Tag: STEPHEN FULTON

Inoue, is, in fact, a ‘Monster’

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Naoya Inoue is, in fact, a “Monster!”

Inoue captured more belts in another weight class when he defeated WBC/WBO junior featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton (21-1, 8 KOs) by eighth-round TKO on Tuesday at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

With the win, Inoue(25-0, 22 KOs) is now a four-weight world champion and moves to an impressive 20-0 in world title fights.

Coming into his fight with Fulton, there were some complaints from Fulton’s side about Inoue’s hand wraps in previous fights, and Wahid Rahim, Fulton’s trainer, even threatened to pull his fighter from the bout if he disapproved of Inoue’s hand wraps. Ultimately, Rahim appeared to be okay with Inoue’s hand wraps. 

The Japanese native gave Fulton problems early and often. Inoue had Fulton backing up throughout the fight, and “Cool Boy Steph” did not have many answers. Inoue’s speed and power were just too much for the Philadelphia native. 

Photo: Naoki Fukuda

In the eighth round, Inoue caught Fulton with a right-left combination that dropped him; Fulton got up but was hurt. “The Monster” is a great finisher and showed that as he pinned Fulton against the ropes, Inoue unleashed a blistering combination, punctuated by a fight-finishing left hook that dropped Fulton again, and Referee Hector Afu called a halt to the action.

 

After the win, Inoue, whose hand injury forced the postponement of the scheduled fight with Fulton in May, was pleased with everything!

“Everything I was thinking about was to fight him this year,” Inoue said. “However, unfortunately, I got injured, and I had to postpone this fight. I am sorry to my team and Fulton’s team, but thank you so much for accepting this fight once again. I am so happy right now.”

This was a great showcase of everything Inoue brings to the table. He showed speed, power, and excellent boxing skills. Inoue is clearly one of the pound-for-pound best in the sport. He was undisputed at 118 and may do the same at 122. 

Ramirez successfully defends title

WBO featherweight world champion Robeisy Ramirez dominated Japanese challenger Satoshi Shimizu en route to a fifth-round TKO.

The two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist had little trouble figuring out Shimizu (11-2, 10 KOs), a two-time Olympian who had won three straight fights entering his first world title opportunity. Ramirez (13-1, 8 KOs) stayed in the pocket against his taller foe, ripping Shimizu with uppercuts and right hooks around his high guard.

In the fifth, Ramirez floored Shimizu with a left uppercut. Shimizu rose from the canvas with a bloody nose and had no answer for the follow-up flurry. A pair of right hooks, followed by a crunching left, forced referee Ramon Pena to step in and halt the one-way beating.

Ramirez said,”This was a tremendous experience. It is a blessing to be able to demonstrate my talent in a stadium full of people and in this part of the world. I am grateful and happy. The job is done.

“Now I set my sights on a world title unification clash. I am ready to go to Japan, Scotland, England, Mexico, wherever we have to fight. I will always be available to do my job”

Other action:

Junior Featherweights: Yoshiki Takei (7-0 7 KOs) TKO 8 Ronnie Baldonado (16-5-1, 9 KOs), 1:08.

Light Flyweights: Kanamu Sakama (8-0 7 KOs) TKO 8 Ryu Horikawa (3-2-2, 1 KO), 2:40.

Aleem on Fulton-Inoue: ‘I’m leaning toward Fulton to pull off the upset’

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 Super bantamweight contender, Ra’eese Aleem (20-1, 12 KOs), has broke his silence since suffering his first defeat as a professional, a hard-fought split decision loss to Sam Goodman (15-0, 7 KOs), a fight that took place in Goodman’s homeland of Australia last month.

One of the major hurdles Aleem faced during his journey to Australia was acclimating to the significant time change. He attested to the difficulties of adjusting to the new time zone, stating, “The time difference definitely presented some unique challenges. I now know what fighters have always said about fighting overseas, its not easy. I’m not taking anything away from Goodman, he showed he belongs with the elite in the division. Nevertheless, I believe that stepping out of my comfort zone is necessary for growth and reaching new heights in my career. I definitely want that rematch, but here in the States, and let’s see if he can hang with the travel.”

