Team Boxing League (“TBL”) is proud to announce the renewal of its multi-platform partnership with Balance of Nature, a category leader in whole fruit, vegetable, and fiber supplements. As a “Proud Partner of TBL” Balance of Nature will once again play a prominent role throughout TBL’s highly anticipated fourth season. With its unique team-based format, high-intensity matchups, and rapidly expanding national viewership, TBL provides Balance of Nature with a dynamic platform to connect with health-conscious sports fans across the country.
As part of the partnership, Balance of Nature will receive prominent exposure throughout TBL broadcasts. The brand will also maintain a strong on-site presence, with placement on ring corner pads and ring ropes at all TBL events. Beyond live competition, Balance of Nature will be fully integrated into TBL’s digital and social media campaigns and featured through digital advertising on the league’s official website. The partnership will also include exclusive, athlete-driven content collaborations distributed through Balance of Nature’s owned and organic media channels, highlighting how TBL fighters prioritize performance, wellness, and recovery.
“Balance of Nature is excited to continue our partnership with TBL, as the first year was a resounding success,” said Lex Howard, Balance of Nature CEO. “Elite performance starts with daily discipline — both in training and in nutrition. TBL athletes compete at an incredibly high level, and we’re proud to support them with whole-food nutrition that fits into their demanding schedules. This partnership reflects our commitment to fueling those who push their limits, both within the league and for those who are tuning in.”
“We’re thrilled to renew our partnership with Balance of Nature and have them continue to be part ofthe TBL family,” added Kevin Cassidy, CEO of Team Boxing League. “As we enter our fourth season, TBL’s growth has exceeded expectations. Renewing with a trusted brand like Balance of Nature speaks to the strength of our platform and the value we deliver to partners.”
TBL Team Boxing League (“TBL”) proudly announced today that boxing Hall of Famer, Legend, and the only 8-Division World Champion in history Manny Pacquiao will join the league as an ambassador, owner, and team captain. His initial involvement will be as League Ambassador in 2026 for Season 4 before he officially joins the TBL ownership group starting in 2027, marking a historic moment in the evolution of team-based professional boxing. As League Ambassador, Pacquiao will appear at select TBL Team Boxing League events throughout the 2026 calendar year, lending his global star power and championship legacy to the league’s rapidly growing platform.
Beginning in 2027 and continuing through 2029 (seasons 5, 6, and 7), Pacquiao’s role will expand as he officially joins the TBL ownership group, signaling a long-term commitment to the league’s growth and global reach. In addition to his ownership role, Pacquiao will serve as Team Captain and compete as an active fighter for the San Diego TJ’s, one of TBL’s highly anticipated expansion franchises. Pacquiao’s unparalleled resume, global fan base, and leadership bring unprecedented credibility and momentum to TBL as the league continues its expansion.
“I believe in the vision of TBL and what this league is building for the future of boxing,” said Manny Pacquiao. “Team boxing brings a new level of excitement, strategy, and opportunity for fighters and fans. I’m proud to be part of TBL and look forward to contributing both inside and outside the ring.”
“Manny Pacquiao is one of the most respected champions in the history of boxing, and his decision to join TBL is a defining moment for our league,” added Kevin Cassidy, CEO of TBL Team Boxing League. “From ambassador to owner to active competitor, Manny embodies everything TBL stands for — elite competition, innovation, and a team-first mindset. His involvement accelerates our mission to reshape the future of professional boxing.”
“Manny’s involvement with TBL goes far beyond his initialambassador role,” remarked Jas Mathur, CEO of Pacquiao Promotions. “This league aligns with Manny’s passion for innovation, competition, and elevating the sport of boxing. Joining TBL as an owner, team captain, and active fighter reflects his belief in the league’s model and its potential to change boxing.”
Additional details regarding Pacquiao’s 2026 appearances and his competitive debut with the San Diego TJ’s will be announced in the coming months. To learn more about TBL Team Boxing League, visit www.teamboxingleague.com for schedules, tickets, and team info.
TCL Team Boxing League (“TCL”), the first and only professional boxing league with a team-based ownership model, has announced a dynamic new partnership with Event Tickets Center (www.eventticketscenter.com), naming the platform the Official Secondary Ticketing Partner and Resale Marketplace of the league through the end of the 2025 season. Event Tickets Center will have category exclusivity and the rights to leverage TCL league and team IP across its marketing and promotional efforts.
The partnership started with over a dozen events remaining in the successful 3rd season of TCL. They will ride TCL’s current momentum into tonight’s Semi-Final playoffs match ups between the Phoenix Fury vs. Philadelphia Smoke and the NYC Attitude vs. Las Vegas Hustle. And in two weeks, Event Tickets Center will be visibly present at the MegaBrawl Championships taking place on August 31st in Glendale, Arizona. The partnership combines ticketing convenience with wide-ranging brand visibility in one of the fastest-growing properties in combat sports.
