Raymond Ford scored a dramatic 12th round stoppage over Otabek Kohlmatov to capture the WBA Featherweight title at The Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

It was a terrific back and forth bout that saw each fighter score throughout the contest. Ford suffered a cut under his right eye. In round 12, behind on the scores, Ford landed a straight left that forced Kohlmatov across the ring. Kohlmatov was left wide open to eat under flushh left hand that forced referee Charlie Fitch to stop the bout at 2:53.

Ford, 125.9 lbs of Camden, NJ is 15-0-1 with eight knockouts. Kohlmatov, 125.8 lbs of Sirdaryo, UZB is 12-1.

Luis Alberto Lopez Stops Abe in 8; Defends IBF Featherweight Title

Luis Alberto Lopez made the third defense of the IBF Featherweight title with an eighth round stoppage over Reiya Abe.

Lopez dominated the action by coming forward and not letting Abe getting rhythm.

In round two, the right eye of Abe began to swell badly to the point where ringside doctors took a look at it.

In round eight, Lopez turned up the energy and landed a big punches in the middle of the ring which forced referee Mark Nelson to stop the bout at 39 seconds.

Lopez, 125.3 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 30-2 with 17 knockouts. Abe, 125.8 lbs of Yamato, JAP is 25-4-1.

Brian Norman Jr. and Janelson Bocachica battled to a no-contest at the end of round three of their 10-round welterweight bout due to excessive bleeding from Bocachica.

In round one, Norman was cut over his right eye. Later in the round, Bocachica dropped Norman with a perfect right to the head. In round two, Bocachica was cut over his right eye and then a second cut in his hairline. The cuts were due to a headbutt and elbow and was too much for Bocachica and the fight was halted after round three.

Norman, 147.2 lbs of Atlanta is 25-0. Bocachica, 146.6 lbs of Detroit is 17-2-1.

Local favorite Bryce Mills won a six-round unanimous decision over Gerffred Ngaynt in a junior welterweight bout.

Mills, 138.7 lbs of Syracuse, NY won by scores of 60-54 twice and 58-56 and is now 15-1. Ngaynt, 138.7 lbs of Buffalo is 6-2.

Troy Isley remained undefeated with a thudding seventh round stoppage over Marcos Hernandez in an eight-round middleweight bout.

In round seven, Isley landed a big right hand that put Hernandez on the canvas. Hernandez got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 1:30.

Isley, 159.3 lbs of Washington, DC is 12-0 with five knockouts. Hernandez, 160.6 lbs of Fresno, CA 16-7-2.

Floyd Diaz remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Edwin Diaz in a bantamweight fight.

Diaz, 118 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 11-0. Rodriguez, 117.8 lbs of Juana Diaz, PR is 12-8-2.

Rohan Polanco remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Tarik Zaina in a junior welterweight bout.

In round seven, Polanco was credited with a knockdown after what looked like a push put Zaina on the canvas. In round eight, Polanco dropped Zaina with a uppercut.

Polanco, 142.7 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 79-71 twice and 78-72 and is now 12-0. Zaina, 142,4 lbs of Tangier, MOR is 13-1-1.

Nico Ali Walsh won a six-round unanimous decision over Charles Stanford in a middleweight bout.

Walsh, 156.9 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 10-1. Stanford, 155.1 lbs of Cincinnati is 7-6.

Brandon Moore remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Helaman Olguin in a heavyweight bout.

Moore, 242 lbs of Lakeland, FL won by sores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 14-0. Olguin, 281.7 lbs of Salt Lake City, UT is 9-7-1.