Despite the setback in Australia, Ra’eese Aleem remains undeterred and determined to reclaim his position among the super bantamweight elite. He recognizes that the road to success is often filled with obstacles but believes that every experience, whether victory or defeat, serves as a steppingstone towards greatness.

“Ra’eese is a true warrior, and his determination is unmatched,” said Greg Hannley, CEO of Prince Ranch Boxing who manages Aleem. “Despite facing adversity in Australia, he has proven time and again that he belongs at the highest level of the super bantamweight division. We are excited about his future, and we are confident that he will bounce back stronger than ever.”

Looking ahead, Aleem is eagerly keeping an eye on the highly anticipated unification bout between Stephen Fulton and Naoya Inoue. The potential matchup with either of these world-class fighters presents an enticing opportunity for Aleem to prove his mettle on the grandest stage. His unwavering focus on top-tier competition showcases his commitment to be recognized as one of the best in the division.

“Fulton verses Inoue is going to be a great fight,” continued Aleem. “I’ll be watching closely as either one of them are potential opponents down the road. I’m leaning toward Fulton to pull off the upset, but I know it’s going to be a difficult task for him being that he’s fighting overseas. People don’t realize how hard it is to get acclimated when fighting on foreign land.”

Inoue suffers training camp injury; Fulton-Inoue to be rescheduled for July

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Stephen Fulton’s WBO/WBC junior featherweight world title defense against Naoya Inoue — originally scheduled for Sunday, May 7, at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan — has been postponed due to a training injury suffered by Inoue.

Fulton-Inoue will be rescheduled for July, with a new date to be announced in due course.

The main event and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs) will make his third world title defense and second as a unified champion since defeating Brandon Figueroa in one of the best fights of 2021.

Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs), the sport’s pound-for-pound king, is a three-division world champion who is making his junior featherweight debut after defeating Paul Butler last December to become the undisputed bantamweight world champion.

Fulton-Inoue set for May 7 in Japan

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Naoya “Monster” Inoue conquered the bantamweight division. He’s now moving up in weight to capture the biggest fish at 122 pounds.

Philadelphia’s WBC & WBO junior featherweight world champion, Stephen Fulton, will defend his titles against Japan’s pound-for-pound king Sunday, May 7, at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan. The showdown pits two of the world’s top fighters, as Inoue aims to become only the fifth Asian boxer to win world titles in four weight classes.

Fulton-Inoue and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ in a special early-morning presentation.

Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) is 19-0 with 17 knockouts in world title fights, a championship run that started in 2014 when he knocked out Adrian Hernandez for the WBC light flyweight world title. He went on to rule the junior bantamweight division with seven title defenses, including a second-round stoppage over Omar Narvaez. At bantamweight, Inoue became the division’s first undisputed champion in a half-century, stopping Emmanuel Rodriguez in two rounds to win the IBF strap, outlasting Nonito Donaire in the 2019 Fight of the Year to add the WBA belt, starching Donaire in the second round of their June 2022 rematch to snatch the WBC title, and stopping then-WBO champion Paul Butler in the 11th round. Inoue vacated all four bantamweight titles to move up four pounds for a shot at “Cool Boy Steph.”

Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs) turned pro in 2014 and defeated five undefeated prospects in his first 12 bouts. In January 2021, he defeated Angelo Leo to capture the WBO junior featherweight world title. Ten months later, he added the WBC belt to his collection with a majority decision over then-unbeaten Brandon Figueroa in one of the year’s most action-packed championship showdowns. Fulton defended both titles last June with a one-sided unanimous decision over former unified world champion Daniel Roman. Fulton will enter the Inoue bout, his first away from American soil, coming off an 11-month layoff. The 28-year-old Fulton, however, is the naturally bigger man, holding advantages in height and reach.

Ra’eese Aleem wants Stephen Fulton

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After an impressive performance this past Sunday, Ra’eese “The Beast” Aleem (20-0, 12 KOs), lived up to his moniker as he clearly defeated “Magic” Mike Plania (26-2, 13 KOs), via a ten-round dominate unanimous decision, in a manner unlike any fighter had prior. Aleem ended Plania’s 11-fight winning streak on the undercard of Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz.

