Los Angeles, CA (November 14, 2022) Can’t Miss, Undefeated Junior Middleweight Prospect and ‘Son of a Legend’ Fernando ‘El Feroz’ Vargas Jr., (6-0, 6 KOs), of Las Vegas, NV will open the ‘Battle of the Best’ Pay-Per-View against Alejandro ‘Thunder’ Martinez, (3-2-1, 2 KOs), of Montebello, CA set for Saturday, November 26 from ‘The War Grounds’, Dignity Health Sports Park, just outside of Los Angeles.

Vargas Jr. vs. Martinez, scheduled for six rounds, is featured at ‘Battle of the Best’, headlined by the highly anticipated WBC 140lb. World Championship between #1 Ranked Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda and #2 Ranked Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis.

Presented and produced by Legendz Entertainment in association with MarvNation Promotions, “Battle of the Best” can be seen live on cable, satellite, telco and streaming PPV outlets on Saturday, November 26 beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. including FITE and PPV.COM. Remaining tickets starting at $39 for the live event can be purchased online at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park is located at 18400 Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746.

Said the fast-rising star, Vargas Jr. about the upcoming fight, “I feel blessed for this opportunity to be fighting on pay-per-view and I’m not taking it lightly. I’ve had a hard training camp and I’m excited to demonstrate my skills to the public.”

Vargas Jr. is trained by his father, three-time junior middleweight world champion, Fernando ‘Feroz’ Vargas Sr. “I’m excited, my boys got it. They’re my seeds so they have what it takes. I’m proud of Junior, he has a last name that carries history. He has the goods and I can’t wait to see him show his talent November 26th. We’re more than ready.” 

This past Saturday night, Vargas Jr’s younger brother, 18-year-old Emiliano ‘El General’ Vargas, again impressed the boxing world with his second knockout victory, fighting at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and live on ESPN+. The third boxing son of Vargas Sr., undefeated featherweight prospect Amado ‘El Malvado’ Vargas, (4-0, 2 KOs), will also be fighting on the off-TV undercard at ‘Battle of the Best’, with further details to be announced shortly.

The heavy-handed southpaw Vargas Jr. has quickly impressed boxing fans since hitting the paid ranks two years ago, scoring knockout victories in each of his six professional bouts, four of which have come in the first two rounds. In his last start on May 14, 2022, he stunned the huge crowd at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA with a devastating first round knockout of Terrance Jarmon.

The upset minded Martinez returns to battle after a shutout four-round decision victory over Rafael Herrera Amezcua on May 28, 2022. Prior to that he traveled to Madison Square Garden on October 30, 2021, losing a very hotly contested majority decision to undefeated prospect Pablo Valdez.

Los Angeles, CA (November 7, 2022) Hall of Famers, Boxing Legends, World Champions and Boxing Celebrities will highlight the can’t miss “Battle of the Best” Pay-Per-View broadcast on Saturday, November 26 originating from ‘The War Grounds’, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, just outside of Los Angeles.

Featured on the all-star broadcast will be 2015 International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini, 2017 International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee Marco Antonio Barrera and Former Junior Middleweight Champion of the World, Raul ‘El Diamante Marquez.

Joining on the broadcast will be Popular Boxing TV Host and Reporter Cynthia Conte, International Boxing Commentator Corey Erdman, Mexico’s Longtime Voice of Boxing Ernesto Amador and World-Renowned Boxing Cornerman Mike Rodriguez.

Presented and produced by Legendz Entertainment in association with MarvNation Promotions, “Battle of the Best” is headlined by the long awaited WBC Super Lightweight Championship between #1 Ranked Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) and #2 Ranked Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis (27-1, 23 KO’s) and can be seen live on cable, satellite, telco and streaming PPV outlets on Saturday, November 26 beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. including FITE and PPV.COM.

‘The Fighting Pride of Youngstown, Ohio’ Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini held the WBA Lightweight World Title for over two years in the early 80’s and was particularly known for his aggressive punching style which made him a fan favorite and highly popular with TV networks which drew record-breaking ratings for his fights. He retired in April 1992 with a record of 29-5 including 23 knockouts. In recent years he has served as a boxing analyst for numerous TV outlets.

Known as ‘The Baby-Faced Assassin’, March Antonio Barrera, (67-7, 44 KOs), is a legend among boxing fans having competed in many unforgettable fights throughout his illustrious career that spanned 22 years. The three-division world champion is best known for his epic trilogy with Erik Morales in addition to remarkable battles with Naseem Hamed Johnny Tapia, Manny Pacquiao, Paulie Ayala and Juan Manuel Marquez. Barrera will be part of the Spanish language broadcast on November 26.

Raul ‘El Diamante’ Marquez, (41-4, 29 KOs), won the IBF Junior Middleweight World Title from Terry Norris on April 12, 1997. His highly successful career includes memorable fights with Anthony Stephens, Keith Mullings, Fernando Vargas, Yory Boy Campas, Jermain Taylor and Arthur Abraham. For the last ten years Marquez has been featured on Showtime Championship Boxing and ShoBox telecasts.

Cynthia Conte is highly regarded for her outstanding podcast, The Best Women’s Boxing Show PERIOD, extensive work reporting for Ring Magazine, hosting Hollywood Fight Nights broadcasts and the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame Induction events.

Ernesto Amador has worked for decades in the United States and Mexico on international boxing broadcasts and has become a staple at the sports’ biggest events with his exceptional reporting for his award-winning podcast ‘No Puedas Jugar Boxeo’. He will join Marco Antonio Barrera on the Spanish language broadcast.

Known as Boxing’s Crime Fighting Cutman for his work as homicide detective, Mike Rodriguez is a fixture in the corner of numerous world champions and top-rated contenders including Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia and Dmitry Bivol.

Remaining tickets for ‘Battle of the Best’, starting at $39 for the live event can be purchased online at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park is located at 18400 Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746.

Los Angeles, CA (November 1, 2022) An outstanding Pay-Per-View undercard has been announced for ‘Battle of the Best’ headlined by the highly anticipated WBC Super Lightweight Championship between #1 Ranked Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) and #2 Ranked Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis (27-1, 23 KO’s), set for Saturday, November 26 and emanating from ‘The War Grounds’, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, just outside of Los Angeles, CA.

Presented and produced by Legendz Entertainment in association with Marv Nation, tickets for ‘Battle of the Best’, starting at $39 for the live event can be purchased online at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park is located at 18400 Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746.

Zepeda vs. Prograis can be seen live on cable, satellite, telco and streaming PPV outlets on Saturday, November 26 beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. Fans can order the PPV stream on FITE TV at https://www.fite.tv/watch/zepeda-vs-prograis/2pc6z/ or on PPV.COM at https://www.ppv.com.

With the international boxing world witnessing extraordinary women’s world championship bouts throughout this year, the tremendous momentum continues as fast-rising female superstar Yokasta ‘Yoka’ Valle, (26-2, 9 KO’s), of San Jose, Costa Rica battles undefeated world champion Evelyn ‘La Princesita’ Bermudez, (17-0-1, 6 KOs), of Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina for the WBC and WBO Super Flyweight World Titles over ten scheduled rounds.

Fighting in the junior middleweight division, undefeated contender, 2016 U.S. Olympian Charles ‘Bad News’ Conwell, (17-0, 13 KOs), of Cleveland, OH, who many experts believe will soon be the division’s upcoming king, faces his toughest opposition against upset minded, Dominican Juan Carlos Abreu, (25-6-1, 23 KOs) in a ten-round fight.

2020 Olympic Gold Medalist Bakhodir ‘The Big Uzbek’ Jalolov, (11-0, 11 KOs), standing 6’7”and considered the dominant heavyweight of the future, faces off against veteran Curtis Harper, (14-8, 9 KOs), of Jacksonville, FL over ten rounds.

In a special attraction super welterweight six rounder, boxing fans will see the ‘Son of a Legend’, sure-fire prospect Fernando Vargas Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), open the Pay-Per-View against an opponent to be announced. The heavy-handed southpaw makes his return following a devastating first round knockout of Terrance Jarmon on May 14, 2022 at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA.

The charismatic Yokasta Valle first achieved championship level success with a victory over Ana Victoria Polo in 2016 earning the IBF Atomweight World Title. Most recently she triumphantly returned home to San Jose, Costa Rica, defeating Thi Thu Nhi Nguyen and adding the WBO Minimumweight World Title to her collection. Fighting for the fourth time in 2022, Evelin Bermudez defended her IBF and WBO Junior Flyweight Titles successfully against Yairineth Altuve on July 23, 2022 in San Lorenzo, Argentina.

The 24-year-old all-action Charles Conwell hits The War Grounds ring on November 26 following a third-round knockout of Abraham Juarez Ramirez on June 2, 2022. Battle-tested veteran Juan Carlos Abreu is back in action following a second-round knockout of Emilio Julio on August 12, 2022. On October 29, 2021, Abreu traveled to the United Kingdom knocking out highly touted and undefeated Kazak prospect Tursynbay Kulakhmet in the seventh round.

Bakhodir Jalolov’s reputation as a future heavyweight champion has been strongly validated through his first eleven professional bouts all ending in knockout fashion. In his last start on June 10, 2022, he stopped Jack Mulowayi in the eighth round. This followed up a fifth-round stoppage of Kamil Sokolowski on March 18, 2022 in Dubai. At the 2020 Olympic Games, Jalolov defeated Richard Torrez in the final round to earn the Gold Medal in the Super Heavyweight Division. The confident Curtis Harper enters the battle with Jalolov following a dominant victory over previously unbeaten Christian Thun on July 9, 2022.

Los Angeles, CA (October 17, 2022) Tickets are Now On-Sale for the highly anticipated ‘Battle of the Best’ showdown between #1 Ranked Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) and #2 Ranked Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis (27-1, 23 KO’s), set for Saturday, November 26 at ‘The War Grounds’, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, just outside of Los Angeles, CA.

Presented by Marv Nation and produced by Legendz Entertainment, tickets starting at $39 for the  WBC Super Lightweight World Championship may be purchased at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park is located at 18400 Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746.

                                                —————————————————-

This can’t-miss matchup of two elite boxing stars in their prime will be available on cable, satellite, telco and streaming PPV outlets throughout the US and Canada. More details on where to order the PPV telecast will be communicated in the coming weeks.

Additional information on ‘The Battle of the Best’  live event will be announced shortly.

Los Angeles, CA (October 12, 2022) A huge crowd of Los Angeles media attended the Kick-Off Press Conference in Downtown Los Angeles to formally announce ‘The Battle of the Best’, the WBC Super Lightweight World Championship between #1 Ranked Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda, (35-2, 27 KOs) and #2 Ranked Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis, (27-1, 23 KOs). They were joined by Zepeda’s trainer Rene Zepeda and Prograis’ manager Sam Katkovski. The press conference was moderated by the voice of Southern California sports, Beto Duran.

Presented by Marv Nation and produced by Legendz Entertainment, Zepeda vs. Prograisis set for Saturday, November 26 at ‘The War Grounds’, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA and broadcast live on Pay-Per-View. Tickets to this sensational clash will go On-Sale This Friday, October 14 at 12:00 p.m. PT online at AXS.com.

