GOBBLER’S KNOB, (Groundhog Day 2013) — At 7:28 A.M. ET today, Punxsutawney Phil — the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators — emerged from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA. and proclaimed, in his native Groundhogese, that there would be an early winner of the 2013 Fight of the Year — the upcoming rematch between undefeated former world champion BRANDON “Bam Bam” RIOS and top-rated contender “Mile High” MIKE ALVARADO. Rios and Alvarado will battle each other again, with the WBO interim junior welterweight title at stake, Saturday, March 30, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. It will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

“Will Alvarado get sent up the Rios without a paddle? Will Rios become a Rocky Mountain Highlight for Alvarado? Who knows? But I do predict, without a shadow of a doubt, that Rios-Alvarado II will be the early winner for being the 2013 Fight of the Year,” said the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound quadruped as he shadowboxed (wearing a Tecate headband and a Top Rank warmup) during his annual news conference. “Temperatures are already rising. Forget an early spring, there is a heat wave heading boxing’s way!”

When pressed for a definitive answer on whether he could predict the winner of Rios-Alvarado II, Phil astounded the media by answering in English.

Quoth the groundhog, “Nevermore.”

In their first fight, last October 13, a battle of undefeated gladiators, Rios (33-0-1, 22 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., and Alvarado (33-1, 23 KOs), of Denver, Colo., fought toe-to-toe and non-stop for seven thrilling rounds that saw dramatic momentum shifts throughout the action-packed bout. Two of the judges had the fight scored even before referee Pat Russell stopped the fight at 1:57 of the seventh round, awarding the TKO victory to Rios. Media and fans alike compared Rios-Alvarado to the great matches of the past 50 years, including Ali-Frazier III, Corrales -Castillo I and Hagler-Hearns, based on action and entertainment value.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate, remaining tickets to Rios-Alvarado II are priced at $250, $150, $100, and $50, not including applicable service charges. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person and will be available for purchase at all Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Mandalay Bay at (877) 632-7400 or Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.MandalayBay.com or www.Ticketmaster.com.

Fans who are interested in not only purchasing tickets to the fight but also booking a room at Mandalay Bay can earn a special offer, which includes a discounted room rate along with a $25 resort credit (tickets to the fight are not included in the offer). This sweet room deal can be accessed by visiting https://resweb.passkey.com/go/erank13b.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.

IBF Super Middleweight champion Carl Froch will take on WBC champ Mikkel Kessler in a rematch of their terrific April 2010 fight on May 25th in London according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I promised Carl we would meet again and here we are, getting ready to leave it all in the ring for a second time,” Kessler said last month when the deal was reached. “I have the utmost of respect for Carl. I feel we are very much alike. He is a great champion, a true warrior that has fought the best opponents all over the world in some of the most hostile places, just like me. Our first fight, especially the last round, showed what we are all about and I was (anxious) to do it again.”

“Our first fight was pure warfare,” Froch said last month. “We went at each other for every minute of every round and the rematch promises to be even more fiercely contested. I seriously wish I was ringside myself for this fight, because I’m gunning for revenge at all costs and the fight fans are in for a real treat.”

Carlos Molina won a twelve round unanimous decision over former two division world champion Cory Spinks in an IBF Jr. Middleweight elimination bout at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

Molina dominated the sction as he pressed and pushed Spinks with consistent punching while Spinks would only push with the jab and do alot of holding.

Molina became more dominant as the rounds progressed and big round’s seven and eight. In round nine Spinks was deducted a point for the excessive holding. In round eleven, Molina landed a little left hook that sent Spinks to the canvas. Spinks as was able to get out of the round but took alot of punches against the ropes and the referee ruled a eiht count for a second knockdown in round twelve. Dpinks made it to the final bell but was not even close as the scorecards read 120-105, 119-106 and 119-106 for Molina.

Molina, 153.4 lbs of Chicago will now await the winner of the February 23rd title bout between champion Cornelius Bundrage and Ishe Smith. Molina is now 21-5-2. Spinks, 153.2 lbs of Boca Raton, FL via St. Louis is now 39-8.

Antwone Smith scored a ten round unanimous decision over former two-time Lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

The fight did not have much sustained action with the difference of the fight being Smiths work rate over the 39 year old Castillo. Castillo had a decent round four but was docked a point in that round for excessive low blows.

Scores were 100-90, 98-92 and 99-91 for Smith, 155.6 lbs of Miami ans is now 23-4-1. Castillo, 151.8 lbs of Empaine, Sonora Mexico is now 64-12-1

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (February 1, 2013) – UniMás, Top Rank and Tecate announced today the launch of their exciting boxing series – “Sólo Boxeo.” The 90-minute broadcast will air 26 telecasts live on UniMás, a leading Spanish-language broadcast television network, on Saturdays. The series will debut Tomorrow! Saturday, February 2, beginning at Midnight ET / 11 p.m. PT, from the McCallen Convention Center in McCallen, Texas, with a show headlined by undefeated top-10 contender Jose Felix Jr., of México, risking record and rating in a 10-round lightweight bout against battle-tested Geraldo Robles of Kansas City.

The Sólo Boxeo series will not only offer all-action cards but will allow fans to follow these fighters as they return from victories, marching up the ratings toward world title shots. Former world champions, world-class contenders, and up-and-coming prospects are scheduled to appear in future shows.

The February 2013 schedule is as follows:

· February 2

· February 16

· February 23

At the age of 29, Alex Montgomery may been seen as a late comer to professional boxing ,however the Motherwell man insists that age ain’t nothing but a number “Ideally I would have turned over earlier, however I had work commitment’s which meant I would be working away in London and Wales, and couldn’t give myself to the sport as much as I wanted to.

“Now I employed locally, which means I can be running in the morning and can be in the Gym every evening. I don’t feel its too late for me to turn over as I keep myself in good shape and I have had an extensive amateur career”. He adds “ Plus I am sick of hearing I could have done something as a professional boxer so if I give it my all at least I say I gave it a go.

As an amateur, the Motherwell based fighter who is also know as ‘Ack Man’ had many success which included two district titles and a Scottish title at Junior level, while he went one better as a Senior and picked up three district and one Scottish title, and enjoyed being kept busy as a fighter, something he hopes to continue in the paid ranks.

“Prospect boxing are a fresh and hungry company. I’ve sat down with Paul Graham (the owner) and we have worked out a plan. I explained that I want to be busy and will fight anywhere and Paul’s the best man for that job. I have seen how he has kept his stable ticking over with fights, and as a hungry fighter that is what you need.

“I was always a busy fighter and stopped two out the last three since I came back so I am hoping I can bring that form over the pro’s and I hope maybe by this time next year am ready for a Scottish title if all goes well.

Prospect Boxing and Chris Gilmour present ‘The Steel Men Return’ an evening of Professional Championship Boxing at Ravenscraig Sports Facility on Friday March 8th. Headlined by Gary McCallum v Paul Allison for the Vacant Scottish Middleweight Title.

With a 10 fight under card it features Rhys Pagan, Mark Parvin, Sean Watson and Ryan Scott. Jordan McCorry, Darren McAdam, Mitch Prince and Martin Watson makes his pro debut in the Light Welterweight division while Alex Montgomery makes his debut in a Super Middleweight bout.

Tickets are priced at £30 (unreserved) and £40 (ringside) ,and further details are avail from www.prospectboxing.com and www.facebook.com/ProspectBoxing and @ProspectBoxing

New York, NY / Monaco / Johannesburg (February 1, 2013) – Africa’s promotional giant Golden Gloves has partnered with the Monte-Carlo SBM Group to announce the “Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four”, a four-man boxing spectacular.

The elimination event features Edwin Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs), Zsolt Erdei (33-0, 18 KOs), Denis Grachev (12-1-1, 8 KOs) and Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna (19-0, 13 KOs).

Co-headlining this mammoth triple-header on March 30, which will pit Rodriguez against Maderna and Zsolt versus Grachev in the opener, is one of the biggest stars in world boxing today.

Undefeated WBA middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (25-0, 22 KOs) fresh off his sensational seventh-round destruction of Gabriel Rosado at Madison Square Garden,will defend his title against dangerous Japanese contender Nobuhiro Ishida (24-8, 9 KOs). The Golovkin-Ishida bout will be promoted in association with K2 Promotions, while the Rodriguez-Maderna and Erdei-Grachev matchups will be promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment.

“I am excited about fighting in Monaco in my next fight,” said Golovkin. “It is a great location and I always want to keep contact with my European fans. Ishida has proven he is a very dangerous opponent with his KO win over James Kirkland and I am up for the challenge.”

Tom Loeffler managing director of K2 added, “Gennady wants to stay active this year and this fight will give him the opportunity to defend his world titles in one if the premiere cities in the world. GGG had two great KO performances in the US on HBO and now it is time for him to showcase his skills again in Europe. Gennady’s recognition as the most feared middleweight has grown and he is truly the type of fighter that will fight anywhere in the world without hesitation.”

The two Super Four winners will fight for a 60/40 share of one million dollars on July 13th in Monaco.

The European junior-middleweight title bout featuring champion Sergei Rabchenko (Russia) and Adriano Nicchi (Italy) also features on this March 30 historic card.

The Final of the Super Four on July 13 in Monaco will be the boxing arm of the Nelson Mandela 95th Birthday Celebrations which will also serve to raise public awareness and interaction with Mandela’s initiative to encourage public funding for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, a project to build a state-of-the-art research and care facility for children throughout Africa.

The tournament will be held at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille and several parallel events will also take place at the elegant and historic Casino de Monte-Carlo during the week of the event.

