•     Naoya Inoue 117.7 lbs vs. Jason Moloney 117.9 lbs 
(Inoue’s WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine Bantamweight World Titles — 12 Rounds)
 Judges/Referee: Patricia Morse Jarman, Max De Luca and Tim Cheatham / Kenny Bayless

•    Ewa Brodnicka 130.1 lbs vs. Mikaela Mayer 129.8 lbs 
(WBO Female Junior Lightweight World Title — 10 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Steve Weisfeld, Dave Moretti and Lisa Giampa / Celestino Ruiz
* Brodnicka loses belt on the scale. Mayer is still eligible to win the world title

(ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)

•   Robson Conceição 128.8 lbs vs. Louie Coria 128.6 lbs 
(Junior Lightweight— 10 Rounds)

•    Julian Rodriguez 142.6 lbs vs. Jose “Piston” López 142.3 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•    Jared Anderson 246.1 lbs vs. Luis Eduardo Pena 229.6 lbs 
(Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

•    Andy Hiraoka 140.9 lbs vs. Rickey Edwards 140.7 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2020) — Naoya “Monster” Inoue, the Japanese three-weight world champion and pound-for-pound talent, is two days away from his Las Vegas debut. He will defend his WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine bantamweight world titles against Australia’s Jason Moloney (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET), his first bout since his 2019 Fight of the Year victory last November against Nonito Donaire.

For as much noise as Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) makes inside the ring, he is quiet and measured behind the microphone. Inoue and Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs) met face-to-face for the first time Thursday at the final press conference, along with the co-main event featuring WBO female junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka (19-0, 2 KOs) and mandatory challenger Mikaela Mayer (13-0, 5 KOs). 

This is what they had to say.

Naoya Inoue

“This past year, my injuries have healed very well. With COVID-19, it’s has been tough training, but it has been the same for everyone else. We still have to go out there and perform at a high level. I see him as a high-level, all-around fighter.”

“There are a lot of expectations, and I want to meet those expectations. I take those big expectations, and I use them as motivation and power to keep getting better with every fight.”

Jason Moloney

“I think that everything happens for a reason, and that loss that I suffered against {Emmanuel} Rodriguez showed me how much I want this. I will not let myself lose again. On Saturday night, nothing will stop me, and I will become the best bantamweight in the world.”

“I know I can win this fight. I don’t care if some people think that I can’t win this fight. I believe, and I know that I can win it.”

“He has never faced a fighter as relentless as me. I’m going to take him to places he has never been before.”

“I can’t wait. There has been a lot of talk about ‘The Monster’ coming to Las Vegas, but people haven’t seen what I can do inside those ropes.”Mikaela Mayer

“I feel great. I feel like I’m deserving. I’ve been the No. 1 contender for a long time. This fight will put me a step {closer to} my goal.”

“I think that she is concerned. She has never been in the ring with someone like me.”

“This is a team effort. We have been together for a long time. It started 11 years ago with the Olympic trials. It will mean a lot to me to make {head trainer} Al {Mitchell} proud on Saturday night.” Ewa Brodnicka

“She is the No.1 contender, but I think this fight was going to happen anyway.”

“I brought my belt just to show it to you. Look at it. I didn’t bring this belt to give it to you. That’s not happening. For sure.”

“I have a lot of things against me. But I’m ready. I don’t care if she says that she doesn’t respect me. She makes a lot of mistakes, and I’m going to take advantage of all of them.”SATURDAY’S CARD

ESPN+, Approximately 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Naoya Inoue vs. Jason Moloney, 12 rounds, Inoue’s WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine bantamweight world titles

Ewa Brodnicka vs. Mikaela Mayer, 10 rounds, Brodnicka’s WBO female junior lightweight world title

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

Robson Conceição vs. Louie Coria, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

Andres Cortes vs. George Acosta, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Julian Rodriguez vs. Jose “Piston” Lopez, 10 rounds, junior welterweight

Andy Hiraoka vs. Rickey Edwards, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.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.

LAS VEGAS (October 28, 2020) — Australian contender Jason Moloney is going “monster hunting” Saturday evening (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET) when he faces WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.

In the co-feature, female boxing’s brightest star, 2016 U.S. Olympian Mikaela Mayer, will challenge WBO junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka. Mayer (13-0, 5 KOs), the betting favorite, will seek to dethrone a seasoned champion who has made five title defenses. Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs), meanwhile, is confident he can upset the odds and topple the three-division world champion and one of the sport’s most devastating punchers.

Moloney, Mayer and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum met the media for a fight week Zoom press conference. This is what they had to say.

Bob Arum

“When {Mikaela} came to Top Rank, the one thing she told us is she wanted to fight for a world championship. It took some time, but she was grounded in the professional ranks. She’s performed tremendously, and now on Oct. 31, she has the opportunity to win a world championship. And we believe she has the experience now, and the ability, to bring home to the United States a world championship.”

“When Mikaela gives the orders, you step to attention and try to get {the world title fight} done. We’re very proud of Mikaela. She’s comported herself tremendously, both in and out of the ring, and she’s going to be a great world champion and a great credit to women’s boxing.”

Mikaela Mayer

“I have been calling out the champs for a while. It’s been something I feel like I’ve been ready for for a few fights, but now in hindsight looking back, I think everything worked out perfectly. Like Bob Arum said, I’ve had some really great fights, and I’ve really been able to settle in to my pro style. I’m more ready than ever to take on these world champions. I feel like I’m the best in this division.”

“I am honored that Top Rank has really moved me in the way that they have. It’s not just me, but believing in women’s boxing. I think that they’ve moved me perfectly. I think that they’ve put me on some amazing cards, and it’s given me the platform I’ve wanted.”

“I’m peaking as an athlete. I’m really coming into my own. And so it’s really not about Ewa. It’s really about me. They always train me like I’m going up against somebody amazing, and I always have to be like, ‘You guys, don’t worry, relax. I got this.’ But that’s what good coaches do. They’re looking at everything Ewa Brodnicka does really well and then they’re acting as if she does it better than how she actually does it.”

“I think {Brodnicka} is hyping up the fight, talking a big game, but I don’t think she believes anything that she’s saying. I think she knows I’m a better fighter. She knows I’m fast. She knows I’m strong. She knows I’m more technically sound. She’s just playing into the hype.”

“I absolutely hope that after I get this belt from Brodnicka that Eddie Hearn and {WBC champion} Terri Harper will be willing to make this fight happen with me, so we can unify these belts. Because that’s what they told me: ‘Go get a belt, Mikaela, and then we’ll talk about it.’ So, Bob, hold them to their word when it comes to that.”

Jason Moloney

“Every fighter should want to fight the best. That’s why we’re in this sport. My dream and my goal is to be the best bantamweight in the world, and the only way to make that happen is to beat Inoue. I’ve been working towards this opportunity, and have wanted this opportunity, for a long time. It’s finally here. I’m completely confident, and I know I’ve got what it takes to beat him. Saturday night’s the opportunity to prove it. I can’t wait. I’m ready to go.”

“I love being the underdog, and I love proving people wrong and going out there and, as I’ve said before, shocking the world. I know a lot of people don’t give me a chance in this fight, and that just gives me extra motivation and extra fire in the belly to go out there and show people what can be done. People place some of these fighters like Inoue and Lomachenko on this pedestal and think that they’re unbeatable, but they’re not. We’re all human. We all got two arms and two legs, and everyone has weaknesses. Everybody can be beaten.”

“Me and {twin brother} Andrew walked into the boxing gym together for our first day 17 years ago. There’s been a lot of hard work and sacrifices, and we’ve grown together every step of the way, and rode the roller coaster together. A lot of ups and a lot of downs and a lot of hard work. A lot of blood, sweat and tears, and in three weeks’ time, we can get on a plane together with four world titles and go home to Australia and celebrate together with each other, but also with our friends and family and everyone who supported us since day one.”SATURDAY’S CARD

ESPN+, Approximately 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Naoya Inoue vs. Jason Moloney, 12 rounds, Inoue’s WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine bantamweight world titles

Ewa Brodnicka vs. Mikaela Mayer, 10 rounds, Brodnicka’s WBO female junior lightweight world title

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

Robson Conceição vs. Luis Coria, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

Andres Cortes vs. George Acosta, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Julian Rodriguez vs. Jose Eduardo Lopez Rodriguez, 10 rounds, junior welterweight

Andy Hiraoka vs. Rickey Edwards, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.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.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 22, 2020) — Robson Conceição, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist for his native Brazil, seeks to notch the signature win of his unblemished professional career when he takes on Luis Coria in a 10-round junior lightweight fight Saturday, Oct. 31 from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.

Conceição-Coria will serve as the chief support bout to the world championship doubleheader featuring unified bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue’s title defense against Jason Moloney and Mikaela Mayer challenging WBO female junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka.

The card will also feature Toledo’s 20-year-old heavyweight sensation, Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (6-0, 6 KOs), who will fight Luis Eduardo Pena (6-1, 6 KOs) in a six-rounder. Anderson has three knockout wins inside the Bubble and four first-round stoppages in his young career.

The entire Inoue-Moloney card will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the co-feature (Brodnicka-Mayer) expected to start at approximately 10 p.m. ET.

Conceição (14-0, 7 KOs) turned pro under the Top Rank banner in 2016 after an amateur career that included the Olympic gold medal, more than 400 victories and two World Championship medals. He last fought in August in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and knocked out Eduardo Reis in the second round. Conceição takes a giant step up in class against Coria (12-3, 7 KOs), a Robert Garcia-trained fighter who is coming off a razor-thin majority decision loss in June against Adam Lopez in one of the year’s best back-and-forth brawls.

In other undercard bouts:

Julian Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) vs. TBA
10 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

“Hammer Hands” Rodriguez is 4-0 with three knockouts since returning from a nearly two-year layoff last July, re-establishing himself as one of the 140-pound division’s top prospects. He made his Bubble debut Aug. 22 and knocked out the previously undefeated Anthony Laureano in the first round. Rodriguez turned pro in 2013 as an 18-year-old, and at 25 years old, is approaching contender status.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (12-0, 8 KOs) vs. TBA
8 Rounds, Light Flyweight

Rodriguez, a 20-year-old southpaw prodigy from San Antonio, Texas, put forth a star-making performance inside the Bubble Sept. 5, knocking down the normally iron-chinned Janiel Rivera three times en route to a first-round stoppage. Trained by Robert Garcia and promoted by Teiken Promotions, Rodriguez has won four straight bouts by stoppage, and his sublime footwork reminds many boxing observers of Vasiliy Lomachenko. 

Andy Hiraoka (15-0, 10 KOs) vs. Rickey Edwards (12-4, 3 KOs)
8 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

Hiraoka, a stablemate of Inoue’s from Yokohama, Japan, made his U.S. debut last November and knocked out Rogelio Casarez in two rounds. A former high school distance-running star, the 24-year-old also bested former world title challenger Akihiro Kondo via 10-round decision in July 2019. Edwards, from Paterson, N.J., hopes to snap a two-bout losing skid and pick up his third victory over a previously undefeated prospect.

Andres Cortes (13-0, 7 KOs) vs. George Acosta (10-1, 1 KO)
8 Rounds, Junior Lightweight

Cortes returns for his second Bubble bout nearly four months removed from his July 7 slugfest against Alejandro Salinas. Cortes recovered from a fourth-round knockdown to earn an eight-round unanimous decision. As an amateur, he notched a pair of victories over undisputed lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez. Acosta, from Long Beach, Calif., has won three consecutive fights since a six-round decision defeat to Ruben Torres.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com,ESPN.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.

LAS VEGAS (September 29, 2020) —Mikaela Mayer called on the junior lightweight world champions for a fight. One of them was mandated to answer.
 