The arrangement includes several key elements designed to maximize brand visibility across multiple platforms. In terms of broadcast integration on Merit TV, the agreement features Event Tickets Center commercials, in-broadcast brand features, broadcast billboards, and in-ring announcer mentions.
The partnership ensures prominent logo placement in the ring, as well as TCL’s LED entrance wall. A highlight element of the Event Tickets Center partnership is the naming rights to the “On Deck” fighter warm-up zone which will be known as “Best Seat in the House”. Additionally, Event Tickets Center will receive social and digital media components which include a weekly branded post across TCL’s social platforms, along with integrated storytelling and campaign support using TCL teams and intellectual property.
“This partnership is a great match widening our reach and provides greater access to TCL for fans,” said Kevin Cassidy, CEO of Team Combat Entertainment. “Event Tickets Center makes it easier for fans to be part of the live action while gaining valuable exposure across TCL’s growing media footprint. It’s a win for everyone involved.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Team Combat League and bring fans closer to one of the most exciting formats in professional sports,” said Abby Croell, head of Brand & Partnerships of Event Tickets Center. “TCL’s fast-paced, team-based structure is electrifying, and our platform is all about delivering seamless access to that kind of must-see entertainment. This collaboration lets us connect passionate fight fans with unforgettable live experiences.”
To catch all the action of TCL Team Boxing League’s third season, tune into Merit TV and visit www.teamcombatleague.com for schedules, tickets, and team info.
Touted as the biggest combat sporting event this summer, EBET’s brand BetTarget will gain brand exposure leading up to and throughout the live action. The event will be distributed in over 60 countries and is expected to be broadcast to 133 million homes. The event is also expecting over 300,000 live PPV viewers and a rebroadcast viewership of 25 million.
EBET’s BetTarget offers the latest odds and live betting on all major sports and events with more than 3,000 live events per month and thousands of additional pre-event markets.
“Bare Knuckle fighting is rapidly becoming one of the most popular combat sports in the world. And with 91% of the fan base above the age of 21, this event is a great fit for our sports wagering brand, BetTarget,” commented Mark Thorne, Chief Marketing Officer of EBET. “We look forward to exposing our brand to the massive audience this fight card will engage.”
Troy Kinunen didn’t set out to assemble one of the world’s greatest Muhammad Ali collections; far from it. He was once solely a baseball fan, a former Little Leaguer who idolized Ruth, Mantle, Cobb, Gehrig. He coveted their keepsakes, their cards and signatures. But even decades ago, their treasures were out of reach, too expensive for a young man beginning his journey as a collector.
“It was colorful, it was cardboard, it was kind of small, and I thought I could display it,” says Kinunen, president and CEO of MEARS Authentications. “And a kind of light bulb went on at that very moment.”
He would spend the next three decades amassing more than 1,600 items tied to the legend of Cassius Clay and Muhammad Ali. Things Ali wore and signed during (and often after) his most memorable, immortal and infamous fights –robes, gloves, trunks, even mouthpieces (including the one from The Rumble in the Jungle!) over which he uttered those infinitely quoted taunts and jeers. Every single poster, save for one, displayed in the venues in which those 61 bouts took place. Every ticket and every pass to every bout. And every photo he could find, among them some of the earliest taken of the kid from Kentucky named Cassius.
Kinunen’s entire Ali collection is now available to the public for the first time, as this historic assemblage serves as the centerpiece of Heritage Auctions’ July 21-23 Summer Sports Catalog Auction.
“Quite simply, it is the most comprehensive Muhammad Ali collection ever to come to auction,” says Chris Ivy, Director of Sports Auctions at Heritage. “What Troy has done here is tell Ali’s life story with treasures that were present for every bout and every brag and every historic highlight in between. It’s one of the most extraordinary collections we have ever been honored to offer.”
Kinunen will be the first to admit: When he bought that first poster, he knew little about Ali outside of his appearance in ABC’s Wide World of Sports opening sequence and what he’d read in grade-school primers. But in time that flicker grew into an all-consuming flame, beginning with Kinunen’s run-ins with Ali at conventions, where he saw The Champ, slowed by age and Parkinson’s, still interact with fans just as he had decades earlier – posing for photos, sparring and shuffling with the wide-eyed and the awestruck, teasing and taunting everyone like they were Howard Cosell with a mic.
“The lightning bolt hit me, and I was fully dedicated to collecting him,” Kinunen says. “I had never seen anything like that. It was so inspirational, so special, to witness it.”
Soon after Kinunen began taking out classified ads in Louisville, Ken., seeking keepsakes Ali might have given to hometown folks who knew the young Cassius Clay. The result was a goldmine of treasures offered by old friends and acquaintances to whom Ali had given the robe off his back or the gloves off his hands.