 •  Otabek Kholmatov 125.8 lbs. vs. Raymond Ford 125.9 lbs
(Vacant WBA Featherweight World Title – 12 Rounds)

   •  Luis Alberto Lopez 125.3 lbs vs. Reiya Abe 125.8 lbs
(Lopez’s IBF Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

•  Brian Norman Jr. 147.2 lbs vs. Janelson Bocachica 146.6 lbs
 (Welterweight— 10 Rounds)

•  Bryce Mills 138.7 lbs vs. Gerffred Ngayot 138.7 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight— 6 Rounds)

•  Troy Isley 159.3 lbs vs. Marcos Hernandez 160.6 lbs
 (Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Rohan Polanco 142.9 lbs vs. Tarik Zaina 142.4 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight— 8 Rounds)

•   Floyd Diaz 118 lbs vs. Edwin Rodriguez 117.8 lbs
 (Bantamweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Nico Ali Walsh 156.9 lbs vs. Charles Stanford 155.1 lbs
 (Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Brandon Moore 242 lbs vs. Helaman Olguin 281.7 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)

VERONA, N.Y. (Feb. 29, 2024) — Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov (12-0, 11 KOs) will lock horns against American standout Raymond Ford (14-0-1, 7 KOs) for the vacant WBA featherweight world title this Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino.

This battle of unbeaten southpaws will see the WBA’s No.1 and No. 2 contenders compete in their first world title bouts.

In the co-feature, Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) defends his IBF featherweight crown against Japanese contender Reiya Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs).

Kholmatov-Ford & Lopez-Abe headline a loaded bill streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ beginning at 5:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. PT. The co-feature is scheduled to begin at approximately 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed action includes welterweight standout Brian Norman Jr. (25-0, 19 KOs), who takes on Janelson Bocachica (17-2-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder, and the return of middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (9-1, 5 KOs), who sees action in a six-rounder versus Charles Stanford (7-5, 4 KOs).

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711, or online at Ticketmaster.com.

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Otabek Kholmatov

“It has been my dream to fight for a world title. I’ve been training my whole life for this. I’m ready.”

“I love to fight. That’s all I have done in my life. So, I’m going to bring the fight on Saturday.”

“I’m very well prepared. It’s been a great training camp. Great sparring. Great coaches. Everything went well, and we are prepared for the fight.”

“Fighting for all the titles is a dream come true. Every fighter wants to become undisputed. That is the goal for me.”

Raymond Ford

“This means the world to me. I’ve been fighting my whole life for this opportunity. It’s finally here, and I’m going to take full advantage of it.”

“Shakur Stevenson is like a big brother to me. I’ve been sparring with him since I was in the amateurs. It’s really no different. Just now it’s more intense. It’s great always going to Houston. I get away from home and distractions. I can fully lock in, and that’s been the difference from my past few camps.”

“I’m willing to stay for one more fight at 126 if it’s to defend against a champion or a big money fight. If it makes sense, I’m definitely here for it. But it has to be right away. If not, I’m moving up to 130.”

Luis Alberto Lopez

“I’m anxious to step into the ring and anxious deliver a great fight to the people.”

“We know he’s a fighter who likes to move a lot. He likes to be on his toes and moving backward. But if he wants to be the new champion, he’s going to have to come here and fight. We will do everything possible to win early.”

“I’ve been looking for a unification fight for quite some time. When Mauricio Lara was a champion, I wanted to unify with him. When Robeisy Ramirez was a champion, I wanted to fight him. I’ve been asking for it.

“The faster a unification fight happens, the better for me. It would be great for my career.”

Reiya Abe

“I think Lopez is a good champion. But this will be the day that I show that I’m the best at 126 pounds.”

“The level of boxing in Japan has been improving, and I’m pleased to have been recognized there. The pressure has increased, but I consider it to be necessary to become stronger.”

“I believe that bringing back a victory is the best way to give back to everyone who has supported me.”

Nico Ali Walsh

“I’m back in the U.S. I’m back on home turf. I’ve made a lot of improvements in my last fight that a lot of people haven’t seen. So, you’re going to see a bigger jump in improvement. I’m really excited to show it.”

Brian Norman Jr.

“I’ve been in the same since I was seven. This is all I know. All I know is to throw hands. I won a WBO International belt, but it don’t mean nothing to me until I win a main belt. It was just one step to get to the big goal, which is to be undisputed in the welterweight division.”

Bryce Mills

“It’s always exciting to fight here and be able to have family and friends come out and watch me. There’s no better place to fight than in your backyard. So, it’s very exciting, and I feed off that energy.”