Below are quotes from the fighters;

Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda

“Both of us are in our prime. This is #1 vs. #2, the top two fighters in the division. We don’t get to see that very often nowadays in boxing and this shows it’s going to be a great fight. Both of us have a lot of knockouts, true punching power. I’m getting ready for hell because I know it’s going to be that type of fight. It’s a really exciting fight for the fans at the War Grounds and those watching on pay-per-view.”

“There’s not a lot of need for trash talk between us. We’ve both done our work in the ring and boxing fans know what type of fight to expect. I went through hell already with Ivan Baranchyk, Jose Ramirez and Jose Pedraza. Regis hits hard, he’s clever inside the ring and he’s a southpaw. It has all the ingredients for a great fight for the fans.”

“I wasn’t surprised at all that we got this fight. We both wanted it, we both want to become world champions. Both of us need this title, we’re 33 years old and in our prime. Whoever wins this title will have a life changing experience.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve fought in Los Angeles and I’m looking forward to seeing a packed War Grounds on November 26 for another classic fight at this iconic venue.”

Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis

“I used to live in Los Angeles so I’m very comfortable here. I just can’t wait for this fight and to become a world champion. Zepeda’s a real good fighter and I already know what he’s coming with. This is a dream come true for me because I wanted to stay at 140 and become a two-time world champion. My last three fights were against ‘okay’ opposition but this is the fight to show that I’m elite. He’s a killer and I give him all the respect but I’m going to do my thing on November 26.”

“Los Angeles is one of my favorite cities in the world. To come here and fight at The War Grounds to become a two-time world champion is historic for me.”

“I’m not surprised at all this fight is happening. He wanted the fight, I wanted the fight. We both want to be champions. He fought for the belt and I thought he beat Ramirez.”

“We are two killers, I have a lot of power in both hands, he has a lot of power in both hands. And that’s what makes for an interesting fight, #1 vs. #2. No one knows who’s going to win, it’s a real 50/50 fight.”

                                                —————————————————-

This can’t-miss matchup of two elite boxing stars in their prime will be available on cable, satellite, telco and streaming PPV outlets throughout the US and Canada. More details on where to order the PPV telecast will be communicated in the coming weeks.

Additional information on ‘The Battle of the Best’, including the media credential application process will be announced shortly.

LOS ANGELES, OCTOBER 12 – A recharged Regis Prograis insists he will not repeat the big mistake he made the last time he was world champion – taking it for granted.

The vacant WBC world super lightweight belt is up for grabs when Prograis collides with Jose Zepeda in a mouth-watering fight on Saturday, November 26 in Carson, California.

Prograis won the WBA strap in 2019 after stopping Kiryl Relikh and admits his ascent to the top of the division was “easy” and the significance was lost on him.

But the 33-year-old’s defeat to Josh Taylor in their huge unification bout, later that year, and his long wait to regain another shot, has made him change his ways.

And should he get his hands on the world title again at the Dignity Health Sports Park, next month, then the man known as ‘Rougarou’ has promised to savour every second of it.

“I feel like I’m totally different now because when I was the world champion – I’m going to be honest with you – I didn’t cherish it,” Prograis told Probellum.com.

“It was easy to me. I’m not even gonna lie, it was easy to me.

“At the time I was preparing to fight for the belt I went to L.A. and for my first two weeks there we had parties at the house and all kinds of stuff, and this is me fighting for my world championship!

“But it was just it was easy to me, and I didn’t cherish it and then it was taken away from me just like that, real fast.

“So now, I feel like I’m a different fighter, my mindset is way different. The first time, it was easy. I just did it. It was easy. I was world champion, number one in the world and it was nothing to me. I didn’t even care about it. And this time it has been hard, to scratch my way back to the top to even get to the belt. So now I will cherish that even more. And now I don’t do all those things I used to.”

The experienced Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) has twice challenged for world titles and meets Prograis on a five-fight winning streak, that includes the 2020 Fight of the Year.

Zepeda and Ivan Baranchyk both hit the canvas four times inside five rounds that night and while Prograis respects his opponent, he has warned ‘Chon’ he won’t let him off the hook.

“I’m not Ivan Baranchyk, when I drop people, I will finish them off,” Prograis declared.

“I also have a higher IQ and I feel like I have bigger punching power, too. And then I’m a southpaw so I’m slick. Baranchyk was there to be hit.

“Ivan didn’t really have too much defence but me, I’m a whole different monster. Zepeda has never seen nothing like me before. But Zepeda, he is good, he gets dropped, he gets back up and he does good.”

To keep up to date with the latest news on Zepeda vs Prograis, sign up to our newsletter?or follow Probellum on?Instagram,?Twitter?and?Facebook.????

You can also follow our official news, results, and information account, Probellum News, on Twitter.

Los Angeles, CA (October 10, 2022) Two of Boxing’s Best 140lb. Fighters in the World, Top Rated Contenders, #1 ranked Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda, (35-2, 27 KO’s), of LaPuente, CA and #2 ranked, former World Champion Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis, (27-1, 23 KOs) of New Orleans, LA will battle for the prestigious WBC Super Lightweight World Championship over 12-rounds on Saturday, November 26 at ‘The War Grounds’, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA and broadcast live on Pay-Per-View, it was announced today.

Presented by MarvNation and produced by Legendz Entertainment, Tickets Will Go On-Sale This Friday, October 14 at 12:00 p.m. PT online at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park is located at 18400 Avalon Blvd., Carson, CA 90746.

This can’t-miss matchup of two elite boxing stars in their prime will be available on cable, satellite, telco and streaming PPV outlets throughout the US and Canada. More details on where to order the PPV telecast will be communicated in the coming weeks. 

“This is one of the most highly anticipated fights in boxing,” said Marvin Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of MarvNation Promotions. “Zepeda vs. Prograis promises action from the opening bell, and the winner will not only earn the WBC title, but will also be considered as the best 140-pounder in the world. It’s an honor to bring this event to fans in Southern California, and we look forward to announcing the undercard in the coming days.”

Stated Zepeda, “I’m really excited about this fight finally happening. This is not like other fights. This is the top two in the 140lb. division, fights like this you don’t see in boxing anymore. This is a real fight and the best part is that the fans are aware of this.” 

“I’ve been waiting for this fight for three years,” said Prograis. “I was a champion three years ago, and I stayed at 140 so that I can fulfill my goal and be a two-time champion at 140. I’ve been waiting long for this opportunity, and I believe November 26 is when I will unleash my three years of frustration. I could have gone to 147 and got more money, but I always wanted to be a two-time champion. I changed some things around, I got a nutritionist for my last fight. I am very grateful for this opportunity to come again, and I will not let it slip.”

“The Super Lightweight Championship of the World, a division of greatness, could not find a better match than Zepeda vs Prograis,” said Mauricio Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council. “Legends like Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Kostya Tszyu and Floyd Mayweather just to name a few, have proudly held the WBC green and gold belt in this division. Both fighters are in their prime and ready to give the boxing world a memorable thriller as both have participated in fights of the year throughout their careers respectively.”

In recent years, Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda has stamped his fights as must-see; full of non-stop action combined with his fierce Mexican warrior spirit. On October 3, 2020, Zepeda defeated former world champion Ivan Baranchyk in an epic battle for the ages and the consensus ‘Fight of the Year’. The fearless Zepeda would stop Baranchyk in the fifth round in an ESPN broadcasted clash that saw each fighter rise from the canvas four times. Following a ten-round decision over perennial contender Hank Lundy on May 22, 2021, Zepeda would once again validate his remarkable reputation with a stunning first round knockout of top-rated contender Josue Vargas on October 30, 2021 at Madison Square Garden.

Zepeda first challenged for a world title against WBC Champion Jose Ramirez on February 10, 2019, losing a hotly contested 12-round majority decision.

Former WBA 140lb. World Champion Prograis has been dominant over the last two years in the division. Following a majority decision loss in London, England for the undisputed division crown and World Boxing Super Series Championship against Josh Taylor on October 26, 2019, the only blemish on a remarkable ten-year run, Prograis has relentlessly stopped each of his next three opponents leading up to the Zepeda world title fight.

Most recently, Prograis showcased his extraordinary power, traveling to Dubai stopping Tyrone McKenna in the sixth round on March 19, 2022. Previously, the exciting southpaw knocked out Ivan Redkach in the sixth round on April 17, 2021 and Juan Heraldez in the third round on October 30, 2021. Remarkably Prograis did not lose a round in any of the three contests.

Prograis won his first world title defeating WBA 140lb. World Champion Kiryl Relikh on April 27, 2019 with a brilliant performance capped by a sixth-round knockout.

More information and additional fights will be announced shortly. Details on media credentials will also be forthcoming.

Los Angeles, CA – October 5, 2021 – Probellum is delighted to announce the massive promotional signing of former super-lightweight world champion Regis Prograis.

Prograis (26-1, 22 knockouts) is one of the best fighters in the world, having previously held the WBA super-lightweight and WBC Diamond super-lightweight titles during his illustrious career.

The American star is currently ranked as the #1 fighter at 140lbs with the Ring Magazine, and is also ranked #3 with the WBC, #4 with the WBA, #5 with the IBF and #7 with the WBO.

Known for his incredible power and elite boxing skills, 32-year-old Prograis holds stoppage wins over fighters such as Ivan Redkach, Kiryl Relikh, Julius Indongo and Juan Heraldez, and looks destined to become world champion again in the near future.

The signing of Prograis is the latest ground-breaking move from Probellum, helping to achieve their athlete-first approach, which ensures to put the fighter first. It also gives boxers the chance to fight all over the world, with Probellum looking to end the fragmentation in boxing by working with all promoters across the globe to promote landmark events.

Prograis is the latest big-name fighter to join forces with Probellum, after it was announced that they will continue forward as unbeaten welterweight sensation Eimantas Stanionis’ promoter.

“Since I started boxing I’ve always wanted to become a world champion and fight all over the world,”said Prograis.I decided to sign with Probellum because they are holding shows worldwide, and I can achieve my dream of fighting all over the globe.

“It is is something I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my boxing career alongside Probellum.”

“Signing Regis Prograis is a superb statement of intent and we are delighted to have him joining the team here at Probellum,”said Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum. “He is one of the best fighters on the planet and we’re confident he will become world champion again soon.

“This is just the start of what will be an extremely stacked roster of talent at Probellum, so boxing fans can get ready to see the best and biggest fights delivered to them.”

News on when Prograis will have his first fight under the Probellum promotional banner will be announced in due course.

For live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Jake Paul destroyed Ben Askren in the opening round of their cruiserweight bout at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Paul landed a crushing right to the jaw of Asken that sent him plummeting to the canvas, Askren got to his feet, but was ruled unable to continue at 1:59.

Paul is 3-0 with three knockouts. Asken is 0-1.

Prograis wins Technical Decision over Redkach

Regis Prograis won a technical unanimous decision over Ivan Redkach in a junior welterweight bout.

Prograis dominated the action and in round six, it looked like Prograis landed a perfect body punch the sent Redkach to the canvas. Redkach rolled around the ring in “pain” claiming to be hit low. Replays showed it was a good body punch and they went to the scorecards as Redkach could not continue

What should have been a knockout was scored 60-54, 60-54 and 59-55 for Prograis who is now 26-1. Redkach is 23-6-1.

