Follow all the action as Joseph Diaz takes on Shavkat Rakhimov in an IBF Jr. Lightweight Title bout. (Diaz lost the belt on the scales).  The action begins at 8 PM ET and will include the WBO Junior Middleweight world title bout between Patrick Teixeira and Brian Castano.

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Round 1: Nice Left from Diaz

Round 2 Left from Diaz knocks Rakhimov off balance…Another left..Body punching…Big Left

Round 3 Blood from Nose of Diaz…Straight left from Diaz..Straight left..Good body shots..Combination that is finished by a left…

Round 4 Jab from Diaz..Body shot from Rakhimov…

Round 5 Counter left from Diaz…Combination from Rakhimov…Body shot..Body shot..Overhand left from Diaz..

Round 6 Combination from Rakhimov

Round 7 Counter right from Diaz..Good Lefr from Rakhimov…Left from Diaz

Round 8 Nice Left from Diaz..Nice left from Rakhimov..Right hook

Round 9 Body shot from Diaz…

Round 10 Good Jab by Rakhimov

Round 11 Nice left from Diaz…Good left from Rakhimov..Counter righ from Diaz

Round 12 Diaz lands a straight left…Nice right hook..Nice right…Left from Rakhimov…Left

115-113 FOR DIAZ…114-114 TWICE — A DRAW

ROUND 1 Jabbing from Teixeira

ROUND 2 Catano starting to land…Left from Teixeira..

ROUND 3 Catano getting more aggressive..Pressuring against the ropes..Nice Right from Teixeira

ROUND 4 Good Body shot from Teixeira..Good left from Castano…

ROUND 5  2 Good left uppercuts from Teixeira…left..body shot..Counter right from Castano

ROUND 6 Good right from Castano..Another Good right at the bell

ROUND 7 Left from Teixeira

ROUND 8 Good body shot from Castano..Counter right from Teixeira

Round 9 Combination from Castano..Countering..

Round 10 Right to body from Castano..Big right buckles Teixeira..

Round 11 Big Right counter from Castano

Round 12 Teixeira lands a left hook…Good uppercut and body shot from Castano..Teixeira is in trouble…Hard left to the body

120-108; 119-108 AND 117-111 FOR BRIAN CASTANO

Round 1: Good right from Rios..Nice left hook…Head and body shots..Body shots
Round 2 Body shot from Rios…Nice Combination..Left to body…Uppercut…Body shot..Right…Body shots..Rios is cut on the forehead from a headbutt
Round 3 Nice combination…Uppercut..Right cross
Round 4  Nice uppercut and left from Rios
Round 5 Combination from Rios
Round 6 Sharp Shots from Rios…Negrete lands a body shot..Body shot from Rios..
Round 7 Right from Negrete..2 sweeping rights from Rios..
Round 8 Right and left from Rios…Body shot
Round 9 Good combination from Rios…Right from Negrete…
Round 10  Right from Negrete

100-90 TWICE AND 99-91 FOR RIOS

Round 1 Chopping right from Olivas
Round 2 Good left hook from Mosley…Body shot on the inside
Round 3 Olivas swelling around the Right eye..Right from Mosley…Left
Round 4 Nice left hook from Olivas…Big Right
Round 5 Doctor Checking’s Olivas Eye before round..Left from Mosley..Olivas Eye is basically shut…2 lefts from Mosley..Right..Left hook from Olivas….FIGHT IS STOPPED AS OLIVAS CANT SEE

Round 1: Right to body from Melikuziev…Straight Right
Round 2: Right to body from Melikuziev..Right hook hurts Fitch..Fitch bleeding from the nose..combination
Round 3 Straight left to the head from Melikuziev…Another…LEFT AND FITCH TAKES A KNEE…Good body shot..HARD LEFT TO THE BODY…DOWN GOES FITCH AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Joseph Diaz Jr. and Shavkat Rakhimov fought to a 12-round majority draw in an IBF Junior Lightweight world title clash at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California.

Diaz was the reigning champion, but he lost his title on Friday when he was more then three pounds over the 130-pound weight limit.

It was a close fights with each guy having good stretches of success with the left hand. The fight was a mirror image as they both landed some solid body blows. The was some solid in-fighting with Rakhimov pulling ahead towards the championship rounds. Diaz had a good 12th and the fight was judged 115-113 for Diaz and 114-114 twice.

Diaz landed 233 of 740 punches; Rakhimov was 213 of 951.

Diaz, 133.6 lbs of South El Monte, CA is 31-1-1. Rakhimov, 129.8 lbs of Ekaterinburg, RUS is 15-1.

“I’m a little upset. I felt I had done enough to win the fight,” said Joseph Diaz Jr. “It was a close fight. It wasn’t my best performance. I didn’t make weight. I lost the belt on the scales. I want to apologize to everyone. I want to apologize to all my fans. It was a mistake on my behalf. No excuses, but I’ll be back. Rakhimov threw a lot of combinations. But a lot of them landed on the gloves. I felt I threw more shots and landed more body punches. I thought I should have won the fight.”

 “I did everything I was supposed to do,” said Shavkat Rakhimov. “Victory was on my side. I feel I won the fight. There were a few mistakes, and we need to work on it. I did everything that was possible. There were a few mistakes, but I will work on that. There is no perfect boxer, and I hope to gain more American fans.”

Castano Decisions Teixeira; Wins WBO Jr. Middleweight title

Brian Castano won the WBO Junior Middleweight title with an emphatic 12-round unanimous decision over Patrick Teixeira.

Castano was relentless in his output by landing hard shots to the head and body for which Teixeira had little answer for. Castano hurt Teixeira badly in round 12 as he landed a hard right that had Teixeira trying to run from Castano. Castano battered him until the final bell.

Castano landed 373 of 1136 punches; Teixeira was 197 of 972.