WBO female junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka will make the sixth defense of her title in a 10-round showdown against mandatory challenger Mayer on Halloween evening, Saturday, Oct. 31 from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center. Brodnicka-Mayer will serve as the chief support bout to WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue’s title defense against Jason “Mayhem” Moloney.
 
Inoue-Moloney and Brodnicka-Mayer will headline an evening of boxing live and exclusively on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
 
“After Mikaela’s last performance, I promised her a world title fight. She’s asked to fight the champions, and I am confident she will make a statement to the rest of the women in and around her weight class,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We’ve watched her progress since her pro debut, and she has turned into one of the premier fighters in female boxing. This WBO belt will be the first of many world titles for Mikaela.”

Frank Smith, CEO of Matchroom Boxing, Brodnicka’s co-promoter, said: “We’re happy to be working with our friends at Top Rank on another great fight. Ewa Brodnicka has proved herself to be one of the best 130-pound fighters on the planet with five defenses of her WBO world title, and I’m backing her to make it six successful defenses when she meets the undefeated Mikaela Mayer on Oct. 31. This is a top matchup at a time when women’s boxing grows from strength to strength.”
 
Brodnicka (19-0, 2 KOs), from Poland, has fought all of her pro bouts in her home country and has gone the 10-round distance on 10 occasions. She participated in the final world title bout before the COVID-19 pandemic March 7, winning a unanimous decision over Djemilla Gontaruk in Dzier?oniów, Poland. Before capturing world title honors at junior lightweight, Brodnicka reigned as European lightweight champion.
 
Brodnicka said, “I am excited that my title defense against Mikaela is happening in America, where I’ve always wanted to fight. I am more than ready for this opportunity, and I would like to thank my promoters, Eddie Hearn and Mariusz Grabowski, for helping make this fight a reality.”
 
Mayer (13-0, 5 KOs), from Los Angeles, turned pro under the Top Rank banner almost one year after representing the United States at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She made her pandemic return July 14 and bested two-time world title challenger Helen Joseph over 10 rounds. Matchroom Boxing announced it had signed Brodnicka to a promotional contract on Aug. 6, but later that day, the WBO ordered Brodnicka to defend her world title against Mayer. 
 
“I’ve made huge improvements to my boxing skills over the last 10 months. You saw some of it in my last fight against Helen Joseph, but I’ve reached a whole new level this fight camp,” Mayer said. “I’m more than prepared for this WBO world championship fight, and I will absolutely be going home with the belt. This fight will not go the distance. Ewa Brodnicka is not on my level, and her time is up. Tune in and watch me bring the championship belt to ESPN and Top Rank.”
 
Use the hashtags #InoueMoloney and #BrodnickaMayer to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing;twitter.com/ESPNRingside.
 

LAS VEGAS (September 8, 2020) — Four belts, one champion. A universally recognized lightweight king will be crowned Saturday, Oct. 17, live on ESPN from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.  

WBO/WBA/WBC Franchise world champion Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko, the pound-for-pound “Boxing Baryshnikov” from Ukraine, will fight unbeaten IBF world champion Teofimo Lopez, the knockout artist from Brooklyn who has lobbed verbal haymakers at Lomachenko for more than two years. The two will fight from the MGM Grand Conference Center aka the “Las Vegas Bubble.”   Promoted by Top Rank, Lomachenko-Lopez (ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET) headlines a can’t-miss month of boxing on the ESPN family of networks, which also includes the long-awaited return of Japanese pound-for-pound superstar Naoya “Monster” Inoue, who will defend his WBA and IBF bantamweight world titles on Halloween evening, Saturday, Oct. 31, against Australian contender Jason “Mayhem” Moloney.  

“Lomachenko-Lopez is the best fight that can be made in boxing, and we are delighted that it will be available to fans for no extra charge live on ESPN,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Teofimo and Vasiliy demanded the fight, and we are glad we could make it happen. Vasiliy has never backed down from a challenge since he turned pro under the Top Rank banner, and Teofimo is a fearless young champion daring to be great. This has all the makings of a modern boxing classic.”  

Lomachenko said, “Teofimo Lopez can talk all he wants. He’s very good at talking. He has done nothing but say my name for the past two years. I am a fighter, and my goal is to win another world title. Good for Teofimo. When we fight in Las Vegas, he will eat my punches and his words. I will be the better man, and four world titles will come home with me to Ukraine.”

Egis Klimas, Lomachenko’s manager, stated, “Nobody has seen Lomachenko at 100 percent inside the ring. If Teofimo can push Loma to at least 80 percent, it means Teofimo is the best opponent Loma has faced.”  

Lopez said, “I will beat up Lomachenko and take his belts. Simple as that. I’m coming to Las Vegas to make history. I don’t like the guy, and I’m going to have fun as Lomachenko’s face is beaten and marked up by my hands. The Takeover is here, and the reign of Lomachenko, the little diva, is coming to an end.”  

Added Matt Kenny, Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN: “Boxing has long been part of the fabric of our company and we could not be more excited for the October schedule on ESPN platforms, which includes the highly anticipated lightweight title bout between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez on October 17. Top Rank was one of the very first organizations to safely stage live events during the pandemic and as the calendar turns to fall, ESPN will be home to fights that will excite boxing enthusiasts and capture the attention of casual fans.”  

Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) enters this bout coming off a scintillating decision win over British star Luke Campbell last August in front of a sold-out O2 Arena in London. A two-time Olympic gold medalist who went 396-1 in the amateur ranks, Lomachenko tied a boxing record by winning a world title in his third pro fight. He is a former featherweight and junior lightweight world champion who won the lightweight crown in May 2018 with a body shot knockout over Jorge Linares. In seven years as a pro, Lomachenko is 13-1 with 9 knockouts in world title fights and is ranked by many pundits as this generation’s most accomplished pugilist. From 2016-2017, he made four consecutive fighters quit on their stools, earning him the “No-Mas-chenko” moniker.   

Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs), the brash Brooklynite who initially gained attention because of his post-fight “Fortnite” dances and backflip celebrations, soon emerged as boxing’s most charismatic young superstar following his 2016 pro debut. He was the consensus 2018 Prospect of the Year, a campaign punctuated by a one-punch, first-round knockout over Mason Menard on the Lomachenko-Jose Pedraza undercard. Following the Menard knockout, he donned the jersey of Kyler Murray, who’d won the Heisman Trophy earlier that evening. Lopez climbed the rankings in 2019 with wins over Diego Magdaleno, Edis Tatli and Masayoshi Nakatani.  

Last December, Lopez knocked out Richard Commey in two rounds to win the IBF world title. Sitting ringside was Lomachenko, who entered the ring during the post-fight pandemonium. Arum waved him over to take a photo with the newly crowned champion. The stage had been set. #LomaLopez was going to happen.  

The lightweight unification battle is only the tip of the Top Rank on ESPN boxing iceberg. Here’s what else is in store in October.  

Saturday, October 3

Jose Zepeda (32-2, 2 NC, 25 KOs) vs. Ivan Baranchyk (20-1, 13 KOs)

MGM Grand Las Vegas

10 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT  

Zepeda and Baranchyk were scheduled to meet inside the “Bubble” July 7, but a training injury to Baranchyk forced a postponement. Zepeda, a two-time world title challenger, instead fought Kendo Castaneda on July 7, cruising to a unanimous win. Baranchyk formerly held the IBF junior welterweight world title, defeating Anthony Yigit via seventh-round TKO to pick up the vacant title in October 2018. In May 2019, he was dethroned by current WBA/IBF world champion Josh Taylor in a competitive 12-round battle. He rebounded last October with a fourth-round stoppage over Gabriel Bracero at Madison Square Garden. The winner of this bout will be ranked No. 1 by the WBC at 140 pounds for the belt currently held by Jose Ramirez.  

Friday, October 9

Emanuel Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) vs. Ruben Villa (18-0, 5 KOs)

MGM Grand Las Vegas

12 Rounds, Vacant WBO Featherweight World Title

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

After five defenses of his WBO junior featherweight world title, Navarrete is ready to conquer the featherweight division. The “Mexican Iron Man” and boxing’s most active world champion, Navarrete fought six world title bouts in just over 14 months (December 2018 to February 2020). He last fought a non-title bout against Uriel Lopez on June 20 in Mexico City, scoring a sixth-round TKO. The WBO No. 1 featherweight contender, Navarrete has won 27 consecutive bouts, including 14 of his last 15 by stoppage. Villa, from Salinas, Calif., has defeated contenders Alexei Collado, Jose Enrique Vivas and Luis Alberto Lopez in his last three bouts to earn the world title shot.  

Friday, October 23

Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs) vs. Adam Deines (19-1-1, 10 KOs)

Moscow

12 Rounds, Beterbiev’s WBC/IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles

ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT

Undercard: ESPN+, 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT  

Boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio, Beterbiev will fight for the first time since knocking out Oleksandr Gvozdyk in a highly anticipated world title unification bout last October. A two-time Russian Olympian, Beterbiev has never fought in his home nation as a professional and will do so against Deines, a fellow Russian who now calls Germany home. Deines has won two in a row since a decision loss to Meng Fanlong, while Beterbiev has made three world title defenses since winning the vacant IBF world title with a 12th-round stoppage over Enrico Koelling in November 2017.  

In the ESPN-televised co-feature, a WBO light heavyweight world title eliminator, No. 1-ranked contender Umar Salamov will face No. 2-ranked contender Maxim Vlasov, with the winner expected to fight Joe Smith Jr. for the vacant world title. Both Salamov and Vlasov recently signed promotional contracts with Top Rank.  

Saturday, October 31

Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) vs. Jason Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs)

MGM Grand Las Vegas

12 Rounds, Inoue’s IBF/WBA Bantamweight World Titles

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT  

A three-division world champion and a consensus Top 5 pound-for-pound fighter, Inoue makes his Las Vegas debut and his fourth bantamweight world title defense against a man who is ranked in the Top 5 by every major sanctioning organization. Inoue is coming off a unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire last November, a fight named by many outlets as the Fight of the Year. Prior to the Donaire bout, Inoue knocked out four consecutive opponents in three rounds or less, including a second-round stoppage over Emmanuel Rodriguez to win the IBF world title. Inoue’s ring return was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he has a stiff test in Moloney, an Australian boxer-puncher who made his “Bubble” debut June 25 with a knockout over Leonardo Baez. Moloney has won four straight bouts, all by knockouts, since a controversial split decision loss to Rodriguez for the IBF world title.  

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 13, 2020) —A five-foot-five-inch, 118-pound Japanese monster is ready to take over the Las Vegas Strip. WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue, the three-weight world champion climbing the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, will make his Las Vegas debut Saturday, April 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in a unification bout against WBO bantamweight world champion and fellow three-weight kingpin Johnriel Casimero.

Inoue is coming off a memorable decision in the 2019 Ring Magazine and ESPN.com Fight of the Year against future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire. This will be Inoue’s first bout under his long-term promotional agreement with Top Rank.

Inoue-Casimero and the 10-round bantamweight tilt featuring WBO No. 1 contender Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. and WBO No. 2 contender Jason Moloney will stream LIVE on ESPN+ beginning at 9 p.m. ET. In the final undercard bout on the ESPN+ stream, former super featherweight world champion Andrew Cancio will take on Tyler McCreary in a 10-rounder.

The preliminary bouts will air live on ESPN2 (7 p.m. ET) and will include the return of former world title challenger Alex “El Cholo” Saucedo in a 10-round super lightweight bout.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Ohashi Promotions, MP Promotions, TGB Promotions and SGG Sports Promotions, tickets priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25 (not including applicable fees) go on sale Friday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased online at www.axs.com or by phone at 888-929-7849.

“The ‘Monster’ is coming to Las Vegas, and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is a generational talent, a fierce competitor who is ready to take the United States by storm. Casimero is a seasoned champion, and Inoue knows he’s in for a firefight at Mandalay Bay.” 