FanDuel Group and seven division boxing champion, Amanda Serrano, today announced a new partnership, designating FanDuel as the exclusive sports gaming partner of Amanda Serrano ahead of her historic title fight against Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden on April 30th.
As part of the partnership, FanDuel will have access to Serrano’s name and likeness. Serrano will also create unique content on her social channels and will include the FanDuel logo on her trunks during the fight. In addition, FanDuel will offer custom promotions on the FanDuel Sportsbook ahead of Serrano’s title fight in April.
“As the first female professional boxer to headline the iconic Madison Square Garden, I recognize the responsibility I have to uplift women in sports,” said Serrano. “I am honored to be the first boxer to partner with FanDuel who are showing their unwavering dedication to supporting and elevating female athletes and I will proudly wear their logo in the ring during my historic battle against Katie Taylor on April 30th.”
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Amanda Serrano, a game-changer making history being the first- woman ever to headline a fight at Madison Square Garden alongside Katie Taylor,” said Amy Howe, FanDuel Group CEO. “At FanDuel, we are deeply committed to women in sports, from the office to the boxing ring, and partnering with Amanda is part of our ongoing support to invest in female athletes.”
I’m excited to be partnering with @FDSportsbook ahead of my big fight next week!
Amanda is signed with and advised by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian’s Most Valuable Promotions, and the fight will be available on DAZN.
Serrano is the newest member of FanDuel’s deep roster of exclusive sports betting talent and influencers headlined by Pat McAfee, including Charles Barkley, Jordan Spieth, Kenny Smith, Colin Cowherd, Jon Rothstein, and Cousin Sal. FanDuel has also formed exclusive sports betting partnerships with blue-chip media companies like Pat McAfee Inc., Audacy, Turner Sports, Volume, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, SportsGrid, Sinclair, and Minute Media. This is all in addition to FanDuel’s own sports betting and daily fantasy content offerings that includes numberFire, The Duel, an extensive podcast network with a total of seven podcasts, and More Ways to Win on TVG hosted by Lisa Kerney.
GSE Worldwide announced that they have signed Terence “Bud” Crawford to represent the legendary boxing superstar with his marketing and brand. Currently ranked #1 by ESPN, he is considered by many to be the world’s top active boxer pound-for-pound. He also becomes the first professional boxer to join the GSE family.
Crawford has held multiple World Championships in three weight classes, including the WBO welterweight title since 2018. He is also one of only five male boxers in history to hold all four major world titles in boxing (WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO) simultaneously when he accomplished the feat at light welterweight. He has been named “Fighter of the Year” by the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2014, and by ESPN in 2014 and 2017.
“I’ve accomplished a lot inside the ring, with a lot more to come, but I wanted a partner who can help develop my corporate partnerships and elevate my marketing game outside the ring,” said Terence “Bud” Crawford. “GSE has a proven track record with their athletes, and I look forward to being the first boxer to join the GSE family.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Bud to the GSE family,” added Russ Spielman of GSE Worldwide. “What Bud has accomplished thus far in his career is nothing short of remarkable – he’s already a legend inside the ring, and we can’t wait to start helping raise his profile outside of it.”
“Everyone knows about me as the boxer but now is the time for me to tell the world about the other parts of my story” – Terence Crawford
GSE aims to help capture Bud as a strong community role model, family man, father, businessman and philanthropist. Terence is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pixelbird (www.pxlbrd.com),which is a company helping athletes take ownership of their digital likeness.
Nigel Lythgoe, the television mega-producer and creative force behind the powerhouse global television franchises “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” is joining forces with the disruptive technology platform Triller Fight Club to create a new series, “So You Think You Can Fight,” it was announced today. The weekly, hour-long series is part of a new overall relationship between Triller Fight Club and Lythgoe, who also becomes Creative Partner, Visionary and an Executive Producer of Triller Fight Club and will bring his celebrated skills as a television producer and entertainment impresario to Triller Fight Club events. The announcement was made jointly by Lythgoe and Ryan Kavanaugh, co-owner of TrillerNet, which is parent company to Triller Fight Club and the global AI-powered short video and music discovery app Triller.
“So You Think You Can Fight” will follow in a similar format to “So You Think You Can Dance,” but with a unique twist. The series will pair a celebrity action star with a pro fighter, each who will select an amateur boxer through a global talent search and competition, along with audience voting and participation. The selected contestants will each go through rigorous mental and physical training, squaring off against each other with one winner for each category, lightweight, heavyweight and MMA. Each winner will go on to a pro bout on a Triller Fight Club main event that will launch their pro boxing career.
As the new creative partner and executive producer of Triller Fight Club events, Nigel will be responsible for blending the intense competition of world-class boxing with edge-of-your-seat entertainment by global music stars and celebrities to create the four-quadrant entertainment experience that defines Triller Fight Club.
