Los Angeles, CA (February 13, 2015) #1 Rated Challenger YOURI KALENGA and World Boxing Council (‘WBC’) Cruiserweight World Champion DENIS LEBEDEV “Faced Off’ for the first time on Wednesday afternoon at the Wild Card Boxing Gym in Hollywood, California.

In preparation for their world title fight, both warriors are opening up training camps in Southern California as Kalenga heads to Big Bear Lake, California with the guidance of ABEL SANCHEZ and Lebedev under the watchful eye of FREDDIE ROACH in Hollywood.

“Seeing Lebedev this week was fantastic, he’s an impressive champion, clearly the best cruiserweight in the world and I’m thrilled to start camp to dethrone him,” said Kalenga.

“The world title fight between Kalenga and Lebedev is a very important fight for both fighters, and as you can see they both have a lot of respect for each other” said MICHAEL KING of KING SPORTS. “It’s going to be a great fight!”

Photo Credit/King Sports

ABOUT KING SPORTS
King Sports is a company started by entertainment entrepreneur Michael King. King Sports’ first foray into boxing was with All-American Heavyweights, a revolutionary boxing program that boasted a state-of-the-art training facility equipped with the latest technology, premiere coaching and medical staff along with the ideal dietary and nutritional needs for its fighters. Since making the decision to enter professional boxing, King Sports has spent time evaluating the entire spectrum of global boxing talent. Through an exhaustive scouting and evaluation process, King Sports has found some of the most exciting young fighters from around the world.

For more information follow King Sports on Twitter @KingSportsWorld, Facebook @KingSportsWorldwide and visit their website at www.KingSportsWorldwide.com.

Ricardo Pinell 154 – John Thompson 154 1/4

Stanyslav Skorohod 153 3/4 – Michael Moore 154 3/4

Brandon Adams 155 – Alex Perez 152 1/2

Vito Gasparyan 155 – Simeon Hardy 154 1/4

Thompson replaces Cleotis Pendarvis who could not make weight

Eddie Caminero 157 1/4 – Jimmy Williams 156 1/4
Khiary Gray-Pitts 164 1/4 – Rodrigo Almeida 172 1/2
Angel Martinez 132 1/4 – Oscar Bonilla 133

Photos by Shane Sims / Banner Promotions

Promoter: Banner Promotions in association with Jimmy Burchfield’s CES Boxing
Venue: Mohegan Sun:
Television: ESPN 2 (9PM)
1st Bell: 7:45 PM

Future contenders step into the national spotlight when the popular single-elimination boxing tournament, Boxcino 2015, makes its season debut, This Friday! February 13, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. Televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, (9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on ESPN2), the four quarterfinal junior middleweight division bouts will produce four winners who will then take a giant leap toward making it to the championship final round and its ultimate prize, the vacant NABA and NABO titles AND a Top-10 world rating by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Promoted by Banner Promotions and Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES), remaining tickets to the February 13 edition of Boxcino 2015, priced at $125, $65, $40 and $30, including facility fee, can be purchased via www.ticketmaster,com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets or in person at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.

The Official Weigh-In will take place on Thursday, February 12, in the Mohegan Sun’s Cabaret Theatre, beginning at 5 p.m. On Fight Night, Doors will open at 7 p.m. with the first bout beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The four quarterfinal heavyweight division bouts will be televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights Next Friday! February 20, from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

Boxcino 2015 has been a great platform for the next generation of boxing champions and stars. The quarterfinal bouts will be six rounds, the semifinal bouts will be eight rounds and the championship bouts will be 10 rounds. This short piece from ESPN’s “Making The Rounds” will detail this week’s battles. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12302492

Last year’s Boxcino winner in the middleweight division, Willie Monroe Jr., has become a bona fide contender thanks to his victories in Boxcino 2014. He is currently world-rated No. 3 by the WBA, No. 7 by the WBO and No. 10 by the World Boxing Council (WBC). Boxcino 2014 lightweight champion Petr Petrov is currently world-rated No. 2 by the WBA and No. 7 by the WBO

Happy to make Artie Pelullo, or any of the fighters available to you by phone. The pairings for each division, fighter bios (don’t worry they’re brief) and all the participants’ Fight Fax records are available upon request.

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Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Also in 2013, Mohegan Sun won “Casino of The Year” in 2 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Jesus Navarro (126.2 lbs. / 23-9-1, 16 KOs) vs. Gary Stark Jr. (125.4 lbs. / 23-3, 8 KOs)

Rafael Gonzales (140.4 lbs. / 7-2-1, 6 KOs) vs. John Jackson (142.2 lbs. / 16-3-1, 13 KOs)

Angel Luna (125.8 lbs. / 10-0-1, 7 KOs) vs. Jhovany Collado (125.6 lbs. / 4-10-2, 1 KO)

Marcos Forestal (121.8 lbs. / Pro Debut) vs. Ignac Kassai (123.0 lbs. / 14-38-2, 3 KOs)

Ryan Picou (137.0 lbs. / 2-5, 0 KOs) vs. Dean Burrell (135.4 lbs. /8-1, 6 KOs)

Mikkel Lespierre (145.6 lbs. 5-0, 3 KOs) vs. Christopher Porter (146.0 lbs. / (0-1-1)

Paola Ortiz (107.4 lbs. / 0-5) vs. Susan Reno (106.8 lbs. / 1-3-1)

Maxito Sainvil (148.6 lbs. / Pro Debut) vs. Dusty Parrish (150.2 lbs. / 1-4, 1 KO)

LAS VEGAS (February 12, 2015) – World championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) is set to roll out two more mega-fight cards with WSOF 20 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, April 10, and WSOF 21 at the Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Friday, June 5, WSOF President Ray Sefo announced tonight on the live NBCSN telecast of WSOF 18.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF 20, headlined by a light heavyweight tournament showdown between inspirational competitor Matt “The Hammer” Hamill (11-5) and submission expert Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes (12-7, 1 NC), go on sale on Friday, February 13 at 11:00 a.m. EST, at Ticketmaster.com.

In the WSOF 20 lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event, Melvin “The Young” Assassin Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will collide with fellow hard-hitting, KO artist Ozzy Dugulubgov (6-2).

Priced from $50, tickets for WSOF 21, highlighted by a welterweight (170 pounds) tilt between Yushin “Thunder” Okami (30-9) and Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford (22-5), go on sale at on Friday, February 13 at 12:00 p.m. MST, at Ticketmaster.com.

The WSOF 21 co-main event will feature reigning world heavyweight champion Smealinho “The Prince” Rama (9-1) defending his crown against Sambo wrecking machine and Judo black belt Blagoy Ivanov (11-1).

WSOF 20: Hamill vs. Magalhaes

Deaf since birth, the 38-year-old Hamill, the subject of a 2010 biographical film The Hammer, has overcome all types of odds during his life, winning three NCAA national wrestling championships and, later, conquering a host of rival MMA stars, including Tito Ortiz, Tim Boetsch, Keith Jardine and Mark Munoz,

Magalhaes, a 30-year-old, multi-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev., is looking to notch his third consecutive victory after scoring a first round (3:12) submission (rear-naked choke) on Jorge Gonzales on July 19, 2014, and a fourth round (:36) submission (guillotine choke) on Jason Brilz on Sept. 26, 2014.

The matchup between Hamill and Magalhaes represents the second bout in the initial stage of the recently announced WSOF multi-event tournament that will crown its winner the promotion’s first-ever world light heavyweight champion.

The winner of the Hamill-Magalhaes bout will square off with the winner of the other first stage matchup between Thiago Silva (16-3, 2 NC) and Ronny Markes (15-3) that headlines WSOF 19 at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. on Saturday, March 28, live on NBCSN.

Guillard of New Orleans, La., is aiming to rebound from a hard-fought, split decision loss to undefeated Justin Gaethje at WSOF 15 on Nov. 15, 2014. Prior to that, Guillard, a prolific finisher with brutal power, defeated Gesias “J.Z.” Cavalcante by way of second round (2:36) TKO (punches and elbows) at WSOF 11 on July 5, 2014.

Despite owning a fraction of the professional experience as Guillard, the 26-year-old Dugulubgov of Hackensack, N.J. has already earned the right to face the upper echelon of opponents in the sport’s lightweight division, decisively defeating three of his first four WSOF opponents.

In his last start, Dugulubgov scored a thunderous, third round (1:38) KO (punch) on Keon Caldwell at WSOF 13 on Sept. 13, 2014.

The live NBCSN telecast of WSOF 20 begins at 9:00 p.m. EST/6:00 p.m. PST on Friday, April 10.

Doors at the Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino open at 5:00 p.m. EST, and the first preliminary bout begins at 6:00 p.m.

Additional bouts for WSOF 20 will be announced soon.

WSOF 21: Okami vs. Ford

Both Okami of Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan and Ford Edmonton, will look to return to the win column after suffering defeats at the hands of world champion David Branch and submission ace Jake Shields, respectively.

Okami, a 33-year-old former top 10 world ranked contender, is a 12-year veteran of the sport who has earned 50 percent of his victories by way of (T)KO or submission. He boasts victories over a host of fellow marquee competitors, including Hector Lombard, Nate Marquardt, Mark Munoz and Alan Belcher.
At 32 years old, Ford brings nearly 8 years of professional experience to the cage, including stoppages of Karo Parisyan and Pete Spratt. Ford recently ran to six consecutive wins, five by way of (T)KO or submission, before being submitted by Shields with a rear-naked choke in the first round (4:29) of their meeting.

At 22 years of age, Rama, who hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, became the youngest fighter in history to win a major world MMA championship after he decimated Derrick Mehman by way of first round (:51) TKO (punches) at WSOF 14 on October 11, 2014, will put his title on the line for the first time and seek his fourth consecutive win. To date, he has claimed all but one of his victories by way of (T)KO or submission.

Ivanov is a 28-year-old native of Sofia, Bulgaria and a 2008 World Sambo Championships gold medalist. En route to his first place finish, Ivanov defeated retired, former pound-for-pound MMA king Fedor Emelianenko in the semifinal stage of the tournament.

