Sensational prospect Felix Verdejo scored a 3rd round stoppage over Sergio Villanueva in a scheduled 8-round Lightweight bout at the Bahia Shrine Temple in Orlando, Florida.

Verdejo landed a perfect right hand that slumped Villanueva on the bottom rope. When he tried to get back up, Villanueva fell right back down and the fight was stopped at 1:57 of round three.

Verdejo, 134 3/4 lbs of San Juan, PR is now 15-0 with 11 knockouts. Villanueva, 133 1/4 lbs of Tepic, MX is now 26-5-2.

Gamalier Rodriguez scored a 2nd round stoppage over Martin Cardona in a scheduled 8-round Super Featherweight bout.

Rodriguez dropped Cardona in the first round with a perfect counter overhand right to the jaw. Rodriguez ended things quickly in round two when he landed another overhand right that sent Cardona to the ropes and after a five punch combination the fight was stopped 49 seconds into the bout.

Rodriguez, 129 lbs of Bayamon, PR is now 25-2-3 with 17 knockouts. Cardona, 128 1/2 lbs of Tucson, AZ is now 17-3.

Christopher Diaz scored a 4th round stoppage over Francisco Camacho in a scheduled 6-round Featherweight bout.

Diaz scored 2 knockdowns in the 4th round from body shots and the fight was stopped after the latter knockdown at 55 seconds of round four.

Diaz, 125 3/4 lbs of Barranquillas, PR is now 7-0 with 5 knockouts. Camacho, 126 1/2 lbs of Matamoross, MX is now 2-5-1.

Rances Barthelemy retained the IBF. Jr. Lightweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over David Saucedo at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

Barthelemy, 130 lbs of Cuba won by shutout scores of 120-108 on cards and is now 21-0. Saucedo, 130 lbs of Argentina is now 52-6-3.

Vanes Martirosyan scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Willie Nelson in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Martirosyan, 153 lbs of Glendale, CA won by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94 and is now 35-1-1. Nelson, 153 lbs of Youngstown, OH is 23-2-1.

Tommy Karpency scored the biggest win of his career as a he scored a 10-round split decision over former Light Heavyweight champion Chad Dawson.

It was a pretty even fight that saw Karpency get the nod possibly on land a few more harder shots.

Karpency, 173 lbs of Adah, PA won by scores of 96-94 twice while Dawson took a card 96-94. Karpency is now 24-4-1. Dawson, 173 lbs of New Haven, CT is 32-4.

NEW YORK CITY (October 4, 2014) IBF Middleweight World Champion “KING” SAM SOLIMAN made the rounds before breaking training camp in New York City visiting the Engine 33 — Ladder 9 Firehouse and “The Mecca of Boxing”, Madison Square Garden.

In the afternoon Soliman headed to Engine 33 – Ladder 9 on Great Jones Street in Manhattan where he received well wishes from numerous firemen.

“I have so much deep respect for the sacrifice these men and women make everyday, I remember vividly watching the courage shown during 9/11 from my home in Australia.”

The Champ’s next stop was Madison Square Garden where company executives gave him a grand tour.

“It’s a beautiful arena, full of legendary tales of world title fights over the years. I’d love to defend my title there in the future.”

Soliman, 44-11-0 (18KO’s) will break camp in New York City on Friday and head to Biloxi, Mississippi for the challenge from Taylor, 32-4-0 (20KO’s).

At the age of 40, Soliman won his first world title by defeating Felix Sturm on May 31, 2014, in the champions’ homeland of Germany.

SOLIMAN VS. TAYLOR is presented by Dibella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions.

Tickets priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, are available at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30pm.

EL PASO, TEXAS — October 3, 2014 — Three exciting matchups have been added to Iron Boy 16, slated to take place Friday, October 10th at the El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas. The already-stacked card promises to wow fans with the addition of these bouts, and continue Iron Boy Promotions’ commitment to quality, high-energy boxing.

Sijuola “Juice” Shabazz (5-1, 5KO) will face Izaac Cardona (9-0, 9KO) in a six round contest. Cardona, who defeated previously unbeaten Joey Ruelas (8-1-1, 3KO) in July at Iron Boy 14, hails from Colorado, and was immediately sought after by team Shabazz in the wake of the Ruelas fight. Shabazz’ lone defeat came in a 2013 bout with Ruelas, and the two are now training partners at Pro Edge Gym in Phoenix, Arizona, under the tutelage of Santiago Castaneda. Shabazz was raised in Las Cruces, and was a standout amateur and National Golden Gloves Champion. Cardona will be looking to keep his perfect record intact in front of a crowd that will largely be in Shabazz’ corner.

El Paso favorite, light welterweight Oscar Valenzuela (8-0-1, 3KO) has been added to the card, and will face Arizona’s Jesus Aguinaga (1-3, 0KO). Valenzuela will be returning to the ring for the first time since he knocked out Frank Maruffo (1-2, 0KO) in July. Aguinaga has faced difficult competition throughout his career. His last three fights have been against undefeated prospects, and his career’s opponents sport a combined record of 23-3. He had over 200 amateur fights, with a record of 190-15 prior to his professional debut. Valenzuela vs. Aguinaga promises to be a great battle over four rounds for fight fans in attendance.

Two-time Mexican Olympic National Gold Medalist, heavyweight Mario Heredia (7-1, 6KO) of Juarez, MX will be facing Gallup, NM’s Ronald Baca (2-1-1, 1KO). Heredia, who has a broad following in the El Paso area, will be making his United States debut, having fought all of his professional fights in Mexico. Baca will enter the ring off of a knockout win over Austin Kitchens in El Paso in July.

Michael Finney (12-1, 10KO) will be featured in the main event bout. Las Cruces’ Adam Vasquez (2-0, 0KO) will face Phoenix’s Estefan McCray (Debut) in a four round bout. Las Cruces fighter Johnny Guillen (2-0, 1KO) and Phoenix’s Julio Sarinana (3-0, 0KO) will put their undefeated records on the line in a four round contest. Jorge Pinon will face Alfonso Olivera in what will be both fighters’ debut bouts.

Phoenix resident Joe Martell (2-9-1, 2KO), who originally hails from El Paso will round out the card, along with exciting Phoenix fighter Emmanuel Nieves (1-0, 0KO), in separate bouts.

The official weigh-in for Iron Boy 16 will be at Cabo Joe’s at 7942 Gateway East on Thursday, October 9th at 4pm. Members of the media are invited to stay after the weigh-in for a complimentary cocktail hour from 5-6 p.m.

Tickets for Iron Boy 15 are priced at $10, 25, 40 and $60, and are available at www.iron-boy.com or via Ticketmaster.

Daniel Lozano scored a 4th round stoppage over Jonathan Vidal in a 10-round Super Flyweight bout at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa, Florida.

Lozano scored a knockdown in round two from a right hand. Lozano sent Vidal to the canvas in round four from a left to the body and the fight was stopped at 2:29.

Lozano, 114 3/4 lbs of Bowling Green, FL is now 13-1 with 10 knockouts. Vidal, 114 1/2 lbs is now 18-3.

Ricky Tomlinson survived a last round knockdown to win a 4-round split decision over Jayron Santiago in a Featherweight bout.

Tomlinson was dropped at the beginning of round four from a left hook.

Tomlinson, 124 lbs won by scores of 38-37 twice and Santiago took a card 38-37.

Tomlinson is 4-0-2. Santiago, 125 lbs is 2-2.

Emmanuel Dejesus remained undefeated by scoring a 2nd round stoppage over Aaron Steadman in a scheduled 6-round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Dejesus dropped Steadman with a body punch in round two. Dejesus ended thing with a hard right hand and the fight was stopped at 2:39 of round two.

Dejesus, 150 lbs is now 12-0 with eight knockouts. Steadman, 149 lbs is 10-6-2.

Armando Alvarez, 152 lbs won a 4-round unanimous decision over Leanthony Fleming, 152 lbs in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards

Frank De Alba 129.6 – Jesse Carradine 129.4
Naim Nelson 138.4 – Ryan Belasco 138.8
(UBF All America’s Jr. Welterweight title)
Christian Molina – Josue Rivera 140.2
Shawn Sutton 146 – Anthony Prescott 148
Travis Thompson 132.4 – Benjamin Burgos 127

Venue: Valley Forge Casino Resort
Promoters: King’s Boxing & Peltz Boxing
1st Bell 7:30 PM
Stream: GFL.tv

Tickets for this great night of boxing are priced at $125, $75 and $45 and can be purchased by calling Kings Boxing at 610 587-5950 or Peltz Boxing at 215 765 0922

MASHANTUCKET, CONN. (Oct. 3, 2014) – Undefeated Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy and Fernando David “El Vasco” Saucedo both tipped the scale at the limit of 130 pounds during the official weigh-in for their world title showdown, tomorrow/Saturday, LIVE on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast.

Barthelemy (20-0-0, 12 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of Cuba, will defend his IBF junior lightweight title against former world title challenger and IBF No. 3-ranked challenger Saucedo (52-5-3, 8, KOs), of Florencio Varela, Argentina, in the main event of a SHOWTIME Boxing Special Edition tripleheader from the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, Conn.

Willie “The Great” Nelson (23-1-1, 13 KOs), of Cleveland, Ohio, and Vanes “The Nightmare” Martirosyan (34-1-1, 21 KOs), of Glendale, Calif. by way of Armenia, both weighed-in at 153 pounds for their 10-round collision of once-beaten junior middleweights. Martirosyan will be stepping into the ring with a heavy heart just five days after the death of his promoter Dan Goossen, brother of his trainer, Joe Goossen.

Former light heavyweight world champion “Bad” Chad Dawson (32-3, 18 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of New Haven, Conn., measured 173 pounds for his first fight in his home state in five years. He’ll take on Tommy Karpency (23-4-1, 14 KOs), of Adah, Penn., who also weighed-in at 173 pounds, in a 10-round light heavyweight fight in the opening bout of Saturday’s tripleheader.

RANCES BARTHELEMY:
“I’m excited. This is a huge fight for me, fighting on national television, fighting on SHOWTIME. I’m excited and anxious to get in there and give the crowd and the fans a great fight.

“You’re going to see a solid, smart fighter that knows how to keep his distance and knows how to control the pace. And you’ll see a lot of my jab, my biggest weapon.

“I’m going to win any way possible. We’re ready to go the whole 12 rounds. We’re just going to take it round by round.

“He has over 60 fights so we have to respect him. But we’re going to let him know we’re the bigger man.”

FERNANDO DAVID SAUCEDO:
“I came here to win the world title and that’s what I’m going to do.

“This is the perfect matchup for me and my chance to show that I deserve to be a world champion.

“It’s a dream come true to fight here in the United States. It’s obvious that I can’t do what I did in my previous 60 fights. I need to bring a little more to go home with the title. I’m very well-prepared and I’m looking forward to getting in the ring.”

WILLIE NELSON:
“I believe the jab is the key to this fight. The person who establishes the jab is the one that is going to come out on top.

“I just need to follow the game plan and pick him apart.

“I’m going to win a unanimous decision.

“If I win this fight I should get a shot at a world title. But, you know, it’s boxing, so anything can happen.”

VANES MARTIROSYAN
“We have a good game plan put together with Joe [Goossen]. We’re ready to box or brawl if we need to. We’ll just take it from there. We’re ready for whatever he bring and we’re just going to be on top of him the whole fight.

“We’ve been heartbroken since we’ve heard the news [that Dan passed]. Especially because they kept it away from me the whole training camp. It was a big surprise to us. The second we heard it we all, my wife, my mother, we all started crying.

“But, in a way, we’re happy that we get to fight Saturday night and dedicate this victory to Dan Goossen.

“It gives me more motivation to fight and make him proud because I know he’s going to be looking down on us. On Saturday we get to thank him.

“I think this will make me stronger. The last thing, boxing-wise, that Dan said to Joe was, “make sure Vanes wins.’ I’m taking that in the ring with me. He’s going to be watching me from above so we’re going to put on a good performance for him.

“I’m going to win by knockout. I have too much happiness and too much strength going into the ring that I will win by knockout.”

CHAD DAWSON:
“As a fighter, the scale is a part of the fight, too. I beat the scale and tomorrow night we’ll go out and win the fight.

“I know that I have to go out tomorrow night and perform. I have to let the world know that I’m the same fighter, that I’m still one of the best fighters in the world. If anything, I think I’m wiser and that makes me a better fighter.

“I’m going to go out there and do what I do best, use my jab, use my hand speed. People underestimate my jab, but I have one of the best jabs out there. I just need to use my size and win the fight.

“Hopefully within the next two fights I’ll get a world title shot. We want to get another fight after this, hopefully in December, and then sometime early next year I’ll be fighting for another world title.

“I’ll probably put on about 10 pounds before the fight tomorrow. No more than that. We don’t want to go in the ring too blown up. Tonight we’ll eat light, eat a light breakfast a light lunch and get in the ring.

“I want to get some rounds in. Hopefully he has it in him and hopefully we can get in some rounds. I’m not the type of fighter to look for a knockout, but if it comes, it comes. We’re just looking for a great performance.

“You’ll see on Saturday night –I’m back to being ‘Bad’ Chad.”

TOMMY KARPENCY:
“His weight doesn’t impact me at all. I came here to win the fight no matter which Chad Dawson showed up and we prepared for the best Chad Dawson.

“I’m going to fight to win. I have nothing to lose. This is a great opportunity for me –it’s Chad Dawson’s backyard so all the pressure is on him. I have to take advantage of this opportunity.

“I’m going to try to impose my style; I try to fight in spurts. I’m just going to let my hands go and whatever happens, happens.

“I’m going to win, that’s all. It’s going to be a life changing victory and that’s how I’m approaching it. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I just need to take advantage of this opportunity.

“This is a fight we went after. We’re ready to go. I don’t think this is the tune-up he’s expecting. We’re ready for the best chad.”

JOE GOOSSEN:
“We trained very hard, even if it was under impossible circumstances. Dan brought it up, he said, ‘just make sure Vanes wins Saturday night.’ That was Dan. Always thinking about boxing and business up until the very end. Dan was concerned about Vanes like he would be at any other time.

“We didn’t miss a minute in the gym and that’s the way he would want it. If anything it motivates me. The gym is probably the only place where I can go to forget everything.”

LOS ANGELES, October 3, 2014 – Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez, the pride of East Los Angeles and exciting future prospect, renewed his promotional contract today with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, the leading boxing promoter based in Los Angeles, California.

“Frankie Gomez is a natural talent and that’s why I have no doubt that he’ll be the next super star and next world champion from East Los Angeles”, said Oscar de la Hoya, president and founder of Golden Boy Promotions. “The truth is that we are very happy to continue promoting Frankie [Gomez] and help him to continue on his quest for a world title,” he added.

“This is clearly a huge opportunity for me because extending my contract with Golden Boy Promotions tells me that they have full confidence in me and I’m 100% loyal to Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions,” said Frankie Gomez. “I have the experience and I’m ready to face bigger challenges and win my first world title.”

Gomez (18-0, 13 KOs) who debuted on April 3, 2010 on the Bernard Hopkins vs. Roy Jones Jr. undercard in Las Vegas, Nevada, faced his toughest challenge to date this past July 25 overcoming the experienced Vernon Paris at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Gomez will be closing out the year in search of his nineteenth victory against an opponent and venue to be confirmed shortly.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, or follow Golden Boy Promotions on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or Instagram at www.instagram.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing.

OMAHA, NEB (October 3, 2014) — Tickets to the TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD vs. RAY BELTRAN WBO lightweight championship fight have been flying out the window — literally — since going on sale today at 10:00 a.m. CT. Crawford (24-0, 17 KOs), Omaha’s favorite son, will be defending his world title against No. 1 contender Beltran (29-6-1, 17 KOs), of North Hollywood, Calif., Saturday, November 29 at Omaha’s CenturyLink Center. The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“In just the four hours of being on sale, we are close to selling out the ringside seats and the next highest priced tier tickets sales are not too far behind that,” said Hall of Fame Promoter Bob Arum. “Terence’s fans are taking no chances on missing the opportunity of seeing their world champion defend his title live. The atmosphere on fight night is going to be even more electric than his last fight!”

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate, remaining tickets to the Crawford vs. Beltran World Lightweight Championship event, priced at $127, $77 and $52 and $27, are available for purchase at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge-by-phone call 800-745-3000. To order online, visit Ticketmaster.com.

Crawford successfully defended his title on June 28, at the CenturyLink Center, knocking out previously undefeated world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in front of an energized crowd. The fight, a candidate for Fight of the Year honors, was televised live on HBO®, and according to Nielsen Media Research, garnered an average audience of 1.208 million viewers to the live, first-time airing, making it the second most-watched fight of the year so far. Crawford vs. Gamboa was the first world championship fight the city of Omaha had hosted in 42 years when Joe Frazier defended his World Heavyweight Championship crown against Ron Stander in 1972.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordBeltran to join the conversation on Twitter.

Big Bear City, CA (Oct. 3, 2014) – As current WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev prepares for the fight of his life against Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins next month, he is on the precipice of a life-altering event as his wife, Natalya, is moments away from giving birth to their first child.

The Kovalevs are expecting their son any day now, with the official due date scheduled for October 17. Despite the stress and distractions that come with expectant-parenthood, the 31-year-old Kovalev assured everyone at his media day at Wolf Total Fitness in Big Bear City, Calif. yesterday that his focus is still fixated 100 percent on Hopkins, “I’m living for this fight. Only for this fight. I’m leaving for Florida when my [first] baby is due. I’ll be in training camp in Florida because this is the most important thing in my life right now.”

Sergey is scheduled to conclude his strength and conditioning training in Big Bear on October 9, then he will return to Ft. Lauderdale, FL to begin the sparring portion of his training with his trainer two-division world champion John David Jackson. With this schedule, there is a very good chance he will not be with his wife in Los Angeles when she goes into labor.

“The doctor says my baby is due October 17, but also said that we can plan one week early because in the last week the baby will be one pound more so for my wife it will be harder,” explained Kovalev.

“Right now she’s very afraid she will stay alone in LA. She’s most worried that I won’t see him after [he is born] for one month. She says that for her it’s very important. I said, why? I will see a picture,” joked Kovalev. “I don’t understand yet, but maybe she is 100 percent right that I will see him Thursday and after that I will crush Hopkins. I need to see him first before I give him a name.”

Despite potentially missing out on the birth of his son, Kovalev feels training for this fight is the most important thing he can do for his new family, “I have in my body, I have in my face, I have in my mind, the motivation that I need to get this win because it’s my future.” He added, “My goal still is to be undisputed in this division. This fight is two more titles, it’s my goal. I want all four.”

Sergey knows he is facing no small feat in the 49-year old Hopkins, “Our styles are different. American and Russian boxers are from different boxing schools. Hopkins’ style is old school. He’s doing some things that nobody does. Nobody does it how he does it,” explained ‘The Krusher.’ “This fight for me will be a big test. Hopkins is very good fighter. He is a very tough fighter and very smart. It will be a very good fight. His defense is incredible too. We’re working on everything. I have prepared for twelve rounds because I understand his strategy, what he wants to do and we’ll be prepared for anything.”

