Carl Frampton will bid to become a three-weight world champion when he takes on the WBO Jr. Lightweight World Champion Jamel Herring on February 27 in London, live on BT Sport in the UK.

The special occasion of ‘The Jackal’ bidding to make boxing history will be Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions’ first show of 2021, in association with MTK Global.

The Frampton-Herring showdown was originally scheduled for the middle of 2020 before being delayed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, which led to both taking interim fights, with Herring overcoming Jonathan Oquendo following a disqualification in Las Vegas, while Frampton kept busy defeating Darren Traynor via a seventh round stoppage in London.

Belfast’s favourite son became world champion at super bantamweight back in September 2014 when he overwhelmed Kiko Martinez on an emotional night outdoors in the Titanic Quarter.

Two successful defences followed – against Chris Avalos and Alejandro Gonzalez – before the now 33-year-old unified his IBF belt with Scott Quigg’s WBA title in Manchester, where Frampton clearly prevailed on points.

Then followed two memorable encounters with Leo Santa Cruz up at featherweight, where in the first of which Frampton became a two-weight world champion at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, only to come off second best in the rematch at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Frampton set about a rebuild following his Santa Cruz setback and teamed up with Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren. He was quickly back in the title mix and won the WBO interim world featherweight title with a comprehensive defeat of the decorated Nonito Donaire at the SSE Arena in April 2018.

In August of the same year he got to fulfil a childhood dream of boxing at Belfast’s Windsor Park and his Interim status was maintained with a ninth round stoppage of the Aussie Olympian Luke Jackson.

In December came the huge collision with Josh Warrington, with the Leeds man’s IBF world featherweight title at stake at the Manchester Arena. A barnstorming start put Warrington firmly on the front foot and, despite gamely sticking in there, Frampton was unable to reverse the momentum.

After considering his future, Frampton decided to go again at super featherweight and got back to winning ways with a clear points victory over Tyler McCreary in November of last year in Las Vegas.

Former Marine Herring, 34, carries a record of 21-2 (10 KOs) and he upset the odds in May of last year by defeating the defending WBO world super featherweight champion Masayuki Ito in Kissimmee.

Prior to this his only title action came with a challenge for the vacant USBA title in September 2018, which he won by defeating John Vincent Moralde on points.

Southpaw Herring defended his world title in November 2019 against mandatory challenger Lamont Roach and won comfortably via decision.

Promoter Frank Warren said: “I am thrilled we are able to deliver this huge opportunity for Carl to reinforce his position as the top Irish fighter of his or any other generation.

“Carl has been and is a tremendous ambassador for the sport and his huge following is testament to the qualities he shows in and out of the ring. The only downside to this fight coming about now is that he will be going into battle without his legion of Belfast fans roaring him on.

“For Carl to become a three-weight world champion would really be something else and in many ways a fitting finale to a magnificent career, although it might not quite be the end of the story.

“Herring is a top fighter and a gentleman who we are looking forward to welcoming over for a huge night on BT Sport.”

MTK Global CEO Bob Yalen said: “February 27th promises to be a spectacular night of boxing for all fight fans as the ‘Pride of the Marines’ defends his title against the ‘Pride of Belfast’.

“Carl is bidding to become only the fourth fighter from the UK, and the very first from Northern Ireland, to win World Titles in three weight divisions, and so history beckons him and will drive him in his bid to win that third crown.

“This is an excellent match-up of two outstanding ring technicians and well worth the wait.”

Jamel Herring said: “I’m really excited that the fight is finally happening, more importantly it’ll be an honor to share the ring with a true warrior, and class act such as Carl Frampton. It may be the biggest fight of my career to date, but I’ll be more than ready for the task ahead.

“There’s a lot on the line, and I know he’s aiming to make history, but he’ll have to wait another day, because I plan on returning home with my title in hand. I’ve been training very hard for this fight, and went back to what got me to my world title from sparring the likes of Terence Crawford and other top talent across the nation. I can’t wait to put on a great show!”

Carl Frampton said: “I’m delighted to finally get a date nailed down for this fight that has now been talked about for over a year.

“I have the upmost respect for Jamel as a fighter and as a man but there is nobody stopping me on becoming the island of Irelands only ever 3 weight world champ, one of Britain’s only ever 3 weight world champions and potentially have one foot in the hall of fame.”

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In the long-awaited battle between undefeated rising junior featherweight stars, WBO 122-pound World Champion Angelo Leo meets Stephen “Cool Boy” Fulton Jr., in the main event of the first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast of 2021 Saturday, January 23 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT live on SHOWTIME from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The co-main event pits two more undefeated 122-pound boxers against each other as Ra’eese Aleem and Victor Pasillas face off in a 12-round bout for the interim WBA title. The telecast opener features rising prospect Rolando Romero against Justin Pauldo in a 12-round lightweight bout for Romero’s interim WBA title. The six fighters’ combined ring record on the card is a remarkable 96 wins with just one loss.

Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions promote the event.

“We’re rolling straight into 2021, ready to keep creating as many opportunities as we can for our fighters,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Angelo Leo and Rolando Romero will both be defending their titles for the first time and will be put to yet another test in their respective bouts. Everyone has been working hard and fine-tuning in preparation for January 23, and it’s going to be another great night of boxing filled with inspiring talent to kick off the new year.”

“Leo vs. Fulton is a true 50-50 matchup between two rising stars entering the primes of their careers,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Fulton’s chance at capturing the title was delayed, but his opportunity finally comes January 23 on SHOWTIME. Leo worked incredibly hard to capture the world championship in August and will come prepared and determined to defend it successfully.

“The super bantamweight division will have a clear world title contender emerge from the co-main event, a battle of unbeatens between Aleem and Pasillas. Add in the opening bout of ‘Rolly’ Romero vs. Justin Pauldo, a fight that can launch a prospect into a contender, and we have an excellent fight card to kick off the year.”

Leo (20-0, 9 KOs), who fights out of the Mayweather Promotions stable, became the first world champion from his hometown of Albuquerque, N.M., since legendary three-division champion Johnny Tapia when he defeated Tramaine Williams by unanimous decision in August. The 26-year-old was originally scheduled to face Fulton for the vacant WBO junior featherweight world title that evening in the first SHOWTIME boxing event following the sport’s pandemic shutdown. Still, Fulton was forced to withdraw following a positive COVID-19 test.

“It’s been a crazy year for everyone, but to say I walked out of 2020 a world champion is truly incredible and humbling,” said Leo. “I spent 16 years training for that moment to become a champion, and here I am, preparing for my next camp for my first defense top of 2021. That’s a blessing, and I thank Mayweather Promotions and my team for that. My experiences with Floyd’s last camp would really put me in a great position going into this fight.

