BETHLEHEM, PA – Before Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham lock horns in the nationally televised main event at the Sands Events Center in Bethlehem, PA on Saturday afternoon, a full slate of “pick-em” preliminary bouts are scheduled for the live ringside audience.

In the 8-round televised co-feature, Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov, 13-0, 9 KOs, battles Tor Hamer, 19-1, 12 KOs, in a showdown of rising heavyweights. Both men are looking to make a name for themselves and have a golden opportunity to do so. They will fight before a packed house and a big NBC television audience. Hamer, of New York, is a little better known on the East Coast, but Ukraine’s Glazkov, fighting in the USA for just the second time, will look to use his punching power as his introduction to boxing fans. The fight opens the NBC 4 PM ET TV broadcast.

In a terrific match between two local lightweights, Naim Nelson, 8-0, 1 KO, takes on Osnel Charles, 9-4-1, 1 KO, in an 8-round bout that just could steal the show. Nelson, 22, of Philadelphia, won 70 out of 77 amateur fights and five Philadelphia Golden Gloves titles before turning pro midway through 2011. Nelson won the vacant Pennsylvania state lightweight championship in his last fight with a 10-round decision over Philly tough guy, Victor Vasquez. This will be his sixth fight in 2012.

Charles, 28, is a crowd-pleaser in his backyard Atlantic City casinos. A pro since 2009, Charles also holds a points win over Victor Vasquez, as well as victories over three one-time East Coast prospects, Danny McDermott, Chris Green, and Anthony Flores. His 2011 KO of Flores was a classic one-punch stunner.

Popular heavyweight William Miranda, of Allentown, returns to Bethlehem on Saturday’s card in a 4-rounder against David Williams of Philadelphia. Miranda, 34, survived cuts over both eyes September 21 at the Sands Event Center, but rallied to post a six-round decision over Pedro Martinez, of Philadelphia. His record is 6-5-1, with every bout a crowd-pleaser.

35 year old Williams, 6-6-1, 2 KOs, nearly pulled an upset in his most recent fight, but lost on points to Patrick Farrell, in a 4-round brawl at the Prudential Center, in Newark, NJ, on June 16th.

Amateur standout Jerome Rodriguez, of Bethlehem, takes on Edwardo Stith, of Philadelphia, in a four-round junior welterweight contest. Rodriguez is 1-0-1, and Stith makes his pro debut.

In a contest of hard-luck Philadelphia welterweights, Korey Sloane, 2-5-1, meets Tyrell Boggs, 0-5, in a four rounder. Both fighters have been matched tough throughout their young careers, but always come to fight.

The main event between Adamek and Cunningham is a 12-round fight for Adamek’s IBF North American Heavyweight Title, and is a rematch of their classic 2008 cruiserweight championship bout. This time they fight as heavyweights and are expected to be “Bigger, Better, Stronger.”

DECEMBER 22 FIGHT INFO:

December 22nd at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania. The main event features current IBF North American Heavyweight Champion Tomasz “Goral” Adamek (47-2, 29 KO’s) of Kearny, N.J. vs. Steve “USS” Cunningham (25-4, 12 KO’s) of Philadelphia, Pa., in a 12-round heavyweight fight.

The main event and co-feature will be broadcast on NBC network TV beginning 4PM ET. The card is presented by Main Events and Ziggy Promotions in association with Peltz Boxing, DiBella Entertainment and Pushka.

To purchase the remaining tickets while they last, contact the Sands Bethlehem Event Center box office 610-297-7414, Main Events 973-200-7050 and Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922, Ticketmaster, http://www.ticketmaster.com/Tomasz-Adamek-vs-Steve-Cunningham-tickets/artist/1794999 , and Ticketmaster Sales: during regular hours 800-745-3000, Ticketmaster Express: automated phone line for self-service ticket sales, even after hours, 866-448-7849.

For additional information on the event, seating arrangements, or ticketing, visit the event page located on the website. www.sandseventcenter.com

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NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEV. (December 19, 2012) — Rich Marotta, founder and CEO of the newly-established Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (NVBHOF), announced the NVBHOF’s historic inaugural class of inductees at a news conference today, which was held at the Richard Steele Boxing Club in North Las Vegas. Induction will take place in 2013. Details on the ceremony will be released in the coming months. Voting for the inaugural class of the NVBHOF was conducted by its officers and its Board of Directors. The results are as follows:

NEVADA RESIDENT BOXER:

· MIKE TYSON (50-6, 44 KOs). The former undisputed heavyweight champion was also the youngest man to wear the heavyweight crown during his first of three title reigns. He was renowned for his punching power and became boxing’s biggest draw. Tyson is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

· MIKE McCALLUM (49-5-1, 36 KOs). Held the WBA super welterweight, WBA middleweight and WBC light heavyweight titles. McCallum is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

· DIEGO CORRALES (40-5, 33 KOs). Held the IBF junior lightweight title and unified the WBO and WBC lightweight belts with a knockout victory over Jose Luis Castillo in arguably the greatest fight of his era.

NON-NEVADA RESIDENT BOXER

· JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ (107-6-2, 88 KOs). México’s greatest fighter, this three-division world champion was unbeaten in his first 90 bouts. Made his Nevada debut in 1985, knocking out Roger Mayweather in the second round to retain his WBC lightweight title. Nevada record was 21-4.(12 KOs). Chavez is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

· LARRY HOLMES (69-6, 44 KOs). Known as ‘The Easton Assassin,’ Holmes had one of the great jabs in boxing history. He won the title from Ken Norton in an epic bout in 1978 and held it until 1985. A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Holmes was 18-3 in fights in Nevada.

· OSCAR DE LA HOYA (39-6, 30 KOs). The ‘Golden Boy’ won 10 world titles in six weight classes. He was the biggest pay-per-view star of his time and his bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007 set the record with 2.5 million buys. He’s now the president of Golden Boy Promotions.

· SUGAR RAY LEONARD (36-3-1, 25 KOs). A 1976 Olympic gold medalist, Leonard was boxing’s top star of the 1980s. His wins over Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran remain among the most significant in the sport’s history. Leonard was 11-0-1 in 12 Nevada fights.

TRAINERS

· EDDIE FUTCH. The legendary Futch, a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, is regarded by many as the best trainer in boxing history. He trained greats such as Joe Frazier, Riddick Bowe, Michael Spinks and Alexis Arguello. He also mentored several great trainers and taught Freddie Roach the business.

· FREDDIE ROACH. The International Boxing Hall of Fame member is most known for his work with Manny Pacquiao, but he trained a series of great fighters, including the late Johnny Tapia and Mike Tyson. Roach is a five-time trainer of the year.

OFFICIALS

· MILLS LANE. Lane became arguably the top referee of his time with a fair but no-nonsense style that commanded the respect of the fighters he worked with. A former pro boxer with a 10-1 record, Lane worked many big fights, including Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield II, Pernell Whitaker-Oscar De La Hoya and Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield II. Lane was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame and will be inducted in June.

· JOE CORTEZ. Nicknamed “Fair but Firm” for not only his familiar catchphrase but also his style, Cortez was one of boxing’s great referees during his 32-year career. Cortez worked many of the big fights of his era, including Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley-Fernando Vargas, Erik Morales-Manny Pacquiao and Lennox Lewis-Hasim Rahman. Cortez is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

MEDIA

· AL BERNSTEIN. A familiar voice for more than 30 years as an analyst and play-by-play man on boxing broadcast, the affable Bernstein is best known for his work at ESPN and Showtime. He also served as the boxing analyst for NBC’s coverage of the Olympics in both 1992 and 1996. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

· ROYCE FEOUR. Feour covered boxing in Nevada for more than 40 years, the last 37 at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He was ringside for all of the big fights as Nevada earned its label as the boxing capital of the world. His first major fight was Sonny Liston-Floyd Patterson in 1963, and he covered all of the big stars of the five decades.

