Tickets for the showdown between former world title challenger Ronny Rios (29-2, 13 KOs) and explosive 122-pound contender Azat "Crazy A" Hovhannisyan (13-2, 10 KOs) are now on sale. This exciting and competitive battle, which is scheduled for 10 rounds of action for Hovhannisyan's WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight Title, will be the main event of the March 9 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at the Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif. ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 9:00 ET/6:00 p.m. PT and on ESPN2 at midnight ET/9:00 p.m. PT. ESPN 3 will live stream the fights beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 PT.
Tickets for Rios vs. Hovhannisyan start at $50 and are available for purchase at www.goldenboytickets.com, https://apps.vendini.com/u/dce97456af, the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page, or by calling 213-233-2957.
Rios, 29, is a long-time member of the Golden Boy Promotions stable who has wins against tough competitors such as Jayson "La Maravilla" Velez, Efrain Esquivias and Andrew "El Chango" Cancio. The pride of Santa Ana, Calif. earned his first world title opportunity against Rey Vargas for the WBC Super Bantamweight Championship in the HBO-televised co-main event to Cotto vs. Kamegai in August 2017. Though unsuccessful in what was a spirited effort, Rios will use his hometown advantage to remind fans why he is one of the top contenders in the super bantamweight division.
Hovhannisyan is a fiery contender who is hungry for title glory. In his last fight, Hovhannisyan fought with an injured right hand across 10 rounds of grueling action to win the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight Title on the undercard of Linares vs. Campbell in September 2017. This all-action fighter will without a doubt have the support of the Armenian community as he invades the home turf of the local favorite.
The March 9th show will be a family affair Rios' younger brother, power-punching prospect Alexis Rocha (10-0, 7 KOs), will be featured in the televised co-main event, an eight-round welterweight fight against a soon-to-be-announced opponent. Rocha will return after his devastating first-round knockout victory against Pascual Salgado on the Nov. 16 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN in Cancun, Mexico.
In the night's TV opener, Aaron "Silencer" McKenna (1-0) of Monaghan, Ireland will return after a successful professional debut in a four-round welterweight clash. Maricela Cornejo (9-2, 2 KOs) will fight for the second time since signing with Golden Boy Promotions in a six-round swing bout in the super middleweight division. Marvin Cabrera (6-0, 5 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif. will participate in an eight-round super welterweight bout.
Opponents for all three fighters will be announced shortly, as will the full undercard.
Rios vs. Hovhannisyan is a 10-round fight for the WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, "THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING" and Hennessy, "Never Stop, Never Settle." The event will take place on Friday, March 9, 2018 at The Hangar at The OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. PT. The first fight and the ESPN3 live stream begin at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 PT. ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 9:00 ET/6:00 p.m. PT and on ESPN2 at midnight ET/9:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets for Rios vs. Hovhannisyan are now on sale and start at $50. Tickets are available for purchase at www.goldenboytickets.com, https://apps.vendini.com/u/dce97456af, the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page, or by calling 213-233-2957.
The World Series of Boxing is back on BoxNation for another year, kicking-off with the British Lionhearts who go up against France Fighting Roosters exclusively live this Friday night.
Now in Season 8, the WSB, a unique global team boxing competition, involves sides from the Americas, Europe and Asia all going up against one another in a three-group regional regular season before the global play-offs and final.
Among the boxers taking part will be a host of champions and medalists from the 2017 AIBA World Championships in Hamburg, and the eleven teams will be able to recruit available national and international boxers to their squads.
Reigning champions Astana Arlans will face China Dragons, the all-new Indian Tigers and Patriot Boxing Team from Russia in Group Asia, while the Croatian Knights will begin their first season against the British Lionhearts, France Fighting Roosters and Italia Thunder in Group Europe.
In Group Americas, Season 7 finalists Cuba Domadores will be looking to equal the Arlans’ record and win a third title of their own, but face stiff competition from Colombia Heroicos and Venezuela Caciques.
BoxNation viewers who follow the GB Boxing squad will be able to see some familiar faces this Friday including European champion Peter McGrail, Rio Olympian Galal Yafai, boxing at light-flyweight, and lightweight Luke McCormack.
The British Lionhearts will be hoping to finally win the competition after coming closest in 2016 when they fell short in the final against a talented Cuba Domadores.
Established in 2010, the WSB is designed to bridge the gap between amateur and professional boxing, with fighters competing without head guards or vests over five three-minute rounds.
Season 8 is expected to be the best year yet with a host of top talent competing over the coming season.
“In terms of the quality and excitement of boxing on show, entertainment and production levels and our global audience reach, WSB Season 7 set new standards for our sport. In Season 8, we can now go even further, with India’s vast and growing appetite for boxing adding a new dimension to the 2018 competition and the Croatian Knights bringing with them all of that great nation’s boxing history,” said AIBA Interim President Franco Falcinelli.
Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “We are very happy to have secured the rights to showcase the World Series of Boxing once again exclusively on BoxNation. Last year we saw a very exciting series with great matchups and some extremely gifted young fighters. We are expecting more of the same from Season 8, with the British Lionhearts getting our coverage underway this Friday night from Paris. It will be another fantastic season in the WSB.”
Solihull super-middleweight Mitchell Redmond is flying fit and raring to go ahead of his pro debut in Birmingham this weekend.
The MTK Global-backed prospect will make his bow in the paid ranks on a small-hall show at the Holiday Inn (Coventry Road) on a ‘TOP’ promotions bill in association with MTK Birmingham.
A strong local support is expected for the 20-year-old, who lives just 15 minutes from the venue, and Redmond is keen to impress when he steps through the ropes for his four-rounder against tough Lithuanian journeyman Remigijus Ziausys.
“Training’s been going really well, I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in,” said Redmond. “It’s a nice fight to ease me into the pro game, but I won’t underestimate anyone. I just can’t wait to get in there and show what I’ve been working on.
“It’s about a year-and-a-half or two years since my last amateur fight and the same fight feeling is coming back to me now. I’m buzzing, I’m like a kid at Christmas – I can’t sleep at night thinking about it because I’m so excited!”
With trainers Séamus Macklin and Will Stokes putting Redmond through his paces, the Solihull native is keen to get his maiden pro bout out of the way before getting back to work in the gym.
“Sé and Will are really working me hard every day. The training has picked up a lot for the debut and it’s a lot harder than I expected it would be, but I love it and I love pushing myself. I find it works well for me when I’ve got someone pushing me like the lads do,” said Redmond.
“I wouldn’t even say I’m at my peak physical fitness yet. I feel the best I ever have, but I’d say I’ve still got another few kilos to lose and I’ll be pushing it again as soon as I get the debut done. I’ll eat a bit of bad food on the Sunday! Then straight back into the diet and training on Monday.”
