NEW YORK – January 22, 2020 – Rising lightweight prospect Thomas Mattice will face hard-hitting Isaac Cruz Gonzalez in the 10-round main event of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, February 14 live on SHOWTIME from 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

The four-fight telecast is the third of four ShoBox presentations over six weeks showcasing some of boxing’s brightest young prospects in their toughest tests to date, including super lightweight prospect Shohjahon Ergashev and super middleweight Vladimir Shishkin, who were victorious on January 17. On January 31, featherweight Ruben Villa and welterweight Taras Shelestyuk will be tested and on February 28, super lightweight Malik Hawkins and welterweight Richardson Hitchins face tough opposition.

In the co-featured bout on February 14, undefeated super bantamweight Raeese Aleem (15-0, 9 KOs), of Las Vegas, will take on ShoBox veteran and San Antonio native Adam Lopez (19-3-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-round 122-pound bout. In a matchup of undefeated junior welterweights, Cleveland’s Montana Love (12-0-1, 6 KOs) returns to ShoBox in an eight-round showdown with New Orleans’ Jerrico Walton (16-0, 7 KOs). In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated junior middleweights Derrick Colemon Jr. (11-0, 8 KOs), of Detroit, and Joseph Jackson (15-0, 12 KOs), of North Carolina, will square off in an eight-round 154-pound bout.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by GH3 Promotions and King’s Promotions are $100, $75 and $50 and be purchased at www.2300arena.com

Cleveland’s Mattice (15-1-1, 11 KOs) is coming off his most significant win to date, an eight-round TKO of previously undefeated Michael Dutchover last September on ShoBox. The fight was stopped due to a deep gash on Dutchover caused by a clean right hand from Mattice. The judges’ scorecards were split at the time of the stoppage. Mattice will be making his sixth start on the prospect developmental series, including a close loss to Will Madera in 2019, a split decision win and a split draw with Zhora Hamazaryan in 2018, and a knockout of Rolando Chinea. The 29-year-old hopes a convincing win over the top-10 ranked Gonzalez will move him closer to a world title shot.

“A win would be huge for my career and put me in a great position,” Mattice said. “It would put me in the conversation with the top dogs of the division. I have to put on a great performance and let all those top fighters know that I’m here and ready to fight anyone. It’s a must-win for me, but it’s a big fight for both of us. He is ranked No. 7 by the IBF so this has the feel of a big fight. I think a win would put me in the top-10.”

Gonzalez (18-1-1, 14 KOs), of Mexico City, has scored knockouts in 11 of his last 14 fights since suffering only loss of his career in just his sixth professional fight. The 22-year-old owns a career-best knockout of former interim world title challenger Jose Felix Jr. in 2018. Currently ranked No. 7 by the IBF at 135 pounds, Gonzalez made his U.S. debut in December on the non-televised undercard of the Jermall Charlo vs. Dennis Hogan event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn last December.

“I am excited to be fighting in the United States and I am thrilled for my fight to be shown on SHOWTIME,” said Gonzalea. “So many fighters started their career on ShoBox and have become World Champions.”

Aleem compiled a 65-10 record as an amateur and was a five-time Golden Gloves State Champion in Michigan. He finished third at the National Golden Gloves in 2010 and 2011 before turning professional in 2011. The 29-year-old recently relocated his training camp to Las Vegas, where he has sparred with Jessie Magdaleno, Nonito Donaire and Jhack Tepora. Aleem, who is trained by Terry Markowski, will face the toughest test of his career in the veteran Lopez.

“All my hard work is paying off and now I get to show it on the big stage,” Aleem said. “I am looking forward to earning new fans and staying on a roll. I know Lopez is a really tough fighter with something to prove. He’s been here before so I know he’s ready for the challenge. This is a steppingstone to ultimately get where I want to be, and that’s fighting for a world title, bigger paydays and more exposure. Ultimately, I don’t just want to win, I want to dominate. Winning isn’t good enough – I also have to look good while doing it.”

Lopez was an accomplished amateur who won six national titles and held a No. 1 ranking, but he has had an up and down career as a pro. The 29-year-old started his career with 15 straight victories yet he has suffered a few setbacks as his level of opposition has dramatically increased. Lopez was undefeated and one win away from challenging for a world championship before losing to current unified 122-pound champion Daniel Roman in a title eliminator in 2017 on SHOWTIME. Lopez, who will break his own record of ShoBox appearances when he steps into the ring for the eighth time, will face his sixth undefeated opponent on the series as he looks to get his career back on track.