“The opportunity of staging this mammoth event in Monaco is a great honour, and my deepest thanks and appreciation go to the Monte-Carlo SBM and its management team for their support and encouragement,” said Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves.

He continued: “We look forward to two outstanding events and hosting many international celebrities and dignitaries.”

Commenting on the event, Ndaba Mandela, one of Nelson Mandela’s grandsons, said: “On behalf of my foundation, Africa Rising, it is a great honor to be a part this event. My grandfather was an avid boxing enthusiast and we felt it would only be fit to honor him with a world-class boxing event as part of the Celebration of his 95th birthday. We are very excited to be a part of the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four final to take place in Monaco in July and honored to have his Serene Highness Prince Albert II and the people of Monaco be a part of what will be an extraordinary celebration.”

The Africa Rising Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established by the Mandela grandsons, Ndaba and Kweku, in 2009 as a platform to empower the youth of not only South Africa, but also young Africans across the continent. The Foundation is endorsed by Nelson Mandela and is committed to shaping the image of Africa by means of educational programmes, entrepreneurship development projects and by celebrating African culture.

While the upcoming tournament will be the first professional boxing event held in the country in seven years, Monaco does in fact have a long history with the sport. The first world championship bout staged in Monaco took place 101 years ago, back in 1912.

“Monte-Carlo SBM is delighted to join forces with Golden Gloves in organizing one of the major boxing events in the world this year,” said Jean-Louis Masurel, Board Member of the company. He adds that “It will be a great honor to host such an event associated with the Nelson Mandela 95th birthday celebration”.

The Casino de Monte-Carlo, which has always been involved in sports and entertainment, will play a key role in this project and will make sure that these exciting Super Four tournament is optimized in order to meet the expectations of the fans among their casino clients.

With the winner of the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four confirming himself as a top contender in his respective division, and a world title opportunity on the horizon, combined with the massive prize money, each fighter is confident that they will be the last man standing.

“It is a dream come true for me to participate in this tournament,” said Edwin Rodriguez. “I have worked my entire life for this opportunity and don’t plan on wasting it. While I am happy and honored to be in the tournament, I won’t be satisfied until I win it. Having not had the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Olympics, it’s an added bonus to be placed against an undefeated former Olympian in Maderna for my first fight. I want to thank to my manager Larry Army and my promoter Lou DiBella for putting me in this position and also a special thanks to Rodney Berman and Golden Gloves for giving me this opportunity.”

Rodriguez, the USBA champion, is ranked the WBC #2, IBF #3, and WBA #7 super-middleweight in the world. Having grown up fighting on such networks as ESPN and Showtime, Rodriguez’ last two fights were featured on the HBO network. In March last year, Rodriguez won a dominant 10-round unanimous decision over fellow super- middleweight contender Don George, and followed up that performance with a devastating eighth-round TKO stoppage over previously undefeated Jason Escalera in September.

While Rodriguez has been in the national spotlight for some time, the 2008 Argentinean Olympian Maderna, ranked as the WBO #6 and IBF #13-rated super-middleweight in the world, sees the tournament as his coming-out party.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity of proving myself at the international level against the best,” said Maderna. “This is my chance to show that I belong amongst the elite fighters in the world, and I promise that I will deliver.”

A former two-division world champion, both at light heavyweight and cruiserweight, Erdei won the WBO light heavyweight title in 2004 and defended it 11 times before moving up in weight and winning a 12-round decision over Giacobbe Fragomeni for the WBC cruiserweight title on November 21, 2009. After defeating Fragomeni, Erdei took some time away from the ring and even contemplated retirement after a remarkably successful run as a professional and amateur. Erdei boasts an incredible amateur record, having won 212 amateur bouts and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Erdei returned to the ring in late 2010, this time under the new promotional banner of DiBella Entertainment, with hopes of becoming a star in the United States. He quickly won two fights, including a sixth-round TKO over former super-middleweight champion Byron Mitchell, positioning himself for a shot at reclaiming his light-heavyweight crown.

Erdei was scheduled to take on current undefeated IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud in December 2011, but the card was cancelled and the bout against Cloud was called off.

Erdei is extremely motivated to get back into the ring and show everyone that he is still one of the top fighters in the world.

“I feel healthy, energized and focused,” said Erdei. “I have the opportunity with this tournament to prove that I am still the one of the best in the world. Winning the tournament puts me right in line for a shot at reclaiming my world championship, and there is no way I will let that opportunity pass me by.”

Rated as the number six light-heavyweight in the WBC world ratings, Russian native Grachev was a two-time world kick-boxing champion before becoming a professional boxer in 2007. Grachev had his coming-out party on April 27, 2012, when he took on the undefeated and highly regarded 17-0, top 10 light-heavyweight contender Ismayl Sillakh on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. Grachev was able to dominate the southpaw Sillakh, who entered the contest as an 11-1 betting favorite, stopping him in the eight round of their scheduled 10-round contest. With the victory, Grachev won the NABF title.

On November 3, 2012, Grachev faced former IBF super-middleweight champion Lucian Bute, in Bute’s hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, at the Bell Centre. Despite Grachev being the aggressor and the busier of the two, Bute was awarded a close unanimous decision. With the bad taste of the Bute decision still resonating, Grachev believes that this tournament is the perfect way to get himself back into the world title picture.

“I believe that I am fighting the best out of the four of us, but once I beat Erdei, I will then be the top guy left in the tournament,” proclaimed Grachev. “I can’t rely on the judges in these bouts. That is why I am going to take matters into my own hands and I am going into this tournament with the full intention of knocking both of my opponents out. This is a huge opportunity for me and a way for me to reach my ultimate goal as being recognized as one of the best fighters in the entire world.”

“This is a huge opportunity for these four fighters,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment and promoter of Rodriguez and Erdei. “The winner of this tournament clearly cements themselves as one of the top fighters in the entire world and I am thrilled to be a part of what promises to be a historic event.”

Situated on the Mediterranean Sea, Monaco is one of the most exclusive vacation destinations in the world and attracts millions of visitors each year. The Casino de Monte-Carlo, owned and operated by the Monte-Carlo SBM Group, is the premiere casino destination in Europe. It continues to attract gamblers among the wealthiest and most well-known celebrities.

A country rich in sports history, Monaco is home of the world famous Formula 1 Grand Prix motor race and many major international events such as the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

The “Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four” will be broadcast internationally, including countries across Western Europe, the US, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and 50 nations throughout sub-Saharan Africa, including adjacent islands.

TICKET PRICES FROM €200.

Carlos Molina 153.4 vs. Cory Spinks 153.2
Antwone Smith 155.6 vs. Jose Luis Castillo 151.8
Artur Szpilka 230.8 vs. Mike Mollo 231.6
Don George 164.4 vs. James Cook 161.8
Mike Jimenez 167.8 vs. Jordan Brown 167.8
Jaime Herrera 146.8 vs. Marlon Smith 146.2
Jimmy Murphy 145.4 vs. Aloric Carson 150.2
Sergio Montes de Oca 126.2 vs. Antoine Knight 127
Junior Anthony Wright 197.6 vs. Tim Johnson 203.8

Venue: UIC Pavilion, Chicago

TV: ESPN Friday Night Fights

Promoters: 8 Count Productions, Round 3 Productions, Warriors Boxing and Blue Wave Boxing in association with Don King Productions

Las Vegas, NV – FightMetric®, the official statistics provider of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®), will continue to enhance fans experience by providing UFC Fighter Rankings. UFC Fighter Rankings by FightMetric will poll opinions from sports media worldwide and will be recognized by the UFC and integrated into its broadcast and featured on UFC.com. Voting will be open to media immediately after each live event with results made available to UFC.com within 24 hours.

“We are thrilled to have UFC recognize our fighter rankings and to have them hosted on UFC.com, as well as incorporated into event broadcasts. FightMetric has worked closely with the UFC for several years as an industry-leader in MMA statistics. Sports fans are accustomed to seeing performance data and rankings on their favorite baseball, football and soccer players, and now we can engage UFC fans on a similar level,” said FightMetric creator Rami Genauer.

“UFC Fighter Rankings are a great tool for new and existing fans alike to learn and better keep up with the fast pace of the UFC,” said UFC President Dana White. “We always look for opportunities to engage fans and media, allowing them to connect and voice their opinions, and this just one more way of doing that.”

Media members will vote for top fighters, currently active in the UFC, by weight class and pound-for-pound. A fighter can only appear in one weight division at a time. The champion and interim champions of each division are set in the first and second positions respectively and are not eligible for voting by media. However, champions can be voted on for the pound-for-pound rankings. Media voting is by invitation only and interested media members can apply at UFC.com/Rankings.

Since November 2007, FightMetric has furnished data that tracks the complete fight history of UFC athletes analyzing bouts across more than 125 statistical categories, encompassing all strikes, takedowns, submissions, and position changes. Currently, FightMetric data provides media and fans with an opportunity to track the history and performance of UFC competitors beyond simple wins and losses.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

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

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 30 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.4 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

About FightMetric®

Started in 2007, FightMetric® is the world’s only comprehensive mixed martial arts statistics and analysis provider, and is the official statistics provider of the UFC®. FightMetric counts among its clients some of the largest media companies in the world, including ESPN, FOX, and Microsoft. The company provides data and fantasy services, along with cutting edge research aimed at advancing the sport of MMA. FightMetric is based in Washington, DC.

WBA Middleweight champion will most likely defend his crown against Nobuhiro Ishida on March 30h in Monte Carlo according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“We would look for the biggest names that would fight him by that time,” said Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler said of the June bout. “Hopefully someone steps up (to fight Golovkin) with the bigger HBO budget.”

