BBBofC Confirmed Billy Joe Saunders is Not in Breach of BBBofC or UKAD Anti-doping Regulations
- By Allan McGoldrick / @AMCGUK
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- 27 Sep, 2018
- •
Circulating reports in the boxing world over the last 24 hours have been concerning Billy Joe Saunders and a reported failed drug test that could potentially jeopardize his upcoming middleweight title defense against Demetrius Andrade.
According to an ESPN.com report Thursday, Saunders has tested positive for Oxilofrine, an amphetamine that can enhance endurance. The positive test could cause the cancelation of the WBO middleweight champion’s fight versus Andrade on October 20 at TD Garden in Boston.
Andrade (25-0, 16 KOs), of Providence, Rhode Island, is the mandatory challenger for Saunders’ title.
Eddie Hearn, Andrade’s new promoter, and fellow British promoter Frank Warren, who works with Saunders, came to an agreement for their WBO-mandated championship match July 25, just before a purse bid scheduled for later that day.
Saunders (26-0, 12 KOs) appears to remain calm on this current news and continues to focus on his training camp whilst allowing Frank Warren has released a statement on the teams behalf which concludes the backing of the British Boxing Board Of Control.
Statement From Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions:
Following reports of an adverse analytical finding in a test carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (“VADA”) on WBO World Middleweight Champion, Billy Joe Saunders, we can confirm that the product concerned is permitted to be used ‘Out of Competition’ by United Kingdom Anti-Doping (“UKAD”) in line with the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”).
For the avoidance of doubt, the product in question was a common decongestant nasal spray.
The British Boxing Board of Control (“BBBofC”) under whose jurisdiction Billy Joe Saunders is licensed are affiliated only to UKAD/WADA.
Today the BBBofC have confirmed that Mr Saunders is not in breach of BBBofC or UKAD anti doping regulations and is therefore in good standing and is licensed to box and defend his World Title on October 20th.
Mr. Saunders has been tested a number of times in 2018, all negative, his last out of competition test by UKAD was on 24th September 2018.
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Joyce (15-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBO interim heavyweight belt in the main event against Chinese contender and fellow Olympic silver medalist Zhilei Zhang(24-1-1, 19 KOs).
The co-feature will see Mayer (17-1, 5 KOs) making her debut at 135 pounds against former two-time junior welterweight world champion Christina “Medusa” Linardatou(14-2, 6 KOs) in a 10-round battle for the vacant WBC interim lightweight championship.
Undercard fighters include heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma (2-0, 2 KOs) in a scheduled six-rounder against Ukraine’s Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko(9-12-1, 6 KOs) and England’s Sam Noakes (10-0, 10 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight clash against Indian standout Karthik Sathish Kumar (10-0, 4 KOs)
Promoted by Queensberry Promotions, Joyce-Zhang, Mayer-Linardatou and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
At Thursday's press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.
Joe Joyce
“I’m a tough man. I started rugby a long time ago. I’ve tried a lot of sports. And I’ve finally found my sport in boxing. And it’s a whole package, all the ingredients that go into making a great champion. That’s what I want to be. And I’m getting close. I have the WBO interim title, but I don’t know how close I am to the world title."
“All the others seem to be running scared or doing their own thing. I want the fights to happen. I get how things work with the governing bodies. And I can only just fight who is put in front of me. So, why not fight a good fight and give everyone an entertaining fight against Zhilei Zhang?"
“I respect Zhang’s power, and I won’t be going in there recklessly. He’s a southpaw, too. That’s more of a tricky style than what I’m used to. The last southpaw I fought was Lenroy Thomas in my fourth fight, which was for the Commonwealth title. In history, that was really quick. I’ve only had 15 fights with 14 knockouts. I’m in for some proper fights and will give everyone value for their money.”
Zhilei Zhang
"We accepted this fight with no questions. For me, I’m here for a reason. I’m here to become the strongest and the best. And I know that in order to be the best, you have to beat the best.
“The translation of ‘The Juggernaut’ in Chinese is Red Tank. That’s what people call him. He has a tough chin. He has great stamina. But I’m the ‘Big Bang.’”
“From the first round of their fight, Joseph Parker fought scared. He fought going backwards and running around the ring. So, when it comes to direct body contact, there hasn’t been anyone who has hit Joe Joyce with solid punches. But, I will land my shots.”