Lythgoe is already at work on the Triller Fight Club’s upcoming June 19 event at Miami’s loanDepot park, which will be themed “The Greatest Showman” in recognition of boxing’s current showman, undefeated Teófimo López, who is putting his five championship belts on the line in the headline fight against the undefeated George Kambosos Jr. for the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. The June 19 event will make history by having men’s and women’s undisputed title fights on the same card for the first time ever, with Franchon Crews-Dezurn taking on Elin Cederroos in a four-belt title bout on the main card.
The June 19 event will be followed by Triller Fight Club’s August event, in which one of the world’s most respected and accomplished athletes, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, the only person ever to win the World Heavyweight Title four times, will return to the ring to fight Kevin McBride in a six-round fight. The veteran McBride (35-10-1) is best known for ending the career of Mike Tyson in June of 2005 when Tyson retired in the sixth round in Washington, DC. The action will continue in September, when Triller Fight Club hosts the highly anticipated comeback of the Golden Boy himself, Oscar del La Hoya, in a match-up to be announced this summer.
“Nigel Lythgoe is a giant among giants, and his new role at Triller is a total game changer for us,” said Ryan Kavanaugh. “Nigel has changed the face of competition-based television around the world, and there is no one better to help us bring the excitement of Triller Fight Club to our global audiences, both through our exciting new streaming series and by adding his visionary storytelling abilities to our Fight Club events. We could not be more excited to welcome Nigel to the Triller team.”
Snoop Dogg, partner in Triller Fight Club, noted, “Boxing and dancing share the same movements and the same rhythm, and who better to take Fight Club to the next level that the person who brought the world ‘American Idol’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ the iconic talent discovery platforms where music, competition, movement and showmanship all count towards the victory, which in our case is hopefully by a knockout.”
Nigel Lythgoe commented, “Triller has built something extraordinary, and they truly have their finger on the pulse of where live event entertainment is headed. As a lifelong fan of music and boxing, I am thrilled to be getting into the ring with Ryan, Snoop and the whole Triller team to join their disruptive and innovative journey. Everyone is fighting for something in this world, and I’m excited to tell the many fascinating stories behind the raised gloves.”
Nigel Lythgoe is the co-creator, executive producer and head judge of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” which launched in 2005. Lythgoe produced “Pop Idol” in the UK and its U.S. edition, “American Idol,” which helped change the face of American reality television. Nigel began his career as a dancer and later as a choreographer, eventually choreographing over 500 TV shows. He segued into producing television as Head of Entertainment and Comedy at London Weekend Television, where he commissioned and produced legendary TV shows including “Gladiators” (produced as “American Gladiators” in the US) and “Blind Date.”
“So You Think You Can Fight” is expected to launch later this year on Triller’s new live streaming platform Triller Verzuz TV, which was formed through TrillerNet’s recent acquisitions of Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s ground-breaking live-streaming channel Verzuz and premier global live-event streaming platform FITE (FITE.tv).
The new series is inspired by the growing popularity of boxing among Millennials and Gen Z and by Triller’s successful expansion into boxing, which began with the now-legendary Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr fight and music spectacle that shattered records for digital Pay Per Views in November 2020. Formalized as Triller Fight Club in partnership with Snoop Dogg, the next event was the April 17 Jake Paul vs Ben Askren PPV fight, which became one of the most talked-about, most bet-on and most-pirated sporting events of 2021. The PPV featured nine additional fights as well as performances by music superstars Justin Bieber, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, The Black Keys, Doja Cat, Saweetie, Diplo, Major Lazer and commentators including “SNL”’s Pete Davidson and internet stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio.
Triller Fight Club today announced one of the most unique and disruptive broadcast lineups for the inaugural Triller Fight Club 2021 event on April 17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The world-class group calling the event for Pay-Per-View will include SNL star Pete Davidson, media personality and host of NBC’s Access Hollywood Mario Lopez, supermodel Taylor Hill, and internet stars Dixie and Charli D’Amelio. They will join Triller Fight Club co-owner Snoop Dogg as well as veteran boxing voices Ray Flores, Al Bernstein and Mike Coppinger creating an unprecedented commentating team for the event.
The four-hour Pay-Per-View fight and entertainment spectacle will be headlined by the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren fight and include performances by Justin Bieber, The Black Keys, Doja Cat, Saweetie, Diplo, Major Lazer and the exclusive world premiere of the hip hop supergroup Mt. Westmore (Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Too $hort and E-40) performing for their first time ever together.
Emmy-winning filmmaker Bert Marcus (Netflix’s critically acclaimed “The American Meme,” HBO’s Emmy award-winning “The Apollo” and recent Cannes-lauded “Bull”) is leading Triller’s re-imagining of boxing as a new kind of cinematic entertainment.
“Viewers on April 17 will be immersed into a world unlike anything they could imagine, a true movie-like experience that reinvents the great sport of boxing by taking them into the ring in ways they’ve never seen before and also deep into the behind-the-scenes action with our fighters and musical performers as it unfolds in real time,” said Marcus. “We’re thrilled to have Pete, Mario, Taylor, Dixie and Charli as well as Snoop, Ray, Al and Mike as our incredible commentating team to lead people through the action. They will be unapologetically themselves, creating a vibe that is culturally savvy, raw and unexpected.”
“This group of headline talent from all areas of music and entertainment will make this the must-watch event of 2021,” said Kavanaugh. “Nowhere else will you be able to see this mix of pop culture, comedy and hip-hop legends and top-notch fights in one place. April 17 will be the new standard not just for boxing, but for a new genre of entertainment and sports that Triller Fight Club is creating and implementing for fans of every demo, genre and age. We’ve already broken pre-sale records, and just wait for what’s to come.”
Along with Marcus, executive producer Malea Rose will also oversee and execute Triller Fight Club’s overall creative vision.
The April card will be Triller Fight Club’s first in a series of 2021 special events, following the debut record-setting Tyson vs. Jones PPV fight in 2020, which shattered all digital fight PPV records and became the 8th most successful fight PPV in history.
In the headline matchup April 17, Jake Paul takes on former Bellator and ONE Championship champion Ben Askren, with all bouts seen on the main Pay Per View card. The event will also feature super lightweight Regis Prograis (New Orleans) taking on Ivan Redkach (Shostka, Ukraine); heavyweight MMA Bad Boy Frank Mir (Las Vegas) will battle former IBF titleholder Steve Cunningham (Philadelphia, PA); and Joe Fournier (London) will challenge music icon and worldwide star Reykon (Envigado, Colombia). The card will be subject to all professional boxing rules, with eight rounds and 10-ounce gloves, and each will be an official professional fight.
iNDemand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and PPV programming provider in North America, will serve as the exclusive U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite, and telco PPV provider for the event. Fans will be able to order the event on PPV through their existing cable, satellite and telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, Fios, and Optimum in the U.S., as well as leading providers in Canada.
FITE, the premier PPV digital platform, will handle worldwide live pay-per-view streaming distribution online, and via FITE mobile and Smart TV apps, game controllers and all major OTT devices as well as power TrillerFightClub.com.
The suggested PPV retail price for the event is $49.99 (U.S. & Canada). Fans outside North America can check the FITE link at https://www.fite.tv/watch/jake-paul-vs-ben-askren/2p8y0/ for international pricing. All fight information can be found at TrillerFightClub.com, which features fight news, announcements, promotional videos, and the digital portal to buy the event.
**HOW TO WATCH THE APRIL 17, 2021, TRILLER FIGHT CLUB PPV EVENT**
TV: Cable, satellite & telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, Fios, and Optimum in the U.S., as well as leading providers in Canada.
Worldwide Streaming: FITE.TV and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, game controller and OTT apps as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.com
Triller Fight Club today announced that Peter Kahn has been named to the newly created position of Chief Boxing Officer. Kahn, a Boxing Writers Association of America 2019 and 2020 Manager of the Year nominee, is an industry veteran who has worked both on the promotional side and management side at the highest level for 25 years. Triller Fight Club is a partnership between Triller and Snoop Dogg spearheaded by Ryan Kavanaugh.
“We are excited have Peter formally join us in this critical role as we expand and advance the boxing side of Triller Fight Club,” Kavanaugh said. “In a very short period of time as we set up for our April 17th, June and July events it became clear that he is one of the smartest, most respected people in the sport, as well as someone who shares our vision for changing the way boxing can be presented as a sports and entertainment property. His input to date has been invaluable, and it will continue to grow as we expand our business this year and beyond.”
“I am looking forward to adding quality fights and providing the fans with matchups that will appeal to the hard-core and casual boxing fans alike to complement the four-quadrant model of Triller Fight Club that consists of influencers, legends, music artists and contemporary fighters.” Kahn said. “I will work closely with the major promoters and managers in the sport to find ways to elevate the profiles of the fighters while providing entertainment to the pay-per-view audience. The Triller platform itself is an excellent vehicle for the fighters to grow their brand, connect with fans and build their social media following as they progress in their careers.”
Kahn’s role as Chief Boxing Officer will consist of overseeing all boxing related aspects to the Triller Fight Club events that will include incorporating high-level matches at the world championship, contender and top prospect level. Kahn is a boxing contributor to Forbes and Associate Producer of Original Netflix Series “Fightworld.”
The Florida resident is the manager of George Kambosos Jr, who will be fighting Teofimo Lopez on the Triller Fight Club event in June for the undisputed lightweight championship of the world as part of Triller Fight Club’s second event of 2021.
The April 17 card will be Triller Fight Club’s first in a series of 2021 special events, following the debut record setting Tyson vs. Jones PPV fight in 2020, which shattered all digital fight PPV records and became the 8th most successful Fight PPV in history. In the headline matchup April 17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Jake Paul takes on former Bellator and OneFC Championship champion Ben Askren, with all bouts seen on the main Pay Per View card. The event will also feature super lightweight Regis Prograis (New Orleans) taking on Ivan Redkach (Shostka, Ukraine); heavyweight MMA Bad Boy Frank Mir (Las Vegas) will battle legendary light heavyweight Antonio Tarver (Orlando, Fla.); and Joe Fournier (London) will challenge music icon and worldwide star Reykon (Envigado, Colombia).
The PPV will also include an unparalleled music and entertainment experience, including performances by Justin Bieber, The Black Keys, Doja Cat, Saweetie, Diplo, Major Lazer, and the exclusive world premiere of the hip hop supergroup Mt. Westmore (Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Too $hort and E-40) performing for their first time ever together.
In addition to being a co-owner, Snoop also provides strategic counsel to Triller Fight Club, helping to select fighters and musical acts for the show-stopping events. An entertainment expert who has successfully maneuvered through a range of projects in a variety of different fields, Snoop secured his spot as a fan favorite during Triller’s first sporting event, Tyson vs. Jones.
iNDemand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and PPV programming provider in North America, will serve as the exclusive U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite, and telco PPV provider for the event. Fans will be able to order the event on PPV through their existing cable, satellite and telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, Fios, and Optimum in the U.S., as well as leading providers in Canada.
FITE, the premier PPV digital platform, will handle worldwide live pay-per-view streaming distribution online, and via FITE mobile and Smart TV apps, game controllers and all major OTT devices as well as power TrillerFightClub.com.
The suggested PPV retail price for the event is $49.99 (U.S. & Canada). Fans outside North America can check the FITE link at https://www.fite.tv/watch/jake-paul-vs-ben-askren/2p8y0/ for international pricing. All fight information can be found at TrillerFightClub.com, which features fight news, announcements, promotional videos, and the digital portal to buy the event.
**HOW TO WATCH THE APRIL 17, 2021, TRILLER FIGHT CLUB PPV EVENT**
TV: Cable, satellite & telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, Fios, and Optimum in the U.S., as well as leading providers in Canada.
Worldwide Streaming: FITE.TV and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, game controller and OTT apps as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.com
Lance Palmer, Bubba Jenkins headline Featherweight roster; Anthony Pettis, Natan Schulte star in Lightweight roster.
NEW YORK (Feb. 2, 2021) –The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league in the world, today announced its featherweight and lightweight rosters for the 2021 regular season, which begins April 23 on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ in primetime. The 2021 season will kick off with a pair of two-time champions looking to three-peat while new challengers have been brought in to make this year the most competitive yet.
Lance Palmer and Natan Schulte have authored back-to-back undefeated seasons in the ultra-competitive featherweight and lightweight divisions. They will have a host of new challengers as the PFL returns for 2021. Palmer’s wrestling nemesis Bubba Jenkins, highly regarded Brit Brendan Loughnane, undefeated Jason Soares and Korean star Jo Sungbin are some of the new blood who will be looking to pluck the title from the only featherweight champion the PFL has ever known. Russian knockout artist Movlid Khaybulaev, Brazilian Sheymon Moraes and top prospect Tyler Diamond round out the stacked division.
Lightweight has been the sole domain of Schulte. The Brazilian has been up to the task since day one, but 2021 will be a new year with a new set of challenges, the biggest coming in the form of one of MMA’s greatest. Former UFC champion and superstar Anthony Pettis will make his organizational debut on April 23 with every intention of ending Schulte’s reign atop the division. He will be joined by 2020 boxing sensation Clay Collard, Canadian Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Johnny Case – who fought Schulte to a draw in 2018.
Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather is set for a shock return to the ring with an exhibition bout against YouTube star Logan Paul. The retired boxing star confirmed on his Instagram that he is set to take on Paul in a “super exhibition” bout on February 20, 2020.
Mayweather hasn’t fought since defeating Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in an exhibition bout in Japan on New Year’s Eve 2018. Mayweather is one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers of his generation. His 50-0 record is unmatched in the sport, with his resume including wins over Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez and UFC star Conor McGregor.
it’s official @FloydMayweatherhttps://t.co/fFRRaYoUCs pic.twitter.com/0kZhKrQAno
One could argue that the popularity of boxing in the United States and Canada started going downhill fast one Mike Tyson’s reign atop the heavyweight division ended. When Tyson was in his prime, there was nothing like one of his fights as he was the biggest and baddest athlete on the planet.
“Iron Mike” returns to the ring, somewhat, on Saturday night from Staples Center in Los Angeles against fellow boxing legend and former four division champion Roy Jones Jr. for an eight-round exhibition available via pay-per-view. There will be judges but no fans in attendance. Yes, this is what boxing has come to as it now lags far behind the UFC in terms of popularity. The two were originally set to meet on September 12, but the fight was postponed.
Las Vegas has had its share of issues over the years, but it just got hit with a powerful left hook from Top Rank Boxing. The fight promoting company’s founder and CEO, Bob Arum, jumped off the top rope this weekend, slamming the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for not doing its job. As a result, Arum is reportedly fed up with the way things are going in Vegas and is ready to take his fights elsewhere.
This past Saturday, there was a WBA bout between flyweight champion Joshua Franco and Andrew Moloney, and the result had a lot of people scratching their heads. The fight was called a no-contest after just two rounds when Franco’s right eye swelled shut and the ref, Russell Mora, stopped the match. The decision was marred in controversy from its announcement, both for the ref’s accusation of how the boxer was left partially and temporarily blind, and with the NSAC for not stepping in.
The ref had asserted that Mora took an illegal head-butt from Moloney in the first round of the match. A ringside doctor backed up the belief that the injury was severe enough to stop the fight, which prevented Moloney from reclaiming the title he lost to Franco this past summer. When the reason for the injury was given, few were happy and Arum tried to plead his case with the NSAC’s executive director, Bob Bennett. However, his words had about as much impact as a toddler hitting Mike Tyson in the gut.
A number of sports outlets covered the action and were quick to show the match in slo-mo replays. At no point can Moloney be seen head-butting – accidentally or otherwise – Franco. The only contact that came close to the eye was a fair jab that landed on its target, but neither the ref nor the NSAC would listen to reason. Arum went so far as to accuse the NSAC of reacting only to protect the ref’s reputation and, when asked what he plans on doing now, Arum told reporter Sean Zittel that he was considering abandoning Vegas, but with more colorful language.
Tyson Fury’s camp has confirmed that the British heavyweight will make Anthony Joshua his focus for 2021 after his December bout with Deontay Wilder was abandoned. Fury and Joshua will now face each other in two mega-bouts in 2021 for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
The expiration of Wilder’s contractual rematch right expired following the Bronze Bomber’s loss to Fury in their second WBC clash in Las Vegas in February.
Thanks @MikeCoppinger the Gypsy King is coming home See you all in December @mtkglobal @frankwarren_tv @trboxing https://t.co/PUCBjOF91u
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) October 12, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Retired two-time UFC champion Connor McGregor has announced his return to the ring in a mega bout with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. McGregor announced in a series of tweets that he wanted to return to boxing against Pacquiao, with the bout expected to take place in January 2021 in the Middle East.
Anyway all water under the bridge who gives a fook.
I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 25, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
It feels like that era that defined a generation, the glorious eighties, has returned again. A somewhat B-grade actor is in the White-House, MJ and the Bulls are gracing us with their presence, Eddie Murphy is back doing stand-up on Saturday Night Live, and Mike Tyson is returning to the ring baby! All that’s missing is an appearance from Don King.
Mike Tyson confirmed his return to boxing with an eight-round exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr. on September 12 in Los Angeles. Tyson made the fight announcement on his League of Legends website.
Tyson told ESPN in a video call that this would be a competitive bout, with both fighters required to wear headgear under California rules. “We’re both accomplished fighters, we know how to protect ourselves,” he said. “We’ll be alright, we’re showing our skills and fighting. It’s 100 percent of it looking to be Mike Tyson in the ring, I’ve got one speed — forward.”
Tyson said he was determined to show that older athletes can still perform at the highest level. “It’s because I can do it and I believe other people believe they can do it,” Tyson said. “We aren’t washed up. Somebody says over-age is washed up but they have a bigger fan base than the guys who are training now.”
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that Anthony Joshua will be fit to defend his title against challenger Kubrat Pulev later in the year. AJ was spotted wearing a knee brace during a Black Lives Matter protest over the weekend. Joshua is tipped to spend the next four weeks in recovery, as a precaution.
Joshua injured his knee while running and had been seen in London using a mobile scooter with the knee brace. The Heavyweight Champion is tipped to get the clearance from his medical team to resume training at the end of the month.
Joshua took part in a Black Lives Matter march in Watford, England, and delivered an inspiring speech on racial inequality:
“We can no longer, from today onwards, sit back and remain silent on the senseless, unlawful killing, sly racism of another human being based on what? Only their skin color. We need to speak out in peaceful demonstrations, just like this today.”
