WHAT: “Pittsburgh Power” professional boxing

WHEN: Friday, April 18, 2014

WHERE: Monroeville Convention Center, Monroeville, PA

WHO: Vacant WBC Interim FECARBOX Lightweight Championship (10)
Alexei Collado (18-0, 16 KOs), Miami, Florida by way of Cuba
vs.
Rod Salka (18-3, 3 KOs)

Vacant WBC Junior Welterweight Championship (8)
Felix Diaz (14-0, 8 KOs), Oxnard, California by way of Dominican Republic
vs.
Emmanuel Lartey (15-1-1, 7 KOs), Brooklyn, New York by way of Ghana

Welterweights (8)
Samuel Vasquez Jr. (13-0, 9 KOs), Monessen, Pennsylvania
vs.
Juan Rodriguez Jr. (11-0, 5 KOs), Union City, New Jersey

Welterweights (6)
Erickson Lubin (4-0, 4 KOs), Miami, Florida
vs.
Jovan Ramirez (3-1, 1 KO), Aqua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico

Junior Middleweights (8)
Yudel Jhonson (14-1, 9 KOs), Miami, Florida by way of Cuba
vs.
Lenwood Dozier (9-5-1, 4 KOs), Glen Burnie, Maryland

Super Featherweights (4)
Albert Bell (3-0, 1 KO), Miami, Florida
vs.
Micah Branch (2-9-1), Cincinnati, Ohio

Lightweights (4)
Ryan Martin (4-0, 3 KOs), Cleveland, Ohio
vs.
Misael Chacon (1-1), Chandler, Arizona by way of Mexico

Junior Middleweights (4)
Andreas Kamouyerou (3-0, 2 KOs), Venetia, Pennsylvania
vs.
Malik Jackson (0-2-2), Newark, New Jersey

PROMOTER: Iron Mike Productions

MATCHMAKER: Chris Middendorf

TELEVISION: ShoBox: The New Generation
(live 10:45 p.m. ET, delayed on West Coast)

DOORS OPEN: 7 p.m. ET FIRST BOUT: 8 p.m. ET

TICKETS: $250.00 VIP ringside (includes meet-and-greet with Mike Tyson), $100.00 ringside, $75.00 reserved and $35.00 general admission (plus fees), purchase at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/shobox-the-new-generation-tickets-11033903703?aff=es2&rank=11&sid=8d2f3f59b37a11e38be122000a9f3045

INFORMATION:www.IronMikeProductions.com, www.sho.com/sports, follow on twitter at@IronMikeProd,@shosports, follow the conversation using#ShoBoxor become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/IronMikeProductions.Officialandwww.facebook.com/ShoBoxing

OFFICIAL WEIGH IN & FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE: Thursday, April 17, 2014
4 p.m. ET – Doubletree Hotel, 101 Mall Plaza Boulevard, Monroeville, PA

OXNARD, Calif. (April 15, 2014) – Approximately 200 fans and media that included several television camera crews, newspaper and online reporters, photographers and video bloggers turned out to watch WBA Welterweight World Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana during his media day on Tuesday, April 15 at The Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Oxnard.

The Argentine Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs) is winding down final preparations as he gets set for the biggest fight of his career when he faces undefeated boxing superstar, 10-time world champion and current WBC Welterweight World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather in the main event of “THE MOMENT” on Saturday, May 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

In fights before the Mayweather vs. Maidana 147-pound unification match on the pay-per-view telecast, British superstar and former unified super lightweight world champion Amir “King” Khan (28-3, 19 KOs) faces WBA International Welterweight Champion Luis Collazo (35-5, 18 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY in a 12-round bout for the WBC Silver Welterweight Title. Also, former three-time world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (27-1, 22 KOs), of Cincinnati, OH takes on Carlos Molina (17-1-1, 7 KOs), of Norwalk, Calif., in a 10-round junior welterweight bout and undefeated J’Leon Love (17-0, 10 KOs), of Dearborn Heights, Mich., meets battle-tested NABF 154-Pound Champion Marco Antonio Periban (20-1-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight match.

Tickets for the live event priced at $1,500, $1,000 and $750 are still available, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets priced at $550 and $350 are sold out. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

With Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions looking on, a fit and confident Maidana worked out for about 25 minutes Tuesday. After loosening up, he hit the mitts and the speed bag and smacked the heavy bag. Before and after the brief workout, he did many interviews, posed for pictures and signed autographs.

Below is what Maidana and his trainer, former world champion and 2012 Trainer of the Year, Robert Garcia, said:

MARCOS MAIDANA, WBA Welterweight World Champion

“I know I am fighting the best in the world and that this is the biggest opportunity there is, so I am very thankful to Mayweather for giving me the chance.

“I never let what anybody outside the ring says bother me. I’ve heard a little about what they’re saying, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve heard it before.

“I’ve been an underdog my whole life. I was the underdog against Adrien Broner and Victor Ortiz and you saw what happened. I won. I am the underdog again in this fight, but I earned the right to the fight.

“I will give Mayweather a much better fight than any of the other contenders will. I have trained very well, and I’m in great shape. The only pressure is to perform well. I am a fighter and I come to fight. I don’t respect any opponent when I’m in the ring. I’m in this fight to win.

“This is going to be a great fight that fans will not want to miss. They know my style is to come forward. They know I like to be the aggressor. They know I throw heavy punches that can seriously hurt my opponent. .

“My fans know I am going to give it my all, my absolute best. I am excited and very confident. I am ready for May 3 and I’m ready for Floyd Mayweather.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Maidana’s Trainer

“This is my fifth fight with Marcos and, since day one, he has come to learn and listened to everything I say. I tell him something and he does it. He’s great to work with, so willing. For a trainer, that is quite a blessing.

“It’s been a great camp. Maidana knows the odds, but odds don’t mean a thing to him. He’s coming to fight and win. He won’t be intimidated. He won’t be scared. He knows what he is capable of doing.

“Mayweather is the best and has been on top for many years. He may be the best pound-for-pound boxer in history. He has done so many great things. But just because you’re the best doesn’t mean you can’t lose. Ali lost. Sugar Ray Leonard lost.

“Styles make fights. One punch can change everything. I don’t think Mayweather has been hit as hard as Maidana will hit him. But we aren’t looking for a knockout. We don’t want to just rely on maybe a lucky punch. Maidana is preparing to win all 12 rounds, and dominate.”

# # #

“THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana,” is a 12-round world championship unification bout for Mayweather and Maidana’s respective 147-pound titles. This is the third fight of Mayweather’s lucrative multi-fight deal with Showtime Networks Inc. THE MOMENT is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts and AT&T. In the co-main event, Amir Khan faces Luis Collazo in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBC silver welterweight world title. The pay-per-view undercard also features a 10-round junior welterweight fight between Adrien Broner and Carlos Molina as well as a 10-round super middleweight bout featuring J’Leon Love vs. Marco Antonio Periban. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Six MGM Resorts Properties will host live closed circuit telecast of THE MOMENT: Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage and Monte Carlo. General admission tickets for the closed circuit telecasts are priced at $75, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711 or at www.mgmgrand.com. Select properties also will sell tickets through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or by purchasing online at www.ticketmaster.com. “THE MOMENT” will also be broadcast on nearly 520 select movie theaters across the country. Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @amirkingkhan, @realluiscollazo,@AdrienBroner, @CarlosMolina562, @anthonyogogo, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #TheMoment and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and http://www.facebook.com/SHOboxing.

LONDON (April 16) – Boxing’s oldest ever world champion Bernard Hopkins believes he will once again make history as he looks to unify the light-heavyweight division this weekend.

Hopkins has already made a profound statement in the world of boxing, reigning as one of the world’s top middleweights for over a decade, before moving up the weight classes to finally become the fight games oldest champion.

Having initially dethroned George Foreman of that title back in 2011, when he captured the WBC and IBO light-heavyweight belts at 46 against Jean Pascal, the Philadelphian recently broke his own record when he beat Tavoris Cloud at 48 to win the IBF crown last year.

Now though, the boxing icon faces another momentous task as he looks to unify the 175-pound division when he faces off against WBA Super champion Beibut Shumenov this Saturday, live on BoxNation, with Hopkins urging fans to enjoy him while he’s around.

“To be 49-years-old, approaching 50, and knocking on the door of being a senior citizen – it’s a profound statement of my dedication,” said Hopkins “It’s sweeter now to be here with everybody. Everything I do is history. If you had one more chance to see something that you loved before you never see it again – here I am. You’ll have a chance to see history. You can tell your grandkids about what you saw,” he said.

The skilled veteran is determined to remain at the top and fighting the best, despite the challenges a battle with Shumenov presents.

“Name another athlete in this country that is doing it at this age and winning, not just competing, but fighting the top fighters in the world. This guy is no run-of-the-mill guy, he’s a threat,” Hopkins said.

“I’m not fighting a cream puff; this isn’t a bum of the month club. I’m fighting real dudes. These guys are hardcore, hungry and top contenders.

“Shumenov wants to make a name, like everyone else. What better place to make a name than against me?” he said.

The light-heavyweight division is packed with some of boxing’s leading names including knockout artists Adonis Stevenson and Sergey Kovalev.

Both hold the other recognised world titles in the division, with the prospect of capturing all the belts and becoming only the second fighter since Evander Holyfield to unify two separate divisions with every championship an alluring one for the ageless Hopkins.

