Former Lightweight champion Antonio Demarco stopped Jesus Gurrola in round two of a scheduled 10 round Jr. Welterweight bout at Casino Hipodromo Agua Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico.

DeMarco dropped Gurrola in round one from a right hook and he finished the fight in round two when he knocked Gurrola down in round two from a straight left. Gurrola spit his mouthpiece out and the fight was stopped at 2:57 of round two.

DeMarco, 145 3/4 lbs of Tijuana, Mexico is now 30-3-1 with 23 knocmouts. Gurrola, 145 3/4 lbs of Mexicali. MX was stopped for the 1st time and is now 20-6-3.

Rodrigo Garcia remained perfect by scoring a 4th round stoppage over Claudinei Lacerda in round four of a scheduled 8 round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Garcia landed a barrage of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:17 of round four.

Garica, 148 1/2 lbs of Santa Ana, CA is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts. LaCerda, 148 1/2 lbs is now 16-10

Juan Antonio Rodriguez scored an eight round majority decision over late replacement Yenifel Vicente in a Jr. Lightweight bout at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

Rodriguez used his size to push the action. Vicente fought well in spots as he tried to use quick shots as he went up two weight classes on five days notice.

Rodriguez, 129 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 77-75 on two cards and 76-76 and is now 25-4. Vicente, 129 lbs of the Dominican Republic is now 25-2-2.

Zahir Raheem scored a ten round unanimous decision over Bayan Jargal in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Scores were 99-91, 91-91 and 97-93 for Raheem, 139 lbs and is now 35-3. Jargal, 139 1/2 lbs of Mongolia is now 17-5-3.

Lateef Kayode remained undefeated by scoring a 6th round stoppage over Jonta Willis in a scheduled eight round Heavyweight bout.

Willis was solid throughout the contest and started to really dominate after the fourth round. In the sixth round, Kayode landed body shots that sent Willis across the ring. Kayode landed a barrage of punches on the ropes and the fight was stopped at 1:07 of round six.

Kayode, 222 lbs of Hollywood, CA is now 20-0 with 16 knockouts. Wllis, 219 1/4 lbs is now 9-8-1.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Adrien Broner will exercise his rematch clause and get right back in with the man who took his WBA Welterweight title in Marcos Maidana.

“My mind is set on war,” Broner told ESPN.com on Friday. “I had a bad night. He was the better man that night, but he didn’t beat me. He outhustled me. I respect everything. I respect him. But I’m ready to go back to war and get my belt back.

“I’m taking boxing back to what it used to be. They created a monster. (The loss) woke up a monster.”

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said he thinks the fight will be either April 19 or April 26, and will take place at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., or San Antonio’s Alamodome, site of the December fight.

“I think the first fight was a helluva fight and a fight of the year candidate,” said Schaefer, who originally said at ringside after the fight that there was no rematch clause but corrected his mistake Friday. “Adrien is still very young, and he wants to set the record straight. And for Maidana, I am sure he is licking his chops to get his hands on Broner again.

“I don’t think there was much love between those two before the fight, during the fight or after the fight. I know we can expect fireworks again in the lead up to the fight, at the press conferences and during the fight. As a fight fan, I am excited. I can’t wait.”

“I wanted to go right back to camp after the fight, but I knew my body wasn’t able to go to camp physically,” Broner said. “But mentally I wanted to box. I know what I gotta do in the rematch and I will do it. It will be a different outcome. I am starting to get myself ready. It’ll be another good fight. I gotta go get mine back.”

“I got real people in my corner,” Broner said. “And I’m not going to change no trainers. It has nothing to do with the trainer. My trainer (Mike Stafford) can’t fight for me. I have a helluva coach. He’s one of the best in the world. So I took a loss. But my check was amazing.”

“We are open to hear offers as always, and Broner may be of them, I guess,” Contursi told ESPN.com. “All we know is Maidana has earned the right to fight for big money after his impressive win over Broner and after being one of the most attractive fighters out there in the last few years. … But if Golden Boy and Al Haymon (adviser to Maidana, Broner and Mayweather) think a rematch with Broner is the best option, we will wait for their offer.”

Said Broner: “The rematch will have a different outcome guaranteed. I’m happy for (Maidana). I want him to have his 15 minutes of fame. At the end of the day, nobody is talking about his victory. They are talking about Adrien Broner’s loss. Some people don’t even know who I lost to. They just know I lost.”

New York, NY (1/10/14) – After the most successful and entertaining year in the series’ 11+ year existence, DiBella Entertainment will kick of the 2014 season of Broadway Boxing with the final boxing card ever to take place at NYC’s famed Roseland Ballroom, with an event titled “The Last Dance”. Having promoted a number of cards at the venue over the years, the historic ballroom will be closing its doors in April after more than 50 years of operation at its current location.

Featured bouts on the card will see New York fan-favorites Heather “The Heat” Hardy, an undefeated super bantamweight (7-0, 2KO’s), and West Point graduate junior middleweight Boyd “The Rainmaker” Melson (13-1-1, 4KO’s) in separate eight-round bouts. An opponent for Hardy will be announced shortly while Melson is set to go toe-to-toe against Mike Ruiz (17-8, 9KO’s) in what promises to be an all-action affair.

“I am sad that Roseland is closing and that this is the last boxing card we will ever promote there. ‘The Last Dance’ will not only be a celebration of New York boxing, but a celebration of a legendary hall. This boxing card will help say goodbye to Roseland in style,” stated promoter Lou DiBella.

The popular Melson has gained national exposure and was featured on HBO’s Real Sports last year for his involvement with Team Fight to Walkand the Just a Dollar Please organization. Melson has helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Spinal Cord research through his effort, which includes donating his entire purse from each fight. With an exciting come-forward style, Melson’s efforts in and out of the ring have seen him continuously pack venues every time he climbs through the ropes. Melson is hoping to move into more significant fights in 2014, but he must first get past the battle-tested Ruiz on February 12.

Like Melson, Ruiz has fought primarily in New York. Ruiz, a Puerto Rican-native now living and training in Queens, has seen his career take a number of ups and downs, which included starting off 0-2 before putting together a string of eight straight victories. Ruiz is 9-4 in his last 13 and was coming off back-to-back stoppage victories prior to dropping a razor-thin eight-round majority decision in an absolute war last time out to world-rated contender Charlie Ohta (24-1-1, 16KO’s, WBO #4, WBC #9 & IBF #11). A win over the once-beaten Melson will put Ruiz’ career back on track and set him up for much bigger opportunities in the talented junior middleweight division.

Ever since she turned pro in August 2012, Hardy’s stardom has continued to rise. Hardy, a NY Golden Gloves champion, signed an exclusive long-term promotional contract with DBE last year and has quickly become one of the main boxing attractions in all of New York. Each time she has stepped into the ring, she has thrilled her adoring and growing fan-base with her exciting and relentless come-forward style. Hardy is coming off back-to-back stoppage victories, with the latter earning her the vacant Universal Boxing Federation International female super bantamweight title. Hardy is looking to continue moving up the world rankings in 2014 and hopes to challenge for her first world championship sometime before the end of the year.

Additional bouts featuring many of the most talented and promising young prospects on the DBE roster will be announced soon.

The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and is sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group and Everlast. SNY will broadcast the event tape-delayed. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (212) 947-2577. Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $45. VIP tables, holding eight seats, are also available for $150 per seat. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET. Bouts are subject to change.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (JANUARY 10, 2014)–On Saturday, January 25th, Sal Musumeci’s Final Forum Boxing presents a big night of boxing at Golden Nugget Atlantic City. In the featured bout of the evening, Heavyweight Derric Rossy will see action against former world amateur champion Joey Dawejko of Philadelphia in the 10 round Main event.

Rossy of Medford, New York has a record of 28-7 with 14 knockouts.

The 33 year-old Rossy has faced many of the top Heavyweights in the world and holds victories over the likes of Gary Bell (22-3-1), Shannon Miller (14-2), Edward Guitierrez (15-3), former world champion Ray Mercer (35-6-1), William Shahan (7-0), Carl Davis Drummond (26-1), Alexis Mejias (10-2), Ian Lewson (6-1-1) and Travis Walker (39-8-1).

Rossy also has faced former world title challenger Eddie Chambers twice, Alexander Dimitrenko (27-0), Kubret Pulev (11-0), Audley Harrison and he is coming off a ten round unanimous decision defeat to Fres Oquendo.

Dawejko of Philadelphia won the Jr, World Amateur in 2008 in Guadalajara, Mexico and has compiled a record of 8-3-2 with three knockouts.

Dawejko won his first six bouts which included knockouts over undefeated Ricardo Johnson and John Lennox. Since then, Dawejko has faced four undefeated opponents in Doorset Barnwell, Jarrell Miller, Didier Bence and in his last bout he was stopped in four rounds by Charles Martin on November 14th in Hollywood, California.

A special guest at the show will be Rosie Pierri of the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Rosie will be there in support of Fight to K.O. Malnutrition of Children.

For more information fans can go to http://www.komalnutrition.com/

In an eight round co-feature, undefeated Heavyweight Natu Vasinia. Vasinia of Lakewood, California and of American Samoan descent has a record of 9-0 with 8 knockouts will take on Jon Bolden.

Visinia, 29 years old has slowly stepped up the competition and he has been compared favorably to former world title challenger David Tua for not only his ethnic background but his prodigious punching power. He is coming off a 1st round stoppage over Phil Brown (6-1) on May 18th in Washington, D.C.

Bolden of New York has a record of 6-7 with 5 knockouts.

Visinia will be Bolden’s 5th undefeated opponent.

He turned pro with a 1st round stoppage over former NHL tough guy Nathan Perrott. Bolden has also faced undefeated prospects Bryan Jennings, Dorsett Barnwell & Joshua Tufte.

Bolden is coming off an eight round unanimous decision defeat to Tyabb Beale on November 23rd in Newark, NJ.

In six round bout, The son of the former Heavyweight champion, Isiah Seldon (7-1, 3 KO’s) of Atlantic City will see action in a Middleweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Ismael Garcia (5-0, 3 KO’s) of Vineland, NJ will fight in a six round Jr. Middleweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Light Heavyweight Joe Smith Jr (13-1, 11 KO’s) from Long Island, NY will take on an opponent to be named in a six round bout.

Former Ecuadorian Olympic Heavyweight Ytalo Perea (5-1, 3 KO’s) will take on Tyrone Gibson (1-4, 1 KO) of Duluth, MN in a four round bout.

In a battle of pro debuting Super Bantamweights, Michael Valera of Bethlehem, PA will take on Anthony Caramanno of Staten Island, NY.

Undefeated Cruiserweight Dave Valykeo (3-0) of Neptune, NJ will rematch Brian Donahue (2-6-2) of Philadelphia.

Valykeo won a close majority decision over Donahue on August 24th.

Omar Brito (1-1, 1 KO) of Pleasantville, NJ will box Korey Sloane (2-7-2) of Philadelphia in a four round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Tickets for this outstanding evening of boxing go on sale Friday, January 10th and are $125 for Ringside, $75 for reserved and $50 for general admission. VIP Tables are available and all tickets can be purchased by going to www.ticketmaster.com

ABOUT GOLDEN NUGGET ATLANTIC CITY

The Golden Nugget Atlantic City, located on Frank S. Farley Marina is a premier resort destination, offering guests more than 740 rooms and suites. The entire property is all new, with a $150 million renovation complete, it has taken on a fresh, modern look to include a high-energy casino featuring the most popular slot and video poker machines, table games, and poker room; nightly entertainment, new bars and lounges, stylish retail offerings, as well as Landry’s signature world-class restaurants such as Chart House and Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse; a luxury spa and salon; and H20 poolside lounge. Landry’s Inc. successfully introduced first-class accommodations, exquisite dining options and fun-filled entertainment venues unlike anything else available in Atlantic City. The Golden Nugget has already established strong brand recognition worldwide with locations in Las Vegas and Laughlin, NV and Biloxi, MS.

Hotel reservations and additional information are available by calling 800-777-8477 or by visiting www.goldennugget.com.

Johannesburg / Monte Carlo (January 10, 2014) – Max Bursak, one of the standout contenders in the middleweight rankings, has replaced Martin Murray as Jarrod Fletcher’s opponent on the Monte-Carlo Boxing Bonanza tournament on February 1.

The headliner features undefeated WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin in defence of his titles against Osumanu Adama.

Bursak happily stepped in to replace Murray, who claimed to be injured, although it is widely known he is negotiating for another fight.

Bursak (29-1-1, 12 KOs) is ranked in the top 10 of the WBC, WBA and WBO and will put his WBA Continental middleweight belt on the line.

This will be the Ukrainian’s second fight in the principality, having fought the UK’s Prince Arron on the last Golden Gloves show there in 2013 in defence of his European title.

The experienced champion has dominated European opposition and also boasts a win over highly-regarded American Brian Vera in 2010.

The only blip in an otherwise flawless 10-year professional career came in France two years ago when he dropped a decision to unbeaten Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam in his French back yard.

A rugged, come-forward fighter, Bursak demonstrated solid all-round skills against Arron, who was handily beaten last year, and has since followed up with two additional wins, against Nick Blackwell for the vacant WBA Continental middleweight title, and Gari Abajiani of Georgia, who was beaten last month.

“I’m very satisfied with him as a replacement,” said Berman. “I had an inkling Murray would pull out, probably for fear of losing to Fletcher, who is dangerous.”

“Left Jab” Fletcher (17-1, 10 KOs) has accepted the change with good grace and is said to be training up a storm in Australia. The former Beijing Olympian had a storming 2013, winning three of his four fights via stoppage to confirm his contender status.

He is ranked number three in the WBA.

Argenis Mendez has appealed his 2nd round knockout to Rances Barthelemy that cost him his IBF Jr. Lightweight title when Barthelemy landed the decisive blows after the bell according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“It’s pretty simple,” attorney Pat English told ESPN.com. “The bell rang and punches were thrown after the bell. Punches after the bell hit Mr. Mendez and the rules say that is a foul. Mr. Mendez was unable to continue. It’s very clear that it should be handled as a no contest.”

Barthelemy’s team was notified of the appeal and will submit its own comments, Warriors Boxing’s Leon Margules, Barthelemy’s promoter, said Thursday night.

“We have until January 17th to respond,” he said. “But the referee is the sole arbiter of the fight. There’s no question that Rances was on his way to the knockout victory, and anyone who watched the fight knows that. He was hurt badly even before the knockout.

“Everything has to be evaluated. There is a reason the referee is a sole arbiter of the fight and he made a decision. Do I think he did a good job? I think that he maybe he saved the kid (Mendez) from further punishment. He called the knockout a legal blow. To take my fighter’s title away from him that he earned in the ring is wrong.”

“Mr. Podgorski erred, pure and simple. He had a bad night, with many good ones,” English wrote in the appeal. “This protest is a way of rectifying that bad night, not a condemnation.”

David Price (15-2, 13 KOs) will face Konstantin Airich (19-7-2, 15 KOs) in Stuttgart on January 25. The German heavyweight replaces Evengy Orlov (14-12-1, 10 KOs), who was originally billed as the opponent for Price’s ring return.

Price, who will be making his debut under the Team Sauerland promotional banner, will be the co-feature to the much-anticipated rematch between WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco Huck (36-2-1, 25 KOs) and Firat Arslan (33-6-2, 21 KOs).

The show will be available to watch on BoxNation in the UK and ARD in Germany. Limited tickets available via eventim.de and easyticket.de.

One of Britain’s best known heavyweights Tyson Fury has signed a deal to appear LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on BoxNation! Fury will line up on a booming British bill on February 15th topped by Finchley hitman Dereck Chisora, who faces Andriy Rudenko, while Chisora and Fury look set for a massive domestic showdown this summer.

Tyson’s cousin Hughie Fury also makes his BoxNation debut on the bill as Romford’s Tony Conquest faces a Vacant Commonwealth Cruiserweight title bout against Daniel Ammann, 11-0 Frank Buglioni defends his WBO European Super-Middleweight title for the first time against Gaetano Nespro and 14-0 Bradley Skeete contests the Vacant WBA Intercontinental Welterweight title against Vivian Harris on a stacked card LIVE from London’s Copper Box Arena.

NEW FIGHTS ADDED TO GROWING SCHEDULE

Price v Orlov, Huck v Arslan II & Peterson v Jean

Three shows in one action-packed weekend

We’ve added three great new shows to our growing lineup, including the ring return of Liverpool’s David Price on January 25th as he looks to rebuild his career against tough Russian Evgeny Orlov. Topping that bill LIVE from Germany, Marco Huck seeks a 12th defence of his WBO World Cruiserweight title against Firat Arslan in an eagerly anticipated rematch after Huck’s unanimous decision win in November 2012.

Later that night we head Stateside where Washington DC’s Lamont Peterson will have the backing of his home crowd as he faces 25-0 Candian Dierry Jean with his IBF World Light-Welterweight title on the line.

Late on Friday 24th January we’re bringing you the latest Golden Boy on Fox show straight from the US. Former world champion Cornelius Bundrage faces Joey Hernandez on a bill which also sees an all-Mexican light-welterweight showdown as unbeaten prospect Antonio Orozco pits his wits against the experienced Miguel Angel Huerta.

Check out our growing live fight schedule now!

It’s your channel. Be a part of it. Are you in?

Former two division champion Tomasz Adamek will take on Vyacheslav Glazkov in a Heavyweight bout on March 15th at the Sands in Bethlehem according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The bout, which will be televised on NBC Sports Network was originally to take place on November 16th but Adamek withdrew due to an illness and he was replaced by Garrett Wilson.

“We had the right to reschedule the bout between Adamek and Glazkov in the contract and we invoked that right away,” said Main Events Kathy Duva. “We want to do the fight. The fighters want to do the fight. We think it’s a terrific fight and meaningful heavyweight fight and we didn’t want to lose it. Tomasz was sick for a few days and now he is fine.”

On Friday, February 7, 2014, Mike Tyson and Garry Jonas (Iron Mike Productions), Dominic Pesoli (8 Count Productions) and Leon Margules (Warriors Boxing) will proudly present another installment of Friday Night Fights at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, and televised worldwide on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

In the night’s hard-hitting 10-round middleweight main event, Puerto Rico’s undefeated Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez (17-0-1, 14 KOs) will face Monterrey, Mexico’s Norberto “Demonio” Gonzalez (20-2, 13 KOs). In the 10-round, televised co-featured bout, red-hot undefeated featherweight prospect Kamil Laszczyk (15-0, 7 KOs) of Warsaw, Poland, takes on Managua, Nicaragua’s Daniel “El General” Diaz (20-5-1, 14 KOs).

Opening the telecast will be high-profile 18-year-old welterweight prospect Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (2-0, 2 KOs), the 2012 National Golden Gloves gold medal winner and former Team USA’s #1 overall prospect for the 2016 Olympics before recently turning professional under the Iron Mike Productions promotional banner.

The opponent for his four-round fight is TBA.

Tickets for “Friday Night Fights” are priced at VIP $151, VIP Ringside $101, Ringside $76, Mezzanine $51 and General Admission $31 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000), the 8 Count Productions Offices: 312-226-5800 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office: 312-413-5740.

24-year-old Jonathan Gonzalez is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is ranked IBF #9 and WBC #11 in the world. He is a former amateur boxing standout and a 2008 Olympic representative for Puerto Rico.

Norberto “Demonio” Gonzalez is a seven-year professional who got the biggest win of his career with a surprise upset over Michael “Brazilian Rocky” Oliveira last November at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Gonzalez was undefeated in his first 16 fights and his only 2 defeats were hotly contested decisions two top fighters. The dominant win over Oliveira has put his career back on track.

22-year-old Kamil Laszczyk is a native of Warsaw, Poland, currently living in North Bergen, New Jersey. He is the WBO #3-ranked featherweight in the world. Laszczyk was 110-7 as an amateur and won six Polish National Amateur Championships. As a professional, he has already won the WBO Youth Super Featherweight, WBO Inter-Continental Featherweight and WBC Baltic Silver featherweight titles.

Nicaraguan Daniel Diaz is a nine-year professional and a former NABA Champion. In 2011, Diaz unsuccessfully challenged Koki Kameda for the WBA World Bantamweight Championship in Osaka, Japan. Most recently, he won a decision against very highly regarded Mexican contender Robert Marroquin.

“I’m looking forward to my first appearance as a promoter in Chicago at the Gonzalez vs. Gonzalez fight on February 7,” said Mike Tyson. “We have a great fight card lined up with some exciting fighters. Chicago historically has a rich boxing history and I am proud to return and bring boxing entertainment to the city that has always been good to me.”

“I’m very happy to be returning to the great city of Chicago with another fantastic show,” said Leon Margules. “I wish to thank all my partners for their continued support in returning Chicago to its glory days of boxing. I also wish to extend many thanks to the great Mike Tyson for his promotional partnership. This will be another fantastic event I am proud to be a part of.”

“Leon and I are very excited to again be working with my dear friend and legend Mike Tyson and going back to Chicago with 8 Count,” said Luis DeCubas. “UIC Pavilion is one of the best venues for boxing in this country.”

“I’m very excited to bring another great show to the loyal boxing fans of Chicagoland,” said Dominic Pesoli. “What a great way to start off the New Year with an ESPN “Friday Night Fights” event. It will be a pleasure to work again with the good friends from Warriors Boxing and my new friends from Iron Mike Productions. Let’s start off the 2014 season with some serious HEAT, because Chicago can surely use it! Please come out and enjoy the fights with us and one of boxing’s greatest legends Mike Tyson.”

On fight night, doors will open at 6:00 pm CT with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 pm. The UIC Pavilion is located at 525 S. Racine, at the corner of Harrison and Racine on the campus of the University of Illinois-Chicago.

###

About Iron Mike Productions (IMP)

Previously known as Acquinity Sports, Iron Mike Productions is a full-service boxing promotion company co-founded and led by CEO Garry Jonas. In partnership with Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, IMP is committed to changing traditional boxing promotion by advocating for its fighters’ successes, inside the ring and out, throughout their professional careers and into retirement.

About Warriors Boxing

Launched in 2003, Warriors Boxing operates under a simple philosophy-bring the best boxers in the world to fight fans, match them in competitive bouts, and in doing so help re-establish the sport of boxing for a new generation.

With a series of successful Pay-Per-View shows and packed houses to its credit, the Warriors business model is working wonders in a sport that was sorely in need of the innovation and energy that the company brings to the table.

When it comes down to it though, a promotional company is only as good as the fighters and fights it promotes. Warriors Boxing has delivered on all fronts, with outstanding bouts such as Lara-Molina, Cayo-Peterson, Abraham-Miranda I and II, Miranda-Pavlik, Miranda-Green, Ibragimov-Briggs, Ibragimov-Klitschko, Urango-Hatton, Urango-Bailey, Cayo-Maidana and Ibragimov-Holyfield.

For more information on Warriors Boxing, visit their website at www.WarriorsBoxing.com.

About 8 Count Productions

8 Count Productions, Home Of The Best In Chicago Boxing, was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1998 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland.

Fighters currently under the 8 Count Productions banner include; IBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Andrzej Fonfara, middleweight contender Donovan George, world-class junior welterweight prospect Adrian Granados, former world title challenger Edner Cherry, super middleweight prospect Paul Littleton, middleweight prospect Viktor Polyakov and welterweight prospect Jaime Herrera.

For more information on 8 Count Productions/Round 3 Productions please visit their new website, www.8countproductions.com.

For additional information go online at www.IronMikeProductions.com or www.8countproductions.com or www.WarriorsBoxing.com.

Mike Tyson Web Site – miketyson.com
Facebook: facebook.com/miketyson
Twitter: @MikeTyson @IronMikeProd

Televised Features
Yenifel Vicente 129
Juan Antonio Rodriguez 129
Contract Weight: 130

Zahir Raheem 139
Bayan Jargal 139
Contract Weight: 140

Lateef Kayode 222
Jonte Willis 219.5
Contract Weight: Heavy

Undercard
Jeremy McCleary 126.5
Gerardo Reyes 129
Contract Weight: 129

Jared Teer 153.5
*Cameron Sevilla – Rivera 156
Contract Weight: 154

Eduardo Alicea 166.5
Jas Phipps 164
Contract Weight: 167

* Rivera weighed heavy, but Teer’s camp still agreed to the fight

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 9, 2013) – World Series of Fighting hosted a media conference call on Thursday with “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock” headliners Justin Gaethje (10-0) and Rich Patishnock (6-1), as well as main-card competitors Anthony Johnson (15-4), Mike Kyle (20-10-1), Jessica Aguilar (16-4) and Alida Gray (4-0). Joining the fighters on the call was WSOF President Ray Sefo and WSOF Executive Vice President Ali Abdelaziz.

World Series of Fighting 8 will take place Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Tickets for “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock,” start at just $29, and are on sale at Ticketmaster.com. The bout tops a five-fight card that airs live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. A five-fight undercard will stream live at www.WSOF.com.

The following are highlights from the conference call:

RAY SEFO:
“Obviously 2013 was a great year for World Series of Fighting and we are looking forward to kicking off the year with two world title fights and our first female fight. I couldn’t be any happier than where we are.

“As far as the challenge out there offered to Bellator, I haven’t heard one negative comment about it. Twitter and Facebook are blowing up all day since that challenge was offered and people are saying let’s make it happen. Someone asked me about what the outcome would be and I would say 10 out of 10 in favor of World Series of Fighting.”

ALI ABDELAZIZ:
“Both Justin (Gaethje) and Rich (Patishnock) are great fighters, they come forward and throw punches; they throw bombs. Stylistically this is a great fight. I can see this fight being five rounds of just a brutal blood bath and the fans are going to be the winner for this one.

“The fans are always going to go with the fighters. If Anthony (Johnson)’s contract is over and he wants to go fight for a different promotion then we will give him a big hug and wish him luck. This is 2014. This isn’t boxing. They are different sports. Everyone should have a dream and should pursue them. When Ray, Shawn (Lampman) and I started this promotion we said: fighters first. This is why we have so many fans behind us and supporting us. We may not be the biggest, but we know that the ones who do tune into NBC Sports are truly MMA fans.

“I assure you we have a big fight coming for Nick Newell in 2014. I have probably the biggest fight of his life on the biggest stage. I’ve been planning this for almost seven months. Everything is about timing and Nick just fought. And we can’t just have all the stars on one card. We want to be able to share the stars on different cards.”

JUSTIN GAETHJE:
“I want to thank the World Series of Fighting for selecting me to be the face of their lightweight division. That’s a big thing that they are entrusting me with and I’m excited about that.

“Rich throws a lot of punches and has a great takedown defense. This is a great matchup skill-wise for both of us. It’s going to be an exciting fight and what I really try to do is give the fans an exciting fight. That’s all I can really control.”

RICH PATISHNOCK:
“I was happy I was given this opportunity and I was getting ready for a fight anyway. I didn’t feel much pressure taking this fight on such short notice. You don’t fight for a specific person. You have to fight for yourself and concentrate on what you’re good at. You come up with a game plan but it really never sticks.
Win lose or draw I’m glad I’ve been given this opportunity.”

ANTHONY JOHNSON:
“It’s going to be exciting to get this fight over with. It seems like it’s been about a year. I had to pull out the first time and then Mike had to pull out the second time. But we’re finally getting it done and both of us are healthy.

“Mike is talented and has one of the best camps you can ever go to, AKA. He says he wants to push my cardio, well let’s push it.

“I definitely plan to stay active this year if I can stay injury free and not break my hand any more. But I’m going to definitely try to break my hand on Jan. 18. As far as 2013, it wasn’t a bad year for me. Even though I couldn’t fight for various reasons I was still in the gym helping my teammates. I was satisfied with 2013.

“Fighting for the title isn’t really on my mind right now. The first step is beating Mike Kyle and we’ll go from there.

“I haven’t hit my prime yet. When I do hit my prime, you’ll know.”

MIKE KYLE:
“It’s a bummer fight fans have had to wait this long for this fight to happen. We’re going to let those fans see a great show and I’m just excited to be a part of something like this.

“I really want to push the fight and push his cardio and see what kind of shape he’s really in. This would make for a great championship fight but it is what it is and I’ll wait for my time.”

JESSICA AGUILAR:
“I’m going to give everything I always give and going to leave everything inside the cage. I’m just excited and grateful.

“It’s been seven and a half years of hard training to get my first world title shot. All the hard work and those hours are finally going to pay off.

“We’re going to mix it up. I’m going to go in there and dance and have fun and show some moves out there.”

“Growing up my father was a karate black belt and we would have contests to see who could punch him the hardest in the tummy. And at the end I would always win and he would always say, ‘For being so little, you punch hard.’ I’m not going to predict what’s going to happen. If I knock her out, great. If I tap her out, great. I’m just looking for a win. However it comes I’ll take it.”

ALIDA GRAY:
“I’m very honored to have been picked for this fight. I’m going to bring a fight to Jessica. I hope everybody’s ready for this.

It hasn’t been overwhelming getting ready for this fight. I watched Jessica fight before I turned pro. I told my coach I’m ready for this fight and ready to take these caliber fights. Finally this summer we made the decision that I was going to pro. I know there are a lot of people out there who don’t know my name. She’s out there and she’s well known. She’s No. 1 ranked. But come Jan. 18 people will get to know me.

“I think we’re both very well-rounded fighters. I’ve been practicing on my stand-up. My judo is going to be there naturally. I’m not going to rely on it, I’m going to depend on it.

“I think my advantage is that I’m the underdog. I’m going in there with nothing to lose.”

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

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

About Hard Rock Live
Hard Rock Live, a spectacular state-of-the-art facility, further expands the ultimate entertainment experience at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. This 5,500-seat indoor arena has attracted more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 2005, and has regularly hosted South Florida’s greatest variety of musical acts such as Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Marc Anthony, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Tim McGraw and Carlos Santana; top comedians including Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Kathy Griffin and George Lopez; as well as major sporting events and events of major sports stars, from UFCmatches to charity galas for Jason Taylor, Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade andmore. For additional information, please visit www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com or www.myhrl.com, facebook.com/MyHRL and twitter.com/hard_rock_live.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino invites you to PLAYHARD! Play, stay, dine, and shop at South Florida’s ultimate entertainment destination. Over 90 tables offer Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold ’em Bonus Poker, Casino War and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Additionally, over 2,500 slots include the Native-American Casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room, are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player’s Club members also have access to the exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and VIP Chef’s Table show kitchen. The Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock hosts various games and tournaments of Limit and No Limit Texas Hold ’em, 7-Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. Located inside the casino is Hard Rock Cafe -Hollywood, part of Hard Rock’s 138 globally recognized rock ‘n’ roll restaurants. The Green Lodging Certified by the State of Florida, AAA Four Diamond-rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 40,000 square feet of meeting room space, Rock Spa, award-winning restaurants, high-energy nightclubs, lounges and bars, boutique retail shops, the 350-seat Paradise Live theater and the 5,500-seat Hard Rock Live concert arena. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com, facebook.com/seminolehardrockhollywood, twitter.com/SHRHollywood, instagram.com/semhardrockhollywood and youtube.com/semhardrockhollywood.

Glassboro, N.J. (Thursday, January 9, 2014) – Undefeated super middleweight Derrick “Take it to the Bank” Webster (14-0, 7 KOs) is now confirmed to end what will be a one-year layoff, meeting gritty veteran Yasin Rashid (7-5, 2 KOs) on Friday, January 31st, at Harrah’s Philadelphia. The bout, which is slated to be for the vacant IBS Super Middleweight Title, is part of the debut show of 2014 for Joey Eye Boxing Promotions.

Webster holds a perfect 14-0 record as a professional fighter (Photo courtesy of Team Webster, Click for full-size version).

“I appreciate Yasin taking this fight because we went after everyone from undefeated prospects to guys with 16-2 type records, only to keep getting turned away,” Webster stated. “So while I plan to put on a show on January 31st, I still respect this man. Sometimes, God has us wait on our moment, and He just let me off the leash. To all of Team Webster and all of my Glassboro Bulldogs, we are going to show up and show out on the 31st.”

Rashid has a deceptive record at first glimpse, as the Brooklyn native has already stepped into the ring against some fighters with very impressive resumes. After starting his professional campaign with seven consecutive victories, he has dropped five straight contests, but those five opponents have shared a collective 47-2-1 record.

Webster last fought in January of 2013 when he won a decision victory over the highly underrated Darnell Boone. In 44 professional fights, Boone has faced just seven total fighters who had three or more losses, standing as the first man to drop number two pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward and the only man to defeat current WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Adonis Stevenson.

“The anticipation of getting back in the ring has my emotions running on high,” Webster remarked. “To see that I can go from having a year layoff and still have my fans there like they are says a lot about not only myself, but also my fans. Seeing their excitement is making me go even harder in my training because I love seeing my fans happy. There is nothing quite like having a plethora of people who love me like the way my fans do.”

The type of support he receives from his fan base is what Webster credits as helping him survive the frustration he faced in 2013. Now with a fresh new year in front of him, he says that he is ready to reward them for their unquestionable loyalty.

“Words can’t describe the way I feel about my fans,” he continued. “A lot of athletes out there – once they’re gone, they’re gone. I’ve been getting a lot of feedback about how my constantly helping out in the community makes me deserving of all of the loyalty and support I receive. Despite the fact that I haven’t been able to get fights over the past year, I’ve still been spending a lot of time in championship camps, which has kept me on everyone’s radar on the boxing scene. When I first told my close friends, supporters and family that the commission had approved this fight, the type of reception I got from everyone was truly overwhelming.”

Now that this long layoff is finally coming to an end, Webster says everyone can expect an incredible performance from him on the 31st.

“My fans will see a ‘Take it to the Bank’ that they have never seen before,” he predicted. “I’ve grown so much. I’ve improved so much. I’ve truly learned how to take my brush and paint a beating like no other. They’re going to see something that they’ve never seen before. At the end of my fights, I always get a standing ovation. Everyone always ends up on their feet. I’m giving that from the very start of this fight. When go in, we’re going in. My fans have something coming for them.”

Tickets for Webster’s highly anticipated return to the ring on January 31st are available now by calling his team at (609) 680-7131. Seats range in price at $50 (General Admission), $75 (Ringside) and $100 (VIP).

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will take on Alfredo Anguko on March 8th in Las Vegas and will be televised via Showtime Pay Per View.

“The fight is done. Signed, sealed and delivered,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. “Both guys are excited and ready to put on a show. These are two Mexican warriors and two of the most exciting fighters in the sport and it will be a toe-to-toe battle. That is what we are calling the card, ‘Toe to Toe.'”

“Canelo is a huge star, so going on pay-per-view was not an issue,” Schaefer said. “You see it when he goes somewhere in Los Angeles or Mexico. He has that charisma where people are drawn to him. I saw that in San Antonio in December when he came to the (Marcos Maidana-Adrien Broner card). The ovation he got was crazy. People embrace him. The fans go nuts, the females love him. You win some and you lose some. He had his first loss against Mayweather, the best fighter in the world, and there is no shame in that.

“But just because you lose to Floyd doesn’t mean you lose. He’s been exposed to so many people because of it, and that increased exposure is a good thing for Canelo and his career.

“His eye is fine. He was cleared about six weeks after the fight with Lara and he didn’t need surgery,” Michael Miller, Angulo’s manager, said. “He’s very excited and he’s looking forward to fighting Canelo. People know they’re going to get a helluva show no matter who wins. Nobody will be a loser that night because it’s going to be a memorable fight I believe.

“Angulo is going to hit Canelo and we’ll see what he can do when he gets by a big puncher.”

If Schaefer get the deal done, junior featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) would defend his belt in a mandatory defense against former two-time junior bantamweight titleholder and Mexican countryman Cristian Mijares.(49-7-2, 24 KOs), who has won two fights in a row since losing a split decision to Victor Terrazas for a vacant title in April. Santa Cruz then knocked out Terrazas in the third round in his first defense to win the title on Aug. 24.

Schaefer is also hoping to finalize a pair of lightweight bouts. In one fight, interim titlist Omar Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) would make his first defense against Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KOs), Canelo’s older brother.

Figueroa won the vacant interim belt in July by outpointing Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) in a savage fight of the year candidate and has not fought since. Neither has Japan’s Arawaka, who would return to face former junior lightweight and featherweight titlist Jorge Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) — a Venezuelan who lives in Japan — in the opener of the pay-per-view.

“When they have these infomercials on TV and you are ready to dial the phone and buy the product, I want this card to be an infomercial for the sport of boxing,” Schaefer said. “You announce the main and people get excited. But you say, ‘But wait, there’s more.’ I don’t have all three of these fights done yet, but I am working to get them done.

“It’s one of those cards where you can be proud of putting it on because you know when people turn on the TV you know they are going to be entertained.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former world champion Robert Guerrero has taken the legal steps to get out of his contract with Golden Boy Promotions.

“What his issues are, I can’t tell you. You’d have to ask him,” Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “We have totally complied with our contract with regard to the minimum purses and the number of fights, so I don’t know what they are basing this on.”

“Robert wouldn’t have authorized the arbitration if he was happy with Golden Boy,” Bruce Zabarauskas, Guerrero’s attorney, told ESPN.com, declining to go into the particulars of why Guerrero was unhappy.

“The contract was not signed under California law, it was done under New York law, so you can’t have the California commission rule on a New York promotional contract,” Schaefer said. “Most of our promotional agreements are governed by New York law because that is where most of our sponsor deals and television deals are also governed, and we want to have consistency. Guerrero agreed to have his contract under New York law, and he was legally represented when he signed it.”

Zabarauskas disputed Schaefer’s view of the California commission’s jurisdiction.

“You have a California fighter and a California promoter,” he said of Guerrero, who is from Gilroy, Calif., and Golden Boy, which is based in Los Angeles. “If you buy Golden Boy’s position, they can evade California commission rules whenever they want.”

“He made a career-high payday last year and we put him in with Andre Berto in a big fight before that,” Schaefer said. “We gave him the exposure he wanted and he made a lot of money. I’m proud of how we have promoted Robert Guerrero and of the money we have made for him.

“The guy was on my ass to get him the Mayweather fight for a long time. Finally, I get him the deal and now he is unhappy. I don’t understand.”

“They insisted on the extension or they wouldn’t give him the Mayweather fight,” Zabarauskas said.

“If Robert wants to fight, we have a fight for him. We have lots of fights for him,” Schaefer said, ticking off the numerous name fighters he promotes in and around Guerrero’s 147-pound weight class, including titleholders Shawn Porter and Marcos Maidana, Thurman and former titleholders Adrien Broner, Paulie Malignaggi and Victor Ortiz as well as junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia. “There are more. The list goes on and on. Robert turned down a couple of fights, but I am just going to let this play out and deal with it. We have to wait to hear from California if there is a hearing or not. In the meantime, we will keep offering him fights.”

“They made us one offer for one fight (with Thurman) that didn’t comply with our agreement,” he said.

“I’m going to have to have a serious word with Floyd,” Schaefer said. “These guys beg me for Mayweather and then I deliver them the fight and they lose, and I guess they blame me. You saw it with Juan Manuel Marquez. I got him the fight with Mayweather and he lost every second of every round. You saw it with (Shane) Mosley, who lost almost every second of every round and you saw it with Guerrero. I don’t know what Floyd is doing to these guys.”

Sherman Oaks, CA (January 9, 2014) Highly regarded welterweight prospect Javier Molina suffered a fractured right hand in sparring on Wednesday afternoon and has withdrawn from his ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra™ showdown on JANUARY 24 with former world champion Kendall Holt it was announced today by Dan Goossen, President of Goossen Tutor Promotions.

The new main event for the ESPN Friday Night Fights/”Little Creek Brawl IV” event at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington, will be a ten round NABO Light Heavyweight Championship clash between top undefeated prospect Thomas Williams Jr. of Fort Washington, Maryland and Houston based world-contender Cornelius White.

“It’s truly an unfortunate situation for Javier who has been saddled with hand injuries since the beginning of his professional career,” said Goossen. “This is the fourth fracture of his hands he’s had to endure. I feel terrible with what this good young man has had to overcome so early in his career.”

“Javier went straight to the renowned Kerlan-Jobe Center in Los Angeles where he was examined by hand specialist Dr. Steve Shin who has scheduled his surgery for next Tuesday,” said Arnulfo Bravo, manager of Molina. “We are taking every step to ensure the best treatment for his eventual return to the ring. Dr. Shin believes he’ll be ready to return to training between three and four months.”

Continued Goossen, “Boxing fans have seen many fighters suffer similar hand injuries as Javier’s and still become world champions. One of the most prominent is Paulie Malignaggi who has had to overcome numerous hand injuries, eventually overcoming them and attaining a highly successful career.”

About the new main event, Goossen stated, “Tom Brown moved quickly to line up a very strong light heavyweight title fight between up-and-coming Thomas Williams Jr. and heavy-handed Cornelius White.”

“Williams is looking to continue his ascent towards becoming a world champion and White will be looking to get back on the winning track following his fight with world champion Sergey Kovalev.”

The 26 year-old southpaw Williams, 15-0-0 (10 KOs) is coming off a sensational 2013 campaign with four outstanding wins. Most recently he dominated former world title challenger Yusaf Mack over ten rounds winning a unanimous decision on November 26 in Sunrise, Florida.

On May 18, 2013, Williams won a decision over perennial contender Otis Griffith at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Williams is currently world ranked #12 by the International Boxing Federation.

Known as “Da Beast,” the hard-hitting White has compiled a record of 21-2-0 with sixteen knockouts over his six-year professional career.

Prior to his loss to Kovalev, the 32-year-old White was riding a five bout winning streak with strong wins over top prospects Yordanis Despaigne and Dmitry Sukhotsky in addition to a decision win over Otis Griffith.

White is also world ranked by the International Boxing Federation at #14 in the world.

“While we are disappointed for Javier Molina, we had been seriously considering broadcasting the Williams-White match as part of that show so we are still expecting an outstanding night. We think Thomas Williams is a fighter that ESPN fans will want to get to know and we’re confident that Cornelius White will want to prove that sentiment wrong,” said ESPN’s Sr. Director of Programing & Acquisitions Brian Kweder.

“Little Creek Brawl IV” will open the ESPN broadcast with former World Champion Rico Ramos (22-3, 12 KOs) taking on upset-minded Jonathan Arellano (14-2-2, 3 KOs) in a 10-round Featherweight Bout.

Advance tickets priced at $40 can be purchased by calling (800) 667-7711 or online at www.Little-Creek.com. Doors will open on the night of the event at 4:30 p.m. with the first bell at 5:00 p.m. For more information and directions to the Little Creek Casino Resort, please visit their website at www.Little-Creek.com

IBF #8-ranked Afghani-Canadian Arash Usmanee says he’s very disappointed to be missing out on his scheduled main event this Friday night at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

Usmanee (20-1-1, 10 KOs) was scheduled to face Mexican KO artist Juan Antonio “El Mozo” Rodriguez (25-4, 23 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight battle before suffering an injury in training earlier this week, forcing him to withdraw.

“My feet got tangled in sparring. I had injured it before in my last two fights. I twisted it when my feet got tangled and I fell,” explained Usmanee. “I’m babying it. It’s a sprain, so it could take a while. Sometimes it heals quickly and sometimes it takes a bit. It’s starting to feel better. I have to wear a brace.”

The timing of the injury is especially unfortunate for Usmanee, who would have liked to use the momentum of a globally televised victory on Friday Night Fights to propel him into a rematch with arch rival Rances Barthelemy, who recently won the IBF World Championship at Junior Lightweight.

The pair fought to a very controversial draw in January of last year, a fight which many felt Usmanee deserved the nod.

“I was excited about it. It was a good fight for me. Barthelemy just won the title. It was perfect for setting up a rematch between me and him on a bigger stage.”

Still Usmanee is hoping Barthelemy’s words post winning the title were his true intentions

.

“He said he doesn’t care who he fights, and that he’d fight the Lion of Damascus. Well, The Lion of Afghanistan is ready. For him, on the inside, to feel like he has that belt, he has to fight me. He has to have a win over me. With the way our last fight turned out, it’s only fair I get a shot for him to feel like he’s the real champion.”

STAR BOXING PRE SALE TICKET INFO:
LAST CHANCE TO BUY TICKETS BEFORE THE PUBLIC, DURING THE ONLINE PRE-SALE through 10pm on Thursday, Jan. 9th – using password “PULSE”. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, Jan. 10th @ 10am via Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone @ 800-745-3000 or The Paramount Box Office (open daily from 12 noon – 6 pm).
The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue in Huntington, New York, 11743. Doors on the night of the event will open at 7:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:30 p.m.

Sales to the general public begin Friday at 10:00 am and are priced at $200, $150, $100, $60 and $50 for “ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin Fights 12”. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000). Tickets are also available by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or on their website www.starboxing.com and through The Paramount Box Office, (631) 673-7300.

ABOUT ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS
ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will begin at 9 p.m. ET live on ESPN2,

Watch ESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.
ESPN Deportes will re-brand its coverage as Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) with some telecasts on Saturdays.

ESPN2 Commentators/Studio:

Blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore and ringside analyst Teddy Atlas will return to describe the action for ESPN2. Both are recipients of the prestigious Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism presented by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA): Atlas (2001), Tessitore (2010). Studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), will return for his second season providing all the latest boxing news and highlights. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn), who last year became the series’ first-ever on-site reporter, will contribute to Friday Night Fights in English, and Noche de Combates (Fight Night) in Spanish.

ESPN Deportes Commentators/Studio:

Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combateson both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez will join Trejos and González in studio throughout the season, with Osuna providing reports and interviews.

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.

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.

Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu is preparing for his upcoming fight against Olanrewaju “God’s Power” Durodola on NBCSN Fight Night, Friday, January 24th live from Resorts International Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. He took time out of training camp to answer questions about his opponent, the fight and his career.

What are your predictions for your fight on Friday, January 24?

TM: I’m gonna start the New Year with a bang! I’m a boxer and can punch when I want to! I’m gonna make some fans in the US!

How does it feel to be back on NBCSN Fight Night?

TM: Really motivates me when I’m on (NBCSN) Fight Night! Truly an honor

How do you feel about fighting in the US for the second time?

TM: I absolutely love it!

Did you change anything about your training routine for this fight?

TM: Pretty similar

What is a typical day in training camp like for you?

TM: Running, sparring and technical work with my coach Sean Smith; he keeps me on point! We click together.

Who have you sparred with leading up to this fight?

TM: Danie Venter, Isaac Chilemba and Kevin Lerena

Your opponent, Durodola, has had a total of sixteen fights and stopped fourteen of them, does this concern you?

TM: Not really; it’s easy to stop “nobodies”.

What do you know about Durodola?

TM: He’s an African fighter and former Olympian but nothing I haven’t seen before.

Durodola is in the same position you were in when you fought Eddie Chambers. How are you going to stop him from capitalizing on this opportunity?

TM: My destiny and his are different.

In your last fight you beat Eddie Chambers – Do you feel you have to prove beating Chambers was not an accident?

TM: No. I’m gonna prove that anyone you put in front of me, I am gonna beat!

How has your last win changed things for you?

TM: Makes me even more certain I can dominate – but not much! Hungry as ever!

The current cruiserweight champions are Yoan Pablo Hernandez (IBF), Denis Lebedev (WBA), Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (WBC) and Marco Huck (WBO), which of these champions do you want to face first? Which of these champions do you feel would be easiest/hardest to beat?

TM: I want the WBC belt first. I don’t care who’s got it. Then I want to unify the belts. I want to fight Huck- he’s got a big mouth!

WBO champion Marco Huck is scheduled to face former world champion Firat Arslan on January 25th in a rematch. What do you think of that fight?

TM: It will be interesting but I’m sure Huck will defend.

What are your thoughts on the passing of Nelson Mandela?

TM: His struggles have given me the opportunity I have today! I wanna show my appreciation to him and be a great success in boxing to honor what he has done for our nation and for people around the world!

ABOUT FRIDAY, JANUARY 24TH
Friday, January 24th at Resorts Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ features a ten-round middleweight battle between Curtis “Showtime” Stevens and Patrick “The Machine” Majewski in the main event.

The ten-round Cruiserweight co-feature between Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu and Olanrewaju “God’s Power” Durodola, will be for the vacant NABF Cruiserweight Title. Six additional fights are planned. Undercard will be announced shortly.

Doors will open at 7:00 PM ET, First Fight at 8:00 PM ET. The main event and co-feature will be broadcast 10:00 PM ET on NBC Fight Night on NBCSN. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Dibella Entertainment and Showpony Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $75 and $50. They can be purchased at the Resorts International Hotel and Casino Box Office, 800-736-1420; at TicketMaster 800-745-3000 or online (key word: Main Events); and at Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922.

FIGHT NIGHT ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night on Friday, Jan. 24 at 10 p.m. ET.

Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated 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.

Coverage airing on NBCSN will 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.

FOLLOW US:
www.mainevents.com

Twitter: @main_events or twitter.com/main_events

Twitter: #FightNight

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Home New – Updated Feb 2024

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According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Lightweight champion Richar Abril will defend his title against Edward Troyanovsky in Russia.

“I have a deal with Abril,” Promoter Vlad Hrunov told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “It’s a big fight for our country.” The fight will be Abril’s second bout outside the United States. In 2011, he traveled to Panama and won a unanimous decision against Panama’s Miguel Acosta in a 135-pound interim title bout.

Atlantic City, NJ: The Stevens-Majewski fight scheduled for Friday, January 24th on NBCSN live from Resorts Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ marks the first of many explosive middleweight match-ups awaiting boxing fans in 2014. The red hot middleweight division saw some memorable bouts in 2013 and is jam-packed with exciting champions and contenders that will produce some wild match-ups this year.

Gennady Golovkin is arguably the top middleweight fighter in the world and in 2013 he showed the world why with four wins all coming by knockout (Gabriel Rosado, Nobuhiro Ishida, Matthew Macklin and Curtis Stevens). In 2014, the WBA champion is expected to face some tough contenders starting with his fight against Osumanu Adama in February.

WBC and lineal middleweight champion Sergio Martinez defeated Martin Murray in Argentina in April 2013 but was sidelined due to injuries for the rest of the year. He is expected to face former three-division world champion Miguel Cotto in June. Cotto, for his part, will seek to make Puerto Rican history by dethroning the champ to win a world title in his fourth division.

WBO champion Peter Quillin also defeated Fight Night alum Gabriel Rosado in 2013 in a controversial tenth round stoppage. It remains to be seen what the WBO champ will do in 2014.

After successfully defending his IBF title four times, Daniel Geale lost his belt to Darren Barker in August. Barker then lost to former WBA world champion Felix Sturm in Germany in a stunning second-round knockout. Sturm had previously lost the WBA title – that he successfully defended for six years – to Geale in 2012 via a split decision loss. Geale is scheduled to face Garth Wood in February from Australia but has been calling for a rematch with Sturm for a chance to reclaim the IBF title.

The would-be contenders for the middleweight crown begin their campaigns for a title shot on Friday, January 24th from Resorts International Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, with the much-anticipated fight between Curtis “Showtime” Stevens and Patrick “The Machine” Majewski. The Stevens-Majewski fight will be a “put up or shut up” fight for both men as both are coming off recent defeats.

Stevens lost his last fight at Madison Square Garden to Gennady Golovkin. Stevens has taken the shortest break of any of Golovkin’s 2013 KO recipients since his eighth-round knockout in November before getting back in the ring again. When asked about the match-up Stevens said, “It’s time for me to get back in the ring.” He added, “It is my goal to eliminate all of the middleweights in the division and get another crack at the title; I am ready for anything Majewski might throw at me. When I get in the ring there will be no overthinking, I am just going to do what I do best.”

Majewski lost via unanimous decision to Patrick Nielsen in twelve rounds in September after winning four in a row dating back to April 2012. “The Machine” said, “I need this big challenge. I realize winning this fight against Curtis Stevens can push me up in the ranks of the middleweight division. I do not intend to fail, believe me I have been training and studying very hard and I am ready to pass this test.”

NBC Sports Group’s Fight Night’s play-by-play announcer Kenny Rice said, “I think this has the potential to be a very interesting fight. We all know that Curtis Stevens is a supreme KO artist. A decent proportion of Majewski’s wins [52%] have also come via knockout. I think the two of them feel they have a lot to prove in this fight.” He added, “Stevens will want to reestablish himself in the middleweight division and Majewski will see this as a vehicle for solidifying a position in the division. There are a lot of good scenarios that can develop when you have two hard hitting guys; we could be in for some fireworks.”

Both men will come out swinging with something to prove on the 24th. In this tough middleweight division a loss for either fighter could mean they will get lost in the shuffle of contenders looking to move up the ranks – including Patrick Nielsen who has yet to make his US debut, David Lemieux fighting out of boxing hot spot Montreal and Marco Antonio Rubio who is the WBC’s mandatory opponent and is awaiting his shot at Sergio Martinez following the Martinez-Cotto fight in 2014. Other middleweight challengers include former champions Darren Barker and Daniel Geale and past contenders Martin Murray, Matthew Macklin, Andy Lee, Sam Soliman and Bryan Vera. Upcoming prospects include Max Bursak and Danny Jacobs.

B.J. Flores, NBC’s boxing analyst said, “Curtis was on nobody’s radar two years ago and now people definitely know the name Curtis Stevens. He came on with Main Events, fought on NBC three times and the next thing you know he is fighting Golovkin, the best middleweight in the division. Not everyone can bounce back from a loss like that; Curtis has a lot to prove in this fight.” He went on to say, “This fight against Curtis will be Majewski’s chance to step up and get on the middleweight map; if he wants a chance at a title he needs to beat Curtis. It is a make or break fight for both guys.”

Boxing fans and networks can mix and match any of the champions or contenders in the middleweight division for a heart-stopping fight. This level of parity and excitement is what makes for historically great boxing. The sport has not seen a batch of potential middleweight stars like this since the 1980s with Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns and Roberto Duran. It is also reminiscent of the great heavyweight division of the 1990s including Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe. And it all begins live from Atlantic City on Friday, January 24th on NBCSN Fight Night.

ABOUT FRIDAY, JANUARY 24TH
Friday, January 24th at Resorts Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ features a ten-round middleweight battle between Curtis “Showtime” Stevens and Patrick “The Machine” Majewski in the main event.

The ten-round Cruiserweight co-feature between Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu and Olanrewaju “God’s Power” Durodola, will be for the vacant NABF Cruiserweight Title. Six additional fights are planned. Undercard will be announced shortly.

Doors will open at 7:00 PM ET, First Fight at 8:00 PM ET. The main event and co-feature will be broadcast 10:00 PM ET on NBC Fight Night on NBCSN. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Dibella Entertainment and Showpony Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $75 and $50. They can be purchased at the Resorts International Hotel and Casino Box Office, 800-736-1420; at TicketMaster 800-745-3000 or online (key word: Main Events); and at Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922.

FIGHT NIGHT ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night on Friday, Jan. 24 at 10 p.m. ET.

Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated 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.

Coverage airing on NBCSN will 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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Home New – Updated Feb 2024

Twitter: @ResortsCasino or https://twitter.com/resortscasino

Fight Venue:
Resorts Casino Hotel – Superstar Theatre
1133 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
1-800-772-9000

Home New – Updated Feb 2024

January 8, 2014 -This Saturday January 11, The City of Hollister and Six-Time world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, join forces to help save lives by adding people of all races to the “Be The Match” marrow registry. The event will take place at The Vault located at 452 San Benito St. in Hollister California from 3:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. The goal is to register as many people as possible and raise money in a quest to save the lives of patients with diseases like leukemia, lymphoma or sickle cell anemia.

Robert Guerrero was the 2013 “Ambassador of Hope” for Be The Match, a nonprofit organization that connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant.

“I encourage everyone to come out and join me at this very important event,” said Robert Guerrero. “The procedure to join the marrow registry is very simple, and painless. It will be my life long quest to help as many people join so come on out and help save a life.”

The Ghost will be present from 3:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m. A silent action will also be held to benefit “Be The Match”. For more information on how to be a donor visit www.BeTheMatch.org.

New York, NY (1/8/14) – On Friday, January 31, DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions, will host that week’s edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra from the Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange, NJ. The card, which will be taking place on the much anticipated Super Bowl weekend at MetLife Stadium, will be headlined by highly regarded undefeated light heavyweight contender Blake Caparello (18-0-1, 6KO’s) squaring off against former world title challenger and longtime contender Elvir Muriqi (40-5, 24KO’s) in a 10-round light heavyweight matchup.

In the scintillating co-feature, exciting super bantamweights Luis Rosa (14-0, 6KO’s) and Jorge Diaz (17-2, 10KO’s) meet in an absolute can’t-miss 10-round showdown.

ESPN will begin live coverage at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN.

“I am very excited to be signing with DiBella Entertainment. I have always wanted to fight in the USA and test myself against the world’s best. With DiBella Entertainment as my promoter all this is now possible. I can’t wait to make my US TV debut on ESPN,” proclaimed Caparello.

Caparello continued, “I have sat down with the team and we have taken a good look at Muriqi. He’s a very tough and experienced opponent but these are the type of guys I need to beat if I’m going to make it to the next level. Come fight night the team will have a plan in place that will get us the win.”

“What I know about Caparello is that he’s from Australia, he is a southpaw and is a good fighter. Cararello is undefeated, so a win like this, can put me right back in the mix. I’m glad that Greg Cohen, Vito Mielnickiand Lou DiBella are giving me a chance to fight this kind of fight on TV. I’m excited about it. Fighting an undefeated fighter is like solving a puzzle and I’m looking forward to it,” said Muriqi.

“Caparello is a young gun in the 175 lb. division who has some major wins but hasn’t yet been exposed in the U.S. This is a chance for him to show his skill, on the biggest stage, against a battle tested American veteran. We are excited to be in New Jersey Super Bowl weekend, as the atmosphere should be electric.”

“Fans of ESPN Friday Night Fights have come to expect good action fights and this card certainly promises to deliver on that account,” said Brian Kweder, senior director of programming and acquisitions at ESPN.

The 27-year-old southpaw Caparello, nicknamed “Il Capo” was a perfect 4-0 in 2013 and is coming off his most impressive victory to date, a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Allan Green. Caparello’s career has seen him take a much more aggressive approach in the pro ranks than most prospects. In just his third bout, Caparello was competing in eight-round Australian title fights. The only blemish on his record came back in 2010 when he battled fellow undefeated prospect Shane McConville to a highly controversial 10-round split decision draw for the Australian light heavyweight title in Caparello’s sixth pro fight. Caparello controlled that action against the more experienced and hometown favorite McConville and seemingly won the decision decisively, with one judge scoring the bout a convincing 99-92 in Caparello’s favor. Unfortunately, the other two judges scored the bout 95-94 and 95-95, resulting in the split draw.

Not to be deterred, Caparello was back in action just three months later, winning an impressive eight-round unanimous decision over 12-1 Michael Bolling. In just his 10th professional fight, Caparello picked up the interim OPBF light heavyweight title with a conclusive 12-round unanimous decision over Joseph Kwadjo (20-4) who previously had stopped former world title challenger Jamie Pittman.

Caparello is currently riding a 13-bout winning streak, including handing fellow light heavyweight world-rated contender (WBO #14) Robert Berridge (22-1-1, 18KO’s) the lone loss on his record via 10-round unanimous decision. Caparello is looking to make an immediate splash in the US to throw his name into the exciting light heavyweight mix, when he takes on the dangerous and much more experienced Muriqi. Caparello is currently training in Las Vegas, serving as one of the lead sparring partners for Jean Pascal and has been garnering rave reviews. An impressive victory over Muriqi, who has been featured on US national TV on several occasions, will force the light heavyweight division to take notice of the skilled Australian.

Known as the “Kosovo Kid” and backed by the large Albanian population here on the East Coast, Muriqi has been one of the more popular fighters throughout the tri-state area for many years. Muriqi is currently riding a five-bout winning streak since dropping a decision to then-IBF light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods. Muriqi is best known for his thrilling 12-round majority decision loss to former light heavyweight kingpin Antonio Tarver, a bout that many felt Muriqi won. Muriqi is looking to make another run at a light heavyweight title, but he must first get by the undefeated and fast-rising Caparello.

On paper, the bout between Rosa and Diaz is truly a mouth-watering affair. Once the bell rings to start their super bantamweight showdown, an all-out action war is expected to ensue between undefeated up-and-coming prospect Luis Rosa and hometown favorite and former top-rated contender Jorge Diaz. Rosa and Diaz both know of only one way to fight and that is to come straight ahead from the moment the bell rings.

The Puerto Rican-native Rosa is one of the bright young stars on the DBE roster. At just 22 years of age, Rosa is coming into his own as a fighter. Rosa was a perfect 3-0 in 2013, winning back-to-back-to-back impressive eight-round unanimous decisions. Rosa is looking to make the jump from prospect to world-rated contender and a win over the highly regarded Diaz does just that.

The New Jersey-native Diaz had a stellar amateur career, winning a number of regional titles and tournaments, as well as having success on the National level before turning pro in 2007. Diaz strung together 15 consecutive victories, including a highlight reel, one-punch KO over former Olympic gold medalist Yan Barthelemy. Highly ranked in all four major sanctioning bodies, Diaz took on fellow undefeated contender Teon Kennedy for the USBA belt, ultimately dropping a 12-round majority decision in what turned out to be an all-out war. Diaz bounced back, picking up two consecutive victories, before being stopped in his most recent bout against the highly touted Yenifel Vicente in June of last year. At just 26 years old, youth is still on Diaz’s side, but if he wants to make another run at super bantamweight supremacy, the bout against Rosa is a must-win.

A complete list of bouts, which will feature a number of top prospects and local talent, will be announced shortly.

Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $75 and $40, and can be purchased by calling
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London (8 January) Peter Fury has responded to speculation that Tyson Fury has signed a promotional deal with Frank Warren, confirming that this is not the case.

The uncle and trainer of Tyson has clarified Hennessy Sports’ position, that his 6’9″ nephew continues his long standing and successful relationship with Promoter Mick Hennessy.

“Our Promoter is still Mick Hennessy!! We are currently awaiting the contract in a co promotion with Box Nation. Only then the deal is Done!!” Peter tweeted.

Earlier Mick Hennessy and Hennessy Sports released the following comments:

“These reports are not true, we have had an offer from Box Nation for Tyson to appear on three of their shows, but as yet have not received any contract to look at,” Mick Hennessy said.

“Until something is agreed in writing and signed into, myself, Peter Fury and Tyson are still keeping our options open.

“We were told it would be 48 hours before we even receive any paperwork to look at and we are still awaiting any such communication.”

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS

London (8 January) Mick Hennessy and Hennessy Sports would like to set the record straight following speculation that Tyson Fury has signed a promotional deal with Frank Warren.

The 6’9″ undefeated heavyweight remains with Hennessy Sports contrary to reports and continues his long standing and successful relationship with Promoter Mick Hennessy.

“These reports are not true, we have had a verbal offer from Box Nation for Tyson to appear on three of their shows, but as yet have not received any contract to look at and consider,” Mick Hennessy said.

“Until something is agreed in writing and signed into, myself, Peter Fury and Tyson are still keeping our options open.

“We were told it would be 48 hours before we even receive any paperwork to look at and we are still awaiting any such communication.”

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS

Former IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Geale will take on Garth Wood on February 19th in Sydney, Australia according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I’m glad Daniel is fighting as he needs to stay busy,” said Geale’s promoter Gary Shaw.

“Wood is a dangerous and risky fight against a wild puncher,” Geale told ESPN.com. “I have been training hard for my comeback fight. I’m not going to take this fight lightly. We needed a fight to keep active, the opportunity arose, and my management arranged it. It will be an interesting fight with different styles.

“I can’t wait to get back in there and pursue my journey to become a world champion again. I believe the plan is to fight GGG sometime in 2014. It would be ideal to be able to take a title to the table. We will see what happens.”

“Geale wants to fight GGG in April, and I have spoken to HBO about the fight and all they say is that they are interested, but they are exploring other options,” Shaw said. “What can be a better option than Geale, a true 160-pounder and a former world champion who beat [Felix] Sturm [in a unification fight] on German soil? And even though Daniel did not get the decision in [against Barker] he is willing to come back just to fight GGG.

“What I don’t understand is that after the Barker fight, HBO said they wanted Geale back, and now they have gone silent. I know GGG would fight Geale as [Golovkin’s team] asked if we wanted the fight in Monte Carlo, but Geale wants to fight him on HBO.”

“Daniel has been the best fighter to come out of Australia in 20 years with what he has done, going overseas and beating the champions on their turf,” Wood told the (Sydney) Telegraph, referring to Geale’s two title victories in Germany against Sturm in 2012 and Sebastian Sylvester in ’11.

“And even though Murray being canceled was a disappointment, I believe everything happens for a reason and it has led me to this, my biggest fight by far, and deservedly so.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Twenty-year-old light welterweight professional boxer Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed impressed the local boxing community in 2013 with his speed, strength, and boxing pedigree. Born in Washington, D.C., Reed currently trains in Clinton, Maryland, at Dream Team Boxing Gym, which is owned and operated by his father, Michael “Buck” Pinson. Reed went undefeated in 2013, and his pro record currently stands at 6-0, with 4 knockouts.

Mike Reed discussed his first year as a pro boxer. He said, “Last year, I did a great job of dictating the pace in my fights and thought I showed good ring generalship. My training and conditioning allowed me to perform well in my fights, so I definitely want to keep that going. I’m happy that I stayed busy in my first year as a pro. Thank you to both Keystone Boxing and Top Flight Productions for letting me showcase my talents on their boxing cards in 2013. I am working hard to build a solid fan base, and very thankful for the way my supporters have come out to watch me fight.”
Coach Michael Pinson, who serves as Reed’s trainer and manager, was also pleased with the progress made during last year. He said, “2013 was a good year, as we were able to get six bouts to build from. So far, Mike’s fights have all been great learning experiences. Several opponents were tough and came to win. I didn’t want easy fights in his first year as a pro, because you can’t learn from those. Transitioning from an amateur to a professional boxer can be very difficult. Mike handled it well.”
Reed mentioned some of his plans for the upcoming year. “In 2014, I want to continue with the same work ethic that brought me success last year. I will continue to listen to my father and my team, who always have my best interest at heart. It would be great to fight on some nationally televised cards, so that more people can see me fight. I would also like to continue my college education, do more charity work for my community, and continue to improve on being a good person. I’m frequently asked about which weight class I am best suited for. I can make 135 pounds, but I’m also comfortable fighting at 140 pounds. My team will make the right decision on that issue when the time is right.”
Coach Pinson agreed that the team was successful this year, but added, “There is room for improvement in 2014. It is important that Mike learns how to sit down on his punches, move his head more, work from different angles, and use his speed properly. I’d like to see Mike fight eight times this year. If he continues to impress everyone with his performances, he will earn a solid ranking from a major sanctioning organization.”
Mike Reed remains unsigned and returns to the ring on Friday night, January 17, 2014, against Jorge Marquez (Phoenix, AZ/pro record: 4-1-0, w/ 2 KOs). Reed-Marquez is scheduled as a six-round bout, which will headline the Keystone Boxing card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland.

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

ATLANTIC CITY – Russian light heavyweight prospect Ilshat “The Sheriff” Khusnulgatin, 10-0, 6 KOs, is set to take his next step up the 175-pound ladder when he takes on Larry Pryor, 7-7, 4 KOs, of Frederick, MD, at Resorts International Hotel and Casino on Friday, January 24th in Atlantic City. “The Sheriff” a rangy, six-foot, three and a half-inch, boxer-puncher will make his first start under the Main Events banner as part of a growing light heavyweight stable that includes fellow Russian and WBO World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev.

“The Sheriff” is a product of the legendary Samara Boxing Club in his hometown of Samara, Russia. Beginning in 2011, this exciting battler had his first eight bouts in Russia, before making his US debut with two knockouts in California last year. The Friday, January 24th fight will be the first for Khusnulgatin on the East Coast.

Against Pryor, “The Sheriff” will face a man who won’t be intimidated by his sterling record. Pryor’s last three bouts were against undefeated prospects. In his most recent outing, Pryor defeated Mark Tucker, then 15-0, 7 KOs, by unanimous decision in eight rounds.

Both fighters realize that an impressive win on the 24th could have the potential to open doors in talent-rich light heavyweight division.

Egis Klimas, Kovalev’s manager, said, “The light heavyweight division is one of boxing’s most competitive. I believe Ilshat will be able to continue his winning streak in Atlantic City and shake things up on January 24th. If he can make a good impression and win convincingly it can put him on track for a TV date of his own in the future.”

When asked about the upcoming fight Khusnulgatin said, “I am looking forward to this fight. Preparation is going well, thank God! Earlier in my career I never had the opportunity to participate in such a great night of boxing. When I am in the ring I do everything in my power to give my fans a great show and have a victory. I think everyone will appreciate this on the 24th. I will be very happy to fight on NBC (Sports Network).”

“The Sheriff’s” eight-round bout will be part of the off-TV live undercard on a nationally televised double header that features knockout artist Curtis “Showtime” Stevens, 25-4, 18 KOs, against pressure-puncher Patrick “The Machine” Majewski, 21-2, 12 KOs, in a ten-round middleweight fight, and Thabiso Mchunu, 13-1, 9 KOs, versus Olanrewaju Durodola, 15-1, 14 KOs, in a ten-round cruiserweight contest for the NABF title. These two main bouts will be broadcast on Friday, January 24th’s NBC Sports Network’s Fight Night.

ABOUT FRIDAY, JANUARY 24TH
Friday, January 24th at Resorts Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ features a ten-round middleweight battle between Curtis “Showtime” Stevens and Patrick “The Machine” Majewski in the main event.

The ten-round Cruiserweight co-feature between Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu and Olanrewaju “God’s Power” Durodola, will be for the vacant NABF Cruiserweight Title. Six additional fights are planned. Undercard will be announced shortly.

Doors will open at 7:00 PM ET, First Fight at 8:00 PM ET. The main event and co-feature will be broadcast 10:00 PM ET on NBC Fight Night on NBCSN. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Dibella Entertainment and Showpony Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $75 and $50. They can be purchased at the Resorts International Hotel and Casino Box Office, 800-736-1420; at TicketMaster 800-745-3000 or online (key word: Main Events); and at Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922.

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Home New – Updated Feb 2024

Twitter: @ResortsCasino or https://twitter.com/resortscasino

Fight Venue:
Resorts Casino Hotel – Superstar Theatre
1133 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
1-800-772-9000

Home New – Updated Feb 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C., (Jan. 7, 2014)- Highly regarded undefeated welterweight prospect Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (19-0, 11KOs), from Southeast Washington, D.C., will be making his 2014 and National TV debut when he faces “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon Jr. (10-3-1, 2KOs) in an eight-round bout on Jan. 31 live on ESPN 2 Friday Night Fights from West Orange, N.J.

Hernandez-Harrison, 19, is coming off a stellar 2013 campaign that saw him go 8-0, with four knockouts, and win the WBC Youth Welterweight Championship in just his second full year as a pro. Besides winning his first World Title at Madison Square Garden and selling out the University of the District of Columbia in his 2013 hometown debut, Hernandez-Harrison was named one of the “Top Prospects to Watch in 2014” by Dan Rafael of ESPN, among numerous other accolades and honors.

Hernandez-Harrison also was named the “2013 Prospect of the Year” by Boxing Along the Beltway, BoxingPulse.com, RoundByRoundBoxing.com, and StandingEightCount.com; additionally,he won the fan voting for the Go Fight Live, GFL.tv, “2013 Fighter of the Year” and the “Knockout of the Year” (for his fifth-round KO of Eddie Soto).

“The recognition from the different writers and the fans are wonderful, and I truly appreciate it,” Hernandez-Harrison said. “But I know that I need to continue my hard work in the gym, watching film and otherwise doing everything I can to continue developing as a professional. Nobody can rest on their accolades as a professional athlete, and I am focused on improving in every facet of my game.”

Former two-time heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon Sr. certainly understands what a win over a fighter of Hernandez-Harrison’s notoriety will do for his son’s career.

“We are looking forward to this fight with Dusty,” Witherspoon Sr. said. “It’s long overdue for my son to have an opportunity like this and a win over a fighter like Dusty on ESPN is the first step on the road to a championship.”

“We respect Dusty, but it is Tim Jr.’s time,” said Steve Witherspoon, the fighter’s uncle and co-trainer. “He’s going to knock Dusty out; The Witherspoons are coming, and we are wreaking havoc!”

Hernandez-Harrison’s father and trainer, Buddy Harrison, believes 2014 will be a crucial year in his son’s in-ring development.

“From this fight forward everyone will be gunning for Dusty,” Harrison said. “During our year end recap Jeff (Fried) told us that every fight will be tougher than the last and we are preparing accordingly. Dusty is training like this is a world title fight and it will show on January 31st.”

And Hernandez-Harrison recognizes that Witherspoon is a worthy challenge.

“Not only is he the son of a former heavyweight champion; he’s from Philly so I know he’s going to be tough,” Hernandez-Harrison said. “He’s slick, skillful and has tremendous experience in his corner, so we know what we have to do, and it starts and ends with my hard work in the gym.”

Hernandez-Harrison has a close-knit professional team that includes Buddy and their promoter, Jeff Fried of All-In Entertainment. Fried believes January 31, is a continuation of their diverse plan for Dusty to develop as an elite level boxer.

“Exposure for a young athlete, including outside of their comfort zone, is invaluable as he gains the experience necessary to reach his goals. Whether we have Dusty as the main event in our hometown (Washington, D.C.) or the first bout in a city where he is not yet fully known, it is all part of the growth process,” added Fried. “Dusty’s uncanny grounded self-accountability and training work ethic will serve him very well throughout this journey.”

The scheduled eight-round Hernandez-Harrison vs. Witherspoon, Jr. bout is part of the “Super Brawl” card presented by GH3 Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment at the Richard J. Cody Arena in West Orange, NJ. For Tickets priced at $150 VIP Ringside, $100 Ringside, $75 Floor Seating and $40 General Admission please call 888-612-4191 or visit GCPBoxing.com.