#ClutchNBA Información sobre el Juego de Estrellas de la NBA 2021

 

 

LAKERS’ JAMES AND NETS’ DURANT NAMED
STARTERS AND CAPTAINS FOR 2021 NBA ALL-STAR GAME

 

– James and Durant to Select Team Rosters in NBA All-Star Draft,
Airing Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT –

 

– Western Conference Starter Pool: James, Warriors’ Curry,
Mavericks’ Dončić, Nuggets’ Jokić and Clippers’ Leonard –

– Eastern Conference Starter Pool: Durant, Bucks’ Antetokounmpo,
Wizards’ Beal, 76ers’ Embiid and Nets’ Irving –

 

NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2021 – The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant lead the list of 10 players who have been selected by fans, current NBA players and a media panel to start in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, which will take place on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

 

As the NBA All-Star Game starters who led their respective conferences in fan votes during NBA All-Star Voting 2021 presented by AT&T, James and Durant will serve as team captains for the Team LeBron vs. Team Durant matchup and draft the rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference.  TNT will air the 2021 NBA All-Star Draft on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET. 

 

The NBA All-Star Game starters, comprising two guards and three frontcourt players in each conference, were announced tonight by TNT during TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax.  The All-Star Game reserves, featuring seven players from each conference as selected by NBA head coaches, will be unveiled by TNT on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET during TNT NBA Tip-Off.

 

Along with James (frontcourt), the Western Conference starter pool includes the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (guard), the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Dončić (guard), the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić (frontcourt) and the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (frontcourt).

 

In the Eastern Conference, Durant (frontcourt) is joined in the starter pool by the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (frontcourt), the Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal (guard), the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (frontcourt) and the Nets’ Kyrie Irving (guard).

 

A record five international players have been voted NBA All-Star Game starters: Antetokounmpo (Greece), Dončić (Slovenia), Embiid (Cameroon), Irving (Australia) and Jokić (Serbia).  The previous record was four, which was set last year.

 

The 70^th NBA All-Star Game is part of NBA All-Star 2021, which will be held on one night, March 7.  TNT’s NBA All-Star coverage will begin at 5 p.m. ET with TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax, followed by the Taco Bell^® Skills Challenge and MTN DEW^® 3-Point Contest starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.  Coverage of the NBA All-Star Game will begin at 8 p.m. ET, with AT&T Slam Dunk taking place at halftime.

 

2021 NBA ALL-STAR GAME STARTER POOL 

 

Western Conference

 

• Stephen Curry, Warriors (7^th All-Star selection): Curry has been named an All-Star Game starter for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.

 

• Luka Dončić, Mavericks (2^nd All-Star selection): This is the second straight selection as an All-Star starter for Dončić, who last year became the ninth player to play in the All-Star Game at age 20 or younger.

 

• LeBron James, Lakers (17^th All-Star selection): His 17 All-Star selections are the third most in NBA history, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) and Kobe Bryant (18).  James, the leading scorer in All-Star Game history (385 points), is set to extend his record for consecutive All-Star starts to 17 – a streak that began in his second NBA season, 2004-05.

 

• Nikola Jokić, Nuggets (3^rd All-Star selection): This marks the third consecutive All-Star selection for Jokić, who becomes the first Denver player voted to start since Carmelo Anthony in the 2010-11 season.

 

• Kawhi Leonard, Clippers (5^th All-Star selection): Leonard has been named a starter all five times as an All-Star.

 

Eastern Conference

 

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (5^th All-Star selection): An All-Star starter for the fifth consecutive year, Antetokounmpo has the highest scoring average in All-Star Game history at 27.3 points per game.

 

• Bradley Beal, Wizards (3^rd All-Star selection): The 2020-21 NBA scoring leader has been voted to start the All-Star Game for the first time.

 

• Kevin Durant, Nets (11^th All-Star selection): Durant, who holds the second-highest scoring average in All-Star Game history (25.0 ppg), is an All-Star for the 11^th straight season in which he has played. 

 

• Joel Embiid, 76ers (4^th All-Star selection): Embiid is the first Philadelphia player selected to start four consecutive All-Star Games since Allen Iverson was named a starter seven times in a row from 2000-06.

 

• Kyrie Irving, Nets (7^th All-Star selection): Irving has now been voted to start the All-Star Game with three different franchises (Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Nets) – the same as Brooklyn teammate Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder, Warriors and Nets).  

