Former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno scored a 4th round stoppage over Jorge Pazos in a scheduled 10 round Lightweight fight at the C. Robert Lee Activity Center in Hawaiian Garden, California.

Magdaleno dropped Pazons in round three with a straight left. Magdaleno finished things in the next round by sending Pazos to the canvas for referee Jack Reiss’s ten count from a flurry of punches at 2:27 of round 4.

Magdaleno, 133 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is now 25-1 with 10 knockouts. Pazos, 132 1/2 lbs of Quamachil, MX is now 9-7.

2012 Olympic Silver Medal winner Esquiva Falcao won his professional debut as he stopped Joshua Robertson in round four of a scheduled six round Super Middelweight bout.

Robertson hung tough early but the southpaw Falcao started show his class in round three and in round four, Falcao bloodied Robertson’s nose and the biut was stopped after an accumulation of punches by referee Jerry Cantu at 2:36 of round four.

Falcao, 165 lbs of Vitoria, BRA is now 1-0 with 1 knockout. Robertson, 164 1/2 lbs of Lynchburg, VA is now 5-5.

Jesse Magdaleno scored a 5th round stoppage over Roberto Castaneda in a Featherweight bout scheduled for 8 rounds.

Magdaleno dropped Castaneda in round two from a hook to the side of the head. Moments later, the two had an exchange that saw Magdaleno get the better of and land another hook that sent Magdaleno down for a 2nd time in the round. In round five, the two went to war and Magdaleno landed a hard right hook that sent Castaneda down to a knee and the fight was stooped at 2:48 of round 5.

Magdaleno, 127 1/4 lbs is now 18-0 with 14 knockouts. Castaneda, 125 lbs is now 20-6-1.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (February 14th, 2104) – Invicta Fighting Championships has announced the signing of fifteen women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes to the Kansas City based promotion. The fifteen new athletes are spread across all five of the current weight classes in the women’s world championship MMA promotion and represent the next chapter in the history of Women’s MMA.

Since the inaugural Invicta FC live event in April 2012, Invicta has maintained its goal of showcasing current stars of Women’s MMA, but also building the stars of the future. To date over a dozen athletes have made their professional debuts fighting for Invicta FC, a trend that continues with the signings announced today.

“Invicta has always endeavored to balance delivering the athletes fans know and love, with an eye towards building the next generation of female MMA stars,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp. “It has always been important to give the fans new athletes to cheer for, and to give the athletes themselves a platform to showcase their talent for the entire world to see.”

Continuing another Invicta FC trend, recently signed athletes hail from all corners of the globe, including as far away as New Zealand. “Women’s MMA is truly a global sport, and at Invicta we have scoured the globe in order to bring the best talent to our fans,” said Knapp. “There is talent all around the globe, and our goal at Invicta has been to provide athletes with a worldwide platform to display their talent.”

Newly minted Invicta FC Matchmaker Julie Kedze is excited with the options the new signings represent for Invicta. “This new class provides me with added depth to put together match ups that we believe the fans want to see.” remarked Kedzie.

Invicta currently plans to hold six world class MMA events in 2014, with the first tentatively planned for early April.

The following is a complete list of the most recent signings by Invicta FC, led by Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veterans Peggy Morgan and Roxanne Modafferi.

Atomweight (105lbs)

Amber Brown- 3-1, United States

Strawweight (115lbs)

Livia Renata Souza- 5-0, Brazil

Karolina Kowalkiewicz – 4-0, Poland

Mellony Geugjes -0-1 MMA, 18-5-2 Kickboxing, 10-0 PRO Boxing, Netherlands

Herica Tiburcio- 7-2, Brazil

Ashley Greenway- Pro Debut, United States

Flyweight (125lbs)

Rachel Ostovich- 0-1, United States

Joanna Jedrzejczyk – 4-0, Poland

Valerie Letourneau – 4-3, Canada

Delaney Owen – Pro Debut, United States

Bantamweight (135lbs)

Peggy Morgan- 2-1, United States

Roxanne Modafferi – 15-11, United States

Cindy Dandois- 5-1, Belgium

Irene Aldana- 3-1, Mexico

Featherweight (145lbs)

Faith Van Duin- 4-0, New Zealand

Invicta FC’s most recent event on December 7th saw Barb “Lil’ Warrior” Honchak (9-2) make the first defense of her Flyweight World Title (125 Pounds) against Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (6-4-1). Invicta FC also crowned it’s very first Bantamweight World Champion (135 pounds), when Lauren Murphy (8-0) defeated Miriam “The Queen of Mean” Nakamoto (2-1) by way of TKO (knee injury).

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships (www.InvictaFC.com) is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

London (Feb. 14) – Tyson Fury is hoping a nightmare week can’t get any worse as he returns to action this weekend live on BoxNation.

The rising Manchester star has endured a terrible last seven days with his wife being rushed into hospital for an emergency operation, two of his cars being set ablaze at his house and being cut in sparring ahead of what will be his first return to the ring in ten months.

The former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion takes on the hard-hitting Joey Abell in what is sure to be an all-action affair between two exciting and come-forward fighters this Saturday night at the Copper Box Arena.

“It’s been hard, it’s been a very bad week for me,” Fury told BoxNation. “My wife was rushed into hospital on Monday for an emergency operation and she was in for five days. I got a cut eye in sparring and then my two cars were burnt down on my drive a couple of days later. I’m just waiting for something else to go wrong now! Hopefully not though!

“Hopefully on Saturday I go out there and knock this guy out and go onto my next fight. All of what has gone on is in the past, I look to the future and not what is behind me” he said.

Fury tipped the scales at 19st 8lbs, with his opponent Abell coming in under at 17st 3lbs during Friday’s weigh-in.

The 25-year-old had earlier in the week described the man from Minnesota as ‘his worst nightmare’ and is refusing to underestimate the tough American.

“Six-foot four, southpaw, puncher – everybody’s worst nightmare,” Fury said. “Hopefully he’ll come, he’ll have a fight and he’ll get caught and go to sleep because, if not, it will be a long night for me,” he said. “It’s going to be one way or the other. I like gun fights as we’ve seen in my career. Anybody who comes for a fight will get knocked out by me,” he said.

BoxNation viewers are in for a treat with Fury promising another knockout in his 22nd professional outing.

“The people watching are going to get a knockout – that’s for sure. Joey Abell, they may call him ‘The Iceman’ but I bring the heat – and heat melts ice, baby!” said Fury.

Also in action on the card will be Dereck Chisora who faces Kevin Johnson ahead of a potential WBO world title eliminator with Fury later this year.

The London heavyweight weighed-in bang on 17st with the New Jersey born Johnson hitting the scales a couple of pounds over at 17st 2lbs.

BoxNation Sky viewers who are high-definition enabled will be able to watch the Copper Box show on the newly launched BoxNation HD on Sky channel 449.

Chisora vs. Johnson & Fury vs. Abell is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Saturday at 7pm. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £10* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 449), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £10 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

Chris Algieri remained perfect and scored the biggest win of his career by scoring a 10 round unanimous decision over IBF number 6 ranked Jr. Welterweight Emanuel Taylor at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, New York.

Algieri was the busier man as he was urged on by his hometown fans. He was fighting just minuted from his Huntington home.

Algieri, 142 lbs of Huntington, NY won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 twice and is now 19-0. Taylor, 141 lbs of Edgewater, MD is now 17-2.

Former amateur standout Jeremy Bryant resurrected his career with an 8 round unanimous decision over Issouf Kinda in Welterweight bout.

The bout did not have much action with Kinda falling in after most of his shots. Kinda was cut in round four on his right cheek from a clash of heads.

Bryan, 141 lbs of Paterson, NJ won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75 and is now 17-3. Kinda, 141 ls of Bronx, NY is now 16-2.

Wendy Toussiant remained perfect by scoring a 4 round unanimous decision over Anthony Gangemi in a Welterweight bout.

Toussiant of Huntington, NY won by scores of 39-37 twice and 38-38 and is now 4-0. Gangemi is now 4-2.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (February 14, 2014) — It’s Valentine’s Day and for Top Rank that means glove is in the air! Boxing’s premier promotional company announced the signing of yet another nonpareil 2012 Olympian — light heavyweight bronze medalist ALEXANDER GVOZDYK of Ukraine. He will make his professional debut in the spring of 2014. Gvozdyk narrowly missed advancing to the gold medal round, losing a controversial 13-13 semifinal decision on countback to Adilbek Niyazymbetov of Kazakhstan.

“Top Rank is delighted to have signed Alexander. We expect him to rise to the top level of his division,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.

“Alexander is another great addition to the light heavyweight division which is quickly becoming the hottest weight class in boxing,” said Egis Klimas, Gvozdyk’s manager.

Gvozdyk joins a sterling list of Olympians already on Top Rank’s roster, including gold medalists Zou Shiming of China, Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine, Ryan M?rata of Japan and Egor Mekhhontcev of Russia, silver medalist Esquiva Falcäo of Brazil and three other exciting prospects — American Jose Ramírez, Puerto Rican Felix Verdejo and Mexican Óscar Valdez — all of whom aspire to become Top Rank’s next generation of world champions.

SALINAS, CALIF. (Feb. 14, 2014) – One of the most talked about prospects in boxing today, undefeated featherweight Diego “The Golden Kid” De La Hoya will be back in action at the Storm House in Salinas, Calif. on Monday, Feb. 17 when he kicks off the televised portion of the Golden Boy Live!fight card live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes against Tijuana’s Sergio “Costeño” Najera.

The four-round bout opens an event headlined by the featherweight battle between Fairfield, Calif.’s Manuel “Tino” Avila and Mexico’s Enrique “Cuate” Quevedo and the 10-round IBA Continental Middleweight Title fight between Salinas’ Paul “El Gallo Negro” Mendez and Texas’ Raul “El Tigre” Casarez. Also in action will be San Jose’s Andy Vences and a hard-hitting array of local favorites.

A former amateur standout and the cousin of boxing great Oscar De La Hoya, 19-year-old Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico native Diego “The Golden Kid” De La Hoya (2-0, 2 KO’s) has received plenty of positive comments on his first two professional bouts, in which he knocked out Luis Cosme and Abraham Rubio. Now in with a veteran competitor in Najera, De La Hoya will look to show just how much he’s learned since his last bout in December.

Sergio “Costeño” Najera (6-12-2, 1 KO) from Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico and now living in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, has had his ups and downs since turning professional at the age of 17, but the 24-year-old always gives a supreme effort in the ring and Feb. 17 will be no different. Fresh off of an October 2013 win over Gabriel Lopez, Najera will test De La Hoya this Monday when he seeks the upset win.