Castano, 153.8 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG won by scores of 120-108, 119-109 and 117-111 and is now 16-1-1. Teixeira, 153.4 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 31-.2

“I am very happy. We did a great job with my team,” said Brian Castaño. “It was a good fight. We all mistakes, and I have to fix things here and there, but a fight is a fight. Each fight is different, and I understand that. I knew Teixeia very well going into this fight. He is very strong, and he has a lot of heart. He is a great person. This was one of the greatest wins of my career. Not anyone can be a world champion, and I was able to do it twice. So I am very happy.”

Rios Decisions Negrete

Ronny Rios won a 10-round unanimous decision over Oscar Negrete in a super bantamweight fight.

Rios landed 290 of 880 punches; Negrete was 150 of 830.

Rios, 121.4 lbs of Santa Ana, CA won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 33-3. Negrete, 121.6 lbs of Tierralta, COL is 19-3-2.

“I should have sat down more on my punches,” said Ronny Rios. “I went in a little bit too much with my head, and I kind of waited too long. But I’m happy with the win. I really want a world title shot for my next fight, and I think this fight was a necessary step in that direction.”

Mosley stops Olivas after 5!

Shane Mosley Jr. stopped Cristian Olivas after round five of their scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout.

In round three, Olivas started to swell around his right eye. The eye kept getting worse as Mosley pounded him repeatedly with left hand, and the fight was stopped by the corner following the 5th frame.

Mosley, 161.6 lbs of Pomona, CA is 17-3 with 10 knockouts. Olivas, 161.6 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 19-8.

“I had a really tough opponent in there. But I went in there, looked sharp and got the job done. These are the kinds of fights that I need in order to show people that I am ready for a world title.”

Melikuziev stops Fitch in 3

Bektemir Melikuziev stopped Morgan Fitch in round three of their scheduled eight-round light heavyweight bout.

In round two, the nose of Fitch started to bleed. In round three, Melikuziev dropped Fitch with a straight left. He ended things with a vicious left to the body that sent Fitch down and the fight was stopped at 2:08.

Melikuziev, 170.6 lbs of Indio, CA is 7-0 with six knockouts. Fitch, 170.5 lbs of New Orleans is 19-5-1.

“Despite everything that happened, I think it was a good performance,” said Bektemir Melikuziev. “I wish I could have lasted longer and gotten a few more rounds in, but I think it was a good performance. I’m ready for any of the big names in my division.”

Azat Hovhannisyan stopped Enrique Bernache in round eight of their scheduled 10-round featherweight bout.

In round two, Hovhannisyan dropped Bernache.

Bernache, who was complaining of headbutts throughout the fight, bowed out in round eight.

Hovhannisyan, 122.8 lbs of Los Angeles is 19-3 with 16 knockouts. Bernache, 123 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 24-13.

“I’m very happy,” said Azat Hovhannisyan. “It’s my first time with Robert Garcia. We had a lot of good sparring. I’m No. 1 in the WBA. I want to fight a world champion.”

Victor Morales won an eight-round unanimous decision over Rodrigo Guerrero featherweight bout.

Morales, 125.8 lbs of Vancouver, WA won by scores of 80-72 an is now 14-0. Guerrero, 125.8 lbs of Mexico City is 26-10-2.

“After 16 months away from the ring, it feels great to be back,” said Victor Morales Jr. “I knew he was going to be very tough. He is a former world champion, so I knew it was going to be a difficult bout. Either way, I was able to fight either on the outside or on the inside.”

Dalis Kaleiopu made a successful pro debut with a 3rd round stoppage over Eduardo Sanchez in a four round super lightweight bout.

Kaleiopu dropped Sanchez with a hard right uppercut and the fight was stopped 48 seconds into the round.

Kaleiopu, 136 lbs of Waianae, HI is 1-0 with one knockout. Sanchez, 135.6 lbs of Corocoron, CA is 2-4.

“It’s been a long time because of COVID,” said Dalis Kaleiopu. “So, it felt great to finally make my pro debut. I hurt him many times, but I let him go. But then I landed a shot he couldn’t come back from, so it feels good to stop somebody that has never been stopped.

INDIO, CALIF. (Jan. 21, 2021): Two exciting in-house battles between some of Golden Boy’s best talent will head toFantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. on the undercard of Diaz vs. Rakhimov as Ronny Rios (32-3, 16 KOs) and Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (19-2-2, 7 KOs) face off in a super bantamweight battle and Jason Quigley (18-1, 14 KOs) and Shane Mosley Jr. (16-3, 9 KOs) fight for the NABO Middleweight Title.

The stacked event will take place Saturday, Feb. 13 and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN in more than 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., Mexico, Russia, Tajikistan, Brazil and Argentina.

“Golden Boy’s first journey to Fantasy Springs in 2021 picks up right where we left off—with an action-packed card from top to bottom,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “A true crossroads fight will see Jason Quigley and Shane Mosley Jr. leaving it all in the ring to regain contender status in the middleweight division. And after upsetting my cousin Diego De La Hoya, Ronny Rios will look to keep it rolling against an always-tough customer in Oscar Negrete, whose only two losses have come to a world champion.”

Rios is a 30-year-old contender of Santa Ana, California who is coming off three consecutive stoppage wins, including a dominant knockout victory of then-undefeated Diego De La Hoya in 2019. Rios plans to capitalize on this opportunity in convincing fashion in order to accelerate his path to another world title shot.

“COVID-19 robbed all of us of something, whether it was memories, family members, friends, or in my case, a year of my boxing career,” said Ronny Rios. “I have lost opportunities to make up for, and I’m hungrier than I’ve ever been. That’s not good news for Oscar Negrete. I have a lot of respect for Oscar, but at the end of the day, I have one job and that’s to break the will of every opponent I face. My time to capitalize on the momentum I’ve built in this sport starts with this fight.”

Negrete, a 33-year-old native of Tierralta, Colombia, will return to 122 pounds after a unanimous decision victory against two-time Olympian Alberto “Impacto” Melian and an unforgettable trilogy against Joshua “The Professor” Franco,who is now a world champion.

“I am delighted to be returning to the ring against Ronny Rios on February 13,” said Oscar Negrete. “Both he and I have a style that is very aggressive, and that’s going to guarantee a real war inside the ring. This fight will be very important in determining the future of this competitive division. That’s why I’ll be training at 100% in order to walk away with the victory and earn another opportunity at a world title.”