Saturday, March 2

FIRST BELL: ESPN+ (5:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. PT)
 

Otabek Kholmatov vs. Raymond Ford, 12 rounds, Vacant WBA Featherweight World Title 

Luis Alberto Lopez vs. Reiya Abe 12 rounds, Lopez’s IBF Featherweight World Title 

Brian Norman Jr. vs. Janelson Bocachica, 10 rounds, WBO International Welterweight Title 

Floyd Diaz vs. Edwin Rodriguez, 8 rounds, bantamweight

Nico Ali Walsh vs. Charles Stanford, 6 rounds, middleweight

Brandon Moore vs. Helaman Olguin, 8 rounds, heavyweight

The fight for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight title between Otabek Kholmatov and Raymond Ford will be one of the most interesting fights this Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York. Two young and undefeated fighters will be competing for the black and gold belt in a fight that looks very evenly matched. 

Kholmatov is ranked No. 1, while Ford is ranked No. 2 and both were ordered to fight each other once the belt was vacated by former champion Leigh Wood’s move up the division. 

Uzbek Kholmatov is 25 years old and began his professional career in 2021. Since then he has been growing rapidly, having resounding victories and his results have moved him to the top of the 126-pound rankings. 

Ford, 24, is a New Jersey native, so he will be close enough to home for his championship fight. He has been able to overcome obstacles and win tough fights, which has given him experience. In his most recent fight he soundly defeated Jessie Magdaleno on the scorecards and that made him ready for this challenge. 

Both fighters are undefeated, young and southpaw, which will give a plus to this fight. Kholmatov has 12 wins, 11 by knockout, while Ford has 14 wins, 1 draw and 7 knockouts.

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Kholmatov vs. Ford will be presented live this Saturday, March 2, at approximately 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+. The event takes place at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

In the main event, Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov will fight Raymond Ford for the vacant WBA featherweight world title. This duel of unbeaten southpaws will see the WBA’s No.1 and No. 2 contenders making their inaugural world title appearances. 

Kholmatov (12-0, 11 KOs), a former international amateur champion, debuted as a pro in August 2021 and secured nine impressive victories before the year ended. Last March, Kholmatov traveled to enemy territory to battle undefeated British contender Thomas Patrick Ward. The Uzbek powerhouse dropped Ward three times, forcing his corner to throw in the towel in the fifth round.

Ford (14-0-1, 7 KOs) was a two-time national Golden Gloves champion before entering the paid ranks in March 2019. In fifteen pro fights, he has only had one blemish, a draw against then-unbeaten Aaron Perez in March 2021. Since then, the 24-year-old native of Camden, New Jersey, has gone 6-0 with three knockouts, including wins over undefeated prospects Edward Vazquez and Richard Medina, as well as a victory over former world champion Jessie Magdaleno.

In the co-feature, Luis Alberto “Venado” Lopez defends his IBF world crown against Japanese contender Reiya Abe. 

Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs), the fighting pride of Mexicali, Mexico, captured the IBF strap by dethroning Josh Warrington in his hometown of Leeds, England, last December. In May, the 30-year-old traveled to Belfast and beat hometown hero Michael Conlan via fifth-round TKO. Lopez defended his title against division mainstay Joet Gonzalez, emerging victorious via unanimous decision after 12 hard-fought rounds in September. 

Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs), the IBF No. 1 featherweight contender, suffered a few early-career setbacks before a breakout performance against then-undefeated Ren Sasaki in October 2020. The 30-year-old southpaw is unbeaten in five bouts since the Sasaki triumph. He is coming off a points victory in a world title eliminator against former two-division world champion Kiko Martinez. 

Undercard action, including the returns of Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (11-0, 7 KOs) and Nico Ali Walsh (9-1, 5 KOs), begins at 5:20 p.m. ET/ 2:20 p.m. PT. 

Calling the action will be ESPN’s Joe Tessitore, Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna. 

ESPN+: On Demand Shows, Archives & Premium Articles

• Top Rank: Real Time– All-access with top fighters throughout fight week as they work their way to fight night. 
• Who Do U Fight 4?– Learn what drivesthe next generation of Top Rank stars. 
• State of Boxing– Post-show coverage of the biggest fights on ESPN and ESPN+. 
• Best of Boxing Spotlight – An archive of the all-time best Top Rank fights. 

Follow @ESPNRingside: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok 

Kholmatov vs. Ford (All Times ET)

VERONA, N.Y. (Jan. 24, 2024) — Following three impressive victories in 2023, welterweight standout Brian Norman Jr. is gearing up for a breakthrough year.

Norman will defend his WBO International title against Janelson Bocachica in a 10-rounder on Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Norman-Bocachica joins a stacked undercard that will be headlined by the vacant WBA featherweight world title showdown between Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov and American contender Raymond Ford.

In the co-feature, Mexico’s Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez defends his IBF crown against Japanese upstart Reiya Abe.

Kholmatov-Ford, Lopez-Abe and undercard fights will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711, or online at Ticketmaster.com.

Norman (25-0, 19 KOs) made his pro debut in January 2018 and went 11-0 in his first year in the paid ranks. In 2021, he fought four times, including a first-round TKO against Roque Agustin Junco that December. After a year-long layoff, Norman regained his momentum in 2023 by tallying eight-round decisions against Rodrigo Coria in January and Jesus Perez in May before capturing his first regional title against Quinton Randall in November. Bocachica (17-2-1, 11 KOs) went 16-0 before handing Mark Reyes Jr. his first pro defeat in February 2021. Since then, he’s been involved in several close contests, including a narrow decision loss to Alberto Palmetta last November.

The undercard will showcase a variety of emerging talents from the Top Rank roster, as well as the return of a home region hero:

Undefeated U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (9-0, 1 KO) will see action in an eight-round featherweight clash against Colombia’s Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs). Ragan signed with Top Rank in August 2020 and fought four times as a pro before capturing the silver medal in Tokyo. He then continued his career in the paid ranks in 2022 by scoring four additional victories. The Cincinnati native toughed out a split decision victory against Jose Perez last October.

In a battle of undefeated junior welterweights, Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (11-0, 7 KOs) will lock horns against Tarik Zaina (13-0-1, 8 KOs). Polanco conquered a trio of stiff tests last year, each with only one career loss. He decisioned Ricardo Quiroz in April and earned stoppages against Cesar Francis in July and Keith Hunter in December. Zaina aims to build off his biggest triumph yet, a unanimous decision win over Argentine contender Marcelino Lopez.

U.S. Olympian Troy Isley (11-0, 4 KOs) will face Marcos Hernandez (16-6-2, 3 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight bout. The 25-year-old looks to build off a successful 2023, including a unanimous decision verdict over Mexican veteran Vladimir Hernandez in November.

Heavyweight prospect Brandon Moore (13-0, 8 KOs) takes on Helaman Olguin (9-6-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Moore returns following his Top Rank debut in November, an eight-round decision over Robert Simms.

Floyd Diaz (10-0, 3 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in an eight-round bantamweight tilt against the upset-minded Puerto Rican Edwin Rodriguez (12-7-2, 5 KOs). Diaz decisioned once-beaten Max Ornelas for a regional title in November.

Middleweight prospect NicoAli Walsh (9-1, 5 KOs) will make his 2024 debut in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named. The grandson of “The Greatest” starts his 2024 following a points triumph over Noel Lafargue last December in Conakry, Guinea.

Junior welterweight prospect Bryce Mills (14-1, 5 KOs), who hails from nearby Liverpool, New York, will square off against Gerffred Ngayot (6-1, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder.

# # #
About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the March 2 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for major boxing events that are broadcast around the world. Boxing hall-of-famers and legends of the sport have attended fights, promoted cards, or fought at Turning Stone over the last two decades, including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miquel Cotto, Mike Tyson selected Turning Stone as the venue for his world debut as a promoter, and Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali made her boxing debut at Turning Stone and attended a fight in 2022 when she was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, an international event celebrating boxing legends and current superstars in the sport. Throughout the year, Turning Stone and the Boxing Hall of Fame attract thousands of boxing fans, Hall of Famers and sports media to the region for a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate in June with the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend. 