DAZN, the world’s largest streaming service, and BetMGM, operated by ROAR Digital – a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings – today announced an official partnership ahead of the highly-anticipated rematch between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua this Saturday night. The clash will see Anthony Joshua seeking to avenge his June defeat by Ruiz Jr., who pulled off the biggest boxing upset in decades by stunning the then-undefeated heavyweight champion with a seventh-round TKO.
As part of this partnership, DAZN and BetMGM will be co-producing a sports betting segment ahead of the main event that will air during the broadcast. In addition, BetMGM will also provide DAZN with live sportsbook stats throughout the night to incorporate and enhance the broadcast.
As official partners, both parties will also provide their respective users exclusive offers around the big fight. New users that sign up to BetMGM through DAZN in New Jersey will immediately have the exclusive opportunity to win $100 on a $1 bet on a knockdown (of either fighter). The offer will remain open until the fight begins (the main event is currently set to start at around 12:45 p.m. PT / 3:45 p.m. ET on DAZN). If a knockdown does happen, the $100 will be paid in free bets on BetMGM. Meanwhile, BetMGM users can redeem $20 in FreeBets if they sign up to DAZN to watch the fight. BetMGM will also be advertising across DAZN’s suite of digital platforms.
“We are thrilled to enter into an official partnership with BetMGM around one of DAZN’s biggest events of the year,” said Joseph Markowski, DAZN EVP, North America. “BetMGM will enhance Saturday’s broadcast and bring fight fans the latest odds from Las Vegas all night.”
“We’re always looking for partnerships like DAZN’s industry-leading sports content,” said Matt Prevost, Chief Marketing Officer, ROAR Digital. “The fight was already a can’t-miss for DAZN viewers, and this is also a can’t-miss betting opportunity on BetMGM.”
Andy Ruiz, Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua 2 is a unified title fight for the IBF, WBA and WBO world heavyweight titles. The event is one of the highlights this fight season on DAZN – an entire fall featuring the biggest matchups in one of the best schedules in boxing history.
Today, the Fan-Controlled Football League (FCFL), the only professional football league where fans call the shots, including the plays themselves in real-time, announced legendary boxing champion Mike Tyson as the seventh Team Owner | Fan Captain to join the Owner’s Box. In addition to calling on fans to shape his team’s destiny – from name selection, serving as the final call on team uniforms, to drafting the players – Tyson brings his passion for sports and trash-talking skills to the league. Once the inaugural season kicks off, fans will find Tyson live commentating throughout games via Twitch, where they will have the unprecedented opportunity to engage with The Champ in a way never before seen in the history of professional sports.
“I’m fired up about joining the FCFL as its newest Team Owner and Fan Captain, and even more so to demolishing the competition,” states Tyson when asked about what he’s looking forward to accomplishing in the FCFL. “Leading into opening day, I’ll be engaging with fans from across the globe to stoke excitement and participation in the development of the Baddest League on the Planet.”
Tyson joins a talented group of global influencers spanning the world of sports and entertainment, all of whom share one common factor – a fervidness for professional football. To date the FCFL has announced six FCFL fan captains, all of whom are Tyson’s ‘competition’ (if you can call them that), including Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman, Prince Royce, Kinda Funny, Bobby Bones, and Chad ‘Ochocinco’’ Johnson.
An undisputed heavyweight boxing champion and international entertainer known for his ‘take no prisoners’ approach, Tyson is also a serial entrepreneur; recent projects include a cannabis company called Tyson Ranch and a new podcast, HotBoxin, of which he produces and hosts.
“We are reinventing the sport of football for the digital age and a cultural phenomenon like Iron Mike could not be a better fit for this league. We are impossibly excited for him to bring his unparalleled energy, legendary smack talk, and unrivaled will to win to the FCFL,” shares Patrick Dees, FCFL co-founder and Chief Gaming Officer. “Tyson is a total badass and there is zero doubt in my mind that his team is going to be a force to be reckoned with and I for one, cannot wait to watch him stream his games on Twitch.”
The FCFL is the first professional sports league to combine the passion of live sports, the competitiveness of fantasy sports, the interactivity of video games, and the global reach of esports all into a live-streamed, real-life experience created for the digitally native fan.
Fans will create their team’s brand, hire (and fire, if necessary) a coaching staff, build roster through live fan-run draft, and call all their team’s plays in real-time. Games will be a seven-on-seven competition on a 50-yard field in a state-of-the-art production studio, creating a fast-paced, open style of play conducive to an action-packed sixty minutes of football. All games will be live streamed on Amazon’s Twitch, the world’s leading social video service and community for gamers and eSports. Using a brand new, unprecedented Twitch Extension, fans will get to use an interactive overlay that allows them to call the plays natively on top of the Twitch player.
To kick this announcement off the FCFL with WAX have partnered to give back to the fans who can enter to win one of three prizes anyone would be lucky to win: a pair of boxing gloves, a pair of boxing shoes, or a football – all of which are complete with Tyson’s autograph.
