SAN ANTONIO, February 15 – Fight fans in San Antonio, Texas will be treated to an explosive night of boxing action featuring Texas’ top prospects on Saturday, March 2, when Weslaco’s Omar “Panterita” Figueroa steps into the ring for the first time in 2013 against Colombia’s Henry Aurad in the eight-round junior welterweight main event at the Our Lady of the Lake University Wellness & Activities Center (411 SW 24th Street, UWAC #112, San Antonio, TX, 78207) which will be televised on FOX Sports Networks, FOX Deportes and FUEL TV.

Plus, Houston’s undefeated prospect Jermall Charlo and 2012 United States Olympian Errol Spence Jr. of Desoto add even more Texas power to the card in separate televised undercard bouts.

Figueroa vs. Aurad is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija & Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. PT on fight night and the first bell rings at 7:00 p.m. PT. The FOX Sports Networks and FOX Deportes bi-lingual simulcast will air live at 10:00 p.m. ET/9:00 p.m. CT/7:00 p.m. PT. FUEL TV will rebroadcast the fight on May 12 at 12:00 p.m. ET/9:00 a.m. PT.

Tickets, priced at $125, $100, $75 and $20 are available for purchase by calling Leija & Battah Promotions at 210-979-3302 or through email at m@leijabattahpromo.com.

Rising star Omar Figueroa (19-0-1, 15 KO’s) of Weslaco, Texas made several end of year top prospect lists thanks to a 2102 that saw him go 6-0 with five knockouts including victories over quality competition such as Michael Perez, Ramon Ayala and Dominic Salcido. Eager to not just match, but surpass his efforts of last year, Figueroa will compete in his home state of Texas for the first time since June of 2011.

The power and crowd-pleasing style of Colombian veteran Henry Aurad (14-6-1, 11 KO’s) guarantees that he will be in every fight he agrees to and his bout with Figueroa should be no exception. The 28-year-old from Cartagena was in with tough completion in 2012, stepping through the ropes with former World Champion Julio Diaz and unbeaten Viktor Postol. On March 2 he will look to take the young Texas star into deep water.

Former amateur star Jermall Charlo (11-0, 7 KO’s) is beginning to make his presence felt in the professional game. After a strong finish to 2012 with a fourth round stoppage over Edgar Perez last December, the 22-year-old twin brother of top contender Jermell Charlo began 2013 with an equally promising start when he halted Josh Williams in five rounds on January 26. Now the Houston native returns to his home state to impress his local fans.

One of the most promising talents from the Olympic class of 2012, United States team member Errol Spence Jr. (3-0, 3 KO’s) has blasted through all three of his opponents since turning professional last November, knocking out Jonathan Garcia, Richard Andrews and Nathan Butcher. On March 2, the DeSoto, Texas prospect tries to make it four for four.

As has been consistent at all Leija & Battah Promotions events, San Antonio’s finest young prospects will also be showcased.

Featured on the undercard in separate six round bouts will be light heavyweight Emanuel Ledezma (11-1, 2 KO’s) and bantamweight Felipe Castaneda (7-4, 3 KO’s).

Rounding out the card in scheduled four round bouts are San Antonio’s junior welterweight Jairo Castaneda (1-0, 1 KO) and featherweight Joseph Rodriguez (1-0) along with middleweight Kenton Sippio-Cook, (1-0, 1 KO) of Austin, Texas and Kingsville, Texas bantamweight Oscar Cantu (3-0). Also fighting on the card will be Austin, Texas middleweight Kurtiss Colvin, (6-1, 5KO’s) in a scheduled four round fight.

Opponents for Charlo and Spence Jr. as well as the other undercard fighters will be announced shortly. For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com; follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/LeijaBattahPRwww.twitter.com/FutureOfBoxing, www.twitter.com/ErrolSpenceJr or visit on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page. For more information on FOX Deportes visit www.FOXDeportes.com, become a follower on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes or visit www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes on Facebook.

CO-MAIN EVENT: CageSport Featherweight Title

Drew Brokenshire – 144

Enoch Wilson – 145

CO-MAIN EVENT: CageSport Middleweight Title

Brent Knopp – 185

Darrio Mobley – 185

UNDERCARD

Harrison Bevens -156

Charon Spain – 154.5

Contract Weight: 155+1 Lbs.

Chaz Jordan – 170.5

Freddie Bauman – 168.5

Contract Weight: 170+1 Lbs.

Aaron Martin – 145

Daniel Atnip – 145.5

Contract Weight: 145+1 Lbs.

Thea Wolfe – 104

Sarah Lagerstrom – 106

Contract Weight: 105+1 Lbs.

Alphonso Gonzales – 186

Steve Simpson – 184.5

Contract Weight: 185+1 Lbs.

Eric Ramsey – 170.5

Michael Ross – 169

Contract Weight: 170+1 Lbs.

Paul Njoku – 146

Chris Roman – 150.5

Contract Weight: 150+1 Lbs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (February 15, 2013) –Pound-for-pound great and devastating featherweight (145 pounds) KO artist Cris Cyborg (10-1, 1 NC) of Curitiba, Brazil has signed a multi-fight agreement with women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion Invicta Fighting Cha! mpionships, it was announced tonight on “Inside MMA” on AXS TV.

Cyborg will make her Invicta FC debut against streaking submission ace and Unified Women’s Professional MMA Rankings world No. 2 featherweight Ediane “India” Gomes (10-2) of Coconut Creek, Fla. via Sao Paulo, Brazil at the promotion’s highly-anticipated, world championship doubleheader event at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City on Friday, April 5.

The winner of the matchup between Cyborg and Gomes will square off with world No. 1 ranked featherweight superstar Marloes Coenen at Invicta FC 6, on a date to be announced.

Gomes’ original Invicta FC 5 opponent, Julia “The Jewel” Budd (4-2) of Port Moody BC, Canada, will now face rising star Fiona Muxlow (6-2) of Townsville, Queensland Australia on the April 5 card.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cris Cyborg, arguably the top pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, to our rapidly growing roster of world-class athletes,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp. “Cris’ incredible performances in front of national TV audiences over the last few years have helped put women’s MMA on the radar of the masses and paved the way for others to establish themselves in the sport.”