“It [prospect of unifying the division], gets me a lot more energised than my last two fights but those last two fights played a role to get energised,” said Hopkins. “To me, this isn’t the climax, this is the pre-climax, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s where I need to be and where I had to go through to get here in the last year or two, to be patient, to fight my mandatory and to show people

“I wanted it to be Kovalev but they chose to fight [Nathan] Cleverly, smart move, good management. Now, we’re here, and I’m looking to show the world that I might be the second or the first boxer in any division that became undisputed in two weight classes in modern times,” he said.

“I love history and I love trying to break records that have been set for multiple years because I believe I have a history of doing that, and this is energising too,” Hopkins added.

The American’s disciplined lifestyle is the driving force behind his success that is seeing him not only remain competitive in his twilight years but still held in high regard as one of boxing’s truly elite fighters.

“Taking the test without studying is like taking a fight without being in the gym. The gym is studying. The test is April 19. You can put the cart in front of the horse if you’re a fool and I think people would agree I’m no fool.

“I’m a guy that loves the craft and respects the craft. You can love something, but it doesn’t mean you respect it. Love is the emotional part; respect is the dedication and hard work. That attitude and that demeanour is always going to be there. That’s just who I am,” said Hopkins.

Hopkins vs. Shumenov is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) this Saturday night. 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 Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), 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

*Plus £8 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 16, 2014) – Middleweight contender Daniel Jacobs is trading in his gloves for a microphone, at least for one night.

The inspirational cancer survivor will serve as guest analyst for this Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the DC Armory in Washington, D.C.

Jacobs will step in for critically acclaimed analyst Paulie Malignaggi, who will challenge IBF Welterweight World Champion Shawn Porter in the co-feature of the world championship tripleheader.

“It’s an honor to have this opportunity on such a historic boxing event,” Jacobs said. “I’m excited to be the guy on the outside that will provide the viewers with the type of insight only a fighter can provide. I also look forward to the opportunity to see the sport in a different perspective and gain more of an appreciation for the craft.

“I know I’ll be in good hands alongside Al Bernstein, Mauro Ranallo and the rest of the SHOWTIME crew giving the viewers and fans a great night of boxing.”

In the main event, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins will face WBA World Champ Beibut Shumenov in a highly anticipated world championship unification while WBO Middleweight World Champ Peter Quillin will risk his title against Lukas Konecny in the opening bout of the telecast.

Saturday’s telecast will air live immediately following the premiere of Episode 1 of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana, the most recent installment of the Emmy® Award-nominated SHOWTIME Sports® series that chronicles the dramatic and often unpredictable lives of the world’s best prizefighters.

The 27-year-old Jacobs (27-1, 24 KOs), of Brooklyn, N.Y., is coming off a first-round TKO of Milton Nunez on March 15 on the SHOWTIME EXTREME® undercard of the Danny Garcia-Mauricio Herrera event in Puerto Rico. The victory was Jacob’s fifth straight win in as many fights since returning to the ring after a courageous 19-month battle against cancer and partial paralysis.

The 6-foot-1 Jacobs, who is the fifth ranked middleweight contender by the IBF and sixth by the WBC, WBA and WBO, has won seven in a row by knockout.

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBA and IBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-features, Shawn Porter defends his IBF Welterweight World Title against Paulie Malignaggi and Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana. The telecast will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 16th, 2014) — Good or bad, Andre Soukhamthath doesn’t care what you think.

You won’t find him online much these days reading what other people have to say about who he fights, how he fights, or what they think about his latest opponent.

“It’s not important,” he said. “I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone. I just want to win.”

The well-mannered bantamweight from Woonsocket, R.I., with the million-dollar smile hasn’t suddenly turned heel following his loss to Kin Moy in January, but with the pressure to respond to critics no longer clouding his judgment, Soukhamthath (7-2, 4 KOs) will be all business when he returns to the cage Friday, April 25th, 2014 against Josh Killion (10-4) of Ohio on the undercard of “CES MMA XXIII” at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I.

“There’s no pressure anymore,” said Soukhamthath, whose loss to Moy snapped a seven-fight win streak.

“I finally lost. People wanted to see me get tested. Well, I got tested. I know where I stand now. I know where I need to be and what I need to do to make it to that next level, and that’s focus on one fight at a time and fight smarter.”

The first step toward fighting smarter is to learn to block out all of the outside influences, whether it’s criticism from the press, social media chatter or unexpected adversity.

Soukhamthath dealt with it all leading up to the fight against Moy.

It was his first scheduled fight since moving south to begin training with the Blackzillians. In addition to the commute from Florida to Rhode Island during fight week, Soukhamthath also dealt with the death of his uncle, who passed away that weekend, a hardship any fighter would have difficulty trying to block out, let alone one with so much already on his plate.

No excuses, Soukhamthath said.

“I had a lot going on, but I usually separate things pretty well,” he said. “Mentally, I was drained, but I still went out there and fought, so I don’t have anyone to blame but myself.”

Soukhamthath’s biggest problem was paying attention to the criticism online, the questions about his record, who he had faced in the past, and whether or not he could compete with Moy, an undefeated prospect from nearby Cambridge, Mass.

“It really aggravated me,” Soukhamthath said. “I really wanted to go out there and put an exclamation point on my performance, and that’s what I tried to do. I wore myself out. That’s the only reason I lost the fight. I really beat myself. I don’t think Kin beat me at all. I thought I won the first and second round. His back was on the mat the entire time, but it is what it is. Life goes on.

“I’m sure everyone will agree I always come to fight,” he continued. “I don’t go there to dance around, or lay and pray, or win on points. It might not always be the smartest thing, but at the end of the day it’s what I do, and I’m not going to stop doing that.

“I won’t fight emotionally anymore. I’ll just fight smarter.”

Soukhamthath has grown tired of critics saying he picks his fights — “when my promoter calls me for a fight, I always say yes if I’m ready,” he said — which might explain why he’s facing another tough test next Friday against Killion, a 5-foot-3, 23-year-old vet with eight wins by submission and victories in seven of his last eight fights.

Killion’s cut from the same cloth, a throwback fighter who worries less about what his opponent brings to the table and focuses more on fighting his kind of fight once the bell rings.

“I don’t do a lot of homework on my opponent,” Killion said. “I just do my thing, and what happens, happens. It’s going down once we’re in that cage.”

Soukhmathath recently beat one of Killion’s training partners, Corey Simmons, in December, but Killion preferred to keep his training to himself rather than seek advice from Simmons.

“I never ask those guys, ‘How did he fight?’ or anything like that. I really don’t even like watching videos,” Killion said. “I’m not going in there with a game plan thinking he’s going to fight this way or that way. I’m not going to fight like that. I’m a go-getter, so let’s get it.”

Despite having won eight of his 10 fights by submission with no knockouts on his record, Killion surprisingly prefers to stand and trade blows with his opponent.

“I like to hit. They always tell me they’re going to hit with me, but then it goes the other way,” he said. “That’s how it’s gone my whole career. Once they trade with me, they want to take me to the ground, but I’m an animal down there, too, so it doesn’t matter to me. That’s why they call it mixed martial arts.

“I’m the little guy, but I’m here to hit. I don’t think [Soukhamthath] has ever come across anyone like me. I have a big heart. I hope he has heart, too.”

Added Soukhamthath: “I’m taking this fight on somewhat short notice, but I never really stopped training after the last fight. I took a week off and got right back in the gym. The training has been great. I finally feel like part of the team. We’re settled in. That’s why we moved here. I want to do things the way they do things here. That’s the best way to do it.”

“CES MMA XXIII” will also feature the return of reigning featherweight champion Rob Font and hard-hitting heavyweight Josh Diekmann.

Tickets are on sale now at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com or by phone at 401-724-2253/2254. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Coming off an impressive win in January, Font (9-1, 2 KOs) will return to face Tristan Johnson (8-4, 3 KOs) of Nova Scotia, Canada, in the main event. The 30-year-old Johnson has won three of his last five fights, including a split-decision victory over Bellator vet Will Romero in 2012, while Font has won his last eight.

Diekmann (14-5, 10 KOs), a Groton, Conn., native, returns to Twin River with wins in two of his last three fights. Following back-to-back first-round knockout wins in September and November, Diekmann’s scheduled three-round bout at Bellator 110 against Manny Lara ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke. On April 25th, Diekmann will face Keith “Bad News” Bell (5-3-1, 3 KOs) of Newport News, Va. Bell has won three out of four since 2013 and appeared on the undercard of Bellator 109 in Pennsylvania.

“CES MMA XXIII” also features the return of fan-favorites Tateki Matsuda and Eric Spicely. Matsuda (8-5, 4 KOs), the Boston bantamweight who’s fought everywhere from Maine to Tokyo since his last appearance with CES in 2010, will battle the unbeaten Matt Doherty (3-0, 2 KOs) of Salem, Mass., in what figures to be one of the most intriguing intrastate matchups on the card. Matsuda has lost his last two while Doherty is coming off a submission win over Shaun Marmas in January.

Spicely (3-0) will put his unbeaten record on the line against 37-fight veteran Nuri Shakir (17-20, 8 KOs) of Nashua, N.H., in a three-round welterweight bout. Providence’s Spicely last fought in December with a first-round knockout win over Tyler Rose. The 35-year-old Shakir owns wins over UFC vets Tom Egan and Nick Serra.