Cunningham Decisions Mir

Steve Cunningham won a six-round unanimous decision over former UFC champion Frank Mir.

Cunningham of Philadelphia won by scores of 60-54 twice and 58-56 is now 30-9. Mir is 0-1.

Joe Fournier Stops Reykon after 2

Joe Fournier stopped Reggaetón singer Reykon after round two of their fight,

In round two, Fournier decked Reykon with a left hook to the head. Later in the round, Reykon took a knee. Reykin had enough after the round and the fight was stopped.

Fournier is 9-0 with nine knockouts. Reykon is 0-1.

In his 1st Pay-Per-View Headline appearance, Geronta Davis did not disappoint as he scored a sensational 6th round stoppage over Leo Santa Cruz and is now the the WBA Super Featherweight and Lightweight champion in a bout that was in front over 9,000 fans at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The fight started out at a blistering pace with both guys throwing and landing lots of shots in the opening frame. The fight was on pretty much even terms over the next four-plus rounds with each guy taking turns being the boss in the contest.

Santa Cruz was effect with his combination punching, while Davis waiting on his left uppercut. He was not disappointed as he landed a head turnimg shot in round six that knocked Santa Cruz completely out as he plummeted into the bottom of the ring post and the fight was stopped at 2:40 of round six.

Davis, 129.8 lbs of Baltimore, MD is now 24-0 with 23 knockouts. Santa Cruz, 129.5 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 37-2-1.

GERVONTA DAVIS

“The uppercut wasn’t the key coming into the fight, but I adapted to what he was bringing. I knew he was taller and crouching down and moving forward. Once he moved forward, I tried to jab and make him run into the shot.

“In the first couple of rounds I wasn’t really warmed up. I could tell that he was trying to counter off of me, so I just adapted to what he was doing.

“He was right there for it. He punches, but he doesn’t try to get out of the way. There was nowhere for him to go on that knockout because I got him into the corner.

“Leo is a tough warrior and a strong Mexican fighter. He came ready for me. I was just the better fighter tonight.

“I want to maintain both belts. Whatever decision me and my team comes up with, we’ll go with it. I’m not ducking or dodging anybody.

“I’m a pay-per-view star. Everybody knows I’m number one and I showed it tonight. I’m going to continue to show people all over the world that I’m the best. I don’t have to call anybody else out. I’m the top dog. Just line them up and I’ll knock them out.”

“I was just breaking him down. He’s tough and was trying to play it off, but I could tell that he was breaking down. He wanted to keep fighting back.

“He touched me with shots early that I wasn’t supposed to get touched with. I started settling down and listening to my coach and Floyd. There’s a lot of pressure early in the fight. Floyd was just telling me to stay calm. I always want to go out and get at them, but Floyd always says, I’m a 12-round fighter.

“Everyone has their opinion, but I always felt like I’m the biggest star in the sport. I don’t need to go talk about other fighters.

“This is an amazing feeling. This is just the start. I have to thank everyone who helped me get to this point.

“I saw in round one that he was countering my jab. I knew he was coming with more than one punch. I started getting out of the way after I got my shots off. Once I started going to his body, I started to break him down. He had a lot of heart, and his mind told him to keep pushing through it.

“We worked on the uppercut, but it was really me adapting to the timing of the fight. He was blocking the uppercut at first. So I started switching it up and throwing hooks when he thought the uppercut was coming.

“I didn’t get tired at any point in the fight. If he kept the pace up, I was going to box around him. I have to thank my whole team for getting me into top shape.

“I didn’t take too much punishment so I’m just going to take a week or a week and a half off and get back to Las Vegas. At this point it’s best for me to stay in the gym so I’m going to keep that up.

“It’s not up to me to say who’s on the pound-for-pound list. Me and my team believe that I’m on it. The people see what’s going on and they see what’s happening tonight.

“I knew I had the speed and power advantage coming into the fight. But he caught me a couple times. So it was more about timing than speed.

“I feel strong at 130 pounds. It’s just up to me to stay in the gym. I feel good at the weight. But if there’s a good opportunity at 135 I’m ready to make it happen.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER

“It was an amazing performance. I’m just happy for him. I know how he feels. I used to be that same kid sitting right here. It feels great to be on this side and able to give back knowledge to help him grow. If anybody can become a household name, it’s this kid right here.

“’Tank’ had a long training camp and we’re going to enjoy this victory. ‘Tank’ is the top dog. He’s on pay-per-view for a reason. We don’t want to start calling out names. We want to let him go home and enjoy himself with his family and team. He’s going to keep proving to the world that he’s the best.”

CALVIN FORD

“I thought Leo was going to box more. But that’s what makes Leo a great champion. He comes to fight. He did some things to ‘Tank’ that I didn’t like to see.

“That uppercut is a shot we’ve been working on for a while. If you listen you can hear me telling him to shoot the uppercut. Leo was pressing the issue and coming to him. He was hitting ‘Tank’ to the body a lot, but ‘Tank’ found a place to land the shot. At the end of the day, ‘Tank’ closed the show.”

Barrios Stops Karl in 6 to Retain 140 lb. Title

Mario Barrios stopped a bloody and battered Ryan Karl in round six to retain the WBA Super Lightweight title.

In round six, Barrios dropped Karl with a hard right hand. Later in the round a clash of heads opened up a nasty gash on the forehead of Karl. Karl fought with all of heart but then ate another left hand that dropped him face-first and the fight was stopped at 2:23.

Barrios, 139.5 lbs of San Antonio is now 26-0 with 17 knockouts. Karl, 140 lbs of Milanon, TX is 18-3.

Tonight’s Alamodome attendance is: 9,024

MARIO BARRIOS

“It took a minute to get used to his pressure, he was very awkward. I eventually found my rhythm as the rounds started progressing.

“I’d give myself a B. I had a little trouble finding my jab because of his pressure. I thought I was slipping his shots well and finding my shots up the middle.

“He was throwing with bad intentions. He landed some punches. But there wasn’t anything that hurt me or that threw me off.

“I’m very excited by the outcome of this fight. It’s an honor to be the first fighter from San Antonio to defend his world title.

“I’m in the sport to give fans exciting fights. A fight with Regis Prograis would be huge. That’s a fight that’s very likely to happen.

“I didn’t feel any ring rust tonight. I was just being patient and I was ready for a 12 round fight. I was just taking my time, picking my spots and avoiding his wild shots.

“I’m one of the stronger fighters at 140. I showed I carried my power for 12 rounds against Batyr Akhemdov. I think the rest of the division should take notice of that.  

“Part of my style is attacking the body. I’ve always been a fan of body shots. They really pay off in the 12 round fights in the middle and late rounds. I knew Ryan’s style and I knew I had to slow him down so he wouldn’t be so rough for 12 rounds.

“This fight is for everybody who came out here in San Antonio tonight. I told them we’d get this first title defense, and I hope everyone enjoyed it.  

“I’ve known Ryan a long time. I knew he was going to come hard at me, but I also knew that it was his only chance. I was just being patient and picking my shots. I started to really land them and got him out of there.

“I was ready to go a hard 12 rounds, but my patience helped me get him out of there. I listened to what Virgil was telling me in the corner. It was great to get the job done here at home

“Virgil has meant so much to me. He’s more than a coach to me. He’s a mentor and like a part of my family.”

Ryan Karl:

“I feel fine. Hard hit that I got hit with. It was a tough fight, good fight, close fight I felt like. Good headbutt, bleeding pretty good but overall I feel fine. I’m not a sore loser. I come to fight, that’s what I expected was a fight. And so congrats to Mario on the win. We’ll move on from here.

“I wish the referee never would’ve stopped it. That’s how I feel about fights. I felt like I wanted to fight, I wanted a chance to get up and continue. But it is what it is. That’s his job, he has his and I have mine. And we obviously have different mindsets, because I’m the one fighting. But of course, like I said I would always like to continue if I have a chance.

“He’s a good fighter. He beat me. I felt like if I would’ve had more rounds it could’ve been different, but he’s a very good fighter and I take nothing from him.

“Hopefully another shot is next. That’s really all I want. I’m game and I’m here to fight.”

Prograis Stops Heraldez in 3

Regis Prograis stopped previously undefeated Juan Heraldez in round three of a scheduled 10-round junior welterweight fight.

In round three, Prograis dropped Heraldez with a blistering left. Herladez never was able to get back into the fight as Prograis pounded Herladez with more left hands until the fight was stopped at 1:23.

Prograis, 141.6 lbs of Houston, TX is 25-1 with 21 knockouts. Heraldez, 139.5 lbs of Las Vegas is 16-1-1.

Photo Credit: Esther Lin / SHOWTIME

FLASH QUOTES:

Regis Prograis

“I’ve been out of the ring for a year so I think that had some effect on me not making weight. There’s no excuses, but the bubble also had some effect. Mainly it was the layoff though. My body wasn’t adjusted to making the weight again.

“My wife just told me to get this over with because she’s due to give birth any minute now. I’m living two hours away from here so I’m going home right after this.

“I still feel like I’m the best at 140. I’m going to keep proving it every time I fight. Me and Josh Taylor had a close fight, and I think if it had happened in the U.S. U would have won. We know that one day we’ll have to rematch at 140 or 147.

“It went pretty well. I congratulate Juan because he was a tough opponent for me to get back against. I’m just glad to be back. My grandpa died on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and this win is dedicated to him.  

“If the Barrios thing is on the table in the future, then we’ll do that.”

Juan Heraldez

“I thought it was an early stoppage. I was just getting warm, loose. He stunned me, but I don’t think they should’ve stopped the fight. I just thought it was an early stoppage.”

Cruz Destroys Magdaleno in 53 seconds

Isaac Cruz destroyed former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno in 53 seconds of their 10-round lightweight bout.

Cruz came out and landed a heavy barrage of punches that sent Magdaleno down in the opening 30 seconds. Upon getting up, Magdaleno ate a even heavier barrage that culminated by a devastating uppercut that sent Magdaleno down and the fight was stopped.

Cruz, 132 lbs of Mexico City is 20-1-1 with 15 knockouts. Magdaleno, 134.75 lbs of Las Vegas is 32-4.

Isaac Cruz

“The new Mike Tyson from Mexico was born tonight.

“I thought it would go longer tonight, but my natural instinct is always to go for it in the first round. I have confidence that I could win the world title right now. I thought it was a statement win. From now, on hopefully everyone will know my name and I’ll get the big fights.

“I would love a Teofimo Lopez fight. I’m very motivated right now. If he’s tough enough to take it, bring it on. I’m happy to be in this position in the division.

“My team did a great job getting me ready and I knew that I had to be prepared for a big fight no matter what else is going on. I trained for three months for this fight and was happy to be able to perform in front of an audience. If I get another fight right now, I’ll take it right away and do the same thing.”

Diego Magdaleno

“I don’t want to make any excuses but I’ve been fighting some heartburn. But he came out swinging and I was trying to adjust in there. I guess I was just fighting two different things in there. You know, stung cold, and got hit. That’s it.”

Follow All the action as Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz battle for the WBA Junior Lightweight and Lightweight World Titles.  The card begins at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a three fight undercard featuring Mario Barrios defending the WBA Super Lightweight title against Ryan Karl.  Regis Prograis takes on Juan Heraldez; Isaac Cruz fights Diego Magdaleno.

THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.  NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1: Counter uppercut from Davis..Body shot from Santa Cruz..Uppercut from Davis…Blood from the bridge of Santa Cruz nose..Trading rights..Counter right from Santa Cruz..Davis Pushed down..Right to body y Santa Cruz

Round 2 Right from Santa Cruz..Davis Throws Santa Cruz down on purpose..Santa Cruz lands a flurry on the ropes..Good counter uppercut from Davis

Round 3 Counter left from Davis..Left from Santa Cruz..Left hook..Left..2 Lefts from Davis…Body..

Round 4 Left uppercut and right hook from Davis..Left hook from Santa Cruz..Lead right hook from Davis..Jab from Santa Cruz..Double jab;eft from Davis..Left..Jab to the body

Round 5 Counter left from Davis and another…Right from Santa Cruz..Right hook from Davis

Round 6 Right t o body from Santa Cruz..Nice Right..Mouse under the right eye of Davis..Combination from Santa Cruz..Low Blow from Davis..Left from Davis…Davis landing shots…Combination back from Santa Cruz….HUGE UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES SANTA CRUZ AND HE IS KNOCKED OUT COLD

Round 1 Left to body from Barrios..Hard left hook

Round 2 Left hook to body from Barrios…Right from Karl  and another right..Chopping right from Barrios…Counter left hook to the body..Bllod from Nose of Karl..Counter right and counter left

Round 3 Lead Left drives Karl back..Right and left from Karl..Body shot from Barrios…Check hook

Round 4 Nice left hook to the body from Barrios..2 left hooks..Right Uppercut..Jab staggers Karl

Round 5 Body shot from Barrios…Jab..Right from Karl

Round 6 Thudding Punches from Barrios…BIG RIGHT AND KARL DROPS TO A KNEE….Straight from Karl..Karl cut on his forehead (Clash of Heads)..Right from Karl…Blood very bad…Doctor checks Karl..Says he can go on..Big uppercut from Karl….BIG RLEFT AND DOWN GOES KARL…FIGHT OVER

Round 1:  Heraldez trying to counter…Overhand left from Prograis..Straight left..Hard left
Round 2 Combination from Conceicao..Prograis lands a left
Round 3 2 left from Heraldez..COUNTER LEFT AND DOWN GOES HERALDEZ.. 4 Lefts from Prograis AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Cruz going right at Magdaleno AND DOWN GOES MAGDALENO..HARD BARRAGE AND HUGE UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES MAGDALENO AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

SAN ANTONIO, TX – October 28, 2020 – Fighters competing on the Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) undercard previewed their respective matchups at a final press conference Wednesday before they square off this Saturday, October 31 from Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The press conference featured unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl, who meet in the co-main event, plus former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez, who square off in in a 10-round showdown, and lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno, who battle in an IBF title eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Davis vs. Santa Cruz is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday:

MARIO BARRIOS

“I’m super excited to be back home for my first title defense. Come Saturday night, it’s going to be an explosive night of boxing throughout this whole card. I’m trying to steal the show in the co-main event.

“I don’t feel any pressure. I’m fighting at home and defending my title, so it’s just a dream come true. You have an Aztec warrior and a Texas cowboy going at it. I couldn’t imagine a better co-main event.

“We had another great camp with Virgil Hunter in California. I’m excited to continue to show everyone why I’m the best in my division.

“Ryan definitely comes to fight. He’s known for being a pressure fighter. I’ve always considered myself a boxer-puncher. I’ll try to use my jab and fight from the outside as much as I can. But I’ve been known to brawl on the inside as well. It’s going to end up being a fan-friendly fight.

“I’m a complete fighter. I have the speed and power. I also have height and length. I carry my power throughout twelve rounds. I’m a dangerous fighter from the opening bell until the very end.

“You’re going to see a completely different fighter on Saturday night. My last fight I showed the warrior that I am, and during the championship rounds, I made big things happen. Saturday night, I’m going to show everyone how I’ve improved.”

RYAN KARL

“You’re going to see a great fight on Saturday. We are going to steal the show, because I’ve come prepared. I’m at my very best and it’s going to make me victorious. We put the work in. I’m going to seize this opportunity now that I have it.

“I’m not worried about getting a knockout. I just have to be victorious and become champion. Nothing else matters.

“I’m healthy and injury free now. It’s been over two years since I could say that. It’s a new start in a way. I’m listening better and my corner is the best it’s ever been. I expect it to be a very explosive and exciting fight.

“I’ve known Barrios since the amateurs, but it never crossed my mind that we’d fight because he was much smaller than me then. He’s matured and gotten a lot bigger now, so I’m anticipating he’ll bring the fight to me on Saturday.

“I come to fight, I’m rough and ready and I’m coming to win any way possible. It doesn’t matter to me. I’ve never been in a boring fight. Win, lose or draw, you’ll always get your money’s worth.”

REGIS PROGRAIS

“I’m excited to be here. Training has been amazing. I just want to go out there and prove that I’m still the best at 140 pounds. I was number one for a long time. This is the first step toward getting my belts back. I’ve been training differently than ever before. I’m really living like a fighter right now. I just have to go out and do what I know I have to do.

“I need a stoppage or a shutout. That’s what I’m looking for. He’s an okay fighter. I don’t want to degrade him too much, because I just feel like I’m the better fighter.

“This is my first step toward proving I’m still the best. You sit and go over the fight a million times in your head and it usually never goes that way. I’m just going to do me and show the world that I’m still here. I train too hard not to be number one. I don’t want to be behind anybody.

“We’re all going to do our thing Saturday night. It’s a huge stacked card. Order SHOWTIME PPV and watch me mess Heraldez up.

“I’m just taking it one fight at a time right now. The landscape in boxing changes all the time. I’m not worried about anything else other than Juan Heraldez.”

JUAN HERALDEZ

“I’m going to go out there and show everyone what the sweet science is all about. It’s about hitting and not getting hit. That’s my game plan.

“I believe that my style is exactly what boxing is all about. I have more advantages in my game than he does. I’m going to make sure that everyone sees it on Saturday night.

“Prograis had his chance to be elite, now it’s my time. He fought Taylor and lost. I didn’t really even watch more than a couple of rounds of that fight though, because I’m a completely different fighter than him.

“Prograis is a step up on paper, but all that goes out the window once we’re in the ring. It’s about boxing skills and toughness. I’ve been boxing all my life, so I don’t think I’m stepping up to him.

“I can box and I can punch. There’s not going to be anything else that needs to be said or done. This fight is going to prove to everyone that I have great boxing skills. It’s going to put me in a position to earn respect, win belts and make more money.

“I don’t think he’s going to be able to land clean shots on me because of my defense. You’ll have to ask him afterwards how hard I punch. I know his eye was really swollen after his last fight. Plan on seeing him look the same on Saturday.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“I’m very happy to be here in San Antonio. I’ve been doing a lot of sparring for this fight, especially against southpaws. I’ve sparred over 200 rounds so I will be at my very best on Saturday night.

“I came to fight, I came to steal the show, and I came for the victory. I don’t need to talk too much. I can talk with my fists on Saturday.

“I’m very prepared to give Diego Magdaleno a great fight. I’m a classic Mexican fighter who keeps coming forward. I throw a lot of punches and I don’t break down after the early rounds. I love to give a good show.

“I’m facing a good fighter with a lot of experience. He’s had a lot of tough fights, but we came very well prepared to take the victory with us.

“After this fight, people will not be able to forget my name. I’m ready to keep giving more and more in the future.”

DIEGO MAGDALENO

“I’ve fought in Texas so many times and I love fighting in front of these real fight fans. This started back in February when I kicked off 2020 with a roar. I was one of the last fights with a crowd, and now I’m back here with a crowd again. I’m relishing in the energy of this event.

“It’s my birthday and I’ve never felt this great. The whole world is right in front of me and I just have to go out and grab it.

“I’m bringing something huge on Saturday. You’ve never seen Diego on this much ‘fuego’ before. I never stopped believing in myself and that’s why I’m here today.

“I know I have to stay focused and stick to the game plan. I’m going to be true to myself. I have to be smart and everything else will be taken care of.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“Since we first started Mayweather Promotions we’ve promoted over 20 pay-per-view fights, and I have to say that from top to bottom, this is one of the most stacked undercards we’ve had. That will bring nothing but excitement for the fans come Saturday.

“The opening fight is an outstanding lightweight fight with Isaac Cruz taking on the always exciting Diego Magdaleno in a title eliminator in one of boxing’s hottest divisions.

“Then we roll into former world champion Regis Prograis, who is always in entertaining bouts, taking on Mayweather Promotions’ own unbeaten Juan Heraldez. These guys have gone back and forth during the promotion. Heraldez has told me he thinks Regis is an average fighter, and Regis has talked his trash too. They get to settle it on Saturday night. This has the potential to steal the show.

“The co-main event is an all-Texas showdown with Mario Barrios against Ryan Karl. This will definitely be an exciting bout. They both have highly respected trainers in Virgil Hunter and Ronnie Shields. So you know they will be extremely well prepared. From top to bottom we have a very entertaining undercard, so make sure to tune-in Saturday night.”

ABOUT DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ
Davis vs. Santa Cruz will see three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz battle for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships headlining a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heráldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions, @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.

NEW YORK – October 22, 2020 – Former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis talked about moving his training camp from Los Angeles back to Houston and more as he previewed his upcoming showdown against unbeaten Juan Heraldez that takes place Saturday, October 31 live on SHOWTIME PPV from Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“Training camp is going great and I’m thrilled to be back home in Houston with my team,” said Prograis. “I have my best training here. It’s just a strict training camp lifestyle. When I lived in L.A. I had great training, but it’s just a vacation lifestyle that doesn’t work for me right now. Down here in Houston I’m with my long-time trainer Bobby Benton at the Main Street Boxing Gym. There’s no frills in there, it’s always very hot.”

Even from the early days of the pandemic, Prograis was still finding ways to safely stay in shape for an eventual return to the ring. Since moving training back to Houston, he’s continued to responsibly put himself in position to be at his very best on October 31.

“When the pandemic started, I was still living in Los Angeles, so I’d go to the gym late at night and train by myself,” said Prograis. “Since I moved back to Houston, we’ve taken all the protocols to have a safe camp and prepare to our fullest for October 31.”

Prior to the pandemic, Prograis had a fight scheduled against former champion Maurice Hooker, which was cancelled along with numerous other fights on the boxing calendar. Now that he has a fight in place, Prograis is eager to return to what he loves.

“I wanted to fight soon after the Josh Taylor fight, because I always want to be active,” said Prograis. “We had a fight set in April against Maurice Hooker, then the pandemic hit and it was postponed. Now my sights are only set on Juan Heraldez. I can’t wait to fight on October 31. I just love to fight.”

For Prograis, this will be his first time on the pay-per-view stage, an opportunity that he relishes. In addition, the fight will have fans in attendance at Alamodome in San Antonio, giving Prograis a chance to return in front of fans in his home state.

“This is my first time on a pay-per-view and first time fighting on a Premier Boxing Champions card, so I’m very excited,” said Prograis. ” I fought six times on ShoBox: The New Generation and really started to make my name on that series, so to be back on SHOWTIME is a great feeling. I’m thrilled that we’re fighting in front of fans at the Alamodome. It’s only a couple hours away from Houston and I know San Antonio’s a great fight town. It’s going to be a tremendous night.”

In Heraldez, Prograis is matched up against an unbeaten opponent who is looking to use a career-best victory on October 31 to springboard himself into the 140-pound elite that Prograis has long been amongst. Because of that, Prograis knows not to take him lightly heading into their showdown.

“I don’t know too much about Juan Heraldez, but for him this is a great opportunity, so I know he’s going to come into the fight with guns blazing,” said Prograis. “We’ll see what happens once the fight starts. I can box and I can bang, and the way I’m training, I’ll be more than ready for whatever he brings. I’m not big on predictions, but I’ll be victorious.”

ABOUT DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ
Davis vs. Santa Cruz will see three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz battle for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships headlining a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions, @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.

NEW YORK – October 16, 2020 – Unbeaten super lightweight contender Juan Heraldez is deep into training camp and shared insights into his preparations as he nears a showdown against former champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis on Saturday, October 31 live on SHOWTIME PPV in a Premier Boxing Champions event headlined by Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz live from Alamodome in San Antonio.

“It’s been a long eight-week camp preparing for Prograis,” said Heraldez. “We’re fighting a different style of fighter, which is a good thing because he’s the type of fighter who comes to fight. A style like this makes it easier for me to train and prepare.

“Prograis has power, but you have to land it and that’s where my defense comes into play. My defense has always been a factor and it’s something we always tweak and find ways for me to be sharper. On paper his credentials are up there, but in the ring all of that goes out the door. When the bell rings, I’m not thinking about him being a former world champion. I fight and get the job done.”

Heraldez has adapted to the changes produced by training during the pandemic, and has been able to keep focused throughout camp. He credits the infrastructure at the Mayweather Boxing Club, where he trains in Las Vegas, for helping keep things running smoothly as he prepares to face his toughest opponent to date.

“The pandemic has had a slight effect on camp like it has with everything else,” said Heraldez. “There are so many protocols and safety measures, so you can’t just rotate sparring partners as easily as you could before. Adjusting to wearing a mask in the gym and getting tested constantly are things you learn to get used to. The Mayweather Boxing Club has done a great job of keeping the gym clean and safe for all of us. A lot of my stablemates are here in Las Vegas preparing for big fights, so it’s a great feeling knowing that we can come to a gym where safety is the top priority.”

The unbeaten Heraldez will return to the ring after fighting former world champion Argenis Mendez to a draw in May 2019 on SHOWTIME. Heraldez had put together an impressive string of victories dating back to a 2017 triumph over then-unbeaten Jose Miguel Borrego, and included a knockout win over Eddie Ramirez in February 2019 leading into the Mendez fight. Heraldez has continued to fine-tune his arsenal heading into the Prograis fight.

“My team and I have been working on various things such as my jab, but most importantly where I am in the ring at all times,” said Heraldez. “My ring awareness has elevated this camp. My coach and I keep things old school, we don’t have a strength and conditioning coach, we work on the basics and get better at them each camp. Boxing is simple. Stick and move and don’t get hit. The training I get from Coach Otis Pimpleton covers so many things such as cardio, technique, ring IQ, etc., so my job is just to listen to my team and trust them when I’m in camp and in the ring on fight night.”

While Heraldez is looking to improve on the draw in his last fight, Prograis will be seeking to bounce back from his first career defeat, a memorable 140-pound unification clash with Josh Taylor. With both fighters hungry for a win on October 31, Heraldez expects an exciting night for fans.

“On fight night, both of our styles are going to make for great action,” said Heraldez. “We both bring a lot to the ring. We’re both fighting to be the best, but on October 31, everyone will see what I’m capable of.”

ABOUT DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ

Davis vs. Santa Cruz will see three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz battle for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships headlining a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions, @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.

NEW YORK – October 13, 2020 – Fighters competing on the Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) undercard previewed their respective showdowns during a virtual press conference Tuesday before they meet in the ring on Saturday, October 31 from the Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The event featured unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl, who meet in the co-main event, plus former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez, who square off in in a 10-round showdown, and lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno, who battle in an IBF title eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday:

MARIO BARRIOS

“I’m super amped for this type of fight. Ryan and I have known each other forever and we know the style that the other person will bring to the ring. For the fans at Alamodome and watching on pay-per-view, they’re in for a great fight.

“I couldn’t be happier to be in one of the first fights with a crowd since the pandemic. Having my first defense be in my hometown of San Antonio is huge. The feedback I’ve been getting so far from my fans has been incredible. Onfight night that we’ll both have our fan bases there for an exceptional night of boxing.

“I know that come fight night I’ll be facing the best version of Ryan Karl that we’ve seen. He’s training the same way and expecting that from me. So it’s going to be an action-packed fight and the fans will not be disappointed.

“I don’t feel any pressure fighting at home. Every time I fight at home, the energy has been unreal. If anything, it’s more motivating.

“We’ve watched my fight against Batyr Akhmedov a couple times. I’m a warrior and I showed that in the fight. We made all the changes we needed to in this camp and I’m going to show them on October 31.

“I’m very proud of the Akhmedov fight. Every great fighter has had close fights like that. It was a learning experience.

“I know the route that Karl has had throughout his career and I know he’s taking this opportunity and coming 100% ready. I’m planning to keep the world title in San Antonio, so it’s going to be a great battle.”

RYAN KARL

“This fight is going to be a big deal. It’s really surreal, to an extent. We’re very excited and working really hard and putting in the work. It couldn’t be better that it is taking place in Texas with fans. It’s going to be a big Texas showdown.

“I’ve definitely evolved as a fighter. I’ve trained harder than I ever have before. Ronnie [Shields] has talked to me about staying calm and getting ready for the moment and what it means to be in a world title fight. It’s about just staying focused and handling business. We have to remember we are there for business and nothing else. This is no pleasure but all work, no play. And he’s keeping me focused on those things and getting me in the best shape of my life.

“I’ve known Mario forever so as far as knowing each other and styles, we’re familiar. But we’ve never been in the ring with each other so we are really just guessing what we are going to do in there. As far as how we’ll come out and fight, we really won’t know until we are in there with each other.

“I expect it to be a fan-friendly fight. A true Texas fight. As far as how it’s going to play out, I really don’t know. People make adjustments in the ring. I expect us both to come to win and do so at all costs and just make it a very, very fan-friendly fight.

“I don’t really feel any pressure for this fight at all. It really doesn’t make any difference to me that we are fighting in San Antonio, or not. It’s nice to be fighting in Texas because I’m a Texan and I’d like to fight here and never have to leave. But I don’t feel any pressure at all. I’ll fight anybody, anywhere. There’s nobody else in the ring but me and him so it doesn’t really matter in the end.”

REGIS PROGRAIS

“I’m very excited for my first fight as part of the PBC stable. I’ve been wanting to come over to this side for a long time and it’s finally happening. When something bad happens, something good usually happens off of that so this is perfect. I’m in Katy, Texas, which is a two-hour drive from San Antonio, is a big fight town. Plus, this is the first fight back where we’re having fans. Everything is working out perfectly and I’m so excited to be on such a big card and to get back in the ring.

“I still feel like I’m the best in the world at 140 pounds. In the Josh Taylor fight, I went over there to England, fought in front of over 20,000 people who were all against me and I still feel like I won the fight. I won’t say they robbed me because that’s not what happened, but I still feel like I won the fight. I feel like I’m the best in the division and I need to keep proving it. This is another step for me.

“My next move depends on what’s offered to me. But first off, I have a tough fight in front of me. I’m focused on Juan Heraldez. There are a lot of things on the table for me after this, but I have to get past him first. I do yearn to be a champion at 140 pounds again before I move up to welterweight. That is the plan. But the landscape of boxing changes so much that it’s so hard to predict. You never know what’s going to happen.

“There are a lot of people out there right now for me to fight. Adrien Broner, Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez. Me and Josh Taylor are definitely going to fight each other again. No matter what, we have to fight. The fight was too close and it was too much of a big deal out there in the U.K. for that not to happen again. I definitely want to fight Ramirez. I feel like he’s ducked me for a little while. And the Broner fight could definitely be a huge fight. All of those names are who I’m looking for. But it’s one step at a time and it’s Juan Heraldez next.

“The Taylor fight definitely showed me that there are things I need to improve on. Going into that fight, I questioned myself if I could fight 12 hard rounds. I had only gone 12 rounds against Terry Flanagan but that was a boxing lesson, not 12 hard rounds. I fought 12 hard, hard rounds against Taylor so it was kind of a question in my head before that. Now I know that I can do it. Josh Taylor is a very big puncher and I took his punches like it was nothing. As far as things I need to work on, I guess we’ll see. But I’ve been working really hard and I’ve been in training camp since before the pandemic started. I had a lot of fights that didn’t happen so I’ve been working that whole time, working on different things and busting my ass. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get to the top spot at 140 pounds.”

JUAN HERALDEZ

“In my last fight against Argenis Mendez I learned that I have to really control of the fight. I can’t let there be 50-50 rounds and leave it in the judges’ hands. I have to take as much control as I can over the fight.

“On paper Prograis has a good resume, but when it comes to skills in the ring, it’s a totally different thing. People can say what they want, but skills pay the bills.

“I’ve only watched a couple of rounds against Josh Taylor because that was a fight against a southpaw. I don’t think I can take much from that. I’m a totally different fighter.

“I just believe in my skills and ability. Whether it’s my footwork, speed or overall ability, I don’t believe that he does anything better than me. He had his time at the top of the division, but now it’s my time. It’s my time to shine.

“After this fight I think the whole division is going to fear me. I think it’s going to be hard to find me a fight after I’m through with Regis.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“[Magdaleno] is definitely a good fighter and has a lot of experience, but me and my team are ready to take advantage of the experience we have and to use it for our purposes to be able to prevail in this fight.

“The fact that this will be the first big fight with fans in the stands in the United States just fills me with happiness. It motivates me even more to do my best at the Alamodome on October 31.

“The Mexican fans know what I’m all about. We will now head over to the United States and show the American fans what Isaac Cruz is capable of. I know I can be a contender with the likes of Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia and [Vasiliy] Lomachenko and show people that there is another Mexican fighter that can be a contender and make noise in this division.

“I’m prepared for his experience. It’s going to be a great fight from the start, but as the rounds go on, he will start to realize the fighter I am and the power that I’m capable of.”

DIEGO MAGDALENO

“This is my second fight with my trainer, Bones Adams. It’s a family affair. Boxing is family to me. Going into every fight, being a mature old man that they are calling me nowadays, it feels good because I know where my priorities are. My last win over Austin Dulay was huge because my last team that I had was pretty much saying that I was old, that I was washed up and done. I didn’t like that idea. I went back and rejuvenated my whole team. Rejuvenation over here is Bones Adams.