Quigley, a 29-year-old native of Donegal, Ireland will return after knockout victories against Abraham Cordero and Fernando Marin. He’ll look to regain his spot in the division after suffering his first and only defeat against Tureano Johnson in 2019.

“I feel more than ready for this fight,” said Jason Quigley. “I worked hard during lockdown and have stayed ready to fight at any time. I have to go in there and take care of business. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to fight on this card.”

Mosley Jr., a 30-year-old native of Pomona, California, will seek to earn a top stop at the division after signing with Golden Boy in 2020 and defeating Jeremy Ramos in his last outing.

“I want to thank everyone at Golden Boy and The Contender for giving us this opportunity,” said Shane Mosley Jr. “I have been working extremely hard, and I’m ready to show that I belong among the best in the world. Make sure to watch me live on DAZN on February 13 against an excellent fighter in Jason Quigley.”

The card will also feature many rising prospects and contenders.

Uzbek Olympian Bektemir “Bully” Melikuziev (6-0, 5 KOs) will make his highly anticipated return in a 10-round super middleweight clash.

Explosive Armenian contender Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (18-3, 15 KOs) will return in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.

Victor Morales (13-0, 7 KOs), the charismatic rising prospect of Vancouver, Washington, will participate in an eight-round featherweight bout against Jose Gonzalez (23-8-1, 13 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico.

Hawaiian prospect Dalis Kaleiopu will make his professional debut in a four-round lightweight fight against Eduardo Sanchez (2-3) of Corcoran, California.

The opponents for Melikuziev and Hovhannisyan will be announced shortly.

Diaz Jr. vs. Rakhimov is a 12-round fight for the IBF Junior Lightweight World Title presented by Golden Boy in association with RCC Boxing Promotions. Teixeira vs. Castaño is the 12-round co-main event for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy in association with TGB Promotions. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts,” and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Better Parts, Better Prices…everyday! The fight will take place Saturday, Feb. 13 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN in more than 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., Mexico, Russia, Tajikistan, Brazil and Argentina.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #DiazRakhimov

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/DiazRakhimov into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy or Main Events where applicable for any photo and/or video usage.

Ricardo Sandoval stopped Raymond Tabugon in round seven of a scheduled 10-round flyweight bout at the Fantasy Spring Casino Resort in Indio, Califoenia

In round two, Sandoval dropped Tabugon with a left hook.

Sandoval continued to beat down Tabugon until the bout was stopped in round seven,

Sandoval, 111.8 lbs of Riverside, CA is 18-1 with 13 knockouts. Tabugon, 111.2 lbs of General Santos City, PHL is 22-12-1.

“It was a great fight,” said Ricardo Sandoval. “It was a great fight for the people. Raymond was a tough opponent with a lot of experience. I needed that kind of experience. I think we’re ready for a world title. Whoever gives me the opportunity, we’ll take it. I’ll be ready. Now it’s on to the next fight to get closer to a world title.”

Oscar Negrete won a 10-round unanimous decision over Alberto Melian in a bantamweight bout.

Negrete, 117.4 lbs of Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93 and is now 19-2-2. Melian, 117.6 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 6-2.

In round one, Melian was cut over the right eye from a punch.

“It was a tough fight,” said Oscar Negrete. “I have to recognize that Alberto Melian is an amazing fighter. He came to win. He won the public’s respect tonight. I did what I had to do to win the fight. We want an opportunity to fight for a world title. I deserve it. We worked extremely hard to get here.

Sulem Urbina remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Noemi Bosques in a super flyweight bout.

Urbina, 112.6 lbs of Phoenix, AZ won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 12-0. Bosques, 113.6 lbs of St. Petersburg, FL is 12-15-3.

“I thought it was an exciting fight for the fans,” said Sulem Urbina. “I tried to get the stoppage, but she had a strong will. I learned a lot from my opponent. It was an honor to fight her. I hope Golden Boy keeps an eye out for me.”

Leonardo Baez won an eight-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Moises Flores in a featherweight bout.

Baez, 123.8 lbs of Mexicali, MX won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 18-2. Flores, 124 lbs of Guadalajara, MX is 24-3.

“My opponent was an interim champion,” said Leonardo Baez. “He had more experience than me. That’s why we trained hard in the gym. I want bigger fights and tougher opponents.”

Anthony Reyes and Diuhl Olguin fought to a no-contest after a headbutt forced the bout to be stopped at 53 seconds of round three of their scheduled six-round super bantamweight bout.

“At first I was doing good,” said Anthony Reyes. “I was still warming up. My opponent was very experienced. Unfortunately, the headbutt happened. The cut was pretty deep.” “I feel unsatisfied,” said Diuhl Olguin. “The fight was barely going to start. My opponent was a great counter puncher. I was pressuring and unfortunately the headbutt occurred.”

Oscar Acevedo remained undefeated by winning a six-round majority decision over Dan Murray after a headbutt forced the fight to end 23 seconds early.

Acevedo, 134 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 59-55 twice and 57-57, and is now 7-0. Murray, 134.2 lbs of Lanoka Harbor, NJ is 5-3.

“I think I did good, said Oscar Acevedo. “Better than my last fight. He was tough and came to fight. Now back to the gym to get better.”

In a battle of undefeated super featherweights, Anthony Garnica won a four-round majority decision over Luis Alvarado.

Garnica, 126.4 lbs of Oakland, CA won by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38, and is now 5-0. Alvarado, 128 lbs of Pasco, WA is 1-1.

“It was a good fight,” said Anthony Garnica. “He was a tough opponent. He came to fight. I executed the game plan. I settled down through the rounds and got it done.”