The 27-year-old Cyborg is universally recognized as the most devastating striker in the women’s field of MMA fighters, pulverizing her way to 8 (T)KO victories since making her pro debut in 2005.

Cyborg took her career to new heights in a main event showdown with superstar rival Gina Carano on Aug. 15, 2009, quickly overwhelming and stopping Carano with a barrage of punches in the first round (4:59) of their meeting to become the first-ever Strikeforce women’s world champion in history. The long-awaited! fight set a new viewership record for MMA on premium cable channel SHOWTIME.

“I am excited to finally get back in the cage and to have the opportunity to fight for Invicta Fighting Championships, which has shown a tremendous amount of commitment to furthering the growth of women’s MMA,” said Cyborg. “I will be ready on April 5 for Ediane and I plan to dominate my competition as I’ve done in the past.”

Amongst the other top flight opponents Cyborg has conquered during her reign of terror are submission wizards Coenen, Shayna Baszler and Hitomi Akano.

Tickets for Invicta FC 5: Penne vs. Waterson go on sale soon.

In the main event, reigning Invicta FC Atomweight (105 pounds) Champion Jessica Penne (10-1, 1 NC) of Huntington Beach, Calif. will defend her crown against superstar Michelle! “The Karate Hottie” Waterson (10-3) of Albuquerque, N.M. and, in the co-main event and first-ever Invicta FC flyweight (125 pounds) title fight, submission ace Vanessa Porto (15-5) of Sao Paulo, Brazil will square off with red-hot star Barb Honchak (7-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa.

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.

In the wake of the meteor that exploded over Sergey Kovalev’s hometown of Chelyabinsk earlier this morning, many people have called or sent messages asking about the welfare of the boxer’s family. Sergey wanted to express his thanks for their concern and give an update.

“I was shocked to find out what happened last night in my home town Chelyabinsk, the news shook not just Russia, but the whole world,” said Sergey Kovalev. “I contacted my family and friends as soon I heard about it. Everyone was OK, just scared because they did not know what happened.”

Kovalev added, “In Ural mountain region we never have any kind of Mother Nature disasters, when the meteor shower started exploding in the sky and hit, the earth start shaking. My family said people got very scared and did not know what to do.”

“I am thankful no one was killed. I thank God my family and friends were safe. I am very sorry for the people in my home town who were injured and suffered distress from this natural disaster.” Kovalev added thanks, “I am grateful to all of the people who have contacted me and my promoters to express their concern.”

PATERSON, NJ – On the next NBC Sports Network Fight Night telecast, Saturday, February 23rd, the nationally televised co-feature is a critical 10-round matchup between two young fighters on the brink of a big boxing breakthrough. Dominican born but Jersey City based, Jose “Mangu” Peralta, 10-1, 6 KOs, enters the backyard of undefeated Chris Algieri, 15-0, 7 KOs, for a showdown of hot junior welterweight prospects at The Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY. the live telecast begins at 10:30PM ET.

“I have to fight him in his hometown,” Peralta said, “but I don’t worry about that because there are only two people in the ring – him and me. He’s going to enjoy the crowd, but I’m going to enjoy the “W”. I’m going to win the fight.”

In addition to the home field advantage, Algieri also brings edges in experience (4 bouts) and size (4 inches) into the fight. However, Peralta refuses to be concerned about such things, and insists that none of these on-paper advantages will help his opponent defeat him.

“Boxing is my life,” Peralta said. “It’s all I do. Boxing means everything to me. I don’t worry about his height. My sparring partners are the same height. I don’t pay attention to videos or the opponents he faced before. I’m ready to fight and I’ll be ready for business.”

The hard-working Peralta sees the nationally televised fight as his chance to get some attention and advance his career.

“I feel like this is my opportunity, my time to shine,” Peralta said. “It’s Mangu Time! I got no limits and I’m really prepared for this fight. Training camp went really well. I trained like never before in my life. I’m really excited and won’t let my people down.”

Peralta has won his last eight fights in a row, and if he can topple the highly regarded Algieri, Mangu may see some important doors open for him.

“I am ready to grab this win and then continue to train harder and harder,” Peralta said. “I’ll (eventually) be the best at 140 pounds. I have no limits. He’s never fought somebody like me. I’m too hungry. This is my opportunity, and I won’t let it go.”

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.

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LAS VEGAS, NEV. (February 15, 2013) — Top Rank and Zanfer Promotions announced the signing of undefeated Top-Five middleweight contender GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMÍREZ today.

Ramírez (24-0, 19 KOs), from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México, captured the World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth middleweight title in 2010 and has successfully defended it six times throughout his three-year reign. Currently world-rated No. 4 by the WBC and No. 6 by the World Boxing Association (WBA), Ramírez, 21, is a former Méxican Junior National Champion and a three-time National Méxican National Amateur Champion in the Elite Division.

“This is a huge signing for Top Rank and Zanfer and words cannot express how excited we are to be promoting him,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “The sky is the limit for Gilberto. I expect him to have a glorious reign as world champion.”

For information on Top Rank, go to http://www.toprank.com.

Atlantic City, NJ—Jamaal Davis, the hard-luck Philadelphian who never seems to win the big one, gets another chance Saturday evening, Feb. 23, when he boxes world-ranked middleweight Patrick Majewski in the scheduled 10-round main event at Bally’s Atlantic City.

Davis, 31, a pro for nine years, has boxed mostly as a junior middleweight, but he steps up to middleweight for this one.

The fight with Majewski marks the fifth time Davis has faced a world-rated opponent. He lost the previous four: Peter Quillen, of New York, Ossie Duran, of Paterson, NJ, Joel Julio, of Colombia, and Gabriel Rosado, of Philadelphia.

Trying to turn things around in 2012, Davis won his only two fights last year, a pair of eight-round decisions over Eberto Medina, of Newark, NJ, and Doel Carrasquillo, of Lancaster, PA. The win over Medina avenged a previous draw in 2011.

Overall, Davis is 14-8-1, 6 K0s. He is 2-2-1 at Bally’s.

