Follow all the action as Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol fight in a WBC/WBO Super Lightweight unification bout.  The action, from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with a 3-fight undercard with a Featherweight world title bout between Oscar Valdez and Mattias Rueda.  Also on the card will be weltweights Jose Benavidez Jr and Francisco Santana.  The action kicks off at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a Light Heavyweight tussle between Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Tommy Karpency.

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Round 1: Crawford gets in a right inside..Right from Postol

Round 2: Right to to body from Postol..Bidy shot from Crawford..left to body.left to body..Left

Round 3 G.ood right from Postol..right to body…right,,Left from Crawford..2 rights and  jab from Postol..right to the chest

Round 4 Hard left from Crawford…2 more hard lefts..right to body from Postol..right..Right from Crawford..

Round 5 LEFT AND DOWN GOES POSTAL..HARD LEFT AND POSTOL’S GLOVE HITS CANVAS…

Round 6 Postol lands a right..

Round 7 Right hook from Crawford..hard body shot..left

Round 8 Left rocks Postol..

Round 9 Good left hurts Postol..

Round 10 2 straight lefts from Crawford..

Round 11 2 nice counters for Crawford..Body shot from Postol..Right from Crawford…Counter..POSTOL DEDUCTED A POINT FOR HITTING BEHIND THE HEAD

Round 12: 2 shots from Postol..Good right..Hard shots from both guys…

118-107 twice 117-108 FOR TERENCE CRAWFORD

Round 1 Jab from Valdez…2 more left hooks and right..Huge right…Jab

Round 2 Blood from nose of Rueda..Good Jab..ripping right…BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES RUEDA…BIG COMBINATION AND DOWN GOES RUEDA…FIGHT STOPPED

Round 1 Santana working on the ropes..Body shot by Benavidez..Body…Good uppercut..Santana lands a left hook..hard combination rocks Santana..Hard combination

Round 2 Combination to the head..Hard uppercut from Benavidez snaps Santana’s head..Ripping head..

Round 3 Santana gets in a combination on the ropes..Terrific in fighting on the ropes..Right on ropes from Sanatana..Great round

Round 4 hard work on the ropes from Santana…

Round 5 Body shot from Benavidez…Combination to the head..

Round 6 Hard right from Benavidez..

Round 7 Benavidez countering and landing some hard shots from distance

Round 8 Good right uppercut from Benavidez..Good left from Santana…Right rocks Santana..Santana rallies at the bell

Round 9 Right from Santana…Santana looking exhausted…Benavidez pot shotting …Good combination

Round 10 2 good shots from Santana..

100-90, 96-94, and 98-92 FOR BENAVIDEZ

Round 1 Karpency lands a left…KARPENCY DROPS GVOZDNYK WITH A RIGHT..Gvozdyk lands a left..Left from Karpenct

Round 2 Right from Karpency..Body shot

Round 3 Gvozdyk lands a body shot

Round 4 Gvozdnyk out working Karpency..Good right

Round 5 Karpency bleeding from the bridge of his nose..Left from Karpency

Round 6 Body shot from Gvzdnyk…BODY SHOT DROPS KARPENCY…FIGHT IS OVER

LAS VEGAS – The gloves were gold. Maybe, Terence Crawford’s future is, too.

Crawford at least put himself in position to collect some with a one-sided decision over Viktor Postol Saturday night in a pay-per-view junior-welterweight fight at the MGM Grand.

By the sixth round, there was little doubt about the fight or Postol’s chances and, instead, plenty of talk about how Crawford (29-0, 20 KOs) might do against Manny Pacquiao.

“Of course,’’ Crawford said when asked if would fight the Filipino Senator. “I’ll fight anybody, anywhere.’’

Crawford-versus-Pacquiao on Nov. 5 at Thomas & Mack Center, also in Las Vegas, appeared to be promoter Bob Arum’s plan all along during a week when he complained about criticism of his decision to offer the Postol bout on PPV television.

Crawford’s 118-107, 117-108, 118-107 wipeout of Postol (28-1, 12 KOs) might come to look like an investment in the future, if and when there’s an agreement with Pacquiao. The fight itself was forgettable.

Crawford’s advantage in speed baffled Postol, whose power was never a factor. In fact, Crawford’s speed appeared to the biggest reason for two knockdowns in the fifth. Postol stumbled to one knee in the opening seconds of the round. Still off-balance, he stumbled backwards later in the round, touching the canvas with a glove.

Increasingly, Postol looked baffled. Then, frustrated. In the end, Crawford mocked him. In the 12^th, Postol began swinging for the fences in the desperate attempt for a knockout.

All the while, Crawford ducked, weaved, stepped to one side then the other. He was having fun, so much so that he stuck his tongue out at Postol. He also smiled at him and talked at him before claiming ownership of three pieces – The Ring, WBO and WBC – pieces of the 140-pound title.

Postol trainer Freddie Roach, who bet $1,000 to win $9,000 on the Ukrainian to win by KO, said he was surprised by Crawford speed. In the immediate aftermath, Roach, who also trains Pacquiao, didn’t want to speculate on what might happen against the Filipino.

“We’ll see what happens,’’ said Roach, who got a good look at gloves that said Crawford is more of the real kind than the fool’s variety.

Oscar Valdez Jr. joked that promoter Bob Arum was exaggerating when he called him the featherweight division’s next legend.

Maybe. But there was no exaggerating what Valdez did within two rounds in claiming his first major title Saturday night at the MGM Grand.

Valdez blew away Matias Rueda of Argentina scoring a second-round stoppage for WBO title vacated by Vasyl Lomachenko. Valdez (21-0, 18 KOs) finished Rueda (26-1, 23 KOs) with a left to the body for a TKO at 2:18 of the second round.

“A dream come true,’’ said Valdez (21-0, 18 KOs), a two time Mexican Olympian who went to school in Tucson.  “I’ve been dreaming about this since I was six years old.’’

Valdez celebrated by dancing across the canvas. He talked about family and the future. He dedicated the victory to a cousin who died on a motorcycle. He talked about waiting to fight the great champions.

Next stop: Tucson.

Arum plans for Valdez to make his first title defense in the southern Arizona city where he first began to box. Possible sites are the Tucson Community Center and Casino Del Sol, maybe on Nov. 26.

His potential opponent is the winner of Miguel Marriaga-versus-Guy Robb on Aug. 27 in Fallon, Nev.  The Marriaga-Robb fight is a WBO eliminator. The winner earns a mandatory shot at Valdez, a first-time champion and – if Arum is right – maybe a many-time champ.

Jose Benavidez Jr. was hoping for something spectacular. Maybe next time.