Mikaela Mayer
“I like fighting in the U.K. I like the fans here. The energy they bring to the arena is always great. They’re a lot of fun. I feel like I did a lot of work in my last outing here in terms of media. It was a huge fight and the Queen had passed, so we had to come out several times to promote the fight. And I just wanted to continue that moment and come out here and put on a great performance in front of some great fans.”
"I am coming off a loss. Yet I feel like I’m the greatest I’ve ever been. Skill-wise, I have taken another step forward. But at the same time, it’s almost like I’m taking a step back. I didn’t want that to be the case. I didn’t want to take a step back when it came to my competition or my next move in the sport, so I told my team that I wanted a top competitor. I wanted someone who challenge me and motivate me and get me back in position for a world title.
“That’s Christina Linardatou. She is accomplished. She’s a top ranked. And I wanted to put on a good fight for the fans against a worthy opponent, and she is a worthy opponent.”
“Christina has a very aggressive, come-forward style. So, obviously, I’m the taller and leaner boxer, so you are going to see me boxing and moving. But I also have to demand some respect and sit on my shots. There will be moments that where we’ll be in close and having to let my hands go as well. So, I know it’s going to be a really exciting, action-packed fight.”
Christina Linardartou
“I feel great. I’m so happy to be coming back. I had already done a fight after giving birth, but this is the first big fight. I’m very excited that it’s against Mikaela, who is a very tough fighter.”
“I have been keeping an eye on her for years now. I keep an eye on all my possible opponents. I keep an eye on all the women I could fight, from 130 to 140.”
“I wasn’t nervous [at the Grand Arrivals]. I was thinking she was trying to find the nervousness in me. But, I’m calm. I feel better than at any other previous time because of the processes. It was very difficult to get into the condition that I once was. The process makes you stronger, not nervous.”
“Advantages? We are both strong. We are both fast. I don’t know what exactly to tell you about advantages. I only know that I feel very strong and very fast. I think I’m faster. My defense is good. That’s my favorite. My defense.”
ESPN+ (3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT)
Mikaela Mayer vs. Christina Linardatou, 10 rounds, Vacant WBC Interim Lightweight Title
Moses Itauma vs. Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko , 6 rounds, Heavyweight
Sam Noakes vs. Karthik Sathish Kumar, 12 rounds, Lightweight
In the main event, undefeated British knockout artist Joe Joyce defends his WBO interim heavyweight title against Chinese contender Zhilei Zhang.
The co-feature will see former unified junior lightweight champion Mikaela Mayer making her lightweight debut against former two-time junior welterweight world champion Christina “Medusa” Linardatou in a 10-rounder for the WBC interim lightweight championship.
Promoted by Queensberry Promotions, Joyce-Zhang, Mayer-Linardatou and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Queensberry Promotions hosted a media workout TODAY in London. CLICK HERE for courtesy photos.
Joyce (15-0, 14 KOs) captured a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and debuted as a pro following year. The 37-year-old has notched wins over former world champs Bermane Stiverne and Joseph Parker and against title challengers Carlos Takam and Bryant Jennings. In his last fight, Joyce stopped Parker in the 11th round to capture the interim WBO title. The undefeated knockout artist is on the path towards a potential showdown with heavyweight king Tyson Fury, but he’ll need to defend his strap against a fellow silver medalist.
Zhang (24-1-1, 19 KOs), a 2008 Chinese Olympian, started his career in the paid ranks in 2014. He went 22-0 and captured various regional titles before fighting to a draw against Jerry Forrest in 2021. The 39-year-old then scored stoppage wins over Craig Lewis and Scott Alexander before suffering his first pro loss against undefeated Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic. In terms of height and reach, Zhang and Joyce are identical as both are 6’6” tall with 80-inch reaches.
Mayer (17-1, 5 KOs), a 2016 U.S. Olympian, signed with Top Rank in 2025 and captured the WBO junior lightweight championship with a unanimous decision victory against Ewa Brodnicka in October 2020. The following year, the Los Angeles native unified the WBO and IBF titles against Maiva Hamadouche. In her last fight, Mayer suffered the first defeat of her career, a razor-thin split decision setback to Alycia Baumgardner at London’s O2 Arena. Mayer wants to reverse her lone defeat, but she’ll first step up to lightweight to face Linardatou, the only woman to defeat Baumgardner in the paid ranks.
In 2016, Linardatou (14-2, 6 KOs) unsuccessfully challenged Delfine Persoon for the WBC lightweight world title. She then bounced back with four straight wins, including a victory over Baumgardner and a win against Kandi Wyatt to capture the vacant WBO junior welterweight championship. Linardatou lost the belt to Katie Taylor in 2019 but regained it with a unanimous decision over Prisca Vicot in February 2020. Linardatou returned from a 29-month layoff last July with a six-round points victory against Aleksandra Vujovic.
In other ESPN+ streaming action from London:
- Undefeated heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma
(2-0, 2 KOs) makes his third 2023 appearance in a scheduled six-rounder against Ukraine’s Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko(9-12-1, 6 KOs). Itauma made his professional debut in January with a scintillating first-round knockout against Marcel Bode, a performance he replicated against Ramon Ibarra in March.
- In a battle of undefeated lightweights, England’s Sam Noakes (10-0, 10 KOs) will put his regional titles on the line in a 12-round fight against Indian standout Karthik Sathish Kumar (10-0, 4 KOs). Noakes is coming off a fourth-round TKO over then-unbeaten Calvin McCord last November, while Kumar notched a second-round TKO win over Meechaiya Kaiwiset in March.
Lopez captured the title last December, venturing to Josh Warrington’s home base of Leeds, England, to grind out a majority decision.
Lopez-Conlan and undercard bouts will be broadcast live and exclusively on BT Sport in the UK and Ireland. While fans in the United States can watch the action on ESPN+.
Promoted by Top Rank and Conlan Boxing, in association with Queensberry Promotions, tickets go on sale Friday, March 31, at 11 a.m. via www.Ticketmaster.ie.
“The passionate Belfast fans will pack The SSE Arena hoping to lift their hero, Michael Conlan, to a world title. I also know that Luis Alberto Lopez thrives in enemy territory and will not relinquish his title without a tremendous fight,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
“Belfast hasn’t had a big world title fight in six years. Michael’s fans have travelled far and wide throughout his career and now they get to create the cauldron like atmosphere that the SSE Arena is known for in the biggest fight of his career. Luis Alberto Lopez is a very dangerous fighter and a fantastic champion that has a reputation of going to the enemy’s backyard and upsetting the apple cart, so we are in for a barnburner on May 27,” said Conlan Boxing CEO Jamie Conlan.
Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, navigated bumpy terrain to become a world champion. After early-career defeats to Abraham Montoya and Ruben Villa stunted his momentum, Lopez thrilled American fight fans with his July 2020 split decision victory over Andy Vences inside the MGM Grand Bubble. Fourteen months later, he dominated then-unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Gabriel Flores Jr. over 10 rounds. Lopez then moved down to featherweight and stopped another undefeated foe, Isaac Lowe, in seven rounds at London’s York Hall. After two stay-busy wins, he received his shot at the title, turning an expected triumphant Leeds homecoming into disappointment for the partisan fans.
“I am a road warrior. Traveling to my opponent’s home country doesn’t faze me,” Lopez said. “I won my world title in Leeds, and now it's time to defend it in Belfast. The louder they cheer for Michael, the harder I will fight. The IBF title will remain in Mexico. May 27 will be a special night for me, and Michael’s fans will go home disappointed.”
Conlan (18-1, 9 KOs) turned pro in 2025 after a decorated Irish amateur career that included two Olympic berths, an Olympic bronze medal, and gold medals at the World Championships, European Championships, and Commonwealth Games. His double middle finger salute to the judges at the 2016 Rio Olympics turned him into a fighting folk hero, and as a pro, he has proven himself on the world stage. Last March, he nearly captured the WBA featherweight crown from Leigh Wood in Wood’s hometown of Nottingham, England. Conlan, ahead on all three scorecards, was knocked out in the 12th round of ESPN's Fight of the Year.
The Wood disappointment did not linger, as Conlan came back later that year with victories over Miguel Marriaga and Karim Guerfi at The SSE Arena. Five months after knocking out Guerfi in one round, Conlan returns to the friendly SSE Arena confines, prepared to seize his championship moment.
“This is a massive opportunity, fighting for the world title in Belfast is something I’ve always dreamed of and will be taking this opportunity with both hands.” Conlan said. “The SSE Arena will be buzzing, and I will do everything I can to bring a world title home. Credit to Lopez for coming to Belfast, but I am taking his title. He is not prepared for what is coming his way on May 27. Ireland will see a new champion crowned.”
The stakes are higher than ever as KSI accepts his hardest challenge to date by taking on undefeated pro boxer Joe Fournier on May 13 at the OVO Arena Wembley in London , live on DAZN and DAZN PPV .
Sign up now via www.MisfitsBoxing.com for exclusive access to pre-sale tickets. Pre-sale tickets are available from Wednesday March 29, ahead of general sale on Friday March 31.
KSI’s hugely anticipated return to the ring headlines MF & DAZN: X Series 007, the latest instalment of the wildly popular crossover boxing series that is taking the world by storm. This night is set to be the biggest and boldest crossover showdown of the year as the Misfits mayhem descends on London, for a night of off the wall entertainment you do not want to miss.
KSI enters the ring in blistering form, having spectacularly KO’d Faze Temper in one round to claim the Misfits Cruiserweight title earlier this year, however, the ‘billionaire’ businessman Joe Fournier will provide the mega star with his toughest test yet.
Fournier is 9-0 as a pro fighter, knocking all nine opponents out. He once went the distance with former heavyweight world champion David ‘ Hayemaker ’ Haye in an exhibition contest .
The famous OVO Arena Wembley will play host to this colossal contest as the Misfits Boxing World Tour lands in London - and both men are promising capital pains on the night.
KSI said: “I can’t wait to show the world what Jake Paul couldn’t, knock out a pro boxer. Each fight, people are seeing a better KSI and I’m honestly scared for Fournier because once I land my right or left hand on his chin, it’s night night. As soon as people enter the ring with me, they realise they are in hell. And they either leave the ring bruised, battered or sleeping. In the ring, I am an evil man.”
Joe Fournier said: “This is huge, it’s as big as it gets, it’s on DAZN pay-per-view at Wembley, against one of the biggest global superstars, not just in boxing.
“But I am going to break a lot of little hearts when they see KSI unconscious on the canvas. This is way too soon to fight me, but the deal is done, and just like Jake Paul, he will find out that when he gets into the ring with a real boxer, it’s a whole different ball game. He is in for a rude awakening.”
Mams Taylor, Co-President of Misfits Boxing said: “Here we go! What a fight and what a night of crossover boxing this will be. KSI against Joe Fournier is huge, it’s mammoth and it’s guaranteed to deliver a night that London will never forget.”
Kalle Sauerland, Co-President of Misfits Boxing said: “Both KSI and Joe Fournier are coming for one thing, and one thing only – the knockout! London, get ready for a massive night of Misfits action and make sure you buy a ticket or tune-in because, make no mistake, this is the hardest test of KSI’s career to date.”
Joseph Markowski , CEO DAZN North America said : ‘KSI vs. Fournier is a fight you will not want to miss. Our third PPV of the X Series is guaranteed to bring all the action and even more unforgettable moments live on DAZN PPV May 13’.
KSI vs Fournier will be shown live and on demand to all subscribers around the world on DAZN and DAZN PPV. But if you want to experience the wild and wonderful world of Misfits Boxing in person, then sign up for pre-sale tickets via www.MisfitsBoxing.com
About DAZN
DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK. Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League , LaLiga , Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F. DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.
DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialise , and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.
DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.
DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, android and mobile devices.
ABOUT KSI
A pioneering, YouTuber (fourth most followed channel for a British artist behind Ed Sheeran, One Direction and Adele) approaching 20 billion cumulative views, his 40.8 million subscribers know him as a creator, an artist, a mate who brings the passion (and the jokes) to whatever he does. He’s a businessman with a portfolio of interests, from owning his own music label, The Online Takeover and his own boxing promotions company, Misfits Boxing to one of the fastest growing beverages, his Prime Hydration drink (recently partnered with Arsenal FC) is set to surpass $140 million in revenue in its first year. As a performer and all-round entertainer, he can light up stages (Reading, TRNSMT, a Wembley headline) and screen: an upcoming documentary for Prime Video, produced by Louis Theroux, promises to lift the lid on the extraordinary life of the 29-year-old from Watford. And as a boxer, the amateur-turned-professional fighter is undefeated, with his last bout, against Logan Paul at Los Angeles Staples Centre in 2019, a global pay-per-view knockout. 27th August will mark his return to the ring when he steps out at London’s O2 to fight Alex
Wassabi. As a musician with over 12 million monthly Spotify listeners, he’s also well-versed in coming out on top. His second album, summer 2021’s All Over the Place entered the charts at #1, an emphatic follow-up to the previous year’s debut, Dissimulation, a #2 hit which was the biggest selling debut album of 2020. In rapid succession there’s been a flurry of hits, on his own merits (making him the British Breakthrough Artist of 2020) and with others (Don’t Play with Anne-Marie, Lighter with Nathan Dawe), making for eight Top Ten singles in total. As prolific as he is innovative, KSI was the only artist to be nominated twice in the Song of the Year category at the 2022 Brit Awards. That’s KSI in 2022: in the ring and in the charts, he’s punching well above his weight. Get ready for his next knockout.
ABOUT MISFITS
Misfits
Boxing is a new radical and revolutionary promotional partnership between megastar KSI, Proper Loud and Wasserman Boxing. Coming to take over the crossover boxing industry and continue to make waves within the space after a sell-out inaugural event at London’s The O2. The collaboration between Misfits Boxing and DAZN for the MF & DAZN: X Series is set to pave the way for the future of crossover boxing to provide the highest
calibre
of events within the genre, across the whole of the sports and entertainment industry. Stars from all corners of the globe and all formats of the entertainment world will be putting their will to the test, as Misfits Boxing guarantees the greatest crossover boxing spectacle the world has ever seen.
ABOUT PROPER LOUD
Proper Loud prides itself on having close relationships with its roster and taking the time to understand its artist's individual needs and goals. Proper Loud’s mantra is to be recognized for their integrity, fairness and making great art. www.properloud.com
ABOUT WASSERMAN
Wasserman
is a partner to the world’s most iconic brands, properties, and talent in their
endeavours
across sports, entertainment, and culture. Our purpose is to transform the businesses and careers of clients. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman operates globally in more than 20 cities, including London, New York, Toronto, Raleigh, Carlsbad, The Hague, Portland, and Shanghai. In 2021, Wasserman acquired Team Sauerland, one of the world’s leading boxing promoters, to form Wasserman Boxing, a new global force in the world of boxing. Learn more at
TeamWass.com.
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.
Once beaten Mohamed “El Bufalo Negro” Soumaoro stopped formerly undefeated Angel “El Chocolatito” Vazquez in round eight of a scheduled ten round lightweight bout in the main event of ProBox TV’s March 22 boxing show at the ProBox Events Center in Plant City, Florida.
10 Rounds Lightweights Main Event
Mohamed Soumaoro_________vs______________Angel Vazquez
Guinea, Montreal, Canada San Luis, Sonora. MX
12-1, 5 KO’s 12-0, 6 KO’s
139.8 lbs.______________ _________________________139.8 lbs.
Trunks Blue/Black_______ _________________________Lilac/Black
Soumaoro TKO Round 8 at 2:50
The 30-year-old Soumaoro against the 22-year-old Vazquez. First ten-round fight for each. Soumaoro's only loss came against a Nicaraguan, in Nicaragua via split decision. Vazquez was hurt a but in round one. Soumaoro continuously landed heavy punches, including a BIG uppercut in round 7 right on the chin. Vazquez couldn't put enough together to do any damage. Vazquez' corner stopped the fight with thirteen seconds left in round eight after Soumaoro landed some big shots, putting the cap on a dominant performance.
6 Rounds Super Featherweights TV# 2
Demontaze Duncan vs Axl Melendez
Louisville, Kentucky Ceiba, Puerto Rico
8-0, 8 KO’s 5-0, 4 KO’s
148 lbs.________________________________________148.4 lbs.
White/Red Silver Trim___________________________Black / Gold
Melendez Decision Win 57-57, 58-56, 58-56
Duncan was hurt in the 1st round but pulled himself together. Melendez worked the inside for much of the fight and was winning exchanges and continued to throw hard punches through the 6th and final round. Each were throwing exchanges till the final bell although it appeared Axl was getting the best of Duncan. Axl got the call two weeks ago to fight and because he is a personal trainer was ready to go!
6 Rounds Jr. Welterweights TV #1 (8:00 PM) LIVE
Omar Rosario______________vs____________________Zach Hill
Caguas, Puerto Rico_____ _____________________ Watertown, SD
9-0-2 KO’s______________________________________3-3-2 KO’s
141.8 lbs._________________________________________140 lbs.
Rosario Wins KO 1, 2:32
Rosario wins by 1st round KO. He hurt Hill a couple of times then landed a few body shots and the last one was the last one of the fight.Rosario was making it.a point to go to the body, meanwhile Hill was loading up and it took a lot out of him. Right hook to the solo-led and a left hook to the liver ended it.
A group of local children were on hand for this special meet-and-greet, as Ramirez and Estrada shared motivational insights and signed hats and t-shirts.
Ramirez (27-1, 17 KOs) headlines the ESPN-televised tripleheader in a 12-round junior welterweight showdown against former lightweight world champion Richard “RC” Commey (30-4-1, 27 KOs). In the co-feature, Estrada takes on WBC minimumweight world champion Tina Rupprecht (12-0-1, 3 KOs) in a unification battle.
Ramirez-Commey, Estrada-Rupprecht and the Antonio Mireles-Patrick Mailata heavyweight opener will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $29 are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com.
At Wednesday’s event, this is what Ramirez and Estrada had to say:
Jose Ramirez
“We want to encourage our youth to stay positive and stay motivated. Seniesa and I came from small communities. We came from rough areas, and we made it through. We’re an example that shows them that they can make it happen, too. We’re here to motivate and encourage these kids. We have to make sure that they stay on the right path. There are a lot of distractions out there, and we have to be positive role models.”
“I think it’s everyone’s responsibility. Every leader, from the teachers to our police officers—everybody. It’s our responsibility to work together to make sure we keep our youth on the right track because they are the future of our community.”
Seniesa Estrada
“It’s really important to participate in events like these because it really inspires the kids. A lot of kids don’t have people in their lives to encourage them. So, for them, to see someone like Jose and me come here and take our time to talk or take a picture means a lot to them. Going to the fight as well can inspire them. They can see that there are greater things to accomplish and bigger things out there. I can definitely relate to the kids here because I grew up going to youth centers in Boyle Heights.”
Jose Ramirez vs. Richard Commey, 12 rounds, WBC Junior Welterweight Title Eliminator
Seniesa Estrada vs. Tina Rupprecht, 10 rounds, WBA/WBC Minimumweight Title Unification
Antonio Mireles vs. Patrick Mailata, 6 rounds, Heavyweight
Raymond Muratalla vs. Humberto Galindo, 10 rounds, Lightweight
Charlie Sheehy vs. Angel Rebollar, 6 rounds, Lightweight
Jessie James Guerrero vs. Eduardo Alvarez, 4 rounds, Light Flyweight
Ricardo Ruvalcaba vs. Marco Cardenas, 6 rounds, Junior Welterweight
Subaru Murata vs. Jose Negrete, 4 rounds, Junior Featherweight
Former two-time Heavyweight Champion of the World Anthony Joshua will return to our screens on April 1 live from The O2, fighting American powerhouse Jermaine Franklin, in an all-eyes-on epic showdown. This fight will be the first in Joshua’s new five-year partnership with DAZN to be streamed live, exclusive and worldwide on the digital sports entertainment platform, which is fast becoming the undisputed Global Home of Boxing.
Following his defeat to Oleksandr Uysk in August 2022, Joshua has reset and refocused. Now, with a single-minded and burning ambition to reclaim his World Champion title, he is on a mission to defy his critics. The eyes of the UK and the world will be on DAZN as the nation’s biggest boxing superstar returns to the ring in an unmissable comeback showdown.
“I am looking forward to stepping back into the ring on April 1st at the O2 Arena London.” said Joshua . “Mentally and physically i feel ready. I want to put on a show and impress my coach as he has high standards. Franklin has a good style & great attitude, which he has shown in recent fights. This will be my first fight broadcast on DAZN in the UK and will be globally available on the platform. I want to thank DAZN for supporting both myself and the sport of boxing as a whole. I would also like to thank the team at 258 and Matchroom Boxing.”
“I’m ready to show the world why it’s time for me to take my place at the top of the Heavyweight division,” said Franklin . “Joshua had his time. It’s my time to shock the world! This fight isn’t going to the judge’s card. I will have win number 22 come April 1. That ain’t no April Fool’s joke.”
“I am looking forward to stepping back into the ring on April 1st at The O2 London.” said Joshua . “Mentally and physically i feel ready. I want to put on a show and impress my coach as he has high standards. Franklin has a good style & great attitude, which he has shown in recent fights. This will be my first fight broadcast on DAZN in the UK and will be globally available on the platform. I want to thank DAZN for supporting both myself and the sport of boxing as a whole. I would also like to thank the team at 258 and Matchroom Boxing.”
“I’m ready to show the world why it’s time for me to take my place at the top of the Heavyweight division,” said Franklin . “Joshua had his time. It’s my time to shock the world! This fight isn’t going to the judge’s card. I will have win number 22 come April 1. That ain’t no April Fool’s joke.”
"What an incredible year Matchroom and DAZN have in store for fight fans around the world - and this is just the beginning," said
Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn
. "The UK's biggest boxing star Anthony Joshua returns to our screens on April 1 as he looks to reclaim his spot as the number one Heavyweight on the plant. 'AJ' has reset and refocused and he is on a mission to defy his critics as he kicks off his exciting new partnership with DAZN. Modern legends Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano run it back for all of the marbles at Lightweight in what will be one of the most iconic sporting events that Ireland has ever seen on May 20 in Dublin. Their first meeting at MSG last year was one of the very best night's I've experienced in boxing and the rematch promises to be even bigger and better.
"Callum Smith is within touching distance of a shot at unified Light-Heavyweight ruler Artur Beterbiev and can't avoid any slip-ups against Pawel Stepien on his Liverpool homecoming on March 11 and boxing's youngest World Champion Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez attempts to create even more history on April 8 when he goes for gold at 112lbs against Cristian Gonzalez 'The Welsh Wizard' Joe Cordina attempts to recapture his IBF Super-Featherweight World Title against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in Cardiff on April 22 and the young guns are out to impress in our first NXTGEN event of the year in Newcastle on March 18 - not forgetting the small matter of Leigh Wood vs. Mauricio Lara in just under two weeks’ time in Nottingham. It is without a doubt the best schedule in boxing and there's still so much more to come. Watch it all live on DAZN."
“We have worked with Anthony Joshua for 5 years, and we are incredibly excited to be kicking off our new UK relationship with him on April 1’, said Joseph Markowski, CEO North America , DAZN Group. ‘Being ringside for Taylor vs Serrano at a sold out MSG was one of the great sporting moments of my life; what an incredible atmosphere and fight. Alongside this blockbuster, the schedule we have curated so far features some of our best talent, Jesse Rodriguez, Callum Smith and Joe Cordina. All live and exclusive on DAZN.”
Freddie Cunningham, Managing Director, 258 Management said , “This is the start of a hugely important phase for AJ and it is exciting to be kicking it off exclusively on DAZN and at the O2 arena in London a place he has had many memorable nights.”
(Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)
• Guido Vianello 239 lbs vs. Jonnie Rice 274 1/4 lbs
(Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)
(ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT)
• Abraham Nova 129 lbs vs. Adam Lopez 129 lbs
(Junior Lightweight — 10 Rounds)
• Haven Brady Jr. 132 3/4 lbs vs. Ruben Cervera 130 1/4 lbs
(Lightweight— 8 Rounds)
• Bryce Mills 143 lbs vs. Margarito Hernandez 144 1/4 lbs
(Welterweight — 6/4 Rounds)
• Floyd Diaz 122 lbs vs. Edwin Rodriguez 121.5 lbs
(Junior Featherweight — 8 Rounds)
• Brian Norman Jr. 149 lbs vs. Rodrigo Damian Coria 148 1/4 lbs
(Welterweight — 8 Rounds)
• Bruce Carrington 128 lbs vs. Juan Antonio Lopez 127.5 lbs
(Featherweight — 6 Rounds)
• Dante Benjamin Jr. 174 lbs vs. Emmanueal Austin 175 lbs
(Light Heavyweight— 6 Rounds)