“I was impressed with Daniel Geale’s performance and wish to publicly congratulate him on his victory,” Golovkin said. “I know this was personal for him as he had lost previously to Mundine and he certainly got his revenge.”

“I also want to wish Felix Sturm the best of luck in his upcoming bout against Soliman,” Golovkin said. “I’m sure he was quite disappointed losing to Geale last September and is looking to shine against Soliman. Felix avoided me as his mandatory for over two years when he was champion, but I will give him the opportunity to fight for his old title whenever he would like to.”

Titleholder Peter Quillin is another opponent Golovkin is interested in. Quillin makes his first title defense against Fernando Guerrero on April 27 in Brooklyn, N.Y. The card was postponed from Feb. 9 because junior welterweight titlist Danny Garcia, who faces former titlist Zab Judah in the main event, suffered a rib injury.

“I’m aware that his fight with Fernando Guerrero was pushed back until the end of April. He’s talked about fighting me in the past and I’m certainly interested if he’s serious,” Golovkin said.

“I want the biggest fights and the best challenges, as I’ve said all along,” Golovkin said. “With HBO broadcasting my fights, either Geale or Sturm would be a perfect fight this year. Geale said after the fight (with Mundine) that he wanted to fight in the U.S. this year. Look no further — we can make a title unification bout this summer.”

NEW YORK (January 31, 2013) George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah has mined his craft as a world-class middleweight away from the spotlight, fighting almost exclusively in his home state of Oklahoma while amassing an undefeated record of 31-0-1 (23KO’s) over his nine-year career.

On FEBRUARY 15, Tahdooahnippah will head to the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut for a ten round showdown with former world title challenger and East Coast fan favorite Delvin Rodriguez, 26-6-3 (14KO’s), broadcast LIVE on ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS.

“This is what I’ve been looking for and why I signed with Joe DeGuardia and Star Boxing. I’ve watched Delvin fight for a few years, it seems like all of his fights have been on TV” said Tahdooahnippah. “He’s always seemed like a classy, stand-up guy, very strong and skilled fighter. His first fight with Wolak was a terrific fight, seems like he’s never in a bad one.”

Rodriguez battled Pawel Wolak in July 2011 on ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, a memorable war which was voted “Fight of the Year” by a consensus of boxing writers.

“It’s been a long road and I know that I’ll be the underdog but I truly feel now is my time. This is the opportunity I’ve wanted for a long time and I plan on making the most of it,” continued Tahdooahnippah.

A Native American, Tahdooahnippah is of Comanche and Choctaw descent residing in Lawton, Oklahoma and the proud father of four children, boys Nacona 8, George Jr. 6 and Talon Sage, 4, and a daughter Lulu, two years old.

Working full-time as a heath and fitness promotions coordinator for the Comanche Nations Diabetes Program in Lawton, Tahdooahnippah also trains in his hometown with longtime trainer David Vaughn and sparring partner, perennial contender Grady Brewer.

“I’ve had excellent sparring for this fight, along with Grady I’ve worked with a couple terrific young fighters over the last few weeks.”

“I take a great deal of pride in my background and who I am. While many Native Americans have heard of me, this fight on ESPN is the first opportunity for the huge community across the country to watch one of my fights” said Tahdooahnippah who also coaches his older two sons’ wrestling team.

“Said DeGuardia, “I’ve known about George for a couple years and I’ve always been impressed with him, not only as a boxer but also his character. His work within the Comanche Nation community as a leader and mentor speaks volumes.”

“The fight against Rodriguez is a step up for George and with their styles we should see an action packed fight from the opening bell. The Mohegan Sun is the perfect venue for this battle and the fans watching on ESPN know what to expect from Delvin’s previous fights on the network.”

The Rodriguez/Tahdooahnippah bout will be contested at a catch weight of 157 pounds. An exciting undercard will be announced shortly.

Both fighters are rated in the top ten by the World Boxing Association, (Tahdooahnippah #10 in the middleweight division, Rodriguez #8 at junior middleweight.)

Advance tickets for ESPN Friday Night Fights priced at $150, $75, $45 and $30 (with a $5 facility fee), are available through Ticketmaster, www.Ticketmaster.com phone (800) 745-3000, the Mohegan Sun Box Office, the Star Boxing website, www.StarBoxing.com or by calling the Star Boxing Office at (718) 823-2000. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:30pm with the first bell at 7:30pm.

The Mohegan Sun is located at I Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT 06382. For more information please visit their website at www.mohegansun.com

ABOUT STAR BOXING:

Star Boxing Inc. is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2012. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star 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.

MONTREAL (January 31, 2013) – As previously announced, Fast & Dangerous Series 3.0 is back at the Bell Centre on February 8 as talented Quebec fighter Kevin Bizier (19-0-0, 13 KOs), rated No. 5 in the world by the WBA, defends his North American Boxing Association (NABA) welterweight championship in the biggest challenge of his career.

Originally, Bizier was scheduled to fight 27-year-old Englishman John O’Donnell (27-2-0, 11KO), promoted by Hennessy Sports Canada group’s Adam Harris, but he broke his left hand in training last weekend. He has been replaced by former unified IBF, WBA & WBO (2008-2009) world champion Nate “The Galaxy Warrior” Campbell (36-9-1, 26 KOs) in the 12-round main event. Despite being 40 years old, Campbell continues to have great success in the ring. In 2010 and 2011, he extended future world champions Victor Ortiz and Danny Garcia to modest wins in 10-round bouts points decisions. In his last two fights, both on the road in 2012, Campbell knocked out aspiring world champion Victor Manuel Cayo in the Dominican Republic, and won a unanimous decision over boxer Vladimir Baez in Poland.

“Kevin wanted an opponent of notoriety and reputation with a strong will like Campbell,” GYM President Yvon Michel explained. “Only a small percentage of boxers become world champions and a few exceptional boxers become unified world champions like Campbell. The table is set in Quebec on February 8 and he was offered the chance to prove he belongs among the elite of the talented welterweight division.

In the semi-final, 26-year-old lefty Tyler Asselstine (12-0-0, 7 KOs), of Ottawa, fights for the 10th time in Montreal, against 20-year-old terror Joel Diaz (11 -0, 10 KOs), of California.. The two unbeaten, young boxers young are eager to make their marks in the super featherweight division.

These two fights will enjoy a remarkable visibility platform as they will be presented live on American television as part of the popular series “Friday Night Fights” on ESPN2 sports channel. Bizier is excited about the privilege he has had offered to him, saying, “I’m thrilled about this opportunity to show everyone that I’m ready for the big leagues. I know Campbell is experienced and has been a great champion. Obviously, preparing for a 5′ 11″ lefty and now fighting a 5’7” right-handed opponent has forced me to make several adjustments but, without a doubt, it will not prevent me from shining and emerging victorious with fashion.”‘

Spectators present at Bell Centre will also have the privilege to watch the return of former WBA super welterweight champion Joachim “Ti Joa” Alcine (33-3-1, 19 KOs). Alcine wants to restart his career with an impressive win against Miami, Florida veteran David Toribio (19-14-0, 12 KOs). Alcine had a lot of success fighting in Montreal, highlighted by majority decision victory over David Lemieux in December, 2011.

A total of seven fights are scheduled, including heavyweight Didier Bence (6-0-0, 2 KOs) vs. Joey “Polish Thunder Dawejko (7-1-2, 3 KOs), of Philadelphia, in a six-round bout, plus spectacular super featherweight Kevin Lavallee (11-0-1, 9 KOs), of Ste-Adela, versus unbeaten Polish challnger Krzysztof Rogowski (5-0-0, 2 KOs).

Tickets, starting at $30.00, are available to purchase at Bell Centre, online at www.evenko.ca, or by calling GYM at (514) 383.0666.

About Groupe Yvon Michel Inc.:
Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) was founded in 2004. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers by a support coaching and management, especially in competition. To achieve its objectives, GYM is active in recruiting talent and organization of events. Since its inception eight years ago GYM presented 105 events and some made history in ticket sales and PPV, like Pascal vs. Hopkins I and II. GYM has produced over 300 hours of TV Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV, TVA Sports, VOX, TVA, CBC, RDS and V, in Canada, as well as HBO, Showtime and ESPN in the US. A total of six different GYM boxers participated in 16 world championship fights. Under the tutelage of GYM, Joachim Alcine captured the WBA super welterweight title in 2007, and Jean Pascal the WBC Light Heavyweight championship in 2009.

New York, NY (1/31/13) – On Thursday, February 21,Broadway Boxing returns to Roseland Ballroom in NYC featuring WBC #10 rated junior welterweight Thomas Dulorme (16-1, 12KO’s) in an eight-round bout. Dulorme is looking to bounce back from his lone blemish as a professional to fellow top-rated contender Carlos Abregu (34-1, 28KO’s) on HBO last October.

Also scheduled to appear on the card in separate eight-round bouts will be red-hot lightweight prospect Ivan Redkach (13-0, 11KO’s) and WBA #11 rated welterweight Charlie Ota (21-1-1, 15KO’s). Additional bouts on the card will be announced shortly.

The 10-bout card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group, Newlio.com, and Everlast. SNY will broadcast the event tape-delayed. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000. Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $45. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

“Thomas suffered a tough loss but had a great learning experience in his fight with the hard-hitting Abregu,” said co-promoter Lou DiBella. “His fight on February 21 will be at a reduced weight as Thomas is moving down into the 140lb. division. Both DBE, GSP (Gary Shaw) and Javier Bustillo all still expect for Thomas to become a world champion.”

The 23-year-old Dulorme was on the fast tract to stardom, having turned pro in August 2008 and running his record to a perfect 16-0, 12KO’s, by August 2012. During this time, Dulorme garnered rave reviews throughout the boxing world for his lightning-quick hands and devastating knockout power.

The amateur standout Dulorme, a part of Team Puerto Rico, which is a group of fighters promoted by the trio of DiBella Entertainment, Gary Shaw Productions and Universal Promotions, was featured on both ESPN and SHOWTIME networks during his climb to the number one ranking in the WBA welterweight world ratings. In what was supposed to be his breakout performance on HBO, Dulorme was stopped by the WBC #1-rated Abregu when Dulorme’s corner threw in the towel in round seven. Dulorme was very competitive in the fight at the time of the stoppage, trailing on all three judge’s scorecards by just one point. Abregu’s lone loss as a professional came against current WBO undefeated welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.

After the bout, Dulorme and his team decided to go back to the drawing board and are now campaigning at the junior welterweight limit. The bout on February 21 will be contested at a catch weight of 143 pounds. Dulorme feels that he will fit in much better in the lower weight class and is looking to prove that he is still one of the most promising young prospects in the sport.

“I feel great for my upcoming fight on February 21 and am exciting about fighting in the junior welterweight division. I feel much stronger and faster at this weight and I cannot wait to return to action in my favorite state of New York,” said Dulorme.

Dulorme continued, “We learned a lot from the Abregu loss. After that fight, I didn’t get down on myself or discouraged, we just went back to the drawing board and began working on and learning new things. I plan on staying in my new division for the time being, but I would love another crack at Abregu down the line, as I know that next time would be very different.”

The 10-bout card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group, Newlio.com, and Everlast. SNY will broadcast the event tape-delayed. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000. Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $45. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK (January 31, 2013)—TONIGHT at the Beautiful Hilton Garden Inn, Prized amateur standout Shakor Jackson will make his professional debut when he takes on Cornelius Whitlock (0-0-1) of Hanover, Maryland in a bout scheduled for four rounds.

In the main event promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions, local favorite Nicky DeMarco takes on Travis Thompson in a six round Lightweight bout

Jackson, of Newark, New Jersey is part of the Elite Heat Boxing Team based out of Newark, has one of the most decorated resumes as he enters to the pro ranks.

Robert Griffin is his manager and he is co-promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions and GH3 Promotions

The New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame inductee has won the Diamond Gloves in 2009 and 2010; 2010 & 2011 New Jersey State Champion; 5 time Silver Gloves champion; National Runner Up; 4 Time Regional Champion. He finished his amateur record was 70-17 and was ranked fourth in the United States

The full card for tonight’s action:

Nicky DeMarco (4-2, 2 KO’s) vs. Travis Thompson (4-8-1, 3 KO’s)—6 Rds Lightweights
Denis Douglan (14-2, 8 KO’s) vs. Jose Angel Rodriguez (16-2-1, 2 KO)—8 Rds Jr. Middleweights
Susan Reno (PD) vs. Vanessa Greco (1-1-1)—6 Rnds Flyweights
Shakor Jackson (PD) vs. Cornelius Whitlock (0-0-1)—4 rds Welterweights
Dennis Sharpe (17-9-4, 4 KO’s) vs. Doel Carrasquillo (16-23, 14 KO’s)—6 rds Jr. Middleweights
Anthony Gangemi (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Willie Bryant (1-5-1, 1 KO) – 4 rds Jr. Middleweight

Doors open at 6:30 pm and 1st bout is 7:30 pm. Tickets are priced at $50 (General Admission), $100 (Ringside) and $150 (VIP)

The Hilton Garden Inn is located at 1100 South Avenue in Staten Island.

LOWELL, Mass. (January 31, 2013) — Chicago Fight Clubs Promotion is bringing professional boxing back to Lowell, Massachusetts – home of “Irish” Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund – on Saturday night, March 16 to kick-off St. Patrick’s Day weekend, at Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell.

“CFC Fight Night” will be a reunion, of sorts, for people involved in the award-winning movie, “The Fighter,” which portrayed the lives of the Ward and Eklund brothers. Lowell fan favorites “Irish” Joe McCreedy and Sean Eklund, whose uncles are Micky and Dicky, will be showcased at home in Lowell for the second time as professionals. Dicky trains both fighters.

McCreedy (13-6-2, 6 KOs) will be fighting for the vacant United States Boxing Organization (“USBO”) light heavyweight title against an opponent to be determined in the 10-round main event. Eklund (11-4, 2 KOs) will be fighting in the eight-round -co-feature.

Three other Lowell boxers — light heavyweight Ricky Sylvester, junior welterweight Noun Soriya and bantamweight Mike Martin – will all be making their pro debuts.

World-class bantamweight Tyson “Prince of Haiti” Cave (19-2, 5 KOs), fighting out of Nova Scotia, Canada, will make his United States debut, while former world welterweight champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris (29-9-2, 19 KOs) returns from his brief retirement to fight for the first time in New England.

“”We packed the house on a Wednesday night (May 9, 2012 in first pro card held there in seven years) with Joey and Sean (CFC promotes both fighters) on top of that card,” Chicago Fight Clubs Promotion president Cynthia Tolaymat explained. “That was an incredible turnout, especially for a weekday, and a tribute to the passionate boxing fans in Lowell and surrounding towns. We’re really excited about going back to Lowell. We’ve been contacted by so many fighters in the area and are pleased to put three pro debut fighters on the card. Fighters from there are unlike those from other places. They just want to get in the ring and fight. They don’t care who they’re fighting, even if it’s a friend or stable-mate. They just want to fight and fans appreciate watching guys like that. The fighters there are very competitive and fans love the sport of boxing. We’re expecting a big, loud crowd and we’re in a larger arena, Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell.”

Also schedule to fight on the undercard are Quincy (MA) light heavyweight Chris Traietti (10-3, 6 KOs), an Iraq War veteran, exciting Lawrence (MA) junior middleweight Eddie “Thunder” Caminero, Chicago heavyweight Boban Simic (1-0, 1 KO), and Dracut (MA) middleweight Bernie Ongewe (0-1).

All fights and fighters are subject to change. Opponents will be named as soon as they are approved and signed.

“This show has a wider variety of fighters with popular local fighters like Traietti and Caminero, along with world-class fighters Cave and Harris,” promoter Tolaymat added. “These fighters really want to look good in front of their family, friends and fans. What a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. It will be an Irish-themed night of exciting, competitive fights and fighters.”

Tickets (all reserved) go on sale tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 1), reasonably priced at $42.00, $77.00 (floor) and $102.00 (ringside), and may be purchased online at the www.TsongasCenter.com; by phone at 866.722.8780; or at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell Box Office. Doors open at 7 PM/ET, first both scheduled for 8:00 PM/ET. Go to www.cfcpromotion.com, www.TsongasCenter.com, or www.irishjoemccreedy.com for additional information.

ABOUT TSONGAS CENTER AT UMASS LOWELL: Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell is a Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com) managed facility. Global spectrum is the fastest growing firm in the public assembly facility management field with more than 100 facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The Philadelphia-based company is part of one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies, Comcast-Spectacor, which also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks, Ovation Foods Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, and Front Row marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company and Paciolan, the leading provider of venue establishment ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC.

ALLENTOWN, PA (January 31, 2013)—On Saturday night, February 9th Kings Boxing Promotions presents a night of Professional & Amateur boxing that will be headlined by an eight round Jr. Middleweight bout between Keenan Collins and George Rivera.

This will be a rematch of a hotly contested draw that took place on April 27, 2012

Collins of York, PA has a record of 14-7-3 with nine knockouts.

Collins is known as a quality boxer with good power and has only been defeated by the best such as former world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez as well as contenders Gabriel Rosado and Charles Whittaker.

Rivera of Charlottesville, VA is similar to Collins as his record reads 13-7-1 with four knockouts.

Rivera has signature wins over undefeated Lawrence Jones and Jesse Nickelow (19-0-1) as well as former Contender Season 1 contestant Jonathan Reid.

In a special six round co-feature, undefeated John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson risks his perfect ledger when he battles Grayson Blake in a Jr, Middleweight bout.

Thompson of Newark, NJ has a record of 10-0 with three knockouts and has quality wins over Jamond Bourgeois, John Mackey and in his last bout he scored a six round unanimous decision over Ellie Augustama which was part of the Miguel Cotto – Austin Trout card at Madison Square Garden this past December 1st.

Blake of State College, PA has a record of 5-1 with two knockouts. He has a signature victory over then undefeated DeCarlo Perez and now is looking to get back into the win column after dropping a six round decision to Robert Sockwell on November 10th.

A quality undercard has been assembled that will feature three fights scheduled for six rounds.

In a Heavyweight fight, popular William Miranda (6-5-2) of Allentown will square off with Aaron Kinch (4-1-1, 1 KO) of Newark, NJ

In a Super Featherweight fight, Frank De Alba (5-1-2, 2 KO’s) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico takes on Isaac Suarez (7-2, 3 KO’s) in a bout scheduled for six rounds.

In four round bouts, Pennsylvania native Samuel Quinones (0-1) looks to get in the win column when he fights Charles Mack (0-0-1) of Philadelphia, PA

In a four round Heavyweight bout, Eric Newell (4-1-1, 2 KO’s) of Bethlehem, PA takes on undefeated Mark Rideout (2-0) of Philadelphia.

There will be 12 amateur bouts featuring some of the best young fighters from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

Tickets are priced at $60 (Ringside); $35 (General Admission) with tickets being $5 more at the door and can be purchased at:

King’s Boxing
440 Elm Street
Reading, PA (610-687-5950)

Rodeway Inn
1151 Bulldog Drive
Allentown, PA (610-298-1629)

Empire Surplus-Home Center
2741 Berneville Road
Leesport, PA 19533 (610-926-0500)

Hammer Fitness
420 Allentown Drive
Allentown, PA 18109 (484-554-8804)

The Rodeway Inn is located at

1151 Bulldog Drive in Allentown, PA

For more information on King’s Boxing Promotions, contact:

www.kingsboxing.com

STUTTGART, GERMANY (January 31, 2013) WBA/IBO Middleweight Champion Gennady “GGG’ Golovkin, wishes to congratulate IBF Champion Daniel Geale for his dominant performance over Anthony Mundine in their Australian showdown Wednesday in Sydney, Australia.

“I was impressed with Daniel Geale’s performance and wish to publicly congratulate him on his victory. I know this was personal for him as he had lost previously to Mundine and he certainly got his revenge” said Golovkin.

Geale chose to fight Mundine and give up the WBA “Super” Middleweight Title rather than face Golovkin as was ordered by the WBA prior to Geale’s fight with Sturm.

“I also want to wish Felix Sturm the best of luck in his bout upcoming bout against Soliman, I’m sure he was quite disappointed losing to Geale last September and is looking to shine this Saturday against Soliman” continued Golovkin. Felix avoided me as his mandatory for over two years when he was champion, but I will give him the opportunity to fight for his old title whenever he would like to. “

Golovkin is preparing to stay very active in 2013; a year kicked off in style in a sensational performance on HBO, stopping Gabriel Rosado in the 7th round on JANUARY 19 at Madison Square Garden, “The Mecca of Boxing.” Golovkin is considered the most feared middleweight boasting a record of 25-0 with 22 KOs and is currently riding a knockout streak of 12 KOs in a row. GGG is scheduled to return on Saturday, March 30th in Monte Carlo.

“I want the biggest fights and the best challenges as I’ve said all along. With HBO broadcasting my fights, either Geale or Sturm would be a perfect fight this year. Geale said after the fight that he wanted to fight in the US this year, look no further we can make a title unification bout this summer.”

Another titleholder whom Golovkin has eyes on is WBO Middleweight Champion Peter Quillin. “I’m aware that his fight with Fernando Guerrero was pushed back until the end of April. He’s talked about fighting me in the past and I’m certainly interested if he’s serious.”

Golovkin would also welcome a unification fight with WBC Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez, but realizes that fight might be a long way away. Sergio’s promoter Lou DiBella is afraid to acknowledge Golovkin for fear that it might set up a showdown of the two top fighters in the division. The hunter has now become the hunted.

ABOUT K2 PROMOTIONS

K2 Promotions currently promotes the unified heavyweight champions, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko along with WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion, Gennady Golovkin, WBC International/NABO Heavyweight Champion Johnathon Banks, WBO Interim Cruiserweight World Champion Ola Afolabi and WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Zaurbek Baysangurov. Over the last decade, K2 Promotions has promoted the most heavyweight championship title bouts of any promoter worldwide. K2 Promotions is one of Boxing’s most respected promoters showcasing boxing’s biggest events in the US and Europe at some of the world’s premier venues.

For more information, please visit their website at

www.K-2Promotions.com

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (January 31, 2013) — To quote Hall of Fame baseball superstar Ernie Banks, “Let’s play two.”

That’s exactly what undefeated former world champion BRANDON “Bam Bam” RIOS and top-rated contender “Mile High” MIKE ALVARADO will do when they face each other in a rematch of their 2012 Fight of the Year-nominated fight. Rios-Alvarado II will take place, Saturday, March 30 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The 12-round World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim junior welterweight championship rumble will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

In their first fight, last October 13, a battle of undefeated gladiators, Rios and Alvarado fought toe-to-toe and non-stop for seven thrilling rounds that saw dramatic momentum shifts throughout the action-packed bout. Two of the judges had the fight scored even before referee Pat Russell stopped the fight at 1:57 of the seventh round, awarding the TKO victory to Rios. Media and fans alike compared Rios-Alvarado to the great matches of the past 50 years, including Ali-Frazier III, Corrales -Castillo I and Hagler-Hearns, based on action and entertainment value.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate, tickets to Rios-Alvarado II will go on sale Tomorrow! Friday, February 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET / Noon PT. Priced at $250, $150, $100, and $50, not including applicable service charges, tickets are limited to eight (8) per person and will be available for purchase at all Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Mandalay Bay at (877) 632-7400 or Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.MandalayBay.com or www.Ticketmaster.com.

Fans who are interested in not only purchasing tickets to the fight but also booking a room at Mandalay Bay can earn a special offer, including a discounted room rate along with a $25 resort credit. This sweet deal is available, beginning Tomorrow! Friday, February 1 at Noon PT, and can be accessed by visiting https://resweb.passkey.com/go/erank13b.

Rios (31-0-1, 22 KOs), the former World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion, from Oxnard, Calif., is on the hunt for his second world title in as many weight divisions. He enters this fight having won 11 of his previous 13 fights by knockout. One of boxing’s most exciting fighters, Rios is known for his all-action fan-friendly fighting style. His trainer, former International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior lightweight champion and 2012 Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia, calls it a “throwback” style with a warrior’s mentality that screams excitement. Highlight knockout victories on Rios’ resume include Miguel Acosta, Anthony Peterson, Urbano Antillon, John Murray and of course Alvarado. Alvarado, the natural 140-pounder, entered that fight as the undefeated WBO No. 1 junior welterweight contender. Rios, by virtue of his TKO victory over Alvarado, is currently world-rated No. 1 by the WBO.

Alvarado (33-1, 23 KOs) of Denver, Colo., had won 10 of his last 13 bouts by stoppage en route to a career-high No. 1 world rating in the WBO when he battled Rios. Notable Alvarado knockout victims included Breidis Prescott, Ray Narh, Emmanuel Clottey and Cesar Bazan. In 2012 Alvarado fought in two Fight of the Year-nominated fights. Last April, Alvarado went toe-to-toe for 10 brutal and exciting rounds winning a unanimous decision over Mauricio Herrera (18-1, 7 KOs). Herrera entered that fight world-rated No. 7 and riding a two-year, five-bout winning streak, highlighted by victories over Ruslan Provodnikov (17-0) and Mike Dallas, Jr. (17-1-1). That was followed by Rios in October. Despite losing to Rios by a technical knockout, his effort and talent are so respected he still remains highly rated, where he is ranked No. 3 by the WBO.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.

Cornelius “K9” Bundrage, IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion

“When it was time to decide who I was going to fight, I went to Golden Boy [Promotions] and they presented me with several fighter names. They mentioned James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo and Ishe Smith. It was special with Ishe because not only did they say I could fight him, but they said I could fight him in Detroit. That was an easy decision for me to make and now we are here.

“Not only am I getting paid, but I am getting paid to fight right here in Detroit. How great is that?

“I had to look up Ishe Smith and guess what, he has some flaws. I won’t really say much about that because I’m not that type of guy. The closer it gets to a fight, the less I talk and by fight week, I barely say a word.

“I see him as a good opponent for me. I never look to fight bums. I always want to fight the best. I am a dog in that ring and trust me when I say I’m coming to bring it.

“I feel like a little Mike Tyson. I am coming to get it. When I was in the hood, I used to take from people. On February 23, he won’t be taking anything from me.”

Ishe Smith, Junior Middleweight Contender

“I know I’m not the fan favorite in Detroit. One thing I’ve learned throughout my boxing career is that haters come with the territory. It’s something you deal with and keep on moving.

“I want to thank Leonard Ellerbe for getting me to this point. I’ve had a roller coaster career and now I’m here. I hadn’t fought in 18 months and Leonard called me and said he was working on something big. Then he called and told me what he and Floyd [Mayweather] worked out. I couldn’t believe it.

“Floyd called me too and said, ‘we got it.’ I’m overwhelmed and am going to leave it all in the ring that night. I owe it all to them to make this happen.

“I owe a lot to Floyd. When he was incarcerated, he sent me a letter telling me to hold it down, he was going to take care of me and not let me down. Now here I am fighting for a world title.

“When you box for a living, you have to get in there, fight and may the best man win. I’m a Christian that believes in free will. It’s my choice to make the most of the situation and do whatever I have to do. I believe and have faith that on February 23, I’ll leave the ring victorious.

“I’m also doing something special for the [families affected by the] Newtown, Conn. tragedy. I have two kids, a son and a daughter, that I was taking to school the morning of that awful incident.

“When I first heard about the shooting, I thought it was another high school situation. Then I heard about those poor little kids. It broke my heart and I started crying just thinking about if those were my kids. So we are making t-shirts for this fight and are going to sell them to honor those kids. All of the money is going to be given to a charity supporting the families and the town.”

J’Leon Love, Undefeated Detroit Prospect

“It will be great to fight in the city of Detroit, my hometown and the place I love so much.

“I believe in God and that’s who I am. Whatever happens is going to happen and that goes for February 23 too.

“I wanted to fight Bronco when I heard we could make the fight. I’m a young fighter on my way up and he is a great veteran of the sport.

“I appreciate all that Leonard Ellerbe is doing to help make my dreams come true. He works really hard on my behalf and it’s a blessing. Just training and being around Floyd Mayweather, my trainer Roger Mayweather and the whole team has been a great experience for me.

“I’m going back to Vegas this afternoon and will be back in the gym tomorrow. I’ll be ready to fight and come February 23, me and my team will all be 15-0.”

Bronco McKart, Former WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion

“This is my twenty-first year as a fighter and I still love the sport. It’s my life and I’m honored to be on the card that brings world championship boxing to the great state of Michigan.

“This city, Detroit, deserves this fight night and this fight too.

“I like J’Leon. I think he is a great young fighter, but come February 23, we are going to get in the ring, do business and see what happens.

“The only thing I turn down is my bed sheets. This is a great opportunity for me. I stay in the gym and lead a very clean lifestyle so young fighters aren’t a problem [for me].

“I know in a couple of years from now I’ll get to say, ‘There is J’Leon [Love], the great middleweight champion of the world…and I beat him!'”

David Itskowitch, COO of Golden Boy Promotions

“On behalf of Golden Boy Promotions we are excited to be here in Detroit where boxing has such a great history. It’s going to be a great show, tickets went on sale today and everyone should come out and enjoy this fantastic night of boxing featuring a great champion in Detroit’s own ‘K9’ Bundrage and the all-Michigan fight between J’Leon Love and Bronco McKart.

“The fight at the Masonic Temple will be historic too. This building is amazing and we look forward to working with everyone here to make this a great night for boxing and Detroit.

“Tickets are priced starting at just $25. To get to see two world championship fights for $25 is an unbelievable deal.”

Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“On behalf of Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions, I want to thank everyone for coming out today and supporting this fight. Who doesn’t know about the history of Detroit boxing and the champions who have come from here and the state including Floyd?

“We’re so excited to bring you this big event. Floyd will be here as he took a special interest in making this happen. Not just for our fighters, Ishe Smith and J’Leon Love, but for every fight fan and sports fan in and around the area.

“We want to thank the MGM too for supporting these efforts. We are looking forward to a great night and feel confident in the ability of our two guys.”

# # #

This exciting evening of world championship boxing is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions in association with Matchroom Boxing and is sponsored by Corona, AT&T and MGM Grand Detroit. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with preliminary fights to air live on SHOWTIME Extreme at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and are available for purchase at the Masonic Temple box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

Last week it was announced that the annual, highly anticipated Japanese Grand Prix Freestyle Fighting Tournament was set to begin on March 22, but today information was released by the tournament committee that the eligibility status of two of the fighters set to compete is in question.

“Information has surfaced regarding whether or not two of our esteemed combatants will be able to enter our country, as they have faced issues in the past regarding fighting competitions,” said .Sadahura Takinawa, Committee President. “While we cannot release the names until we are able to full utilize our resources and draw a conclusion to these claims, we are hopeful that this will not further the delay of the commencement of the tournament.”

Takinawa continued that in the event that the fighters are not granted eligibility and are not able to compete, then two replacement fighters will be called up to take their slots.

The annual Japanese Grand Prix freestyle fighting tournament contains the top fighters in their discipline across the world. Competing this year are Japan’s acclaimed sumo champion Harumafuji, America’s Bare Knuckle Boxing Champion Gunn and Argentina’s Muay Thai Bosch, amongst several other top combatants.

“This is not an average MMA or boxing match; this is one of the most revered freestyle fighting tournaments in the world, and we will go above and beyond to ensure the success of it,” said Takinawa. “We owe it to the fighters who have qualified, and of course to the fans around the world.”

This unique tournament is one of a kind, as it encompasses all of the diversified martial arts and boxing disciplines across the world, and brings the most elite fighters in each discipline together to compete in a winner take all, single elimination tournament with the grand prize being the purse of $1 million and eligibility to fight in any tournament worldwide.

DETROIT, MI, January 30 – On Saturday, February 23, world championship boxing returns to the Motor City when Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions present an evening of world championship action at The Masonic Temple Theatre which will feature Three-Time and Two-Division World Champion Devon Alexander “The Great” defending his IBF Welterweight World Championship against British star and number one rated IBF welterweight contender Kell Brook in a fight that will be televised live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

The co-main event of the February 23 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader will see Detroit’s own Cornelius “K9” Bundrage defending his IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship against Las Vegas’ Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith.

Also featured will be an all-Michigan battle as unbeaten Detroit prospect J’Leon Love takes on former World Champion Bronco McKart of Monroe in a 10-round middleweight bout which will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME®(7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

“2013 is going to be a big year for my career and I’m going to get it started right in an exciting fashion against Kell Brook,” said Alexander. “I worked extremely hard to win my title and I’m not giving it away to anyone. This will be a statement-making fight for me.”

“This is the biggest night of my life,” said Brook. “When I turned up at the Wincobank Gym in Sheffield as a nine year old, this was what I dreamed about – boxing for a world title and on February 23, I’ll turn that dream into a reality. I’m in the best physical shape of my life and the best ever Kell Brook will be in the ring in Detroit and there’s no way that I am coming home without that world title. This is my destiny, it’s just meant to be and there’s nothing Devon Alexander can do to stop me.”

“I thank my Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ for blessing me to be able to defend my title right here in Detroit, in front of all of my family and friends,” said Bundrage. “It’s an honor to be able to bring world championship boxing back to the city of Detroit. I always train hard and am prepared for what my opponent might show me in the ring. No man can close doors that GOD has opened. Nothing will be different this time and it will be a special night of boxing for everyone. I will be victorious February 23 in Jesus’ name.”

“I want to thank Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions for believing in me and my boxing talents and helping make this dream to fight K9 [Bundrage] for his title a reality,” said Smith. “I know he’ll have the hometown advantage, but I’m not worried about that. I’m preparing for the fight of my life and I feel confident that I’ll beat him and become the new champion.”

“It feels great to be able to fight in Detroit, my hometown and the place where I learned how to fight,” said Love. “I’m excited to show everyone that I’m on the road to a championship and nothing will stop me from achieving my lifelong dream. Training and working with Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions in Las Vegas has given me another level of appreciation for hard work and determination.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to fight in Detroit one more time,” said McKart. “I’ve had a long and great career and still feel comfortable fighting for pride and glory. J’Leon Love is a young and exciting fighter from this area too, but I feel that my experience will be too much for him to handle and that I’ll be victorious on February 23. I hope everyone in and around Detroit will come out and support this great night of boxing.”

“Devon Alexander and Kell Brook have been waiting to take care of business in the ring and we’re going to the fighting city of Detroit for them to settle the score in one of the biggest fights of early 2013,” said President of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “Plus, Detroit’s own ‘K9’ Bundrage is back in his hometown to take on longtime contender Ishe Smith in an important showdown for both men. We also have ‘The Battle for Michigan’ when J’Leon Love takes on his toughest test to date in Bronco McKart. It’s a can’t miss night for Detroit sports fans”

“This is an exciting opportunity for Mayweather Promotions and everyone knows Floyd Mayweather is from the great state of Michigan too,” said CEO of Mayweather Promotions, Leonard Ellerbe. “Detroit is tremendously important to boxing and we are excited to add to its history on February 23. In addition we feel extremely confident that our fighters, Ishe Smith and J’Leon Love, another Michigan man, will come away with victories, setting them both up for much bigger things in the near future.”

“Boxing fans are in for a real treat when Devon and Kell meet as they are two of the best 147 pounders in the business,” said Eddie Hearn Managing Director of Matchroom Boxing. “Kell Brook is a special talent and has dreamt about this moment since he first laced up those gloves. He has trained like a man possessed and he is coming to America to make a huge statement and bring that title back to Britain.”

“We are looking forward to another great night of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING featuring two world title fights in the boxing-rich city of Detroit,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “The event will showcase one of the most talented 147-pound fighters in the world, Devon Alexander, and the U.S. television debut of U.K. star Kell Brook as well as exciting undercard action.”

This exciting evening of world championship boxing is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions in association with Matchroom Boxing and is sponsored by Corona, AT&T and MGM Grand Detroit. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with preliminary fights to air live on SHOWTIME Extreme at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale now and are available for purchase at the Masonic Temple box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

A technical wizard with speed and finesse in the ring, St. Louis’ Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KO’s) is a master boxer who has already won world titles in two divisions despite being only 25 years old. Alexander is the former IBF and WBC world title holder at 140 pounds, with wins over Lucas Matthysse, Juan Urango and Junior Witter to his name. In 2012, “The Great” made his move to welterweight and by the time he was finished defeating former World Champions Marcos Maidana and Randall Bailey, he was crowned the IBF Welterweight World Champion. On February 23, he makes the first defense of his new crown.

England’s latest unbeaten sensation, the popular Kell Brook (29-0, 19 KO’s) has mowed past all opposition placed in front of him over the last eight years. After winning the British WBO intercontinental and IBF international welterweight titles, he’s ready for his close-up on the world stage. With 2012 wins over Matthew Hatton, Carson Jones and Hector Saldivia, the talented 26-year-old from Sheffield has proven he has the talent, style and determination to justify his number one rating.

Cornelius “K9” Bundrage (32-4, 19 KO’s) turned professional in 1995, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he got the opportunity to introduce himself to the world as a member of the cast of NBC’s hit boxing reality show “The Contender.” On the show, Bundrage won two fights before a controversial loss to Steve Forbes in the semifinals. However, he was undeterred and went back to the gym and began building his post-Contender career. On August 7, 2010, he scored a fifth round technical knockout win over Cory Spinks to win the IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship. He has since defended his title with rematch wins over Sechew Powell and Spinks and now looks to take out Ishe Smith on February 23.