“This is the one I have to win,” said Davis, who is self-managed and trained by Sharron Baker. “I’m at the point where I’ve gotta make something happen and I have no problem at 160 pounds. I’ve had plenty of time to get ready and I’m in good shape. If I beat Majewski, I can jump into the world rankings and make some noise. I’m not interested in being an opponent for the rest of my career. I see other guys stepping in and making money and that’s what I see in my future.”

Majewski, 33, of Somers Point, NJ, is ranked No. 9 in the world by the WBC, No. 15 by the WBO. He has won all of his previous five fights at Bally’s.

In his last fight Sept. 29, Majewski earned a unanimous 10-round decision over another Philadelphian, Latif Mundy, but suffered facial cuts which have kept him on the shelf.

Majewski is managed by Arnold Robbins and trained by Bill Johnson.

Light-heavyweight Chuck Mussachio, of Wildwood, NJ, opposes Lionel Thompson, of Buffalo, NY, in the eight-round semifinal.

ABOUT FEB. 23

The Majewski-Davis and Mussachio-Thompson fights top a seven-bout card at Bally’s Atlantic City. First fight is 7.30 pm. Tickets are priced at $50 and $75 and they are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000). Tickets also are on sale at www.peltzboxing.com and www.ticketmaster.com. www.gofightlive.tv will stream the card on the internet. The card is being promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with Global Boxing and Bally’s Atlantic City.

NEW YORK (Feb. 15, 2013) – So who’s going to win the eagerly awaited IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship fight between defending champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage (32-4, 19 KO’s) of Detroit and Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (24-5, 11 KO’s) of Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 23 in the main event live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit?

Neither undefeated WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout (26-0, 14 KO’s) nor three top-10 contenders in the 154-pound division, hard-hitting Alfred Angulo (22-2, 18 KO’s) unbeatens Jermell Charlo (20-0, 10 KO’s) and Carlos Molina (17-0-1, 7 KO’s), could predict a clear-cut winner, although they say the challenger may hold the slightest of edges.

What the four boxers agreed on, however, is that this is a compelling matchup that they definitely will be watching and that, most important of all, they want to fight the winner.

Below is what they said about the upcoming world title fight:

AUSTIN TROUT

“I think this is going to be a good ol’ fashioned brawl. Ishe has more technical skills than “K9,” but he still likes to bang it out. I really don’t know who to pick, but it will be a good fight between two guys who are both kind of inactive, up in age and evenly matched.

“I’ll be tuned in and watching, but I have no any personal interest in who wins. I respect both fighters, they are men of God.

“I’ll respect the winner even more if he’s willing to unify the belts. If one guy has an edge, I think it’s probably Ishe more than “K9.” But good luck to whoever wins, and let’s unify.”

ALFRED ANGULO

“I’ll be watching because these are two important fighters in my weight class in a world title fight. One of them holds the IBF title, and the other might be the new titleholder. The outcome could affect my career, so it’s important for me to watch this fight.

“As for picking a winner, I don’t have a preference either way. Both are talented, yet have contrasting and distinct styles. One is more of a technical fighter, the other is a brawler, so it should make for a very interesting fight.

“I think a lot will depend on Ishe’s condition and if he can handle the pressure because K9 throws punches with a lot of power and a lot of fighters can’t handle that.”

JERMELL CHARLO

“There will be a lot of competent fighters in this weight class who’ll have their eyes glued to the TV for this one. The main reason I’ll be watching is to see who will win. I’m anxious to see if Ishe actually made the changes to his style and, if so, if they made him better.

“I suppose I’m rooting for Ishe because “K9” turned me down for a fight before after I thought it was a 95 percent done deal. If he wins I’m pretty sure he’d turn me down again. Ishe is a guy with a lot of heart who comes to fight. Who knows that if he won the title that he would fight me, but I’d be willing.

“As for a flat-out prediction, I see it going either way, but have a feeling someone’s going to get caught with a good shot. At his age and the route he’s been going, I can see Bundrage winning if it goes the distance, but I see Ishe, who doesn’t get knocked out and is more of a boxer than “K9,” coming along. It’s very possible he can win by KO.

“My pick is Ishe by KO, but Bundrage if it goes the distance.”

CARLOS MOLINA

“I plan on attending the fight and look forward to watching. I’m the mandatory challenger in the IBF for whoever wins, so I’m hoping to be fighting the winner. Really, I just want my first world title shot. It’s what I’ve worked for my whole career.

“It doesn’t matter to me who wins as long as there’s no controversy. I wish them both the best. They’re both good people. Ishe said I deserve the title shot and he would fight me next if he wins; “K9” has not been as committal.

“Still, this is a tough fight to predict. Smith is a good boxer and I expect he’ll be boxing more and using his defense. “K9″ is a slugger whose style is to be aggressive, go right after Smith and try to land something early. If Ishe is more aggressive, he can win a decision.”

Bundrage vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for Bundrage’s IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, February 23 at the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, sponsored by Corona and MGM Grand Detroit and will be televised live on SHOWTIME beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale at the Masonic Temple box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

The historic Masonic Temple in downtown Detroit was dedicated on November 25, 1926. With 1,037 rooms and 550,000 square feet, and built to house numerous fraternal organizations, it is the largest structure of its kind in the world. This amazing Gothic building was constructed between 1920 and 1926 at a cost of $7 million. George Washington’s own working tools were used to spread the first mortar for the cornerstone. Washington, who was a Freemason used these same tools to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol building in Washington DC.

For information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, and www.themasonic.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/MayweatherPromo, www.twitter.com/K9Boxing, www.twitter.com/IsheSugarShay, www.twitter.com/JLeonLovewww.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #BundrageSmith or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

ADRIEN BRONER, WBC Lightweight World Champion

“It’s not a gimmick. It’s not fake. It’s not a game. I don’t put on a show for the cameras. You might take it as an act, but this is just me.

“Antonio DeMarco is a hell of a guy. He has a nice spirit. When we fought, there wasn’t any trash talking. This guy [Rees] comes in talking trash. People think that I’m playing [games], but I’m serious. I don’t know Gavin. I don’t even know his name. I don’t know if he’s playing. I just know I’m not.