INDIO, CALIF. (Jan. 15, 2020): Hard-hitting 115-pound prospect Ricard “El Niño” Sandoval (17-1, 12 KOs) of Riverside, Calif. will take on Filipino contender Raymond “Tornado” Tabugon (22-11-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round main event of Thursday Night Fights on Feb. 6 at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, Calif. . The event will be streamed live on DAZN, RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Sandoval is a 20-year-old prospect who possess a very exciting style. In July 2019, Sandoval fought on a Golden Boy card for the first time by scoring a dominant stoppage win against Marco Sustaita to defend his WBC Youth Intercontinental Flyweight Title. Then, he returned in October to stop Gilberto Gonzalez in the fifth round. Now, Sandoval will look develop into a full-fledge contender against his toughest opponent to date.

“2020 will be my year, and I will demonstrate why on February 6,” said Ricardo Sandoval. “I know that Raymond Tabugon is very strong, but I’m coming with a strong desire to win and get closer to a world title opportunity. I’m going to deliver a great show for all the fans, and I’ll work very hard to walk away with my hand in victory.”

Tabugon is a 28-year-old veteran who has faced former world champions Juan Francisco “El Gallo” Estrada, Luis “Pantera” Nery and Angel “Tito” Acosta. Now, he’ll look to use his experience to hand Sandoval the second loss of his career and position himself for more opportunities.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring on February 6,” said Raymond Tabugon. “I had a small setback in my last fight, but I’m working hard to return better than ever. I want to thank Golden Boy and Sanman Promotions for the opportunity, and I promise to bring lots of action!”

Also, former heavyweight champion Michael “Double M” Moorer will be the special VIP guest for this event. Moorer will be in attendance for this event to meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures inside the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center. The meet-and-greet is open to the public with the purchase of a ticket to the event.

In the co-main event, Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (18-2-2, 7 KOs) of Tierralta, Colombia and Alberto “Impacto” Melian (6-1, 4 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina will meet in a 10-round bout for the vacant WBA International Bantamweight Title. This matchup is sure to produce fireworks as it will feature two contenders who have unfinished business that started when Negrete defeated Melian at the 2010 South American Games.

Standout flyweight prospect Sulem Urbina (11-0, 2 KOs) of Phoenix, Arizona will fight in a six-round clash.

Leonardo “Leon” Baez (17-2, 9 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico will return in a 10-round super bantamweight battle.

Anthony Reyes (7-0, 5 KOs) of Coachella, Calif. will participate in a six-round super bantamweight fight in front of a hometown crowd.

Oscar Acevedo (6-0) of Garden City, Kansas will return in a six-round lightweight clash.

Sandoval vs. Tabugon is a 10-round super flyweight fight presented by Golden Boy. The fight will take place on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. The event will be streamed live on DAZN, RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
The series will also be available on Pluto TV’s FIGHT Channel and regional sports networks around the nation. To see when and where the series is available in your area click here.

Tickets for the event are on sale and start at $25. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Media interested covering Sandoval vs. Tabugon must be pre-approved for credentials. Credentials applications are due Monday, Feb. 3 at 5:00 p.m. PT. Click here to apply for a media credential. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval for a credential on-site, no expectations.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #SandovalTabugon, #ThursdayNightFights and #TNF.

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LOS ANGELES (July 9, 2019): World War III has been officially been declared in the 118-pound division as Joshua “The Professor” Franco (15-1-1, 7 KOs) and Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (18-2-1, 7 KOs) will meet for a third time on the undercard of Ortiz vs. Orozco for the unified NABF and WBA International Bantamweights Titles. The event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 10 at The Theatre at Grand Prairie in Texas and will be streamed live on DAZN.

In their first fight, Franco and Negrete fought toe-to-toe for 10 rounds in a fight that ended via controversial split draw in October 2018. However, the controversy did not end there. The two met again in April of this year in another barnburner that Franco won via split decision. Franco believes he won the rematch clearly, while Negrete claims he was robbed. The two will meet one last time to bring even more fireworks as both men are eager to erase all doubts.

Franco is a 23-year-old bantamweight contender of San Antonio, Texas who brings an exciting and intelligent style to the ring. Franco, under the tutelage of renowned trainer Robert Garcia, has maintained a near-perfect record since debuting as a professional in 2015. Though suffering a defeat in 2018, Franco bounced back immediately a win against Isao Carranza and two-action packed fighters against Negrete.

“I’m excited to have this third fight,” said Joshua Franco. “I think it’s good for boxing to have trilogies like this because they bring a lot of excitement and attention to the sport. I’ve been training really hard, and I’m ready to show everyone why I believe I won the first two fights. With a win, I’ll be more than ready for a world title shot.”

Negrete, of Tierraalta, Colombia, built an impressive resume by defeating tough opponents in both the bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions. In his most important victory to date, the 31-year-old defeated Sergio Frias for the NABF Bantamweight Title in the main event Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN in June 2017. Negrete then suffered the first loss of his career in a valiant effort against WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Rey Vargas in December of that year. Negrete bounced back with a victory against Dhiul Olguin and two tough fights against Franco, both of which he feels he won.

“I feel happy and motivated to once again fight against Joshua Franco to get back what rightly belongs to me, the two belts,” said Oscar Negrete. “The truth is that after they gifted Franco that fight, I felt robbed and disappointed. But now it’s time to clarify everything.”

Hector “El Finito” Tanajara (17-0, 5 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas will defend his USNBC Lightweight Title in a 10-round clash.

Travell “Black Magic” Mazion (14-0, 12 KOs) of Austin, Texas will participate in an eight-round super welterweight clash against Jeremy Ramos (11-6, 4 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Alex Rincon (6-0, 5 KOs), the hard-hitting southpaw of Dallas, Texas, will fight in a six-round battle.

George Rincon (6-0, 3 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will return in a six-round super lightweight battle against Rafael Reyes (9-15, 6 KOs) of Reynosa, Mexico.

Joshua Juarez (8-0, 4 KOs) of Laredo, Texas will participate in a six-round light heavyweight fight.

Newly-signed Golden Boy prospect Tristan Kalkreuth of Duncanville, Texas will make his professional debut in a four-round light heavyweight fight.

Opponents for this card will be announced shortly.