Las Vegas’ Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (24-5, 11 KO’s) has battled the best for years, scoring wins over the likes of Randall Bailey, Alfonso Gomez, David Estrada and Pawel Wolak. Another cast member on the first season of “The Contender”, the 34-year-old Smith captivated the nation in and out of the ring. After decision losses at middleweight to top contenders Danny Jacobs and Fernando Guerrero, Smith has run off three straight wins, proving that at 154 pounds, he is a dangerous force to be reckoned with.

Detroit’s J’Leon Love (14-0, 8 KO’s) took his game to the next level in 2012, going five for five with two knockouts, two dominant decisions and a disqualification win. How will the 25-year-old former amateur star top that in 2013? Odds are that he will find a way with his ever-expanding skill set and exciting style, both of which will be on display on February 23 against former World Champion Bronco McKart.

Now in his 21st year as a professional, Monroe, Michigan’s Bronco McKart (54-10-1, 32 KO’s) has forgotten more than most fighters know about world-class boxing. The 41-year-old former WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion has battled the likes of Winky Wright (three times), Raul Marquez, Roman Karmazin, Kelly Pavlik and Travis Simms over the course of his career. With wins in three of his last four fights, McKart is ready for his battle for Michigan pride against Love.

The historic Masonic Temple in downtown Detroit was dedicated on November 25, 1926. With 1,037 rooms and 550,000 square feet, and built to house numerous fraternal organizations, it is the largest structure of its kind in the world. This amazing Gothic building was constructed between 1920 and 1926 at a cost of $7 million. George Washington’s own working tools were used to spread the first mortar for the cornerstone. Washington, who was a Freemason used these same tools to lay the cornerstone

of the Capitol building in Washington DC.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.matchroomboxing.com and www.themasonic.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/MayweatherPromo, www.twitter.com/MatchroomBoxing, www.twitter.com/DAlexandereal, www.twitter.com/SpecialKBrook, www.twitter.com/K9Boxing, www.twitter.com/IsheSugarShay, www.twitter.com/JLeonLove, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #AlexanderBrook or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

The Protagonists are on edge ahead of Saturday’s showdown. The all-German
affair between Eduard Gutknecht (24-1, 9 KOs) and Juergen Braehmer (38-2, 30
KOs) for the European Light Heavyweight Championship is just days away and
it seemed like the nerves were finally kicking in at today’s press
conference. Promoter Kalle Sauerland got straight to the point: “We are
excited about this duel. Unfortunately, there can only be one winner.
Whoever is on top after the bout will be in possession of the EBU Title and
will get a crack at the WBO Championship. Consequently there is a lot on the
line for everyone involved.”

Both participants, Gutknecht as well as Braehmer, made it clear that they
see themselves ahead of the respective opponent, without giving too much
away. “I am looking forward to the fight,” said 30-year-old Gutknecht. “We
will see in which manner I will win on Saturday. I will keep my belt.” The
current champion is also counting on the knowledge of his coach Ulli Wegner.
“Mister Wegner has a lot of experience. I am planning to follow the game
plan he came up with. I am only thinking positive – a loss is not even a
possibility in my mind.”

The same goes for Braehmer. “I will win because I am better,” said the
former WBO Champion. Asked about the duel between the two coaches, Ulli
Wegner and Karsten Roewer, the 34-year-old only replied: “I don’t know why
everybody keeps talking about that. This fight is between Eduard Gutknecht
and myself – the coaches aren’t fighting each other, we are!”

The theme of the evening is obvious: “There can only be one!” But what
happens to the one who is not on the winning side afterwards? Kalle
Sauerland: “We are not going to leave any of our boxers outside in the cold
but it will be a long way back for the loser.”

Another one who is only at the beginning of the road to glory is Robert Woge
(10-0, 9 KOs). In only his eleventh pro fight, the 28-year-old will get his
first crack at a title. The only person standing in the way between him and
the vacant IBF Intercontinental Title is Hakim Zoulikha (18-3, 9 KOs).
However, Woge, who is known for his direct and no-nonsense approach once
again made it clear that he is only focused on himself and his personal
style: “At the end of the day this isn’t athletics. If two grown man face
each other in a fight they will start hitting one another. That is what I am
going to do and so far I have been successful with this method.”

It is pretty much a given that Saturday night will be huge spectacle and
action-packed. The only question left to be answered is who will walk away
with a new sense of achievement and who will have to start from square one.

Tickets for the big fight night at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin,
Germany can be purchased at www.boxen.com and www.eventim.de.

The February 1 edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature two top Junior Middleweight contenders –The Ring Magazine’s no. 7, ESPN.com’s no. 8 ranked Junior Middleweight “King” Carlos Molina (20-5-2, 6 KOs) and former Junior Middleweight titlist and former undisputed Welterweight Champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks (39-7, 11 KOs) — in the 12-round main event. Friday’s show will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, and will be available online through WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. The card will also air live on ESPN Deportes+, the new digital extension of ESPN Deportes, and will air tape delayed on ESPN Deportes at 2 a.m. The card from Chicago is promoted by Eight Count Promotions.

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the UIC Center describing the action for ESPN2 HD, while studio host Todd Grisham will present all the latest boxing news and look back at the best of Friday Night Fights from the month of January. Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights for ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights) with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio. Bi-lingual reporter Bernardo Osuna will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Main Event:
Chicago’s Molina is coming off an August 10-round unanimous decision win over Damian Frias. After the fight, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote: “Frias proved to be no match for a better all-around fighter in Molina, who pitched a clean shutout. Molina was better in every facet of the fight. He jabbed Frias well, worked the body and went upstairs. It was all Molina, all the time. He showed his full arsenal and stayed sharp, awaiting the day he gets a title shot — one that he richly deserves.”

Molina said of Friday’s fight, “Spinks knows how to box, he knows how to fight. He’s been around boxing forever, since he was a kid. I’ve just got to pressure him and work his body. I need to attack.”

Spinks is looking to rebound from a June seventh-round knockout loss to Cornelius Bundrage. Spinks, son of former Heavyweight Champion Leon Spinks, enters Friday’s fight experienced, having fought former and current titlists Bundrage, Verno Phillips, Jermain Taylor, Roman Karmazin and Zab Judah. Manager Scott Hirsch said, “Molina is a very good fighter. Molina outhustles people, outworks them, and Cory knows that he’s got to up his work rate and just not get outhustled and outworked.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s co-feature will pit former Lightweight titlist Jose Luis “El Temible” Castillo (64-11-1, 55 KOs), against “The Truth” Antwone Smith (22-4-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round Welterweight bout. Castillo is coming off a ninth-round TKO win over Ivan Popoca, while Smith is coming off one of his career-best wins, a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Ronal Cruz.

Additional Bout Exclusively on ESPN3:

Friday’s card will also include an eight-round bout between undefeated Heavyweight Artur Szpilka (12-0, 9 KOs) and Mike Mollo (20-3-1, 12 KOs). The card will be carried exclusively at 11 p.m. on ESPN3, ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network, that delivers thousands of global sports events annually and accessible online via WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold level members.

Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook. Follow ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo. Also score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

PHILADELPHIA (January 30, 2013)–World ranked Jr. Middleweight Demetrius Andrade is now eying a world title opportunity after his impressive performance this past Friday night as he scored a shutout unanimous decision over former world title challenger Freddy Hernandez on SHOBOX: The New Generation.

The bout was held at the Paramount Theatre and Andrade’s promoters, Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing & JEG Boxing are now looking to make a title fight for Andrade a reality.

In the bout against Hernandez, Andrade was nearly flawless as he switched between orthodox and southpaw and Hernandez had no answer for any of the great skills that Andrade possessed.

In round six, Andrade pivoted beautifully and landed a hard right to the top of the head that sent Hernandez to the canvas. From that point on, Andrade showed the impressive arsenal that made him go from 2007 world amateur champion, 2008 U.S. Olympian and now top three world ranked contender.

Andrade won by shutout scores of 100-89 on all three judges score cards.

“That was the kind of performance that any fighter would want to have just before a title shot”, said Arthur Pelullo, CEO of Banner Promotions.

“Demetrius is clearly clicking on all cylinders now. He’s twenty-four years old and now is putting everything together at the right time. He has always been one of the most skilled fighters out there and all he needed was the experience. My partners Joe DeGuardia, Darren Libonati and I have him in position for a title shot. We will hope to fight the WBO champion Zaurbek Baysangurov this spring and we are already putting the wheels in motion for that shot”.

With the win, the native of Providence, Rhode Island upped his perfect mark to 19-0 with 13 knockouts.

Antwone “The Truth” Smith didn’t get his nickname because it rhymes with his last name – the 26-year-old Miami resident has a habit of telling the truth no matter what you ask him.

Smith (22-4-1, 12 KOs) will face two-time former world champion Jose Luis “EL Temible” Castillo (64-11-1, 55 KOs) in the 10-round welterweight co-main event for this Friday’s (February 1) ESPN Friday Night Fights-televised “King” Carlos Molina vs. Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks 12-round main event at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

“I feel like a lot of guys on TV try to be somebody different and I want to be myself and be the truth,” said Smith of his ring moniker. “What you see is what you get. I’m not one way on camera and one way off.”

So what does he think of his well-known and possible future hall-of-fame next opponent?

“He (Castillo) has the best name of anyone I fought; I guess you could say that. But to be honest, before he passed, my favorite fighter was Diego Corrales, so I’m definitely not a fan of his. He’s just a typical Mexican fighter and I’m prepared for the best version of him there has ever been, so if anything less than that shows up, he’s going to have a problem.”

Smith has no problem admitting he’s in an almost “no win” situation facing Castillo.

“A loss against him would be devastating, but I don’t think a win would do much for me because people will just say he’s old. I just want to stay busy and get this win and hope it propels me to something bigger and better. If you win fights like this it’s no big deal. If you lose, it’s bad.”

Not one to pre-plan much of anything that happens during his fights, Smith says he’s more of an ad-libber.

“I never really think about how a fight is going to go. I just deal with it when it comes. When I get in the ring, I go with the flow. When you have a plan, if things don’t go as planned, that’s when you have a problem. It depends on what Castillo does. Maybe he’ll come forward, maybe he won’t. If I’m anticipating him to come forward and he doesn’t, I’m already out of my game.”

###

Presented by 8 Count Productions, Round 3 Productions, Warriors Boxing and Blue Wave Boxing in association with Don King Productions, advance tickets are priced are $151, $101, $51 and $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.

In a special attraction eight round clash, fast rising Polish heavyweight prospect Artur “The Pin” Szpilka will battle Chicago based heavyweight contender “Merciless” Mike Mollo.

Additionally featuring in separate bouts will be local favorites; middleweight contender Donovan “Da Bomb” George, 23-3-1 (20 KO’s), highly regarded and undefeated super middleweight prospect Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez, 8-0-0 (5 KO’s) and popular welterweight newcomer Jimmy Murphy, 1-0-0 (1 KO).

Further details on this world-class evening of professional boxing will be announced shortly.

The UIC Pavilion is located at 525 S. Racine, at the corner of Harrison and Racine on the campus of University of Illinois-Chicago. Doors on the night of the event will open at 7 pm with the first bell at 7:45 pm.

Las Vegas, Nevada –The Ultimate Fighter® returned Tuesday night on FX with the second episode of the season – “Ambush.” In the first preliminary bout, Luke Barnatt, from Cambridge, England, dominated Colorado Spring’s Gilbert Smith when they squared off in the Octagon®.

Using his significant height and reach advantage, Barnatt, 5-0 in mixed martial arts, dictated much of the fight before stopping the much smaller Smith (5-1) in the second round.

Before the bout, the fighters on Team Jones had voiced concerns about the match-up, but head coach Jon “Bones” Jones insisted on his selection and, ultimately, was proved wrong.

A full recap is available at ufc.com.

Results after second episode:

Team Sonnen – coached by UFC light heavyweight Chael Sonnen (1-0)

Luke Barnatt (1-0, defeated Gilbert Smith via TKO in episode 2)

Uriah Hall (0-0)

Zak Cummings (0-0)

Tor Troeng (0-0)

Jimmy Quinlan (0-0)

Kevin Casey (0-0)

Kelvin Gastelum (0-0)

Team Jones – coached by UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (0-1)

Clint Hester (0-0)

Josh Samman (0-0)

Bubba McDaniel (0-0)

Gilbert Smith (0-1, lost to Luke Barnatt via TKO in episode 2)

Collin Hart (0-0)

Adam Cella (0-0)

Dylan Andrews (0-0)

Following their first win, Team Sonnen gained control of the next fight pick and chose Uriah Hall to take on Team Jones’ Adam Cella.

The series resumes next Tuesday, February 5, on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings for Central and Mountain Time). In that episode – “Embrace the Suffering” – a fighter responds after being called out, coach Chael Sonnen gives advice to a fighter lacking confidence, coach Jones bonds with his team during a house visit and two fighters deliver explosive action in the Octagon.

For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter under our new name @TUFonFX or on Facebook.com/TUF.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

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

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 30 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.4 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

FX

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 98 million homes. The diverse schedule features a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series Sons of Anarchy and Justified; the miniseries American Horror Story: Asylum; the upcoming drama series The Americans; the acclaimed hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer, Wilfred, BrandX with Russell Brand, and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell; and the upcoming comedy Legit. The network’s library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. FX’s other offerings include the acquired hit series Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother, and live sports with UFC and NCAA football.

NEW YORK (January 29, 2013) – His first world title defense has been delayed, due to the postponement of the originally scheduled Showtime Championship Boxing event on February 9, but undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (28-0, 20 KOs) is rollin’ with the punches and preparing for his April 27th fight against challenger Fernando Guerrero (25-1, 19 KOs) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The Feb. 9 card was postponed because of an injury to Danny Garcia, who is fighting Zab Judah in the main event. Quillin vs. Guerrero remains the 12-round co-feature.

“I’m praying for Danny to get better, as well as for Zab and Guerrero to stay focused,” a disappointed yet understanding Quillin said from Los Angeles where he was training at Wild Card Gym. “I’m praying for Guerrero to stay focused, too, because I’m coming for him on April 27.”

The popular Cuban-American fighter will soon be returning to Manhattan. He knows what’s happened is out of anybody’s control. “This is what I do and things like this happen sometimes in boxing,” he remarked. “You never expect it to but it does happen. I’m just rollin’ with the punches. I’m setting up my schedule for the next 1 ½ months before I go back to camp. I’ll be teaching four classes a week at the Trinity Boxing Club (in Manhattan) for regular people (non-boxers). They want to train with the champ; I want to keep my mind focused and stay sharp by being in the gym.”

Injuries – like it or not – are part of boxing. “It’s very disappointing,” Quillin’s co-manager John Seip commented, “considering the hard work and dedication that goes into preparing for a championship fight like this, not only for my fighter, but for all parties involved. Peter was ready and he had only one week left in camp. Peter lost 18 months due to unforeseen injuries, so he accepts and understands that injuries are part of the game. Danny was a true professional who tried to get through his injury, but Garcia’s team made the right decision. Injuries play a big part in professional athletics and some, like this, are unavoidable. A professional athlete needs to take news like this on the chin, no pun intended, remain focused and move on. It’s the nature of the beast and must be accepted. Peter will be ready April 27th, no doubt.”

Quillin will be the guest of honor as the 2012 Fighter of the Year at another rescheduled event, the 26th annual Ring 8 Awards Dinner, on February 10 at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

For more information about Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin go online to www.TheKidChocolate.com or follow him on Twitter @Kid Chocolate and Instagram@KidChocolate.

January 21, 2013 – Heavyweight prospect Joey DaWejko (7-1-2, 3 KOs) makes a quick return to the ring as he will face another undefeated fighter in Didier Bence (6-0, 2 KOs). The 6-round bout promoted by Yvon Michel’s GYM Promotions in association with Boxing 360, will take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on February 8.

DaWejko fought four hard rounds against Jarrell Miller (4-0-1, 4 KOs) in his last outing. The bout ended in a draw with DaWejko winning the final two rounds. Miller was deducted two points for excessive shoving.

With the Miller fight behind him, DeWejko now looks forward to facing Didier Bence on his home turf.

“Miller was a tough fight as I was up against another undefeated opponent, but I showed I can compete with the bigger heavyweights,” said Dewjko. “He was using his K-1 tactics to put me in awkward positions and it cost him a couple of points. Maybe sometime in the future Miller and I can fight again if he chooses to stay in boxing.”

“My whole focus is on Didier Bence and how I’m going to prepare for this fight. Again, I’m facing another undefeated fighter in his own backyard and I’m confident I’ll come out victorious. I’m a throwback fighter who likes to take on the toughest challenges out there. Every time I step in the ring I’m learning something new about myself and I’m gaining more confidence with each fight. I’m looking forward to February 8th.”

Mario Yagobi of Boxing 360 stated, “Joey has had two tough fights in a row against very formidable opponents. Miller is a K-1 fighter and his constant shoving proved to be detrimental in his fight with Joey, but we can look into doing the rematch on a later date. Right now Joey is going to take on Bence in Montreal with the hopes of improving his record. DeWejko is showing that he has the heart and desire to compete with anyone in the heavyweight division.”

For information on Joey DeWejko please visit www.boxing360.com.

Tension is rising now that the all-German European Championship clash
between Eduard Gutknecht (24-1, 9 KOs) and Juergen Braehmer (38-2, 30 KOs)
is just days away. Before the first bell rings on Saturday night to start
the bout, both combatants met on Tuesday for the obligatory public workout
and proved that they are in great shape.

The first one to show off his set of skills was Juergen Braehmer. The
34-year-old was hitting the pads of coach Karsten Roewer. And the southpaw
proved that despite his age he still has the power and precision required to
make it at world level. Nevertheless, he was keen not to give too much away,
especially as Gutknecht’s trainer Ulli Wegner was following the action just
inches away. “He didn’t show his lovely uppercut”, said Wegner. Braehmer
also kept his prognosis open for the championship bout. Asked who would win
on February 2 the former WBO Champion casually replied: “The better man on
the night!”

Current titlist Eduard Gutknecht on the other hand had a very obvious
prediction of the outcome. “My children (Mark, 3 and Noel, 4) use the EBU
Belt as a toy and carry it around the house telling everybody that I have
won it. I have to defend it or otherwise they won’t have anything to play
with on Sunday.” However, coach Ulli Wegner revealed that Gutknecht’s
motivation has another reason: “I am not surprised at all. Eduard wants to
win on Saturday because he is aiming for a World Championship.”

The road to the top of the light heavyweight division is still a long one
for Robert Woge (10-0, 9 KOs). Still, the German has a real career highlight
ahead of him when he enters the ring at the Max-Schmeling-Halle. For the
first time ever, the 28-year-old will challenge for title honors. The
orthodox boxer takes on Hakim Zoulikha (18-3, 9 KOs) for the vacant
IBF-Intercontinental Title and promises to deliver a real spectacle for the
fans. “The people want to see two grown man beating each other up. That is
exactly what you can expect watching my fights.”

Tickets for the big fight night at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin,
Germany can be purchased at www.boxen.com and www.eventim.de.