Prince Ranch Boxing (PRB) is thrilled to announce the signing of undefeated power-punching middleweight prospect, Rudy Puga (9-0, 8 KOs), who will be making his return to the ring on September 8, 2018, in San Antonio, TX.  PRB will manage Puga with the vision of building his record and getting him into a big fight.

Puga, who last fought in April of 2017, was recently released from Roc Nation Sports, after a short stint with Top Rank early in his career. The hard-hitting middleweight is looking to get back on the fast track to a world title with a spectacular performance on September 8th.

"I'm very happy to be part of the Prince Ranch Boxing family," said Rudy Puga, who will most likely fight above the middleweight limit of 160 lbs. in his first fight back. "I'm very excited to be making my return to the ring in September.  I'm sure there will be some ring rust that I'll need to shed, but everyone knows I'm always looking for the knockout.  If I get my opponent hurt, I'm certainly going to try to take him out."

"Rudy Puga has a tremendous amount of power in both hands and we are very eager to get him back on a world title run," said Greg Hannley, CEO of Prince Ranch Boxing. "He's a great kid with an excellent work ethic.  The goal is to get him as many fights as possible in the next twelve months."

In addition to training back home in Salinas, CA, with his father Rudy Puga Sr., Puga will also train with former world champion Bones Adams, and Brandon Woods who run the Prince Ranch Boxing facility in Las Vegas.  Puga has arrived in Las Vegas to finish off his training camp.

"I'm looking forward to working with Bones Adams and Brandon Woods in Las Vegas," Puga continued. "I know there's going to be some good sparring up there and that's what I need to take my career to the next level.  I'm happy to start my next journey in boxing with Prince Ranch and Greg Hannley."

Exciting Stretford prospect Bradley Rea has linked up with VIP Promotions, following the likes of IBF World Featherweight Champion Josh Warrington, and former world lightweight ruler Terry Flanagan, by joining the talent-rich stable. 

The 20-year-old debuts at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse on September 15, on a card topped by Salford’s Marc Leach against Leicestershire's Louis Norman in an English Title eliminator.  With the show – streamed live on vipboxing.tv - just weeks away, Rea, a former Junior ABA Champ and England international, has already set his sights on a Lonsdale Belt as the minimum of what he wants to achieve in his pro career.

“I'm over the moon to be with VIP,” said Rea, who boxed for St Johns ABC in Chorlton, a club run by his father.  “I've been going to VIP shows since I was a kid, and the Victoria Warehouse is just around the corner from me.  It's great to be a part of the stable.  I did have a few options, but I've seen what Steve [Wood] has done with some of the fighters he's had, and I think he's the best man to get me where I want to go.

“I’m just starting out, but before I retire I want the British Title outright, and that's a minimum.  Anything after that is a bonus.  I'm only young but by the time I hit the back end of my 20s, I believe I'll be able to compete at world level.  I've had 97 amateur fights, so I'm already an experienced boxer.  I want to be in big fights, but I have time on my side and am more than happy with learning fights at the moment.”

All the signs are that Bradley, who is trained by Blaine Younis from Ricky Hatton’s Hyde-based gym, should hit the ground running in the paid game.  Dedicating himself full-time to his new career, Rea says he was constantly told during his unpaid days that he had a pro style, and believes he already has the versatility to adapt in the ring.

“I'm quite tall for a middleweight, six foot three, but I do like to fight inside.  If I have to box at range then I'm happy to do it, but if I need to have a dust-up then I'm happy to do that too.  I can switch hit, and I’ve always been told I fight like a pro.  So, I definitely feel I'm going to be suited to it.      

“I can’t wait to get my career started; I've felt ready for the last four weeks.  It's really exciting; the Victoria Warehouse is just around the corner from my house so hopefully I'll get the place rammed and the atmosphere will be amazing.”

“I’m really pleased to have Bradley onboard,” said Steve Wood, who heads operations at VIP Promotions.  “We’ve already had a couple of world champions, and plenty of British champs at VIP.  I don’t know how far Bradley can go, but he’s a real prospect and I’ve got high hopes for him.  He’s got plenty of time, so we won’t rush him, but I can see him making an impact because he’s got an exciting, crowd-pleasing style that the fans will love.”

VIP Promotions presents Salford’s Marc Leach against Leicestershire's Louis Norman in an English Bantamweight Title eliminator on September 15 at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse.

Appearing on the undercard will be Stretford’s Bradley Rea; Failsworth’s Danny Wright; Beswick’s Kane Gardner; Wigan’s James Moorcroft, Andrew Fleming and Casey Connelly; Leigh’s Adam Ridge; Blackpool’s Jamie Mitchell; Moston’s Lyndon Arthur; Bolton’s Muhammad Ali, and Ashton under Lyne’s Charlie Schofield.

Thursday witnessed ten electrifying finals at the AIBA Youth Women’s and Men’s World Championships at Budapest’s Duna Arena. The men’s light fly (49kg), bantam (56 kg), light welter (64kg), middle (75kg), heavy (91kg) and the women’s light fly (58kg), bantam (54kg), light (60kg), welter (69kg) and light heavy (81kg) stepped on the ring on pursuit of the Youth glory and delighted the cheering crowd with ten world-class bouts. The remaining ten Finals of the event will take place tomorrow.

Men’s Light Fly (49kg)

The first final of the day saw Thailand’s Thitisan Panmod taking on Puerto Rico’s 17-year-old Jan Paul Rivera with the Light Fly gold medal at stake. Panmod, who joined the National Team in 2014, took the control of the distance from the first ring of the bell delivering a performance to remember getting an unanimous victory to be crowned as AIBA Youth World Champion.

Men’s Bantam (56kg)

Uzbekistan’s boxing powerhouse walked out of the last edition of the Youth World Championships without any gold medal, but this trend was broken today by Abdumalik Khalokov. The Uzbek met with Russia’s Vsevolod Shumkov and used his tricky style and world class footwork to defeat his opponent and clinch the gold at the Duna Arena.

Men’s Light Welter (64kg)

Russia’s EUBC European Youth Champion Ilia Popov had put together an excellent run to reach the Light Welterweight final in Budapest, but Cuba’s Idalberto Umara proved to be a tricky target as his footwork repeatedly got him out of trouble. As Popov committed more energy to his attacks, Umara was able to counter effectively, and at the end of the three rounds, it was Cuba who was able to celebrate their first gold in Budapest.

Men’s Middle (75kg)

Kazakh Nurbek Oralbay went into the Middleweight final against Russia’s Daniil Teterev and exuded confidence against the tough and talented Russian boxer. After a slow start for the Kazakh that saw Teterev taking early advantage, Oralbay increased the rhythm of the action in the second round and turned back the Final to conquer his first Youth World Championships gold medal.

Men’s Heavy (91kg)

After three negative results on the Finals Day 1, the Russian team was able to turn the tide at Heavyweight, with Igor Fedorov over-powering Kazakhstan’s Aibek Oralbay to record a stylish victory. Fedorov delivered an inspired first three-minute period to take the contest away from his opponent and had enough left in the tank to keep the Kazakh at bay as the bout drew to a close and earn the Russians their first gold in Budapest.

Women’s Light Fly

Defending Women’s Youth World Champion Nitu Ghanghas met Thailand’s Nillada Meekoon in the women’s light flyweight category for a re-match of the ASBC Women’s Youth Championships. The talented Thai boxer surprised India’s Nitu on the first round, but the Indian star improved her performance to take over the bout and become two-times AIBA Youth World Champion.

Women’s Bantam (54kg)

Iyana Verduzco proved to be one of the outstanding performers in Budapest despite being the youngest member of the USA team. The USA boxer added the Bantamweight Youth title to her CV in impressive fashion with a victory over Kazakhstan’s Aizada Yeslyamgali. The two boxers spent much of the first-round probing for weaknesses in the other’s defences, Yeslyamgali looking well organised and efficient with her jabs, but it was Verduzco who raised the tempo most effectively as the bout wore on, crowning an excellent tournament with a hard-earned gold medal.

Women’s Light (60kg)

If there is an English women boxer with potential to emulate the impressive record of Nicola Adams, this boxer is Caroline Dubois. The 17-year-old English boxer met with Russia’s Nune Asatrian and dominated the first two rounds of the Final by using her fantastic footwork. Dubois’ accurate counter-punches during the third round made her improve the distance with her opponent to earn a well-deserved gold medal. Dubois will now add a Youth World title to the 3 European gold medals to complete her impressive record.

Women’s Welter (69kg)

Charlie Cavanagh wrote a new page on Canada’s boxing story by becoming the first Youth Women World Champion from her country. The 18-year-old New Brunswick-based boxer stepped on the ring after completing an impressive road to the Finals, and Cavanagh didn’t disappoint delivering a well-rounded performance to defeat Russia’s Angelina Kabakova at the Duna Arena.

Women’s Light Heavy (81kg)

Russia’s Anastasiia Rybak avenged her defeat at the 2017 Youth World Championships in Guwahati after defeating the ASBC Asian Women’s Youth Champion Guzal Sadykova from Kazakhstan. In one the closest bouts of the day, the Russian boxer was able to overcome Sadykova’s impressive start to clinch the last gold medal at stake today at Budapest’s Duna Arena.