“My father Miguel has been instrumental in keeping me grounded and reminding me that all of these fighters are eyeing my spot. My goal in 2021 is to remain champion and get more belts, and Fulton is that next test.”

Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Pa., Fulton (18-0, 8 KOs) has faced impressive competition in his young career while rising to the 122-pound ranks, where he is currently rated No. 1 by the WBO. In his last 12 professional fights, the 26-year-old has beaten seven unbeaten fighters, including Josh Greer, Adam Lopez, and Luis Saul Rosario. Fulton’s two most recent wins are a knockout over Isaac Avelar in August 2019 before most recently scoring a dominant 12-round unanimous decision victory over Arnold Khegai in January.

“Training is going great,” said Fulton. “I feel like everything happens for a reason because I’m 10 times more ready now than I was the first time around. I’m excited to fight for the title, and I expect nothing but Angelo Leo to be himself and fight his fight on January 23.”

Ranked in the top-10 by the WBA and IBF at 122 pounds, Aleem (17-0, 11 KOs) can take a big step closer to a world title shot when he faces fellow unbeaten Pasillas for the interim WBA strap on January 23. Raised in Michigan and training out of Las Vegas, Nev., Aleem, 30, has stopped his past six opponents inside the distance as he continues to step up his competition.

“This is a high-stakes fight, and the winner will get a guaranteed world title fight,” said Aleem. “It’s going to be a good fight, but I am at the top of the heap. I knew I belonged at the top a long time ago, and after my last fight, that was proven. Winning this fight makes me the number-one contender, and the only thing left after this is to win the world title.”

Pasillas (15-0, 8 KOs), who hails from East Los Angeles, is fresh off a dominating sixth-round knockout over then-unbeaten Ranfis Javier Encarnacion September 2020, which launched him into the WBA’s top-10 rankings. Like Aleem, the 28-year-old Pasillas also carries significant power. He has stopped his four most recent foes, including a first-round knockout of Ernesto Guerrero.

“I’ve envisioned being in this position since I first stepped into a boxing gym at age eight, and now it’s time to seize the moment,” said Pasillas. “I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity and show the world, and everyone watching on SHOWTIME, that I belong on the big stage with the elite fighters at super bantamweight. Aleem is a good fighter, but he won’t be able to hang with me. I’m going to punish him until I knock him out. East L.A. in the house, let’s go!”

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nev., Romero (12-0, 10 KOs) returns to SHOWTIME following his controversial unanimous decision victory over Jackson Marinez in August. The 25-year-old captured the interim WBA lightweight title with that win and went the distance for just the second time in his professional career. Fighting under the Mayweather Promotions banner, Romero has been matched tough early in his career with just two losses among his four most recent opponents, including the once-defeated Pauldo.

“I’m going to approach this fight like I do any other fight; I don’t feel the need to sell myself,” said Romero. “I’m thankful for my fans who have been with me since day one. I fight for them because a fan of Rolly is to be an underdog, to be doubted, and that’s all I have ever been. Whether you’re with me on January 23 or against me, I know you will be watching.”

Following an impressive unanimous decision victory over a tough Josec Ruiz in August 2020, Pauldo (14-1, 7 KOs) returns against his career’s stiffest test when he faces the blue-chip prospect, Romero. Hailing from Orlando, Fla., and training in Houston, Texas, Pauldo, 26, owns a four-inch reach advantage over Romero, who is the third unbeaten foe of his career.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity, and I’m excited for all of my years of hard work to pay off on January 23,” said Pauldo. “I was already training and in shape when I got the call for this fight, so I’m going to be 100% on fight night. Romero is a one-gear type of fighter who comes straight forward. I believe that I have better skills and am a better all-around fighter. This is definitely going to be an interesting fight with contrasting styles, and I can’t wait to show off my skills and bring this title home.”

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Kazuto Ioka has retained his WBO Junior Bantamweight title in an absolute war with Kosei Tanaka in the final title fight of the year.

The pair slugged it out but the 31-year-old Ioka showed just why he is the champ having won in an eighth round TKO as he knocked Tanaka out on his feet.

Tanaka had been knocked down twice before in the fifth and sixth round but a massive left hook left the challenger in la la land as Ioka defended his title for the second time.

Both men came into the fight as world title winners at multiple weights with the 25-year-old Tanaka fighting to become the fastest fighter to win four weight divisions have held the WBO mini-flyweight title from 2015 to 2016, the WBO junior-flyweight title from 2016 to 2017 and the WBO flyweight title.

Incredibly, he still has seven more fights to beat Oscar de la Hoya’s record but his 15-0 record now has its first loss.

Tanaka was a massive favorite in the fight but despite both men copping punishment, it was Ioka who withstood best, with three brutal knockdowns from left hooks giving him the belt.

Ioka for the knockout was at 6-1 odds according to Fox boxing reporter Mike Ortega which was stunning for the defending champ.

Ioka has trod the ground ahead of Tanaka, having won the mini-flyweight, light-flyweight, flyweight and super flyweight titles.

It appeared an even fight to start off with both men dishing out punishment, but late in the fifth, Ioka hit Tanaka with a right before coming over the top with what the commentator called “a picture perfect” left hook that floored the challenger.

In the sixth, another left hook left Tanaka on the canvas again as he went looking for the KO as Ioka smelled blood.

With his back against the wall, Tanaka came out swinging to finish the round.

He swung until the end with Ioka waiting for the right time before his left knock Tanaka out only to be caught by the referee.

By Andrew McMurtry, news.com.au

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The UK and Latin America have easy access, while American viewers will need to pay a few bucks extra.

2020’s last big fight also figures to be one of its best. This Thursday morning at 4:00 AM Eastern, 25-year-old Kosei Tanaka attempts to become a WBO four-division champion against countryman and current WBO Jr. Bantamweight World Champion Kazuto Ioka, who became the first male Japanese boxer to achieve the feat last year. The bout airs live on Japanese channel TBS, but luckily for us gaijin, there are a few ways to tune in.

USA: Unfortunately, no American network or streaming service has acquired broadcast rights at the time of writing. That doesn’t mean piracy is the only option, though: Asian Boxing has a guide on how to subscribe to iSakura, which allows access to TBS and other local channels. Conveniently, iSakura offers a three-day trial, which you don’t have to manually cancel afterwards, for $2.50. Just be sure to order by the end of the day; going by the website, it can take a while to process your payment.