PROMOTERS

· BOB ARUM. A one-time U.S. attorney in the Kennedy Administration, Arum became perhaps the most significant promoter in history. He promoted more than 20 fights involved Muhammad Ali and was also the promoter of stars such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, among many others. Arum’s Top Rank Inc. is based in Las Vegas and put on many of Nevada’s biggest events. Arum is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

· DON KING. King was a numbers runner in Cleveland whose quick wit and indomitable work ethic led him to become one of boxing’s greatest promoters. He led the careers of dozens of stars, including Mike Tyson, Felix Trinidad and Larry Holmes. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

EXECUTIVES

· MARC RATNER. Ratner was the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission from 1992 through 2006, earning a reputation for honesty and fairness, as well as the top regulator in the sport. Prior to becoming executive director, Ratner was the chief inspector for the commission and worked closely with his predecessor, Chuck Minker. Ratner is now the vice president of regulatory affairs for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

· JAMES NAVE. A local veterinarian, Nave was a member of the Nevada Athletic Commission for 11 years, from 1988 through 1999, and served two terms as its chairman. He was considered one of the sport’s top regulators and was a fierce advocate for fighter health and safety. Nevada made major strides in enforcing safety regulations during his tenure.

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

· SIG ROGICH. Rogich served on the Nevada Athletic Commission for 12 years, from 1974 through 1986, including several stints as chairman. For many years after his term on the commission ended, Rogich worked closely with major promoters to help bring major boxing shows to Nevada. The president of the Rogich Communications Group, Rogich was a confidante and advisor to Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

· KIRK KERKORIAN. A one-time amateur boxer of some note who was known as “Rifle Right Kerkorian,” Kerkorian helped bring big-time boxing to Nevada. He helped usher Las Vegas into the mega-resort age and his MGM Grand played host to some of the biggest fights in boxing history.

A non-profit corporation operated exclusively for charitable purposes, the NVBHOF will be dedicated to honoring boxers and those who have contributed significantly to the sport in Nevada. The other equally important part of the Hall’s mission will be to help those from the sport of boxing in need of financial assistance, as well as to help other boxing-related organizations which do the same. It will also support youth and amateur boxing programs, including the club boxing programs at the University of Nevada, Reno and UNLV.

“States such as California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and most recently New York have their own Boxing Halls of Fame. I was astounded to learn that Nevada, with its rich boxing history, passionate fan base and the reputation as the Boxing Capital of the World, did not have its own Hall of Fame — a place to honor those who helped build its rich history in the sport,” Marotta said. “So we set out last summer to establish the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame as a non-profit, charitable organization to give back to the sport and its fans. In addition to an annual gala Induction Ceremony and Dinner, the NVBHOF will conduct other fund-raising events throughout the year to stay active within the state.”

The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame is an IRS 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization. Donations to the NV BHOF are tax-deductible, as are tickets purchased to NVBHOF-sponsored events. Donations can be made by visiting the NVBHOF website: www.nvbhof.com. You can “like” NVBHOF on Facebook (facebook.com/nvbhof) and follow it on Twitter (@nvbhof).

We recently had a conversation with WBA light flyweight champion, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (34-0,28 kos) of Nicaragua. Here are excerpts of our conversation:

You recently were promoted by the WBA to the title of Super Champion?
Yes, Its quiet an honor to be promoted to the category of super champion. I think it’s a recognition by the WBA for past achievements. I know that only a very small select group of fighters have that type of belt even though I don’t necessarily understand what it means to be promoted to super champion.

What are your plans for the future?
According to a resolution recently received by the WBA it mentions that the belt I used to have will be fought on the 31st of December between Kazuto Ioka of Japan and former interim WBA champion Jose Alfredo Rodriguez of Mexico. It states that the winner of that fight must face me in a period of 90 days. I guess I have to wait to see what happens and fight the winner of that fight in the very near future.

Also, a fight in Mexico or a tune up fight before that particular matchup is not completely out of the question.

Who do you want to win?
I am hoping that Ioka winds up winning the fight. On many occasions he has called me out in public saying that he wants to fight me. The funny thing is that even though they know my promoter, Mr. Akhiko Honda of Teiken, very well he has never received a phone call from his team inquiring about a possible show down.

I have fought in Japan many times. The people there are super polite and very well educated. I consider Japan my second home and would love to have the opportunity to fight there again.

Your thoughts on Ioka?
Ioka is a good fighter who has accomplished a bit in such a short pro career. He has a big mouth and lacks humility and frankly thinks that he is a better fighter than what he actually is. He has even gone so far as to say that I am afraid of him and that I am considering moving up in weight in order to avoid him.

The only reason I am considering moving up a weight class is to have the possibility of gaining a third world title and measuring myself against the best talent in the world such as Brian Viloria.

Much more accomplished Japanese world champions such as Yutaka Niida and Katsunari Takayama, both of whom I have fought, have shown much more humility than this youngster.

The important thing is that if he does win the title we will get a chance to fight. In less than 60 seconds inside of the ring with me he will know that he has made a mistake in disrespecting me.

Who would be your dream fight?
I don’t choose my opponents, that is done my by promoters and my management team. I just try to be in top shape for the fight and win the fight as best as I can. I am never vocal about who I want to fight and do not call people out. If I were given a choice I would like to face Brian Viloria. In order to be considered the best, you have to beat the best and I think Viloria definitely ranks right up there at this moment.

Also WBC Flyweight champion Toshiyuki Igarashi or light flyweight champions Donnie Nietes, Adrian Hernandez, or any unification fight seems would be interesting options. I just want to fight as often as I can against topnotch opposition.

Thanks for the interview champ!

“He’s ready” says Richard Dobal, President of Bad Dog Productions and co-promoter of IBF #6 super featherweight Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (17-0, 11 KOs).

Miami-based Dobal has been with the 26-year-old Cuban Barthelemy from the beginning of his career and is hoping to watch him join the elite ranks of the 130-lb division when he faces #14-rated contender Arash Usmanee (20-0, 10 KOs) on Friday, January 4, 2013 in a 12-round elimination bout for the IBF’s #2 position.

Barthelemy and Usmanee will meet in the main event that night, as Warriors Boxing and Bad Dog Productions in association with the Magic City Casino, present the year’s debut broadcast of 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.) live from Stage 305 in the Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida.

In the co-featured televised bout, Puerto Rican slugger Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez (15-0-1, 13 KOs) will take on Philadelphia’s Derek “Pooh” Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs).

“My partner Leon (Margules of Warriors Boxing), his manager Henry Foster and I feel this kid is world championship material. It’s time to take on a guy like this. He’s ready,” continued Dobal. “I say that because he’s had an opportunity to be in several training camps and all the feedback we get is that he’s ready for bigger and better things. He was just in camp with Mercito Gesta and before that with Sharif Bogere and Marco Maidana. He’s sparred several top guys and handled himself very well.”

Dobal says his fighter is in the perfect place at the perfect time, facing Afghani-Canadian Usmanee for a top spot in the rankings.

“Whenever we’ve put an opponent in front of him where he had to step up, such as Hylon Williams, Rances proved he was ready. I think he’s one of those fighters that the better the opponent, the more inspired he gets in training and in his performance. What I like about Usmanee is that we know him. They had an opportunity to spar a couple years ago and Arash is a guy who comes to fight. Rances won’t have to find him and those are the type of opponents that showcase Rances at his best. Rances likes to fight. He likes to get down and slug it out. These are the types of opponents that Rances stylistically will do well against. We’re all conscious that Arash is a very tough fighter and this is probably the toughest fight that Rances has ever had. But these are the types of guys you have to fight to become a champion.”

Barthelemy recently moved his base of operations back to Florida after spending time in Vegas working with well-respected trainer Miguel Diaz.