“Aleem is a pretty good fighter, but I think my experience is going to be a factor,” Lopez said. “He hasn’t fought top-tier guys with the exception of Marcus Bates. I have been in the big fights and this is his first time doing this. I am on a three-fight winning streak and I have rededicated myself to the sport. I have a new trainer, Chato Martinez, and a whole new camp. I can’t wait to show that I am back.”

The flashy Love was an accomplished amateur who compiled a 174-13 record. The 25-year-old southpaw will return for his third test on ShoBox as he seeks a convincing victory. In his first bout on the series, he won a majority decision over Samuel Teah in 2018 and followed that up with a split draw a few months later against Kenneth Sims Jr. Love, who has sparred with Adrien Broner and Robert Easter Jr., will face what should be his most dangerous opponent in the fellow-undefeated Walton.

“Walton is a decent fighter, but I feel he is still green and he doesn’t have that much experience,” Love said. “I know he is tough, but I am taking this to the next level. He’s just a stepping stone. It’s exciting to fight under the bright lights. Some guys fold, but I was made for this. I am not looking past him, but this will take my career to the next level. We are both undefeated and not many guys take risks like this, but this shows I am a true fighter. My name is Montana “Too Pretty Love” and I am fighting on Valentine’s Day, so I will be giving a lot of love out on February 14.”

The 29-year-old Walton was born and raised in New Orleans, where he rescued his mother and sister from the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina when he was just 13 years old. Left homeless, the family relocated to Houston, where Walton competed as an amateur. Walton turned professional in 2014 and has been perfect through his first 16 fights, including a career-best win over former super bantamweight world champion Victor Terrazas in 2019. The boxer-puncher, who is trained by Bobby Benton and fought six times last year, will face the first undefeated opponent of his career in Love.

“I have seen Montana fight before. I know he is flashy in the Adrien Broner mode, but other than that I do not know too much about him,” Walton said. “This opportunity is a blessing. The world is going to get to see me and hear my story. I’m from New Orleans and it was a struggle for me growing up, so this is a great opportunity. I never in a million years thought that I would be in this position. I just need to seize the moment and get the victory.”

Just 20 years old, Colemon started boxing at the age of 4 and honed his craft at the original Kronk Gym under Emanuel Steward until his passing in 2012. Colemon had a 135-fight amateur career and was a four-time national amateur champion in the junior division. He turned professional when he was 18 years old and has eight knockouts in his first 11 professional fights. Colemon, who is trained by Marlon Thomas, will face by far the toughest test of his career in Jackson, a fellow undefeated yet untested prospect.

“I am physically and mentally prepared more than I ever have been,” Colemon said. “I know Jackson is undefeated and tough, so I know I’m in for a big test. This is the next step in my career, and I feel that I will be not only the next great champion that has fought on ShoBox, but the next great fighter out of Detroit. I am ready to show the world my talents. February 14 will put my name in the minds of boxing fans all over the world.”

The 31-year-old Jackson got a late start as a professional yet has been active, including three fights in 2019 and three in 2018. He has 12 KOs in 15 fights, including knockouts in seven of his last eight bouts. The Greensboro native will fight outside of North Carolina for the first time in his career when he takes on the undefeated Colemon.

“I know Colemon is tough, and he had a long amateur career,” Jackson said. “He will come to fight, but I prepare for anything. That is what this sport is all about. I am looking forward to showcasing my talent to the world.”

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

#

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 81 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

PHILADELPHIA (January 16, 2020) – Unified 154-pound champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams went face-to-face with hard-hitting contender Jeison Rosario Thursday at the final press conference before Williams makes his homecoming title defense this Saturday, January 18 in the FOX PBC Fight Night main event and on FOX Deportes from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

Thursday’s press conference also featured unbeaten rising star Chris “Prime Time” Colbert and former champion Jezreel Corrales, who meet for the Interim WBA Super Featherweight title in the co-main event, and top super welterweight prospect Joey Spencer and Erik Spring, who compete in the televised opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at http://www.liacourascenter.com/events (direct link HERE) or by calling 800-298-4200.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday at the Liacouras Center:

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“This is going to be an exciting night of boxing. I don’t need to say too much, but I’ll definitely let my hands do the taking for me on fight night.

“I’m preparing myself to face a tough good fighter and I’m preparing myself for a win. This is a great opportunity to put on a show right here in Philadelphia.

“I know this is extremely significant for my community, but I’m so locked in on the fight, I haven’t been able to really think about it too much. On Monday I’ll be able to think about the significance, but none of it will affect me during the fight.

