FightersTalkTV.com – A good news for Billy Joe Saunders’s fans. The two-weight world champion has been training at the Ingle Gym ahead of a potential comeback fight in December. Since losing to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in May last year, Saunders, who has held the WBO middleweight and super middleweight belts, was forced to retire in the eighth round after suffering three fractures to his right eye in a punishing career-first defeat. “He came back a couple of weeks back just to find his feet, get away from home,” Ingle said. “He’s aiming to fight in December. His nutritionist Greg Marriott is based in Sheffield, we have just got to sit down and work out a plan of where he goes from there. “That’s another conversation I need to have when I get back to Sheffield. It might work out, it might not.” Saunders was trained by Mark Tibbs for his last bout, which ended in the first loss of his 31-fight professional career after he suffered a broken eye socket. With Ingle away on a warm-weather training camp in Spain, he was trained by his assistant coach, Amer ‘Killa’ Khan. “We had a spar last week, he’s definitely still got the grit,” said Khan, who was a 13-0 professional. “He’s still fighting like his life depends on it. Everything is still there. The pair fought six rounds as part of Saunders’ efforts to get back in shape. “You have to kill him to beat him. You have to nail him to the ground. He can dig deep and take it to the well.” Khan added. Who will be the opponent is yet to be ascertained, but Eddie Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Boxing, says he’d like to set up a rematch between the former two-division world champion Saunders (30-1, 14 KOs) and WBA 168-lb mandatory challenger John Ryder (31-5, 17 KOs). Billy Joe Saunders when beat John Ryder in September 2013. Saunders, 32, beat Ryder by a razor-close 12-round unanimous decision in September 2013 at the Copper Box Arena in London, Billy Joe jumped out to an early lead and held on in the later rounds when Ryder came storming back. “Until he broke his eye socket against Canelo Alvarez, he was having a great fight,” said Hearn. “He’s controversial, he’s talented, and of course, the Billy Joe Saunders vs. Chris Eubank Jr fight down the road – I don’t believe you’ll see that this year anyway. But I’d like to see John Ryder fight Billy Joe Saunders. “They had a great fight a few years ago,” said Hearn. Billy Joe Saunders (right) took his professional record to 21-0 when defeated Chris Eubank Jr. on a split decision, November 2014. Saunders and Eubank Jr have shared an intense rivalry dating back to their 2012 fight where the former sealed a split decision win. Shalom, the promoter and CEO of BOXXER, believes Eubank Jr is still desperate to secure a rematch. But with his old rival still working towards a return, he believes the Brighton middleweight must now focus on winning a world title before pursuing a host of other huge fights. “Eubank now finds himself in a position in his career whereby he needs to prove himself as a world champion.” Shalom said. “If the opportunity is there to fight for a world title, he should be taking it, regardless of the name. I think once Chris has proved his world title credentials, it makes a potential fight with the likes of Conor Benn, Billy Joe or Golovkin later down the line so much bigger.” “I think Chris would love that fight (against Saunders).” Shalom added. Saunders is an excellent fighter, but what’s held him back is frequent injuries and long layoffs. If he is interested in fighting a rematch with Eubank Jr, he should consider taking a couple of tune-ups because that would be a grueling fight for him. Interesting to look forward to, who will Saunder choose to fight? Check the latest Saunder’s fight highlight on our Youtube channel! >>>