“He is with new trainers now, John David Jackson and with Chico Rivas, and they put a little more emphasis on strength and conditioning. We’re very grateful to Miguel in Vegas who worked with him all this time, but Rances is going to be a father soon and the distance from his fiancé with him living in Vegas wasn’t working, so he made the decision to come back to Miami to support to his new family. Rances is a very good kid and family comes first.”

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The undercard, which will be announced shortly, will feature several young local and international rising stars.

Tickets are on sale now on the Magic City Casino website www.magiccitycasino.com as well as in person at the Magic City Players Club. They are priced at $100, $75, $50 and $35.

Doors open at 7:30 pm and the first bell is at 8:00.

About Magic City Casino

Magic City Casino features 800 Las Vegas-style slot machines, 18-table Poker Room, outdoor concert amphitheater, multi-purpose indoor venue, seasonal live greyhound racing and multiple food and beverage outlets, among other state-of-the-art amenities. The casino is open every day (Sunday through Thursday: 10am to 4am; Friday and Saturday: 10am to 5am). For more information, visit www.magiccitycasino.com.

Tonight at 10:30pm, immediately following MSG’s coverage of the Knicks-Brooklyn Nets game, Episode 3 of “The Garden Transformed: Year Two,” a behind-the-scenes look at the second phase of Madison Square Garden’s historic, top-to-bottom transformation will debut. A new episode from the five-part series, which is voiced over by actor Billy Crudup, will run each night this week. Viewers will not only get a firsthand look at how the Arena’s upper bowl was gutted and rebuilt, but they will also hear from athletes and celebrities who called The Garden home, as well as some of the 1000 construction personnel who tirelessly worked on the beloved building. Episode 3 features undisputed World Middleweight Champion Bernard Hopkins as he toured the transformed Arena this summer and talked to workers about his bout with Felix Trinidad at MSG, which was postponed by the events of September 11, 2001 and finally fought a few weeks later on September 29. He also took a few minutes to shadow box with a number of the construction workers.

To preview the episode, follow the link below:

http://www.msg.com/videos/bernard-hopkins-shares-what-it-means-to-him-to-fight-at-the-garden.html

The World Boxing Association (WBA) has instructed the promotional companies
Sauerland Event (SE) and Klitschko Management Group (KMG) to conduct
immediate negotiations for the fight between the current Heavyweight Super
Champion Wladimir Klitschko and Regular World Champion Alexander Povetkin.
The WBA has followed the rules of their writing originally sent to all
parties prior to the fight between Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye. The
letter stated that the winner of the bout would be declared as Super
Champion and has to face the winner out of Ruslan Chagaev vs. Alexander
Povetkin within in a time period of 18 months after the fight which took
place on August 27, 2011. Klitschko vs. Povetkin is scheduled to take place
before February 26, 2013.

Povetkin´s promoter Kalle Sauerland said: “We are very excited that Povetkin
will be Wladimir Klitschko´s next opponent. We consider Wladimir Klitschko
to be a great champion but we also consider Alexander Povetkin to be a very
serious challenger. A fight between two Olympic Heavyweight Champions is
always something special and one that will turn out to be a real treat for
boxing fans all over the world.”

Chris Meyer, Managing Director of Sauerland Event, added: “We have a four
week period to negotiate terms on the fight and will be in contact with the
Klitschko management later on today. We worked together for many fights as
co-promoters of the Klitschkos. Therefore I am convinced that we will have a
professional dialogue. However, if we should not be able to reach a
voluntary agreement we are prepared to enter a purse bid.”

New York, NY (12/18/12) – All of the fighters for tomorrow night’s DiBella Entertainment special-edition Hurricane Sandy Benefit Broadway Boxing card weighed in earlier today at the NYS Athletic Commission’s office in downtown Manhattan. Below is the complete bout sheet for Wednesday night’s show.

10 ROUNDS -LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Will Rosinsky vs. Otis Griffin

Queens, NY Sacramento, CA

16-2, 9 KO’s 24-10-2, 10 KO’s

174 lbs. 174 lbs.

8 ROUNDS – JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS

Gabriel Bracero vs. Johnnie Edwards

Brooklyn, NY Jacksonville, NC

20-1, 3 KO’s 15-5-1, 8 KO’s

141 lbs. 142 lbs.

8 ROUNDS -LIGHTWEIGHTS

Ivan Redkach vs. Edward Valdez

Los Angeles, CA New York, NY

12-0, 11 KO 11-8-2, 8 KO’s

134 lbs. 134 lbs.

8 ROUNDS -JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Ionut Ion vs. Franklin Gonzalez

Montreal, Canada New York, NY

29-2, 16 KO’s 15-11, 10 KO’s

150 lbs. 150 lbs.

4 ROUNDS – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Travis Peterkin vs. Eddie Tigs

Brooklyn, NY San Antonio, TX

5-0, 3 KO’s 1-4-2

175 lbs. 169 lbs.

4 ROUNDS – JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS

Mikkel Lespierre vs. Cornelius Whitlock

Brooklyn, NY Landover, MD

1-0,1 KO Pro Debut

143 lbs. 142 lbs.

4 ROUNDS – JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Akima Stocks vs. Marva Dash

Newark, NJ Bridgeport, CT

4-0, 3 KO’s 0-1

154 lbs. 156 lbs.

4 ROUNDS – HEAVYWEIGHTS

Jarrell Miller vs. Tyrone Gibson

Brooklyn, NY Duluth, MN

3-0, 3 KO’s 1-3, 1 KO

242 lbs. 230 lbs.

6 ROUNDS – JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS

Allan Benitez vs. Danny Calzada

El Paso, TX Dona Ana, NM

7-1, 1 KO 4-6-2, 1 KO

136 lbs. 135 lbs.

4 ROUNDS – JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS

Maurice Hooker vs. Cameron Kreal

Dallas, TX Las Vegas, NV

6-0-1, 5 KO’s 2-3-2

141 lbs. 139 lbs.

The DBE-promoted Broadway Boxing card is being held as a benefit for Hurricane Sandy victims with all of the proceeds from the show being donated to the American Red Cross. A silent auction will be held throughout the evening with DiBella Entertainment’s President Lou DiBella donating items from his own extensive personal collection.

Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000, or at the Roseland Box Office tomorrow evening. Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $45. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. The event is sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group and Newlio.com, in association with Everlast

LOS ANGELES, December 18 – One of the most talented members of the 2012 United States Olympic boxing team, South El Monte, California’s Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. had a big week in not only signing with Golden Boy Promotions, but also beginning his road to the top as a professional when he made his pro debut this past Saturday, December 15 with a win over a tough opponent in then 5-2 Vicente Alfaro at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

“We’ve all watched Joseph grow up as an athlete and a young man over the years in the amateurs and all the Southern California fight fans are proud of his success thus far,” said Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya. “He looked like a veteran this weekend in earning his first professional win and now we’re looking forward to taking him to a world championship. Golden Boy Promotions is extremely proud to add ‘Jo Jo’ to our star-studded roster and know he has the right attitude in and out of the ring to make it in this great sport. I guarantee that once you see this humble and talented young man, you will see the same potential we do.”

“I’ve always been a fan of Oscar De La Hoya and he’s been a great example for young fighters like myself,” said Diaz Jr. “So to work with him and the Golden Boy Promotions team is an honor. I was a little nervous before my first professional fight on Saturday night, but now that it is under my belt, I can’t wait to get back into the ring as soon as possible and continue to show what I can do.”

The owner of over 100 wins as an amateur that included two national championships and a berth on the 2012 United States Olympic team, 20-year-old Joseph Diaz Jr. made a name for himself internationally this summer at the London Games where he decisioned Ukrainian Pavlo Ishchenko before losing a close 21-15 bout to Cuban world champion Lazaro Alvarez. With a strong amateur showing behind him, he was ready to pursue greatness in the professional game and on December 15, the southpaw impressed fight fans in his Southern California backyard with a shutout, four-round decision win over Minnesota’s Alfaro.