 

NBA ALL-STAR VOTING RESULTS

 

Fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote to determine the NBA All-Star Game starters, while current NBA players and a media panel accounted for 25 percent each.  James (5,922,554 fan votes) and Durant (5,567,106 fan votes) led their respective conferences and position groups in fan voting.  Curry (5,481,033 fan votes) and Beal (3,485,051 fan votes) also led their respective position groups in fan voting.

 

After all votes were tallied, players were ranked in each conference by position (guard and frontcourt) within each of the three voting groups – fan votes, player votes and media votes.  Each player’s score was calculated by averaging his weighted rank from the fan votes, the player votes and the media votes.  The two guards and three frontcourt players with the best score in each conference were named NBA All-Star Game starters.

 

Fan votes served as the tiebreaker for players in a position group with the same score.  Dončić won the tiebreaker with the Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard for the second starting spot in the Western Conference guard group.

 

Below are the overall scores – based on results from all three voting groups – for the top finishers at each position.  Each player’s score is weighted based on 50 percent for fan vote, 25 percent for player vote and 25 percent for media vote.  The formula to determine a player’s score is (Fan Rank * 2 + Player Rank + Media Rank)/4.  For complete voting results and a list of media voters, please visit pr.nba.com.

 

Western Conference Frontcourt

Player (Team)		Fan Rank		Player Rank		Media Rank		Weighted Score
1. *#LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)		1		1		1		1.0
2. *Nikola Jokić (Denver)		2		2		2		2.0
3. *Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)		3		4		3		3.25
4. Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)		4		3		5		4.0
5. Paul George (LA Clippers)		5		5		5		5.0
6. Zion Williamson (New Orleans)		6		8		8		7.0
7. Brandon Ingram (New Orleans)		9		6		8		8.0
8. Christian Wood (Houston)		8		10		7		8.25
9. Rudy Gobert (Utah)		12		7		4		8.75
10. Carmelo Anthony (Portland)		10		9		8		9.25

 

Western Conference Guards

Player (Team)		Fan Rank		Player Rank		Media Rank		Weighted Score
1. *Stephen Curry (Golden State)		1		1		1		1.0
2. *Luka Dončić (Dallas)		2		3		3		2.5^
3. Damian Lillard (Portland)		3		2		2		2.5^
4. Donovan Mitchell (Utah)		4		5		4		4.25
5. Devin Booker (Phoenix)		5		4		5		4.75
6. Ja Morant (Memphis)		6		9		5		6.5
7. Chris Paul (Phoenix)		7		7		5		6.5
8. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City)		11		7		5		8.5
9. CJ McCollum (Portland)		10		14		5		9.75
10. DeMar DeRozan (San Antonio)		12		10		5		9.75

*–Voted to start
#–Team captain
^–Tiebreaker for starting spot is fan rank

 

Eastern Conference Frontcourt

Player (Team)		Fan Rank		Player Rank		Media Rank		Weighted Score
1. *#Kevin Durant (Brooklyn)		1		1		3		1.5
2. *Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee)		2		2		1		1.75
3. *Joel Embiid (Philadelphia)		3		3		2		2.75
4. Jayson Tatum (Boston)		4		5		5		4.5
5. Jimmy Butler (Miami)		5		6		7		5.75
6. Bam Adebayo (Miami)		6		4		7		5.75
7. Julius Randle (New York)		7		8		5		6.75
8. Domantas Sabonis (Indiana)		8		9		4		7.25
9. Jerami Grant (Detroit)		10		7		7		8.5
10. Gordon Hayward (Charlotte)		9		15		7		10.0

 

Eastern Conference Guards

Player (Team)		Fan Rank		Player Rank		Media Rank		Weighted Score
1. *Bradley Beal (Washington)		1		1		1		1.0
2. *Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn)		2		2		4		2.5
3. James Harden (Brooklyn)		3		3		3		3.0
4. Zach LaVine (Chicago)		4		3		5		4.0
5. Jaylen Brown (Boston)		5		5		<

 

DALLAS AT HOUSTON POSTPONED

 

NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2021 – The National Basketball Association announced today that the Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets game scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed due to government shutdown of Toyota Center because of severe weather conditions in Houston.

 

The game will be rescheduled at a later date.

 

NBA ALL-STAR 2021 TO BE HELD ON MARCH 7 IN ATLANTA, SUPPORTING HBCUs AND COVID-19 EQUITY EFFORTS

 

– NBA All-Star Game and Skills Competitions to Take Place on One Night for First Time, With Oncourt Action Beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT –

 

– NBA and NBPA to Commit More Than $2.5 Million to Support HBCUs and Communities Impacted by COVID-19 –

 

– NBA and NBPA Establish Health and Safety Protocols for NBA All-Star 2021 –

 

NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2021 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that NBA All-Star 2021 will be held on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, home of the Atlanta Hawks, where the league’s annual global celebration of the game will take place on one night for the first time, with oncourt action beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT.  As part of this year’s events, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced that they will commit more than $2.5 million in funds and resources toward Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and support and awareness around equity and access to COVID-19 care, relief and vaccines.

 

TNT’s NBA All-Star coverage will begin at 5 p.m. ET with TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax, followed by the Taco Bell^® Skills Challenge and MTN DEW^® 3-Point Contest starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.  Coverage of the 70^th NBA All-Star Game will begin at 8 p.m. ET, with AT&T Slam Dunk taking place at halftime.  The game will follow the same format as last year, with the teams competing to win each quarter and playing to a Final Target Score during the untimed fourth quarter. 

 

The rosters for the NBA All-Star Game will be determined through the NBA All-Star Draft, where the two team captains will select from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference and make their picks without regard to conference affiliation.  The captains will be the All-Star starter from each conference who receives the most fan votes in his conference.  NBA All-Star starters will be announced tonight, Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. ET on TNT.

 

In partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), UNCF (United Negro College Fund), National Association for Equal Opportunity (NAFEO) and Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity, the NBA, NBPA and NBA All-Star 2021 partners, including AT&T, MTN DEW^® and Taco Bell^®, will highlight the importance of HBCUs and raise awareness around the disparate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color.  In addition, All-Star will feature special performances by HBCU musical groups and unique storytelling and content by distinguished alumni and students. 

 

For NBA All-Star 2021, the NBA and NBPA have established additional measures to supplement the league’s current Health and Safety Protocols.  These include private travel to and from Atlanta, the creation of a “mini bubble” environment within a single hotel for players and coaches, and enhanced PCR testing.  More information is available here.  Additionally, for the well-being and safety of the greater Atlanta community, there will be no fan activities, ticketed events or hospitality functions as part of All-Star.  

 

Additional details regarding NBA All-Star 2021 and the date of the NBA All-Star Draft will be announced in the coming days.

 

Executive Quotes

 

NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver: “NBA All-Star in Atlanta will continue our annual tradition of celebrating the game and the greatest players in the world before a global audience.  In addition to the festivities on the court, the All-Star Game will honor the vital role HBCUs play in our communities and focus attention and resources on COVID-19 relief, particularly for the most vulnerable.” 

 

NBPA Executive Director, Michele Roberts: “HBCUs provided premium education to our communities at a time when access to higher learning was denied to us.  They were there – and have remained there – for us.  We now stand with them.”

 

Thurgood Marshall College Fund President and CEO, Dr. Harry L. Williams: “As a founding partner of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the NBA has been a consistent supporter for more than 33 years.  By dedicating its All-Star platform to supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the NBA is making a profound statement about the league’s commitment to a better future, recognizing the crucial role Black Colleges have always played in facilitating racial equity and serving the African American community.”

 

UNCF CEO, Dr. Michael Lomax: “We welcome this exciting opportunity to partner with the NBA and the players.  Together, the NBA and players can shine a bright light on the vital work of our nation’s HBCUs and help ensure that we can support our Black college students on their education journeys.”

 

Clark Atlanta University President, Dr. George T. French, Jr.: “The Clark Atlanta University community is incredibly excited to be a part of NBA All-Star 2021.  The night will provide a unique opportunity not only to celebrate the accomplishments of our students, faculty and alumni, but also to share the rich history and essential contributions of our institution and other HBCUs with a global audience.”    

 

The Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) President, Rev. Matthew Wesley Williams: “As NBA All-Star Weekend visits the City of Atlanta to showcase the talents and contributions of some of the world’s best and most well-known athletes, the ITC community is pleased to join the NBA and its players in celebrating the achievements and contributions of some of our country’s most important institutions – our Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”

 

Morehouse College President, David A. Thomas, Ph.D.: “NBA All-Star 2021 presents an extraordinary moment to highlight the legacy of scholarship, leadership and service HBCUs have represented since their founding.  Morehouse College is excited to be a part of this celebration and momentous occasion.” 

 

Morris Brown College President, Dr. Kevin James: “Morris Brown College would like to thank the NBA, NBPA and the entire extended NBA family for including us in this year’s All-Star Game.  We welcome and appreciate the attention the night will bring to the unique and vital role played by historically Black institutions here in Atlanta and across the country.”

 

Spelman College President, Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell: “As NBA All-Star returns to Atlanta, Spelman College looks forward to being a part of the celebration that highlights HBCUs across the city and beyond.  Our mission at Spelman is to educate Black women to become global leaders and to inspire a commitment to positive change.  We are honored to be part of the NBA 2021 All-Star celebration of our nation’s HBCUs.”

 

About the NBA All-Star Beneficiaries

 

 

Thurgood Marshall College Fund
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community.  TMCF member schools include the 47 publicly-supported HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), including medical and law schools.  TMCF also serves as a resource for nearly 300,000 students enrolled in the HBCU/PBI network of schools.  The NBA is one of the founding partners of TMCF.

 

UNCF (United Negro College Fund)
UNCF is the nation’s largest minority education organization.  To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness.  UNCF institutions and other HBCUs are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees.

 

National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education

The National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) is the membership and advocacy association of all 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and 80 Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). NAFEO also Chairs The Alliance for Equity in Higher Education, a formal collaboration among the umbrella associations of all the Asian American and Pacific Islander Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, HBCUs, Predominantly Black Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Uni

versities.

 

Direct Relief (Fund for Health Equity)

Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 100 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies.  The Fund for Health Equity will identify and provide financial support to communities in which deep-seated effects of historic racism and socioeconomic disparities remain and are being disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

#Knockeando Notas del Boxeo y el MMA

 

**SHOWTIME^® BOXING VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS ***

 

ADRIEN BRONER VS. JOVANIE SANTIAGO FIGHT WEEK VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS PLUS PAST-FIGHT FOOTAGE AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE OF FEBRUARY 20 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® TRIPLEHEADER

 

Click HERE To Download Footage

 

WHAT: SHOWTIME Sports^® will offer fight week highlights in advance of this Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader headlined by a battle between former four-division champion Adrien Broner and undefeated Puerto Rican boxer Jovanie Santiago in a 12-round welterweight bout Saturday, February 20 live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

 

The telecast also pits former heavyweight world title challenger Dominic Breazeale against highly touted contender Otto Wallin in the 12-round co-main event. In the opening bout, former world champion Robert Easter, Jr., faces off against contender Ryan Martin in a 12-round super lightweight bout.

 

Video highlights are available for preview and download HERE. News outlets can cut the raw highlights for use on broadcast and digital platforms. All footage must credit SHOWTIME. 

 

VIDEO PACKAGES AVAILABLE:

• Final Media Press Conference Highlights – Available NOW
• Official Weigh-In Highlights – Available Friday at 4 p.m. ET 
• Broner & Easter Workout Highlights & Soundbites – Available NOW
• Broner Past-Fight B-Roll – Available NOW
• Easter Past-Fight B-Roll – Available NOW
• Dominic Breazeale Past-Fight B-Roll – Available NOW
• Otto Wallin Past-Fight B-Roll – Available NOW

 

FIGHT NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS:

U.S. NEWS OUTLETS ONLY MAY RECORD THE SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWTIME TELECAST WITH THE BELOW RESTRICTIONS:

• May NOT run any highlights until after the conclusion of the live SHOWTIME telecast.
• May use up to one (1) minute of in-ring fight action from each bout lasting longer than three (3) full rounds.
• May use up to 30 seconds from each bout lasting three (3) full rounds or less.
• No single clip to exceed 15 continuous seconds;
• All footage must courtesy SHOWTIME

 

All footage must be for U.S. News Usage Only (unless otherwise stated) through February 28, 2021. Websites must geo-block for U.S. users only. 

 

FOTOS ALBERTO 'EXPLOSIVO' MACHADO Y 'TITO' ACOSTA REGRESAN EN GRANDE EL 18 DE MARZO POR NBC SPORTS JOSÉ 'CHIQUIRO' MARTINEZ Y EDIWIN 'CHIN' VALENTIN A IMPORTANTES COMPROMISOS CAGUAS, PUERTO RICO- Alberto Machado solo sueña con tener un campeonato mundial en su cintura nuevamente. Y este próximo 18 de marzo podría dar un paso grande en esa dirección cuando dispute el cetro regional vacante NABO de la Organización Mundial de Boxeo en las 135 libras frente al invicto Tejano Héctor Tenajara Jr. durante el pleito estelar del cartel de Miguel Cotto Promotion junto a H2 Entertainment en asociación con Golden Boy Promotions en el Albergue Olímpico en Salinas como parte de la serie Ring City USA que será televisada por NBC Sports y cuyas preliminaries se verán por la aplicación Twitch. “¡Estoy ansioso que llegue esa fecha del combate! Llevo sin pelear desde el 2019 y ha sido mucho tiempo perdido con esta pandemia. Quiero disputar otro título mundial y mi boleto es este combate ante un peleador invicto y talentoso de Golden Boy Promotions. Estoy contando los días”, dijo Machado (22-2 con 18 KO’s), quien fue monarca mundial de las 130 libras de la Asociación Mundial de Boxeo en el 2017 previo a ser destronado por Andrew Cancio en el 2018. “En 135 me siento mucho más fuerte y hasta me ayuda psicológicamente pues puedo comer más y no tengo que sacrificarme tanto para el pesaje. Se vio en mi última pelea ante ecuatoriano Luis Porozo (15-4 con 8 KO’s), a quien noqueé en el segundo asalto en el 2019. Me sentí bien fuerte y ese es el Machado que verán el 18 de marzo. Vengo a resurgir como el Ave Fénix, pero en las 135 libras”. Frente a Tanajara Jr. (19-0 con 5 KO’s), Machado tendrá de frente a un púgil que usa bien el jab y la distancia, que se desplaza con astucia y que se emplea con paciencia dentro del ensogado. “Tanajara Jr. es un muchacho joven, invicto, que tiene las mismas ganas que yo de ponerse en el mapa. Además, es espigado y viene de una buena escuela de boxeo, así que lo estamos cogiendo muy en serio. Lo hemos estudiado y hemos estado haciendo sparrings con peleadores de 147 libras que pueden imitar su estilo”, indicó Machado. “Ahora veremos si él puede aguantar mi pegada cuando mis manos lo alcance”.   'Tito' Acosta regresa con el título mundial como objetivo El ex-campeón mundial  junior mosca y fuerte pegador Angel ‘Tito’ Acosta tiene una meta bien presente y es coronarse campeón mundial nuevamente en la division mosca. Luego de meses de inactividad debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, ‘Tito’ Acosta se mantuvo entrenando y listo para regresar al ensogado. Ahora el hijo mimado del “ Barrio Obrero” de San Juan regresa al ring el 18 de marzo en el cartel de Ring City USA para medirse al guerrero mexicano Gilberto Mendoza (17-9-3, 8KOs) en un combate a 8 asaltos. “Me siento super contento de volver al ring el 18 de marzo, y agradecido con mis empresas Miguel Cotto Promotions y Golden Boy quienes hicieron todo lo posible para darme la oportunidad de pelear en Puerto Rico. Mi meta es ser campeón mundial nuevamente, estoy enfocado en Gilberto Mendoza quien sé vendrá listo y preparado para pelear. Estoy listo para ganar y luego vamos a buscar el título mundial”. ‘Tito’ actualmente es el retador mandatorio por la Organización Mundial de Boxeo para enfrentar al campeón japonés Junto Nakatani (21-0, 16KOs).   ‘Chiquiro’ Martinez y ‘Chin’ Valentín a importantes compromisos Aparte del pleito entre Machado y Tanajara Jr., la porción televisada por NBC Sports también contará con otro interesante duelo en la rivalidad entre Puerto Rico y México cuando mayagüezano José “Chiquiro” Martínez (22-1-2 con 14 KO’s), se mida al azteca Israel González (26-4 con 11 KO’s) en combate a ocho asaltos. “Tenemos una pelea fuerte de frente. González es un rival duro, experimentado, que ha peleado tres veces por el título mundial. tengo las manos llenas”, admitió Martínez, quien llegó a estar segundo clasificado en la OMB en las 115 libras previo a su revés en el 2019 ante el filipino Alston Palicte. “Pero esta es la pelea que quiero, la que necesito para estar clasificado de nuevo. Hemos estudiado bien a nuestro rival y esperamos hacer un gran combate”. González viene de una derrota en octubre del 2020 contra Román ‘Chocolatito’ González vía decisión en pleito por el cetro mosca de la AMB y es un peleador que se destaca por lanzar muchos golpes. “Es un peleador agresivo que lanza bastante, así que hemos enfatizado mucho en nuestra velocidad, nuestro contragolpeo. Por eso hemos buscando muchos sparrings que hagan eso y hemos trabajado bastante en la pista. Ese día quiero estar súper rápido y que se lleve una sorpresa”, agregó Martínez. Como si fuera poco, la velada del 18 de marzo tendrá el regreso del invicto noqueador salinense Edwin “Chin” Valentín peleando cerca de su alma mater cuando se mida a un rival aún por anunciar durante la porción preliminar del evento y que irá por la aplicación Twitch. “Estoy contento y agradecido con Miguel Cotto Promotions por esta oportunidad de pelear cerca de mi escuela del Albergue Olímpico (Ecedao), donde estudié y me desarrollé. Solo falta conocer con quién voy a pelear”, dijo Valentín, quien estuvo entrenando por los pasados seis meses en Buffalo, Nueva York bajo la tutela de Juan De León. “Con Edwin trabajamos bastante en su velocidad y en no desperdiciar golpes. Edwin es un tipo que pega durísimo. Muchos de los sparrings que ha tenido me lo dicen, que las manos de “Chin” son las más fuertes que han sentido. El rival que le toque el 18 de marzo lo va a averiguar”, añadió De León. AL GRITO DE GUERRA: Todo listo para la batalla mexicana entre Miguel Berchelt y Oscar Valdez El choque Berchelt vs. Valdez y Gabriel-Flores Jr. vs. Jayson Velez se transmitirá en vivo por ESPN  y ESPN+ este sábado a las 10 p.m. ET • CLIC AQUÍ PARA FOTOS (Credito de Fotos: Mikey Williams / Top Rank vía Getty Images) • CLIC AQUÍ PARA VÍDEO (Para Uso de TV Solamente | Cortesía: Top Rank) LAS VEGAS (18 de febrero del 2021) — ¡La batalla por México casi está aquí! El campeón mundial superpluma del CMB Miguel "Alacrán" Berchelt y el ex campeón mundial de peso pluma Oscar Valdez compartieron el escenario dos días antes de uno de los enfrentamientos mexicanos más esperados en la historia del boxeo. Berchelt busca su séptima defensa exitosa del título, mientras que Valdez espera cumplir el sueño de toda su vida de capturar un título mundial del CMB. Después de algunos traspies, incluido el diagnóstico de COVID-19 de Berchelt el año pasado, la pelea finalmente está sucediendo. El choque Berchelt vs. Valdez y un enfrentamiento de peso junior ligero entre Gabriel Flores Jr. y Jayson Velez se transmitirán en vivo por ESPN y ESPN+ a las 10 p.m. ET. Esto fue lo que dijeron Berchelt, Valdez, Flores y Vélez durante la rueda de prensa final: • Miguel Berchelt "Estoy muy feliz de estar aquí. He estado siguiendo a Oscar desde los Juegos Olímpicos del 2008 en Beijing, ya que era una oportunidad que quería para mí. Lo respeto. Sabemos la calidad del oponente que tenemos frente a nosotros, pero estoy aquí para conseguir la victoria y retener mi título". "Los estilos hacen las peleas, y creo que mi estilo y el estilo de Oscar harán una gran pelea, así que veremos qué pasa el sábado". "Quiero decirles a mis fanáticos que no se pierdan esta pelea. Esta va a ser una gran pelea. Sé lo que me costó conseguir este título, y estoy seguro de que defenderé este título con éxito nuevamente". • Oscar Valdez "Esta es una pelea difícil. Hay una razón por la que él tiene ese cinturón. Es un gran campeón dentro y fuera del ring. Nada personal, pero quiero ese cinturón. Es un sueño que he tenido desde que tenía 8 años. Mis ídolos lo han tenido: Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chávez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, todos tenían este cinturón y eso es algo que he querido sostener desde niño. Esta es mi oportunidad".    "Dondequiera que vaya en México, me hacen esa pregunta: '¿Cuándo van a pelear tú y Berchelt?'. Será un honor para mí darles una gran pelea con un guerrero como Miguel Berchelt”. "Esta es mi oportunidad. No voy a entrar y no darlo todo. Voy a hacer lo que sea necesario. Si tengo que boxear, boxearé. Si tengo que pararme a pelear, entonces yo también estoy dispuesto a hacerlo". • Gabriel Flores Jr. "El trabajo duro está dando sus frutos. Estamos trabajando. Vamos a mostrar eso el sábado por la noche". "El sábado por la noche, voy a tomar el control de la pelea. Voy a mostrarles que estoy listo para una oportunidad por el título mundial". "Jayson Vélez ha peleado contra algunos contendientes y bueno peleadores. Es el mejor en el papel, pero mi trabajo el sábado por la noche es hacer que no se vea como mi mejor oponente hasta ahora". • Jayson Vélez "{Flores} tiene las habilidades. Tiene el talento. Esto es lo que necesito para demostrar que puedo estar al más alto nivel. Me gusta llevar la acción a los fanáticos. Esta será una de las grandes peleas". "Él es un peleador técnico. Tiene habilidades, pero a veces se detiene a pelear. Es un peleador muy completo, y eso me gusta porque en algún momento de la pelea tendrá que detenerse y pelear. Y eso es lo que quiero. Eso es lo que me gusta, y eso es lo que le gusta a la gente. Espero que use sus habilidades durante algunos rounds. Con el tiempo, llevaremos la acción a los fanáticos".   CALENDARIO DE EVENTOS   • VIERNES, 19 de febrero del 2021   ESPN2 5:30 p.m ET/2:30 p.m. PT - Max on Boxing En vivo por ESPN2 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT - Pesaje Oficial La serie de boxeo de ESPN, presentada por Max Kellerman, se transmitirá inmediatamente después del pesaje e incluirá entrevistas con Berchelt y Valdez. • SÁBADO, 20 de febrero del 2021   ESPN & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT Miguel Berchelt vs. Oscar Valdez, 12 rounds, Título Mundial Súperpluma del CMB Gabriel Flores Jr. vs.. Jayson Velez, 10 rounds, Peso Jr. Ligero ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT Esquiva Falcao vs. Artur Akavov, 10 rounds, Peso Mediano Elvis Rodriguez vs. Luis Alberto Veron, 8/6 rounds, Peso Jr. Welter Bryan Lua vs. Frevian Gonzalez, 6 rounds, Peso Jr. Ligero Xander Zayas vs. James Martin, 6 rounds, Peso Welter Sonny Conto vs. Waldo Cortes, 4 rounds, Peso Pesado Javier Martinez vs. Billy Wagner, 4 rounds, Peso Mediano Omar Rosario vs. Uriel Villanueva, 4 rounds, Peso Jr. Welter Si está interesado en acceder a imágenes adicionales de Top Rank disponibles para la licencia más allá del enlace de la foto anterior, visite las siguientes páginas de inicio del evento para obtener la licencia de nuestras imágenes: - Nombre del evento: Berchelt vs. Valdez - Press Conference  - Fecha: jueves 18 de febrero del 2021 Para cualquier inquietud o pregunta sobre el funcionamiento de Getty, comuníquese con nuestro representante de Getty Images Mark Awad en mark.awad@gettyimages.com o support.na@gettyimages.com para obtener ayuda. Las jóvenes estrellas invictas Husein Kadimagomaev y Tae Kyun Kim se enfrentarán en BRAVE CF 47 DISTRITO  DE SEEF._ Kombat Kingdom albergará un emocionante duelo entre dos jóvenes luchadores invictos, ya que el suizo Husein Kadimagomaev se enfrentará al propio surcoreano Tae Kyun Kim en una explosiva pelea de peso pluma que servirá como el evento co-estelar de BRAVE CF 47: Asian Domination. Con un récord profesional de siete victorias y ninguna derrota, Kadimagomaev cuenta con un récord combinado de 18-0, incluidas 11 victorias amateur.  La estrella suiza nunca vio las tarjetas de puntuación de los jueces, ya que todas sus victorias se produjeron por nocaut o sumisión. "Lamen Borz" es visto como una de las estrellas emergentes más grandes de Europa. Kadimagomaev espera estar a la altura de las altas expectativas dejadas por su primera aparición en BRAVE CF, en agosto de 2020, cuando noqueó a Sven Fortenbacher en la segunda ronda. Su oponente, Tae Kyun Kim, también cuenta con un récord de 7 victorias profesionales y ninguna derrota a su nombre. Kim tiene una tasa de finalización del 71%, con 3 presentaciones y dos nocauts.  La potencia surcoreana venció a Erick da Silva y Arturo Chávez en sus dos combates BRAVE CF hasta ahora. BRAVE CF 47 tendrá lugar el 11 de marzo en el Reino de Bahrein, también conocido como Kombat Kingdom. El evento abrirá una serie de cuatro tarjetas consecutivas de la promoción verdaderamente global en su país de origen, que culminará con un histórico BRAVE CF 50, el 1 de abril. El evento estará encabezado por una eliminatoria por el título de peso ligero entre Abdysalam Kubanychbek de Kirguistán y Rolando Dy de Filipinas. El ganador del enfrentamiento "Omok" vs "Dy Incredible" será el siguiente en la fila para enfrentarse al título mundial de 155 libras de Amin Ayoub.        TOP 10 HEAVYWEIGHTS  (#3) JAIRZINHO ROZENSTRUIK AND (#7) CIRYL GANE AIM TO MAKE A STATEMENT AT UFC® APEX IN LAS VEGAS     FEATURED BOUTS: (#8) NIKITA KRYLOV vs. (#11) MAGOMED ANKALAEV (#8) PEDRO MUNHOZ vs. (#9) JIMMIE RIVERA   Las Vegas – The UFC® heavyweight division continues to be on display at UFC APEX as No. 3 ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik and No. 7 Ciryl Gane aim to make a statement in the main event. In the co-main event, No. 8 ranked UFC light heavyweight Nikita Krylov intends to defend his spot in the rankings against No. 11 Magomed Ankalaev.   UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: ROZENSTRUIK vs. GANE will take place Saturday, February 27 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT and the prelims at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.   Knockout artist Rozenstruik (11-1, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) intends to make the most of his second UFC main event by securing another spectacular victory. Among the most credentialed strikers in the heavyweight division, Rozenstruik has finished all but one of his wins by knockout, including former UFC champions Andrei Arlovski and Junior Dos Santos. He also holds the record for the second-fastest KO in UFC heavyweight history when he defeated Allen Crowder in just nine seconds. He now looks to secure an impressive finish and become the first person to defeat Gane.   Gane (7-0, fighting out of Paris, France) has quickly become the top prospect in the heavyweight division after debuting only a year and a half ago. An undefeated kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter, Gane showed off his well-rounded skillset when he submitted his first two UFC opponents. Most recently, he delivered a high-level performance against former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, winning by knockout in the second round. Gane now plans on remaining undefeated in MMA and declaring himself as the next contender for the belt.    Krylov (27-7, fighting out of Donetsk, Ukraine) looks to build another long win streak and work his way into the championship conversation. Since joining the UFC roster in 2013 when he was only 21 years old, he has established himself as an elite contender in the division by finishing all but one of his 27 victories, including wins over Ovince Saint Preux, Walt Harris and Ed Herman. Krylov now seeks to start 2021 off with a bang by becoming the first person to knock out Ankalaev.   Highly touted prospect Ankalaev (14-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia) intends to keep his momentum going and break into the division’s top 10. Among the most well rounded athletes at light heavyweight, Ankalaev bounced back from a shocking, last-second loss in his UFC debut to win his next five bouts in a row. This recent streak includes knockouts over Ion Cutelaba (twice), Dalcha Lungiambula and Marcin Prachnio. He now aims to prove that he can compete with the best in the world by adding an emphatic finish of Krylov to his resume.    Additional bouts on the card include: In an exciting women’s flyweight bout, Montana De La Rosa (11-6, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) tests her submission skills against Mayra Bueno Silva (7-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) Randy Brown (12-4, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) and Alex Oliveira (22-9-1, 2 NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) seek to steal the show in a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver action An exciting bantamweight rematch sees No. 8 ranked Pedro Munhoz (18-5, 1 NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) looks to revenge his 2015 split decision loss to No. 9 Jimmie Rivera (23-4, fighting out of Ramsey, N.J.) Fan favorite Alex Caceres ( 17-12, 1 NC, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) looks to extend the longest UFC win streak of his career when he faces Kevin Croom (21-12, 1 NC, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) in a featherweight bout Top women’s bantamweight’s No. 9 Marion Reneau (9-6-1, fighting out of Visalia, Calif.) and No. 10 Macy Chiasson (7-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) vie to climb the rankings Alexander Hernandez (12-3, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas) meets Thiago Moises (14-4, fighting out of Indaiatuba, Brazil) in a clash of lightweight prospects Women’s MMA veteran Alexis Davis (19-10, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) intends to spoil the bantamweight debut of Sabina Mazo (9-1, fighting out of Hermosa Beach, Calif. by way of Medellin, Colombia) In a battle of light heavyweight Dana White’s Contender Series veterans, William Knight (9-1, fighting out of Vernon, Conn.) faces off with Alonzo Menifield (9-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) Vince Cachero (7-3, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) plans to secure his first UFC victory against Dana White’s Contender Series signee Ronnie Lawrence (6-1, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla.) at bantamweight Dustin Jacoby (13-5, fighting out of Springfield, Ill.) aims to keep making the most of his second run in the UFC when he takes on Maxim Grishin (31-8-2, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia) in a light heavyweight match   Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.