FightersTalkTV.com – The big fight between two greatest punchers, Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jr. at Hulu Theatre last weekend surprised many boxing fans and observers. The battle that was predicted as The Fight Of The Year turned out to be a short and quick fight. Beterbiev easily stops and destroys Smith Jr. in just two rounds. Moreover, Smith was knocked down three times before the referee, Harley Dock stopped the fight and declared it over. Joe Smith Jr. got his last knocked down from Artur Beterbiev in the second round. Getty Images – Getty With that easy victory, the Russian-born Canadian deserves to be called as the biggest puncher in boxing today. He is undoubtedly the most powerful puncher in light heavyweight division, so much so that he is the only who is a champion today having knocked out all his opponents (18). But Beterbiev is not the only one who has a deadly punch. These fighters who compete in a variety of weight classes, exemplify the brutality of the knockout and remain some of the most dominant forces in their latest fights. Deontay Wilder At heavyweight, Deontay Wilder is the most feared puncher in the division, although his crushing blows failed to knock out Tyson Fury in any of their three fights. Deontay Wilder in the fight against Tyson Fury. The Gypsy King absorbed the Bronze Bomber’s right hand like no one had ever done before, but Stiverne in his first fight with Wilder was a real test. In his 45 fights, Wilder knocked out 41 opponents. Canelo Alvarez Alvarez is one of the most dangerous punchers in boxing today. His power has allowed him to move up the ranks with some confidence. Have 57 wins with 39 KOs, and in recent time he has knocked out champions such as Kovalev, who in another era would have been on this list, Caleb Plant and Billy Joe Saunders. Alvarez becomes undisputed champion after knocked out Caleb Plant. Of course, the Mexican could not take down boxers like Golovkin or Bivol, no matter how hard he tried. The man from Guadalajara would have to be placed in the super middleweight division today, a division from which he is unlikely to move from. Gennady Golovkin Gennady Golovkin’s punching power (37 of 42 wins have been by KO) has been a benchmark for the past 15 years. At 40 years old, the Kazakh’s legs are no longer the same, but his punching power is still there. Gennady Golovkin knocked out Ryota Murata to unify titles. Triple G’ is coming off a KO win over Ryota Murata in middlewight division and at one point went on a streak of 23 consecutive KOs. Golovkin’s great achievement is that he has won a huge number of world title fights by KO. Vergil Ortiz One boxer who has become a KO expert is Vergil Ortiz. Powerful and very fast, he has a terrifying competitor in welterweight division, Terence Crawford, who has nine in a row (29 in 38 fights). Vergil Ortiz Jr. lands a punch to the face of Maurice Hooker as they fight for the vacant WBO international welterweight title. It’s not just that the American has won all 18 of his fights by knockout, but the decisive way in which he goes at his opponents and gets the job done. However, he has yet to prove those skills against opponents of a greater pedigree. Gervonta Daviz ‘Tank’ or ‘Mini Tyson’ is another of Gervonta Daviz has been given the gift of the KO. His hooks are devastating for a lightweight (impeccable punch against Leo Santa Cruz) and his 1.66m height is pure power. Gervonta Davis knocked out Yuriorkis Gamboa for WBA lightweight title. He relies a lot on his strategy of looking for the knockout, although he has found it in 25 of his 27 fights. Floyd Maywether’s protégé is getting more and more media attention every day thanks to his punching skills in the ring. Is there your favorite fighters? Watch more knockout highlight on our Youtube channel!