Ortiz vs. Orozco is a 12-round fight for the WBA Gold Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 10 at The Theatre at Grand Prairie in Texas and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Tickets for Ortiz vs. Orozco are on sale and are priced at $125, $75, $50, and $30, plus applicable taxes, fees, and service charges. Tickets can be purchased at goldenboytickets.com, AXS.com, by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at The Theatre at Grand Prairie Box Office (Monday -Saturday 11:00 am CT – 3:00 pm CT or 972-854-5076).

For more information,visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #OrtizOrozco.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/OrtizOrozco into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

LOS ANGELES (April 2, 2019): Super lightweight contender Yves Ulysse Jr. (17-1, 9 KOs) of Montreal, Canada will face Steve Claggett (27-5-2, 17 KOs) of Calgary, Canada in a 10-round rematch for the vacant WBA Gold Super Lightweight Title in the main event of the April 25 edition of Golden Boy DAZN Thursday Night Fights at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. Details for how to watch the fights will be announced shortly
Ulysse Jr. is a 30-year-old contender who has scored three spectacular victories since the controversial split decision loss against Claggett in October 2017. Ulysse Jr. is best known for stopping previously undefeated prospect Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa and then-unbeaten contender Cletus “Hebrew Hammer” Seldin. Ulysse Jr. will look to even the score against Claggett on April 25.

“I can’t believe that I will finally get my revenge against [Steve] Claggett,” said Yves Ulysse Jr. “I’ve been waiting for this fight for two years now! It’s going to be a hell of a fight. You won’t want to miss it!”

Claggett is a 29-year-old pugilist who is known for fighting Christopher “The Heat” van Heerden and Danny O’Connor. Claggett will look to prove that his win against Ulysse Jr. in their first fight was no fluke.

“Thank you to our promoter KO Night Boxing for the diligent work in making this fight happen,” said Steve Claggett. “It’s the bout we wanted. I’ve gone head-to-head against Ulysse Jr. and bested him in his hometown, and I’m going to do it again in spectacular fashion on April 25th.”

“We are delighted to have the first fight of our new co-promotional agreement with Eye of the Tiger Management,” said Eric Gomez, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Yves Ulysse Jr. is inches away from a world title shot at 140 pounds, and we’re happy to see him grow into world title contention in his first main event fight in the United States. It’ll be a night of great rematches on April 25, so I invite everyone to head out to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for a stacked night of Golden Boy action.”

“Ulysse vs. Claggett 2 will certainly be a candidate for Fight of the Year,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management.”Yves is very motivated to leave a mark and show that he is the man to beat at 140 pounds. The opportunity to erase the only blemish on his record is an opportunity to jump all over. The first fight was a highly controversial decision, so he wants to make sure there is no room for questions in this outing.”

In the co-main event, Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (18-1-1, 7 KOs) of Tierralta, Colombia, will defend his NABF Bantamweight Title against Joshua “The Professor” Franco (14-1-1, 7 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas in a 10-round rematch between two Golden Boy contenders. The first fight was easily a contender for Fight of the Year as both men stood toe-to-toe during each round of the fight. Both men will took to pick up where they left off when they begin the 11th round.

Alexis “Lex” Rocha (12-0, 8 KOs) of Santa Ana, Calif. will defend his WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title in a 10-round fight against Shoki Sakai (23-9-2, 13 KOs) of Amagasaki, Japan.

Marlen Esparza (5-0, 1 KOs) of Houston, Texas will return to the ring after almost a year of inactivity in an eight-round battle for the vacant NABO Flyweight Title.

Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed (23-2, 12 KOs), a southpaw contender of Washington, D.C. who has not been in the ring for a year, will make his comeback in an eight-round super lightweight bout.

Kevin Ventura (10-0, 8 KOs) of Omaha, Nebraska will face Josh Hernandez (8-2, 7 KOs) of Chicago, Illinois in a six-round lightweight fight.

Raul “Cougar” Curiel (5-0-3 KOs) of Tamaulipas, Mexico will fight in a six-round welterweight clash.

Anthony Reyes (4-0, 3 KOs), the hard-hitting native of Coachella, Calif. will return in a four-round super bantamweight battle.

Anthony Garnica (1-0,1 KO) of Oakland, Calif. will participate in the second fight of his career in a four-round featherweight bout.

Opponents for Reed, Ventura, Garnica, Reyes and Curiel will be announce shortly.

Ulysse Jr. vs. Claggett II is a 10-round fight for the WBA Gold Super Lightweight Title presented by Golden Boy and Eye of the Tiger Management. The event is sponsored by Tecate,”THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING.” The fights will take place Thursday, April 25, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. Details for how to watch the fights will be announced shortly

Tickets for the event are on sale and start at $25. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Media interested covering Ulysse Jr. vs. Claggett II must be pre-approved for credentials. Credential applications are due Monday, April 22, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. PT. Click here to apply for a media credential. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval for a credential. You cannot transfer your credentials to someone else. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #UlysseClaggett2, #ThursdayNightFights and #TNF.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking hereor by copying and pasting link: http://bit.ly/UlysseClaggett2 into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy for photos and videos used.

https://www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing/videos/10155795296640756/

LOS ANGELES (June 12, 2018): Vergil Ortiz Jr. (9-0, 9 KOs), the rising knockout artist and pride of Dallas, Texas, hosted a media workout at Westside Boxing Club ahead of his fight against former world champion Juan Carlos Salgado (27-8-1, 16 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight fight in the main event of the June 23 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.

In the co-main event, Hector “Finito” Tanajara Jr. (13-0, 5 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas will clash against previously undefeated Roger Gutierrez (18-1-1, 15 KOs) of Maracaibo, Venezuela in an eight-round lightweight battle. Ferdinand Kerobyan (8-0, 4 KOs), of North Hollywood, Calif., will battle across a scheduled six rounds of super welterweight action in the night’s swing bout.

Here’s what the fighters had to say at today’s workout:

VERGIL ORTIZ JR, NABF Jr. Super Lightweight Champion:

“This will be a dangerous fight if I don’t go in with the right mentality. Salgado is a very experienced fighter, but I’m also very experienced. Though I don’t have a lot of fights as a professional, I had a lot as an amateur, and I’ve been sparring with a lot of world champions. He can’t show me anything I haven’t already seen. This main event opportunity will get my name out there more, and I’m looking forward to putting on a great show.”