A date and opponent for Diaz Jr.’s next fight will be announced shortly. For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/JosephDiazJr, or visit us on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page.

LOS ANGELES, December 18 – Fresh off of a thrilling 10 round win over Alejandro Rodriguez in November, unbeaten lightweight prospect Abner Cotto will get one more fight in before the end of the year, when he faces Tijuana’s Sergio Perez on the Saturday, December 22 edition of TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” at the Coliseo Roger Mendoza in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

It will be the fourth fight of 2012 for the rising star from Aguas Buenas, who rose from a first round knockdown against Rodriguez last month to win a clear-cut unanimous decision.

Cotto vs. Perez, a 10-round lightweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and H2 Entertainment and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 p.m., the first bell rings at 7:00 p.m. and the TeleFutura broadcast begins at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $10, $15 and $25 are available for purchase at all Ticket Center locations or by phone at (787) 792-5000.

Unbeaten as a professional, Abner Cotto (15-0, 6 KO’s) is one of Puerto Rico’s brightest hopes for world title honors in the coming years and after already winning the Puerto Rican and WBC FECARBOX lightweight belts thus far, he is on the right path to championship glory. The owner of 2012 wins over Hevinson Herrera, Juan Montiel and Rodriguez, the 25-year-old cousin of Puerto Rican stars Miguel Cotto and Jose Cotto will perform in front of his local fans one more time this year on Saturday.

A veteran of the sport who has faced off with top competitors and world champions such as Veeraphol Sahaprom, Mauricio Martinez, Martin Honorio and Robbie Peden, Tijuana’s Sergio “El Sirenito” Perez (27-13, 18 KO’s) has the type of experience that is tough to top on fight night. At 37 years old, Perez has gotten a second wind in his career, winning three in a row including a July victory over Gilberto Sanchez Leon. This weekend, he will test the rising star Cotto.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/RealMiguelCotto or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing.

IBF Welterweight champion Devon Alexander’s mandatory title defense against Kell Brook has been rescheduled for February 23rd after an ankle injury to Brook according to espn.com’s Dan Rafael.

The fight will take place in Detroit according to Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer

“We’ll have two world title fights, and it could turn out to be three, so if we bring three world title fights, including one with hometown champion ‘K9’ Bundrage, I think we will do darn well there. Detroit is a great fight town,” Schaefer said.

Cornelius “K9” Bundrage (32-4, 19 KOs), who is from Detroit, making his third defense against Ishe Smith (24-5, 11 KOs) of Las Vegas. Schaefer said there would be one other televised fight to be determined.

“Kell sustained an ankle injury that has hampered his training and running work,” said Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn said. “I’m concerned mainly for the traveling U.K. fans, and it’s in no one’s interest for the fight to fall through closer to the time, so I requested a three- to four-week delay to the original date of Jan. 19. This will eradicate the risk and ensure Kell will be 100 percent for the biggest fight of his life.”

Gary Shaw Productions has won the the right to stage a potential IBF Jr. Welterweight title fight between champion Lamont Peterson and Kendall Holt according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Shaw grabbed the rights for a mere $50,000. Since his company was the only one that showed up at the IBF offices for the purse bid, he submitted the envelope with the cheaper total. He would have bid a much higher amount had their been competition at the auction.

As the titleholder, Peterson (30-1-1, 15 KOs) is entitled to 75 percent of the money ($37,500) with Holt (28-5, 16 KOs) getting the remaining 25 percent ($12,500).

“We’re going to do the fight so I want to get with Barry Hunter and see if we can do it in D.C., and if not, then I’ll take the fight somewhere else,” Shaw said. “Kendall Holt wants this fight. Peterson? That will be up to him and Barry if I can make a deal with them.”

“I’ve been spoken to Barry and I thought we’d make a deal before the purse bid,” Shaw said. “He said he would call Lamont and get back to me, but I have not heard back from him.”

“Let’s see if Barry comes around and see what kind of gate we can do,” Shaw said.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Former world champion Amir Khan has signed a deal to have his fights be televised on Showtime.

“It was offered to us and to Amir, and we liked the terms and decided to do it,” Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “We want to do big fights with Amir and so does Showtime.”

Under the new Showtime deal, Schaefer said the remaining fights for Khan would likely take place in April and November.

“There could be a rematch with Danny Garcia, but there are also other big names,” Schaefer said. “Maybe a rematch with Lamont Peterson [who handed Khan a controversial split decision loss last December], maybe a Victor Ortiz, Devon Alexander or Andre Berto, when Amir moves up to welterweight.”

“Amir Khan is one of the most talented and entertaining boxers in the sport today,” said Steven Espinoza, General Manager of Showtime Sports. “He fights in weight classes that are deep in talent and compelling matchups, and he has shown that he is willing to fight anyone. Given Showtime’s emphasis on the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, it made sense for us to establish an ongoing relationship with Amir and Khan Promotions so that together we can bring boxing fans more of the high-quality, all-action fights that Amir has become known for.”

PHILADELPHIA (December 18, 2012)—On Friday night January 25th, Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions, Gary Shaw Productions and Greg Cohen Promotions will present ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights featuring the former WBO Jr. Middleweight champion Sergiy Dzinziruk. Dzinziruk will take on perennial contender and world ranked Brian Vera in a twelve round bout for the NABO Middleweight championship that will headline a night of boxing at the Turning Stone Casino Resort in Verona, New York that will be broadcast live as part of ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights.

Dzinziruk of the Ukraine by way of Hamburg, Germany has a record 37-1-1 with 24 knockouts. In 2005, He won the WBO Jr. Middleweight championship with twelve round unanimous decision over Daniel Santos and made six successful defenses en route to compiling a perfect 37-0 record. On March 12, 2011, Dzinziruk moved up to challenge the great Sergio Martinez for the world Middleweight championship. Dzinziruk fought a valiant fight before being stopped in eight rounds.

In his last bout, despite giving up seven pounds in weight to undefeated Jonathan Gonzalez, Dzinziruk was able to box his way to a draw on September 1st as part of a card that was televised on HBO Boxing After Dark

Dzinziruk is currently ranked number-nine by the WBC and eleven by the WBO at Jr. Middleweight.

Vera of Austin, Texas has a record of 21-6 with 12 knockouts and is generally in some classic brawls that make his fights very television friendly.

The thirty-year old has some great wins over the likes of Samuel Miller (17-1); Max Alexander (14-1-1); Vera put the first loss on future world title challenger Andy Lee. Vera also has wins over Sebastien DeMers (31-2) and two victories over former world champion Sergio Mora with the latter coming in his last bout on August 11th.

The ten round co-feature will pit the undefeated Jr. Welterweight Tony Luis against Miguel Gonzalez.

The twenty-four year old Luis (15-0, with 7 KO’s) of nearby Cornwell, Ontario is coming off a spectacular first round stoppage over thirty-seven fight veteran Andres Ledesma on September 1st at The Turning Stone Resort and Casino.

Gonzalez of Cleveland, Ohio has a record of 20-3 with 15 knockouts and has had solid wins over Tyrone Harris and Humberto Toledo . Gonzalez will be looking to get back in the win column after dropping a ten round unanimous decision to Michael Dallas on February 17th.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first undercard bout starting at 7:30 p.m. The live ESPN2 telecast begins at 9 p.m.

Tickets prices from $25 to $70. Call the Turning Stone box office at (315) 361-7469 or visit www.Ticketmaster.com.

ST. LOUIS (December 18, 2012) – Christmas came early for lightweight power-broker “Dangerous” Dannie Williams in the form of an ESPN Friday Nights Fight main event showdown on January 11 against John “The Hammer” Molina Jr. (24-2, 19 KOs) in a explosive crossroads fight for both boxers, at Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“I’ve been waiting to get back into a meaningful fight,” Williams said from training camp in Youngstown, Ohio, “so I can get back in the lightweight picture. That’s what this fight is all about. I look at this fight like all of my fights as the biggest of my life.”