But the unbeaten Phoenix fighter (25-0, 16 KOs) got what he had to have, a victory in his welterweight debut with a unanimous decision over tough Francisco Santana (24-5-1, 12 KOs) Saturday on a pay-per-view card featuring Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol at the MGM Grand.

“There is only one guy I want and it’s Jessie Vargas,’’ Benavidez (25-0, 16 KOs) said. “He wants Manny Pacquiao. But he has to deal with me next.’’

Vargas was sitting at ringside, working as a television analyst. When asked about Benavidez calling him out, he said:

“Fine, come and get it,’’ Vargas said. “Let’s get it set up.’’

There were some boos when one-side scores were announced. Adelaide Byrd scored it a shutout, 100-90. Judge Kermit Bayless had it 98-92. On Glenn Feldman’s card , it was a reasonable 96-94.

“I landed the cleaner shots,’’ said Benavidez, who landed quick combinations in the ninth and 10th rounds, yet appeared to tire in the middle rounds when he leaned on the ropes, an old habit.

With the victory, Benavidez next bout appears to be on in Tucson on card that expected to feature Oscar Valdez Jr. in the first defense of his WBO featherweight title.

Oleksandr Gvozdyk was down. But not done.

Gvozdyk (11-0, 9 KOs), the latest in a string of East European imports, hit the canvas in the first round, stunned by a Tommy Karpency right that he never saw in the first fight on the pay-per-view card featuring Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol at the MGM Grand Saturday night.

Five rounds later, Gvozdyk , a Ukrainian light-heavyweight, was looking down at Karpency (26-6-1, 15 KOs), on his knees and finished.

Karpency, bleeding badly from a cut on the bridge of his nose, went down from a body shot, a right hand to the chest. He also complained about getting thumbed in the eye.

It was clear, however, that he wasn’t getting up. He stayed on one knee until the referee counted 10 for a Gvozdyk victory, a KO at 2:21 of the sixth.

The curtain went down on the non pay-per-view part of the Postol-Crawford card quickly. Definitively, too.

Japanese middleweight Ryota Murata dropped (11-0, 8 KOs) dropped George Tahdooahnippah (34-3-3, 24 KOs), Oklahoma’s Comanche Boy, with a body shot. Then, he rocked him with a succession of rights, forcing the referee to stop it at 1:52 of the first round.

Lenny Zappavigna traveled from Australia. Lianhui Yang came from China. They met at an international crossroads. No interpretation necessary. In the ring, everybody speaks the same language.

Zappavigna (35-2, 25 KOs) spoke it with more power, stopping Yang (18-2, 13 KOs) in the sixth round of a junior-welterweight fight Saturday on the Crawford-Postol card..

Zappavigna nailed Yang with two right hands, then rocked him with successive shots when the refreee stopped at 43 seconds of the round.

Edward Williams’ fraternity brothers barked. He provided the bite.

Williams (12-1-1, 3 KOs), a Detroit welterweight, had just enough of it Saturday against Houston’s Christon Edwards (6-2, 3 KOs) for a six-round unanimous decision that sparked a small frat party after the third bout on the Postol-Crawford card at the MGM Grand.

Stanyilav Skorokhod scored two knockdowns in the opening round and gestured at a fallen Hakim Bryant after the first, waving at him to get up.

Bryant obliged the Ukrainian middleweight, scrambling to his feet and giving him more work than he might have expected in the early moments Saturday. Bryant (6-1, 4 KOs), of Asbury Park, N.J., stayed on his feet for the next five rounds, stubbornly moving forward and into shots thrown by Skorokhod (11-1, 8 KOs).

But Bryant’s evident toughness wasn’t enough against Skorokhod’s 70-inch reach. The Ukrainian appeared to tire, but he had enough to win a lopsided decision in the second fight on the Crawford-Postol card.

It began with a TKO. But there was nothing technical about it.

Omaha light-heavyweight Steve Nelson (3-0, KOs) left Tim Meek (5-3-1, 2 KOs) of Canutillo, Tex., bloodied, bruised and overwhelmed with a fourth-round stoppage in the first fight on a card featuring fellow Omaha fighter Terence Crawford against Viktor Postol in a junior-welterweight bout Saturday night at the MGM Grand.

Nelson warmed up the ring for his fellow Nebraskan with a counter shot that dropped Meek with a thud that echoed throughout an empty building in a non-televised bout before the pay-per-view portion of the card. Nelson then bloodied Meek’s nose and opened up a nasty gash above one eye in the third.

Meek was tougher than his name suggests. But his corner had seen enough. Thirty-two seconds into the fourth, it threw in the towel.

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS – It’s a unification fight in a contentious game as divided as ever.

Terence Crawford or Viktor Postol will walk out of the MGM Grand’s ring Saturday night with three pieces of a 140-pound title and into a fractured business hit by declining revenues and unsure about how to proceed.

It’s a rare bout, matching The Ring’s No. 1 and No. 2–rated junior-welterweights and both unbeaten. It’s the kind of fight that media and fans always demand to see, yet rarely do. If interest is measured in dollars and praise, however, it’s not there.

Amid criticism, promoter Bob Arum is offering the fight on pay-per-view for $59.95. HBO is carrying it. Yet, Arum is on the hook for the purses, $1.3 million for Crawford (28-0 20 KOs) and $675,000 for Postol (28-0, 12 KOs). The money for the fighters isn’t in the HBO budget. The premium network reportedly cut its boxing budget for 2016.

Arum decided to go forward with the bout on PPV anyway, in part because he wants to keep Crawford busy. With a victory, Crawford, nearly a 7-1 favorite late Friday, could win a shot at Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 5 at Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center. If Crawford gets past the dangerous Postol and upsets Pacquiao, he could solidify his credentials as boxing’s next superstar.

But would the money be there for him? Given today’s economics, could Pacquiao, a new Filipino Senator, expect his usual $20-million guarantee? Arum says Pacquiao understands that the business is in decline since the Filipino collected a reported $180 million for a loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, a colossal dud, is seen as the beginning of the ongoing crash.

In some ways, Crawford-Postol represents the start of a different era with smaller expectations, at least in terms of purses. Getting used to it, however, might take some time. Arum is not happy about it. He’s expressed frustration at the criticism he’s getting for putting Crawford-Postol on PPV.

“I want to thank the press for telling the fans not to buy the fight,’’ Arum said to a few reporters as he left the media room after the weigh-in Friday. “I’ll remember.’’

Arum needs 80,000 pay-per-view customers to break even, according to several sources. It was hard to predict whether he’ll even get that number. An estimated crowd of fewer than 1,000 was at the weigh-in Friday. Crawford, of Omaha, tipped the scales at 140 pounds. Postol, of the Ukraine, was 139.5.

