1/29 ESPN: Robson Conceicao vs Xavier Martinez

[patscorpio]

Keith Idec reports and Mike Coppinger confirms that former Money Team super featherweight prospect Xavier Martinez has signed with Top Rank, a partnership that begins January 29th when Martinez faces Robson Conceicao in Tulsa, OK.

The parting appears to have been amicable, as Leonard Ellerbe took to Twitter to wish Martinez (17-0, 11 KO) the best.

Sacramento’s Martinez (17-0, 11 KO) passed the stiffest test of his career in October 2020 when he survived two knockdowns to beat former title challenger Claudio Marrero by unanimous decision. He faces what looks like a much more daunting challenge in Conceicao (16-1, 8 KO), a 2016 Olympic gold medalist who acquitted himself well in defeat against Oscar Valdez last September.

Very bold matchmaking by Top Rank, but I can’t say I’m not a fan. Even if he falls short, it’ll be a great learning experience for the 24-year-old Martinez, who’ll still have time to bounce back.

Undercard

Mexican action star Rene “El Bravo” Tellez Giron will meet Puerto Rican upstart Luis Melendez in a 10-round junior lightweight showdown Saturday, Jan. 29 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

Giron-Melendez will serve as the co-feature to the 10-round WBC junior lightweight title eliminator between former title challenger Robson Conceição and undefeated contender Xavier Martinez. Both bouts will air live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard will include the return of undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (3-0, 2 KOs), grandson of Muhammad Ali, in a four-round bout. Ali Walsh made his professional debut last August with a first-round stoppage at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Tulsa-born heavyweight prospect Jeremiah Milton (3-0, 3 KOs) will see action on the undercard in a six-rounder.

Giron (16-1, 10 KOs), a 22-year-old rising star from Queretaro, Mexico, emerged from relative obscurity with his December 2019 knockout victory over then-unbeaten 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas. He has won two fights since the Balderas triumph, including a seventh-round knockout over Eduardo Garza last September on the Oscar Valdez-Conceição undercard in Tucson, Arizona. Melendez (17-1, 13 KOs), winner of 15 straight fights since a controversial split decision loss, had a busy 2021. He picked up seven victories in three months in Colombia, then returned to the States with a flourish. Melendez won an eight-round decision over Thomas Mattice at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas last November, a career-best victory that earned him the co-feature slot against Giron.

“I told my manager, Frank Espinoza, that I am ready to fight any junior lightweight out there,” Giron said. “Melendez answered the call, and we’re going to give the Tulsa fans a great fight. Whenever you have a Mexican versus a Puerto Rican, it can’t help but be toe-to-toe.”

Melendez said, “I jumped at this opportunity without hesitation. I’m thankful for this platform, and I will put the 130-pound division on notice. Giron is the man in my way. I am the next Puerto Rican star, and I will prove it in Tulsa."

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Tony Holden Productions, tickets starting at $49.50 are on sale now and can be purchased at tickets.hardrockcasinotulsa.com and at the Box Office at 918-384-ROCK (7625).

 

[patscorpio]

U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson, Brooklyn-born phenom Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of “The Greatest,” are among the rising stars who will fight Saturday, Jan. 29 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. The bill is topped by the 10-round WBC 130-pound title eliminator between Robson Conceição and Xavier Martinez, and a 10-round junior lightweight co-feature featuring Mexican grinder Rene Tellez Giron and Puerto Rican contender Luis Melendez.

Conceição-Martinez and Giron-Melendez will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The following undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT:

• Johnson (1-0, 1 KO), a 23-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, will take on fellow unbeaten Xavier Madrid (3-0, 1 KO) in a four-round welterweight tilt. Johnson advanced to the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics and turned pro last November with a fourth-round stoppage over Antonius Grable.
  
• Middleweight Ali Walsh (3-0, 2 KOs), who grabbed international headlines last year, looks to continue his unbeaten run in a four-rounder against Jeremiah Yeager (1-1-1, 1 KO).
  
• Carrington (1-0), the latest young talent from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, makes his Top Rank debut against fellow unbeaten Steven Brown (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round featherweight bout.
  
• Light heavyweight prospect Dante “Free Smoke” Benjamin Jr., a one-time U.S. amateur standout from Cleveland, Ohio, makes his professional debut in a four-rounder against Herman Rendon (2-0). Benjamin signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank last year.
  
• Featherweight prospect Haven Brady Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) will see action in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named.
  
• Tulsa-born heavyweight Jeremiah Milton (3-0, 3 KOs) hopes to thrill the hometown fans when he takes on the well-traveled Jason Bergman (27-20-2, 18 KOs) in a six-rounder. Milton and Bergman fought on the same Top Rank-promoted card in Tulsa last April, with Milton notching a first-round knockout and Bergman losing an eventful three-round shootout against Trey Lippe Morrison.
  
