Tag Archives: PBC

Posted on 08/29/2020

By: Sean Crose

The 8-0 super lightweight Abram Martinez battled the 10-0 Luis Arcon in a scheduled 8 rounder at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday. It was the opening bout in a three fight card presented by PBC and broadcast live on Fox. The first round saw both men act with a bit of caution. The fighters traded heavy leather in the second. Arcon was dropped at the end of the round but was able to beat the count. Martinez landed well again in the third. The men continued to exchange in the fourth. It was an exciting opening bout.

Arcon effectively employed distance in the fifth…and continued to in the sixth. Martinez was able to land well in the seventh. Martinez got dropped at the final bell, but was able to get to his feet. The judges ruled the fight a 76-74, 76-74, 75-75 draw.

Posted on 08/28/2020

By: Sean Crose

The PBC returns to Fox this Saturday night with a pair of super middleweight battles. First, Alfredo Angulo, 26-7-0, will face Caleb Truax, 34-1-2, in a scheduled 12 rounder. Angulo is having something of a career resurgence after winning a surprising UD against Peter Quillan last September in Bakersfield, California. Truax will be returning to the ring after an eight month absence. He was last seen besting David Basajjamivule via majority decision in Minneapolis back in January.

The main event will feature the highly regarded, 26-3-3, Erislandy Lara as he defends his portion of the WBA’s super welterweight championship (the WBA is known to use a variety of different titles) against  widely unknown, 22-3-1, Greg Vendetii. Lara was last seen in the ring knocking out Ramon Alvarez last August in Minneapolis. Vendetti’s last ring go-round saw him win the IBO super welterweight title via a UD win over Michael Anderson in Everett, Massachusetts.

Posted on 08/27/2020

By Sean Crose

“I feel better than ever,” Erislandy Lara said on a Wednesday conference call to promote his Saturday night fight with colorful Massachusetts native Greg Vendetti. “I’ve been training hard and working well heading into this fight,” said the fighter known as The American Dream. “I feel stronger than I did a couple of years ago and I’m totally ready for this fight on Saturday.” Lara, 26-3-3, is one of the most highly regarded practitioners in the sport. Currently the WBA’s World Super Welterweight Champion, Lara will also earn the vacant IBO World Super Welterweight Title should he pull off the win this weekend.

“I’m not focused on my legacy yet,” Lara said. “There is a lot to accomplish still and I want to bolster my standing as one of the best Cuban fighters in history with more important wins.” Although Lara appeared to possibly be a fighter whose time had come and gone when he stepped in the ring to face Ramon Alvarez last August, Lara nevertheless walked away with the WBO belt that night…after he had knocked Alvarez out. For a fighter known to be a slickster, Lara put an exclamation point on his win by stopping Alvarez within the distance.

“The difference people have seen in my last few fights isn’t about my fighting style or even about trying pleasing the fans,” Lara said. “I just do what is needed inside of the ring. I have to see what each fight requires me to do. If it pleases the fans, then that’s great. But I’m always focused on doing what I have to do in each situation during each fight.” It should be said that the unheralded 22-3-1 Vendetti is also focused on what he has to do this Saturday. Although far from the favorite, the engaging underdog is exuding confidence in the lead up to the biggest fight of his career.

“My trainer has been saying for years that I have a good style to face Lara,” the thirty year old Vendetti said on Wednesday’s call, “and once I got the call, I took it as a real sign. I’m really motivated to show everyone what I can do and put on my best performance.” How zeroed in on Lara is Vendetti? Enough to ignore other matters that pertain to his ring career for the moment. “I just have to prepare the best and I can and perform the best I can,” he said. “I can’t control anything else. Could this be my only title shot? Maybe, but thinking about that won’t change anything in the ring. I just have to give myself the best shot to win.”

Saturday’s card, which will be aired live on Fox from the Microsoft Theater in LA beginning at 8 PM Eastern Time, will also feature popular fighters Alfredo Angulo, 26-7-0, and Caleb Truax, 34-1-2, facing off in a scheduled 12 round super middleweight affair.

Posted on 08/22/2020

By: Sean Crose

The 30-3-1 Shawn Porter returned to the ring after almost a year to face the widely unknown 22-0 Sebastian Formella at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday. The fight was the main event of a PBC card which was aired live on Fox. Formella employed solid ring generalship in the first. Porter went into classic Porter form in the second, bulling ahead and making it gritty. By the third, Porter was stalking and looking very sharp as he followed through with power shots behind a piston jab.