“I’m thankful to be in this position to bring my titles back to my city, but I’m not thinking about it or letting it distract me from Rosario I’m locked in on fight night and having my hand raised.

“There must be something in the water here in Philadelphia. There’s so many great champions from here. Philadelphia is small too, but there’s a long line of history and it keeps getting passed down from generation to generation. I’m just happy to be one of them.

“I’m all about setting goals. That’s how you keep moving forward. My goal was to become the world champion. That was my goal since I was a kid. I achieved that and now I created new goals. I’m just as hungry now as I was when I first started this sport. I can see these next goals in front of me now.

“He keeps saying we’re going to have a war, because he can’t do anything else with me. There’s nothing in the ring he can do to bother me. I’m coming to step on him. I’m coming to dominate and win in spectacular fashion.”

JEISON ROSARIO

“Hello Philadelphia, I’m excited to be here for this fight. This is an opportunity I’ve been working so long for and I’m going to take full advantage of it.

“I feel strong and confident. There’s no pressure on me and I’m very motivated. This is nothing new for me, coming to my opponent’s backyard. I haven’t fought in my home country yet, so this won’t phase me at all.

“When I had my loss, that was when my career really started. That was a different stage of my career. I’ve gotten better and better and this fight is really the first time I’ve had a full training camp for a fight. I’m excited to show everyone my improvements.

“I’m coming for war. That’s my mentality. I don’t have a prediction. I’m going to give it my best and give everyone a war. At the end of the day, I’ll have my hand raised.

“I had a great training camp and I’ve worked hard from even before we knew we had this fight. I knew that one day my opportunity would come. This is what we’ve waited for.

“I’m ready to leave it all in the ring. We trained every day so we I know exactly what I have to do when that bell rings. His fans can’t fight for him, so there’s no way he will beat me.”

CHRIS COLBERT

“I always work hard. This is just going to be another day for me. I’m one of the baddest young fighters out here, and I’m going to show it Saturday night.

“Corrales had a world title before and he’s not getting it back from me. I’m sending him back to Panama empty handed.

“I bring the style and the flair and you’ll see it all on Saturday. I’m going to be put on a great performance and become WBA champion. That’s the plan.

“Saturday night is just another fight for me. I have to do what I have to do. Belt on the line or not. I don’t feel like there’s anything he can bring to stop me. I bring the speed, the power, and I’m smart. Nothing he’s doing can stop me.

“I feel like I was more about punching and moving before. I would punch and move at the same time. I always knew I had some type of power from sparring. But I’m sitting down on my punches more to make sure that these guys respect me. I have to go in there and show him what I’ve got.

“I love the bright lights. I played football before I boxed and I always wanted to be a star. I’m going to go out there show the world why I call myself ‘Prime Time’. I’m looking to steal the show. That’s what I’m going to do come Saturday night.”

JEZREEL CORRALES

“I’m grateful to be here in the United States fighting on this great card. I’ve had a great camp and I’m moving forward and working hard to make the most of this opportunity.

“I have all the equipment and all of the tools I need to fight him and beat him. I know that he’s a great fighter, but so am I. I’m going to come out of this with the belt.

“We’re leaving it up to fate now. We worked hard and we’re ready to put on the best performance of my career.

“I’m not worried about any of his trash talk or anything he says up here today. We’ll settle it in the ring with our fists.”

JOEY SPENCER

“I’m super excited to be here. I’m happy to be fighting on Julian’s card and to be here with so many great fighters. Last year was great, and I’m looking forward to my 10th win on Saturday. I’m planning to make 2020 even better. I worked hard all year last year and I’m looking forward to it paying off.

“I can’t wait to put on an exciting performance Saturday night. I don’t have any pressure on me. The only expectations I’m trying to keep are from my family and the man upstairs. I just train hard year round, we don’t take any breaks. We’re always training and I’m ready to go in there and show off.

“I would say this is the year where I become a contender. I worked hard last year so that I’ll be a contender by the end of this year. I’m ready. We’ve worked on a lot of things and this year I’m hoping to show that and shine starting Saturday night.”

ERIK SPRING

“I want to thank my team that helped me get this fight against Joey Spencer. It’s a great opportunity for me. Saturday night I’m going to pull of that upset. Don’t miss it.

“The odds are what they are. I prepared and had a solid camp. People think I’m an underdog but I think I’m the big dog. Come Saturday night we’re going to see.