FightersTalkTV.com – The #1 WBO ranked Anthony Yarde was on a scouting run last Saturday to take notes on Beterbiev in his fight against WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York. Yarde (22-2, 21 KOs) said he already knows how to give the unbeaten Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs) problems with his superior hand speed and skills. He saw enough to discover the weaknesses of Beterbiev, and he’ll be ready to take advantage of them when they fight next October in London. As we know, Top Rank’s CEO, Bob Arum, who promotes light heavyweight champions Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith, says the winner will face mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde next. “Yarde will be next assuming Artur wins this big fight. And his chance will come in England in a huge fight for the UK. I also expect Yarde will get his chance if Smith wins here but that might complicate the choice of venue. [Team Smith] might want to bring it to the Garden. But however it goes this Saturday I will be working with Frank Warren to sort it out.” Arum told Daily Mail. Many boxing fans will be upset about this scheduled fight because they want to see Artur Beterbiev, the three-belt champion, take on WBA champion Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed championship next. Even though, the fight between Yarde and Beterbiev will be another clash of titans, where two light heavyweight fighters with the highest knockout ratio meet in the ring. Yarde Knows How To Trouble Beterbiev England’s Yarde was impressed by the way Beterbiev battered Joe Smith Jr. on his way to a second-round technical knockout. Yarde reminded reporters at ringside, though, that he, too, is a powerful puncher. “He’s a beast,” Yarde said. “He hits very hard. I’m a beast, too. That’s why I think it’s such an exciting matchup.“ Anthony Yarde’s last fight against Lyndon Arthur, April 2021. “It was very, very entertaining. From what I saw, it was very entertaining. It was a clash of the titans, and I knew there was going to be some sort of knockout tonight,” said Anthony Yarde to BT Sport Boxing about his thoughts on Artur Beterbiev’s victory over Joe Smith Jr. “What I’m expecting and what I’ve been told is Beterbiev is going to come to London. So, we’ll create a fantastic atmosphere in London, and that’s going to be entertainment. “We’ll see when he comes to London,” Yarde said when asked how he’ll defeat Beterbiev. “I feel like everyone is going to have their opinion, and I feel like from what I saw today, I know how to give him a lot of trouble.” “With boxing, it’s one punch, or it’s a punch that when it lands. What I can say for sure is I’m quicker than Beterbiev. From what I’m hearing, it’ll be in London,” Yarde said. Yarde’s apparent advantages over Beterbiev are hand speed, youth, combination punching, jab, and mobility. Yarde lacks experience, inside fighting ability, stamina, and chin. He gets tired quickly, and his chin isn’t as solid as it should be. “I just feel we’re different fighters,” Yarde said. “And I feel like Joe Smith Jr.’s best chance was to go out and done what he did. But again, he’s come up a bit short… I think I was younger then mentally and physically, and especially with experience. I feel like I’m a lot more experienced now and I’m a lot more prepared mentally. Even in training camps, making the weight, etcetera, I feel like I’m a lot better now.“ It will be interesting to see this upcoming fight. Let’s wait till it happens. Watch More Highlights on Our YouTube Channel! Daniel Dubois vs Trevor Bryan
FightersTalkTV.com – What a surprising fight! In a light heavyweight title unification on Saturday night in New York, Artur Beterbiev unexpectedly stops and destroys Joe Smith Jr. in just two rounds. Beterbiev dropped Smith three times to win by TKO to remain the IBF and WBC champion and added the WBO belt with the quick victory. In the opening round, Smith was the aggressor coming at Beterbiev, who landed a few rights that got around Smith’s guard. Beterbiev took back the control by connecting a series of overhand rights and made Smith touch the canvas in the last minute of the first round. But the referee, Harley Dock, ruled it was a slip rather than a knockdown. Beterbiev did not have long to wait for the first legitimate knockdown of the fight, once again after a clubbing overhand right, forcing Smith to take a standing count at the end of the first. However, it was the first knockdown in Smith’s career. Joe Smith Jr. got his last knocked down from Artur Beterbiev in the second round. Getty Images – Getty When the second round began, the question was only whether Smith would be able to cling on. Unfortunately, Smith made the mistake