In 2012, Ivanov survived a stabbing attack that left him in the intensive care unit of a Bulgarian hospital. He miraculously returned to MMA competition in 2013, and reeled off four straight wins, three by way of first round submission.

The live NBCSN telecast of WSOF 21 begins at 9:00 p.m. EST/6:00 p.m. PST on Friday, June 5.

Doors at the Edmonton Expo Centre open at 3:00 p.m. MST, and the first preliminary bout begins at 4 p.m.

Additional bouts for WSOF 21 will be announced soon.

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 12, 2015) – Gary Shaw Productions and Savarese Promotions are thrilled to announce their union to promote one of the most talented up and coming prospects in the light heavyweight division, Medzhid Bektemirov (14-0, 11 KOs). A devastating puncher with power in both hands, Bektemirov also possesses speed and quickness, making him one of the most talked about fighters in Russia.

Born in Makhachkala, Russia, Bektemirov, now resides in the USA, where he trains with Ronnie Shields at the “PLEX” in Stafford, Texas. A hard worker who practically lives in the gym, Medzhid eats, sleeps and breathes boxing.

“I’m telling you right now, Medzhid Bektemirov is one of the most talented fighters I’ve seen in a while,” said Gary Shaw. “He has the rare combination of speed and power. I’m talking destructive power coming from both hands. His hooks are deadly and his fast feet are amazing. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Bektemirov could be the next great fighter to come out of Russia. I have the greatest amount of respect for Gennady Golovkin and Sergey Kovalev, both are great champions. Golovkin is a very special fighter and if Bektemirov can reach his level, then we’ll have something special as well. I believe Bektemirov will be looking to face Kovalev in the not so distant future.”

In only his 12th bout, Bektemirov captured the WBC United States (USNBC) light heavyweight title with a dominating performance against Randy Griffin (25-4-3, 13 KOs), winning a lopsided twelve-round unanimous decision. Having gone twelve rounds in a professional bout already, Medzhid Bektemirov, has proven he can go the distance if need be.

“In 2015 Medzhid Bektemirov will make his presence known to everyone in the light-heavyweight division.” Lou Savarese stated. “This kid reminds me of Mike Tyson with his heavy hands and tremendous speed. I’ve been in the ring with Tyson and I’m confident when I say Bektemirov reminds me a lot like Mike. Gary and I are going to put tremendous amount promoting Medzhid. He will become a household name very soon and we are gunning for that world title.”

“I feel very blessed to be promoted by Gary Shaw and Lou Savarese who have been in boxing for many years,” Medzhid Bektemirov said. “I’ve come a long way from Russia to pursue my dream of becoming a champion. I love to fight and I get great enjoyment when I knockout my opponent. In every bout, I’m always going to be looking to end the fight early. The fans want to see knockouts and that is my specialty.”

FRESNO, Calif. – Feb. 12, 2015 – Fighters took to the scales and successfully hit their targeted weights Thursday afternoon at the Save Mart Center, the site of tomorrow’s highly anticipated “Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” event, which airs LIVE and FREE on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET.

“Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” is headlined by an epic middleweight matchup between two of the most dangerous strikers in all of mixed martial arts with former Bellator MMA champ Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (50-9) facing fellow knockout artist Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef (29-12-1). The event also features a sure-to-be-thrilling featherweight co-main event between former champion Pat Curran (20-6) and tournament winner Daniel Weichel (34-8).

Melvin Manhoef (186 lbs.) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (186 lbs.)

Pat Curran (146 lbs.) vs. Daniel Weichel (145 lbs.)

Julia Budd (145 lbs.) vs. Gabrielle Holloway (145.5 lbs.)

Chris Honeycutt (170.5 lbs.) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (170.5 lbs.)

Art Arciniega (146 lbs.) vs. Emilio Chavez (146 lbs.)

Blake Watkins (185.5 lbs.) vs. George Zuniga (185 lbs.)

Paul Ruiz (135.5 lbs.) vs. Nicolas Sperling (133 lbs.)

Nick Bustamante (156 lbs.) vs. Luis Jauregui (154 lbs.)

John Paul Elias (205 lbs.) vs. Cody Sons (205 lbs.)

Jonathan Contrestano (155 lbs.) vs. Ryan Tobar (155 lbs.)

Andrew Ramm (160.5 lbs.) vs. Adam Piccolotti (160 lbs.)

Mason Fowler (169 lbs.) vs. Marko Damiani (170 lbs.)

PRE-FIGHT QUOTES:

Alexander Shlemenko:
“Melvin [Manhoef] is a fast and strong fighter. He’s the best kickboxer in all of MMA.

“I’m ready for this fight because I think I have great striking and grappling ability. In this training camp I sparred a lot with muay thai guys back home in Omsk, Russia and i also changed my diet to gain more muscle mass to feel much better and stronger.

“I am absolutely looking for the knockout. Any kind of win is a success, but I really want the knockout.”

Melvin Manhoef:
“I’m going to fight Alexander [Shlemenko] hard and aggressively. The accuracy of my punches is what will make me win this fight.

“I’m not looking for the knockout, I want to do three rounds of five minutes of hard fighting. If the knockout comes, then it will come.

“He [Shlemenko] has a lot of speed and back-kicks. He has very good agility and is very well-rounded, but so am I. I think my striking, speed and kicking is better than his.

“I don’t mind if he is too confident going into this fight. He has stepped between me and my goal, and the goal is to become Bellator champion.”

Pat Curran:
“A fights a fight. Everything can go out the window with one punch.

“I’m looking to getting back to being my old self. I am humbled and hungry, you are going to see the old Pat Curran in there with a couple new tricks up his sleeve.

“I’m always looking for the knockout or submission, but i’m ready to go three rounds. I’m prepared for any finish in any situation.

“He [Daniel Weichel] is very hungry right now. He’s a submission specialist and I have a feeling he’s going to come out hard and quick. I’m ready for anything and no matter what it’s going to be an exciting fight, I can’t wait to get back in there.

“I feel him out and bring him into my game. If he comes out strong I’m ready for that and we will match fire with fire.”

Daniel Weichel:
“This fight means a lot to me, like every fight here in Bellator. I will make a statement tomorrow night and will make everyone remember my name.

“I’m well-rounded and my biggest strength is that I can put the pressure for all 15 minutes.”

Main Card on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (29-12-1) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (50-9)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-6) vs. Daniel Weichel (34-8)
Bellator Women’s Featherweight Feature Fight: Julia Budd (6-2) vs. Gabrielle Holloway (4-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (5-0) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (4-0)

Preliminary card on Spike.com (8 p.m. ET)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Art Arciniega (14-4) vs. Emilio Chavez (7-5)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Blake Watkins (4-0) vs. George Zuniga (3-0)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Paul Ruiz (5-2) vs. Nicolas Sperling (3-2)

Preliminary card on Spike.com (Following Manhoef vs. Shlemenko)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Nick Bustamante (2-0) vs. Luis Jauregui (2-1)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: John Paul Elias (2-0) vs. Cody Sons (0-1)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Contrestano (4-0) vs. Ryan Tobar (3-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Ray Cervera (8-2) vs. Adam Piccolotti (4-0)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Mason Fowler (1-0) vs. Marko Damiani (0-1)

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike TV:
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 12, 2015) – Former three-division world champion Abner Mares (28-1-1, 15 KOs) returns to the ring to face 2008 Mexican Olympian Arturo Santos Reyes (18-4, 5 KOs) on Saturday, March 7 live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in the primetime debut of the Premier Boxing Champions series on NBC and NBCSN.

The fight is part of the blockbuster card promoted by Goossen Promotions featuring Keith Thurman vs. Robert Guerrero and Adrien Broner vs. John Molina, Jr. that will air live on NBC (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT).

The Mares-Reyes bout will be televised live on Saturday, March 7, on the NBC show (8:30 – 11 p.m. ET) or on the NBCSN telecast (11 p.m. ET).

Marv Albert will call the fights in primetime on NBC alongside analyst “Sugar” Ray Leonard, the six-time world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist. Al Michaels will host.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to fight in Las Vegas on March 7,” said Mares. “This is a fantastic card that is great for me and great for the sport of boxing. I look forward to putting on a show for the fans and winning impressively.”

“It’s a big honor to get this fight against Abner Mares and to be fighting at MGM Grand in Las Vegas,” said Reyes. “Mares is a great fighter. I know what he brings to the table. But I’m going to give it my all on March 7 and shock the boxing world.”

The 29-year-old Mares looks to stay at the top of the featherweight division when he steps into the ring on March 7. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of Downey, Calif., Mares first tasted world championship gold in 2011 when he beat Joseph Agbeko to win the bantamweight world title. He continued his rise up the pound-for-pound list with wins over Anselmo Moreno and Daniel Ponce De Leon to win world titles at super bantamweight and featherweight respectively. He suffered his only defeat in a shocking loss to Jhonny Gonzalez but has rebounded nicely with back-to-back wins and now looks to return to the top of the sport.

An accomplished amateur from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Reyes makes his U.S. debut on March 7 with a chance to immediately make a name for himself stateside. The 29-year-old was a silver medalist at the Junior World Championships in 2004 and he would go on to represent his country at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Reyes turned pro in 2009 and racked up victories in his first five outings. Fighting almost exclusively in Mexico, he defeated Khabir Suleymanov in 2012 for the super bantamweight title. Most recently Reyes went on the road and lost to Simpiwe Vetyeka in his native South Africa for the vacant international featherweight title. He returns to the ring looking to make an immediate impact in his U.S. debut.

Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.nbcsports.com/boxing
and www.goossenpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @KeithFThurmanJr, @GhostBoxing, @AdrienBroner, @JohnMolinaJr135, @abnermares, @NBCSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/NBCSports.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced extensive live programming for UFC Fight Night™: Henderson vs. Thatch this Saturday, Feb. 14 at 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colo.

Fight Network will televise the live prelims exclusively in Canada from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. The main card is scheduled to air live on TSN5 at 10 p.m. ET.