Also on the undercard, Pawtucket, R.I., welterweight Abe Pitrowski (5-2, 1 KO) will face Samuel Almeida (2-0) of Framingham, Mass.; lightweight Bobby Flynn (4-1, 1 KO) of Mashpee, Mass., will battle Providence’s Tundee Odumuso (2-2); and featherweight Pete Rogers Jr. (0-1) of Baltic, Conn., will face Manny Torres (2-2) of Hartford, Conn. Two-time Bellator vet Rico DiSciullo (1-0) of Peabody, Mass., will face Jordan Espinosa (3-3) of Findlay, Ohio in a three-round bantamweight bout, and East Providence, R.I., heavyweight Eric Bedard (6-4, 4 KOs) will battle Matthew Thompson (18-9, 7 KOs) of Austin, Tex.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 16, 2014) – Several of the featured fighters for Saturday’s “History at the Capitol” event at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. worked out for media members at Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Washington, D.C. The SHOWTIME tripleheader headlined by future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins against Beibut Shumenov in an epic light heavyweight world championship unification.

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.

Below please find what the fighters had to say at today’s workout.

BERNARD HOPKINS, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion

“I think my longevity has a lot to do with the early preparation in my life and my career. I took care of myself like I always have for the last 20 years and I’m reaping the benefits now.

“A lot of it has to do with just what I do and don’t put in my body. A lot of long-term discipline and staying the course, and not derailing many times during down time, or binging on things that aren’t good for you. I think that plays a big role in longevity.

“I’ll say that Shumenov is saying the right things because anything else contrary to that would hurt the fight and will not help ticket sales. People want to see you when you’re still relevant, so to me this is the time to show and perform on a worldwide stage.

“Shumenov wants to make a name for himself by defeating me. All the young guns want to make it big, and beating me would do that for Shumenov, but that’s not going to happen.

“To me, there are no butterflies. I’m eager, but it’s controlled for that moment to come and then we’ll have the fireworks. That’s the good part about it. I’m on stage, and as any entertainer loves the stage, you love the attention.

“Washington, D.C. is the nation’s capital. This is part of the foundation of East Coast boxing. So when you talk about D.C., you also say Philly and New York. There’s rich tradition and it’s all about history here.”

BEIBUT SHUMENOV, WBA Super Light Heavyweight World Champion
“I’m feeling great, most of the work has been done. I cannot wait to show what I am capable of.

“To show the world that I am the best light heavyweight in the world.

“I haven’t missed any days of training. Every day after my workout my body was exhausted and the next day I was always excited to go to the gym. Every day was valuable for me, every day I saw improvement. It made me happy to go to the gym.”

SHAWN PORTER, IBF Welterweight World Champion
“I’m excited to being fighitng in D.C. for the first time. I’ve been training well and the team is working very hard. We’re excited to get out there Saturday night and show what we can do.

“Paulie is a good fighter, he’s skillful, crafty and smart. I have everything it takes to beat him, I’m just as fast, just as quick. We’re going to go after him Saturday night.”

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, NABF Welterweight Champion

“I enjoy being here, it’s experience. I fought in D.C. in the amateurs, and this is my first time as a professional. So this is a great welcome back.

“I think Bernard can do amazing things at his age, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues to do that for many more fights.

“Shawn Porter is a young, hungry guy who wants to make his mark on the sport, but I’m in his way. He’s aggressive. He’s got a certain physicality, but we’ll be ready for him.”

PETER QUILLIN, WBO Middleweight World Champion

“I’ve been in there working on my ability and showing what I can do. Nobody can beat me.

“What do I know about my opponent? I know he’s bald and that he’s from the Czech Republic. I also know he has a white hat on today and that he didn’t want to say ‘hello’ to me.

“This is a business, and when you get out of the ring, you’re going to get your check. There’s nothing emotionally involved in that. I just know that I’m coming here to handle business.

“I trained superbly for this fight. I know I have a lot riding on me, and that doesn’t discourage me. I just know that I have to work hard, and stay focused, hungry, and motivated, and stay inspirational to my fans. That’s what it’s all about.”

LUKAS KONECNY, WBO European Champion & Former WBO Interim Junior Middleweight Champion
“I expect a first class fight, he’s a good champion but not a great one. I want to take the belt home with me.

“I’m training twice a day, like I’ve done for over 20 years. I’ve got a lot of experience. I’ve been wathcing his fights with my trainer and I think we have a great plan.”

SADAM ALI, Undefeated Welterweight & 2009 U.S. Olympian

“I know my opponent has a lot of experience. He’s a veteran. I know I’ve learned from him, and he’s a good fighter. I’m not underestimating anybody. I’m training hard, and I’m just ready to go out there and do what I do.

“I don’t really have a game plan for anybody really. Once I see what kind of style they have, I know what to do right away. I don’t have to know who I’m fighting months before. It could be a week before my fight, and I find out who I’m fighting and I know what to do.”

ZACHARY OCHOA, Undefeated Junior Welterweight Prospect

“Training has been going good. It’s an honor for me to be fighting here on Bernard Hopkins’ undercard on Saturday.

“It’s been great, we work hard like we always do and I can’t wait to fight on Saturday. I know I have a tough opponent, but it’s my time to show the world what I’ve got.

“I know my opponent is a tough guy. He’s a tough veteran and he’s got a lot of fights -a lot more fights than me- but it’s my time to go out there and do my job and handle my business.

“We’ve been doing things like we always do. We stick to the game plan. I’m not going to say too much, but we do what we do. We work hard. We make sure we’re always in good shape, and we have a game plan that we’re going to stick to and do what we’ve got to do.”

MARCUS BROWNE, Undefeated Light Heavyweight & 2012 U.S. Olympian

“Bernard is a legend in my weight class, and it’s just like going to school. I have my fight of course and I take care of business, and then I go and take notes and learn what I can learn from the greats.

“My professional debut and my second fight were in California. But getting to fight in D.C. is great. I get to show my talent here and that’s a beautiful thing. It’s not right around the corner, but it’s like being down the block from New York City.

“This is a boxing town. So I just want to go out there and do what I have to do and look impressive.”

D’MITRIUS BALLARD, Undefeated Super Middleweight Prospect from Washington, D.C.
“I know that my opponent is from Kansas City, but I don’t know too much about his style.

“I know that my opponent is a southpaw so I’m working on that. I’ve just been working my way through my punches so they’re ready.”

LAMONT ROACH, Washington, D.C. Lightweight Prospect

“It feels great to make my professional debut. I’m ready.

“Puerto Ricans are very good fighters, so we’ll see what my opponent has to bring to the table.”

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBA and IBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-features, Shawn Porter defends his IBF Welterweight World Title against Paulie Malignaggi and Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana. The telecast will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.

New York; (April 16, 2014) Long Island fan favorite Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin will return to battle against hard hitting Nicaraguan Wilfredo “EL Zurdo” Acuna on Thursday, APRIL 24 at The Paramount in Huntington, New York.

The Seldin/Acuna eight round junior welterweight clash headlines “Rockin Fights 13” another installment of the widely acclaimed professional boxing series presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

Currently training in West Palm Beach, Florida, the 27-year-old Seldin, 12-0-0 (9KO’s), has thrilled local boxing fans at The Paramount with his battering of opponents and show-stopping knockouts in each appearance.

The former body builder and standout amateur wrestler made his highly anticipated and successful return to the ring following right shoulder surgery on NOVEMBER 22 against tough Mexican veteran Gilbert Venegas in front of a standing room only crowd at The Paramount.

Dominating the action from the outset, Seldin won a wide eight round unanimous decision as he looked towards his 2014 campaign.

“Cletus has improved with each fight, from his knockout power to the terrific boxing skills he displayed going the distance against Venegas” said DeGuardia, Founder and President of Star Boxing. “We’re looking for spectacular things from him this year and look forward to his bout with the tough Nicaraguan Acuna on APRIL 24.”

A veteran of 29 professional fights over his eight years as a professional, the 32-year-old southpaw Acuna is well known to Long Island boxing fans having battled Chris Algieri this past SEPTEMBER 14 in front of a packed house at The Paramount.

Fighting on DECEMBER 20 in Honduras, Acuna returned to the win column, stopping Freddy Madrigal in the third round.

Advance tickets for “ROCKIN FIGHTS 13″starting at $50 can be purchased through the Star Boxing website, www.StarBoxing.com , Ticketmaster www.Ticketmaster.com , andThe Paramount Box Office, phone (631) 673-7300.

The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue in Huntington, New York, 11743. Doors will open on the night of the event at 7:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:30 p.m.

For fight updates via Social Media, follow Star Boxing on Twitter at @StarBoxing and Facebook at /StarBoxing, Cletus Seldin on Twitter at @CletusSeldin and Joe DeGuardia on Twitter at @JoeDeGuardia. Use the hashtag #RockinFights13 to join the conversation on Twitter.

A sensational undercard will accompany the ‘Hebrew Hammer’ bout.

ABOUT STAR BOXING ®
Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. The company has produced some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star Boxing continues to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star Boxing is proud that is has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook at Star Boxing.