Despite the one-sided odds and media complaints about pay-per-view, the fight itself looks intriguing. Postol has developed a nasty, powerful uppercut since Freddie Roach became his trainer. Roach, also Pacquaio’s trainer, will be in Postol’s corner for the fourth time. He’s so confident that he came into the media room after the weigh-in Friday, showing off a betting slip. He wagered $1,000 on the chance to collect $9,000, picking Postol to win by knockout.

“In any round.’’ Roach said.

That might turn out to be better bet that big a pay-per-view audience.

Discuss the pressure on being seen as one of the NEW faces in boxing.

CRAWFORD

“There is no pressure on me being looked at as boxing’s next superstar, but there is a lot of hard work in becoming one. I’m really excited to be on the big stage and I’m on that big stage because I paid my dues in the gym and in the ring. That’s the reason I have accomplished so much as a fighter — pride of performance — and that’s why I am going to win on July 23. If I’m going to solidify my position as the new face of boxing it starts by unifying the 140 pound division. I’ve been fighting people taller than me and larger than me all my life. I’ve been short for 28 years and I haven’t been stopped yet. Postol is nothing to me. He’s just another guy that I’m fighting. I’m not training for Postol, I’m training for myself — to be the best I can possibly be. I do that, then no one can beat me. I’m confident in my abilities and I am confident that I am going to destroy Postol.”

McINTYRE

“There is no pressure because it’s his destiny. All we have to do is keep on winning. The media and the public will see Terence as the best fighter in the world. I don’t care who Postol has in his corner, there is no way we’re letting Postol come to our country and take home Terence’s title. We are a way better team than they are. We have a deep history with each other and we have the heritage that produces legends as well as champions. Postol cannot beat Terence. And Freddie Roach is going to have a front row seat to watch his fighter get drilled.”

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Viktor Postol/Freddie Roach Blog Part 4: Tuesday, July 19

Describe your relationship with Freddie Roach. How much has Freddie Roach helped you?

VIKTOR POSTOL
When I first met Freddie Roach in his gym in Hollywood I saw a man who was fully committed to his job. I saw that this was the job of his entire life. He lived in and lived for boxing. No matter how many people are in the gym training, Freddie always finds time for everyone to give advice and correct something for somebody. The same was in my case as he always put his heart and soul into my training as a boxer and anyone can see the result of our working together. Freddie has always believed in me and given me his full and undivided attention, even in our first training camp in the Philippines where Manny was training for his fight against Chris Algieri. He allowed me to spar with Manny and when it was my time to train after Manny had left the gym, he gave me 110% of his attention. It has always been that way. He gives me confidence and teaches me many things. He is a wonderful teacher and I am lucky to be his student. He has had me work a lot on the small things because details are important. That has turned me into a stronger professional fighter. We are a great team.

FREDDIE ROACH

I called Viktor my favorite Russian fighter after he knocked out Matthysse to win the world title and he corrected me and told me he’s from the Ukraine. I have the utmost respect for him as a person and as a fighter. He works hard every day. He’s always on time. He listens and then he practices what we work on for for hours. He has developed into a great student of the sport both mentally and physically. When someone like Viktor comes in daily and gives you everything in the gym you cannot help but root for him. We have total trust in each other. I was so happy for him when he knocked out Matthysse to win the world title. Viktor deserved it. I have been in the game a long time but the night Viktor became world champion was one of the greatest victories of my training career. But I think Viktor’s performance on July 23 will surpass that. We have a solid game plan for Crawford. We are going right at him from the opening bell. This is a real 50-50 fight. The best man will win and the loser will go back to Nebraska.”

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

By Norm Frauenheim

A Viktor Postol victory over Terence Crawford could lead to a Postol-Manny Pacquiao fight and force trainer Freddie Roach to choose between Postol and Pacquiao.

It sounds awkward. But Roach, trainer for both Postol and Pacquiao, says it wouldn’t be.

“It wouldn’t be the worst position in the world,’’ Roach said Thursday during a conference call nine days before the Postol-Crawford junior-welterweight bout July 23 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. “I feel like Viktor has done everything to get ready for this fight, to win this fight.’’

“If that does happen, I’ll have to deal with it.’’

The possibility emerged this week amid reports that Pacquiao would fight later this year in his first bout since he was elected to the Filipino Senate a few weeks after his rematch decision over Timothy Bradley in a welterweight bout in April.

Danny Garcia appears to be the leading possibility when — and perhaps if — Pacquiao decides to resume his career. Longtime Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, who also promotes Crawford and Postol, also said the July 23rd winner could land a shot at the Senator with a spectacular performance.

Postol and Crawford will fight at 140 pounds, which many believe is Pacquiao’s ideal weight.

“If that fight will happen, we’ll then sit down with each team to see how it goes,’’ Top Rank vice-president Carl Moretti said.

Then, Moretti couldn’t resist the chance to deliver a good punch line.

“As far as Freddie goes, it would be great to see him run back-and forth, from corner-to-corner,’’ Moretti joked.

That wouldn’t happen, of course. Roach’s longtime role as Pacquiao’s friend, confidante and corner man dictates that he would be in the Filpino’s corner.

“Me and Manny have been together for 15 years,’’ Roach. “It would be very difficult to go against him, of course. But, you know, I know Viktor is a very good fighter also.’’

If the Postol-Pacquiao happens, Marvin Somodio, Roach’s longtime aide, would probably train Postol.

What did you think about Viktor Postol’s performance against Lucas Matthysse and did it surprise you at all?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I feel as though Postol did what he needed to do to win. I think he did a lot of holding and using his elbows that the ref didn’t see. But all in all he did what he had to do to get the job done. I picked him to win in that fight anyway so it was a good victory.

There were blogs that went out on Tuesday where you were complimentary of Postol but he was not of you. Going as far as saying Matthysse was better than you…

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Well, that’s what he is supposed to say. He is supposed to say he is going to destroy anybody that he is going to step in the ring with, but to my knowledge, I don’t care what he says because come July 23rd he is going to have to show me, he is not going to just be able to tell you. He knew who to fight. He had the option of fighting either me or Matthysse and he thought Matthysse was the easier fight because he knew if he was going to fight Terence Crawford he knew what was going to happen.

There have been stories about Manny Pacquiao coming back and you were mentioned as an opponent recently. Does it up the stakes for you since he may return?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I am not thinking about Manny Pacquiao at all. I am focusing on Viktor Postol and that’s it – that is all.

You two have a common opponent – Hank Lundy. You stopped him and Postol beat him by decision – does that give you any more confidence coming into the fight?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: No, styles make fights. That was a few years back and I don’t look at it as a confidence booster. I just know my skills and my ability in the ring – I believe that I am going to get the job done on July 23rd.