“I’m training with Robert Garcia now, and I’ve been working on using my head more and keeping my composure. I only have a few pounds to make, and I don’t fight until next week. I can make weight tomorrow if I wanted to. I’m going to stay at 140 pounds for a while. Hopefully, I can have all of my future fights as main event.”

HECTOR “EL FINITO” TANAJARA, JR., Lightweight Prospect:

“This is my first televised fight on ESPN, so I’m very excited about that. I know my opponent Roger Gutierrez is coming to win, so he’s going to bring the best of me. I saw his fight against Rene Alvarado, and I know what I have to do. I know I pose more of a threat to him than Alvarado did. I think I have more experience than him because his record was built in Venezuela. He wasn’t used to the competition here. I’m looking to capitalize on that.”

FERDINAND KEROBYAN, Welterweight Prospect:

“This is my first official fight with Golden Boy Promotions. I don’t feel any added pressure now that I’m signed. I know what I’m capable of, and I know what I have to do in there. I’ll be fighting and staying at 154 pounds, but you never know what the future holds. If the opportunity presents itself to fight at 147 pounds for a belt, then I’ll drop down to welterweight. I’m happy to be with Golden Boy Promotions because they share the same vision as me: to move forward. Hopefully I can fight for a championship title within a year or two.”

(ABOVE: Seneisa Estrada, Oscar Negrete and Raul Curiel pose for the media ahead of the July 6 edition of
LA FIGHT CLUB at the Belasco Theater in Downtown, Los Angeles, Calif.)

Click HERE for Photos/Videos
Photos Credit: Lina Baker/SeeYouRingside Photography
Video Credit: Golden Boy Promotions

Fighters from the July 6 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB also participated in the workout. NABF Bantamweight Champion Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (17-1, 7 KOs) will return in an eight-round bantamweight fight against Dhiul Olguin (13-9-3, 9 KOs) in the main event. The fight will take place at the Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, Calif. and will televised live on EstrellaTV’s Boxeo Estelar.

Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (13-0, 3 KOs) will return in the co-main event in an eight-round flyweight fight against a soon-to-be announced opponent. Former Olympian Raul “Cougar” Curiel (3-0, 2 KOs) will participate in the first televised fight in a six-round welterweight clash. Opponents for both will be announced shortly.

Here’s what the fighters had to say at today’s workout:

OSCAR “EL JAGUAR” NEGRETE, NABF Bantamweight Champion:

“Obviously, I’m more comfortable at my natural weight of 118 pounds. What happened in December [against Rey Vargas] was a great opportunity in a new division. I couldn’t say no to a world championship fight. Now I’m back at 118 pounds where I’ll be looking for a world title shot. My last fight gave me a lot of confidence because I did so well, and I didn’t even get hurt. Olguin is a great fighter. I saw him fight Emilio Sanchez, and he surprised me. He made it a tough fight. This kind of battle motivates me because he’s such a tough fighter. He’s going to come with everything to test me. Plus, he really wants to win, and when two people want the victory, it always makes for a great fight. I want fans to know that they can’t miss this fight.”

SENIESA “SUPER BAD” ESTRADA, Light Flyweight Prospect:

“It feels great to be active and staying busy this year with Golden Boy promotion. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the years to come. I was very happy that I got the opportunity to fight on ESPN and win my last fight with a TKO victory. This upcoming fight people will see another exciting performance. I’m always working towards an even better performance than the one before and improving on different things so that my fans see the best of me.”

RAUL “COUGAR” CURIEL, Welterweight Prospect:

“I feel good. People know me, and they know how I fight. I’m with Freddie Roach now and I feel great. I’m really happy to work under a legend like him. Freddie is a trainer who has a lot to teach. He always notices details that can help me get better. We make a great team, and we’re working on a new style. We’re moving a lot in the ring, and people will see a new Raul Curiel on July 6”

Ortiz Jr. vs Salgado is a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by
Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle.” The fights will take place Saturday, June 23, 2018 at Belsaco Theater in Downtown, Los Angeles, Calif. Doors for the event open at 3:00 p.m. PT, and the first fight begins at 3:30 p.m. PT. ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. ESPN3 will live stream undercards beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Ortiz Jr. vs Salgado start at $25 and are available for purchase now at www.goldenboytickets.com and the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page.

Negrete vs. Olguin is an eight-round bantamweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Casa Mexico Tequila. The fights take place Friday, July 6, 2018 at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on EstrellaTV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via LBI Media, Inc.’s Fenomeno Studios. Mark your calendars and buy your tickets for the upcoming shows on Aug. 10, and Oct. 12.

Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB start at the fan-friendly price of $25 and are available for purchase now at http://www.goldenboytickets.com/ and the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page.

LA FIGHT CLUB on July 6:
For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.thebelasco.com and www.estrellatv.com. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @EstrellaTV. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/TheBelascoLA and
www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork.
Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @belascola and @EstrellaTV. Follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB and #BoxeoEstelar.

GBP on ESPN on June 23:
Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or by copying and pasting link: http://bit.ly/OrtizSalgado into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

LA FIGHT CLUB on July 6:
Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/NegreteOlguin. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for any photos/video

NEW YORK–Sadam Ali scored the biggest win of his career as he won the WBO Super Welterweight world title by taking a 12-round unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto in front of 12,391 fans at Madison Square Garden in a bout that Cotto announced would be his last.

The bout was an exciting fight as Ali came out looking to land power punches. He did so in round two by rocking the legendary fighter from Puerto Rico with a left hook in round two that made Cotto’s legs buckle. Cotto got himself together and was effective in the middle rounds by applying pressure and working his left hook.

With the momentum in Cotto’s favor, Ali started stemming the tide, and rocked Cotto several more times over the last three rounds. At the end of round eleven, Ali landed a perfect left hook that sent the mouthpiece of Cotto flying out of his mouth. Ali took the final stanza by landing some quick combinations, and won by scores of 116-112 and 115-113 twice.