Training camp always begins for Kovalev with strength and conditioning in Big Bear. “In Big Bear everything is close. Nobody can touch you, nobody can call you, nobody can disturb you – just you and your mind and your focus on the fight,” said Kovalev. “Big Bear helped me to be focused on my workout, on my job. Florida is boxing training camp. Only boxing, only sparring, not for physical training. Here [in Big Bear] is for strength and condition to be stronger in the ring.”

When asked about his strategy for Hopkins, Sergey said, “I don’t have any strategy. I just go into the fight. What will happen, will happen. I’m not scared to lose, I’m not scared to win. This is a sport. But Hopkins is a legend. He’s a professor of boxing. He’s a very proud man as a boxer. He’s very smart, he’s very technical. It will be very difficult to fight him and for me it will be very big test. I’m ready for any test in my life. I have prepared for this test.”

Sergey is known as “The Krusher” because of his uncanny ability to secure the knockout; 92 percent (23 of 25) of his victories have come via the stoppage. However, according to Kovalev, that is not his game plan going into each fight, “I don’t have a goal to knockout anybody. I just go into the ring and make a fight. When it happens, it’s good for me. Less work, less job in the ring, more happy and more happy for my fans. I don’t have a goal that I need to knock him out.” He added, “When you want to knockout somebody, you can’t do it because your opponent can see your punch. I just go in to do boxing.”

# # #

“Alien vs. Krusher: Hopkins vs. Kovalev” is a 12-round unification bout for the IBF, WBA and WBO Light Heavyweight World titles, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City, Corona Extra, AT&T, Hortitsia Vodka and Mexico, Live it To Believe It!. Ali vs. Abregu is a 10-round welterweight bout promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank. The HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT.

“24/7 Hopkins/Kovalev” premieres Saturday, Oct. 18 at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT on HBO immediately following the live World Championship Boxing telecast.

Tickets priced at $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50, plus applicable fees and service charges, are on sale now and available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or http://www.boardwalkhall.com/.

Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/main_events, www.twitter.com/hboboxing, www.twitter.com/THEREALBHOP, www.twitter.com/krusherkovalev, www.twitter.com/realworldkidali, www.twitter.com/potroabregu, www.twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and follow the conversation using #alienvskrusher.

Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hboboxing and https://www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall.

Former two-division champion Timotht Bradley will take on Diego Chaves on December 13 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas and will be televised on HBO according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m excited to get back into the ring and showcase myself,” Bradley told ESPN.com on Thursday night. “Chaves is not that well known but the boxing fans know him. The boxing fans know that this guy can fight and that it won’t be a walk in the park for me. I think it’s going to be a great fight. I can’t wait.”

“My mindset is I can’t sit here and beat myself up over a loss to Manny Pacquiao,” Bradley said. “He’s one of the greatest fighters of this generation. I can look back and see what I did wrong and say, ‘I shoulda done this or I shoulda done that.’ But I know I’m a world-class fighter.

“I went 24 rounds with Manny Pacquiao, and he never really hurt me. I took Ruslan Provodnikov’s best shots [in a decision win], I took Manny Pacquiao’s best shots, and I took [Juan Manuel] Marquez’s best shots and beat him, too. I know I can take Diego Chaves’ best shots. I know I can hang with the best of them.”

“It’s an interesting fight. We know Tim Bradley is a great fighter, and I think with Rios-Chaves, things got out of hand, but Chaves proved what a worthy warrior he was in the fight,” said Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who represents Bradley. “We made a deal with his people in Argentina. We established a good relationship doing the Rios fight and we were able to make this deal.”

“Thankfully, we’ll have no visa drama this time around, which I think will allow Chaves to give a better performance,” said Top Rank’s Carl Moretti. “Physically and mentally, we all expect to see a better performance. For Tim, well, he’ll be ready as he always is, but I think there’s some pressure on him to perform like he did against Juan Manuel Marquez, not [like he did against] Pacquiao. Given that, I think he will.”

“Chaves is definitely a world-class fighter,” Bradley said. “He showed it when he stepped up against Keith Thurman, who, in my eyes, is also a world-class fighter. Chaves lost that fight but he lost to a helluva fighter. Diego Chaves is no slouch. He is a real fighter and he can slug it out with anyone. A lot of people thought he was winning the Rios fight before the disqualification.

“I’m going to watch the Rios fight but I have seen the fight with Thurman and he has a lot of skills and is a really good puncher. It’s gonna be another tough fight. I think it could be another Provodnikov fight. This is another tough challenge for myself. But I want challenges and I want to fight top fighters and give fans exciting fights. You know me — I’ll fight anyone. Just pay me. I don’t give a crap. Bring it on. They said, ‘Diego Chaves.’ I was like, I’ll fight him. Don’t care. Let’s go.”

MIAMI (October 3, 2014) – The auspices professional debut of Antonio Tarver, Jr. this past Monday in Texas resulted in an impressive fourth-round technical knockout over Zachary Briones.

His father, 5-time world light heavyweight champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (30-6, 21 KOs), was supposed to headline a Golden Boy-promote card on Fox Sports 1 against veteran Johnathon Banks (29-2-1, 19 KOs), however, a fracture of his hand forced Tarver to withdraw from the fight but he did work his son’s corner.

“I’m so proud of Antonio,” his beaming father commented after the fight. “He busted up his opponent and worked the ring. He’s a good, humble kid; no smoke and mirrors. I’m elated, really proud of him to see how hard he worked to start his professional career. He has transformed before my eyes. I was able to see and recognize his potential. He really let his hands go. Remember, Antonio only had a few amateur fights and five weeks of training camp.

“Boxing is our lifestyle and he’s motivated me. My little injury has been a little setback. I wasn’t fighting but I was in the corner supporting my son and it was a real thrill for me. He has the opportunity to be as big as anybody in boxing. I never knew he had it (talent). I pushed him away from boxing but he made the decision to fight. My dream of becoming world heavyweight champion hasn’t changed and I plan to be back fighting before the end of this year, hopefully, with my son fighting on the undercard.”

Tarver Jr. grew up playing basketball and football, not boxing, in Daytona Beach. He was always at his father’s side in the gym and at fights and those experiences have proved to be invaluable.

“It was a beautiful experience,” Antonio Jr said about his pro debut. “I was a little nervous but kept my poise. I walked out with my father when he fought Roy Jones Jr. before 43,000 people, so I was prepared for the crowd. I just prayed and embraced it all. Orlando (the Tarver’s head trainer Orlando Cuellar) kept saying to embrace everything and just do what I worked on in the gym. He got my mind right to perform. My opponent rushed me at first but I kept my composure and started working angles. I hit him with a lot of shots and only really got caught once. I felt I could have done better and gave myself a B grade. It was wonderful and I was super excited.

“I’m so happy my father was in my corner. I know I’m a marked man because of my last name. Anybody would like to beat a Tarver, the older or younger, so I’ve been branded. I was aware of that going into the fight. I got my feet wet and I’ll get much better.”

Cuellar agrees that Antonio Jr’s last name places a target on his 26-year-old fighter’s back. “With his last name,” Cuellar noted, “Antonio Jr. is a marked man and he understands, but he’s going through a process to be his own man. We clicked right away. The kid has done everything I’ve told him. He’s very cooperative and willing, dedicated and a hard worker. He sparred more than 55 rounds with 10 different sparring partners I brought in. Each one was much more experienced than Antonio and he improved each session. He’s grounded but I didn’t expect that he’d be so collected in his first pro fight. It was almost like he’d done it before. Being at his father’s fights for so long helped him be prepared for his pro debut. He also got his father’s input in the corner.

“His opponent was 1-1 but he was resilient and aggressive. Junior did in the fight what he had done in the gym. He made adjustments and let his hands go, throwing punches in bunches. At one point I told him to go toe-to-toe to get used to it. He did and pivoted right out when I told him. By making adjustment in his first pro fight, he showed me he listens. Junior finished strong like he started and I expect him to improve every fight.”

(L-R): Angela Mitchell, who handles cuts, head trainer Orlando Cuellar,
Antonio Tarver Jr. and Antonio Tarver

Father and son will be traveling this weekend from Tampa to Miami to start training Monday at Brazilian Rocky Fight Club.

“It’s all up to him (Antonio Jr.),” the 1996 U.S. Olympian Tarver added. “I will be at his side and Orlando is a great trainer, the X factor for both of us. He’s raw but so talented. The more people who see him fight are going to fall in love with him….even if he didn’t have his last name. He’s going to be a star. Right now, he’s as exciting to watch as fighters with 10-15 fights. He needs to learn how to generate power and fight from a distance, but that will come in time with experience.

“I see a lot of me in him, of course. He’s my son, who grew up watching me, but he chose to be a fighter. He will try to emulate me but, it’s not about me, it’s all about him. He understands his position and that he has to deal with being a fighter named Tarver.”

INFORMATION:

www.OfficialAntonioTarver.com

@MagicMan5XChamp

3 October 2014 – Kuala Lumpur: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), powered by Tune Talk, has finalized the fight card for ONE FC: ROAR OF TIGERS. The heavily-anticipated event is set to take place at the iconic Stadium Putra in Kuala Lumpur on 17 October. Two bouts have been added as Muay Thai champions Saiful Merican and Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke are set to face each other in flyweight action. Iran’s Taekwondo champion Barbod also returns to action against Egyptian boxing champion Hisham Hiba. The card is now complete with a main event clash of two of the greatest featherweights in the world, Marat Gafurov and Rob Lisita.

Tickets for ONE FC: ROAR OF TIGERS, presented by Tune Talk, are on sale now at www.AirAsiaRedTix.com. Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VVIPs at RM388 followed by VIP RM278, Gold RM168, Silver RM108 and Bronze RM58. A 10% discount for Gold, Silver and Bronze categories are available until 30 September. Prices include ticketing fee.

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “After months of anticipation, ONE FC is set to return to the iconic Stadium Putra with a night to remember! We have put together a fight card featuring some of the best mixed martial artists from all over the world. Fans in Malaysia and those watching all over the world will be treated to a night of world class mixed martial arts action that will leave them on the edge of their seats!”

Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke has an impressive Muay Thai record of 282-65, and is a 3x Lumpinee World Champion. Now an instructor at Evolve MMA, he has trained extensively in all aspects of mixed martial arts in anticipation of this bout. Amnuaysirichoke showcased his newfound grappling skills when he submitted Ali Yakuub in his previous bout, extending his undefeated streak in ONE FC to two wins.

Saiful Merican is one of the top Muay Thai practitioners in Malaysia. He has more than 100 professional Muay Thai fights and possesses ferocious kicks that have knocked out many opponents. Nicknamed “The Vampire” by fans for his fast and deadly style, he will face a fellow Muay Thai expert who is arguably his toughest opponent to date, Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke.

Iran’s Barbod is a former Taekwondo coach who transitioned into Muay Thai and eventually mixed martial arts. He has travelled the globe extensively, spending time in South Korea and has now settled into a head coaching role in Malaysia. A deadly striker with extremely fast hands, he handily defeated his last opponent with an emphatic slam finish.

Hisham Hiba is a two-time Egyptian national boxing champion who has been competing in combat sports since he was 12. A ferocious puncher with power in both hands, Hiba will be making his ONE FC debut at ONE FC: ROAR OF TIGERS as he attempts to become the first Egyptian to notch a victory in Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization.

Fans around Asia can catch all the action live on FOX 2. Check your local listings. Also, fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.com/livestream. The event will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.

In addition, TV9 also recently signed a deal to continue its partnership with ONE FC as its official media partner in Malaysia. TV9 is one of the four Free-To-Air (FTA) television stations under Malaysia’s leading media conglomerate, Media Prima Berhad and currently a strong No. 2 most watched TV in Malaysia after TV3.

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

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

About Tune Talk
Tune Talk is the fastest-growing Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) in Asia, officially launching commercial services in Malaysia in 2009. Our target is to provide super low rates and exciting incentives to the market. Our prepaid service offers voice, SMS, data and BlackBerry packages that meet the demands for a simple, value-for-money product with easy accessibility and a wide distribution reach. As a member of the Tune Group of companies, we have the advantage of providing a completely unique lifestyle service with offers by Tune Money, Tune Hotels, Tune Insurance, BIG Loyalty Programme and AirAsia. For more information, please visit www.tunetalk.com.

About Tune Group of Companies
Tune Group is a conglomerate of lifestyle businesses co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun. The Tune Group of companies are Tune Air (a substantial shareholder of AirAsia), Tune Hotels, Tune Money (holding company of Tune Insurance), Tune Talk, Tune Box, Tune Studios, Tune Tones, Caterham F1 Team, Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR) and Educ8 Group (owner of Epsom College in Malaysia).

TULSA, OK (Oct. 2, 2014) – All eight fighters made weight and drew their quarterfinal stage matchups one day before the highly-anticipated, one-night BattleGrounds MMA (www.battlegroundsones.com) welterweight (170 pounds) tournament that will award its winner a grand prize of $50,000 live on pay-per-view from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. on Friday, October 3.

The official weigh-in was co-hosted by WWE Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Ross and retired UFC superstar Chael Sonnen, the duo that will call all of the live televised action in the cage tomorrow.

Only one tournament contestant – submission expert Cody “AK Kid” McKenzie (15-4) of Spokane, Wash – needed a second try to make the required weight after he originally tipped the scales at 172.4 pounds. McKenzie will square off with Brock Larson (37-8) of Brainerd, Minn. Larson, a two-time, one-night tournament winner weighed in at an even 170 pounds.

In the same tournament bracket, Joe Ray (11-3) of Sarasota, Fla. registered a weight of 169.6 pounds and drew Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti (24-11) of St. Louis, Mo. as his quarterfinal stage opponent. Fioravanti, a hard-punching protégé of retired kickboxing champion Jesse Finney, weighed in at 171 pounds.

In the opposite tournament bracket, wrestling stylist Jesse “JT Money” Taylor (27-10) of Murrieta, Calif. came in at 170.2 pounds. Taylor drew Trey “That Just Happened?” Houston (11-2) of Bixby, Okla. Houston weighed in at 169.6 pounds.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Roan “Jucao” Carneiro (16-9) of Atlanta, Ga. will face off with 25-year-old finisher Randall “Buddy” Wallace (9-2) of Oakdale, Calif. Both fighters clocked in at 170.4 pounds.

In the new co-main event, bantamweight (135 pounds) finisher and former NCAA Division I wrestling standout for Oklahoma State University, Tyler Shinn (6-2) of Stillwater, Okla., will square off with KO artist and rising star Chris “El Guapo” Gutierrez (4-1) of Greenville, Texas. The bout between Shinn and Gutierrez was elevated to co-main event status yesterday after Jonny Carson of Broken Arrow, Okla. withdrew from his scheduled co-main event matchup with Danny Navarro of Riverside, Calif.

In Superfight action on the pay-per-view telecast, former Oklahoma State University All-American wrestler and undefeated featherweight (145 pounds) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) upstart Jamal Parks (3-0) of Tulsa, Okla. will look to extend his perfect run in the cage in a Superfight with Ruben Warr (3-3) of Whittier, Calif.

BattleGrounds MMA ‘O.N.E.’ will be distributed at a price point of $19.95 in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing, beginning at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on both cable and satellite pay-per-view carriers iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH and Avail-TVN in the United States and Bell TV, Rogers, SaskTel, TELUS, MTS and SHAW PPV in Canada.

The free-of-charge pre-show bouts will begin at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST. In addition, the event will be available online as an iPPV at a price point of $19.95 on Go Fight Live (www.gfl.tv).

Tickets for the event, priced from $65, can be purchased online at www.bokcenter.com as well as at Arby’s Box Office at the BOK Center, all ticket outlets, or by calling 1-800-7-BOKCTR.

Doors at BOK Center open at 6 p.m. CST. The first preliminary bout will begin at 7:15 p.m.

Official BattleGrounds MMA: ‘O.N.E.’ Weigh-In Results (Pay-Per-View Telecast Bouts):

Tournament Fighters:

Bout # 1

Cody McKenzie – 170.6 pounds
Brock Larson – 170 pounds

Bout # 2

Joe Ray – 169.6 pounds
Luigi FIoravanti – 171 pounds

Bout # 3

Jesse Taylor – 170.2 pounds
Trey Houston – 169.6 pounds

Bout # 4

Roan Carneiro – 170.4 pounds
Randall Wallace – 170.4 pounds

Bantamweight (135 pounds) Co-Main Event:

Tyler Shinn – 135.4 pounds
Chris Gutierrez – 135 pounds

Featherweight (145 pounds):

Jamal Parks – 145.4 pounds
Ruben Warr – 146 pounds

Light Heavyweight (205 pounds):
First Non-Tournament PPV Fight

Wayne Cole – 207.6 pounds
Niko Koliastasis – 204.4 pounds

Featherweight (145 pounds):

Zac Church – 146.2 pounds
Ryan Haynes – 145.4 pounds

About BattleGrounds MMA

BattleGrounds MMA (www.battlegroundsone.com) is a world championship professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion designed to place combative sports athletes on a major stage in the most challenging and exciting format possible: one-night, single-elimination tournaments that reveal the toughest competitors in their respective weight divisions. Launched by Olympic wrestling legend Kenny Monday and Bryan O’Rourke in 2012 as a regional organization in Tulsa, OK to unearth promising new talent in one of MMA’s biggest hotbeds, the promotion is quickly capturing the hearts of fans nationwide as it brings about an exciting new era in the world’s fastest growing sport.

About the BOK Center:
The BOK Center is Tulsa’s state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue that opened in fall 2008. The 19,199-seat arena is home to the WNBA Tulsa Shock and the CHL Tulsa Oilers. The BOK Center was designed to host major concerts, family shows, ice shows, and other world class entertainment. Owned by the City Of Tulsa, the BOK Center is part of Vision 2025, a project to grow economic and community infrastructure for future generations. In 2011, the BOK Center won the prestigious International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) Venue Excellence Award.

About SMG
Founded in 1977, SMG provides management services to more than 230 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theatres, performing arts centers, equestrian facilities, science centers and a variety of other venues. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 14.4 million square feet of exhibition space and over 1.75 million sports and entertainment seats. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming, construction and design consulting, and pre-opening services for such landmark facilities as McCormick Place & Soldier Field in Chicago, Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Houston’s Reliant Park and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through its concessions, catering and special events division, SAVOR, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.

Atlantic City, NJ (Oct. 2) – A member of the 2008 United States Olympic team who is rapidly speeding up the welterweight ladder, Brooklyn’s Sadam “World Kid” Ali will look to announce his arrival on the international stage at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ on Saturday, November 8, when he faces his biggest challenge to date in the form of veteran Luis Carlos “El Potro” Abregu. The bout will open the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast headlined by the light heavyweight title unification showdown between Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins and Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev beginning at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT.

“This is the big fight I’ve been asking for, and I’m ready to perform on November 8,” said the unbeaten Ali. “Abregu is a seasoned veteran. He hits hard and he comes to fight. It’s the type of win that will put me in the title picture, and I can’t wait to put on a great fight for the fans and bring the win back to Brooklyn.”

“I’ve been sitting back watching my fellow Argentinian brothers Marcos Maidana, Lucas Matthysse and Diego Chaves all get their opportunities to fight in the U.S. and now its my time to show the boxing world the best fighter from Argentina is me,” said Abregu. “I have been avoided by Manny Pacquiao, Brandon Rios and Ruslan Provodnikov so I thank Sadam Ali for stepping up to fight me. November 8 I will show the fans why I am the best and most exciting fighter from Argentina! Viva!”

“The cold war is officially over – but that peace will not extend to the ring when two of the top contenders in the 147-pound division go head to head in Atlantic City,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions. “I have made a promise to the fans that nothing will stand in our way of putting on the best fights our sport has to offer – consider this monster match-up between a Top Rank fighter and a Golden Boy Promotions fighter another example of making good on that pledge.”

“Can’t miss this battle,” said Carl Moretti, Vice President of Boxing for Top Rank, “This is youth versus experience. There is no chance of it going the distance – whoever wins, wins by knockout.”

“A main event of the caliber of Hopkins vs. Kovalev merits a worthy co-feature like Ali vs. Abregu,” Peter Nelson, Vice President of Programming, HBO Sports said. “An even match-up, this fight is likely to be decided on whether Ali has perfected his multifaceted style to a greater purity than Abregu’s lethal punch.”

One of the welterweight divisions top young talents, 26-year-old Sadam “World Kid” Ali (20-0, 12 KOs) took a slow and steady approach to his professional career after representing the U.S. in the 2008 Olympic Games, but since signing with Golden Boy Promotions in 2013, Ali has been fighting in the fast lane and looking more and more impressive each step of the way. Winner of recent bouts over Jay Krupp, Jesus Selig, Michael Clark and Jeremy Bryan, the dynamic Ali can make a move into the 147-pound top ten with a victory over Abregu this November.

A shining example of the hard-hitting and rugged fighters produced by Argentina, Salta’s Luis Carlos “El Potro” Abregu (36-1, 29 KOs) goes for the knockout every time he steps into the ring making him a fan favorite both at home and abroad. Winner of seven straight fights (six by knockout) since the lone loss of his career via decision to Timothy Bradley in 2010, the 30-year-old power hitter and WBC Silver champion has scored victories over Thomas Dulorme, Antonin Decarie and Jean Carlos Prada in his last three bouts, and with that trio holding a combined 73-1-1 record, Abregu is more than ready for the unbeaten Ali.

Tickets priced at $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50, plus applicable fees and service charges, are on sale now and available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

“Alien vs. Krusher: Hopkins vs. Kovalev” is a 12-round unification bout for the IBF, WBA and WBO Light Heavyweight World titles, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City, Corona Extra, AT&T, Hortitsia Vodka and Mexico, Live it To Believe It!. Ali vs. Abregu is a 10-round welterweight bout promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank. The HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT.

“24/7 Hopkins/Kovalev” premieres Saturday, Oct. 18 at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT on HBO immediately following the live World Championship Boxing telecast.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or http://www.boardwalkhall.com/.

Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/main_events, www.twitter.com/hboboxing, www.twitter.com/THEREALBHOP,
www.twitter.com/krusherkovalev, www.twitter.com/realworldkidali, www.twitter.com/potroabregu, www.twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and follow the conversation using #alienvskrusher.

Become a fan on Facebookat www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/therealbhop, www.facebook.com/hboboxing and www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall.

Philadelphia, PA–He has not lost a fight since 2008, but junior lightweight contender Edner Cherry remains a fighter in limbo.

Few fighters understand frustration like Cherry, who gets a long-overdue nationally televised 10-round fight against Jerry Belmontes on Oct. 18 at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. It will mark Cherry’s second fight in 2014 and only his third in the last 20 months.

The Cherry-Belmontes bout and the Steve Cunningham-Natu Visinia heavyweight 10-rounder will be televised live by NBCSN over its popular Fight Night series beginning at 9pm (ET).

“Some of the previous people I signed with…I was not sure why they could not move me,” said Cherry, who is ranked No.11 by the IBF, No. 17 by the WBC. “They were saying that no one wants to fight me or saying it was too hard to get me a fight, but this is boxing and getting the right fight and getting your name out there is important.”

After his knockout win over Mexican contender Vicente Escobedo early in 2013 in Atlantic City, NJ, Cherry couldn’t get another fight even though he had not lost since dropping a 12-round decision to Timothy Bradley for the WBC junior welterweight (140 pounds) belt in 2008. Overall, he is 32-6-2, 17 K0s.

“There are so many guys who don’t want to fight, who are scared, and yet they are the ones who are getting all the matches,” Cherry said. “For me, it’s like…what is stopping me? I just won, c’mon, what’s going on, why am I on the shelf?”

When the Florida-based Cherry signed with promoter J Russell Peltz last November, he thought his luck would change. When the first fight possibilities turned out to be against solid, world-rated lightweights (135 pounds), new trainer Dan Birmingham insisted on something easier and someone lighter, as in junior lightweight (130 pounds).

“I don’t think there is a junior lightweight in the world who can hang with Edner,” Birmingham said. “I simply wanted him to stay at 130 and get in a tune-up since he had not fought since February of 2013.

When Cherry finally landed an April 4 fight at Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, more frustration followed. He earned an eight-round decision over rugged Robert Osiobe, of Las Vegas, but suffered a nasty cut over his left eye from a head butt late in the fight and that kept him out of action for the summer.

“Frustrating? Of course,” Cherry said. “I had just taken the rust off and I was back on the shelf.”

Cherry has been boxing since he was 14, but now, at 32, and after some career hindrances, he might be getting his chance to make an impact.

“People look at age and are concerned,” Cherry said. “Maybe speed might be sacrificed, but if you use the talent and experience that you have then it will take you a long ways. I’ve still got some time.”

Cherry thinks his time will come Oct 18 against Belmontes, a match he accepted at 134 pounds only because Belmontes, of Corpus Christi, TX, is not known as a big puncher, having scored only five knockouts on his 19-5 record.

“It is going to be the right fight for me because Belmontes has fought some great people,” Cherry said. “I do not have a pushover that night; I have to come prepared and I am.

“Belmontes is out of the box–he likes to fight in the pocket and sometimes the crowd really likes to watch a fight like that. The crowd does not want a boring fight, they want something exciting.”

If he can channel his frustration at the 2300 Arena, then the crowd may see the “Cherry Bomb” explode and finally make the impact he desires.

About October 18
The Oct. 18 edition of NBCSN Fight Nightwill take place at the 2300 Arena at 2300 Swanson Street in South Philadelphia. It features a 10-round fight between Steve “USS” Cunningham, of Philadelphia, and Natu “The Truth” Visinia, of Lakewood, CA. A 10-round junior lightweight contest between Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry, of Wauchula, FL, and Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes, of Corpus Christi, TX is the co-feature. Five additional fights open the show at 6PM. Tickets are $50 and $75 and are available by calling Peltz Boxing at (215) 765-0922 or at www.peltzboxing.com. They also can be purchased at Wanamakers Tickets (215-568-2400). The card is presented by Main Events and Peltz Boxing in association with Final Forum Promotions and BAM Boxing. The NBCSN Fight Night telecast will begin at 9 PM ET. Doors open at 5 PM and the first fight will start at 6. The event is sponsored by Rocco’s Collision.

NBC Sports Live Extra:
NBC Sports Live Extra: NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices and tablets — will live stream Fight Night at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Oct. 18. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

FOLLOW US:

Official hashtag: #FightNight
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Twitter: @main_events
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Twitter: @PeltzBoxing
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Toronto | New York – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of Final Fight Championship 14 from Ljubljana, Slovenia, this Friday, Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. ET, featuring a two-hour “Blue Label” kickboxing card followed by a two-hour “Red Label” mixed martial arts lineup.

Fight Network’s live broadcast will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Headlining the kickboxing portion of the telecast, Samo Petje battles Teo Mikelic, plus Mirko Vorkapic meets Kevin Hasseling, Denis Chorchyp takes on Dzenan Poturak and Miran Fabjan fights Boban Krusic.

In the mixed martial arts main event, Slovenia’s own Lemmy Krusic clashes with Croatian Antun Racic, while the co-feature pits Stjepan Bekavac against Marcin Prachino.

Immediately following the live international broadcast of Final Fight Championship 14, Fight Network will televise the weigh-ins for UFC Fight Night 54 from Halifax, Nova Scotia, headlined by a pivotal welterweight bout between Canada’s Rory MacDonald and Belgium’s Tarec Saffiedine. Throughout the week, Fight News Now: MMA Edition and Fight News Now Extra will feature on-site coverage from the event, including exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

Upon the conclusion of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event, Fight Network will televise the official post-fight press conference, including reaction and post-fight interviews from all the big winners.

Also on Friday at 9 p.m. ET, Fight Network will air the live prelims for the BattleGrounds MMA: One Night Elimination tournament on pay-per-view feature previews, analysis and undercard action from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The live action continues on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. ET, as Fight Network presents KSW 28: Fighters’ Den from Poland, showcasing world-class MMA stars, including Karol Bedorf vs. Rolles Gracie, Michal Materla vs. Jorge Bezerra, Marcin Rozalski vs. Peter Graham, Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Vaso Bakocevic and Rafal Moks vs. Daniel Acacio.

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.

The October 25 IBF Jr. Bantamweight title bout between Zolani Tete and Paul Butler has been postponed due to a broken left hand to Tete according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It’s very disappointing for all involved, especially for Paul, who has put everything into this world title challenge against Tete,” said Butler’s promoter Frank Warren. “Unfortunately, hand injuries are part of this business, but it doesn’t make it any easier when it happens. We’ll announce a new date for his fight with Tete shortly, but in the meantime [Butler] will still fight on the show, so at least he will keep active and get some more rounds in before facing Tete.”

“It is with deep regret that I must pull out of this much anticipated fight with Paul,” Tete said. “I have selected to take the advice from my medical team because I am in terrible pain from the broken bone.”

“From the high of winning the world title against Stuart Hall in June, it was devastating news to receive that Tete had broken his hand,” Butler said. “My team are all gutted after the work everyone has put in for this fight. On a positive note, the fight against Tete is contracted to happen, and I look forward to getting the new date, and I know that I will just have to wait a little longer to get my hands on a second world title.”

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, U.S.A. – Undefeated featherweight professional boxer Gervonta “Tank” Davis (Baltimore, MD/pro record: 8-0, 8 KOs) returns to the ring on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, in Biloxi, Mississippi. Davis will face German “Panteonero” Meraz (47-31-1, 25 KOs) in a six round bout. Davis’ fight will be televised on ESPN 2, and is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing & Promotions, LLC. In the main event, Arkansas’ Jermain Taylor will challenge Australia’s Sam Soliman for the IBF Middleweight Title.

On Friday night, September 26, 2014, Davis held a pre-fight public workout titled, “Bullying Stops Here,” at Mondawmin Mall center court in Baltimore, Maryland. The exhibition included mitt work, heavy bag drills, jump rope, and various other training exercises. Following the workout, Davis spoke to the crowd about bullying, signed autographs and took pictures with his supporters. Davis said, “The public workout at Mondawmin Mall was great. Thank you to everyone who showed up to support me. Bullying is a very important topic in our country right now, and I wanted to make sure everyone is aware of how people can be hurt by it. At the workout, a few boxers from my gym shared some stories we’ve had with bullying. Hopefully, we helped someone in the crowd who was watching. Bullying definitely stops here!”
Davis spoke about his upcoming televised fight. He said, “I’ve always dreamed about making my television debut, and now it will happen on October 8. Thank you Al Haymon, Team Davis, and ESPN2, for helping make my dream come true. I’ve been putting in solid work in the gym and I will be ready for my fight. This will be my first time fighting in Mississippi, so I’m looking forward to putting on a show for the crowd. I can’t wait to represent for my city of Baltimore. Thank you to my fans that keep supporting me. I’ll keep fighting for you.”
The nineteen-year old boxer explained what makes him special in the sport of boxing. He said, “I am still learning the sport of boxing, but I study this sport, and I’ve been boxing since I was a young kid. I’m fast in that ring, and I’ve fought against boxers with lots of different styles when I was in the amateurs. I’ve sparred many great pros as well. I consider myself an intelligent fighter, always listening to my corner and my coach Calvin Ford. The great boxers stay focused on what they are supposed to do, and they can adjust to any fight situation. I understand that fans need to be entertained, and I’m definitely that guy that can bring excitement to the sport of boxing. All I can say is tune in to ESPN2 on Wednesday, October 8, and watch me!”
Gervonta’s longtime boxing trainer, Calvin Ford (Upton Boxing Center/Baltimore, MD) said, “It was great to see such public support for our team at our mall workout. Thank you Mondawmin Mall, Kenny and Mia Ellis, Alijiah Williams, Daniel Coleman, Darrell Chase, Shoe City, Rich Brand Apparel, Nike Boxing, and RK Jewelers for helping make our event really special. The public workout allowed our city to get a glimpse of what ‘Tank’ can do, and how he can entertain a crowd. Gervonta was talking to the kids about doing well in school, spoke about bullying, and he really brought a positive showmanship to the event.”
Ford talked about Davis’ preparation for his upcoming bout. “We have had a great camp for this fight. Thank you to Club One Fitness and Upton Boxing Center for helping provide the quality sparring for our camp. We are facing a crafty veteran opponent in Meraz, but we’ll be prepared for whatever he brings to the table. ‘Tank’ has worked hard his whole life to get this TV opportunity, and it’s no secret that he has the talent to eventually get to the top of his division. We are looking forward to getting back in the ring to show what we’ve been working on for this fight. I can’t wait for the world to see his talent on ESPN2.”
Tickets for Gervonta Davis’ ESPN2 fight in Mississippi are priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office by phone (888) 566 7469 or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm CT and the first bout is scheduled for 5:30pm CT.

Follow Gervonta Davis on Instagram: @GervontaDavis or http://instagram.com/gervontadavis
Follow Gervonta Davis on Twitter: @GervontaDavis or https://twitter.com/GervontaDavis
Follow Gervonta Davis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmGervontaDavis

NEW YORK (Oct. 2, 2014) – Undefeated WBO Bantamweight World Champion Tomoki “El Mexicanito” Kameda will make the third defense of his title against interim titlist and mandatory challenger Alejandro Hernandez on Saturday, Nov. 1, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT) in the co-feature of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition.

In the main event of the tripleheader, popular light heavyweight contender Andrzej “Chicago’s Polish Prince” Fonfara will return to his adopted hometown against experienced veteran Doudou Ngumbu in a 10-round light heavyweight showdown from UIC Pavilion at University of Illinois-Chicago.

In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated super featherweight contender and former Interim WBA Featherweight World Champion Javier Fortuna will take on twice-beaten Puerto Rican Abner Cotto in a 10-round super featherweight bout. The event, titled “The Homecoming,” is promoted by Warriors Boxing.

Chicago’s Fonfara, 26, a native of Warsaw, Poland, had won 13 in a row before a hard-fought loss to WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis Stevenson this past May in a thrilling battle on SHOWTIME. A heavy underdog, Fonfara floored the champion in his hometown of Montreal in the ninth round in a showdown that was closer than most experts anticipated.

Fonfara (25-3, 15 KOs) is now 15-1 with one no-contest since July 2008. The WBC No. 6 contender at 175 pounds, Fonfara has defeated three former world title holders -Byron Mitchell (TKO 3), Glen Johnson (a clear 10-round decision in perhaps a career-best victory) and Gabriel Campillo (TKO 9) -in his last six starts.

Fonfara, who campaigned for much of his career at 168 pounds and below, has only lost once at light heavyweight, and that loss was to Stevenson, widely considered as the top fighter in the world at 175 pounds. The 6-foot-2 Fonfara, who turns 27 three days after the showdown with Ngumbu, will return to Chicago for his eighth fight in his last nine starts.

A boxer with superb stamina and surprising power, Fonfara’s iron chin allows him to outlast his opponents and come on in the later rounds of his fights.

The 32-year old Ngumbu, of Toulouse, France by way of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will make his U.S. and North American debut. Originally a soccer player, Ngumbu found boxing at age 18 and turned professional at 25. The former African champion (33-5, 12 KOs) is vastly experienced, having fought 247 rounds to Fonfara’s 129.

The 5-foot-11 Ngumbu is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision over Johnny Muller in June in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and has gone the 12-round distance six times since 2009.

Ngumbu holds a 2013 win over former world title challenger Vyacheslav Uzelkov, who lost in 2010 to then-WBA Light Heavyweight Champ Beibut Shumenov. Ngumbu also has a 12-round unanimous decision win over Aleksy Kuziemski, who challenged Nathan Cleverly for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title in 2011.

Ngumbu’s long arms and fast hands allow him to come forward with an unorthodox but aggressive attack from unpredictable angles. His tendency to keep his hands at his sides makes all of his fights exciting affairs.

Kameda (30-0, 19 KOs), of Tokyo, Japan, is coming off a brutal 7th round knockout victory of former WBO Bantamweight Champ Pungluang Singyu in his U.S. debut on July 12.

The victory over Singyu was the biggest win of the 23-year-old’s career. Singyu had formerly held the same championship belt until losing it to Paulus Ambunda in March 2013. Ambunda lost his belt to Kameda in his first and only defense of the title last August via unanimous decision.

Kameda and his two brothers, Koki and Daiki are among the most famous fighters in the history of Japanese boxing, and all three recently held world titles at the same time. While Tomoki held the WBO Bantamweight Championship, Koki was the WBA Bantamweight Champion until he voluntarily relinquished the title in December in order to move down to flyweight, and Daiki was the IBF Junior Bantamweight Champion until he lost by decision last December.

Kameda moved to Mexico when he was 15 years old to learn an aggressive fighting style and quickly earned the Spanish nickname “El Mexicanito” (The Little Mexican). A true boxer-puncher with extremely fast hands, Kameda continues to train in Mexico, but has since moved back to Japan where his family enjoys celebrity status.

Hernandez (28-10-2, 15 KOs), of Mexico City, won the vacant Interim WBO Bantamweight World Championship with a unanimous decision over countryman Daniel Rosas on June 14.

The 28-year-old Hernandez has won three fights in a row at bantamweight and is a former world title challenger at 115 and 112 pounds. Hernandez fought to a draw for the vacant WBO Super Flyweight Championship to then-undefeated Marvin Sonsona in 2009 and lost a unanimous decision to then-WBO Flyweight Champion and current WBO Super Flyweight kingpin Omar Andres Narvaez in 2008.

A fearless “do or die” slugger from the classic Mexican warrior mold, Hernandez comes forward relentlessly behind powerful combinations to the head and body.

Fortuna (25-0-1, 18 KOs), of Dominican Republic, is a former Interim WBA Featherweight World Champion – he won the vacant belt against previously undefeated Patrick Hyland in 2012. The southpaw was set to defend his crown in April of 2013 against Miguel Zamudio but lost the title on the scales after failing to make weight. He knocked Zamudio down twice en route to a devastating first round knockout and then gradually settled into the 130-pound division.

Fortuna, 25, is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision over Juan Antonio Rodriguez on May 31 in Las Vegas and is just one fight removed from a knockout of former world title challenger Francisco Lorenzo.

Fortuna, who is known for his explosive speed and highlight reel knockouts, only has one blemish on his record – a controversial draw against Luis Franco in August of 2013.

Cotto (18-2, 8 KOs), a relative of future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto, was a top amateur in Puerto Rico – he won a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games and compiled a record of 235-20 before turning pro.

The 27-year-old Cotto is coming off a split-decision victory of Jerry Belmontes in August and his only two losses have come against top competition. He lost to undefeated WBC 135-pound champ Omar Figueroa in a non-title bout in 2013 and to top 130-pound contender Francisco Vargas this past March.

Additional bouts and the undercard will be announced shortly.

Tickets start at $31 and are available at Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or call: 1-800-745-3000, the Warriors Offices: 312-622-7668 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office: 312-413-5740, or visit the UIC Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. CT). They can also be purchased the night of the event. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00 pm. All bouts are subject to change. For more information, visit www.warriorsboxing.com.

VALLEY FORGE, PA (October 2, 2014)–This Saturday night at the Valley Forge Casino Resort, undefeated Jr. Welterweight Naim “The Dream” Nelson (12-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on Ryan Belasco (18-6-3, 3 KO’s) of Wilmington, DE in an 8-round bout for the UBF All America’s title that will serve as the co-feature bout to a championship night of boxing promoted by King;s Promotions and Peltz Boxing.

In the main event, Frank De Alba will take on Jesse Carridine in a 8-round Jr. Lightweight bout.

“Training has been great. I have had no injuries and I am in terrific shape. I have trained harder for this fight than any other fight,”said Nelson.

Nelson knows that Belasco is a worthy opponent but he is prepared for the task at hand.

“Ryan brings a lot of experience. He has more than twice the amount of fights. He was already a pro when I started my amateur career. He has decent skills as he can box and bang. It should be a great test.”

With each passing win, Nelson knows that every fighter is gunning a little harder trying to put that first loss on him.

“It comes with the territory. When you start getting to double-digit wins, you can feel guys wanting to take that zero from you. Guys get up for you. They train harder then they do for other fights which is great that we can bring the best out of each other.”

Nelson is looking forward to adding another belt to his trophy case that already has the Pennsylvania Lightweight title in it.

“The UBF title adds to this fight. I have that Lightweight state title. I plan on staying at 140 lbs. unless I can find a big fight at Lightweight. I am just happy to be able to fight for a 2nd title where there are so many fighters that don’t even compete for any. These are the types of things that will help me reach my ultimate goal and that is to fight for a world title.”

Nelson finished, “I think this will be a tremendous fight. It has been a year in the making and I know we will both lay it all on the line. I think this fight will rival my (2012 war) with Victor Vasquez.

Naim “the Dream” Nelson is known as one of the hardest workers in the area. He consistently takes on tough opposition and continues to win. He has only one KO on his perfect 12-0 ledger but he’s extremely strong and physical in the ring. His opponents can attest to that.

With team of trainer Rory Bussey, Strength coach James “Fink ” Edwards and new
adviser Stephen Edwards. Edwards is trainer/adviser to red hot Jr. Middleweight contender Julian “Jrock Williams and up and coming prospect Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis. Nelson believes he has big things coming. If Nelson is successful in this fight he is looking to take on bigger names in the lightweight and junior welterweight divisions.

In the 8-round main event,Frank De Alba (13-1-2, 5 KO’s) of Reading, PA will take on Jesse Carradine (8-3-2, 4 KO’s) of Las Vegas in a Jr. Lightweight bout.

Shawn Sutton (0-2-1) of Norristown, PA will fight Anthony Prescott (3-3-2, 1 KO) of Cherry Hill, NJ in a 4-round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Christian Molina (2-0, 1 KO) of Allentown, PA battles Josue Rivera (2-5, 2 KO’s) in a 4-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Travis Thompson (5-11-3, 3 KO’s) of Pottstown, PA will box Benjamin Burgos (1-8-1) of Mount Pocono, PA in a 4-round Lightweight bout

Tickets for this great night of boxing are priced at $125, $75 and $45 and can be purchased by calling Kings Boxing at 610 587-5950 or Peltz Boxing at 215 765 0922

Monaco/Johannesburg, October 2 – Canadian-based light-heavyweights are on a roll and the next one to come off the production line is threatening to do so in explosive style at Monte Carlo’s “Title Tornado” event on October 25.
Eleider Alvarez, who was born in Colombia, has been based in Montreal since his professional debut in 2009. He challenges South Africa’s Ryno Liebenberg for the WBC Silver belt in a rare battle of unbeaten fighters.

“Storm” Alvarez is promoted by Yvon Michel’s GYM group, who last weekend celebrated Artur Beterbiev’s sensational knockout performance against Tavoris Cloud. WBC champion Adonis Stevenson and former champion Jean Pascal also rank among the Colombian’s teammates.
Alvarez may be the least-known of this impressive group, but he plans his coming out party against the rugged Liebenberg.
The pair has exchanged robust banter on Twitter, but the time for talking stops when they put their perfect records on the line later this month. Alvarez is unbeaten in 15 fights (eight stoppages) with Liebenberg similarly placed – 16-0 (11 KOs).
Alvarez has seen tapes of his opponent and rates him as an aggressive fighter.
“I think [his style] will make for a very good fight,” he said through a Spanish interpreter. “I’m a classic boxer with good speed and good technique.”
It is a style honed in a long and successful amateur career (200+ bouts) that saw him win gold at the South American Games in 2006 and at the Pan American Games in Brazil a year later. After knocking out Cuban Yusiel Napoles in the final, he was approached by Michel’s scouts, who signed him to a pro contract in Canada.
“My transition from Colombia to Canada went well,” he said. “I have a great team that surrounds me, but the toughest part is that I’m far away from my wife and daughter.”
Alvarez captured his first title belt in just his seventh pro fight, knocking out respected Emiliano Cayetano in the first round to capture the vacant WBO NABO light-heavyweight championship three years ago.
In going on to defeat a number of fringe contenders, among them Shawn Hawk, fellow Colombian Edison Miranda and Alexander Johnson, he has cemented his position in the various world bodies: #12 in the WBC, #2 in the WBA and #3 in the WBO.
“All my life was built up in a tough way and I don’t know any other way,” he said of being matched hard in the past 18 months, his past four opponents having a combined record of 79-12.
Having grown up admiring Antonio Cervantes, the former two-time world junior-welterweight champion and Hall of Famer, Alvarez’s ambition is to emulate his countryman.
“I will show the world I’m ready for business,” he said of his impending assignment.
As for his regular Twitter exchanges with Liebenberg, Alvarez is nonplussed: “It’s just fun. At the end of the day when the bell rings the real business will take place.”
Alvarez spars two to three times a week and although he wouldn’t reveal who he mixes it with, it is probably safe to assume that the aforementioned stablemates help him out.
“We use specific sparring partners with the style of Liebenberg . . . I will keep the name a secret.”
Promoter Rodney Berman accepts that he is taking a calculated risk matching his fighter with someone as dangerous as Alvarez.
“They are similar age and both need to step up. At this level there’s no hiding and to Ryno’s credit, he says ‘bring them all on’. I’m very pleased that Alvarez took the fight. I expect the bookmakers will make him a favourite based on his excellent skills, but Liebenberg will bring it hard. Given recent action in the division, I’m predicting another explosive fight.”
The “Title Tornado” card also includes WBA/IBO strawweight champion Hekkie Budler’s title defence against Xiong Zhao Zhong of China, the WBC Silver middleweight title fight between Martin Murray and Domenico Spada and the IBF bantamweight title bout between Stuart Hall of the UK and Randy Caballero of the US.

Known as one of the most exclusive vacation destinations in the world and situated on the Mediterranean Sea in South West Europe, Monaco attracts millions of visitors each year. The Casino de Monte-Carlo, owned and operated by the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, is the premiere casino destination in Europe. The Casino de Monte-Carlo continues to attract some of the wealthiest and most well-known celebrities and aristocrats throughout the world.

The Purse bid for the WBC Heavyweight title bout between champion Bermane Stiverne and undefeated challenger Deontay Wilder has been postponed until October 6 according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“There is no date,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said in a statement given to ESPN.com. “Both camps told me they are very close to a deal, so when I get back (from a business trip) I will assess the matter and decide.”

Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya told ESPN.com on Sunday that he and King had agreed on a financial package for the fight but De La Hoya did not close the deal because King had not provided a site and date for the fight in the paperwork.

“Don made an offer. I’m not gonna say the offer but the proper protocol is to give me a site and a date and that’s what I am waiting for,” De La Hoya said. “He didn’t tell me when and where the fight would be. We’re OK with the money. But we want to get the fight done this year. Without a site and date, what would keep Don from just changing things? So without a site and a date in a contract we have no deal whatsoever.”

Camille Estephan, Stiverne’s manager, told ESPN.com on Wednesday night that King and Haymon asked for a delay in the purse bid.

“They feel they are close to an agreement,” Estephan said. “There was an agreement but no date. That is why I believe Mauricio is being accommodating, because there’s a deal but no date. On our end we are very close to a deal with King. The money is right for everybody but we just don’t have a date or a place on the contracts I’ve seen.”

“Bermane is in camp and getting ready,” Estephan said “His injuries have subsided. He had a hand injury and a bit of a shoulder problem. The shoulder and hand have healed completely. We want to fight in December. That is goal. He is 100 percent now. We want to fight this year. We just need to get a date.”

“For the record, I ain’t afraid of nobody,” Wilder tweeted. “Ready when you are Stiverne!!”

Deerfield Beach, FL (October 1, 2014) World ranked lightweight MONTY MEZA CLAY has signed an exclusive promotional contract with Boxing legend MIKE TYSON and IRON MIKE PRODUCTIONS it was announced today.

“We’re thrilled to bring Monty aboard to our team. His fight against Allan Herrera in August was one of the most valiant performances I’ve seen in many years,” said Tyson. “He’s exactly the type of all-action warrior that we love to promote.”

Stated Clay, “I’m honored to join Mike and the team at Iron Mike Productions. I can’t wait to get back into the ring in Pittsburgh on November 14th.”

The highly popular Western Pennsylvania native Clay improved to
36-3-0 (2KO’s) stopping tough Mexican veteran Allan Herrera in the tenth round of their “Fight of the Year” candidate on August 8th in front of a huge crowd at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh and a nationally televised audience.

Said Chris Middendorf, Vice President of Iron Mike Productions, “For many years Monty has been one of the toughest fighters in the lightweight division. We want to provide fans with the best action possible in the ring and our signing of Monty truly exemplifies that.”

Currently ranked #15 by the World Boxing Council, Clay will return to battle at “The Pride of Pittsburgh II” set for Friday, November 14th at CONSOL Energy Center in the ten round co-main event against “Lightning” Rod Salka.

Advance tickets starting at $42 are now available through the Dick’s Sporting Goods Box Office at CONSOL Energy Center, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 800-745-3000.

For additional information on Iron Mike Productions visit www.IronMikeProductions, follow on Twitter at @IronMikeProd and on Facebook at IronMikeProductionsOfficial.

Hassan N’Dam scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Curtis Stevens in an IBF Middleweight elimination bout at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California.

N’Dam boxed well from the outside and never let Stevens get on track with power shots.

It was N’Dam that scored the only knockdown when he landed a short right hand in round eight that sent Stevens to the canvas. Stevens landed his best punch later in the round when he landed a hard left hook to the war.

N’Dam continued to win rounds by jabbing and moving. Stevens made once last stand in the 12th round as he tried to land a power shot that would turn the tide but was no no avail as N’Dam won by scores of 119-108 and 116-111 twice.

N’Dam, 158 lbs of France is now 31-1. Stevens, 158.8 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 27-5.

Fredrick Lawson remained undefeated by scoring a 10-round unanimous decision over Ray Narh in a Welterweight bout featuring fighters originally from Ghana.

Lawson scored a knockdown in round two when Narh walked into a left hook and was sent to the canvas.

In round eight, Lawson landed hard left to the head that hurt Narh and a right to the body that sent Narh down face first.

Lawson, 147.8 lbs of Chicago won by scores is now 99-89 twice 95-93 and is now 23-0. Narh, 146.6 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 26-6.

Miguel Marriaga scored a 6th round stoppage over Christopher Martin in a scheduled 8-round Featherweight bout.

Marriaga dominated and cut Martin over his left eye in round four from a big over hand right. marriaga dropped Martin in round six from a seven punch combination. Marriaga finished Martin with a hard flurry in the corner and the bout was stopped at 2:37 of round four.

Marriaga, 125.6 lbs of Colombia is now 19-0 with 17 knockouts. Martin, 125.8 lbs of San Diego, CA is now 28-4-3.

Funeral services for Dan Goossen will be held on Tuesday, October 7, beginning at
6 p.m. PT, at St. Francis DeSales (13360 Valleyheart Dr., Sherman Oaks, Calif. 91423.) http://www.sfdsparish.com/contact-us/

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dan’s memory to the charity he established to honor his late brother — The Greg Goossen ’64 Scholarship Fund at Notre Dame High School.

Checks can be made payable to NDHS Goossen Fund and mailed to NDHS, 13645 Riverside Dr., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. Contributions also can be made online by visiting www.ndhs.org. All gifts are tax deductible.

The Goossen Family will be notified of all contributions.

Thank you.

NEW YORK CITY (October 1, 2014) IBF Middleweight World Champion “KING” SAM SOLIMAN is wrapping up his training in New York City this week in preparation for his title defense against former undisputed middleweight champion JERMAIN “Bad Intentions” TAYLOR set for Wednesday, October 8th from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi and telecast LIVE on ESPN2, (9 p.m. ET).

“I’ve trained in New York City numerous times, I love it here, there’s an electricity and energy that can’t be matched” said the Australian native. “The fans and boxing community have always been very welcoming to me.”

“I’ve got one more sparring session today and then we’re leaving for Biloxi on Friday for the fight.”

In camp over the last ten days in New York City with Soliman have been two undefeated prospects.

“I like utilizing undefeated prospects for sparring, they’ve always brought out the best in me.”

“Along with two here I had three undefeated fighters working with me in Australia which brought the total records of the five fighters to 63-0-0 (42KO’s)” said Soliman. “I like sparring with prospects that have the will and desire that only an undefeated fighter can have.”

In regards to his title defense against Taylor, 32-4-0 (20KO’s), Soliman stated, “I’m preparing for the best Jermain Taylor. I would never underestimate anyone and I believe he is still a world class fighter.”

Soliman, 44-11-0 (18KO’s) will break camp in New York City on Friday and head to Biloxi, Mississippi for the challenge from Taylor. “No problem at all for me at 160, I can’t remember being above 170 in the last 15 years.”

At the age of 40, Soliman won his first world title by defeating Felix Sturm on May 31, 2014, in the champions’ homeland of Germany.

SOLIMAN VS. TAYLOR is presented by Dibella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions.

Tickets priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, are available at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30pm.

WBA Super Bantamweight champion Scott Quigg and IBF Bantamweight champion Jamie McDonnell will defend their titles on a big bill on November 22 in Liverpool that will support the rematch between Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew.

“Many people have asked me why I am going back to Liverpool to fight Tony Bellew again, and the answer is simple: I don’t like him,” Cleverly said. “He talks too much, and although I’ve beaten him before in front of his home fans, I am going to KO him this time around. He will not hear the final bell, I can guarantee you that. I will deal with him all over again and become a two-weight world champion.”

Said Bellew: “I have been waiting for this fight for three years, and now it is here. Revenge is the only thing on my mind. I have seen his horrible face in my head many nights since the fight, but I have not had the chance to make it right. This is a chapter in my life that I need to close, and I will do that by ending Nathan Cleverly’s career on Nov. 22.

“I am in the sport to be successful and win titles, but this fight means more to me than any of that. This is personal, and he will not want to enter a boxing ring after I have finished with him. It’s my first headlining show on Sky Sports Box Office, and that just underlines how big this fight is, and I am going to make sure my performance is a destructive and memorable one.”

New York, NY / Santa Monica, CA (10/1/14) – When Lou DiBella signed Sergey Derevyanchenko with Fight Promotions Inc., the outspoken promoter confidently stated, “Sergey is one of the most decorated amateurs in the world and absolutely one of the best middleweight prospects in all of boxing. We feel that in one year’s time, he will be ready to fight on the highest levels in boxing.”

Derevyanchenko, who was 23-1 in the World Series of Boxing, made his official pro debut this summer and looked every bit as advertised, destroying Cromwell Gordon, making Gordon quit after the second stanza of their scheduled six rounder. A former 2008 Olympian for his native Ukraine, Derevyanchenko compiled an outstanding 390-20 record as an amateur, winning a number of National titles as well as the 2007 bronze medal at the World Championships.

Derevyanchenko’s rise up the rankings is expected to be meteoric, and the next stop along his path to stardom will take place tonight in California. Derevyanchenko is set to take on battle-tested Laatekwei Hammond (21-7, 14KO’s) in a six-round middleweight special attraction on Michael King’s King Sports-promoted world card at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. Headlining the card is the IBF middleweight title elimination bout between Curtis Stevens and former world champion Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam, televised by ESPN.

“I am excited to have this opportunity to fight on a card like this and to showcase my skills to everyone that will be in attendance. I have trained for over two months for this fight and am ready to give the fans a very exciting fight. I plan on quickly moving up the ranks of the middleweight division and challenging for a world title in the not so distant future. I am confident that my promoters DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. will provide me with that opportunity, and my trainers Andre Rozier and Gary Stark will have me ready when the time comes,” said Derevyanchenko.

“Sergey Derevyanchenko is a future superstar,” said Lou DiBella. “He will prove it tonight in fighting the tough and experienced 21-7 Laatekwei Hammond in only his second professional fight. In a very short time, all boxing fans will know who Sergey Derevyanchenko is.”

ORANGE, Calif. (Oct. 1, 2014) – Veteran tactician Christopher “Marvelous” Martin (28-3-3, 9 KOs) of San Diego returns to the ring tonight against the highly touted Miguel Marriaga (18-0, 16 KOs) of Colombia in an 8-round featherweight bout from the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, Calif., televised on ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes (9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT).

Martin weighed in at 125.8, while Marriaga tipped the scales at 125.6.

Weigh in video courtesy of BoxeodeColombia.com.

Martin-Marriaga is on the undercard of what is expected to be an action-packed main event battle between Curtis Stevens (27-4, 20 KOs) of Brownsville, N.Y. and
Hassan N’Dam (30-1, 18 KOs) of France in an IBF middleweight eliminator. The winner faces world champion Sam Soliman (44-11, 18 KOs) of Australia in early 2015.

The event is promoted by King Sports. The Marriaga vs. Martin fight is promoted in association with Thompson Boxing Promotions.