Errol Spence Jr. added the WBA Welterweight title to his WBC and IBF collection by stopping Yordenis Ugas in round 10 of a thrilling fight in front of nearly 40,000 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The fight was fought mostly toe-to-toe with both guys digging to the body. Spence was pinpoint with his uppercut, Ugas tried to match that and also was effective with a right around the guard.

In round six, Ugas landed a big right that rocked Spence and made the moutpiece go flying. Spence asked for time but Ugas was right on top of Spence and pounded away for his best moment of the fight. That seemed to wake Spence up as he started landing massive left hands that started to swell the right eye of Ugas. That was the turning point of the fight as Spence was relentless with his pressure as he hurt Ugas several more times with big flurries. With each round, the eye worsened for Ugas. In round eight, the doctor looked at the eye of Ugas, but The Cuban was able to continue. He continued to take more punishment until the middle of round 10 as the fight was stopped on the advice of the ringside physician.

Spence, 146,25 lbs of DeSoto, TX is now 28-0 with 22 knockouts. Ugas, Santiago de Cuba, CUB is 27-5.

Isaac Cruz pummels Gamboa in Five

Former world title challenger Isaac Cruz scored four knockdowns en-route to a fifth round stoppage over former unified champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in a 10-round lightweight fight.

In round two, Cruz sent Gamboa to the canvas with a huge three punch combination. In round three, it was a left hook that dropped Gamboa. In round four, Cruz scored a hard knockdown with a left hook. Cruz mercifully ended things when he landed a big overhand right knocked Gamboa into the ropes and the fight was called off at 1:32.

Cruz, 134.75 lbs of Mexico City is 23-2-1 with 16 knockouts. Gamboa, 134.25 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 30-5.

Jose Valenzuela Destroys Vargas in First Round

Jose Valenzuela annihilated former world champion Francisco Vargas in the opening round of their 10-round lightweight bout.

Valenzuela landed a booming left that sent Vargas to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 1:25.

Valenzuela, 134.75 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is 12-0 with eight knockout. Vargas, 134.25 lbs of Mexico City is 27-4-2.

Cody Crowley Decisions Josesito Lopez

Cody Crowley remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Josesito Lopez in a welterweight bout.

In round seven, Crowley dropped Lopez with a right hook to the head. In round nine, the left eye of Lopez started to swell.

Crowley landed 205 of 812 punches; Lopez was 116 of 443.

Crowley, 144.5 lbs of Pieterborough, ONT CAN, won by scores of 99-90 and 98-91 twice and is now 21-0. Lopez, 146.3 lbs of Riverside, CA is 38-9.

Stanionis Wins WBA Welterweight title with Decisions over Butaev

Eimantas Stanionis won the WBA Welterweight title with a 12-round split decision over Radzhab Butaev.

In round 11, Butaev was deducted a point for holding the head and hitting Stanionis.

Stanionis landed 222 of 621 punches; Butaev was 140 of 747.

Stanionis, 146.5 lbs of Lithuania won by scores of 117-110 and 116-111. Butaev took a card 114-113.

Stanionis 14-0. Butaev, 146.5 lbs of Russia is 14-1.

“I still can’t believe it,” Stanionis said afterward. “It was a dream come true to hear ‘and the new.’ When I was a kid, I visualized what this would look like and how it would feel to become a champion. It’s because of the hard work, dedication, belief in myself and my team to get me to this big stage. I just want to tell everybody that dreams do come true. If you believe in it and give your everything, it will happen.”

“The fight went like this because the referee allowed Stanionis to fight with his head down the entire time,” Butaev said. “What can I do if the guy is leading with his head down all the time? I don’t know why he took away a point from me. They should have taken the point away from him because he was diving in the whole time.”

Brandun Lee Decisions Ochoa

Brandun Lee remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Zachary Ochoa in a junior welterweight bout

In round five, Ochoa began to bleed from his nose.

Lee landed 103 of 575 punches. Ochoa was 70 of 328.

Lee, 141.25 lbs of La Quinta, CA won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 24-0. Ochoa, 141.25 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 21-3.

“I think that only two rounds were close, the seventh and maybe the ninth,” Lee said. “It was exactly what I expected. Perhaps I could have performed better, my combinations been a bit sharper, but it was a good fight overall. Fighting at AT&T Stadium was a blessing. Wow, what an experience. It motivates me even more to come back here and be a headliner one day. I want to be a world champion at 140, unify titles, become undisputed and then become a world champ at 147.”