“I don’t know this guy’s name, but he can probably tell you my middle name.

“I motivate myself. It doesn’t matter if I’m by myself or if there are 100 people around. I’m going to train my heart out.

“I’m always motivated and it isn’t about the money. I know that’s going to be there. I’m worried about my legacy. I want to be the best boxer ever. That’s why I do things that people haven’t done before.

“Watching tape is useless. You can watch me fight a million times and [when you get in the ring with me] you’ll say ‘He isn’t doing the things I saw before.’ When you’re looking over a fence, the grass looks green and when you get inside that fence, it’s brown as hell.

“Saturday night is going to be fun. I’ve been boxing for so long. I’ve seen so many styles. It takes me a round or two to adjust to a certain style. You never know what your opponent will bring to the table. People think I’m overlooking this guy, but I respect every boxer 110 percent.

“Everyone that’s fighting me knows what they are going up against. I’m the best boxer of this era.

“I’m a professional entertainer as well. I love to entertain. I love to put on a show. I’m a legal bank robber. The way I make these fights look, you don’t think I’m robbing a bank? It’s easy money.

“I know people don’t take me seriously sometimes. I was always told that if everybody likes you, then somebody’s lying. You’re going to have people that like you and some people that dislike you.

“I am going to do whatever I have to do to get the victory. I can take it to whatever level.

“If I have to take a shot to give three, I’ll do it. Name somebody who can hit me three times with a significant shot.”

GAVIN REES, Former World Champion

“I need to outwork him, out point him and make a big statement when I knock him out.

“It isn’t really personal. I’m quite calm and he disrespected me a little bit at the press conference. He [Broner] gave it to me and I gave it back to him a little bit. It’s just the type of character that he is.

“I want to give him [Broner] a smack in the mouth, but I’ll wait for Saturday night.

“We have fans coming over [from Wales]. By the end of the night, I think all of the fans will appreciate my skills and talent when I beat the next big thing in boxing.

“My dad worked in the mines when I was a young boy. He is a steal worker now. No one in my family is a boxer except for me.

“I lost six fights as an amateur. I turned pro at the age of 18, so I’ve lost seven fights in 23 years of boxing which isn’t too bad.

“Of course I’ve watched tapes of Broner. Some of his tactics he used against his opponents are baffling. He picked them apart. I’ll make sure there is movement in this fight and that he doesn’t have the opportunity to do to me what he did to them.

“He tries to get in your head and when DeMarco got in the ring, he lost his game plan.

“People keep asking me if he is the best guy I’ve ever fought. On paper he is, but we’ll determine that on Saturday night only after being the ring with him.”

NIKOLA SJEKLOCA, Undefeated Number One Rated Super Middleweight Contender

“I know that he [Bika] is very strong. I saw it online and on television. He can hit very hard. I don’t think he’s good technically.

“I think I have a lot of things to show [in the ring].

“My tactic is to box technically all the time.

“This is my first professional fight in the United States. I boxed in an amateur world championship fight in 1999.

“I only think about boxing. My expectations for this fight are huge.

“I watch tape. I’ve seen Sakio Bika fight. So has my coach. We have a game plan for him.”

SAKIO BIKA, Number Two Rated Super Middleweight Contender

“I have my new trainer, Kevin Cunningham. We’re working on different strategies. We’re working to beat this guy.

“I can win on a knockout to make people happy

“I have been boxing since I was seven or eight.

“For me, we learned a lot from that fight [against Jean Mendy in 2010]. That was the past and this is the present. Every single day you learn.

“I don’t want to do anything too crazy or rushed in this fight. I want to take my time.

“Everything we are working on, we need to bring it on Saturday night.”

# # #

Broner vs. Rees, a 12-round fight for Broner’s WBC Lightweight World Championship will take place Saturday, February 16 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, R & R Promotions, sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City and Corona and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. The co-main event will be a 12-round WBC super middleweight title eliminator between undefeated number one rated contender Nikola Sjekloca and number two rated contender Sakio Bika.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

WORCESTER, Mass. (February 15, 2013) – Undefeated, United States Boxing Association (USBA) super middleweight champion Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs) is following the path to Monte Carlo, set more than 40 years ago by another Massachusetts boxer, “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler.

Rodriguez faces the stiffest test of his professional boxing career on March 30, against unbeaten 2008 Argentina Olympian Ezequiel “El Olimpico” Maderna (19-0, 13 KOs), in the opening round of “Monte Carlo Million Dollar Super 4” at Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco.

Rodriguez vs. Maderna is half of a historic four-man tournament, also matching two-time, two division world champion Zsolt Erdei (33-0, 18 KOs) vs. Denis Grachev (12-1-1, 8 KOs) in a light heavyweight bout. The championship final of the “Super Four” will feature the winners of the two aforementioned fights at a catch-weight of 171 ½ lbs., worth $1,000,000 (60-40 split) to the champion, on July 13 in Monaco.

The Dominican Republic-born Rodriguez has a lot in common with Hagler than their respective journeys to Monaco. Both relocated to Massachusetts; Rodriguez in Worcester, New Jersey-born Hagler in Brockton. In 2005, Rodriguez captured the middleweight title at the 2005 USA Boxing National Championships, the first Bay State amateur boxer to accomplish that feat since Hagler in 1973.

Six long years into his professional boxing career, future Hall of Famer Hagler (45-2-1 at that time) was the most avoided middleweight in the world, forced to travel to Monte Carlo in 1979 to fight Norberto Rufino Cabrera, who failed to answer the bell for the eighth round, before finally earning his first world title fight. He fought Vito Antuofermo to a controversial draw but, four fights later, Hagler knocked out Alan Minter capture the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) titles.

Five years into his pro career, Rodriguez has been unable to get any of the contemporary world super middleweight champions in the ring, despite his lofty ratings at No. 3 in the WBC, WBA and International Boxing Federation (IBF), as well as No. 12 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and No. 10 by The Ring Magazine.

“Marvin Hagler has been in the back of my mind since I won The Nationals in 2005 and became the first Massachusetts fighter since him to do that,” Rodriguez said from his Houston training camp. “It was an honor for me to meet him a few years later in Brockton at an amateur tournament. He was such a great fighter and fought in such a great era, including one against another of my all-time favorite fighters, Roberto Duran. To be mentioned, never mind compared to a fighter like him, who accomplished so much in boxing, makes me feel good about myself.

