Alberto Machado (22-2, 18 KO) vs. Angel Fierro (17-1, 13 KO)

Jose Martinez (21-1-2, 14 KO) vs. Israel Gonzalez (26-4, 11 KO)

Joe Ward (2-1, 2 KO) vs. against Marco Delgado (7-1, 5 KO)

Commentators: Bob Papa, Shawn Porter, Brian Campbell, Curran Bhatia

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 17, 2021 – NBC Sports presents Ring City USA boxing tomorrow night, Thursday, March 18 with main and co-main event bouts live at 9 p.m. ET on NBCSN, as Ring City USA continues its three-event residency in Puerto Rico.

Tomorrow’s event from Albergue Olimpico in Salinas, Puerto Rico, features a three-fight main card highlighted by the next chapter in the iconic Puerto Rico vs. Mexico boxing rivalry as Alberto Machado (22-2, 18 KO) of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico faces Angel Fierro (17-1-1, 13 KO) of Tijuana.

In the co-main events, Puerto Rico’s Jose Martinez (21-1-2, 14 KO) will meet three-time world title challenger Israel Gonzalez (26-4, 11 KO) in a 10-round bantamweight fight, and Ireland’s Joe Ward (2-1, 2 KO) takes on Marco Delgado (7-1, 5 KO) of California in a six-round lightweight contest. Ward looks to avenge his loss to Delgado after he suffered a knee injury in his Oct. 2019 pro debut at Madison Square Garden.

Ring City USA made its debut on Nov. 19 with inaugural matches on NBCSN, which featured O’Shaquie Foster’s KO victory against Miguel Roman. In October, NBC Sports Group and Ring City USA announced a partnership to televise a series of boxing matches on NBCSN through 2021.

The partnership consists of a series of two-hour match slates on Thursday evenings at 9 p.m. ET on NBCSN throughout 2021.

NBC Sports has brought boxing to millions of viewers across the country beginning with the first-ever live televised fight in 1939, when Lou Nova defeated Max Baer at Yankee Stadium. Over the decades to follow, NBC Sports’ coverage of the sport showcased stars including Joe Louis, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, “Sugar” Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, and Larry Holmes.

COMMENTATORS

• • Play-by-play – Bob Papa
  • Analyst – Former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter
  • Analyst – Veteran combat sportswriter Brian Campbell
  • Ringside reporter – Emmy nominated-producer Curran Bhatia

Click here for more information on the commentating team.

HOW TO WATCH – TOMORROW, THURSDAY, MARCH 18

• • STREAMING: All coverage also streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

EVENT INFORMATION

• • Location: Albergue Olimpico, Salinas, Puerto Rico
  • Lightweights: Alberto Machado (22-2, 18 KO) vs. Angel Fierro (17-1, 13 KO); 10 rounds
  • Bantamweights: Jose Martinez (21-102, 14 KOs) Israel Gonzalez (26-4, 11 KO); 10 rounds
  • Lightweights: Joe Ward (2-1, 2 KO) vs. Marco Delgado (26-1, 11 KO); Six rounds

-NBC SPORTS-

“I am so glad they came back because it keeps the microphones and cameras right where they are, so they can make a difference.” – Michael Irvin on NBA players deciding to continue the playoffs

 “LeBron James was someone who was really frustrated…His frustration was that it wasn’t thought through.” – Chris Haynes on LeBron James’ frustration with how Bucks players handled Wednesday’s boycott

“I got a call from a very prominent player, and he was really emotional about it and he’s been crying for three days, and said enough is enough… It truly is bigger than football for some of these guys.” – Jim Trotter on reporting that NFL players could sit out games this season to highlight social injustice

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 28, 2020 – Host Rich Eisen was joined on today’s episode of The Rich Eisen Show on Peacock and NBCSN by:

• • Pro Football Hall of Famer and NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin
  • Yahoo Sports Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes
  • NFL Network reporter Jim Trotter
  • Grammy Award winning artist Tim McGraw
  • Actor Courtney B. Vance

Peacock will become The Rich Eisen Show’s exclusive video home on Oct. 5.

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

Michael Irvin on NBA players deciding not to play on Wednesday: “I thought it was an incredibly brave thing to do. Every superstar that comes through, we demand that they have foundation and they give back…That’s what these players are doing. You create foundations because you’re blessed, and you want to help others who are less fortunate…I thought it was inspiring.”

Irvin on the NFL’s potential response to social injustice: “I believe the NFL has an opportunity to get ahead of this…Let’s work together…I was worried if the NBA did not come back. I’m so glad the guys made a stand, but I am so glad they came back because it keeps the microphones and cameras right where they are, so they can make a difference…If I was an owner, I am going to meet with these guys…work together and do something…Does the NFL say, ‘Let’s pick Week 3, Week 4, and sit down a week and push everything a week back, as recognition for what we’re trying to accomplish for social justice.’?”

Chris Haynes on Wednesday in the NBA: “The Milwaukee Bucks actually intended to forfeit that game and take a loss…That was their action, without informing the Magic or anybody else. That left players on other teams to say, ‘There’s no way we can go out and play now.’ There was a lot of frustration, emotion, and tension that was already built up in society with the latest shooting in Wisconsin. Now, everyone is blindsided by what happened with the Bucks. LeBron James was someone who was really frustrated. His reasoning for that was because he felt, ‘We didn’t plan to do this, this wasn’t an organized effort, so what are we doing? If we’re going to boycott, we’ve got to be asking for something in return, demands have to be met in order to return to play.’…His frustration was that it wasn’t thought through.”

Haynes on the bubble atmosphere: “It has its obstacles when you’re here. You’re not around family, you can’t do anything or go anywhere. That has its issues, and then you add the latest shooting. You have to remember, players came here because they wanted to keep the message of social justice alive. When that latest shooting happened, there was a sense of hopelessness, that they’re powerless…There was hurt. Guys dealing with anxiety, depression issues, a lot of guilt.”

Jim Trotter on his report stating that NFL players may sit out games: “I had been hearing some of this yesterday, and particularly after the Lions canceled practice, and even in team buildings and meetings, there have been players bring this up and raise the idea of players sitting out games. I guess what really got me this morning…I got a call from a very prominent player, and he was really emotional about it and he’s been crying for three days, and said enough is enough. He believed that a real statement and call for action could be made by Black players sitting out a game…The call this morning was unsettling, to hear a man that emotional and in pain about what is going on. It truly is bigger than football for some of these guys. That’s why I think the owners would be smart to be proactive on this instead of reactive…If they don’t prepare for this, it potentially could not be pretty.”

Trotter on the NFL’s possible next steps: “It’s about action. It’s not about talk anymore, even demonstrating anymore. It’s about action now. If the NFL is a family, which we’ve seen in slogans and ads on television, then the owners should step with their players. If they believe what they’re fighting for is right, then stand out front with them and make change.  Use that political capital…Use that influence to try and make real change, to make legislative change, systemic change. That, to me, is progress. This won’t be solved in a day or a year, but what you do now lays the foundation for what comes going forward.”

Tim McGraw on performing during 2019 NFL Draft week in Nashville: “It was incredible because it was just a sea of people packed in…We had so much energy and were so proud of our city. We were proud to be part of it. We’re all huge football fans and to be asked to do a show in our hometown, under those circumstances, with that many people to turn out, it was pretty cool.”

Courtney B. Vance on NBA players deciding not to play on Wednesday: “Somebody had to do something. They made a statement. The greatest of all-time (Michael Jordan) got in there with the owners and let them know that they got to let (the players) talk and you have to listen because this is bigger than the game. Life is bigger than the game…I was encouraged it was across the board: baseball, tennis, golf, soccer. Everyone was taking a stand and saying that this is enough.”

–NBC SPORTS–

“I really think everything needs to be a perfect storm and this was the perfect storm for activism because there’s no distractions.” – Chris Webber on how the Orlando bubble impacted NBA player boycotts

“I understand there’s bigger issues and trying to find the bigger picture, which is the most exhausting part of it. Yeah, we sit out one game and the next game we play, so what is the true meaning?… For me, I’m trying to find the bigger picture and just can’t see it.” – Emmanuel Sanders on whether NFL players would boycott games similarly to NBA players if they were playing now

 “I think the conversations will still happen and need to happen. Now to kind of understand for the industry to support it, we need to come together and find solutions.” – Dave Roberts on continuing social injustice conversations after the Dodgers boycotted last night’s game

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 27, 2020 – Host Rich Eisen was joined on today’s episode of The Rich Eisen Show on Peacock and NBCSN by:

• • NBA on TNT analyst Chris Webber
  • New Orleans Saints wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders
  • Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts

Peacock will become The Rich Eisen Show’s exclusive video home on Oct. 5.

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

Chris Webber on NBA players boycotting games: “It’s just a lot of emotion…I’m proud that young people had so much passion, pain and love in their hearts that it just didn’t sit right with them and they decided to do something, which meant do nothing yesterday. The point I wanted to make about the players yesterday was I just didn’t want to bash them. I didn’t want everyone to throw away what they did and be like, all these entitled athletes, they never give back and if they do, they take off and boycott, they don’t know what it’s really like… I just wanted to stand with those players in some way and if they did in fact decide to play, I’m very happy that they are going to continue because they started the conversation…I was encouraged and hopefully people can just express their pain, have conversations, and hopefully things can change.”

Webber on how the NBA bubble is impacting players’ actions and conversations on racial injustice: “You can’t hug your friends, can’t see your grandmother. I really think everything needs to be a perfect storm and this was the perfect storm for activism because there’s no distractions. There aren’t that many sports, you don’t have college football ramping up and other things I like. They are but they haven’t been on TV. I think the world has gotten the chance to see what really goes on…Watch the news way too much and see these same instances happen. I think here in the bubble…I think a lot of these guys feel like ‘I’m not using the value that I have. I’m wasting my value and could be doing something.’ And they may feel like it’s frustrating that I’m here and not doing anything while the world is burning. You know, so I do think the bubble has had an effect on guys and their anxiousness, wanting to speak out and do something.”

Webber on the importance of having the conversation surrounding racial injustice: “I believe personally that sports are the first introduction of someone not like you into your family and living room. I suspect that in the ‘50s and ‘60s — ‘40s when Jackie Robinson came into baseball — that there were not many Black people in the homes of White Americans. There weren’t people that you could say, ‘Hey son, I want you to work hard like Jackie (Robinson).’ You know what sports does? It takes all the blinders off and just puts it on the characteristics — hard work, tough, show up. Things that are common denominators and all admire. The fact that my nephew loves (Luka) Doncic as much as he loves LeBron (James) speaks to that.”

Emmanuel Sanders on the video of the Jacob Blake shooting and his own experiences: “I was disgusted and it’s crazy. Here I am, I’m an African-American and I don’t do any bad. I’ve been racially profiled just driving my car…I was out here in New Orleans and an officer pulled me over, said I was doing 75 mph and ran a red light when I know I didn’t run a red light. He told me to get out of my car, and I got out of my car and we talked. He let me go. But then I’m leaving work and I’m driving home down the same road, this was probably about five hours later, I see down the same road I’m driving, and I look to the left and I see an African-American outside of his car and a cop talking to him. And then I drive probably less than a mile down the road and I see another African-American outside of his car talking to a cop. I was just like, wow they are racially profiling down this road right now because it happened to me this morning and it’s not a coincidence.”

Sanders on if NFL players would have done the same as the NBA players did last night, if there were preseason games: “I don’t know. For me, I sit back and look back at the situation and say, ‘Okay, you postpone the game.’ What is the end goal? I don’t know, it’s a sticky situation for me. I support what they are doing, but for me, what’s the bigger picture like? I don’t see the bigger picture, so to cancel a preseason game where guys have the opportunity to showcase their talents to play and make a team, make a living for their family, I don’t know. I understand there’s bigger issues and trying to find the bigger picture, which is the most exhausting part of it. Yeah, we sit out one game and the next game we play, so what is the true meaning? What is it really changing? For me, I’m trying to find the bigger picture and just can’t see it. The only way I can see it is through the government and the President making laws to bring some kind of change.”

Sanders on if he thinks there will be a full NFL season: “I hope. The only thing that scares me about the season is going to be the bye week when players have that time off and when families come into town fresh off a plane to come to a game. That’s the only thing that truly scares me. If we can control that, I think we can possibly finish the season.”

Dave Roberts on the postponement of yesterday’s Dodgers vs. Giants game: “It’s player-driven, it’s individual. Mookie (Betts) and I talked, decided at the heels of what’s going on in our country, we needed to make a stand. He decided he wasn’t going to play. For me as well, I felt the same and decided I wasn’t going to manage. George Lombard, first base coach, felt the same way and we brought it to the players in the clubhouse and kind of told them our thoughts…They were all aligned and playing wasn’t the right thing to do…I know Mookie has been on Zoom calls all morning with the players alliance and those guys trying to figure out what the Black players in baseball should and are going to do. Mookie came to the consensus that he wanted to play both games today and I thought that was amazing and I’m excited about that.”

Roberts on how the postponement of yesterday’s game can help social injustice issues: “[It] promoted a lot of conversation in the last 24 hours. I think the conversations will still happen and need to happen. Now to kind of understand for the industry to support it, we need to come together and find solutions.” 

–NBC SPORTS–