of going fire-for-fire with Beterbiev, and once again, Beterbiev struck Smith with the same exact punch, a looping right to the side of the head. In the middle of the second, Smith was down for the second time under a variety of shots, falling against the ropes. Finally, Beterbiev cranked up a right uppercut that made Smith go stumbling backward and stopped him when the second round had forty seconds left. Dock saw enough and waved it over. With this quick victory, Beterbiev improves his record to 18-0 and maintains his insane 100% KO rate, as all of his victories have been by stoppage. That impressive record includes his seven knockouts in world championship bouts. Meanwhile, Smith was reportedly taken to hospital immediately after the bout and did not speak to the media, fell to 28-4 after the fourth defeat of his career. “I need a little bit more time (to feel what this means),” Beterbiev said. “Right now, I don’t feel it. In a couple of days, I will understand.“ “I want to be a good boxer one day, maybe,” he added. “My coach tells me it’s not far to become a good boxer.” “Joe is a little bit open, and it’s easy to me to get to him,” he said. “We’re two fighters who both have a good punch, and we both tried to land first. This time, I was lucky, I got him first. That’s it.“ Beterbiev holds three of the four recognized world titles at 175 pounds, those are the WBC, IBF, and WBO. Beterbiev naturally expressed an interest in the biggest fight in the division, an undisputed championship bout with Dmitry Bivol, who is coming off a big upset win over Canelo Alvarez in May. The fight to be made would naturally be Beterbiev against WBA (super) titlist and Canelo Alvarez conqueror Dmitry Bivol to determine the first undisputed light heavyweight champion. There is also a bout with WBO mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde, who was in attendance. Beterbiev didn’t seem interested in Yarde and wants to make history with Bivol. “I have had two unification fights,” Beterbiev said. “Unification fights are more interesting. I prefer a unified fight. I want to be undisputed.“ Let’s wait to see who will be the next Beterbiev‘s opponent and stop his record. Here is the Artur Beterbiev vs Joe Smith Jr. fight highlight. https://youtube.com/shorts/pgKha2Pfc1I?feature=share
FightersTalkTV.com – The New York State Athlete Commission officially applied the punishment to Edgar Berlanga following the fight at Madison Square Garden on June 11 which Berlanga won via unanimous decision. NYSAC levied a six-month suspension and $10,000 fine on the unbeaten Nuyorican super middleweight. The punishment stems from Berlanga’s actions, when the Brooklyn native attempted to bite the former title challenger, Roamer Alexis Angulo, in the seventh round of their main event at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, Berlanga’s promoter, told Fight Freaks Unite: “Obviously, it’s a bad intentional foul, biting your opponent, so I can’t quarrel with the action of the commission.” “He knows better and he’s got a lot of people counseling him that know better and, hopefully, he will learn a lesson.” “To make light of it and brag about it is what got him in trouble. He made it worse by making fun of it. When the time comes, we’ll sit down and talk with (his team) about what to do next.“ Meanwhile, Berlanga joked afterward, “I was about to do a Mike Tyson on him,” referencing when Tyson bit Evander Holyfield’s ear back in 2007. But then apologized on Twitter the day after the fight, saying: “I want to apologize for my actions and what I said about the Mike Tyson bite.” “I was in the moment and got a little ahead of myself. It doesn’t take away from the embarrassment that I have caused upon myself, my team, Top Rank, and many others.“ “I reacted poorly and take full responsibility. Moving forward, I am going to be more mindful and encouraging in my behavior. Once again, I do apologize.“ NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 11: Edgar Berlanga celebrates after defeating Alexis Angulo during their NABO super middleweight Championship fight, at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on June 11, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images) The Top Rank-promoted super middleweight contender Berlanga won the fight by a 10-round unanimous decision over the 38-year-old Angulo by the scores 98-92, 99-91, and 99-91 in a contest that appeared to be much closer. Indeed, fans, many of them, saw Angulo as the winner, and they viewed the wide scores as a sick joke. With the suspension being six months, Berlanga will have a chance to return to the ring in December for his third fight in 2022. That’s not to say that he will, but the opportunity will be there.