You have 20 knockouts to his 12 – do you feel you have the advantage in power?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I feel, all around, I can do whatever I want in there. If I have to box, I box. If I have to brawl, I brawl. If I have to trade, I trade. In those types of fights, I have the power to back you up. All in all, I feel like my IQ is what takes me to the next level.

Does the rough type style, like Yuriorkis Gamboa and like Postol, bother you and how do you overcome it?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Not at all. I just be myself and stay relaxed. Stay composed and do what I came to do. Do what we’ve been working on in camp and everything else will fall into place. The approach is to go in there and do what we have been working on. Each fight is different and every fighter is different. Gamboa was a real crafty fighter and so is Postol, but Postol poses a different threat than Gamboa so we will have to see what he poses on fight night.

Do you plan to go southpaw often and how do you prepare for his jab?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: We just have to see how the fight goes. It’s funny how all of the people are giving Postol all of the credit for his jab but nobody is talking about how good my jab is. So I’m loving it. I’m loving it. I’m loving it how everyone is talking about how good his jab is.

Why are you training in Colorado Springs. Is it to get away from home?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: We have been training in Colorado Springs for about four years – so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We have been having good success out there. You get away and we get to have a great camp. Plus the high altitude gives us a little edge.

When you go to that altitude for camp, how long does it take for you to adjust? Those are serious runs at serious altitude?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I adjust real quick since I am used to going out there. The first couple of days and the first couple of workouts you feel it but then your body gets acclimated to the climate.

Are you worried about Postol’s grabbing, holding tactics?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: That’s not my problem and I can’t be concerned about it. I can just hope the referee notices it and does something about it.

Would you say Postol is a dirty fighter?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I wouldn’t say that he is dirty. He fights to win. He is trying to do whatever he can to win. Some things are not allowed and some things some referees let you do more than others.

Pacquiao coming back…last year it was mentioned you were not well known enough to fight Pacquiao on pay-per-view. What do you think this fight will do for you?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: It will help me tremendously, but again, I am not thinking about that fight right now or whether I may be fighting him or if I put on a good show. My main focus is Viktor Postol.

CARL MORETTI: It is the meaning of when you get the best two guys fighting each other the winner comes out as the best in the division and unfortunately in boxing we don’t get that a lot. So you have a unified champion who is clearly the best fighter in the division and I think what you’ll see is a lot of talk about Terence being in the top three pound-for-pound after this, because of the accomplishment. It’s not just to unify the title or to try to unify the title. If the title-holder is kind of weak – and I don’t mean to put down other fighters or other champions – but there are champions out there that really, from talent, just aren’t that good or as good as they can be. With Postol, everybody’s eyes opened up when he knocked out Matthysse, who apparently was the second coming of Carlos Monzon – I don’t know where that came from, but that ended quickly, and if Crawford does what he is capable of doing, I think his value clearly skyrockets by beating another champion that is well-respected. You hear other champions say “I want to unify” and you don’t even know who the other champion is in the division. Take the same meaning here – Crawford-Postol means a lot. If Crawford beats Postol it means a lot.

Before this fight was made, was it a priority for you to unify the titles? Some want to fight the best, some want to unify…where do you stand?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I just want to fight and be recognized as the best in my division. That’s it. So if going through Postol means that’s how I get there, then so be it. But from the standpoint of my division, I want to fight all of them, until I move up.

Do you feel like you would want to continue to unify or is it not a big deal to you?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Well, I don’t know. Right now it is not. All of my focus is on Postol. I don’t worry about all of the extra things that is around the division right now.

Do you worry about Postol’s height advantage? It is about three inches and that plus the reach could be concerning…

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I have fought a lot of tall opponents in my career. This is not the first tall opponent that I have ever fought and it’s not going to be something new to me. It’s not going to be something that I have never seen before. So I am not concerned about his height or his jab or anything because I have seen it before.

Do you view this fight as the biggest of your career so far?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Of course – this is a very big fight for me at a very critical time of my career. This fight is more meaningful than the Gamboa fight, at the moment, because this fight can take me to that next level beyond the level that I’m on right now. This fight means a lot and I do look at it as the biggest fight of my career to date.

Did you have any reaction when you heard that Manny Pacquiao was coming back?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: No, not at all. I didn’t even worry about it and I didn’t care and I didn’t even know because that’s not my main focus.

Since this is your first fight on pay-per-view, do you feel like your name is getting out there more?

I don’t really know how to answer that because I feel like my name is out there already, but I do feel like my name could be bigger than it is. But at the same time, that is not something that I focus on, that is something that will develop in time. I promote my self as well as my promoters who promote me.

In the documentary you mentioned how you got a second chance after being shot in the head. Is that something you think about all the time?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Yes, of course. I don’t think about it a lot, because I like to put it in the past and put it behind me and move on with my life. But sometimes I do think about how I got a second chance and make the best of it.

How did it feel having HBO follow you around Omaha and talk to your family, something that a lot of fighters don’t have happen to them?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: It was pretty cool to see myself on HBO and to see all the things that they do in making the special and I was happy to be a part of it.

Do you have a new hope of getting in the ring with Manny Pacquiao if you defeat Postol?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I’m not worried about that now so I don’t think about it.

How do you think your mother and grandmother did on the HBO show? They didn’t seem to be camera shy at all…

TERENCE CRAWFORD: They did good (laughing).

Bryan, we have spoken to Terence about Postol’s antics – holding and elbows…do you do anything in preparation for that or do you just overlook it?

BRYAN McINTYRE: Me and the other coaches (Coach Saul and Red), we sat down and talked about it and we are going to let referee Tony Weeks know that we are very concerned about whet he does in the ring.

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I would like to thank everyone, fans and media alike, for the support and I hope everyone watches on HBO Pay-Per-View. It is going to be a great night of boxing and we are going to put on a great show.

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HBO Sports Presents “TERENCE CRAWFORD: MY FIGHT”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f6wef8egeM&feature=youtu.be

“COUNTDOWN: CRAWFORD vs. POSTOL WORLD TITLE UNIFICATION” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSKJh2HdATE&feature=share

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Undefeated junior welterweight champions TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD (28-0, 20 KOs) and “The Iceman” VIKTOR POSTOL (28-0, 12 KOs) will go mano a mano in a 12-round world title unification fight to determine the lineal king of the exciting 140 pound division. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate and the motion picture “Hands of Stone,” the Crawford vs. Postol World Boxing Organization (WBO) / World Boxing Council (WBC) / The Ring junior welterweight world championship event takes place in Nine Days, Saturday, July 23, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. Remaining tickets are priced at $304, $204, $104, and $54, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call AXS at (888) 929-7849. Tickets are also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or AXS.com (http://bit.ly/24ORYhs)

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordPostol to join the conversation on Twitter.

How is Crawford different from other boxers and what kind of fight are you expecting?

POSTOL

“What differentiates Crawford from many other fighters are his skills and technical attributes. From a mental aspect he is a very clever boxer, always using his mind in the ring, changing stances, all the time adapting to different types of opponents. He has shown this in his previous fights. But that does not mean he is the best I have fought. I think Lucas Matthysse is a higher-level fighter than Crawford and everyone knows how my fight with Matthysse ended, with him knocked out and the WBC belt around my waist. And that is exactly where the WBC belt will remain after my fight with Crawford on July 23. Just above the WBO belt. I am looking forward to destroying Crawford — destroying his perfect record and destroying his reign as world champion.”

ROACH

“Crawford can box and move and is a very good fighter. I think both fighters are very complete boxers and both have good amateur backgrounds and great pro backgrounds. They have one common opponent — Hank Lundy. Crawford knocked him out but when we fought him four years ago and won a decision, Lundy was in his prime. And just because I am impressed by Crawford doesn’t mean I am intimidated by him. Viktor will break him down just as he did with Matthysse. He has a lot of patience which comes from experience. He’s going to break Crawford down brick by brick, with his jabs and his body shots. Viktor leaves nothing to chance. No one works harder in the gym than Viktor. I give Crawford a lot of credit for taking this fight. But bravery will only take you so far in this game and in this fight it won’t be taking Crawford into the winner’s circle.”

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Will Postol be the toughest test of career? Why did you decide to take such a dangerous fight?

CRAWFORD

“On paper you could make a case that Postol will be the toughest man I have faced inside the ring, but I won’t really know that until I fight him on July 23. When I go into camp, I always assume the opponent I’m training for will be my toughest test. It’s the only way I know how to train. I respect any fighter who laces up the gloves and enters the ring to battle with me. I take no opponent for granted and I take nothing in training camp for granted. We are by the book in camp. We skip nothing in gym training or conditioning. It’s a fulltime job. You have no idea what it takes on a daily basis to get myself to the level I achieve on fight night. I cannot afford an off night. It’s unacceptable and it’s dangerous. No one is going to give me anything in a fight. I have to earn it the old-fashioned way and that’s by taking the fight to my opponent and winning it. Against Postol, I’m not just defending my belt, I’m out to take his too. That’s the reason for taking such a tough fight. It is because I wanted to fight the best fighter out there. To beat the best fighter out there. To show that I am the best fighter in the division.”

McINTYRE

“We won’t know if Postol will be the toughest until we get into the ring with him. He does have some good victories, he has a title and he is undefeated. So if you look at those credentials, you can’t ask for a stronger opponent than that for Terence. Both fighters are risking their titles and their undefeated records — everything that have worked so hard to earn — and that is something that appeals to us and appeals to fans who are looking for the best to fight the best. A victory on July 23 will lead to bigger and tougher tests and we welcome that too. I know Terence is the best fighter in boxing. We want him to have the opportunities to prove it. Regarding the July 23rd fight, I’m not worried about what Postol will be doing. I’m only concerned about what Terence does in training camp. And right now, Terence is having an amazing camp. Because Terence is training so strong, my gut is telling me this may be an easy fight for us.”

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

According to Dan Rafael undefeated light heavyweight Oleksandr Gvozdyk will take on Tommy Karpency in the opening bout of the July 23 PPV fight card that will be headlined by Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol in a junior welterweight unification bout at the MGM Grands in Las Vegas.

The bout will replace the WBO Super Middleweight title bout between Gilberto Ramirez and Dominik Britsch after Ramirez fell out due to a hand injury.

“My matchmakers say this is a real test for Gvozdyk,” Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com. “Karpency was the best opponent we could get on short notice, but we were told he was training for another fight. So this is a good test for Gvozdyk to prove to us that he is as good as we think he is.”

July 7, 2016 – Leading up to the highly anticipated junior welterweight unification championship between Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol – set for Saturday, July 23 and presented live by HBO Pay-Per-View® – HBO Sports will present the exclusive replay of two intriguing showdowns that highlight the remarkable skill and drive of these competitors.

On Friday, July 15 at 11:15 p.m. (ET/PT) and Saturday, July 16 at 11:40 a.m. (ET/PT), HBO2 will replay Crawford vs. Gamboa 2014 and Matthysse vs. Postol 2015 back-to-back. On June 28, 2014 in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford let the world know he was a force to be reckoned with by knocking out Gamboa in a battle of undefeated rising stars in the ninth round. The win earned Crawford BWAA selection for “Fighter of the Year” honors. Last October in Carson, California, Postol pulled off the upset with a 10th round knockout against one the most exciting fighters and fearsome punchers in boxing, Lucas Matthysse, in a high-action contest.

Both fights will also be available 24 hours a day to HBO NOW, HBO On Demand® and HBO GO® subscribers beginning Monday, July 11.

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

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LAS VEGAS, NV. (July 7, 2016) — By day STAR SWAIN (photo attached) is an assistant principal at the Jefferson County Middle/High School in Monticello, Florida and a Ph.D. candidate in education policy and evaluation. But come Saturday, July 23, live on pay-per-view, Swain will live up to her first name when she steps into the center of the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. to sing The Star Spangled Banner before undefeated junior welterweight world champions TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD and “The Iceman” VIKTOR POSTOL collide in the season’s most anticipated fight.

As reported by ABC News, “Swain turned into an overnight viral sensation after her impromptu performance of the National Anthem had people stopping in their tracks at the Lincoln Memorial while she was visiting Washington, D.C. with family on June 16.” Since ABC News posted this story, the video of Swain’s incredible rendition has grown to more than 37.5 million views on Facebook.
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/viral-national-anthem-singer-star-swain-brings-house/story?id=40274691

“I am so excited to sing The Star Spangled Banner in front of the world championship fans gathered at the MGM Grand Garden Arena,” said Swain. “This is a unique opportunity that most people do not get. I thank Top Rank for providing this platform for me to connect with fellow Americans as I sing the national anthem with pride.”

“Top Rank has always enjoyed enlisting the best talent available — professional or not — to sing the National Anthem at our major events. We’ve had superstars like Jamie Foxx and Ashanti and winners and contenders from American Idol. And now Star will join that illustrious group. We are very honored she accepted our invitation. Star captures the spirit of our event,” said Brad Jacobs, Top Rank’s Executive Event Producer.

Crawford vs. Postol, a 12-round world title unification rumble battle between Top-10 pound for pound gladiators, will determine the lineal king of the exciting 140 pound division. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate and the motion picture “Hands of Stone,” the Crawford vs. Postol world championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

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The HBO Sports Special, Terence Crawford: My Fight,
debuts This Saturday! July 9 at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT on HBO.
Liev Schreiber narrates.

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Crawford (28-0, 20 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., already a two-division world champion, has won four of his last five bouts by stoppage. The consensus Top-10 pound-for-pound fighter will be making his MGM Grand Garden debut in his third title defense as World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight world champion.

Postol (28-0, 12 KOs), from Kiev, Ukraine, put his stamp on the boxing landscape when he scored a 10th-round knockout of the heavily-favored former world champion Lucas Matthysse to capture the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super lightweight world title on October 3, 2015. Having won two of his last three fights by knockout, the Freddie Roach-trained Postol will be making his first defense of that title.

Remaining tickets are priced at $304, $204, $104, and $54, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call AXS at (888) 929-7849. Tickets are also available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or AXS.com (http://bit.ly/24ORYhs)

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordPostol to join the conversation on Twitter.

For updates on Ms. Swain go to www.facebook.com/StarSwainOfficial on Facebook, www.twitter.com/IAmStarSwain on Twitter, www.instagram.com/IAmStarSwain on Instagram, www.youtube.com/watch?v=G11O4uZg4-c on You Tube and @IAmStarSwain on Snapchat.

WBO Super Middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez injured his right hand that will force his title defense against Dominik Britsch to be postponed, according to Dan Rafael of eson.com.

The bout was ticketed for the July 23rd Terence Crawford – Viktor Postol Junior Welterweight unification Pay-Pay-Per view card.

“Gilberto Ramirez sustained an injury to the third knuckle of his right hand after a punch to the head of his sparring partner,” Dr. Steven Shin said in a statement given to ESPN.com. “I examined Gilberto later (Tuesday) and ordered an MRI of his right hand. The MRI revealed a complete tear of the ulnar sagittal band at the third metacarpophalangeal joint (knuckle) of his right hand, a region of the hand that is commonly injured in boxers. Gilberto will undergo surgery this Friday for repair of this injury. We anticipate that the soonest he will be able to fight competitively will be in approximately five months.”

“I was in top shape and on weight but I know these kinds of things can happen in boxing,” Ramirez said. “I will recover and come back stronger physically and mentally. I have a long boxing career in front of me and for sure a lot of big fights will be coming my way.”

“It’s been sore since that fight,” Gibbons said. “The he banged it up again against [Gevorg] Khatchikian in November when he hit on the elbow. It’s always been tender and had issues, and this time it just went ‘boom.’ But it’s better for this to happen during a sparring session than in the fight. It’s horrible, but it is what is. He’s very disappointed, but you have to be a realist. You keep your spirits up, but it’s just a bummer after working so hard to get the title. But he’ll come to Vegas for the fight and talk to the media, enjoy himself and rehab.”

“I talked to the doctor, and I’ve all the confidence in him,” Arum said. “Dr. Shin said it would have been crazy to go through with the fight and the best thing is to get an operation.”

“We’ll fill the spot,” Arum said. “We’re working on it, and we’ll have something. Zurdo was really picking up traction, but we still have Valdez; Benavidez against Santana, which will be a hell of a fight; and a great main event. Does losing Zurdo’s fight hurt? A little bit. Is it devastating? No.”

Do you feel you are being avoided?

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“I’m not worried if I am being avoided by anyone as long as I get to fight the best out there. In this business if you don’t fight you don’t eat. And the fans are smart enough to know a good fight. They are not about to settle for anything less. Why should they? They work hard for their money too. So if other fighters want to go hungry because they are looking for easy fights, that’s their business. But that’s not for me. I love this sport too much and I owe a lot to the fans who pay to see me fight. They deserve to see the best fight the best, which is why I am fighting Postol. We are two undefeated champions risking our world titles and our undefeated records to fight each other to determine the best fighter in the division. It’s the ultimate test. We both want to know who the best junior welterweight is and on July 23 we are going to find out.”

BRIAN McINTYRE

“Everyone knows that most 140 pound champions have avoided Terence. That is not a problem because our feeling is either fight us or get out of the game. Fighters are like buses. If one speeds off as you approach you don’t run after it. You wait a few minutes for the next one to come by. Terence isn’t chasing anyone. He only wants to fight the top fighters who are confident enough in their talents to meet him head on. And that’s what you’re going to see on July 23rd — a head-on collision between two undefeated world champions and the class of the 140 pound division.”

The HBO Sports Special, Terence Crawford: My Fight, debuts Saturday, July 9 at 12:15 a.m. on HBO.

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Get an exclusive first look at the HBO Sports special — Terence Crawford: My Fight (Click to Watch)
Link: https://youtu.be/kqPOMXUmw7U
Embed:

Do you feel like the underdog in this fight? What would a win do for your career?

VIKTOR POSTOL:

“I do not consider myself an underdog in this fight. Terence Crawford’s fans might consider me as the underdog but that does not bother me. I’m 100% confident in myself and in my victory on July 23rd and the reasons are simple. I work harder in training camp than my opponents because I have to. Because I want to. I have the best trainer working with me and his name his Freddie Roach. He has been named Trainer of the Year a record seven times and he is in the Hall of Fame. Crawford has no one like that on his team. Since I have been training with Freddie I have knocked out two of the three opponents I have faced — Lucas Matthysse and Selcuk Aydin. Both were No. 2 world-rated contenders and both times I was considered the underdog. I have passed every test that I have taken as a professional fighter and with the best teacher in boxing working with me I intend to pass this one on July 23rd with flying colors. This victory will prove to everyone that I am the best fighter at 140 pounds and the king of the division.”

FREDDIE ROACH:

“I do not feel that Viktor is an underdog going into this fight. Why should I? In his two toughest tests — Lucas Matthysse and Selcuk Aydin — he didn’t just knock them out, he took their will to fight away. He broke them down brick by brick. His experience against blue chip opposition has been great preparation for his fight with Terence Crawford. Don’t get me wrong. I have a lot of respect for Crawford. He has a lot of talent. But I think this is going to come down to resumes and I think Postol has fought tougher and better opponents than Crawford. Postol even spent an entire training camp with Manny Pacquiao in 2014 when Manny was preparing for Chris Algieri. Viktor more than held his own against Manny. Crawford is going to find out that defending a title against Hank Lundy and Dierry Jean is a lot different than fighting a fellow undefeated world champion like Viktor Postol. A win for Viktor will mean that the U.S. and the world has a new star in boxing. A star as bright as boxing has ever seen.”

The HBO Sports Special, Terence Crawford: My Fight, debuts Saturday, July 9 at 11:15 p.m. on HBO.

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

How will it feel fighting in Vegas for first time? PPV for the first time?

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“It is an honor to fight in Las Vegas, especially at the MGM Grand where so many historic fights have taken place and so many great fighters have made their mark. It’s the same way I felt when I headlined my first card at Madison Square Garden earlier this year. Many fighters dream of fighting on such a big stage but it’s something you have to earn. I have worked very hard to get to this point in my career — to earn the right to headline my first pay-per-view event. I can’t think of a better place to do it than in the Fight Capital of the World. It’s very exciting, but I need to keep my eye on the ball. There will be a lot of hard work to do in training camp to make my pay-per-view debut successful. This isn’t just opening night for a new phase of my career. I want this to be the beginning of a long run as boxing’s next pound for pound star and a worthy successor to Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.”

BRIAN McINTYRE:

“Fighting in Las Vegas in the main event and headlining a pay-per-view is a tremendous honor. Years ago I never imagined we would get to this point. We are representing Omaha on the biggest stage boxing has to offer and Terence is not about to let his hometown down. He is proud to represent Omaha and he will be carrying that pride in his heart and soul when he enters the ring on July 23rd and beats Viktor Postol. We know we are in this position because of hard work and more hard work. And with hard work came success, success that produced an undefeated record against the best fighters and two world titles in two different divisions. No one has ever been able to outthink or outfight Terence and that’s a lesson Postol is going to learn the hard way — in front of a very big audience.”

The HBO Sports Special, Terence Crawford: My Fight, debuts Saturday, July 9 at 11:15 p.m. on HBO.

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Saturday, July 23, 2016 ‘Comanche Boy’ George Tahdooahnippah (34-2-3, 24 Kos) will make his Las Vegas debut at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV on the Terrance Crawford – Viktor Postol HBO PPV undercard. Comanche Boy will be fighting 2012 Olympic gold medalist Ryota Muruta (10-0, 7 Kos) of Tokyo, Japan in a 10 round Middleweight bout. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Tahdooahnippah said, “I want to thank my promoter, Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing for bringing me this fight. I have long awaited to fight in Las Vegas. But this is far from a vacation. I am fighting a dangerous opponent with power and an Olympic Gold Medalists. His Promoter, Top Rank has big plans for him. I am coming to shake up those plans and make Comanche Boy a house hold name!”

Joe DeGuardia, President of Star Boxing said, “I am looking forward to seeing George “Comanche Boy” on July 23rd in Las Vegas vs the Olympic Gold Medalist Murata. George has the heart of a true warrior and I expect his warrior pride will force Murata into deep waters!”

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate and the motion picture “Hands of Stone,” tickets to Crawford vs. Postol, priced at $304, $204, $104, and $54, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 1-888-9-AXS-TIX. Tickets will also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or axs.com. – See more at: http://www.toprank.com/news/boxing-promotions-crawford-postol-crawford-postol-features-2-of-boxings-best#sthash.Nmd39Xrd.dpuf

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordPostol to join the conversation on Twitter.

Comanche Boy Promoter Star Boxing:

Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. The company has produced some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star Boxing continues to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star Boxing is proud that is has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website

at www.StarBoxing.com
follow on Twitter at @Star Boxing, Instagram at StarBoxing and Facebook.com/StarBoxing,

LAS VEGAS, NV (May 31, 2016) — GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ, Mexico’s undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight world champion with the matinee idol looks and two-time Mexican Olympian and undefeated No. 1 featherweight contender ÓSCAR VALDEZ, will headline the pay-per-view undercard topped by the junior welterweight world title unification battle between undefeated world champions TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD and “The Iceman” VIKTOR POSTOL. Ramirez will be making the first defense of the championship crown he decisively won from three-time world champion “King” Arthur Abraham in April. Ramirez will be defending his title against DOMINIK BRITSCH. Valdez will rumble with undefeated No. 2 world-rated contender MATÍAS “La Cobrita” RUEDA for the vacant WBO featherweight world title. The pay-per-view telecast will open with former interim world champion JOSE BENAVIDEZ, JR, risking his undefeated record and Top-10 world-rating, in a 10-round welterweight battle against FRANCISCO “Chia” SANTANA.

The eight pay-per-view warriors boast a combined record of 216-6-2 (135 KOs) — a winning percentage of 96% with nearly 2/3 of their victories coming by way of knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate and the motion picture “Hands of Stone,” the Terence Crawford – Viktor Postol world championship pay-per-view event will take place on Saturday, July 23, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Remaining tickets to Crawford vs. Postol are priced at $304, $204, $104, and $54, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call AXS at (888) 929-7849. Tickets are also available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or www.AXS.com (http://bit.ly/24ORYhs)

“I am very excited to be making my first world title defense. I am working hard to make it a successful defense as I plan to be a world champion for a long time,” said Ramirez. “Dominik is a tough challenger, very strong. I don’t know a lot about him personally but I will train hard as always. It feels great being on another HBO Pay-Per- View event. One day I want to be in the main event of a pay per view. That goal motivates me to do my best.”

“I am very happy to be fighting the No. 1 super middleweight — world champion Gilberto Ramirez,” said Britsch. “My slogan is, ‘Only those who dare to lose can win.’ Gilberto, I am ready for you.”

“I really believe that looking at my past few fights I have earned the opportunity to fight for a world championship,” said Valdez. “Now is the time to take advantage of this opportunity.”

“Although this will be my second fight in the U.S. and many people might think I am not the favorite, I will surprise lots of fans,” said Rueda. “I respect my opponent, but I am going to Las Vegas determined and with only one thing on my mind – winning the belt and bringing it back to Argentina with me. You can all be sure of that. My opponent is going to lose. I respect him, he is a very good fighter, but he will lose.”

“This fight is very important because I want to show everyone that I am ready to beat world-class fighters in the welterweight pound division,” said Benavidez. “I know Santana is a good fighter but I have what it takes to outclass and beat him on July 23. I have been training hard and am more than ready to show what I bring to the table on fight night and prove I belong.”

“I feel extremely blessed to be fighting against Benavidez on HBO Pay-Per-View. He is a talented fighter but I am ready to rise to the occasion and prove to the world that I am an elite fighter and a future world champion,” said Santana. “I view this fight as getting me one step closer to a world title shot. On the night we get into the ring I will live up to my motto – ‘Train, Fight, Win’ – one fight at a time.”

Ramirez (34-0, 24 KOs), a two-fisted super middleweight wrecking machine who hails from Mazatlan, Mexico, made history in the co-main event to the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley welterweight pay-per-view on April 9 when he became Mexico’s first fighter to win a super middleweight world title. Entering the fight as the top world-rated contender, Ramirez gave a virtuoso performance over the defending WBO champion Abraham. All three judges scored it as a 120-108 blitzkrieg. “I took him to Mexican boxing school,” a jubilant Ramirez boasted as he put on the world championship belt . A sensational young champion, Ramirez, 24, has won four of his last eight bouts by knockout. Career-highlight performances include an NABF and NABO title victory over Giovanni Lorenzo via fifth-round stoppage, a WBO International title knockout victory over Junior Talipeau and a successful defense of his NABF and WBO International titles, stopping Fulgencio Zuniga in the eighth round, all in 2014. Last year he successfully defended his titles via unanimous decisions over once-beaten Maxim Vlasov, division gate keeper Derek Edwards, who boasts a KO victory over world champion Badou Jack, and once-beaten Gevorg Khatchikian, who had scored knockouts in five of his last six victories.

Britsch (32-2-1, 11 KOs), of Neckarsulm, Germany, enters this fight riding a four bout winning streak and having won six of his last seven bouts dating back to 2013. Known for his body punching prowess and his excellent skills and movement, Britsch’s trophy case features the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Intercontinental middleweight and German super middleweight championship belts. This will be his first fight in the U.S. since 2011.

Valdez (20-0, 17 KOs), who represented Mexico in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, was the first Mexican fighter to qualify for two Olympic games and is considered one of the bright lights of the featherweight division and a new face for boxing’s next generation. In his last fight, on the undercard of the April 9 Pacquiao-Bradley pay-per-view, Valdez solidified his status as the World Boxing Council (WBC) and WBO No. 1 contender by scoring a fourth-round TKO of former IBF featherweight world champion Evgeny Gradovich. It was the first time Gradovich had ever been stopped in his 24-bout professional career. On the undercard of Pacquiao – Bradley II welterweight world championship rematch in 2014, Valdez captured the NABF super featherweight junior title, knocking out Adrian Perez in the fourth round. Valdez successfully defended that title twice in 2014, knocking out Noel Echevarria and Alberto Gonzalez in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively. From Nogales, Sonora, Mexico Valdez, 25, won all four of his 2015 fights — three by knockout. He fashioned a third-round blasting of Jose Ramirez on April 11, in Laredo, Texas. Valdez followed that with his live HBO debut, winning a dominant 10-round unanimous decision over one-time world title challenger Ruben Tamayo on June 27 in Carson, Calif. He ended 2015 with knockout victories of top-10 contender and one-time world title challenger Chris Avalos and Ernes Sanchez on September 11 and December 12, respectively. The four fighters boasted a combined record of 91-19-5.

Rueda (26-0, 23 KOs), from Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina, enters this world championship fight having won his last 10 fights by way of knockout which he credits to his exciting “seek and destroy” style and deadly punching power. He has made six defenses of the WBO Latino featherweight title he captured in 2013 via a third-round knockout of Juan Solis, On January 16, he also became the South American featherweight champion, scoring an eighth round knockout of Leandro Mendes. In his last fight, which took place on April 2, Rueda iced Nestor Pamigua in the third round to successfully defend both of his titles.

Benavidez (24-0, 16 KOs), from phoenix, AZ, won his first world title in 2014 when he won a hotly-contested unanimous decision over defending World Boxing Association (WBA) interim super lightweight champion Mauricio Herrera. After one successful title defense — a 12th-round knockout of Jorge Paez, Jr. in 2015 — Benavidez vacated the title to move up to the welterweight division. His debut in the heavier weight class took place on December 12, where he won a blistering 10-round unanimous over Sidney Siqueira. An amateur standout, at 16, Benavidez was the youngest boxer to ever win the National Golden Gloves Championships, in 2009. He was also the youngest boxer, at 17, to be licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. An exception was made for the minimum age requirement of 18 years because of his exceptional talent. Benavidez is currently the WBA’s No. 6 world-rated welterweight contender.

Santana (24-4-1, 12 KOs), from Santa Barbara, Calif., enters this fight having won 12 of his last 13 bouts, with half of those victories coming by way of knockout.. A favorite of Southern California fight fans because of his exciting style and two-fisted power, Santana boasts several notable victories including a first-round knockout of undefeated contender Kendal Mena for the WBA International welterweight title in 2015, and back-to-back unanimous decisions over former world champion Joachim Alcine and Freddy Hernandez in 2013. In his last fight, on April 2, he scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Edward Paredes.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordPostol to join the conversation on Twitter.

LONDON (11 May, 2016) – The thrilling light-welterweight unification clash between Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol is to be screened exclusively live in the UK on BoxNation on July 23.

The pair collide at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with WBO champion Crawford and WBC title-holder Postol putting their belts on the line to determine the lineal world champion at 140-pounds.

Crawford, (28-0, 20 KOs), of Omaha, Nebraska, is a two-division world champion who has won four of his last five bouts by stoppage, will be making his third title defence.

The 28-year-old is regarded as one of boxing’s rising pound-for-pound stars and will be looking to capitalise on a stunning last couple of years that has seen him crowned ‘Fighter of the Year’ in 2014.

Postol, (28-0, 12 KOs), came to prominence with a spectacular upset over the heavily favoured Argentine banger Lucas Matthysse who he knocked out in 10 rounds.

‘The Iceman’ is under the tutelage of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and will be looking to defy the odds once again when he steps in against the skilled Crawford.

“This is a great opportunity to show the world I’m the best champion at 140,” said Crawford. “July 23 is going to be a great night of boxing. It’s number one against number two in a unification fight. On paper everyone says it’s a 50-50 fight but in my eyes I’m going in there looking to destroy this man. I’m looking forward to putting on a great performance. After July 23 my record will be 29 wins with 21 knockouts!” he said.

“I have been waiting for this fight for a long time and I want to thank my promoters Elite Boxing and Top Rank for making this fight a reality for the fans. With the help of my team I will be ready come July 23 – may the best man win,” said Postol.

“This has Fight of the Year written all over it,” said Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. “For the second consecutive time Viktor will be involved in a world title tilt pitting the two best fighters in the division. He’ll be ready.”

“This title unification battle between Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol is evenly matched and both undefeated champions are determined to prevail. This is must-see television,” said legendary promoter Bob Arum.

“We are very excited to be showing this excellent match-up exclusively live on BoxNation,” said Jim McMunn, Managing Director at BoxNation. “BoxNation has already shown some world class fights this year and we are delighted to add another pound-for-pound star to our schedule in Terence Crawford who faces an equally formidable foe in Viktor Postol. This has all the makings of a truly special fight,” he said.

BoxNation is set to show a host of top boxing action over the coming months including the eagerly anticipated rematch between unified heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko on July 9.

BoxNation is available on Sky (Ch.437/490HD), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.

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About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

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