“You’re never too old to get better and we’re here to serve beatdowns to the young guys. My last opponent was 24 years old coming over to face an old man, and I proved the world wrong. Now everybody is believing again in ‘2FUEGO’. I’m going to start this show off with some fire. They have me opening the show on a stacked card and I’m going to get in there and give it my all.

“I’m surrounded by people who want me to progress. If I believe in myself, I want my team to believe in me and I felt that my old team didn’t believe in me. That’s why you saw what happened in that Teofimo Lopez fight. I’ve learned from my mistakes and moving forward I have positive gym vibes. I have a great coach who has been in the ring with me and knows me personally. I definitely made a huge change and look what I did against Dulay, a guy with vicious knockout power. Numbers and strategies can say one thing, but at the end of the day, when we get in the ring, it’s up to me to prove everyone wrong like I did in my last fight.

“I will be the first fight back with a crowd and I think that favors me. I fight off other people’s energy and you guys will all see that on October 31.”

ABOUT DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ
Davis vs. Santa Cruz will see three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz battle for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships headlining a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions, @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.

NEW YORK – October 2, 2020 – Three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will square off in a Halloween thriller for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships live on SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The four-fight pay-per-view card will be the first major boxing event with fans in attendance since COVID-19 forced a halt to U.S. sports in March.

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

The highly anticipated main event will be contested at 130-pounds and will be fought for both Santa Cruz’s 130-pound title and Davis’ 135-pound title, which they each won in their previous fight. Two crowd favorites with massive followings, Davis vs. Santa Cruz is an all-action style matchup, with Davis owning a .957 knockout rate, while Santa Cruz is long established as one of the busiest punchers and best pressure fighters in the sport.

Davis vs. Santa Cruz will be a rare clash in boxing history in which world titles in two weight classes will be at stake. Other notable instances in recent boxing history are the 1988 Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Donny Lalonde fight for the light heavyweight and super middleweight titles, and the 2014 Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana rematch for the super welterweight and welterweight championships.

“I’m looking forward to showing the world how hard I’ve been working in camp,” said Davis. “We are just a few weeks away, and I’m already in great shape. Headlining on pay-per-view has always been a dream of mine since I started boxing. I can’t wait to put on a spectacular performance against multiple division world champion Leo Santa Cruz. Thank you to my team, SHOWTIME, Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions, and all my fans worldwide. Keep supporting me and I’ll fight for you.”

“October 31 is going to be the biggest fight of my career,” said Santa Cruz. “I’m going to fight a very tough opponent, maybe the toughest opponent of my career. Two titles are going to be on the line, and this will be my first time headlining a pay-per-view. So I’m going to do everything that I can to put on a good show. Davis is known for his power. But I think with my experience and ring IQ I can break him down. He’s probably going to be very aggressive in the early rounds. But if I do what I’m supposed to, and execute our game plan, I will win.’’

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club.

“This fight between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz is such a great fight that we had to have it with fans, which will be a first for a major boxing event since COVID-19 started,” said Floyd Mayweather, President of Mayweather Promotions and a 12-time, five-division world champion. “Tank’ Davis is a special talent, a super skilled fighter and I have been in the gym regularly to watch and help him prepare for a tough opponent in Santa Cruz, who we all know always comes in shape and ready to fight. It’s going to be a great night for Mayweather Promotions, for boxing and for sports. The best fighting the best is all we can ask for.” 

“We continue with the tradition of offering boxing fans the best matchups in the hottest divisions, pitting the best versus the best,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Tank Davis facing Leo Santa Cruz is one of the most exciting matchups of the year. You have a young, hungry star with devastating power in Davis and an experienced and absolutely relentless four-division champ looking to conquer a title in a fifth division. This is the type of matchup boxing fans have waited the entire year to watch. Two superstars in their toughest matchup to date battling for titles in two weight divisions at the same time.”

“Gervonta Davis is the most exciting fighter in the sport, and he’s set to headline his first pay-per-view card and set the world on fire,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “He’s up against an experienced, four-division world champion in Leo Santa Cruz, who is looking to take him down and hand him his first L on October 31.”

“Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz is one of the best matchups that can be made in boxing, with each fighter in position to score a career-defining victory,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “We’re excited to bring a historic showdown with world titles in two weight classes on the line to fans at the Alamodome. Davis vs. Santa Cruz presents a fascinating clash of styles, with Santa Cruz’s relentless pressure against Davis’ fight-changing power. Adding in three high-stakes undercard attractions, this pay-per-view is lined up to present drama in the ring from start to finish.” 

Tickets will go on sale Monday, October 5 at 10 a.m. CT and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. This is the first major boxing event with fans in attendance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. in March. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the virus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask, as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com.

“The Alamodome is excited to host the Davis vs. Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV event and to bring these athletes to San Antonio,” said Steve Zito, General Manager, Alamodome. “Not only is this a great platform for these athletes and their fans, but the event will also spotlight San Antonio through nationally televised matches and generate economic impact for our community during these challenging times.”

Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout victory over Jose Pedraza to win the IBF Junior Lightweight World Title in a star-making performance on SHOWTIME^® in January 2017. At the time, he became the youngest world champion in boxing at age 22. In the ring, Davis blends controlled aggression with blazing hand and foot speed, eye-catching power and sublime boxing skills. The dynamic combination of skills has made Davis a fan-favorite who filled arenas in Atlanta, Ga., and his hometown of Baltimore, Md., last year. 

The 25-year-old began his 2019 with a knockout of Hugo Ruiz in February, before scoring a second-round stoppage of Ricardo Núñez in his homecoming fight in July. Davis closed out the year by capturing his lightweight title via 12^th round TKO of former champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in December. Davis also owns a title-winning performance in which he dominated former champion Jesus Cuellar to capture the WBA 130-pound belt in 2018. Under the guidance of Mayweather Promotions, Davis will look to further improve his impressive portfolio with another title-winning performance in his first pay-per-view main event.

Fighting out of Los Angeles, Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) made his debut at super featherweight last November by defeating Miguel Flores to capture the WBA title. Santa Cruz has made his name in the sport by engaging in numerous Fight of the Year contenders, including two thrilling featherweight title duels against four-time champion Abner Mares and two-division champion Carl Frampton each. He lost his featherweight title in his first match against Frampton in 2016, but reclaimed it in their rematch the following year.

The 32-year-old has competed in title bouts in 17 of his last 19 fights, while picking up belts at 118, 122, 126 and 130-pounds. The 130-pound title made Santa Cruz just the fifth fighter of Mexican descent to win titles in four weight classes, joining Oscar De La Hoya, Erik Morales, Jorge Arce and Mikey Garcia. Santa Cruz was introduced to the sport and trained throughout his career by his father Jose, along with his brothers Jose Armando, a former lightweight contender, and Antonio. Santa Cruz will look to become a five-division champion in his first pay-per-view headliner.

The 25-year-old Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs) will be making the first defense of his world title in his hometown of San Antonio. Barrios captured his 140-pound title in his last fight in September 2019, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision over then-unbeaten Batyr Akhmedov, dropping him twice and fighting through a cut suffered on a head butt. Barrios trains in Oakland, Calif. under the guidance of renowned coach Virgil Hunter. The five-foot ten-inch Barrios debuted as a super bantamweight in 2013, eventually moving up to 140-pounds full time in 2017 where he is 8-0 with seven knockouts.

“The long layoff is finally over and fans can expect to see me go to war with Ryan Karl, who I know is coming to bring an aggressive fight to the table,” said Barrios. “I’ve stayed in great shape during this past year, so now it’s time for me to keep giving boxing fans exciting fights. I’ll be representing my city of San Antonio and as always, everyone can expect to see me as explosive as ever. On October 31, all the fans watching on pay-per-view will watch me make a statement as I defend my title.”

Born in Milano, Texas and now trained in Houston under the tutelage of top trainer Ronnie Shields, Karl (18-2, 11 KOs) will step in for his first title opportunity on October 31. The 28-year-old enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak, with all three wins coming in 2019, including a knockout of Kevin Watts to avenge one of his losses in an immediate rematch. Karl also owns victories over Kareem Martin and then-unbeaten Jose Felix Quezada during his pro career that dates back to 2014.

“I’ve been training for this my whole life and I’m not going to let it slip away,” said Karl. “We’re working hard in training camp to put on the best performance of my career. We know what we’re up against in Mario Barrios, but I’ve come too far not to take full advantage of this opportunity on October 31.”

A staple of the 140-pound elite, Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs) returns to the ring after losing his title in an exciting unification clash via majority decision last October against Josh Taylor. The 31-year-old won his title by defeating Kiryl Relikh by TKO in April 2019 and has also earned stoppage victories over former unified champion Julius Indongo, and then-unbeaten contenders Joel Diaz Jr. and Juan Jose Velasco. Prograis was born in New Orleans but lives and fights out of Houston.

“This is a huge fight and I’m very thankful to PBC for giving me this opportunity,” said Prograis. “I haven’t fought in a year and since then I’ve done a lot of self-reflection and moved from L.A. back to Texas. I’m more focused than I’ve ever been and I can’t wait to get back to my number one spot in the super lightweight division. I have to be a world champion again and I won’t stop until that happens.”

The 30-year-old Heraldez (16-0-1, 10 KOs) can vault himself into the top tier of 140-pound contenders with a career-best victory over Prograis on October 31. Born in Northridge, Cal. and training out of the Mayweather Promotions gym in Las Vegas, Heraldez most recently fought to a majority draw last May against former champion Argenis Mendez. Heraldez’s pro career has also seen him score victories over previously unbeaten Jose Miguel Borrego and tough contender Eddie Ramirez.

“It’s been a crazy year, but I took this opportunity to spend time with my family and sharpen my skills inside the ring,” said Heraldez. “There’s been a lot of great sparring happening at the Mayweather Boxing Club that I’ve taken advantage of. I have a tough opponent in front of me, and that’s my only focus right now. I trust in my ability as a fighter and I trust my team to get me over the finish line with a victory on October 31. I’m thankful to Mayweather Promotions for putting me on such a large platform for this fight.”

Fighting out of his native Mexico City, Mexico, Cruz (19-1-1, 14 KOs) is unbeaten in his last 15 fights since dropping his sixth pro fight by decision. The 22-year-old knocked out 10-of-13 opponents between 2016 and 2018, before making his U.S. debut in December 2019. That contest saw Cruz earn a unanimous decision over Miguel Perez, which he followed up in February of this year by defeating Thomas Mattice by decision on ShoBox: The New Generation.

“Since I started boxing, it has been my dream to fight on this stage in the United States,” said Cruz. “I know that Diego Magdaleno is a very tough and experienced fighter, but it’s my time on October 31. The fans will see that I have what it takes to be world champion when I beat Magdaleno and announce myself as one of the best lightweights in the world.”

Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) enters this fight coming off of an impressive victory over contender Austin Dulay in February that saw him drop Dulay on his way to a unanimous decision. The 33-year-old has challenged Roman Martinez for a 130-pound title and Terry Flanagan for a lightweight crown, while also battling lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez in February 2019. A Las Vegas native, Magdaleno has won four-of-five fights entering October 31, including a 10-round decision over Artyom Hovhannisyan.

“I’ve been super eager to get back into the ring since my last performance,” said Magdaleno. “That win sparked a fire in me and got me as motivated as I’ve ever been. Now that I’m in a title eliminator, I’m even more excited to return to action. I’m facing another young lion, but he’s lacking the experience that I have. Training with Bones Adams has made a world of difference in my career. I’ve made a transition to being more composed and smarter in the ring. I’m here to make a statement and claim what’s mine. I’m never going to back down until I get that world title.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

Matchroom Boxing USA’s event at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland on Friday April 17 has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
Former World Super-Lightweight champions Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker were due to meet in Maryland along with undisputed World Welterweight champion Cecilia Brækhus defending her titles against Jessica McCaskill, while Croatian Heavyweight Filip Hrgovi? was set to take on Jerry Forrest and Olympic gold medal man Daniyar Yeleussinov had his sights set on former unified World champion Julius Indongo.
 
Matchroom Boxing USA is exploring alternative options around staging the event, including on a rescheduled date.
 
Fans should visit their point of sale for ticket refunds.

Tickets for the blockbuster clash between former World champions Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker go on pre-sale at noon tomorrow (Wednesday March 3) ahead of their clash at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, live on DAZN. 
TICKETS START AT JUST $43 (PLUS FEES)
Prograis and Hooker head into the clash having both played their part in two fight of the year unification bouts in 2019. Prograis (24-1 20 KOs) travelled to London and was edged out over 12 rollercoaster rounds by Josh Taylor in the final of the World Boxing Super Series, while Hooker (27-1-3 18 KOs) hosted José Ramírez in Dallas in July, and the pair served up a back-and-forth shootout that Ramirez won via stoppage in the sixth round of a breathless contest.

A stacked undercard has been lined up in support of the main event, with undisputed Welterweight champion Cecilia Brækhus (36-0 27 KOs) defending her titles against unified Super-Lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs), with more World title and top-level action to be announced.

Pre-sale starts at noon tomorrow with the following three codes: ‘MBUSA’, ‘PROGRAIS’ and ‘HOOKER’

Tickets will go on general sale from noon on Thursday March 4, again available from Ticketmaster.com

By Norm Frauenheim-

Top Rank’s roster got deeper and its reach grew farther with Thursday’s surprising announcement that it had signed Josh Taylor, the Scottish junior-welterweight whose imminent stardom was evident in his majority decision over Regis Prograis for two of the 140-pound belts in late October.

It was the second signing of worldwide significance for Top Rank, which signed bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue on the same day in November when he beat Nonito Donaire in a Fight of the Year performance.

From Japan to Scotland, the sun never sets on Top Rank’s promotional empire these days.

The top of the pound-for-pound debate provides a pretty good look at a promotional roster that is long on substance and name recognition. Among the top five, the order changes, but three are Top Rank fighters – Terence Crawford, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Inoue.  Canelo Alvarez of Golden Boy and Errol Spence Jr. of PBC complete the elite five.

There’s a chance, a good one, that more Top Rank fighters will begin to climb into pound-for-pound consideration on Top Rank’s ESPN schedule throughout 2020. There’s light-heavyweight Artur Beterbiev, junior-welterweight Jose Ramirez, lightweight Teofimo Lopez, featherweight Shakur Stevenson, junior-featherweight Emanuel Navarrete and now Taylor.

For Taylor, it all depends on how he does against Ramirez. Taylor’s new deal opened the door for a Taylor-Ramirez fight for all of the relevant pieces to the 140-pound puzzle. Look for that one later in year. First, Ramirez has a date against Viktor Postol on Feb. 2 in China.

On several levels, Taylor’s move is intriguing and controversial. It further stoked the fires of an already hot rivalry between Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn of the UK and Top Rank’s Bob Arum. Hearn in early 2020 is to Arum what Don King was to a younger Arum late in the last century. They just don’t like each other.

Arum is not shy about Hearn’s move into the United States. He threw verbal bombs at Hearn for Matchroom’s Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-Danny Jacobs fight in Phoenix on Dec. 20 before fans threw beer bombs at Chavez when he decided not to continue after five rounds. Less than a month later, Arum moves into Hearn’s backyard and signs Taylor, who is Top Rank’s answer to Matchroom’s signing of Mikey Garcia last month.

The controversial side to Taylor’s move to Top Rank involves Barry McGuigan, who fired off a statement to UK media Thursday, saying Taylor was still under contract to Cyclone Promotions.

Taylor quickly countered with a statement of his own, saying he had ended the deal with Cyclone.

“I terminated my promotional agreement with Cyclone as a result of various breaches of contract including, in particular, breaches relating to a conflict of interest on the part of the promoter,” he said. “That allowed me to search for a new promoter, which I have found in Top Rank. I wanted to part ways amicably and without resorting to court proceedings [and] I thought and hoped the McGuigans would feel the same way given the litigation they are involved in with other fighters.’’

Cyclone Promotions has been in and out of court with Carl Frampton, a former featherweight champion from Belfast who is recovering from hand surgery in hopes of fighting junior-lightweight champion Jamel Herring in May.

The controversy figures to continue. But boxing wouldn’t be what it is without turmoil. On both sides of the ropes, the business is always fighting, yet always resilient enough to recreate itself with bouts worth watching. Taylor-Ramirez is one of them.

By Bart Barry-

ATLANTA – Traffic shapes your view of everything
here, and you’re not ready for it. 
You’re a medium-city guy who hails from one and likes others from them,
and you know infrastructure in medium cities is sometimes wanting, especially
in the South, spiritually unprepared as it is for immigration of all kinds, and
yet you’re not prepared for the perilous and timebending nature of this city’s
traffic.

This has something to do with Saturday’s match but
not too much, even if one of its combatants is from the American South.  Scotsman Josh Taylor had something that bent New
Orleans’ Regis Prograis in a way for which he was unprepared, howsoever
well-prepared he thought he was.  And
since I happen to be in Peach State for reasons entirely unrelated to our
beloved sport, why . . .

Class told early Saturday while ruggedness told
later, and that’s not oftenly how it goes. 
Taylor won WBSS’ third Muhammad Ali Trophy by majority-decisioning Prograis
in an excellent fight broadcast by the aficionado’s network, DAZN, from an O2
Arena near enough Taylor’s native Scotland to make it a homegame for the Tartan
Tornado (and since Taylor prevailed, he remains British).

In so doing Taylor joined Callum Smith and Oleksandr
Usyk on a shockingly short list of prizefighters since 2017 who’ve allowed
themselves be matched in single-elimination tournaments against the best
available men in their divisions and prevailed. 
While an argument might be made that Top Rank and PBC assets shouldn’t
be excluded from conversations about the world’s best 168- and 200-pound
fighters in 2018 and best 140-, 130- and 200-pound fighters in 2019, the ranks
of those capable of persuasively making such arguments ain’t exactly swelling.

There was much chatter, for instance, about Top
Rank junior welterweight champ Jose Ramirez, Sunday morning, with Taylor’s
establishing himself as the division’s best. 
Ramirez moves the gate for Top Rank, and the promoter’ll be in no hurry
to risk such prowess against a man who might beat him.  Which brings a very interesting question: Who
of Saturday’s combatants do Top Rank’s matchmakers, boxing’s best for a few
decades at least, think is less likely to beat Ramirez in a way that cancels
future sales?  That question, much more
than belts or rankings, will determine the next direction for the junior
welterweight division.

The aforementioned Smith and Usyk cases are instructive
here.  Both men did everything they might
to scour their divisions, and neither got rewarded with meaningful followup
challenges.  Middleweight champion Canelo
Alvarez decided a match with a 175-pound titlist was more attractive than a
match with Smith, and former middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin, well, his handlers
now search Twitter profiles for a proximate opponent, #superwelter.  Usyk’s case is slightly different – there was
nobody left when he was done at 200 pounds – but he’s now at heavyweight, where
no champion is matched to lose unless by accident.

The Muhammad Ali Trophy is gorgeous but not magnetized.

Still, what Taylor and Prograis did in its pursuit
merits more words than granted thus far. 
Taylor unmanned Prograis for 2/3 of Saturday’s match by smothering him,
in a twist few anticipated.  Taylor’s
largest liability, going in, was his tendency to defend in the exact manner from
which Prograis’ attack would draw encouragement.

Then Taylor did nearly its opposite.  He introduced Prograis to a degree of
physicality Rougarou did not prepare for. 
What happened eventually, Taylor’s unemployable right eye, was exactly
what Prograis would’ve predicted had anyone told him Taylor’d be brazen enough
to get physical during minutes 4-35, but herein lay the problem for Prograis:
Taylor predicted the same in camp.

Nobody who watched the 12th round of Saturday’s
fight thinks Taylor could’ve prevailed were the match unexpectedly extended to
15 rounds – Prograis won the final round more clearly than either man won any
of its predecessors – but Taylor had a better plan and executed it more
precisely.  Fortune, they say, favors the
bold, and it did Saturday when a nasty gash opened over an eye Taylor wasn’t
using anyway; the southpaw Taylor’d long since replaced his lead eye with tactile
tactics and didn’t bother dabbing at his bepurpled right eyelid while there was
still a chance to counter the southpaw Prograis.

Saturday’s was not a great fight but an excellent
one.  Taylor would not have prevailed in
a great fight, one in which each man was felled or worse; had the match been
any more excellent than it was, in other words, Taylor would’ve been the one
giving a gracious postfight speech rather than Prograis.

A word or two about that, too.  How refreshing was Prograis’ comportment for
an American after losing a decision narrow enough to be attributable to
geography?  He promised no excuses and
made none.  He called his opponent – badly
faded, beatup and blinded – the better man more than once.  Prograis wasn’t chastened in defeat but
noble.  He’d gotten a fight more honest
than expected and talked like it.

That spoke, also, to what Taylor’d done.  When a man skitterskips his way from you,
husbanding his most violent acts for a finalbell chest slap, it’s impossible
not to feel cheated.  But when a man puts
his weight on you, shoulders you and forearms you, gets your sweat cleaned off his
gumshield after a round of knocking it from your head in halos, when he makes
it filthy intimate, that’s another thing entirely.  It’s easier to be gracious after such an
experience – and such things must be experienced to be believed.

Congratulations, then, Josh and Regis, we wish
there were more men like you!