ABOUT THE PARAMOUNT:
Opened September 30, 2011 this 1,555-capacity live entertainment venue, located in downtown Huntington, Long Island, New York, features; concerts, comedy, boxing, community and other special events in a club/theater setting. With over 30,000 Facebook fans, The Paramount was recently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as the #24 highest attended club-venue worldwide (January-June 2013). A Ticketmaster venue, booked by Live Nation, TheParamount hosts nearly 200 events per year and in less than two years since its inception, has quickly established itself as the premier music venue onLong Island, NY. Some artists who have recently taken the Paramount stage include; Billy Joel, Pitbull, Don Henley, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, ZZ Top, Counting Crows, Primus, Matchbox 20, The Blues Brothers, Limp Bizkit, & many, many, more.

EAGLE AUTOMALL “THE BIRD IS THE WORD”
Eagle Auto Mall has a strong and committed sales staff with many years of experience satisfying customers’ needs. Feel free to browse our inventory online, request more information about vehicles, set up a test drive or inquire about financing! If you don’t see what you are looking for, click on CarFinder, fill out the form, and we will let you know when vehicles arrive that match your search! Come out to Eagle Auto Mall and discuss your options.
At Eagle Auto Mall, our friendly staff look forward to serving you!
1320 Old Country Road, Riverhead, NY 11901 Sales: (866) 495-3038

ABOUT THE FOX HOLLOW:
Nestled upon 8 private acres of Long Island’s north shore is the Fox Hollow, which features a state of the art event venue, fine dining restaurant and an all-suite luxury boutique hotel. Owned & operated by the Scotto Brothers, their Above & Beyond philosophy in providing each & every guest with superior services and amenities is paramount. Visit the Fox Hollow online at www.TheFoxHollow.com & www.TheInnAtFoxHollow.com

ABOUT CAMELOT LIMOUSINE:
Official Sponsor of the Paramount Boxing Series, Camelot Limos is a family owned and operated business located in Nassau County, with over 25 years of professional experience; serving satisfied clientele since 1984. The owners of Camelot Specialty Limos are very active in the business and play a major role in the company’s day-to-day operations. Camelot Specialty Limos, Inc. is an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau. www.camelotlimo.com

ABOUT WBAB 102.3:
WBAB 102.3 is the home of Long Island’s Classic Rock anchored by their Long Island Rock ‘N’ Roll Morning Show with Roger and JP. For more information or to listen online, visit their website at
www.wbab.com and follow them on Facebook.com/1023wbab and on Twitter @1023wbab.

Power Play International
Your Social Media Marketing and Website Design Agency
“Carrying Your Message Around The World”

BROOKLYN (April 16, 2014) — Banner Promotions will host a Russian press conference luncheon on the shores of Brighton Beach to celebrate the announcement of the WBO junior welterweight title fight between defending champion RUSLAN “The Siberian Rocky” PROVODNIKOV of Beryozovo, Russia and CHRIS ALGIERI of Huntington, Long Island, Tomorrow! Thursday, April 17, at 1:00 P.M. ET, at Tatiana Restaurant & Nightclub (3152 Brighton 6th St., Brooklyn, NY 11235.) Both fighters will be in attendance and available for one-on-one interviews.

“This isn’t your parents’ Borscht Belt,” said Arthur Pelullo, president of Banner Promotions. “The Russian Community has embraced this fight and Ruslan wants to embrace them back which is why we are hosting a second press conference in the heart of the Russian community.”

The Provodnikov – Algieri world title fight will take place Saturday night, June 14, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®.

The co-main event will feature undefeated WBO junior middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade making his first world title defense, against No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger Brian “The Lion” Rose.

The action-packed non-televised undercard will include undefeated WBC Continental America’s Light Heavyweight champion and Top-Five contender Seanie “Irish” Monaghan of Long Beach, Long Island, and the first professional woman’s fight at Barclays Center, featuring Brooklyn’s own Heather “The Heat” Hardy.

The event is promoted by Banner Promotions and Top Rank®., in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

Located atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City, Barclays Center is accessible by 11 subway lines, The Long Island Rail Road and 11 bus lines.

LAS VEGAS (April 16, 2014)— Former WBA Welterweight World Champion boxer Luis Collazo will once again demonstrate his support for The NephCure Foundation when he meets Amir Khan in a critical confrontation May 3 as the co-featured bout on the blockbuster Floyd Mayweather card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

When he knocked out Victor Ortiz before his hometown fans Jan. 30 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Collazo entered the ring with NEPHCURE.ORG emblazoned on his robe and on the back of his trunks in support of the kidney disease patient advocacy group and his teenage friend, Allie Genatt, who suffers from the debilitating kidney disease FSGS. Collazo will sport similar NEPHCURE.ORG identification in the ring on May 3, when he takes on Khan, the popular, British, multi-sanctioning body junior welterweight champion who is moving up to the 147-pound welterweight division.
The winner of the 12-round battle for the WBC Silver Welterweight title will be positioned to possibly meet Mayweather, boxing’s biggest star, in a lucrative pay- per-view fight later this year or in 2015. The unbeaten Mayweather is favored to defeat Marcos Maidana in the main event of the May 3 card, which is expected to sell out the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas and generate an audience of millions on pay-per-view.
Media Assets for Download: https://clients.box.com/collazo-khan-boxing
A two-time New York City Golden Gloves Champion (35-5, 18 KO’s), Collazo returned to the ranks of elite fighters with his spectacular second round knockout of Ortiz, the younger, more prominent favorite, on Jan. 30. When he landed the perfectly-timed right-hook knockout punch, the NEPHCURE.ORG was easily recognizable in video and still photos seen via media outlets around the world. Collazo embraced NephCure for that fight when learning of the kidney disease afflicting 15-year-old Genatt, whom he met during training sessions at Competitive Edge Athletics in Port Washington, Long Island.
NephCure launched an awareness campaign around the Super Bowl-week Collazo- Ortiz card, specifically targeting New York City’s Latino population centering on the popular Collazo, a New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent who grew up in Brooklyn and lives in Queens. That campaign will continue around the Collazo-Khan fight as the May 3 Las Vegas date approaches. Genatt is a 15-year-old Long Islander who was first diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome at age two. The disease was later confirmed as FSGS and she endured years of medications with risky side effects
before receiving a kidney transplant (from her mother) at age 11. Collazo has also spent time with eight-year-old Nephrotic Syndrome sufferer Manuel Casado of The Bronx and 11-year-old FSGS sufferer Matthew Levine of Long Island.
“The challenge with FSGS is that there is a very high rate of reoccurrence when the disease attacks the new kidneys,” stated Henry Brehm, Executive Director of The NephCure Foundation. ”We have much work to do raising awareness and funding for research so people with FSGS can avoid the road to dialysis and transplant. “
Collazo has a tough opponent in Khan (28-3, 19 KOs), the former unified world light welterweight champion who won the Silver Medal for Great Britain at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The first ever British-Pakistani and Punjabi boxing world champion, Khan has been inactive since defeating Julio Diaz last April in Great Britain.
FSGS (Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis), which afflicted the late actor Gary Coleman and interrupted the NBA career of Alonzo Mourning, is a disease that damages the kidney function, often requiring dialysis or transplant. The NephCure Foundation is the only organization committed exclusively to support research seeking the causes of FSGS and Nephrotic Syndrome, improve treatment and find a cure.
The Collazo-Khan fight is part of a SHOWTIME PPV® event entitled “THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana.” Also scheduled are 10-round bouts featuring super middleweights J’Leon Love vs. Marco Antonio Periban and junior welterweights Adrien Broner vs. Carlos Molina.
Media Contacts: Tim Davis, NephCure Foundation, tdavis@NephCure.org, 610 585 4610 Steve Griffith, NephCure Foundation, sgriffith@NephCure.org, 484 433 7757

Chicago, IL (April 16, 2014) Russian heavyweight contender ANDREY FEDOSOV will make his highly anticipated return to battle this Friday night, APRIL 18 in a scheduled eight round clash against perennial contender and tough veteran MAURICE “Mo Bettah” HARRIS at “FIGHT NIGHT” at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, just outside of Chicago.

Advance tickets starting at $25.00 for “FIGHT NIGHT” presented by Hitz Boxing in association with Round 3 Productions are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, The Venue/Horseshoe Box Office and HitzBoxing.com. Doors open on the night of the event at 7:00 p.m. CT with the first bell at 7:30 p.m. CT.

The 28-year-old Fedosov, 24-3-0 (19KO’s), was last seen battling evenly with top rated heavyweight Bryant Jennings over six rounds on JUNE 14, 2013, before the fight was abruptly and controversially stopped due to a cut suffered by the hard hitting Russian.

“Andrey was very disappointed by the stoppage, he’s fully capable of competing at the elite level in the heavyweight division while Harris is a very tough competitor and a strong test for him” said Bobby Hitz, President of Hitz Boxing of the now Chicago resident Fedosov.

“The heavyweight division, particularly in the United States is very active with the World Boxing Council title being vacant and our plan for Andrey is to move him right in the mix if he beats Harris.”

Fighting out of East Orange, New Jersey, Harris, 26-18-2 (11KO’s), has fought numerous world champions and top rated contenders, most recently losing a hard fought, close 12-round decision to Amir Mansour in August 2013.

Also featured in separate bouts at “FIGHT NIGHT” will be the highly anticipated return of Chicago’s most popular, DONOVAN “Da Bomb” GEORGE, 24-4-2 (21KO’s) in an eight round super middleweight clash against TROY LOWRY, 28-13-0 (17KO’s) of St. Paul, Minnesota and “Hollywood” MIKE JIMENEZ, 13-0-0 (10KO’s) battling San Diego, California based veteran, BRANDON “El Cubanito” Gonzalez, 12-12-4 (6KO’s) in a six round light heavyweight tilt.

Rounding out the action packed card in separate bouts are numerous Chicagoland fan favorites and top prospects; undefeated cruiserweight DIMAR “Strongman ORTUZ, 9-0-0 (6KO’s), welterweight ROY NAVARRO, 5-1-0 (3KO’s), junior welterweights ANTONIO “Aztec God of War” CANAS, 9-1-1 (3KO’s), junior lightweight FIDEL NAVARRETE, 4-0-2 (3KO’s) and EDDIE RAMIREZ, 3-0-0 (3KO’s).

ABOUT HITZ BOXING
Since its debut in 1991, Hitz Boxing has been the Midwest’s leading boxing promoter. Led by Bobby Hitz, who boasted a 21-4 record with 18 KO’s as a boxer, Hitz Boxing is the longest running boxing promoter in the Chicago area dating back to the bi-monthly boxing series the “Ramada Rumble,” held at the former Rosemont Ramada Inn. The organization currently promotes the wildly popular “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN and is the subject of the actuality show “Hitz Boxing,” a web series that has amassed over 5 million internet views. Over the year’s the organization has produced matches that have included some of the top names in boxing such as James Toney, Antonio Tarver, Montell Griffin, Iran Barkley, Andrew Golota and “Fast Fres Oquendo.

For more information, please visit: www.hitzboxing.com.

ABOUT ROUND 3 PRODUCTIONS
Round 3 Productions was formed in 2011 by lifelong Chicago resident Frank Mugnolo and has quickly become one of the premier boxing promotional firms in the United States.

Making their mark quickly, Round 3 Productions guided current #1 ranked light heavyweight contender Andrzej “The Polish Prince” Fonfara to his first world title (International Boxing Organization) in November 2012.

While continuing to retain a substantial financial interest in Fonfara, Round 3 Productions has teamed with Chicago’s Hitz Boxing to sign perennial super middleweight contender Donovan “Da Bomb” George to an exclusive promotional contract with more signings of Chicago’s finest to come.

From the packed houses at the UIC Pavilion to the unprecedented pro boxing event at U.S. Cellular Field, Home of the Chicago White Sox, on August 16, 2013, Round 3 Productions has become a proven leader in the sport of boxing

ABOUT THE HORSESHOE CASINO
The $500 million Horseshoe Casino, a Caesars Entertainment Corporation property, just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago is the premier entertainment and gambling destination in Chicagoland. Where legendary gaming lives on, Horseshoe boasts more than 350,000 square feet with over 3,000 slot machines, over 100 table games, one of the largest poker rooms in the Midwest, and more. The Venue at Horseshoe Casino is proud to offer the ultimate concert and entertainment destination and premier experience in a flexible space that can hold up to 3,300 guests. Dining elegance is not overlooked and guests can choose from a variety of dining options including; Jack Binion’s Steak House which overlooks Lake Michigan and winner of the 2009, 2010, 2011 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and the May 2012 OpenTable Diners’ Choice award, around-the-globe variety at the Village Square Buffet, and a taste of Chicago at Benny’s Pub and Eatery.

For more information, please visit: www.chicagohorseshoe.com.

Must be 21 years or older to gamble or attend events at The Venue. Know When To Stop Before You Start® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-9WITH-IT © 2012 Caesars License Company, LLC

The rematch between Carl Froch and George Groves could be fought in front of 80,000 spectators as the fight at Wembley Stadium had more seats made available according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

The fihght sold out of the 1st 60,000 available seats in one hour.

“It’s fantastic that we have managed to ensure even more fans will be in Wembley for this monumental occasion,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “We have worked hard with the (city) council, Wembley and Transport for London and I am delighted that we have come to an agreement to get as many fans as possible into the stadium to create an incredible atmosphere.”

The April 18 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will feature the semifinals of the Middleweight portion of Boxcino 2014 sponsored by 1800 Tequila.

Friday’s show, from the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise the fights at 10:30 p.m. The card is promoted by Banner Promotions.

New Picture (1)Commentators:
Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), filling in for Joe Tessitore, will be ringside with Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while Doug Kezirian will fill in for Grisham in the studio. Delvin Rodríguez and Pablo Viruega will call the fights for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Middleweight Semifinal Matchups: Eight Rounds Each

The semifinal round of the Middleweight tournament will feature:

Vitalii Kopylenko (22-0, 12 KOs) vs. Willie Monroe Jr. (16-1, 6 KOs)
Raymond Gatica (16-5, 13 KOs) vs. Brandon Adams (13-0, 9 KOs)

Middleweight Division Bracket (full-size bracket attached):

Fighter Backgrounds:
N.Y.’s Monroe Jr., the son of former Middleweight contender Willie Monroe, is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Donatas Bondas (Bondorovas) in the quarterfinal round of the Boxcino tournament. Kopylenko, fighting out of the Ukraine and a stablemate of WBO Junior Welterweight titlist Ruslan Provodnikov, scored a second-round TKO win over Cerresso Fort in the quarterfinals.

Los Angeles’ Adams is coming off a fourth-round TKO win over Daniel Edouard in the quarterfinal round, while Texas’ Gatica is looking to advance to the finals following a fourth-round TKO win over Sena Agbeko.

About Boxcino 2014:
The tournament, which started in February, is a single-elimination, two-weight class competition featuring eight fighters in the Lightweight and Middleweight divisions. Tournament details, TV schedule and brackets can be found on ESPN MediaZone. ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions Brian Kweder, who oversees content strategy and acquisition for ESPN’s soccer, boxing and bowling properties, recently discussed the tournament in a Q&A on ESPN Front Row. Friday’s Middleweight winners will join Lightweights Petr Petrov and Fernando Cárcamo for a special night of boxing in the big finale for Boxcino 2014 on Friday, May 23, also at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y. The fights will be televised live at 9 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

Upcoming ESPN Boxing Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Thu, Apr 24

9 p.m.

Josesito López (31-6, 18 KOs) vs. Aron Martínez (19-2-1, 4 KOs)—10 rounds, Jr. Welterweights

Agua Caliente Casino, Palm Springs, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

Thu, May 1

9 p.m.

Roberto García (34-3, 22 KOs) vs. Victor Manuel Cayo (32-4, 23 KOs)—10 rounds, Welterweights

Hialeah Park Race Track, Hialeah, Fla.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

Sat, May 10

8 p.m.

WBC World Heavyweight Championship: Bermane Stiverne (23-1-1, 20 KOs) vs. Chris Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs)—12 rounds

USC Galen Center,
Los Angeles

ESPN, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates Social Media:
· Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook.

· Score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

· Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo.

· For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.

According to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, WBO Jr. Lightweight champion Mikey Garcia is suing his promoter Top Rank to get out of his promotional contract.

Junior lightweight titleholder Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia, declaring that his promotional agreement with Top Rank is illegal and also expired, sued the company in California State Court in Riverside County on April 8.

The suit, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN.com, says that the reason for the action is because of “Top Rank’s unlawful attempt to exploit, own and permanently control” Garcia’s boxing career “as well as Top Rank’s consistent violation of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, a federal statute enacted for the express purpose of protecting professional boxers like Garcia from the exploitive practice of boxing promoters like Top Rank.”

Further, the suit claims that his promotional agreement “improperly provides Top Rank the ability to extend the agreement indefinitely, essentially rendering the contracting fighter an indentured servant of Top Rank.”

“Mikey has no further obligation to Top Rank under the 2009 promotional rights agreement that he signed,” attorney Bryan Freedman, who is representing Garcia, told ESPN.com on Tuesday. “It’s very clear for a number of reasons, but that’s our position. There are a number of reasons why it’s invalid. Even if it hadn’t expired under its own terms, Top Rank acted not only as a promoter but also as a manager under the definition of manager in California and that is against the law. This is an absolute fairness issue.”

The suit uses also claims that Top Rank “violated numerous provisions of both California law and California’s strong public policy to protect California-based boxers from unscrupulous promoters and managers,” while also accusing Top Rank of acting as Garcia’s “unlicensed manager.”

In another claim in the suit, Garcia said Top Rank violated the Ali act by not making federally required disclosures concerning the amount of money the company would make from Garcia’s bouts.

“The act itself has been rarely been litigated but it requires Top Rank to make disclosures to Mikey before his bouts on the amount of money they would be receiving from his bouts. He did not get those disclosures,” Freedman said. “There are a number of different illegalities in this agreement, including how it was extended under different scenarios. If you look at it you’d say he’s done (with the contract) even without any violation of the law.”

The suit claims that Garcia’s contract with Top Rank expired on Feb. 27.

“I’m hopeful that Top Rank will take a look at this and seriously study their agreement. If they do they will agree he doesn’t have an obligation to Top Rank. And if they want to negotiate a new deal they can have a discussion about it. If they don’t it could be a court process. But there is no way you can look at this and say he is still bound to the contract (he signed in 2009).”

Las Vegas –The Ultimate Fighting Championship® will make its highly anticipated debut in Albuquerque on Saturday, June 7 at Tingley Coliseum. In the five-round main event, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will take on the surging Rustam Khabilov, a winner of six straight.

