NEW JERSEY (February 25, 2014) – Gary Shaw Production’s super-lightweight contender and Puerto Rican star, Thomas Dulorme (20-1, 14 KOs), who’s ranked WBA # 3, IBF # 5, WBC # 6, and WBO # 14, will battle WBO # 6 and WBC # 11 rated contender, Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (18-0-1, 11 KOs) battle for the NABF Super-Lightweight title. The 10-round bout will take place at the Boardwalk Hall (The Ballroom) in Atlantic City, New Jersey, March 29 on the undercard of Sergey Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Cedric Agnew (26-0, 13 KOs). The event will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Dulorme is coming into the bout riding a 4-fight winning streak. Since moving from welterweight to super-lightweight, Dulorme feels he’s more powerful and will look to bring that power to Mayfield.

“I know I made the right move coming down from 147 lbs. to 140 lbs.” said Dulorme. “My punches carry a lot more pop now and I’m making the weight with no problems. I feel most comfortable at super-lightweight. I know Mayfield has power so I will be fully prepared for his awkward style. A fight like this is what the fans deserve. My goal is to bring a victory back to Puerto Rico. Mayfield is in danger.”

“Dulorme is coming to show the world he’s got the talent to be something special in this sport and Mayfield is no walk in the park,” promoter Gary Shaw stated. “Dulorme’s very comfortable at 140 pounds and I expect him to be in great shape for this fight. I know if he’s focused he’ll come out on top.”

Mayfield, known for having a unique style, has knocked out four of his last six opponents. His ability to punch heavily with both hands makes him a difficult foe for any fighter. He’ll be looking to take the fight to Dulorme.

“My style is to always go for the knockout and wear down my opponent,” Mayfield said. “I’ve seen Dulorme fight and he’s got good skills but I’m a whole different animal. He’s going to have to withstand my hard hitting style, which is not easy to do. I believe if I can catch him with a good shot on his chin, he’s going down.”

Having seen both fighters up close, promoter Gary Shaw feels this fight is going to have a lot of action.

“Both Dulorme and Mayfield have special talents that they bring to the ring,” said Gary Shaw. “Dulorme is an excellent boxer, with a great jab, while Mayfield has a rough house awkward style. The two of them have good power, and both chins will be tested. I think it’s going to come down to who wants it more which makes for a great night of boxing. This is certainly a fan friendly fight, one everyone should be tuning into.”

Bethlehem, PA: Last November veteran Tomasz “Goral” Adamek (49-2-0, 29 KOs) was scheduled to take on the up-and-coming Ukrainian 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (16-0-1, 11 KOs) at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY when Adamek fell ill and had to pull out just days before the fight. Czar went on to face Garrett Wilson at Turning Stone and won via unanimous decision in ten rounds. Now on March 15, 2014 the much anticipated fight between the veteran Adamek and the young challenger, Adamek’s former sparring partner, Glazkov will finally take place at Sands Resort and Casino in Bethlehem, PA and will be aired on NBCSN Fight Night starting at 9:00 PM ET. The fight represents a crossroads for both fighters: Adamek, 37, is facing questions about whether or not he is entering the twilight of his career and the undefeated Glazkov, 29, is taking on his first real challenge in the heavyweight division. The fight will be Adamek’s second defense of his IBF North American heavyweight title and an eliminator for the #2 position in the IBF heavyweight ratings .

This is not the first time a seasoned veteran has taken on a young hot shot. There have been some classic veteran vs. newbie boxing battles where the veteran has prevailed: Roberto Duran vs. Davey Moore, Sergio Martinez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Saul Alvarez just to name a few. And Tomasz certainly has experience on his side, in over fifty professional career fights he has only lost twice in his career, a tenth round knockout loss to Vitali Klitschko on September 10, 2011 and a unanimous decision loss to Chad Dawson on February 3, 2007.

According to Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva, “Everyone always seems to forget that Tomasz only has two career losses. He is a seasoned veteran and always seems to manage to find a way to win.” When Tomasz spoke about his professional experience when compared to Glazkov he said, “I am sure my experience is an advantage because I spent since 1999 in the ring professionally. But just because I have more experience doesn’t mean it is so big I don’t need nothing. I am training very hard. We have a big camp and I am going to ready 100%.”

Because of the cancellation of the November fight, Adamek has not fought since his August 3, 2013 unanimous decision win over Dominick Guinn at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT – a seven and a half month layoff rivaling the seven and a half months between the August 3rd fight and Adamek’s split-decision victory over Steve Cunningham on December 22, 2012. So much time out of the ring is uncharacteristic of Adamek; however, his trainer, Roger Bloodworth, does not think the longer breaks are significant: “I don’t see a difference in Tomasz because of the time off. I think people make too much of having time off between fights, he is as focused as I have ever seen him.”

Adamek gained another advantage by watching Glazkov’s fight against his replacement Garrett Wilson. He said, “I watched the last fight, but the last opponent wasn’t Tomasz Adamek, he was a different fighter, you can’t compare that opponent to me. When Tomasz gets in the ring it’s a different fight. You will see on March 15. I am going to show my class.” Also as former sparring partners both men know a little more about each other’s style than they could learn simply by studying fight film. Tomasz added, “I sparred with Glazkov, but sparring is just sparring. Verification is always in the ring. You can spar with somebody for two years and when you go into the ring it can be a different story. Sparring is sparring, training is training, but the fight is the fight.”

“Goral” has a large Polish following both here and overseas and, despite the fact that he considers New Jersey his adopted home, he should still have the hometown advantage just over the river at Sands. Tickets are nearly sold out so expect a packed house to watch this long-awaited showdown.

About March 15th:

The March 15th edition of NBCSN Fight Night at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem features the twelve-round heavyweight match-up between Tomasz “Goral” Adamek and Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov for the IBF North American Heavyweight Title and IBF #2 Position Eliminator.

The Co-Feature is a ten round light heavyweight match-up between Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba and Denis “The Pirate/Drago’s Son” Grachev.

Doors open at 6:00 PM ET. The Co-Feature and Main Event will be broadcast live on NBCSN Fight Night at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT.

Tickets start at $55 and are available through TicketMaster.com (key word: Peltz Boxing). The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Ziggy Promotions, and Pushka Promotions in association with BAM Boxing and Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. The remaining undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

NBC Sports Live Extra:
NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on March 15th.
Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

All NBC Sports Network live events live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

London (25 February) Gevorg Khatchikian believes he is the only winner when he faces James DeGale MBE for the WBC Silver super middleweight title at the City Academy, Bristol, on March 1st, live on Channel 5.

The Netherlands based, undefeated, Khatchikian is ready to do his talking in the ring and feels DeGale is “lacking the toughness required” for professional boxing.

“I’m not a big talker, I really only want to do my talking when in the ring,” Khatchikian said.

“I am looking forward to a nice fight, in which there will be only one winner and that’s me!”

Katchikian boasts an impressive 20-0 record and is the number one ranked fighter in the Netherlands.

A former IBO Youth champion, Gevorg is unimpressed by the amateur pedigree of 2008 Beijing Olympic Gold medallist, DeGale, and firmly believes he will be victorious when they meet in the ring.

“He can box well, but he is lacking the toughness required for professional boxing,” Khatchikian said.

“I know James DeGale since 2008, when he was gifted his Olympic Gold medal with one of the worst decisions in boxing history.”

Khatchikian meets WBC Silver champion and former British and European champion DeGale ahead of James’ WBC sanctioned final eliminator against Mayweather promoted Badou Jack.

Also scheduled to fight on the March 1st show is Bristol’s own British bantamweight champion Lee Haskins and a whole host of talent, including local Bristol fighters Lee Nutland, Ashley Lane, Dan Sarkozi and Weston Super-Mare’s Liam Hunt in his professional debut.

Ticket Information

Tickets for March 1st are priced from £35 and are available to purchase from the following box office today:

Sanigar Events box office: 0117 949 66 99

Weigh in details

Media and public: Friday 28 February

Weigh-in Venue: Cabot Circus, Glass House, Bristol, BS1 3BX

Time: 3.30pm for 4.00pm start

Weighing in:

WBC Silver super middleweight champion
James DeGale MBE
Undefeated former IBO Youth champion
Gevorg Khatchikian
&
British Bantamweight champion
Lee Haskins
PLUS A SELECTION OF UNDERCARD FIGHTERS

All participants will be available for one on one interviews and photo opportunities.