“Brandun Lee is a really good fighter, a strong fighter,” Ochoa said. “I feel I was doing really well. He caught me a little bit, but I kept my confidence, my poise and when it was time to step it up the last three rounds, I started putting the pressure on him and we went at it. I went all out. He’s never had it like that. I only got hurt one time, maybe at the end of the seventh. I know I buzzed him too.”

NEW YORK – March 28, 2022 – SHOWTIME Sports is preparing two significant programs in support of one of this year’s biggest pay-per-view events.

The network will for the first time televise a special SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING headlined by WBA Welterweight Champion Radzhab Butaev and top contender Eimantas Stanionis in a battle of unbeatens taking place immediately before the four-fight Spence vs. Ugas SHOWTIME PPV® from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and also features unbeaten rising star Brandun Lee taking on Zachary Ochoa in a super lightweight bout.

Additionally, SHOWTIME Sports will premiere a new installment of the Emmy Award-winning series ALL ACCESS. The multi-part series premieres Saturday, April 2, at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME with episode two premiering Saturday, April 9, at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT in advance of Spence vs. Ugas on Saturday, April 16. Furthermore, ALL ACCESS Epilogue will premiere on SHOWTIME the following Saturday, April 23, and will showcase fight week in Dallas as well as all the action inside the ropes on fight night and the immediate aftermath.

“We are pulling out all the stops for the April 16 event, which is easily one of the biggest of the year. Delivering a special episode of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING to our subscribers before the four-fight pay-per-view card begins is something that has never been done in the history of this network. We are proud to break precedent,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Adding high-stakes, compelling fights to an already strong undercard elevates what is sure to be a memorable night for boxing. Plus, a new installment of our signature ALL ACCESS series to chronicle the divergent paths of Spence and Ugas to reach this moment will be captivating drama. It’s an embarrassment of riches from top to bottom for the boxing audience.”

Tickets for the April 16 live event at AT&T Stadium are on sale now and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING LINEUP

The 28-year-old Butaev (14-0, 11 KOs) captured his WBA title with a dominating performance on SHOWTIME in October, as he battered top contender Jamal James on his way to a ninth-round stoppage victory. Butaev turned pro after approximately 400 amateur bouts in 2016 and reeled-off KOs in six of his first seven outings. Butaev is now trained by top coach Joel Diaz in Indio, Calif. His TKO victory over James gave Butaev victories inside of the distance in five of his last six fights.

“I’m feeling very prepared for this fight on April 16,” said Butaev. “Every time I step into the ring, I’m looking to give the fans an exciting fight. Knowing how Stanionis also loves to come forward and compete, this time, it’s a guarantee that there are going to be fireworks. We’re definitely both going to bring it in this fight. Make sure you don’t miss this one, because it’s going to be a brutal back-and-forth affair.”

Stanionis (13-0, 9 KOs) earned a series of attention-grabbing victories as he has climbed the ranks from prospect to contender, including a career-best 12-round decision over Thomas Dulorme in April 2021 on SHOWTIME. The 27-year-old former Olympian from Lithuania, who now lives and trains in California, most recently fought former champion Luis Collazo to a no-decision in August 2021 after an accidental clash of heads prematurely ended the action. Prior to going 12 rounds for the first time with Dulorme, Stanionis had stopped six of his previous eight opponents.

“I’m excited for this huge opportunity to show my skills in front of thousands of fans at AT&T Stadium,” said Stanionis. “Butaev is a strong opponent. I know that this is going to be a hard fight for both of us and that our styles are going to make this action-packed for as long as it lasts. My goal for 2022 is to become world champion. That’s been my dream since I was a child and now I’m very close to bringing the belt back home to Lithuania.”

A highly regarded prospect, Lee (24-0, 22 KOs) has won his last 15 fights by knockout, most recently dropping and stopping veteran contender Juan Heraldez on SHOWTIME in December 2021. Trained by his father Bobby, Lee fought four times in 2020 and three times in 2021 as he continued to pile up knockouts. He had a decorated amateur career with an estimated record of 196-5 and was the 2015 U.S. Junior National Champion, taking home the gold medal at 145 pounds.

“I think it is a great idea to have our fight lead into the SHOWTIME PPV,” said Lee. “What better way to show all the boxing fans out there some of the top young talent looking to become the next contenders and world champions in the sport.”

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ochoa (21-2, 7 KOs) trains in Philadelphia with highly regarded trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards. The 28-year-old was unbeaten in his first 16 pro fights and bounced back from his first pro defeat to win five straight contests between 2017 and 2020. Ochoa returns to the ring after dropping a narrow, split decision to Argentine contender Juan Jose Velasco in February of 2021.

“I’m very ready and focused on this fight coming up on April 16,” said Ochoa. “I’m sure Lee will be ready too and that just makes me more motivated to be at my best. Trust me, this is a night boxing fans will not want to miss!”

ALL ACCESS: SPENCE VS. UGAS

ALL ACCESS: SPENCE VS. UGAS peels back the curtain to showcase how the two champions share one trait – resilience. Both fighters open up about their frantic and ultimately fruitful journeys that led them to this moment with Spence talking about his near-tragic automobile accident and eye injury that forced him to miss a career-defining opportunity against Manny Pacquiao, and Ugas depicting his harrowing journey from Cuba to the United States.

Filming is underway in Dallas, revealing a surprising lifestyle change Spence has made as he prepares for the fight with longtime trainer Derrick James. Filming in Las Vegas has also begun, where Ugas is in training camp under renowned coach Ismael Salas.

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. UGAS
WBC and IBF world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBA world champion Yordenis Ugas square off in a welterweight title unification clash that headlines a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, April 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features exciting lightweight contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz taking on veteran former world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in the 10-round co-main event.

The lineup also includes unbeaten Jose Valenzuela battling former world champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas in a 10-round lightweight fight, plus unbeaten Cody Crowley faces veteran contender Josesito Lopez in a 10-round duel of all-action welterweights that kicks off the telecast.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceUgas, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing and @PremierBoxing, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing and @PremierBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount, owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

BROOKLYN, NY — In a crowd-silencing upset, heavyweight stalwart Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius (30-3, 19KO) stopped previously unbeaten fan favorite Adam “Babyface” Kownacki (21-15KO) in the main event of a PBC on FOX card from the Barclays Center.  

In the opening round, the fight looked like it would be a classic Kownacki display, as the Polish-born Brooklynite immediately greeted Finland’s Helenius with fists of fury from the opening bell.  

But in the second, Helenius fought fire with fire and stood toe-to-toe with Kownacki, trading wild blows.  Kownacki bested Helenius in their exchanges, but proved vulnerable to Helenius’s right hand.

Everything changed midway through the fourth when Kownacki, who had banked all three rounds to that point, exchanged right hands with Helenius.  The 30 year-old Kownacki landed a heavy right cross at the same time the 36 year-old Helenius clipped him with a right hook on the chin, which sent him dazed and to the mat.  Referee David Fields incorrectly ruled a slip, but Kownacki was all out of sorts when the fight resumed. Hazy-eyed and woozy, Kownacki struggled to steady his 265.2lb frame. Helenius continued to batter Kownacki, who displayed zero survival skills, and scored a knockdown with a straight left.  The barrage of punches continued to rein on Kownacki until Fields stepped in to stop the contest at the 1:07 mark of the fourth round, silencing the 8,811 fans in attendance, most of whom were decked out in Polish red and white.

It was as great a night as it could have been for Helenius, who was knocked out cold by Gerald Washington in his only other fight on US soil.  The Finland-native, who holds wins over former world champions Sam Peter and Lamon Brewster, has now won two in a row since the Washington bout.  

Tonight marked Kownacki’s first defeat and tenth fight at the Barclays Center.  It was also the first time he was back in the ring since his historic twelve round brawl against former world title challenger Chris Arreola, a bout that set the CompuBox record for most punches thrown (2,172) and landed (667) in a heavyweight contest.  

“Kownack is a tough fighter,” Helenius said.  “I worked hard in training camp and it paid off.

“I knew that I hit him hard and I knew I just had to continue. I knew he was still hurt after that punch. 

Kownacki also spoke after the fight, stating, “”It wasn’t my night. It’s boxing. It’s a tough sport and things just didn’t go my way tonight. It was a learning experience and I’m going to go back to the drawing board and get back to work.

“He hit me with a good shot. I knew what was going on, but I’m just upset with myself. It is what it is.”

Ajagba Batters Cojanu En Route To 9th Round TKO

Heavyweight prospect Efe Ajagba (13-0, 11KO) battered and broke down Romania’s Razvan Cojanu (17-7, 9KO) en route to a ninth round TKO victory.  

Ajagba, 25, started slow, perhaps a bit gun-shy as this was his first time back in the ring since his fight against Iago Kiladze — a fight in which both men traded early knockdowns before Ajagba landed a fight-ending right in the fifth.  Tonight, the former Nigerian Olympian, needed a few rounds to find a rhythm, and while he slowly eased his way into the contest, his Romanian counterpart was letting his hands fly.  

After enduring a rocky start, one in which Ajagba would likely admit he was on the receiving end of too many clean shots, the Nigerian started to ramp things up in the late-middle rounds.  

By the seventh round, Ajagba was beginning to wear down Cojanu, and every backwards step Cojanu took, Ajagba matched with a step forward.  Roughly two minutes into the eight round Ajagba landed an explosive right cross that halted Cojanu in his tracks. Ajagba, who trains out of Houston, TX with Ronnie Shields, quickly followed up with a flurry of punches that sent the Romanian to the mat.  The Romanian barely beat referee Ron Lipton’s 10-count and convinced him he was fit to continue. 

In the next round, Ajagba would finish off Cojanu for good, punishing him for the majority of the round until the Romanian willingly took a knee near Ajabga’s blue corner.  Lipton stepped in to wave off the bout at the 2:46 mark of round nine.  

“Cojanu has a lot of experience,” Ajagba said post-fight. “When I threw my jab, he used his right hand to block my vision, so I couldn’t throw as many combinations as I wanted. It was a good challenge. 

“Ronnie told me to attack the body behind the jab. It was very effective and it started to slow him down. When he got close to me, I knew to throw more and punish him. 

Frank Sanchez Easily Outpoints Joey Dawejko In Ten Round Clash

In the opening bout of the televised portion of the PBC on FOX card, 27 year-old Cuban heavyweight Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sanchez (15-0, 11KO) turned back the always-game Joey “Tank” Dawejko (20-8-4, 11KO) to earn a ten round unanimous decision (100-90×2, 98-92).

It was a relatively clean performance from the 6’4” 222lbs Sanchez, who didn’t allow for the shorter, stockier Dawejko (5’10”, 247lbs) to get into an offensive rhythm.  The rising heavyweight prospect did well in the early onset to keep Dawejko out of range, employing a weighted mixture of jabs and defensive footwork to muffle any Dawejko offense.  

By the early-middle rounds, Sanchez was scoring regularly with jabs, and more devastatingly with straight rights that were landing without resistance.  By the time the fifth round came to a close, Dawejko was sporting a nasty cut over his left eye.  

After being dominated the previous round, the stout Polish-American dug deep in the sixth though and had his best round of the fight, landing two beautiful lefts – one upstairs, one downstairs – during the frame.  Any minor success was short-lived, however, as the Cuban came back with two big rights to bookend a clear-cut Sanchez seventh round. 

Credit is deserved for the game Philadelphian though, who never stopped trying to close the distance between him and Sanchez.  Dawejko various ways to jumpstart his offense — at times lunging into range while throwing looping left hooks and windmilling rights.  Other times, the 29 year-old Polish-American shuffled into range behind a double jab. Unfortunately, when Dawejko did close the gap, Sanchez punished him for it.  

At the end of ten, all three judges scored the contest wide for Sanchez, 100-90, twice and 98-94.  

“I was well prepared and I thought I fought very well tonight,” Sanchez said afterward. “I dominated the fight. I showed good footwork and movement and did exactly what we worked on.

“I didn’t want to fight Dawejko’s fight, and he realized that and it frustrated him. He might have thought he’s faced guys like me, but there’s no other heavyweight like me.”

Dawejko shared his thoughts post-fight, too, saying, “I knew he was going to fight on the outside and he stayed on the outside. Not much to say, he just did what he had to do. 

“He was scared that’s why he was running around. He kept jumping back and staying away, so I guess he made it easy on the judges.”

Carlos Negron Takes Robert Alfonso’s “O”, Stops Him In One

Puerto Rican heavyweight Carlos Negron (21-3, 16KO) dropped previously unbeaten Cuban Robert Alfonso (19-1-1, 9KO) twice in the first round to score a TKO victory in a contest initially slated for eight rounds.  

Negron, 33, caught Alfonso early with a left hook that the former 2008 Cuban Olympian never recovered from.  The 6’6” Puerto Rican kept the pressure on and battered Alfonso around the ring until Alfonso collapsed to the mat where referee Mark Ortega immediately stopped the contest at the 2:03 mark of the first round.  

The win stops a two-fight skid for Negron, who had been KO’d in both.  

For the 33 year-old Alfonso, tonight marks his first pro defeat.

Steven Torres Knocks Out Ajabor In 2

Heavyweight prospect Steven Torres (3-0, KO) kept his win and KO percentage perfect, stopping previously unbeaten Alex Ajabor (2-1, KO) in the second of a scheduled four round contest. 

Midway through the round’s opening frame, Ajabor landed a clean shot on Torres and got overly excited.  The 34 year-old Ajabor carelessly flung punches at Torres, who countered with a clipping right that dropped Ajabor hard to the mat.  

In the next round, Reading, PA’s Torres emphatically ended the fight with a straight right that landed on the button and turned off Ajabor’s lights.  The referee immediately waved off the fight at the 2:32 mark of the second round.  

The 6’7” Torres, who is trained by Anibal Adorno (father of Top Rank prospects Joseph and Jeremy), has fought all of his pro contests at the Barclays Center.  

Zachary Ochoa Earns Hard-Fought UD Over Angel Sarinana

In his Barclays Center debut, Brooklyn native Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (21-1, 7KO) scored a hard-earned unanimous decision (77-73×2, 76-74) over fellow junior welterweight Angel “Pescado” Sarinana (10-10-3, 4KO) in a eight round affair. 

It was a back and forth affair that initially saw Ochoa wanting to box on the outside, sticking and moving.  But the Mexican in Sarinana wanted action, and insisted on bringing the fight to Ochoa, constantly walking himself into range where the two were more than happy to eat a shot to a land a few of their own.  

In the seventh round, referee Mike Ortega deducted a point from 27 year-old Sarinana for headbutting.  Early in the following round Ortega evened the score, deducting a point from Ochoa for holding.  

It was only once the fight resumed after the holding deduction did Sarinina throw all caution to the wind, bull-rushing his way towards Ochoa throwing fists from all angles, scoring most notably with left hooks.  Ochoa dealt with Sarinana’s explosive aggression well enough to pepper in his own hooks and crosses that made for electrifying exchanges as the fight came to a close.  

But in the end, it was the 27 year-old Ochoa, who got the nod from all three judges.  The win runs his unbeaten streak to five — all via decision. He was retired by Yves Ulysses, Jr. in 2017, which remains the lone blemish on his record.  

Conversely, the loss drops Sarinana’s record on US soil to 1-6.  His only win in the US came against previously unbeaten Kazakh, Dimash Niyazov at the Barclays Center in 2018.   

Gonzalez Notches First Stoppage Win Over Labby 

In a welterweight contest initially slated for six rounds, New York City’s Arnold Gonzalez (4-0, 1KO) scored a third round TKO over Illinois’ Traye Labby (4-5-4, 3KO). 

It was undoubtedly the most impressive the 25 year-old Gonzalez has looked in his young career.  The Ecuadorean-American found a home for his right hand early and often and strategically applied pressure that Labby struggled to deal with.  Early in the third round, Gonzalez walked a wounded Labby into a neutral corner and unloaded a barrage of shots that whipped a defenseless Labby’s head in every direction until the referee stepped in to stop the contest at the :53 second mark.  

It was the first loss in eight fights for the 24 year-old Labby, who last tasted defeat in April 2017.  

For Gonzalez, who trains with Julian Chua out of the famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles, tonight marked the third consecutive fight at the Barclays Center.  

Boston’s Hogan Scores Impressive KO Win In Debut

In his pro debut, Boston’s Francis “The Tank” Hogan (1-0, 1KO) scored a fourth round KO over fellow middleweight southpaw Brent Oren (2-4) to kick off an eight bout fight card from the Barclays Center. 

Hogan, 19, fought a calculated and at times reserved fight, but displayed bursts of offense that left Lynchburg, VA’s Oren with no answers.  

Roughly two-thirds into the fourth round, Hogan planted a meaty left hook to the liver that immediately shut down Oren’s system, leaving him crumpled in a ball near the red corner where he was counted out.  The end officially came at the 2:11 mark of round 4.    

Hogan, who racked up various amateur titles over the last few years, made the decision to turn pro after dropping two close contests at the US Olympic qualifying tournament in December.  He’ll look to go 2-for-2 as a pro on April 9 when he makes his hometown debut in Boston. 

BROOKLYN (February 4, 2020) – Undefeated heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba will take on former title challenger Razvan Cojanu in the 10-round co-main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, March 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

The night of heavyweight action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki looking to thrill his hometown crowd when he takes on Robert Helenius in a 12-round WBA Heavyweight Title eliminator. The opening attraction will see rising heavyweight Frank Sánchez step in to face Philadelphia’s Joey Dawejko in a 10-round battle.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase now at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

The non-televised undercard lineup will include exciting Brooklyn native Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (20-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight fight and undefeated Cuban heavyweight Robert Alfonso (19-0-1, 9 KOs) in an eight or 10-round attraction against Puerto Rico’s Carlos Negrón (20-3, 16 KOs).

Rounding out the action is heavyweight prospect Steven Torres (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-round bout and the pro debut of Boston’s Francis Hogan in a four-round middleweight fight.

Nigeria’s Ajagba (12-0, 10 KOs) has increased his opposition in his recent fights and passed those tests by getting off the canvas to stop Iago Kiladze in December 2019 and defeating fellow 2016 Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen by 10-round unanimous decision in July, both on FOX. The 25-year-old Ajagba gained widespread notoriety in August 2018 when his opponent, Curtis Harper, walked out of the ring after touching gloves to start the first round. Ajagba won the fight without throwing a punch as Harper was disqualified. Living in Stafford, Texas and training with renowned veteran trainer Ronnie Shields, Ajagba will make his 2020 debut and third career appearance at Barclays Center on March 7, after four victories in 2019.

Born in Romania and now residing in Burbank, California, Cojanu (17-6, 9 KOs) most recently won a decision over Tamaz Zadishvili in October 2019. The 32-year-old has fought professionally since 2011 and rebounded from a defeat in his first pro fight to win 16 of his next 17 bouts. He defeated Zhiyu Wu in 2016 to earn a title fight against Joseph Parker, which he lost by decision in 2017. Cojanu would then go on to challenge top heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz, plus rising contenders Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gorman, in three straight fights from 2018 until his most recent triumph.

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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Greg Cohen, of Greg Cohen Promotions, proudly announces the signing of a pair of Brooklyn-based prospects, super lightweight Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa and super bantamweight Oscar “Filoso” Moreno to promotional contracts.

Boxing since age 13, the talented Ochoa (20-1, 7 KOs) is a Puerto Rican from Brooklyn. Despite having just seven career knockouts, the 26-year-old scored a spectacular 15-second KO over Engelberto Valenzuela and, in 2016, was nominated for Knockout of the Year for his one-punch KO 8 of Luis Joel Gonzalez.

“I can adapt to anything. I’m very unpredictable,” said Ochoa. “I can box and win easily, or I can hit you with one shot and take you out.”

Ochoa says he’s happy to have his career back on track and looking forward to the future with Cohen.

“It’s a blessing. I’m very focused and determined. I stay in the gym because I love boxing. I saw Greg Cohen’s resume and what’s he’s done in the sport and I know this is a great opportunity for me. This is the guy who’s going to make me a millionaire and world champion.”

Moreno (7-0, 6 KOs) is power puncher who comes forward behind lots of movement. Originally from Mexico City, he is now also living in Brooklyn. The 25-year-old went 54-5 as an amateur and was the 2004 Junior Olympic Champion, the 2011 Golden Gloves NY Champion and the 2012 Golden Gloves NY Runner-Up.

“I’m excited to make it happen,” said Moreno of the signing. “I’m looking forward to getting on the road toward the world championship. The plan I have is to have 10 more fights to get the experience in, because so far most of my fights have ended in the first round. So I say in a year or two we’ll be looking to step up and fight for titles.”

Both fighters are managed and trained by Kelly Rich at GymU Boxing (in Association GGE Fitness Studio) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Rich has had Ochoa since childhood and has been working with Moreno for the past four years.

Rich says he trusts Cohen to do the right things with his fighters.

“Greg is an exciting person and he motivates you and get the job done,” said Rich. “He’s a top promoter affiliated with all the other premier boxing companies. We are good friends and I can personally trust him. We’ve always been on the up-and-up.”

Promoter Cohen, on a hot streak of late with the “out of nowhere” success of heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller and world middleweight champion Robert Brant, says he’s happy to be adding this one-two punch of prospects from New York.

“Both these fighters have a wealth of talent,” said Cohen. “I will be looking to continue their strong development and advancement against increasing competition in the next couple years. Both fighters have the talent it takes to make it and with hard work and determination, it is very possible. I credit Kelly Rich for the work he’s done with them.”

To see Ochoa’s devastating KO of Gonzalez, a KO of the Year Candidate, click HERE.