Ali, 153 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 26-1. Cotto, 151.6 lbs end his illustrious career with a record of 41-6.

“I worked hard for it.” Said Sadam Ali. “I took advantage of this fight, and I made sure to make it count. I want to Thank God, and also thank team Cotto, They could have taken an easier fight if they wanted too. ”

“I had him hurt here or there in the first couple of rounds. I knew I had to do something, or he would have dug in. By the 11th, I thought the fight was close. Whatever GBP has next, I’ll take it. Good things happen to good people. I have been training since I was 8 years old, and I am glad I got this win at MSG, in my hometow

“Feeling good. Feeling good with the performance. Something happened to my left bicep, seventh round. I don’t want to make excuses, Sadam won the fight. It is my last fight. I am good, and I want to be happy in my home with my family.

“Thank you for all the fans, I am proud to call MSG my second home. I had the opportunity to provide the best for my family because of the sport.”

Rey Vargas defended the WBC Super Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Oscar Negrete in a battle of undefeated fighters.

Vargas dominated the action by using he height and advantage and he featured some vicious body punching.

In round seven, Vargas suffered a cut over his right eye.  In round eight, it was the left eye that started to bleed on Vargas.

Vargas, 121.4 lbs of Mexico City won by scores of 120-108 and 119-109 twice to raise his perfect mark to 21-0.  Negrete, 121.2 lbs of Los Angeles is 17-1.

“I am glad that we got the win, and I continue being unbeaten with my belt,” said Rey Vargas. “It was difficult finding my rhythm at the beginning of the fight, and the cuts did not help. I have the humility to say that I made my share of mistakes, but I feel that Negrete fought very dirty, and was not a very good boxer.”

Angel Acosta won the WBO  Junior Flyweight title with a 10th round stoppage over Juan Alejo.

Acosta landed a big right that dropped Alejo in the 10th frame and the fight was stopeed at 1:33.

Alejo, 108 lbs of San Juan, PR is now 17-1 with 17 knockouts.  Alejo, 107.8 lbs of Nuevo Leon, MX is 25-5-1.

“It’s taken me 5 years to get here, and I’m cherishing this moment for me and for Puerto Rico,” said Acosta. “I’ve learned a lot since my last fight for a world title against Kosei Tanaka, and this fight proves that I learned and fixed all I needed to win a world championship. My next steps will be up to my promoters, but I know I am in good hands.”

Former world title challenger Ronny Rios took a ten round unanimous decision over Deivis Julio in a featherweight bout.

Rios, 125.2 lbs of Santa Ana, CA won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 97-93, and is now 29-2.  Julio, 125.8 lbs of Monteria, COL is 19-4.

“It was an ugly win, but we got to accomplish it on the undercard of Miguel Cotto,” said Ronny Rios. “He was a southpaw, with an awkward style. He was also a veteran, so he had his little tricks. Overall, this was a huge motivation, and I’m just glad to get back in my groove.”

Zachary Ochoa won a six-round unanimous decision over Erick Martinez in a welterweight bout.

Ochoa, 144.4 lbs of Brooklyn won by shutout margins of 60-54 on all cards and is now 18-1. Martinez, 145 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 14-10-1.

“This puts me in a great spot in my career,” said Zacary Ochoa. “I was shaking off a lot of dust since I haven’t been able to fight consistently, but this proves to me that I’m still worthy of the sport. I still have work to do, but when I was able to land my shots I was able to connect them crisp and effectively. I hope that I’ll be able to fight a lot more this year.”

Follow all the action as Miguel Cotto rides off into the sunset as he defends the WBO Super Welterweight title against Sadam Ali.  The action begins at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with two more world title bouts as Angel Acosta takes on Juan Alejo for the Interim WBO Jr. Flyweight title and Rey Vargas defends the WBC Super Bantamweight title against Oscar Negrete.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Cotto going to the body..Right to body from Ali…Jab from Cotto..Right from Ali..Jab from Cotto..Jab and left hook

Round 2 Left from Cotto..Right from Ali..Left from Coto…Big right buckles Cotto..Left hook..Jab from Cotto..Right..ALi gets in a right..Left from Cotto

Round 3 left hook from Ali..Right..Right…Right from Cotto..Left from Ali

Round 4 Left hook buckles Cotto..Left from Cotto..Hard combination from Ali..Jab from Cotto..Counter right..

Round 5 Right from Cotto..Jab…Double jab,,Right from Ali

Round 6 Cotto lands a right to the body…Left hook to head..Left..Right drives Ali back..Combination to body..Hard combination in corner..

Round 7   Ali lands a right from the outside..Smacking left hook..Double jab from Cotto..Left on ropes..Hard left to body..

Round 8   Cotto working on the ropes..right from Ali..Jab from Cotto..left hook.another left hook grazed the head..

Round 9 Right and left from Cotto..

Round 10 Ali lands a hard right…Right over the top..Left hook from Cotto..Jab..Left hook from Ali..Another good left hook..Counter left hook

Round 11 Left hook from Ali..Right from Cotto..left hook from Ali..Thunderous left hook knockos out Cotto’s Mouthpiece..

Round 12  Lead right from Ali….Good right…3 punch combination..Left hook

115-113; 116-112; 115-113 FOR SADAM ALI

Round 1  Vargas working the body

Round 2  Vargas continues to work the body with both hands

Round 3..Wicked right to headc from Vargas…Follows up with a left and right

Round  Vargas continues to dictate tghe pace with his height

Round 5 Right from Vargas

Round 6 Trading combinations..Left upper cut from Vargas..Combination..Right from Negrete..Left from Vargas..Left to side of head

Round 7  Left to body from Vargas..Negrete lands a left…Hard right..Vargas cut over right eye

Round 8 Right from Vargas..Hard left to the body…Doctor checking the cut over left eye now..Negrete going after Vargas swinging wildly..3 punch combo from Vargas..Right from Negrete..Left to body from Vargas..

