The February 22 edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature an IBF Title fight between current Junior Welterweight titlist Lamont Peterson (30-1-1, 15 KOs) and former Junior Welterweight titlist Kendall “Rated R” Holt (28-5, 16 KOs) in the 12-round main event. Friday’s show from Washington, D.C., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, and will be available online through WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. The card will also air live on ESPN Deportes+, the new digital extension of ESPN Deportes, and will air tape delayed on ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. The card is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the D.C. Armory describing the action for ESPN2 HD, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will be on site presenting the latest boxing news and highlights. ESPN.com boxing writer Dan Rafael will also be on site providing analysis of each bout. Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call this week’s fights for ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights) with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Main Event:
Peterson, the home town favorite, enters Friday’s fight with big fight experience, having fought current and former titlists Amir Khan, Victor Ortiz, and Timothy Bradley Jr. He won a 12-round split decision against Khan in his last fight to win the IBF Junior Welterweight title.

“The game plan against Kendall Holt is to stay busy,” Peterson said. “He really doesn’t try to fight the whole three minutes of each round. He kind of picks and chooses when he fights, so we just plan to keep him working and wear him down.”

New Jersey’s Holt is looking to build momentum after a second-round TKO win over Tim Coleman. “Lamont’s a good fighter,” he said. “One big difference in this fight is that none of the pressure is on me – I’m not fighting at home, it’s not my championship title. All the pressure’s on him and that pressure builds up in a person’s mind. He may come out there and try to impress the crowd and if he gets a little overanxious or a little overzealous. It could be an early night for him.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit undefeated Junior Featherweights Roman Morales (14-0, 7 KOs) against Jesus Hernandez (10-0-3 2 KOs). Morales is coming off a fifth-round knockout win over Jose Iniguez, while Hernandez is looking to rebound from a six-round draw against Edwin Solis.

Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook. Follow ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo. Also 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.

— 30 –

Explosive 6’9″ heavyweight contender and former unbeaten, Irish, Commonwealth and British Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury, 20-0, 14 KO’s, will make his New York debut on Saturday afternoon, April 20th when he takes on former cruiserweight World Champion Steve USS Cunningham, 25-5, 12 KO’s, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

This fight is an official IBF Heavyweight Voluntary Eliminator fight for the #2 position between #9, Tyson Fury and #12, Steve Cunningham. The winner will become #2 and must meet #1 or the leading available contender to establish the mandatory challenger for Heavyweight King Wladimir Klitschko. The fight will be broadcast at 4PM ET on NBC as a special 2 hour afternoon presentation of NBC Sports Fight Night.

“Cunningham’s got all the tools; a former World Champion, good fighter, he’s got a lot of skill. I’m looking to put on a devastating performance; the best of my career to date.” said Fury. “I’m absolutely ecstatic to be fighting at Madison Square Garden; it goes back in history and I can’t wait to put my name with a long list of Champions who have fought there – I’m a historian of boxing myself so this is definitely the pinnacle of my career so far.”

Mick Hennessy, Hennessy Sports CEO, said, “I’m very proud to say that Tyson Fury’s American debut is taking place at Madison Square Garden, New York, this is a dream debut in the US for Tyson as this fight is also being shown live on network TV (NBC). It just doesn’t get any better than this.

Steve Cunningham is ecstatic, “I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring on April 20th to face Fury. For the first time in my career I have a guy coming to my country to face me. I am certain he’s never faced a fighter like me.” He added, “What an amazing opportunity to fight in historic Madison Square Garden and return to NBC again. I am prepared to fight a great fight and come out with a victory.”

Kathy Duva, Main Events CEO, “Giving Steve the opportunity to fight on NBC again – in a bigger venue for another shot at the #2 position in the IBF – after his controversial decision loss to Tomasz Adamek in December is what Main Events and Fight Night are all about.’ Duva added, “Steve put on a fantastic performance against Adamek and deserves to be rewarded with this fight. We also get to introduce Tyson Fury, a young heavyweight contender, to the American public in a true crossroads match.”

Tickets to the bout, starting at $25, will go on sale next week. Details to follow. The fight is promoted by Hennessy Sports and Main Events.

BIG BEAR, CA (February 19, 2013) WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin will head to UFC 157 this Saturday, FEBRUARY 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California to support Ronda Rousey, UFC Bantamweight World Champion.

Golovkin and Rousey have both trained at The Summit Training Facility in Big Bear, California and have shared a mutual admiration of their shared excellence within their given sports.

“She’s an incredible athlete, I watched her a few times while she was training in the gym for her boxing skills. Her discipline towards her sport shows why she is one of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world” said Golovkin. “I’m very excited to watch her fight live, it will be my first time ever at a UFC event.”

Golovkin is preparing for his seventh world title defense against Japanese contender Nobuhiro Ishida on Saturday, MARCH 30 in Monte Carlo, one of the premiere cities in the world. Golovkin is the undefeated WBA/IBO middleweight champion and holds the distinction of having the highest knockout percentage of any active boxing world champion.

“Gennady has a true appreciation for Ronda’s unique skills. She has become one of the most talked about fighters in the mixed martial arts world. Gennady has achieved similar success in the sport of boxing,” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions.

Las Vegas, Nevada –The Ultimate Fighter® returned on FX with the fifth episode of the season – “The Reflection of Perfection”. The youngest man in TUF™ history, twenty-one-year-old Kelvin Gastellum made quite a debut on Tuesday night submitting Mixed Martial Arts veteran (Robert) Bubba McDaniel, 20-6 in MMA, in the second round.

In seemingly the best fight of the season so far, according to coach Chael Sonnen, Gastellum sunk in a rear naked choke at 2:38 of the second to secure his win over coach Jon Jones’ Albuquerque teammate.

A full recap is available at ufc.com.

Results after episode five:

Team Sonnen – coached by UFC® light heavyweight Chael Sonnen – (3-1)

Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)

Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)

Zak Cummings

Tor Troeng

Jimmy Quinlan

Kevin Casey (0-1, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4)

Kelvin Gastelum (1-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5)

Team Jones – coached by UFC® light heavyweight champion Jon Jones – (1-3)

Clint Hester

Josh Samman

Bubba McDaniel (0-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5)

Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)

Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)

Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)

Dylan Andrews

With the win, Team Sonnen regains control of the fight pick, matching-up Josh Samman versus Tor Troeng of Team Jones.

The series resumes next Tuesday, February 26, on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings for Central and Mountain Time). In that episode – “Path to Greatness” – A fighter’s attitude ignites a blowup at the house, causing a major rift in Team Sonnen. While the fighters battle it out in a night of bowling, Jon and Chael raise the stakes in a game of their own. Then Samman and Troeng meet in the Octagon® for the sixth preliminary fight.

For more show information, and your chance to play the TUF Fantasy Tournament, visit ultimatefighter.com and follow us on Twitter @TUFonFX or on Facebook.com/TUF.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.4 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

FX

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 98 million homes. The diverse schedule features a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series Sons of Anarchy and Justified; the miniseries American Horror Story: Asylum; the upcoming drama series The Americans; the acclaimed hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer, Wilfred, BrandX with Russell Brand, and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell; and the upcoming comedy Legit. The network’s library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. FX’s other offerings include the acquired hit series Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother, and live sports with UFC and NCAA football.

Super Bantamweight world champion Nonito Donaire will take on fellow beltholder Guillermo Rigondeaux on April 13th at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

“There’s no question that fighting at Radio City Music Hall is like a coronation for the fighter of the year, fighting on that historic stage,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told ESPN.com. “We couldn’t get the Theater [at Madison Square Garden] so [MSG executive vice president] Joel Fisher said maybe he could get Radio City, because the Garden owns it. We said that was a great idea. It’s expensive to do a fight there, but it’s worth it.

“I think it’s going to be a terrific fight. It’s one I have wanted to see. These guys have been spouting off about each other for a long time and now it will be decided in the ring.”

“I’ve heard so much about the place and how Roy fought there and Roy is one of the guys I look up to, so I am very excited about fighting there,” Donaire told ESPN.com.

“We want to show up the second time in New York and make a statement this time and not have Rigondeaux run from me when he gets hit hard,” Donaire said. “We already have the remedy and answer for that style from what I learned in the Narvaez fight. We have a blue print ready.

“I failed to get a knockout in my first fight in New York and I want the fans to see a knockout from me. I am going out there to knock my guys out. I believe I have great fans on the East Coast and I want to give them a good show.”

“It took awhile because there were internal problems on the Rigondeaux side with [his co-promoter] Caribe,” Arum said. “But we worked everything out and they were gentlemanly. It takes time. Eventually, sanity prevailed and everyone wants the fight to happen, so you make a deal.”

