Las Vegas, Nevada – Matt Hughes, the legendary Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) Hall of Famer and former two-time welterweight champion, officially announced his retirement from UFC competition today. He has eagerly accepted a new role as he joins the organization’s front office, taking the newly created position of Vice President of Athlete Development and Government Relations.

To coincide with this appointment, UFC has also created a clear set of athlete guidelines, or Conduct Policy, memorializing the values long held by the organization. As ambassadors of the sport and the organization, UFC athletes have always been held to a high standard. The UFC recognizes that athletes face both professional and personal pressures, and with health and safety paramount, the Conduct Policy coupled with the new resource Hughes will provide in his role, best positions UFC athletes for a successful career and post-UFC future.

“Hughes will be an invaluable resource for UFC athletes,” Lawrence Epstein, UFC COO, said. “Leveraging the background and expertise he gained over a Hall of Fame career, Hughes will be dedicated to providing guidance on a wide range of issues athletes face inside and outside of the Octagon®. This includes understanding the heightened social responsibility that comes with being in the public eye, to best practices when dealing with endorsements or managing finances, to the basic daily challenges of staying healthy during training, as well as the need to steer clear of illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs. In addition to his work with UFC athletes, Hughes will engage with state athletic commissions and international federations to provide regulatory insight from the perspective of a professional athlete.”

“This is something that the UFC is implementing because they really care about their athletes,” Hughes said. “I’ve experienced ups and downs in my career and found that the UFC has supported me every step of the way. I understand the pressures and responsibilities that go along with being a professional athlete. I look forward to using my knowledge and experience to provide insight and perspective on behalf of athletes and the organization.”

“Matt is one of those guys that was there from the early days and helped grow MMA to the modern, professional sport it is today,” UFC president Dana White said. “He has been in the sport since the late 1990s and really seen it all. Matt is a two-time world champion in the UFC, he’s coached The Ultimate Fighter® reality series twice, has fought all over the world and has been in every situation a fighter can be in. Matt’s expertise makes him highly qualified for this.”

As a two-time UFC welterweight champion (2001 to 2004, 2004 to 2006), Hughes brings a wealth of experience to the role. A graduate of Eastern Illinois University where he was a two-time All-American NCAA Division I wrestler, Hughes began his mixed martial arts career in 1998, and would go on to not only be the first man to regain the UFC’s welterweight championship, but also compete all over the United States as well as Japan, England, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait while cementing his reputation as one of the all-time greats. In recognition of his enormous contribution to the sport both inside and outside the Octagon, Hughes became the eighth man to be inducted in the UFC Hall of Fame in May 2010.

Hughes is also a successful businessman outside of the Octagon, having run an agricultural company parallel to his fighting career. His charitable and community involvement includes mentoring and helping young people of his hometown Hillsboro, Ill. travel for mission trips.

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

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto 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 now 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 over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, and a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

A new, meaner “King” Carlos Molina is ready to go for his ESPN Friday Night Fights main event at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago on February 1.

29-year-old Molina (20-5-2, 6 KOs) will face two-division and five-time world champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks in a 12-round IBF Junior Middleweight Title Eliminator to headline the night of boxing presented by 8 Count Productions, Round 3 Productions, Warriors Boxing and Blue Wave Boxing in association with Don King Productions.

The intriguing co-main event that night is a 10-round welterweight battle between two-time former world champion Jose Luis “El Temible” Castillo (64-11-1, 55 KOs) and Florida’s Antwone “The Truth” Smith (22-4-1, 12 KOs).

Molina, who divides his time training at Chicago’s 8Count and LA Boxing gyms with trainer Victor Mateo (original trainer Lou Askenette also works the corner on fight night), says he’ll be going into this important fight with a new mindset and outlook.

“They say I don’t have much power, but I’m really working on sitting down on my punches for this fight, especially when he’s on the ropes,” admitted Molina. “I want the knockout. That’s what we’re going for. I’ll make him miss and put constant pressure on him. And as soon as he misses, I’ll make him pay. I’m going to break him down and get him out of there.”

Molina, an underdog in nearly every fight, is switching roles for this one. Fighting at home and sure to be favored by the oddsmakers, he’s in the exact opposite role this time.

“You just have to look at things a different way. Being the underdog motivates you. When everybody thinks you’ll lose, you train hard and fight hard to prove them wrong. Now I’m the favorite fighting in my hometown. I’ll use that as a motivation. I haven’t fought here in over four years. It motivates me to look good and fight better than I ever have.”

Molina says he’s waited a long time for this opportunity and it means the world to him to fight for a world title.

“That’s my goal since I started boxing. I picture in my head winning a world title. Not just one. Maybe a couple straps. And this is the first step to reaching my goal. I set my goals high and that’s definitely what I want. Not even just for me. For everybody that has helped me. I can’t go out and say I did it all myself. I have had a tough road; my trainers have always been with me. It’s tough being a trainer you have to be just as dedicated as a fighter. I want to see the smile on my trainer’s face and my mom and dad’s, my family and everybody that has supported me. I won’t forget who helped me when I win.”

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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 KOs), highly regarded and undefeated super middleweight prospect Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez, 8-0-0 (5 KOs) 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.

ABOUT 8 COUNT PRODUCTIONS

8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1998 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland.

Fighters currently under the 8 Count Productions banner include; super middleweight contender Donovan George, world ranked light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara, former world title challenger Edner Cherry, middleweight prospect Viktor Polyakov, junior welterweight prospects Ivan Popoca and Adrian Granados along withwelterweights Achour Esho and Jaime Herrera.

For more information on 8 Count Productions please visit their new website, 8countproductions.com. Follow them on Twitter at 8_Count and Facebook at “8 Count Productions”.

ABOUT WARRIORS BOXING

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

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

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

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

BROOKLYN, January 24 – On Saturday, February 9, Brooklyn’s own Danny “Miracle Man” Jacobs continues his phenomenal comeback following his successful battle against cancer with a 10-round middleweight bout against rugged Billy Lyell that will be featured live on the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast) from New York’s newest home for world-class fight action, Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Headlining the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® event at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast) will be the highly anticipated title bout between Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and hometown hero Zab “Super” Judah while in the co-main event, New York’s Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin defends his WBO Middleweight World Championship against popular contender Fernando Guerrero. Also featured that evening will be Brooklyn boxing mainstay Dmitriy Salita facing Hector Camacho Jr., son of the late “Macho” Hector Camacho.

“We are so thrilled that Danny Jacobs is getting back in the ring for the third time in less than five months,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. “Billy Lyell is going to do what he can to put an end to Danny’s undefeated comeback streak, but the ‘Miracle Man’ will be hard to stop.”

Following a harrowing, but victorious fight against cancer that kept him out of the ring for over a year, Brooklyn’s Jacobs (24-1, 21 KO’s) returned on October 20, 2012 at Barclays Center and scored an emotional first round knockout victory over Josh Luteran. In December, the 25-year-old Jacobs made it two for two in his comeback when he halted tough Chris Fitzpatrick in five rounds and will seek a similar result in his next bout at Barclays Center against Lyell.

A 10-year professional hailing from Warren, Ohio, Billy Lyell (24-11, 5 KO’s) is a gritty competitor who always shows up to fight when the bell rings. Willing to fight the best competition available at the drop of a hat, Lyell has been in the ring with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., James Kirkland, Yory Boy Campas and Vanes Martirosyan. He owns a 2009 victory over John Duddy in which he handed the Irishman his first professional loss. A former world title challenger, look for the 28-year-old Lyell to be in Jacobs’ face from start to finish on February 9.

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Garcia vs. Judah, a 12-round bout for Garcia’s Unified Super Lightweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and supported by Golden Boy Promotions sponsors Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attraction on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin puts his title on the line against hard-hitting Fernando Guerrero in a 12-round fight. In fights featured on SHOWTIME Extreme, boxing’s most inspirational fighter, Brooklyn’s Danny “Miracle Man” Jacobs faces veteran Billy Lyell in a 10-round middleweight bout and Brooklyn’s Dmitriy Salita faces Hector Camacho Jr. in a 10-round junior middleweight fight. The SHOWTIME Championship Boxing telecast begins live 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, $100, $50 and $25, are on sale now and are available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

TOTOWA, NJ – FIGHT NIGHT on NBC Sports Network launched its second season on January 19th with another knockout of a boxing broadcast. The dynamite double header featured two stunning kayos that continued the thrills that boxing fans have come to expect from the popular series.

In the main event, hard-punching Russian light heavyweight Sergey Kovalev stopped former world champion Gabriel Campillo, of Spain, in three rounds. Just before that, Curtis “Showtime” Stevens stole the show with his first round knockout of Elvin Ayala to win the NABF Middleweight title. The high quality fisticuffs were just the latest offering from the newest and best boxing series on TV. FIGHT NIGHT kept fans cheering all last year as well.

In 2012, the fledgling boxing series brought bouts of high quality and real significance to fight fans all year long and set a new standard as the model for the future of boxing programming. In the seven shows that comprised the first season, FIGHT NIGHT delivered fights that mattered. Competitive matches and top-level talent were the norm, and fans ate it up and tuned in at record levels. In all, 19 fights were televised in the first season and several key storylines surfaced.

The biggest story of the year was the emergence of heavyweight contender Bryant Jennings. The Philadelphian began the year as an unknown 6-round preliminary fighter with only distant dreams of what he actually managed to achieve in 2012. Jennings’ career turned in the very first edition of FIGHT NIGHT on January 21st. A late cancellation of another fight created an opening for Jennings to step into the series’ first main event. Jennings not only answered when opportunity knocked, he burst through the door.

Jennings won his first scheduled 10-rounder and first main event with an exciting decision over then-undefeated Maurice Byarm that earned him the Pennsylvania state heavyweight title, introduced him to the boxing world and in a single sweep, launched his career.