Round 9  Doctor checks left eye again..Big left rocks Negrete,,,Hard rights from Vargas..3 punch combination

Round 10 Vargas jabbing..Uppercut on the inside..Left hook from outside..Right from Negrete..Uppercut from Vargas..Left to body

Round 11 Right to body from Vargas..

Round 12 Right from Negrete..Left to body from Negrete..Left to body..Straught right from Negrete,,Vargas lands left to the body

120-108 and 119-109 twice FOR REY VARGAS

Round 1: Alejo lands a right to body..Jab from Acosta..2 left to the body..Left to body from Acosta…

Round 2 Right and left uppercut from Acosta..Right over top from Alejo..Hard body shot on ropes from Acosta..Straight right

Round 3  Hard right and jab from Acosta

Round 4 Straight right from Acosta..Right..Right..Acosta working body on ropes..Big right from Alejo..Left..

Round 5 Acosta lands hard body shots on the ropes..Counter straight right..Acosta gets in a left

Round 6 Left from Alejo…Acosta jabs to the body..Hard right to the body..Big flurry on the ropes..

Round 10 ACOST LANDS A HARD RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ALEJO..THE FIGHT IS OVER AT 1:33

A superstar enters the ring for the final time when HBO Sports presents WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: MIGUEL COTTO VS. SADAM ALI AND REY VARGAS VS. OSCAR NEGRETE on SATURDAY, DEC. 2 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Madison Square Garden in New York City, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call 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.

Fighting for the 24th time on HBO, ring legend and certain Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, will take on one last challenger in a 12-round junior middleweight championship showdown before hanging up his gloves after 17 years. The 37-year-old has fought nine times at the Garden before a combined crowd of 140,000 fans, registering an 8-1 record. A four-division, six-time world champion, Cotto has held titles in the super lightweight, welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight divisions.

Brooklyn-born Sadam Ali (25-1, 14 KOs), 29, looks to spoil Cotto’s retirement celebration and take his 154-pound title. Starting to box at age eight, he’s a two-time New York Golden Gloves winner (2006, 2007) and represented the U.S. in the 2008 Olympic Games before turning pro, going on to win his first 22 fights. Following his only ring loss, in 2016, Ali is on three-bout win streak; defeating Cotto would establish him as a central player in the talented junior middleweight division.

The opening bout is a battle of undefeated boxers, as Rey Vargas (30-0, 22 KOs) from Mexico City takes on Oscar Negrete (17-0, 7 KOs), originally of Tierra Alta, Colombia, in a scheduled 12-round super bantamweight contest. Vargas, 26, who will defend his title for the second time, was last seen on HBO in August with a dominant victory over Ronny Rios. Negrete, 30, who turned pro in 2013, has been on a fast track to a title shot and will be moving up in weight to take on Vargas.

HBO revisits Cotto’s celebrated career with a half-hour retrospective that is available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO ON DEMAND and affiliate portals. Click Here to watch Full Show

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 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.
® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 27, 2017) Rey Vargas (30-0, 22 KOs), the undefeated 122-pound champion from Mexico City, Mexico, will make the second defense of his WBC World Super Bantamweight Title against NABF Bantamweight Champion Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (17-0, 7 KOs) of Tierraalta, Colombia in the 12-round co-main event of the showdown between Miguel Cotto and Sadam “World Kid” Ali for the WBO World Junior Middleweight Title on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Vargas is a 26-year-old champion who brings a considerable height and reach advantage in every fight, which he has used to nullify all of his previous opposition. In February 2017, Vargas traveled to the United Kingdom to defeat Gavin McDonnell for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight Title. For this fight, Vargas enlisted the help of Hall of Fame trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, who has been training him ever since. In August, Vargas defended his title for the first time against longtime super bantamweight contender Ronny Rios via a decisive unanimous decision, and will look to defend again in his Madison Square Garden debut on Dec 2.

“I feel privileged to be fighting at an arena where some of history’s best fighters have fought,” said Vargas. “I know that Oscar Negrete is a brawler and that this is a fight between two undefeated fighters. Negrete is a young man who pushes forward hard, and his 17-0 record and his place in the rankings demonstrate that he’s a great rival. Also, it will be an honor to share the card with Miguel Cotto, and I know that the arena will be filled with a lot of emotion for his last fight. And, just as a star is making a grand exit, I hope that a new star is born, and his name is Rey Vargas.”

Negrete, a 30-year-old native of Tierraalta, Colombia, has been a staple of Golden Boy events on the west coast after making his United States debut in June 2014. Since then, he has appeared over ten times in the California, steadily defeating tough opponents in both the bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions. In his last outing, Negrete moved down to 118 pounds to defeat Sergio Frias for the NABF Bantamweight Title in the main event of the June 30 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN. Negrete, who will debut on the east coast at Madison Square Garden, will move up again to take on the toughest test of his career.

“I am super happy for this opportunity,” said Negrete. “I am not only seeing one dream come, true but two dreams. It’s been a dream of mine to fight for a world title and a dream to fight at Madison Square Garden, and on December 2, I’ll be doing both. I know Rey Vargas is a great fighter, but I’ve always wanted to fight the best. If I’m going to fight for a world title, it has to be with a great rival who is worth it and whom I can be proud to fight.”

“Vargas and Negrete are both undefeated Golden Boy Promotions fighters who will bring a tremendous fight to Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Both are coming off tough fights earlier this year and will risk their undefeated records in a co-main event that will look to steal the show.”

“Vargas is a young champion with a huge physical advantage over his opponents,” said Oswaldo Kuchle, President of Promociones del Pueblo. “Vargas is way too much for his division. Vargas also possess extraordinary qualities, but most of all a seek-and-destroy mentality in the ring. With a win over Negrete, Vargas could solidify his status as the best fighter in his division.”

Cotto vs. Ali, a 12-round fight for the Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. Vargas vs. Negrete is a 12-round fight for Vargas’ WBC World Super Bantamweight Title and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle”, and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will take place Saturday, December 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Cotto vs. Ali are priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.MSG.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, and www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, and www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at @cottopromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/realmiguelacotto. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @realmiguelacotto and follow the conversation using #CottoAli.