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS
For more information on Channel 5, Maximuscle, Liquid and Hennessy Sports:

London (25 February) Liam Hunt is looking to please the crowd on a “massive occasion” at the City Academy, Bristol, on March 1st.

The Weston-super-Mare middleweight, Hunt, is scheduled to make his professional debut and is hoping he can emulate his amateur success in the pro ranks.

“This is a massive occasion for me,” Liam said.

“I had a short but very successful amateur career and I want to translate that over to the professional game.

“I like to fight in close and please the crowd and it will be great to make my debut on the undercard of a future world champion in James DeGale.”

Hunt fights on 2008 Beijing Olympic Gold Medallist, DeGale’s, undercard as he defends WBC SIlver super middleweight title defence against undefeated former IBO Youth champion Gevorg Katchikian.

DeGale meets Katchikian, who boasts a perfect record of 20-0, ahead of his WBC sanctioned final eliminator against Floyd Mayweather promoted Badou Jack.

Also scheduled to fight on the March 1st show is Bristol’s own British bantamweight champion Lee Haskins and a whole host of talent, including local Bristol fighters Dan Sarkozi, Lee Nutland and Ashley Lane in his professional debut.

Ticket Information

Tickets for March 1st are priced from £35 and are available to purchase from the following box office today:

Sanigar Events box office: 0117 949 66 99

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS
For more information on Channel 5, Maximuscle, Liquid and Hennessy Sp

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

SAN DIEGO — (Feb. 25, 2014) – Several dozen television camera crews, newspapers and web reporters, photographers, (video) bloggers and fans were on hand to watch popular former WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez during his media workout at House of Boxing on Tuesday in San Diego.

With Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya looking on, Canelo worked out for a little over an hour. He shadow-boxed, hit the mitts, did calisthenics, worked the speed bag, smacked the heavy bag, did stretching exercises, posed for photos, signed autographs and conducted copious amounts of interviews, some in groups and others one-on-one, as traditional Mexican music blared in the background.

“I want to thank everyone for coming out today,” said the humble yet confident Canelo (42-1-1, 30 KOs), who leaves Southern California for Las Vegas on Monday. His showdown against Mexican compatriot Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs) will take place Saturday, March 8, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT). “I am very thankful and appreciative to all of the media and fans here. They provide me with my motivation.”

In three world title fights on the PPV undercard, undefeated two-division world champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight title against former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KOs); unbeaten Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr. (24-0-1, 17 KOs) will risk his WBC Lightweight Title against Canelo’s brother Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KOs) and “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs).

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $600, $400, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Below is what Canelo, his manager Eddie Reynoso, his trainer Chepo Reynoso and Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya said Tuesday:

CANELO ALVAREZ

(“What are your thoughts on what figures to be a slugfest with Angulo?)

“There are hard fights and there are difficult fights; this is going to be a very hard fight, a grueling fight. I know Angulo is training like he never has before.”

(If victorious, who do you want to fight next?)

“I am not thinking of any other fighter or any future fight. My only focus is on Angulo and March 8. This is a really tough fight and it is the only fight I think about.”

(How is this camp different than your past camps, or is it different at all?)

“I learned a lot from the Mayweather fight, not only physically, but mentally. It was a great learning experience. This camp may not look that different, but I’ve been applying everything I learned into this camp and trying to refine some of the things I do.”

(How have you managed to handle the media scrutiny throughout your career?)

“I don’t think about it. This performance is going to regain everybody’s confidence in me.”

(Did you ever think you’d reach these heights as a professional fighter?)

“No, never. I always just tried to be the best fighter I could be, the best in the world. All of this notoriety and popularity is a plus but I’m just a normal person trying to succeed and reach my goal.”

(Is Angulo made to order?)

“His style is one that I enjoy because I know he loves to trade punches so I won’t have to go looking for him.”

(Do you consider yourself a superstar?)

“I do not and would never consider myself a superstar. I leave that up to the fans and media to decide.”

(Any advice for fighters coming up?)

“Work hard and stay in the gym. If you stay disciplined, good things will happen.”

(Is there a fighter you’ve faced that reminds you of Angulo?)
“I think that if I had to name one fighter it would be Carlos Baldomir, because I fought him when I was so young and he was so strong at that point in his career.”

(Is it important for you to win by knockout, or just to come out victorious on March 8?)

“I never go into a fight looking for a knockout. I just want to win convincingly, although there’s no doubt our styles will make for an exciting fight.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Golden Boy Promotions President

“I’m very excited about this whole event and, of course, especially the main event. It’s going to be an exciting fight, a helluva fight. It’s going to be a shootout.

“With two Mexican warriors in the ring, you may go in with a game plan, but once one of them gets hit, well, Viva Mexico. It’ll be bombs away.

“You really don’t want to miss this event. From top to bottom, there are great, action-packed fights. Last year I thought we put on the most exciting fights and we’re continuing that with our first pay-per-event in 2014.

“I want to thank the fans for all their support and for supporting Golden Boy Boxing.”

CHEPO REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager

“It’s going to be a very interesting fight because the styles complement each other. Angulo is an aggressive fighter who comes forward. That’s the tailor-made style for Canelo to make a very exciting fight.”

EDDIE REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer

“It’s going to be a hard fight. We’re up against a very strong fighter in Angulo and that’s why we’ve been training so hard.

“Training has been going very well. We’ve been training very hard and effectively and that’s why we expect to have Canelo get his hand raised on March 8.”

# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, Two-Division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against former Three-Time World Champion Cristian Mijares exciting young star Omar Figueroa will risk his WBC Lightweight Title against Canelo’s brother Ricardo Alvarez and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. This event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @elperro82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @OmarFigueroaJr, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @FutureOfBoxing, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

New York, NY (2/25/14) – Top-rated middleweight contender Matthew Macklin is getting a bit tired and frustrated, to say the least, on waiting to hear what direction IBF middleweight champion Felix Sturm is heading for his next bout. Macklin and Sturm’s well documented and publicized history dates back to their first bout, which took place in Sturm’s home country of Germany in 2011. The bout was Macklin’s first world title opportunity and the Irishman made the most of it. Macklin took the fight right to the hometown hero Sturm, who was defending his title for the 10th consecutive time. It was a grueling battle, with Macklin seemingly having the clear advantage after the 12-round championship bout. CompuBox had Macklin averaging 92 punches thrown per round, doubling Sturm’s output. Macklin also landed 127 more punches and outlanded Sturm in 11 of the 12 rounds. Unfortunately though, two of the three judges didn’t see the fight that way, awarding Sturm a split decision and leaving Macklin longing for another shot at the champ.

After Sturm stopped Darren Barker last year to reclaim a piece of the middleweight crown, Macklin and Sturm immediately began trading verbal jabs on Twitter and the long awaited and highly anticipated rematch seemed to be a sure thing. Macklin spoke to promoter Lou DiBella and advisor Anthony Catanzaro and instructed them to make the fight at any and all costs. Macklin began training, anticipating the fight would happen sometime in the near future. Unfortunately though, he continues to wait on the German titlist.

“We met all of his demands, yet he still won’t move forward with the fight,” stated an agitated Macklin. “We agreed to fight him in his backyard for not much money at all. In fact, the purse was less than what I received against Lamar Russ. The money isn’t what matters though. I just want the opportunity to show the world who the better fighter is. I know that I beat him in our first fight and I know that I will beat him again. I believed Sturm to be a great champion and a great warrior, and with everything that was said after our first fight, we felt that he would want this challenge. We are absolutely shocked that he continues to delay and not just come out and accept the fight. We accepted all of his terms, so what is his excuse? We realize that he has made an offer to fight Murray, but I want to publicly come out and say that if Murray doesn’t accept the offer thenwe are ready, willing and able to make this fight happen right now! I know that I won the first fight, but I will assure him that if he gives me the opportunity for this second bout, which I know that I will win again, I will promise to give him an immediate rematch. The ball is in your court Felix. Be the great champion that you say you are and give me, and the fans, the fight they want to see.”

BOLTON (Feb. 25) – Official statement from Amir Khan following the official announcement confirming that Marcos Maidana will fight Floyd Mayweather on Saturday 3rd May.

“Following the announcement by Floyd Mayweather that he will be facing Marcos Maidana on May 3rd I would like to clarify my situation for my fans and members of the media.

“Despite having signed my part of the agreement to fight Floyd in early December, I’ve been preparing myself for some time that the match up with him wasn’t going to happen, as I announced on Twitter a few days ago. Therefore, this announcement did not come as a surprise.

“I am, however, very disappointed with Floyd and his team for not providing any explanation as to why he delayed the announcement for so long and ultimately avoided the fight with me.

“Clarification, if he was not fighting me, would have allowed me to look over my options and pursue another path, rather than the ultimate delay to my career this has caused.

“It has been a very frustrating period as I’d been due to fight in December against Devon Alexander, however, I was strongly advised to not take this fight as I would be facing Floyd this May – and therefore signed my side of the contract on this belief.

“Floyd was keen to engage with the fans and so decided to let them choose who he should fight in his next bout. I clearly won his official poll, by a significant margin, but for unknown reasons he decided to ignore the fans vote and failed to keep his word. Disappointing many fight fans who took the time to vote.

“I genuinely wish Marcos and Floyd all the best for their fight – two great fighters. As a team we have now moved on and are looking at different options.

“I’ve been training very hard since my last fight. I’m a fighter who wants to face the very best out there and have never ducked any opponent.

“I’m focused and ready for my next outing – we currently have a few options on the table at the moment and my team are working alongside Golden Boy Promotions to announce my next fight within the next 10 days.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring and am determined to put on a great show for my loyal fans who have waited a long time to see me back in action – and I’m very excited about what’s yet to come this year. Thank you for all your continued support.”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 25th, 2014) – For years, Hank Lundy has been a promoter’s dream, a throwback fighter willing to fight anyone, anywhere at any given time regardless of the risk involved.

In football, he’d be your prototypical gunslinger quarterback, the fearless, yet gifted, pocket-passer unafraid to launch it down the field into triple coverage.

With no risk, there’s no reward, and Lundy (24-3-1, 11 KOs) is living proof. This past weekend, the 30-year-old Philadelphia lightweight took another gamble, dropping back down to 135 pounds and traveling to Don King’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, to face one of King’s young prospects on a card promoted by King himself in front of a worldwide audience on Showtime’s ShoBox: The Next Generation.

Not only did Lundy steal the spotlight, he won convincingly, beating Angelo Santana from start to finish in a decisive, 98-91, victory on all three judges’ scorecards.

As Lundy inches closer to his dream of challenging for, and winning, a world title, he can no longer be the relentless daredevil who long ago earned the reputation as one of boxing’s most prolific road warriors. There’s more at stake now than ever before, and Lundy is plotting his next move carefully, knowing full well his latest opportunity could be the biggest of his career.

Having proved himself time and time again in the face of adversity, it’s world title or bust in 2014, and “Hammerin’” Hank is on the brink of championship glory.

“If it’s not a world title, I’m not trying to hear it,” said Lundy, who entered last weekend’s fight ranked No. 13 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) and 10th in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) at 140 pounds, where he fought his last two fights prior to Friday.

“Before, I took any and every fight, but now I’m trying to be smart. Right now, I want that world title. I’ve paid my dues. I need my shot.”

Though Lundy mentioned the possibility of a keep-busy fight on ESPN in April, it wouldn’t be a surprise if his next fight were for a coveted world championship, most likely back at 135 pounds, where he’s had the majority of his success since bursting onto the scene in 2010. And while he’d still like a shot at former 140-pound world-title holder Lucas Mattyhysse, a fight that fell apart in January due to Lundy’s legal issues with his former manager – “I’ll still beat him badly,” Lundy said – a more realistic option might be World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion Richar Abril, whom Lundy beat in 2010 before Abril won the title.

“We should do it again, this time for a world title,” Lundy said.

“At 135, it doesn’t matter who it is. If you’re a champ, whether it’s the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO [World Boxing Organization], I want you. I’m in line. It’s my time.”

Having fought – and won – so many fights in his opponents’ backyards, including nationally-televised wins over Omri Lowther in Montreal and former world champ David Diaz in Chicago, Lundy has become one of the sport’s most avoided fighters in the lightweight division. His bout against Jeremy Bryan scheduled for mid-October fell apart last year when Bryan withdrew due to a back injury less than three weeks before the fight and another proposed showdown on HBO against Karim Mayfield – a bout Lundy claims was a “done deal” on his side – was mysteriously pulled from the table, prompting Lundy to question whether or not Mayfield had the courage to fight him.

“I’m a problem. There’s no answer for the ‘Hammer,’” Lundy said. “To get ready for the ‘Hammer,’ you’ve got to have five or six, maybe seven, guys just to prepare for a fight with me. I’m not one-dimensional, baby. I can do it all!”

For his next trick, Lundy might bring a championship belt back to Philadelphia, a city synonymous with boxing greatness dating all the way back to 1905 when Jack O’Brien defeated Bobby Fitzsimmons for the world light heavyweight championship. The tradition has continued through the years with all-time greats such as Tim Witherspoon, Joe Frazier and current world-title holder Bernard Hopkins, the ageless wonder still dominating the light heavyweight circuit at 49. If all goes well in 2014, Lundy could write his own chapter in the rich history of Philadelphia boxing.

“At the end of the day, I’m searching for a world title, and that should be my next fight,” Lundy said.

“I’ve fought everybody they put in front of me. Santana, he was 14-1 with 11 big knockouts, and he tried to do the same to me, but I had other plans. I showed the world again what ‘Hammerin’ Hank’ is all about. I knew I could outbox this guy and I went out there and dominated.

“I had so much going on in my career before, but now all my focus is on fighting, so that’s what you’re seeing – ‘Hammerin’ Hank fighting and getting the job done. You know me. It doesn’t matter who it is, or where I go. I put my bundle on my stick and I go out there and fight!”

Chicago, IL (February 25, 2014) Chicago based middleweight contender Donatas Bondorovas wrapped up training on Monday in preparation for the first round of ESPN’s “Boxcino 2014” this Friday night, FEBRUARY 28, at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana.

Presented by Chicago’s promotional powerhouses; Hitz Boxing and Round 3 Productions along with Philadelphia based titan Banner Promotions, “Boxcino 2014”, the single elimination eight-man middleweight tournament headlines ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.

“I’m very excited about competing in the middleweight tournament” Bondorovas, 18-4-1 (6KO’s), a native Lithuania. “This provides a great opportunity for me to show how good I am.”‘

In the first round, with each of the four bouts scheduled for six rounds, Bondorovas will face off with Ithaca, New York’s Willie Monroe Jr.,
15-1-0 (6KO’s).

“This is a terrific opportunity for Donatas, he had the disappointing fight against Bryan Vera last March and I know he feels that this is an opportunity for redemption,” said Bobby Hitz of Hitz Boxing.

On March 29, 2013, Bondorovas challenged Vera in a scheduled ten round clash telecast on ESPN Friday Night Fights. Winning the fight through seven, Bondorovas’ opportunity at victory was halted as the referee mistakenly believed he could not continue from a cut resulting from a clash of heads in the previous round.

“I’d love a rematch with Vera to prove I’m the better fighter,” said Bondorovas. “But he’s fighting at super middleweight now and I would like to stay at middleweight or even move down to junior middleweight in the future.” Vera is rematching former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. this Saturday, MARCH 1 in the super middleweight division.

About his upcoming fight against Monroe, Bondorovas stated, “I’ve watched some of him on YouTube. I watched his style and I’m confident I can beat him. With it being only six rounds I’ll need to start quickly and fight every second of each round.”

The clash against Monroe will be Bondorovas’ tenth bout in Chicago where he is undefeated, most recently winning a shutout decision over Skyler Thompson on September 13, 2013 at the Horseshoe Casino.

Monroe enters the battle riding a five bout-winning streak which includes four starts in 2013.

Advance tickets for ESPN Friday Night Fights, are available online through www.Ticketmaster.com. Doors on the evening of the event will open at 7:00 p.m. CT.

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 which 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.

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.

Sherman Oaks, CA (February 25, 2014) Former world title challenger Vanes “The Nightmare” Martirosyan will have a new foe replacing Luciano Cuello in his bout titled “HOMEWARD BOUND” on Friday, MARCH 21 as hard-hitting Mexican Mario “Aguila” Lozano now enters the ring in the WBO Intercontinental 10-round Championship main event of an ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California, and promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.

“Lozano brings the ability to end a fight with one punch,” said Dan Goossen, President and Founder of Goossen Tutor Promotions. “With 21 of his 27 victories by knockout, you know he will be trying to add Vanes to his KO victims list.”

Just 27-years-old the Armenian born Martirosyan, 32-1-1 (20 KO’s), a native of Glendale, California is returning to action following his WBO Junior Middleweight Title challenge against undefeated, top rated contender Demetrius Andrade on November 9, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas. Despite dropping Andrade for the first time in his career in the opening round, the hard-hitting 2004 U.S. Olympian lost a very competitive 12-round split decision in a bout telecast on HBO.

Winner of nine of his previous 10 bouts (6 by KO), the 26-year-old Lozano, 27-4-0 (21 KO’s), of Chihuahua, Mexico, clashed with hometown favorite Charles Hatley on November 7, 2013 in Dallas, Texas in his most recent start.

Also dropping his Texas based foe in the first stanza, Lozano appeared to win a clear 12-round decision, outworking Hatley throughout the battle. However, all three local judges awarded a highly unpopular decision and the WBC United States Junior Middleweight Title to the Dallas native.

The co-featured televised bout and full undercard will be announced shortly.

The March 21 event will be in held in the Morongo Ballroom, which is located at 49500 Seminole Dr. in Cabazon, California just off Interstate 10. Doors on the night of the event will open at 3:30 p.m. PT with the first bell at 4:30 p.m. PT. The show will air live at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates and also available via the WatchESPN app.

For more information, follow Dan Goossen/Goossen Tutor on Twitter @DanGoossen, @GoossenTutor and Vanes Martirosyan @VanesBoxing.

About Morongo Casino Resort & Spa:

Morongo (morongocasinoresort.com) is the premier gaming resort in California. Located in Cabazon, California, in the scenic Coachella Valley, Morongo is a prime getaway for residents of Orange County, Ontario, Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Los Angeles. Earning the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award for nine consecutive years, Morongo offers 310 well-appointed rooms and suites, a 150,000 sq. ft. casino floor, ten restaurants and lounges and continuous world-class entertainment offerings. One of the largest tribal gaming facilities in the country Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is owned and operated by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 24, 2014) – After weeks of speculation, including feedback from fans across an array of social media platforms, boxing’s pound-for-pound superstar, pay-per-view king and WBC Welterweight World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather will face the dangerous, power-punching WBA Welterweight World Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana on Saturday, May 3, live on SHOWTIME PPV.

Mayweather vs. Maidana, a 12-round world championship unification bout for Mayweather and Maidana’s respective 147-pound titles, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV and is the third fight of a lucrative six-fight deal with Showtime Networks Inc.

Mayweather vs. Maidana will pit the brilliance of Mayweather against the power of the Argentine slugger.

Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs), undeniably the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter and a 10-time world champion, is coming off of a spectacular 2013 in which he continued to display his ring prowess with dominating victories over Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez. In Maidana, Mayweather is arguably facing the most demanding and troublesome opponent of his heralded, 17-year Hall Of Fame career.

“Marcos Maidana’s last performance immediately brought him to my attention,” said Mayweather, who celebrates his 37th birthday today. “He is an extremely skilled fighter who brings knockout danger to the ring. I think this is a great fight for me and he deserves the opportunity to see if he can do what 45 others have tried to do before him – beat me.”

Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs), of Margarita, Santa Fe, Argentina, captured the attention of boxing and sports fans around the world with his thorough defeat of the highly regarded and undefeated Adrien Broner on Dec. 14, 2013. The 30-year-old impressively dominated Broner from the opening bell and registered two knockdowns against the three-time world champion. Maidana connected with a punishing 231 power punches in the bout en route to a unanimous decision by margins of 117-109, 115-109 and 115-110.

The resounding victory over the heavily favored Broner was the fourth in a row for the crowd-pleasing, offensive-minded Maidana. A former WBA 140-pound world champion, Maidana’s hard-charging, aggressive style has earned him knockouts in 82 percent of his wins. The remarkable ratio of knockouts ties the late Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo for the highest knockout percentage of any Mayweather opponent to date and is one of the highest of any current fighter at the world-class level.

“I am extremely happy to be facing Floyd Mayweather because it will give me the opportunity to show the world that I am the best welterweight in the division,” said Maidana, who will represent throngs of Hispanic boxing fans on Cinco de Mayo when he faces the pound-for-pound king. “I just handed a great defensive fighter his first loss and I plan to do the same to Mayweather. I don’t care whether he’s the best and undefeated. I will bring some real Latino power to him on May 3rd.”

“This is an extremely dangerous fight for Floyd as Marcos Maidana is a technical knock-out artist and continues to show us that he gets better with each fight,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Maidana showed so much in his last performance, he’s clearly at the top of his game and a great match-up for Floyd.”

Mayweather set in motion a flurry of online polls following a message posted to his Twitter and Instagram accounts (@floydmayweather) on Sunday, Feb. 2 asking fans to voice their opinion on his next opponent. Through the accumulation of more than 100,000 votes on the various online polls, more than 100,000 comments on Mayweather’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as nonstop fan Tweets, Mayweather saw an overwhelming majority favor Maidana.

“In Marcos Maidana, Floyd Mayweather may be in for his toughest opponent ever,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Maidana is the type of fighter who will find out if Floyd still belongs on top of the pound-for-pound list. He’s strong, tough and aggressive. He in giving Adrien Broner his first loss, he showed that he won’t be intimidated by talk, a big fight atmosphere or an unbeaten record. I give Floyd a lot of credit for stepping up to the plate and testing himself once again. He is a true warrior, and the fans will be the winners on May 3rd.”

“The first two events in our partnership with Floyd Mayweather were incredible and SHOWTIME PPV is proud to present the next chapter in Floyd’s remarkable career,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®. “Marcos Maidana is a boxer whose fearsome power can change the trajectory of a fight with a single punch. Couple that with his ferocity and perseverance and you have the recipe for an incredible fight on the grandest stage of the sport.”

Undefeated Floyd “Money” Mayweather, (45-0, 26 KOs), a 10-time world champion in five weight divisions, reaffirmed his worldwide popularity when he faced then- undefeated boxing phenom Canelo Alvarez last September. The mega-event, which set the record as the highest grossing pay-per-view event in television history with over $150 million in revenue, showed once again that Mayweather’s drawing power is unlike any other. During Mayweather’s extraordinary career, he has amassed wins over numerous world champions, including Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cotto, Robert Guerrero and most recently Canelo, marking the 45th win. Over the course of his pay-per-view career Mayweather has generated more than 12.8 million buys and over $800 million in revenue. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native, who fights out of Las Vegas, averages more than one million pay-per-view buys per event, which is the highest pay-per-view buy average of any boxer in history, and is the only fighter to participate in two events which generated over 2 million pay-per-view buys each. In 2007, Mayweather co-headlined a pay-per-view event with De La Hoya which generated the largest number of PPV buys in history. Mayweather has also been listed by Sports Illustrated (2012, 2013) and Forbes
(2012) as the world’s highest paid athlete in any sport.

Thirty-year-old Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs) stunned the boxing world in December when he defeated up-and-coming superstar Adrien Broner with an unforgettable performance. Hailing from Margarita, Santa Fe, Argentina, Maidana first emerged on the world scene in 2009, when he won the interim WBA Junior Welterweight World Championship with a stunning sixth-round technical knockout over Victor Ortiz. After three defenses of his title, Maidana lost a 2010 Fight of the Year candidate to Amir Khan, but he regained the belt with another classic against future Hall of Famer Erik Morales in 2011. In 2012, Maidana joined forces with renowned trainer Robert Garcia (2012 Trainer of the Year) and has since gone undefeated at 4-0 with 3 knockouts.

More details about the event will be announced shortly.

Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing wishes to congratulate the fighter he co-promotes, former WBO Super Flyweight Champion “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona (17-1-1, 15 KOs), who announced his return to the elite levels of professional boxing in sensational fashion on Saturday night (February 22) in the main event of a Top Rank-promoted show at the Cotai Arena in the beautiful Venetian Resort in Macao, China.

With HBO cameras rolling, Sonsona, from General Santos City in the Philippines, knocked out former WBA Junior Featherweight Champion (and current WBA #2-ranked) Akifumi Shimoda (28-4-2, 12 KOs) of Japan, with one perfectly placed left uppercut to the chin at the 1:17 mark of the third round.

The victory, a sure-fire candidate for annual “Knockout of the Year” awards, gained Sonsona the WBO International Featherweight Championship and left Shimoda senseless for nearly five minutes. So dramatic was the finishing blow, referee Danrex Tapdasan didn’t even bother to count.

For Lewkowicz, the win was especially sweet as many had given up on the now 23-year-old southpaw Sonsona, who in 2009 at age 19, became the second-youngest Filipino to ever win a world title, but was then beset by personal problems and an admitted lack of dedication. He has since won four straight fights, three inside the distance.

“Marvin is still one of the three most popular fighters in his homeland, alongside Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire,” said Lewkowicz. “He had the problem that many big-name boxers run into: he surrounded himself with the wrong people and stopped taking his sport seriously. He has matured so much since then and completely rededicated himself with his original team of me, his trainer Jun Agrabio, his other co-promoter Sammy Gello-ani and his manager Dr. Rajan Yraola. He knows his mistakes now and they will never happen again.”

So dramatic was the KO of Shimoda, legendary promoter Bob Arum was quoted as calling it one of the best he’s seen in 50 years of boxing. Lewkowicz says he’s proud to also announce that he and Top Rank will be joining forces in the guidance of Sonsona’s career.

“I want to thank Carl Moretti and Bob Arum for the trust they have given me and for agreeing to help me turn Marvin Sonsona into the next world superstar from the Philippines. I consider him another of my sons and he calls me ‘Papa’ in return. This is a wonderful comeback story in boxing and Marvin will be champion of the world once again very soon. I also want to thank the beautiful Venetian Macau for their incredible hospitality and all their work in turning Macau into a new boxing capital in the world.”

The four major champions in the featherweight division are currently: Jhonny Gonzalez (WBC), Orlando Salido (WBO), Evgeny Gradovich (IBF) and Simphiwe Vetyeka (WBA).

ABOUT SAMPSON BOXING

After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world’s best fighters and most promising young contenders.

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

Las Vegas (FEBRUARY 24, 2014)–Two-Time world champion Jesse James Leija
and Leija Battah Promotions has committed to attend the inaugural Box Fan Expo this September at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Since acquiring his promotional license with successful entrepreneur Mike Battah, Two-Time World Champion Jesse James Leija has produced some of the most successful fight cards in San Antonio, Texas, in collaborative effort with Golden Boy Promotions.

“I can’t wait to meet the true boxing fans at the Box Fan Expo! It’s so much fun for me to meet boxing fans and make new friends.”

Every year, one of the biggest boxing weekends of the year is Mexican Independence Day. In 2014, that weekend has just got bigger, better and more fan accessible with the announcement of the FIRST-EVER BOX FAN EXPO.

Box Fan Expo will take place on Saturday, September 13th, 2014 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and will run from 10am to 6pm.

To Purchase tickets click: www.BoxFanExpo.eventbrite.com/

Box Fan Expo is the ultimate fan experience that was created to promote the entire boxing industry and to allow fans to celebrate and join their favorite boxers and boxing celebrities. The event will feature boxing legends, today’s superstars, Hall of Famers, future prospects and the stars of today all under one roof.

The event will also feature major promoters, ring card girls, sanctioning organizations as well as trainers, referees, commentators and announcers. Anyone that directly or indirectly represents the sport of boxing will have a chance to showcase themselves to the boxing fans and whole industry. Also in attendance will be exhibitors, sponsors, television broadcasters and media.

Box Fan Expo will also feature different activities such as meet and greets, autograph sessions, photo ops and you can weigh in and face off with your favorite fighters.

Throughout the next several months, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that have already committed their appearance at the Box Fan Expo.

For anyone in the industry who would like to be involved and reserve a booth, contact

Box Fan Expo at:
U.S.A Telephone Number: (702) 997-2099 or (514) 572-7222

Email info@boxfanexpo.com | For more info go to:www.boxfanexpo.com

PLEASE NOTE : see link at bottom of page for our Press Media kit.

Box Fan Expo is committed to helping the Retired Boxers Foundation which is a nonprofit organization that helps improve the quality of life for retired fighters. This is a fantastic opportunity for sponsors, retailers and anybody involved in the boxing industry to get involved and be a part of this once in a lifetime event and help out this great cause.. Box Fan Expo is proud to announce that part of the proceeds from the event will help the Retired Boxers Foundation.

CLICK HERE FOR MEDIA KIT

Heavyweight Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China and despite an injury that prevented him from competing in the finals he won the Bronze medal.

Currently in training camp for his March 15th battle on NBCSN Fight Night against Tomasz Adamek, Czar watched last night’s closing ceremonies in Sochi (which is not far from his native Ukraine). He reminisced about his own Olympic experiences in 2008.

Q: How did it feel to proudly represent your country at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China and earn yourself the Bronze medal?
VG: It was a huge win for me and the transition to professional boxing. It was a great motivational moment in my career. It was my dream to represent my country in the Olympics and now I have a dream to take the championship belt.

Q: How does it feel to stand on the podium?
VG: I had a feeling of great happiness but I was also saddened by the injury to my hand that stopped me from going further.

Q: What is it like to represent your country?
VG: I had a deep feeling of patriotism. It was an honor and I feel great pride to wear our nation’s colors.

2008 Olympics Photo from
Vyacheslav Glazkov Fan Page

Q: How much pressure did you feel? Did that make it easier or harder for you
VG: I felt a lot of pressure but I learned how to stabilize and balance the pressure to ensure best results.

Q:
What is it like to live in Olympic Village?
VG: It was a great experience. Everything was at the top level. Inside the village everything is set up to provide athletes with the best accommodations for them to succeed. The best thing about the village is that it is an opportunity to meet athletes from all over the world and sports starts such as Kobe Bryant and many others.

Q: Did you meet anyone there with whom you have remained friends?
VG: Yes of course. I met Andrei Kirilenko the basketball player and Elena Esonbayeva. Also Sergey Bubko and other legends of the sport.

Q: How did it feel to participate in the opening and closing ceremonies?
VG: It was over the top emotions a great and amazing feeling. It was the greatest spectacle I have ever seen.

Q: As you know the closing ceremonies for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics was last night, did you follow the Olympics this year and if so, how do you feel about your native country of the Ukraine’s performance.
VG: I am very happy for my country especially in such hard times.

Q: You earned a gold medal in 2004 at the first ever World University Boxing Championships, held in Antalya, Turkey. Over 120 boxers from 27 different countries participated in this tournament, how does this accomplishment compare to being awarded the Bronze medal just 4 years later at the 2008 Olympic Games?
VG: In 2004, the win was my first great accomplishment and it was the first step in the final push to the bigger fights, a higher level of competition and a step closer to my 2008 Olympic medal.

Q: At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, you were forced to pull out your semi-finals match-up with Zhang Zhilei due to a shoulder injury. You were awarded the Bronze medal and Zhilei would be awarded the Silver medal, do you ever think about how that match-up would have played out if you were not forced to withdraw from the bout?
VG: I beat him twice already before the Olympics. If not for the injury I strongly believe that I would have beat him again.

Q: What was your favorite thing and least favorite thing about the Olympics?
VG: My most favorite thing about the Olympics was winning my medal and the organization of this mega-sporting event. My least favorite thing about the Olympics was the huge pressure and responsibility and of course the injury to my hand.

Q: Did you have a lot of friends/family that travelled with you to the Games to support you? What was that like for you?
VG: My father came to support me as well as the president of the boxing federation and of course my dear wife. It made me feel good and warm to have someone in the stands to root for me.

Q: How did your Olympic experience prepare you for professional boxing?
VG: At the Olympics I got a lot of experience and knowledge: I learned how to handle pressure and responsibility, how to train tough and boxing skills from other great boxers.

About March 15th:
The March 15th edition of NBCSN Fight Night at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem features the twelve-round heavyweight match-up between Tomasz “Goral” Adamek and Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov for the IBF North American Heavyweight Title and IBF #2 Position Eliminator.

The Co-Feature is a ten round light heavyweight match-up between Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba and Denis “The Pirate/Drago’s Son” Grachev.

Doors open at 6:00 PM ET. The Co-Feature and Main Event will be broadcast live on NBCSN Fight Night at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT.

Tickets start at $55 and are available through TicketMaster.com (key word: Peltz Boxing). The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Ziggy Promotions, and Pushka Promotions in association with BAM Boxing and Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. The remaining undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

NBC Sports Live Extra:
NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on March 15th.
Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

All NBC Sports Network live events live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

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MIAMI (February 24, 2014) — British amateur boxing star Steed “Stallion” Woodall, in a bold trend reversal, has moved from England to pursue his professional career in the United States.

Fighters from the UK such as Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan, Carl Froch, Nigel Benn and Prince Naseem Hamed, to name some of the more recent notables, built themselves up at home long before establishing themselves in the US market. The 19-year-old Woodall, however, moved to Miami earlier this month from Birmingham in order to launch his professional career in the US.

Miffed at what he describes as being overlooked by coaches selecting the Great Britain National Team (England, Scotland and Wales), Woodall decided to pass on a potential opportunity to box in the 2016 Olympics, crossing the Atlantic Ocean to start his version of the British Invasion like The Beatles did 50 years ago.

“I didn’t want to wait,” Woodall explained why he didn’t stick around for a shot at fighting in the Olympics. “I did everything I could and was asked to do by the coaches who pick the National squad. I beat the No. 2 light heavyweight in the world, (Scotland’s) Scott Farmer; I was a five-time England National Champion, two-time British Champion, and a quarter-finalist in the World Youth Championships. I feel they (coaches) overlooked me because my style was more suited for the pros and not what they were really looking for. They want more typically rigid British fighters and I’m much more aggressive, always coming forward throwing punches. I fought in three weight classes as an amateur and will start out fighting as a super middleweight in the pros before going to middleweight. I’ll have the power of a light heavyweight as a middleweight.

“I always wanted to come to America, visited Miami, and now I’m living here. I had to take advantage of my dream opportunity to fight in the US. It was a hard decision at 19 to leave home and the boxing club I’ve always been at. I gave up a lot but I have a lot of support at home, especially from my mom and grandmother, and I’m willing to sacrifice to become world champion. There’s nobody hungrier in this sport. It was really hard to leave my father, who is hospitalized, but I am willing to do whatever it takes. England will always be my home but I hope America embraces me as one of its own. America is a great country to start my career and eventually I plan to fight back home as well. I’ve been accepted by everybody here so far.”

Woodall left England wearing a winter coat and he had to strip down to a vest upon his arrival in Miami, which he describes training there as – “Like in a sauna” – and so far that’s only been during the winter.

In addition to having opportunities for great sparring on a regular basis, the primary reason he’s living in Miami is that’s where his manager, John Seip, and new head trainer, Guy Laietta, also reside. Seip is best known for guiding Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin to the World Boxing Organization middleweight title.

“Steed is an explosive fighter with a real fan-friendly style,” Seip remarked. “He was No. 5 in the world as an amateur and he’s going to be an even better pro because of his exciting style. He already has a great left hook and right uppercut. Fans are going to love watching this kid fight. He’s eventually going to be marketed in the United States and United Kingdom. We expect nothing less than a world title for Steed.”

Woodall recently had his first sparring session, holding his own against undefeated 29-year-old Cuban light heavyweight Vilier Quinonez (7-0, 4 KOs), who had a 275-28 amateur record, highlighted by his gold-medal performance at the World Junior Championships.

Marketing-wise, Woodall is a clean cut (no tattoos), well-spoken teenager with tremendous potential appeal. Plus, he has a cool first name, Steed, named after the main character (John Steed) in the popular 1960’s British spy-fi television series, The Avengers.

He’s also half-Irish, which will be beneficial when he fights in Northeast cities with large Irish and Irish-American communities. His maternal side (Mulreedy) is 100-percent Irish, from Dublin, although his mother was born in England.

Woodall is following the American Dream, even though he may be doing so in the reverse manner of his fellow UK prizefighters.

Friend Steed Woodall on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SteedWoodallProfessional Boxer and follow him on Twitter @SteedWoodall.

Santa Ana, CA – UFC GYM® has appointed Hannibal Myers as the President of its franchise division, effective immediately. Last January, UFC GYM announced the acquisition of LA Boxing, converting over 80 locations in the last 12 months and growing to 100 locations worldwide currently. Myers will play an integral role in developing the overall franchise strategy for UFC GYM to capitalize on opportunities in the health and fitness marketplace.

Myers brings more than 20 years of executive franchise experience, both domestically and internationally, for companies such as Taco Bell, KFC, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Quizno’s and Shoney’s. The Texas native has pioneered non-traditional franchise development, contributing various articles to trade publications and delivering a number of related industry speeches. In this position, Myers will oversee all facets of franchise development, strategy, marketing, operations and finances.

“We thank Anthony Geisler (former President) and want to recognize him, for his stewardship of the UFC GYM brand for the past year and for the foundation he built via LA Boxing,” said NeV CEO, Jim Rowley.

“This decision launches a new era in the business for UFC GYM, developing further opportunities for growth and expansion through the leadership of Hannibal Myers,” Rowley added.

The move follows the recent promotion of Adam Sedlack to President of the Company’s corporate division.

UFC GYM is co-owned by New Evolution Ventures (NeV), Lafayette, CA, and Ultimate Fighting Championship. For more information, visit www.UFCGYM.com and follow UFC GYM at www.Facebook.com/UFCGYM and Twitter: @UFCGYM.

About UFC GYM®
UFC GYM® is the first major brand extension of the Ultimate Fighting Championship®, the world leader in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). In alliance with New Evolution Ventures™ (NeV), developers of many of the world’s most successful fitness brands, the UFC GYM brand gives UFC enthusiasts and fitness seekers of all ages the opportunity to practice the training techniques of famed UFC athletes. Offering a full-range of group fitness classes, private MMA training, personal and group dynamic training, plus MMA style youth programming, UFC GYM creates something for all ages and fitness levels. As the first to combine the world of mixed martial arts and fitness, UFC GYM’s TRAIN DIFFERENT® approach has developed an atmosphere where members can see immediate results. UFC GYM is the ultimate fitness experience. The brand is not what you expect, and more than you can imagine, aiming to continue revolutionizing the fitness industry. For more information, please visit www.ufcgym.com.

About New Evolution Ventures® (NeV)
Based in Northern California, New Evolution Ventures® (NeV) has a two-decade plus record of success in delivering superior returns on investment, specializing in the acquisition, development and operations management of both domestic and international fitness endeavors. Founded in 2008 by Mark Mastrov, Jim Rowley and Mike Feeney and following a strategic partnership with Vision Capital in 2011, the current team of NeV professionals is setting industry-wide standards one brand at a time. Operations have spanned over 20 countries worldwide and included hundreds of facilities. Our team’s industry experience has positioned NeV as a global leader in its field, expanding and reinventing the vision of fitness. For more information, visit www.nev.com.

About 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, the UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across 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 includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, 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. UFC also owns over 100 UFC GYM® locations, UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC 360 (the internationally distributed magazine), a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, best-selling DVDs and Blu-rays, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit www.UFC.com and follow UFC at www.Facebook.com/UFC and Twitter: @UFC.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS:
HUMBERTO SAVIGNE (12-1, 9 KOs), Miami, FL by way of Cuba
WKO2 (1:11)
MAXWELL TAYLOR (18-7-1, 8 KOs), Baltimore, MD

MIDDLEWEIGHTS:
FARID AGHAYEV (1-0-1, 1 KO), Azerbaijan
D4 (39-37, 38-38, 38-38)
LANNY DARDAR (1-0-1, 1 KO), New Orleans, LA

WELTERWEIGHTS
ERICKSON LUBIN (4-0, 4 KOs), Orlando, FL
WTKO3 (2:01)
TIROBIO BALL (4-2-1, 1 KO), Meridian, MS

SAMUEL VASQUEZ (13-0, 9 KOs), Monessen, PA
WTKO4 (0:29)
BERLIN “The Rock” ABREAU (7-1, 5 KOs), Dominican Republic

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS
ALEXEI COLLADO (18-0, 16 KOs), Miami, FL by way of Cuba
WDEC8 (78-74, 78-74, 78-74)
EDGAR RIOVALLE (36-17-2, 25 KOs), Mexico

FEATHERWEIGHTS
CLAUDIO MARRERO (15-1, 11 KOs), Dominican Republic
WDEC8 (80-72, 80-72, 80-72)
JOSE ANGEL BERANZA (36-29-2, 28 KOs), Mexico

BANTAMWEIGHTS
JUAN CARLOS PAYANO (15-0, 8 KOs), Dominican Republic
WDEC (80-72, 80-72, 79-72)
GERMAN MERAZ (46-30-1, 25 KOs), Mexico

(winners listed first)

WHERE: Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, PA

PROMOTER: Iron Mike Productions

MATCHMAKER: Chris Middendorf

(San Diego, CA) – For twenty-year old Kenia Enriquez the next step in her career is long overdue. Fighting for the first time outside her hometown of Tijuana on Friday, February 28th, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Mission Valley, she feels that it’s only the most logical next phase for her. Enriquez will facing the also undefeated Noemi Bosques (4-0-2, 1KO) from Florida in a scheduled six rounder.

After an extraordinary amateur career in which she won sixty-four bouts against only eight defeats and culminated with a bronze medal in the 2011 Mexican nationals, the charismatic Kenia joined the paid ranks in the summer of 2012 with a first round knock out of Guadalupe Valdez.

She went on to fight three more times in her rookie year stopping Carol Castro and defeating by unanimous decision Angelica Dominguez and fellow Tijuana fighter Brenda Flores. Incidentally both ladies, Dominguez and Flores, have only suffered that lone defeat in their careers so far.

Despite a very respectable 2012, Kenia really took off last year with four wins, two by knockout. After going four rounds with the always tough Blanca Raymundo, Kenia knocked out the previously undefeated Rosa Diaz who came into Tijuana with a 4-0 record. In her next fight, Enriquez became only the second woman, along with former WBC champ Ava Knight, to stop the rugged Gloria Salas and her last fight of last year, Enriquez won a shutout unanimous decision over world ranked Kareli Lopez. To put the cherry on top, in her first fight of the 2014 last month, the 5’3″ Kenia stopped Kareli’s sister, the also previously undefeated and Los Mochis’ Fighter of the Year Selene Lopez, in only seventy-six seconds of the first round.

Enriquez lands a left hook on world ranked Kareli Lopez. Photo by BoxeoTijuana.com

Kenia jumped in the world rankings early last year as the #13 flyweight of the world by the respected World Boxing Council. By the end of 2013, Kenia cracked the top ten at #7 and has fluctuated between that spot and number nine because of the changes to the top ten list, mainly to the 112 pound division by the jr. flyweight champ Kika Chavez. At this point, Kenia understands that every fight is more meaningful than the last.

“I understand what the ranking means and the responsibility that comes with it,” she recently shared. “I want to represent my city, Tijuana, as well as my promoters Bobby D. and Mayen. I have always worked hard but now I put in more of an extra effort because to become a world champion is all I ever wanted since I laced up the gloves.”

Kenia began boxing at the age of thirteen inspired by her father, Gustavo Enriquez, who boxed. As an amateur and as a young pro, she’s had the opportunity to work in the gym as well as spar with a who’s who of female boxing such as Jackie Nava, Arely Mucino, Mariana Juarez, Jolene Blackshear, Amaris Quintana among many others. Kenia realizes that type of experience can only help on her quest to the top.

“I’ve learned a lot from all of them. Each one of them possesses different styles and I know that I will see that style as my career progresses,” she said. “Some days they got the better of them, some days I did but that is part of the work. I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to share a ring with them.”

With that night’s performance, Kenia hopes to win the support of the San Diego crowd who she realizes is a tough one to please.

“Tijuana is a tough town, they their boxing and thank God they have supported me from the beginning of my career. I know that Bobby D. has a reputation in San Diego and I am proud to be a part of his company. I know his audience knows boxing and I am going to go out there and give them a show so that they can stand behind me as I go for a world title for Tijuana and now also for San Diego.”

Tickets are available at www.SanDiegoFights.com.

Las Vegas, Nev. – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced tonight that No. 2 ranked lightweight contender Gilbert Melendez has agreed to a new contract with the organization. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Melendez will now coach against UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis on season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter®. The two will then meet for the UFC lightweight title later this year.

The show, which will begin filming in May and premiere on FOX Sports 1 on Sept. 10, features the launch of the UFC women’s 115-pound weight class. The winner of this season of The Ultimate Fighter® will be crowned the UFC strawweight division’s inaugural champion.

The Ultimate Fighter® is the longest-running sports reality show on television, with The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia currently airing Wednesdays on FOX Sports 1. The next international edition of The Ultimate Fighter® will feature fighters from Latin America, with the premiere set for summer 2014. Melendez is slated to make a special guest appearance on the show and broadcast plans will be announced in the weeks to come.

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

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Beijing and Singapore, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which airs on FOX Sports 1.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, to nearly 882 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with more than 2.7 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

Making his debut on the annual Burns night show at the historic St Andrews Sporting Club in January, Glasgow fighter Michael McGurk started his slate with a impressive First round knockout of William Warburton which lead to it being shown on Sky Sports Ringside.

Managed by Tommy Gilmour, the 21 year old returns to action on Friday February 28th on Prospect Boxing’s “Lock, Stock and Twelve Smoking Fights” show at Ravenscraig Sports Facility. Reflecting on his first fight, McGurk was delighted with his start “ I was delighted with my first fight in the pro ranks, it went better than I was expecting. Since the fight the response I’ve had has been incredible, people have been really supportive and tickets have been flying out for my fight on February 28th.
With a short time between his first, and second fight the Welterweight hasn’t stopped training, and is looking forward to returning “My Training is going great, I train three times a day, Six days a week so I’m more than ready for this fight. My Coaches are mock and Lawrence Murphy and I’ve been sparring with Michael Jamieson and many more. I feel that my preparation for the fight has been bang on so il be ready for whoever I fight come February 28th.
He adds “I’m looking forward to getting out quickly, its shaping up to be a great show so it’s brilliant to be part of it. I have about 150 people are coming to watch me so I’m excited to put on a good show for them and the other people in the show. it should be a great night with a decent roster of talent.
“Lock Stock and Twelve Smoking Fights” takes place at the Ravenscraig Sports Facility on Friday February 28th 2014 .
Headlined by Rhys Pagan, the show will also see the professional début of JP McGuinness, Ryan Love, Shaun McShane, Ryan Love and Lee Gallagher.
Returning to action is Iain Butcher, Scott Edgar and Kenny Davidson
George Thomson, David Drummond, Michael McGurk and Matthew McAllister also feature on the card.
Tickets are priced at £30 and £40 and available from the fighters directly or by calling 01698 338 888 where Credit/ Debit Cards are accepted.
Further details on @ProspectBoxing on Twitter, and www.facebook.com/ProspectBoxing

Photos By Shane Sims / Banner Promotions

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the gloves that Muhammad Ali used for his fight with Sonny Liston sold for $873,000 at an auction.

“These are the very gloves that Ali wore when he claimed his first heavyweight championship 50 years ago and, given the attention these received from media and fans all over the world, and the spectacular price they achieved, it’s clear that Ali is just as loved and respected today as he’s ever been,” said Chris Ivy, director of sports collectibles at Heritage Auctions.

“Only Jackie Robinson could compete with Ali for the title of most influential figure in American sports history,” Ivy said. “But not even Robinson can compete with Ali in terms of being beloved internationally. Ali is a figure that transcends boxing or America. He belongs to the entire world.”

Former world title challenger Marvin Sonsona scored an explosive 3rd round stoppage over former title holder Akafumi Shimoda in a scheduled 12 round Featherweight bout.

Sonsona landed a perfect uppercut that crumpled Shimoda to the canvas and he was counted out at 1:17 of round three.

Sonsona, of the Philippines is now 18-1-1 with 15 knockouts. Shimoda of Japan is now 28-4-2.

2012 Olympic Gold Medal winner Ryota Murata scored 4th round stoppage over Carlos Nascimento in a scheduled 8 round Middleweight bout.

The the time was 43 seconds of round 4 for Murata, of Japan and is now 3-0 with 3 knockouts. Bascimento, of Brazil is now 29-4.

Rex Tso remained perfect as he registered an 8th round stoppage over Mako Matsuyama in a scheduled 10 round Super Flyweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 1:27 of round 8 for Tso, of China and is now 12-0 with 8 knockouts. Mastuyama, of Japan is now 7-8-1.

Miguel Vazquez defended his IBF Lightweight title with a 12 round unanimous decision over Denis Shafikov at the Cotai Arena at the Venetian in Macao, China.

Vazquez picked, pecked, got in, got out and held before Shafikov could mount any offense throughout the contest. Shaifov was cut on the forehead and over the right eye.

Vazquez of Mexico won by scores of 119-110, 116-112 and 115-113 and is now 34-3. Shafikov, of Russia is 34-2.

Zou Shiming scored his 1st professional stoppage when he took out Youthong Kokietgym in round 7 of their scheduled 8 round Flyweight bout.

Shiming dropped Kokietgym three times in the 7th round which was much to the delight of his hometown fans and the fight was stopped at 2:09 of round 7.

Shiming, 111.75 lbs of China is 4-0 with 1 knockout. Kokietgym, 110.5 lbs of Bangkok, THI is now 15-4.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Hank Lundy scored a 9th round knockdown en route to a 10 round unanimous decision over Angelo Santana in a Lightweight bout at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Lundy and Santana fought on even terms through the 1st four rounds but Lundy then took over the middle frames as he fought mostly out of the southpaw stance. In round nine, Lundy landed a hard right hand that sent Santana to the canvas. He was able to make it to the final bell but Lundy was well ahead due to his effective aggressiveness.

Lundy, 135 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 98-91 on all cards and is now 24-3-1. Santana, 134 lbs of Cuba is 14-2.

Good looking Jr. Welterweight prospect Amir Imam scored a devastating 4th round stoppage over Jared Robinson in a bout scheduled for four rounds.

Imam was boxing very well and then landed two jabs that was foloowed up by a crushing right to the jaw that knocked Robinson out of the ring. Robinson got back in the ring at 11 but the fight was waved off at 1:59 of round four.

Imam, 140 lbs of Albany, NY is now 14-0 with 13 knockouts. Robinson, 139.5 lbs of Sumter, SC is n04

Las Vegas, Nev. – Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy – the popular and charismatic former UFC® welterweight title contender – will serve as the color commentator for six UFC Fight Night events to be screened exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS™, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization announced on Friday.

Known for his punching power, punk rock Mohawk hairstyle and quick wit, Hardy remains the only British fighter to ever challenge for a UFC title, losing in a memorably courageous performance to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 111 in March 2010.

Hardy has a MMA record of 25-10, 1NC, but is currently off the active roster having been diagnosed with a rare heart condition a year ago. Although Hardy, still only 31, continues to train in MMA he is fully focused on his new position within the UFC.

Hardy’s first assignment at Octagonside will come on March 8, when he will be calling the action at the same O2 Arena in London where he twice competed as a UFC welterweight contender.

The Briton said: “I’m very excited to be putting on the headset for the UFC. I’ve got the same nerves and butterflies that I had when I first signed for the company as a fighter back in 2008. I think I can bring a great perspective to the color commentator’s role. Researching and breaking down UFC fighters and fights is what I’ve been doing for over 10 years now, only now I am not just concentrating on my own division, but every division. I think I bring a different perspective to the role. Not only have I fought and trained with some of the best fighters in the world, I think I’ve had one of the most varied careers in the history of the UFC.

“If we only look at my 6-4 record in the UFC, I’ve done it all. I’ve knocked people out and I’ve been knocked out. I’ve headlined huge Pay-Per-Views and I’ve fought on the prelims. I’ve fought guys I liked and respected, and I’ve fought in grudge matches. I’ve been in every high-pressure situation a fighter can find himself in, from challenging a pound-for-pound champion like Georges St-Pierre, to fighting in my hometown with all my family and friends in the front row, to fighting to stay in the UFC when I was 0-4 a couple of years ago.

“I’ve packed a lot of experience into my 10 fights in the UFC, and I’m looking forward to sharing that experience and insight with the fans.”

UFC Chief Content Officer Marshall Zelaznik added: “Dan is extremely popular among our fans, and we are very excited that he will be bringing his wealth of experience to six of the upcoming 2014 UFC FIGHT PASS Fight Nights.

“I’d like to add that, as popular as Dan is, he auditioned for the position. And he blew us away with his audition and got the job because he is the best candidate. He has a unique perspective and style of delivery which I know UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers will enjoy.”

Hardy will be part of an all-British announcing team for the six exclusive UFC FIGHT PASS events which will emanate from the British Isles, mainland Europe and the Middle East.

Sitting next to the Outlaw at Octagonside will be veteran mixed martial arts play-by-play broadcaster John Gooden, while the vastly experienced emcee Andy Friedlander will be introducing fighters from inside the Octagon®, serving as the Octagon announcer.

Gooden has earned his reputation on the European mixed martial arts circuit as an insightful play-by-play man and television pundit. Hailing from Greater London, he has competed at a national level in both judo and karate and trained for the last decade in Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Gooden will now call mixed martial arts events exclusively for the UFC.

Friedlander brings a wealth of experience to his role as the voice of the Octagon. He has served as the major event emcee at the famed 90,000 seater Wembley Stadium in London for over a decade, hosting over 100 globally televised soccer matches including two UEFA Champions League finals. He has served in a similar position at Twickenham Stadium – the home of English Rugby Union – and has also become a fixture at major boxing events across the UK. Like his new colleagues, Friedlander is a passionate MMA fan and student of the sport. He currently trains under former UFC veteran Jess Liaudin.

March is a huge month for UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers. On March 1, UFC FIGHT PASS will be the only place to see UFC Fight Night Macau, headlined by a welterweight battle between “Stun Gun” Kim and John Hathaway. Then comes the stacked March 8 London card headlined by No.1 ranked light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson taking on unbeaten British banger Jimi “Posterboy” Manuwa and, on March 9, subscribers will witness the hotly-anticipated season premiere of The Ultimate Fighter Brasil: Team Wanderlei vs Team Sonnen.

UFC Fight Pass is now available in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. It will be rolled out in additional markets throughout 2014, continue to check UFC.TV for updates. Content will vary country to country according to local television blackout rules.

All bouts live and subject to change. Visit UFC.com and UFCFightPass.com or more information.

About UFC
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, the UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across 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 includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, 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. UFC also owns over 100 UFC GYM® locations, UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC 360 (the internationally distributed magazine), a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, best-selling DVDs and Blu-rays, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit www.UFC.com and follow UFC at www.Facebook.com/UFC and Twitter: @UFC.

WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A. – Twenty-one year-old light welterweight professional boxer, Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed (Washington, D.C./Waldorf, MD/pro record: 7-0, with 5 KOs) returns to the ring on Friday night, March 7, 2014, against Bilal Mahasin (Oakland, CA/pro record: 4-0). Reed-Mahasin is scheduled as a six-round bout, which will headline Keystone Boxing’s “World Class Professional Boxing” card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland.
Mike Reed currently trains in Clinton, Maryland, at Dream Team Boxing Gym, which is owned and operated by his father, trainer and manager, Michael “Buck” Pinson. In his most recent fight on January 17, 2014, Reed defeated Phoenix, Arizona’s Jorge Marquez by TKO at 2:34 of Rd 5. In that fight, the referee stopped the action when Marquez pulled away after suffering a perforated eardrum. Reed talked about his fight with Marquez. “I was satisfied with my performance. I thought I won every round, but in the first few rounds, Marquez landed more punches than I would have liked. My corner did a good job of helping me making adjustments in the fight. I used my angles well and my defense was sharp. As the fight went on, I caught fire and found my rhythm. In Round 5, I popped his eardrum with a lead right hook. When that happened, I saw him grab his ear, he took a step back, and I landed another left hand. Right after that, the referee stopped the fight.”

Reed shared some thoughts about his next fight. He said, “My next opponent on March 7 is Bilal Mahasin, who is undefeated, and has been around quality boxers in the Bay Area, such as Andre Ward and Amir Khan. My team has prepared a good game plan for this fight. I’m really looking forward to the challenge. It is important for my ring experience to fight quality opposition like Mahasin. I’m working really hard in camp and plan to leave a good impression on everyone that comes to see me fight. Thank you to promoter Gene Molovinsky and matchmaker Ross Molovinsky of Keystone Boxing for allowing me to headline their show once again.”
Coach Michael Pinson said, “I thought Mike showed a lot of patience in his last fight. He took his time, used his angles well. We work on using angles all the time in the gym. Mike usually fights well off the ropes, but I thought he stayed on the ropes too long against Marquez. I thought Jorge Marquez was another tough test and he forced us to make adjustments. We did what we were supposed to do, enjoyed the victory, and now we move on to our next test. Mike is fighting legitimate challengers every time he steps in the ring, and he is building toward becoming a real special fighter down the road. You don’t learn a whole lot beating up guys who can’t fight back. I’m expecting his next opponent, Bilal Mahasin, to come in shape and be tough. We will be ready for whatever he brings to the fight.”
Pinson continued, “As far as the topic of weight is concerned, Mike hasn’t had difficulty making weight at 140 lbs. When the time is right, we will go down to 135 lbs, but no time table has been set for that goal yet. Although we haven’t found a promotional home just yet, we are thankful for the wonderful opportunity Keystone Boxing has given us to showcase Mike’s talents. The same effort my son gives in the gym is also going towards giving back to his community and getting his undergraduate degree. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Keystone Boxing’s card at Rosecroft on Friday, March 7.”

Follow Mike Reed on Twitter at @YesIndeed_Reed or https://twitter.com/YesIndeed_Reed

Follow Mike Reed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mike.y.reed.921