“I don’t know if Joey has faced anyone like me. We’re going to find out in the ring because I’m ready to do anything it takes.”

JULIAN WILLIAMS VS. JEISON ROSARIO
FIGHT WEEK MEDIA SCHEDULE
All Times Are Eastern
(as of 1/14/20)

                                      Friday, January 17

                  5:00 p.m.                   OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
                              Location: Liacouras Center - Lobby*
                   5:00 p.m. - Media/Fan Arrival
                                   5:30 p.m. - Undercard Weigh-In Begins
                                                       6:00 p.m. - Televised Weigh-In Begins                      

**NOTE: All media will enter through the Broad Street Entrance for Thursday and Friday’s events and check in at the designated media table. TV trucks are permitted to park in front of the building. Additional parking information is available here

                             Saturday, January 18

                                                            4:00 p.m.    LIACOURAS CENTER DOORS OPEN

                                  4:05 p.m. FIRST FIGHT BEGINS   

                                              6:30 p.m.   FS1 TELECAST BEGINS         

                                        8:00 p.m.  FOX BROADCAST BEGINS

As winter weather approaches in the Northeast and 2019 draws to a close, boxing insiders have taken notice that the activity out of Kings Promotions is heating up. The company closed out 2019 by promoting a pair of back-to-back shows in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, PA that featured some of its top talent, including world ranked contenders Mykal Fox (22-1, 5 KO’s) and Marcus Bates (11-1-1, 8 KO’s) along with recent acquisitions Alycia Baumgardner (9-1, 6 KO’s), Carlos Vidal (16-0, 15 KO’s) and Michael Coffie (8-0, 5 KO’s).

While the history and success of Kings Promotions can be attributed to its hard-charging founder and CEO Marshall Kauffman, it has caught a second wind in its new junior partner Andrew Foy, a medical doctor out of Hershey, PA. Foy officially merged his company, the Harrisburg-based Titans Boxing Promotions, with Kauffman’s in July of 2019 and settled under the KP banner. On the surface, the pair could not seem any more different.

Kauffman is a grizzled veteran of the sport whose reputation has been forged by years of making it the hard way in the industry; first as a fighter, then as a trainer and gym owner, followed by manager and lastly, as a promoter and matchmaker. His personality is gregarious, warm and welcoming but can change in an instant to intense and fiery – a trait that has generally served him well over the years. In a sport where the line between good and bad business is often blurred, standing up for one’s own interests is vital for success.

Foy, on the other hand, is reserved and soft spoken but carries a quiet confidence. At only 38 years of age, he is regarded as a thought leader in the world of academic medicine. With over 50 peer-reviewed publications, several appearing in the world’s leading journals, he has challenged the status quo on the overuse of medical tests and treatments, particularly in his field of cardiology, and has penned highly influential papers that call for a sea-change in how the medical profession approaches patient care. He is also a featured speaker in the Penn State College of Medicine whose lectures and seminars involve medical decision making, critical thinking, evidence appraisal and scientific skepticism. He is the recent recipient of a “New Innovator Award” grant from the Penn State Department of Medicine for an ambitious project that looks to apply novel approaches to determine whether results from landmark clinical trials in cardiovascular medicine apply to patients with multiple medical conditions.

If you think that Foy should stay in his Ivory Tower and out of the seedy underworld of the boxing business, you would be like most others who have heard his story – a contradiction he revels in. In fact, his first real conversation with Kauffman over 3 years ago involved Kauffman advising him to stay out of boxing. While Foy partially resented it, he understood Kauffman’s perspective that a doctor shouldn’t get involved in the sport to make money because that is highly unlikely to occur at first, if ever, and there are far better ways to turn a buck. But making money was never Foy’s primary intention and Kauffman, along with many others, have come to appreciate that.

Interestingly, Foy doesn’t view himself as that different from Kauffman. He recognizes the stark difference in personalities between them but otherwise, thinks they are a lot alike especially in terms of their resiliency and work ethic. In fact, he thinks he might have gone down a similar road had his family not detested his participation in the sport and strongly encouraged him to attend a liberal arts college that would take him away from his hometown gym and the boxing culture he grew accustomed to during his high school years.

But since returning to boxing as a promoter in 2017 he’s been one of the busiest in the area, promoting 8 solo events and participating in several other co-promotions, all the while continuing to excel in his full-time gig. When asked why he began promoting, Foy just smiled before saying, “It just kind of happened. One chance occurrence lead to a series of events and 6 months later I found myself agreeing to promote a boxing event.”

At first he knew nothing about how to do it but learned quickly. The hardest part for him, he admits, was being tough about the business-side of the sport. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand it but he found it challenging to separate his desire to help fighters advance their careers and put on great events with being able to say “no” to things that he knew were bad business.

Reflecting on his run with Titans Boxing, Foy believes that most people who paid attention probably thought he was more successful than he really was, particularly from a financial standpoint. He acknowledges that “perception is reality” and he staged the events in such a way that they really came across as something special in places like the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex and the Zembo Shrine Arena but the cost of the venues and the staging that went into them, along with the small population size of Harrisburg, was ultimately prohibitive to financial success.

Foy says he lost a lot of money, which is not something he regrets and his income from medicine allowed him to continue on without a hitch. He viewed it as a personal investment on a grand experiment that he was determined to succeed at and if not succeed, at least learn. And he enjoyed it too.

His greatest satisfaction came from working with Jamaal Davis (18-16-1), a rugged journeyman from Philadelphia who moved to Harrisburg and looked to rekindle his boxing career around the same time Foy promoted his first event. Davis would go on to have success fighting as the main event on Titans shows, winning two regional titles, and more-or-less becoming the face of professional boxing in Harrisburg. Foy not only promoted Davis but participated heavily in training him and the two developed a tremendous friendship.

But after Davis’s one-sided loss to Tyrone Brunson in March of this past year in Philadelphia on an event that was co-promoted by Kings and Titans, in a show that saw 3 other Harrisburg fighters suffer devastating defeats, Foy thought long and hard about his own future in the sport. He wanted to be involved outside of Harrisburg, but knew he couldn’t handle the work of promoting events by himself outside the immediate area where he lived and worked full-time.

He first decided to try his hand at management, a role he was already serving in unofficially for several of the fighters he promoted. But after making an unsuccessful run at a top-flight Philadelphia prospect, the opportunity to officially pair with Kauffman presented itself and Foy took it.

Despite the tension of their first conversation, Foy and Kauffman went on to develop a close working relationship over the time Foy led Titans Promotions, often exchanging fighters for each other’s shows. The two regarded each other as honest and reliable figures in the sport and were impressed with the other’s events as well as ideas for how to improve. Prior to officially merging companies, they had even started a podcast as a way to speak directly to fans and fighters and promote upcoming events.

Merging companies made a lot of sense to Foy, who immediately recognized the value of collaboration based on his work in medical research. According to Foy, “I’ve found that I’m much more successful when I collaborate with other investigators. There’s always ways to improve what you’re doing or how you’re thinking about a problem and hearing the perspective of another voice that you trust and respect is often what is needed to nudge you in a better direction or to even change course altogether. I don’t see why it should be any different for running a boxing promotion company. Marshall and I each have separate strengths that we bring to the table and so far, the collaboration has been a success. Plus, I’m finding that I personally enjoy doing this more with a partner than on my own.”

Since officially joining forces the pair have promoted more events than any other company on the East Coast. They have made major investments in acquiring new talent including the likes of Alycia Baumgardner, Carlos Vidal and Michael Coffie. They are also making strong attempts to boost their social media imprint, engage new forms of advertising, and find creative ways to present themselves as the face of boxing in Pennsylvania and a major player on the national scene. They even officially re-branded and launched their podcast “In the Ring with Kings”, which is viewable live on Facebook and welcomes audience interaction and participation. And the pair believes they are only just getting started.

2020 will see Kings Promotions open strong with being part of a major event on January 18th as Julian Williams defends his WBA/IBF Junior Middleweight world titles against Jeison Rosario at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia and live on FOX.

Then on February 8th, King’s Promotions will be a co-promoter on a SHOWTIME Championship Boxing show that will feature WBC Featherweight champion Gary Russell.

Just six-days later, King’s will be a co-promoter on a ShoBox: The New Generation card at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia that will showcase the national television debut of undefeated super bantamweight Raeese Aleem.

King’s Promotions has been the most active promotional company in the United States by promoting a staggering 89 cards since 2014.

Reading, PA (January 13, 2020)–King’s Promotions is pleased to announce the re-signing of world ranked welterweight Mykal “The Professor” Fox to a multi-year promotional agreement.

Fox of Forrestville, Maryland has a record of 22-1 with five knockouts, and is currently ranked number-14 by the IBF and number-15 by the WBA.

The 24 year-old Fox had a busy 2019 as he competed four times against top-level opposition. After suffering his only professional setback to undefeated Shohjahon Ergashev on ShoBox: The New Generation, Fox rebounded in terrific fashion by defeating 2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (7-0), Eudy Bernardo (25-4), and John Arellano (10-1) to earn his ranking.

Fox, who turned professional in 2014 also has wins over Ricardo Garcia (14-1), former world champion DeMarcus Corley and Gonzalo Dallera (5-0).

“We are ecstatic to have Mykal in the fold with us. It’s been a pleasure to watch him grow and King’s Promotions will continue to move Mykal into big fights and ultimately a world title opportunity,” said King’s Promotions CEO Marshall Kauffman.

“King’s Promotions has been great to me since signing in 2015. I look forward to continuing on with them and putting myself in position to become a world champion,” said Fox.

“We are happy to to continue the relationship with Marshall Kauffman and Kings Promotions. KP will allow Myke to keep busy until his inevitable world title opportunity,” said Fox’s agent and attorney, Mike Borao

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (January 6, 2020) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. will defend his 126-pound crown against unbeaten mandatory challenger Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar Saturday, February 8 live on SHOWTIME from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will see former world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Liborio Solís battle for the vacant WBA Bantamweight World Title in the co-main event. The telecast opens with Jaime Arboleda meeting Jayson Veléz in a 12-round bout WBA Super Featherweight Title eliminator.

The main event showdown will see Russell make the fifth defense of his title as he looks to again display the skills and speed that have made him one of the elite featherweight fighters in the world. He will be challenged by the 2012 Olympic silver medalist “King Tug”, who quickly rose up the rankings facing quality opposition throughout his 11-fight career.

“Gary Russell Jr. has proven himself to be at the very elite level of this sport and one of the best fighters in the featherweight division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “His speed, power and overall skillset has made him a must-watch every time he steps into that ring. He’s going to get all he can handle from an undefeated fighter in ‘King Tug’ Nyambayar, who has the pedigree and power to make this a memorable fight. You won’t want to blink during this high octane showdown February 8 on SHOWTIME from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.”

“The February 8 card is co-headlined by two of the most skilled boxers in the sport today,” said Stephen Espinoza, President Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Gary Russell Jr. – arguably the fastest hands in boxing – will be facing his toughest challenge as world champion against the aggressive power-puncher ‘King Tug’. And in the co-main event, Guillermo Rigondeaux, one of the best boxers on the planet since his days as an amateur in Cuba, moves down in weight to the bantamweight division for the first time in his pro career as he faces former world champion Liborio Solis with a world title at stake. Add in a compelling super featherweight eliminator and we have the makings of an action-packed tripleheader on February 8.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Kings Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through www.pplcenter.com/events (direct link HERE ).

The Capitol Heights, Maryland native Russell (30-1, 18 KOs) has held his WBC Featherweight Title since 2015 when he stopped multiple division champion Jhonny Gonzalez to emphatically capture the belt. The 31-year-old is part of one of boxing’s premier fighting families as he is trained by his father Gary Sr., and trains alongside his younger brothers, unbeaten super lightweight Gary Antuanne and undefeated bantamweight Antonio. Russell most recently stopped former champion Kiko Martinez in May on SHOWTIME after previously defeating then unbeaten challenger Joseph Diaz Jr in 2018 in a hometown defense.

“I’m forced to defend my title against another mandatory challenger and I’m going to show on February 8 why none of the other champions want to face me,” said Russell. “I’m the longest current reigning WBC champion but no one has stepped up to the challenge I present. I’m going to take care of business against a strong opponent and display all my skills like I always do.”

The 27-year-old Nyambayar (11-0, 9 KOs) represented his native Mongolia in the 2012 Olympics but now lives in the U.S. and is training out of Las Vegas. Nyambayar ascended up the featherweight rankings after his extensive amateur career with victories over then unbeaten Harmonito Dela Torre and former interim champion Oscar Escandon. Most recently he won his first 12-round decision by defeating former champion Claudio Marrero in January.

“This is going to be an exciting fight for everyone watching on February 8,” said Nyambayar. “Gary Russell Jr. is a great champion who is very talented, but he has the WBC belt and that’s what I want. I’m training hard to win this fight and I will be ready for anything that Russell brings to the ring.”

Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs) will look to move down and capture a title in a second weight class in his SHOWTIME debut. Since turning professional in 2009 after one of the best amateur careers in history, Rigondeaux has showcased masterful technical skills that made him a unified 122-pound world champion and perennial member of the pound-for-pound list. A two-time Olympic gold medalist for his native Cuba, Rigondeaux made his name with victories over the likes of Nonito Donaire, Rico Ramos and Joseph Agbeko. Most recently, Rigondeaux scored an exciting eighth-round stoppage of former champion Julio Ceja in June.

Born in Venezuela and fighting out of Panama, Solís (30-5-1, 14 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on February 8 while riding a five-fight winning streak. Solís captured a super flyweight world title in 2013 amidst a 14-bout unbeaten run. He has lost by decision in his two previous attempts at 118-pound title, including a controversial loss to Jamie McDonnell, which he has bounced back from on his current win streak.

Arboleda (15-1, 13 KOs) has ripped off five straight victories by stoppage since he suffered the only loss of his career against Recky Dulay in 2017. The 25-year-old Arboleda from Curundu, Panama will be fighting in the U.S. for the third time in his career. He’s coming off a knockout victory over Victor Betancourt on August 24.

The 31-year-old Veléz (29-5-1, 21 KOs) has strung together three straight knockout victories since losing to Ryan Garcia in 2018. The Juncos, Puerto Rico resident is coming off a knockout victory over Hector Ruben Ambriz Suarez on July 27 and is looking for another championship opportunity. He came up short in his previous attempt when he fought to a draw against Evgeny Gradovich for the featherweight world title in 2014.

#

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

PHILADELPHIA (January 3, 2020) – Top super welterweight prospect Joey Spencer will enter the ring to take on Erik Spring in a six-round showdown that opens up the FOX PBC Fight Night broadcast and on FOX Deportes Saturday, January 18 from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by unified 154-pound champion and Philadelphia-native Julian “J-Rock” Williams making a homecoming defense against hard-hitting contender Jeison Rosario. The co-main event will feature undefeated rising star Chris “Prime Time” Colbert taking on former champion Jezreel Corrales for the Interim WBA Super Featherweight Title.

Preceding the main card on FOX, FOX PBC Fight Night Prelims on FS1 and FOX Deportes begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT and feature a 10-round super welterweight attraction between Mexico’s Jorge Cota (29-4, 26 KOs)and New Jersey’s Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (28-2-1, 10 KOs). Plus, sensational 17-year-old prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) steps in for a four round welterweight bout against West Virginia’s Preston Wilson (6-3-1, 4 KOs), while Puerto Rican prospect Romuel Cruz (3-0-1, 1 KO) competes in a four-round super bantamweight fight against Wisconsin’s Julio Garcia (3-3, 2 KOs) in the opener.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at http://www.liacourascenter.com/events (direct link HERE) or by calling 800-298-4200.

The 19-year-old Spencer (9-0, 7 KOs) has made fast strides since turning pro in February 2018, including four victories on his 2019 campaign. Representing his hometown of Linden, Michigan, Spencer most recently stopped Travis Gambardella on FS1 in September after defeating Akeem Black on FOX in June. He will kick off 2020 against the 35-year-old Spring (13-3-2, 1 KO), who fought three times in 2019, winning twice. The Reading, Pennsylvania native dropped a decision to Courtney Pennington last time out but has won five of his last seven bouts.

The non-televised undercard will also feature Delaware-native Kyrone Davis (14-5, 2 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight fight against Atlanta’s Antonio Todd (7-2, 4 KOs), Philadelphia native Paul Kroll (6-0, 5 KOs) battling another Philadelphia native in Marcel Rivers (7-2, 4 KOs) for a six-round super welterweight affair, and super featherweight Ricky Lopez (21-4-1, 6 KOs) from Colorado Springs taking on Chicago’s Jose Luis Gallegos (18-8, 14 KOs) in a contest scheduled for 10 rounds.

Rounding out the action is Paterson, New Jersey’s Norman Neely looking to remain unbeaten against Georgia’s Larry Knight in a four-round heavyweight bout, Puerto Rico’s Luis Del Valle in an eight-round super lightweight duel and the pro debut of Philadelphia’s Miguel Angel Roman Jr. in a four-round featherweight affair.

#

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

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

Harrisburg, PA (December 16, 2019)–Alyica Baumgardner was sensational in stopping Christina del valle Pacheco in the 1st round of their scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout that headlined a nine-bout card at the Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg, Pa.

The show was promoted by King’s Promotions.

Baumgardner sent Pacheco to the canvas in round one with a chopping right to the head. Baumgardner finished off Pacheco by landing a flush combination that left Pacheco defenseless and the bout was stopped at 1:46.

Baumgardener, 130 3/4 lbs of Freemont, OH is 9-1 with six knockouts. Pacheco, 128 1/2 lbs of Cordoba, ARG is 11-13-2.

“Alycia looked fantastic tonight, and showed that she is one of the top fighters in the world. She is ready and wanting to fight anybody in the world.” said Marshall Kauffman, CEO of King’s Promotions.

Carlos Vidal remained undefeated by stopping Jonathan Perez in the 2nd round of a scheduled six-round junior lightweight fight.

Vidal started landing hard shots in the 2nd frame. He then landed a three-punch combination that wobbled Perez into the corner. A follow up flurry sent Perez down and the fight was stopped at 1:48.

Vidal, 128 1/2 lbs of Las Vegas is 16-0 with 15 knockouts. Perez, 128 3/4 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 38-25.

James Bernadin stopped Nick Baez in the 2nd round of their scheduled four-round junior welterweight bout.

Bernadin landed several hard shots that backed up Baez before a huge overhand right to the jaw sent Baez down, and the fight was immedately called off at 1:57.

Bernadin, 141 lbs of Lancaster, PA is 3-0-1 with two knockouts. Baez, 136 lbs of Bronx, NY was making his pro debut.

Dewayne Williams stopped Brent Oren in the 1st round of their scheduled four-round middleweight bout.

Williams landed a thudding combination that was capped by a left to the jaw that sent Oren down. The fight was stopped upon Oren getting to his feet at 2:38

Williams, 160 1/2 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-2 with one knockout. Oren, 156 1/2 lbs of Harrisburg is 2-3.

Michael Coffie won a technical decision over Grover Young after Young suffered a cut in

round five of their scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Coffie sent Young down with a straight left to the head.

In round five, Young was cut over his left eye. Later in the round, the cut worsened to the point that the ringside physician determined that the cut was too much, and the fight was halted.

Coffie, 273 3/4 lbs of Kissimmee, FL won by scores of 49-45 twice and 48-46, and is now 8-0. Young, 260 lbs of Memphis is 13-29-3.

Luis Morales remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Ayron Palmer in a lightweight battle.

Morales, 136 3/4 lbs of Harrisburg won by 40-36 tallies on all cards and is now 4-0. Palmer, 138 3/4 lbs of Tallahassee, FL is 0-3,

Roudly Lolo and Mike Diorio brawled their way to a four-round split draw in a super middleweight bout.

In round four, Lolo suffered a cut around his left eye.

Each guy took a card 39-37 and a 3rd card was 38-38.

Lolo, 165 1/2 lbs of Harrisburg was making his pro debut. Diorio, 167 3/4 lbs of Cortland, NY is 0-2-1.

Britain Hart and Unique Harris battled to a four-round split draw in a bantamweight fight.

Each fighter won a card 39-37 and 3rd card was even at 38-38.

Hart, 118 1/4 lbs of Bedford, VA is 3-3-3. Harris, 118 1/4 lbs of Philadelphia is 1-3-1.

Khainell Wheeler remained undefeated with a 37 second destruction over Patrick Pierre in a scheduled four-round super middleweight bout.

Wheeler landed a left hook in the opening seconds in the bout that wobbled Pierre into the ropes. The follow up flurry saw Wheeler landed several flush punches to the head, and referee Gary Rosato called a halt to the action.

Wheeler, 167 lbs of Bethlehem, PA is 4-0 with four knockouts. Pierre, 167 3/4 lbs of Brooklyn is 3-10.

Photos by Darryl Bugham

Harrisburg, PA (December 13, 2019)–Weights for Saturday Night’s King’s Promotions card at the Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg, PA.

Alycia Baumgardner 130.9 – Christina del valle Pacheco 128.4
Carlos Vidal 128.9 – Jonathan Perez 128.8
Michael Coffie 273.9 – Grover Young 260
Luis Morales 136.8 – Ayron Palmer 138.8 Brent Oren 156.4 – Dewayne Williams 160.5
Britain Hart 118.3 – Unique Harris 118.2 
James Bernadin 143 – Nick Baez 136.6Khainell Wheeler 167 – Patrick Pierre 167.9Rodly Lolo 165.5 – Mike Diorio 167.9
Photo by Daniel Cork1st Bell 7 PM ETStream: Facebook Fightnight Live
Tickets for this outstanding evening are $25, $50 and $400 for VIP tables and can be purchased by CLICKING HERE
The Zembo-Shine Auditorium is located at 2801 North 3rd Street, #2 in Harrisburg.