“I certainly understand that boxing is much different today and boxers don’t fight nearly as often, but my promoter (Lou DiBella) and manager (Larry Army) have done a good job positioning me. I’m going to Monaco to fight a great opponent and I am proud to have been selected as one of the four fighters in this tournament. I think it’s a good move for my career. I plan on going there to win the tournament, come back home with a bigger name, and fight one of the champions for the world title.”

Edwin Rodriguez (R) hammers Donovan George

(Photo by Ed Diller)

Maderna, a 2008 Argentina Olympian, is continuing the rich tradition of Argentinean boxing, starting with Luis Angel Firpo, continued by Carlos Monzon, and carried on today by world champions Sergio Martinez, Lucas Matthysse, Omar Narvaez and Juan Reveco.

Ranked No. 5 by the WBO and No. 13 by the IBF, Maderna will be fighting outside of his native Argentina for the first time as a professional. He has reunited with his first amateur coach, Alberto Zacarias, the son of legendary Argentinean trainer Santos Zacarias, who trained world champions Jua Cogi and Sergio Palma.

Army believes the potential reward associated with “La Bomba” participating in the “Super Four” far outweighs the risk of losing or waiting around for a world title shot. “The decision to have Edwin fight in this tournament was a no-brainer,” Army explained. “He’s fighting an undefeated Olympian and then, if Edwin wins he either fights a two-time world champion of an extremely tough Russian fighter who gave Lucian Bute all he could handle. We believe this tournament will give Edwin’s career the boost he needs for him to get a world championship fight. Right now, unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of options for a world title shot. This tournament is the next best thing for Edwin. We’re all looking forward to Edwin putting on a great performance in Monte Carlo.”

Follow Edwin Rodriguez on Twitter @labombaboxing.

February 15, 2013 – Gary Shaw Promotions is excited to promote one of boxing’s fastest rising lightweight prospects in Alejandro Luna (11-0, 8KOs) who will get a chance to showcase his skills on a ShoBox: The New Generation undercard when he takes on fellow California native Cesar Garcia (2-5-1, 1KO) in a scheduled 8 round bout. The card will take place at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California on Friday, February 22nd. Luna is from Whittier, California where he enjoys a very supportive fan base made up of mostly Hispanic/Mexican fight fans.

This will be Luna’s 2013 debut and it will be his first 8 round fight as he continues to make strides in his career. Luna is one of boxing’s most exciting young stars and maintains a healthy KO/TKO rate, earning stoppages in all but 3 of his 11 pro victories. As he makes his way up the ladder Luna is aware that every bout is equally important for various reasons and he must gain as much experience as he can from each outing so that he can equip himself with the necessary attributes.

“I try to take something away from every fight. I know that this is my time to build myself as a fighter. You can’t overlook the importance of a single showing and this is my time to make fans take interest in me based solely off of my performances. I want to be a fan’s kind of fighter, I’m looking to get the respect of the boxing community and earn my spot,” Luna said.

Gary Shaw is impressed with his fighters’ fan reception at such an early stage in his career and he thinks that Luna can capitalize off of his natural abilities combined with his allure from the fans’ perspective.

“He really has a strong fan base, there is something about this kid that resonates and sticks with the fans that have gotten the chance to see him. It isn’t a matter of figuring out how to present him to an audience, it’s only a matter of people getting the chance to see him and once they do they’re hooked. What can I say, the kid fights in a manner worthy of a loyal following and I think that he’s the perfect combination of skillful artists and brutal fighter,” Shaw said of Luna.

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.

Flyweight title contender Iain Butcher has been handed a tough fight as he takes on Bulgarian Galin Paunov over eight rounds on March 8th at Ravenscraig Sporting Facility, and his promotor Paul Graham warns locals to snap up tickets while they can because it may be a while before they get the chance to see him fight locally.

“If Iain can overcome Paunov on March 8th, we expect him to challenge the winner of the Kevin Satchell versus Luke Wilton for the British title on February 23. A fight against either of them could see Iain travel to Liverpool or Belfast and would properly happen later in the year, so it could be a while before the Lanarkshire crowds actually see him in action.

The former pro referee adds“While we always will try and secure home advantage for our fighter, in professional boxing there Is no guarantee of were your next fight could be. I spoke to Iain earlier and he was relieved to get an opponent. I have been burning the candles at both end’s and going through my black book of number in order to secure him an opponent.

“March 8th is shaping up to be our biggest show to date with eleven fights, and with tickets priced £30 and £40 it is a good night out. We also have a licensed bar on the evening aswell” explained the Prospect Boxing owner.

Prospect Boxing and Chris Gilmour present ‘The Steel Men Return’ an evening of Professional Championship Boxing at Ravenscraig Sports Facility on Friday March 8th. Headlined by Gary McCallum v Paul Allison for the Vacant Scottish Middleweight Title.

With a 10 fight under card featuring Rhys Pagan, Mark Parvin, Sean Watson and Ryan Scott. Jordan McCorry, Darren McAdam, Mitch Prince and Martin Taylor makes his pro debut in the Light Welterweight division while Alex Montgomery makes his debut in a Super Middleweight bout.

Tickets are priced at £30 (unreserved) and £40 (ringside) ,and further details are avail from www.prospectboxing.com and www.facebook.com/ProspectBoxing and @ProspectBoxing

The Multiversum Schwechat, Austria will once again host a Team Sauerland
fight night on April 13. The Main event of the evening will be the highly
anticipated rematch for the EU Middleweight Championship between Roberto
Santos (18-6-3, 10 KOs) and Marcos Nader (16-0-1, 2 KOs).

Santos, who won the vacant EU Belt in Bamberg, Germany against Dominik
Britsch, already fought the 22-year-old challenger Nader back in November
2012. After twelve exciting rounds, the bout went to the scorecards which
resulted in a draw – a decision which didn’t sit well with Nader.