Turning Stone features world-class amenities including NY Rec & Social Club, featuring TS Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book and elevated sports lounge, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.  

VERONA, N.Y. (Dec. 19, 2023) — The featherweight division will take center stage in a high-octane world title doubleheader on Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. 
 
In the main event, Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov will fight Raymond Ford for the vacant WBA featherweight world title. This duel of unbeaten southpaws will see the WBA’s No.1 and No. 2 contenders making their inaugural world title appearances. 
 
In the co-feature, Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez defends his IBF world crown against Japanese contender Reiya Abe. 

Kholmatov-Ford & Lopez-Abe will headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets go on sale Thursday, December 21 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711, or online at Ticketmaster.com.
 
“Kholmatov and Ford are deserving challengers for the WBA world title. That is a true 50/50 fight,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Lopez believes he is the top featherweight in the world, and I know he’ll want to make a huge statement against a tough out in Abe. The fans at Turning Stone Resort Casino will be in for a real treat.”
 
Kholmatov (11-0, 10 KOs), a former international amateur champion, debuted as a pro in August 2021 and secured nine impressive victories before the year ended. The 25-year-old southpaw stepped up to face then-unbeaten Armenian Andranik Grigorian in March 2022, decisioning him after 12 dominant rounds. In his last fight, Kholmatov traveled to enemy territory to battle undefeated British contender Thomas Patrick Ward. The Uzbek powerhouse dropped Ward three times, forcing his corner to throw in the towel in the fifth round.

“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for, and I will be ready,” Kholmatov, said. “I have no doubt. On March 2, I will become the new WBA featherweight champion of the world.”
 
Ford (14-0-1, 7 KOs) was a two-time national Golden Gloves champion before entering the paid ranks in March 2019. In 15 pro fights, he has only had one blemish, a draw against then-unbeaten Aaron Perez in March 2021. Since then, the 24-year-old native of Camden, New Jersey, has gone 6-0 with three knockouts, including wins over undefeated prospects Edward Vazquez and Richard Medina, as well as a victory over former world champion Jessie Magdaleno. Ford dropped Magdaleno twice en route to a 12-round decision win.
 
Ford said, “I’ve been waiting so long for this fight, and I’m already tired of talking about it. I’ve worked my whole life to put myself in position for this opportunity, and I will be leaving that ring on March 2 as a world champion.”
 
Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs), the fighting pride of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, captured the IBF strap by dethroning Josh Warrington in his hometown of Leeds, England, last December. In May, the 30-year-old traveled to Belfast and beat hometown hero Michael Conlan via fifth-round TKO. Lopez defended his title against division mainstay Joet Gonzalez, emerging victorious via unanimous decision after 12 hard-fought rounds in September. 
 
Lopez said, “My team and I are focused on Reiya Abe. I’m going to make my third title defense on March 2, and we’ll be focused on obtaining the victory and making a statement in order to get a unification fight against whomever is available.”
 
Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs), the IBF No. 1 featherweight contender, suffered a few early-career setbacks before a breakout performance against then-undefeated Ren Sasaki in October 2020. The 30-year-old southpaw is unbeaten in five bouts since the Sasaki triumph. Abe captured his first regional title with a decision win over Hinata Maruta in May 2022 and defended it against Jinki Maeda seven months later. He is coming off a points victory in a world title eliminator against former two-division world champion Kiko Martinez. 
 
Abe said, “I am traveling a long way to fulfill my dream of becoming champion of the world. Lopez is a tough opponent, and I will give it my all to bring a world title home to Japan.”
 

# # #

 
About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the March 2 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for major boxing events that are broadcast around the world. Boxing hall-of-famers and legends of the sport have attended fights, promoted cards, or fought at Turning Stone over the last two decades, including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miquel Cotto, Mike Tyson selected Turning Stone as the venue for his world debut as a promoter, and Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali made her boxing debut at Turning Stone and attended a fight in 2022 when she was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
 
Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, an international event celebrating boxing legends and current superstars in the sport. Throughout the year, Turning Stone and the Boxing Hall of Fame attract thousands of boxing fans, Hall of Famers and sports media to the region for a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate in June with the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend. 
 
Turning Stone features world-class amenities including NY Rec & Social Club, featuring TS Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book and elevated sports lounge, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.  

Top Rank won the promotional rights of the vacant featherweight world title fight between the Uzbekistan’s Otabek Kholmatov and the American Raymond Ford. 

The promoter offered an amount of US$ 317,500.00, while giving three possible options of date and place to make the fight. The first is February 16, in New York; the second is February 17, in Ryad; and the third is March 2, in New York. 

Matchroom Boxing also participated in the bidding, offering US$ 255,555.55 in the bidding that took place through Zoom this Monday morning. 

Kholmatov and Ford are the top two rated 126-pounders and will contest the world championship that was recently vacated due to former champion Leigh Wood’s move up in class.

Orlando, Florida (March 7, 2022)—This past Friday at the Warriors Boxing Gym in Miami, tempers flared at media day today for the March 26 WBA featherweight Eliminator for #2 spot between NABA Featherweight champion Andranik Grigorian (14–0, 3 KOs) and Otabek Kholatov (9-0, 9 KOs).

The March 26th event will take place at The Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida and will be the premiere telecast of Bally Sports’ exciting new fight series aired on Bally Sports Network, Bally Sports app and Display TV,.

It was a star-studded event as besides the fighters, in attendance were former heavyweight champions Shannon Briggs, and Michael Moorer as well as Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller and Timur Ibragimov promoter Svyatoslav Mangushev and CEO of Entrobox Ronald Johnson.

The show will be promoted by American Dream Presents in association with Box Lab Promotions.

ORLANDO, FL  Andranik Grigoryan(14-0) will defend his NABA featherweight title against Otabek Kholmatov (9-0) in the main event of Bally Sports’ premiere telecast of their new monthly fight series.  In addition to the NABA title being at stake, the 12 round bout is sanctioned as an official eliminator, with the #2 ranking in the division on the line.

In the co-feature bout, unbeaten junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez (10-0) will face an opponent TBA in a fight scheduled for 8 rounds.

The televised opener will be a heavyweight showdown with unbeaten Norman Neely (10-0) taking on Hector Perez (7-3).

“We are committed to putting on highly competitive fights that the fans watching in person and on Bally Sports on TV or streamed on Display Social will enjoy. The main event features two fighters risking their undefeated records. The winner will be in position to fight for a world title in the near future,” said EntroBox CEO Ron Johnson.   

The fight card will take place at the luxurious Caribe Royale Orlando and is presented by Bally Sports Present – Entrobox Championship Boxing , brought to you by American Dream Presents in association with Box Lab Promotions.

Tickets will go on sale next week with an announcement coming by the end of the week.

About EntroBox LLC:
EntroBox, is a sport and entertainment content company that connects amateur/pro athletes, entertainers, and live boxing events together with superior production quality, audience engagement, and compelling partnerships with high viewership. EntroBox’s core mission is to assist all parties in exceeding their potential, through content creation, sponsorships, and monetization platforms. Their unique approach and
professional status in the sporting industry allows them to execute across diverse landscapes and businesses. EntroBox is currently launching the next evolution in boxing’s DNA, while providing a pathway for other sports to connect and monetize to the ever-changing digital world by bridging the viewership from network tv and into the metaverse. To learn more, visit www.EntroBox.com. Follow us on: Display Social, FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter

About Caribe Royale Orlando:
Located just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Resort in the nation’s number one convention and tourism destination, Caribe Royale Orlando is the only AAA Four Diamond all-suite meetings resort in Orlando FL. A TripAdvisor 2021 Travelers’ Choice Award winner – among just 10 percent of hotels to receive the distinction – the upscale Caribe Royale is emerging from a $127 million reimagination that includes a redesign and full remodeling of all of its one-bedroom suites, an all-new 50,000-square-foot ballroom (bringing the total meeting space to 220,000 square feet), an inviting new
lobby and exciting new and expanded food and beverage offerings. To learn more or to book a visit, event or meeting, visit www.cariberoyale.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(@cariberoyale), and LinkedIn. #cariberoyaleorlando