Said Donaire, “I watched Rigondeaux’s last fight with [Robert] Marroquin and he’s pretty decent. He’s pretty good at countering, so I was getting excited about fighting him. It’s a good fight. I look forward to taking that belt. That’s my goal.”

Two nights before the fight, Donaire will make an appearance at the annual Boxing Writers Association of America awards banquet to collect his fighter of the year trophy.

“I was really honored they gave me that award,” Donaire said. “Last year, all I wanted to do was fight the best guys they put in front of. I’m just trying to be the best and fight the best. I have Rigondeaux now and, hopefully, we can get the Mares fight too.”

“I will do as much as I can this year, but my primary thing this year after this fight is having a family,” he said. “We are very excited about [the baby]. I can win titles and more titles and it pays the bills but I also want to be a good father and husband.”

“He was talking all this crap about drug testing, saying he would do whatever it took to fight me,” Donaire said. “We negotiated it and I want to show the sport is clean. But then he didn’t sign [the VADA contract].”

“We got that resolved and we have a fight,” Arum said.

In a move that will change the television landscape in boxing, pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather has signed a lucrative deal with Showtime, this ending his 16 year relationship with HBO and will fight Robert Guerrero on May 4th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Floyd has signed a record-breaking deal with Showtime PPV/CBS, and Floyd is ecstatic,” Leonard Ellerbe, one of Mayweather’s top advisers, told ESPN.com. “This historic deal reflects a global superstar who is head and shoulders above his peers. HBO, they made a great offer, but the Showtime PPV/CBS offer was substantially greater in every facet, from top to bottom.

“So bottom line, HBO was outgunned. They came to a gun fight with a knife. At the end of the day, it’s business. Floyd has had a fantastic relationship over the last (16) years with HBO but he’s moving on. He made the decision based on what was best for him and his family. Showtime/CBS really stepped up and made it crystal clear that they wanted Floyd Mayweather. This is a tremendous platform, and Floyd’s looking forward to putting his talents in front of a much larger worldwide audience.”

“The first fight is Guerrero, ‘The Ghost,’ the boogey man,” Ellerbe said. “Floyd’s going to line all these guys up and he’s going to whup their asses one by one.

“It was a very detailed process,” Showtime Sports head Stephen Espinoza told ESPN.com. “We put forth a very aggressive offer, and I know Floyd spent a lot of time with (adviser) Al Haymon poring over the details. Ultimately, I was able to bring a lot of the (Showtime and CBS) assets to the table, and with so many of our platforms stepping forward to support it, this was a deal he couldn’t refuse.

Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer, who promotes Guerrero and has promoted all of Mayweather’s fights since 2007 on a fight-by-fight basis, told ESPN.com that the kickoff news conference for the fight, which hasn’t been scheduled yet, will be nationally televised on CBS on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, when the network televises most of its sports fare.

“This will redefine the way boxing press conferences are done,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who has worked on Mayweather’s fights since 2007 said. “The traveling to different cities maybe was the most effective thing at a time when you had in each city a half dozen writers. Now it’s driven by different platforms and we are looking at putting together a press conference similar to the way you see a presidential debate — a moderator, a live audience and journalists can submit questions that will then be read and it will televised nationwide on CBS.

unior middleweight titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KOs), the 22-year-old Mexican star and a big draw for the card on Cinco de Mayo weekend, is expected to fight on the undercard, possibly in a unification fight with Austin Trout (26-0, 14 KOs), who upset Miguel Cotto in a December title defense.

But Schaefer said that deal is not done.

“First we needed to get (Mayweather-Guerrero and the TV deal) done and now, within the next 24 or 48 hours, I am trying to see if in fact we can get a fight done between Canelo and Trout,” he said. “It is not done, it is not signed. There are other possibilities we are looking at for Canelo.

“But as I have said all along, we have every intention to have Canelo fight on this card. As for the matchup, that is my next task.”

“I think it’s a fantastic matchup. Robert is one tough competitor,” Schaefer said. “He hasn’t lost (since 2006) and that loss was to a fighter (Orlando Salido in a featherweight title fight) who tested positive for steroids after the fight (and the decision was changed to a no contest). He’s a multiple-weight world champion. He actively campaigned for this fight, and a lot of media people say he has earned the fight if you look at what he’s done in the last 12 months.

“He’s young, he’s been active, he’s coming off the biggest wins of his career and he showed he is a real welterweight against Berto and Aydin. This is a hell of a challenge for Floyd, and Robert as well. At 147, he is the most dangerous opponent Floyd could have picked, end of story.”

Said Ellerbe: “Guerrero thinks he’s a badass and come May 4, Floyd is going to show him why he is the top dog and why he’s been world champion for 15 years.”

“We made an aggressive and responsible pay-per-view offer,” HBO said in a statement given to ESPN.com. “Now we move on. We are focused on the best boxing franchise in the television business. We are proud of the roster of superstar fighters and emerging stars who are scheduled to appear on the multiple HBO television platforms this year.”

“Robert can box, he can punch, he has a chin,” Schaefer said. “He has a hell of a chance to win this fight. When you look at Floyd Mayweather, he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He’s the most skilled fighter out there, but at the same time he’s getting older and hasn’t fought for a year. Not fighting for a year when you are in your 20s is one thing, but in your 30s, fighting once a year is not the best setup.

“His body went through a grueling fight with Cotto, and he was in jail. Who knows what all that has done to him? There are a lot of interesting aspects which make this fight high-stakes.”

READING, PA (February 20, 2013)—This past Friday in Memphis, Heavyweight prospect Travis “GW Hope” Kauffman returned to the ring with a second round destruction over Willie Perryman.

Kauffman, 27 years old of Reading, PA dominated the first round and scored what looked like a knockdown in round one but somehow the referee ruled a low blow.

In round two, Kauffman landed a hard right that was followed by a left hook that sent Perryman for the count and the bout was ended at 2:28 of round two.

“I am happy to be back in the ring”, said Travis

“It’s time to move on to bigger and better things. I am now 24-1 with 18 knockouts and I want to step it up behind me. I have a great promotional team behind me in Greg Cohen Promotions and they will move me the right way. I am now ranked number fourteen by the WBA so I am looking at (champion) Alexander Povetkin or someone of that caliber.”

“My fans want me to rematch Tony Grano and of course I would like to redeem myself”

Said Kauffman’s father/trainer Marshall Kauffman, “It’s great to see Travis back in the ring. It is time to move on to bigger and better opportunities”

Tavoris Cloud is an aggressive young fighter. I heard him at the press conference in New York City. He described himself as the Mike Tyson of this era.

“I have been on a path that I keep my body on the right track and duck more punches than I take. I can fight until I am 50 years old. The less you get hit, the more you can speak and count your money.

“I am going to be glad and excited to be at Barclays Center. It is the new Mecca of Boxing in New York. It used to be the hood. Now it is known as ‘Hello Brooklyn.’

“I get a chance to leave my legacy in Brooklyn. Not only am I honored, but I have earned that.

“I am past the stage of breaking records. It is my legacy that I want to protect. It is important to me that in my last couple of fights I didn’t put myself on the line by doing one third of the work that I have put in all of these years. I refuse to surrender to that kind of mentality.

“Anyone that can beat me, any one that can embarrass me, will become an instant star.

“I believe that Cloud’s aggressiveness will make this an action packed fight because he is thinking of himself as number one because he has the belt. He needs to come in and make adjustments to my style. If he can’t make adjustments, you will see a repeat of the Kelly Pavlik fight.

“I am different. I have set records and broken records. I have to concentrate not only on what I did yesterday, but what I am going to do tomorrow.

“People ask me, ‘What does it feel like to be 48?’ I say that I don’t know because if you ask most people in their late forties or even late thirties how they feel, they might say they are ready to die because they aren’t healthy and don’t have the longevity like me. You can’t put me in the same category as a regular guy.

“I don’t expect Cloud to dance like Ali. I don’t expect him to do anything to buy time. I expect him to come forward. That is what I would do if I was 30 fighting someone who is almost 50.

“I have to stay busy and I will win every round. The cat is out of the bag because I am not coming to get beaten up.

“There is no one saying that I am going to get blown out on March 9, when I step into that ring. There is no one saying that I am going to lose the fight. They are saying that Tavoris Cloud’s style is my forte. Cloud comes forward and throws bombs and anyone I have fought that comes forward, I have beaten. The only thing they are saying is that ‘He is 48.’

“Maybe I will go down a pound or two before I leave this sport, or maybe I will help my partners at Golden Boy and help them find new talent as a promoter or maybe I will find a little fat stomach that makes me look like I am retired.

“There is a lot working against me, but there is also a lot working for me. I have the conditioning to adjust to the times. The game didn’t change, but I am ready to face someone that is young enough to be my son and in some cases, my grandson.

“I am leading the 40-and-up club. There are a lot of 40-year-olds rooting for me because they have interns looking over their shoulders trying to take their jobs.

“I am living out what we talked about 10 or 15 years ago. I knew I was going to be here. We talked about this moment. I knew I could do this. I know I can still win or compete on this level.

“I love this game and sometimes love can hurt. I am so competitive; I know I have the body and skills to still do this.”

# # #

Hopkins vs. Cloud, a 12-round fight for Cloud’s IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship will take place Saturday, March 9 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Don King Productions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Ford. The HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. The co-main event will be a 12-round fight between top rated undefeated contender Keith Thurman and former World Champion Jan Zaveck for Zaveck’s WBO Intercontinental Welterweight Championship.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $85, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

CABAZON (Feb. 19, 2013) — Super featherweights Art “Lionheart” Hovhannisyan and Alejandro “El Alacran” Perez have had a lot of practice trying to knock each other’s block off. They’ve sparred dozens of rounds, helping each other get ready for their fights.

Now, they get an opportunity to do it for real this Friday, Feb. 22, on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Morongo Casino Resort in Cabazon, Calif.

Make no mistake: The Armenia-born Hovhannisyan (15-0-2, 8 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., and the Mexico-born Perez (16-3-1, 11 KOs), of Salinas, Calif., are good friends outside the ring. But the buds insist that ferocious flurries of fists will fly when they collide in what should be an exciting 10-round main event.

“Before we agreed to this fight, my manager asked me about fighting Alejandro,” Hovhannisyan said. “He was worried I might hold back. But I assured him I would not. Friends are friends but business is business. I need to take advantage of all my opportunities, no matter if I’m fighting a friend, brother, cousin, whatever.

“I’ve trained hard for this. I’m ready. I’m looking forward to having a great fight. I’m waiting for my big shot. I want to fight for a world title, but my job is to win. After the fight we’ll hug and continue to be friends, but during the fight it doesn’t matter who you’re up against. I’m excited about this fight and Friday night.’’

Perez is also looking forward to it. “Art and I used to train together,’’ he said. “We’re friends. (That we’re fighting is) part of the sport. That’s going to make this an even more exciting fight. We know each other’s style. Fans pay to see a fight, and those watching at home want to see a fight and that’s what they’ll get. Whenever I’m in the ring, I like to give the fans a fight. That’s what they pay for and that’s what they’re going to see.”

Hovhannisyan is coming off back-to-back fights on ShoBox against former world champions Miguel Acosta (last July 20) and Cristobal Cruz (Aug. 5, 2011). In a fast-paced, competitive bout, he earned a career-best victory with a hard-fought 10-round split decision over former WBA lightweight titleholder Acosta; his entertaining bout with ex-IBF featherweight champion Cruz ended in a fourth-round technical draw.

“Hovhannisyan has shown to be very fan-friendly in his ShoBox appearances and that he definitely wants to fight,’’ said ShoBox expert analyst and boxing historian, Steve Farhood. “He’s had some spectacular knockouts. But at 31 he is older than the average Shobox prospect so he has to make his move in 2013, and this fight begins that move.’’

The fight with Acosta was the aggressive-minded Hovhannisyan’s first in 11 months and also the first time he went 10 rounds. He dropped Acosta with a solid right hand in the closing seconds of the first round. Acosta, who was shaken and fortunate to survive the round, registered a flash knockdown in the fifth when Hovhannisyan’s right hand touched the canvas after he got cracked with a right by Acosta.

“Hovhannisyan’s fight with Acosta was very close,’’ Farhood said. “He scored an overwhelming knockdown in the first and the fact Acosta survived was a miracle in itself. But Acosta scored a flash knockdown in the fifth and took control of the fight before Hovhannisyan regained control in the last couple rounds to get a decision that could have gone either way.’’

The WBC’s No. 16-ranked contender, Hovhannisyan has managed to endure even though his career has been hampered by numerous injuries — his right hand and/or thumb has been broken in six different places – and by numerous fights falling out. The 5-foot-7 crowd-pleaser was scheduled to fight in November and his original opponent for this fight, Logan McGuiness, withdrew.

“I like Art and think he can fight,’’ said RingTV (Ring online) editor Doug Fischer. “He’s a well-rounded, durable boxer who has good footwork, an effective jab and decent power. I thought he proved that he’s ready to face contender-level fighters with his split-decision over Acosta.’’

Perez is a sharp, accurate puncher with punching power. Adept at working the body, especially with the left hook, he’s tough, determined, durable and experienced against good opposition. He’s 2-2 in his last four starts, including an eighth-round knockout over game, hard-trying Derrick Wilson in his last bout on Feb. 4, 2012. He scored four knockdowns in the action-packed slugfest, decking Wilson in the second, fourth, fifth and eighth.

This will be the third start on ShoBox for Perez and his third at 130 pounds. He moved up from the junior featherweight division for two fights in March and July 2011, but weighed 126 pounds for Wilson.

“Perez is 0-2 on ShoBox, but the losses were to a pair of undefeated prospects at the time, (now world-ranked) Diego Magdaleno and Rico Ramos (who would become a world champion),’’ Farhood said. “He gave spirited efforts in each fight. Alejandro is definitely a tough guy.’’

The 5-foot-6½, 26-year-old Perez knocked down Magdaleno, but he lost a 10-round decision on July 15, 2011. He was outpointed across eight thrilling rounds by Ramos on Nov. 28, 2009.

Max Boxing lead columnist Steve Kim is one of those impressed with Perez’s work ethic and fighting spirit and would not be surprised if he manufactured a minor upset in this one.

“He is a guy who’s always in the gym, always prepared for battle and who’s never in a bad fight,’’ Kim said. “I think he’s going to press Art from the first bell and won’t stop until the end of the fight. Perez is more of a natural featherweight, but he’s very aggressive and can punch. I think he’s going to make this very interesting.’’

Perez isn’t concerned with the layoff. “I stayed busy the last year and always did my roadwork. I always just like to stay in the gym,’’ he said. “I’m hungry, I’ll tell you that. This is my life. Whatever I have to do to be on top, I’ll do. That just keeps me going. I’ve got to stay in shape. Whenever a call comes up, I’ve got to be ready.

“I hear a lot in the gym that I’m like the old, typical Mexican kind of boxer. I know how to fight in the short and medium distance. I know how to box, how to counterattack. I have good lateral movement and good defense. One thing a lot of people comment to me about is how aggressive I can be, and how I can manage not to get hit on the ropes. I know I have to be my best for this one, but I’m looking forward to the chance.’’

The Morongo Casino Resort and Spa is located at 49500 Seminole Dr. in Cabazon, 92230. Tickets for the Gary Shaw Productions event are priced $35 and $55 and are on sale at the Morongo Casino Box Office or by calling the Box Office hotline at (951) 755-5391. They are also available by calling Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com. Doors open on fight night at 5 p.m. The first fight starts at 5:30 p.m.

In the eight-round co-feature that opens the telecast, GSP’s highly thought of, offensive-minded Tureano “Reno” Johnson (13-0, 10 KOs), who represented the Bahamas in the 2008 Olympic Games, faces fellow unbeaten Willie Fortune (15-0, 7 KOs), of Detroit, Mich., in a middleweight match.

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. The growing list of fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Leonard Dorin, Scott Harrison, Juan Diaz, Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton, Joan Guzman, Juan Urango, David Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Malignaggi, Kendall Holt, Timothy Bradley, Bernard Dunne, Yonnhy Perez, Yuri Foreman, Andre Ward, Cornelius Bundrage and Rico Ramos.

New York (February 18, 2013) – One of the most dynamic prospects in the middleweight division will be making his 2013 debut as Tureano “Reno” Johnson (13-0, 10 KOs) gears up to make a significant push this year towards the upper stratosphere of his weight class. Johnson will lock horns with Willie Fortune (15-0, 7 KOs) — a dangerous prospect in his own right — in the co-main event of ShoBox: The New Generation on a card being televised live from the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California. The event is scheduled live on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) this Friday, Feb. 22. The Johnson-Fortune scheduled eight-rounder will open up the telecast.

Johnson is from Nassau, Bahamas, although he is currently training in Annapolis, Md., with his trainer Tyrone Jones. As a decorated amateur, Johnson was part of the 2008 Bahamas Olympic Team and was a standout, catching the eye of many boxing insiders for his performances in the Beijing Olympics. He is a connoisseur when it comes to training, obtaining world experience by working alongside the Cuban National Team for the eight years while he lived in Cuba before his own venture into the Olympic ranks.

Johnson isn’t just another finally tuned Olympian turned professional hopeful. While he does possess remarkable skills, he is highly touted for the nature of his fighting style and has even drawn comparisons to Arturo Gatti based on his ability to mix it up. The enthusiasm behind Johnson is not only felt from the fan’s perspective, but also from that of his boxing peers, many of whom credit Johnson with being capable of physically dominating a fighter while simultaneously providing onlookers with the kind of show that is hard to shake from the memory bank. While that can be a dangerous attribute, Johnson is clear on the fact that he has developed a process that works for him and he insists that he would never intentionally put himself in harm’s way if it meant costing himself the victory.

“I’m trying to bridge the gap between fighter and entertainer, but I’m more concerned with doing the entertaining with my fists,” Johnson said. “There is nothing that I enjoy more than going out there and mixing it up with my opponent. I welcome exchanges because I’m not afraid to get hit, just don’t get upset when I hit you back.

“A lot of guys are fast, strong, or athletic, but I’d say my best attribute is the way I’m able to feel out my opponent on the spot. This lets me know what I can do and what I can’t do against a guy, and my opponent can’t ever know for sure how he’s going to get beat. But they will know without a doubt that they’ll be in a fight. That is something they can count on. You listening, Willie?”

It’s apparent after watching Johnson that he possesses a sophisticated outlook on performing and when you couple that with his charismatic brand of fighting you become aware of his potential to rise up the rankings quickly. This is something that Johnson is looking to accomplish and with every fight he gets closer to his ultimate goal. In this fight with Fortune, he is making the transition from six rounds to eight and he is doing it against an undefeated fighter. Fighting an eight-rounder for the first time is a big step, but the obstacle is magnified when you take into account Johnson is doing it against a significant step up in competition on a major network like SHOWTIME, proving he is eager to further his career.

“I don’t want to just make a splash, I want to create a tsunami. I’m anxious to get to the next level, but I’m not looking past my opponent and I’m going to keep serving up the beatings as long as they keep serving me up the opponents,” Johnson said. “Being on SHOWTIME is a great opportunity and it’s reassuring that a great performance won’t be lost on a television audience. I have to do something special so that the fans remember me and so that SHOWTIME will be in a hurry to have me back. I fight for my country, the Bahamas, and carry the weight of the entire Caribbean islands on my back. I’m fighting in the U.S. to become a world champion.”

His promoter, Gary Shaw, is confident that his fighter has the goods, but he’s happy to see a fighter at such an early stage in his career with the mindset of Johnson, a fighter who knows it is equally important to produce quality performances.

“It isn’t enough to just go out there and fight, you have to know how to make fights and Johnson has figured that out,” Shaw said. “He doesn’t just want to win the fight, he wants to win over the fans at the same time. It’s rare to come across a fighter that is willing to earn his check by earning the fans respect, but that is exactly what Johnson is looking to accomplish.”

Tickets priced $35 and $55 are on sale at the Morongo Casino Box Office or by calling the Box Office hotline at (951) 755-5391. They are also available by calling Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com. Doors open on fight night at 5 p.m. The first fight starts at 5:30 p.m.

The Morongo Casino Resort and Spa is located at 49500 Seminole Dr., Cabazon, Calif., 92230.

NEW YORK (February 19, 2013) – The next wave of standout New England boxers, headed by undefeated prospects Ryan “Polish Prince” Kielczweski (15-0, 3 KOs) and Luis “KO King” Rosa Jr. (12-0, 6 KOs), will showcase their talents on March 1, on the undercard of the ESPN Friday Night Fights event, airing live from the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

The ESPN Friday Night Fights card, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions, will air live at 9 p.m. ET. The 12-round main event features International Boxing Federation (IBF) Featherweight Champion Billy “The Kid” Dib (35-1-0-1NC, 21 KOs), who is promoted by 50 Cent, defending his title against undefeated Russian challenger and IBF No. 11-rated Evgeny Gradovich (15-0, 8 KOs).

In the 10-round ESPN FNF co-feature, North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super welterweight champion Willie “The Great” Nelson (19-1-1, 11 KOs) makes his first title defense against Michael “El Magnifico” Medina (26-3-2, 19 KOs). The Nelson-Medina fight is being promoted in association with Rumble Time Promotions.

Kielczweski, fighting out of Quincy (Mass.), and New Haven’s (Conn.) Rosa are both scheduled to fight in eight-round fights against opponents to be determined. They are following in the footsteps of another New Englander and DiBella stable-mate, Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez, of Worcester (Mass.), one of the top super middleweights in the world.In fact, they’ve fought on several cards headlined by “La Bomba” and each hope that another impressive performance will help to elevate them to heights reached by Rodriguez, now a championship-caliber, top-rated contender.

The angelic-looking Kielczweski has a crowd-pleasing style and proudly wears his red-and-white Polish colors in the ring for his growing legion of fans. The flashy 23-year-old junior lightweight has boxed since the age of six. He accumulated an amateur record of 118-26, highlighted by his runner-up finish in the 2008 National Golden Gloves Tournament. A merchandiser for Polar Beverages, as well as a carpenter, Ryan trains at the Cyr-Farrell Boxing Gym in Quincy.

The 21-year-old Rosa is trained by his father Luis Rosa Sr., in New Haven, alongside current world light heavyweight champion “Bad” Chad Dawson. A 2007 National PAL Tournament amateur champion, “KO King” also won a silver medal at the Ringside World Championships and was a member of the 2009-2010 US Boxing Team. The compact, well-rounded super bantamweight is a consummate boxer.

Another popular New Englander on the March 1 card in a female six-round match is New London’s (Conn.) unbeaten Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent (7-0), who is trained by Peter Manfredo Sr. in Rhode Island. The popular junior featherweight is coming off of her best performance, a win by six-round decision over Nydia Feliciano in January.

A former Southern Connecticut State College football player, junior middleweight Jimmy Williams (1-0, 1 KO), is also slated to fight in a four-round bout. The New Jersey transplant lives in New Haven.

The full undercard will soon be announced.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $75 and $40, may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office.

February 19, 2013 – No one is exactly sure what will happen when undefeated heavyweight prospects Malik “King” Scott and Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov clash in the 10-round main event at The Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY. Both fighters will bring their spotless records and polar opposite styles into the ring with them, but until they actually start trading punches, all we can do is speculate on the outcome. However one thing is certain, after 10 rounds (or less), our answers will come on the next edition of Fight Night on NBC Sports Network, on Saturday, February 23rd, telecast begins at 10:30pm ET.

Malik Scott, 35-0, 12 KOs, is an enigma. Even after 12 years as a pro and nothing but victories, no one seems to know exactly how good he really is. Scott is fast and rangy and likes to move around the ring keeping opponents at the end of his jab. He’s danced circles around almost everyone he’s faced, but has he really been tested yet?

Czar Glazkov, 14-0, 10 KOs, is a hard-punching, forward-moving, destroyer who’s stopped four of his last five opponents. In his last and most impressive KO just two months ago, Czar displayed a vicious body attack that forced highly touted Tor Hamer to quit on his stool after four rounds. The bout was televised nationally and introduced Czar to boxing fans across the USA. He appeared to have the goods, but for most watching , it was their first time seeing him. So can Czar impress fans again or was Hamer tailor-made for him?

In a “Boxer vs. Puncher” matchup like this one, anything can happen. Will Scott’s movement neutralize Czar’s power? Can Czar chase Scott down and bring the fight into the trenches where his power can make something happen?

Just because both fighters are undefeated it doesn’t mean they are unbeatable. The interesting thing about undefeated records is seeing how long they hold up. Both Glazkov and Scott will be holding tight to their record, but one of them will have to let go.

If either fighter falters badly in the bout, their reputation and upward movement in the ratings, will be ruined. Glazkov needs this win to prove his showing against Hamer was no fluke, while Scott needs to finally show the boxing world that he is for real.

Two careers are on the line, but only one of these fighters can come away with their future intact. With all of these factors in play and all of these questions begging to be answered, Glazkov vs. Scott is a fight that can’t be missed. After all the wins, hype, and expectations, only one fighter will step up and prove that he is ready for bigger and better things.

ABOUT FEBRUARY 23 FIGHTS

The February 23rd card is promoted by Main Events, Star Boxing and Goossen Tutor. The main event featuring Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov vs. Malik Scott, and the co-feature, Chris Algieri vs. Jose “Mangu” Peralta, will be shown live on the NBC Sports Network Fight Night telecast which begins at 10:30 pm ET.

Seven bouts are planned for the February 23 card to be held at The Paramount, 370 New York Ave, Huntington, NY. Doors open at 6:30pm. First fight is at 7:30pm.

Tickets priced at $200, $150, $125 $100 and $50 (standing room) can be purchased through Star Boxing 718-823-2000, www.starboxing.com, Paramount Box office 631-673-7300, Ticketmaster 1-800-745-3000 or www.Ticketmaster.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA INFO

NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT

Twitter: #FightNight

Twitter: @main_events @NBCSN

Facebook:facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing facebook.com/NBCSports

To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here: http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

Tweet the link to NBC Sports Network Fight Night channel finder: bit.ly/175UuU

NBC SPORTS GROUP

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/

Tweets by NBCSN

@NBCSports

@NBCSN

#FightNight

MAIN EVENTS

http://www.mainevents.com/

@Main_Events

http://www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing

STAR BOXING

www.StarBoxing.com

@StarBoxing

http://www.facebook.com/StarBoxing

GOOSSEN TUTOR

http://goossentutor.com

@GoossenTutor

http://www.facebook.com/goossentutor

THE PARAMOUNT

http://paramountny.com

@The ParamountNY

On Friday, March 8, 2013, promoter Sampson Lewkowicz and Sampson Boxing will proudly present “Friday Night Fights” in the Superstar Theater at the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, an evening of world-class professional boxing that will also be televised on the popular professional boxing series ESPN’s Friday Night Fights (10 PM Eastern on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, online through WatchESPN.com, and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app.)

In the night’s 10-round light-welterweight main event, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic’s long-time top contender Victor “Mermelada” Cayo (31-3, 22 KOs) will face once-beaten Maryland product Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor (16-1, 11 KOs).

In the 10-round, co-featured televised bout, a couple of very promising heavyweights will lock horns, as undefeated Russian powerhouse Magomed “Mago” Abdusalamov (16-0, 16 KOs) defends his WBC United States (USNBC) heavyweight title against once-beaten former Puerto Rican Olympian Victor Bisbal (21-1, 15 KOs).

Cayo, once rated as high as #3 in the world, will be looking to continue his comeback against the formidable Taylor. The 28-year-old Dominican Cayo has scored three big victories since dropping losing to world champion Lamont Peterson and former champion Nate Campbell.

22-year-old Taylor scored an eye-opening TKO 6 over highly regarded Raymond Serrano in his last fight and would love the career boost that would surely come from a win over Cayo.

Makhachkala, Russia’s 31-year-old Abdusalamov has distinguished himself as a top up-and-coming prospect in the big man’s division by beating such well-known names as long-time top contender Jameel “Big Time” McCline for the vacant WBC United States (USNBC) heavyweight title and well-thought-of contender Maurice Byarm, both by second-round TKO.

Ponce, Puerto Rico’s 31-year-old Bisbal competed as a Super heavyweight for Puerto Rico at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and reigned as Puerto Rican National Super Heavyweight Champion from 1999 to 2004. Although Bisbal scored a TKO 3 over former world champion Robert Daniels last year, Abdusalamov represents, by far, the biggest challenge of his career.

Headlining the undercard will be Virgin Islands-based “The Hawk Flock”, the sons and nephew of former world champion Julian “The Hawk” Jackson, each of whom is an up-and-coming contender in the respective divisions.

WBC Super Welterweight Youth World Champion John “Dah Rock” Jackson (14-1, 13 KOs), super middleweight contender Julius “The Chef” Jackson (14-0, 10 KOs) and junior middleweight contender Samuel “Rock City Cobra” Rogers (12-0, 7 KOs) will each make appearances.

Also scheduled to appear in separate bouts are local favorites such as Millville, New Jersey, light middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” Lamanna (10-0, 6 KOs), Brooklyn lightweight Scott “Bang Bang” Burrell (6-1, 5 KOs) and a special showcase featuring the son of former heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon, undefeated super middleweight Isiah Seldon (6-0, 3 KOs).

Tickets start at $40 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Resorts Casino Hotel box office on fight night.

The Resorts Casino Hotel is located at 1133 Boardwalk in Atlantic City. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 pm and the first bout is at 7:00. All bouts are subject to change. For more information, visit sampsonboxing.com or resortsac.com.

About Resorts Casino Hotel

Resorts Casino Hotel is a full destination resort located on the beach and Boardwalk in Atlantic City featuring more than 900 hotel rooms, six restaurants, nightlife, spa, health club and more. This spring, Resorts will debut the iconic Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville bringing a Margaritaville Restaurant, 5 O’Clock Somewhere Casino Bar, new themed gaming area, LandShark Bar & Grill – a year-round beach bar and more to Atlantic City. For more information follow us on Twitter, Facebook and visit our official Web site at www.resortsac.com.

SINGAPORE (Feb. 19, 2013) – Glory Sports International (GSI), the parent company of the world’s new premiere kickboxing league, announced today that it will bring it’s ROAD TO GLORY USA development fight series designed to identify America’s next great kickboxing superstars, to Capitale in New York, N.Y., on Friday, March 22.

The winner of the eight-man,! single-elimination welterweight (170 pounds/77 kilograms) tournament featuring a host of prolific, up-and-coming competitors, will be awarded a $20,000 grand prize and a multi-year contract with GLORY, home of the world’s elite kickboxing champions and superstars.

Tickets for the event are priced from $40 and can be purchased by phone at 516-458-4989. The tournament is being held as part of a kickboxing fight card being promoted by former world champion Louis Neglia.

“We are thrilled to bring our all-new ROAD TO GLORY development tournament series to fight fans in New York City, one of the world’s greatest sports and entertainment epicenters,” said GLORY CEO Andrew Whitaker.

“With the two ROAD TO GLORY tournaments we’ve held in the U.S. thus far,” continued Whitaker, “we’ve been able to discover treme! ndously bright and promising young kickboxers who could be developed to one day compete on GLORY’s championship stage, which is exactly what ROAD TO GLORY was created for. We are confident that we will continue to unearth all kinds of new talent across the country, beginning with the upcoming event in New York.”

Undefeated rising stars Ryan Parker (14-0, 3 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y. and Brett Hlavacek (6-0, 2 KOs) of New York will be joined in the tournament draw by KO artists Anthony Nieves (10-4, 8 KOs) of Atlanta, Ga. and Jeremy Carper (5-1, 5 KOs) of Martinsburg, W. Va., battle-tested star Tarek Rached (24-3, 11 KOs) of New York, road warrior Marcus Fisher (16-9, 3 KOs) of Pittsburg, Pa. and promising upstarts Eric Utsch (5-1, 1 KO) of Breinigsville, Pa. and Francois Ambang (6-2, 2 KOs) of Mechanicsville, Va.

Tae Kwon Do black belt and Muay Thai champion! Cyrus Washington (52-21-1, 48 KOs) of Macallen, Texas will square off with Chris Clodfelter (7-3-1, 3 KOs) of King, N.C. in a tournament “reserve” bout on the card. Should any of the tournament’s quarterfinal round fight winners be unable to return to the ring for semifinal round action due to injury sustained en route to victory, the winner of the matchup between Washington and Clodfelter will take the injured fighter’s place in the tournament.

A draw to determine the ROAD TO GLORY USA welterweight tournament’s quarterfinal round matchups will take place on a date and at a location to be announced soon.

Doors at Capitale will open for the event at 7 p.m. EST and the first preliminary bout begins at 8 p.m.

For more information, visit www.gloryworldseries.com.

About GLORY:

GLORY World Series (www.gloryworldseries.com) is the world’s new premier kickboxing league, producing live events across the globe and offering up to $2 million in prize money to the winners of one-night, 16-man ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments, which are open to only the best fighters in each of six different weight classes. The fight series also includes 8-man ‘Slam’ tournaments and events with traditional, single bouts.

With television deals spanning every continent, online live video streaming of all shows and the world’s largest online martial arts library, GLORY is one of the world’s most widely distributed sporting organizations.

Owned and operated by Glory Sports International (GSI), the organization has offices in the UK, Holland, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and soon in the USA. Its personnel include an unprecedented mix of accomplished entrepreneurs and senior level executives from the diverse worlds of finance, sport! s marketing, television and martial arts fighting.

In 2013, GLORY launched the ROAD TO GLORY tournament fight series to identify and develop new kickboxing talent in The United States, Japan and elsewhere around the globe into future champions and superstars of the sport.

MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 19, 2013) – Bone marrow donated from a total stranger saved Robert Guerrero’s wife. Now the grateful world champion boxer is joining Be The Match® in the fight to make life-saving marrow transplants available for every blood cancer patient who needs one.

Guerrero will serve as an “Ambassador of Hope” for Be The Match, a nonprofit organization that connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant.

“My wife Casey had leukemia and she’s alive today because she received bone marrow from a donor we found through Be The Match,” Guerrero said. “I want to do everything in my power to help Be The Match bring that gift of life to as many other blood cancer patients as I can.”

Thousands of patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases depend on the Be The Match Registry®, the world’s largest and most diverse listing of potential bone marrow donors and donated umbilical cord blood units, to find a matched donor.

“My message is simple: Join the Be The Match Registry. You could be someone’s cure,” Guerrero said. “It just takes a few minutes to join the registry, and you could be called to save someone’s life.”

Guerrero, 29, a native of Gilroy, Calif., has won six world titles in four divisions. He is a rising star in the boxing world -earning the nickname “The Ghost” for his elusive style in the ring.

“We’re thrilled to have Robert Guerrero in our corner as we take on leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers,” said Jeffrey W. Chell, M.D., chief executive officer of Be The Match. “He and his family know from experience that when people join the Be The Match Registry, they can literally save someone’s life.”

In 2007, Guerrero faced his most challenging bout outside the ring. The boxer’s wife, Casey Guerrero, was diagnosed with leukemia. Guerrero put his career on hold, vacating a world title to help care for his wife. Casey relapsed three times before she found a matching bone marrow donor. She underwent a successful marrow transplant in 2010. Doctors have declared her cancer free and she is doing well.

Guerrero and his wife are working to raise awareness about the importance of the registry by teaming up with Be The Match on a public awareness campaign in 2013 that will urge young people, especially those with diverse racial or ethnic heritage, to join the Be The Match Registry.

The organization is appealing to younger people because transplant patients who receive marrow from younger donors tend to have better outcomes. Also, since patients in need of a marrow transplant are more likely to find a match from someone of the same racial or ethnic background, increasing the racial diversity of the registry will help save even more lives.

Those interested in joining the registry can join online at BeTheMatch.org. It costs about $100 to add a new member to the Be The Match Registry and Guerrero is encouraging people to get involved in any way they can. In addition to joining the registry, people can spread the word or make a financial contribution to Be The Match to grow the registry, support research and deliver tangible relief to families struggling with uninsured transplant costs.

About Be The Match®

For people with life-threatening blood cancers-like leukemia and lymphoma-or other diseases, a cure exists. Be The Match connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. People can be someone’s cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry®, financial contributor or volunteer. Be The Match provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant. Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.

Facts About Blood Cancer & Marrow Donations

Every year, more than 10,000 patients are diagnosed with life-threatening diseases-such as leukemia and lymphoma-for which a marrow or cord blood transplant from an unrelated donor may be their best or only hope of a cure.
Every four minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
70 percent of all patients who need a transplant do not have a matched donor in their family. They depend on the Be The Match Registry to find an unrelated donor or cord blood unit.

After a short break on his first professional loss to Chris Eubank Jnr, Stranraer Middleweight Paul Allison is determined to capture his first professional title as he headlines an eleven fight card on Glasgow’s Gary McCallum on March 8th at Ravenscraig Sports Facility in Motherwell.

Reflecting on his last bout the part time tattoo artist said “I felt the fight was stopped premature, however since I got the nod for the fight with Gary McCallum, I have been in the gym working hard and improving my power and technique.

“This is my first ten round fight and my first title fight, I am not just fighting for my pride I am fighting to bring the Scottish Championship belt back to Stranraer so they can share in my success.

I have had a good camp so far, but in the last few weeks (in the run up to March 8th) I am taking myself away to a secret training camp so I can focus my training and my sparring, and for the first time in my pro career I am seeking the help of a dietician to make sure I give 100% on March 8th”

He adds “While I will be away from my family and friends, the sacrifice will be worth it when the referee lifts my hand on March 8th !Being away will let me focus more on my fight as I will be away from any distractions.

“I can promise the people who come to see the fight a good, entertaining bout. I am not going there to lose or make the numbers up. It should be a good night and with another ten fights on the card it will definitely give my fans value for money.

Paul Allison (5-1-1) fights on March 8th at Ravenscraig Sports Facility, Motherwell in a ten round fight against Glasgows Gary McCallum (8-0) for the vacant Scottish Middleweight Title. With a ten fight under card, tickets are priced at £30 and £40 and avail by calling 07709812220 or the Millennium Amateur Boxing club, 75 George Street, Stranraer or by calling 01776707457 / 01776707676

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, potentially the biggest bout in Canadian boxing history between former world champions Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute has been agreed to.

“Bute and Pascal are going to fight each other, it’s just when we don’t know,” Yvon Michel, Pascal’s promoter, told ESPN.com on Monday. “We are working on different scenarios.”

The likely scenario is that they will meet in the spring, probably May 25. A less likely scenario is that they would meet in the fall with each having an interim bout. Either way, Bute would rise in weight from 168 pounds to 175 to fight in Pascal’s division, Michel said.

“I have already had phone calls from the Bell Centre, from Olympic Stadium and a football stadium in Quebec City,” Michel said. “It’s the biggest ever fight in Canada.”

Said Buter’s promoter Interbox CEO Jean Bedard: “Everybody here [in Canada] has wanted the fight for a long time. It will be the biggest event in boxing history in Canada.”

The reason the deal comes as such a surprise, however, is the timing. Pascal has had a deal in place, although not signed, to face light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson on May 25 on HBO in a rematch at the Bell Centre. The fight was originally scheduled for March 9 but postponed because Pascal re-injured his shoulder in a unanimous 10-round decision win against Aleksy Kuziemski on Dec. 14 and needed additional time to recover.

Michel said Pascal’s interim bout before facing Bute could be the rematch with Dawson, but he was not very convincing. It would be a big gamble to take with the Bute fight looming.

“This is what we haven’t decided yet. This is what we are evaluating right now,” Michel said of whether to fight Bute or Dawson next. “But Pascal will make $700,000 to fight Dawson. He will make more than $2 million fighting Bute.”

“There’s a lot of interest from people in Canada and outside of Canada for this fight,” Bedard said. “HBO already planned for Pascal-Dawson II, so this is an issue for them, but it’s their decision. They say that have already planned to work with [Dawson promoter] Gary Shaw and Yvon.

“But Pascal wants to fight Bute more than Dawson and there is a lot more money for him in the fight. HBO likes to be part of very big events. May 25 would be a big event because HBO has [the Mikkel Kessler-Froch super middleweight title rematch] in London and after that (on the same telecast) you could have Pascal-Bute. That’s big. The boxers are there, the promoters are there, the fans are there for this fight. Everybody is on the same page.”

Shaw is not happy about Pascal-Bute likely killing the May Pascal-Dawson rematch.

“I met with Yvon this week in New York, where he told me that Bedard had offered him a fight with Bute and he would put Dawson on the undercard, give him $600,000 and we could bring our own opponent. I told him, I would never do that to my fighter or HBO,” Shaw said. “We finished lunch, I asked, ‘Do we still have a fight,’ and Yvon said, ‘Yes,’ and shook my hand, and said, ‘We have a deal.’

“That is everything I know. Yvon has always been honest and I would be very disappointed to find out that Yvon has done anything underhanded. But remember, this is boxing, and stranger things have happened.”

February 18, 2013 – With less than one week remaining before the undefeated heavyweight showdown between Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov, 14-0, 10 KOs, and Malik Scott, 35-0, 12 KOs, legendary trainer Don Turner weighed in with his opinion on Glazkov, the hard-hitting Ukraine boxer he has been working with to prepare for this fight. Turner, who’s worked with top-flight fighters like Evander Holyfield, Larry Holmes, and numerous other world champions, serves as a “training supervisor” for Glazkov.

“Czar has a great work ethic,” Turner said. “He’s very manageable, and unlike most of the fighters out there today, he doesn’t think he knows everything. He’s willing to work at his craft, unlike most heavyweights these days.”

Glazkov impressed in his last outing by stopping well-respected Tor Hamer after four rounds on December 22nd. The big victory was broadcast on national television, and served well as a coming out party for Czar. The fight with Scott, a 10-round main event on the NBC Sports Network Fight Night series on February 23rd, figures to give the 28 year old boxer another big stage to display his skills. The Fight Night telecast will begin at 10:30PM ET.

“He’s been in the gym since he was 10 years old,” Turner said. “He’s confident of what he can do, and his trainer, Eduardo Menshekov, is probably one of the best conditioners out there. So we know he’s always in shape. But the best thing about Glazkov is that he’s not afraid. He’s not going to run when he gets hit. He’s going to fight. This is where the great ones shine. They don’t back down when they get hit, and Czar has that quality. I think he can bring the whole package to the table.”

The fight with Scott is expected to be “Boxer vs. Puncher”, with Scott bringing the movement and Glazkov providing the power. With both fighters defending their undefeated records, the fight could turn into a bitter battle between the two. The old saying, “Somebody’s “O” has got to go”, definitely applies to this fight, but Don Turner is certain he knows which “O” will remain intact.

“The first time Scott gets hit, he’s going to need a track coach,” Turner said. “Czar will knock him silly. If Czar is the fighter I think he is, he’ll go hard and win this fight.”

And after that?

“I wouldn’t be averse to putting him in with any of these guys out there,” Turner said. “Czar wants to fight and he wants to be a champion.”

ABOUT FEBRUARY 23 FIGHTS

The February 23rd card is promoted by Main Events, Star Boxing and Goossen Tutor. The main event featuring Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov vs. Malik Scott, and the co-feature, Chris Algieri vs. Jose “Mangu” Peralta, will be shown live on the NBC Sports Network Fight Night telecast which begins at 10:30 pm ET.

Seven bouts are planned for the February 23 card to be held at The Paramount, 370 New York Ave, Huntington, NY. Doors open at 6:30pm. First fight is at 7:30pm.

Tickets priced at $200, $150, $125 $100 and $50 (standing room) can be purchased through Star Boxing 718-823-2000, www.starboxing.com, Paramount Box office 631-673-7300, Ticketmaster 1-800-745-3000 or www.Ticketmaster.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA INFO

NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT

Twitter: #FightNight

Twitter: @main_events @NBCSN

Facebook:facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing facebook.com/NBCSports

To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here: http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

Tweet the link to NBC Sports Network Fight Night channel finder: bit.ly/175UuU

NBC SPORTS GROUP

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/

Tweets by NBCSN

@NBCSports

@NBCSN

#FightNight

MAIN EVENTS

http://www.mainevents.com/

@Main_Events

http://www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing

STAR BOXING

www.StarBoxing.com

@StarBoxing

http://www.facebook.com/StarBoxing

GOOSSEN TUTOR

http://goossentutor.com

@GoossenTutor

http://www.facebook.com/goossentutor

THE PARAMOUNT

http://paramountny.com

@The ParamountNY

Tacoma, WA (February 17, 2013) – Halquist Productions’ CageSport XXIII featured a combo of highly anticipated debuts along with co-main events that displayed the best cage fighters in the Northwest. The Emerald Queen Casino had a full house on hand as tickets were sold out a week in advance leading to a release of 100 standing room only tickets Saturday morning that were quickly snatched up.

The event featured nine fights throughout the night and local fight fans came away pleased with the results as western Washington residents, Drew Brokenshire and Brent Knopp left the showroom as CageSport champions.

The first co-main of the night featured Brent “Mankill” Knopp (3-0) pitted up against Oregon’s Darrio Mobley (2-2) in a showdown for the CageSport Middleweight Title. Numerous fans throughout the showroom could be seen wearing their “Mankill” T-shirts as they showed their support for Knopp and his training facility, AMC Pankration. Knopp and Mobley previously fought each other at CageSport XX, which resulted in a comeback 2nd round TKO victory for Knopp.

The two middleweights featured lots of power in their rematch as Knopp put constant pressure on Mobley from the opening bell. Midway through the 1st, Mankill fans were holding their breath as Knopp was put in a deep rear naked choke that looked like it had the potential to end the fight. Knopp was able to escape and immediately continued to press and landed a hard jab that knocked Mobley down leading to a merciless ground and pound session that caused the referee to stop the fight 4:14 into the 1st round. The victory kept Knopp’s record flawless, improving to 4-0 while becoming the new CageSport Middleweight Champion.

In the last fight of the night and 2nd of the co-main events, Parkland, WA’s Drew “The Eternal Fire” Brokenshire and Enoch “the animal” Wilson put on the fight of the night as it turned out to be a back and forth war for the CageSport Featherweight Title that had the Emerald Queen Casino Showroom buzzing with energy. Through three rounds, Brokenshire landed many impactful knees that fazed Wilson enough to put him on the ground multiple times. Wilson came out with lots of power and was able to lift and slam Brokenshire to the canvas to gain advantage on the ground in the battle for position. Moments after the bell for the 4th round, Wilson blocked a kick with his right hand, which aggravated a previous injury and had to stop the fight. The referee signaled for a stoppage leading to Brokenshire retaining his Featherweight Title for the first time and a thrilled showroom as he brought 150 plus fans to the event.

“It sucks we had to end the fight prematurely,” said Brokenshire, after the fight. “Hopefully Enoch heals up swiftly. He is a stand-up guy and it was an honor to face him.”

Other results include: Paul Njoku def. Chris Roman (UD), Harrison Bevens def. Charon Spain (UD), Thea Wolfe def. Sarah Lagerstrom (UD), Eric Ramsey def. Michael Ross (UD), Chaz Jordan def. Freddie Baumann (2nd RD KO), Alfonso Gonzales def. Steve Simpson (1st RD TKO), and Aaron Martin def. Daniel Atnip (UD).

Halquist Productions continues to be the premier boxing and MMA promoter in the Northwest as CageSport is still the only all pro show in the region. Many fighters have come through CageSport on their way to the UFC, Bellator, and StrikeForce. Tickets for CageSport XXIV are available now and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Emerald Queen Casino. For more information on CageSport XXIII and all other Halquist Production events, please visit www.halquistproductions.com

TOTOWA, NJ – February 17, 2013 – Tonight a new NBC Sports Network Fight Night Future Stars show will debut at 11:00PM ET. This one hour show will feature the 8 round super middleweight battle between Marcus Upshaw of Jacksonville, FL, and Providence, RI’s Vladine Biosse which took place on the January 19th Fight Night undercard at Mohegan Sun.

Boxing fans get the chance to see up-and-coming talent through the ‘Fight Night Future Stars’ telecasts. The shows highlight the performances of developing undercard fighters on the main Fight Night cards.

Upcoming Airings of Fight Night Future Stars (all times ET)

February 17 – 5:30 PM
February 17 – 11:00 PM
February 18 – 9:00 PM
February 18 – 10:00 PM
March 10 – 11:00 PM
March 17 – 4:00 PM
March 24 – 2:00 AM

To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here: http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

Tweet the link to NBC Sports Network Fight Night channel finder: bit.ly/175UuU

UNDER CARD

Chris Roman (1-1) vs. Paul Njoku (1-0)

Paul Njoku def. Chris Roman UD (29-28) (30-27) (30-27)

Harrison Bevens (5-1) vs. Charon Spain (11-15)

Harrison Bevens def. Charon Spain UD (29-28) (30-27) (30-26)

Thea Wolfe (debut) vs. Sarah Lagerstrom (debut)

Thea Wolfe def. Sarah Lagerstrom UD (30-27) (30-27) (30-27)

Michael Ross (debut) vs. Eric Ramsey (debut)

Eric Ramsey def. Eric Ramsey UD (29-28) (29-28) (30-27)

Freddie Baumann (0-1) vs. Chaz Jordan (debut)

Chaz Jordan def. Freddie Baumann KO 0:10 Round 2

Alfonso Gonzales (debut) vs. Steve Simpson (debut)

Alfonso Gonzales def. Steve Simpson TKO (punches) 2:02 Round 1

Aaron Martin (debut) vs. Daniel Atnip (0-1)

Aaron Martin def. Daniel Atnip UD (30-27) (30-27) (30-27)

CO MAIN EVENT: CageSport Middleweight Title

Brent Knopp (3-0) vs. Darrio Mobley (2-2)

Brent Knopp def. Darrio Mobley TKO(punches) 4:14 Round 1

CO MAIN EVENT: CageSport Featherweight Title

Drew Brokenshire (8-3) vs. Enoch Wilson (16-8-2)

Drew Brokenshire vs. Enoch Wilson TKO (injur y tap) 0:42 Round 4

LAS VEGAS (February 16) – Tickets for the WBA Lightweight World Championship between Richar Abril and Sharif “The Lion” Bogere taking place on Saturday, March 2 at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas live on SHOWTIME
go on sale tomorrow, Sunday, February 17 at noon PT.

Unbeaten featherweight phenom Gary Russell Jr. will face Russia’s Vyacheslav Gusev in the 10-round co-featured featherweight bout which will also be televised live on SHOWTIME.

Tickets priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, along with a limited number of VIP suite seats priced at $125, go on sale Sunday, February 17 at noon PT and will be available for purchase at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Abril vs.Bogere, a 12-round fight for the vacant WBA Lightweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, March 2 at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Corona and will be televised live on SHOWTIME telecast beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with preliminary fights to air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The co-main event will be a 10-round featherweight bout between undefeated phenom Gary Russell Jr. and Russia’s Vyacheslav Gusev.

Last night, promoter Bobby Hitz and Hitz Boxing held another of their popular “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” events at The Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, and the action did not disappoint.

In the night’s main-event rematch, Chicago middleweight Donatas Bondorovas (17-3-1, 6 KOs) removed any doubts of his superiority over “King” David Thomas (10-4-2, 8 KOs), and in turn won the UBF Middleweight title, with a TKO 2 (2:09). With a nearly helpless Thomas being battered against the ropes, Referee Curt Spivey decided he’d seen enough and waved it off.

Promising Chicago cruiserweight slugger Dimar “Strongman” Ortuz (8-0, 5 KOs) scored a harder-than-expected six-round unanimous (59-55 X 3) decision over Memphis, Tennessee, journeyman Grover “The Cobra” Young (7-9-1, 4 KOs). Young enjoyed some success forcing Ortuz to box, while Ortuz showed surprisingly good boxing skills.

Unbeaten Chicago prospect Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez (10-0, 7 KOs) put a beating on tough veteran Michael Walker (19-18-3, 12 KOs), landing uppercuts and body shots almost at will. Walker’s corner had seen enough of the carnage and instructed the referee to wave it off at 1:30 of the second round.

Heavyweight slugger David Martin III (7-0-1, 5 KOs, 224 lbs.) of Hammond, Indiana, scored a six-round unanimous (59-55, 59-55, 58-56) over Chicago’s Felix Abner (3-3, 2 KOs). It was bombs away early for Martin, who then tired and had to fight his way out of a few sticky situations. In the end, he landed the more effective blows in an entertaining fight.

Bantamweight Johnny “Wite Boi” Determan moved his record to 6-0, 5 KOs with a sensational first-round knockout over Indiana’s Guadalupe Bueno (0-2). A perfect right knocked Bueno cold at 2:59 of round one.

North Barrington, Illinois’ “Irish” Jimmy Murphy continued his short but exciting pro career with a thrilling KO 1 over Lansing, Michigan’s Adam Alvarez. Both men were down in a seesaw battle, but it was Murphy who had the last word putting Alvarez down and out with a straight left at 1:24.

Chicago welterweight Nick Ramirez (1-0-1) got into the win column for the first time with an injury-tarnished TKO victory over Plainfield, Illinois’ Tremaine Pride (1-0). A good-action scrap was ruined when Pride’s shoulder came dislocated, forcing him to stop.

Former amateur standout turned bantamweight prospect Adan Ortiz (6-0, 5 KOs) of Sterling, Illinois, scored a scary knockout over’s journeyman LeShaun Blair. A volley of punches to head and body, punctuated by a left hook, ended things at 1:15 of round one.

Lightweight Russell Fiore (7-2-1, 6 KOs) of Chicago scored a “closer than the scorecards” unanimous four-round decision over Rockford, Illinois’ Anthony Linsenfelser (3-4, 3 KOs). Fiore managed to close the distance more often and more effectively against the always-game Linenfelser.

UNCASVILLE, CT (February 16, 2013) In front of a packed electric crowd, former world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez put the deeply talented junior middleweight division on notice Friday night with a dominating performance over game George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah culminating in a sixth round stoppage.

Fighting in front of a packed house of loud and proud boxing fans at the Mohegan Sun and broadcast live on ESPN Friday Night Fights, Rodriguez sixteenth appearance on the iconic series, the scheduled ten rounder was all in the Danbury, Connecticut native’s hands as he blistered the brave but outgunned Tahdooahnippah with power shots from the opening bell utilizing pinpoint precision with either hand.

After five plus rounds of Rodriguez’s continuous assault, referee Eddie Cotton called a stoppage at the 2:41 mark of the sixth round stanza.

Now 27-6-1 (15KO’s), the 32-year-old Rodriguez’s win was confirmation for promoter Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing who is looking ahead to a big 2013 for the popular East Coast fighter.

Delvin really stepped it up and he showed the skills and fire of a man on a mission to create another title opportunity for himself he looked fantastic and a performance like this in front of a huge, supportive crowd shows me that the Delvin Rodriguez is a player again in the jr middleweight division, said DeGuardia.

“This win should put him on the fast track towards a bigger fight hopefully in the New England area.”

The always-classy Rodriguez spoke afterwards of his dedicating the fight to the Sandy Hook Elementary School of nearby Newtown, Connecticut and the meaning of the tragedy to the father of two children.

The loss was the first for Tahdooahnippah of Lawton, Oklahoma, moving his record to 30-1-1 (23KO’s). Tahdooahnippah showed tremendous heart which was appreciated by the numerous native Americans in attendance.

In the scheduled ten round televised co-main event, 24-year-old lightweight prospect Chris Howard drilled veteran Bayan Jargal to the canvas in the third round as referee Danny Schiavone called a halt to the action at the 1:46 mark of the stanza as the game Jargal beat the count but was in no shape to continue.

With the win, Cincinnati, Ohio native Howard improved to 15-2-1 (7KO’s) while Jargal of Arlington, Virginia fell to 17-4-3 (11KO’s).

Impressive junior middleweight newcomer Enver Halili of Bronx, New York dominated Hartford, Connecticut’s Antonio Marrero over four rounds to earn a shut out decision victory by scores of 40-36 X 3.

The 24-year-old Halili improves to 3-0-0 (1KO) while Marrero fell to 0-1-0 (1NC).

Star Boxing makes a very quick return with a terrific card next Saturday night, FEBRUARY 23 at The Paramount in Huntington, New York.

Featured on the NBC Sports Network’s acclaimed “FIGHT NIGHT” series is a sensational ten round welterweight clash between The Fighting Pride of Huntington, New York Chris Algieri and Jersey City’s Jose Peralta.

Also featured at The Paramount will be Long Island fan favorites’ Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin and Alan Gotay in separate bouts.

Tickets priced at $200, $150, $125 $100 and $50 (standing room) can be purchased through Star Boxing 718-823-200, www.starboxing.com, Paramount Box office 631-673-7300, Ticketmaster 1-800-745-3000 or www.Ticketmaster.com .

Doors on the night of the event will open at 6:30pm ET with the first bell at 7:30pm ET. The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue in Huntington, New York.

ABOUT STAR BOXING:

Star Boxing Inc. is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2012. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star 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.

Jonathan Romero scored twelve round split decision over Alejandro Lopez to capture the vacant IBF Super Bantamweight title in Tijuana, Mexico

It was a good action fight with Lopez being docked a point in round twelve from a low blow.

Scores were 116-111 and 115-112 for Romero, 122 lbs of Cali, COL and is now 23-0. Lopez, 122 lbs of Tijuana, MX won a card at 115-112 and is now 24-3.

Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. scored a second round stoppage over Hanzel Martinez in round two of a scheduled ten round fight featuring unbeaten Batamweights.

Gonzalez landed a hard left hook that dropped Martinez in the second frame. Martinez staggered to his feet and the fight was waved off at forty-one seconds of round two.

Gonzalez, 118 lbs of Guadalajara, MX is now 16-0-2 with 11 knockouts. Martinez, 118 lbs of Tijuana, MX is the broter in law of Antonio Margarito is now 19-1.

Dorely Valente and Mayela Perez battled to a ten round draw in a Female Flyweight bout.

Scores were 96-94 for Valente while that was over ruled by a pair of scores that read 95-95.

Valente is 8-0-2. Perez is 10-15-4.

Roberto Ortiz scored a six round technical majority decision over Fidel Monterrosa in a Welterweight bout scheduled for twelve rounds.

Monterossa was cut from an inadvertent elbow and Ortiz was docked a point in round two and that cut eventually led to the stoppage.

Ortiz, 146 lbs of Torreon, MX won by scores of 58-54, 58-54 and 56-56 and is now 28-0-1. Monterrosa, 145 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is now 29-7.

Joseph Aguirre, 131.8 lbs scored a four round unanimous decision over Israel Huerta in a four round Jr. Welterweight bout featuring pro debuters.