“It was very close,” says the prodigy of coach Otto Ramin. “I did review the
tapes a couple of times. I definitely believe that I won the fight.”
Therefore the Austrian is more than excited to be awarded another crack at
the title. “The stakes have been raised this time round. He knows what I
bring to the table – I know what he brings to the table. Hence it won’t be
any easier than during our first fight.”

Of course the middleweight is very keen on fighting in front of his home
crowd again. “The support I received during my first bout against Santos was
immense. The whole crowd was right behind me. I am convinced that they will
be even noisier on April 13. Hence I cannot wait to get back to the arena
and enter the ring.”

New York, NY (2/15/13) – Next Thursday, February 21, DiBella Entertainment’s (DBE) Broadway Boxing series returns to the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, with an action-packed nine-bout card headlined by the return of highly regarded WBA #10 junior welterweight Thomas Dulorme (16-1, 12KO’s) taking on Eddie Brooks (9-3, 3KO’s) in an eight-round matchup, held at a catch weight of 143lbs.

Also featured on the card in separate eight-round bouts will be red-hot lightweight prospect Ivan Redkach (13-0, 11KO’s) and WBA #11-rated welterweight Charlie Ota (21-1-1, 15KO’s). Ota will square off against Abel Perry (18-6, 9KO’s), while Redkach is set to take on hard-hitting Sergio Rivera (27-10-2, 17KO’s).

Fighting in separate bouts will be DBE’s next generation of promising future prospects, NY Golden Gloves champions “The Notorious” Travis Peterkin (6-0, 3KO’s), Patrick “All” Day (1-0, 1KO) and Louis Cruz (1-0, 1KO). Peterkin is set to challenge Thomas Turner (3-2, 2KO’s) in a six-round light heavyweight matchup, Day will meet Dominique Foster (1-1-1) in a four-round junior middleweight matchup and Cruz will see action in a four-round junior welterweight matchup against Demond Brock (3-1, 2KO’s).

Making his much-anticipated pro debut on the card will be 19-year-old 2012 Ecuadorian Olympian and 2011 Pan-American Heavyweight Champion Ytalo Perea as he squares off against Excell Holmes (2-1-1, 1KO) in a four-round heavyweight special attraction.

Making his second straight appearance on a DBE-promoted card will be Brooklyn’s Neuky Santelises (3-0, 2KO’s) as he looks to up his record to a perfect 4-0 when he takes on Denis Madriz (0-0-1) in a four-round junior lightweight contest. Santelises last saw action on the DBE-promoted card at BB King Blues Club in January, where he scored a devastating one-punch highlight-reel knockout over Juan Javier Guerrero.

Rounding out the card is Brooklyn’s fan-favorite Keisher McLeod-Wells (5-2, 1KO) facing Canadian National Amateur Champion Jacqueline Hart (1-0) in a six-round female flyweight showdown.

The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group, Newlio.com, and Everlast. The event will be broadcast live on broadband through GFL.TV. SNY will broadcast the event tape-delayed. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000. Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $45 and may also be purchased at the door the night of the event. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Donatas Bondorovas 160 vs. David Thomas 159

Dimar Ortuz 195 vs. Grover Young 203

Mike Jimenez 168 vs. Scott Walker 171

David Martin III 224 vs. Felix Abner 222

Anthony Linenfelser 135 vs. Russell Fiore 134

Johnny Determan 116 vs. Guadalupe Bueno 116

Jimmy Murphy 143 vs. Adam Alvarez 139

Nick Ramirez 147 vs. Termain Pride 146

Adan Ortiz 120 vs. LeShaun Blair 118

Promoter: Hitz Boxing

Venue: Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, IN

The high-class atmosphere and luxurious surroundings the Horseshoe has to offer make their boxing shows a Las Vegas-style night of boxing that Chicago-area fans don’t have to get on a plane to enjoy.

The Horseshoe Casino has an intimate, comfortable venue with luxurious seats, a spectacular gaming area, free parking, exquisite food and all the amenities — and is just 20 minutes from Downtown Chicago.

Tickets are priced at $90 Ringside & $40 Orchestra and available at all Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com.

On fight night, doors open 6:30 pm and the action starts at 7:30.

All bouts are subject to change.

BROOKLYN, NY (February 15, 2013)—This Saturday night at the Gran Arena in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, undefeated Super Bantamweight prospect Juan “Baby Tito” Dominguez will compete for his professional title when he takes on Geyci Lorenzo for the WBA Fedecentro championship.

The scheduled nine round bout will be part of a big night of boxing in the Dominican Republic.

Dominguez, who will be fighting in his birth city has been one of the fast rising prospects in his home of Brooklyn, New York.

The twenty-seven year old has a record of 12-0 with eight knockouts and will be making his fourth appearance in the Dominican Republic.

“A lot of doors will open up when I win this title”, said Dominguez

“This will put me in a good position in the world rankings. There are a lot of good fighters in the top 15 but I will be ready for any of them”, continued Dominguez, who amassed a 80-6 amateur record while being a two-time national champion in the Dominican Republic.

It will be a homecoming for Dominguez who expects a lot of friends and family to be part of the nearly 10,000 fans that are expected at the fight.

“I am extremely happy to be fighting here in the Dominican Republic. I think because of the fan support that as I progress in my career we can fight for a title here. There is a lot more pressure here then when I fight in New York, so I want to put on a good performance. I really don’t know a lot about my opponent but I know I will win in exciting fashion”

The card will feature other fighters with New York roots such as Featherweight Leon Moore (28-2, 22 KO’s); Super Featherweight Angel Garcia (4-1, 2 KO’s) and Amanda Serrano (16-1-1, 11 KO’’s) who will be fighting for the WIBA Featherweight title as well as defending her UBF title.

Dominguez and Garcia is promoted by New Legend Boxing Promotions, Old World Boxing and W.O.N Promotions while Moore is promoted by Old World Boxing

The March 2nd WBA Lightweight title fight between Richard Abril and Sharif Bogere has been moved from the Apollo Theater in New York to the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

The fight was moved after the Featherweight title bout between Daniel Ponce De Leon and Jayson Velez was called off due to a injury to Velez.

“Sharif Bogere is from Vegas and is very popular there, so for him fighting for his first world title, it makes sense to take it there,” Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “The Apollo in Spanish Harlem, in the middle of the Mexican and Puerto Rican neighborhoods, made all the sense in the world for Ponce versus Velez, but with them off the card, it makes more sense to do it from Vegas.”

Also on the card will be undefeated prospect Gary Russell Jr. battling Vyacheslav Gusev

According to Dan Rafael, HBO has hired New Jersey based judge Steve Weisfeld to commentate on rules.

“Our producers see him in the same manner as the role that Mike Pereira plays for the NFL on Fox,” HBO spokesman Ray Stallone told ESPN.com. “He’s our rules expert.”

Weisfeld has long been considered one of the best judges in America and has worked major fights all over the world.

Weisfeld’s first broadcast will be this Saturday’s Lightweight title bout between Adrien Broner and Gavin Rees

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, newly crowned WBA Super Lightweight champion Khabib Allakhverdiev will make his maiden defense when he takes on hard punching Bredis Prescott on March 30th as the televised co-feature to the anticipated rematch between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado on March 30th at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

“He beat (Joan) Guzman, who’s a very good fighter and (matchmakers) Bruce (Trampler) and Brad (Goodman) think he’s a very good fighter, so we signed him,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “We want to make him a big name and then we have fights we can try to make. Maybe he could fight (welterweight titlist) Tim Bradley, or the Rios-Alvarado winner. We can mix and match these guys.”

“It’s a title fight in the 140-pound division on the same card with Rios and Alvarado on top, so the winners and losers from that night, I can see them fighting each other somewhere,” Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti said. “It’s just a natural mix no matter who wins and loses that night.”

“Prescott was the first man to knock out Amir Khan, he had the war with Mike Alvarado and the disputed loss to McCloskey, who’s a southpaw, which shows he can handle that style,” Moretti said. “And Khabib just keeps coming and throwing punches. He doesn’t know any better. Let’s give him some credit. Khabib said to get him a tough guy. He had no problem taking this fight. Some people create their own storms and then complain when it rains, so let’s see what happens with Khabib and Prescott.”

Delvin Rodriguez 156 1/2lb

George Tahdooahnippah, 155 1/2lb

Bayan Jargal 135 1/4lb

Chris Howard, 135 1/4lb

UNDERCARD WEIGHTS

Aleksandra Lopes 146 1/2lb

Addy Irrizarry 146 1/2lb

Enver Halili 153lb

Antonio Marrero 152lb

Tylon Burris 168 1/4lb

Marlon Farr 170lb

Bryant Cruz 129 3/4lb

Pedro Andres 129 1/2lb

Constantin Bejenaru 215lb

DJ Hughley 232 lb

Tickets for ESPN Friday Night Fights, priced at $75, $45 and $30 (plus a $5 facility fee), are available through Ticketmaster, www.Ticketmaster.com phone (800) 745-3000, the Mohegan Sun Box Office, the Star Boxing website, www.StarBoxing.com or by calling the Star Boxing Office at (718) 823-2000.

Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office on the night of the event. Doors will open at 6:30pm ET with the first bell set for 7:30pm ET.

The Mohegan Sun is located at 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT 06382. For more information please visit their website at www.mohegansun.com

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.

On Saturday, March 9, 2013, in the Xanadu Theater at Trump Taj Mahal Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, The Darwish Brothers, Hani and Wally, of Extreme Fighting Championships will proudly present EFC “Relentless”, a full-contact night of high-intensity MMA action, featuring many of the New Jersey area’s brightest new stars.

In the night’s main event, Bloomfield, New Jersey’s undefeated Fabian “The Baby Face Killer” Rosario (6-0) will defend his EFC Welterweight Championship against Danny “Massacre” Massa (2-2) of Westchester Fight Club in New Rochelle, New York.

The extremely popular 20-year-old Rosario, a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has very strong submission skills and ever-improving striking. Westchester Fight Club’s Massa is an excellent stand-up fighter who also enjoys an immense following of fans. The 22-year-old is an action fighter who never disappoints.

“I am happy to be bringing this exciting show to a world-class casino like the Trump Taj Mahal,” said promoter Hani Darwish. “I’m also looking forward to working with their excellent staff to make this an unforgettable night of MMA action. From the main event down, every fight will be a war that is worthy of this world-class casino.”

“Don’t miss this great event!” said Wally Darwish. “We have a top-level show set up at a top-level casino, so all the ingredients are there for a terrific MMA event. I’m proud to be part of it.”

“Trump Taj Mahal has been the home to countless sporting events over the years, and now we’re excited to welcome The Darwish Brothers’ Extreme Fighting Championships to the property,” said Kathleen McSweeney, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Trump Entertainment Resorts. “The intimate Xanadu Theater is the perfect venue for an MMA event, as every seat is on top of the action. It is going to be a great night.”

Tickets for “The Darwish Brothers Presents EFC: Relentless” are priced at $45, $55, $65, $75, $100 and $125 Cageside and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Trump Taj Mahal box office on fight night.

Doors open at 7 pm and the first bout is at 8 pm. All bouts subject to change.

WARNING: All EFC events sell out. Purchase your tickets now before it’s too late.

Philadelphia, PA – February 13, 2013 – Cage Fury Fighting Championships announced its Pennsylvania presence with authority as the promotion made its inaugural Pennsylvania debut just 20 miles from the famed fighting city of Philadelphia on February 8, 2013 at the Valley Forge Resort and Casino.

In typical CFFC fashion, the production value of the show was outstanding and the venue top notch. Despite the threat of severe ice and snow, the attendance was very strong, as fans packed into the venue to see a fight card so promising that they didn’t dare miss it. And as the fights actually played out, this card lived up to its promise.

In the main event Scott “The Animal” Heckman (14-3) proved too experienced and perhaps a bit too physical for the lesser experienced but very game Brett Martinez (5-1). Both fighters showcased some of the excellent collegiate level wrestling that has propelled them in their MMA careers, but with over triple the pro MMA experience (16 fights for Heckman to a mere 5 for Martinez), it was Heckman who was quicker and more accurate in transition. Those transitions and takedowns allowed the PIAA state place winner and Bangor, PA native to finish with a powerful guillotine choke that ended the fight as well as the undefeated record of Martinez at 4:23 of the very first round. I expect to see Martinez rebound and string together some quality wins while continuing to develop. As for Scott Heckman, I believe the AMA standout is the best 135 or 145 lb fighter on the CFFC roster… and yes that does include Artur Rofi. It would not be too difficult to imagine any one of these three fighters making it to the UFC and doing well, showing just how deep the talent pool is at CFFC.

While Heckman is currently the most promising and proven fighter on CFFC XX, the most intriguing fighter on the card was undoubtedly Paul Felder. The talented prospect out of Philadelphia’s Brazen Boxing & MMA came into this fight sporting a 3-0 record, all 3 victories by brutal KO/TKO stoppages. The undefeated Felder was just fight 5 weeks out from his total annihilation of highly regarded Khama Worthy on December 29, 2012. Felder dispatched Worthy in only 70 seconds with a series of knees to the head and finished the fallen opponent with pinpoint ground and pound. That being said, it was a bit curious to see Felder matched up against the still very green Rick Nuno (1-0).

Ricky Nuno fights out of the famed AMA camp, and is a teammate of Scott Heckman and coached by the great Mike Constantino. Seemingly overflowing with confidence, the AMA fighter spent almost as much time on his walkout as he did in this fight with Felder. The muscled up Nuno started off the fight quickly, hitting a well-timed takedown off of a Paul Felder right low kick. While Nuno attempted some ground and pound off the takedown, Felder appeared to avoid any damaging blows, and that was the last effective offense that Nuno was able to mount in the fight. Felder easily got the fight back to the feet, and then took total control as he stifled and confused Nuno with kicks and clinch work. Felder hurt Nuno to the body several times with knees as Nuno tried desperately to escape the clinch and get his back off of the cage. Sidestepping around the cage when he finally managed to free himself, as soon as Nuno began to reengage with Felder on the feet, he was quickly hurt by a beautiful spinning back kick. To Nuno’s credit, that shot likely would have dropped a lesser man. Though Nuno sported the bulkier physique, it was Felder who appeared physically stronger, overwhelming Nuno in the clinch following that back kick with a right knee to the body, two left knees to the head, and a furious and accurate shower of strikes to the grounded fighter. Big Dan Miragliotta stepped in to end the assault, stopping the fight at 3:15 of the first round. With the win, Felder remained undefeated at 4-0, with all 4 victories by KO/TKO.

All in all it was a fantastic night of fights with Brazen Boxing & MMA going undefeated at 4-0 with 3 finishes (2 in the first round). The amateur Brazen fighters looked poised and polished as Mike Backman (1-0) and Adrian Jimenez (3-1) put away both of their opponents via guillotine choke and Matt Klacik (1-0) regularly landed his right hand on his way to a hard fought split decision victory.

STANDOUT HONORS:

* Fight of the night: Bill Algeo vs Shane Manley

* Knock out of the night: Paul Felder (Brazen Boxing & MMA)

* Walk out of the night: Rick Nuno (AMA)

* Submission of the night: Scott Heckman (AMA) and Adrian Jimenez (Brazen Boxing & MMA)

FULL RESULTS:

Scott “The Animal” Heckman def. Brett “Young Blood” Martinez via Guillotine RD1

Eddie Alvarez def Eliezar Mendez-Garcia via DEC (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

Bill Algeo def Shane Manley via RNC RD2

Paul “The Irish Dragon” Felder def Ricky “El Numero Uno” Nuno via TKO RD1

Justin Lesko def Orlando Cuevas via DEC

Michael Backman def Ethan Walters via RD2 Guillotine

Adrian Jimenez def Scott Huning via RD1 Standing Guillotine

Matt Klasic def Robbie De La Riondo via DEC

Ryan Holmes def Magic Mears via DEC

Aaron Bicking def Casey Jones via Armbar RD1

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Floyd Mayweather will be trained by his father Floyd Mayweather Sr. for his May 4th bout against a still unnamed opponent.

Mayweather and his father have had many differences in the past but appear to be back on the same page.

Me & my trainer [my dad] back working together getting ready for May 4th,” Mayweather tweeted. Mayweather also included a link of a photo of them together, presumably at his gym.

TOTOWA, NJ (February 13, 2013) – Undefeated Philly lightweight, Karl “Dynamite” Dargan, 11-0, 6 KOs, is set to jump-start his boxing career when he takes on gatekeeper Ramesis Gil, 8-5-5, 5 KOs, in a 6-round bout at The Paramount, in Huntington, NY, on Saturday, February 23rd. The bout is on the undercard of a big NBC Sports Network Fight Night card that features undefeated heavyweights Czar Glazkov and Malik Scott in its nationally televised 10-round main event.

All eyes have been on Dynamite since his successful amateur days when he was one of the top American boxers on the international scene. He filled his trophy case with numerous medals and awards throughout those years, and ever since he turned professional in 2007, hopes have remained high for him to ascend to a professional world championship.

Dynamite fought once last year, but since signing with Main Events he is determined to remain active in 2013 and gain significant ground in the world ratings. First up is Ramesis Gil.

Dominican-born Gil went unbeaten in his first ten pro bouts before becoming the go-to-guy for testing undefeated prospects. Gil’s last eight starts have been against undefeated risers like Jerry Belmontes, Jorge Maysonet Jr. and Darley Perez. These tough assignments put a few marks on Gil’s record, but they also made him an effective gauge of lightweight talent. He fell to some of them, but managed to defeat Luis Joel Gonzalez, 9-0-1, and Carney Bowman, 16-0, and drew with an 8-0 Jamie Kavanagh. This makes Gil a live opponent for Dargan, and capable of pulling the upset at any time.

Dargan said, “Fighting on NBC Sports Network is a tremendous opportunity for me. I am ready for Gil. Training camp was great. Now it’s time to fight. There’s nothing he can throw at me that I won’t be ready for.”

Dynamite will have to be fully prepared for Gil and on his toes when the bell rings. If he can pass this test against Gil, then 2013 may just be the year he fights his way into the world rankings and puts his dream of becoming a world champion back on track.

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.

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