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs), 26, won his first title in only his sixth pro fight, knocking out Adrian Hernandez to win the WBC light flyweight crown. He is 14-0 with 12 knockouts in world title bouts, as he defended his light flyweight title once before moving up two weight classes to knock out long-time WBO junior bantamweight world champion Omar Narvaez in two rounds in December 2014. He defended that belt seven times before setting his sights on the bantamweight division. His first three bantamweight title bouts lasted a total of four rounds, as he catapulted up pound-for-pound lists with stoppages over Emmanuel Rodriguez and Juan Carlos Payano. The Donaire bout — the final of the World Boxing Super Series tournament — was the ultimate gut check, as he suffered a broken orbital bone before prevailing in an instant classic.

“It is a tremendous honor and a dream come true to headline a card in Las Vegas against a great fighter like Casimero,” Inoue said. “It is my goal to be the undisputed bantamweight king, and I am coming to America to put on a great fight for the fans. I would like to thank Mr. Bob Arum and MGM Resorts for making my Las Vegas dream a reality. Now, the work begins, and I will kick off my 2020 schedule at Mandalay Bay in devastating fashion.”

Casimero (29-4, 20 KOs), from Ormoc City, Philippines, is a newly minted bantamweight world champion who upset South African southpaw Zolani Tete via third-round TKO last November in Birmingham England. A world traveler, Casimero has won world title bouts in Mexico, England, China, Panama and the Philippines, in addition to interim world title bouts in Argentina, Nicaragua and the United States. He is on a five-bout winning streak and is in his physical prime at 29 years old. The Inoue-Casimero winner will be one belt shy of completely unifying the division, as WBC world champion Nordine Oubaali holds the final piece of the championship puzzle. 

“This is my dream fight. I have traveled the world and fought in 10 countries. I’ve won world titles at 108, 112 and 118 pounds,” Casimero said. “But ever since I saw my hero and fellow countryman, Senator Manny Pacquiao, fight in Las Vegas, that has been my dream. To everyone who thinks I am the underdog on April 25, I will shock the world and show the fans who the real ‘Monster’ is in the ring.”

Greer (22-1-1, 12 KOs) has won 19 fights in a row, but as he heads into the most significant bout of his career, he’s made a significant change. After seeing his seven-bout KO streak ended with a pair of close decisions over Nikolai Potapov and Antonio Nieves, Greer has moved his training base from Southern California to his hometown of Chicago. He has reunited with former trainer George Hernandez and is training at Garfield Boxing Gym, the place where he developed from amateur standout to promising professional. With a world title shot in his sights, Greer is not taking chances.

“I know what I’ve done before, and I know that I’m capable of,” Greer said. “George is the perfect man for the job. We have great chemistry. I love being back in the gym with him. This is what separates the boys from the men. I’m just ready to show the world who I am. At Garfield, the young kids keep me hungry. They don’t care about my ranking or that I’ve fought on ESPN. Chicago keeps me humble. Thanks to Moloney for taking the challenge, and I look forward to getting busy April 25.”

Moloney (20-1, 17 KOs), from Australia, will be fighting for the second time away from home as he seeks a second world title shot. He fought for the IBF bantamweight world title in October 2018 in Orlando, Fla., dropping a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez. Moloney has fought three times since, securing a trio of knockout wins during a successful 2019. In his last bout, he blitzed Dixon Flores in two rounds on an ESPN+-streamed card that also featured his twin brother, 115-pound interim world champion Andrew Moloney.

“I’m extremely grateful for this big opportunity. Fighting in Las Vegas has been a dream of mine for many years, and I’m looking forward to having a very impressive win over Joshua Greer Jr. and moving another step closer to becoming world champion,” Moloney said. “April 25 is a very important day for us in Australia and New Zealand called Anzac Day. It is a day of remembrance, where we pay our respects to all those who have served and died for our beautiful country. I will do whatever it takes to win this fight, and I will dedicate this victory to all those who have served for us.”

Cancio (21-5-2, 16 KOs) had a dream start to 2019 when he knocked out Alberto Machado in February to win the WBA super featherweight world title. He stopped Machado in three rounds four months later, but he was dethroned in November via seventh-round knockout by Nicaraguan veteran Rene Alvarado. McCreary (16-1-1, 7 KOs), from Toledo, Ohio, is looking to bounce back from a unanimous decision defeat last November to former two-weight world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton.

“I’m very excited to start my next chapter with Top Rank on April 25 against Tyler McCreary at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and on such an outstanding card,” Cancio said. “I know how formidable an opponent McCreary is, but I’ll be more than ready to be victorious and put on a great show for the fans when I return to battle.”

“It’s another big opportunity, something I couldn’t pass up,” McCreary said. “He’s a former world champion, but he’s no Carl Frampton. This is a steppingstone for bigger fights. I have to get past him to see the bigger names. I learned a lot from the Frampton fight, and that experience is the number one teacher for me.”

For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtags #InoueCasimero and #GreerMoloney to join the conversation on social media.

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Queensberry Promotions today hosted the final press conference ahead of Saturday’s (November 30) huge Midlands Mayhem show at Arena Birmingham, live on BT Sport.

** Photography from today’s press conference is available on this link to use with credit to Round ‘N’ Bout Media **

**Head to head videos are available on this link to use with credit to Queensberry Promotions**

In a magnificent world title fight South Africa’s Zolani Tete (28-3, 21KOs) risks his WBO bantamweight title against Filipino interim champion John Riel Casimero (28-4, 19KOs) where the winner will be likely to face IBF and WBA title holder Naoya Inoue in 2020.

Lerrone Richards (12-0, 3KOs)  takes on Halesowen’s Lennox Clarke (19-0-1, 7KOs) for the Commonwealth and vacant British super-middleweight belt in a battle of unbeaten boxers.

Sam Bowen (15-0, 11KOs) defends his British super-featherweight championship against Anthony Cacace (17-1, 7KOs).

Swansea’s British and Commonwealth welterweight champion Chris Jenkins (22-3-2, 8KOs) makes a defence against Middleton’s Liam Taylor (21-1, 10KOs). 

Liverpool puncher Sam Maxwell (12-0 (10KOs) defends his WBO European super lightweight crown against unbeaten Connor Parker (12-0, 1KO) from Derbyshire.

Ilford prospect Hamzah Sheeraz (9-0, 5KOs) will fight for his first title against Ryan Kelly (14-2, 7KOs).

Here are a selection of quotes from today’s press conference

ZOLANI TETE

“I have been out injured because of shoulder tendonitis, but the way I have been training it shouldn’t bother me. I didn’t need surgery, but it took a couple of months to get it right.  Mentally and physically I am still there and the injury will not stand in my way.  It was frustrating getting injured in the World Boxing Super Series and pulling out, but Casimero is one of the best.

Hopefully after this defence my next fight will be Naoya Inoue. If I beat Casimero that fight is a step closer. It is possible to meet Inoue next year.

My promoter Mr Frank Warren will do his best to make the fight happen. My shoulder will not come off, but you will see punches bouncing off Casimero’s head. He is a good fighter though who can come forward and has power, but we will deal with those things.

JOHN RIEL CASIMERO

“This is a good fight and I will give a good performance. My advantage is power and stamina. My promoter Manny Pacquiao had told me that if I’ve worked hard I can win. This is my second time boxing here and in the first fight Charlie Edwards was beaten. I am a better fighter now. Zolani is a good boxer and tough, but second to me. I will do my best to knock him out.”

SEAN GIBBONS (President, Manny Pacquiao Promotions)

“To have Senator Manny Pacquiao behind you tells you how good Casimero is. The Senator can sign a lot of fighters, but only goes with good ones. Casimero has travelled the world and feels comfortable here. He is one of the top three or four fighters in the Philippines.”

LERRONE RICHARDS

“Lennox talks a little bit too much and is about to find out what Lerrone Richards is all about. There are more strings to my bow than just boxing. I work hard and I don’t want anyone to think I’m lazy.

“I was at York Hall watching my friend box and Lennox was there giving me screw faces from the other side, but no problem. This is strictly business. I have trained for a hard night, but I’m anticipating victory.”

LENNOX CLARKE

“I am not looking at my home advantage. Lerrone is very professional, but I have done the hard work. No matter how good his boxing ability is he has to be prepared to go where I am prepared to go.

“His boxing is boring. I am gonna bring excitement and fireworks. I believe it will be a 12 round fight and he will try and nick it because that is how he fights. I am going to be to relentless and cause him nightmares. I believe I will be British and Commonwealth champion on Saturday.”

SAM BOWEN

“I am sure Cacace fancies it, but I will show what I am about and win. He is a good rangy fighter, but I have to rough him up and hurt him which I will do.

“I have left my full-time job and I am a lot more refreshed. I don’t have the flu or cold like I normally before fights because I am drained from training and working. There are competitive British fights, but I want to push on with the WBO and get a world title fight.”

SAM MAXWELL

“People talk about the dramas of my last fight and some fighter learn from a loss, but I learnt from a win. I know I need to be switched on from the first bell.

“I will get to the top. I am feeling fresher and moved to Scotland for my camps. My Mum beat cancer and I have that strength in me as well to battle through. She never loses faith in me and its great to have someone like that.”

CONNOR PARKER

“Sam won his last fight, but it might have been an off night. I am just ready for the best Sam Maxwell. I know what I am capable of and confident of winning. The only way Sam beats me is to knock me out.”

HAMZAH SHEERAZ

“I don’t want to fight journeymen, build up a padded record and then fail when I fight for a big title. I feel this is the time and I am ready. I can bang on about how good training is but the proof is Saturday. Ryan is a solid step up and is someone who will get the best out of me.”

RYAN KELLY

“I am here to win. I am never just gonna be the opponent and I am the home fighter in Birmingham. Hamzah is a good talent, but he is stepping up through levels. I am looking forward to getting in there and going to work. I am looking forward to an exciting fight against a hungry fighter.

CHRIS JENKINS

“Liam has got a win over Tyrone Nurse and I lost to him even though I thought I won. He is tall, rangy and deserves his shot. This fight should have happened before.

“I have had some good sparring with Robbie Davies Jr who is rangy like Liam. Everything has been done and on Saturday I will win, simple as.

“I lost my best friend 12 months ago. I was getting cut and thought; ‘do I need this,’ but look where I am now? I could write a book on it.”

LIAM TAYLOR

“Chris is a very good fighter and I have seen a lot of him. I didn’t expect him to beat Johnny Garton to become British title holder, but that win proves he is a very worthy champion.

I have to do what I do best and box at range. It will be a good tactical fight, but I believe I am better in every department. I was mandatory challenger and deserve this shot.”

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By Bart Barry-

Thursday at Super Arena not far from Tokyo, Japan’s
Naoya “The Monster” Inoue decisioned “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire to win
WBSS’ bantamweight tournament in a fight that saw the loser dropped by a liver
shot and the winner later treated for a cracked face.

It was splendid, gorgeous, a Thanksgiving-month reminder
to be grateful.  One can leave
of-the-year superlatives to others and say this 2019 match is the one any
aficionado should rewatch first.  This
was the match to show kids who wonder if boxing retains qualities they’ve heard
grandfathers conspire about.

It had class, courage, class, drama, class,
suspense, class, blood, class, concussion, class, bonebreaking, class, violence,
class, violence and class.  It didn’t
make its predecessors or successors worth their suffering because it was an
island, a tribute unto itself of what prizefighting looks like at its very
best.  Notice: It wasn’t horrorflick gory
or WWE paced or Boardwalk Hall thunderstriking – it was proper prizefighting in
a way as recognizable to Benny Leonard as Floyd Mayweather.

Inoue sought and encountered his foil in a way
none of his peers has done.  We now know
he could’ve signed with Top Rank and fought ESPN prelims till 2021 but
self-entered a single-elimination tourney instead to test himself three
weightclasses higher than his debut scaling. 
That’s what a pursuit of greatness looks like.  No cherrypicking, no ask-my-managering, no thank-God-and-Al-Haymoning;
rather, I will fight whosoever draws me and I will annihilate him.

And at tourney start Nonito did not look that part,
as the bracket configuration appeared prohibitive to Filipino Flash.  Three rounds into WBSS’ first round Donaire
looked outclassed enough by Irishman Ryan Burnett to be involuntarily retired before
three, 120-108 scores got read in Scotland. 
Then Burnett suffered a freak back injury Donaire had nothing to do
with, and Nonito was on to the semifinals where he blasted an anonymous
shortnotice sub.  All the while Inoue
stomped to the finals in a series of exertions better captured by punches-needed
than minutes or rounds.

I was ringside for Inoue’s only American tilt, two
years ago, and I did not see anything to make me anticipate the ease with which
Inoue’d go through Juan Carlos Payano and Emmanuel Rodriguez.  This year I went from admiring Inoue’s
character for signing with WBSS to quietly ranking him above Bud, Hi-Tech and
Canelo.  I expected him to blitz Donaire
and bring a mercy stoppage early, definitely before the fight’s mid rounds.  Too fast, too strong, too technically sound
for a 37-year-old returned in 2018 to a division he outgrew in 2011.

But did I remember July 7, 2007, in my
assessment?  Damn right I did.

That extraordinary lefthook against an onrushing
and sadistic savant, Vic Darchinyan, who’d humiliated Nonito’s older brother, Glenn,
then put Victor Burgos in a coma in the two fights that preceded his intended
wasting of Nonito.  Darchinyan’s
signature charge embraced contemptuous entitlement more than strategy, fists not
just waistlow but cocked, when Nonito clipped him and changed both their careers.

True an eraser as exists in our beloved sport,
that Donaire lefthook.  It erased
everything we predicted on Thursday, no? 
It flew in round 1 but got outsped by Inoue’s own eraser, the same way
everything Donaire did most of the fight got outsped by what Inoue did, but in
round 2 it did something wicked.  It
gifted The Monster with a monstrous gash, concussion and facial fracture. 

We hadn’t before Thursday an inkling how Inoue
might react to such trauma and hadn’t much more of an inkling immediately after
it happened; Inoue’s composure revealed that his brow had been sliced, not that
his cheek had been cracked.  In
retrospect and upon review, what is most beautiful about the rounds that
followed is how close the men stood to one another without wasted motion.  No twitching, no hotfooting; Donaire and
Inoue stood inside their arms’ lengths and threw punches at one another.

Donaire knew how good Inoue was, and Donaire gave
him everything he had left.  Inoue did
not know how good Donaire’s chin was, none of us did, frankly, and went after
him imprudently on several occasions but none so predatorily as after blackmatting
Donaire with a precise buttonshot 90 seconds in the championship rounds.  Donaire circled desperately as any man with a
vital organ under direct attack.  Inoue
hunted him with punches fundamentally flawless and a defense that was not.

After 30 seconds of being a prey Donaire let sail
a lefthook that braked Inoue’s engine for their fight’s final four minutes.  If Inoue knew a man is never more dangerous
than when hurt he didn’t feel it till 1:54 of round 11 of the WBSS Final – a
punch he will not forget.  Done were
Inoue’s leads; nearly every punch he threw after that Donaire lefthook got
preceded by a jab, the way you learn your first week in a boxing gym.  If the match’s final round was anticlimactic
it was because the match climaxed four minutes before its closing bell when
both men realized they’d given enough of themselves and enough to one another.

I watched Thursday’s WBSS Final on short rest and 12
hours after an
unsettling adventure with stroboscopic LEDs, so I may be an unreliable narrator,
but Inoue-Donaire was complete a prizefight as I’ve seen in many years.  Bless them both.

*

Editor’s note: This column will return in December.

*

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue broke his orbital bone during his fight with Nonito Donaire, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Inoue said he would not require surgery to repair either fracture and that he will be reexamined by his doctor in a month to asses his progress.

“Then I will decide my training schedule thereafter,” Inoue said in translated remarks, adding that his plans for a spring fight in the United States would have to be delayed.

By Norm Frauenheim-

It was a defining fight for Naoya Inoue. It was also a reason for caution.

In watching Inoue’s courageous brilliance in a unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire early Thursday morning, it was hard not to be reminded that there is huge drama packed into boxing’s smallest weight classes.

From Ricardo Lopez to Michael Carbajal to Roman Gonzalez and now Inoue, there has always been this singular mastery of tactical skill, footwork, instinct and guts. All of those elements make them look bigger. But they’re not.

Inoue, a champion in all three flyweight classes, tested himself against an aging, yet bigger Donaire in a bantamweight bout. For 10-rounds, he fought with blood from a long, deep cut below his right eyebrow dripping into his eye and down his cheek like tears.

He said he suffered from double vision. Yet, he never lost sight of what he wanted. And wants.

“I’m not the greatest of all time, yet,’’ he said while standing in the middle of the ring in Saitama, Japan. “I think I have to go over the fight and get stronger. Next year and on, I’ll keeping fighting. I’ll be victorious.

“I want to be the strongest of all time.’’

Therein lurks the danger.

All-time, at least in this era, means moving up the scale. That’s what Canelo Alvarez was doing just a few days ago in his self-proclaimed pursuit of history in taking a fourth division title, light-heavyweight, in an 11^th-round stoppage of Sergey Kovalev.

For the smallest fighters in the business, moving up in weight is an even bigger hazard. Their smaller frames mean every single pound is a little bit bigger. Against Donaire, there were moments when that small difference in pounds was evident in multiples. Donaire, who has fought at featherweight, rocked him. Cut him.

Inoue fought through all of it, yet it was impossible not to think of an old line, as true now as ever.

To wit:

There are weight classes for a reason.

Now, the 26-year-old Inoue has a Top Rank contract and is expected to continue his career in the United States. Already, there’ s speculation of a fight with Mexican junior-featherweight Emanuel Navarrete, an emerging star after successive victories over Isaac Dogboe.

At 5-foot-7, the Top Rank-promoted Navarrete, 24, is more than two inches taller than Inoue, who is 5-5 ½. Navarrete’s reach is listed at 72 inches, five more than Inoue’s 67. He is rapidly growing into a full-fledged featherweight.

Would he fight Inoue? Of course. Inoue is really a flyweight, whose emerging stardom on different sides of the world is expected to generate heavyweight money.

Inoue might find himself in the same situation as Vasiliy Lomachenko, also a Top Rank fighter. Both are ranked among the top four pound-for-pound contenders in virtually every rating.

In the chase for bigger money and wider fame, Lomachenko has also been moving up the scale. He’s a featherweight campaigning at lightweight. He’s winning, but not without injuries that began with stoppage of Jorge Linares in May 2018. Lomachenko underweight shoulder surgery after that one.

Now, there’s talk that he wants to go back to his natural weight, 126 pounds.

“He wants to go down, because he’s getting touched up,’’ Gervonta Davis said last week while talking about his own move up to lightweight against Yuriorkis Gamboa on Dec. 28 in Atlanta.

Perhaps, that’s for any little guy in any era a lesson for any era. Inoue, the reigning Lord Of The Flies, doesn’t have to go anywhere, at least not in terms of weight.

Nonito Donaire spoke to his fans through his Twitter account, and as always was classy in defeat to Naoya Inoue on Thursday.

” First of all, I want to thank God for keeping me safe in that ring. My guardian angels for holding that shield up, that armor as strong as they could. To Ringstar Sports Richard Schaefer for believing me so much to get me into this tournament. You truly have had my back through this all and appreciate you. To Mr. Honda, Teiken, the hospitality you have shown to me, my family and team has been amazing. I could not thank you enough. To Kato’s Clinic, your support is unending. I can’t thank you enough for your belief in me. To Mizuno, thank you for suiting me up for such an epic fight. You have treated me like family here and always taken care of me. To Japan, thank you for allowing us the experience of your wonderful culture both in the ring and out. Team Donaire, we trained our asses off and we just shrugged off anyone who said I didn’t stand a chance. We kept grinding and that work showed. HATERS said I was out in 1 round but we showed em our heart, our determination. To my fans, the journey we are on! You guys have gone gone thru it all with me and the amount of energy and love you’ve given is insurmountable. Lastly, to my family, my heart. I am a warrior on my shield. I came to Japan to take the Muhammad Ali trophy. I promised my sons they would see it in the morning. And with tears in my eyes, I humbly asked Inoue to borrow it for a night, not for me but for my word. It’ll be a life lesson my boys will soon learn. That you do your best and you come short. You will win. You will lose. But in either aspect you will do so graciously. It’ll pain them to see my face. They’ll kiss my wounds. They’ll see a trophy we don’t get to take home and understand what it means to want to train harder. And I told about the battle I fought. That I’d rather put my life on that sheild than give up. And that we will ALWAYS fight. I’m going to take time with my friends and family that have traveled to support me for the coming weeks. I thank you for the outpour of love and support,” said Donaire

(Nov. 7, 2019) — WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue, a 5-foot-4½ three-weight world champion who has climbed the pound-for-pound rankings with devastating knockouts against normally iron-chinned foes, is coming to America.

Inoue has signed a multi-year promotional agreement with Top Rank, which will co-promote his bouts with Ohashi Promotions on the ESPN family of networks. His first fight under this new, landmark agreement will take place in the United States in early 2020.

The 26-year-old Inoue is coming off a thrilling unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire earlier today in the championship of the World Boxing Super Series.

“Naoya Inoue is a generational talent, the sort of fighter who comes around once a decade,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is already a superstar in Japan, and he will be major star stateside in no time. You are looking at an all-time great who is entering the prime of what will be a historic career.”

“It is a tremendous honor to sign with Top Rank and to showcase my talents on ESPN,” Inoue said. “I look forward to 2020. I’ve fought in America once before, and I look forward to doing so again in the very near future.”

“I would like to thank Mr. Bob Arum and Mr. Todd duBoef,” said Hideyuki Ohashi, CEO of Ohashi Promotions. “ESPN is a tremendous platform for Naoya as he continues his career.”

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) born in Zama, Japan, compiled a reported 75-6 record in the amateur ranks before turning pro as a 19-year-old in October 2012. He won the WBC light flyweight world title in his sixth pro fight and defended that belt once before moving up two weight classes. Inoue knocked out longtime WBO junior bantamweight world champion Omar Narvaez in the second round and then defended that belt seven times before joining the bantamweight ranks. He is 14-0 with 12 knockouts in world title bouts and is one of six male boxers from Japan to capture world titles in three weight divisions. Before the Donaire fight, he had knocked out seven consecutive opponents who had never been stopped before. He is a consensus top five pound-for-pound boxer, and many experts rate him as the world’s best fighter.

A YouTube sensation, his one-punch knockout of Juan Carlos Payano last October was named by many outlets as the 2018 Knockout of the Year. In his fourth pro fight, he bested Ryoichi Taguchi over 10 rounds to win the Japanese light flyweight title. Taguchi went unbeaten for nearly five years after facing Inoue, unifying light flyweight world titles in the process.

A three-weight kingpin, Inoue has more weight classes to conquer. The legend of “The Monster” continues on ESPN in 2020.

Naoya Inoue unified the IBF and WBA Bantamweight titles as well as winning the World Boxing Super Series by winning a 12-round unanimous decision over former four-division champion Nonito Donaire in a terrific action fight in Tokyo, Japan.

The fight was ebb and flow throughout as both guys to establish themselves. In round two, Inoue was cut over his right eye from a punch. The cut bothered Inoue as Donaire was able to be more confident which translated into a good activity level. Inoue steadied himself in the middle rounds as he stunned Donaire several times.

Donaire showed his championship mettle by hurting Inoue very badly in round nine when he landed a hard right hand that had “The Monster” holding on. With the cut worsening, Imoue was able to get through the round. Donaire was not able to capitalize and then the fight was sewn up by Inoue has landed a ripping body shot that sent Donaire to the canvas. After weathering Inoue’s storm, Donaire was able to land one of his vaunted left hooks that stunned Inoue. That set up for a round 12 which both fighters stood toe to toe with Inoue getting the better of the action.

Inoue won by scores of 117-109, 116-111 and 114-113 to raise his mark to 19-0. Donaire is now 40-6.

Nordine Oubaali retained the WBC Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Takuma Inoue.

In round four, Oubaalui landed a right to the body that was followed by a huge left to the head that sent Inoue down for the 1st time in his career. Oubaali won most of the rounds with good counter punching. Inoue made one last effort in the final frame as he drove Oubaali into the ropes with a big left hand, but it was too little-too late as Oubaali won by scores of 120-107. 117-110 and 115-112.

Oubaali of France is now 17-0. Inoue of Japan is 13-1.

Shokichi Iwata stopped Alejandeo Cruz Valladares in round five of a scheduled six-round light flyweight bout.

In round five, Valladares began to bleed from his nostrils. Valladares continued to take big shots and was saved by the referee who stopped the bout at 2:10.

Iwata, 107 3/4 lbs of Tokyo, JAP is now 4-0 with three knockouts. Valladares, 106 3/4 lbs of Mexico City is 5-2.

ZOLANI TETE HAS thrown down the gauntlet to bantamweight rival Naoya Inoue, who is hot favourite to overcome Nonito Donaire in the final of the World Boxing Super Series this week.

Boxing fans across the world were hoping for a dream Tete-Inoue match-up in the final of the WBSS when the Queensberry Promotions-backed South African joined the strong field of 118-pounders in the eight-man tournament that also included then world champions Ryan Burnett and Emmanuel Rodriguez.

Tete, the WBO king, unfortunately had to withdraw from the competition ahead of the semi-final stage – where he was set to meet Donaire – after defeating Mikhail Aloyan in his quarter-final.

Veteran ring legend Donaire went on to beat the replacement Stephon Young – via a 6th round KO – in the semi-final and booked himself a meeting with the hot ticket of the division in Inoue, who made short work of his passage to the final by beating Juan Carlos Payano in 70 seconds and then Rodriguez courtesy of a 2nd round KO.

If Tete has his way, the fans won’t be denied the tantalising prospect of a showdown between himself and the 18-0 knockout-artist Inoue.

“Inoue knows he needs to see me if he wants to be bantamweight king,” he warned, ahead of his own return to the ring against mandatory challenger John Riel Casimero at Arena, Birmingham on November 30.

It is unfortunate I had to pull out of the tournament but I am now fit and healthy again.

“I have a tough fight against Casimero on November 30 but, God willing I come through, I definitely want to fight Inoue, added the man from Eastern Cape, who tips Inoue to prevail in his collision with the popular Filipino.

“I believe he will beat Donaire but he knows he must beat me before he can call himself the real king.”

WBO world bantamweight champion Zolani Tete defends his title against mandatory challenger John Riel Casimero features on a stacked night of title action at Arena, Birmingham on November 30. British and Commonwealth welterweight champion Chris Jenkins makes a defence against Liam Taylor, Lerrone Richards also takes on Lennox Clarke for the Commonwealth and vacant British super middleweight belt, while East Midlands favourite Sam Bowen makes a second defence of his British super featherweight title against mandatory challenger Anthony Cacace. Sam Maxwell defends his WBO European super lightweight title against the also unbeaten Connor Parker from Derbyshire.

Hamzah Sheeraz will fight for his first major title at super welterweight, with thrilling prospects Dennis McCann, Shabaz Masoud, Eithan James and George Davey also featuring on the bill, along with talents from the local region in Nathan Heaney and River Wilson-Bent.

Tickets are available now from £40 via TheTicketFactory and Ticketmaster

Ticket Prices:
£250 – Inner Ring Hospitality
£150 – Floor
£100 – Floor
£75 – Floor
£50 – Lower Tier
£40 – Upper Tier

By Bart Barry-

Saturday in Scotland the World Boxing Super Series held the final semifinals matches in its bantamweight and super lightweight divisions, and they went even better than hoped. Hometown southpaw Josh “Tartan Tornado” Taylor defanged Russian Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk, and Japan’s “Monster” Naoya Inoue proved exactly that against Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodriguez. The fighters’ aggregate record Saturday morning was 69-0 (52 KOs).

This wonderful DAZN combination of excellent performances in authentic prizefights, the rare fusion of excellence and authenticity, is something WBSS, in only its second season, has given us more of than any of its rivals. Not peers, mind you – rivals. Peers would be doing their best to do what WBSS does, which is provide incentive enough to our beloved sport’s abundance of shortsighted agents to make them please both current consumers and would-be consumers (most of whom self-identify as former consumers).

To wit: across the digital spectrum Saturday a former giant in the prizefighting space – forget not, Showtime, when it was lean and innovative a decade ago, gave us the Super Six – appealed to the worst of its remaining viewership by promoting a mismatch with an a-side’s homicidal musings. Likely there’ll be more here about what Deontay Wilder did, in a few weeks, after Anthony Joshua fights, because unless those guys are fighting one another or Tyson Fury, neither of them nor their exploits merits more than half a column anymore.

It’s much easier to be cavalier about boxing’s flagship division the week after a Naoya Inoue fight, isn’t it? He is the very essence of what pound-for-pound was intended to measure when the concept got launched during Sugar Ray Robinson’s era. If you were able to make Inoue and Wilder and Joshua and Fury the same size and fight them in a round tournament the question is not whether Inoue would emerge as winner or even if Inoue would win every match by knockout but whether any of today’s best heavyweights could make it out the first minute with him. The gulf in craft, leverage and reflex is that great.

To attract casual fans, I know, we’re supposed to pretend this is not so, we’re supposed to squint to see something great about today’s heavyweights besides their mass, but it simply cannot be done during WBSS season, when prime world titlists fight one another, one after the other, showing each other respect before and after their confrontations while subjecting one another to relentless violence between the ropes. It makes farcical inauthentic much of the rest of the year’s fare.

Inoue is the world’s best prizefighter right now. Better than Bud, better than Hi-Tech, better than The Truth, better than Canelo. He is making highlight-reel showcase opponents out of world titlists in matches expected by experts to be competitive. I can’t name his promoter, I don’t know his training techniques, I don’t know if he was an Olympian, and if he’s a heartthrob in his native land I don’t know about that either. I don’t know, in other words, any of the flummery publicists pass our ways when it’s time to grow the brand and risking more than words is out of the question.

Here’s what happened Saturday in WBSS’s bantamweight semifinal: Emmanuel Rodriguez, a larger man making the third defense of a title he won on the road, went directly at Inoue the way a champion does when he thinks his challenger is a hypejob. He moved Inoue back, too, and chastened him with a few counters, and the first round was excellent and competitive, exactly as an aficionado, as distinct from a branding fanatic, should wish every round of every fight be. The second round was going competitively, too, until Rodriguez turned a touch too brazenly on a left hook and got spuncycled on the next. After that things got real academic real quick. Inoue went bodysnatching, not headhunting, as a man does when he wants his opponent’s submission more than he wants a YouTube clip, and Rodriguez collapsed for being caved-in.

It was decisive and quick, not sloppy or preordained. It was another chance to be euphoric at the spectacle of boxing done beautifully.

And it wasn’t even Saturday’s main. That came after a moment of mutual admiration between Inoue and his WBSS-finals opponent, Nonito Donaire, now enjoying a career resurrection complete as it is completely unexpected. Donaire’s winding transition from promoter-creation brat to international ambassador concluded prettily with his sincere congratulations to Inoue, a moment of affection and elegance enough to make you proud of your commitment to our sport, enough to make you wonder, however briefly, if Donaire, once considered a prodigy too, mightn’t have a last hook in him, a sink-all-coffins-to-one counter that he starts with Inoue’s a millisecond earlier and a millimeter shorter and makes all Japan inhale sharply.

It’s a farfetched scenario, indeed, though not farfetched as Donaire’s simple presence in the finals; “dear Lord, give me just one chance to throw the hook” – so went Nonito’s prayer at tournament’s start, and now he will have it. A more answerable prayer will have Josh Taylor who, after blackmatting Ivan Baranchyk a twotime in a prizefight proper brutal, looks forward to Regis Prograis in the finals.

There’s no reason to hold the decisive match on neutral ground, Super Six’s largest mistake; return to Glasgow and let Prograis try and stretch the Scotsman in his home gym, knowing if he lets European judges score one of their own he’ll have read to him by a kilted ring announcer three cards prefilled at Friday’s weighin. Same goes for Inoue-Donaire for that matter; let Nonito choose the venue – Inoue’s supporters have the means and willingness to travel wherever their man plies his craft.

O but the WBSS is so much better than everything else.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Naoya Inoue made his case as one of the top fighters in the world by destroying previously undefeated Emmanuel Rodriguez in two rounds to retain his WBA and win the IBF Bantamweight title. In the process, Inoue advances to the final of the World Boxing Super Series where he will meet Nonito Donaire.

Inoue dropped Rodriguez three times in the 2nd round. The 1st was a booming right, and the final two were body shots. Rodriguez got to his feet, but with a bloody nose, the referee wisely waved off the bout at 1:19.

Inoue of Japan is now 18-0 with 16 knockouts. Rodriguez of Puerto Rico is 19-1.

Former world champion Paul Butler stopped Salvador Hernandez Sanchez in round six of their scheduled eight-round bantamweight bout.

Butler dominated the fight and dropped Sanchez with a left hook to the body in the 6th round that put Hernandez down for the count at 2:52.

Butler of England is now 29-2 with 15 knockouts. Sanchez of Mexico is 14-9-1.

Zach Parker remained undefeated by stopping Steven Cramber in round four of their scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout.

The bout was stopped after a barrage of punches at 2:47 for Parker, who is now 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Crambert of France is 8-5.

Lee McGregor went the distance for the 1st but won an easy decision over Brett Fidoe in a bantamweight bout.

McGregor of Scotland won by 60-54 scores and is now 6-0. Fidoe of England is 13-51-5.

Reece McFadden won a four-round decision over Georgi Georgiev in a super bantamweight fight.

Scores were 40-36 for McFadden who is 3-0. Gerogiev is 7-15-1.

Just 4 days until the WBSS Super-Lightweight and Bantamweight Semi-Finals – Josh Taylor vs Ivan Baranchyk and Naoya Inoue vs Manny Rodriguez – at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, UK!

Tickets available from TicketMaster.co.uk here.

The magnificent doubleheader on Saturday, 18 May will conclude the semi-finals stage the World Boxing Super Series and the quest for the Muhammad Ali Trophy in the 140lb and 118lb editions of the tournament.

Josh Taylor goes for his first World title, in the same city he won his Commonwealth Gold medal, against IBF champ Ivan Baranchyk! The winner will fight Regis Prograis in the Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy final later this year.

In the other main event, Japanese pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue takes on Manny Rodriguez to find out who will face Nonito Donaire in the Bantamweight Final! The IBF World title and Ring Belt are on the line and both men have promised KO finishes… Blink and you’ll miss it!

Ticket Price Bands (Seating Plan below):
Cat.1 Ringside – £299
Cat.2 Ringside – £249
Cat.3 Floor – £109
Cat.4 Lower Tier 1 – £79
Cat.5 Lower Tier 2 – £59
Cat.6 Upper Tier 1 – £39
Cat.7 Upper Tier 2 – £29 – SOLD OUT

Tickets available from TicketMaster.co.uk here.

PUBLIC WEIGH-IN – 4pm Friday, 17 May (Main events on the scales 5pm)
Lomond Auditorium, SSE Hydro, Exhibition Way, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8YW

Make sure you attend the Weigh-In and cheer your fighter on when they hit the scales! It’s free entry, all welcome!

Join the Glasgow Semi-Finals event on Facebook here!

Tickets available from TicketMaster.co.uk here.

Visit WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

The Emmanuel Rodriguez – Naoya Inoue WBSS bout is set for May 18th in Glasgow, Scotland, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“My destiny is to win the prestigious (Muhammad) Ali Trophy and prove I am the best bantamweight in the world,” Inoue said. “I cannot wait to box in the United Kingdom in front of their loud fans and I will show them a ‘Monster’ performance.”

“I have been waiting for this moment my entire life,” Rodriguez said. “I always wanted to fight the best, and now I am fighting a boxer considered (one of) the best by the boxing reporters and fans. That’s great motivation for me, my team and Puerto Rico. We got this. I am going to get the victory. Puerto Rico will shine in Scotland and I am confident of going all the way and take home the Ali Trophy.”

Bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue has joined The World Boxing Super Series, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We are thrilled to have Inoue on board for season two’s amazing bantamweight tournament,” said promoter Kalle Sauerland, the chief boxing officer of tournament organizer Comosa AG. “His stage name, ‘The Monster,’ has proved fitting. Inoue is an extremely exciting fighter and possesses absolutely extraordinary power. Inoue has become one of the biggest idols in his native Japan and now gets the chance to showcase his skills in the (Muhammad) Ali Trophy tournament, the greatest stage of all.”

“It is an honor to be able to participate and compete in such a great tournament,” Inoue said. “Of course, I will win and as the winner of the tournament, I will continue onto the next journey of my boxing career.”

By Bart Barry-

I was up before dawn Friday morning to begin the day for 20 minutes before I remembered I was up to watch my first live event on ESPN+, boxing’s newest app: Japan’s Naoya Inoue versus England’s Jamie McDonnell for yet another historic title attempt, this time at bantamweight. Such historic offerings happen no worse than monthly in our sport anymore, though history must record May and ESPN as twice-historic for their two historic broadcasts.

At great risk to my credibility as a surveyor of historic happenings, I must concede I do not recall before seeing McDonnell in a prizefighting ring. Which is to write my first impression of him was indeed a pathetic one. This is troubling because in order for me to certify Inoue as a historic talent I should first see him ply his wares against a competent opponent if not a historic one.

Call it stubbornly unfashionable but an undefeated puncher blasting his way through a boxer titlist in six or fewer punches heralds, for me, great matchmaking much as great punching. Time will tell how wrong I am about Inoue.

The ESPN+ app itself has a pleasantly lowbudget feel to it; my favorite part of Friday’s telecast was when some visionary made the decision to stop promoting upcoming mismatches flummery and simply go to a blank screen with a mainevent start time at the bottom. Would that we had more such honesty; we’ve run through our contingency material and welcome you, dear viewer, to set an alarm and go do something better with your time.

And now, dear writer, you may do the very same . . .

*

I am not a Philip Roth scholar or interested in being mistaken for one. I flatter myself to believe he influenced me during the year or so I read nearly all his works in 2003 or 2004. I later read his later works as they came out, thinking, I’m sure inappropriately, “The Plot Against America” was his worst novel since “Portnoy’s Complaint” (though “Our Gang” was proper dreadful, too) – and nearly every other of the novels he published after 2004, “Everyman” and “Exit Ghost” and “Indignation” and “The Humbling”, were excavation vehicles for incomplete scenes from his masterwork, “Sabbath’s Theater”.

That is the work of Roth I return to and return to for its relentlessness, for its boundless pleasure in offending, for its desecration of everything it encounters. Its arc is a parabola. I’m sure when I first read it, when it was about sex and sex and sex, I didn’t believe a writer could sustain such a pace for 30 pages much less 300 (years later, when I returned to it, I read death and death and death).

Here’s my favorite passage in all American literature, presented without context but deliciously offensive for those familiar with what precedes it:

“It couldn’t have ended otherwise. Final proof that life is perfect. Knows where it’s going every inch of the way. No, human life must not be extinguished. No one could come up with anything like it again.”

There’s not a Zuckerman-narrated novel I didn’t enjoy, though if pressed for a Roth book to rate immediately behind Sabbath, I’d probably choose “Operation Shylock” for its originality. I’m not a Jew or a misogynist or a feminist or whatever other political identify makes one cheer or boo Roth. I enjoyed Roth’s books as an American, and for me he is the quintessential American author of the last 40 years. He began with a tight ethno-religious identity and transcended it, first-person to third-. And that maneuver, first-person to third-, is the technique I enjoy most of his: First-person introduces an informality that permits the narrator later intrude on his story whenever he wishes, however formal its third-person progression.

At his worst Roth is political and screechy, a parody of himself recognized by itself, a product of the idealism of his times – at his worst, he just can’t help himself. The rest and best of the time he is mock heroic; Zuckerman behind drunken Jaga in “The Anatomy Lesson”, Mickey Sabbath as he “passeth the time, pretending to think without punctuation, the way J. Joyce pretended people thought . . .” Serious literature done by a writer whose narrators made you laugh at them.

Where does Roth rate in the canon of literary blah, blah, blah? Who, for heaven’s sake, cares! One should rate what he reads according to what joy it brings him, and to hell with every single other consideration.

Are you able to return to an author’s words and enjoy them more than once? Then you’ve found your version of great literature. Ranking art against itself is an empty, academic game, a game Roth subjected a character to when he wished torture that character a wee bit, like he did, and often, to Coleman Silk in “The Human Stain” – Rage!

Roth went gracefully, not tragically, when his time came. He stopped writing almost a decade before he passed, absolving his obituarists any cookiecutter lamentations about how much more he had to give. He wrote what he had, justified his gifts, and brought joy to his readers. It could have ended otherwise, but thankfully it did not.

*

Thus far in 2018 Showtime and ESPN are the two indispensable networks for aficionados. ESPN+ certainly is not that yet but might become so. Eddie Hearn’s DAZN is not likely to become indispensable this year, but it might. Which makes one premium network glaringly dispensable, does it not?

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Jamie McDonnell says he’ll prove that he’s the best Bantamweight in the world as he faces pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue in Tokyo, Japan on Friday, live on Sky Sports.

McDonnell puts his WBA crown on the line for the seventh time against Inoue, the Japanese star known as ‘Monster’ who is aiming to become a three-weight World ruler in just his 16th pro fight.

The Doncaster ace has been on the road in four of his last five fights and adds a third continent to his pro career as he looks to extend his ten-year unbeaten run in his toughest test as a pro.

The 32 year old believes his success as WBA ruler has been largely unnoticed, so he wants to use this clash with Inoue to cement his place amongst the elite level.

“I’ve gone under the radar the last couple of years but this fight puts me right up there,” said McDonnell, who weighed in at 117.5lbs, with Inoue at 118lbs. “When I beat Inoue everyone in the world will know my name. That’s given me the motivation to make yet another successful World title defence.

“We know he’s a very good fighter, we know his qualities but we are ready to bring it. This is a very big fight for the both of us. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do and that’s win at all costs.

“I’m feeling very confident, I’ve prepared with 12 hard weeks for this fight. We had some time in Dubai to help with the time adjustments and the work out there was top class preparation.”

(May 22, 2018) — The “Monster” will wake up American fight fans on Friday morning.

From the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, two-weight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue will move up in weight to face WBA bantamweight champion Jamie McDonnell, and WBC light flyweight champion Ken Shiro will make the third defense of his belt in a rematch against Ganigan Lopez. This world championship doubleheader, promoted by Ohashi Promotions and Teiken Promotions, will be broadcast live and exclusively in the United States at 7:15 a.m. ET on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment and ESPN.

Inoue (15-0, 13 KOs) has been competing at the world level since 2014 when, in his sixth professional bout, he knocked out Adrian Hernandez in the sixth round to win the WBC light flyweight title. Later that year, he moved up two weight classes and stopped longtime WBO junior bantamweight champion Omar Narvaez in the second round. After making seven defenses of that title, Inoue is moving up to fight an established champion in McDonnell (29-2-1, 13 KOs), who has made six title defenses since winning the belt in May 2014.

Shiro (12-0, 6 KOs) won the WBC light flyweight over Lopez via majority decision in a closely contested bout May 20 of last year in Tokyo. Lopez (28-7, 17 KOs) fought valiantly in the championship rounds, but Shiro did just enough to earn the decision. Shiro last fought on December 30, scoring a fourth-round TKO over Gilberto Pedroza. For Lopez, this will be his first sanctioned fight since he lost the title.

ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment and ESPN. ESPN+ also offers fans two exclusive, original boxing programs The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Mondays, weekly) and In This Corner (twice monthly). In addition to boxing content, fans that subscribe to ESPN+ get thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks – for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year).

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment and ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks. This includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, PGA Tour golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films (including 30 for 30) and more. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

Jamie McDonnell’s title defense against Naoya Inoue will be streamed on ESPN+ this Friday morning, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“In the short time since its launch [on April 12], ESPN+ is becoming a wonderful platform to see world-class global fighters at all different hours of the day,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef told ESPN. “Friday’s event is another step we are taking toward bringing compelling world-class boxing to the ESPN platforms.”

“I know McDonnell is a strong champion with his good height and good record,” said Inoue, who is 5-foot-5 to McDonnell’s 5-10. “I’d like to prepare well in order to win my third championship.”

“I am in better physical condition with no problem with the weight,” said Lopez, who will be fighting in Japan for the fourth time. “I have been frequently watching the video of my first fight with Ken Shiro. I’m sure that I can do things so much better in the rematch, capitalizing on the opportunity to defeat him in a clearer way.”

Yokohama, Japan (Dec. 29, 2017) – Uprising Promotions will look to end 2017 on a very high note on Saturday, as stablemate Yoan Boyeaux (41-4, 26 KOs) will challenge Naoya Inoue (14-0, 12 KOs) for the WBO Super Flyweight Championship. The world title fight marks the first for an Uprising Promotions combatant, with the bout taking place at the Bunka Gym in Yokohama, Japan.

“We are very grateful to Hideyuki Ohashi and Ohashi Promotions for their hospitality and for this opportunity,” said Ronson Frank, President of Uprising Promotions. “Overall, we are both mentally and physically prepared for this fight. I think we did the best job we could with the timeframe that we had to get ready. We had some issues obtaining Yoan’s Japanese work permit, which cut down on the time he had to work in his training camp. However, we are going into this fight with no excuses, and we have a solid game plan. We are about three to four inches taller than our opponent, and we are going to utilize our height and every other advantage that we have to win the fight. We will go balls-to-the-wall if necessary, and I am expecting a very good performance out of Yoan.”

Boyeaux, 29, signed with Uprising Promotions in October, and his first bout under the banner will be this world championship opportunity. He turned professional eight years ago after a successful amateur career that saw him participate multiple times in the national championships that were held in his home country of France. In just his third professional bout, he battled future multiple division world champion Carl Frampton, and the French pugilist has never been stopped throughout his entire career.

Boyeaux has remained undefeated for almost six consecutive years, a stretch that encompasses his past 32 fights. He has also ended 24 of those 32 bouts inside the distance. After having fought in various locations throughout Europe and South America during his career, Boyeaux most recently stopped Mishiko Shubitidze this past April in the African country of Morocco.

Inoue, 24, will be making his seventh title defense when he meets Boyeaux on Saturday. An accomplished amateur, the Japanese fighter turned professional in 2012. He won the WBC Light Flyweight Championship by beating Adrian Hernandez in his sixth pro bout, defending the belt once before going up in weight to defeat Omar Andres Narvaez for the WBO Super Flyweight Title. Inoue fought outside of Japan for the first time in his last bout, where he stopped Antonio Nieves in September at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Boyeaux and Inoue are slated to be in the ring at 8:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, which is 6:00 a.m. ET.

Keep it locked to UprisingPromotions.com and @UprisingNYC for all of the latest information from Uprising Promotions.

According to Dab Rafael of espn.com, super flyweight titlist Naoya Inoue will defend his title on December 30th against Yoan Boyeaux in Yokohama, Japan.

“Within two months after this title bout, I wish to appear in the U.S. ring again, but will concentrate on this defense at first,” Inoue said Thursday.

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai retained the WBC Super Flyweight title with a 4th round knockout over Roman Gonzalez at The StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Rungvisai consistently beat Gonzalez to the punch when the two stood toe-to-toe in the center of the ring.  Gonzalez looked a bit slower then in recent fights, where he was considered pound for pound the best fighter in the world.

In round four, Rungvisai landed a right hook that sent Gonzalez to the deck.  Gonzalez seemed to steady himself only to eat another right hook that sent him plummeting to  the canvas, and the fight was immediately stopped at 1:18.

Runvisai, 115 lbs of Si Sa Ket, THA is now 44-4-1 with 40 knockouts.  Gonzalez, 114.8 lbs of Managua, NIC is

Nayoya Inoue made an impressive American debut by stopping Antonio Nieves after round six to retain the WBO Super Flyweight title.46-2-1.

Inoue was dominant, and in round five, he landed a vicious left hook to the body that sent Nieves to the canvas.  Inoue continued to pound Nieves, and after round six, Nieves’ corner mercifully stopped the bout.

Inoue, 115 lbs of Yokohama, JAP is now 14-0 with 12 knockouts.  Nives, 113.8 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 17-2-2.

Juan Francisco Estrada won a 12-round unanimous decision over Carlos Cuadras in a battle of former world champions.

Cuadras came out boxing and controlled the early rounds.  the fight started to turn in round six, as he started to land hard power shots that rocked Cuadras.

In round two, Estrada landed a perfect straight right that sent Cuadras to the canvas.  Estrada came on late to take the late rounds and come from behind to win on all cards by 114-113 scores.

Estrada, 114.8 lbs of Puerto Penasco, Mexico is now 36-2.  Cuadras, 114.6 lbs of Mexico City is 36-2-1.

Follow all the action as Srisaket Sor Rungvisai defends the WBC Super Flyweight title in a highly anticipated rematch with 4-division champion Roman Gonzalez.  The action kicks off at 10:15 ET / 7:15 PT / 9:15 am Sunday in Thailand and 8:15 PM in Managua with a two fight undercard as Naoua Inoue defends the WBO Super Flyweight title against Antonio Nieves and Carlos Cuadras takes on Juan Francisco Estrada in an All-Mexican Super Flyweight showdown.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY  

Round 1: Accidental headbutt/no cuts…Straight left from Rungvisai

Round 2 Gonzalez being aggressive…combinatons..Good right…

Round 3  Tremendous toe to toe action..Hard right from Gonzalez…hard left from Rungvisai..

Round 4 Body work from Rungvisai…HARD RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES GONZALEZ…HARD RIGHT AND DOWN GOES GONZALEZ AGAIN…HE IS KNOCKED OUT

Round 1: Jab-right hand from Inoue…1-2…Hard 3 punch combination..Hard left from Nieves..Body shot from Inoue..

Round 2 Right from Nieves to the body..right…Jab from Inoue..2 body shots..Body shots from Nieves..Body shot from Inoue..Right..left to body..combination

Round 3 Uppercut from Inoue..Body shots..3 punch combination

Round 4  Inoue lands a left to the body..another one..

Round 5:  LEFT TO THE BODY AND DOWN GOES NIEVES..Hard left hooks

Round 6:  good right from Inoue..Left hooks to the body..Right and left to the head..Vicious right...FIGHT STOPPED AFTER THE ROUND

Round 1: Body work from Cuadras

Round 2 Combination from Cuadras…Counter right from Estrada

Round 3 Left hook from Cuadras…Jab..Combination..1-2…Left hook from Estrada..Left hook

Round 4 2 left hook from Cuadras…

Round 5 Hard uppercut from Estrada..Counter right from Cuadras…Left hook..Good left hook from Estrada..Right..Body shots and left hook from Cuadras..

Round 6 Hard jab from Estrada..Hard 1-2..Right..left hook..Big right from Cuadras..Big right from Estrada..

Round 7 Hard right from Estrada..Hard flush right..Uppercut from Cuadras..Good right

Round 8 Straight right and jab..left hook to body from Estrada..Right from Cuadras..Good body shots…Good right from Estrada..

Round 9 Uppercut from Cudras..Good right…combination and right hand…

Round 10 Hard right from Estrada..HARD RIGHT AND DOWN GOES CUADRAS..2 Hard right hands…Right…Cuadras lands a lopping right

Round 11 Good left hook from Estrada..Body shot from Cuadras..Good left from Estrada..Left hook from Cuadras..Left hook inside for Estrada..Big left hook..

Round 12: Good right from Estrada..Big left hook..Combination from Cuadras…Hard right over the ropes from Estrada..Left hook from Cuadras…

114-113 on ALL CARDS FOR  JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA

HBO BOXING AFTER DARK presents a must-see tripleheader featuring the four top-ranked super flyweights in the world when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK: SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI VS. ROMAN “CHOCOLATITO” GONZALEZ AND NAOYA INOUE VS. ANTONIO NIEVES AND CARLOS CUADRAS VS. JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA is seen SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Cal. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The fights will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

The main event features the sport’s most anticipated rematch when Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (43-4-1, 39 KOs) defends his super flyweight title against Nicaragua’s Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-1, 38 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round bout. The two 30-year-old ring warriors are set to wage war again just six months after their thrilling back-and-forth fight at Madison Square Garden, which resulted in the title changing hands and Gonzalez losing his undefeated record via a controversial majority decision. Sor Rungvisai used his unconventional southpaw style to capture his first world title and now hopes to defend it successfully in just his second U.S. fight, while former four-division champion Gonzalez seeks to avenge his first pro defeat in his sixth HBO appearance.

In the co-main event, Naoya Inoue (13-0, 11 KOs) of Yokohama, Japan, defends his share of the super flyweight title against Cleveland’s Antonio Nieves (17-1-2, 9 KOs) in scheduled 12-round bout. Inoue, 24, makes his U.S. debut following a fast start to his pro career, having captured a world title in just his sixth professional fight and successfully defended his super flyweight title five times. Nieves, 30, is making his first bid for a world title and looks to disrupt Inoue’s campaign in the 115-pound division.

In the opening bout, former world champions from Mexico square off when Carlos Cuadras (36-1-1, 27 KOs) of Mexico City takes on Juan Francisco Estrada (35-2, 25 KOs) of Sonora in a scheduled 12-round super flyweight contest. Cuadras, 28, and Estrada, 27, have both lost to Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, and are seeking a shot at a piece of the super flyweight title.

Immediately following the live boxing action, HBO Sports presents the second episode of 24/7 Canelo-Golovkin, which previews the September 16 pay-per-view mega fight matchup. (Click here to Watch Episode 1)

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is Rick Bernstein; producer, Thomas Odelfelt; director, Johnathan Evans.

® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

By Bart Barry-

Nicaraguan super flyweight Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez seeks to avenge his career’s first loss against Thailand’s Wisaksil “Srisaket Sor Rungvisai” Wangek in the main event of this Saturday’s extraordinary “Superfly” card in Carson, Calif., a card HBO will broadcast and in so doing stake an unlikely and indisputable claim to 2017’s best boxing broadcast. The comain will have Japan’s Naoya “The Monster” Inoue making his first match in the U.S. And the co-comain will have yet another 115-pound man, Mexican Carlos “Principe” Cuadras, whose claim as the world’s best super flyweight is not an unreasonable one, making combat with countryman Juan Francisco Estrada.

Frankly it’s an honor to cover a card of this quality. A quick query to the memory brings back a nullset of a better constructed threematch finale to a card I’ve attended – though Barrera-Juarez II in 2006 comes tumbling forward on the virtue of what Israel Vazquez did to Jhonny Gonzalez in the co-comain (while Marco Antonio Barrera bemused Rocky Juarez too thoroughly in the main to make the card actually historic, despite its fine construction).

Most importantly it could be the last chance to see a historic prizefighter like Chocolatito in the mainevent of a consequential card. Whatever happens Saturday Chocolatito is unlikely to retire and stay retired, a more likely occurrence is that long past the viable economics of the act Chocolatito’ll continue to work for backwages in a futile bid to do things the Money way, and he’s too good and decent for that to be a thing worth traveling to Los Angeles or Managua to witness.

The march upwards in weightclass and age is too much for any man to endure flawlessly much past his 40th fight or 30th year if he weighs less than 120 pounds, and in March Sor Rungvisai played reminder of this much as its cause. Chocolatito did more to accomplish less against Sor Rungvisai than any Sor Rungvisai predecessor and being reminded of it exhausted Gonzalez till the ratio trebled but still Chocolatito spun and whacked and resisted what disbelief surely came thumping. If there were special preparations Sor Rungvisai made for Chocolatito he did not betray them; perhaps his fruitfullest tactic was treating a legend like a shortnotice swingbout replacement to be butted and beaten as whim bade.

Whatever the weighting supposedly be, a good metric for ring generalship, that squirrely criterion with which we justify our biases when scoring rounds that’re close, is: Who files first appeal to the referee? who petitions an official’s intervention in lieu of making justice with his proper fists?

In March it was Chocolatito and an unfailingly bad sign. If Sor Rungvisai’s heady comportment was less than purely sporting Chocolatito’s conduct was more worrisome. Great fighters are dirty fighters and Chocolatito is a great fighter by this measure and every other but in March Chocolatito was a statesman, and offended too. He knew what Sor Rungvisai did was not accidental but once referee Steve Willis refused to be more officious than a point’s deduction from the Thai’s tally Chocolatito needed to remedy fouls with fouls, as craft told him he should, but Chocolatito did not and did something oh so much worse: He let selfindulgence touch him a touch.

Such indulgence begets brutalization and it surely did in March. Chocolatito’s face and head was an ugly mess by the concluding bell. What stung worse than his first career loss coming at the hands and head of an unclassed brute like Sor Rungvisai was Chocolatito’s realizing he’d have to face the man again and immediately if he chose not to retire – something like what the late Vernon Forrest felt the day after losing to Ricardo Mayorga. If Sor Rungvisai did not inflict the same mental cruelty on Chocolatito as Mayorga did Forrest he distributed a commensurate physical cruelty that would render a lesser man cautious in rematch.

Fortunately for Chocolatito there is only one strategy in the ring and a startling array of tactics for employing it – endeavor to attrition any man toeing the line before you. He expected Sor Rungvisai to fold of his own discouragement and got surprised when Sor Rungvisai did not. Class did not tell ultimately in March because it got thwarted by Sor Rungvisai’s fouling and obliviousness of his opponent’s class, which may be a roundabout way of writing class, of a certain sort, did indeed tell.

Expect Chocolatito to be the offender Saturday; if Sor Rungvisai did not pack a cup packed with reinforced beltline padding for his trip from Thailand he will regret it; Chocolatito will be targeting that beltline and a few inches above and below it from the opening bell until he is told to stop and after he is told to stop until a point gets deducted and maybe after that, too. Accustomed to enjoying benefits of all scoring doubts in his career’s 27 or so championship matches Chocolatito did not expect to lose March’s decision and now says in a convincing tone he intends to strip Sor Rungvisai of his fitness to continue, and if so, what difference will a point deduction in round 3 and another in round 8 matter?

There’s a genuine possibility, though, Chocolatito’s belting Sor Rungvisai early and often will not avenge his first loss. Sor Rungvisai well may have Chocolatito’s number; he well may have too much physicality and chin and derringdo for this 30-year-old, 115-pound iteration of Nicaragua’s second alltime great, remanding Gonzalez to retirement but leaving HBO with enough pieces – in Sor Rungvisai and Cuadras and Inoue, at least – to make an historic unification of the super flyweight division.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 6, 2017) Southern California’s iconic outdoor boxing venue, The StubHub Center in Carson, California, home to numerous legendary nights of action over the last decade, will play host to the highly anticipated “SUPERFLY” triple header set for Saturday, September 9, it was announced today by TOM LOEFFLER, Managing Director of K2 PROMOTIONS.

Tickets for “SUPERFLY” will go on sale Tomorrow, Friday, July 7 at 12:00 p.m. PT and are priced at $250, $150, $100, $60 and $30, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, call 877-234-8425. Doors will open on the night of the event at 3:30 p.m. PT with the first bell at 4:00 p.m. PT.

“Since we announced this extraordinary triple header a couple weeks ago, the fans have demanded it take place at their favorite venue for action, and we are excited to confirm the show will take place at the StubHub Center” said Loeffler. “We look forward to another magical night on September 9 for what many fans and media feel is the best card of 2017.”

“This event will be a little less than four years since we promoted the Gennady Golovkin vs. Marco Antonio Rubio fight at The Stubhub Center, one of the most remarkable evenings in recent years that broke the boxing attendance record and we look forward to another memorable event on September 9.”

“I have to give a great deal of credit to the six promoters I worked with to put this event together; Teiken Promotions, Nakornloung Promotion, Ohashi Promotions, Salita Promotions, Promociones del Pueblo and Zanfer Promotions. The cooperative spirit of all parties was the key in putting together this outstanding, world-class international card.”

“Additionally I’d like to thank the team at the StubHub Center and Dan Beckerman of AEG for their help in presenting this event.”

Televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT, “SUPERFLY” is headlined by the WBC Super Flyweight World Champion SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI, (43-4-1, 39 KO’s), of Si Sa Ket, Thailand, defending his title against former champion “ROMAN “CHOCOLATITO” GONZALEZ (46-1-0, 38 KO’s), of Managua, Nicaragua, in a rematch of their epic battle this past March.

On March 18, 2017, ‘Chocolatito’, universally recognized at the time as The #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World and holder of the WBC Super Flyweight Title, battled Srisaket Sor Rungivisai in front of a massive crowd at ‘The Mecca of Boxing’, Madison Square Garden.

Despite being dropped in the first round, the valiant ‘Chocolatito’ battled back in a brutal war that included a tremendous amount of hard-hitting from both combatants along with a number of head butts due to the aggressive styles of the orthodox champion and southpaw challenger.

Sor Rungvisai was declared the winner by controversial majority decision, 114-112, 114-112 and 113-113 in a fight that many believe to be the leading candidate for this year’s “Fight of the Year.”

The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered an immediate rematch so there would be no question who their champion would be.

Co-featured on the outstanding “SUPERFLY” card is the highly anticipated United States debut of NAOYA “THE MONSTER” INOUE, (13-0-0, 11 KO’s) of Yokohama, Japan defending his WBO Super Flyweight Title against top contender ANTONIO “CARITA” NIEVES, (17-1-2, 9 KO’s) of Cleveland, Ohio.

The 24-year-old Inoue is among the most popular fighters in Asia, having already made five defenses of his WBO Super Flyweight Title he earned following his second round knockout of Omar Narvaez on December 30, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan.

Earning his nickname, “The Monster” from his heavy handed knockouts, Inoue is seeking to grow his fan base from the huge Asian community of U.S. based boxing fans.

Inoue kicked off his 2017 campaign with a third round stoppage of Ricardo Rodriguez on May 21 in Tokyo, Japan.

Fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio, Nieves will be looking to join the long history of world champions of Puerto Rican heritage. Undefeated through the first six years of his professional career, Nieves suffered his first loss very controversially, losing a 10-round split decision to Nikolai Potapov on March 10 in Detroit, Michigan.

Opening the telecast, former WBC Super Flyweight World Champion CARLOS “PRINCIPE” CUADRAS, (36-1-1, 27 KO’s)) of Mexico City will battle fellow rival countrymen and former flyweight world champion JUAN FRANCISCO “EL GALLO” ESTRADA, (35-2-0, 25 KO’s) of Sonora, Mexico in a 12-round WBC Super Flyweight Title Eliminator.

In a 2016 ‘Fight of the Year’ contender, former WBC Super Flyweight Champion Cuadras would lose for the first time in his eight-year career on September 10, 2016 by unanimous decision to Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez. Fighting furiously over the course of the twelve epic rounds in front of a huge crowd at The Fabulous Forum, Cuadras would come up just short on the scorecards losing by unanimous decision.

Most recently, Cuadras won a hard fought 10-round unanimous decision over fellow Mexican David Carmona on March 18, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

A former unified flyweight world champion, Estrada is best known for his action packed 12-round battle with Roman Gonzalez on November 17, 2012 in Los Angeles, losing a very close decision. Estrada also holds wins over former world champions Brian Viloria, Giovani Segura and Hernan Marquez.

The StubHub Center is located at 18400 Avalon Blvd., Carson CA, 90746 on the campus of California State University – Dominguez Hills. For directions and further information please visit their website at www.StubHubCenter.com

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LOS ANGELES, CA (June 17, 2017) The Super Flyweight Division, long one of boxing’s most exciting, filled with many of the sports’ legendary superstars, will add another chapter into its annals of memorable evenings on Saturday, September 9.

WBC Super Flyweight World Champion SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI, (43-4-1, 39 KO’s), of Si Sa Ket, Thailand, defends his title against former champion “ROMAN “CHOCOLATITO” GONZALEZ (46-1-0, 38 KO’s), of Managua, Nicaragua, in a rematch of their epic battle this past March. The rematch headlines a tripleheader that will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

Co-featured on the outstanding “SUPERFLY” card is the highly anticipated United States debut of NAOYA “THE MONSTER” INOUE, (13-0-0, 11 KO’s) of Yokohama, Japan defending his WBO Super Flyweight Title against top contender ANTONIO “CARITA” NIEVES, (17-1-2, 9 KO’s) of Cleveland, Ohio.

Opening the telecast, former WBC Super Flyweight World Champion CARLOS “PRINCIPE” CUADRAS, (36-1-1, 27 KO’s)) of Mexico City will battle fellow rival countrymen and former flyweight world champion JUAN FRANCISCO “EL GALLO” ESTRADA, (35-2-0, 25 KO’s) of Sonora, Mexico.

The venue location and ticket information will be announced shortly.

“We’re very excited to present this fantastic triple header featuring the top five super flyweights in the world,” said TOM LOEFFLER of K2 PROMOTIONS. “With the great history of memorable bouts in the super flyweight combined with the extraordinary talents of these six fighters in these two world championship fights along with the world title eliminator, the fans will truly be the winners of this event.”

“Boxing fans will have the rare opportunity to see if the new champion, Sor Rungvisai can repeat his performance with another victory or if ‘Chocolatito’ will prove that he still belongs at the top of the pound-for-pound list by avenging a controversial loss.”

“We have had great interest from numerous venues wishing to host this event, we are currently working through the locations and will have a site and ticket announcement shortly.”

“Thanks very much to Peter Nelson of HBO for his continued foresight and interest in the lighter weight divisions which has influenced this tremendous event with the top five fighters in the super flyweight division being showcased.”

“This all-action super flyweight tripleheader will have fight fans eagerly awaiting September 9th,” says Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. “We applaud all six fighters for their willingness to lace up their gloves to face the very best.”

“I would like to thank WBC, HBO, and K2 promotion for this opportunity,” said Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. “I’m honored to share the ring again and defend the WBC Super Flyweight Title against Roman Gonzalez. He is a legend and the best fighter I have faced.”

“I’m training hard to be the winner of this rematch. Boxing fans around the world will get to see another great fight between us, and I will win and take the WBC World Championship title back for everyone in Thailand.”

“I’m ready to go back into battle and reclaim by WBC Super Flyweight Championship from Sor Rungvisai on September 9,” said ‘Chocolatito’. “I know what I have to do to become victorious and with God’s help I will be champion once again.”

“As always thanks very much to Mr. Honda, K2 Promotions and HBO for this opportunity.”

On March 18, 2017, ‘Chocolatito’, universally recognized as The #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World and holder of the WBC Super Flyweight Title, battled Srisaket Sor Rungivisai in front of a massive crowd at ‘The Mecca of Boxing’, Madison Square Garden.

Despite being dropped in the first round, the valiant ‘Chocolatito’ battled back in a brutal war that included a tremendous amount of hard-hitting from both combatants along with a number of head butts due to the aggressive styles of the orthodox champion and southpaw challenger.

Sor Rungvisai was declared the winner by controversial majority decision, 114-112, 114-112 and 113-113 in a fight that many believe to be the leading candidate for this year’s “Fight of the Year.”

The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered an immediate rematch so there would be no question who their champion would be.

Stated Naoya Inoue about his title defense and first bout in the United States, “It’s been my dream to fight in the United States and I’m very excited to be defending my title against Antonio Nieves on September 9. I look forward to putting on a great performance for the fans.”

“I’m very excited to face Naoya Inoue for the WBO Super Flyweight Title on September 9,” said Antonio Nieves. “This is my first world title opportunity and I’m very grateful to HBO, Tom Loeffler and Tim VanNewhouse for making this possible.”

The 24-year-old Inoue is among the most popular fighters in Asia, having already made five defenses of his WBO Super Flyweight Title he was awarded following his second round knockout of Omar Narvaez on December 30, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan.

Earning his nickname, “The Monster” from his heavy handed knockouts, Inoue is seeking to grow his fan base from the huge Asian community of U.S. based boxing fans.

Inoue kicked off his 2017 campaign with a third round stoppage of Ricardo Rodriguez on May 21 in Tokyo, Japan.

Fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio, Nieves will be looking to join the long history of world champions of Puerto Rican heritage. Undefeated through the first six years of his professional career, Nieves suffered his first loss very controversially, losing a 10-round split decision to Nikolai Potapov on March 10 in Detroit, Michigan.

Stated Carlos Cuadras, “I can’t wait to get back in the ring on September 9 against Juan Estrada. He’s a very tough fighter but I will be victorious and put on a show for the fans, then I want a fight with whoever is the champion ‘Chocolatito’ or Sor Rungvisai to get my belt back.”

“Carlos Cuadras is a great Champion and we will have a great fight but he is just the first step towards me becoming the best super flyweight in the world! See you September 9,” said Juan Francisco Estrada.

In a 2016 ‘Fight of the Year’ contender, former WBC Super Flyweight Champion Cuadras would lose for the first time in his eight-year career on September 10, 2016 by unanimous decision to Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez. Fighting furiously over the course of the twelve epic rounds in front of a huge crowd at The Fabulous Forum, Cuadras would come up just short on the scorecards losing by unanimous decision.

Most recently, Cuadras won a hard fought 10-round unanimous decision over fellow Mexican David Carmona on March 18, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

A former unified flyweight world champion, Estrada is best known for his action packed 12-round battle with Roman Gonzalez on November 17, 2012 in Los Angeles, losing a very close decision. Estrada also holds wins over former world champions Brian Viloria, Giovani Segura and Hernan Marquez.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Hashtag: #SuperFly

TWITTER:
@ChocolatitoBox
@CuadrasOficial
@TomLoeffler1
@HBO
@HBOBoxing