Owning wins over some of the sport’s top names such as Josh Thomson, Gilbert Melendez and Frankie Edgar (twice), Henderson (20-3, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) is eager to reclaim the lightweight crown. To do so, he must diffuse the relentless Khabilov (17-1, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.). Nicknamed “Tiger”, the 27-year-old Khabilov trains at the famed Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA gym in Albuquerque and has reeled off three straight wins to start his UFC career. Now he’ll meet the toughest test of his young career against the former UFC lightweight champion.

In the night’s co-main event, Albuquerque’s own Diego Sanchez (26-7) will compete in front of his hometown fans in a potential Fight of the Year candidate against Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson (17-6-1NC, fighting out of San Diego). Plus, flyweight sensation and hometown superstar John Dodson (16-6, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) looks to secure a title shot when he collides with No.4 flyweight contender John Moraga (14-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.).

If that wasn’t enough, Mexican bantamweight star and Jackson-Winkeljohn product Erik “Goyito” Perez takes on Bryan Caraway in a pivotal fight between rising title contenders.

Also scheduled for the card:

Bobby Voelker (24-11, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) takes on Lance Benoist (6-2, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) in a welterweight collision.
A bantamweight bout between Sergio Pettis (10-1, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis.) and up-and-comer Yaotzin Meza (19-9, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.)
In a lightweight matchup, versatile Yves Edwards (42-20, 1NC, fighting out of Austin, TX) vs. submission specialist Piotr Hallman (14-2, fighting out of Gdynia, Poland)
A light heavyweight matchup featuring All-American wrestler Patrick Cummins (4-1, fighting out of Dana Point, Calif.) taking on Francimar Barroso (16-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

Additional bouts will be announced in the weeks to come at UFC.com.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT: HENDERSON vs. KHABILOV, go on sale Friday, April 18 at 10 a.m. MT and are priced at $175, $125, $75 and $50. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, April 9 at 10 a.m. MT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, April 10 starting at 10 a.m. MT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT: HENDERSON vs. KHABILOV will air live on FOX Sports 1 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Saturday, June 7, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC®) is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Beijing, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries to 800+ million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel, best-selling DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit www.UFC.com and follow UFC at www.Facebook.com/UFC and on Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

Former unified light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan is pleased to announce that he has signed a deal to work with influential boxing advisor Al Haymon.

Haymon currently works with a number of leading boxers including Floyd Mayweather, Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia and others.

Speaking on the agreement, Amir Khan said: “I am very happy to have signed with Al Haymon who has not only shown that he is a very astute businessman, but is extremely knowledgeable of the fight game and always has his fighters’ best interests at heart. I’m looking forward to building a long and successful relationship during this exciting stage of my career.”

LONDON (April 15) – BoxNation are delighted to announce another mega bill to its fantastic schedule with the addition of the stacked April 26th Golden Boy Promotions show featuring boxing’s biggest punchers in Keith Thurman, Lucas Matthysse and Omar Figueroa.

The card taking place at the StubHub Center in Carson, California is guaranteed to have fight fans on the edge of their seats with the three hitmen amassing a stunning 69 knockouts from 78 wins between them.

Headlined by rising welterweight star Thurman, who defends his interim WBA championship against the hardened Julio Diaz, who ran British ace Amir Khan very close last year, it offers the 25-year-old the chance to continue his march towards a shot at the world title. “

To headline a show like this against a former world champion is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and that day is here,” said Thurman. “I respect Julio Diaz and I will not underestimate him. He knows that this may be his last shot, and I expect the best from him, but I’ll be the one leaving with the victory.”

“This is a big opportunity for me to face a fighter that is feared by many, but not by me,” said Diaz. “I have been in the ring with far more dangerous and experienced fighters in the past, and everyone knows that I come to fight. My previous opponents Amir Khan and Shawn Porter will tell you that.”

Argentine assassin Matthysse will make his first appearance since his closely contested fight against light-welterweight kingpin Danny Garcia.

Having blasted his way past a host of top names including Lamont Peterson, Mike Dallas Jr and Humberto Soto, the feared puncher will go in against another hard-hitter in 31-year-old John Molina.

“Molina is the kind of fighter I respect and always want to compete against,” said Matthysse. “He shows up to fight and we’re going to give the fans the kind of show they want to see. I don’t think it will last long, but it will be something to see while it does.”

“I’m excited to showcase myself against someone that I consider to be one of the best fighters in the world at 140 pounds,” said Molina. “I am very well prepared to come in on fight night and do what I do best, and that is to be victorious.”

World title action is also set to take place on the card, with WBC lightweight champion Figueroa looking to continue his unbeaten run when he goes up against fellow Texan Jerry Belmontes.

“I am especially excited about this fight because I have wanted to get payback against Belmontes for longer than a decade,” said Figueroa. “I fought him in the amateurs and he always beat me because I was always shorter than him. Now I am taller, stronger and bigger than him and I am looking to beat him the way he beat me in the amateurs.”

“I beat Omar 5 times in the amateurs but it was just that, the amateurs, we were young,” said Belmontes. “We have taken different paths as professionals and finally they cross and we meet again…on April 26, he’ll be beaten…for the 6th time”.

Earlier that evening BoxNation will bring subscribers some top domestic action from Ponds Forge Arena in Sheffield when undefeated heavyweight bruiser Lucas Browne looks to win the vacant Commonwealth title against Canadian Eric Martel Bahoeli.

With 23-year-old Hatton Promotions protégé Adam Etches also taking on Felipe De la Paz Teniente in a 10-round middleweight contest for the WBC Youth world title.

The two big bills join a mammoth lineup of fights on the channel which has exclusive UK rights to Floyd Mayweather’s crunch unification world title clash with Marcos Maidana, plus Bernard Hopkins April 19th fight with Beibut Shumenov and a host of other top world title bouts.

Further good news for BoxNation viewers is that ‘The Channel of Champions’ will also be the only place to see All Access: Mayweather vs. Maidana.

The hit behind-the-scenes show gives a unique insight into both camps as they prepare for the May 3rd bill at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The premiere of All Access: Mayweather vs. Maidana airs this Saturday April 19th at 7pm, with episode two on Sunday 27th April at 7pm and the finale on Saturday May 3rd at 7pm, all free-to-air to Sky TV customers.

BoxNation is available for only £12 a month (plus a one-off registration fee). 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 Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), 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

*Plus £8 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

Philadelphia, PA—Heavyweights Joey Dawejko and Mark Rideout meet over eight rounds—or less—in an all-Philadelphia match on Friday evening, May 16, at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.clip_image010

Topping the seven-bout card is an eight-round between undefeated junior welterweight prospects Naim Nelson, of Philadelphia, and Jerome Rodriguez, of Trenton, NJ.
The seven-bout card program marks the first pro fight card at the 2300 Arena since Jan. 21, 2012, when then-unknown heavyweight prospect Bryant Jennings upset Maurice Byarm in a battle of undefeated Philadelphians to open the NBC Sports Network Fight Night series.
Formerly known as the ECW Arena, the New Alhambra and later the Asylum Arena, the 2300 Arena, located at Swanson & Ritner Streets in South Philadelphia, has undergone renovations and eventually will seat close to 1,700 spectators.
First fight May 16 is set for 7.30p.m. The card is being promoted by Peltz Boxing and BAM Boxing in association with SugarHouse Casino.
Dawejko (right), 23, comes into this fight off the biggest win of his career, an eight-round decision over former contender Derric Rossy, of New York, on Jan. 25 in Atlantic City, NJ.
clip_image012Dawejko is 9-3-2, 3 K0s, but this will be only his fifth fight in Philadelphia since turning pro in 2009.
He has boxed in Canada, California, Illinois and Connecticut, taking fights on short notice for short money. It all seemed pointless until Dawejko’s recent win over Rossy.
“I know Mark from the amateurs and I was able to beat him when we fought,” Dawejko said, “but I know the pros are a different story. I’m looking forward to fighting in my hometown again in front of my fans. It should be a good fight.”
Part of Dawejko’s preparation for the May 16 fight is in Austria, where he was summoned last week to serve as a sparring partner for Waldimir Klitschko, who is defending his world heavyweight championship belts against Alex Leapai, of Samoa, on April 26 in Germany. Lepai is 6-foot tall, short for a heavyweight; Dawejko is 5-foot-10.
Rideout (left), 24, is 4-0-2, 1 K0, since turning pro midway through 2012.
In his last fight Jan. 24 in Atlantic City, Rideout boxed a four-round draw with unbeaten Fred Latham, of Pittsburgh, PA. Ironically, it was 24 hours before Dawejko’s big win over Rossy across town.
“I am excited about the opportunity to get back in action and be in my first eight-rounder,” Rideout said. “My last couple of fights have ended in draws, but not this fight.
“Me and Joey fought in the amateurs and he beat me, but this is the pros and I’m getting this win. I respect all of Joey’s accomplishments as an amateur, but this is my time and it will be a long night for Joey.”
Five additional fights complete the May 16 lineup.

ABOUT MAY 16

The Nelson-Rodriguez and Dawejko-Rideout fights top a seven-bout card at the 2300 Arena. First fight is 7.30 pm. Tickets are priced at $50 and $75 and they are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and they also can be purchased on line at www.peltzboxing.com. The card will be streamed live on the internet by www.gofightlive.tv. The card is being promoted by Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc., and BAM Boxing in association with SugarHouse Casino. The 2300 Arena, formerly known as the New Alhambra, hosted consistent professional boxing from 2004 thru 2012 when it was later known as the Asylum Arena. Boxing cards there have been televised by ESPN 2, CN8, Univision and the NBC Sports Network. Fighters who have boxed there include Danny Garcia, Bronco McKart, Omar Sheika, Demetrius Hopkins, Mike Jones, Teon Kennedy, Bryant Jennings, Gabriel Rosado, Jesus Soto-Karass, Ronald Cruz, Israel “Pito” Cardona and Derek Ennis.