Williams (22-2, 18 KOs) is only two fights removed from a disappointing loss by 10-round decision to Hank Lundy (21-1-1) for the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title, while Molina suffered a devastating first-round knockout in his last fight to World Boxing Council (WBC) 135-pound champion Antonio DeMarco. Both of these fights aired on national television, setting back the fighters’ respective careers.

Williams, who was WBC No. 9 rated going into the Lundy fight, has regrouped, winning his most recent fight this past October by way of a seventh-round knockout of Rynell Griffin.

Molina’s most significant win, ironically, was an 11th round stoppage of Lundy in 2010 for the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) lightweight title. The previously unbeaten Lundy (18-0-1), who was dropped in the eighth, had a substantial lead on all three judges’ scorecards (98-91, 98-91, 97-92) when Molina finished him off in the 11th as the referee halted the fight with Lundy trapped on the ropes and hurt.

“I’m really up for this fight because he’s the guy who beat the guy who beat me,” Williams noted. “I’m going to show the boxing world that my Lundy fight was a fluke. Molina’s last fight was disappointing. I don’t think he can take a big punch. It’s not like Lundy can hit. DeMarco hit him with some good punches, but I can’t wait to see how he reacts when I hit him.”

The fight between Williams and Molina, who have combined to knock out 37 opponents in 46 total wins, has the potential to start 2013 off with fireworks. “A loss derails either fighter’s career and the winner gets right back in the picture,” Williams’ head trainer Jack Loew remarked. “With these two guys, no matter what game plan is set, once they get touched, their manhood takes over. They’re both warriors, real fighters, and this can be a very exciting fight. Dannie just has to fight for 10 rounds, although this isn’t the type fight that figures to go the distance. Against Lundy, we had a great game plan and it worked for two or three rounds. Then, Dannie hit a wall and for whatever reason, he stopped fighting.

“This is a crossroads fight for both fighters. This isn’t like being a cat with nine lives. This is the third opportunity Steve’s (co-promoter Steve Smith) gotten Dannie on national television, the first against (Eloy) Perez (LDEC10 in 2009), and then Lundy. This fight could mean the difference between ever getting a world title shot or not. I’ve let Dannie know what this fight means and the pressure is on him to win. Dannie has to be professional and go into this fight in a better mind set than he did against Lundy. He can’t dance around and box. He has to come forward and be aggressive. Dannie Williams is always going to be a power puncher.”

“Dangerous” Dannie Williams (L)

(photo by Bob Barton)

Co-Promoted by Rumble Time Promotions (President Steve Smith) and DiBella Entertainment, the 28-year-old Williams has overcome numerous obstacles growing up in the Peabody Projects in Saint Louis, Missouri. He showcased his potential as an amateur, capturing a gold medal in the 2004 National Golden Gloves Tournament, and defeating undefeated, former World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios.

“What I know for sure is that Dannie will fight the fight of his life and come out with a big win in dramatic fashion,” Smith added. “I do want to thank Doug Loughrey (boxing programming director), of ESPN, for keeping this fight together. ESPN fans are going to love the non-stop action, as long as it lasts. Dannie just had an off night against Lundy. Dannie Williams is a beast with power in both hands and good boxing skills, too.”

Go online to www.RumbleTimePromotions.com for more information about Williams or any of his Rumble Time Promotions stable-mates.

Las Vegas, Nevada – Fresh off unifying the welterweight title in November following an 18-month absence due to injury, UFC® welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre returns to Montreal’s Bell Centre on March 16, 2013 to face former STRIKEFORCE® champion Nick Diaz. St-Pierre (23-2) has scored 10 consecutive victories in his dominant reign atop the 170-pound division but no other opponent has motivated him as much as the fiery and unpredictable Diaz.

“Georges St-Pierre asked to fight Nick Diaz because he knows they have unfinished business, and Nick Diaz agrees,” UFC President Dana White said.

The always-diplomatic St-Pierre, 31, has defeated the likes of Carlos Condit, Matt Hughes (twice), Jon Fitch, BJ Penn (twice), Josh Koscheck (twice) and Jake Shields, but no other opponent has fueled him as much as the southpaw from Stockton, Calif. The pair was originally slated to meet at UFC® 137 but a series of events, including a St-Pierre knee injury, prevented the match up from ever taking place.

“There’s been a lot of talk about who I should fight next but this was really the only choice for me,” said St-Pierre. “He’s made it personal and I personally can’t wait.”

During his reign as STRIKEFORCE® welterweight champion, Nick Diaz defeated archrival KJ Noons and finished both Evangelista Santos and Paul Daley en route to becoming the organization’s best 170-pound fighter. He’s since returned to the UFC® with an impressive win over former two-time champion BJ Penn before an interim title loss to Carlos Condit and a year-long disciplinary suspension. Diaz now, though, gets the fight he’s so eagerly awaited.

“This is the fight I want,” Diaz said. “I want to go out there and beat Georges St-Pierre in Montreal and show that I’m the best welterweight in the world.”

In addition to St-Pierre-Diaz, four more of the UFC®’s top-10 welterweights will clash at the Bell Centre while one fighter gets a shot at redemption following a controversial disqualification loss at the same venue just four months removed.

With his recent dominating win over legend BJ Penn, Rory MacDonald (14-1) looks to avenge his only career loss against former interim UFC welterweight champion Carlos Condit (28-6). The pair met at UFC® 115 in a bout that saw Condit come from behind and register a third-round TKO win with mere seconds remaining.

Not to be overshadowed, title-hungry Johny Hendricks (14-1), coming off his recent Montreal knockout win over welterweight Martin Kampmann, will be looking to cement his place as number one contender as he meets the always-dangerous Jake Ellenberger (28-6).

Tickets for UFC® 158: ST-PIERRE vs. DIAZ go on sale to the general public Saturday, January 19 at 10 a.m. ET. More information regarding the UFC® 158 on-sale, ticket prices and the fight card will be announced next month. For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

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 now airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 30 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 over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, and a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

BETHLEHEM. PA – Ukrainian heavyweight puncher Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov, 13-0, 9 KOs, intends to school the already well-educated Tor Hamer, 19-1, 12 KOs, when they meet in the ring at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, in PA, Saturday, December 22nd. The 8-round heavyweight contest is part of a big nationally televised double-header that will be broadcast on NBC, beginning at 4PM ET. The headline bout is a 12-round rematch between Tomasz “Goral” Adamek and Steve “USS” Cunningham for the IBF North American Heavyweight Title.

Lately New York-born Hamer has been making waves and getting ink as a promising prospect in the heavyweight division. He’s won eight in a row including a unanimous nod over title-challenger Kevin Johnson, and has been singled out as a future American hopeful for world championship honors.

Much of the hoopla surrounding Hamer is the fact that he carries educational credentials far superior than those of most boxers. The son of a Harvard-educated father and Villanova-graduate mother, Hamer grew up attending private schools, and holds a B.A. Degree from Penn State University. Truly a rarity in the boxing world.

A veteran of 13 professional fights, mostly in Russia, Czar has faced a number of Eastern European standouts. But it is his vast amateur pedigree that gives him the edge in ring experience that he will use to become the professor against Hamer. In his pre-pro tenure, Glazkov faced a “who’s who” of international boxing at the World Amateur Boxing Championships, World University Championships, the Strandya Cup, and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where he won the Bronze Medal.

Czar’s goal is to capitalize on this opportunity by beating Hamer impressively on national television and making a name for himself in this, just his second appearance in the United States. If he can score a knockout against Hamer, Czar Glazkov will certainly go to the head of the class.

DECEMBER 22 FIGHT INFO:

December 22nd at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania. The main event features current IBF North American Heavyweight Champion Tomasz “Goral” Adamek (47-2, 29 KO’s) of Kearny, N.J. vs. Steve “USS” Cunningham (25-4, 12 KO’s) of Philadelphia, Pa., in a 12-round heavyweight fight.

In the co-feature, Tor Hamer (19-1, 12 KO’s) of New York, N.Y., takes on Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (13-0, 9 KO’s) of Langansk, Ukraine, in an 8-round heavyweight bout.

The main event and co-feature will be broadcast on NBC network TV beginning 4PM ET. The card is presented by Main Events and Ziggy Promotions in association with Peltz Boxing, DiBella Entertainment and Pushka.

To purchase the remaining tickets while they last, contact the Sands Bethlehem Event Center box office 610-297-7414, Main Events 973-200-7050 and Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922, Ticketmaster, http://www.ticketmaster.com/Tomasz-Adamek-vs-Steve-Cunningham-tickets/artist/1794999 , and Ticketmaster Sales: during regular hours 800-745-3000, Ticketmaster Express: automated phone line for self-service ticket sales, even after hours, 866-448-7849.

For additional information on the event, seating arrangements, or ticketing, visit the event page located on the website. www.sandseventcenter.com

2012-2013 NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT SCHEDULE

(All times ET and subject to change)

Saturday, Dec., 22
4 p.m. ET
NBC
Bethlehem, PA

Saturday, Jan., 19
9 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
Mohegan, CT

Saturday, Feb., 23
10:30 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

Saturday, Mar., 9
10 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

Saturday, June 14
9 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

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On DIRECTV NBC Sports Network has moved to channel 220.

WBO Super-Middleweight Champion Arthur Abraham ends the year with a bang.
Abraham proved that he is back at the top after defeating Mehdi Bouadla by
TKO in round eight in Nuremberg, Germany on Saturday night. The 7.000 fans
in attendance witnessed a great performance by the titlist, who presented
them with an early Christmas gift.

Abraham began the fight forceful. The prodigy of coach Ulli Wegner
pressurized Bouadla right from the get go, just like he did in his fight
against Robert Stieglitz on August 25. Powerful jabs found their way through
the defense of the French challenger. Right towards the end of round one the
champion let loose a salvage of heavy blows, which got Bouadla into trouble
and the crowd rising from their seats and chanting Abraham’s name.

But the hard hitting titleholder did not only rely on his power and high
volume of punches. By constantly switching his target from head to body, he
was eager to keep the challenger guessing as to where he would attempt to
hit him next. Nevertheless, Bouadla was in no way willing to leave the
battlefield without trying his luck. After being the victim of yet another
flurry of hard punches during the third round, he decided it was time to
start an attack himself. However, it was easy to see, that the man from
Aulnay sous Bois, France had nothing to match the sheer strength of his
opponent.

After some more or less slower rounds, Abraham turned up the heat once more
in round seven. A lovely uppercut as well as a big straight right hand made
it evident, that the WBO Champion was just too much to handle for Bouadla.
Those landed punches resulted in a deep cut on the challengers right eye.
The 30-year-old did make it through to the break, but in round eight, it was
clear that the injury had a big influence on Bouadla’s vision, as he was not
able to see Abraham’s punches coming. Hence, referee Mark Nelson made the
correct call by taking Bouadla out of the bout after 2:11 minutes of the
eight round and declaring the German as the winner.

Winning his 36th fight in Nuremberg meant a lot to the new and still world
champion. “It was in Franconia where I picked up boxing. Therefore, there is
no better feeling than being able to celebrate a victory with the fans in
this particular city,” said Abraham who also had some kind words for his
opponent. “He is one tough cookie who can take a punch, but 2012 was my
year.”

Bouadla, who now stands at five losses out of 31 fights, admitted right
after the defeat, that Abraham was just too strong for him: “He was just too
good. It is as simple as that. The referee made the right call by stopping
the fight. Abraham was very impressive with his power and didn’t allow me to
land any of my counter-attacks.”

Moreover, coach Ulli Wegner explained why he kept praising Abraham
throughout the whole time leading up to and after the fight. “I can only
complain about Arthur if he gives me a reason to do so. Today he did
everything I asked him to.”

Also successful in his quest to defend his title was Jack Culcay, who still
has an unbeaten record after 14 professional bouts. The 27-year-old took on
Jean Michel Hamilcaro in a fight for the WBA-Intercontinental Light
Middleweight Title. And Culcay made it clear, why he is regarded as one of
Germany’s future superstars. The challenger from France did not stand a
chance against the speed and power of Culcay. The referee stopped the fight
in round five as Culcay proved to be too strong for his counterpart.

Winning his first important title was Mateusz Masternak. The Polish
cruiserweight and Juho Haapoja from Finland fought it out for the vacant
European Championship. Masternak was in total control throughout the fight
and landed shots at will, but his opponent gave it his all and made it to
the final bell. After 12 rounds, the judged submitted their scorecards and
declared Masternak the winner by a clear-cut unanimous decision. All three
scored the fight 120-108 in Masternak’s favour who now stands at 29
victories out of as many fights.

MOSCOW (December 16, 2012) – Undefeated Colombian knockout artist Santander “Cha Cha” Silgado (23-0, 18 KOs), promoted by Havoc Boxing Promotions, challenges World Boxing Association (WBA) cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev (24-1, 18 KOs) tomorrow (Monday, Dec. 17) in Russia.

Here are pictures of Silgado and his team from today’s weigh-in and final press conference in Moscow:

Go online to www.HavocBoxingNYC.com for more information or follow on Twitter @havocboxingnyc.

HAVOC BOXING PROMOTIONS: Based in Brooklyn and dedicated to the future of boxing, Havoc Boxing Promotions is a full-service promotional company fully committed to creating opportunities for upcoming boxers by promoting quality shows and marketing talent.

Oscar Goddoy scored a third round stoppage over Javier Gomez in a scheduled six round Welterweight bout.

Goddoy landed a flurry against the ropes that sent Gomez down in round three and the fight was stopped at forty-eight seconds of round three.

Goddoy of Watsonville, CA is now 9-2 with four knockouts. Gomez, 146 1/2 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 13-10.

Jonathan Garcia remained undfeated with a first round knockout over Rodolfo Armento in a six round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Garcia dropped Armenta from a left hook that was followed by a right to the head. Garcia finished the fight with a flurry that was punctuated by two vicious shots that sent Armenta down again and the fight was stopped at 2:03.

Garcia, 142 lbs of Watsonville, CA is now 10-0 with seven knockouts. Armenta, 142 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is now 11-9-1

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 16, 2012) – British superstar and former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Amir “King” Khan punctuated a sensational day-night boxing marathon presented by Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME Sports® by winning a dominant 10th round TKO over gallant but out-gunned Carlos Molina Saturday on SHOWTIME® from The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

Making his first start with new trainer Virgil Hunter, Khan (27-3, 18 KO’s), of Bolton, England, was near-perfect against the previously undefeated Molina (17-1-1, 7 KO’s), of Los Angeles, as he snapped a two-fight losing streak while capturing the vacant WBC Silver Super Lightweight Championship.

The quicker, physically stronger and bigger Khan was in control throughout, showing excellent poise while utilizing his advantages in height and reach, moving and jabbing, punching in flurries and landing countless combinations. He didn’t score a knockdown, but he cut Molina on his left eye and thoroughly had his way. When the referee stopped the fight upon the suggestion of the boxer’s corner at the end of the 10th round, Khan had won every round on all three judges’ scorecard.

“I stuck to my game plan which means I stuck to the jab,” said Khan, who called out the boxer who dethroned him, WBA Super, WBC and Ring Magazine Super Lightweight World Champion Danny Garcia, after his victory on Saturday. “Carlos took some good shots and kept coming forward. That is when I thought to myself I am going to have to stick to the game plan and not get too aggressive.

“Virgil is a great trainer and I feel I am getting better as a fighter. He is teaching me boxing, speed, patience, picking the right shot and knowing when to throw it.

“I am my biggest critic. After each fight I always think what did I do and why did I make the mistakes I did. Danny Garcia caught me with a good shot, but I will fight him anytime anywhere. I want to fight him again”

Molina had some success and landed some good shots but was mostly confounded by Khan’s performance.

“I don’t know what happened,” Molina said. “I wanted to pull the trigger, but I couldn’t get my hands to go. I had a lack of precision. He was fast in his jab, and I was hesitant in trying to get in because he has a long reach.

“I didn’t do my job. I lost my undefeated record.

“I felt like I connected two or three times, but I wasn’t in the right distance to reconnect after I wobbled him. I am going to go back (to the drawing board), work hard and get back in the ring.”

In co-featured scheduled 10-round bouts on SHOWTIME, knockout artist and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., improved to 26-0 with 26 knockouts with a one-punch, third-round knockout over previously undefeated Kelvin Price (13-1, 6 KO’s), of Pensacola, Fla., to capture the vacant WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Championship while junior middleweight Alfredo “Perro” Angulo (22-2, 18 KO’s), of Los Angeles, won a 10-round decision in a slugfest over Jorge Silva (18-3-2, 14 KO’s), of Chula Vista, Calif.

The 6-foot-7 Wilder finished Price, who’s also 6-foot-7, with a long, picturesque right hand. Wilder was even on two scorecards and ahead on the other when he landed the heavyweight haymaker that halted matters in sudden and dramatic fashion.

“Bomb squad baby. I practice patience in the ring because I know my punch is going to come and my opponent is going to get hit.” Wilder said. “It’s just a matter of time, but when it comes, it’s going to work and tonight it did.

“Everyone has their season and it might not come when you expect it, but it does come. Tonight my season came for me. My experience has started to pay off and I felt great in there tonight.

“I feel more polished now. We set a goal we wanted to reach and tonight it seems like that goal is almost there.”

Price offered no excuses. “I felt like I was controlling the action and just getting into my rhythm,” he said. “Then he hit me with a good shot. I could have continued, but I take my hat off to Deontay. He’s very strong and was the better man tonight.”

In a crowd-pleasing, non-stop action brawl in which the sluggers took turns pummeling each other, Angulo got the best of Silva often enough to win by the scores of 97-93 on all three judges’ scorecards.

“I asked for a fighter that would make me work because I wanted to see where I really was after taking a year off,” Angulo said. “I think I am a lot better than I was then. I threw a lot of punches and he did too, but I had to take it slow because I felt a bit sluggish in there. For some reason I came in the ring tonight at 168, which I have never done before. I thought I could knock him out in the 7th or 8th round, but he went into survival mode.

“I’m happy I got the work and it makes me feel good that I have a better idea of where my career can go.”

Said Silva, “That was a really tough fight and I thought I was doing enough to win some of the rounds the judges gave to him. It was a hard fight and I had to fight every round.

“He was strong and hit me with some good shots. I was expecting a tough fight tonight and that is what the fight was. I’m disappointed I didn’t get the win.”

In a great action fight on SHOWTIME EXTREME that preceded the SHOWTIME telecast, undefeated welterweight Shawn “Showtime” Porter (20-0-1, 14 KO’s), of Cleveland, Ohio, and former World Champion Julio Diaz (40-7-1, 29 KO’s), of Indio, Calif., battled to a crowd-pleasing 10-round draw. One judge had it for Porter, 96-94, another judge scored it for Diaz, 96-94, and the third judge had it 95-95.

The event was presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T.

The tripleheader will re-air the first time this week as follows:

DAY CHANNEL

Sunday, Dec. 16, 10 a.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME

Saturday’s fights will be available ON DEMAND beginning Sunday, Dec. 16.

Brian Kenny served as host of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING with Mauro Ranallo calling the blow-by-blow action, Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and current WBA Welterweight World Champion Paulie Malignaggi serving as expert analysts with Emmy Award winning sports reporter Jim Gray reporting from ringside.

The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

In a battle of unbeatens earlier in the day on CBS, Leo Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, retained his International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Bantamweight Championship with a hard-fought, entertaining 12-round unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Alberto Guevara (16-1, 6 KO’s) of San Diego, Calif.

Follow all the action LIVE from the Los Angeles Sports Arena when former world champion Amir Khan takes on undefeated Carlos Molina in a Jr. Welterweight bout. The action begins at 9pm when undefeated Shawn Porter battles Julio Diaz and then Jr. Middleweight Afredo Angulo battling Jorge Silva and former Olympian Deontay Wilder taking on Kelvin Price in a battle of undefeated Heavyweights

10 ROUNDS WELTERWEIGHTS–SHAWN PORTER (20-0, 14 KO’S) VS JULIO DIAZ (40-7, 29 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Porter lands a counter combination..Diaz lands a left counter...10-9 Porter

Round 2 Diaz lands a right and eats 2 shots in return…Porter lands a combination..uppercut and double left..Counter right..Diaz lands a left to the body..2 more body…Porter lands a right…20-18 Porter

Round 3 Porter lands a quick right..Diaz gets in a quick right..Porter lands a right…Diaz lands a right…Porter lands a right at the bell…30-27 Porter

Round 4 Diaz lands 2 good rights..Porter cut over the right eye..Right…Good left and right..Porter lands a good right..Big right from Porter…39-37 Porter

Round 5 Diaz lands 2 body shots…Diaz lands a right…48-47 Porter

Round 6 Diaz lands a right…Porter with a right..Uppercut…Diaz gets in a left..combination..Blood from the nose of Diaz..57-57

Round 7 Diaz lands a body shot…right from Porter…good right…67-66 porter

Round 8 Diaz lands a right and 3 punch combination..Diaz lands a big right…76-76

Round 9

Leo Santa Cruz retained the IBF Bantamweight title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Alberto Guevara at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

It was an entertaining fight and both guys bled, Santa Cruz from the nose and Guevara from the right eye. It was Santa Cruz work rate that prevaied over the shiftiness of Guevara which worked well at the outset.

Santa Cruz, 117 3/4 lbs of Rosemond, CA won by scores of 119-109. 118-110 and 116-112 and is now 23-0-1. Guevara, 117 1/2 lbs of Mazalton. MX is niw 16-1.

“I want to thank Al Haymon, Golden Boy and all of my supporters because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to fight on CBS,” Santa Cruz said. “I’m sorry I didn’t give as good of a show today. I felt a little different. I couldn’t breathe after the third round, so I had to breathe through my mouth. I messed up my right hand in sparring — that’s why I moved to southpaw.

“I usually throw more body shots, but he was running too much. I have been fighting a lot in the last several months and didn’t give my body enough time to rest.”

“I think I did great. I was very tough for him,” Guevara, a virtual unknown coming in, said. “Leo is very good, very tough and very strong. I know I hurt him in the 12th round, but he hurt me in the fifth.

“I said that I was going to be in there and not run around. I had to stay with my style and box. I felt like I trained for one and a half men. They called us for the fight three weeks ago.”

Errol Spence Jr. scored a third round stoppage over Richard Andrews. Spence is now 2-0 with two knockouts

FINAL WEIGHTS:
CBS:
LEO SANTA CRUZ: 117.8 Pounds
ALBERTO GUEVARA: 117.4 Pounds

JOSEPH DIAZ JR: 122 Pounds
VICENTE ALFARO: 122.6 Pounds

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

AMIR KHAN: 139.8 Pounds
CARLOS MOLINA: 139.8 Pounds

DEONTAY WILDER: 223.5 Pounds
KELVIN PRICE: 240 Pounds

ALFREDO ANGULO: 155.4 Pounds
JORGE SILVA: 156.6 Pounds

SHOWTIME EXTREME

SHAWN PORTER: 146.4 Pounds
JULIO DIAZ: 146.8 Pounds

ABOUT DECEMBER 15 EVENT:

Khan vs. Molina is a 12 round fight for the vacant WBC Silver Super Lightweight Title and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, charismatic unbeaten knockout artist and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder squares off against undefeated Kelvin Price in a 10-round heavyweight clash for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Championship and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico faces Jorge Silva in a 10-round bout. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with a ten round welterweight fight featuring rising star Shawn Porter vs. former World Champion Julio Diaz airing live on SHOWTIME EXTREME beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The Sky Sports 1HD telecast begins live at 2:00 a.m. GMT on Sunday, December 16.