What promises to be an exciting six-round lightweight swing bout will get the fans on their feet as San Jose’s Andy Vences (6-0, 2 KO’s) puts his perfect professional record on the line against Watts’ Dominic Coca (8-6, 2 KO’s).

In junior lightweight action scheduled for four rounds, Fresno’s Luis Ambrosio (3-0, 3 KO’s) seeks a fourth consecutive first-round knockout when he meets San Diego’s Adrian Rodriguez (0-0-1).

Plus, Salinas’ cruiserweight Rudy “The Revelation” Puga (3-0, 3 KO’s) looks for another fast finish in a four-round matchup against Iowa boxer and mixed martial arts fighter Charon Spain (0-2-1). In the four-round junior middleweight opener, Madera’s Chris Batista (1-0) squares off against Long Beach’s DaVonte Donaldson (1-2).

Avila vs. Quevedo, a 10-round featherweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions and Paco Presents and is sponsored by Corona and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The Storm House doors open at 4:30 p.m. PT and the first fight starts at 5:00 p.m. PT. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $40, $50, $65 and $125, are on sale now and available for purchase by calling Garcia Boxing (831) 261-0532 or (831) 261-3214 or online at www.pacopresentsboxing.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @DiegoDeLaHoya, @Tino92, @mendezpaul45, and follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1 and become a follower on @FOXSports.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 14, 2014) – Mayweather Promotions will bring some heat to the chilly East Coast with a full fight card of top talent on Friday, Feb. 28 from Turning Stone Resort Casino Event Center in Verona, NY live on ShoBox: The New Generation. Headlining the show will be undefeated super middleweight contender J’Leon Love against Providence’s Vladine Biosse.

In other televised action, Mickey Bey Jr. will square off in a 10-round lightweight bout against Mexican warrior Alan Herrera, hard-hitting Badou Jack will meet Derek Edwards in a 10-round super middleweight bout and undefeated Chris Pearson will be showcased in an eight-round middleweight bout against an opponent to be announced..

The telecast will air live on SHOWTIME® immediately following the episode 1 premiere of ALL ACCESS: Canelo vs. Angulo at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Tickets priced at $60, $35, $25 and $15, plus applicable taxes, fees and service are available at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling the box office directly at 1-877-833-7469 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Turning Stone Events Center doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET.

“February 28 is going to be another great night for Mayweather Promotions,” said Floyd Mayweather, president of Mayweather Promotions. “We ended 2013 with a full card of great fights. We are looking forward to putting on our first show of 2014. It’s going to be a great card from top to bottom that the fans won’t want to miss.”

“Being able to showcase our talent once again on SHOWTIME is great for the fighters and great for our brand,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “On Feb. 28, Mayweather Promotions is going to continue to make our permanent mark on the world of boxing.”

Coming off a sixth-round knockout over Lajuan Simon last December, Inkster, Michigan’s J’Leon Love (16-0, 9 KO’s) is ready to start 2014 off strongly. Love, who first impressed boxing fans when he bested 28-fight veteran Derrick Findley with a near-shutout decision on Feb. 23, 2013 in front of his hometown crowd in Detroit, is aiming for another impressive knockout victory. With his recent win as a ShoBox: The New Generation headliner, the 26-year-old will look to make it two in a row when he faces Providence’s Vladine Biosse (15-2-2, 7 KO’s) on Feb. 28.

Cleveland native Mickey Bey Jr. (19-1-1, 9 KO’s) also had an evening to remember last Dec. 6, when he rocked Carlos Cardenas with a third-round knockout. A sensational amateur, a four-time national champion and a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, he was unable to compete in the Olympic Qualifiers or Olympic Games when he became ill with pneumonia after winning the Olympic Box-Offs. After turning pro in April 2005, Bey had high hopes which were not realized until he recently signed with Mayweather Promotions in 2013. On Feb. 28, he will look for a repeat performance when he faces Alan Herrera (32-5, 21 KO’s) of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico.

A member of the 2008 Gambian Olympic team, Badou “The Ripper” Jack (16-0-1, 11 KO’s) now fights out of Las Vegas, where he has made a strong impression in the fight capital of the world. In his most recent fight, the super middleweight won by sixth-round technical knockout over Rogelio Moreno. The exciting, undefeated up-and-comer continues to grow as a professional, while crediting Mayweather for guiding him to believe in himself and strive to be a champion some day. Jack will meet Winston-Salem’s Derek Edwards (26-3-1, 13 KO’s).

Undefeated middleweight Chris Pearson (13-0, 10 KO’s) wowed in his last fight with a first- round knockout of previously unbeaten Acacio Ferreira in December. The exciting rising star from Dayton, Ohio has a very bright future ahead of him and will look to continue his impressive winning streak on Feb. 28 against an opponent to be announced.

In non-televised action, Luis Arias (8-0, 4 KO’s) of Milwaukee will face Dashon Johnson (15-14-3, 5 KO’s) of Escondido, Calif. in an eight-round super middleweight bout; Ronald Gavril (7-0, 5 KO’s) of Bacau, Romania takes on Cameron Allen (5-14, 3 KO’s) of Battle Creek, Mich., in an eight-round super bantamweight fight; John Franklin (6-0, 3 KO’s) of Kansas City, MO will face an opponent to be determined and Omontunde Tabiti of Chicago, Illi (4-0, 4 KO’s) will open the night in a cruiserweight bout against an opponent to be determined.

For more information, visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MayweatherPromo, www.twitter.com/jleonlove, www.twitter.com/MickeyBeyTMT, www.twitter.com/badoujack, www.twitter.com/_chrispearson, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromo and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Here are the weights from Copenhagen ahead of tomorrow´s Nordic Fight Night:

WBC Silver Middleweight Word Title
Patrick Nielsen: 72,5 kg
Tony Jeter: 71,9 kg

WBC Youth Cruiserweight World Title
Micki Nielsen: 90,6 kg
Gogita Gorgiladze: 90,2 kg

Light Welterweight
Klara Svensson: 62,9 kg
Veronika Hornyak: 63,5 kg

For all weights, the weigh-in video and more pictures, please visit www.sauerlandpromotion.com.

CHICAGO (February 14, 2014) – Gary Shaw Productions and Antonio Leonard Promotions’ highly touted amateur standouts, Kenneth Sims Jr. and Eduardo Martinez, will make their pro debuts on March 7 at the Pala Casino Spa and Resort in Pala, Calif. Both fighters hail from the Chicago area and will be facing opponents to be announced in 4-round bouts. The card, in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, will be televised on ESPN 2 “Friday Night Fights”

A decorated amateur with over 200 fights, Kenneth Sims Jr. will compete in the lightweight division. Standing 5’10, Sims will look to use a reach advantage he most likely will have against almost all his opponents. A dynamic boxer-puncher, Sims will look to impress in his pro debut.

“Making my pro debut will be a dream come true for me,” said Sims Jr. “This is the moment every fighter looks forward to coming out of the amateurs and my goal is to come out victorious. I’m looking to make statement in this fight and let the boxing world know I have arrived. I want to thank Gary Shaw, Antonio Leonard and James Prince for giving me this opportunity.”

With an aggressive style, bantamweight Eduardo Martinez brings excitement to the ring with punching power in both hands. Turning pro is something Martinez has envisioned since he first stepped in the gym.

“Wow, I can’t wait to get in there and finally feel what it’s like to fight with no head gear and small gloves,” Martinez said. “I know my style is fitted for the pros because I’m a pressure fighter who likes to stay in front of my opponent. I want to make Gary, Antonio and James proud with a great win.”

“I’m thrilled to have Sims Jr. and Martinez on this card making their pro debuts,” stated Gary Shaw. “This will be a wonderful fight card from top to bottom featuring some of the best young fighters in the world. Both these kids are incredible.”

Co-Feature and entire undercard to be announced.

Tickets for the Gary Shaw Productions event, priced at $150, $100, $50 and $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at Pala Resort Casino Box office, at the Pala Privileges Center, or by calling 1-877-WIN-PALA. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.startickets.com or by calling 1-800-585-3737.

The Pala Casino Resort and Spa is located at 11154 Hwy 76, Pala, CA 92059. Doors open at 5:00 p.m, first fight starts at 5:30 p.m (PST). ESPN “Friday Night Fights” telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST.

Amid the wintery conditions facing the Northeast today, boxing media from around the country managed to take time out this afternoon to ask questions about the upcoming WBO Light Heavyweight Championship match between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) and Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) on March 29th at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning 10PM ET.

Present on the call to answer those questions in addition to Kovalev and Agnew were, Kathy Duva, Malcolm Garrett, Jolene Mizzone, John David Jackson, Egis Klimas, Bill Benton and Bobby Benton. Playback of the call is available by dialing (712) 432-1085. Below are highlights of some of the best quotes from the call.

Main Events’ President and CEO, Kathy Duva, said this about the upcoming Kovalev-Agnew fight, “We are beyond excited to make this fight official. This is exactly the kind of fight we should be putting on.” Duva added, “Sergey is must see television. This is a young fighter testing his skills against a champion. Don’t be late; you never know what is going to happen.”

When asked about his fight against Agnew, WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev said, “I have a big wish to win next fight. My main goal is to get one more title this year.”

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev
Photo Credits to Scott Heavey

His opponent, a confident Cedric Agnew, said, “I think he is a decent fighter but I don’t see anything spectacular coming from him. In my personal opinion I just think he is ordinary.” Agnew added, “I will go out there and do what I have been doing for years. I am ready to take care of business.”

Cedric Agnew

John David Jackson, Sergey’s trainer, said, “Sergey is an all-around good fighter. He takes his punches a lot better. He has boxing skills but no one gets to see them because most fighters don’t make it four rounds against him.” He added, “He has the talent to do a lot of things. He is not one-dimensional; he has a lot of tools to work with. If the fight lasts longer he will get to showcase his talents.” He added, “Once that bell rings he does what he does best; he delivers. Sergey lives to be a champion.”

John David Jackson and Sergey Kovalev
Photo credits to Rich Graessle/Main Events

Jackson said this about Agnew, “We will dissect him in the upcoming weeks. We don’t know much about Agnew but anyone is dangerous. He says he can beat Sergey.” He went on, “Once Sergey became a champion he is not the hunter anymore. Agnew is hungry and that makes him dangerous. It should be a good fight. He is the most dangerous man on the planet as far as we are concerned.”

