ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Dec. 5, 2019)– Rob “Bravo” Brant’s quest to regain a world title will begin on the Boardwalk. Brant, a former middleweight world champion, will make his ring return against former super middleweight world title challenger Habib “Wild Hurricane” Ahmed Saturday, Jan 11 as the co-feature to the Jesse Hart-Joe Smith Jr. main event at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena (ESPN & streaming on the ESPN App (Spanish), 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

Brant is fighting for the first time losing his belt via second-round stoppage to Ryota Murata, the man he upset to win the WBA middleweight title in October 2018. Following the Murata defeat, Brant enlisted the services of trainer/manager Brian “BoMac” McIntyre and has been training alongside pound-for-pound king Terence “Bud” Crawford, WBO junior lightweight world champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring and former junior welterweight world champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker.

“I am excited to be back fighting under the Top Rank banner with a new team,” Brant said. “Training in Colorado Springs has shown me what it’s like to work with a coaching staff that have mastered their craft. I am expecting a tough fight with Ahmed, as he has proven to be a dangerous Ghanaian fighter. I’m confident my team will train me to showcase my talent. There hasn’t been a day that has gone by that I haven’t thought about regaining my title. None of that happens until I conquer the task at hand. I will reign again as a world champion.”

“This is a great opportunity to prove I am a middleweight to watch,” Ahmed said. “Super middleweight was not my natural weight, and I feel fresher and more powerful since moving down in weight. Rob Brant and his team made the wrong choice for a comeback opponent. I am coming to shock the boxing world and earn another world title shot.”

Brant (25-2, 17 KOs), from St. Paul, Minn., authored one of the biggest upsets of 2018 when he bested Murata over 12 scintillating rounds in Las Vegas. He threw 1,262 punches that evening and followed up his title-winning effort with a dominant 11^th-round TKO over Khasan Baysangurov in Hinckley, Minn. In July, he traveled to Osaka, Japan, and Murata flipped the script, engaging in a toe-to-toe battle that lasted 5 minutes, 34 seconds. Murata landed 64 power punches in the second round before referee Luis Pabon stopped the bout.

Ahmed (27-1-1, 18 KOs), from Accra, Ghana, is best known for his February 2018 title challenge against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, which ended via sixth-round TKO defeat. He moved down to middleweight in May, notching a shutout eight-round decision over Juan De Angel in Biloxi, Miss. Ahmed has been training in Miami recently and has sparred with the likes of former world champion Andre Dirrell.

The ESPN+ undercard stream, which begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, will include the following bouts:

• The fighting Adorno brothers will once again appear on the same undercard. Older brother Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno (14-0, 12 KOs) will face Hector Garcia (14-7-3, 8 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout, while 18-year-old Jeremy “Magic Hands” Adorno (3-0, 1 KO) will battle Artrimus Sartor (4-3, 1 KO) in a four-rounder at super bantamweight.
   
• South Jersey native Chris “Sandman” Thomas (13-1-1, 8 KOs) will fight for the sixth time as a pro in Atlantic City versus Samir Barbosa (37-16-3, 26 KOs) in a six-rounder at super middleweight.
   
• Shinard Bunch (4-1, 4 KOs), the fighting pride of Trenton, N.J., will take on Dennis Okoth (4-2-1, 2 KOs) in a six-round welterweight tilt. Bunch’s only defeat came via close decision in August to unbeaten prospect Paul Kroll.
   
• Heavyweight prospect Sonny “The Bronco” Conto (5-0, 4 KOs), who hails from South Philadelphia, will make his Atlantic City debut in a four-rounder against an opponent to be named.
   
• Xander Zayas (2-0, 2 KOs), the 17-year-old welterweight fresh off a first-round TKO Nov. 30 in Las Vegas, will see action in a four-rounder against Antonio Duarte (2-2, 0 KOs). Zayas, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, won 11 national amateur titles before signing a pro contract with Top Rank at the age of 16. 

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

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Star Boxing, tickets priced at $100, $60, $40 and $25 (not including applicable fees) are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and www.hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com.  

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(March 14, 2019) — Xander Zayas, born in Puerto Rico and fighting for USA Boxing as one of the world’s top amateurs, has signed a multi-year professional contract with Top Rank.

At only 16 years old, Zayas is the youngest fighter ever to sign a pro contract with Top Rank. An 11-time Puerto Rican and U.S. national champion, Zayas will make his pro debut as a welterweight in September.

Zayas, who is currently 118-14 in the unpaid ranks, will represent Team USA next month at the Emil Jechev Memorial Tournament in Botevgard, Bulgaria.

“Xander Zayas is a tremendous young fighter who is mature beyond his years,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He has everything it takes to one day become an international boxing superstar.”

“Growing up watching my idol, Miguel Cotto, it has always been a dream of mine to fight for Top Rank, and today that dream has come true,” Zayas said. “Although I am 16 years old, I have been boxing since I was 5 years old, and I understand the magnitude of what it means to be promoted by the best promotional company in the world. I know I have a long road ahead and will remain focused and hungry while I work hard every day to achieve my ultimate goal of becoming a world champion. It was a surreal experience to meet with Bob Arum, as he provided me with his wisdom and advice as I begin my career. It was a humbling experience, and I am truly grateful for this opportunity.”

“Xander is a special fighter. He is wise beyond his years and understands what it means to be a part of Top Rank as he embarks on his professional career as the youngest fighter to ever be signed by the company,” said Peter Kahn, Zayas’ manager. “We have a strong team to support him inside and outside of the ring as he matures. Xander has all of the tools to be a world champion, and now it’s up to him to go to work and begin his journey as a professional fighter.”

Zayas was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and moved to Plantation, Florida, at 11 years of age. A high school junior who will graduate in 2020, Zayas won gold at the 2017 and 2018 National Championships and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Boxer in 2018. He elected to turn pro, in part, because he would’ve been too young to participate at the 2020 Olympics.

Zayas will prepare for his pro debut with head trainer Javiel Centeno at Centeno’s Sweatbox Boxing & Fitness in Davie, Florida.

Said Centeno: “I knew that Xander was something special from the first day he walked into the gym. Besides the boxing abilities at such a young age, he had the charisma, work ethic and maturity of a world-class athlete. I was reminded that he made a promise to me early on that he will be the the first champion I developed from the beginning, and now with by far the greatest promotional engine in the sport of boxing behind us, I see us taking that first step in making his words become reality in the near future.”