Santa Cruz vs. Guevara is a 12-round fight for Santa Cruz’s IBF Bantamweight World Championship and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The CBS broadcast, which airs live from 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT until 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT, will also feature the professional debut of 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. as he faces Vicente Alfaro in a four-round junior featherweight fight.

Tickets for the evening boxing session (SHOWTIME televised fight card) are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are on sale now and available for purchase at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Tickets for the afternoon boxing session (CBS broadcast) will be free of charge as part of the Golden Boy Promotions Holiday Fanfest and can be acquired at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena box office.

Fans who present ticket stubs from the CBS event when purchasing tickets for the Showtime event will receive a 20% discount on tickets purchased. There is a limit of one discounted purchased ticket per ticket redeemed while supplies last.

Tomasz Adamek: “I am a different fighter than I was in 2008. I’ve changed everything. Everyone can see. I don’t stand straight in front of my opponent anymore and I move my head. I am stronger.”

Tomasz Adamek in ring with Roger Bloodworth
Photo credits to Kubikfoto

Roger Bloodworth: “If Cunningham thinks that he will able to do the same things he did against Adamek four years ago, he will have very unpleasant surprise. Adamek is a very different fighter right now; maybe even a completely different fighter altogether.”

Adamek and Bloodworth
Photo credits to Mike Gladysz

Roger Bloodworth: “Cunningham – Gavern? First fight as a heavyweight, sure motivation was there, but there will be a different motivation when Cunningham steps into the ring across from Adamek. Nothing against Jason (Gavern), he’s a tough fighter who comes to fight every time, but it was nothing personal for Steve. It will be personal against Adamek, so we expect Cunningham to do everything better this time. Much better. In 2008, Adamek, who was not a favorite, not only took his (Cunningham) IBF belt but also recognition of being undisputed cruiserweight champ. I’m sure Steve remembers the feeling.”

Tomasz Adamek
Photo credits to Kubikfoto

Tomasz Adamek: “There’s already something different in the air. I can feel it. This is my best training camp ever and I’m really hungry for boxing. I know that this fight will be very personal for Cunningham. And being on NBC, with millions watching – it will be something special.”

DECEMBER 22 FIGHT INFO:

December 22nd at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania. The main event features current IBF North American Heavyweight Champion Tomasz “Goral” Adamek (47-2, 29 KO’s) of Kearny, N.J. vs. Steve “USS” Cunningham (25-4, 12 KO’s) of Philadelphia, Pa., in a 12-round heavyweight fight.

In the co-feature, Tor Hamer (19-1, 12 KO’s) of New York, N.Y., takes on Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (13-0, 9 KO’s) of Langansk, Ukraine, in an 8-round heavyweight bout.

The main event and co-feature will be broadcast on NBC network TV beginning 4PM ET. The card is presented by Main Events and Ziggy Promotions in association with Peltz Boxing and DiBella Entertainment.

To purchase the remaining tickets while they last, contact the Sands Bethlehem Event Center box office 610-297-7414, Main Events 973-200-7050 and Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922, Ticketmaster, http://www.ticketmaster.com/Tomasz-Adamek-vs-Steve-Cunningham-tickets/artist/1794999 , and Ticketmaster Sales: during regular hours 800-745-3000, Ticketmaster Express: automated phone line for self-service ticket sales, even after hours, 866-448-7849.

For additional information on the event, seating arrangements, or ticketing, visit the event page located on the website. www.sandseventcenter.com

About Fight Night: NBC Sports Network’s Fight Night series is collaboration between NBC Sports Group, promoter Main Events and Hall of Fame matchmaker J Russell Peltz. The series premiered on January 21, 2012 and will feature a total of seven original telecasts in the 2012. Earlier this year, NBC Sports Group and Main Events agreed to renew the series for the 2013-2014 season.

2012-2013 NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT SCHEDULE

(All times ET and subject to change)

Saturday, Dec., 22
4 p.m. ET
NBC
Bethlehem, PA

Saturday, Jan., 19
9 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
Mohegan, CT

Saturday, Feb., 23
10:30 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

Saturday, Mar., 9
10 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

Saturday, June 14
9 p.m. ET
NBC Sports Network
TBA

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On DIRECTV NBC Sports Network has moved to channel 220

Nonito Donaire 121.5 – Jorge Arce 122
Victor Terrazas 126.25 – Juan Ruiz 123.5
Daniel Sandoval 150.25 – Larry Smith 149.5
Jose Felix Jr. 133 – Meachor Major 132.75
Rafael Casillas 122.25 – Tremaine Williams 123.5
Alfredo Contreras 175 – Cedric Agnew 175.75
Eddie Cordova 147.5 – Alex Saucedo 146.5
Yakub Shadiev 150.5 – Jose Trevino 151.5
Pablo Briteas 128.5 – Saul Rodriguez 128.5

LOS ANGELES, December 14 – Two of female boxing’s best, Mexican star Mariana “Barbie” Juarez and Japan’s Tenkai Tsunami, will take center stage at the Arena Coliseo in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico on Saturday, December 15 for a clash of former world champions to be featured on FOX Deportes in the United States.

Plus, highly-regarded middleweight prospect Bruno “Tiburon” Sandoval faces a tough task in his 12 round WBC USNBC title defense against Alberto “La Mosca” Martinez.

Juarez vs. Tsunami, a 10 round super flyweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and is sponsored by Corona. The FOX Deportes broadcast will air on Sunday, December 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT.

A boxing beauty who knocks opponents out in the ring with her fists and everyone else outside of it with her looks, Mariana Juarez (35-6-3, 16 KO’s) is considered by many to be the greatest female fighter ever produced by Mexico. She is a former WBC world champion who held her crown for over three years and made 14 defenses before losing the belt to Ava Knight in October. The 32-year-old Juarez, who has also appeared in the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine, will begin her comeback on December 15 and is determined to wear championship gold again.

Tokyo’s Tenkai Tsunami (18-5, 7 KO’s) is no stranger to fighting elite competition, as she held the WBA world championship at super flyweight from 2009 to 2012, defending the title four times. In 2012, the seven-year veteran and Japanese female boxing pioneer fell short of victory in bouts against Naoko Yamaguchi and Janeth Perez, but she can end the year on a high note with a win over Juarez.

Unbeaten in 10 professional fights, Bruno “Tiburon” Sandoval (10-0, 9 KO’s) is a hard-hitting and exciting up-and-comer who has become a specialist in the art of the knockout. A pro since 2011, Sandoval has ripped through his opposition, going the distance just once, against 4-0 Eduardo Tercero in 2011. On November 3, Sandoval met Tercero a second time and in the rematch, he knocked his foe out in the fifth round to win the vacant WBC USNBC title that he will defend this weekend.

23-year-old Alberto “La Mosca” Martinez (20-7, 12 KO’s) has kept a busy schedule since his debut in 2009 and in 2012 alone he has already stepped into the ring eight times. Currently riding a three-fight winning streak that includes an October technical knockout win over Alberto Gutierrez, the native of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico is prepared for a tough battle on Saturday against Sandoval.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.twitter.com/caneloteam, www.twitter.com/canelopromotion or visit us on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page.

For more information on FOX Deportes visit www.FOXDeportes.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes.