Andy Vences-Albert Bell Added to Tyson Fury-Tom Schwarz Undercard Live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes
Mikaela Mayer-Lizbeth Crespo and Vences-Bell to headline Fury-Schwarz undercard broadcast beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes
OXON HILL, Md. (June 4, 2019) — Teofimo Lopez is one win away from a shot at
fulfilling his world title destiny. Standing in his way is fellow unbeaten
Masayoshi Nakatani, who is intent on spoiling his plans.
Lopez and Nakatani will lock horns in a 12-round IBF lightweight world title
eliminator Friday, July 19 at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The
Lopez-Nakatani winner will be the mandatory challenger for the victor of the
June 28 ESPN-televised bout between IBF champion Richard Commey and Ray
Beltran.
In the highly anticipated chief support bout — also a battle of unbeatens —
Maxim “Mad Max” Dadashev will take on Puerto Rican puncher Subriel Matias in a
12-round IBF junior welterweight world title eliminator for the belt currently
held by Josh Taylor.
Lopez-Nakatani and Dadashev-Matias will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+,
the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
The combatants in this special doubleheader have a combined 57-0 record with 47
knockouts.
The undercard, including the 10-round super featherweight contest between the
unbeaten Erick De Leon and former world champion Jason Sosa, will stream on
ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets for this world championship event priced at $100,
$75, $50 and $25 (not including applicable fees) go on sale Friday, June 7 at
10 a.m. ET and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or
in person at the MGM National Harbor.
“I’m excited to come back, especially for my first headlining bout, one of many
to come,” Lopez said. “After Nakatani, you will see me face the winner of
Richard Commey and Ray Beltran. If you think you’ve seen it all, you haven’t.
My goal is to be a worldwide star, and Nakatani is not going to stop me. Expect
another badass knockout, and rest assured, I have something special planned for
the celebration. For this fight, we’re doing a nine-week training camp, and I
am going to be in the best shape of my career.
“The Takeover is coming July 19 to MGM National Harbor!”
“This fight is just a stop on the way to becoming world champion,” Nakatani
said. “I hope all boxing fans in Japan and around the world will enjoy what I
bring to the table.”
Lopez (13-0, 11 KOs), ranked No. 4 by the IBF, was born in Brooklyn, raised in
Florida, and represented his parents’ native Honduras at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The 21-year-old’s rise up the professional ranks has been meteoric, as he made
his debut on a Manny Pacquiao undercard in November 2016 and was the consensus
2018 Prospect of the Year. In 2019, he’s graduated to contender status. He
knocked out former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno in seven brutal
rounds Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas. Lopez returned April 20 as the pay-per-view
co-feature to the Terence Crawford-Amir Khan bout at Madison Square Garden. He
thrilled the hometown fans, knocking out two-time European lightweight champion
Edis Tatli in five rounds.
Nakatani (18-0, 12 KOs), from Osaka, Japan, is ranked No. 3 by the IBF and has
gone the 12-round distance five times. He has held the OBPF lightweight title
since 2014 and has made 11 successful defenses of that belt. Nakatani has won
four in a row via knockout, and against Lopez, he will be making his first ring
appearance outside of Japan.
Dadashev (13-0, 11 KOs) is a three-year pro who has made a seamless transition
to the pro game. A former amateur standout for his native Russia, he won a
reported 281 bouts in the unpaid ranks before turning pro under the guidance of
famed manager Egis Klimas. Dadashev holds victories over former world champions
Antonio DeMarco and Darleys Perez and has won nine of his last ten by knockout.
He made his 2019 debut March 23 in Costa Mesa, California, knocking out Ricky
Sismundo in four rounds. Matias (13-0, 13 KOs), a southpaw from Fajardo, Puerto
Rico, has blown through his competition with ease, as seven of his fights have
ended in the first or second round. He made his American debut last October in
New Orleans, blowing away former two-division world title challenger Fernando
Saucedo in one round.
“It doesn’t matter who I fight or where I fight. I am looking forward to the
opportunity in front of me,” Dadashev said. “Matias is a dangerous fighter, but
I am ready for whatever he brings. I have fought every kind of style as an
amateur and a professional, and all of my experiences have led me to this
fight.”
Sosa (22-3-4, 15 KOs), from Camden, New Jersey, upset Javier Fortuna in June
2016 to win the WBA world super featherweight title. He made one successful
title before relinquishing his belt to pound-for-pound great Vasiliy
Lomachenko. Sosa has won a pair of fights since a controversial decision loss
to Yuriorkis Gamboa and knows that a win over De Leon (19-0-1, 11 KOs) will
move him closer to another crack at the brass ring.
De Leon, a Detroit product, was a top U.S. amateur who won three consecutive
National Golden Gloves championships (2009-11). He turned away Adrian Yung via
unanimous decision last July in New Orleans, winning despite injuring his right
shoulder in the opening round. De Leon returned to action March 23 in Costa Mesa,
California, knocking out Jose Luis Gallegos in seven rounds.
For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing;
Facebook LAS VEGAS (June 4, 2019) — A pair of unbeaten super
featherweight contenders will get a chance to shine on the sport’s biggest
stage. Andy “El Tiburon” Vences will defend his WBC Continental
Americas belt in a 10-rounder against Albert “Prince” Bell June 15 at MGM
Grand Garden Arena on the Tyson Fury-Tom Schwarz undercard.
Vences-Bell and Mikaela Mayer-Lizbeth Crespo will anchor the live Fury-Schwarz
undercard broadcast beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN2 and ESPN
Deportes.
Fury-Schwarz and Jesse Hart-Sullivan Barrera will stream on ESPN+, the
leading multi-sport streaming service, starting
at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Vences-Bell was originally set to take place June 8 in Reno, Nevada, on the
Oscar Valdez-Jason Sanchez undercard, but both fighters are excited to take
their talents to Las Vegas.
“We were prepared to fight June 8, so this doesn’t change anything. I know this
is a big opportunity and that a win would be huge for my career,” Vences said.
“I can see Bell getting hurt this fight. He is the only one standing in my way
as I move toward a world title shot. He can hit and move all he wants, but it’s
going to take much more than that to get my respect.”
“All this does is give me one extra week to train,” Bell said. “I am excited
and blessed to be fighting at the MGM Grand on the same card as the heavyweight
champion.”
Vences (22-0-1, 12 KOs), from San Jose, California, has won two in a row since
a closely contested draw against Erick De Leon on the Oscar Valdez-Scott Quigg
undercard March 10 of last year. He is coming off a shutout unanimous decision
over Dardan Zenunaj Feb. 10 in Fresno, California. Bell (14-0, 5 KOs), from
Toledo, Ohio, has never been close to defeat as a pro but will be taking a
giant step up in competition versus Vences. A 2012 National Golden Gloves
champion as an amateur, Bell last fought Feb. 15 in Hinckley, Minnesota,
scoring a decision win over the durable Edward Kakembo.
ABOUT FURY VS. SCHWARZ
FURY
vs. SCHWARZ, the 12-round fight
for the lineal heavyweight championship of the world, is presented by Top Rank
in association with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and SES Boxing, and
is sponsored by Geico.
FURY
vs. SCHWARZ will take
place Saturday, June 15, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT at MGM GRAND
GARDEN ARENA, and will be produced by Top Rank and ESPN and streamed live on
ESPN+.
Tickets priced at $500, $300, $100
an $50 are on sale now can be purchased online through axs.com, charge by phone
at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts box office.
For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
Use the hashtag #FurySchwarz to join the
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