• Junior lightweight Pink Tyson (11-2, 2 KOs) looks to make it three consecutive wins when she fights the durable Carla Torres (6-6) in an eight-rounder.

 

[patscorpio]

Stephan Shaw, Joey Dawejko To Meet On Martinez-Conceicao Undercard

BY KEITH IDEC
Published Mon Jan 24, 2022, 05:16 PM EST


Top Rank has added an interesting heavyweight fight to its Xavier Martinez-Robson Conceicao undercard Saturday night.

BoxingScene.com has learned that unbeaten heavyweight prospect Stephan Shaw will oppose Joey Dawejko in an eight-rounder that’ll headline the ESPN+ portion of an undercard from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Top Rank has signed Shaw (15-0, 11 KOs), who is also promoted by DiBella Entertainment, to a multi-year co-promotional agreement.

The 29-year-old Shaw most recently knocked out Nick Davis (then 6-2) in the first round August 27 in Plant City, Florida. The St. Louis native has shown some promise, but the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Shaw’s career has progressed pretty slowly since he made his pro debut in December 2013.

The typically durable Dawejko (21-9-4, 12 KOs) was knocked out by hard-hitting Kazakh southpaw Zhan Kossobutskiy (17-0, 16 KOs) in the second round of his last bout, which took place August 21 in Hamburg, Germany.

Philadelphia’s Dawejko, 31, has been beaten inside the distance just twice during his 12-year, 34-fight pro career. He has fought former IBF champ Charles Martin, who stopped him after four rounds, and has gone the 10-round distance in losses to former or current contenders Amir Mansour, Bryant Jennings, Andrey Fedosov, Sergey Kuzmin and Frank Sanchez along the way.

Martinez (17-0, 11 KOs), a 130-pound contender from Sacramento, will make his Top Rank debut when he battles Brazil’s Robson Conceicao in the 10-round main event.

Before he signed with Bob Arum’s Top Rank recently, the 24-year-old Martinez was promoted by Floyd Mayweather’s company. The 33-year-old Conceicao (16-1, 8 KOs) tested unbeaten WBC super featherweight champ Oscar Valdez during his most recent action, but Mexico’s Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) won their 12-rounder by unanimous decision September 10 at Casino del Sol in Tucson, Arizona.

The co-feature Saturday night will pit Mexican junior lightweight contender Rene Tellez (16-1, 10 KOs) against Luis Melendez (17-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-rounder that’ll begin ESPN’s telecast at 10 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. PT. Top Rank’s undercard coverage is set to start at 6 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. PT on ESPN+, the network’s $7-per-month streaming service.

 

[patscorpio]

 

[patscorpio]

 

[patscorpio]

Conceicao-Martinez, ESPN Undercard Weigh-In Results From Tulsa

BY JAKE DONOVAN
Published Fri Jan 28, 2022, 02:38 PM EST








Robson Conceicao aims for a second title run, while Xavier Martinez looks to make a splash in his Top Rank debut.



Both boxers made weight ahead of their scheduled ten-round junior lightweight contest, which airs live from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The bout airs live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.



Conceicao weighed 129.6 pounds, while Martinez checked in at 129.4 pounds for their sanctioned WBC junior lightweight title eliminator.



The fight is the first for Brazil’s Conceicao since his controversial title challenge of Oscar Valdez last September. Conceicao entered the pro ranks as a three-time Olympian and Brazil’s first-ever Olympic Gold medalist with his haul in 2016 Rio. The fight with Valdez was a considerable step up in class, though leaving the challenger visibily annoyed after Valdez tested positive for a banned substance less than a month prior to the fight.



A commission technicality allowed Valdez to go relatively undisciplined, with the fight moving forward and Conceicao dropping a questionable twelve-round, unanimous decision in their September 10 ESPN main event in Tucson, Arizona.



Sacramento’s Martinez (17-0, 10KOs) fights for the first time since last May, when he earned a ten-round, unanimous decision win over former title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos. The fight was his last under Mayweather Promotions, having since entered a promotional pact with Top Rank and with his eye on challenging for a major title in 2022.



The winner will become the mandatory challenger for Valdez’s WBC title.



Opening the linear telecast, Rene Tellez (16-1, 10KOs) of Queretaro, Mexico faces Miami’s Luis Melendez (17-1, 13KOs) in a scheduled ten-round junior lightweight contest—if the fight proceeds.



Tellez weighed 137 pounds, well over the limit for an announced junior lightweight fight. Melendez weighed 131.6 pounds. The commission and event promoters are currently reviewing the situation.



Below are the weights for the remaining undercard bouts which air live on ESPN+ beginning 6:00 p.m. ET.