Two months later, Jennings topped himself by stopping former world champion Sergei Liakhovich in the second edition of FIGHT NIGHT. Jennings was so impressive that Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach opined that Jennings was America’s best hope for a world heavyweight title.

After two more fights on FIGHT NIGHT Jennings won the USBA title and is now ranked #3 in the world. Jennings’ year also earned him the accolade of “Boxing Prospect of the Year” by Sports Illustrated.

Another Philadelphian who made his bones on the first season of FIGHT NIGHT was junior middleweight “King” Gabriel Rosado. He fought three times on the showcase, winning all three by knockout, and climbed the 154-pound rankings. When he halted Charles Whittaker in September, Rosado earned the #1 spot in the IBF ratings and became the mandatory challenger. Rosado began the new year with a world middleweight championship fight against Gennady Golovkin at Madison Square Garden, making him the first FIGHT NIGHT alum to land a shot at a world title.

Former champion Zab Judah also earned a title opportunity with his March 2012 knockout of then undefeated Vernon Paris. Judah won the title elimination bout in the 9th round of a Brooklyn homecoming, and will return to Brooklyn to face 140-pound champion Danny Garcia next month.

Another theme in the first season of FIGHT NIGHT was one of tough matchmaking and the seasoning that it provided young fighters. Ten undefeated fighters appeared on the series, but five of them came away with their first career loss. Maurice Byarm (13-1-1) and Vernon Paris (26-1) were already mentioned, but Ronald Cruz (17-1), Jerry Belmontes (17-1) and Damar Singleton (8-1), also joined the list. All of them lost to good fighters in tough, learning fights that should provide them with solid experience to build upon. No doubt all will come back better than ever.

Almost half of the televised FIGHT NIGHT bouts (8 of 19) ended in knockout, and every FIGHT NIGHT show in 2012 featured at least one Top-10 fighter. And talk about star power, four former world champions graced the NBC Sports Network airwaves over the last year.

Former two-time champion Tomasz Adamek made three starts on the series, going the distance each time. He rebounded from his gutsy title attempt against Vitali Klitschko with a near shutout of Nagy Aguilera in March. His other two fights on the series were both hotly disputed outings that featured terrific ring action as well as controversial endings.

In June Adamek won a 12-round decision over Eddie Chambers in Newark. Chambers injured his left arm in the first round of the fight, but managed to stay competitive until the final bell. Adamek won the official verdict, but some felt Chambers had beaten him one-handed.

Six months later, Adamek re-matched with former two time champ Steve Cunningham in Bethlehem, PA. Everyone who watched their first struggle four years prior, knew that this one was going to be good. The pair fought for 12 terrific rounds with Cunningham landing more often, but Adamek landing harder. The official judges awarded Adamek the decision, but the split verdict was by a whisker. There were some that thought the decision controversial, but everyone thought the fight was an excellent one.

The Adamek – Cunningham II show was aired live by NBC on a throwback national broadcast. The broadcast had an “audience reach” of 3.9 million viewers, which makes it the highest rated boxing telecast in the United States in 2012. Just the weigh in alone for Adamek – Cunningham II racked up over 360,000 views on Ustream.

With Adamek and Jennings as anchors, Season One became the home of American heavyweight boxing. Seven major heavyweight bouts were featured throughout the year. These included two United States (USBA) title fights, two North American championships, one PA state title bout, and a world title elimination bout. Going forward, Jennings, Adamek and Cunningham are sure bets to figure prominently in the heavyweight division in 2013. Eddie Chambers, a world heavyweight title challenger himself, decided to drop down and campaign for a title shot in the cruiserweight division.

Other breakout stars of the series were Russian light heavyweight Sergey Kovalev, Ukraine heavyweight Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov, and super featherweight Eric Hunter of Philadelphia. All are expected to go on to even bigger and better things in 2013, and chances are they will be seen again on FIGHT NIGHT.

With the second season of FIGHT NIGHT off to a brilliant start and picking up right where 2012 left off, it only means that more great boxing is coming your way. The next edition, on February 23rd, features a hard-hitting heavyweight showdown between the returning Czar Glazkov and Malik Scott in his FIGHT NIGHT debut. If this one is like anything that’s come before, you’re not going to want to miss it. With fights this good, even we can’t wait to see what happens next.

LAS VEGAS, January 24 – Continuing to deliver more fight action than any other promoter, Golden Boy Promotions will do it again this Saturday, January 26 inside The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino with two preliminary bouts to air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® before the first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BROADCAST® telecast of 2013 hits the airwaves with a tripleheader featuring Lucas Matthysse vs. Mike Dallas Jr., Selcuk Aydin vs. Jesus Soto Karass and Jermell Charlo vs. Harry Joe Yorgey.

In the SHOWTIME EXTREME headliner scheduled for 10 rounds in the junior lightweight division, unbeaten 2008 Mexican Olympian Francisco Vargas battles Memphis veteran Ira Terry. Plus, Philadelphia junior middleweight Julian Williams risks his “0” against Virginia’s Jeremiah Wiggins in an eight round SHOWTIME EXTREME opening bout and, in a bout that will be aired time permitting, 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol Spence Jr. faces an opponent to be determined in a four round super welterweight matchup.

The SHOWTIME tripleheader is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T with Matthysse vs. Dallas being presented in association with Arano Box Promotions and Goossen Tutor Promotions, Aydin vs. Soto Karass being presented in association with Arena-Box Promotion, Charlo vs. Yorgey being presented in association with Banner Promotions and Bennett vs. Ankrah being presented in association with Millennium Events. The SHOWTIMECHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with preliminary fights live on SHOWTIME EXTREME beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, along with a limited number of VIP suite seats priced at $125, are on sale now and may be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Mexico City’s Francisco Vargas (13-0-1, 10 KO’s) has impressed fight game insiders consistently since emerging from the 2008 Olympics and many believe that the 28-year-old is ready to make his move on the 130-pound elite in 2013. A knockout puncher with both hands, Vargas had a busy 2012, going 6-0 with five knockouts, and hopes to stay as active this year, beginning with Saturday’s fight against Terry.

Fighting out of Memphis, Tennessee, 25-year-old Ira Terry (26-10, 16 KO’s) has recently stopped Jered Johnson in less than two minutes and needed less than two rounds to do the same to respected fighter, Verquan Kimbrough, giving him plenty of positive energy heading into Las Vegas.

22-year-old Julian Williams (10-0-1, 5 KO’s) is Philadelphia’s latest promising rising star in the fight game and with wins over fellow prospects Hector Rosario (W8) and Jonel Tapia (TKO7) in his last two fights, he is clearly on the verge of big things in 2013. Also looking to make his move this year is Newport News, Virginia’s Jeremiah Wiggins (10-1-1, 5 KO’s). Fresh off of a near upset against highly touted prospect Daquan Arnett last November, the 31-year-old is ready for a battle with Williams this weekend.

A member of the 2012 United States Olympic team, Desoto, Texas’ Errol Spence Jr. (2-0, 2 KO’s) has put together two golden performances as a professional thus far, finishing off Jonathan Garcia and Richard Andrews, each in the third round. On Saturday, the versatile 23-year-old will meet an opponent to be determined in a four round bout.

In non-televised action, Los Angeles phenom Julian Ramirez (6-0, 5 KO’s) will fight for the second time this month, as he looks to follow up his January 11 stoppage of Sergio Najera with a win over San Bernardino’s Juan Sandoval (7-11-1, 4 KO’s) in a four round junior featherweight matchup.

The second half of the fighting Charlo brothers, junior middleweight Jermall Charlo (10-0-1, 5 KO’s) puts his unbeaten record on the line on the same show as his twin brother in an eight round battle against Westerly, Rhode Island’s Joshua Williams (8-4, 5 KO’s).

Also featured will be a 10 round super lightweight fight between Chad Bennett and Ben Ankrah. Fighting out of Newcastle, Australia, Chad “Hollywood” Bennett (30-4-3, 21 KO’s) has been on a tear as of late, winning six straight over the last two years, with five of those victories coming by knockout. The current WBO Asia Pacific 140 lb. champion, Bennett will return to fight in the United States for the first time since 2010 when he battles Accra, Ghana’s Ben Ankrah (17-11, 8 KO’s). A 12-year veteran of the sport Ankrah has won six of his last seven and considering that he has ended five of those victories by knockout, expect some explosive action when he squares off with Bennett.

In a four round welterweight opener, New South Wales, Australia’s Will Sands (3-0-1) faces San Juan, New Mexico’s Herb Begay (0-0-1).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, and follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @TheJointLV,@hardrockhotellv, @SHOsports, follow the conversation using or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxingor www.facebook.com/ShoBoxing.

January 24, 2013 – On Saturday, February 23, Universal Promotions will be presenting their first 2013 boxing card at the Auditorium Juan “Pachin” Vicens in Ponce, Puerto Rico, which will feature three championship fights.

In the main event, undefeated rising star, Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (11-0, 7 KOs) will be defending his WBC Youth super featherweight title, against Mexico’s, Alejandro Rodriguez (18-8, 10 KOs) in a bout set for ten rounds.

“We are excited because this will be a great card with lots of competitive fights,” said Javier Bustillo, president of Universal Promotions. “Pedraza debuted in Ponce with a Knockout victory in the first round, and the fans in Ponce were asking to watch him again.”

“I cannot wait to defend my title. I went four months without a fight, so I’m hungry for a huge victory in Ponce. We are preparing very well, and the fans can expect a great show from me in an event full of great fights,” said José Pedraza, who is promoted by, Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions, and DiBella Entertainment.

Pedraza’s last fight was in October, were he defeated Tevin Farmer by TKO in the 8th round, (7-4-1, 1 KOs) in a Showtime main event held in Missouri.