ABOUT SUGARHOUSE CASINO

SugarHouse, which opened in September 2010 as Philly’s casino, features 1,602 slots, up to 58 table games, fun and unique dining options, riverfront views and free on-site parking. The casino employs approximately 1,100 people, and for three consecutive years has been voted a “Best Place to Work” in the Philadelphia Business Journal and a “Top Workplace” from Philly.com. For more information, visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Iron Mike Tyson Promotions won the purse bid to stage the rematch with Rannces Barthelemy and Argenis Mendez for the IBF Jr. Lightweight championship.

Mike Tyson’s promotional company Iron Mike Promotions, which represents Mendez, won the auction with an offer of $260,000. Warriors Boxing, Barthelemy’s promoter, was the only other bidder, offering $251,000.

As the 130-pound world titleholder, Mendez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) is entitled to 75 percent of the winning bid ($195,000) and Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs) will receive the remaining 25 percent ($65,000).

The bout is likely to wind up on Showtime and will be a rematch of their controversial fight on Jan. 3 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Although Barthelemy dominated that fight and dropped Mendez late in the second round, he knocked Mendez out moments later with punches that came just after the bell rang to end the round, which was a foul. However, referee Pete Podgorski counted Mendez out and declared Barthelemy the winner despite having scored the knockout on an accidental foul.

Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions wishes to congratulate his fighter, Afghani-Canadian super featherweight contender Arash Usmanee (20-2-1, 10 KOs) who stepped up in weight on short notice to face WBO #1 ranked Raymundo Beltran (29-6-1, 17 KOs) for the WBO NABO Lightweight title last Saturday night, April 12.

Fighting in the co-main event of the HBO Pay-Per-View card featuring the Timothy Bradley vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Usmanee put in a brave performance against the larger Beltran, but became understandably fatigued as the fight progressed.

Although it was Beltran who was awarded the unanimous decision by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111, Usmanee made many new fans with his courage in taking on a larger man on short notice and hanging in for 12 tough rounds.

“Arash never ceases to amaze me with his toughness,” said Cohen. “How many fighters in the world could step up a weight class on less than a week’s notice and go toe-to-toe for 12 grueling rounds with a top fighter like Ray Beltran?”

With the victory, Beltran earned the right to face unbeaten WBO lightweight titleholder Terence Crawford, while Usmanee will return to his natural weight of 130 lbs and continue to campaign for another shot at the world championship.

“Arash will fight anyone in the world at super featherweight,” continued Cohen. “He beat (top contender) Rances Barthelemy everywhere but the scorecards and had a draw with (current IBF champ) Argenis Mendez. He’s an elite super featherweight and his short-notice foray into the lightweight division, and the guts he showed doing it, only further solidify what a world-class warrior he truly he is. I’m very proud of him and he will be back at 130 lbs very soon.”

ALLENTOWN, PA (APRIL 14, 2014)–On Friday night, April 18, Kings Boxing Promotions will present a big Pro-Am card that will be headlined by rising Jr. Lightweight Frankie DeAlba taking on Israel Suarez in the 8-round main event.

DeAlba of Reading, PA has won 9 consecutive fights and is unbeaten in 13 that has raised his mark to 11-1-2 with 4 knockouts.

During the streak he has defeated two undefeated fighters in Benjamin Burgos and Andrew Bentley. On November 30, he scored a thrilling 4th round stoppage over Osnel Charles. In his last bout, DeAlba is coming off an 8-round unanimous decision over Chazz McDowell on January 25 in Bethlehem, PA.

“My training has gone great. I know a lot of people say this but this really has been my best training to date,”said De Alba

“I just work harder and harder and I am ready to go.”

Suarez of Luguillo, Puerto Rico has a record of 4-3-2 with 1 knockouts.

He has been matched tough as he has faced four undefeated opponents and has wins over Omar Pena (2-0-1) and Fauris Capellan (1-0) and in his last bout he fought a majority draw with highly regarded Frankie Trader (10-1) on February 7.

Despite that modest record, De Alba knows that he could be in a battle with Suarez.

“I know he had a draw with Trader. Trader is a good prospect. Suarez is from Puerto Rico and they are tough fighters. I know it’s going to be a good fight.”

De Alba knows that 2014 is a moving year to get him position for big fights and he is looking forward to the process.

“I know by the end of the year I should be fighting for some small title. I just continue to work hard. I know because my name is getting out there that a lot of fighters want to end my streak.”

By 2015, De Alba will be ready for the big names of the division and has set his sights on a particular former world champion.

“I fight whoever they put in front of me. I see some guys with big records like Juan Manuel Lopez. I know I can beat him but I will continue to fight whoever they want me to fight. I just want to thank my team. My manager Marshall Kauffman and my trainer Anibal Adorno. The hard work will pay off,” finished De Alba

In four round bouts:

Pat Kehoe of Reading, PA will make his pro debut against Shawn Sutton (0-1) of Norristown, PA in a Welterweight bout.

Super Bantamweight bout, Luis Acevedo (0-0-1) of Bethlehem, PA will take on an opponent to be named.

Robert Ramos (1-2, 1 KO) of Allentown, PA will fight Benjamin Burgos (1-6, 1 KO) of Mount Pocono, PA.

Miquel Martinez of Reading, PA will make his pro debut against Danny Lugo (2-6) of Harrisburg, PA in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

In the amateur bouts, there will be five female bouts.

Catarina Lentini of Bethlehem will fight Elizabeth Morris of Pttsville in an 132 lb. bout.

Yesenia Torres of Reading will take on Marissa Mills of New Jersey in a 138 lb. bout.

Jasmin Torres of Reading will square off with Samantha Veresey of Bethlehem in a 138 lb bout.

Kaliah Vasquez of Reading will tangle with Angelita Rodriguez of New Jersey in a 88 lb fight.

Kayla Hracho of Reading will fight Brookes Shilling of New Jersey in a 126 lb fight.

In the lone male fight, Kevin Garcia of Phoenixville will take on Jay Morales of Bethlehem in an 141 lb novice contest.

Tickets for this outstanding evening are $45 and $60 and can be purchased by clicking:

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/ballroom-rumble-tickets-10853508135 or

610 587 5950

Julian Ramirez remained undefeated with an 8-round unanimous decision over Carlos Rodriguez in a Featherweight bout.

Ramirez, 122 1/4 lbs of East Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 11-0. Rodriguez, 122 1/2 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is now 18-14-4.

Jose Arambula scored a six round unanimous decision over David Diaz in a Lightweight bout.

Arambula scored a knockdown in round one from a left to the body. Arambula rocked Diaz again in the 2nd round and was never challenged.

Arambula, 134 1/4 lbs won by scores of 60-53 and 58-55 twice ans is now 7-0. Diaz, 135 1/2 lbs is now 4-1-1.

SAN DIEGO (APRIL 14, 2014)–This Saturday afternoon, Tshifiwa Munyai will step in for Nehomar Cermeno to challenge Scott Quigg for Quigg’s WBA Super Bantamweight title that will be broadcast live on AWE beginning at 3pm eastern / 12 noon pacific.

Boxing fans across the United States can enjoy this world championship bout live via the PlayStation®3 system via the Sony Entertainment Network Live Events Viewer. The price is $9.95 for approximately three hours of world class boxing which includes the Quigg – Cermeno main event. PS3 viewers may subscribe early to the event.

The fight will originate from the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

Quigg of Bury, England is undefeated with a record of 27-0-2 with 20 knockouts and is a 7-year professional.

He won the WBA Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over Santiago Allione. He made 2 defenses of the title before capturing the British title with a 7th round stoppage over Jason Booth. Quigg defended the British crown once and then took on Rendall Munroe for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight title.

That bout ended in a technical draw after a cut to Munroe forced the bout to be halted in the 3rd round. Quigg then scored a 6th round stoppage in the rematch.

In his first defense, Quigg was held to a draw with highly regarded Yoandris Salinas. In his last bout, Quigg dismantled Diego Silva (29-2) in two rounds on November 23, 2013.

Munyai of Makwarela, South Africa has a record of 24-2-1 with 12 knockouts and is ranked number-9 by the WBA.

Munyai went undefeated (16-0-1) in his 1st 17 bouts with some not only some great victories but success in the United Kingdom.

He has captured a plethora of titles such as

He won the British Commonwealth Bantamweight title with a 9th round stoppage over previously undefeated Martin Power (19-0). He defended it by stopping another undefeated Brit in Les Haskins (15-0). He stopped Power in 4 rounds in their rematch.

Munyai is 5-1 with 3 knockouts on British soil. He has four in a row which includes wins Emanuel Quartey (14-1) to win the WBA Pan African Super Bantamweight title and in his last outing he scored an 8th round stoppage over Phumzile Matyhila on September 21, 2013 in Mdantsane, South Africa.

There will be an outstanding undercard that will be headlined by a can’t miss co-feature between lightweights John Murray and Anthony Crolla in a 12-round battle for the WBO Intercontinental Lightweight title. Also in a 12 round bout will be undefeated featherweight John Warrington (16-0, 1 KO) taking on former world title challenger Rendall Munroe (28-4-1). Plus other bouts.