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

17:00 DOORS AND FIRST BELL

8 x 3 mins Super-Middleweight contest 
DENIS RADOVAN 11st 13lbs 10oz v LUKE BLACKLEDGE 12st 8lbs 8oz
(Germany)                                            (Darwen)

4 x 3 mins Middleweight contest
AUSTIN WILLIAMS 11st 7lbs 7oz v MIROSLAV JUNA 11st 6lbs 12oz
(Houston)                                           (Czech Rep)

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS FACEBOOK

10 x 3 mins WBC International Super-Welterweight Title
ABASS BARAOU 10st 12lbs 14oz v JOHN O’DONNELL 11st 8oz
(Germany)                                           (Galway, Ireland)

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS BOX OFFICE

10 x 3 mins WBA Continental Welterweight Title
CONOR BENN 10st 6lbs 5oz v STEVE JAMOYE 10st 5lbs 4oz
(Ilford)                                         (Belgium)

12 x 3 mins EBU Cruiserweight Title
YVES NGABU 14st 3lbs 8oz v LAWRENCE OKOLIE 14st 3lbs 2oz
(Belgium)                                 (Hackney)

12 x 3 mins Lightweight contest 
RICKY BURNS 9st 8lbs 8oz v LEE SELBY 9st 8lbs 7oz
(Glasgow)                                  (Barry)

12 x 3 mins vacant WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title
DEREK CHISORA 18st 8lbs 3oz v DAVID PRICE 18st 12lbs 4oz
(Finchley)                                        (Liverpool)

12 x 3 mins WBA Super, IBF, WBC Diamond & Ring Magazine Super-Lightweight Titles and WBSS
REGIS PROGRAIS 9st 13lbs 15oz v JOSH TAYLOR 9st 13lbs 9oz
(New Orleans)                                     (Prestonpans)

FLOAT

4 x 2 mins Bantamweight contest
SHANNON COURTENAY 8st 11lbs 6oz v JASMINA NAD 8st 7lbs 12oz
(Watford)                                                      (Serbia)

By Norm Frauenheim-

Star power is behind him. Star potential is within him. What looks so close, however, could suddenly become a star-too-far for Regis Prograis, who is a cutting-edge face to boxing’s emerging generation.

Much, if not all, depends on how Prograis tests his evident charisma and versatile skill-set against Josh Taylor Saturday in a bout (DAZN) loaded with career-defining elements.

Prograis, whose management team incudes Mark Wahlberg and filmmaker Peter Berg, has a back story to tell and he knows how to tell it.

He fled New Orleans and the devastation left by Katrina in 2005. Where there weren’t wrecked homes, there was personal chaos. Prograis survived, then thrived. Out of the storm, came the fighter.

The story introduces him. He’s done the rest, scoring 20 stoppages in 24 victories and winning a junior-welterweight belt. No matter the rating, he’s ranked among the top three at 140-pounds alongside Taylor and Jose Ramirez.

Now, he’s on the road in London, where he puts it all at risk against Taylor (15-0 12KOs), a fighter from Scotland’s Edinburgh who is a slight betting underdog yet figures to be a huge crowd favorite at the O2 Arena in southeast London.

Both left-handers, Taylor has advantages in size. At 5-feet-9, Taylor is an inch taller than the 5-8 Prograis. He has a 2 ½-inch edge in reach. In terms of volume, he figures to have all of the decibels from the crowd cheering in his favor.

It’s hard to pick against him.

“I’m quite a bit better than him in every department,’’ Taylor said Thursday at the final news conference.

No argument there. If a pre-fight news conference is the equivalent of a political debate, however, score this one for Prograis.

“He should be able to land a solid, flush punch on me and when that happens, nothing will happen,’’ said Prograis, who is as comfortable in front of the cameras as he is telling stories. “When that happens, things will change. He will realize that I am an iron-man with an iron jaw.

“Once he lands his hardest shot and I look at him with a face of disdain, he will think: ‘Damn, I’m in trouble.’ “

Damn, he might be right.

Taylor argues that Prograis’ unbeaten record is padded with a lot of nobodies and wannbes. He has yet to encounter Taylor’s kind of power, the Scotsman says.

Yet, it’s also evident that Prograis has almost a quick-silver way of adjusting. His mastery of different looks can confuse even a prepared opponent. In so many words, Prograis says Taylor doesn’t know, can’t see, what’s coming.

Prediction: Prograis wins a decision, unanimous, yet close on every scorecard.

Kalle Sauerland, Chief Boxing Officer of the WBSS:

“Good afternoon London, it’s great to be here and this is it, the Super-Lightweight final for the Muhammed Ali Trophy. I am very honoured to be sitting up here with two great athletes, warriors, fighters, fighting for the greatest prize in boxing. The winner of this fight will be the best man in the division, we saw it with Oleksandr Usyk and Callum Smith and these guys have got here not because we have put them together in a great fight but because they fought the best to reach the final. 

“On Saturday we will see the best vs. the best to find out who the man to beat at this weight class is. In a day and age of so many titles and confusions in this sport, its nice nice to have a simplistic format of a quarter final, semi final and final and we have had some dramatic fights up until this point. 

“We’ve had both Prograis and Taylor become World Champions and now we have it, on Saturday on what we believe is one of the biggest stages in world boxing. We have seen so many great fights here over the years at The O2 and Saturday night is about the best vs the best, the caviar of boxing. Two guys putting it all on the line for us, they didn’t have to enter this tournament but they did it to put themselves on the line!

“Great credit to Prograis and to Taylor who have fought the best to be here, and were really looking forward to seeing the Champions League Final of boxing on Saturday night.”

Eddie Hearn: 

“What a card on Saturday night! Conor Benn, Lawrence Okolie going for the European title against Yves Ngabu, Shane McGuigan in his corner. A brilliant domestic battle between Ricky Burns and Lee Selby, a mouthwatering Heavyweight contest between Derek Chisora and David Price which is headlined by this amazing fight. 

“One of the great things about the WBSS is that not only are we getting the best vs. the best but we’re getting it very quickly. I have to be honest If I was promoting Josh Taylor after that amazing win in Glasgow I probably would have taken a couple of easy defences! The great thing about the tournament for the fans is that they go straight into a unification match. 

“The best fight in the 140lb division with both guys coming off stunning wins. Regis looked great in his win against Kiryl Relikh and I was lucking enough to be up in Scotland to watch Josh Taylor’s great performance against Baranchyk where he won the IBF World title. 

“The Ali Trophy is on the line in this fight but also the World Championship belts of both men and the vacant Ring Magazine belt as well! Whether you feel that the titles, the Ali Trophy or the Ring Magazine belts carry the most weight in boxing, they’re all on the line in this fight, so everybody should be happy that we’re getting the best vs the best. 

“I’ve not got any association with these two guys so I get to sit there as a fan and just watch a great fight! Regis Prograis is a man who has been talked about in the States for a long time. Lou DiBella has been blowing the horn of Regis for a long time and he has an incredible story coming from New Orleans where we know he is very popular. 

“Josh Taylor has exploded onto the scene with world class performances and I really believe that both guys have a great opportunity to become stand-out stars in the sport on Saturday night. We are going to have 15,000 fans packed into the arena and the atmosphere is going to be incredible. 

“As always we are live and exclusive on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and we thank our partners DAZN in the states. I wish both guys the very best and Regis all the media you have done has been incredible. I can’t see anything but this being a fight of the year contender, we have been lucky enough to already have two fight of the year contenders in October and this can only follow suit. We can’t wait!”

Adam Smith, Head of Sky Sports Boxing:   

“I echo Eddie’s words and Kalle’s as well, its wonderful to have these two fighting at The O2! It’s a perfect finale to what has been a fantastic series and the winner of this is going to be in a phenomenal position. They are both wonderful fighters!

“This is going to be a great night from top to bottom with some wonderful fights on the card.”Regis Prograis – New Orleans, USA – 24-0, 20 KOs – fighting Josh Taylor in the WBSS Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Final with the WBA, IBF & Ring Magazine World titles on the line:

“He should be able to land a solid, flush punch on me and when that happens, nothing will happen. When that happens, things will change, he will realise that I am an iron-man with an iron jaw. Once he lands his hardest shot and I look at him with a face of disdain, he will think: ‘damn, I’m in trouble’.

“I’m versatile, that’s the biggest differences. My last 10 fights look different. When I hit you, I hurt you.

“It was a great thing to come here three weeks ago because I am comfortable and adjusted to the weather, food, people.

“Josh is the best in the world – apart from me. He’s taller, he’s longer. Does he hit harder? Maybe, maybe not. Faster? Maybe, maybe not. Better chin? Maybe, maybe not. The tale of the tape never matters. What matters is heart and boxing IQ, and mine are so high. That will be the difference.

“He gets hit. Josh has been hurt against Ivan Baranchyk and Viktor Postol who aren’t punchers like me. They’re not sharp, crisp like me, they don’t have the timing that I do.

“After his fight in Scotland I told him: ‘If you get hit by the same punches by me, you’ll get hurt.'”Josh Taylor – Prestonpans, Scotland – 15-0, 12 KOs – fighting Regis Prograis in the WBSS Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Final with the WBA, IBF & Ring Magazine World titles on the line:

“Twenty-two of his fights have been against absolute nobodies, people who haven’t fought since, journeyman. It is a padded record.

“I don’t think it’s about tiny percentages – I’m quite a bit better than him in every department. Speed, power, timing, skill. I do it all better than him. He hasn’t been tested, he hasn’t been hit by anyone. He hasn’t fought anybody with the desire that I’ve got, or the skill-set that I’ve got.

“He’s not under my skin. I’m ready to fight. My mind-set is starting to change now, I’m in fight mode. I’m sick of the sight of him.”

Shane McGuigan, trainer of Josh Taylor:

“It’s the pinnacle of boxing isn’t it. It’s two World Champions boxing each other for a unified title on Sky Sports Box Office at The O2 arena. It’s something that, as Eddie mentioned, Josh has kind of gone under the radar and bounced onto the scene. We’ve spent four years working behind closed doors with Josh Taylor, building him up and making sure that he’s prepped and ready for this occasion.

“Camp has gone brilliantly, everyone always says that but it really has gone brilliantly. He’s razor sharp and he’s ready for whatever Prograis brings to the table. I think you see the best of Josh Taylor whenever he’s up against it, he’s definitely up against it on Saturday night. Prograis is a good puncher, he’s got very good distance and control and they’re raving about him in the states. I know my man is going to win and I don’t believe that it’s going to go the distance.”

Lou DiBella, promoter of Regis Prograis:

“When you see something like what happened to Patrick Day you realise just how much you have to appreciate the men and women that walk into that ring for our entertainment and the risks they take to entertain us. One of the best examples of that is coming this Saturday night. The two best 140lbers in the world are going to meet in the final of the World Boxing Super Series. 

“I have nothing but respect for Josh Taylor. You’re not going to hear me say a negative word about him or his team. I have long believed that the two best 140lbers in the world are Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor. I think on Saturday night Regis is going to prove that he is the number one 140lber on the planet and Josh is number two. Josh’s team feel differently. Time will tell. 

“At this moment in time it is hard for me to be as enthusiastic as I might otherwise be but I’ll tell you that I am expecting a great sporting event, a great boxing match and the best of what our sport can offer on Saturday night. My greatest wish for both of these guys, other than a Regis Prograis win which I expect, is that they both leave after giving a tremendous effort where they give everything that they have and they go home healthy to their families.”

Sam Katkovski, manager of Regis Prograis:

“I want to thank everybody for being so courteous to us here and making us feel at home. I want to thank our whole team for the past eight weeks of camp, from training, to PR, to marketing. They’ve all done a tremendous job.

“But most importantly I want to thank Regis. He has really embraced it, done everything that we have asked him to do and he’s loved doing every single one of them. He loves the UK fans and we’ve been promoting this fight feeling like we’re at home.

“Now we’re two days away we’re excited and we can’t wait. In two days the whole world will see his talent. October 26, buy the PPV and buy the few remaining tickets. You’re about to see a man continue to build his legacy and this fight is part of his legacy.”