FightersTalkTV.com – Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden, will be the witness of world boxing history where two of the light heavyweight division’s fiercest punchers put three world title belts at stake in one of the year’s most anticipated showdowns. The WBC/IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs) – boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio – will take on Long Island’s WBO champion Joe Smith Jr. (28-8, 22 KOs) this Saturday evening (June 18, 2022). Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jr. looking forward to Light Heavyweight unification. (Photo by Mikey Williams) Beterbiev, who is ranked No. 2 by The Ring at 175–pounds, has built a reputation as one of the sport’s premier knockout artists, with 17 wins from 17 fights, all coming by way of stoppage. The fight marks the Russian-born Canadian’s sixth title defense since picking up the vacant IBF strap in 2017, and third since acquiring the WBC title in 2019. The physically imposing Russian moved quickly as a professional. He won the IBF light heavyweight title, stopping Enrico Koelling (KO 12) and defended against Callum Johnson (KO 4) and Radivoje Kalajdzic (KO5). His breakout win came against Oleksandr Gvozdyk (TKO 10) in a unification bout. The 37-year-old has since beaten Adam Deines (TKO 10) and Marcus Browne (KO 9). Smith, who is ranked No. 3 by The Ring, turned professional in 2009. However, it wasn’t until the Long Island native shocked Andrzej Fonfara (TKO 1) and became the first fighter to stop the legendary Bernard Hopkins (KO 8) that he gained acclaim. He hit a rough patch dropping decisions to Sullivan Barrera (UD 10) and WBA titleholder Dmitry Bivol (UD 12). The 32-year-old rebounded strongly notably beating former WBO titleholder Eleider Alvarez (TKO 9) and then claimed the vacant WBO title by edging past Maxim Vlasov (MD 12). He has since made one defense against late-sub Steve Geffard (KO 9), by landing a 16-punch combination in the ninth to send the late replacement to his knees and force his corner to wave the fight off. Many boxing fans and observers considered this to be an extraordinary battle and deserved to be the fight of the year. They will see and watch who is going to be the best light heavyweight fighter in the world. Will Beterbiev be able to maintain his perfect record and make it be 18 KOs, or will Smith Jr. collect the three world title belts? At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum had to say. Bob Arum “At my age, this fight brings me back so many decades to when Top Rank promoted the leading light heavyweights in the world like Bob Foster, Matthew Saad Muhammad, John Conteh, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, and Marvin Johnson. The light heavyweight division has given people who follow boxing great thrills for as long as I’ve been promoting fights. Now we have this fight, which will go into the annals like all the great light heavyweight fights of the past and may even be the one that is the greatest.“ “Joe Smith is a tremendous fighter. He has a big heart. He has a lot of skills and a lot of punching power. And what can I say about Artur Beterbiev? He really epitomizes the ferocity that light heavyweights have been known for. Tremendous puncher. Big heart. A guy who refuses to lose. Nothing can be better than this. I predict that this fight will be considered the Fight of the Year for 2022.“ Artur Beterbiev “This is a very important fight for me. With regard to the place, it’s not different for me. I’m more focused on the fight. I’m more focused on my opponent, not on the place. I always ask my boxing coach and my conditioning coach about how I’m doing. I ask them if it’s less than I was doing two years ago. They tell me that I’m doing better than two years ago.“ “If we compare it to the last one, this camp went very well. This camp was better. I want to thank my team, my conditioning coach, my boxing coach, all my team and all my sparring partners who helped me. We had a good camp.“ “We are both ready for this fight. I think it’s going to be a good fight. We will see. I can’t predict the future. I’m just a boxer.“ Joe Smith Jr. “This is a huge opportunity. Beterbiev is a huge name in boxing. Everyone knows who he is at this point. He has two world titles, and I want those belts. I believe this fight is going to be great. You’ve got two big punchers, and I’m just excited to be in there with him. He’s a great name.“ “I’m fighting at the Garden. Home is not too far from here. All my fans are going to be here to support me or, if not, watch at home. I’m just glad to be here defending my WBO title and unifying two other belts.“ “I believe this guy is in his prime right now. I don’t think age has anything to do with it. I know he’s here at 100 percent and ready to go. I know I’m here fighting one of the best, so I trained at 110 percent. I made this camp a little longer. I made sure that I improved things that I wasn’t doing at my best. I stayed more consistent with my training, so I feel comfortable about this weekend.“ Make sure you are watching this big battle, which will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. This is going to be the earliest Christmas present of the year!!
After the win over Alexis Angulo last weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York, Super Middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) is facing a suspension and a fine from the New York State Athletic Commission for his attempted bite in the seventh round against his opponent. According to Mike Coppinger of ESPN, the suspension of the Top Rank promoted Berlanga could take place this Friday. Just how long the suspension will be is still unknown at this time. ” A member of the New York State Athletic Commission, who requested anonymity to speak on the matter because there isn’t yet an official decision, confirmed to ESPN that the incident is being reviewed. An official decision on the particulars of the discipline is expected by Friday,” said Mike Coppinger on ESPN. Win by Unanimous Decision Berlanga defeated the 38-year-old Angulo (27-3, 23 KOs), but it was a questionable 10-round unanimous decision win that many boxing fans felt that Angulo deserved the win and, if not a victory, a draw. It appeared that Berlanga was frustrated by Angulo taking the fight to him and out-slugging him virtually the entire bout. In the seventh round, Berlanga attempted to bite Angulo on the neck. It was not a good round for Berlanga, as he was getting worked out over by his b-side opponent. Lucky for him, the referee wasn’t penalized Berlanga for his act, on the contrary, judges Bernard Bruni (98-92), Ken Ezzo (99-91), and Don Trella (99-91) all had Berlanga comfortably ahead in this fight. Most viewers and ringside observers saw it as a more competitive affair than the scores suggested. “I want to apologize for my actions and what I said yesterday about Mike Tyson bite. I was in the moment and I got a little ahead of myself. It doesn’t take away from the embarrassment that I have caused upon myself, my team (Top Rank), and many others.” “I reacted poorly and take full responsibility. Moving forward, I am going to be more mindful and encouraging in my behavior. Once again, I do apologize.” Berlanga stated in a two-part tweet this past Sunday.
Berlanga-Alexis Angulo goes down SATURDAY (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT) at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ NEW YORK (June 9, 2022) — “The Chosen One” is back home. NABO super middleweight champion Edgar Berlanga takes center stage Saturday evening against two-time title challenge Alexis Angulo in the 10-round main event at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Berlanga, born in Brooklyn and whose family hails from Puerto Rico, takes the top spot on the eve of New York’s Puerto Rican Day Parade. A popular ticket-seller with fearsome knockout power, Berlanga (19-0, 16 KOs) hopes a win over the crafty Colombian gets him closer to a world title shot. The winner of this fight will be the first recipient of Madison Square Garden’s Miguel Cotto Trophy. Puerto Rican icon Cotto, who is being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame this weekend, headlined five MSG fight nights on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. Four-division world champion Cotto, from Caguas, will be ringside Saturday night. In the eight-round co-feature of this all-Puerto Rican card, Henry Lebron (15-0, 10 KOs) and Luis Lebron (18-3-1, 11 KOs) will battle for the vacant WBO Latino junior lightweight belt. This fight was elevated to the co-feature after junior middleweight sensation Xander Zayas dropped out of his bout with a viral infection. Berlanga-Angulo and Lebron-Lebron will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ (7:10 p.m. ET) and includes junior featherweight contender Carlos Caraballo (15-1, 14 KOs), junior welterweight prospect Omar Rosario (6-0, 2 KOs), comebacking featherweight Orlando Gonzalez (17-1, 10 KOs), and junior welterweight Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (20-2, 9 KOs). At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say. Edgar Berlanga “I’m excited. It’s Puerto Rican Day {Parade} Weekend. {The first one} since the pandemic, two years. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid. I feel like I spoke it into existence. My hard work paid off and now we’re here.” “To be honest, my team and Top Rank felt like he was the perfect opponent for Puerto Rican Day Weekend. He’s the type of fighter that comes forward. Hopefully, he does that this Saturday. He’s a tough, rugged fighter. He makes it look ugly, comes forward. He has power just like me. He’s powerful, so it’s going to be an amazing night. And I’m excited to perform on Puerto Rican Day Weekend.” On three straight fights without a KO “It’s part of the process. I’m young, 25 years old. What can I say? I have 16 first-round knockouts, so I didn’t really gain the experience I needed. Definitely, these last three fights, I got the experience I needed. That’s the most important thing to make yourself a real professional athlete. But not only that, at that top level, you need those rounds. You need that feeling of what it’s like to get in the eighth, 10th round, and we got that done. This Saturday, Puerto Rican Day Weekend, I’m looking for a huge victory. I’m ready to go all out.” “A lot of people don’t understand the last two years of not having a Puerto Rican Day Weekend and actually having a fight on that weekend… I’m just looking forward to performing, exploding like I always do and bringing back the old Edgar Berlanga.” Alexis Angulo “I’m very thankful for the opportunity, and I’m going to take full advantage of it. We’re going to put on a good presentation for everyone.” “I see my two losses as big lessons, and we’re going to see what kind of result we get in this fight.” “Part of the training camp we did in Colombia, part of the training camp we did in Miami. We have been trying different training techniques and things like that, so let’s see what kind of result we get in this fight.” Henry Lebron “I’m very happy with this opportunity. This is my first press conference. I’m happy that it’s just before the Puerto Rican Day Parade at Madison Square Garden, and I’m here to represent with a lot of pride.” “My last fight propelled me to do even better and to keep showing that I’m a complete fighter. It motivates me even more, and I’m going to show the same Henry Lebron for a very long time.” “I have been under the radar for a long time, but that motivates me even more. I’m thankful for this opportunity. I’m going to take full advantage of it. I’m going to put on a show.” Luis Lebron “I’m thankful to Top Rank and ESPN, and I’m here to represent my countrymen and put on a good show for the fans.” “I am going to take full advantage of this opportunity. I have faced a lot of undefeated fighters, and like I said, this is a blessing for me and I’m going to put on a show for the fans.” Saturday, June 11 ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT) Edgar Berlanga vs. Alexis Angulo, 10 rounds, Berlanga’s NABO Super Middleweight Title Henry Lebron vs. Luis Lebron, 8 rounds, Vacant WBO Latino Junior Lightweight Title ESPN+ (7:10 p.m. ET/4:10 p.m. PT) Carlos Caraballo vs. Victor Santillan, 8 rounds, junior featherweight Josue Vargas vs. Dakota Linger, 8 rounds, junior welterweight Armani Almestica vs. Eliseo Villalobos, 6 rounds, lightweight Orlando Gonzalez vs. Pablo Cruz, 8 rounds, featherweight Omar Rosario vs. Julio Rosa, 6 rounds, junior welterweight Frevian Gonzalez vs. Refugio Montellano, 4 rounds, junior lightweight Christina Cruz vs. Maryguenn Vellinga, 4 rounds, flyweight Event Name: Edgar Berlanga. vs. Alexis Angulo — Press Conference Date: Thursday, June 9, 2022
Kambosos-Haney undisputed lightweight championship battle goes down @ Marvel Stadium and LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ SATURDAY @ 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT MELBOURNE, Australia (May 30, 2022) — Six days before undefeated lightweight champions George Kambosos Jr. and Devin Haney fight for the undisputed crown at Marvel Stadium, they came face-to-face for the first time. For more than five minutes, the two combatants talked trash. They did not come to blows, but the mental warfare was in full effect. Fight week kicked off in style with an opening press conference at Culture Kings in Downtown Melbourne. Unified champion Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs) and WBC king Haney (27-0, 15 KOs) are set to do battle in one of the biggest boxing matches in Australian history. The Down Under showdown will be broadcast live in the United States in prime time this Saturday (Sunday local time) on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. This is some of what Kambosos and Haney had to say during a manic Monday in Melbourne. George Kambosos Jr. “This is amazing. This is what the sport is about, and I made this happen. I chose the biggest fights possible. I took out Teofimo Lopez. Obviously, this guy… I was prepared to fight Lomachenko. That was done. He couldn’t make it because of the {Ukraine} war. No problem, Devin, wanna step up? And he did, OK, but he was forced into this. He’s not my mandatory.” “I could’ve fought anyone. I could’ve fought the garbageman outside if I wanted to, but I chose you. You’re not my mandatory. I picked you. You’re here, and everything is a go for Sunday.” “I became more obsessed. I became champion and realized I loved this sport more than anything in the world. I’m very blessed to be here. I made this happen. If it wasn’t for me, this wouldn’t be happening today here, and bring it on.” “It’s great to be back home. Five years of hard work. Everyone knows the story. I had to go through every bit of adversity. I had to earn my belts, earned them the hardest way. Not like this guy. He got given a present. I earned mine. I took the best out. It is great to be back home, great to have the support. I know that stadium will be buzzing with my support, but I just love to fight. Me and him in there, in that ring. It’s a great moment for Australian boxing, and I am very excited.” Devin Haney “The government would not have put up the money if it wasn’t against me. Me or Loma. And then Loma couldn’t fight, so then you had to pick me.” “What was the point of even coming if you didn’t bring the belts? Aren’t we fighting for the belts? Didn’t the government put up the money for all the belts and didn’t the media come out because this is an undisputed fight between two champions? Why wouldn’t you bring the belts? Fu*king clown.” “This means everything. It’s a dream come true of mine since I was a young kid. This is the biggest achievement of boxing. I can’t wait for June 5 to come.” “This fight feels different for me. It’s something that I can really get up for. I just can’t wait.” “There’s nothing he can do in the ring that’s better than me, and I will show it on fight night. I take nothing away from him. I think that he’s a good fighter, but I just think I’m on a whole different level.” ABOUT DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT In May of 2000, Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment (DBE), a full-service sports and entertainment company, which has become one of the most successful promotional entities in boxing. Serving as matchmaker, television distributor, marketing advisor, and promoter, DiBella has developed an exciting stable of championship caliber, world-class fighters, such as Sergio Martinez, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Micky Ward, Deontay Wilder, and George Kambosos, among others. DBE clearly established itself as an industry leader with the successful launch of its monthly-televised “Broadway Boxing” series in November 2003. Prior to becoming a promoter, DiBella held an 11-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports. While at HBO, DiBella created and established the highly successful “Boxing After Dark” series, which featured some of the sport’s greatest fights. He is also a well-known fixture in the film industry, having worked as an Executive Producer for the film “Love Ranch”, as an Associate Producer on “The Fighter”, and making his acting debut in “Rocky Balboa”. He also produced or executive produced numerous documentaries, such as Viva Baseball!, Magic Man, Maravilla, Larry Flynt for President, and Tapia. The President and Managing General Partner for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team, DiBella proudly wears his 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series rings, as his team is the class AA affiliate to the San Francisco Giants. In 2017, DiBella also became the CEO and Managing Owner of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, the AA-affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. DiBella was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020 and will be inducted in June 2022, as well as the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015. ABOUT TOP RANK Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1973 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Erik Morales, Timothy Bradley, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Tyson Fury. Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Wembley Arena, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms. ABOUT VISIT VICTORIA Visit Victoria is the State of Victoria’s primary tourism, business and major events company, leading the sector in creating, curating and communicating Victoria’s inspiring experiences to maximise visitation. Established in July 2016, Visit Victoria brings the best of Tourism Victoria, Victorian Major Events Company and Melbourne Convention Bureau under one brand that capitalises on commercial opportunities in an increasingly competitive and dynamic global tourism market. The team operates in a collaborative and agile environment that informs, connects and partners with industry and the Victorian State Government to amplify Victoria’s profile. About TEG Sport TEG Sport is owned by TEG, a leading global live entertainment, ticketing and technology business which operates worldwide out of seven country offices. TEG also includes TEG Live, TEG Experiences, TEG Dainty, TEG MJR, TEG Van Egmond, Laneway Festival, Handsome Tours, TEG Rockefeller, Qudos Bank Arena, Ticketek, Ticketek Marketplace, Eventopia, Softix, TicketCharge, TicketWorld, Ticketek Singapore and Ovation. Life is Better Live. Whether it’s Sport, Concerts, Musicals, Theatre or Exhibitions, nothing beats the live experience! For more information www.teg.com.au.