The network is currently available nationally on Verizon FiOS TV channel 169 and 669 in HD, AT&T U-Verse TV channels 470 and 1470 in HD, along with over 100 cable systems across the country and worldwide. The new website for AWE is www.awetv.com

AWE is the premier lifestyle and entertainment network -the destination for exclusive and original programming, simultaneously transmitted in high definition and standard definition. AWE delivers informative shows to its viewers, providing invaluable insights on what every American dreams of – from travel secrets to fast cars, from outrageous homes to live boxing events, and much more. The network fills a television vacuum by delivering intellectually stimulating, thought-provoking entertainment and always-unbiased news from an insider’s perspective.

For more information, please visit www.awetv.com

BOSTON (April 14, 2014) – After an exciting night of fights in Boston on St. Patrick’s Day, Golden Boy Promotions will return to this boxing rich town to team up with Murphy’s Boxing U.S.A and Back East Promotions on Thursday, June 5 with a stacked card at the House of Blues featuring a title defense and a stellar lineup of New England’s top prospects. In the 10-round Golden Boy Live! main event featured on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes, Ontario, Canada’s Logan McGuinness faces one of New England’s finest, Mike “The Machine” Oliver, in a showdown for McGuinness’ NABA Super Featherweight Title.

Plus, unbeaten heavyweight Alexis Santos from Lawrence, Mass. looks to follow up his March 17 stoppage over Sylvester Barron with another big knockout against an opponent to be named in an eight-round bout. Also, in non-televised super middleweight action, Gary O’Sullivan and Mark Deluca will be featured in separate bouts, welterweight Rashidi Ellis and cruiserweight Chris Traietti will face opponents to be named in six-round and eight round bouts respectively. Vinnie Carita will face Boston police officer Tyrone Smith in a rematch following their exciting draw in March.

Fighting out of Orangeville, Ontario, Canada, Logan McGuinness (20-0-1, 9 KOs) is a top Canadian prospect that expects to take his game to the next level in 2014. A professional since 2008, the 26-year-old won the NABA Championship at 126, 130 and 135 pounds. Now he expects to make a run for a world title shot but has to get past the tough Oliver first.

Connecticut southpaw Mike “The Machine” Oliver (26-5-1, 8 KOs) has long thrilled fans in the New England area with his technical boxing skills and ring savvy. The Marine officer owns victories over the likes Gary Stark Jr., Al Seeger and former World Champions Mauricio “Pintoso” Pastrana and Cruz Carbajal. Now, the 34-year-old hopes to give McGuinness a boxing lesson on June 5.

One of the best big men to emerge from New England since former Heavyweight World Champion John Ruiz, 24-year-old Alexis Santos (13-0, 11 KOs) looks to be on his way to big things in boxing’s glamour division. A professional since 2009, Santos has ended six of his knockout victories in a single round and with his power and determination he is ready for whoever steps up to fight him.

Cork, Ireland’s Gary O’Sullivan (16-1, 10 KOs) got a late start in the professional game, but as an Irish and former WBO International Champion, he’s making up for lost time in rapid-fire fashion as he hopes to follow in the footsteps of Steve Collins as a world titleholder.

Quincy native Mark “The Italian Bazooka” DeLuca (9-0, 6 KOs) isn’t just a promising up and comer, but a rising star as a trainer in the New England area as well. Owner of five wins in two rounds or less, the 26-year-old power puncher will be bringing the heat on June 5.

Unbeaten in his first five professional bouts, Lynn’s Rashidi Ellis (5-0, 3 KOs) is a 20-year-old phenom with “star” written all over him. Flashy, fast and powerful, Ellis makes every fight look like a main event showcase.

Quincy’s Chris Traietti (16-3, 12 KOs) is a veteran of the Iraq war and will showcase his fighting spirit in the ring on June 5. Winner of eight of his last nine bouts, with the only loss coming against former world title challenger Edwin Rodriguez, the popular 28-year-old is looking forward to performing for Boston fans once again.

Twenty-nine-year-old Vinnie “Kid Sal” Carita (9-1-1, 9 KOs) is another fan favorite in the Boston area and with all nine of his professional wins coming by knockout, that’s no surprise. Carita will be seeking to set the record straight when he faces Boston police officer Tyrone Smith (5-8-3, 2 KOs) as they face off for the second time in four months.

Tickets, priced at $150 (reserved seating), $100 (reserved seating) and $45 (general admission) are on sale now and are available for purchase at the House of Blues Box Office, the Orpheum Theater box office or online at http://m.concerts.livenation.com/event/01004C389CC1B5BE, www.murphysboxingusa.com or www.backeastpromotions.com.

McGuinness vs. Oliver, a 10-round bout for McGuinness’ NABA Super Featherweight Title, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Murphy’s Boxing U.S.A. and Back East Promotions and is sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Mohegan Sun and EchoStor. The House of Blues doors open at 5:00 p.m. ET and the first fight starts at 5:30 p.m. ET. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.murphysboxingusa.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/murphysboxing, www.twitter.com/HOBBoston, www.twitter.com/dropkickmurphys, www.twitter.com/kendkm, follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page. Also, visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visit FOXSports.com and become a follower on @FOXSports1 and @FOXDeportes.

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (April 14, 2014) – Sensational 18-year-old welterweight prospect Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin (4-0, 4 KOs) and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Yudel Jhonson (14-1, 9 KOs) will provide chief support this Friday evening, April 18, in separate bouts on “Pittsburgh Power,” presented by Iron Mike Productions (IMP), at Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville, Pa.

Hall of Fame boxer and president of IMP, “Iron” Mike Tyson, who fought 17 times on SHOWTIME®, will make his return to the network in a new capacity as the promotion makes its debut on the network. Three of IMP’s most highly regarded unbeaten fighters will be showcased in a live tripleheader airing on ShoBox: The New Generation (SHOWTIME, 10:45 ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Explosive Cuban southpaw Alexei “The Hurricane” Collado (18-0, 16 KOs), of Miami, Fla., by way Cork, Ireland, and Havana, Cuba, faces Pittsburgh-area crowd favorite “Lightning” Rod Salka (18-3, 3 KOs), of Bunola, Pa., in the 10-round main event for the vacant WBC Interim FECARBOX title.

Slick southpaw and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz (14-0, 8 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., by way of Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic meets Emmanuel Lartey (15-1-1, 7 KOs), of Brooklyn by way of Ghana, in an eight-round co-feature for the vacant WBC FECARBOX welterweight championship.

Local favorite and Iraq War veteran Sammy Vasquez, Jr. (13-0, 9 KOs), of Monesson, Pa., makes his IMP debut against fellow unbeaten Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez, Jr. (11-0, 5 KOs), of Union City, N.J., in an eight-round welterweight bout opening the broadcast.

Lubin, arguably the best teenage professional boxer in the world, was considered Team USA’s No. 1 overall prospect for the 2016 Olympics prior to him signing a promotional contract with Iron Mike Productions last October 1 on his 18th birthday. The multi-talented southpaw, who was the 2012 National PAL Champion, has knocked out all four of his opponents as a professional. He faces the toughest test of his young pro career in his first scheduled six-round fight against Mexican invader Jovan “Negrito” Ramirez (3-1, 1 KO). In his last fight, Ramirez suffered the first loss of his career to former world light middleweight champion Joachim Alcine.

Cuban-born Jhonson, fighting out of Miami, squares-off against Lenwood Dozier (9-5-1, 4 KOs), of Glen Burnie, Maryland, in an eight-round junior middleweight fight that has future world title fight implications for the gifted Cuban.

Another highly decorated amateur in the IMP stable, undefeated super featherweight Albert “Prince” Bell (3-0, 1 KO) will seeks revenge against Micah Branch (2-9-1) in a four-round match. Branch defeated Ohio native Bell, who now lives in Miami, as an amateur.

Also fighting on the undercard in a four-round bout is local favorite junior middleweight Andreas Kamouyerov, of Vemetia, Pa., versus New Jersey junior middleweight Malik Jackson (0-2-2).

Another heralded, undefeated prospect in action will be Cleveland lightweight Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. an opponent to be determined in another four-rounder. Martin is promoted by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s SMS Promotions. 50 Cent is expected to be in attendance.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets are on sale and priced $250.00 VIP ringside (includes meet-and-greet with Mike Tyson), $100.00 ringside, $75.00 reserved and $35.00 general admission (plus fees) and available to purchase at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/shobox-the-new-generation-tickets-11033903703?aff=es2&rank=11&sid=8d2f3f59b37a11e38be122000a9f3045

For more information visit www.IronMikeProductions.com, www.sho.com/sports, follow on twitter at@IronMikeProd,@shosports, follow the conversation using#ShoBoxor become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/IronMikeProductions.Officialandwww.facebook.com/ShoBoxing.

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Mateusz Masternak (32-1, 23 KOs) put on a dominant display in Esbjerg, Denmark on Saturday night to earn a unanimous decision victory over Stjepan Vugdelija (8-3, 7 KOs).

‘The Master’ took control from the first bell and stayed on top throughout the eight-round contest. Vugdelijia absorbed a lot of punishment without reply but was able to last the distance.

The judges scored the fight 80-72, 80-72 and 80-70, all in favour of the Polish cruiserweight.