The fourth saw Formella doing as well as possible, but Porter was throwing heavy punches without looking stiff. Formella was doing fine – he just wasn’t at the skill level of Porter. Formella was able to land clean in the fifth, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the intensely aggressive former two time titlist. By the sixth, victory appeared to be only a matter of time for Porter.

To his well earned credit – Formella took to hunting Porter down in the seventh. Soon, however, Porter was once again the aggressor. Indeed, the man ended the round in brutal fashion, pounding Formella in the face with expertly thrown punches. Porter continued to bang away in the eighth, but Formella remained in the bout, regularly showing a willingness to trade.

By the end of the ninth, Porter didn’t even seem tired as he walked back to his corner after another successful three minutes of action. Porter turned up his attack in the tenth, but Formella continued to stay on his feet. Although he now had little chance of winning, the German fighter was still able to keep from being stopped. Nonetheless, Porter cruised through the eleventh.

The last round saw Porter try to finish things before the final bell. Formella was perhaps more skilled than some had given him credit for (though Porter made it clear before the fight that Formella was a foe who needed to be treated seriously), but he didn’t have what it took to win. Porter won the round, and the fight, via scores of 120-108, 120-108, and 120-108.

Posted on 08/21/2020

By Sean Crose

“I think the quarantine helped me,” Shawn Porter claims.”When this all began, I just took some time, and I believe that it refreshed and rejuvenated me. It gave me the opportunity to make some adjustments and we’ve all grown from it.” Porter, one of the most entertaining fighters in the sport, returns to the ring this Saturday night when he battles undefeated Sebastain Formella at LA’s Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The card will be aired live on Fox beginning at 8 PM eastern time.  

Porter views his position as one of the sport’s more popular participants with a sense of obligation. “Once I knew that we were coming back to boxing,” he says, “I wanted to take on the responsibility of bringing big-time boxing back. I’m one of the first big names to come back and I’m proud to represent my team and my family by getting back in the ring sooner than later.” Although his opponent this weekend is clearly an underdog, Porter knows Formella has some slick skills in his own right.

“I know that Formella is a boxer who likes to move and use the outside and box,” Porter claims. “We’re prepared to take the fight to him. We’re going to be smart and tactical, but aggressive as always. We’re going to go in there shining, looking great and make a statement to the world that boxing and Shawn Porter are still here.” Porter, who has been a two time titlist, is now thirty two years of age. Although he’s beaten such competition as Danny Garcia, Paulie Malignaggi, Devon Alexander, and Adrien Broner, he’s lost to the likes of Keith Thurman, Kell Brook, and Errol Spence respectively. As high level boxing makes its way back onto the public stage, it’s important for Porter to let people know he’s still prominent in the welterweight division.

In order to keep his career moving forward, then, Porter has made it a point not to overlook the slipperiness of Formella. “I’m different from most fighters,” Porter says. “It’s a trend in boxing where fighters look past opponents, but I learned a long time ago that you have to focus on what’s in front of you and make the most of it. In my dad’s mind, we did even more for this fight than we did in getting prepared for Errol Spence, Jr.”

“The plan is to get back into a world title fight,” Porter continues. “I don’t know exactly when that plan will come together, but I’ll be ready.”

Posted on 08/21/2020

By: Sean Crose

Shawn Porter, 30-3-1, returns to the ring this Saturday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles when he faces 22-0 Sebastian Formella in a scheduled 12 rounder that will be aired live on FOX beginning at 8 PM Eastern Time. Porter was last in the ring last year when he lost a close one to welterweight star Errol Spence Jr in a title unifier. Although he came up short on the judge’s scorecards, the bout was exciting enough for Porter to still be regarded at the top of this game. Now, with almost a year away from the ring thanks to the Covid-19 Pandemic, he’ll be wanting to impress.

As for Formella, the German fighter hasn’t lost a single bout and will clearly be looking to make the best of what is surely a golden opportunity. A shocking win over Porter – and a win will certainly be shocking – will catapult the man’s standing among the red hot welterweight division. Formella, whose last fight was a UD win over Roberto Arriaza last January, will be facing the first truly big name in his career when the bell ring’s for Saturday’s action. Although seen as a less than menacing foe, the 33 year old has expressed confidence that he will make the most out of his American debut this weekend.

The 14-0-1 Sebastian Fondura will also appear on Saturday’s card. The 6’6 (you read that right) super welterweight will engage in a scheduled 10 round affair with the 21-4-1 Nathaniel Gallimore. On paper at least, this looks like a showcase fight for the towering Fondura, whose last match was a February decision win over Daniel Lewis. Gallimore, whose last bout resulted in a unanimous decision loss to Erickson Lubin last February, has only won one of his previous four fights. A win over Fondura would certainly alter Gallimore’s career trajectory.

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS:

Shawn Porter – 146.5

Sebastian Formella – 146

Sebastian Fundura – 153.5

Nathaniel Gallimore – 152 3/4

Posted on 08/18/2020

By: Sean Crose

“Me and my dad have been working hard since April staying ready for this opportunity to get back in the ring,” says Shawn Porter, two time titlist and top welterwight. “Over the past couple of years, any time I step in the ring there are some new wrinkles to my game.” The 30-3-1 Porter will be back in action this Saturday night, when he faces the undefeated 22-0 Sebastian Formella before Fox cameras at LA’s Microsoft Theater.

Porter’s opponent this weekend, Sebastian, has been working his way up the ladder, and now has the chance of a lifetime in facing Porter. For, should he beat the two time welterweight titlist – who is also one of the most popular names of the sport – the 33 year old Sebastian will see his star rise to new heights. “I have always said that I wanted to compete against the best, and now I have that chance on Saturday, August 22,” Formella claims. “Even though the experts may think I’m the underdog, I have trained hard for this fight and will give everything I have in the ring. Shawn Porter is rightly a superstar in this weight class and I’m excited to get in the ring and test myself against him.”

While Formella isn’t lacking in confidence, Porter makes it clear he isn’t taking things lightly, either. “We understand,” he says, “that you can’t fight one way against everyone, so you’re going to see some small, slight wrinkles, but I’ll always been an aggressive fighter. Once I smell that blood, I’m going for it. We’re excited to show off a different side of Shawn Porter.” Now 32 years of age, Porter has faced a who’s who of contemporary standouts. Keith Thurman, Kell Brook, Danny Garcia, and Adrien Broner have all faced the fighter named “Showtime,” who remains one of the game’s more entertaining practitioners.

Also on the card this weekend will be super welterweights Sebastián Fundora and Nathaniel Gallimore. Fundura, 14-0-1, is hoping to use his six and a half foot frame to his advantage, not that he believes height alone will carry the night against the 21-4-1 Gallimore. “You have to be at your very best when there’s adversity, like this pandemic, and I will be the best version of myself when I face Gallimore,” Fundora says. “You’ve only got three choices in life: give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got.”

Posted on 08/15/2020

By: Sean Crose

The WBA interim lightweight crown was at stake Saturday night when 11-0 Rolando Romero battled the 19-0 Jackson Marinez in a scheduled 12 rounder. Romero went for the kill right off the bat, while Marinez responded with his jab. The second was a close affair. By the third, Marinez was employing ring generalship to keep Romero from landing as he wished.

Marinez’ jab landed effectively in the forth. So slippery was Marinez that Romero was unable to land with regularity during the fifth. By round’s end, however, Romero was able to get to his man. The sixth round was, like several of the previous rounds, rather close.

Romero got rough with his elbow at the end of the seventh, subsequently earning himself a warning from the referee. Marinez landed cleanly in the eighth. Romero’s left eye was clearly bothering him in the ninth. By the last minute of the tenth, Romero seemed desperate to score a knockout, or at least hurt his man.

Marinez took to holding a bit in the eleventh. Romero pursued Marinez in the twelfth, but was not able to land definitively with regularity. Romero won by questionable scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 118-110.

Posted on 08/14/2020

By: Sean Crose

David Benavidez has lost his WBC super middleweight title – just not in the ring. Benavidez was unable to makeweight before his Saturday bout with contender Alexis Angulo. Even if he wins the scheduled 12 rounder at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Casino on Saturday, Benavidez will not be able to hold on to his title. While the bout will still air on Showtime Saturday evening, only Angulo has the chance to walk away with the WBC belt. Stepping on the scale Friday, the 22-0 Benavidez weighed in at almost 171 pounds, three pounds more than the super middleweight limit. The 26-1 Angulo, for his part, made weight handily, tipping the scales at 167.5 pounds.

This marks the second time Benavidez has been stripped of his WBC super middleweight strap. Some time after first winning the belt in 2017, the fighter had it taken away after a VADA test. Benavidez ended up winning the belt back by besting Anthony Dirrell last year. And now he is a fighter without a belt again. The now two time titlist claimed he tried to lose weight in time to make the scale, but was unable to drop the final pounds required to keep his belt. “I put the blame on myself,” Benavidez said. “It’s just the last three pounds wouldn’t come off. Maybe not having the proper things I needed like no sauna.”

Benavidez nemesis, IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant, took to social media to mock Benavidez. In a short clip, Plant cries fake tears as music plays in the background. “I thought a fatboy who keeps loosing his belt but can’t get that bitch back SAID SUM…” Plant wrote, in apparent reference to Benavidez’ choice of words regarding him in the leadup to Saturday’s fight. With this most recent turn of events, it will be imperative for Benavidez to look impressive against the rugged Angulo on Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, Otto Wallin, who will appear on the Benavidez-Angulo card, weighed in at 241¾ pounds on Friday, while his scheduled 10 round opponent,Travis Kauffman, registered at 234¼. Likewise, lightweights Rolando Romero and Jackson Marinez made weight for their scheduled 12 round interim WBA title bout, weighing in at 134 ¾ and 135 pounds, respectively. Tomorrow night’s PBC card will be aired live on Showtime starting at 9 PM eastern time. The card is being seen as a full blooded return to the sport after months of stagnation and small cards, the results of the crushing Covid-19 pandemic.

Posted on 08/13/2020

By: Sean Crose

WBC super middleweight champ David Benavidez, 22-0, will be facing the 26-1-0 Alexis Angulo this Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville Connecticut. The scheduled 12 rounder will highlight a PBC card which will be aired on Showtime starting at nine pm eastern time. Although Benavidez has his sights on bigger foes than his opponent this weekend, he’ll have to get by the aggressive Angulo before going on to face names like IBF super middleweight champ Caleb Plant. Having knocked out all but three of his opponents, Benavidez will be looking to impress in his first fight since he KO’d Anthony Dirrell last September in Los Angeles.

Twenty-four year old lightweight Rolando Romero will also be on the card. The brash talking 11-0 power puncher will be facing the 19-0 Jackson Marinez for the interim WBA lightweight title in a scheduled 12 round battle that Mayweather protege Romero hopes will elevate his status in the fight world. Lastly, the 20-1-0 Otto Wallin, who gave Tyson Fury some fits in their battle last year, is returning to face the 32-3 Travis Kauffman in a scheduled 10 round affair. An impressive win for Wallin could keep his name alive in the heavyweight division, while a Kauffman win would help erase the memory of a knockout loss to Luis Ortiz last December in Los Angeles.

Posted on 08/12/2020

By: Sean Crose

Twenty two wins. No losses. All but two fights concluding by knockout. WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez has much to be pleased with. Yet, being a young man, the twenty-three year old has plans for the future. One of those plans is to best the 26-1-0 Alexis Angulo this Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville Connecticut. The bout, which is to be aired live on Showtime courtesy of PBC, is one where the Phoenix native is expected win. Still, Benavidez wants to make it clear that he’s ready for anything. “I’m not underestimating him at all,” Benavidez told FightHype.com of his opponent.

Like many belt holders, however, Benavidez hopes to move on to face fighters who are seen as more on his level. “I feel like my next step is fighting other champions,” he told FightHype, “and fighting the best of the best.” IBF super middleweight champ Caleb Plant is certainly one of those “other champions,” on Benavidez’ radar. “I definitely don’t like him,” Benavidez told FightHype when the issue of the 20-0 Plant came up. Personal dislike has always led to drama in the sport of boxing. Should Benavidez win as expected against Angulo this weekend, a unification battle with fellow PBC fighter Plant might well be in order.

Tall and lean, Benavidez exudes lanky power. Yet he also exudes the kind of confidence that can intimidate another fighter. Watch the man’s eyes when the referee give instructions before a bout and you will see a ferocity behind them. Not a showy kind of ferocity, but a natural fierceness that probably comes rather easily. Standing tall and upright during combat, Benavidez is patient and cool under fire. Once he starts punching, however, it can be a sight to behold. The sudden ferocity with which he took out J’Leon love in 2019, for instance, was as abrupt as it was devastating.

Not that Angulo plans to be a walk in the figurative park. Angulo is a fighter, after all, whose sole loss came at the gloved hands of the highly regarded Gilberto Ramirez. What’s more, Angulo can be a brawler and a tough guy. That kind of aggressiveness can throw anyone off their game on a given night. Furthermore, like Benavidez, Angulo stands over six feet tall, so Benavidez won’t be walking in with a significant advantage in height. Still, this is the kind of “stay busy” fight – at least on paper – that will keep fans interested until the bigger fights come along for the defending champion. Many a “stay busy” fight, has come to a surprising end, though. That’s something the confident Benavidez is determined to avoid.

Posted on 08/09/2020

By: Sean Crose

“Undefeated unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence, Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs) returns to defend his titles against two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) in one of the most anticipated boxing matches of the year headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.” So claimed Premiere Boxing Champions in a Saturday evening press release.

The Covid-19 pandemic has kept many top fighters out of action. Spence and Garcia have been no exception. The 26-0 Spence was last seen besting another Garcia in 2019. That’s when he topped the weight skipping Mikey Garcia in one sided fashion. Spence has kept in the news, however, by virtue of a horrible car crash he miraculously survived last autumn. Before then, however, the Texan was on a huge ride to the top. Aside from Mikey Garcia, the standout earned wins against Chris Algieri, Kell Brook, and Shawn Porter.

Garcia, whose last battle was a January win over Ivan Redkach, has fought some of the biggest names the fight game has seen in the past ten years. Amir Khan, Erik Morales Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse and Paulie Malignaggi have all been bested by the Philly native. Even Garcia’s losses have been noteworthy. He may have dropped decisions to Keith Thurman and to Porter, but both those fights were close and exciting to watch. At thirty-two years of age, Garcia is still one of the top names in the welterweight division.

Spence, on the other hand, is considered one of the five biggest talents in the sport. It’s been long wished that the 30 year old would face fellow welterweight kingpin Terence Crawford, although promotional conflicts make the possibility of such a fight challenging. Manny Pacquiao has been considered a possible opponent for both Spence and Garcia. For now, however, the two men will be facing each other. Although Spence will most likely be the favorite, it will be hard to write off the skilled Garcia, especially when it’s unclear how recent events will have effected Spence.

The Spence-Garcia fight will be the first major boxing event in months. For it’s been since last winter that a major card went down. That was in February, when Tyson Fury bested Deontay Wilder in the rematch of their controversial 2018 matchup. Since that time, Covid-19 has largely put the sport on halt, though entertaining smaller cards have been making the rounds throughout the summer.

Posted on 08/08/2020

By: Sean Crose

The 7-0 Omar Juarez took on the 12-1 Willie Shaw in an 8 round junior welterweight bout that was aired live on Fox from Los Angeles on Saturday. Juarez began the fight aggressively, working his way around the ring and firing shots with frequency. Juarez was clearly a man looking for impress, and although he didn’t always land, his and activity were making their presence known.

Shaw tried to find some success of his own, but his moments of effectiveness were few and far between. Juarez, simply put, was the more aggressive of the two fighters as he earned himself an unanimous decision win by scores of 58-56, 60-54 and 59-55.

Posted on 06/25/2020

By: Sean Crose

“FS1 is scaling back production on its boxing and WWE shoulder programming. “WWE Backstage will not longer be produced weekly. It is eliminating “Inside PBC.” Double digit job losses as a result. SBJ Media will have the full story tonight.” 

These words, tweeted by John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal, should probably come as no surprise to boxing fans. It’s hard for sports shows and sports journalism to survive when there’s no sports – and the past several months have been a veritable sports free zone thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. Aside from the primary and horrible news that many will be losing their jobs because of this development, the loss of a boxing related program is never a good thing for the sport. 

This is especially true in the case of “Inside PBC,” which was a rarity in that it was not often criticized by fans. Boxing, like pretty much everything else these days, has a fractured following. People cheer on organizations as if they were teams. “Inside PBC,” however, was well presented and entertaining enough to avoid the scorn of many – even though it generally focused on boxing material that fell under the Premiere Boxing Champions promotional banner. 

Premiering on December 15^th, 2018, “Inside PBC” offered insight into the fighters and news around Premiere Boxing Champions. Perhaps realizing that the popularity of boxing in the 70s and 80s stemmed in large part from networks focusing on particular fighters and fights, those behind the show presented a fan friendly perspective designed to make and keep interest levels high. 

“FOX Sports is thrilled to be expanding PBC boxing programming with this studio show,” Fox Sports Steve Becker claimed at the time. “We look to go inside the stories of the PBC boxers with in-depth interviews and feature profiles, as well as previews of upcoming fights and breakdowns of the most-recent, thrilling matchups.” With host Kate Abdow at the helm, name fighters like Shawn Porter and Abner Mares would offer their takes on the matters being presented each episode. 

With a glossy set and segments one might find on a show dedicated to the NFL or NBA such as panel discussions, “Inside PBC” brought a degree of broadcast professionalism and seriousness some find lacking in the sport. In the end, however, the program, as well as WWEs “Backstage,” might not have been able survive a pandemic which has essentially put the world on hold. With boxing slowly returning to live broadcasting PBC itself is expected to resume showing fight cards with regularity in the near future. At the moment, no full schedule is present at the PBCs official web page.  

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Posted on 03/17/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Fans that were in search of a reprieve from the Coronavirus pandemic, won’t be receiving one anytime soon.

Over the past few days, boxing events all around the world have been postponed. From big name fighters such as Shakur Stevenson and Naoya Inoue, to lesser known names and shows such as Michael Conlan and his annual headlining card which was due to take place in Madison Square Garden, in New York City on St. Patrick’s Day. 

Every single one of those aforementioned shows have fallen victim to this pandemic that has affected not just boxing, but every sport around the world. 

Still, even with the immediate future of boxing appearing extremely bleak, fans were thrown a lifeline of sorts. 

Over in Hinckley, Minnesota at the Grand Casino, a small card headlined by undefeated prospect Brandun Lee took place in front of a crowd of absolutely no one on March 13th. It wasn’t exactly the most exciting card as Lee cruised to an easy third round stoppage victory. But for fans who have been deprived of sports for what feels like forever, they gladly accepted it. 

If obscure names such as Brandon Lee and Camilo Prieto could be given the chance to fight and entertain those watching at home, then it gave fans everywhere hope that the big names associated with the sport could continue to enter the ring. 

That last glimmer of hope however, has officially been taken away. 

Promoters from every part of the world have officially waived the white flag in regards to future shows that were set to take place. Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) has pulled the plug on their March and April events. Including a Phoenix, Arizona card headlined by WBC Super Middleweight champion David Benavidez.

“Due to the growing concerns over COVID-19, Premier Boxing Champions scheduled events for March and April have been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date,” said PBC through an email statement.

“At this time there’s no information regarding future shows. The health and safety of the boxers, fans and those working the events are of utmost importance to us,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions and lead promoter for the cancelled shows. “We are all disappointed and as we get more information we will address future events.”

PBC, was soon followed by other heavy hitting boxing promoters such as Bob Arum and Top Rank.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Top Rank has postponed all events scheduled for March and April. We are monitoring the situation closely. We will reschedule the shows as soon as it’s safe and reasonable to do so.”

“The health and safety of our fighters, staff and ESPN’s incredible production team is the most important thing as we plan our next steps,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We look forward to the day when we can bring our loyal fans world-class boxing once again. But exercising caution is the most prudent thing to do at this moment.” 

Even stars who seem to be bigger than life such as four division champion Canelo Alvarez have been forced to take a backseat. His upcoming May 2nd, contest against Billy Joe Saunders will now be pushed back to at least June, if not later. 

Those who were looking to beat the rush and purchased their tickets early on Ticketmaster, will be issued a full refund for every event.

All ticket orders will be refunded from your original point of purchase. If you have purchased online through Ticketmaster, all orders will be refunded automatically. Orders purchased with a credit card will be refunded to the credit card used for purchase. For third party purchases, please reach out to your original point of purchase for information regarding your credit. Please allow up to 30 days for this refund to reflect with your financial institution. If you have any questions, please contact Ticketmaster’s Customer Service line at 1-800-653-8000.

As is always the case in all parts of life, there is always a rebel. One person or entity that laughs in the face of those who are following the rules. In this case, UFC President Dana White plays the role of that rebellious figure. This past weekend on March 14th, White went through with his UFC event which took place in Brazil. 

It may not have been in the best interest of his fighters, but fans who were stuck inside of the house searching for something other than Spongebob to watch, were ecstatic to actually see sports on their television screens. No fans were in attendance, but the fights took place without a problem. 

Hopefully fans cherished that moment, as that could be the last time they see any new sports related content for quite some time.

“We can’t do it,” said White. “We have no choice now but to postpone these fights.”

White’s new comments were a far cry from the statement he made just a few days prior. The change of heart from White came from President Trump and his recommendation to postpone his events.

“We’re not stopping,” said White when asked if he would consider postponing fights last week.

Now, just like every other sport, the UFC is at a complete standstill. 

The sport of boxing and UFC are different in many ways. But they believe in the same concept. Beat your opponent up until they quit. 

At this point in time, it seems as though both the UFC and boxing have been given no choice but to do just that. At least temporarily. 

Boxing, UFC, basketball and every other sport across the world has waived the white flag. The Coronavirus has won. 

For now.