Stephan Shaw (15-0, 11KOs), St. Louis, 234.8 pounds vs. Joey Dawejko (21-9-4, 12KOs), Philadelphia, 258.6 pounds—8 rds, heavyweight



Delante Johnson (1-0, 1KO), Cleveland, 145 pounds vs. Xavier Madrid (3-0, 1KO), Albuquerque, 145.6 pounds—4 rds, welterweight



Kalliopi ‘Pink Tyson’ Kourouni (11-2, 2KOs), Brighton, England, 130 pounds vs. Carla Torres (6-6, 0KOs), Cleveland, 129.6 pounds—8 rds, junior lightweight



Bruce Carrington (1-0 0KOs), Brooklyn, 125.8 pounds vs. Steven Brown (1-0, 1KO), Fort Collins, Colorado, 125.6 pounds—4 rds, featherweight



Jeremiah Milton (3-0, 3KOs), Las Vegas via Tulsa, 237 pounds vs. Dell Long (7-9-2, 4KOs), Fairdale, West Virginia, 287.8 pounds—4 rds, heavyweight



Dante Benjamin (pro debut), Cleveland, 172.6 pounds vs. Herman Rendon (2-0, 0KOs), Odessa, Texas, 175.8 pounds—4 rds, light heavyweight



Haven Brady (4-0, 3KOs), Albany, Georgia, 127.8 pounds vs. Diuhl Olguin (15-20-5, 10KOs), Guadalajara, Mexico, 127.4 pounds—6 rds, featherweight



Nico Ali Walsh (3-0, 2KOs), Las Vegas, 162.4 pounds vs. Jeremiah Yaeger (1-1-1, 1KO), Erie, Pennsylvania, 159 pounds—4 rds, middleweight



Giovanni Cabrera (18-0, 7KOs), Chicago, 138.6 pounds vs. Rafael Reyes (20-13, 16KOs), Torreon, Mexico, 133.6 pounds—8 rds, lightweight

 

[patscorpio]

Overweight Rene Tellez Giron Remains In ESPN Co-Feature, To Face Giovanni Cabrera

BY KEITH IDEC
Published Fri Jan 28, 2022, 05:26 PM EST


Rene Tellez Giron wasn’t exactly punished for coming in five full pounds over the contracted weight Friday for his fight against Luis Melendez.

An afternoon full of negotiating resulted in promoter Top Rank putting together a new co-feature for its ESPN show Saturday night that still will include Giron (16-1, 10 KOs). The Mexican junior lightweight will now square off against Chicago’s Giovanni Cabrera (18-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight bout that’ll be the second of three fights ESPN will air from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Sacramento’s Xavier Martinez (17-0, 11 KOs) and Brazil’s Robson Conceicao (16-1, 8 KOs) are set to square off in the main event, a 10-round junior lightweight bout.

Giron weighed in at 137 pounds Friday, five above the contracted limit of 132 for his 10-rounder with Melendez (17-1, 13 KOs). The 22-year-old Giron is most known for upsetting 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas (11-1, 10 KOs) by sixth-round knockout in December 2019 at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.

Miami’s Melendez met his contractual obligation by officially weighing 131.6 pounds. Melendez will be paid his purse by Top Rank, despite that he won’t fight Saturday night.

Cabrera, 27, was supposed to meet Mexico’s Rafael Reyes (20-13, 16 KOs) in the four-round opener of what was scheduled as an 11-fight card Saturday night. Cabrera officially weighed in at 138.6 pounds Friday.

In addition to the Martinez-Conceicao and Giron-Cabrera bouts, ESPN is expected to televise a four-round battle between Tiger Johnson (1-0, 1 KO), a 23-year-old welterweight prospect from Cleveland, and Albuquerque’s Xavier Madrid (3-0, 1 KO) as the opener of a telecast set to start at 10 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. PT.

Overall coverage of this card will begin on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. PT. An eight-round heavyweight bout in which St. Louis’ Stephan Shaw (15-0, 11 KOs) will face Philadelphia’s Joey Dawejko (21-9-4, 12 KOs) will be the last of seven fights ESPN+ will stream.

 

[Bigblackted4]

My boy Tiger on the main broadcast go Cleveland boxing

 

[Electric Ladyland]

was looking forward to the Giron fight

i hope he wasn’t trying to duck and was just being a fat ass

 

[Derek Lee]

Undercard starts at 6:55. Any East Coast brehs snowed in right now?

 

[patscorpio]

Undercard starts at 6:55. Any East Coast brehs snowed in right now?

i am...thats alright...i got liquor i got food..im chillin

 

[patscorpio]

benjamin already scoring a KD

 

[patscorpio]

and a left hook ends the fight...

 

[Derek Lee]

Technical difficulties

 

[patscorpio]

technical difficulties smh