During his spectacular amateur career, Pedraza built up an impressive record of 160 wins and 16 losses. He won a silver medal in the World Championships in Italy, and captured gold medals in the Central American Caribbean Games in Mayaguez, PR, the Copa Romana in Dominican Republic, and in the qualification tournament in Guatemala for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China, among others.

Rodriguez holds victories over former undefeated prospects, Carlo Jhean Aparicio (13-0, 10 KOs) and Daniel Evangelista Jr. (11-0-1, 9 KOs). In addition, Rodríguez has gone the distance against Rances Barthelemy, Abner Cotto, Eloy Perez, John Molina and Mickey Bey Jr., among others.

In the co-feature bout, former world title contender, Mario “El Principe” Santiago (22-3-1, 14 KO’s) will face tough Dominican, Marcos “El Tigre” Jimenez (18-4, 12 KOs) for the WBA Fedecentro super featherweight title (130lbs) scheduled for 10-rounds.

Former world champion, and reigning WBA Fedecaribe middleweight champion, Manuel “Manny” Siaca (24-7, 20 KOs) will defend his title against American, Gundrick King (18-9, 11 KOs) in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds.

Also in action: Fernando Torres (18-2-1, 10 KO’s), Edgardo “Eggie” Laboy (5-0, 2 KOs), Carlos “Kid” Narvaez (5-0, 5 KO’), Miguel “El Gallo” Marrero (7-0, 4 KOs), Edwin Rodriguez (2-0, 2 KOs), Reggie Santiago (1-1, 1 KOs), among others. The first fight will start at 7:30 pm.

January 24, 2013 – Puerto Rican power puncher, Javier “El Chino” Flores (8-0, 7 KOs) is returning to the ring this Saturday, January 26 at Remington Park Casino in Oklahoma City.

Standing across the ring from Flores will be Mexican, Joel “Pirata” Vargas (4-8, 4 KOs), who has been in the ring with many undefeated fighters that include Mikael Zewski (18-0, 14 KOs) and Michael Finney (9-0, 7 KOs), among others.

Flores vs. Vargas is scheduled for six rounds and in the welterweight division (147 lbs).

“We are ready to box, and at the same time to put pressure to convincingly stop Vargas,” said Flores. “My trainer John Scully has worked on my strength, speed and technique, so I’m ready to put on a great show for the fans in attendance.”

Flores’ last fight was on October 27 in New York, where he defeated tough Mexican Alberto Herrera (8-8-1, 5 KOs) by majority decision.

As an amateur boxer, Flores compiled an impressive record of 65 knockout victories, of which 32 came by way of knockout, with only 3 defeats.

The explosive southpaw is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions. For more information on Javier Flores please visit www.garyshawproductions.com.

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 22) – On Saturday, March 9, Riverside’s Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (35-2, 30 KOs) takes on the heavy-hitting Haitian Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (22-1-1, 20 KOs) in a heavyweight battle with the winner guaranteed to fight for the WBC Heavyweight World Championship in his next bout. Both Arreola and Stiverne will look to put their power on display to take that next step toward history.

The Arreola-Stiverne showdown will be televised on HBO® World Championship Boxing at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. This will also mark the first HBO® boxing event to be held at the world-famous Orange County Fairgrounds & Event Center, home to the newly built 23,000 square foot building The Hangar.

“Boxing fans can look forward to an exciting night of action on HBO® with the heavyweight showdown between Cristobal Arreola and Bermane Stiverne,” said Kery Davis, Senior Vice President of Programming, HBO® Sports.

The Arreola-Stiverne fight shapes up as a bout unlikely to go the distance given the knockout rates of both combatants. Arreola, 31, has stopped all but five of his 35 victims, while the 34-year old Stiverne – whose only loss on his impressive record came more than five years and 11 fights ago – has allowed only two of his 22 conquests to hear the final bell.

The co-featured bout is a rematch between two-time World Champion Juan Carlos Salgado (26-1-1, 16 KOs) of Mexico City against the #1 world contender and mandatory challenger, Argenis Mendez (20-2, 10 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a 12-round IBF Jr. Lightweight World Championship bout.

Tickets priced at $250, $150, and $75 and will go on sale Friday, January 25 at 8 a.m. online at www.fightcluboc.com and irma@goossentutor.com or by calling 818-817-8001.

An injury earlier this year limited Arreola’s activity in 2012 to one fight – a first round KO of Eric Molina in February. Stiverne matched Arreola’s 2012 bouts posting a win (via unanimous decision) against Willie Herring in April.

“Prior to Chris’ injury, he kept a very unheard of pace for a heavyweight, registering five wins in 2011 and a February bout in 2012. This is the type of determination Chris has shown fighting his way back to his goal of becoming heavyweight world champion,” his promoter, Goossen Tutor’s Dan Goossen said. “He’s been incredible staying in the gym and keeping his weight under control. I’ve said for years he’s one of the most exciting fighters in the world, and now with his desire to be in tip-top shape, he’s now one of the most dangerous fighters today.”

The always-entertaining Arreola was thrilled to learn the fight will be in front of his hometown fans in California, “I’m going to make 2013 my year. I’m thrilled to be back on HBO and fighting someone worthy and good in Stiverne. He’s a tough fighter but my will and strength will break him down. I’m not going to let anyone stand in my way!”

An irritated Stiverne said about the fight with Arreola, “It should have been done a long time ago.” “I don’t know what he’s been doing besides running from me. I’m looking forward to the fight. He is nothing that I can’t deal with. I’ll get the job done. I’m not concerned about a knockout. We have a plan that we want to execute. If the knockout comes, it comes.”

“It’ll be a great fight between Arreola and Stiverne,” Stiverne’s promoter, Don King, predicted. “It’s the next step in bringing the world championship back to America. The fight is a must see.”

Back on September 10, 2011, Salgado was on the winning end of what many thought was a very tough bout against Mendez for the vacant IBF title in Mexico.

The victory over Mendez made Salgado a two-time world champion previously winning the title in 2009 over then undefeated Jorge Linares with a devastating first round knockout. His reign was short-lived the first time around when he lost his belt in his first defense against Takashi Uchiyama, the still reigning world champion.

Salgado said, “I’m excited to defend my title in California. Mendez has been doing a lot of talking but it won’t help him when I beat him for a second time on March 9.”

Salgado’s promoter, Oswaldo Kuchle of Promociones del Pueblo, said of their first fight, “Salgado-Mendez I was a thriller. The 12th round was a historic round, and I can’t wait to see round 1 of the rematch.” “Both fighters fought their hearts out, and now, besides the IBF belt on the line, they’ve made it personal, especially knowing the winner will be on the road to huge fights in this division.”

Mendez gets his second shot at the title after soundly beating Martin Honorio for the #1 rating in the IBF and the mandatory shot at Salgado and is anxious to start the bout from the end of the first fight with Salgado when he scored a knockdown in the 12th round but was unable to finish the job.

“I let Salgado off the hook last fight and I won’t make the same mistake again. I will make sure that the belt is around my waist at the end this time. The people of the Dominican Republic will have a new champion come March 9th,” stated the confident challenger.

“Boxing fans love the heavyweights and we have two of the best and biggest knockout punchers in the business going toe-to-toe,” Goossen stated. “Chris is determined to become the first world heavyweight champion of Mexican descent. And with Salgado-Mendez, you have two of the top Junior Lightweights in a rematch that was a thriller the first time around. It will be a great night of fights at The Hangar.”

The event is being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions. The Arreola-Stiverne bout is presented in association with Don King Productions and the Salgado vs. Mendez bout in association with Promociones del Pueblo and Acquinity Sports. The event is sponsored by Corona.

Doors open at The Hangar at 4:00 p.m. The first non-televised bout starts at 4:30 p.m. The scheduled 12-round bout between Salgado-Mendez will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the Arreola-Stiverne 12-round bout immediately after.

The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center is the centerpiece of the 150-acre campus. Opened in April of 2010 it was designed with an aviation hangar look, including a 50 foot high ceiling as well as 50 foot high hangar doors that can be rolled back to give The Hangar an indoor/outdoor feel. The Hangar also has a 40 foot high HD Screen. The Hangar can be found at the heart of the OC Fair property in the Main Mall area. The Fair is located at88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

LOS ANGELES, January 23, 2013 – MMA fans and Tony Stark make a great combination, as both helped propel FX to the #1 most-watched television network (broadcast and cable) on Saturday night (1/19) in Adults 18-49 and all male demos. Additionally, the latest installment of The Ultimate Fighter® debuted on Tuesday night (1/22) in its new timeslot to FX series highs in Adults 18-49, Men 18-49 and Total Viewers.

UFC on FX 7 (9-11 PM E/P), which in the main event saw Vitor Belfort defeat Michael Bisping by TKO in the second round, was the most-watched UFC event on FX ever, setting highs in Total Viewers (1.86 million), and in all Adult and Men demos, including Adults 18-49 (1.32 million) and Men 18-49 (985,000). UFC on FX 7 ranked #1 on in all of television (broadcast and cable) in its time period in Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and in all male demos.

UFC on FX 7 and Iron Man 2 made FX the #1 most-watched network in all of television on Saturday night in Adults 18-49 and all male demos.

The Ultimate Fighter on FX season three on its new night (Tuesdays) saw gains across the board. The special two-hour season premiere (1/22/13, 8-10 PM E/P) bowed to FX series highs in several key demos, including Adults 18-49 (1.03 million), Men 18-49 (677,000) and Total Viewers (1.51 million). Compared to the prior two season averages on FX, which aired Friday nights, TUF on FX season 3 opened +59% ahead of season 2 and +36% ahead of season 1 in Adults 18-49, and +66% ahead of season 2 and +46% ahead of season 1 in Total Viewers. Numbers based on Fast Nationals, subject to change.

Episode 2, “Ambush,” airs next Tuesday (1/29) at its regularly scheduled timeslot of 9:00 PM E/P. Fourteen victorious middleweights move into the house, and training begins. Gilbert Smith gets emotional after his team shows serious doubts about his readiness. Then Smith faces Luke Barnatt in the first preliminary fight.

About FX

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in nearly 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, Legit, BrandX with Russell Brand and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. 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.

TOTOWA, NJ – Main Events officially announced today the signing of undefeated lightweight prospect Karl “Dynamite” Dargan to an exclusive promotional contract. Dynamite, 11-0, 6 KOs, who hails from Philadelphia, was an outstanding amateur with extensive experience and both national and international tournament titles to his credit. He turned professional in 2007, and has defeated all eleven of his opponents to date.

In his most recent start, Dynamite stopped Jesse Caradine, 8-1-1, 4 KOs, in the fourth round at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The victory, on a Main Events-promoted show in September, impressed the promoter enough to offer Dynamite a promotional contract.

Kathy Duva, Main Events CEO, said “Dynamite is one of the most exciting young prospects in boxing. His ring intelligence, power, skills and finesse gave me flashbacks of the ’84 Olympic team that signed with Main Events; he would have fit in perfectly with that group.” Duva added, “We are excited to sign Dynamite and look forward to featuring him on NBC Fight Night Future Stars on February 23rd.”

Dynamite Dargan

Photo Credits to Kamil Krzaczynski

Dynamite shared his confidence in his decision, “I feel really good about signing with Main Events. There have been a lot of guys that I know personally that have signed to Main Events and Main Events helped them have great careers, like Mark Breland, Tyrell Biggs, Meldrick Taylor and Pernell Whitaker. So we were confident in our decision to go with Main Events. I feel they will back me real good and help me get to the top.”

With Dynamite’s deep amateur experience and perfect pro run, he is already considered to be a fighter to watch. Further, he is trained by his uncle, well-respected boxing coach Brother Naazim Richardson, who also trains former world champions Steve Cunningham, Bernard Hopkins, as well as other prominent fighters.

“I was focused on finding the best fit for this young man. Sometimes people wonder why you don’t stay closer to home; but you have to go with what’s best for each individual athlete. I felt Main Events with their history, their experience and their television deal (with NBC) was the right choice. I felt that this was perfect timing to launch this gentleman’s career,” said Brother Naazim. “Like I said before, you have champions, you have fighters and you have guys that are special. I believe that this young man here is special.”

Dynamite is expected to next fight on February 23rd, on the NBC Sports Network Fight Night show at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, NY, with plans for his bout to be taped for a segment of NBC Fight Night Future Stars. The Saturday night telecast will begin at 10:30PM ET.

Australian Featherweight title holder Billy Dib will defend his crown against Luis Franco on March 1st as part of an ESPN 2 card according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

The show will be co-promoted by Lou DiBella and rapper 50 Cent.

“He has his people and his staff working with my staff on the event. He is clearly co-promoting this event,” DiBella told ESPN.com on Tuesday night. “Fifty is going to be a big part of the story and the promotion. His ring entrance for Gamboa (when he dropped from the arena rafters while singing one of his new songs) was nothing short of sensational. He’ll lead Dib into the ring. He’s been involved in doing this deal from the beginning. We’ve had numerous conversations and he is involved in all aspects of the show.”

“Dib hasn’t always been in crowd-pleasing fights, but his recent fights have been,” DiBella said. “And Franco was a great amateur in Cuba. He is supremely talented. It should be a competitive fight and I think my fight, with Nelson and Medina, that is going to be a fun fight.”

Dan Rafael od espn.com is reporting that former Featherweight champion Orlando Salido broke his orbital in his title losing fight bout this past Saturday night against Mikey Garcia.

“It’s very possible that it was broken right off the bat in the first round,” Salido’s manager Sean Gibbons said.

“Salido wasn’t ready for that first shot so it took him a while to get adjusted after that and we think he was fighting with the broken bone from the first round,” Gibbons said. “He had a CT scan at the hospital and everything was OK, thankfully, other than that (broken bone). We were at the hospital until 5 in the morning and then Orlando was on a flight back to Mexico at 9 a.m.”

He said Salido (39-12-2, 27 KOs), 32, was disappointed that the fight ended so abruptly, just as Salido, although way behind on the scorecards, was beginning to come on.

“We didn’t have closure in the fight,” Gibbons said. “Orlando said he would have rather gotten knocked out than have it end like that. He believes he was coming on and getting ready to do something. The Mikey that fought those first six rounds was tough. But the Mikey who fought the seventh and eighth rounds was not the same Mikey. Orlando was starting to get to him and who knows what would have happened? There was still a lot of fight left when it got stopped.”

“He has great support from the government in (the Mexican state of) Sonora, where we’ll do a fight in May at 130 pounds,” Gibbons said. “And if (junior lightweight titlist) Rocky Martinez is still holding onto his belt, we’d love to fight Rocky Martinez.”

“If we can’t get Martinez, making the weight for featherweight is no problem for Orlando. It’s not an issue, so we don’t rule out something at featherweight again,” Gibbons said.

LOS ANGELES, Calif.(Jan. 23, 2013) – GLORY, the world’s new premiere kickboxing league, will bring it’s ROAD TO GLORY USA fight series, intent on discovering America’s next great fighting superstars, to Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles with a stacked, one-night, eight-man middleweight (187 pou! nds) tournament on Saturday, Feb. 9.

Tickets for the event, headlined by the ROAD TO GLORY USA single-elimination tournament, are priced from $40 and can be purchased by phone at 877-446-7962. The tournament is being held as part of a Dennis Warner-promoted WCK fight card also featuring five Muay Thai bouts.

“We are excited to showcase our new ROAD TO GLORY development series for prospective future superstars in the sports and entertainment mecca of Los Angeles,” said GLORY CEO Marcus Luer. “Our fight team headed by legendary trainer Cor Hemmers has hand-picked a group of eight hungry, aspiring world champions from various parts of the U.S., looking to make it to the global stage that GLORY’s championship level events take place on. To get there, though, they will have to show they have what it takes by persevering in this highly-competitive tournament.&rd! quo;

Enlisted for the eight-man tournament are red-hot prospect Eddie “Showtime” Walker (9-1-1, 7 KOs) of Atlanta, Ga., hard-hitting Andrew Kapel (11-3, 10 KOs) of Minneapolis, Minn., seven-time South African kickboxing champion Van “The General” Wyk Povey (32-3-1, 22 KOs) of Dublin, Calif. via Pretoria, South Africa.; California State Champion Edgar Del Fierro (18-4, 14 KOs) of Fresno, Calif.; former Karate and Sambo champion Evgeny Zotov (5-2, 3 KOs) of Knoxville, Tenn.; undefeated upstart Mike Lemaire (6-0) of San Diego, Calif.; Casey Green (5-5) of Santa Monica, Calif.; and Jonarth Junio (8-4, 1 KO) of Bellflower, Calif.

The winner of the ROAD TO GLORY USA middleweight tournament will be awarded a grand prize of $20,000 and a one-year contract with GLORY where he will have the opportunity to compete in the world’s most prestigious one-nigh! t GLORY kickboxing tournaments that award up to $600,000 in prize money.

A tournament “alternate” bout on the card will pit Afram Egbochuku (2-0, 2 KOs) of San Diego against Jacob “King Cobra” Poss (9-1, 4 KOs) of Los Angeles. Should any of the tournament’s quarterfinal round fight winners be unable to return to the ring for semifinal round action due to injury sustained en route to victory, the winner of the matchup between Egbochuku and Poss will take the injured fighter’s place in the tournament.

A draw to determine the ROAD TO GLORY USA middleweight tournament’s quarterfinal round matchups will take place on a date and at a location to be announced soon.

Doors at the first floor showroom at Hollywood Park Casino will open for the event at 5 p.m. PST and the first preliminary bout begins at 6 p.m.

About GLORY:

GLORY World Series (www.gloryworldseries.com) is the world’s new premier kickboxing league, producing live events across the globe and offering up to $1,000,000 in prize money to the winners of one-night, 16-man ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments, which are open to only the best fighters in each weight class. The fight series also includes 8-man ‘Slam’ tournaments and events with traditional, single bouts.

With television deals spanning every continent, online live video streaming of all shows and the world’s largest online martial arts library, GLORY is one of the world’s most widely distributed sporting organizations.

Owned and operated by Glory Sports International (GSI), the organization has offices in the UK, Holland, Tokyo, Malaysia, Singapore and soon in the USA. Its personnel include an unprecedented mix of accomplished entrepreneurs and senior level executives from the diverse worlds of finance, sports marketing, telev! ision and martial arts fighting.

In 2013, GLORY launched the ROAD TO GLORY tournament fight series to identify and develop new kickboxing talent in The United States and elsewhere around the globe into future champions and superstars of the sport.

About Hollywood Park Casino:

Located just three miles east of the world renowned Los Angeles International Airport, Hollywood Park Casino – the first casino in the U.S. to be based at a racetrack – has served as one of the nation’s premier gaming facilities since opening its doors in July 1994. The Casino’s six-story, 220,000 square-foot Las Vegas-style gaming facility plays host to more than 3,000 visitors daily, seven days a week. Open 24 hours, the Casino’s beautiful art deco facility provides 65 tables of the most popular poker games, such as Hold’em, 7-Card Stud, Omaha, and Mexican Poker. In addition to poker, the Casino displays 35 tables of California card games! that include Blackjack, Caribbean Stud, Pai Gow Poker, Pai Gow Tiles, Baccarat, and Super Pan 9. What’s more, the horse racing-themed Casino allows patrons to place both live and simulcast racetrack wagers – for such world famous domestic and international tracks as Santa Anita and Del Mar – from the convenience of their seats. The Casino also offers nightly bingo in the 1,000-seat bingo facility – the largest charitable bingo operation west of the Mississippi. The Casino’s luxurious amenities include spectacular banquet facilities and meeting rooms as well as 24-hour concierge service, health club, massage center, an exclusive VIP lounge, and valet parking service. For more information about Hollywood Park Casino, please call (800) 888-4972 or visit our website at www.playhpc.com.

The January 25 edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature former Junior Middleweight titlist Sergiy “The Razor” Dzinziruk (36-1-1, 24 KOs) and Brian “The Warrior” Vera (21-6, 12 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 ESPN3, and will air tape delayed on ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. The card from Verona, N.Y., is promoted by Banner Promotions.

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at Turning Stone Casino describing the action for ESPN2 HD, while studio host Todd Grisham will present all the latest news and boxing highlights. 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:
The Ukraine’s Dzinziruk is coming off a September draw to Jonathan Gonzalez. Manager Harry Kazandjian said of Friday’s fight, “Sergiy’s got to win this fight. Brian Vera is a tough guy, but Sergiy needs to beat him and look good. He’s got to win convincingly.”

Vera, a native of Texas and participant in the third season of The Contender, is coming off one of his best wins, a 12-round majority decision win over former Junior Middleweight titlist Sergio Mora.

“I think Dzinziruk is good, he’s technical,” Vera said. “I think my style is perfect for him. I’ll put a lot of pressure on him and I don’t think he likes that. I think he likes to dictate the fight and kind of control things. But somebody that’s going to stay on top of him and put a lot of pressure on him, is going to throw him off his game a little bit. I’m going to be the bigger, stronger guy, and am going to impose my will on him and take it from him.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s co-feature will pit undefeated Junior Welterweight Tony “Lightning” Luis (15-0, 7 KOs) of Ontario, against Texas’ Jose “El Loco” Hernandez (13-6-1, 5 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Luis will look to build momentum after a first-round knockout win over Andres Ledesma, while Hernandez will look to rebound from a 10-round majority decision loss to Robert Osiobe.

Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook. Follow ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo

Every time a prizefighter competes in the ring, he embraces the opportunity to redefine his career and change how he is perceived by the entire boxing community.

On February 9th, in his adopted hometown of Brooklyn, New York, crafty fight veteran Dmitriy Salita (35-1-1, 18 KOs) will take his first step towards a much larger goal when he battles experienced boxer Hector Camacho Jr. at the Barclays Center as part of a special Showtime televised event.

While most fight critics and boxing scribes are dubbing this singular event as a “crossroads” match for the underrated technician, the Ukrainian born pugilist views this opening as the dawning of a new era in his fight career.

“Every fight that isn’t a championship opportunity is a crossroads match,” explains the 30 year old pugilist. “With every victory, a fighter moves one step closer to the ultimate goal of winning a world title. With every loss, a boxer slips further away from realizing his dream of becoming a champion.”

“I’m viewing my upcoming bout on February 9th as the most important of my fight career and a touchstone which will measure my status as a contender in the very talented Welterweight and Junior Middleweight divisions.”

“Although I’ve been a professional for several years, I’m realistically considering this contest as a new beginning to my fight career. I’m very excited and thankful for this opportunity.”

One of the many reasons for his abundant sense of optimism has been his training regimen at the world renowned Kronk Gym of Detroit, Michigan.

“From the first day of sparring at the Kronk Gym, I noticed that the style and spirit of the facility and its fighters were very special and unique. It’s very much like being in a real fight. The pride and intensity level there has taken my abilities to much greater heights. It has really made me view the sport in a much different way.”

“When you train at such a high level of intensity and you’re able to control those sessions in the gym, it really increases your confidence and makes you a much better fighter. It’s been a real honor to train with the great fighters at the Kronk Gym.”

Dmitriy will be heading into his February 9th contest under the tutelage and mentoring of one of the more underrated trainers in boxing, Javan “Sugar” Hill. The 30 year old fight veteran insists the astute nephew of legendary boxing icon Emanuel Steward is one of the best kept secrets of the sport.

“Most boxing insiders are aware of this, but many casual fight fans don’t realize how truly talented ‘Sugar’ Hill is as a trainer. He learned everything from the great Emanuel Steward and has embodied the heart and soul of the Kronk Gym.”

“I’ve been in boxing for a very long time and have had the privilege of working with a lot of great trainers, and to me, Sugar Hill is the best trainer in boxing. Within the next few years, Sugar will be recognized as one of the top trainers of the sport.”

With a renewed sense of vigor for the sweet science, Dmitriy Salita truly believes he is now entering the “prime” of his professional boxing career. The Ukrainian born pugilist intends to put forth his finest effort to date when he faces Hector Camacho Jr. in front of a few thousand of his closest friends at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

“My fight with Camacho is going to be a very special event,” explains the talented boxer/puncher. “This is going to be the first ‘NYC battle of the boroughs’ at the Barclays Center. Camacho is going to have all of his supporters from the Bronx attending the fight, and I am truly blessed with the amount of encouragement that I receive from my friends in Brooklyn.”

“My opponent has been through a lot recently and my heart really goes out to him and his family for their recent loss. But this is the fight game and there has to be a victor on February 9th. Even though I have been a prizefighter for a very long time, I haven’t been a part of many big events like this. I have waited a long time for this opportunity and I fully intend to make the most of it.”

“On Saturday, February 9th, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, I will take the next big step towards winning a world championship.”

The Dmitriy Salita vs. Hector Camacho Jr., “Battle of the Boroughs” special attraction, will be one of eight incredible fights on the February 9th bout sheet at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The talent enriched fight card will be headlined by “Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah”, a 12-round title bout for Garcia’s Unified Junior Welterweight World Championship, and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME®. Tickets, priced at $206, $106, and $56, are on sale now and are available for purchase at WWW.DSALITA.COM , or by calling 646-481-5558.

The wait for the highly anticipated European Light Heavyweight Championship is almost over. Current titlist Eduard Gutknecht (24-1, 9 KOs) takes on former world champion Juergen Braehmer (38-2, 30 KOs) at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany on February 2. The two camps are in their final preparations for the fight and as expected, both coaches believe that their own man has the edge over the opponent.

There is only one favourite when it comes to the bout between Gutknecht and Braehmer and that is the current EBU-Champion. That is at least the opinion of his coach, Ulli Wegner. “Eduard is in very good shape. I believe that he has the quality to win this tough fight and to move on to even bigger things,” said Wegner. “He has shown great attitude during our preparations and is always eager to learn more under my guidance. We know that Braehmer has his own qualities and is very experienced but he is not the same Juergen Braehmer he was two years ago during his time as the WBO-Champion. He isn’t world class anymore.”

Karsten Roewer has an entirely different point of view. “I have been very impressed with Juergen during our training. He is always willing to work hard and he gives it his all. You can tell that he lives for boxing,” said Roewer. “We have been working on the basics and will use the last few days at camp to work on his real strength – counter boxing. We know that Gutknecht fights with a lot of heart so Juergen has to keep constant pressure on him. However, I know that he has what it takes. He has the experience and is determined to get back to where he was and prove his doubters wrong.”

But not only the match-up between the two fighters is the cause for some heated debate. February 2 is also the duel between two coaches of Team Sauerland. One of them is Ulli Wegner who currently has four world champions under his wings. The other, Karsten Roewer, is still an up and coming trainer who already guided Sebastian Sylvester to the IBF Middleweight World Championship. However, the coaches themselves do not see any significance in the fact that they are going head to head.

“That is no special challenge for me”, said Wegner. “I have formed loads of guys, who had no great experience as amateurs into world beaters. I made them and taught them discipline, tactics and technique. Roewer on the other hand has loads of good amateur boxers but so far only managed to guide Sebastian Sylvester to a world title.” Roewer added: “Of course it is an exciting task to compete with one of the greatest coaches in the world and maybe even get one over him.” Nevertheless, the 50-year-old also has a warning in store. “Ulli mentioned that he isn’t a good loser – unfortunately for him so am I.”

January 23, 2013 – Gary Shaw Productions undefeated lightweight prospect, Jonathan Maicelo (18-0, 10 KOs) will step in the ring against Tyler Ziolkowski (14-17 8 KOs) this Saturday, January 26, at the Fitzgerald’s Casino & Hotel in Tunica, Mississippi. The bout is scheduled for 6-rounds in the lightweight division on a card being promoted by Prize Fight Boxing Promoters. Maicelo, fighting out of New Jersey by way of Peru, is undefeated as a professional and has passed every test with flying colors against his gauge type opponents.

Maicelo will face off against another barometer type fighter in Ziolkowski — who has fought a laundry list of top prospects — as he attempts to put together the kind of impressive performance that measures up to those student prospects that have come before him.

“I want to show my skill and it’s not enough to win, I have to be exciting as well. I’m on a very precise blueprint and I’ve strategized my time thus far, it’s all about doing the right things and staying on track means a win Saturday,” Maicelo said.

Gary Shaw, Maicelo’s promoter, feels his fighter is preparing for victory on Saturday.

“It is always exciting to have Maicelo on a card and getting to watch him grow as a fighter is an exciting process. He definitely demonstrates a fighter determined each time out and his hard work will payoff in the ring and in his future in the sport,” Shaw said.

BEJING (January 23, 2013) — February 10 may mark the beginning of the Chinese New Year — the Year of the Snake — but January 23 will be known as the day the Era of Zou began. Hall of Fame promoter BOB ARUM announced the signing of two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner and three-time World Amateur Champion ZOU SHIMING. Arum made the announcement today at a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel Bejing.

“Zou is an incredible talent who is beloved in the People’s Republic of China,” said Arum. “We at Top Rank will make every effort to make certain that he has a spectacular career as a professional boxer.”

Shiming, 31, one of the most popular Olympic athletes in the People’s Republic of China, is the world’s greatest amateur light flyweight, capturing gold medals in the World Amateur Championships in 2005, 2007 and 2011 while capturing gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He also owns an Olympic Bronze Medal from the 2004 games, making him his nation’s first Olympic medalist in boxing as well as its first boxing Gold Medalist in the World Amateur Championships and the Olympics.

Known for his extraordinary speed and superb footwork, thanks to years of martial-arts training, many of Shiming’s opponents complain that they cannot keep up with him much less see his punches coming. He has stated that his heroes are Muhammad Ali and Jackie Chan. Shiming is scheduled to make his professional debut on April 6 at the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel in Macau.

“We are extremely grateful to the Sands China Ltd. for its great cooperation in this venture to launch the professional career of this great young athlete,” continued Arum.

The 17th season of the Ultimate Fighting Championship®’s famed reality television show, The Ultimate Fighter®, began on Tuesday with a special two-hour premiere on FX. Twenty-eight middleweight (185 pounds) fighters squared-off in 14 elimination fights, vying for a coveted spot on the series and their chance to win a six-figure contract with the UFC®.

Visit ufc.com for a full recap of the episode.

Premiere episode fight match-ups and results:

· Adam Cella, Fenton, Mo., submitted Jake Heun, Salt Lake City, in 1st round

· Zak Cummings, Kansas City, Mo., def. Nik Fehete, Las Vegas by TKO in 1st round

· Kevin Casey, Hawthorne, Calif., submitted Eldon Sproat, Kaunakakai, Hawaii, in the 1st

· Tor Troeng, Umea, Sweden, submitted Scott Rosa, Sparks, Nev., in the 1st

· Clint Hester, Atlanta, Ga., by unanimous decision over Frasier Opie, Milten Keynes, England

· Bubba McDaniel, Albuquerque, N.M. def. Ryan Bigler, Barrigada, Guam by TKO in the 2nd

· Josh Samman, Tallahassee, Fla., def. Leo Bercier, Great Falls, Mon. by TKO in the 1st

· Kelvin Gastelum, Yuma, Arz., by unanimous decision over Kito Andrews, Sacramento, Calif.

· Jimmy Quinlan, Metheun, Mass., def. Mike Persons, Stockton, Calif. by TKO in the 2nd

· Uriah Hall, New York City, by unanimous decision over Andy Enz, Anchorage, Alaska

· Gilbert Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo., submitted Eric Wahlin, Taylorsville, Utah, in the 1st

· Luke Barnatt, Cambridge, Eng., by unanimous decision over Nicholas Kohring, Valley Springs, Calif.

· Dylan Andrews, Gold Coast, Aus., by majority decision over Tim Williams, Millville, N.J.

· Collin Hart, Santa Rosa, Calif., submitted Mike Jaspar, Camarillo, Calif., in the 1st

Team Selections

Team Sonnen won the coin toss, electing to pick first. Below are the final rosters, in order each was selected, are:

Team Sonnen

Luke Barnatt

Uriah Hall

Zak Cummings

Tor Troeng

Jimmy Quinlan

Kevin Casey

Kelvin Gastelum

Team Jones

Clint Hester

Josh Samman

Bubba McDaniel

Gilbert Smith

Collin Hart

Adam Cella

Dylan Andrews

Team Jones, therefore had the option of the first fight pick and chose Gilbert Smith versus Team Sonnen’s Luke Barnatt.

The series resumes next Tuesday, January 29, on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings for Central and Mountain Time) In that episode – “Ambush” – 14 victorious middleweights move into the house, and training begins. A fighter gets emotional after his team shows serious doubts about his readiness. Then Barnatt and Smith face off in the first preliminary fight.

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.

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 now 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 over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, and 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.

Sherman Oaks, Calif. (January 22) – Mexican Olympic boxer Oscar Molina is ready to make his highly anticipated professional debut after suffering a setback that forced him to postpone his first professional bout.

The 23-year old Olympian was originally scheduled to fight alongside twin brother Javier (12-1, 5 KOs) in November, but was halted by a painful cyst in his left shoulder that was hindering the use of his left arm in training.

Oscar and Javier Molina

The cyst was drained and Molina has been given a given a clean bill of health and that it shouldn’t be a problem in the future. With the injury resolved, Oscar is anxious to finally make his long-awaited professional debut on January 26.

“I have no nerves thinking about my first fight. I am just very excited and can’t wait to be in the ring,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for many years and I’m ready to make my debut.”

Molina has thick roots in boxing, as he is the son of a former Mexican amateur boxer and brother of 27-year-old boxer Carlos Molina (18-1-1, 7 KOs). The bout will be fought in Chihuahua, Mexico, where Molina’s extended family lives.

The event is promoted by Promociones del Pueblo in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions.

http://www.oem.com.mx/elheraldodechihuahua/notas/n2851494.htm

January 22, 2013 – Southpaw middleweight contender Sergiy Dzinziruk is preparing for his January 25th contest against hardnosed Texan Brian Vera on a Banner Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions promoted edition of ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights. The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds at the middleweight limit and will be televised live from the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York. A win over the gritty Vera could mean big things for Dzinziruk as he looks to put himself in position for a world title opportunity.

Dzinziruk defeated Daniel Santos in 2005 to win the WBO junior middleweight championship, a title he successfully defended 6 times. The former junior middleweight champion from the Ukraine by way of Hamburg, Germany will be looking to impress in front of a national audience, using his high level boxing ability to out maneuver his opponent Vera, a fighter with a more brute style.

“I’ve been working very hard in the gym, but specifically I’ve been working at getting the most out of my natural abilities. I have all the tools needed to become the very best and being aware in the ring doesn’t just come from the defensive side of things, you have to know your limits and capabilities offensively and be willing to push yourself further each time,” Dzinziruk said.

In his last outing, Dzinziruk took on Puerto Rican prospect Jonathan González and the two fought to a draw, although Gonzalez missed weight and had a 7lb weight advantage over Dzinziruk. Still, Dzinziruk was able to negate the weight disadvantage and stifle Gonzalez, boxing his way around the bigger man.

“I felt like my last time out I didn’t capitalize on every opportunity that was presented to me, it was my fight to grab and it slipped away because I let it. I’ve prepared to get back into the win column and anything less is unacceptable, I will define the moment and not let the moment define me,” Dzinziruk said.

This time around Dzinziruk will be fighting an opponent in Vera that has made a career out of digging deep in his most dire moments. Vera is coming off of an impressive victory over perennial contender Sergio Mora in August of last year.

“I respect every opponent, but Vera is a different monster,” Dzinziruk said. “The guy never quits and he is always willing to take the fight to the most uncomfortable places possible. I’m willing to go wherever is necessary, but it won’t be Vera calling the shots because I’m going to dictate the pace and control the fight. My preparation for this fight has put me in the best possible shape, and with my conditioning I will systematically break my opponent down and reestablish my position amongst the division’s elite.”

Gary Shaw, Dzinziruk’s co-promoter, is excited to get his fighter back in action and in front of a large commercial audience. Shaw feels that his fighter is in title contention right now and a win would only bolster those chances.

“Sergiy is a dangerous fight for any of the belt holders in the division and I could see him in a title fight by the end of 2013,” Shaw said. “If you look at the landscape of the division you realize it’s a deep division filled with opportunity, Sergiy fits right in that picture and his abilities make him easy to matchup with just about anybody. A win over a guy like Vera puts him right there in title contention.”

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (January 23, 2013) – The World Boxing Council (WBC) Female Championship Committee has ordered a mega-fight between undefeated WBC welterweight champion Cecilia “First Lady” Braekhus (21-0, 5 KOs) and 14-time, three-division world champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (32-2-3, 9 KOs).

The WBC has awarded the distinction of the Diamond Belt for the Braekhus-Holm fight because “it is regarded as one of the best fights in the history of female boxing.”

If the promoters for Braekhus (Sauerland Boxing) and Holm (Fresquez Productions) are unable to reach an agreement, the WBC will conduct a purse bid Friday, February 15 at the its headquarters in Mexico City.

“Sometimes you need to be careful what you ask for,” Holm’s promoter Lenny Fresquez warned. “This reminds me of Mary Jo Sanders all over again. We all know what happened there (Holm won 10-round decision for IBA light middleweight title and then they fought to a draw) and we never heard from her after she challenged Holly (in 2008).”

Braekhus issued a video challenge to WBC No. 1-rated Holm after Holly’s last fight in December, which Holm quickly accepted, pending terms, for a July fight in Las Vegas. Talks between Kallie Sauerland and Lenny Fresquez had already started before the WBC’s order (Jan. 17) was sent to the two promoters.

Braekhus has owned the WBC welterweight championship since 2009, when she defeated Vinni Skovgaard by 10-round decision. The Colombian boxer who lives in Norway has made 10 consecutive title defenses. She is also the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion.

Holm held the WBC welterweight title in 2007 and 2008, stopping Miriam Brakache in the seventh round, and she made one successful title defense against Ann Saccurato with a win by 10-round decision before relinquishing the WBC 147-pound division belt. Holm has also been world champion in the light welterweight and light middleweight divisions.

For more information go to www.fresquezproductions.com or follow Holly Holm on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HollyHolm.

Tacoma, WA (January 22nd, 2012) – Halquist Productions and CageSport are hitting the ground running to start off 2013. Scheduled for February 16th, CageSport XXIII will feature Drew “The Eternal Fire” Brokenshire (5-1) defending his featherweight title for the 1st time against MMA veteran Enoch “The Animal” Wilson (16-8-2) in the semi-main event. In the Main Event, Brent Knopp (3-0) and Darrio Mobley (2-2) will battle it out for the 2nd time, but with the vacant CageSport middleweight title up for grabs this time around.

Tickets for CageSport XXIII are still available and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA.

Brent “Mankill” Knopp is quickly gaining a fan base ever since turning pro in early 2012. He has accumulated a record of 3-0 (all 3 fights coming at CageSport) and has finished every fight via the 2nd round KO or TKO. Training out of one of the most respected MMA gyms on the west coast, AMC Pankration, Knopp is surrounded by UFC and StrikeForce stars along with being coached by one of the world’s best, Matt Hume. Knopp last fought on September 29th at CageSport XXI against Team Quest’s Brandon Pitts. The event was televised in 5 states on regional sports network ROOT SPORTS. In July, Knopp entered the cage for the 1st time with his upcoming opponent, Dario Mobley. After being cut badly in the 1st round, Knopp rebounded and TKO’d Mobley in the 2nd to earn the 2nd victory of his career.

Mobley will be coming into the fight with the mindset of getting a 2nd chance after the disappointing loss the 1st time around. It was clear that Mobley had won the 1st round, but he wasn’t able to sustain the momentum and got caught. This will be his chance to prove himself to the fans that he’s a legitimate contender in the state.

Drew Brokenshire, fighting out of Tacoma, WA, may be the most captivating fighter that has ever fought at CageSport. He made his CageSport debut back in December at CageSport XXII when he took on the then featherweight champ, Julian Erosa. The two duked it out for all 5 rounds in what turned out to be one of the most thrilling MMA fights ever presented to the Emerald Queen Casino showroom. Both fighters brought huge fan bases to the event and each fighter had moments of brilliance that had their fans on their feet the entire time showing enthusiasm that fighters live for. Brokenshire also stops by and trains at AMC Pankration from time to time along with the Academy of Brian Johnson in Lacey. He will have another big test at CageSport XXIII when he takes on Enoch Wilson.

Team Quest’s Enoch Wilson brings lots of experience to the table as his 16-8-2 record would suggest. Most recently, Wilson participated on Halquist Productions’ Battle at the Boat boxing show on January 5th and came out with a dominant victory, knocking down his opponent 4 times with kidney shots before the referee stopped the fight. This will be Wilson’s 1st appearance on a CageSport card and has the potential to bring another exciting night to the Emerald Queen Casino as he also has a large fan base in the area.

Eight other action packed bouts are scheduled at CageSport XXIII including two female fighters making their debuts, Thea Wolfe vs. Sarah Lagerstrom. Up and comers scheduled to fight include: Aaron Martin and Freddie Bauman. With CageSport, Halquist Productions has created the most premier MMA promotion in the Northwest. Many fighters that have fought on a CageSport Card have moved on to fight in national organizations such as StrikeForce, Bellator, and the UFC. More information about CageSport XXIII and all other Halquist Productions can be found at www.halquistproductions.com

After confirmation at the end of 2012, Prospect Boxing and Chris Gilmour boxing are pleased to confirm the line up to their March 8th joint promotion at Ravenscraig Sports Facility in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire.

Titled the “ The Steel Men return” the card is topped by Glasgow’s Gary McCallum who takes on Stranraers Paul Allison for the vacant Scottish Middleweight title over ten rounds, while the chief under card slot sees rising flyweight Iain Butcher return to action over 8 rounds.

A full undercard features the talented Rhys Pagan, Mark Parvin, Sean Watson and Ryan Scott. While Jordan McCorry, Darren McAdam, Mitch Prince will also be in action. March 8th also sees Alex Montgomery makes his pro debut in the Super Middleweight division and Martin Taylor at Light Welterweight.

With a eleven fight card in the offering, Co-promotor Paul Graham explains that the main event was an easy choice “We had a few options for the main event, however I feel that Paul (Allison) in with Gary (McCallum) a good domestic fight and both fighters will do nothing but entertain. They both are at the stage were they want to progress there career to the next level, and an area title fight is the way to progress it.

While joint promoting with Chris Gilmour, the former pro referee admits that there is a rivalry between the both “Well Paul Allison is my fighter and Gary McCallum is Chris Gilmour’s fighter. So that itself adds another dimension to the main event, and we both have confidence in our fighters. But there can be only one winner on the evening,

“I am looking forward to returning to Motherwell, the local support over the last few shows has been great, so its good to reward them with a stacked card like this. On the evening we have eleven fights scheduled and that includes a title fight, and with a licensed bar in the venue, it will be a good evening.

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 9 fight undercard it features Rhys Pagan, Mark Parvin, Sean Watson and Ryan Scott. Jordan McCorry, Darren McAdam, Mitch Prince and Alex Montgomery makes his pro debut in the Super Middleweight division.

Tickets are priced at £30 (unreserved) and £40 (ringside) ,and further details are avail from www.prospectboxing.com and www.facebook.com/ProspectBoxing and @ProspectBoxingRavenscraig to host ‘The Steel Men’ as Championship Boxing returns

After confirmation at the end of 2012, Prospect Boxing and Chris Gilmour boxing are pleased to confirm the line up to their March 8th joint promotion at Ravenscraig Sports Facility in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire.

Titled the “ The Steel Men return” the card is topped by Glasgow’s Gary McCallum who takes on Stranraers Paul Allison for the vacant Scottish Middleweight title over ten rounds, while the chief under card slot sees rising flyweight Iain Butcher return to action over 8 rounds.

A full undercard features the talented Rhys Pagan, Mark Parvin, Sean Watson and Ryan Scott. While Jordan McCorry, Darren McAdam, Mitch Prince will also be in action. March 8th also sees Alex Montgomery makes his pro debut in the Super Middleweight division and Martin Taylor at Light Welterweight.

With a eleven fight card in the offering, Co-promotor Paul Graham explains that the main event was an easy choice “We had a few options for the main event, however I feel that Paul (Allison) in with Gary (McCallum) a good domestic fight and both fighters will do nothing but entertain. They both are at the stage were they want to progress there career to the next level, and an area title fight is the way to progress it.

While joint promoting with Chris Gilmour, the former pro referee admits that there is a rivalry between the both “Well Paul Allison is my fighter and Gary McCallum is Chris Gilmour’s fighter. So that itself adds another dimension to the main event, and we both have confidence in our fighters. But there can be only one winner on the evening,

“I am looking forward to returning to Motherwell, the local support over the last few shows has been great, so its good to reward them with a stacked card like this. On the evening we have eleven fights scheduled and that includes a title fight, and with a licensed bar in the venue, it will be a good evening.

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 9 fight undercard it features Rhys Pagan, Mark Parvin, Sean Watson and Ryan Scott. Jordan McCorry, Darren McAdam, Mitch Prince and Alex Montgomery makes his pro debut in the Super Middleweight division.

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

Las Vegas, Nevada – The world’s longest running sports reality TV series is back as The Ultimate Fighter® returns for its exciting 17th season TONIGHT at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FX with a special two-hour premier show.

Featuring UFC® light heavyweight champion Jon ‘Bones’ Jones and Chael ‘the American Gangster’ Sonnen as coaches, the premier sees several breathtaking fight finishes – including one of the fastest KOs in the history of the series – as 28 of the world’s best unsigned mixed martial artists collide in 14 fight-in eliminators.

And, for the first time in the eight-year history of TUF™, the fighters’ families and friends will be in attendance for the fight-ins as the middleweights throwdown, desperate to earn a spot in the famed TUF House and pursue their dream of a six-figure UFC contract.

Who will be on Team Jones, and who will suit up for Team Sonnen – decisions are made tonight.

Also launching for the premiere is a fantasy bracket style tournament, a competition that challenges players’ skills and strategies. The TUF™ Tournament, the first of multiple fantasy games on UFC.com/Fantasy, will encourage interactivity between fans, rewarding those earning the most points with their picks, and introducing fans to upcoming fighters.

Click links below to view preview videos:

Who’s Next?: http://youtu.be/byaAVv9_MWI

Raise The Stakes: http://youtu.be/g4LpCfA9jfE

Jones vs. Sonnen: http://youtu.be/S7RvB8kERRE

The competitors are:

Dylan Andrews (16-4-1), 32, Gold Coast, AUS
Jake Heun (3-2), 25, Salt Lake City, Utah

Kito Andrews (9-2), 34, Sacramento, Calif.
Nicholas Kohring (3-0), 22, Valley Springs, Calif.

Luke Barnatt (5-0), 24, Cambridge, ENG
Mike Jaspar (6-0), 29, Camarillo, Calif.

Leo Bercier (7-2), 31, Great Falls, Montana
Bubba McDaniel (20-6), 29, Albuquerque, N.M.

Ryan Lee Q. Bigler (9-3), 28, Guam
Frasier Opie (10-5), 25, Milton Keynes, ENG

Kevin Casey (5-2), 31, Hawthorne, Calif.
Frederick Persons (3-0), 28, Stockton, Calif.

Adam Cella (4-0), 27, Fenton, Mo.
Jimmy Quinlan (3-0), 26, Metheun, Mass.

Zak Cummings (15-3), 28, Kansas City, Mo.
Scott Rosa (4-1), 27, Sparks, Nev.

Andy Enz, (6-1), 21, Anchorage, Alaska
Josh Samman (9-2), 24, Tallahassee, Fla.

Nik Fehete (5-1), 32, Las Vegas, Nev.
Gilbert Smith (5-1), 30, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Kelvin Gastelum (5-0), 20, Yuma, Ariz.
Eldon Sproat (3-1), 27, Molohai, Hawaii

Uriah Hall (7-2), 28, New York City, N.Y.
Tor Troeng (15-4-1), 29, Umea, SWE

Collin Hart (4-1-1), 23, Santa Rosa, Calif.
Eric Wahlin (5-1), 29, Taylorsville, Utah

Clint Hester (7-3), 24, Atlanta, Ga.
Timothy Williams (7-1), 26, Millville, N.J.

Many of today’s most recognizable names in the UFC have emerged from the TUF™ series, including, among many others, Forrest Griffin, Kenny Florian, Rashad Evans, and Michael Bisping.

Tune-in and watch who will become the next THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER on FX!

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.

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 now 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 over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, and 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 (Jan. 22, 2013) – One of the top prospects in boxing, the talented but untested Demetrius Andrade (18-0, 13 KOs), of Providence, R.I., makes his first start for respected trainer Virgil Hunter when he faces aggressive-minded former world title challenger Freddy Hernandez (30-3, 20 KOs), of Lynwood, Calif., in the 10-round junior middleweight main event on ShoBox: The New Generation doubleheader this Friday, Jan. 25, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In a matchup of once-beaten junior welterweights in the 10-round co-feature at Paramount Theater in Huntington, N.Y., Raymond “Tito” Serrano (18-1, 8 KOs), of Philadelphia, meets Emmanuel “Tranzforma” Taylor (15-1, 10 KOs), of Edgewood, Md. The event is promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions.

Hunter, the Boxing Writers Association of America 2011 Trainer of the Year, and Andrade, a world-ranked, 6-foot-1, 24-year-old southpaw, have been together for only a couple of months.

“All coaches get their fair share of calls, and I get some, too,’’ Hunter said. “Demetrius called me and we started talking. I’d been aware of him because he was an Olympian and knew he was a good kid, but once we met I was most definitely very pleased to make his acquaintance. I enjoy working with him.

“Demetrius’ dad did a terrific job with him. He’s a great kid with a great personality and he wants to succeed. I think he has unlimited potential and everything it takes to not only be a future champion but an ambassador for the sport. There’s really a lot of upside to Demetrius. It’s just a matter of time.’’

A former international amateur standout – Andrade (pronounced “Ann-Drade”) was the 2007 World Championships gold medalist at 152 pounds and represented the United States in the 2008 Olympic Games – continues to acclimate himself to the new surroundings in northern California.

“I’ve been training at Virgil’s private gym in Hayward, Calif.,’’ said Andrade, who owns amateur victories over the likes of current world champion Austin Trout and prospects such as Keith Thurmond, Danny Jacobs, Fernando Guerrero, Jack Culcay and Charles Hatley. “I knew Virgil from him being in the amateur program and I just reached out to him. He’s a stand-up guy and everything’s going smoothly. We’re just taking it one step at a time, just getting in shape for this fight.’’

Andrade has steadily ascended in the rankings since turning pro in October 2008. He’s currently rated No. 3 in the IBF and WBO and No. 8 in the WBC. He’s been carefully matched throughout his four-year career but owns a couple of noteworthy victories. He won his three fights in 2012 by knockout inside two rounds, including a second-round TKO over Alexis Hlores in his last start on Sept. 12.

But Hunter and ShoBox expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood agree that Hernandez will be the toughest foe to date for Andrade, who’ll be making his ShoBox debut. “On paper this should be his toughest challenge, when you consider the competition the other guy has fought,’’ Hunter said.

Said Farhood, “Demetrius Andrade, along with Gary Russell Jr., was chosen as Most Likely To Succeed from the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. On ShoBox, he’s finally making that next step that will vaunt him from prospect to contender.

“Hernandez is a legit tough guy who’s fought the very best. This is a real test for Andrade, a major step up. Andrade’s been criticized for the level of his opposition, but part of that criticism stems from how easily he’s beaten the fighters put in front of him.

“Hernandez will bring it, so if Andrade’s as good as we think he is, he’ll not only win, but shine.”

Offered Andrade, an athletic, versatile boxer with good skills and movement: “Freddy Hernandez is a great fighter, and we’re going to put on a great show.”

Hernandez fought four former world champions in a row – DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, Mike Anchondo, Andre Berto and Luis Collazo — between February 2010 and October 2011. “El Riel” went 3-1, winning the final fight of the four-bagger with an exciting 10-round unanimous decision over southpaw Luis Collazo on Oct. 15, 2011.

The brother-in-law of current WBC featherweight kingpin Daniel “Ponce” De Leon, Hernandez, 33, lost his most recent outing to WBC No. 1 contender Erislandy Lara on a 10-round decision on June 20, 2012. The scores in a rough fight were 95-94, 98-91 and 99-90.

“I’m not much of a talker outside of the ring, I’d rather just let my fight inside do the talking for me,’’ said Hernandez, a boxer-puncher who may come out ultra-aggressive against the less-experienced Andrade.

Serrano, a 5-foot-8, 25-year-old, will be fighting for the first time since hooking up with trainer Barry Hunter, who also handles Lamont and Anthony Peterson. It is his first start since a devastating fifth-round knockout loss to Karim Mayfield in a pick ‘em bout on May 18, 2012, that ended with chaos in Serrano’s corner. World-ranked going in, he’d won all 18 of his fights since going pro in October 2007.

“I’ve been with Barry since about July,’’ said Serrano, an accomplished amateur and ambidextrous boxer-puncher who likes to work the body. “After I fought Mayfield, I took some time off and then I got with Barry. I train at his gym and spar with the Petersons. It’s definitely stepped up my level of training. I’ve worked hard and feel it’s made me a stronger fighter.

“I haven’t seen any of Taylor’s fights, but I remember him from the amateur days. The guys in the gym know him from the amateurs and they’re helping me prepare. I’m looking forward to starting the year off right. I learned from my mistakes. I want to accomplish my goal, and become champion of the world.”

Looking back at the Mayfield defeat, Serrano said, “I was surprised how easy it was for me to hit him. He’s strong. He fought a good fight. He caught me with a good shot. I’ll be back.”

Taylor hails from a family of fighters. He was a top amateur before turning pro in March 2009. After opening with 14 consecutive victories, the 5-foot-7½-inch, 22-year-old boxer-puncher came up on the wrong end of a split eight-round decision to Prenice Brewer on Nov. 10, 2011. He regained his winning ways 11 months later when, in his lone bout since losing, won a six-round majority decision over George Dosa on Oct. 12, 2012. Taylor triumphed by the scores of 60-54, 58-56 and 57-57.

“I’ve been getting ready for this fight in Baltimore since Dec. 1,’’ he said. “I’ve worked hard in the gym and I’m ready to show what I’ve got. I’ve got a lot of styles. I can box or bang, but basically I usually box. It depends on the other fighter.

“I’m familiar with Serrano. I know him from the amateurs. He was in my region, so we fought in the same tournaments but he was a little older than me. He’s a good fighter, a good boxer. I give him credit. But absolutely, I’m going to win the fight. I’m just going to use my jab and pressure, and that’s what is going to win me the fight.”

Tickets, priced at $50, $100 and $150, are available through Ticketmaster online www.Ticketmaster.com or phone (800) 745-3000, through The Paramount Box Office (631) 673-7300, the Star Boxing Office (718) 823-2000 or on their website, www.StarBoxing.com. Doors on fight night will open at 7 p.m. ET with the first bell at 8 p.m.

CHESTER, PA (January 22, 2013)—THIS Saturday night, January 26th, It will be a special night inside of Harrahs Philadelphia as a mammoth 12 bout card of boxing will take place to celebrate the two year anniversary of Joey Eye Boxing Promotions & David Feldman’s partnership with the casino.

This will be the tenth show that the duo has put on in Harrahs Philadelphia and they have a great night in store for the fans.

“This will be a special night of boxing in many regards for myself and my partner David Feldman”, said Joey “Eye” Intrieri, founder of Joey Eye Boxing.

“We have been the only ones in the state to put on consistent good shows and have had memorable fights already. We expect to have a long run here and will continue to put on the best fights possible”

“I want to thank the General Manager of Harrahs Ron Baummann plus everyone in the entertainment department as well as our staff and the loyal fan base that comes out time and time again to make this all possible”

In the six round main event, Victor Vasquez (15-7-1, 7 KO’s) will be making his 6th appearance at Harrahs when he takes on Esteban Rodriguez (6-4-1, 1 KO) of Lebanon, PA in a Lightweight bout

DeCarlo Perez (8-2-1, 3 KO’s) of Atlantic City will fight undefeated Dante Moore (8-0-2, 4 KO’s) of Cleveland, OH in a six round Jr. Middleweight bout

In a six round Jr. Welterweight affair, Julio DeJesus (6-3-3, 3 KO’s) of Chester, PA battles Ramon Ellis (4-7-2, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia

Undefeated Light Heavyweight Amir Shabazz (2-0) of Philadelphia will rematch Abdellah Smith (2-4, 2 KO’s) of Queens, NY in a four round rematch

In a four round female Jr. Welterweight bout, undefeated Althea Saunders (3-0-1) of Atlantic City will fight debuting Laura Incarnato of Philadelphia

Undefeated Welterweight Tyrone Crawley Jr. (2-0) of Philadelphia boxes Benjamin Burgos (1-2) of Mount Pocono, PA in a four round bout

In a four round Heavyweight bout, undefeated John Mercurio (5-0, 4 KO’s) of Philadelphia takes on Lonnie Kornegay (1-7-2) of Baltimore, MD

In another four round Heavyweight bout, undefeated Mark Rideout (2-0) takes on Aaron Bratton (0-1) of Baltimore, MD

In a four round Jr. Middleweight, Gilbert Alex Sanchez (2-1, 2 KO’s) of Camden, NJ battles Greg Jackson (2-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia, PA

Undefeated Jovontae Starks (5-0, 4 KO’s) of Minneapolis, MN will fight Chad McKinney (1-0) in a fight that features two undefeated Jr. Middleweights in a bout scheduled for four rounds

In a rematch, Alex Barbosa (4-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will try to make it two straight over Arthur Parker (1-8, 1 KO) of Lancaster, PA

Rounding out the card will be debuting Sam Teah of Philadelphia taking on an opponent to be named in a four round Lightweight bout

Tickets are now on sale for $100 (VIP); $65 (Ringside) and $45 (General Admission) and can be purchased at the Harrahs Philadelphia Gift Shop; By calling Joey Eye (267-304-9399); David

Feldman (610-291-0806); 800-480-8020 or on http://www.webtix.net/