UK: BoxNation has you covered.

Latin America: ESPN KnockOut provided a handy country-by-country breakdown.

By Patrick L. Stumberg / BadLeftHook.com

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After weeks talks and murmurs news broke today that UK specialist boxing channel Boxnation, along with Premier Sports, would be airing the WBO Junior Bantamweight world title bout between defending champion Kazuto Ioka (25-2, 14) [井岡一翔] and unbeaten challenger Kosei Tanaka (15-0, 9) [田中恒成].

The bout, which will be aired live from Tokyo, will have English language commentary provided by the fantastic Corey Erdman.

For US fans there is still no confirmed TV deal, but for British fans this gives them an English language option to go alongside the Japanese option given by TBS.

via AsianBoxing.info

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The WBO 122-pound title will be on the line in Showtime’s first “Championship Boxing” of 2021.

By Michael Woods /badlefthook.com

During Showtime’s final event of 2020 on Saturday night, the first Showtime Championship Boxing attraction for 2021 was announced, with Angelo Leo set to defend his WBO 122-pound title against Stephen Fulton Jr in the main event.

The event, which features six fighters with a combined record of 97-1, will be held Saturday, Jan. 23 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., days after the previously announced ShoBox event on Wednesday, Jan. 20.

Leo (20-0, 9 KO) captured the then-vacant WBO trinket in August when the two unbeaten 26-year-olds were originally set to meet, but Fulton was a COVID scratch. New Mexico’s Leo instead took on Tramaine Williams and won a clear decision over 12 rounds.

Fulton (18-0, 8 KO) was confident he was going to beat Leo in August, and now has the opportunity to claim the belt he wanted months ago.

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Trailing big on the scorecards, Masayoshi Nakatani came from behind and earned the most significant win of his career.

Nakatani (19-1, 13 KOs) scored a pair of knockdowns in the ninth round to stop Puerto Rican star Felix Verdejo in the ninth round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout. Knocked down in the first and fourth rounds, Nakatani, in his first bout since a decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in July 2019, stormed back with a pair of knockdowns in the ninth to clinch the shocking stoppage.

Verdejo (27-2, 17 KOs) saw his four-bout winning streak come to an end, and at the time of the stoppage, he was leading on all three scorecards (78-72 2x and 77-74).

After the bout, a jubilant Nakatani set his sights on a rematch with Lopez, now the undisputed lightweight world champion.

“I fought Lopez, and I wanted to fight him again, and that’s why I kept going,” Nakatani said. “I want to go for the knockout like I did today, and that’s going to be my style.”

Photo by M.Williams / Top Rank

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JOSHUA VS. PULEV WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
17:10 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS FACEBOOK

8 x 3 mins Super-Bantamweight contest
QAIS ASHFAQ 8st 12lbs 4oz v ASHLEY LANE 8st 10lbs 6oz

followed by

18:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS BOX OFFICE

8 x 3 mins International Welterweight contest
FLORIAN MARKU 10st 6lbs 15oz v JAMIE STEWART 10st 5lbs 14oz

followed by

10 x 3 mins Super-Welterweight contest
KIERON CONWAY 11st 5lbs 10oz v MACAULAY MCGOWAN 11st 4lbs 7oz

followed by

10 x 3 mins vacant WBC International Heavyweight Title
MARTIN BAKOLE 17st 13lbs 6oz v SERGEY KUZMIN 18st 6lbs 7oz

followed by

10 x 3 mins International Heavyweight contest
HUGHIE FURY 17st 9lbs 5oz v MARIUSZ WACH 19st 8lbs 6oz

followed by

12 x 3 mins vacant WBO International Jr. Heavyweight Title

LAWRENCE OKOLIE 14st 3lbs 13oz v NIKODEM JEZEWSKI 14st 3lbs 11oz

followed by

12 x 3 mins UNIFIED WBO Heavyweight World Championship
ANTHONY JOSHUA 17st 2lbs 13oz v KUBRAT PULEV 17st 1lbs 11oz

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Vacant WBO Intercontinental Lightweight Championship title Félix Verdejo vs. Masayoshi Nakatani on Saturday @ MGM Grand Las Vegas. TV: ESPN/ESPN Deportes at 10pm ET / 7pm PT. #StevensonClary

Felix Verdejo

“Everything has gone very well since I have been training with {Ismael} Salas in Las Vegas. The change has been from heaven to earth. I’ve seen the changes in me. I am in excellent condition.”

“I have confidence in my skills and on the work I have done, but I don’t overlook any opponent.”

Masayoshi Nakatani

“I’m not worried about the long inactivity. I’ve been training hard.”

“Fights outside of Japan, strong punches are important, and I want to focus on that for this fight.”

“Boxing is not fought with height. It is all about the punches, and that’s why I’m coming to knock him out.”

Photo by M. Williams / Top Rank

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Unified WBO Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) vs. Kubrat Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) tops a huge night of action in London promoted by Matchroom Boxing in association with Top Rank and Epic Sports and Entertainment, with all of the action shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories on its just-launched Global platform, as Lawrence Okolie (14-0, 11 KOs) takes on Nikodem Jezewski (19-0-1, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBO International Jr. Heavyweight title.

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The working man’s hero, Long Island light heavyweight slugger, JOE “THE BEAST” SMITH JR. (26-3 21KO’S) is officially set to take on Russian MAXIM VLASOV (45-3 26KO’s) on February 13th for the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight World Title on ESPN.

If it weren’t reality, some would say it was scripted. An American union laborer’s rise to the top of the boxing world, in the paramount bout of his career for the Championship of the World, against a big strong Russian bear.

Smith Jr. had a 2020 reminiscent of his remarkable 2016. In both years, Smith Jr. secured two major upsets, placing himself inside the top 5 in the light heavyweight division and on track to fight for a world title.

As a relative unknown in 2016, and a 16-1 underdog on NBC, Smith Jr. traveled to Chicago to win a devastating first-round knockout of then #2 rated, Andrezj Fonfara in what would be dubbed “Upset of the Year” by Ring Magazine.

Later that year, once again as an underdog, Smith Jr. would knock boxing legend Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, onto the Forum floor, becoming the first to knock out the former multi-division world champion.

Both knockouts were also runners-up for Knockout of the Year. With a win over the likes of Fonfara and Hopkins in back-to-back fights, Smith Jr. became a well-regarded and beloved inspiration in the light heavyweight division.

Fast forward to 2020, and Smith Jr. would once again find himself clawing back into the mix of a hot light heavyweight division. In January, Smith Jr. was in the main event on ESPN from the Hard Rock in Atlantic City, where he soundly defeated then #1 rated light heavyweight, and heavily favored Jesse Hart for the WBO NABO Light Heavyweight Title.

Next, Smith Jr. laced up his boots and found himself again as the underdog in a four-man WBO World Title elimination tournament against then #1 rated and former world champion, Elieder Alvarez.

After dominating the fight, Smith Jr. knocked Alvarez through the ropes in the ninth round, eerily similar to his Bernard Hopkins knockout, four years prior, en route to a 9th round brutal TKO victory.

However, after this semifinal bout was postponed once due to the global pandemic, again in October, and then the rescheduled November bout was also postponed when Salamov tested positive for COVID-19, Star Boxing’s NY Hall of Fame Promoter, JOE DEGUARDIA, requested and was granted the right for Smith Jr. to take on Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBO World Title.

Vlasov, who had a twelve-fight win streak snapped by Krzyzsztof Glowacki in a bout for the Cruiserweight World Championship in November 2018, has since won three-in-a-row in which he collected the WBO Global Light Heavyweight Title.

Smith Jr. now finds himself as the main character in a Rocky story, founded in reality. Just four years ago, as a member of Union Laborer’s Local 66, Smith Jr. could be found at the Bay Park Sewage Plant with RJ Industries, power washing fecal matter off of tanks.

To this day, Smith Jr. keeps his books up to date with the union, and while not fighting, can be found around Long Island servicing trees with his Dad, for their company, “Team Smith Tree Service.”

Originating from humble beginnings, with a roll up your sleeves style of hard work, Smith Jr.’s grit and determination to make something of himself has led him one victory away from glory and has made him the pride of the working class, known affectionately as the “Common Man.”

Joe Smith Jr. started his pro career with brothers Jerry and Phil Capobianco. “Running into Jerry (trainer) and Phil (manager) changed my life. Without them, I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today.

I would still be a gym fighter.” SMITH JR. continued, “and a huge thank you to Joe DeGuardia and Star Boxing, my promoter, who took me to the Paramount and world and providing me with this great opportunity and believing in me. I am ready for this fight, and I can’t wait”.

Star Boxing CEO, JOE DEGUARDIA, said this about the upcoming World Title fight, “Joe Smith Jr. is one of the hardest working men in boxing.

He is the optime of the working-class hero. It is truly a different experience watching Joe fight – he has hammers in both fists, and at a moment’s notice, can end a fight.

He has vastly improved his boxing ability, and I believe he has become the top guy in the division. I am very confident that the ‘Common Man,’ Joe Smith Jr., will be the World Champion. Kudos to the WBO for recognizing Joe’s talents and mandating this fight.”

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Billy Joe Saunders retained his WBO Super-Middleweight World Title with a dominant unanimous decision win over St Helens veteran Martin Murray to stay on course for a huge unification battle with the winner of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs. Callum Smith next year.

The unbeaten 31-year-old dominated from the opening round with his superior ring skills as Murray fell short in his fifth World Title attempt, losing out on the judge’s scorecards with scores of 120-109, 120-109 and 118-110 at The SSE Arena, Wembley.

“I wasn’t really happy with that performance,” Saunders told Matchroom. “I’m not taking anything away from Martin, he came with a good game plan. He got through it. He tucked up and survived well. I can only be a bit critical of myself because I had a bit of ring rust. My jab was there but there was just that bit of snap missing. I was trying to look for stuff when naturally it’s there.

“When you’re in a training camp getting ready for Canelo Alvarez and you’re in the biggest fight of your life, you’ve got that fear factor and everything there, and then the pandemic came and I can only be thankful to be out this year. But then you’re back in camp and it’s a defence against Martin Murray, I was pencilled in to fight him twice in 2018. It was sort of like a hard kick in the teeth. But look, I’ve got to be thank my management team MTK that I’m even out this year.

“It is what it is, and we move on. I’m 30-0 and still unbeaten and still World Champion. I’ve been World Champion now since 2015. People can run my performance down but let’s make the big fights, because it’s certainly not me turning them away. Eddie knows that I’m always there to sign. I had the Canelo fight signed and it fell through, that’s nobody’s fault.

“A big well done to my lads who boxed on the show tonight. Lewie Edmondson and Donte Dixon did well. Martin was a cunning old fox, he knew what he was doing and he had the ref on his side, he had the ref eating out of his hand. Fair play to him. I learnt a lot from him to be honest. Perhaps everything happens for a reason and I learnt a hell of a lot from the fight.

“Fair play to Callum Smith and I really do wish him all of the success in that fight. I think he’s got the tools to do the job. Canelo would have been training since May for this fight. He would have had Smith in his eyesight from day one. It’s been sprung on him at five or six weeks. They’re very clever in the way they work. If Smith has done his homework and prepared well then I give him a good chance of winning the fight. We are pushing for big fights constantly. After the Canelo fight I want to know my next date. I’m not getting any younger and I want to show my full potential.”

Photos by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

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SAUNDERS VS. MURRAY WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
17:45 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS FACEBOOK

6 x 3 mins Featherweight Contest
DONTE DIXON 9st 1lb 10oz v ANGELO DRAGONE 9st 1lb 14oz
(Sheffield, England)                  (Carmarthen, Wales)

followed by

6 x 3 mins Super-Middleweight contest
LEWIS EDMONDSON 12st 3lbs 3oz v JOHN TELFORD 12st 2lbs 8oz
(Southampton, England)                          (Manchester, England)

followed by

19:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS

8 x 3 mins International Super-Middleweight contest
LERRONE RICHARDS 12st 4lbs 0oz v TIMO LAINE 12st 3lbs 10oz
(New Malden, England)                            (Helsinki, Finland)

followed by

10 x 3 mins WBO International Super-Middleweight Title

ZACH PARKER 11st 13lbs 0oz v CESAR NUNEZ 11st 13lbs 11oz
(Derby, England)                          (Pamplona, Spain)

followed by

8 x 2 mins International Bantamweight contest
SHANNON COURTENAY 8st 5lbs 14oz v DOROTA NOREK 8st 3lbs 14oz
(Watford, England)                                          (Poznan, Poland)

followed by

12 x 3 mins WBA Lightweight World Title Eliminator
JAMES TENNYSON 9st 8lbs 13oz v JOSH O’REILLY 9st 8lbs 5oz
(Belfast, Northern Ireland)                  (Hamilton, Canada)

followed by

12 x 3 mins WBO Super-Middleweight World Title
BILLY JOE SAUNDERS 11st 13lbs 5oz v MARTIN MURRAY 11st 13lbs 6lbs
(Hatfield, England)                                      (St Helens, England)

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Eddie Hearn:

“We’re back in the bubble for a big night of boxing this Friday, the World Super-Middleweight Championship between Billy Joe Saunders and Martin Murray, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN around the world. It’s great to be here. We’ve been lifted by the news that fans will return for the Anthony Joshua versus Kubrat Pulev fight on December 12. 1,000 allowed into The SSE Arena, Wembley for that, so this effectively, touch wood, will be our last ever show, we hope, behind closed doors. We’re ready to make the most of it, and ready for a great night of boxing.”

Billy Joe Saunders – Hatfield, England – 29-0, 14 KOs – defending his WBO Super-Middleweight World Title against Martin Murray:

“First of all I’ve got to thank yourself and Sky for even getting us out this year. I didn’t think I was going to get out. All of the big fights were tied up, out of the fights that were left out there Martin Murray’s name was screaming out. We were supposed to fight twice before, it didn’t happen. He’s boxed for the World Title four times, he should have been a two-time World Champion, he was on the wrong end of two decisions.

“People are looking at this fight as a walk in the park for me and think I should win easily. If you look at Martin, he’s never took damage. He’s never been beaten up in a fight. Golovkin was what it was, he got him in his prime. I promised him his shot and it’s here. I believe that it’s my time to shine now. I’m doing this fight for my uncle Tom who passed away who was like a dad to me.

“I want the Jacobs fights and the Canelo fights and the Andrade fights now, but sadly everyone was tied up this year. The only one really worthy of taking the fight which was available was Martin Murray. He’s a four-time World Title challenger. In my opinion, two-time World Champion, so it’s not a bad pick out of the bunch.

“I know Martin is coming to fight. I haven’t been beaten on the UK soil since I’ve been 12-years-old. I’ve got a good track record, and I’m going to keep it that way. He’s going to bring a good game, but afterwards he can go back to St Helens, take his cash back and have a good Christmas and retire with the family, because that’s what I’m planning on doing, retiring him.”

Martin Murray – St Helens, England – 39-5-1, 17 KOs – challenging Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO Super-Middleweight World Title:

“This is my fifth one now. I know how hard a fight it’s going to be. I really rate Billy Joe. We’ve got unfinished business. Everything happens for a reason. I firmly believe, and truly believe that the pull outs years ago, all of the little set backs that I’ve had, have all brought me to this point and like I said, I’m fit, focused and ready.

“I get it, I get why he pulled out to be honest with you. We all want those bigger fights. It makes sense. There was a little bit of frustration at the time but I left that where it was and I’ve got nothing against Billy. We shook hands when I got beat in my fight against N’Dam, he was on the card with me. He’s here now and he’s honoured his word. He’s going to be in top condition himself and we’re going to lay it all on the line. It’s going to be a good fight.

“No one has ever done it in five times in the UK. I believe Groves four, Frank Bruno four, and I truly believe that there’s been a reason why I’ve picked myself up off the couch when times have been low and I’ve not wanted to go to the gym, but I’ve forced myself to get there. There’s been a reason for it and it’s for Friday. For me to achieve what no-one else has done in the UK.”

HANDOUT PICTURE COMPLIMENTS OF MATCHROOM BOXING
Zach Parker and Cesar Nunez Press Conference ahead of their WBO International Super-Middleweight Title on Friday night.
2 December 2020
Picture By Mark Robinson

Zach Parker – Derby, England – 19-0, 13 KOs – fighting Cesar Nunez for the WBO International Super-Middleweight Title:

“I’ve got to focus on Friday night. He’s going to be a tough opponent. I can’t look too far ahead with this mandatory spot. My full focus is on Friday night and Cesar Nunez. You’ve got to make noise with every fight. That’s why people want to watch you, for the knockouts and the showbiz. Hopefully I can give a good performance and make a big fight next year with Billy Joe or any of the other World Champions. I think Saunders vs. Murray is going to be a good fight. It’s last chance saloon for Martin Murray so we’ll just have to see what version of him turns up. I’m picking Billy Joe on points.”

Cesar Nunez – Pamplona, Spain – 17-2-1, 0 KOs – fighting Zach Parker for the WBO International Super-Middleweight Title:

“First and foremost I would like to thank Matchroom and Sauerland for the opportunity. I’m coming to take this chance and win on Friday night.”

Photos by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

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Matchroom Boxing are delighted to announce that 1,000 fans will be in attendance for Anthony Joshua OBE’s defence of his Undisputed WBO Title against Mandatory Challenger Kubrat Pulev at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday December 12, following approval for a crowd from local authorities.

Fight fans will have the opportunity to watch unified king Joshua fight on home soil for the first time in over two years, with tickets priced at £100, £200, £300, £500 and £1,000 (VIP) available to purchase via AXS (www.axs.com) and StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) on Friday December 4 at 10.00am, as spectators are welcomed back to live boxing for the first time since March.

Strict safety measures and guidelines will be in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

The lead booker can only attend with members of their own household (ID including address will be required on entry).

Matchroom Boxing are participating in the NHS Test and Trace scheme. Lead booker details will be collected and shared for this in line with legal guidelines, and NHS Track & Trace check-in codes will be in place for fans to scan at entrances.

You must not attend an event if you have tested positive for Covid-19, are required to self-isolate or have suffered from Covid-19 symptoms within 14 days of the event.

You must wear a face covering at all times during your visit to The SSE Arena, Wembley (if you’re medically able to do so and aged 11+). They can be safely removed when you’re seated to eat or drink. Tickets must not be resold. No refund policy

Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) vs. Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) tops a huge night of action in London promoted by Matchroom Boxing in association with Top Rank and Epic Sports and Entertainment, with all of the action shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories on its just-launched Global platform, as Lawrence Okolie (14-0, 11 KOs) takes on Krzysztof Glowacki (31-2, 19 KOs) for the vacant WBO Cruiserweight World Title, Manchester Heavyweight Hughie Fury (24-3, 14 KOs) returns against Poland’s Mariusz Wach (36-6, 19 KOs), Martin Bakole (15-1, 12 KOs) and Sergey Kuzmin (15-1, 11 KOs) fight for the vacant WBC International Heavyweight Title, Souleymane Cissoko (11-0, 7 KOs) takes on Kieron Conway (15-1-1, 3 KOs) in a ten round Super-Welterweight clash, Ramla Ali (1-0) faces Vanesa Caballero (3-9-3) in her second professional fight and Leeds Super-Bantamweight Qais Ashfaq (8-1, 3 KOs) looks to return to winning ways against Ashley Lane (14-9-2, 1 KO).

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to see fans returning to our live boxing events,” said Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport. “Whilst the team have done an incredible job over the last 10 months we live and breathe through the energy and atmosphere that a live crowd generates.

“It’s so fitting that they can return for an AJ fight, when through the last few years he has broken all kinds of attendance records in the U.K. and beyond. This is such a positive move for boxing and all sport. Welcome back!”

John Drury, VP & General Manager of The SSE Arena, Wembley, said: “The SSE Arena, Wembley is delighted to have our customers back for its reopening event, and it does not get any better than the return of fans to see Anthony Joshua in action.

“The SSE Arena, Wembley will open its doors with best-in-class procedures from ASM Global’s VenueShield programme. VenueShield is a comprehensive, industry-leading programme deployed at more than 325 ASM Global facilities around the world, providing the highest levels of enhanced cleanliness and safety.

“As a response to the coronavirus pandemic, ASM Global has partnered with medical professionals, industry leaders, and public health officials to create a welcoming, secure environment while providing the most advanced hygienic safeguards for anyone visiting the building.

“We are following all government and local authority health guidelines in order to reopen, and look forward to bringing fans and events back in a Covid-secure way.”

The fight which was originally planned for The O2 arena, has been moved to The SSE Arena, Wembley due to promoter logistics.

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Two-weight World Champ focused on all-British showdown

Billy Joe Saunders insists that he hasn’t overlooked four-time World Title challenger Martin Murray as he prepares to put his WBO Super-Middleweight crown on the line for the second time this Friday at The SSE Arena, Wembley, shown live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

Hatfield star Saunders (29-0, 14 KOs) was on the verge of securing a mega fight with Mexican pound-for-pound icon Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez earlier this year before the coronavirus pandemic turned the sporting world on its head and scuppered his shot at greatness.

Saunders, who was scheduled to face Murray twice in 2018, has expressed his desire to take on the winner of Alvarez vs. Callum Smith in a huge unification battle in 2021, but the 31-year-old two-weight World Champion has refused to underestimate St Helens man Murray.

“I just want to get one in before the end of the year,” said Saunders. “There’s a lot of fighters struggling to get out. I’ve had a major disappointment. The Canelo fight fell through in May. On Friday we’ll rock and roll.

“If you want to go on professional experience, he’s had more fights than me. He’s challenged for the World Title four times. He should have been World Champion in two of those fights. I’ve promised him a chance.

“There’s always a risk I could get in there and get knocked out in one round. There’s a risk to people’s lives. I haven’t overlooked Martin. I’ve trained myself the best I can for the date. I know he doesn’t lay down, I can’t afford that kind of performance.
“Martin has his own mind. He’s prepared how he wants to prepare, whether he wants to train on emotion, grit or experience. He has to find a way to beat me and that will be difficult for any fighters on the planet. I can sense frustration from Martin’s camp. We had two fights that fell through.

“I would be disappointed if I went in there and blew him away in one round. I need rounds for next year. I need to get in there, in the real thing, to go into the big fights next year. To get over that bridge I need to beat Martin Murray. He’s not one of those fighters you can ever completely right off.”

Saunders vs. Murray tops of big night of action in London, Derby’s Zach Parker (19-0, 13 KOs) takes on Spain’s Cesar Nunez (17-2-1, 9 KOs) for the WBO International Super-Middleweight Title, New Malden Super-Middleweight talent Lerrone Richards (13-0, 3 KOs) makes his Matchroom debut, Southamptons’ Lewis Edmondson (3-0) clashes with Manchester’s John Telford (11-2-1, 2 KOs) over six rounds at Super-Middleweight and exciting Sheffield Featherweight Donte Dixon (4-0, 3 KOs) meets Welshman Angelo Dragone (5-1) over six rounds.

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The only current male world champion from Puerto Rico, Wilfredo “Bimbito” Mendez (16-1, 6 KOs), from Trujillo Alto, will have his third title defense on Wednesday, December 16th in the Dominican Republic. The event will be promoted by Shuan Boxing Promotions.

Mendez will put his WBO Mini-Flyweight (105 lbs) world title on the line when he faces the dangerous Venezuelan Alexis Díaz (25-2, 17 KOs) at the Hotel Catalonia in Santo Domingo. The world championship bout will be broadcast live on Shuan Boxing’s YouTube channel.

“The two defeats of my opponent have been in good fights against world champions (José Argumedo and Thammanoon Niyomtrong)”, Méndez said. “He goes into the ring with a lot of desire to take the title for Venezuela and I understand that we both will give the Dominican and world boxing fans a great fight.”

For his third defense, “Bimbito” trained at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I was working in Las Vegas with trainers Yoel González and Carlos de León. The physical work was made by Ángel “Memo” Heredia and I’m more than grateful to Mayweather’s people for treating us like family. Training with great champions like Angelo Leo and Gervonta Davis has been a great learning experience. In the sparring sessions, the six-time Puerto Rican national champion Yankiel Rivera helped me a lot. I am motivated and on December 16, I will show that the island of Coquí has a lot of boxing left in the tank,” Mendez said.

Photo by V. Planas

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Katie Taylor’s masterful Undisputed WBO Lightweight World Title defence against Miriam Gutierrez at The SSE Arena, Wembley drew more than 2 million views across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Sky Sports made the historic World Title triple-header, featuring Terri Harper and Rachel Ball, available to all, customers and non-subscribers alike, via multiple digital platforms including their YouTube channel, Facebook page and website.

The fight generated more than 1.5 million views on Facebook, 550k on Sky Sports’ YouTube live stream and across Sky Sports’ website and apps there were 227k views, with over 600k viewers on Sky Sports’ TV platform, making it a bumper night for new audiences.

As part of Sky Sports’ commitment to women’s sport – first announced back in March – the move came with the aim of ensuring elite women’s sport is more widely available to the public through both increasing its existing coverage and by strengthening its digital output.

Irish star Taylor looked phenomenal as she completely outclassed her WBA mandatory challenger in the evening’s main event, dropping the tough Spaniard in the fourth round on route to a unanimous decision that improved her unbeaten record to 17-0.

Matchroom Sport Managing Director Eddie Hearn said: “What a night and what a monumental moment on Saturday. This huge audience got to see a great night of boxing and a performance of pound-for-pound quality. We have made tremendous strides in women’s boxing but the job is still only half done. Together with these great athletes we will continue to push the boundaries.”

Adam Smith, Sky Sports’  Head of Boxing Development, said: “We’re thrilled with the fantastic viewing figures, on all platforms, for a truly momentous evening of women’s title fights, topped by Katie Taylor’s masterful performance.

“Rachel Ball produced a fantastic win, the launch pad for her to pursue World Titles, while Terri Harper was composed and clinical in her defence of the WBC Super-Featherweight belt. It was then Katie Taylor’s time to produce a punch perfect display. Simply dazzling.

“Katie is an unbelievable ambassador for the sport and we decided to stream her historic fight night for free, a sign of our long-term commitment to women’s sport with Matchroom. We’ve started something special as we continue to showcase the best talent in women’s boxing on Sky Sports.”

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It ended in a flash, and once again, Terence “Bud” Crawford let his fists do the talking. Crawford successfully defended his WBO welterweight world title with a fourth-round TKO Saturday evening over former welterweight world champion Kell Brook.

Brook (39-3, 27 KOs) was leading on two of three judges’ cards entering the fourth round, but it was Crawford (37-0, 28 KOs) who unleashed the boom. A right jab forced Brook into the ropes for a knockdown. The end was near, as Crawford unleashed a combination that prompted referee Tony Weeks to stop the fight.

Crawford has now won eight straight fights by knockout dating back to July 2016.

“I already said who I want {next}. I want Pacquiao. I want to revisit that fight,” Crawford said. “That was a fight that should’ve happened right now. But being that the pandemic happened, and they weren’t going to allow fans in the Middle East, they had to put a hold to that. Everything was 95 percent done. We had the venue. The money was almost there. It wasn’t quite there. That was the only thing we were waiting on.

“Kell is a tremendous talent. He came and he tried to take my title. He was in shape. He made the weight. There were no excuses to be put on the table. He came off of three wins.”

Added Brook, “Never in my career, nobody has ever done that to me in sparring or anything.

“It was one of them… I got caught with a shot I didn’t see. I’m gutted because nobody could’ve gotten me in better condition. I was bang on the limit. Maybe I could’ve been a bit more relaxed and loose and let the shots go.”

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said, “Terence Crawford showed, once again, why he is the best welterweight in the world. It was a dominating performance over a very good fighter in Kell Brook. Terence ranks up there with all the great welterweights I’ve promoted.”

(Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images)

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Katie Taylor completely outclassed her WBA mandatory challenger Miriam Gutierrez to retain her Undisputed Lightweight World Titles at the top of the bill on a huge night for women’s boxing.

The Irish star showed her superiority from the opening bell, flooring Spain’s Gutierrez in the fourth round as Taylor sealed a masterful unanimous decision victory with scores of 100-89, 100-90 and 99-91.

“I thought it was a great overall performance,” Taylor told Matchroom afterwards. “I boxed well at long distance and close. I did a bit of everything in there tonight. I threw everything but the kitchen sink at her. I just couldn’t get her out of there. She’s tough as nails so credit to her. She hung in and she was there to fight until the very end. She’s obviously big and strong and that showed tonight.

“I thought it was important for me to stamp my authority right from the first round. She hadn’t fought outside of Spain and was out of the ring for a year. I thought it would be good to start fast. I thought I was going to get her out of there at one stage. She hung in there and she kept swinging shots. She was actually very dangerous when she was swinging shots. I had to be a bit more cautious later on in the fight. Overall it was a great performance.

“Obviously I would have loved to get a stoppage in there tonight. I haven’t got a stoppage in a long time. It is hard to hurt these girls, they’re very strong and durable. I did everything that I could to get the stoppage but she hung in and I have to be happy with a points win. I’m going home with all of the belts and I’m still the undisputed champion. I’m still unbeaten and this is a great end to the year.

“This was absolutely huge. I think every girl on the card tonight boxed brilliantly. Three fantastic fights. It’s just an amazing showcase. As I’ve said before, Eddie has given us this platform. Women’s boxing is on fire right now because of the platform he has given us. What an amazing few years of women’s boxing. That’s what it’s all about for myself, inspiring the next generation. Hopefully there was a few young girls watching through Facebook on the livestream. It’s all about inspiring the next generation and what an amazing platform to do it on.”

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TOMORROW at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes

(ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT)

• 3-Division WBO World Champion and former Undisputed Jr. Welterweight Champion Terence Crawford 146.4 lbs vs. Kell Brook 147 lbs.
(Crawford’s WBO Welterweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Patricia Morse Jarman, Dave Moretti and Benoit Roussel / Tony Weeks.

• Joshua Franco 114.5 lbs vs. Andrew Moloney 114.7 lbs
(Franco’s WBA Super Flyweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Steve Weisfeld, Tim Cheatham and Lisa Giampa / Russell Mora

(ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT)

• Joshua Greer Jr. 118.9 lbs vs. Edwin Rodriguez 118.9 lbs
(Bantamweight— 8 Rounds)

• Tyler Howard 161.2 lbs vs. KeAndrae Leatherwood 161.9 lbs
(Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

• Duke Ragan 126 lbs vs. Sebastian Gutierrez 126.3 lbs
(Featherweight — 4 Rounds)

• Vegas Larfield 119 lbs vs. Juan Alberto Flores 117.3 lbs
(Bantamweight — 4 Rounds)

• Raymond Muratalla 137.3 lbs vs. Luis Porozo 135.2 lbs
(Lightweight — 6 Rounds)

Photos by M. Williams / Top Rank

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The pound-for-pound king, WBO welterweight world champion Terence Crawford, renewed acquaintances with Kell Brook Wednesday afternoon, nearly nine months after they had a brief conversation at the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury 2 weigh-in inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena. This time, they sat six feet apart on a socially distanced press conference dais three days before their championship showdown, which will air LIVE on ESPN and Deportes (10 p.m. ET), and exclusively on Premier Sports in the UK. When it came time to face off, they edged closer, neither man willing to give an inch.

At the press conference, this is what they had to say.

Terence Crawford

“I’ve always felt that I’m number one pound-for-pound in the world. This is what I do.”

“I’m not the one to quit on a fight, but I can’t say the same about him. I wish him the best.”

“At the end of the day, this is nothing new to me. I have fought in an arena where there are 50 people. I’ll go in there and get the job done as I always do.”

Kell Brook

“I’ve been after this fight for a long time. I’m more than ready! I’m in the best condition of my life, and I’m ready to become a two-time world champion. I’m like fine wine. I’m getting better as I get older. I’m ready.”

”I think Terence knows I’m not an easy fight. I want him to bring the best out of me. I’m pushing myself to perform the best I can. I pulled myself away from my family and from all the distractions. I’m making the sacrifice of being away from my family because I want to be great.”

“It will be great for the UK for me to come through and become world champ against the number one fighter in the world. I know who Terence is, and that’s why I have prepared the way I have. I’m a big welterweight, and I can punch with both hands. This is what I do. The talking is done. All the work has been done. It’s time to perform.”

SATURDAY’S CARD

ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Terence Crawford vs. Kell Brook, 12 rounds, Crawford’s WBO welterweight world title

Joshua Franco vs. Andrew Moloney 2, 12 rounds, Franco’s WBA super flyweight world title

ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Joshua Greer Jr. vs. Edwin Rodriguez , 8 rounds, bantamweight

Tyler Howard vs. KeAndrae Leatherwood, 8 rounds, middleweight

Duke Ragan vs. Sebastian Gutierrez, 4 rounds, featherweight

Vegas Larfield vs. Juan Alberto Flores, 4 rounds, bantamweight

Raymond Muratalla vs. Luis Porozo, 6 rounds, lightweight

Photos by M. Williams / Top Rank

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Live coverage of Top Rank on ESPN continues this Saturday, Nov 14, when WBO welterweight champion and pound-for-pound king Terence “Bud” Crawford returns in an action packed main event against former welterweight world champion Kell Brook, live from the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with undercard action on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The Crawford-Brook main event card airs on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET.

Crawford-Brook will feature a WBA super flyweight world title rematch between champion Joshua Franco and the man he defeated to win the title, Andrew Moloney.

Calling the action for ESPN from site will be Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), former #1 pound-for-pound two-division world titleholder and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward (analyst), and former two-division world titleholder Tim Bradley (analyst). The on-location desk team will feature analysis from Bernardo Osuna and Mark Kriegel.

Fight week coverage includes:

SportsCenter segments: segments for ESPN’s flagship news and information program from Las Vegas

Crawford vs. Brook Final Press Conference (Wed at 3:10 p.m. ET, live ESPN’s YouTube Channel))

Crawford vs. Brook Official Weigh-In: (Fri at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2): Joe Tessitore, Andre Ward, Tim Bradley, Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna reporting live from site

Max on Boxing Weigh in Special (Fri, Nov 13 at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2): ESPN’s boxing series hosted by Max Kellerman airing live following the weigh-in, which will include 1-1 interviews with Crawford and Brook

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Sky Sports has announced it is making Saturday’s triple-header of women’s World Title fights available on YouTube, Facebook and skysports.com

Sky Sports has today announced that it will make this Saturday’s Fight Night boxing – including Undisputed WBO Lightweight Champion Katie Taylor’s defence against Miriam Gutiérrez – available to all via multiple digital platforms.

Taylor’s Lightweight bout against Spaniard Gutiérrez will be available to Sky Sports customers and non-subscribers alike, this Saturday from 7pm on the broadcaster’s YouTube and Facebook channels as well as on www.skysports.com.

As part of Sky Sports’ commitment to women’s sport – first announced back in March – the move comes with the aim of ensuring elite women’s sport is more easily accessible to the public through both increasing its existing coverage and by strengthening its digital output.

Adam Smith,  Sky Sports  Head of Boxing Development  said:  “We’re delighted to be able to make Saturday’s triple-header of women’s World Title fights, a world first, available to a wider audience to showcase some of the brightest talents in the sport. We’ve been with Katie from the beginning of her journey and are proud to be a part of the boom we’re seeing in women’s boxing. Through live streaming the action, we are able to bring more boxing fans closer to the hard-hitting action than ever before with this world first.”

Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport said: “This is more ground-breaking news that helps us push women’s boxing to where it needs to be. The momentum of the last few years led by Katie Taylor has been special to watch but we have still got a long way to go. Nights like Saturday change the narrative of the sport, and as I have said before, it’s not men’s boxing and it’s not women’s boxing, it’s just boxing. Katie Taylor is a trailblazer and it is only right that she headlines this card on Saturday on a moment that we have all been working towards for a very long time. The key is to give these great fighters the platform to become stars and achieve their dreams. Without the support from Sky Sports this would not be possible and I’m so happy that so many people will be able to watch Saturday’s event.”

As always, Sky Sports will take fans to the heart of the sporting drama, follow @SkySportsBoxing or go to skysports.com/boxing.

About Sky

With 24 million customers across seven countries, Sky is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company and is proud to be part of the Comcast group. Our 31,000 employees help connect our customers with the very best of Sports, News, the arts and to our own local, original content.

Following the success of Sky originals like Chernobyl, Patrick Melrose, Das Boot and Gommorah we launched Sky Studios and now plan to more than double our investment in original drama and comedy over the next five years.

Our technology allows customers to watch what they want, when they want, how they want, and as we connect millions of families to content they love, it is our responsibility to do it safely – that’s why we offer services like Sky Broadband Buddy and the Sky Kids app. And our online streaming service, NOW TV, brings viewers all the enjoyment of Sky with the flexibility of a contract-free service.

We also believe that a company of our scale has a responsibility that goes beyond our business, and into the community. Our Sky Ocean Rescue campaign has reached millions across Europe, we’re on track to be free of single-use plastic by 2020, we’re investing £25million over five years in ocean-saving tech and we’re a proud employer – recognised by The Times and Stonewall for our approach to inclusivity.

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One of the best fights on the schedule is now official. Four-division champion Kazuto Ioka will defend his WBO Jr. Bantamweight World title on New Year’s Eve against unbeaten three-division WBO champion Kosei Tanaka.

The 31-year-old Ioka (25-2, 14 KO) has been excelling at the world level for nearly a decade, having claimed his first title in 2011 as a minimumweight. He enjoyed strong reigns at 105, 108, and 112 pounds, losing only to Amnat Ruenroeng by split decision along the way, and smashed Aston Palicte to become Japan’s first male four-division champion last year.

He made his first title defense last NYE against Jeyvier Cintron.

Tanaka (15-0, 9 KO) has pushed a breakneck pace in his rise through the lower weights, winning a WBO minimumweight belt of his own in 2015 at the age of 19. He defended that title once, the light flyweight title twice, and the flyweight title three times before moving to 115, where he became Ioka’s mandatory challenger per WBO policy.

He’s unquestionably among the most exciting fighters in the sport, and I can’t imagine this matchup being anything other than fireworks. Tanaka is in search of his fourth division and if he does so, he will be the first boxer who has done it in fewest fights. The current record is held by Oscar de la Hoya who did it in 24 bouts.

Via badlefthook.com

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