It is clear Aleem wants unified super bantamweight champion, Stephen Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs), as he stated this after the fight.

According to Team Aleem, here are the reasons why he deserves a fight against Fulton:

World Rankings

Aleem is currently ranked #4 in the world according to BoxRec.com, and #2 in the United States behind Fulton by that same rating metric. Aleem also won a bout that made him WBO NABO champion, improving his ranking in the WBO 122 lbs. division, a division in which Fulton is the champion. Aleem previously was the #1 contender in the WBA world rankings as well.

An Easy Fight to Make 

Furthermore, Aleem is undefeated in twenty professional fights with twelve wins by way of knockout, having fought several times on Showtime, the same network that Fulton won his world title on. In addition, the fight is very easy to make since all the parties involved have all fought under the PBC banner.

“I wish the politics of boxing didn’t play such a big role in the sport, but it does and Murodjon Akhmadaliev, the other unified champion in the division, is on the other side of the fence with another network,” said Aleem. “I fight on Showtime and have fought on this network several times, including on the same fight cards as Stephen Fulton. I have served as a co-main event to his headlining bouts on two different occasions. I know fight fans really want to see this fight, especially after my last performance on Sunday. Now I just need the media to demand it.”

No Other Fighter Makes Sense for Fulton Right Now

No other fighter is available as Luis Nery, the #1 contender to face Fulton, is scheduled for a fight soon, and Akhmadaliev is looking to make a world title defense, along with network politics getting in the way of that fight.

In terms of a fight in the United States, no other fight for Fulton offers the anticipation as Ra’eese Aleem. Aleem is getting fans, and even veteran broadcasters like Al Bernstein, wondering what would happen if the two were to fight.

“We both fight on PBC, either he vacates, or he fights me, it is really simple,” said Aleem with frustration. “I think it’s funny he’s using that language, sounds like he’s deflecting, maybe he is scared to fight, in response to veteran broadcaster Al Bernstein’s tweet. I have never been one to trash-talk anyone, but it appears Fulton has a lot of nervous energy around this fight, and is lashing out at people who are excited by this potential match-up. People consider him the best fighter in the super bantamweight division, which is why I want to fight, because I believe I can beat him. This is a big money fight for both of us, and he should embrace it, instead he’s being spineless with his responses.”

Earned His Way Here

Aleem has waited for years for a title shot as he battled his way up from the club circuit, onto television, to get his chance to face the best. Aleem is a former WBA #1 contender who has faced faced five consecutive tough opponents.

Those opponents include:

  • Mike Plania, who was coming in on an eleven-fight winning streak.

  • Eduardo Baez, who would face Emanuel Navarrete in his next fight, and give him a hard fight as well.

  • Vic Pasillas, who was undefeated at the time, and being touted by veteran broadcasters as a future world champion.

  • Marcus Bates, a fighter who Aleem defeated to take his undefeated record, who he faced in a televised rematch, and was victorious a second time.

  • Adam Lopez was a tough contender who never fought again after being stopped by Aleem.

“I am motivated by the fans, broadcasters, and media members who are demanding to see this fight,” concluded Aleem. “Hearing the public say it, and the way he is behaving makes it clear, I am Stephen Fulton’s biggest threat in the division. In today’s world, we need the greatest fighters to chase glory, and see who is truly the best. I am tired of boxing being a second-tier sport that is ignored because we neglect the fans from getting the fights they want to see. I want to make the best fights possible but Fulton is running scared. Let’s be honest, it makes no sense for either of us to fight anyone else at this point. I rise to the occasion every time I step in the ring, and this will be no different. If given the chance I will be the man to beat Stephen Fulton.

Photo: Ryan Hafney/PBC

Stephen Fulton wants to be undisputed at 122 after win over Roman

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WBC and WBO 122-pound world champion Stephen Fulton Jr. displayed his full complement of skills and made his case as a top pound-for-pound fighter in a dominant unanimous decision win over former unified champion Danny Roman Saturday night in the main event of action live on SHOWTIME in front of a sold-out crowd at The Armory in Minneapolis in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“I made a hell of a statement tonight,” said Fulton, who improved to 21-0 with eight knockouts. “I prepared for this and I told y’all I was going to make it easy and fight depending on how I wake up, and I woke up feeling good.”