When asked whether he was overconfident about the match-up Agnew replied, “I prepare the way I have been preparing, hard work. I take no fight lightly no matter who I am fighting.” He went on to say, “This is a great fight for us. We wouldn’t have taken it if we didn’t think we could win. He can be hurt just like anyone else.” Finally, he said, “You will see my style on March 29th.” Cedric’s trainer, Bobby Benton said, “Cedric has been fighting since he was 8. We have been begging for exposure and he has been getting it. He is a gym rat and he is ready.”

Main Events’ Matchmaker, Jolene Mizzone said, “Agnew has been asking to fight Kovalev. Most guys don’t want to fight Kovalev. Most fighters say they will fight any other light heavyweight except Sergey.”

Agnew’s promoter, Malcolm Garrett of Garrett Promotions said, “We are glad that a lot of people are underestimating Agnew. He is a very skilled fighter, he is chomping at the bit. He has been flying a bit under the radar which may not always be the worst thing.”

About Kovalev, Duva also said, “No matter what we will see a sensational performance from Sergey but Sergey has to stay focused. Sergey is a great fighter and can beat everyone in the world.” She further noted, “His style is so exciting and electrifying. I can’t say the outcome is preordained. Everyone is taking this seriously. The real challenge is not to get distracted by fights that are not scheduled yet.”

Main Events, Kovalev and his team fielded many questions about whether or not a Kovalev-Stevenson fight is on the horizon but Duva said, “Sergey is fighting two things: he has to fight Agnew and the temptation to look past him. It is going to be fun.” Sergey said he hopes a fight with Stevenson will happen this year, “Last year in my division the best boxer was Stevenson. Which means I need to beat him. Maybe after this I will be in third place in my division. I am ready for any fight in my division. I want to fight Stevenson”

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

NEW YORK(February 13, 2014) Below are the Official Weigh-In results for tomorrow’s ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin’ Fights 12 event presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing at The Paramount in Huntington, New York.

Junior Welterweights, Main Event-10 Rounds
Chris Algieri, 142 vs. Emmanuel Taylor, 141

Junior Welterweights Co-Main Event-8 Rounds
Issouf Kinda, 141 vs. Jeremy Bryan, 141

Welterweights, TV Opener-4 Rounds
Wendy Toussaint, 148 vs. Anthony Gangemi, 148

Lightweights, Swing One-6 Rounds
Alan Gotay, 134 vs. Carl McNickles, 135

Middleweights, Swing Two-6 Rounds
Jason Escalera, 160 vs. Lekan Byfield, TBA

Lightweights-6 Rounds
Anthony Karperis, 136 vs. Calvin Smith, TBA

Remaining tickets, priced at $200, $150, $100, $60 and $50, for ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin Fights’ 12 are available through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000). Tickets are also available by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or on their website www.starboxing.com and through The Paramount Box Office, (631) 673-7300.

The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue in Huntington, New York. Doors will open on the night of the event at 7:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:30 p.m. Phone (631) 673-7300.

ABOUT ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS
ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will begin at 9 p.m. ET live on ESPN2,

Watch ESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.
ESPN Deportes will re-brand its coverage as Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) with some telecasts on Saturdays.

ESPN2 Commentators/Studio:

Blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore and ringside analyst Teddy Atlas will return to describe the action for ESPN2. Both are recipients of the prestigious Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism presented by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA): Atlas (2001), Tessitore (2010). Studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), will return for his second season providing all the latest boxing news and highlights. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn), who last year became the series’ first-ever on-site reporter, will contribute to Friday Night Fights in English, and Noche de Combates (Fight Night) in Spanish.

ESPN Deportes Commentators/Studio:

Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combateson both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez will join Trejos and González in studio throughout the season, with Osuna providing reports and interviews.

ABOUT STAR BOXING ®
Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. The company has produced some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star Boxing continues to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star Boxing is proud that is has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook at Star Boxing.

ABOUT THE PARAMOUNT:
Opened September 30, 2011 this 1,555-capacity live entertainment venue, located in downtown Huntington, Long Island, New York, features; concerts, comedy, boxing, community and other special events in a club/theater setting. With over 30,000 Facebook fans, The Paramount was recently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as the #24 highest attended club-venue worldwide (January-June 2013). A Ticketmaster venue, booked by Live Nation, TheParamount hosts nearly 200 events per year and in less than two years since its inception, has quickly established itself as the premier music venue onLong Island, NY. Some artists who have recently taken the Paramount stage include; Billy Joel, Pitbull, Don Henley, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, ZZ Top, Counting Crows, Primus, Matchbox 20, The Blues Brothers, Limp Bizkit, & many, many, more.

ABOUT THE FOX HOLLOW:
Nestled upon 8 private acres of Long Island’s north shore is the Fox Hollow, which features a state of the art event venue, fine dining restaurant and an all-suite luxury boutique hotel. Owned & operated by the Scotto Brothers, their Above & Beyond philosophy in providing each & every guest with superior services and amenities is paramount. Visit the Fox Hollow online atwww.TheFoxHollow.com & www.TheInnAtFoxHollow.com

ABOUT CAMELOT LIMOUSINE:
Official Sponsor of the Paramount Boxing Series, Camelot Limos is a family owned and operated business located in Nassau County, with over 25 years of professional experience; serving satisfied clientele since 1984. The owners of Camelot Specialty Limos are very active in the business and play a major role in the company’s day-to-day operations. Camelot Specialty Limos, Inc. is an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau. www.camelotlimo.com

ABOUT WBAB 102.3:
WBAB 102.3 is the home of Long Island’s Classic Rock anchored by their Long Island Rock ‘N’ Roll Morning Show with Roger and JP. For more information or to listen online, visit their website at
www.wbab.com and follow them on Facebook.com/1023wbab and on Twitter @1023wbab.

Las Vegas, Nevada – The call was officially made today to all aspiring Latin American fighters: the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization is looking for its next Latino standout and will use its storied reality television series to recruit the regions top talent.

The seventh international edition of the UFC’s reality series, The Ultimate Fighter®, is set to feature a cast of 16 undiscovered professional Mixed Martial Arts fighters from across Latin America. The show features them living together in the The Ultimate Fighter house, and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a prized contract with the UFC.

All fighters are now invited to register at: www.ufcnetwork.com.

“Latin America has become a huge market for the UFC and we’re excited to take it to the next level with The Ultimate Fighter,” said UFC Senior Vice President of International Development and General Manager of Latin America Jaime Pollack. “With the successful launch of the UFC NETWORK, and the tremendous growth of our fan base, our focus has now moved to finding and developing the top talent in this market. We want to find the next star, the next fighter who will do what Anderson Silva did for Brazil. We want to give the fans a homegrown hero.”

Eligible candidates must be between 21 and 34 years old, speak Spanish, have a minimum of three professional MMA fights, and hold a verifiable winning record. They must also be citizens of one of the following countries: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The Ultimate Fighter® has launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters and produced champions such as Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans and Matt Serra and season winners including Michael Bisping, Ryan Bader and Nate Diaz. Mexico-born Efrain Escudero captured the season 8 lightweight title, while Mexican American Diego Sanchez was the first-ever winner of the franchise, defeating Kenny Florian, a fighter of Peruvian descent, at The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale in 2005. Other Mexican Americans to follow in his stead include, Tony Ferguson, season 13 winner and Kelvin Gastelum, winner of season 17.

The series will be shot in Las Vegas in spring 2014. Coaches and broadcast details will be announced at a later date.

###

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Beijing, Singapore and Sao Paulo, the UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries to 800+ million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S. which includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. UFC also owns over 100 UFC GYM® locations, UFC.TV (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC 360 (the internationally distributed magazine), a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, best-selling DVDs and Blu-rays, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit www.UFC.com and follow UFC at www.Facebook.com/UFC and Twitter: @UFC.

Bethlehem, PA: Light Heavyweights Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (21-2-2, 9 KOs) and Denis “The Pirate/Drago’s Son” Grachev (13-2-1, 8 KOs) will face off on March 15th in the ten round Co-Feature on NBCSN Fight Night at the Sands Casino and Hotel in Bethlehem, PA. The main event features the heavyweight battle between Tomasz “Goral” Adamek and Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov. It’s a fitting co-feature for the card billed as “The Crossroads.”

Chilemba, of Johannesburg, South Africa, is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Ghana native, Michael Gbenga, at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York on November 16th. It was the first step on his road back to the top of the light heavyweight division after two ill-fated bouts with England’s Tony Bellew. Their first contest on March 30, 2013 ended in a controversial draw; many thought the “Golden Boy” should have won. In their second bout two months later, Chilemba lost a unanimous decision. Since then, he has changed promoters and has been working hard in the gym with his trainer, former world welterweight champion and Boxing Writers Association of America Trainer of the Year for 2002, Buddy McGirt. When asked about Grachev, Chilemba said, “I know he is a tough Russian fighter, he has been in the ring against some of the best fighters and defeated some of them. I’m looking forward to the challenge.” He added, “I am going for the victory. This is my time, I’ll destroy anyone who dares to stand in my way.”

Chilemba

“The Pirate,” who is originally from Chaykovsky, Russia, made his name by scoring a huge upset two years ago against Ismayl Sillakh, who came into their fight a lauded prospect and huge favorite. Grachev stopped Sillakh in the eighth round. After his big win, Grachev suffered defeat by unanimous decision to Lucian Bute in Montreal. He redeemed himself in the “Monaco Million Dollar Super Four” tournament by handing Zsolt Erdei his first defeat. In the final round of the tournament, he fell to Edwin Rodriguez in a disappointing first round TKO on July 13, 2013. When asked about Chilemba, Grachev said, “Chilemba is a good boxer, but I can hit hard.” He added, “I want a clean fight.”

Grachev
Main Events President and CEO, Kathy Duva, said, “This whole card is shaping up to be a night of true crossroads fights. Part of what we set out to do with the Fight Night series was deliver these kinds of compelling matches where both fighters have to put everything on the line. We see that in this fantastic co-feature with Isaac Chilemba facing Denis Grachev, where both fighters are in a make-or-break position, and in the main event (Adamek vs. Glazkov) where we have an experienced veteran taking on a young prospect.”

About March 15th:
The March 15th edition of NBCSN Fight Night at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem features the twelve-round heavyweight match-up between Tomasz “Goral” Adamek and Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov for the IBF North American Heavyweight Title and IBF #2 Position Eliminator. The Co-Feature is a ten round light heavyweight match-up between Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba and Denis “The Pirate/Drago’s Son” Grachev. Doors open at 6:00 PM ET. The Co-Feature and Main Event will be broadcast live on NBCSN Fight Night at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Tickets start at $55 and are available through TicketMaster.com (key word: Peltz Boxing). The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Ziggy Promotions, and Pushka Promotions in association with BAM Boxing and Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. The remaining undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

NBC Sports Live Extra:

NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on March 15th.
Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.
For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.
All NBC Sports Network live events live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

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LONDON (Feb. 13) – Dereck Chisora is adamant that he will knockout American motormouth Kevin Johnson when the pair clash this weekend.

The heavyweights came face-to-face at Thursday’s press conference ahead of their showdown at the Copper Box Arena, live on BoxNation, this Saturday night.

British banger Chisora goes into the fight with a lot on the line as he eyes a summer blockbuster with Tyson Fury and has vowed to blast his way past the brash talking Johnson on route to that goal.

“I’ve watched a few of Johnson’s fights,” said Chisora. “The way I fight and the way he fights is totally different. I’m looking for a knockout so he can run and run but there’s going to be pressure on him. I’m going to go out there looking for him and I’m going to hurt him basically,” he said.

“I’m not looking at anything expect Kevin Johnson right now. I’m not looking at any other fight in the future. All I’m focused on is beating Kevin Johnson,” added Chisora.

Johnson, who is no stranger to British shores having fought here before against Fury, who is also set to appear on Saturday night’s bill, was in fine form as he confidently declared that Chisora was an opponent and style he would be able to easily handle.

“Fights like this are the ones I do the best in. Pressure fighter , a puncher, a brawler – these are the guys that get stopped, these are the guys I look the best against,” said Johnson.

“So I definitely look forward to this fight because I capitalise on guys with this type of style. I couldn’t have asked for anything more with a guy with this sort of style, anything different then I might not be here today. But this one right here is definitely worth flying over for,” he said.

The 34-year-old from New Jersey is a hardened veteran who has never been stopped in the ring and is certain it won’t be happening anytime soon.

“I’ve been stopped once in my life and that was by my momma and ever since then nobody’s put me down,” Johnson joked. “My momma whopped my behind since I was seven-years-old. I got hit by lefts, rights, uppercuts, sticks, board, cat, dog, strap, bat, everything you name it but I’m still here. I guess it made me the tough, strong, broad male that I am today and unless you whop me you ain’t putting me down. My momma’s a heavyweight man. My momma’s 6’1” 210 pounds. Trust me, it was a hell of a nightmare.

“Chisora’s style is what I know best. I know pressure and I know how to fight punchers. Granted if you want to take the punch count blow-by-blow and line them both up, he’s a better slugger than I am. But I’m a smarter boxer, I’m a faster boxer.

“If he knocks me out, I will become his personal cheerleader for the rest of his life,” Johnson declared.

Chisora was quick to fire back, claiming that the American’s trash talking was the same as those deployed ahead of his points loss to Fury in 2012.

“We’ve heard it all before. I think he said the same thing when he was boxing Tyson Fury. All American’s say the same thing. Us Brits we just sit there and listen and then we do it in the ring,” Chisora said.

“I’m going to go out and I’ll tell you what, I won’t be on the canvas, he’s going to be on the canvas. As I already told somebody I will knock him out. Without a doubt, I will knock him out,” he said.

Meanwhile, Manchester heavyweight Fury touched down in London following his training camp in France.

The imposing 6’9” star described his bout with the hard-hitting southpaw Joey Abell as his ‘worst nightmare’ and believes there will be fireworks when the two step between the ropes this weekend.

“I’ve got this guy Joey Abell, 6’4”, southpaw, worst nightmare for me, by the way. I’m going to state that now,” Fury said. “He knocked down Kubrat Pulev in his last fight, I don’t know if you saw that, and Pulev is the main challenger for Wladimir Klitschko’s title.

“Like he said he’s coming here to fight, he’s not coming here to lie down. He’s predicted he’s going to knock me out within five rounds so we’re going to see what’s going to happen,” he said.

“This is heavyweight boxing: One punch away from disaster, one punch away from glory and on Saturday night it’s all going to happen,” added Fury.

Abell, who has 28 knockouts from his 29 wins, is not coming to lie down and will be looking to seize the chance which will propel him to the top of the heavyweight mix.

“I hope for the best. I know that people are thinking that I’m here to lose but I’m not here to lose because I’m here for the opportunity. I don’t deserve to be fighting the best in the world yet, I think it takes a lot of work to get to that level, to be fighting these kinds of guys,” Abell said.

“But I definitely think that I’m a worthy opponent and I’m looking for a knock out. I can promise you that I’m not here to lose, I’m here to fight,” he stated.

BoxNation viewers on Sky, who are high definition enabled, will also get to see this weekend’s Copper Box show in glorious HD on Sky channel 449.

Chisora vs. Johnson & Fury vs. Abell is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Saturday at 7pm. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £10* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 449), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £10 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

Boxing fans will have to wait three weeks longer for Yoan Pablo Hernandez’ title defense against Pawel Kolodziej. The cruiserweight world championship, actually planned to be staged on March 8, has to be shifted to March 29 due to the IBF Champion currently suffering from a minor viral infection. In addition, the whole event moves from the Max-Schmeling-Halle to the Velodrom, which is located only a stone’s throw away in Berlin, Germany.

Yoan Pablo Hernandez: “I am really sorry but it makes no sense to step into the ring when you are not fit to fight. Most of all, I am hoping that the fans are not that disappointed and come to support me on March 29 to see a top-notch performance when I am defending my IBF Belt.”

Kolodziej, currently rated second by the IBF and unbeaten in 33 bouts (18 wins by KO), will be no walk in the park according to “Iron Man” Hernandez: “Since winning the world title, I have only defended against the best rated opponents. I think that is what makes a champion.”

Notice: All purchased tickets will be refunded at the corresponding booking offices. Ticket sales for March 29 at the Velodrom in Berlin, Germany will be announced shortly.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Super Middleweight champion Carl Froch will rematch George Groves after the two had a controversial fight on November 23rd that saw Froch score a 9th round stoppage. The fight was halted prematurely by most accounts.

“I’m pleased to finally get my next fight confirmed,” Froch said. “We had a number of options but ultimately I listened to the public and gave them what they wanted. I expect this to be one of the biggest fights the country [of England] has ever seen.

“It’s been a difficult period for me following the first fight. I’ve had to listen to his endless whining and appeals when ultimately the referee did him perhaps the biggest favor possible and saved him from a devastating knockout, whilst denying me the right of a clinical finish and a great comeback victory.”

“I feel blessed that I am getting this fantastic opportunity to participate in what could be Britain’s biggest-ever boxing match,” Groves said. “I am still shocked that Froch has agreed to take the fight. I respect him for his bravery. Now I am preparing to get in the greatest physical and mental shape possible to destroy Froch in what can only be a three-round fight. Britain will have its own Hagler-Hearns to talk about for years to come. I am counting down the days until I’m world super middleweight champion.”

“I was poor in the first fight,” Froch said. “I didn’t give him the respect as a fighter and lacked the drive that I had against Lucian Bute and Mikkel Kessler. Well, now he has my attention. But ultimately it’s not going to get any better for George from here. He threw the kitchen sink at me that night and I still found a way back in the fight to win. I love to fight and I can’t wait to get back in there and do a proper job in him.”

“Quite simply, I believe this is the biggest fight in British boxing history,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Taking away the controversy from their first encounter, it was one of the most epic and exhilarating fights I have ever witnessed and I’m delighted the public are going to get a chance to see it all again. The unanswered questions from the first fight may now be answered. Get ready for a whirlwind of a build-up and an event and fight for the ages.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (February 13, 2014) – The new breed of MMA heavyweights, M-1 Global Heavyweight contender Denis Smoldarev, will be unleashed February 28 in the main event of M-1 Challenge 45 against Ante “Walking Trouble” Delija, at Atmosphere Show Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia.

M-1 Challenge 45 will air live on Russia 2, the terrestrial channel, throughout Russia and the Commonwealth of Individual States (CIS), as well as across the Middle East on Abu Dhabi Sports Channels.

Smoldarev (5-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 1 SUB), known as “The Brock Lesner of Estonia,” battles the man billed as the next great Croatian MMA star, Delila (9-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 1 SUB), in a M-1 Global title elimination fight to determine the No. 1 heavyweight contender.

Standing 6′ 5″ and tipping the scales at 250-pounds, Smoldarev (pictured to left) is a physically imposing athlete who was the heavyweight winner of the M-1 Selection Grand Prix. Only 24 years old, he advanced to the semifinals of the 2013 M-1 Heavyweight Grand Prix but was forced out of the competition only two days prior to his scheduled fight due to a knee injury.

“I definitely consider myself a new generation of MMA fighter, as diversified as possible,” said Smoldarev, who started studying judo at the age of 12. “I can fight both on my feet and wrestle on the ground. I prefer to win via decision but always look forward to an error my opponent makes so I can finish him early, if possible. I believe I’ve already made an impact in my first few fights.”

At 6′ 4 ¾” and 230-pounds, Delila has stopped all nine of his defeated opponents within the distance. “He is tall, strong, heavy, fast and versatile,” Smoldarev noted. “Overall, he is a very good opponent. We’re going to go at it!”

The main event between Smoldarev and Delila (pictured to right) also has world title implications with the coveted M-1 Global top heavyweight contender position on the line. This summer the Smoldarev-Delila winner will most likely fight for the M-1 Global Heavyweight Championship, against either defending champion Damian Grabowski or his upcoming challenger Marcin Tybura.

“I recently found out about this but I don’t feel any pressure,” Smoldarev spoke about his title eliminator fight with Delilja. “I think that I will deserve to fight for the title with a victory in this fight. Either fighter (Grabowski or Tybura) will be a good opponent.”

The M-1 Challenge 45 undercard is loaded with many of the best MMA fighters in the world battling in five Super Fights.

Finnish star and M-1 Global lightweight title challenger Nikko Puhakka (28-14-0, 5 KO/TKO, 8 SUB) faces undefeated Russian kick-boxing specialist, hot prospect Maxim Divnich (7-0-0, 4 KO/TKO). Spanish welterweight Daniel “The Gladiator” Tabera (17-5-3, 4 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) meets unbeaten Russian Sambo Master Ilya Doderkin (3-0, 3 SUB).

Former M-1 Global light heavyweight Marcin Zontek (12-8-0, 6 KO/TKO, 5 SUB), of Poland, takes on 20-year-old Russian striker Rashid Yusupov (2-2-0, 1 KO/TKO, 1 SUB). Bulgarian featherweight prospect Sotir Kichukov (12-1, 2 KOs, 7 SUB) brings his seven-fight win streak into his throw-down with Russian grappling artist Yunus Evloev (12-6-0, 4 KO/TKO, 6 SUB).

Rakhman Makhadzhiev (1-0-0, 1 SUB), a standout grappler, fights wrestling specialist Sergey Andreev (5-2-0, 2 SUB) in a match-up between a talented pair of 23-year-old Russian lightweights.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Go Facebook for more information about M-1 Global and M-1 Challenge 45 at https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244.

ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St Petersburg, Amsterdam and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Gobal and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and matchups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2014 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fuelled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport. M-1 Global’s greatest asset is renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

BOSTON (Feb. 13) – Boxing returns to Boston for the first time in 2014 on Saturday, March 15th at Club Royale Boston. It will be Big Six Entertainment’s first of six shows scheduled in Massachusetts this year. This event is headlined with Irish native, and Dorchester based, Michael “Donegal Dynamite” McLaughlin (6-1-1, 3 KO’s) taking on his toughest challenge to date, Anthony Chase (11-2, 4 KO’s), from Providence, RI. “McLaughlin is a very popular Irish-American boxer and it is fitting to have him be the main event in Boston on St. Patrick’s Day Weekend,” said Big Six Entertainment’s President, Artie DePinho. “We are excited to start the year off and we look forward to providing the fans with must see entertainment.”

In an 8 round featured bout, Iraq War veteran and Quincy native Chris Traietti (13-2, 8 KO’s) takes on Bryan Dailey (5-8, 5 KO’s). The fan favorite, Traietti had a very impressive 2013 where he went 5-0, 5 KO’s.

The Massachusetts’ Cruiserweight will be on the line when hard hitting Vinnie Carita (8-1, 8 KO’s) squares off against Boston Police officer Tyrone Smith (5-8-2, 2 KO’s).

Also scheduled on the stacked undercard are Stoughton’s own Gerald Schifone (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Saul Almeida (0-3), Dorchester native Donnie Palmer (3-0-1, 3 KO’s) vs. Antonio Assermelly (0-1), Lawrence’s Carlos Candelario (3-1, 1 KO) vs. Paul Souza (0-1), Hyannis resident Paul Gonsalves (5-3, 3 KO’s) vs. Borngod Washington (3-14, 1 KO), and Abdeltif Khnat (pro debut) vs. Rodrigo Almeida (0-1).

Doors open at 3:30pm with the first bout at 4:00pm.

Tickets are priced at $40, $50 or $75 and are available by calling 617-312-5059 or logging into RoyaleBoston.com
Big Six Entertainments 2014 Schedule:
March 15th at Club Royale Boston, May 3rd at The Irish Cultural Center, June 21st at The Irish Cultural Center, July 26th at Club Royale Boston, September 13th at The Irish Cultural Center, November 22nd at Club Royale Boston.

New York, NY(2/12/14) – Earlier tonight, DiBella Entertainment hosted the last ever boxing event to take place at the historic Roseland Ballroom in mid-town Manhattan. The nine-bout card was the epitome of old-school New York boxing, and was as good of a sendoff as the ballroom could have asked for.

In the main event of the final boxing event ever at the famed Roseland Ballroom, Boyd Melson, 160, White Plains, NY, of “Team Fight to Walk”, outboxed Donald Ward, 155, Memphis, TN, to earn a majority decision victory on scores of 78-74, 79-73, and 76-76.
Melson hurt Ward on occasion with his straight right and right hook upstairs. Ward threw some nice flurries to the body, but was not active enough. Melson improved to 14-1-1 (4 KOs), while Ward fell to 6-4 (3 KOs).

In what will go down as one of the best fights in “Broadway Boxing” history, Brooklyn’s fierce and popular Heather “The Heat” Hardy, 121¾, and Cristina Fuentes, 121¾, Laredo, TX, blasted away at each other from the outset, never letting up for their entire eight-round scrap. With the crowd on their feet, Hardy pounded away to the head and body of Fuentes, who happily ate those punches to land her own. Hardy seemed determine to prove her toughness rather than boxing finesse, with bobbing and weaving not part of this night’s game plan. Already one of New York City’s hottest tickets in female boxing, this performance will surely elevate her popularity by leaps and bounds. After eight explosive rounds, Hardy, now 8-0 (2 KOs), would win a well-deserved split decision (all cards 57-55). Fuentes’ record dropped to 2-5-3.

The always-exciting Joe Smith, 175½, Long Island, NY, outboxed the experienced Otis Griffin, 177, Sacramento, CA, over six frames. Smith’s aggressiveness and pressure style kept Griffin tentative. The judges tallied 60-54 twice, and 59-55, all for Smith, who improved to 14-1 (11 KOs). Griffin, who has battled many elite fighters, dropped to 24-15-2 (10 KOs).

The popular junior lightweight prospect Bryant “PeeWee” Cruz, 130½, 9-0 (5 KOs), New Rochelle, NY, came out blasting, quickly dropping Joshua Reyes, 129½, 5-2 (2 KOs), with a series of shots in round one. However, Reyes proved his heart, coming back to trade heavy shots with Cruz over the remainder of the fight, with the crowd cheering wildly. Cruz dealt with the pressure of Reyes with precise counter shots and combinations to win a unanimous decision on scores of 58-55 twice, and 59-54.

Brooklyn light heavyweight prospect Travis Peterkin, 177, 11-0 (5 KOs), outfought the game Michael Gbenga, 174½, 13-11 (13 KOs), Washington, DC, to earn a six-round unanimous decision with a score of 60-53 three times. Gbenga tried to make it an ugly fight early and crowd Peterkin, but the Brooklynite did his best when he created distance to land his jab and snapping straight right hand. Gbenga lost a point in round four for excessive head butting.

SMS-promoted lightweight Donte Strayhorn, 136, Cincinnati, OH, battled Jose Gomez, 133½, Kent, WA, over four intense rounds. Strayhorn fought well on the outside establishing his jab, but the stocky Gomez fought his way in close to make it a trench war. However, Strayhorn’s strategy proved to dominate the majority of the rounds, to earn him a majority decision with scores of 39-37 twice, and one vote of 38-38. Strayhorn improved to 5-1 (1 KO), while Gomez went home with a 3-6 record.

Chris Galeano, 155, the former #1-rated U.S. amateur from the Bronx, improved to 2-0 with a dominant four-round shutout decision over Travis McClaren. Galeano controlled the action and boxed nicely, scoring with hard combinations to both the body and head of McClaren. McClaren, 154½, hung tough and tried to walk the taller Galeano down, landing a few shots of his own, but in the end, Galeano, now 2-0, was just too slick for his opponent, who fell to 1-4.

Danny Gonzalez, 141, Queens, NY, and Ray Velez, 140½, Troy, NY, waged war for four blazing frames. Both fighters dispensed with their jabs and fought toe-to-toe from the outset. Gonzalez appeared to have the upper hand at times when he trapped Velez against the ropes and unloaded a fury of leather. In the end, scorecards read 40-36 Gonzalez, and two tallies of 38-38, resulting in a draw verdict. Gonzalez is now 5-0-1 (3 KOs), while Velez is 3-4-1 (1 KO).

Lightweight prospect Ryan Martin, 136, of Chattanooga, TN, and promoted by 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions, dominated the tough Jose Del Valle, 133½, over four rounds to earn a clear unanimous decision with a score of 40-36 across the board. Extended the distance for the first time as a pro, Martin, now 3-0 (2 KOs), would often counter Del Valle’s lazy jab with lead rights, in addition to banging away at the body.

13 February 2014 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™, Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, has signed the top mixed martial artist to ever emerge from Indonesia, Fransino Tirta, to an exclusive contract. Since making his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2003, he has amassed an unblemished 15-0-1 record.

Tirta is only the second Indonesian home-grown Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt. He is also a multiple-division winner in grappling, and has beaten world-class competition in Sanshou, boxing and Combat Sambo. His well-roundedness is legendary having started training 12 years ago in Japanese Jiu-jitsu and adding wrestling, boxing, sanshou and grappling into his arsenal.

Tirta stated, “I’m glad that we have come to an agreement, and I can focus on training for my next fight. I cannot wait to fight under the ONE FC banner and show the true quality of Indonesian MMA to the world!”

ONE FC’s next event, titled ONE FC: WAR OF NATIONS, will be held on 14 March at Stadium Negara in Malaysia. It will be headlined by a Welterweight World Championship contest between American wrestler Brock Larson and Nobutatsu Suzuki of Japan.

For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Instagram and Twitter @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

About ONE Fighting Championship™
With a 90%+ market share in Asia, ONE Fighting Championship is Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

SAN ANTONIO (February 12, 2014) — Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist and 2013 Prospect of the Year VASYL LOMACHENKO (1-0, 1 KO), is in a hurry to make his mark, and in only his second professional fight, he will be challenging three-time world featherweight champion ORLANDO “Siri” SALIDO for Salido’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight title. The Salido-Lomachenko world championship fight will be televised live from the Alamodome, Saturday, March 1, on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will also feature the eagerly-anticipated 12-round rematch between former World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and Son of the Legend JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR. and Top-Five contender and two-fisted Texan BRYAN VERA.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Zanfer Promotions, Banner Promotions, Foreman Boys Promotions and Tecate, remaining tickets to Chávez vs. Vera II / Salido vs. Lomachenko are priced at $200, $100, $60, $40 and $25 (plus applicable taxes and fees). They can be purchased at the Alamodome box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com and via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000.

“It has been a long, hard ride to get to this world title fight,” said Lomachenko. “I may have only one professional fight on my resume but I have been boxing all my life, dreaming that one day I would be fighting the best fighters. And now I am fighting a world champion who is one of the best in featherweight division. Salido is a very good veteran fighter and he has been in the ring with toughest opponents. He puts a lot of pressure on you inside the ring and he comes to fight. Defeating this kind of fighter would mean a lot to me. It would also add my name to boxing history and get me one step closer to joining the sport’s all-time best. Thank you to Top Rank and a special thank you to Bob Arum for making this fight happen — for making my dream come true. Tune into HBO World Championship Boxing on March 1st. You will remember the Alamodome that night.”

Salido (40-12-2, 28 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, México, completed a hat trick last year by winning a world featherweight title for the third time. He captured the vacant WBO featherweight title by knocking out No. 1 contender Orlando Cruz in the seventh round of their September 12, 2013 fight. Salido captured his first world title in his third attempt. After a No Decision to Robert Guerrero in 2006 and a split decision loss to Cristobal Cruz in 2008, Salido finally captured the International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight title in 2010, avenging his loss to Cruz by winning a split decision. His title reign was short-lived, losing a unification fight to World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa later that same year. Salido bounced back in a big way, stopping undefeated WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez in the eighth round in 2011 to capture his second world championship crown. Salido successfully defended that title twice, knocking out Kenichi Yamaguchi and Lopez in a rematch during his two-year reign, before losing it to Mikey Garcia last January. He enters this title defense having won six of his last seven fights by knockout.

Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist Lomachenko jumped into the deep end of boxing’s international-sized swimming pool when he made his professional debut in a 10-round featherweight bout against the WBO’s No. 7-rated featherweight contender Jose Luis Ramirez last September 12. It didn’t take Lomachenko long to take to the water. He knocked out Ramirez (24-2-2, 15 KOs) in the fourth round to become the new WBO International featherweight champion. He ended the year as the WBO’s No. 5 world-rated featherweight contender as well as being proclaimed the 2013 “Prospect of the Year” by the majority of the major boxing media. Lomachenko first gained international renown by winning gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Games as a featherweight and a lightweight, respectively. Known for his all-out aggressive style of boxing, Lomachenko is equally aggressive in plotting his professional boxing plan to a world title where he insisted on making his pro debut in a 10-round bout against a seasoned Top-10 rated contender where a victory could propel him to a world title shot in his next fight.

HBO Sports presents “The Road to Chavez Jr./Vera II,” premiering Monday, February 17, at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.banner-promotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/banner-promotions or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, twitter.com/bannerboxing or twitter.com/hboboxing.

LONDON (Feb. 12) –Canelo Alvarez will be looking to bounce back in the best way possible when he faces Alfredo Angulo for the pride and glory of Mexico on Saturday, March 8.

BoxNation has added the star-studded Golden Boy Promotions bill to its packed roster, which also includes three world title showdowns featuring Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz taking on Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares for the WBC Super Bantamweight title, newly installed WBC lightweight champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa facing the tricky Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez and Carlos “King” Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight title against undefeated fast-rising star Jermall Charlo.

The spotlight will be on light-middleweight star Canelo, however, who makes his first return to the ring since his loss to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather last September.

The former light-middleweight unified world champion has refused to choose an easy comeback assignment instead facing another darling of the Mexican public in the ferocious Angulo at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

“Obviously, it’s very hard and it hurt my honour. It’s very tough. Nobody ever wants to lose,” said Canelo, when discussing his defeat against Mayweather. “Nobody ever wants to be on the losing side of a fight, but I don’t see it as a loss. I see it as a learning experience, and I’m just going to take the best out of it.

“I’m mentally strong. I’ve always been mentally strong and more than anything I think that that’s a fight that’s going to help me and it’s just going to make me better,” he added.

The 23-year-old knows he will be in a bout that will present some equally difficult challenges when he faces Angulo and is certain it will be a fan favourite affair.

“Without a doubt this is going to be a tough fight – without a doubt. Yes, you’re right, some of the things that Alfredo possesses, size, weight, power, yes, that’s correct, but I also have power and it’s going to be a tough fight,” he said.

“But it’s also going to be a very attractive fight, and that’s what the fans want. I think the fans deserve these kinds of fights. The fans don’t want to see a fight where one guy is just running the whole night. They want to see these kinds of battles,” Canelo stated.

Though Angulo is seen as the underdog in the fight, he is eager to seize a chance he has been waiting for his whole life.

“I think this is the right time. I think this is the perfect time. I think it’s good for me. He decided to give me the opportunity now in 2014 and it’s a great gift for my career at this time, for 2014,” Angulo said.

“I have a very good game plan with my trainer, Virgil Hunter. We’ve already started camp, we’ve been working hard and I feel that a lot of people are going to be very surprised, they’re going to be very, very surprised come fight time of what I’m capable of and what Virgil’s game plan has been,” he said.

Further good news for BoxNation subscribers is that the channel will also be brining WBC and WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia’s defense against Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera live and exclusive a week later on March 15.

Garcia, who has propelled himself to the top of the 140-pound division with victories over Amir Khan, Zab Judah and Lucas Matthysse, will take on Herrera in Puerto Rico, the birthplace of his parents.

“I am a Puerto Rican. I could have been born on the moon, but I’m still Puerto Rican,” he said. “It means a lot to me [to be fighting in Puerto Rico]. Everybody in the stands is going to be Puerto Rican. I’ve never had that before,” Garcia said.

“Even though I’m from Philly, that’s not my heritage. It’s important for me to reach out to my fans because I think Puerto Rican boxing needs this right now.

“I think that Puerto Rico is going to accept me as its own after I win on March 15. Philadelphia might be my birthplace, but Puerto Rico is my blood,” he said.

Herrera is no easy foe for the 25-year-old Garcia, though, having been only one of two men to beat the formidable WBO light-welterweight world champion Ruslan Provodnikov.

“I know this is a huge opportunity, and I’m going to take full advantage of it,” said Herrera.

“To have a shot at Danny’s belts has been a dream of mine for a long time. Danny Garcia is an intelligent and tough fighter, but so am I. I’m coming to Puerto Rico and I know there is a lot of pressure, but hopefully they will support me too,” he said.

The undercard is also stacked with top quality bouts with big-hitting Deontay Wilder facing the experienced Malik Scott and Juan Manuel Lopez back in action against featherweight star Daniel Ponce de Leon.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo & Danny Garcia vs Mauricio Herrera is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) next month. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. This event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).
Garcia vs. Herrera, a 12-round WBC Super Lightweight World Title on Saturday, March 15, ispresented by Golden Boy Promotions, Swift Promotions in association with PR Best Boxing and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The co-main event, Deontay Wilder vs. Malik Scott, is a 12-round WBC Final Heavyweight eliminator bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions. In the main event on the SHOWTIME EXTREME portion of the card, Juan Manuel Lopez and Daniel Ponce de Leon square off in a 10-round rematch for the WBO International Junior Lightweight Title.

NEW YORK:(February 12, 2014) Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing has announced a sensational undercard for this week’s ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin’ Fights 12 live at The Paramount in Huntington, New York.

Headlining the special Valentine’s Day/February 14 card is an outstanding 10-round junior welterweight clash between “The Fighting Pride of Huntington” Chris Algieri and world ranked Emmanuel Taylor of Baltimore, Maryland.

“The main event is a true 50/50 fight with great risk and reward for both Algieri and Taylor,” said Joe DeGuardia, Founder and President of Star Boxing. “We’ve also complimented the headliner with a fantastic undercard featuring a very strong co-featured bout and three excellent Huntington prospects returning to The Paramount in separate bouts.”

Fighting for the third time at The Paramount, Bronx resident Issouf Kinda will face off against Paterson, New Jersey’s Jeremy Bryan in the eight round chief supporting bout which will open the ESPN Friday Night Fights telecast at 9:00 p.m. ET.

The 26-year-old Kinda, a native of the West African country of Burkina Faso, is looking to bounce back from his first loss of his career.

On May 24, 2013, Kinda, now 16-1-0 (6KO’s), battled evenly with Chris Howard in a bout telecast on ESPN Friday Night Fights. With Howard suffering a cut over his left eye from an accidental head-butt, the ringside physician stopped the bout with the judges awarding the Tennessee native a technical decision.

Prior to the loss against Howard, Kinda had put together two outstanding performances against former world title challenger Mike Arnaoutis (UD-10) and hot prospect Javier Loya (KO-2).

Known as “Hollywood”, the 27-year-old Bryan, 16-3-0 (7KO’s) is also looking to re-enter the win column. On April 12, 2013, the former national amateur standout was stopped by highly regarded and undefeated prospect Amir Imam in Las Vegas.

Also on the undercard, two hot Huntington based prospects will see action in separate six round lightweight bouts.

Impressing with each appearance, Alan Gotay, 7-0-0 (3KO’s), will be looking to jumpstart his 2014 campaign facing off against tough Chicago based veteran Carl McNickles, 8-4-0 (6KO’s).

The 23-year-old Gotay stayed busy in 2013, winning all five of his starts, each of which took place in front of standing room only crowds at The Paramount.

Anthony Karperis, 5-2-0 (3KO’s), will look to stay in the win column challenging Calvin Smith, 2-6-0, of Prichard, Alabama.

Karperis returns to battle following a hard fought fifth round stoppage of Michael Doyle on November 22 at The Paramount.

The 23-year-old Smith also returns to The Paramount seeking victory after losing a very close majority decision to Alan Gotay on November 22.

Huntington junior middleweight Wendy Toussaint, 3-0-0, will look to stay undefeated; clashing with Mine Hill, New Jersey’s Anthony Gangemi, 4-1-0 (3KO’s) in a four round tilt.

Toussaint returns following a four round decision over Ahmed Tuba on November 22 at The Paramount. Gangemi had won his first four pro bouts prior to losing a six round decision to Justin Johnson on July 27, 2013.

Rounding out the undercard on the ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin’ Fights 12 card is a six round middleweight clash between Jason “Monstruo” Escalera, 13-1-1 (12KO’s) of Union City, New Jersey and Lekan Byfield, 4-5-2, of Atlanta, Georgia.

Escalera makes his first start since the initial loss of his career, an eighth round stoppage by world title challenger Edwin Rodriguez on September 29, 2012, in a bout telecast on HBO.

In 2013, “Road Warrior” Byfield took home two victories over highly regarded prospects, undefeated Isiah Seldon and Justin Verdin, both of which took place in the opponents hometown.

Remaining tickets (ONLY 10 TICKETS LEFT), priced at $200, $150, $100, $60 and $50, for ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin Fights’ 12 are available through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000). Tickets are also available by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or on their website www.starboxing.com and through The Paramount Box Office, (631) 673-7300.

The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue in Huntington, New York, 11743. Doors on the night of the event will open at 7:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:30 p.m.

ABOUT ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS
ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will begin at 9 p.m. ET live on ESPN2,

Watch ESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.
ESPN Deportes will re-brand its coverage as Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) with some telecasts on Saturdays.

ESPN2 Commentators/Studio:

Blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore and ringside analyst Teddy Atlas will return to describe the action for ESPN2. Both are recipients of the prestigious Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism presented by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA): Atlas (2001), Tessitore (2010). Studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), will return for his second season providing all the latest boxing news and highlights. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn), who last year became the series’ first-ever on-site reporter, will contribute to Friday Night Fights in English, and Noche de Combates (Fight Night) in Spanish.

ESPN Deportes Commentators/Studio:

Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combateson both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez will join Trejos and González in studio throughout the season, with Osuna providing reports and interviews.

ABOUT STAR BOXING ®
Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. The company has produced some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star Boxing continues to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star Boxing is proud that is has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook at Star Boxing.

ABOUT THE PARAMOUNT:
Opened September 30, 2011 this 1,555-capacity live entertainment venue, located in downtown Huntington, Long Island, New York, features; concerts, comedy, boxing, community and other special events in a club/theater setting. With over 30,000 Facebook fans, The Paramount was recently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as the #24 highest attended club-venue worldwide (January-June 2013). A Ticketmaster venue, booked by Live Nation, TheParamount hosts nearly 200 events per year and in less than two years since its inception, has quickly established itself as the premier music venue onLong Island, NY. Some artists who have recently taken the Paramount stage include; Billy Joel, Pitbull, Don Henley, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, ZZ Top, Counting Crows, Primus, Matchbox 20, The Blues Brothers, Limp Bizkit, & many, many, more.

ABOUT THE FOX HOLLOW:
Nestled upon 8 private acres of Long Island’s north shore is the Fox Hollow, which features a state of the art event venue, fine dining restaurant and an all-suite luxury boutique hotel. Owned & operated by the Scotto Brothers, their Above & Beyond philosophy in providing each & every guest with superior services and amenities is paramount. Visit the Fox Hollow online at www.TheFoxHollow.com & www.TheInnAtFoxHollow.com

ABOUT CAMELOT LIMOUSINE:
Official Sponsor of the Paramount Boxing Series, Camelot Limos is a family owned and operated business located in Nassau County, with over 25 years of professional experience; serving satisfied clientele since 1984. The owners of Camelot Specialty Limos are very active in the business and play a major role in the company’s day-to-day operations. Camelot Specialty Limos, Inc. is an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau. www.camelotlimo.com

ABOUT WBAB 102.3:
WBAB 102.3 is the home of Long Island’s Classic Rock anchored by their Long Island Rock ‘N’ Roll Morning Show with Roger and JP. For more information or to listen online, visit their website at
www.wbab.com and follow them on Facebook.com/1023wbab and on Twitter @1023wbab.

ATLANTA (February 12, 2014) – Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (20-0, 13 KOs) is shooting for the stars, better make that, The Star.

Not only does Andrade plan to succeed Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr. as boxing’s pound-for-pound champion and biggest draw, the slick southpaw hopes to fight Mayweather prior to “Money” closing his boxing bank, so to speak.

Andrade, a native of Providence who now lives in Atlanta, defeated previously unbeaten 2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyan (33-1-1, 21 KOs) by 12-round decision for the vacant WBO title last November on HBO. The 25-year-old is now required to make his first title defense, likely in April according to Andrade, against WBO No. 1-rated mandatory challenger Brian “The Lion” Rose (25-1-1, 7 KOs).

The 36-year-old Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) will face either Amir Khan or Marcus Maidana on May 3 in Las Vegas on Showtime PPV. The nine-time, five-division world champion Mayweather is the reigning WBC and WBA Super junior middleweight title holder.

“I’m getting ready to take over boxing after Mayweather retires,” Andrade said. “I want to match my natural, God-given skills against his before he hangs up his gloves for good. Let’s unify the titles, Floyd. We can do it here in Atlanta, Las Vegas or New York. You pick the place, just don’t leave me hanging and retire without fighting me. This is my time!”

Mayweather announced that he will fight only four more times, including May 3, and then retire next year from the ring as a boxer. Andrade needs to quickly position himself as a viable opponent and rising star in order to be seriously considered as one of only three more Mayweather opponents. A match-up between the two could be like the passing of the torch, assuming Andrade continues to develop in the ring and marketable product.

Andrade has been described by some as a younger, taller (by 5 inches), southpaw version of Mayweather because of their similar styles and tremendous boxing skills. Their similarities don’t end there, however. They are both African-Americans who flash endearing smiles, in addition to being former US Olympians (Mayweather – 1996 Olympic bronze medalist, Andrade – 2008), multiple National Golden Gloves champions (Mayweather 1993, 1994 & 1996, Andrade 2006 & 2007), and two of the few undefeated professional prizefighters. Andrade was also the 2007 World Championships gold medalist.

Is Mayweather vs. Andrade in the stars? Stay tuned, boxing fans.

Follow Demetrius Andrade on Twitter @BooBooBoxing.

The February 14 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will feature undefeated Junior Welterweight Chris Algieri (18-0, 8 KOs) and Emanuel “Tranzforma” Taylor (17-1, 12 KOs) in the 10-round main event.

Friday’s show, from the Paramount Theater in Huntington, N.Y., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise the fights at 10:30 p.m. The card is promoted by Star Boxing.

New Picture (1)
Watch Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore preview Friday’s main event

Commentators:
Joe Tessitore will be ringside with Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. Delvin Rodríguez and Pablo Viruega will call the fights for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Main Event:
Algieri, the hometown favorite from Huntington, scored a seventh-round TKO win over Wilfredo Acuna in his last outing.

“I think Emanuel Taylor is a good fighter. He’s a tough kid, he’s hungry, just like myself,” Algieri said. “I think it’s going to be a great night, especially for me. He’s (Taylor) a sharp guy, he’s a high-percentage puncher, but I’m a much busier fighter. It’s a good matchup, especially for the fans.”

Maryland’s Taylor has won his last three fights, including an eighth-round TKO win over Victor Cayo in his last fight.

“I’ve seen a couple of videos of Algieri. He’s in shape, throws a lot of punches and stays busy,” Taylor said. “This is a step-up fight for him and it’s not going to be good for him. Stay tuned to the fight. It’s going to be a real good show.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit Junior Welterweights Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (16-1, 6 KOs) against Jeremy “Hollywood” Bryan (16-3, 7 KOs). New York’s Kinda is looking to rebound from sixth-round technical decision loss to Chris Howard, while South Carolina’s Bryan will look to get back to his winning ways following a second-round TKO loss to Amir Imam.

Next Week on Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates:
Next week on Friday, Feb. 21 (9 p.m., ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN), from the Edgewater Casino in Laughlin, Nev., Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will televise the start of Boxcino 2014 sponsored by 1800 Tequila. The tournament is presented by Banner Promotions. Tournament details and TV schedule can be found on ESPN MediaZone. Tournament matchups can be found on ESPN MediaZone.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date
Time (ET)
Main Event
Location
Networks
Fri, Feb. 21
9 p.m.
Boxcino 2014 Lightweight Quarterfinals: six-rounds each

Chris Rudd (12-1, 8 KOs) vs. Yakubu Amidu (22-4-1, 18 KOs)

Petr Petrov (32-4-2, 15 KOs) vs. Fedor Papazov (14-0, 9 KOs)

Miguel Gonzalez (22-3, 16 KOs) vs. Miguel Angel Mendoza (21-2-2, 21 KOs)

Fernando Carcamo (15-5, 12 KOs) vs. Samuel Neequaye (21-0, 15 KOs)
Edgewater Casino, Laughlin, NV
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb 28
9 p.m.
Boxcino 2014 Middleweight Quarterfinals: six-rounds each

Donatas Bondorovas (18-4-1, 6 KOs) vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. (15-1, 6 KOs)

Cerresso Fort (17-2-1, 11 KOs) vs. Vitalii Kopylenko (22-0, 12 KOs)

Brandon Adams (12-0, 7 KOs) vs. Daniel Edouard (23-4-2, 12 KOs)

Raymond Gatica (13-1, 7 KOs) vs. Sena Agbeko (15-0, 15 KOs)
Harrah’s Horseshoe, Hammond, Ind.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Mar. 7
9 p.m.
Rustam Nugaev (26-6-1, 16 KOs) vs. Marvin Quintero (25-4, 21 KOs) — 10-rounds, Lightweights
Pala Casino, Pala, Calif.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Mar. 21
9 p.m.
Vanes Martirosyan (33-1-1, 21 KOs) vs. TBD — 10-rounds, Junior Middleweights
Morongo Casino, Cabazon, Calif.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
*Schedule subject to change

Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates Social Media:

· Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook.

· Score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

· Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo.

· For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 12, 2014) – Fighters are known for their ruthlessness and toughness in the ring, but the participants in “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” aren’t afraid to let their softer sides show.

With just less than a month until the SHOWTIME PPV®, which will take place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., Canelo Alvarez, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo, Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz, Cristian “Diamante” Mijares, Omar “Panterita” Figueroa, Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez, Carlos Molina and Jermall Charlo shared their thoughts on perfect Valentine’s Day dates, memories and more.

VALENTINE’S DAY Q&A

Q: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Valentine’s Day?

Canelo Alvarez: I think of joy.

Alfredo Angulo: I just think about training.

Leo Santa Cruz: Love, friendship and family.

Cristian Mijares: I think of the love I have with my wife and children.

Omar Figueroa: The colors red and pink.

Ricardo Alvarez: Love.

Carlos Molina: Relationships.

Jermall Charlo: Hearts, flowers, mushy feelings and growing up.

Q: What is the best Valentine’s Day gift you’ve ever given or received?

Canelo Alvarez: The best gift I received is love.

Alfredo Angulo: My favorite cologne that I can’t find anywhere anymore.

Leo Santa Cruz: The best Valentine’s gift I ever gave was a pink heart ring.

Cristian Mijares: Only my wife could tell you what the best gift that I’ve given her is. The best gift I’ve received is the love of my family.

Omar Figueroa: Thejewelry I’ve given to my mom or my sister. The best gift I have ever been given is the birth of my daughter. She is the best Valentine’s Day gift from now until the day I die.

Ricardo Alvarez: My best gift was a big teddy bear and a romantic dinner.

Carlos Molina: A picture my girl gave me of us back in the day.

Jermall Charlo: I have never received a Valentine’s Day gift. I have always given. The best gift I ever gave was to my mom – it was a vacation to the Grand Canyon.

Q: What is your favorite romantic movie or love song?

Canelo Alvarez: My favorite romantic movie is “Diario de una Pasion” (“The Notebook”).

Alfredo Angulo: My favorite romantic movie is “Titanic.”

Leo Santa Cruz: My favorite romantic movie is “The Notebook.”

Cristian Mijares: I really like the song “She’s The One” by Robbie Williams. As for romantic movies I like “City of Angels.”

Omar Figueroa: I don’t really watch those types of movies, but I liked the last one that I saw. It was “P.S. I Love You.”

Ricardo Alvarez: “Diario de una Pasion” (“The Notebook”)

Carlos Molina: “Forrest Gump.”

Jermall Charlo: “Pretty Woman.”

Q: Even though you’re in training camp this Valentine’s Day, will you be sending anything to anyone?

Canelo Alvarez: I don’t look at Valentine’s Day as the only day I make that person feel special.

Alfredo Angulo: No I will not.

Leo Santa Cruz: I will be sending a very special gift to my love this Valentine’s Day even though I’m in training camp.

Cristian Mijares: No, my mind is on my next fight so I haven’t even thought about it.

Omar Figueroa: Yes I’m going to send an Edible Arrangement to my one-year and four-month-old daughter.

Ricardo Alvarez: Yes, I will send a bouquet of roses to my wife.

Carlos Molina: Well, I will be going out for a light dinner in Chicago.

Jermall Charlo: Yes, I will be sending a Valentine’s Day gift to someone special in my life.

Q: Describe your perfect Valentine’s Day date.

Canelo Alvarez: If I’m with the person I love, any place is perfect.

Alfredo Angulo: A romantic dinner.

Leo Santa Cruz: My perfect Valentine’s Day date is a romantic dinner followed by a bonfire on the beach.

Cristian Mijares: A perfect day would be one where I’m surrounded by my family.

Omar Figueroa: The perfect Valentine’s Day would be to spend time with the women in my life that I love the most: my mom, my sister and my daughter. I would take them out to dinner and pamper them.

Ricardo Alvarez: My perfect date is in a restaurant with a romantic dinner.

Carlos Molina: Dinner and drinks on a warm day.

Jermall Charlo: A comedy show and relaxing.

# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,”a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. This event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @elperro82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @OmarFigueroaJr, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @FutureOfBoxing, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LONDON (Feb. 12) – Heavyweight star Tyson Fury is in confident mood ahead of his ring return against big-hitting Joey Abell this weekend.

The Manchester bruiser will step back into the ring at the Copper Box Arena this Saturday night, live on BoxNation, following nearly a year of inactivity after two dates to meet David Haye were cancelled by the Londoner and former WBA heavyweight world champion.

There is no doubt that the 25-year-old Fury has endured a frustrating last year having seen the lucrative showdown pass him by, but he is now looking to bounce back to winning ways starting with American foe Abell.

“It’s very important [this fight with Abell]. I’ve been out of the ring for what seems like a lifetime. But in reality, it’s only 11 months or so. So, it’s very important to get myself back in there, get myself back to winning ways, and onto the next fight,” said Fury.

“You can never overlook anybody. I’ll be taking this fellow very serious. I’ve been training hard, my diet’s good, everything’s good. So, it should be okay. I should come through,” he said.

Fury’s unpredictable and outgoing nature has made him a crowd favourite and the former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion has warned watchers to expect the unexpected when he steps into the squared circle on Saturday.

“You know with me you never can tell what’s going to happen,” he said. “That’s the package deal that you get. I might come in there all guns blazing. I do feel like coming out aggressive and just going for the knockout. That’s the frame of mind I’m in. But, you know, it doesn’t always work that way,” Fury explained.

“But, you never can tell. It depends what mood I’m in on the night. When I’m in the ring as we all know I might have a gameplan before I get in. As soon as I’m in there and I get punched in the face, it comes to my world and I do what I want,” Fury said.

Should Fury come through Abell, who holds an impressive record of 28 knockouts from 29 wins, he is expected to share the ring once again with Dereck Chisora, who headlines this weekend’s bill with his fight against Kevin Johnson.

Chisora and Fury met previously in 2011 at Wembley Arena, with the undefeated Fury winning a unanimous points decision.

Fast forward three years and Chisora has improved significantly, having gone the distance with Vitali Klitschko for the WBC world title and recording impressive wins over Malik Scott and Edmund Gerber along the way.

A ‘Battle of Britain’ blockbuster with Fury this summer, should both men prevail in their upcoming fights, represents a bout that will stir the interests of the wider sporting public.

“This fight between me and Dereck Chisora is the heavyweight fight of Britain, isn’t it?,” said Fury. “It’s the only heavyweight fight out there, especially involving two British heavyweights, that is worth mentioning and worth talking about and it’s going to get the people talking because opinions is what counts. We’ve already fought before. I have that victory. Different game plans and different nights, different things arise,” Fury stated.

“People will be talking and it’s going to get people’s interest because Dereck has been active. He’s fought Klitschko, he’s fought David Haye, he’s fought loads of good people and I’ve been inactive for a year as well. So, that makes it interesting,” he said.

“When I fought Dereck Chisora the first time, he had been inactive for a year as well. So, it’s a little bit of a revenge, isn’t it – it’s going to be a good one,” Fury added.

BoxNation viewers on Sky, who are high definition enabled, will also get to see this weekend’s Copper Box show in glorious HD on Sky channel 449.

Fury vs. Abell & Chisora vs. Jonhson is live on Boxnation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Saturday from 7pm. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

SAN ANTONIO (February 12, 2014) — For three-time world featherweight champion ORLANDO “Siri” SALIDO boxing has been about perseverance and overcoming the odds, and in 17 days his mettle will be tested once more as he puts his world title on the line against two-time Olympic gold medalist, VASYL LOMACHENKO (1-0, 1 KO), considered by many to be the best amateur boxer in the history of the sport. The Salido-Lomachenko WBO featherweight championship fight will be televised live from the Alamodome on Saturday, March 1, on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will also feature the eagerly-anticipated 12-round rematch between former World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and Son of the Legend JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR. and Top-Five contender and two-fisted Texan BRYAN VERA.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Zanfer Promotions, Banner Promotions, Foreman Boys Promotions and Tecate, remaining tickets to Chávez vs. Vera II / Salido vs. Lomachenko are priced at $200, $100, $60, $40 and $25 (plus applicable taxes and fees). They can be purchased at the Alamodome box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com and via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000.

“I know people expect Lomachenko to beat me and take my title away, and while I respect all he did as an amateur, professional boxing is not the same. He has had just one professional fight. My experience, strength and hunger will be the difference”, said Salido during his media workout on Tuesday in his hometown of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. He has been training for the fight in Phoenix and Ciudad Obregon under his trainer, Santos Moreno.

“Lomachenko has quick hands and is very fast, but he still has an amateur style that can be exploited and that is what I am going to do on March 1 in San Antonio. This fight is as big as any I had in my career and look forward to the challenge.”

Salido (40-12-2, 28 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, México, completed a hat trick last year by winning a world featherweight title for the third time. He captured the vacant WBO featherweight title by knocking out No. 1 contender Orlando Cruz in the seventh round of their September 12, 2013 fight. Salido captured his first world title in his third attempt. After a No Decision to Robert Guerrero in 2006 and a split decision loss to Cristobal Cruz in 2008, Salido finally captured the International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight title in 2010, avenging his loss to Cruz by winning a split decision. His title reign was short-lived, losing a unification fight to World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa later that same year. Salido bounced back in a big way, stopping undefeated WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez in the eighth round in 2011 to capture his second world championship crown. Salido successfully defended that title twice, knocking out Kenichi Yamaguchi and Lopez in a rematch during his two-year reign, before losing it to Mikey Garcia last January. He enters this title defense having won six of his last seven fights by knockout.

Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist Lomachenko jumped into the deep end of boxing’s international-sized swimming pool when he made his professional debut in a 10-round featherweight bout against the WBO’s No. 7-rated featherweight contender Jose Luis Ramirez last September 12. It didn’t take Lomachenko long to take to the water. He knocked out Ramirez (24-2-2, 15 KOs) in the fourth round to become the new WBO International featherweight champion. He ended the year as the WBO’s No. 5 world-rated featherweight contender as well as being proclaimed the 2013 “Prospect of the Year” by the majority of the major boxing media.. Lomachenko first gained international renown by winning gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Games as a featherweight and a lightweight, respectively. Known for his all-out aggressive style of boxing, Lomachenko is equally aggressive in plotting his professional boxing plan to a world title where he insisted on making his pro debut in a 10-round bout against a seasoned Top-10 rated contender where a victory could propel him to a world title shot in his next fight.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.banner-promotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/banner-promotions or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, twitter.com/bannerboxing or twitter.com/hboboxing.

Patrick Nielsen (21-0, 10 KOs) and Tony Jeter (16-3-1, 11 KOs) came face-to-face for the first time at today’s final press conference at the Hard Rock Café in Copenhagen ahead of their clash for the WBC Silver Middleweight World Championship on Saturday night at the Albertslund MusikTeatret.

‘’This is a massive opportunity for me,’’ said Nielsen. ‘’I have had my toughest sparring partners to prepare for this fight and I honestly feel that I am in the shape of my life. Everything in training has gone perfectly and on Saturday night I will be ready to win the WBC Silver title in front of my home fans.’’

Said Tony Jeter: “The Danes will have a determined and charismatic fighter to watch. I’m in phenomenal shape and I didn’t come here to lie down. I am going to put all my hard work into this fight. I came here to win.”

‘’The WBC Silver Championship is a prestigious title,’’ said Nielsen’s coach Joey Gamache. ‘’This is the chance of a lifetime for both fighters. We are looking forward to the fight and showing how hard we’ve worked for this.”

Jeter must travel to Albertslund, Nielsen’s hometown, on Saturday night. Jeter’s coach Charles Dent does not believe home advantage will play a part in the outcome of the fight. ”I’m a former boxer so I know a thing or two,’’ said Dent. ‘’The crowd doesn’t win the fight and the judges don’t win the fight. It’s all about the two guys in the ring. We will not be intimidated.’’

Patrick is not the only Nielsen challenging for a title in Albertslund, younger brother Micki Nielsen (10-0, 8 KOs) will face Gogita Gorgiladze (17-3, 13 KOs) for the WBC Youth Cruiserweight crown.

”It would be fantastic to win my first belt,’’ said Micki. ‘’It’s a big step towards my dream of becoming a world champion. I’m in great shape and can’t wait to fight in Albertslund. I love to fight in front of my home crowd.”

Said promoter Kalle Sauerland: ”The Nielsen brothers have started on a journey to become the next Danish world champions. They are still a work in progress, they are still improving but under the tutelage of coach Joey Gamache the curve is certainly going the right way. On Saturday night I fully expect both brothers to show us how far they have come.’’

Alongside the Nielsen brother’s title fights, the Nordic Fight in Albertslund will feature a full undercard showcasing the very best in Scandinavian boxing. Tickets are available at billetnet.dk.