The prelims include a featherweight scrap as No. 8-ranked contender Nik Lentz (25-6-2, 1NC) welcomes newcomer Levan “The Hornet” Makashvili (6-1) to the UFC, The Ultimate Fighter® Season 8 winner Efrain Escudero (22-9) battles Rodrigo de Lima (8-2-1) in lightweight action, fast-rising featherweights Chas Skelly (13-1) and Jim Alers (13-1) put their identical records on the line, plus a fiery flyweight contest pits No. 10-ranked Georgia native Zach Makovsky (18-5) against No. 11-ranked Kansas native Tim Elliott (10-5-1).

Fight Network will also present a live broadcast of the official UFC Fight Night™: Henderson vs. Thatch weigh-ins on Friday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. ET as Benson Henderson tips the scales at welterweight for the first time in his UFC career opposite highly touted knockout artist Brandon Thatch.

Live pre-fight coverage will lead into the prelims on Saturday night with Fight Network’s UFC Pre-Show Live at 7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis.

A UFC Post-Show Live will air on Fight Network immediately following the main card at approximately 1 a.m. ET, featuring highlights, recaps and the live post-fight press conference.

In addition to all the live pre and post-fight coverage, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including UFC Unleashed, UFC Now and UFC Ultimate Insider. All airings are listed at tv.fightnetwork.com.

Post-fight coverage continues on Monday’s edition of 5 Rounds on Fight Network, which debuts at 7 p.m. ET and features a comprehensive breakdown of Saturday’s event.

The full card for UFC Fight Night™: Henderson vs. Thatch includes:

Main Card (Live on TSN5, 10 p.m. ET):
-Benson Henderson (21-5) vs. Brandon Thatch (11-1)
-Max Holloway (11-3) vs. Cole Miller (21-8)
-Neil Magny (13-3) vs. Kiichi Kunimoto (18-5-2)
-Daniel Kelly (8-0) vs. Patrick Walsh (5-1)
-Michel Prazeres (18-1) vs. Kevin Lee (9-1)
-Ray Borg (7-1) vs. Chris Kelades (8-1)

Preliminary Card (Live on Fight Network, 8 p.m. ET):
-Nik Lentz (25-6-2, 1NC) vs. Levan Makashvili (6-1)
-Efrain Escudero (22-9) vs. Rodrigo de Lima (8-2-1)
-Chas Skelly (13-1) vs. Jim Alers (13-1)
-Zach Makovsky (18-5) vs. Tim Elliott (10-5-1)

Preliminary Card (Live on UFC Fight Pass, 7:30 p.m. ET):
-James Moontasri (7-2) vs. Cody Pfister (11-3-1)

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

CORK, Ireland (Feb. 12, 2015) – Celebrated Cuban amateur boxer Marcos Forestal will make his professional debut tomorrow night (Fri., Feb. 13) in a four-round super bantamweight bout against veteran Ignac “The Test” Kassai at 5 Star Banquet Hall in Queens, New York.

A three-time Cuban National champion, the 25-year-old Forestal defeated 2012 Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Rameriez 14 months ago in a sensational national championship final.

Fighting as a semi-pro in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) for undefeated 2014 team champion Cuba Domadores, Forestal was unbeaten in three WSB matches before defecting to the United States last April.

Forestal signed a contract this past October with Ireland-based, International boxing manager Gary Hyde, president of Nowhere2Hyde Management. Hyde also manages present, past and future world champions such as World Boxing Association (WBA) Super & World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight champion and two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist, Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux (15-0, 10 KOs), WBA Interim cruiserweight champion Youri “El Toro” Kalenga (21-1, 14 KOs), former WBO middleweight champion and current International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 1 mandatory contender Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam (31-1, 18 KOs), and world amateur champion Blagoy Naydenov.

“Marcos Forestal is an excellent young fighter who has an action-packed style,” Hyde said. “He has what it takes to become world champion. We couldn’t find a US-based opponent to fight Marcos because they said he was another Rigondeaux and Olympic champion. While he beat an Olympic champion, Marcus wasn’t an Olympian. We flew in his opponent from Hungary. Kasai is a 56-fight veteran who has fought some of the top Europeans like IBF super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton, world title challengers Martin Ward, Bedak Zsolt and
Alexander Miskirtchian, and former European champ Anthony Settoul.”

Forestal is a 5′ 8″ southpaw who will campaign in the 122-pound super bantamweight division, the same weight class his fellow countryman and stablemate Rigondeaux rules.

“Guillermo Rigondeaux is a super champion and in Cuba I looked up to him like his younger brother,” Forestal added. “He has dominated the super bantamweight division and I will soon join him at the top.”

Living in Los Angeles and trained there by Joe Goossen, Forestal’s second pro fight is tentatively scheduled for March 6 in nearby Glendale, California.

Follow Hyde on Twitter at @NoWhere2Hyde and friend him at www.facebook.com/gary.hyde.50?fref=ts.

BROOKLYN (February 12, 2015) – The eagerly awaited showdown between undefeated superstar Danny “Swift” Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) and Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs) will become a reality as Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC returns to primetime on Saturday, April 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

In the first main event of the evening, middleweight world champion “Irish” Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) takes on the undefeated Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs) in a 12-round world title fight.

Marv Albert will call the fights in primetime on NBC alongside analyst “Sugar” Ray Leonard, the six-time world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist. Al Michaels will host.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $300, $200, $100 and $50 not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center starting on Saturday, Feb. 14 at noon. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

“It’s an honor to be fighting back in Brooklyn where I’ve experienced some of the best moments of my career,” said Garcia. “Fans have been asking for this fight for so long and on April 11 I’m planning on giving them the show they’ve been waiting for. Doing it live on NBC will make it even sweeter.”

“This is an amazing opportunity for me fighting in Brooklyn and on national TV in front of millions of people,” said Peterson. “I’m going to go out there and give the performance of a lifetime. Danny Garcia better not underestimate me, because my time is now.”

“I’m looking forward to returning to New York and defending my title against Quillin,” said Lee. “I’m at the peak of my powers now. I cannot see myself losing to anyone. I want to be recognized as the best middleweight in the world and beating Quillin will go some way to proving that.”

“To be able to fight at home in Brooklyn and win a title on such a big stage is a dream come true,” said Quillin. “I’m honored and excited to be a part of something that is great for my career, but also for the sport of boxing as a whole. I know that I’m going to win on April 11, become champion once again, and then I’m going after anyone and everyone at 160 pounds.”

“I am thrilled to be promoting this PBC mega event at Barclays Center in my hometown of Brooklyn,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Danny Garcia vs. Lamont Peterson and Andy Lee defending his middleweight title against Peter Quillin are two of the very best bouts that can be made in boxing. On April 11, the fans are going to be the biggest winners and DBE is proud to be part of it.”

“Quality championship fights are only in Brooklyn in April,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center. “Danny Garcia always brings excitement to our ring and we are delighted once again to have Brooklyn’s own Peter Quillin fighting in Barclays Center. Fans want drama and unpredictable fights, and we are confident our card will deliver that on primetime television.”

Now in his fourth year as a world champion, Philadelphia’s Garcia will return to headline at Barclays Center for a record fourth time. Garcia also fought in the main event in October 2012, the first ever-boxing card at Barclays Center. The 26-year-old has taken down some of the biggest names in boxing on his way to an undefeated record, including Amir Khan, Erik Morales, Zab Judah and Lucas Matthysse. He will once again have a chance to prove himself against the best, this time in the long anticipated clash with Peterson.

Washington, D.C.’s Peterson is a gifted boxer-puncher with as much heart as talent. Like Garcia, the 31-year-old Peterson is another longtime champion. Peterson has always faced the best and defeated Amir Khan in 2011. The only blemishes on his perfect record came against Timothy Bradley and Lucas Matthysse. He is coming off of two impressive victories in 2014 and now he gets the bout he and the public have clamored for as he takes a shot at beating Garcia in Brooklyn.

An accomplished amateur who was Ireland’s sole boxing representative at the 2004 Olympic Games, Leegot his first taste of world championship gold in December 2014 when he defeated Matt Korobov for the vacant middleweight world title with a sensational sixth round technical knockout. The 30-year-old has fought in his home country of Ireland, the UK, Germany and most often in the U.S. throughout his career. His only career losses came against Bryan Vera, which he would later avenge and Julio Cesar Chavez in his first world title fight. On April 11, Lee will fight for the fifth time in New York City, looking to give the primetime national television audience a memorable night.

A former world champion looking to reclaim the belt he vacated last year, Quillin will return to the same arena where he won the middleweight belt in 2012 with his star-making, six-knockdown performance against Hassan N’Dam in the first boxing card hosted by Barclays Center. Born in Chicago but fighting out of New York City, the 31-year-old went on to defend that title against strong contenders Fernando Guerrero, Gabriel Rosado and Lukas Konecny. Now, “Kid Chocolate” looks to show off his superstar skills to a primetime audience.

Beginning with the first show, Saturday, March 7, at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC, NBC and NBCSN will present 20 live “PBC on NBC” boxing events in 2015. Within the 20 live shows, NBC Sports Group will present more than 50 hours of PBC coverage, including NBCSN pre- and post-fight programming for NBC telecasts. The Premier Boxing Champions series is created for television by Haymon Boxing. The PBC on NBC will feature many of today’s brightest stars, in their most compelling matches.

All PBC on NBC shows will be streamed live on NBC Sports Live Extra via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. NBC Sports Live Extra is available for desktops at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available at the App Store for iPad and iPod touch, on select devices within Google Play, and on windows phones and tablets.

# # #

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.BarclaysCenter.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DiBellaEnt, @DannySwift, @KingPete26, @KidChocolate, @AndyLeeBoxing, @NBCSports and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports and www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BKBoxing.

Los Angeles (Feb. 12) – Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions, unveiled details for the new LA FIGHT CLUB monthly boxing series that will take place in downtown Los Angeles during a press conference at The Belasco Theater yesterday, Feb. 11. LA FIGHT CLUB will be featuredas part of the popular, fan-favorite Golden Boy Live! serieson FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes and is set to premiere on Friday, March 6.

The press conference hosted by Oscar De La Hoya, was attended by Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (14-0, 9 KOs) who is headlining the March 6 event against Mexican brawler Geovanny “Lloviznas” Delgado (15-2, 9 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.

Also in attendance to discuss their upcoming bouts at LA FIGHT CLUB were super featherweight knockout artist Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (8-0, 8 KOs) who will be featured in the six-round co-main event. Los Angeles natives Santiago “El Lobito” Guevara (8-0, 3 KOs) and Carlos “The Solution” Morales (6-1-3, 3 KOs) were on-site to discuss their upcoming super featherweight six-round televised opening bout. Irish middleweight prospect Jason Quigley (3-0, 3 KOs) was on-hand to talk about his four-round middleweight fight against Lanny Dardar (2-2-2, 1 KOs) of Houma, Louisiana.

Other fighters featured in separate non-televised undercard fights that participated in the press conference included Roy Tapia (10-0-1, 5 KOs), Cesar “The Great” Quiñonez (1-0, 1 KO), Jesus Delgado (3-0-1, 1 KO) and Emilio Sanchez (6-0, 5 KOs).

Tickets are on sale now and are priced at $20 for general admission (including on-camera ringside standing only pit access), $40 for lounge-style balcony seats and $80 for reserved ringside floor seats and first row balcony seats. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking HERE and at www.goldenboypromotions.com or by visiting the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page. For ticket information, email LAFightClub@goldenboypromotions.com.

Below is what the fighters had to say during the press conference at The Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles:

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions:

“We are really excited about LA FIGHT CLUB. We staged it a few years back, and it was a total success. We had fighters go on to win championship fights after being on the original Fight Night Club, and we are proud to be showcasing Los Angeles talent.

“LA FIGHT CLUB is about intimacy, being up close and personal to the ring and experiencing the action. You might even get some sweat or blood on you. That’s what LA FIGHT CLUB is about.

“LA FIGHT CLUB will be a farming system for Golden Boy Promotions. We know every fighter on these shows will eventually graduate to the national stage and eventually move on to fight championship fights on various platforms whether its HBO, Showtime or Pay-Per-View.

“If you want to come down and entertain some clients or bring your family and friends, we welcome you at LA FIGHT CLUB. You will be up close and personal with the fighters.”

JOSEPH “JO JO” DIAZ, JR., Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“March 6 is going to be a great card. I’m excited to be the main event at LA FIGHT CLUB. I know this will be my toughest fight to date.

“It’s going to be a really great night of boxing. I am very excited to be fighting in my hometown as well. My hometown fans are very excited to come out to support me. Come March 6 I will be ready to give everyone a great show and give the fans a great night of boxing.”

CHRISTIAN “CHIMPA” GONZALEZ,Super Featherweight Prospect:

“I want to thank the media for being here and Golden Boy Promotions for this opportunity. It’s a privilege for me to be fighting on an undercard like this with my good friend Joseph Diaz Jr., who is the main event. It’s a pleasure.

“Make sure you guys tune in and get your tickets because it will be a night to remember on March 6.”

SANTIAGO “EL LOBITO” GUEVARA, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“I’m happy to be fighting in my hometown. I feel really motivated to start this new series with Golden Boy Promotions. I’m looking to give everyone a great show. I feel really motivated for this fight and I’m glad to be back on TV.”

CARLOS “THE SOLUTION” MORALES, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“I’m grateful to Golden Boy Promotions for giving me this chance to be part of Los Angeles live boxing.

“I couldn’t be any more excited than this.”

JASON QUIGLEY, Middleweight Prospect:

“It’s an honor and a pleasure to be here. I want to thank my management team and Golden Boy Promotions. I moved over here from Ireland to Los Angeles and it’s my second home now. What better way to let the people of Los Angeles know that I’m here and see what I can do in the ring.

“I think it’s going to be an absolutely brilliant show on March 6. It’s going to excite the people of Los Angeles. It’s an honor to be fighting here in downtown Los Angeles. I came here to achieve my goals and dreams.”

ROY TAPIA, Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“Thank you to my team and my manager, Cesar Garcia, Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions for believing in me and giving me this opportunity to be part of LA FIGHT CLUB.

“I’m excited that this series is coming back to LA, my backyard. I’m happy to show everyone what I can do on March 6.”

CESAR “THE GREAT” QUIÑONEZ, Super Lightweight Prospect:

“I’d like to thank Golden Boy, I’m blessed. I’d like to thank my team. I’ve been working hard. I’m ready to move forward and give you guys a great show on March 6.”

JESUS DELGADO, Lightweight Prospect:

“I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions, my manager and my team for this opportunity.

“Ever since I signed with Golden Boy Promotions I’m feel extra motivated. I can’t wait to put on a great show on March 6.”

EMILIO SANCHEZ, Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“I’m very excited to fight at LA FIGHT CLUB. I’m ready to give a great fight on March 6.”

# # #

LA FIGHT CLUB: Diaz vs. Delgado is a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Mexico Live It To Believe It!. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT.

The LA FIGHT CLUB is a monthly boxingseries premiering March 6 and will take place on the first Thursday of each month, upcoming dates: April 2, May 7 and June 4. It will showcase the brightest stars in the sport and present these exciting matchups in a nightclub atmosphere with an original setup. The boxing ring will be set on the main floor of the Belasco Theater with on-camera standing room for fans in front of the ring similar to a concert pit, as well as reserved balcony and floor seats. Los Angeles’ own DJ Ray of Big Boy’s Neighborhood will spin music during the fights and fans will be able to dance and mingle with the fighters when the venue converts into a night club, in a VIP experience not matched by any promoter in the industry.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.belascous.com, www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @FoxSports, @FoxSports1, @FoxDeportes, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/ TheBelascoLA, www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @belascola and follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB.

Erik Skoglund (22-0, 11 KOs) is on the road to recovery! The 23 year-old underwent surgery last Thursday (February 4) to repair a herniate disc in his back. The operation was a success, and one week later the Swedish boxing star is beginning his rehabilitation at home in Nyköping.

‘’The surgery went well,’’ said Skoglund. ‘’My surgeon Gunnar Nyberg was really pleased with the results. He said it couldn’t have gone any better!

‘’At this stage, it’s still difficult to say for sure how long I’ll be out of the ring. It all depends on how my body responds to the rehabilitation, but it’s unlikely to be longer than six months.

‘’I’m already up walking and moving around, but that’s pretty much all I’m allowed to do. I will start some light work soon, just to activate my muscles, but I need to be really careful for the first month. I can’t risk pushing myself too hard and causing any further damage. I just have to take things slowly, step by step.

‘’If everything goes well, which I believe it will, I will be able to start some serious training in four months. Then I can use the summer to really push on, and get into even better shape than I was before the injury.

‘’Boxing is my life so it’s going to be a difficult time for me, but I have a great support network, with my family, friends and promoter Team Sauerland. I promise everyone that I will turn this into something positive and come back stronger than ever!’’

Arthur Abraham (41-4, 28 KOs) has vowed to show Paul Smith (35-4, 20 KOs) no mercy in their WBO World Super Middleweight Championship rematch at the O2 World in Berlin on February 21.

The Berlin-boxer, who was left bemused by the English media’s reaction to their first fight, is ready to leave the decision in no doubt this time, claiming: ”Smith will not hear the final bell!”

‘’I want to make it clear once and for all who the champion is here,’’ said Abraham. ‘’Paul Smith fought well in our last fight, but I was better. As a television commentator Smith is world-class, but as a boxer he is not on my level!

‘’I don’t understand why the English media spoke about a miscarriage of justice. I don’t select the judges and neither do my promoters. However this time, I will relieve the judges of their responsibility. There will be no doubt, I will show no mercy and Smith will not hear the final bell!’’

If any additional motivation is needed for the German champion, it comes in the form of a potential mouth-watering domestic clash with long-time rival Felix Sturm.

‘’I have dreamt of a fight against Felix Sturm for many years,’’ said the 34 year-old. ‘’That would be a huge event in Germany. It has not been possible in the past due to conflicting television partners, but with Team Sauerland’s new cooperation with Sat.1, that dream could soon become a reality. But first, I must defeat Paul Smith on February 21 at the O2 World in Berlin.’’

Judgement Day: Abraham vs. Smith II is available to watch live on Sat.1 in Germany and Sky Sports in the UK. British heavyweight star David Price (18-2, 15 KOs) is also in action, he takes on Irineu Beato Costa Junior (16-2, 14 KOs), while rising German star Enrico Koelling (16-0, 6 KOs) defends his WBA Intercontinental Light Heavyweight title against Mirco Ricci (13-2, 4 KOs). Tickets are available via tickethall.de.

LONDON (12 FEB) Keen to make up for lost time, a rejuvenated Hughie Lewis Fury faces Ukrainian Andriy Rudenko on February 21 in Monte Carlo and believes victory will set him up for a big 2015.

The talented 20-year-old has been out of the ring since May, due to illness, but is now back to showing his best form in the gym and eager to start climbing the world heavyweight rankings.

“I want the chance to show people what I’m capable of doing, and the only way I can do that is by fighting good opponents,” he said. “Nobody cares if you look good beating up a journeyman over four or six rounds.

“There’s no need for warm-ups if I’m training with quality heavyweights on a regular basis. There’s no point having a full camp for a six-rounder.”

Rudenko is anything but a journeyman. The 31-year-old is ambitious, dangerous and has won 24 of 25 professional fights. He has 16 knockouts to his name and is known for his heavy hands and toughness. Hughie knows all about him.

“I’ve done a few rounds of sparring with Rudenko in the past and I’ve watched a few videos of him since the fight was made,” he said. “He’s definitely a step-up in class for me and is no knockover. He went the distance with Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne in a close fight some people felt he won.

“He’s just very strong and tough. He comes forward and tries to force the pace. He’s obviously durable because ‘Big Daddy’ Browne, who is a big puncher, hit him with everything and never got him out of there. It will be a good test for me.”

Fury has yet to go beyond eight rounds as a pro but now prepares to fight Rudenko over the ten round distance. Rather than a cause for concern, though, the unbeaten youngster is relishing the opportunity to properly showcase his array of skills.

“We’re training for twelve rounds,” said Fury, 14-0 (8 KOs). “This fight may or may not go the distance, but I’m fully prepared if it does. We’re not training for an early night, we’re training to go the full distance at a good pace. Even if they change it to a twelve rounder on the night, I’ll be ready for two extra rounds.

“Rudenko’s got age and experience on his side, but I’m younger and fresher and I’m on the way up. I’ll show him and everyone else what I’m made of on the 21st.”

*** Fury vs. Rudenko is part of the ‘Thunderbolt in Monaco’ show on February 21 (Channel 5). Headlining the event will be the WBA Super world middleweight title fight between the fearsome Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin and Britain’s Martin Murray ***

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According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former 4-division world champion Nonito Donaire will return to the ring when he takes on William Prado on March 28 in Pasay City, Philippines.

“I’m excited to be back at 122 pounds,” said Donaire, who is training with his father, Nonito Donaire Sr., in Oakland, California. “I’m hoping the training to be at 122 will bring me more speed and power. This camp has been different. I have been in training since December, so I’ve been in shape longer and working on more boxing instead of the usual eight weeks only of camp.”

“Nonito is very determined to re-establish his career and he believes 122 pounds is the perfect weight for him,” Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said.

Said Donaire’s manager Cameron Dunkin, “Nonito is training very hard. He has his weight down and he can’t wait to fight again. Nonito is an extremely proud guy, a great fighter, and that really hurt going up in weight and losing and he couldn’t wait to get back in there. He’s motivated. That loss to Walters woke him up. He wants to show that he can still fight and I think he can. He trained hard for Walters but the guy was too big and too strong and he realizes that.”

San Diego, CA – February 11, 2014 – On Saturday afternoon, February 28, Carl Frampton will make the 1st defense of the IBF Super Bantamweight title when he takes on mandatory challenger Chris Avalos in a bout that can be seen live and exclusively in the United States on AWE–A Wealth of Entertainment

The card will originate from the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland and is promoted by Cyclone Promotions.

“We are very excited to bring this great title bout to the American fans,” said AWE President, Charles Herring.

“We televised Frampton’s last bout with Martinez and it was an excellent fight. Avalos is the number-one contender and we know he is eager to bring the belt back to the United States.”

IBF Super Bantamweight champion Carl Frampton

Frampton of Belfast has a perfect record of 19-0 with 13 knockouts and won the title on September 6 when he defeated reigning champion Kiko Martinez with a 12-round unanimous decision. That bout was televised exclusively on AWE.

The 27 year-old Frampton is a former Celtic champion. He won the Commonwealth title with a 4th round stoppage over Mark Quon. He defended the title with wins over Kris Hughes (15-1), and Prosper Ankrah (18-2). He won the IBF Intercontinental title with a 12-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Raul Hirales and then stopped former world champion Steve Molitor (34-2) in 6 rounds.

Frampton won the European title with a 9th round stoppage over Martinez and made one title defense over Jeremy Parodi (35-1-1).

After a 2nd round stoppage win over Hugo Cazarez, Frampton captured the coveted world title on September 6.

Avalos of Lancaster, California has a record of 25-2 with 19 knockouts.

Number-one ranked contender Chris Avalos

The 25 year-old turned professional in 2008 with a 3rd round stoppage over Juan Guerrero (1-0). He stayed undefeated for his first 16 bouts with wins over Constancio Alvarado (1-0-2), Christian Cruz (3-0), Andre Wilson (11-2-1) and Jose Nieves (17-1-3).

He won the WBO NABO Bantamweight title with a 2nd round stoppage over Jhon Alberto Medina.

Avalos captured the WBO Intercontinental & NABA USA Super Bantamweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Khabir Suleymanov (11-0).

Avalos is currently riding a 6-fight winning streak and in that span he has defeated Yenifel Vicente (23-0-2), Jose Luis Ariaza (29-7-1), Drian Francisco (24-1-1) and Rolly Lunas (34-8-1).

On May 31, 2014 he won the IBF Mandatory position with a 8th round stoppage over Yasutaka Ishimoto (24-6) in Macau, China.

In his last bout, Avalos stopped Jose Cen Torres in 5 rounds on November 8 in Pharr, Texas.

The start time and a full undercard will be announced shortly.

Boxing fans can enjoy this amazing card on AWE available on AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD, Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD, and numerous regional cable providers across the nation. Please check www.awetv.com for boxing updates.

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE LIVE Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, AWE has earned multiple Boxing Writers Association of America nominations for “Fight of the Year” and has featured over thirty world class boxing events. In 2013, AWE showcased all live bouts featuring heavyweight David Price. AWE aired live the stunning upsets of Tony Thompson over David Price, along with Adonis Stevenson and Tony Bellew cards, who fought each other for the light Heavyweight championship; 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner James DeGale. AWE brought boxing fans two of the most controversial bouts which saw Ricky Burns keep his Lightweight title against Ray Beltran. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson. In 2014, AWE televised the crowning of lightweight champion Terence Crawford with his win over Burns as well as the exciting rematches between Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez as well as Tony Bellew defeating Nathan Cleverly.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment

A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyles and entertainment programming from exotic travel and outrageous homes to live world championship boxing. AWE is featured on over a hundred cable providers, including AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD and Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD. For more information, please visit www.awetv.com.

LAS VEGAS (February 11, 2015) – In anticipation of his 10-round main event, promoted by RJJ Boxing Promotions on March 13, 2015, 50-year old WBC #17 heavyweight contender, “Bronco” Billy Wright (46-4, 37 KOs) will be looking to knockout his opponent Gilberto Matheus Domingos (22-2, 20 KOs). The fight will take place at the We Ko Pa Casino in Fort McDowell, Arizona.

On the line will be Bronco Billy’s LATIN AMERICAN and FECARBOX, titles, all sanctioned by the WBC. Wright is currently riding a 17-fight winning streak, 13 of which came by way of knockout. With 28 first round KOs to his credit, Billy Wright looks to extend on both streaks with a knockout victory.

“First I want to say It’s an honor to be featured as the main event on a Roy Jones Jr. Boxing card,” said Bronco Billy Wright. “I’m going to be gunning for the knockout once the bell rings. I’ve been training very hard to get in the best shape of my life. I really want to take my career to the next level in 2015 and sacrifices will be made to accomplish that goal. Domingos and I both posses a lot of power in our punches, so it’s fair to say this fight won’t be going the distance. Everyone watching this fight is going to experience a very entertaining heavyweight fight…that you can take to the bank!”

Tickets priced $20 general admission, $35 and $50, are on sale now and can be purchased by calling Bronco Billy Wright at (702) 524-3331.

The We Ko Pa Casino is located at 10424 North Fort McDowell Road, Fort McDowell, AZ 85264. Doors open at 6:00 P.M. first fight is at 7:00 P.M.

New York, NY (2/11/15) – When once-beaten world title contender Patrick Hyland (29-1, 13KO’s) fights on the upcoming “McMayhem in Midtown” card Saturday, March 14, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, the featherweight will be fulfilling a lifelong dream.

“I’m thrilled to be headlining a card at the ‘Mecca of Boxing’ on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day. It just doesn’t get much better than that,” said the fighting Irishman Hyland. “When I signed with Lou (DiBella) last year, I told him that it was a dream of mine to fight here. Having the chance to headline a card, just days before all of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade festivities just makes it that much more special.”

Nicknamed “The Punisher”, Hyland’s lone defeat as a professional came against undefeated Javier Fortuna for the interim WBA world featherweight title in 2012. Following the loss to Fortuna, Hyland was forced to sit on the sidelines for a year and a half as he waited for his contract with his previous promoter to expire. Once a free agent, Hyland quickly signed with DiBella Entertainment (DBE) late last year and has since strung together two impressive victories; a fourth-round TKO over Noel Echevarria and a dominant points victory over Oszkar Fiko. Hyland is looking to have an even bigger and better 2015, as he continues to stay active and position himself for another world title opportunity.

“Last year was good for me and my career. I was able to sign with Lou, get back in the ring and shake off the rust, and get back to my winning ways. My only loss as a pro came against Fortuna, and even in the loss, I showed the world that I am one of the best 126-pounders in all of boxing. I honestly believe that this is going to be my year. As long as I continue to win and do my job, I know that Lou will give me the opportunities to show the world that I am a force in the division and to once again challenge for a piece of the featherweight world championship,” stated Hyland.

The card on March 14 is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Ring of Fire Promotions and FDNY Bravest Boxing and features an exciting night of both professional and amateur boxing. In addition to Hyland, the pro portion of the card will also showcase the long-awaited return of popular light heavyweight boxer-turned-New York firefighter Will “Power” Rosinsky (17-2, 9 KOs). Opponents for both bouts will be announced shortly. The amateur portion of the card will be made up of fights between the FDNY Bravest Boxing team and the Garda Siochana Boxing team of the Irish National Police Force who will be making the trip over from Ireland. It will be the third meeting between the two teams, with the 2015 Transatlantic Championship at stake.

Tickets for “McMayhem in Midtown” are priced at $100, $65 and $35, and are currently on sale. Tickets are available for purchase by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577. Doors open at 7:00 PM, with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 PM.

The event is sanctioned by USA Boxing and the NYSAC.

Team Sauerland is pleased to announced that Bulgarian heavyweight star Kubrat Pulev has extended his promotional agreement.

‘’Kubrat remains one of the best heavyweights in world and we’re delighted that he has decided to extend his contract,’’ said promoter Kalle Sauerland, who guided the 33 year-old to a world title challenge in November last year.

‘’The fight against Klitschko may have come a little too early after only twenty professional bouts, but will prove to be a huge learning experience for him. I’m confident he will return better and stronger than ever. It’s only a matter of time before he gets a second shot at the world title and this time he will take it!’’

‘’I’m very happy to extend my agreement with Team Sauerland,’’ said Pulev. ‘’With their support I will be able to get back to my best. Together we will conquer the world!’’

As he prepares for a return to world title contention, Pulev will now train with renowned German coach Ulli Wegner. ‘’I’m looking forward to working with Mr Wegner,’’ said the Cobra. ‘’He is one of the best in the business and his experience will be priceless in my quest to become world champion.’’

Nutley, NJ(February 11, 2015)–Vito Mielnicki Jr. the son of GH3 Promotions President Vito Mielnicki has won the National Silver Gloves 12-13 year old, 85 pound tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.

The 13 year-old Mielnicki adds that title to his collection which already includes 3 National Junior Golden Gloves wins and 2 Ringside Jr. championships.

In the Silver Gloves, Mielnicki Jr. won three bouts as he defeated Gilberto Mendoza of California by a 30-27 score, Sancer Hayes of Tennessee by a 30-26 and Jermonte Jones of Ohio by a 30-27 tally.

Mielnicki Jr. trains out of the Elite Heat Boxing Gym and is trained by Wali Moses

Philadelphia, PA—Fifteen months ago, heavyweight Joey Dawejko was so far down that when he looked up he saw the bottom.

That was then and this is now and as Dawejko, winner of five in a row and nationally ranked, prepares to fight Unobong Umohette, of Nigeria, on Friday evening, March 6, at the 2300 Arena, he concedes it’s been a wild ride.
“It’s hard to believe the way things turned out,” Dawejko said, “but I’m not complaining. I started in the outhouse, and while I’m surely not in the penthouse yet, at least I am pointed in the right direction.”
When Dawejko was stopped in the third round by unbeaten lefty Charles Martin on Nov. 14, 2013, it marked his third loss in five fights and the first time he had been on the floor as an amateur or pro.
“When I got the call to fight Charles Martin, I was working on a roof in Atlantic City,” Dawejko said. “The fight was seven days away. I hadn’t been in the gym and there was no time to train after I got the call since I needed to keep roofing to pay bills.
“I went out there (Hollywood, CA) with my trainer and my brother and I had nothing. I could tell when the fight started. I got knocked down for the first time in my life and my trainer threw in the towel at the end of the third round.
“After the fight, I knew my dreams of becoming a contender were over, but I figured I could always make money as an opponent. Since I was still working as a roofer, I knew I could always fall back on that.”
It had been that way for too long for Dawejko, an outstanding amateur (56-12 record) who won 14 national titles and, at 16, became the youngest-ever to win the Eastern Olympic Trials, doing it in 2007.
“My grandfather took me to a Golden Gloves card at the Blue Horizon when I was 10 years old and I was hooked,” Dawejko said. “After that, I got him to take me to a boxing gym (Harrowgate) and that’s where I started.”
When he turned pro in 2009, Dawejko was managed by former WBC heavyweight champ Hasim Rahman.
“I had been in camp with Rahman and I guess he liked what he saw,” Dawejko said, “but things didn’t work out and we went our separate ways after my fourth pro fight.”
From there, Dawejko went from one manager to another, one promoter to another, mostly managing himself, training himself (when he found time) and promoting himself.
He once flew alone to Montreal and lost a six-round decision to then-unbeaten Didier Bence.
“I never had the team around me that other fighters had,” Dawejko said. “It was not easy.”
Two months after losing to Martin, Dawejko got a call on two weeks’ notice to box fringe contender Derric Rossy, of Medford, NY, at the Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City. When Dawejko upset Rossy via eight-round decision, everything changed.
“After that fight, I knew I still had a chance to become a contender,” Dawejko said.
In the audience at the Dawejko-Rossy fight was promoter J Russell Peltz.
“Joey controlled the fight that night,” said Peltz, “and he had a nice little fan base there on a couple of weeks’ notice.
“For the next month or two, I stayed in touch with him. His promotional contract was declared invalid and I was getting close to signing him. We talked about him fighting Mark Rideout on May 16 at the 2300 Arena. Joey had beaten Mark in the amateurs, but Mark had not lost in six pro fights.
“The last week of March, Joey got an offer for $20,000 to go to Russia on one week’s notice to fight Kubrat Pulev, a top contender. It was a tough call. Joey had bills to pay and here I was asking him to walk away from a $20,000 payday in return for one that would pay him $17,000 less.
“I kept reminding him that by taking the Pulev fight, he would just be doing what he had been doing for years, taking hard fights on short notice. He understood, but the money was appealing.
“When he told me he was going to discuss it with Maria (fiancé Maria Sagias), I thought I was a goner. They had two young children I was sure Maria would go for the money.
“Wrong! She agreed that it was time for Joey to see the big picture so he turned down the Pulev fight and signed with me that same week.”
Dawejko, now known as The Tank—he is 5-foot-10, 235 pounds–defeated Rideout by eight-round decision on May 16.
With Dawejko in search of a manager, Peltz suggested Mark Cipparone, of Rocco’s Collision in Haddonfield, NJ, who was making a name for himself with junior lightweight Tevin Farmer.
“I’ve got a new place to live, a strength coach, a new trainer and I couldn’t be happier,” Dawejko said. “I have people looking out for me and I never had that before. All I ever had was broken promises. I’ve never trained like this before and I never before at peace with my boxing career.”
Ranked No. 12 by the USBA, Dawejko, 24, followed the win over Rideout with a trio of first-round knockouts over David Williams, of Philadelphia, Yohan Banks, of Redwood City, CA, and Rayford Johnson, of Longview, TX, bringing his record to 13-3-2, 6K0s.
On a personal level, Dawejko and Sagias take care of Hailey, 9, and Jayla, 2, and they are expecting a third girl in April.
“If I get by Umohette in March, then I will look for a fight that by winning will get me a world ranking,” Dawejko said. “Then I would be in the penthouse.”

About March 6

The Dawejko-Umohette and Jason Sosa-Bergman Aguilar fights headline a seven-bout card at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Doors open at 6 pm; first fight is 7pm. The card will be streamed live on www.gfl.com and on Comcast SportsNet (CSN) on a delayed basis. Tickets are priced $35, $50 and $75 and they can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) or Wanamaker’s Tickets (215-568-2400). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com and www.wanatix.com. The March 6 card is promoted by Joe Hand Promotions, Peltz Boxing and BAM Boxing.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 11) – Francisco “EL Bandido” Vargas and “Wild” Will Tomlinson hosted a main event media conference call, Tuesday, Feb. 10, to discuss their upcoming NABF & WBO International Junior Lightweight Championship bout live from the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, March 12. Co-promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions, the championship bout will be broadcasted live on HBO Latino® Boxing.

The fighters were joined by Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions and Mike Battah, President of Leija*Battah Promotions. Below is what the participants had to say. Downloadable fight footage for the fighters is available via FTP.

https://ftp.goldenboyllc.com
U/N: hbo3.12.15
Pass: !Olympic07!

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions:

“We have a terrific main event which will put Francisco Vargas vs. Will Tomlinson; we are extremely excited that this fight will be televised live on HBO Latino. This card will be action pack and packed with local talent from San Antonio.

“We are so happy to go back to San Antonio where the fans are incredible, when a fight likes this goes to San Antonio we’re very confident that the fans will sell out the Freeman Coliseum.

“This is going to be a tough and exciting fight, Francisco is ready to for a world title and this challenge will bring him closer if he wins. Will Tomlinson is a strong fighter and will bring a tough fight on March 12.”

Mike Battah, President of Leija*Battah Promotions:

“I want to thank Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions for letting us have the opportunity to work alongside you, this will be our first HBO Latino Boxing and I am excited.

“Leija*Battah Promotions has been working with Golden Boy Promotions for the past three years and we are looking to continue this great relationship.

“I’m excited for a great night of boxing with Francisco Vargas and Will Tomlinson these are two hungry fighters and contenders in their prime. This undercard will be stacked with some of the best young prospects so we are excited.”

FRANCISCO “EL BANDIDO” VARGAS, NABF & WBO Junior Lightweight Champion:

“I am very excited and motivated, and I know Will Tomlinson is coming ready for a good fight, and I’m going to give him my best as well.

“I’m very happy and motivated. This is what I dreamed of, to fight on HBO. This gives me the extra motivation to be prepared and ready to bring a great fight for fans.

“I know Will is training hard, and I’m glad he is. He has nothing to lose and everything to win. I am right around the corner from a title, and I’m working very hard as well.

“This fight is important to me because it puts me closer to a world title fight, and I am preparing to fight at 100% to win this fight.”

‘WILD’ WILL TOMLINSON, Junior Lightweight Contender

“This is a massive opportunity that I’m very thankful for. I’m training very hard, getting ready for the fight of my life.

“I really believe this is going to be a coming out fight for me in the U.S., and I’m going to be able to introduce ‘Wild Will’ to the Latino and U.S. boxing fans.

“Vargas is an aggressive fighter; he is there to fight, and we are there to give the fans what they want to see, which is a good fight.

“I’m going get in there, and Vargas is going there to hit, and it’s going be a great fight for the fans because I can guarantee it will be action-packed. It’s going be a good fight to watch, and I’m going be just a little bit better than Vargas; I’ll hit harder, and I’ll do enough to get the win.

“It all comes down to who is going to prepare the best and who will be ready. The lifestyle I’ve been living the last two years is a pretty good indication of how much I want this. I’ve put it all on the line to come here to America. This will be the occasion to make it happen for me.”

Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $50, and $25 plus applicable taxes and service charges and are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-745-3000, or in person at the Freeman Coliseum/AT&T Center SE Box Office, Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., or through Leija*Battah Promotions by calling (210) 979-3302 or emailing m@leijabattahpromo.com.

Vargas vs. Tomlinson, is a 10-round NABF and WBO International Junior Lightweight bout is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Lejia*Battah Promotions. The HBO Latino Boxing telecast begins at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT is sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. The Freeman Coliseum doors will open at 4:00 p.m. CT and first bout begins at 4:00 p.m. CT.
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.leijabattahpromo.com and www.freemancoliseum.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @LeijaBattahPr, @HBOLatino, @elbandido130, @WillTomlinsonAU, and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/hbolatino or www.facebook.com/LeijaBattah, and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @LeijaBattahPr,@elbandido130, @willtomlinsonau.

UNCASVILLE, CONN (February 11, 2015) — Future contenders step into the national spotlight when the popular single-elimination boxing tournament, Boxcino 2015, makes its season debut, This Friday! February 13, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. Televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, (9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on ESPN2), the four quarterfinal junior middleweight division bouts will produce four winners who will then take a giant leap toward making it to the championship final round and its ultimate prize, the vacant NABA and NABO titles AND a Top-10 world rating by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Promoted by Banner Promotions and Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES), remaining tickets to the February 13 edition of Boxcino 2015, priced at $125, $65, $40 and $30, including facility fee, can be purchased via www.ticketmaster,com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets or in person at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.

The Official Weigh-In will take place on Thursday, February 12, in the Mohegan Sun’s Cabaret Theatre, beginning at 5 p.m. On Fight Night, Doors will open at 7 p.m. with the first bout beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The four quarterfinal heavyweight division bouts will be televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights Next Friday! February 20, from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

Boxcino 2015 has been a great platform for the next generation of boxing champions and stars. The quarterfinal bouts will be six rounds, the semifinal bouts will be eight rounds and the championship bouts will be 10 rounds. This short piece from ESPN’s “Making The Rounds” will detail this week’s battles. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12302492

Last year’s Boxcino winner in the middleweight division, Willie Monroe Jr., has become a bona fide contender thanks to his victories in Boxcino 2014. He is currently world-rated No. 3 by the WBA, No. 7 by the WBO and No. 10 by the World Boxing Council (WBC). Boxcino 2014 lightweight champion Petr Petrov is currently world-rated No. 2 by the WBA and No. 7 by the WBO

Happy to make Artie Pelullo, or any of the fighters available to you by phone. The pairings for each division, fighter bios (don’t worry they’re brief) and all the participants’ Fight Fax records are available upon request.

*******************

Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Also in 2013, Mohegan Sun won “Casino of The Year” in 2 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Singapore – The UFC® makes its much anticipated live event debut in Manila when it brings the Octagon® to the Mall of Arena Asia on Saturday, May 16. The main event will see former lightweight champion and current No. 1 ranked featherweight mixed martial artist Frankie “The Answer” Edgar face fellow American Urijah “The California Kid” Faber in a five-round featherweight battle at 145 pounds.

At 33, Edgar (17-4-1, fighting out of Toms River, New Jersey, USA) is proving himself to be a force in the 145lb division. Ranked No.1 in the division, the former collegiate wrestler is currently riding a three-fight win streak and looking to get one step closer to another title shot opportunity.

Faber (37-7-0, fighting out of Sacramento, California, USA) will be making his inaugural featherweight debut. The California Kid, currently ranked No.3 in the bantamweight division, has won six of his last seven fights and has never lost a non-title fight. His experience in the Octagon has seen him go the five round championship distance five times against Dominick Cruz, Jose Aldo, Mike Brown and twice against Renan Barao.

Faber comments: “I feel like it’s rare in this sport to have the ability, the opportunity and the fortune of having super fights at multiple weights. I started in this sport because I love it. I love the challenge and I love to perform. Fighting a guy like Frankie Edgar is exactly the reason I got into this sport. I’m a fan of the heart Frankie has as a fighter, something I’m known for as well. I was a 145 lb. champion and he was a 155 lb. champion so it’s cool for me to be able to make this fight, one for the history books. I plan on winning and putting on a show in the process.”

Other confirmed bouts for UFC FIGHT NIGHT MANILA: EDGAR vs. FABER include:
· The Philippines own Roldan Sangcha-an (4-1, fighting out of Baguio City, Philippines) will have the Mall of Asia Arena behind him when he takes on skilled Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner Jon Delos Reyes (7-4, fighting out of Tamuning, Guam) in a flyweight tilt.

· The Ultimate Fighter China winner Zhang ‘The Warrior’ Lipeng (9-8-1, fighting out Beijing, China) takes on ‘Rajan’ Kajan Johnson (19-12-1, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) in a lightweight clash

· Korea’s ‘Supernatural’ Tae Hyun Bang (17-8, fighting out of Seoul, Korea) takes on rising prospect Jon ‘The Super Saiyan’ Tuck (8-2, fighting out of Hagatna, Guam) in a lightweight fight that highlights two emerging MMA markets in Asia

· In a welterweight bout, Li ‘The Leech’ Jingliang (9-3, fighting out of Beijing, China) takes on The Ultimate Fighter: Edgar vs. Penn veteran Roger ‘Viva’ Zapata (4-1, fighting out of New York, New York)

· Another Ultimate Fighter China steps back in the Octagon when Yao Zhikui (1-2, fighting out of Beijing, China) meets dynamic Nolan Ticman (4-2, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) in the debut of both fighters at 125 pounds

UFC Manila will be broadcast all over the world giving the UFC’s international fans a taste of the immense passion and support the Philippines fans have for MMA. Other bouts will be confirmed as they become available.

Tickets will go on-sale on March 13, launched in conjunction with SM Tickets at www.smtickets.com.

For more information or current fight news, visit ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

###

About the UFC®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the UFC® is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in 129 countries and territories to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT® (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, UFC branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

BOLTON (11 FEB) By Peter Fury (courtesy of Hennessy Sports): Family. It’s the most important thing to me, it’s life’s beating heart, and it means more than all the world titles a fighter can win.

Today the Fury family grows stronger as my brother, John, is released from prison following a four-and-a-half year sentence. It’s a happy day, a cause for celebration, and I’m just glad we get to have him home. It gives us the chance to put all of this misery behind us. Now we can concentrate on the boxing.

We’re taking this afternoon off and we’ll go out for a meal to celebrate his release. Then we’ll be back in the gym this evening and there’ll be sparring. John will be right in the mix and it will be like he never went away.

He’s going to be working full-time with me here, doing pads, and he’ll be a big asset to us. He can help me out in many different ways.

For example, there’s a lot of lads in the gym and it’s a bit much for me to take them all on the pads at the same time. But I can now split it up a bit, and it’s nice to have a good pad man who knows what he’s doing. It allows me to take a step back, have a proper look at them and then fix anything I see.

Of course, it’s great to work alongside your brother because you’ve got that natural communication. I’ve only got to say, ‘Right, make him slip that shot and come around to the body,’ and John knows exactly what I mean. He can interpret everything I want from a fighter. Sometimes it doesn’t even require words. He just understands what I want and will act on it. He knows where I’m coming from.

This is all going to be a big plus for me because I’ve always seen myself as more of a tactician, a technical strategist, someone who works on different things to allow a fighter to find the range to get their shots off. There’s a lot involved with training, though, so it’s good to now have my brother doing more on the physical side.

When you step up to world level, you need to put all your energy into the technical side of things because that’s what can make the difference. They’re all tough and fit at world level. The great fighters just happen to have that something extra technically.

I’ve always said my dream for Tyson and Hughie is for them to be like the two Klitschkos. Well, they’ve now got two fathers training them and it couldn’t be any better. We’ve got a tight bond, a close family unit, which is exactly what we need to drive them to do great things.

My family is my life. We lost our oldest brother, Hughie, last year and that completely messed us up. We still haven’t got over it. John and I were talking about it only three days ago. Things won’t ever be the same for us. We know that. We lost a part of our family.

We’ve just got to buckle in now and focus on the young ones. It’s all about them now. We’ve got my brother’s son, Dempsey, who is carrying the torch and I can make his father proud through him. I can help him achieve something in his father’s memory. That motivates me, that cheers me up, it keeps me going. If I put all of my efforts into him, I know his father will be looking down on us with a smile.

In fact, before my brother died, we had a conversation and he agreed to come and help train my son, Hughie, while I helped train Dempsey. We were going to share the responsibility. We’d have all been here at the gym together.

That never happened, though. But his son is training here with us now and I’m privileged and honoured to bear that responsibility. Family, for me, is about keeping everyone together as one unit and going forward as a united front.

*** Hughie Fury fights dangerman Andriy Rudenko over ten rounds on February 21 in Monte Carlo, televised by Channel 5. Meanwhile, Tyson Fury defends his WBO International heavyweight title against Christian Hammer on February 28 at the O2 Arena, live on BoxNation ***

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For more information on Channel 5, MaxNutrition, Golden Gloves, K2 Promotions, GGG Promotions and Hennessy Sports:

www.channel5.com
www.maxinutrition.com
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www.goldengloves.co.za
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FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

Monte-Carlo, New York, Johannesburg (February 11, 2015) — Having spent time with MARTIN MURRAY in Johannesburg at the weekend, South African promoter RODNEY BERMAN says he expects a fierce contest when Murray and GENNADY GOLOVKIN square off in Monte Carlo for Golovkin’s WBA Super World middleweight, interim WBC World middleweight and IBO middleweight titles next weekend.

Berman’s Golden Gloves is promoting the Monte-Carlo “Thunderbolt” show in association with K2 Promotions and GGG Promotions.

Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) is on a record 18 consecutive knockouts and will be seeking another against Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs), the highly-regarded WBC number one contender

“Obviously Martin is in the best shape he’s ever been, having worked incredibly hard in the summer heat down here. He’s pretty much in a no-lose situation because of the aura around Golovkin. If he goes the distance and doesn’t get the decision, that’s okay based on the reputation of Golovkin. But if Martin wins the world will be his oyster.”

Berman added that Murray’s camp has a plan and is very confident of executing it on February 21.

But he also expects a very determined Golovkin, knowing full well the intensity he brings to the action given that he has twice promoted him in the recent past, both times in Monaco.

“Golovkin has super fights down the road, against guys like Miguel Cotto and Andre Ward, so he can’t afford to slip up now, he can’t afford not to have a good showing.”
With major international broadcast coverage guaranteed – the fight is being broadcast on HBO in the US and throughout Europe and elsewhere – Berman says the crescendo in and around Monte Carlo is building.

“There is a realisation that this is Golovkin’s first real test. He’s fighting a guy who, to all intents and purposes, is unbeaten. He’s bigger and he can handle himself. Murray also won’t freeze. He’s known dark times and dealt with trauma; fighting a man with two arms, like him, holds no fears.”

GOLOVKIN vs MURRAY is presented by Golden Gloves of South Africa, K2 Promotions, GGG Promotions, Expo 2017 and Tsesnabank, Casino de Monte-Carlo along with Monte-Carlo SBM.
The fight will be broadcast internationally from the beautiful Salle des Etoiles venue in Monte-Carlo.

Yonkers, New York, Feb. 11 – The iconic New York Daily News Golden Gloves returns to Empire City Casino ? for the fifth consecutive year on Wednesday, ? March 11. The 2015 semi-finals of the fabled amateur boxing tournament will be hosted on the casino’s fourth floor.

The oldest and most esteemed amateur event in the U.S., celebrating its 88 th anniversary this season, has produced generations of legendary boxers including Sugar Ray Robinson, Emile Griffith, Floyd Patterson, Riddick Bowe, Gerry Cooney, Mark Breland, Jose Torres, and Zab Judah.

“We are proud that the Daily News Golden Gloves has become part of the great sports tradition at Empire City Casino, and is now in its fifth year,” said president & CEO, Timothy J. Rooney. “Two New York institutions are once again teaming up for what we know will be an exciting event for fight fans.”

General Admission tickets are $25; senior citizens and college students are $15; and first responders will receive free admission. To receive free or discounted tickets, guests must present valid photo ID. For more information visit http://www.nydn.us/gg or call Brian Adams at the Daily News at 212-210-1908 or Empire City Casino at 914-968-4200.

Doors open at 6:30 PM and first bell is 7:30 PM sharp. These in-demand tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis only at the door on fight night. Tickets and seating are limited.

Yonkers Raceway first opened its doors in 1899, and in over 115 years of its history has been the home to harness racing’s Triple Crown events such as the Yonkers Trot, Cane Pace and Messenger Stakes, as well as such premier stakes races as the Art Rooney Pace. Professional boxing had been held in the Old Glory Horse Pavilion, and many major fights shown on closed circuit television. But the Daily News Golden Gloves, the most elite Golden Gloves tournament in the country for 88 years, became a “first-time starter” in 2011.

About Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway:
Empire City Casino, one of the largest entertainment and gaming destinations in the northeast, features 5,300 of the hottest slots, electronic craps, roulette, baccarat and sic bo; year-round harness racing & International simulcasting; live entertainment including the best party, tribute and Latin bands, comedy, & more. A plethora of dining options will satisfy even the most discerning palate with Italian cuisine at Nonno’s Trattoria; trackside dining with live betting at Empire Terrace Restaurant; and convenient delicious options at the International Food Court or Lil’ Cocina. A new $50 million expansion added Dan Rooney’s, a high-energy sports bar, Pinch American Grill, in collaboration with Ducasse Studio, featuring dozens of New York craft beers on tap, and Alley 810, a craft cocktail lounge rounds out the entertainment options with retro bowling lanes. Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway is located at 810 Yonkers Avenue (off I-87 at Central Avenue) Yonkers, NY, Westchester County, open seven days a week from 10:00am to 6:00am. Visit www.empirecitycasino.com or call 914.968.4200 for information.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 11) – Today Golden Boy Promotions announced and unveiled the new monthly Los Angeles-based boxing series, LA FIGHT CLUB, live from The Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. LA FIGHT CLUB will be featuredas part of the popular, fan-favorite Golden Boy Live! serieson FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes and is set to premiere on Friday, March 6 with undefeated super bantamweight prospect and 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (14-0, 9 KOs) facing off against Mexican brawler Geovanny “Lloviznas” Delgado (15-2, 9 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.

In the co-main event, rising super featherweight knockout artist Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (8-0, 8 KOs) will face an opponent yet to be named in a six-round fight. Opening the televised action is a super featherweight clash between a pair of Los Angeles prospects, as Santiago “El Lobito” Guevara (8-0, 3 KOs) squares off against Carlos “The Solution” Morales (6-1-3, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout. Plus, Irish middleweight prospect Jason Quigley (3-0, 3 KOs) will be featured in a four round bout hoping to get television air time against Lanny Dardar (2-2-2, 1 KOs) of Houma, Louisiana.

“The Belasco Theater is going to be the hottest, most exciting destination for action-packed, live entertainment in the city every month with LA FIGHT CLUB,” said Oscar De La Hoya. “There is no other entertainment option I’m aware of like LA FIGHT CLUB in Los Angeles. This unique event will give fans the opportunity to experience boxing like they never have before by getting close to the ring and enjoying the action-packed fights in an entertaining atmosphere. I am excited to host the inaugural LA FIGHT CLUB event and I invite all boxing fans in the city and beyond to meet me at The Belasco Theater on March 6.”

Tickets are on sale NOW and are reasonably priced starting at $20 for general admission (including on-camera ringside standing only pit access), $40 for lounge-style balcony seats and $80 for reserved ringside floor seats and first row balcony seats. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking HERE and at www.goldenboypromotions.com or by visiting the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page. For ticket information please email us at LAFightClub@goldenboypromotions.com.

In the non-televised action, super lightweight prospect trained by former World Champion Fernando Vargas, Cesar “The Great” Quiñonez (1-0, 1 KO) will fight for the second time as a professional against an opponent to be named in a four round super lightweight fight. Quiñonez signed with Golden Boy Promotions before making his professional debut on January 17 in Las Vegas on the Deontay Wilder vs. Bermane Stiverne card in a wildly exciting second round knockout over Joan Jose Valenzuela.

Also featured on the exciting undercard will be three undefeated and talented rising stars of the sport. East Los Angeles native Roy Tapia (10-0-1, 5 KOs) will fight in a six-round super bantamweight battle against an opponent to be determined. Lightweight newcomer Jesus Delgado (3-0-1, 1 KO) will engage in a four round bout against Las Vegas’ Rocco Espinoza (4-11). Opening up the night, super bantamweight prospect Emilio Sanchez (6-0, 5 KOs) will face and opponent yet to be named in a four-round fight.

The Knockout Experience VIP package is also available for an additional $25 upgrade and includes access to an exclusive VIP Lounge and Bar; a meet and greet opportunity with Oscar De La Hoya, the fighters and other celebrities attending the event; as well as, a picture in the ring and an entry into the LA FIGHT CLUB grand prize drawing, which can include but is not limited to: backstage access, tour of locker rooms, fighter ring walk, tickets to upcoming boxing events and additional merchandise and prizes.

Golden Boy Promotions is offering a special for group ticket purchasers when you buy four $80 seats or six $40 seats you will receive an automatic upgrade to the LA FIGHT CLUB Knockout Experience. Group sales can be purchased online by clicking HERE and www.goldenboypromotions.com or by visiting the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page.

A member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, South El Monte’s Diaz Jr. is rapidly displaying the skills and poise to become a feared contender in the sport. At just 21-years-old, Diaz is gearing up for his third headlining event on Golden Boy Live! and hoping to add Delgado to his list of victories, which already includes seasoned fighters Ramiro Robles, Raul Hidalgo, Roberto Castaneda and Jose Angel Barenza.

Fighting out of Tacubaya, Distrito Federal, Mexico, Delgado has a tall task in his U.S. debut when he takes on the undefeated former Olympian Diaz. A professional since 2010, he won his first 12 fights before suffering a defeat to Roberto Amador in 2012. He rebounded to win two more fights by knockout before losing a split decision to Edgar Lozano. Most recently, he won a knockout victory in October 2013 against Aaron Olivares. Now, Delgado looks to make his U.S. debut in-style on March 6.

A professional since 2013, the promising knockout artist Gonzalez of Buena Park, Calif. is a boxing legacy as his brother is the former WBC Featherweight World Champion Alejandro “Cobrita” Gonzalez. He has destroyed all willing to face him thus far in his career, winning each bout by knockout. Gonzalez has shown that he is a power puncher to watch in 2015 and beyond.

Guevara is a rising undefeated lightweight prospect that has been moving up the boxing ranks since his professional debut in 2011. New to the Golden Boy Promotions team, Guevara is ready to take his career to the next level when he faces off against Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico’s Carlos Morales.

Now training out of Highland Park, Calif., Morales is a tough fighter looking to carry his winning streak into the New Year. Undefeated since 2013, Morales is looking to advance into the next stage in the lightweight division and beating Guevara will get him closer to his shot at a title match.

Hailing from Balleybofey in County Donegal, Ireland, the 22-year-old Quigley had an outstanding amateur career becaming the first Irish fighter to win a Silver medal at the AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2013, earned gold medals in the 2013 European Championships, the 2009 European Youth tournament and the 2012 European U23 Tournament. He started his professional career in 2014 and very quickly garnered attention as he quickly ending each of his fight via knockout against Howard Reece, Fernando Najera and Greg McCoy.

Louisiana native, Lanny Dardar is a relative newcomer looking to build his career. A professional since 2009 the 27-year-old took a break from boxing after his professional debut and in 2014 impressively took on five fights. Dardar is now looking to start 2015 in the right direction when he faces Quigley on March 6.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Diaz vs. Delgado is a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Mexico Live It To Believe It!. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT.

The LA FIGHT CLUB is a monthly boxingseries premiering March 6 and will take place on the first Thursday of each month, upcoming dates: April 2, May 7 and June 4. It will showcase the brightest stars in the sport and present these exciting matchups in a nightclub atmosphere with an original setup. The boxing ring will be set on the main floor of the Belasco Theater with on-camera standing room for fans in front of the ring similar to a concert pit, as well as reserved balcony and floor seats. Los Angeles’ own DJ Ray of Big Boy’s Neighborhood will spin music during the fights and fans will be able to dance and mingle with the fighters when the venue converts into a night club, in a VIP experience not matched by any promoter in the industry.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.belascous.com, www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @FoxSports, @FoxSports1, @FoxDeportes, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/ TheBelascoLA, www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @belascola and follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB.

The February 13 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will feature the quarterfinals of the junior middleweight portion of Boxcino 2015. The single-elimination, two-weight class tournament will feature eight fighters in both the junior middleweight and heavyweight divisions. The telecasts will also flashback to Buster Douglas’ historic heavyweight championship upset win over then-heavyweight champion Mike Tyson as the bout celebrates its 25th anniversary this week.

Friday’s show, from Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise the fights Saturday, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m. The card is promoted by Banner Promotions.

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

Junior Middleweight Quarterfinal Matchups: Six Rounds Each

Friday’s shows will include video profiles of each fighter prior to each bout. The first round of the junior middleweight tournament will feature:

Stanyslav Skorohod (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. Michael Moore (13-0, 6 KOs)
Cleotis Pendarvis (17-4-2, 6 KOs) vs. Ricardo Pinell (10-1-1, 6 KOs)
Vito Gasparyan (14-3-5, 8 KOs) vs. Simeon Hardy (13-0, 10 KOs)
Brandon Adams (15-1, 10 KOs) vs. Alex Perez (18-1, 10 KOs)