclusive venue experience. The Venetian Theatre is playing a key role in bringing the best in international and Chinese entertainment to Macao, with a luxury theatre experience like no other in the region.

The 650-seat Sands Theatre regularly features internationally-renowned singers, performers and artists of the highest calibre. From traditional Chinese-costumed dancers to modern performances, and from singing troupes to contemporary bands, everything from Western rock to Cantonese pop is covered.

With an unbeatable diversity, the entertainment offering of Sands China Ltd. is ushering in a new era of entertainment in Macao.

About The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel
Opened in 2007, The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel is Macao’s first integrated resort featuring stunning replicas of the famous canals and architectural icons of Venice, Italy. The Venetian Macao features 3,000 suites, 1.2 million square feet (111,000 square metres) of convention and meeting facilities as well as a 15,000-seat Cotai Arena designed for world-class sports events and electrifying entertainment. The Venetian Macao is also home to the unique, 1,800-seat luxury Venetian Theatre, hosting the best in international and Chinese entertainment; more than 30 renowned restaurants; TAIVEXMALO Day Hospital & Spa; the incredibly fun QUBE indoor playground and more than 330 retailers at Shoppes at Venetian. Outdoor recreation areas include swimming pools and cabanas and a mini-golf course.

For more information, please visit www.venetianmacao.com.

About Cotai Strip Resorts Macao – Macao’s Integrated Resort City
Sands China Ltd. is the leading developer, owner and operator of integrated resorts in Macao. The befittingly named Cotai Strip Resorts Macao, situated on reclaimed land between the islands of Coloane and Taipa, is the one destination that provides a stunning array of experiences at the heart of Cotai. Cotai Strip Resorts Macao has transformed a gaming-centric day-trip market into an integrated resort city and international hub for business and leisure travellers.

Pulsating with life, both night and day, Cotai Strip Resorts Macao features an expansive offering of affordable luxury available nowhere else in Macao, with approximately 9,000 hotel rooms and suites, international superstar live entertainment, duty-free shopping with 600 retailers offering an unparalleled array of name brands, 1.3 million square feet (120,000 square metres) of meeting and exhibition space for Asia’s leading conferences and exhibitions, gaming excitement, transportation offerings and well over 100 dining options, including international restaurants, bars and lounges. Cotai Strip Resorts Macao is a must-see destination providing every guest with an unforgettable experience and unparalleled excitement.

Comprised of The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel; The Plaza™ Macao, featuring the Four Seasons Hotel Macao; and Sands® Cotai Central, featuring the world’s largest Conrad, Sheraton, and Holiday Inn hotels, Cotai Strip Resorts Macao is where Asia’s ultimate destination is all within reach.

Cotai Strip Resorts Macao….Macao Starts Here. For more information, please visit http://en.cotaistrip.com/.

MACAU, CHINA (February 11, 2014) — The Year of the Horse will get off to a galloping start when world championship boxing makes its 2014 debut at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Arena. International Boxing Federation (IBF) world lightweight champion MIGUEL “Titere” VAZQUEZ, of Mexico, and two-time Chinese Olympic gold medalist ZOU SHIMING headline “Ring of Gold,” Saturday, February 22. Vazquez will defend his title against undefeated top-rated contender DENIS “Ghengis Khan” SHAFIKOV, of Russia, and Shiming will risk his undefeated record in an eight-round flyweight bout against the young seasoned YOKTHONG KOKIETGYM of Thailand. Both fights will be televised on HBO2, beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate, the “Ring of Gold” HBO2 telecast will feature Fran Charles handling the blow-by-blow while former world champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and Hall of Famer Larry Merchant will add expert analysis and commentary.

Remaining tickets for Ring of Gold can be purchased via Cotai Ticketing; prices start at HKD/MOP 80, with ferry and hotel packages also available.

Rounding out the troika of 2012 Olympic gold medalists will be RY?TA MURATA and EGOR MEKHONTSEV, from Japan and Russia, respectively, in separate bouts on the non-televised undercard. It is exceptional for so many Olympic gold medalists to be featured on the same boxing card. The “Ring of Gold” undercard will also feature former world champion and current No. 2-rated contender AKIFUMI “Sugar” SHIMODA of Japan, in a 12-round Word Boxing Organization (WBO) International featherweight title bout against fellow former world champion MARVIN SONSONA of the Philippines, and undefeated Hong Kong super flyweight sensation REX TSO in a 10-round rumble with MAKO MATSUYAMA of Japan, with the World Boxing Council (WBC) Asian super flyweight and the WBO Asia Pacific junior bantamweight titles at stake.

Vazquez (33-3, 13 KOs), of Guadalajara, México, captured the IBF lightweight title in 2010 when he won a 12-round unanimous decision over Jihoon Kim. Since winning the world title, Vazquez has successfully defended it five times during his four-year reign. Vazquez will be facing undefeated top-rated contender Shafikov (33-0-1. 17 KOs), from Chelyabinsk, Russia. A southpaw with an aggressive style, good skills and movement, the former European junior welterweight champion Shafikov has good punching power and is not afraid to use it.

Zou (3-0), from Guizhou, China, and trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, won his professional debut on April 6, 2013, via a dominant four-round unanimous decision over gritty Eleazar Valenzuela. He followed that up with six-round unanimous decision victories over Jesus Ortega and Juan Toscano on July 27 and November 24, respectively, last year, and all at CotaiArena. One of the most popular Olympic athletes in China, Zou was the world’s greatest light flyweight, capturing gold medals in the World Amateur Championships in 2005, 2007 and 2011, along with gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He also owns an Olympic bronze medal from the 2004 games, making him his nation’s first Olympic medallist in boxing as well as its first boxing gold medallist in the World Amateur Championships and the Olympics. He will be graduating to an eight-round bout when he faces Kokietgym (14-3, 10 KOs), of Roi-Et, Thailand. The vastly more experienced Thai enters this fight having won six of his last seven bouts, with two of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Murata (2-0, 2 KOs), from Tokyo, a sensational prospect at 160 pounds, captured the Olympic gold medal in the middleweight division at the 2012 Olympics held in London. It was the first gold medal won by a Japanese boxer since Takao Sakurai in 1964, and also is the first-ever boxing medal in a weight class other than bantamweight or flyweight. The six-foot Murata also became the 100th gold medalist in Japanese Olympic history. He made his pro debut last August, knocking out OPBF middleweight champion Akio Shibata (21-7-1) in the second round. Murata followed up that victory on December 6 with a fourth-round stoppage of David Peterson (13-1). He will be facing battle-tested slugger and one-time world title challenger Carlos Nascimento (28-3, 22 KOs), of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who enters this fight having won 12 of his previous 14 bouts, nine by way of knockout. Their fight is schedule for eight rounds at middleweight.

Mekhontsev (1-0, 1 KO), of Asbest, Russia, won his pro debut on December 4, knocking out Peter Cajigas in the third round. Trained by his father Leonid, Mekhontsev captured the Olympic light heavyweight gold medal at the 2012 summer games and as a heavyweight he won gold at the 2009 World Amateur Championships and the 2010 and 1008 European Amateur Championships. He’ll be battling fellow undefeated prospect Jaritram Atthaporn (3-0, 1 KO), of Bangkok, in a six-round light heavyweight bout.

Shimoda (28-3-2, 12 KOs), of Tokyo, captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight title in 2011, dethroning defending champion Ryol Li Lee via a unanimous decision aided by three knockdowns. Shimoda’s title reign was short-lived, losing his first title defense, to Rico Ramos, six months later. He immediately moved up to featherweight and enters this fight riding a two-year unbeaten streak. Sonsona (17-1-1, 14 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, captured the WBO junior bantamweight title in 2009, winning a decisive unanimous decision over defending champion Jose “Carita” Lopez . Sonsona lost the title in his first defense on the scale coming in two pounds over the division limit, against Alejandro Hernandez, though the official decision was a draw. After losing to Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in 2010 a battle for the vacant WBO junior featherweight title, Sonsona returned to the winner’s circle and enters this fight on a two-year winning streak with his last two victories coming by way of knockout.

Tso (8-0, 5 KOs), is the Pride of Hong Kong. This will mark his third time fighting at Cotai Arena where he has begun to develop a very big following. In his last bout, on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios event last November, Tso scored a first-round knockout of Susu Sithjadaeng Tso will be facing Mako Matsuyama (7-7-1, 3 KOs) of Tokyo, who enters this fight having won a unanimous decision victory over Masatoshi Nakamura last November. They will be facing each other in a 10-round bout for Tso’s WBC Asian super flyweight title and the vacant WBO Asia Pacific junior bantamweight title.

The undercard will also feature local favorite, “The Macao Kid” KUOK KUN NG (2-0), from Macao, China, who will be in a six-round super featherweight and a four-round super welterweight bout, respectively.

Tickets for the Ring of Gold multi-bout boxing extravaganza are on sale now at all Cotai Ticketing box offices*, and can be purchased in one of seven categories: HKD/MOP 4,680 (Gold), 1,680 (Silver), 1,280 (Bronze), 980 (A Reserve), 580 (B Reserve), 280 (C Reserve) and 80 (D Reserve). Packages with round trip Cotai Water Jet ferry tickets between Hong Kong and Macao are available for HKD/MOP 4,768 (Gold), 1,768 (Silver), 1,368 (Bronze), 1,068 (A Reserve), 668 (B Reserve) and 368 (C Reserve). Hotel packages are also available. Tickets can be booked online at www.CotaiTicketing.com, or by phone at +853 2882 8818 (Macao) / +852 6333 6660 (HK) / 4001 206 618 (China). Tickets are also available through Hong Kong Ticketing (customer service fee applies), online at www.HKTicketing.com or by phone at +852 3128 8288; and through Macao Kong Seng Ticketing Network, online at www.macauticket.com, by phone at +853 2855 5555, or in person at selected retail outlets (for locations, visit www.macauticket.com/TicketWeb/
ServiceStations.aspx).

# # #

Entertainment at Sands China Ltd. Properties
Sands China Ltd. has as a clear vision to establish Macao as Asia’s top entertainment destination.

The 15,000-seat Cotai Arena is the only venue in Asia ranked in Pollstar’s Top 100 Worldwide Arena Venues based on ticket sales. It is the top entertainment destination in southern China, hosting the world’s and the region’s biggest names in music, sports and awards shows. Superstars frequently choose the venue as the starting point of their Asian tours.

The 1800-seat, multi-purpose Venetian Theatre is one of the most luxurious entertainment venues in greater China. Featuring ushers in black-tie, champagne service, gourmet food and beverage items and other unique, premium amenities, it offers an intimate, luxurious and exclusive venue experience. The Venetian Theatre is playing a key role in bringing the best in international and Chinese entertainment to Macao, with a luxury theatre experience like no other in the region.

The 650-seat Sands Theatre regularly features internationally-renowned singers, performers and artists of the highest calibre. From traditional Chinese-costumed dancers to modern performances, and from singing troupes to contemporary bands, everything from Western rock to Cantonese pop is covered.

With an unbeatable diversity, the entertainment offering of Sands China Ltd. is ushering in a new era of entertainment in Macao.

About The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel
Opened in 2007, The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel is Macao’s first integrated resort featuring stunning replicas of the famous canals and architectural icons of Venice, Italy. The Venetian Macao features 3,000 suites, 1.2 million square feet (111,000 square metres) of convention and meeting facilities as well as a 15,000-seat Cotai Arena designed for world-class sports events and electrifying entertainment. The Venetian Macao is also home to the unique, 1,800-seat luxury Venetian Theatre, hosting the best in international and Chinese entertainment; more than 30 renowned restaurants; TAIVEXMALO Day Hospital & Spa; the incredibly fun QUBE indoor playground and more than 330 retailers at Shoppes at Venetian. Outdoor recreation areas include swimming pools and cabanas and a mini-golf course.

For more information, please visit www.venetianmacao.com.

About Cotai Strip Resorts Macao – Macao’s Integrated Resort City
Sands China Ltd. is the leading developer, owner and operator of integrated resorts in Macao. The befittingly named Cotai Strip Resorts Macao, situated on reclaimed land between the islands of Coloane and Taipa, is the one destination that provides a stunning array of experiences at the heart of Cotai. Cotai Strip Resorts Macao has transformed a gaming-centric day-trip market into an integrated resort city and international hub for business and leisure travellers.

Pulsating with life, both night and day, Cotai Strip Resorts Macao features an expansive offering of affordable luxury available nowhere else in Macao, with approximately 9,000 hotel rooms and suites, international superstar live entertainment, duty-free shopping with 600 retailers offering an unparalleled array of name brands, 1.3 million square feet (120,000 square metres) of meeting and exhibition space for Asia’s leading conferences and exhibitions, gaming excitement, transportation offerings and well over 100 dining options, including international restaurants, bars and lounges. Cotai Strip Resorts Macao is a must-see destination providing every guest with an unforgettable experience and unparalleled excitement.

Comprised of The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel; The Plaza™ Macao, featuring the Four Seasons Hotel Macao; and Sands® Cotai Central, featuring the world’s largest Conrad, Sheraton, and Holiday Inn hotels, Cotai Strip Resorts Macao is where Asia’s ultimate destination is all within reach.

Cotai Strip Resorts Macao….Macao Starts Here. For more information, please visit http://en.cotaistrip.com/.

NEW YORK (February 22, 2013) — World championship boxing makes its 2013 debut on EPIX next month with an exciting quadruple-header! World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion RICKY “Rickster” BURNS and International Boxing Federation (IBF) titlist MIGUEL “Titere” VAZQUEZ will collide in a world title unification to determine the division’s top dog in the main event of a blockbuster four-bout card. “Best of Britain” will be televised live ringside from Wembley Arena in London, Saturday, March 16, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT, exclusively on EPIX, the premium entertainment service. EPIX will stream the fights live on EpixHD.com and on the EPIX app on Xbox consoles and Roku players as part of a special free trial offer for boxing fans.

In addition to the Burns- Vazquez match, the EPIX “Best of Britain” live telecast will feature undefeated WBO light heavyweight champion NATHAN CLEVERLY defending his title against No. 1 contender ROBIN KRASNIQI; and undefeated No. 2-rated contender GEORGE GROVES will risk his record and rating against fellow Top-10 contender MOUHAMED NDIAYE in a rumble for the vacant European super middleweight title. The televised card will be rounded out with one-time world heavyweight title challenger DERECK “Del Boy” CHISORA making his 2013 debut.

These seven gladiators boast a combined record of 185-12 (84 KOs) — a winning percentage of 94%.

Last year, Burns (35-2, 10 KOs), of Coatbridge, Scotland, became his country’s first two-division world champion in 20 years. He captured the WBO junior lightweight title in 2010, winning a thrilling 12-round decision over defending champion Roman “Rocky” Martinez despite suffering a first-round knockdown. It remains the only loss on the two-time world champion’s resume. After three successful title defenses, Burns moved up to the lightweight division, winning the WBO interim title in 2011 over former champion Michael Katsidis. He is in his second year of his WBO lightweight title reign having successfully defended his world championship belt twice, against top-rated contenders Paulos Moses and Kevin Mitchell, who had a combined record of 61-2 when he fought them.

Vazquez (33-3, 13 KOs), of Guadalajara, México, enters this fight riding a five-year, 12-bout winning streak. He captured the vacant IBF lightweight title in 2010, via a dominant unanimous decision over Ji-Hoon Kim. He has successfully defended his title five times during his two-year reign. His last fight was a masterpiece, blitzing heralded undefeated contender Mercito Gesta via unanimous decision on the December 8 Manny Pacquiao – Juan Manuel Márquez 4 pay-per-view undercard.

Cleverly (25-0, 12 KOs), of Caerphilly, Wales, was British Commonwealth and European light heavyweight champion before he ascended the throne as world champion. After winning the WBO interim light heavyweight title in 2010, winning a close but unanimous decision over Nadjib Mohammedi, he was elevated to world champion a few months later where he has since successfully defended the WBO title four times since 2011 against opponents who had a combined record of 81-6-2 when he battled them. In Cleverly’s last fight, which took place at Staples Center in Los Angeles on November 11, he blasted out Shawn Hawk in the eighth round.

Krasniqi (39-2, 15 KOs), a native of Serbia who fights out of Munich, Germany, is riding a seven-year, 38-bout winning streak. Only once has Krasniqi ever fought outside Germany — in Prague, Czech Republic in 2010. He enters this fight having won his last four fights by knockout. Those victories also earned him the WBO European and WBO International light heavyweight crowns as well and his WBO mandatory challenger position.

Groves (16-0, 12 KOs), of Hammersmith, England, has a trophy case that already displays the British and Commonwealth super middleweight belts. He will be looking to add the vacant European title to his resume. He ended 2012 with a masterclass performance — a unanimous decision victory over former world champion and Fighter of the Year Glenn Johnson, last December 15. Groves is currently world-rated No. 2 by the WBO and the World Boxing Association (WBA), No. 6 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and No. 7 by the IBF.

Ndiaye (22-1, 13 KOs), enters this fight enjoying a five-year, nine-bout winning streak. A native of Senegal, Ndiaye trains and lives in Pontedera, Toscana, Italy. He has held the Italian and the European super middleweight titles. World-rated No. 8 by the WBC, Ndiaye has won his last three bouts by stoppage.

Chisora (15-4, 9 KOs), from London, went the 12-round limit in a valiant challenge of WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko on February 18, 2012 before losing the decision. The former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion will be looking to return to world title contention this year.

About EPIX

EPIX® is the newest premium entertainment network delivering the latest movie releases, classic library titles, plus original films, comedy, music and sports events on TV, on demand, online and on devices. Launched October 2009 as the first multiplatform premium network with online accessibility for subscribers through EpixHD.com, EPIX pioneered the development and proliferation of TV Everywhere for American consumers. EPIX was the first premium network to launch on Xbox 360®consoles, first on Android™ tablets and phones, first on Roku® players and soon to be the first to launch on PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system. EPIX is available to authenticated subscribers on hundreds of devices including Apple® iPads®, iPhones®, Kindle Fire tablets, Samsung® Smart TVs and Blu-ray™ players and more. Today EPIX remains the only premium service providing its entire monthly line-up from new Hollywood hits to original programs on all platforms and provides more movies than any other premium network.

EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIA.B), its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), available to over 30 million homes nationwide through distribution partners including Charter Communications, Cox Communications, DISH Network, Mediacom Communications, NCTC, Suddenlink Communications and Verizon FiOS.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EpixHD.com. Follow EPIX Sports on Twitter @EPIXsports and on Facebook www.facebook.com/EPIXsports.

WBO Lightweight champion Ricky Burns will take on IBF champ Miguel Vazquez on March 16th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

The card will take place at Wembley Arena in London and also include light heavyweight titleholder Nathan Cleverly in a mandatory defense against Robin Krasniqi.

“It’s the best of Britain all in one night of big fights,” said promoter Frank Warren. “Fans have got two of our very best world champions, Burns and Cleverly, in action with Burns in a huge unification clash against Vazquez, while Cleverly faces a hard defense against Krasniqi. Groves has the chance to add the European title to his collection and has a tough fight against Ndiaye, while Chisora is reapplying for his license.”

“This is a dream come true for me,” said Burns, who held a junior lightweight title before vacating to move up in weight. “Any boxer would be happy winning two world titles at two weights and retire, but for me, I want to continue winning more world titles, unifying them and stepping up the weight divisions. Vazquez is a top fighter and one that I’ve been after a long time so I’m over the moon that it’s happening.”

“We’re really excited about getting this fight,” said Sean Gibbons of Zanfer Promotions, which promotes Vazquez. “Adrien Broner is running from us because of our style. We’re not the most exciting at times but we are the No. 1 lightweight in the world. We’ve proven it. We took the Burns fight because we couldn’t get Broner. So since we couldn’t get Broner, we’ll take the man Broner wanted, Burns. And when we beat Burns decisively, we hope Broner quits talking and fights the best lightweight in the world.

“Burns is a good, solid fighter and a good test, and going to England is not an easy place to win, but Miguel Vazquez is a master boxer and has the style to beat anyone in the world at lightweight.”

“Krasniqi will be a hard defense and he’s a fighter not to be underestimated,” Cleverly said. “I’ve got to beat him and in style to keep the heat on for a unification fight against (Tavoris) Cloud, (Chad) Dawson or (Beibut) Shumenov. Every fight is crucial for me, but there is extra pressure on this one to perform, which I love, because I fight best when the pressure’s on.”

“I’ve won the British and Commonwealth titles and the European is the next step for me towards the world title,” Groves said. “The guy (Ndiaye) is tough and awkward. James DeGale didn’t want to fight him, but I’ve got the tools to beat him. It’s a great show to be on alongside Cleverly, Burns and Chisora and it will be a fantastic night in London.”

Luis Carlos Abregu scored a mild upset when he stopped previously undefeated super prospect Thomas Dulorme by scoring a seventh round stoppage in a scheduled ten round Welterweight bout at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York

Dulorme came out showing superior speed with the jab. In round three, Abregu shocked everyone when he landed a big right hand that sent Dulorme to the canvas for the first time in his career. Abregu tried to close the show and landed a few more hard shots that staggered Dulorme but the Puerto Rican was able to make it through the round. Dulorme steadied himself a little bit in round four from the southpaw stance.

Abregu came back to have a solid round six as he featured a couple quality right hands. In round seven, Abregu landed a hug right that sent Dulorme back. Abregu chased Dulorme and landed a flurry of punches that was culminated by a right to the head that sent Dulorme to the deck for a second time. Dulorme got to his feet but his corner stopped the bout at 2:38 of round seven.

Abregu, 147 1/2 lbs of Salta, ARG is now 34-1 with twenty-eight knockouts. Dulorme, 147 lbs of Carolina, PA is now 16-1.

“He was too young and maybe with time he’ll become a better fighter,” said Abregu. “He couldn’t get away from my right hand and I knew at some point he was going to get caught with it. As you can see he did and his corner stopped the fight.”

“I didn’t want them to stop the fight but I respect their decision because they were looking out for me.” Dulorme stated. “I was controlling the fight but he caught me with a good punch but I came up and I was ok. I’ll take this experience and learn from it.”

Karim Mayfield scored a ten round unanimous decision over Mauricio Herrera in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

The fight was slow paced until round seven when Mayfield started getting through with some hard power shots. Herrera showed a good chin and walked through the punches. Mayfield landed some more power shots in the next frame which Herrera took well.

Even though Herrera was the busier fighter, it was the power shots of Mayfield that proved to be the difference as Mayfield won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94.

Mayfield, 140 lbs is now 17-0-1. Herrera of Riverside, CA is now 18-3-1.

“My conditioning was good and I neutralized his punch output with my smothering,” said Mayfield. “I didn’t get hit with too many big shots and I’m happy with the win. Next time I step into the ring I’m going to pick up my punch count.”

“I felt I was landing the better shots on the inside,” Herrera said. “I felt I won the fight but the judges weren’t scoring the body shots I was landing in the trenches. I’ll be back

Miguel Vazquez made the fifth defense of the IBF Lightweight title with a split decision over Marvin Quintero.

It was a tactical bout with Quintero coming forward and Vazquez boxing and moving. Alot of the rounds were very close and neither man was able to seize any type of control.

Vazquez, 135 lbs of Guadalajara, MX won by scores of 118-110, 116-112 while Quintero won a card 115-113. Vazquez is now 32-3. Quintero, 133 3/4 lbs is now 25-4.

October 22, 2012 – San Francisco’s undefeated NABO Jr. Welterweight champion, Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (16-0-1, 10 KOs) will defend his title against Southern California’s, Mauricio Herrera (18-2, 7 KOs) this Saturday October 27th at the Turning Stone Resort Casino. The 10-round bout will be televised live on HBO BOXING AFTER DARK® beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT as the co-feature to a special tripleheader featuring Thomas Dulorme vs. Carlos Abregu and Miguel Vasquez vs. Marvin Quintero.

This past Saturday, Mayfield held a public workout for media members and fans at the Champ Nation Boxing Gym in Oakland Ca. He shared his thoughts on defending his title against Herrera and making his HBO debut.

Mayfield Quotes:

On making his HBO debut…

“I’ve worked my whole life for the opportunity to be fighting on HBO. This is my time to shine and I’m really excited to bring an action packed fight to all those in attendance at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino and the millions watching on TV. I’m a man on a mission to show the world I’m the best Jr. Welterweight in the world.”

On fighting Herrera…

“Herrera is a battle tested fighter who always brings an exciting fight to the table because he’s a come forward type guy. That makes for an explosive matchup between us because I throw hard punched from different angles and someone is sure to get knocked out. I think my fight with Herrera will steal the show. Both of us have never been knocked out so this makes for an intriguing bout. If I get him hurt, I definitely will be going for the KO.”

On defending his NABO title…

“After defeating Patrick Lopez to win the NABO title, I defended it once against Raymond Serrano where I had an incredible knockout on ESPN. I know that fight opened doors for my career and here I am defending it once again against Herrera. I plan to remain the NABO champion and will look for bigger fights in the future. After this fight I know I’ll be ready to fight for the world title.”

Totowa, New Jersey (October 4, 2012) – Gary Shaw Productions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, DiBella Entertainment, Thompson Boxing Promotions, Universal Promotions, Prize Fight, Joe Deguardia’s Star Boxing, and Zanfer Promotions showcase an exciting triple-header boxing event on October 27, 2012, set to take place at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. The three bouts will be televised live on HBO BOXING AFTER DARK® beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

“The Oneida Indian Nation is pleased to have HBO Boxing After Dark return to Turning Stone Resort Casino.” said Oneida Nation Spokesperson Dan Smith. “Our first-ever HBO boxing event in September drew rave reviews, and we expect this month’s card to highlight Turning Stone even further as a top venue in Central New York and across the country for elite-level sports and entertainment.”

The 10-round main-event features WBC No. 1, WBA No. 3 and WBO No. 13 ranked undefeated Puerto Rican sensation, Thomas Dulorme (16-0, 12 KOs), who will have his stiffest test to date, when he takes on the WBC No.11 ranked hard-hitting Argentine, Luis Carlos Abregu (33-1, 27KO’s).

Dulorme, has had a stellar start to his career with wins over the heavy-handed Venezuelan, Charlie Navarro (22-5, 17 KOs), and his most recognized victory comes against former world champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (39-19-1, 23 KOs).

“I am very grateful to Gary Shaw for giving me the opportunity to be fighting on HBO for the first time,” Dulorme said, a fighter represented promotionally by Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions and DiBella Entertainment. “This is what every fighter dreams and I am extremely excited to showcase my skills on an international platform.”

“Abregu is a good fighter and I know this is a tough fight, so I am preparing thoroughly to be in the best possible shape for fight night. My trainer Bonilla and I have been working hard in the gym and we want to dedicate this victory to the people of Puerto Rico. I will fight hard to not disappoint my fellow Puerto Ricans and the entire Latin community.”

“Thomas Dulorme is one the most exciting and promising young fighters in all of boxing and on October 27th he will prove it against Abregu live on HBO.” said Lou DiBella.

“We’re happy and excited for this opportunity.” said Universal promoter Javier Bustillo who promotes Dulorme with Shaw and DiBella. “Dulorme will show the world what he is made of and we are confident that Dulorme will beat Abreu and become a world champ soon.”

Abregu, is no stranger to the big stage as he lost a hard fought unanimous decision to current WBO Welterweight champion, Timothy Bradley Jr. (29-0, 12 KOs), who in his last fight defeated Manny Pacquiao. The Abregu vs. Bradley fight was televised live on HBO. Since the loss, Abregu is on a four-fight winning streak, all of which he won by KO.”

“Dulorme has never been in the ring with a hard puncher like me,” said Abregu. “I will break him down with power shots, something he’s never experience before. A win against Dulorme will put me back on track to fight for a world title. Nothing is going to stop me from coming out victorious.”

The co-feature will showcase San Francisco’s undefeated WBO/NABO Jr. Welterweight champion, Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (16-0-1, 10 KOs), as he will defend his NABO title vs. Southern California’s, Mauricio Herrera (18-2, 7 KOs), in a bout scheduled for 10-rounds. Both fighters look to take advantage of their HBO debuts.

Earlier this year in the month of May, Mayfield ranked No. 6 in both the WBO and WBA, scored a devastating knockout against former undefeated prospect, Raymond Serrano (18-1, 8 KOs). Looking to capitalize on his most impressive win, Mayfield is ready to show the world why he belongs with the elite fighters in his loaded division.

“My golden opportunity has finally arrived and I’m not going to let it pass me bye.” Mayfield said, “I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity to fight on HBO and I earned everything the hard way, by winning in the ring. Come fight night, Herrera better be ready for a war, because I’m coming out guns blazing.”

Eager to get back in the win column, Herrera ranked No. 8 in the IBF, is looking to rebound from a loss to undefeated contender Mike Alvarado (33-0, 23 KOs), is .

“Mayfield is a good fighter, but I believe I have better boxing skills then he does,” stated Herrera. “I’ve faced the better competition and my experience will guide me to victory. I’ll be ready for anything Mayfield brings to the ring.”

Opening the HBO telecast will be a 12-round IBF LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD title bout between champion, Miguel Vazquez (31-3, 13 KOs) and No. 1 contender, Marvin Quintero (25-3, 21 KOs). Both fighters hail from Mexico and look to bring an exciting bout to an already action packed card.

Vasquez is riding a 10-fight winning streak and has only tasted defeat against undefeated world champions, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 31 KOs) and Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs), both of which were above the lightweight division where he is the current IBF Champion. Feeling unbeatable at lightweight, Vasquez is determined to come out victorious when he steps in the ring with Quintero.

“I believe I’m the best lightweight champion in the world,” said Vasquez, “My only losses have come against the best fighters in the world in higher weight classes. I’m unstoppable at lightweight and Quintero will realize who the real champion is when we face each other on October 27th.”

Quintero is undefeated in his last five bouts, winning all of them by knockout. Being that this is his first world title opportunity, he wants to prove he’s an elite fighter and a win against Vasquez will do that.

“As a fighter you always dream of becoming a world champion and my time has come to show the world that I’m for real,” says Quintero. “Vasquez is a great champion, but come fight night, I’m going to take his title and end his reign as IBF Champion.”

Quintero is trained by Romulo Quirarte, who also trains Antonio Demarco, the current WBC Lightweight Champion.

“I want to thank HBO, the Turning Stone Resort Casino, and all the promoters who’ve united to make this event a reality,” stated lead promoter Gary Shaw. “The card is stacked from top to bottom as the undercard will showcase some of the best young prospects in boxing. We will announce those fights soon. Everyone should tune into HBO on October 27th, because this is going to be an explosive night of boxing.”

Tickets for the October 27, HBO Boxing After Dark event range from $25 to $75 and are on sale at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office. Call (315) 361-7469 or visit www.Ticketmaster.com. Doors open up at 6:30 p.m. and the undercard begins at 7:30 p.m EST with the HBO live national broadcast starting at 10:15 p.m. EST.

Follow all the action LIVE from the MGM Grand as Miguel Cotto defends the WBA Super Welterweight championship and Ricardo Mayorga. There will be a three fight undercard beginning at 9pm est/6pm pac time featuring Yuri Foreman battling Pawel Wolak; IBF Lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez defending against Mandatory challenger Lenny Zappavigna as well as NFL Safety Tommy Zbikowski taking on Rich Bryant

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12 ROUNDS–WBA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT TITLE–MIGUEL COTTO (35-2, 28 KO’S) VS RICARDO MAYORGA (29-7-1, 23 KO’S)

Round 1: Counter left from Cotto…Mayorga chops a right to the head…Big body shot by Cotto…Chopping right from Mayorga…tradong left hooks…good left hook from Cotto…10-9 Cotto

Round 2: Brawl on the ropes huge shots and an uppercut from Mayorga…Good right from Cotto…Jab…Uppercut from Mayorga…Flurry…19-19

Round 3 Cotto lands a left hook..Mayorga lands a right and BEGS COTTO TO FIGHT…Cotto lands 2 body shots…Good right to the chin…29-28 Cotto

Round 4 Mayorga lands a nice right…good body shot…combination…38-38

Round 5 Mayorga showboats and gets caught with body punches and uppercuts…Head shots…2 rights from Mayorga…Wicked exchange that is highlighted by a Cotto left hook..Mayorga lands a chopping right…left hook to the chin by Cotto…48-47 Cotto

Round 6 Cotto left uppercut…Mayorga combo to the body…Cotto lands a jab…counter left and right uppercut…58-56 Cotto

Round 7 Mayorga lands 2 rights…uppercut on inside..right uppercut…Right buckled Cotto….67-66 Cotto

Round 8 Cotto lands a left hook…Cotto counters with the left…Hard jab..Swelling around the right eye of Mayorga…Good combination..Mayorga lands a straight right…77-75 Cotto

Round 9 Left from Mayorga…Cotto jabbing..Mayorga lands a head combo..another combo…Cotto lands a jab…and another…Big uppercut from Mayorga…86-85 Cotto

Round 10 Good jab from Cotto…Great triple jab…another jab…96-94 Cotto

Round 11 Mayorga showboating and mocking Cotto…Good defense from Cotto at the end of the round…106-103 Cotto

ROUND 12 HUGE SHOT AND DOWN GOES MAYORGA…HE TAKES A HUGE JAB AND ASKS REFEREE ROBERT BYRD TO STOP THE FIGHT…MAYORGA MAY HAVE HURT HIS HAND WHEN HE GOT KNOCKDOWN…IT WAS A BIG LEFT HOOK FROM COTTO TO THE HEAD

10 ROUNDS–JR. MIDDLEWEIGHTS–YURI FOREMAN (28-1, 8 KO’S) VS PAWEL WOLAK (28-1, 18 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Wolak stalking…Big right to the head..combination…10-9 Wolak

Round 2 Foreman lands a jab…Wolak lands a right on the ropes…20-18 Wolak

Round 3 Uppercut on inside by Foreman…Good counter..counter right..combination to the head..Wolak gets in a chopping right..good body punches and head from Wolak and another right…30-28 Wolak

Round 4: Wolak landing right..right inside..Foreman 2 body shots…Good right…Right from Wolak..Right hurts Foreman…3 more big rights at the bell…40-37 Wolak

Round 5: Wolak lands a right…Hard rights on the ropes…Foreman lands a right and left uppercut…hard right from Wolak…Left…Foreman lands an uppercut…50-46 Wolak

Round 6: Wolak lands a combinations…Swelling around left eye of Wolak..Big finish from Wolak…60-55 Wolak—FOREMAN QUITS ON THE STOOL

Round 7

4 ROUNDS HEAVYWEIGHTS–TOMMY ZBIKOWSKI (1-0, 1 KO) VS RICH BRYANT (1-2, 1 KO)

ROUND 1 Tommy Z lands a right…Big right…LEFT HOOK DOWN GOES BRYANT AND REFEREE RUSSELL MORA STOPS THE BOUT

12 ROUNDS–IBF LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE–MIGUEL VAZQUEZ (27-3, 12 KO’S) VS LENNY ZAPPAVIGNA (25-0, 17KO’s)

Round 1 Vazquez Jabs…Vazquez lands a right..comb from Vazquez at the bell 10-9 Vazquez

Round 2:Vazquez lands a left hook..Left hook counter..Good jab 20-18 Vazquez

Round 3: Zappavigna lands a big overhand right and left hook…Zappavigna bleeding from left eye..29-28 Vazquez

Round 4: Zappavigna grazing right…38-38

Round 5 Vazquez 1-2; Counter shots…Zappavigna lands a body shot…jab…Zappa lands an overhand right…Zappa starting to bleed bad from right eye….48-47 Vazquez

Round 6 Zappa lands a combination…57-57

Round 7: Trading rights…Vazquez lands a couple jabs…Zappa lands a left…67-66 Vazquez

Round 8: Good jabs and 1-2 from Vazquez..Zappa lands a body punch…good 1-2…combination…body shot at end of round…77-75 Vazquez

Round 9Zappa gets through with a wide left...86-85 Vazquez

Round 10 Blood streaming down the face of Zappa..Zappa lands some uppsercuts on the inside…95-95

Round 11

Photo By Claudia Bocanegra