PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 8th, 2014) — No one needs to explain the significance of this fight to Joey McCreedy.

Shortly after he hit the canvas three times in a loss to Sean Monaghan in April, McCreedy knew his next fight would more than likely be the biggest of his career.

“This is do or die for,” said the Lowell, Mass., native, who’ll face Rich Gingras on Friday, Sept. 12, 2014 at Twin River Casino. “I’m almost 30 now.

“In boxing, when you get to seven, eight, sometimes nine losses, you start becoming an opponent. I’m not letting my body go through that, being a punching bag just taking fights for money and getting embarrassed. I’m training real hard for this fight. I want to get back on track to where I was before.”

Long before he stepped in the ring with the undefeated Monaghan in Las Vegas, long before Gingras (14-4-1, 9 KOs) made Rhode Island his home turf, McCreedy (15-7-2, 6 KOs) was a fan-favorite and perennial headliner at Twin River.

Lauded for his take-no-prisoners approach in the ring, a style that kept fans coming back each time, McCreedy fought 11 consecutive bouts at Twin River between 2008 and 2010, winning five times with two draws. The last one, a lopsided loss to Providence’s Vladine Biosse in 2010 on the undercard of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, marked the unceremonious end of McCreedy’s run in the Ocean State.

Shortly thereafter, he wound up with a different promoter, no longer under the guidance of CES Boxing, and fought everywhere from Nova Scotia to Burbank, Ill. His return to Rhode Island on Friday is about more than just trying to capture Gingras’ N.E. Light Heavyweight Title while defending his own Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Northeast belt, a unique headliner on a card appropriately named “Title For Title.”

In fact, McCreedy has gone as far as to say Gingras’ title “doesn’t mean anything,” because even if he wins he’ll vacate the belt and move back down to 168 pounds, where he feels more comfortable against opponents his size.

“I can’t fight at 175, not at the level where I want to be,” he said. “I realized that when I fought in Vegas.”

What McCreedy really wants is to reclaim his turf and rekindle the magic from his prime when he was as popular at Twin River as almost any fighter born in Rhode Island.

“That’s my second home. I fought there long before Rich did,” McCreedy said. “I had a great run there until things went sour. I’m glad to be back, I’m glad to be bringing my fans back and I’m glad to be working with [CES president Jimmy Burchfield] again. Not a lot of people are willing to give you a second chance in this sport.”

Now it’s up to McCreedy to make the most of this opportunity, and he knows it’ll take more than an arena packed with rabid fans to get him past the tough, hard-hitting Gingras. Born in New Hampshire, but now living and training out of Lincoln, R.I., Gingras has emerged as Twin River’s No. 1 headliner since Peter Manfredo Jr. retired. He’s also the reigning N.E. Light Heavyweight champion after knocking out Jaime Velazquez for the vacant title in June.

In addition to the two titles on the line, Friday’s eight-round main event is also a battle between the old and the new in terms of Rhode Island boxing royalty, though it’s worth noting McCreedy is still only 29 while Gingras turned 33 in March.

“Fighting Rich is like looking in a mirror,” McCreedy said. “He fights just like me. This will be the Fight of the Year. He’s a great fighter. He’s been through a lot of ups and downs, too.

“I have a lot of respect for [his trainers] Orlondo [Valles] and Jose [Santos]. Jose is a good friend of mine. He cornered me in Vegas. I love his whole team, but everyone knows when you step through those ropes it’s a whole different ballgame. At that point, he doesn’t like me and I don’t like him.”

The experience in Las Vegas, which featured the ironic twist of one of Gingras’ trainers, Santos, working McCreedy’s corner, is one McCreedy wouldn’t change for anything despite the loss.

“I gave it all I had, but [Monaghan] was just the better man that night,” he said. “He was more experienced, taller. Being in that atmosphere, maybe I got a little star-struck. I knew what kind of pressure I was under and what would happen had I won. It was a lot of pressure to take on, but it was awesome. I met a lot of great people.

“It was a special thing for me to fight in the same ring where legends fought. [Mike] Tyson fought there, [my trainer] Micky [Ward] fought there. [Sugar Ray] Leonard. Everyone fought there. Just to be in the same ring as Floyd [Mayweather] was a great experience.”

The pressure he faced that night boxing on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley rematch in what is now the fight capital of the world should help ease his mind when he steps back into the spotlight Friday.

“I won’t be bothered by it at all,” he said. “No pressure. I’ve been in the ring plenty of times. I just have to work hard. Hopefully, I come out victorious.

“I’m sure Rich is doing the same thing. We both have something to prove.”

Tickets for “Title For Title” are on sale now at $45.00, $60.00, $76.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com or by phone at 401-724-2253/2254. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Worcester, Mass., junior middleweight Khiary Gray-Pitts (1-0, 1 KO) faces Sergio Cabrera (0-2) of Boston: junior middleweight Ray Oliveira Jr. of Fall River, Mass., battles fellow newcomer Angel Valdez in his pro debut and Fall River lightweight Scott Sullivan takes on Moises Rivera (0-3) of Boston in his debut. Italian-American cruiserweight Antonio Mignella (3-0, 3 KOs) of Providence, nicknamed “Little Rocky,” will battle Louisana’s Alvin Varmall Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-round bout.

Shelito Vincent (12-0, 1 KO) of New London, Conn., will return in a six-round bout, and Cranston welterweight Nick DeLomba (4-0) will face 15-fight veteran Christian Steele of Staunton, Va., in a six-round bout. “Title For Title” also features the professional debut of Cranston native and U.S. Air Force veteran Zack Christy, who takes on Saul Almeida of Framingham, Mass., in a four-round super middleweight bout.

Visit www.cesboxing.com for more information, follow CES Boxing on Twitter at @CESBOXING and Instagram at CESBOXING, or “like” CES Boxing on Facebook.

Philadelphia, PA (September 8, 2014)–One of the hottest fighters in the world, undefeated Julian “J Rock” Williams (16-0-1, 10 KO’s) is preparing for his showdown with fellow undefeated Eliezer Gonzalez (14-0, 9 KO’s) on Thursday, September 11 at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 24 year-old Williams of Philadelphia has been climbing the ranks and gaining attention due to his spectacular performances on willingness to take on anyone while doing in front of national television audiences.

This fight has all the makings of an action packed slugfest as Williams has six knockouts in his last eights fights while Gonzalez has stopped six in a row.

Williams has impressive wins over Hector Rosario (7-1-2); Jonel Tapia (8-2-1); Jeremiah Wiggins (10-1-1). Williams started to get be noticed after his three-knockdown unanimous decision over former world champion Joachim Alcine (33-4-1). Williams was on his way to a win over undefeated Hugo Centeno (19-0) before a cut over Centeno’s eye forced a no-contest. Williams stopped three consecutive high quality opponents in Orlando Lora (29-4-2), former world title challenger Freddy Hernandez (30-6) and his last bout when took out contender and Abel Sanchez trained Michael Medina (26-4-2) in eight rounds on May 24.

The date of the fight has significance as it takes place on September 11. Williams will honor the fallen of that fateful day 13 years ago by wearing USA themed trunks and robe.

One bit of irony is that on September 15, 2001, another Philadelphia fighter in Bernard Hopkins was set to face an undefeated Puerto Rican star in Felix Trinidad. Unfortunately that bout had to be postponed due to the events of 9-11 and Trinidad was trained by the same man that will be in Gonzalez corner. That being Felix Trinidad Sr.

Said Williams, “I don’t know much about Eliezer Gonzalez but I do know he’s undefeated and he’s trained by Felix Trinidad Sr.. I also know he’s scored a lot of KO’s lately. But that doesn’t mean anything to me because those KO’s weren’t against Julian “J Rock” Williams. I will find out how hard he can punch when we get in the ring. I know what I’m on the verge of and I can not allow Gonzalez to alter my destiny. I expect a shootout and that’s just fine with me. I can fight any type of fight I have to, to win. But everyone remembers the last time there was a match between Puerto Rico vs Philadelphia. In fact it was in September of 2001 when the the 9-11 incident occurred. Bernard Hopkins defeated the great Felix Trinidad. We are going to reenact that fight. I will play Bhop and he can play Tito.”

Stephen Edwards, the trainer of Williams has been happy with the progress of his pupil and he knows a win over Gonzalez will help Williams continue on the path to a world title.

“He put it all together in the last fight. I am usually very critical of him but I would have to nitpick in order to criticize that last fight. He fought a great fight. He was a violent, smooth, boxer puncher. He put a terrible beating on a game, motivated fighters\ who’s back was up against the wall. Going into this fight we started camp June 9th. There is no room for a let down for Julian. He understands he has to win and win impressively. There are a lot of quality guys in the super welterweight division and a sub par performance can put you in the back of the line,” said Edwards.

“I’m glad he’s fighting an undefeated guy because undefeated guys fight with a sense of entitlement. They have an aura about them. They don’t want to lose. I picked this guy from a short list and I’m glad our team got it done. This is Gonzalez’s big opportunity knocking off an Al Haymon fighter and Julian understands that. At this stage in his career I don’t want any gimme fights for him. They won’t do him any good because if he continues his success he’s going to be fighting for a title within a year.”

Former world champion Juan Diaz scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Carlos Cardenas at the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas.

Diaz, 135 1.2 lbs of Houston, TX won by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 40-4. Cardenas, 135 lbs of Barina, VEN is now 21-9-1.

Casey Ramos remained undefeated by scoring a 6-round unanimous decision over Angel Hernandez in a Lightweight bout.

Ramos, 134 lbs of Austin, TX won by scores of 59-55 and 58-56 twice and is now 18-0. Hernandez, 131 1/2 lbs of McAllen, TX is 8-3.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (September 5, 2014) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions returned to action on Friday night at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple, in association with former WBO Middleweight Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin. Six pro bouts and four amateur contests were on the docket, with Eileen Olszewski (9-5-3, 1 KO) and Christina Fuentes (3-6-4, 0 KOs) battling to a split draw in the main event. Victorious on the card were a pair of Uprising Promotions fighters, with undefeated 140-pounder Wesley Ferrer (5-0, 4 KOs) earning a first round stoppage while Irish welterweight Darren Mangan (1-0, 0 KOs) pitched a shutout in his professional debut.

In the main event, UBF/IFBA Flyweight Champion Eileen Olszewski (9-5-3, 1 KO) found a game Christina Fuentes (3-6-4, 0 KOs) on the opposite side of the ring. Possessing a distinct height advantage, Olszewski began the fight by trying to walk down her opponent, but Fuentes used nice footwork to work her way out of danger while picking her spots when she saw an opening. Over the middle rounds, Fuentes was the clear aggressor and was fighting with a noticeable amount of confidence. She appeared to be in complete control of the action until the sixth frame when Olszewski started finding success with short hooks on the inside, peppering her Texan counterpart with sharp shots to finish off the stanza.

In the seventh round, things leveled out a bit, followed up by an eighth frame that consisted entirely of close-range exchanges throughout its two-minute timeslot. The duo kept the level of action high during that final stanza, banging it out all the way until the concluding bell.

The tightly contested action made it a tough job on the ringside judges, which was evidenced by three scorecards that were all over the place. The first card announced was 78-74 in favor of Olszewski, followed up by a 77-75 tally in favor of Fuentes. The last count was even at 76-76, making the end result of this contest a split draw.

In the co-main event of the evening, former New York Golden Gloves standout Wesley Ferrer (5-0, 4 KOs) continued what has been nothing short of an electrifying start to his professional career. Facing a tough Shiwone Gortman (4-5-2, 2 KOs), Ferrer displayed great foot and hand speed from the opening bell, and he was in total control of the action. Using feints to offset the timing of Gortman, Ferrer eventually set up what would be the game-winner in the final minute of the first frame. From the orthodox position, Ferrer backed Gortman into the neutral corner before quickly switching to the southpaw stance to unload a crushing left hook to the liver that immediately crumbled his opposition. In an obvious state of tremendous pain, the blow was too much for Gortman to continue, and he was ultimately counted out at the 2:21 mark of the opening stanza.

Making his highly anticipated professional debut on this card was welterweight Darren Mangan (1-0, 0 KOs), who recently made the move from his native Ireland to New York City to work under the instruction of trainer Colin Morgan. The man on the other side of the ring from him was Kashif Muhammad (0-1), a Harlem resident who was also making his first outing as a professional prize fighter. Mangan appeared to quickly shake off any pre-bout jitters that he may have had, immediately coming forward and unloading a massive number of punches. He then kept that same work rate throughout the four rounds of action, showing good movement and ring generalship along the way. Fitness also proved to be in favor of Mangan, who maintained an intense pace while throwing punches in bunches to the body and head of a very durable Muhammad.

When all was said and done in this pairing, Mangan was awarded for his dominant performance, earning flush 40-36 tallies from the ringside officials.

In what was considered to be the Fight of the Night by most in attendance, junior welterweights Italy Martinez (1-2-1, 1 KO) and Ian James (3-9-1, 1 KO) participated in a non-stop brutal slugfest that went the entirety of its six allotted frames. In the opening round, James worked Martinez to the ropes and began unloading some heavy punishment, although Martinez seemed to be absorbing the punches quite well while he let James burn off some fuel.

In the second stanza, the two combatants stepped into a phone booth, and they did not leave its tight confines for a single second over the next three rounds. Every time James appeared to hurt Martinez with a flurry, the determined Mexican fighter quickly began to counter as if the damage had only awakened him. The duo continued to engage in a back-and-forth battle that put the Brooklyn Masonic Temple fans on their feet, and it was not until the fifth frame that they even attempted to fight at any type of distance. Working behind his jab increasingly more, Martinez began finding openings for some well-timed combinations, and the bout was still very much in question when the sixth round bell rang to signal the end of this entertaining scrap.

After the first judge revealed an even 57-57 count, James emerged victorious in an upset win that was confirmed by a pair of 58-56 scorecards from the remaining pair of ringside officials.

In junior middleweight action, Corona native Frank Castillo (3-0, 2 KOs) put on an impressive performance against a resilient Jonathan Jeter of Brooklyn. Each round of this contest was quite competitive, with Castillo getting off the crisper shots against a pressuring Jeter. Castillo timed the advances of his opponent well, and a hard counter right hand in the second stanza opened a cut on the left eye of Jeter that played a role in the final three frames of the bout. Castillo did buckle Jeter late in the third round after delivering a thundering overhand right, but the tough Brooklyn resident was able to gather himself well enough to get through to the bell. Behind on the cards, Jeter made a valiant effort to spoil the night for Castillo and his team in the last round, but both men remained standing when the fourth and final frame concluded.

With a tally of 40-36 matched alongside a pair of 39-37 cards in his favor, the victor in this outing was Castillo, who went the distance for the first time in his short professional career.

The first professional bout on the slate got the night started with some early fireworks, as unbeaten super middleweight Max Tassy (3-0, 1 KO) hammered Bilal Ali Salaam Jr. (0-1) with a devastating left hand in the opening moments of the first round. The vicious shot would prove to be all Tassy would need to earn his third professional win, scoring the one-punch knockout just 23 seconds into the affair.

Proud supporters of the FDNY and NYPD, Uprising Promotions conducted a fundraiser on Friday night that benefited children with autism. Proceeds from the evening will be donated to The School For Language and Communication Development in Glen Cove, New York.

Tonight’s show was sponsored by Brooklyn Brothers, Frank Brothers Fitness, Gotham Gym and Trinity Boxing. For more information on Uprising Promotions, make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@UprisingNYC), as well as by liking our fan page on Facebook.

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Juan Francisco Estrada retained the WBA and WBO Flyweight belts with an 11th round stoppage over former world champion Giovani Segura at Arena Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.

Estrada battered Segura all over the ring for much of the fight. Segura’s only hope was throwing off-balance shots which he did not connect much on. In round 11, Estrada was pounding away on Segura, who had a swollen right and the fight was stopped just as Segura’s corner was throwing in the towel at 1:33 of round 11.

Estrada, 112 lbs of Hermosillo, Mexico is now 27-2 with 20 knockouts. Segura, 112 lbs of Bell, CA is now 32-4-1.

Jackie Nava scored a 10-round majority decision over Alicia Ashley to win the WBC Super Bantamweight title.

Nava, 121 1/2 lbs of Tijuana, Mexico won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 95-95 and is now 30-4-3. Ashley, 121 1/2 lbs of Westbury, NY was trying to make her 3rd defense of title and is now 21-10-1.

Adrien Broner scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Emanuel Taylor at the 1st Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohioo.

It was a great back and forth fight with both guys landing heavy shots. Taylor did well when he roughed Broner up on the ropes while Broner boxed well in the center.

Broner was cut around the right eye in round 11 from a accidental headbutt. Broner sealed the fight with a knockdown in the final frame from a booming left hook.

Broner, 140 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 116-111 twice and 115-112 and is now 29-1-1. Taylor, 138 lbs of Edgewood, MD is now 18-3.

Former world champion Lucas Matthysse scored a controversial 2nd round stoppage over previously undefeated Riberto Ortiz in a scheduled 10-round Super Lightweight bout.

Matthysse landed a left to the body that sent Ortiz down to a knee. Ortiz got to his feet at referee Benji Esteves’s nine count but he stopped the fight at 2:45 of round two.

Matthysse, 139 1/2 lbs of Trelew, ARG is now 36-3-1 with 34 knockouts. Ortiz, 139 1/2 lbs of Terreon, MEX is now 31-1-1.

Andre Berto scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Steve Upsher in a Welterweight bout.

Berto, who was coming off a shoulder operation looked solid in the contest.

Berto, 148 1/2 lbs of Winter Haven, FL won by scores of 99-91 and is now 29-3. Upsher, 145 1/2 lbs of Pittsburgh, PA is now 24-4-1-1.

Michael Perez scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Jared Robinson in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Perez wobbled Robinson at the end of round one with a left. He dropped Robinson at the beginning of the next round with a jab. Perez had a swelling at the bottom of his left eye in the second.

He stunned Robinson with a body shot and right hand in round seven.

Perez out landed Robinson 237 to 131

Perez, 140 lbs of Newark, NJ won by scores of 98-91 and 97-92 twice and is now 21-1-2. Robinson, 140 lbs of Charlotte, NC is now 15-2.

Three-time U.S. Olympian Rau’shee Warren scored a dominating 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Luis Araiza in a Bantamweight bout.

Warren dominated the bout and buckled Araiza a few times. He sent Araiza to the canvas in round nine with a hard double left.

Warren, 117 1/2 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 100-89 on all cards and is now 12-0. Araiza, 120 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 34-9-1.

Warren out landed Araiza 222 to 98.

Michael Perez scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Jared Robinson in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

In round two, Perez scored a knockdown on a jab. Perez dominated the bout by mixing up some solid body work and good boxing and he won by scores of

Perez, 140 lbs of Newark, NJ won by scores of 98-91 and 97-92 twice and is now 21-1-2. Robinson, 140 lbs of Sumter, SC is now 15-2.

3-time U.S. Olympian Rau’she Warren remained undefeated with a one-sided 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Luis Araiza in a Bantamweight bout.

Warren dominated the action with his superior handspeed and punching. He dropped Araiza in round nine with a beautiful double left and won by scores of

Warren, 117 1/2 lbs of Cincinnati won by scores of 100-89 and is now 12-0. Araiza, 120 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 34-9-1.

Carl Frampton won the IBF Super Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over defending champion Kiko Martinez in front of over 16,000 fans at an outdoor stadium at the Titanic Quarter in Frampton’s hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The championship fight was seen live and exclusively in the United States in AWE- A Wealth of Entertainment

Frampton was very consistent and scored a knockdown in round five with a terrific counter. Frampton’s work caused a cut around the left eye of Martinez. Frampton was cut in round nine from a left hook from Martinez.

Martinez came out in round ten and began to work the body and for a moment it looked like Frampton was tiring but he came back to land a hard right hand and carried the momentum into the 11th round when he landed some wicked combinations which drew a roar from the overflow crowd in Belfast. Frampton again landed a huge flurry of punches that rocked Martinez into the ropes in the final frame. Frampton cruised down the stretch to take the title by scores of 119-108 twice and 118-111.

This was Frampton’s second win over Martinez as he stopped him in nine rounds in February, 2013.

The 27 year-old of Belfast is a world champion is a world champion with a record of 19-0. Martinez of Spain is now 31-5.

“He was a hard puncher. He is a tough man. I respect him more than any man I ever fought,” said Frampton. “This is a dream come true, 20 years in the making.”

The IBF Mandatory is Chris Avalos, but Frampton has eyes for mega domestic showdown with WBA champion Scott Quigg.

“There are so many options out there but the man I want is Scott Quigg. I will fight him anywhere.”

Frampton also captured the title in honor to his promoter and mentor, former world champion, Barry McGuigan.

“I am immensely proud of Carl. He is twice the fighter I was.” , said the Hall of Famer, McGuigan.

Marco McCollough stopped former Bantamweight world champion Dmitry Kirillov after round eight of their scheduled ten round WBO International Featherweight bout.

McCollough dominated the action as he pounded away on Kirillov and the former champion had enough and bowed out of the fight.

McCollough, 125 1/4 lbs of Belfast is now 11-7 with 7 knockouts. Kirillov, 125 1/2 lbs of St. Petersburg, Russia is now 31-5-1.

Eamonn O’Kane and Virgilijus Stapulionis fought to a no-contest when a bad cut over the left eye of Stapulionis forced the bout to be stopped in the 4th round of their 12 round Middleweight bout.

Stapulionis hurt O’Kane badly in the first round as he landed a big right hand that wobbled O’Kane into the ropes and it was ruled a knockdown. O’Kane stumbled back to his corner. Stapulionis was cut around the left eye in the 1st round from a clash of heads. In a weird moment, Stapulionis’ was deducted a point in round two for using too much Vaseline. The two continued to fight with a lot of clinching and grabbing and the blood continued to stream down the left side of Stapulionis face until the bout was stopped at 2:47 of round four.

O’Kane is ranked number-10 by the IBF and was defending his IBF Intercontinental Middleweight title.

Jamie Conlon won the WBO Intercontinental Super Flyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Estrella.

Conlon fought with a bad cut over his left eye but went on to win by scores of 99-92 and 97-93 twice.

Conlon, 114 1/2 lbs of Belfast is now 13-0. Estrella of Tijuana, Mexico is now 14-6-1.

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 and the debatable stoppage that saw Carl Froch retain his title against George Groves. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson.

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A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyle 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.

By Chris Farina / Top Rank

New York, NY (9/5/14) – On Saturday, October 4th, DiBella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing will stage a thrilling SHOWTIME Boxing Special Edition with reigning undefeated IBF champion Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (20-0-0-1NC, 12KO’s) defending his super featherweight title against former world title challenger and IBF #3-rated Fernando Saucedo (52-5-3, 8KO’s). The main event is promoted in association with Sampson Boxing. This card will air live on SHOWTIME beginning at 9 pm ET/PT from the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, Conn.

In the co-feature, two highly ranked junior middleweights will collide in an exciting 10-round matchup when Willie Nelson (23-1-1, 13 KO’s) faces Vanes Martirosyan (34-1-1, 21 KO’s). This contest is promoted in association with Rumble Time Promotions and Goossen Tutor Promotions.

After defecting from his native Cuba, former amateur star Barthelemy successfully made his pro debut in 2009 and immediately began turning heads with his electric performances. Nicknamed “Kid Blast”, the highly gifted boxer with devastating knockout power in both hands quickly moved up the ranks of the 130lb. division. In June 2013, Barthelemy moved himself to the #1 spot in the IBF world ratings when he scored a second-round knockout over contender Fahsai Sakkreerin with a single body shot in their official IBF title eliminator.

Next up for Barthelemy was IBF champion Argenis Mendez this past January. Barthelemy took the fight right to Mendez and had him in trouble almost immediately in the first round. In the second, Barthelemy landed a barrage of punches to drop Mendez with just under 15 seconds to go in the round. Mendez was able to beat the count, but, as the bell was sounding to end the frame, Barthelemy landed a vicious combination that knocked Mendez out cold. Initially, referee Pete Podgorski ruled Barthelemy the victor by way of knockout. However, following review of the bout weeks later, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry determined that Barthelemy’s final blows came after the bell had rung and changed the result of the fight to a ‘No Contest.’ The IBF ordered an immediate rematch and the two met sixth months later, with Barthelemy winning by unanimous 12-round decision, officially taking the IBF belt from Mendez. Now, the 28-year-old Barthelemy is ready to make the first defense of his title when he takes on the tough Argentinean Saucedo.

Saucedo is no stranger to championship opportunities, having fought for the Super WBA world featherweight championship against long reigning champion Chris John back in 2010. The bout against John was the last time that Saucedo tasted defeat, with the dogged Argentinean moving up in weight and reeling off 14 consecutive victories. The move up in weight also seemed to have brought more power to Saucedo’s punches, as seven of his eight career knockouts have come during his current winning streak. Last year, Saucedo claimed the vacant WBC Silver super featherweight championship with a 12-round unanimous decision over Sergio Medina. Now, he is looking to rip Barthelemy’s IBF strap from around his waist when the two meet on October 4th.

“We are so excited that Showtime Boxing will be televising Rances Barthelemy’s first defense,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing & Promotions, LLC. “We believe that Rances will be a star for many years to come and is showing his mettle by fighting #3-ranked Fernando Saucedo in his first defense, who is on quite a roll himself. Working with a great resort like Foxwoods and with my friend Lou DiBella on this stellar show is a pleasure for us.”

A native of Cleveland, OH, Willie Nelson, rated #5 by the WBC, is one of the most talented and dangerous 154-pounders in the world. Since his lone loss to once-beaten Vincent Arroyo via majority decision on ShoBox in 2011, Nelson has switched trainers, moved up in weight and has never looked better, winning seven straight bouts. Following a 10-round unanimous decision over the 12-0 Yudel Johnson on Showtime, Nelson has scored sensational victories against the 13-0 John Jackson and 32-2 Luciano Cuello via unanimous decision as well as a brutal first-round TKO of Michael Medina. After annihilating Darryl Cunningham inside one round on the Cotto-Martinez undercard this past June, Nelson last fought and defeated the gritty Mexican 17-2-2 Luis Grajeda on August 8. Showing tremendous heart, Nelson overcame a couple moments of adversity, getting tagged by Grajeda’s heavy hands, to outbox him the rest of the way en route to winning a 10-round unanimous decision. Nelson is on the doorstep to challenging for his first world title and is hungrier than ever to get his shot, but Vanes Martirosyan is standing in his way.

Martirosyan, an eight-time National champion, finished his amateur career with a stellar 120-10 record prior to turning pro in 2005. Amassing several minor title belts, Martirosyan soon built a reputation as a dangerous 154lb. contender and potential future champion. Between 2009-’11, Martirosyan picked up the NABF, NABO, WBA International and WBC Silver junior middleweight titles, including an impressive 10-round unanimous decision victory over the 22-0 Joe Greene held at Yankee Stadium. In November 2012, Martirosyan challenged Cuban prodigy Erislandy Lara, breaking him down with pressure and a powerful right hand. However, following a fight-ending severe cut over Martirosyan’s left eye resulting from an unintentional clash of heads, the bout was halted and ruled a draw on the scorecards. One year later, Martirosyan received a shot at the vacant WBO title against the 19-0 Demetrius Andrade, but he would ultimately suffer his first defeat via close, split decision. In his last bout, on March 21, 2014, Martirosyan scored a 10-round unanimous decision win over a tough Mario Lozano. Currently ranked #4 by the WBO, #8 by the IBF and #9 by the WBC, Martirosyan is zeroing in on another title opportunity, but he must first get by the resolute Nelson.

“I am excited to be co-promoting this event with Leon Margules and Warriors Boxing,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Willie Nelson versus Vanes Martirosyan is a great matchup between two of the better fighters in the stacked 154lb. division. It is a tremendous opportunity for the winner to catapult himself to a world title shot in his next fight.”

“As Foxwoods strives to maintain our market leadership position in casino sports, boxing remains an important part of our overall entertainment platform. Lou DiBella is one of the best boxing promoters in the world and never fails to deliver a world-class event,” said Scott Butera, President and CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Additional undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets, priced at $150, $90 and $45, are currently on sale and can be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 6:00pm, with the first bout scheduled for 6:30pm.

ccording to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Welterweight champion Kell Brook is in stable condition after being stabbed while on vacation on the Spanish island of Tenerife off the coast of Morocco.

“I was out enjoying a night out before returning home to the UK when I was the victim of an unprovoked attack,” Brook said on Friday from his hospital bed. “I’m devastated right now after being on such a high having achieved my dream of becoming world champion in Los Angeles last month. This is obviously a major setback but the thought of defending my title is what’s keeping me positive right now.

“I want to thank everyone for their support and ask for privacy for myself and my family at this time. Make no mistake — I will be back.”

“We were all glad to get out here and see Kell for ourselves,” said Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn, who visited Brook. “The important thing now is to get him home and, after some rest, begin therapy on his injuries. His first defense was planned on Dec. 6, which is now unrealistic, but we fully expect Kell to be back in the ring early next year.”

Jacare Souza made Gegard Mousasi tap out in round three of their scheduled 5-round Middleweight bout which headlines UFC Fight Night 50 at the Foxwoods Casino in Mashentucket, Connecticut.

Souza was dominant in taking down and staying on top of Mousasi until he got him in a choke and Mousasi tapped at 4:30 of round three.

Souza, 185 lbs is now 21-3-1. Mousasi, 186 lbs is 35-5-2.

Ben Rothwell scored a 1st round stoppage over big favorite Alistair Overeem in a Heavyweight bout.

Rothwell landed a big right to the head that put Overeem on the canvas. Rothwell landed several shots while Overeem was prone on the mat and the fight was stopped at 2:19 of round one.

Rothwell, 264 lbs of Kenosha, WI is now 34-9. Overeem, 248 lbs of Amsterdam, Netherlands is 37-14-1.

Matt Mitrione scored a 1st round stoppage over Derrick Lewis in a Heavyweight fight.

Lewis and Mitrione collided but Mitrione’s right hand won that battle and it sent Lewis to the deck and Mitrione pounded on Lewis and landed some hard shots before the fight was stopped at 41 seconds of the 1st round.

Mitrione, 255 lbs of Indianapolis, IN is now 8-3. Lewis, 264 lbs of Houston, TX is 11-3-1.

Joe Louzan scored a 2nd round stoppage over Michael Chiesa in a Lightweight bout.

It was a bout full of action until Chiesa was cut iver the right eye and the fight was stopped at 2:14 of round two

John Moraga scored a 2nd round tap out over Justin Scoggins in a Flyweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 47 seconds of round two due to a guillotine choke.

Moraga, 126 lbs is now 15-3. Scoggins, 126 lbs of Spartenberg, SC is now 9-2.

Al Iaquinta scored a 3rd round stoppage over Rodrigo Dann in a Ligtweight bout.

Iaquinta landed a booming right hand that dropped Dann. Dann got up but ate some hard shots that drove him into the cage and was dropped again and the fight was stopped at 2:41 of round three.

Iaquinta, 155 lbs of Wantagh, New York is now 9-3-1. Dann, 156 lbs of Brazil is 12-8.

Rafael Natal scored a 3-round split decision over Chris Camozzi in a Middleweight bout.

Natal, 185 lbs of New York, NY won two cards 29-28 twice while Carmozzi, 186 lbs of Lakewood, CO won a card 29-8.

Natal is now 18-6-1. Camozzi is 19-9.

Chris Beal remained perfect with a 3-round unanimous decision over Tateki Matsuda in a Bantamweight bout.

Beal cut Matsuda over the left eye with an elbow in the 1st round.

Beal, 135 lbs of Ventura, CA won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 10-0. Matsuda, 135 lbs of Somerville, MA is now 10-6.

Chas Skelly scored a 3-round unanimous decision over Sean Soriano in a Featherweight bout.

Skelly, 145 lbs of Arlington, TX won by scores of 30-27 on all cards is now 13-1. Soriano, 145 lbs of Boca Raton. FL is now 8-2.

San Diego, CA -September 5, 2014–
Two title bouts will kick off a championship day as co-feature bouts to the highly anticipated rematch between IBF Super Bantamweight champion Kiko Martinez (31-4, 23 KO’s) taking on undefeated Carl Frampton (18-0, 13 KO’s)

The show can be seen live and exclusively in the United States in AWE- A Wealth of Entertainment beginning at 3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM PT.

The show will take place in front of an expected rabid crowd of over 16,000 in an outdoor stadium at the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

In a 12-round bout for the IBF Inter-Continental Middleweight title, Eamonn O’Kane will defend his title when he takes on Virgilijus Stapulionis.

In the bout that will precede the main event, Marco McCullough will defend the WBO European Featherweight title against former world champion Dmitry Kirillov.

“We are pleased to have these two title fights added to the card. The fights will get the crowd ready for the great fight between Martinez and Frampton. To have two Irishmen fighting for titles will only add to a great atmosphere which will make for terrific television,”said AWE President Charles Herring

McCollough (10-1, 6 KO’s) will be making the 1st defense of his crown that he won on June 20 when he scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Martin Parlagi (14-0) in Belfast. He has good wins over Valentin Marinov (4-1-1), Michael Kelly (8-2-1), Noel O’Brien (3-0). He won the Irish Featherweight title with a 9th round stoppage over former world title challenger Willie Casey (14-2).

Kirillov was a former IBF Bantamweight champion. He has had many quality wins in his career and will be looking for one more run at world glory.

Kirillov turned pro in 1998 and won his first twenty bouts as he won the WBC Youth Super Flyweight title with a win over Christopher Denicker (5-1-2). He made two defenses of the title which was highlighted by a 10-round unanimous decision over Junver Halog (15-1-1). Kirillov lost his first opportunity at a world title when he lost a close unanimous decision to Masamori Tokuyama in Japan. Kirillov won five in a row which included a 12-round unanimous decision over Renaldo Lopez (25-2-2) which put him in line for chance against IBF Bantamweight champion Luis Perez. Perez escaped with a split decision.

Perez had to vacate the title which set Kirillov up for his title winning opportunity against former U.S. Olympian Jose Navarro. He made one defense of the title with a draw with Cecililo Santos before losing the title to Vic Darchinyan.

Kirillov has won two straight which includes his last bout when scored 6-round unanimous decision over Andrey Kostin on September 19, 2013 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

O’Kane of Northern, Ireland has a record of 12-1 with 6 knockouts and he will look to add the IBF Intercontinental belt to a collection that already has seen O’Kane win the coveted Prizefighter tournament with quality wins over Anthony Fitzgerald (13-2); Ryan Greene (5-0) and J.J McDonagh (6-1) in 2012.

O’Kane defeated Fitzgerald in the rematch to claim the Irish Middleweight title. He won the IBF Inter-Continental title with a 12-round unanimous decision over former European champion Kerry Hope. In his last bout, O’Kane won the EBC International Silver championship with a 1st round stoppage over Alvaro Garona (13-3) on April 4 in Belfast.

Stapulionis of Lithuania has a record of 23-3 with 16 knockouts. He is no stranger to fighting in the United Kingdom as this will be his 4th fight there. He has wins over undefeated Rinats Batertdinovs, Thomas Mazvydas, Richard Williams (21-4-1), Niko Jokinen (21-0), Jokinen (21-1) and his bout he scored a 1st-round stoppage over Zoltan Kiss Jr. in Lithuanaia on July 24.

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 and the debatable stoppage that saw Carl Froch retain his title against George Groves. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment

A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyle 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.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of the rematch between Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez for the IBF super bantamweight title this Saturday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m. ET.

Fight Network’s live broadcast will air exclusively in Canada.

Promoted by Cyclone Promotions and distributed by Octapixx Live, the stacked boxing event emanates from Titanic Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and also features a 12-round super flyweight clash between Jamie Conlan and Jose Estrella, as well as an IBF Intercontinental middleweight championship showdown pitting crowd favorite Eamonn O’Kane against Lithuania’s Virgilijus Stapulionis.

In other featured bouts, Belfast’s Marco McCullough throws down with Dmitry Kirillov over 10 rounds, Ceferino Rodriguez meets Mike Miranda in another 10-rounder, Conrad Cummings battles Robert Talarek over six rounds, and in four-round special attractions, Anthony Cacace takes on Dawid Knade, while Matthew Wilton faces Adam Cieslak.

Carl Frampton has been on course for a world title challenge for the past twelve months and has proven that he deserves his shot with convincing wins over the likes of Jeremy Parodi, in a European title defence, and Hugo Cazares, in a world title eliminator. The man they call ‘The Jackal’ has quickly become one of the most famous sportsmen in Northern Ireland as well as one of the most feared boxers on the planet with a string of scintillating performances on his home turf.

A jubilant Frampton stated, “I’m over the moon to be fighting for a world title in my hometown, I have to thank my team for making this happen and now it is time for me to deliver. I am fully focused on September the 6th and Kiko Martinez. It’s been my dream since I started boxing to become a World champion and I have worked so hard to get this far, now is the time for me to fulfil that dream in front of the best fans in the world.”

IBF super bantamweight champion Kiko Martinez has been in the form of his life of late. Since losing a thrilling encounter to Frampton in Belfast in February of last year, ‘La Sensación’ has captured the world title and made two successful defences in Spain and Japan. The twenty-eight year old champion has now made the transition to world-beater and currently looks to be one of the most dangerous super bantamweights on the planet. One thing that never leaves the Alicante native’s mind though is a return bout with his Belfast rival Frampton after the ‘The Jackal’ ripped his European title away from him in the ninth round of an epic battle at the Odyssey Arena. Martinez may be world champion but he will not be content until he has righted what he sees as an ‘off night’ in Belfast sixteen months ago.

“Since the 9th of February 2013, when I get up at five in the morning to go training, I remember him. For me, to defeat him is a greater motivation than the chance to unify the belts. I will never forget that night and I will prove that it was just a bad day for me. I am world champion now and my legacy will be bigger for facing Carl Frampton,” stated a focused Martinez

Belfast has waited a very long time for the return of a boxing superstar and Carl Frampton is now within in touching distance of emulating mentor and manager Barry McGuigan by becoming champion of the World. Frampton’s army of supporters will be pleased to know that the contest will take place in Northern Ireland at a venue to be announced shortly. In what will be one of the biggest nights in the history of Northern Irish sport, 27-year-old Frampton will get his chance to become champion of the world in front of his home fans.

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.

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 5, 2014) -We are just over a week to go until “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” and for the boxing fans who can’t make it to the MGM Grand Garden Arena and still want to experience this event live, Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions are pleased to announce that several Las Vegas locations will be offering closed-circuit telecasts of “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2.”

Tickets for the closed circuit telecasts are priced at $75, not including handling fees. All seats are general admission and select venues are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster (800-745-3000), www.ticketmaster.com, MGM Resorts International Contact Center (866-740-7711), and all MGM Resorts International ticket offices. You must be 21 years of age or older to purchase tickets.

**Guests are encouraged to pick up their tickets at least 4 hours prior to event time to prevent waiting in long lines at event time.

Properties hosting these telecasts are MGM Grand Premier Ballroom, Monte Carlo Diablos, Monte Carlo The Pub, Monte Carlo Double Barrel, Mirage Events Center and Bellagio Hyde Lounge.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight Belt and WBC Welterweight and Super Welterweight World Titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts, “The Equalizer” in theaters Sept. 26 and The Mexican Tourism Board – Mexico: Live it to Believe It!. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc. In the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC Super Bantamweight Title against Manuel Roman in a 12-round bout and Miguel Vazquez faces Mickey Bey in a 12-round bout for the IBF Lightweight World Championship. In the PPV opener, Alfredo Angulo squares against James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout (162 lbs.). The event will be available in Spanish through secondary audio programming (SAP).

Mayweather vs. Maidana will be shown on the big screen in over 500 movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. For more information visit www.FathomEvents.com

LONDON (Sep 5) – WBC super-bantamweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz has opened the door to a potential blockbuster showdown with Irish sensation Carl Frampton.

The Belfast banger takes on IBF champion Kiko Martinez this Saturday night in front of 16,000 local fans, as he hunts his first world title, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Should he prevail, the 27-year-old could set up a mammoth unification clash with superstar Santa Cruz, with the Mexican even willing to cross the Atlantic if it makes sense.

“I think Carl will beat Kiko Martinez and become champion then it’s a fight that I would love to make happen between us,” said Santa Cruz. “If my team think it’s the right move I have no objection coming to fight in Belfast. It will be a huge fight with two world champions and it’s the type of fight that fans love to see – a unification fight.

“We both have business to take care of first – I have my fight with Manuel Roman on September 13th and he has to beat Kiko Martinez – but if we both win then maybe we could be sharing the ring together,” he said.

The unbeaten 26-year-old believes that a fight with Frampton would be the all-action affair that fans love to see.

“Carl’s been saying he wants to fight me and I’ve seen him in a couple of fights. He’s a great fighter, undefeated, he comes forward like me and throws parallel punches and pressures a lot. So I think it would make a really great fight for the fans,” said Santa Cruz.

“With both our styles it could be a ‘Fight of the Year’ because we both throw a lot of punches and are aggressive. It would be a very exciting fight wherever it happens,” he said.

Frampton’s mind, however, is strictly on doing the business this weekend, well aware that he can’t look too far ahead just yet.

He faces Martinez for the second time, having overcome him early last year via a ninth round stoppage but the Ulsterman says he hasn’t done anything different this time around in training and is adamant he won’t let complacency slip in.

“The only thing different in this camp is it’s been a little bit longer than the last camp with Kiko. I’ve prepared very hard. I’m in a good frame of mind and completely focused on Kiko Martinez,” said Frampton.

“I’ve done exactly what I’ve done in every single fight before, but obviously the only problem that there could be in this fight is complacency from me. And I understand that, but I’m not going to let that happen,” he said.

Frampton has captured the imagination of the Belfast boxing public, with a sell-out expected at the purpose built stadium in the Titanic Quarter, the stuff of dreams for the local hero.

“I’m the challenger in this fight, but to have a stadium purpose built for me as the challenger, in my own backyard, for a world title fight is kind of what dreams are made of.

“So I’m excited, and have been for a long time. I just can’t wait to get in the ring now and become a world champion and make my family and fans proud,” Frampton said.

Frampton vs Martinez is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 525) this Saturday at 7pm. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.525), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 5, 2014) – With undefeated Canadian contender Josh Hill forced to withdraw from a planned title fight with reigning World Series of Fighting bantamweight (135 pounds) champion Marlon Moraes (13-4-1) of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. via Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, submission ace Cody Bollinger (16-2) of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. has agreed to step up on short notice and face Moraes in the headlining bout of the World Series of Fighting 13 event at Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, Penn. on Saturday, Sept. 13, live on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN).

Moraes and Bollinger will meet in a 140-pound catchweight contest, and while World Series of Fighting officials initially expected the contest to be a non-title affair, Moraes is so confident in his chances, he’s promised to send Bollinger the bantamweight title belt should “The Cali Cowboy” prove victorious.

“I don’t know how we can make it official, but as far as I’m concerned, this is a title fight,” said a fired up Moraes. “Anytime I’m fighting, I’m fighting as a champion and I’m defending my belt. I don’t know how everybody else will see it but, to me, this is my next title fight and, if Cody wins, I’ll send him my belt. If I’m going to be a champion, I have to beat everybody I fight.”

“This is an amazing opportunity that came my way from a first-rate fight promotion, and I plan on making my fans proud,” said Bollinger. “I will be ready to go at it full force come fight time, shock the world and put an end to Marlon’s win streak.”

“World Series of Fighting 13: Moraes vs. Bollinger” takes place Saturday, Sept. 13, at Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, Penn. Tickets for the event, which include cageside seats for just $129, are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

Doors to the venue open at 5 p.m. ET, with a full preliminary card getting underway at 6 p.m. ET. The live, NBCSN-broadcast main card kicks off at 9 p.m. ET.

“I thought Moraes vs. Hill was going to be an incredible championship fight, but this new pairing might better,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. “Marlon isn’t exactly Cody’s biggest fan, and Marlon guaranteed me he was going to knock Cody out. Meanwhile, Cody didn’t hesitate for one moment when he was given the opportunity to step in on just 10 days’ notice, proving what a warrior he really is at heart.

“Now with Marlon promising to put his belt on the line despite fighting at 140 pounds, I think this fight just got even more interesting.”

Brazilian striking specialist Moraes has staked his claim as one of the biggest superstars of World Series of Fighting, a process that started nearly two years ago when he upset former WEC champion Miguel Torres by split decision. He then registered additional wins against Tyson Nam, Brandon Hempleman and Carson Beebe before claiming the inaugural World Series of Fighting bantamweight title fight against Josh Rettinghouse earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Bollinger fought most recently in July, earning a first-round submission win over Pablo Alfonso. While the 23-year-old impressed with his performance, he struggled to make weight for the bantamweight matchup and was planning a move to 145 pounds. However, the opportunity to take on Moraes was too enticing to pass up, and Bollinger believes he’ll prove his worth by defeating World Series of Fighting’s bantamweight title holder.

World Series of Fighting matchmaker Ali Abdelaziz said didn’t expect the belt to be on the line for the contest but is happy to honor the wishes of his two athletes in what’s quickly shaping up to be an epic grudge match.

“Cody simply can’t make 135 pounds in a little more than a week, but he’s confident he can beat Marlon, and that’s why he took this fight,” Abdelaziz said. “And honestly, I think Marlon offering to put his title on the line anyway shows what an incredible champion he is. I’ve been telling everyone for a while now, I think Marlon Moraes is the best bantamweight fighter in the world. I think he can beat anybody in the world at 135 pounds – anybody. Now he’s proving that he has the true heart of a champion, as well, willingly moving up in weight for this challenge and promising to put his belt on the line, anyway. It’s incredible.”

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
World Series of Fighting (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter (@MMAWorldSeries) and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo (@SugarRaySefo).

About NBC Sports Network
NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

About Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem opened May of 2009 in Eastern Pennsylvania. It is situated on the site of the historic Bethlehem Steel plant and located approximately 60 minutes from Philadelphia and the northern New Jersey suburbs and 90 minutes from New York City. Sands Bethlehem offers over 3,000 state-of the-art slot machines and 200 table games including a 36 table poker room, as well as a 300-room hotel and over 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Culinary offerings include three signature restaurants from celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse – Emeril’s Chop House, Burgers And More by Emeril and Emeril’s Italian Table. The casino also features the Carnegie Deli, St. James Gate Irish Pub and Carvery, Steelworks Buffet and Grill, Croissanterie, Chopstick, Joli Bakery and Café and the varied offerings and cuisines of The Market Gourmet Express. It is also home to the Coil bar, Infusion lounge and Molten lounge, which features live entertainment 7 nights a week. The Outlets at Sands Bethlehem launched at the property in November 2011. The Sands Bethlehem Event Center, which opened at the property in May 2012 and includes over 14,000 sq. ft. of flexible multipurpose and tradeshow space, accommodates meetings, conventions and a variety of entertainment events.

London (5 Sept) Due to a back injury Tyson Cave has been forced to withdraw from the Commonwealth Super Bantamweight title fight against champion Kid Galahad at Ponds Forge, Sheffield on 20th September.

Hennessy Sports can confirm that the unbeaten number 15 ranked WBO Latino Super Bantamweight champion and former WBC World Youth champion Adeilson Dos Santos will now face Kid Galahad in an international super bantamweight contest.

The fight will be shown live on Channel 5 and is sponsored by MaxiNutrition.

Kid Galahad said “I’m gutted that Cave has pulled out with a back injury, personally I don’t think he fancied it and didn’t want to face me. He knew I would be too good and too strong for him.”

“I haven’t seen too much of Dos Santos to be honest but he is unbeaten, world ranked in the WBO and was highly ranked in the WBC ratings until they removed him when he fought for the WBO Latino title.

“But that doesn’t worry me, I will be bringing my A game and whoever steps in the ring with me on the 20th will be getting knocked out.”

Adeilson Dos Santos said. “I am very well trained for this match, I know that my opponent is very good but I want to come out of this “battle” as a winner and bring a great win back to Brazil.

Promoter Mick Hennessy said. “I have watched footage of Dos Santos , he is young, unbeaten, fresh, big at the weight and dangerous and I consider this to be a harder fight than the Cave fight.”

Adam Etches will be fighting Samir Santos Barbosa for the IBF International Middleweight title and Popular Sheffield fighter Scott Jenkins will also be in action along with local fighters Atif Shafiq, Sam O’Maison, Callum Hancock, Jordan Gill of Chatteris and Tyson’s brother Young Fury in his 2nd professional fight.

The packed crowd will also see highly regarded featherweight prospect Yusuf Safa from Bexleyheath in action.

Limited tickets for the Hennessy Sports promoted event at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, priced at £35 general admission and £100 ringside are still available to purchase by calling the SIV ticket box office on 0114 223 3777.

Tickets are also available from www.sivtickets.com or in person at the Sheffield City Hall, Crucible Theatre and Motorpoint Arena Sheffield.

Adrien Broner 140 – Emanuel Taylor 138 1/2
Lucas Matthysse 139 – Roberto Ortiz 139 1/2
Andre Berto 148 1/2 – Steve Upsher 145 1/2

New York-based Uprising Promotions, in association with former WBO Middleweight Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, returns to action on Friday night for its next show, which will be held at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple at 317 Clermont Avenue #4 in Brooklyn. Six professional fights and four amateur bouts are slated for the card, with the first bell coming at 7:30 p.m.

Eileen Olszewski (112.2 lbs. / 9-5-2, 1 KO) vs. Christina Fuentes (113.4 lbs. / 3-6-3)

Wesley Ferrer (135.6 lbs. / 4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Shiwone Gortman (136 lbs. / 4-4-1, 2 KOs)

Kashif Muhammad (146.2 lbs. / PD) vs. Darren Mangan (147 lbs. / PD)

6 Rds: Ian James (138.8 / 2-9-1, 1 KO) vs. Italy Martinez (139.8 / 1-1-1, 1 KO)

4 Rds: Frank Castillo (153.2 lbs. / PD) vs. Jonathan Jeter (153.4 / 0-0-1)

4 Rds: Max Tassy (167.4 lbs. / 2-0, 0 KOs) vs. Bilal Ali Salaam Jr. (165.2 lbs. / PD)

Tickets for the card at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple are priced at $50 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating. Proud supporters of the FDNY and NYPD, Uprising Promotions is also pleased to announce that a fundraiser will be taking place on September 5th to benefit children with autism. Proceeds from the night will be donated to The School For Language and Communication Development in Glen Cove, New York.

This upcoming show is being sponsored by Brooklyn Brothers, Frank Brothers Fitness, Gotham Gym and Trinity Boxing. For more information on Uprising Promotions, make sure to check out www.UprisingPromotions.com and also like our fan page on Facebook.

Mashantucket, CT: Sullivan Barrera (12-0, 7 KOs) the undefeated light heavyweight from Cuba has set his sights on West Virginia native Eric “The 1 Armed Bandit” Watkins (10-7-1, 5 KOs) for an eight-round battle on the Mchunu-Wilson undercard Sept. 20 at Foxwoods Resort Casino. This will be Sullivan’s first fight training with world-renowned trainer Abel Sanchez. Sanchez is best known for training WBA Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin from Kazakhstan.

Barrera, 32, made his professional debut in 2009 and knocked out his first five opponents in the first or second round. Since then he has had continued success securing both the WBO Latino and WBA Fedelatin Light Heavyweight Titles. Most recently, he knocked out Lee Campbell in the sixth round at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Jun. 21, 2014. This will be his third fight in 2014 (in addition to the knockout of Campbell he defeated Larry Pryor via unanimous decision on Apr. 4, 2014 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA). This will be the first eight-round fight of his professional career and his first in Connecticut (the majority of his professional fights have taken place in his new home state of Florida). Barrera said, “I’m looking forward to Sep. 20. I’ve been in Big Bear training really hard and I’m ready to give the fans another great show. Training with my new trainer, Abel Sanchez, in Big Bear has been a great move for my career. I feel strong, I’m in excellent shape and everyday I continue to sharpen my skills. I’m excited for what’s to come in my career working with Abel.” Sullivan’s co-manager, Luis Molina, added, “We are excited to be back in action again and we are looking forward to another ‘W.’ Sullivan is in great shape. With his new trainer, Abel Sanchez, he has been able to master some things.”

Barrera
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Sullivan now trains at Sanchez’s facility in Big Bear, CA alongside GGG and other top notch fighters. According to Sanchez he and Barrera took some time to adjust to one another but now he has been able to incorporate changes to Sullivan’s routine, “It has taken us awhile to blend together but he is very open-minded and a very diligent worker so we are having fun trying new things out. We are getting him in a different kind of shape because Big Bear tends to do that. Sullivan training around Golovkin and some of the other champions that we have here has been very beneficial because it has helped him understand what it takes to get to that level. We are looking forward to him trying some of these new things out on Sep. 20.”

Eric Watkins
Photo Courtesy of:
Eric Watkins

Watkins, 28, may be four years younger than Barrera but he has 18 professional fights, as compared to Barrera’s 12 professional fights, since making his professional debut in 2010 (Aug. 28, 2010 – four-round unanimous decision victory over Roy Fitzgerald in West Virginia). Eric won his first four professional fights (Fitzgerald; Feb. 4, 2011 – David Markert four-round unanimous decision; Mar. 26, 2011 – Gonzales Jones third-round TKO; and Apr. 30, 2011 – Terrence Watson first-round KO). Watkins is looking to stop and three-fight losing streak (Oct. 12, 2013 – Trevor McCumby via unanimous decision; Jan. 25, 2014 – Dustin Craig Echard via third round TKO; and Mar. 29, 2014 – Bobby Thomas Jr. via ten-round split decision).

Peter McGinley, Watkins’ trainer/manager had this to say about the fight with Barrera, “We are very excited to have this opportunity to compete against an undefeated fighter of this caliber. We hope he trains for this fight harder than he’s ever trained before. If he doesn’t he will truly regret it.” Watkins added only, “Want some, get some!”

According to Main Events’ matchmaker Jolene Mizzone, Barrera wants to take his career to the next level. She said, “Barrera has been asking us to step up the competition and because he made the move across country to Big Bear away from his friends and family for a new trainer has proven to us he is serious about taking his career to the next level.” She added, “The key to a good boxer-trainer relationship is clicking. Abel and Sullivan appear to be clicking well so far.”

About September 20:

The Sep. 20th special afternoon edition of NBC Fight Night will take place at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT and will feature a ten-round cruiserweight match-up between Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu and Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson for the NABF Cruiserweight Title and a ten-round lightweight match-up between Karl “Dynamite” Dargan and Angino “The Nightmare” Perez for the Junior NABF Lightweight Title. The undercard bouts will be announced shortly. Tickets are $100, $75 and $40 and are available through Foxwoods.com and Ticketmaster.com. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing and Showpony Promotions in association with Banner Promotions. The special NBC Fight Night broadcast will begin live at 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PM PT.

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 3 PM ET/12 PM PT on September 20. 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.

About Foxwoods® Resort Casino

Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to express, world-renowned spas, awarding-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

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According to Dan Rafael, Canelo Alvarez has narrowed his search for a fall opponent to James Kirkland, Joshua Clottey and WBO Jr. Middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I am piecing things together for Canelo, connecting the dots, but he’s going to fight Dec. 6. That’s the definite date,” said Alvarez promoter Oscar De La Hoya.

“We’ve been doing all our business with Showtime since a few years ago when we were kicked out from HBO,” De La Hoya said. “Yes, we are doing this fight with Hopkins on HBO and it’s a great way to start a relationship again, but I also have to take a look the relationship we have with Showtime. It’s a very difficult spot, but I am going to do what is best for Canelo’s career.

“We’re pushing for San Antonio. Canelo really loves fighting at the Alamodome. He had a wonderful experience there,” De La Hoya said.

“Clottey looked good against Mundine and we’ve been talking with Kirkland’s representative day in and day out,” De La Hoya said. “If Canelo fights Andrade, it’s a chance for him to fight for another title if that’s what he wants to do. There are options.

“If you think about Canelo, he’s a throwback fighter. He fought Mayweather, Trout, Lara. Name another fighter in recent years that’s been fighting the toughest guys back to back. Canelo wants to fight the best. This is why people love Canelo. He is willing to fight all comers.”

“I commend Canelo. He wanted to fight three times on pay-per-view, but Canelo called me directly and said he didn’t want to fight on pay-per-view this time,” De La Hoya said. “He did good numbers in his last two fights but he wants all boxing fans to be able to see him.

Photos By Chris Farina / Top Rank

NUTLEY, NJ (September 4, 2014)–Vito Mielnicki’s GH3 Promotions is proud to announce the signing of undefeated Super Bantamweight Glenn Dezurn to an exclusive promotional contract.

Dezurn, 26 years-old of Baltimore, Maryland has compiled a professional record of 4-0 with three knockouts.

“This is a great company and I will continue to prove that I am going to be a champion”, said Dezurn.

“I want to thank Vito and I look forward to doing big things.”

Dezurn had a stellar amateur career as he amassed a reported 89-4 record and won many regional tournaments. Dezurn almost made the 2012 Olympic trials but was defeated by future Olympian Raynell Williams.

He turned pro on July 20, 2013 with a 4-round unanimous decision over Marquise Pierce in Baltimore.

That was the only time he has gone the distance as he has stopped three consecutive opponents which includes his last bout when he stopped Andre Canada in one-round on July 25 in Verona, New York.

“It was a body shot. I was working my way in and took my time. I exposed a weakness to his body and nailed him with a good shot to the rib cage.”

Dezurn is tentatively scheduled to fight on September 12 in Fort Washington, Maryland then he will come back on October 24 at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Somerset, New Jersey on a big card promoted by GH3 Promotions.

Dezurn will campaign at 122 lbs and will eventually fill out at Featherweight..

He joins fellow undefeated Beltway area fighters Middleweight Anoine Douglas and Super Middleweight Jerry Odom under the GH3 Promotions banner.

“I am close to Antoine. We came up together and we are like brothers. I see how GH3 is moving him and I feel if I can get moved like that, big things will happen for me,”finished Dezurn.

Said promoter Vito Mielnicki, “Glenn is a very good prospect. It is rare to find a kid like him in the lower weights on the east coast. He has a good pedigree and he can punch. We are really excited to watch him progress into a championship caliber fighter.

Douglas and Odom will both appear on October 24 at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Somerset, New Jersey.

TULSA, OK (Sept. 4, 2014) – Two consummate performers in WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross and recently retired UFC superstar Chael Sonnen have teamed up to form what is bound to be one of the most memorable commentary teams in sports entertainment history, and will call the world-class Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action on the LIVE pay-per-view telecast of BattleGrounds MMA: ‘O.N.E.’ from BOK Center in Tulsa, Oka. on Friday, October 3.

Headlined by the first one-night, eight-man tournament in Tulsa since UFC 4 in 1994, BattleGrounds MMA: ‘O.N.E.’ will award its welterweight (170 pounds) winner a grand prize of $50,000.

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 October 3 on both cable and satellite pay-per-view carriers iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH and Avail-TVN in the United States and Bell TV in Canada. A pre-show will begin at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST.

“As a longtime fan of MMA, to be asked to call the fights for the BattleGrounds MMA event is amazingly exciting for me,” said Ross, a 2007 WWE Hall of Fame inductee. From commentator to referee to executive and even occasional wrestler, Ross has played a multitude of roles for the world’s leading professional wrestling league.

“I’ve broadcast NFL and XFL games,” continued Ross, “FOX Sports boxing and WWE action, but MMA is a new adventure and one that I’m enormously excited about contributing to. To launch this phase of my broadcasting career in my home state, and with Chael Sonnen at cageside makes it an ideal opportunity and a bucket list experience.

“This is going to be a TV event that any MMA fan won’t want to miss,” said Sonnen, who recently retired from the sport that he competed in as a professional since 1997. A three-time UFC championship challenger, Sonnen fought his last 11 career bouts inside The Octagon and enjoyed a stint as an analyst for FOX Sports Network. “I am thrilled to be working with a legend like Jim Ross and, together, we are going to make the BattleGrounds MMA event one of the most exciting extravaganzas in combat sports history.”

Slated for action in the single-elimination tournament is submission ace Cody “AK Kid” McKenzie (15-4) of Spokane, Wash.; two-time, one-night tournament winner Brock Larson (37-8) of Brainerd, Minn.; hard-hitting brawler Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti (24-11) of St. Louis, Mo.; Urijah Faber protégé David “Bulletproof” Mitchell (14-4) of Lower Lake, Calif.; Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Roan “Jucao” Carneiro (16-9) of Atlanta, Ga.; and Trey “That Just Happened?” Houston (11-2) of Bixby, Okla.

Dennis “Superman” Hallman and Chris Honeycutt, originally slated for action in the tournament, will be replaced by two competitors to be announced soon. Additional bouts for the telecast as well as a preliminary bout card will also be announced soon.

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 on Oct. 3. The first preliminary bout will begin at 7:15 p.m.

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.