The Philadelphia-native closed out the bout in impressive fashion, moving to the inside for the final three rounds as he continued to batter and frustrate Roman. Overall, he held a 218 to 113 lead in punches landed according to CompuBox, including 112 to 68 in power shots. In addition, his nine jabs landed per round was more than double the average for the weight class. After 12 rounds, all three judges were in agreement on Fulton’s dominance, with final scores of 120-108 twice and 119-109.

“There’s no excuse,” said Roman, who dropped to 29-4-1 with 10 knockouts. “I think this fight proves who the best 122-pound fighter in the division is. Fulton did that tonight. He proved it. I wish him the best and I hope he goes and achieves what I couldn’t achieve. Go become undisputed. Like I said, this fight proved who is the best in the division. Fulton was the better man tonight.”

Known as “Cool Boy Steph”, Fulton was in control throughout the action, showing off expert movement against an aggressive opponent, while consistently finding openings for his offense. Roman pushed the pace early and often, initiating offense with power and body shots, but Fulton effectively countered him repeatedly and removed himself from danger.

“It was very important to control the distance tonight,” said Fulton. “Like I said before, in the last outing with Brandon Figueroa, I didn’t have the energy because I didn’t make the weight the right way. So shout out to my dietician. Any moment he had, I took it right away from him. I neutralized the threat.”

“Fulton knew how to use his distance,” said Roman. “It was hard for me to adjust to his distance because he was boxing. He came in and came out. He changed his style so it was hard for me to adjust.”

After unifying titles last November in an all-action showdown against  Figueroa, Fulton used more movement on his way to a wider decision in his first defense as unified champion. Fulton’s accuracy was a key throughout, as he held a 36% to 17% edge in connect percentage.

“I started walking him down because I saw that he had been slowing down,” said Fulton of the final rounds. “I feel like the more I kept boxing, the more I just got a little tired of boxing. Me trying to walk forward to him wasn’t going to happen all the time, but I definitely saw him slowing down. I wanted to stop him but I didn’t get that.”

In his post-fight interview with SHOWTIME’s Brian Campbell, Fulton set his sights on an undisputed 122-pound title fight against fellow unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev.

“You already know what’s next,” said Fulton. “I want M.J. I got to finish this up. But much respect for Danny Roman. Much respect.”

Photo: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions

Fulton on win over Figueroa: ‘I was landing a lot of clean shots’

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In a non-stop action fight between undefeated super bantamweight world champions, Stephen Fulton Jr. unified WBO and WBC titles with a majority decision victory over Brandon Figueroa live on SHOWTIME Saturday night in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas.

This showdown was set up earlier this year with each fighter capturing a world title by defeating an undefeated opponent, as Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs) bested Angelo Leo in January to capture the WBO belt, while Figueroa (22-1-1, 17 KOs) stopped Luis Nery in May to earn his WBC title. The two champions put on a memorable display, combining to throw over 1,700 punches across 12 rounds according to CompuBox.

“I was catching him in between every shot he was throwing,” said Fulton. “He was making it sloppy and rough.”

“I hurt him like five or six times,” said Figueroa. “I put the pressure on for the whole 12 rounds, landed the cleaner shots and hurt him. I thought I only lost four rounds at the most.”

It was Figueroa’s activity (1,060 punches thrown) against Fulton’s accuracy (37% connect rate) squaring off throughout a narrow fight in which neither man was able to sustain momentum for long. In rounds four through seven, the fighters were separated by just two punches landed (103 to 101 for Figueroa).

“I was landing a lot of clean shots,” said Fulton. “He was throwing wild shots that the fans were enjoying, but he was hitting my arms a lot.”

In a memorable sixth frame, each fighter landed nothing but power shots with Figueroa connecting on 36 to Fulton’s 34. In a frantic 10th round, Figueroa looked to have Fulton hurt after numerous flurries of power punches. However, Fulton was able to recover in the final two rounds to win both the 11th and 12th on two judges’ cards.

That final push helped Fulton hold on with the score of 116-112 from two judges overruling a 114-114 card. After the fight, both fighters believed they had done enough to win and were open to battling again in a rematch. 

“It was an amazing experience,” said Fulton. “The judges made their decision and we can run it back.”

“It was the robbery of the year,” said Figueroa. “The fans who watched this live know who won. I always come to fight and I did that all night.”

 

Photo: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

In the co-main event, top super bantamweight contender Ra’eese Aleem (19-0, 12 KOs) remained unbeaten with a majority decision over Mexico’s Eduardo Baez (20-2-2, 7 KOs) after 10 rounds of action.

“I’m coming off a long lay-off so I was a little bit rusty,” said Aleem. “I wanted to stop him, but he kept bringing it. I did what I had to do.”

Aleem showed off his versatile attack from the outset, flashing combinations combined with consistent activity that would carry him throughout the 10 rounds. Baez proved to be a sturdy challenge, and despite loading up for big right hands throughout the fight, he was able to land and keep Aleem from overwhelming him.

Aleem switched between southpaw and orthodox stances during the action to varying success, and overall held a 232 to 111 advantage in punches landed. Of those 232, Aleem connected on 90 body shots that helped him keep Baez at bay.

“I’m a dog,” said Aleem. “I grinded it out. I turned southpaw and got caught with some shots, but I hung in there. I can hang with anyone. It doesn’t matter who steps in there against me, I’m going to win.”

Baez fought valiantly through a cut on his forehead that opened up in the middle rounds due to an accidental headbutt. Aleem appeared to have Baez hurt in the ninth round with a counter right hand from the southpaw stance, but ended up holding on through round 10 to win the decision with scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95-95.

“He was a tough Mexican fighter, but I got the job done,” said Aleem. “I want the winner of the main event. They can run but they can’t hide.”

 

 

Fulton, Aleem preview their fights on Saturday night

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Undefeated WBO 122-pound world champion Stephen Fulton Jr. and unbeaten top contender Ra’eese Aleem previewed their respective showdowns during a Las Vegas media roundtable on Saturday, before they enter the ring in separate attractions live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, November 27 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas.

Fulton will square off against WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Brandon Figueroa in the main event, while Aleem battles Mexico’s Eduardo Báez in the co-main event of the telecast, which begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Here is what Fulton and Aleem, who are both training in Las Vegas for Saturday’s matchups, had to say at the media roundtable this past weekend:

STEPHEN FULTON JR.

“When I fought out in Nevada during the amateurs, I knew I would be back here fighting in Las Vegas one day as a pro. This has a totally different feel to it but I’m just focused on getting the job done and winning.

“I feel like this is what I’m supposed to be doing right now. I’m here for a reason. I’m not going to let the bright lights get to me. I was made for this and I take that mindset into the ring.

“Once I turned pro, I was on the path to becoming world champion. I’ve won a world title in the division I turned pro in, and now I’m unifying in my first fight as champion. I want to keep pushing forward and become undisputed at this weight class.

“My ability to adjust and outthink Figueroa is going to be the difference. That’s not to mention my speed and underrated power. I know Figueroa is going to throw a lot of punches, but I’m going to make him miss and capitalize on his mistakes.

“Everyone has a different path and for me that’s been taking dangerous fights against undefeated opponents. That’s made me a better fighter. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken some of those fights, but now I’ve got this resume that can stack up against anybody.”

 

RA’EESE ALEEM

“I’m extremely excited to be back doing what I love to do and to be fighting on a big SHOWTIME card. I’ve been getting great sparring out here in Las Vegas and I’m absolutely ready for Saturday.

“I’ve been working on really taking my time in the ring. Even if I’m being aggressive, I’m still taking my time while doing that. If I had taken my time against Vic Pasillas in my last fight, I would have stopped him in the sixth round. I was pushing the pace when I didn’t have to.

“I would love to fight Stephen Fulton. I believe that I’m the best in the division and some people think that he’s the best. If he wins this fight and I win Saturday, that’s the fight I want next. I’m ready to make it happen.

“I just have to keep winning and make big statements in every fight. I’m going to keep earning more recognition. I’m just starting to show people who I really am and I can’t let up.”

Figueroa-Fulton set for 11/27 in Las Vegas

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Undefeated 122-pound world champions are set for a unification clash as WBC champion Brandon “Heartbreaker” Figueroa and WBO champion Stephen “Cool Boy Steph” Fulton Jr. will battle in the SHOWTIME main event Saturday, November 27 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Park Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas.

Figueroa and Fulton were originally scheduled to face each other on Saturday, September 18, before the fight was pushed back due to a positive COVID-19 test for Figueroa.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and also features undefeated super bantamweight contender Ra’eese Aleem battling Mexico’s Eduardo Baez in the 10-round co-main event. Opening the telecast, unbeaten rising bantamweight contender Gary Antonio Russell takes on Mexico’s Alejandro Barrios in a 10-round showdown. The event is promoted by TGB Promotions.

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

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Fulton on fight with Figueroa: ‘I don’t feel any extra pressure going into this fight’

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With just over two weeks until his highly anticipated super bantamweight unification fight on SHOWTIME, undefeated WBO 122-pound world champion Stephen “Cool Boy Steph” Fulton Jr. has relocated to Las Vegas to put the finishing touches on his summer-long training camp. Fulton Jr. will face WBC champion Brandon “Heartbreaker” Figueroa in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event on Saturday, September 18 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Park Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas.

“I am trying to get used to everything in Vegas,” said Fulton Jr. “I wanted to get away from home, be away everyone and get myself a little uncomfortable to finish up camp.”

Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Pa., Fulton Jr. (19-0, 8 KOs) is the city’s only world champion following a triumphant win over then-unbeaten Angelo Leo in January on SHOWTIME. This will mark the first title defense for Fulton and Figueroa, who have been on a collision course for many years and finally meet to determine the king of the 122-pound division.

“I don’t feel any extra pressure going into this fight,” added Fulton Jr. “I don’t know why people expect me to feel more pressure entering my first defense and this huge unification fight, but I don’t let any of that get to me. I know there are people doubting me and I can’t wait for them to watch what happens on September 18.”

The 24-year-old Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) captured his world title from former two-division champion Luis Nery via devastating seventh-round knockout in May on SHOWTIME. Immediately following his win, Fulton entered the ring for a face off with the newly minted champ which set up their September unification. Figueroa is well-known for his hard-charging style while Fulton Jr. is lauded for his boxing prowess, setting the stage for an excellent clash of styles.

“I feel like this is a classic boxer-brawler matchup, but I showed in my last fight that I can brawl too,” explained the 27-year-old champ. “He can’t become a pure boxer now though, it’s too late in the game to teach him that. I am more than prepared for him to come in and try to walk me down but if he has a different game plan, I have the adjustments ready.”

The fight marks Fulton’s first fight as a professional in Las Vegas, the site of boxing’s biggest title fights in history. Figueroa will make his second appearance in Vegas where he suffered his lone pro blemish – a split draw against Julio Ceja in 2019.

“This is my first professional fight in Las Vegas,” stated Fulton Jr. “I fought in Nevada as an amateur. I fought in the Junior Golden Gloves here and won the whole tournament.”

Trained in his hometown by coach Wahid Rahim, Fulton has adopted a new approach to his training camps when preparing for his last two fights.

“I trained alone for this camp and I feel like this is how it needs to be moving forward as a championship fighter,” added Fulton. “Due to the COVID situation, I just tried to stay away from everybody.

“I was locked down like this when training for the Angelo Leo fight, too. I like it better to be in the gym by myself or with less people. I like it better because I get to focus more on myself. I have the ring to myself; I have the bags to myself. You don’t have to worry about taking turns or waiting for anything when you are the main priority. You get your job done faster, easier, and more efficiently.

“I worked harder. I sparred more, I focused more on my endurance. The world will see September 18 on SHOWTIME.”

The three-fight boxing event will open SHOWTIME’s combat sports doubleheader on September 18. Immediately following the main event from Las Vegas, BELLATOR MMA will air live from San Jose, Calif. with a three-fight event headlined by light heavyweight contenders Phil Davis and Yoel Romero.

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME