Follow all the action live as former Jr. Welterweight and Welterweight champion Ricku Hatton returns to the ring for the first time in three years in front of his adoring fans in Manchester, England when he takes on former Welterweight titlist Vyachslav Senchenko in a ten round Welterweight bout beginning at 5pm eastern/10pm Manchester Time/Midnite Sunday in Kiev

10 ROUNDS–WELTERWEIGHTS–RICKY HATTON (45-2, 32 KO’S) VS. VYACHESLAV SENCHENKO (32-1, 21 KO’S)-

Round 1 Senchenko lands a jab..Hatton lands a right and left…Left hook..Senchenko lands a jab…trading jabs..Hatton pressuring…Hatton lands a jab.. left to the body..counter right...10-9 Hatton

Round 2 Hatton lands a right…Senchenko lands a body shot…Lead left from Hatton..nice right from Senchenko..left to body from Hatton..good counter uppercut..Lead right from Senchenko..body shot…1-2…Hatton lands a combo..Left to body from Senchenko..Body from Hatton..19-19

Round 3 Left hook to body from Hatton..jab…overhand right..big left hook..3 punch combo..Good left hook from Senchenko…Hatton lands a right…left to the body..hard left..Nice right from Senchenko..another good right...29-28 Hatton

Round 4 Hatton lands a 1-2…left hook..Senchenko lands a right…Hatton walks through it..big left hook from Hatton…right..39-37 Hatton

Round 5 Double jab from Senchenko..Right from Hatton..Straight right from Senchenko..lead left..body and left hook from Hatton..left…Senchenko lands a jab…49-46 Hatton

Round 6 Good right from Senchenko…1-2..Hatton lands a left..Left from Senchenko…jab..right..left to the bodt..left hook..Hatton lands a jab…right from Senchenko..58-56 Hatton

Round 7 Good right from Senchenko…jab…big left..left to body back up Hatton..Hatton works the body with the left…right counter from Senchenko…Both guys starting to swell under the left eye…right from Senchecnko..both get in uppercuts..Hatton lands a double left..67-66 Hatton

Round 8 Hatton working the body…right to the head..Nice combo..Senchenko lands a counter left and Straight right..right…Hatton lands a double left and jab..straight right from Senchenko..left to the body from Hatton…Right from Senchenko…body..Hatton lands a right…Senchenko lands a 1-2 at the bell…77-75 Hatton

Round 9 The two tangle up and fall to the canvas..Left from Senchenko..Straight right..Straight left from Hatton..right..left…body..LEFT TO THE BODY AND DOWN GOES HATTON AND HE IS COUNTED OUT THE FIGHT IS OVER

Four days after being shot, former three-division world champion Hector “Macho”Camacho was declared dead on Saturday morning in Puerto Rico after being taken off life support.

Camacho was shot in a drive by shooting and was shot in the face.

A man, who was with Camacho was killed at the scene and no arrests have been made as the authorities are looking for two gunmen

Camacho was 50 years old

NEW YORK (Nov. 23, 2012)—Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton and Vyacheslav Senchenko made weight comfortably on Friday in advance of their 10-round welterweight main event bout set for tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 24, on a special evening edition of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®, live on SHOWTIME® at 5 p.m. ET/PT from the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

Both men weighed 146 ½ pounds or 10 Stone, 6 Pounds, 10 Ounces as it was announced at Manchester Town Hall in Albert Square in central Manchester before a throng of frenzied Hatton fans.

Hatton, a former two-time World Champion and British superstar returns to SHOWTIME® on Saturday for his first fight in 3½ years.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Nov. 23, 2012) – Just three months after its first world championship bout, women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Invicta Fighting Championships will return to Memorial Hall in Kansas City and crown a champion in its strawweight (115 pounds) division after undefeated sensation Claudia Gadelha (9-0) of Mossoro, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil battles streaking star Carla Esparza (8-2) of Redondo Beach, Calif. for the title in the main event of a 12-bout fight card on Saturday, Jan. 5.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) co-main event, crowd-pleasing submission ace Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler (15-7) of Sioux Falls, S.D. will go to war with fellow top-ranked star Alexis Davis (12-5) of Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.

Tickets, priced from $25, for the Invicta FC 4: Gadelha vs. Esparza women’s MMA event, go on sale Monday, Nov. 26 at Memorial Hall box office (913-549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at 800-745-3000.

Following her second round (2:19) TKO (punches) of Kaitlin Young at Invicta FC 3 on Oct. 6, Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (4-2-1) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will return to action to face a bantamweight opponent to be determined.

Power-punching KO artist Amanda “Lioness of the Ring” Nunes (7-2) of Salvador Bahia, Brazil will take on submission specialist Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio (6-3) of San Jose, Calif. at bantamweight.

JEWELS star Hiroko Yamanaka (12-2) of Kisarazu, Japan will battle Invicta FC 3 winner Ediane Gomes (8-2) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in a featherweight (145 pounds) contest.

In the event’s opening main card bout, undefeated Joanne Calderwood (4-0) of Glasgow, Scotland will square off with Invicta FC newcomer Bec Hyatt (4-1) of Brisbane, Australia at strawweight.

After scoring her second consecutive, five-second KO on July 8, Veronica Rothenhausler (0-0) of Reno, Nev. will make her much-anticipated professional debut on the Invicta FC 4 undercard against fellow heavy-handed featherweight competitor Katalina Malungahu (2-1) of Las Vegas, Nev.

Claudia Gadelha vs. Carla Esparza

Just 23 years old, Gadelha boasts three world championships and seven national titles in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition and has submitted seven of her first nine professional MMA opponents. An injury kept the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt sidelined for the entirety of 2011 but, on April 20, she returned to action, earning a unanimous decision win over Valerie Letorneau in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. Gadelha returned to her homeland and scored a first round (1:35) TKO (punches) on Adriana Vieira on Sept. 21.

The 25-year-old Esparza has been gaining momentum, winning her last three fights. Her last two victories – a second round (4:28) TKO (punches) of Sarah Schneider and a first round (2:53) TKO (punches) of Lynn Alvarez – came inside the Invicta FC cage on July 28 and Oct. 6, respectively. To date, three of Esparza’s professional wins have come by way of (T)KO and three by way of submission.

Shayna Baszler vs. Alexis Davis

The 32-year-old Baszler lit up Memorial Hall for the second time on an Invicta FC show on Oct. 6, outworking D’Alelio on the ground and securing a rear-naked choke that forced D’Alelio to tap out at the :37 mark of the second round of their matchup. A fearsome grappler, Baszler has earned the respect of the fight world by earning 14 of her 15 victories with submissions, including her patented hold that she dubbed the “shwing.”

Davis, a 28-year-old black belt in both Japanese Jujutsu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has been ranked as high as the No. 3 bantamweight female fighter in the world by the Unified Women’s MMA Rankings. In her last effort at Invicta FC 2 on July 28, Davis submitted Japanese star Hitomi Akano with a rear-naked choke in the second round (3:41) of their matchup

Amanda Nunes vs. Sarah D’Alelio

Since making her pro debut in March 2008, Nunes has established a reputation as a ferocious power-puncher. The 24-year-old, who began her boxing training at age 16, exploded onto the national MMA scene in The U.S. on Jan. 7, 2011, demolishing Julia Budd with a barrage of punches just 14 seconds into their live, Showtime-televised fight. Nunes made her Invicta FC debut on July 28, submitting Raquel Pa’aluhi with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:24) of their bout.

D’Alelio has competed on all three Invicta FC cards, thus far. The 31-year-old submission ace, who has earned five of her six wins by way of submission and the sixth by TKO, will look to return to the win column after a valiant performance against Baszler. D’Alelio forced Vanessa Mariscal to tap out from a barrage of punches in the second round (3:19) of their meeting at the historic, first Invicta FC event on April 28, and tapped out Vanessa Porto with a rear-naked choke in the first round (3:16) of their Invicta FC 2 bout.

Hiroko Yamanaka vs. Ediane Gomes

Nicknamed “Incomplete Queen” and “Cat’s Eye,” Yamanaka, is a former open weight champion in Japan’s now-defunct Smackgirl MMA promotion and the No. 7 ranked featherweight according to the Unified Women’s Mixed Martial Arts Rankings. The 34-year-old Muay Thai and submission grappling specialist, put together an eight-fight win streak between Nov. 2008 and July. 2011, and emerged a star in Japanese promotion JEWELS during that span.

Gomes is a 31-year-old submission expert and member of vaunted South Fla.-based fight squad American Top Team. Hardened in her native Brazil where amateur level competition is non-existent, Gomes was victorious in her first five professional fights – four by way of armbar submission and one via TKO (punches). At Invicta FC on Oct. 6, she forced the highly-touted Malungahu to tap out from a rear-naked choke in the first round (4:19) of their undercard bout.

Joanne Calderwood vs. Bec Hyatt

Calderwood is an explosive, 26-year-old national Muay Thai champion in Scotland, who has successfully transitioned to the sport of MMA by going unbeaten in her first four pro starts. On Oct. 6, she reeled off her fourth victory at Invicta FC 3, KO’ing Ashley Cummins with a brutal knee strike to the body in the first round (3:13) of their matchup. Calderwood’s performance earned her “KO of the Night” honors from the promotion.

Since suffering a defeat in her pro debut on Oct. 15, 2011, the 23-year-old Hyatt has been on fire, winning four consecutive fights. In her last start on Oct. 20, Hyatt, the first Australian competitor to sign with Invicta FC, finished Christina Nicole Tatnell just 37 seconds into their matchup with a flurry of punches.

The six-bout preliminary card will be capped off with an atomweight (105 pounds) matchup between Stephanie Frausto (4-4) of Cincinnati, Ohio and Cassie Rodish (3-3) of Des Moines, Iowa.

Unbeaten Tamikka Brents (1-0) of Springfield, Illin. will take on Amanda Bell (0-0) of Medford, Ore. at featherweight.

Jodie Esquibel (2-0) of Albuquerque, N.M. and Liz McCarthy (1-0) of Tigard, Ore. will square off at atomweight.

Emily Kagan (2-0) of Albuquerque, N.M. will put her undefeated record on the line against Rose Namajunas (0-0) of Milwaukee, Wis. In a strawweight matchup.

Paige Van Zant (2-0) of Sparks, Nev. will face off with Tecia Torres (1-0) of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. at strawweight.

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships (www.invictafc.com) is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

London, England (Nov. 23, 2012) – The highly-anticipated showdown between Remy Bonjasky (76-14, 40 KO’s) and Tyrone Spong (68-6-1 42 KO’s) will take place on Saturday, March 23 at the Excel Arena in London, England, it was announced today by Glory Sports International (GSI), parent company of the Glory World Series.

The bout had previously been set for February 16 but with Bonjasky being set to participate in the GLORY 4 – TOKYO: GRAND SLAM 16-man mega-tournament on New Year’s Eve, it was decided that February would potentially be too soon for him to get back in the ring. He will now have several more weeks to recover from his tournament bouts and get in peak condition for his first-time meeting with Spong.

“Remy was more than happy to take part in the tournament and then fight again in February,” explains GLORY Chairman Pierre Andurand. “But this is the first time that he and Spong will have fought and there was such huge interest in the match when we announced it that we decided to move the date and give him some time to rest up. It means that he and Spong will be in peak condition when they face each other.”

Marcus Luer, Managing Director of GLORY, added, “The worldwide interest in Spong vs. Bonjasky has been absolutely huge. Within literally minutes of it being announced we were inundated with requests for tickets and broadcast details.

“With this fight being of such magnitude to fans worldwide, we want both fighters to be at their absolute best for this historic first meeting. They now have a few extra weeks to sharpen their weapons for what is expected to be a truly classic encounter.”

‘The Flying Gentleman’ Bonjasky is a household name among kickboxing fans and this will be the first time that British fight fans have the opportunity to see him fight live. One of the most athletic fighters ever to step into the ring, Bonjasky’s flying knees and kicks have provided some of the most thrilling images of the sport and helped propel him to victory in three Grand Prix tournaments in the old K-1 fight series.

An eye ailment forced a temporary retirement on him for nearly three years but, after undergoing surgery, the 1.93 meter (6-foot-4), 108 kilogram (240 pound) fighter was ready to put the gloves back on. Last month he made a triumphant return with a decision win over Brazil’s top heavyweight, Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva.

Amsterdam native Spong, who recently relocated to Boca Raton, Fla. to train with the famed ‘Blackzilians’ fight squad, is a world-class athlete. Standing 1.88 meters (6-foot-2) and weighing 103.5 kilograms (228 pounds), he started his career as a middleweight and has retained that speed and fluidity as he has moved up through the weight classes to heavyweight. With explosive power in his hands, nearly two-thirds of Spong’s wins have been by stoppage, including his June KO of legend Peter Aerts.

Tickets for the March 23 event will go on sale soon and the full card will be announced in the near future. The headliners are supported by a stellar card which includes two of the UK’s top talents taking on strong international opposition.

Jordan Watson (29-5-1, 14 KO’s) and Liam Harrison (67-13-2, 38 KO’s), of the Bad Company team in Leeds, have carved their reputations in the fighting rings of Thailand and around the world. In March, Watson will face the Australian knockout machine ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Moxon (29-4-1, 16 KO’s) while his team mate Harrison faces the Dutch-Moroccan technician Mosab ‘Jaguar’ Amrani (48-7-4, 14 KO’s).

About GLORY:

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

With television deals spanning every continent, plus a groundbreaking online video streaming system and the world’s largest online martial arts library, GLORY is one of the world’s most widely-broadcast sporting organizations.

Owned and operated by Glory Sports International (GSI), the organization has offices in Holland, the UK, Tokyo, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Its personnel includes a diverse mix of award-winning hedge-fund and private equity investors; principals from pioneering sports marketing agency Total Sport Asia; and senior level executives from several leading sports franchises, including WWE, FIFA, Golden Glory, Champions League and It’s Showtime.

QUEENS, NY (November 22, 2012)—Popular Heavyweight Vinny Maddalone will take on veteran Byron Polley in the ten round main event on Saturday December 8th at the Resorts World Casino in Queens, New York.

The show is promoted by New Legend Boxing Promotions, Old World Boxing and W.O.N Boxing. The Maddalone – Polley bout is promoted in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

Maddalone who hails from nearby Flushing, NY has a record of 35-8 with twenty-six knockouts. He is an all-action style fighter that has thrilled boxing fans since 1999.

Maddalone won his first fifteen fights and developed himself as a big attraction. He holds wins over Shannon Miller (11-0), Benji Baker (18-6), Dominique Alexander (19-7-1) and Chris Koval (25-8). Maddalone has been in memorable wars with Brian Minto (Twice), Four-time Heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, former Cruiserweight champion’s Jean-Marc Mormeck and Tomasz Adamek, as well as undefeated upstarts Dennis Boytsov and Tyson Fury.

Polley of St. Joseph, Missouri has a record of 25-13-1 with eleven knockouts and like Maddalone has faced some of the top Heavyweights such as Owen Beck, Kevin McBride, Brian Minto, Alexander Ustinov and David Rodriguez

In the ten round co-feature, undefeated Super Bantamweight Juan Dominguez will take on former world title challenger John Alberto Molina.

Dominguez of Brooklyn, NY via The Dominican Republic has a record of 11-0 with seven knockouts

Dominguez is coming off an impressive six round unanimous decision over Jesus Bayron on September 22nd.

Molina is by far the most experienced foe in Dominguez career and has a record of 32-21-3 with twenty knockouts.

The native of Cartagena, Colombia challenged for the WBO Light Flyweight title but for to a two round no-contest with Nelson Dieppa. In his next bout, Molina lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Kermin Guardia in a battle for the WBO Interim Light Flyweight title. He also fought former world champion Juan Alberto Rosas. Molina has fought World title challengers Omar Soto & Raul Martinez as well as top contenders Chris Avalos, Jayson Velez and

He holds win over former world title challenger Evert Briceno.

In his last bout, Molina lost a ninth round stoppage to undefeated Braulio Santos.

Coming off a fight worthy to compete for “Fight of The Year”, Frank Galarza (7-0-1, 4 KO’s) will see action in an eight round co-feature Jr. Middleweight bout for the NYS Title.

Galarza engaged in a memorable fight on September 22nd, as he and fellow unbeaten prospect Alantez Fox fought to a draw before a sold out crowd at the Resorts World Casino.

Rafael Vazquez (8-1, 6 KO’s) will look to rebound from his first professional loss when he takes Israel Suarez (4-3-1, 1 KO) of Puerto Rico in a six round Jr. Lightweight bout

Elton Dharry (10-5-1, 5 KO’s) will look to make it nine straight wins and five straight knockouts when he takes part in a six round Bantamweight bout.

Appearing in a four round bout will be Lightweight Angel Garcia (3-1, 2 KO’s) of Brooklyn taking on Victor Galindo (1-0, 1 KO) of Puerto Rico.

Super Bantamweight Heather Hardy (2-0) of Brooklyn will battle Ivana Coleman (0-3) of Slidell, LA

Pro Debuting Lightweight Bryant Cruz of Port Chester, NY will see action against an opponent to be named.

Neuky Santelises (1-0, 1 KO) will do battle with an opponent to be named in a four round Super Featherweight bout.

In a featured four round Super Middleweight bout, Forty-Seven year old Rob Garris will make his pro debut.

Garris of Mount Vernon, New York will be the only athlete in the world to come back from Amateur to Professional after twenty-seven years retired.

Garris will be fighting to support the Throwawaykids Foundation which raises awareness for neglected and abandoned children.

Tickets prices are $50 General Admission, $125 Ringside and $225 VIP (Includes Open Bar & Buffet) and can be purchased by calling New Legend Boxing 718-487-4474 and/or logging on to www.NewLegendBoxing.com

The Resorts World Casino is located at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd, Jamaica, NY 11420

A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to the victims of Hurricane Sandy

In boxing terms the year for Team Sauerland ends with Arthur Abraham´s title
defense against Mehdi Bouadla on December 15. However, the planning for
2013 has already begun and it will start off with a bang. The legendary
Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany will host the all-German affair
between current European Champion Eduard Gutknecht (24-1, 9 KOs) and his
compatriot and stablemate Juergen Braehmer (38-2, 30 KOs) on February 2.

Gutknecht clinched the EBU Title back in May of 2011 by a TKO victory in
round eight over Britain’s Danny McIntosh. Since then, he successfully
defended the championship against Lorenzo DiGiacomo, Vyacheslav Uzelkov and
Tony Averlant. The big four governing bodies of boxing all rank the prodigy
of coach Ulli Wegner in their top ten. “It is going to be a great fight,”
said 30-year-old Gutknecht. “I am highly motivated for this bout. First of
all, it is an all-German affair. Added to that, the winner will get a crack
at a world championship. Juergen Braehmer is one of the big names in the
world of boxing. I am really looking forward to be facing him inside the
ring.”

Former WBO Titlist Juergen Braehmer is also full of confidence when he is
thinking ahead to the fight. ”I am just excited about getting back into the
ring and fighting for my new team for the first time. I know what it feels
like to be a European and world champion. My goal is to get back to that
level. I have the chance to prove to everybody what I am capable of on
February 2. I want to get back to the top,“ said the 34-year-old, coached by
Karsten Roewer.

Chris Meyer, managing director of Sauerland Event: “We are happy to kick off
the new year in Berlin. This will be a very exciting fight. Eduard Gutknecht
is the current WBC number two, Juergen Braehmer is listed as the number two
by the WBO. February 2 is not just about the highly regarded EBU Light
Heavyweight Championship but also the position as the mandatory challenger
for the WBO Crown.”

Tickets for the show at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany will be
available next week at www.eventim.de.

LOS ANGELES, November 21 – Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto returns to his home away from home on December 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City where he will challenge Austin Trout for his WBA Super Welterweight World Championship. Before this meeting of champions in the “Mecca of Boxing,” FOX Deportes Classics delivers two of these fighters’ most impressive victories on Saturday, November 24 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

First, the Classics will go back to February 5, 2011 when Trout shocked the boxing world by defeating Canelo Alvarez’ brother, Rigoberto Alvarez for the WBA Interim Super Welterweight crown. Then, the main event showcases Cotto as he entered the ring at Madison Square Garden on November 10, 2007 in an exciting 12-round welterweight championship bout against fellow superstar Sugar Shane Mosley.

In one of 2007’s most highly-anticipated fights, Cotto and Mosley gave fight fans everything they expected and more. The two battled back and forth for 12 fast-paced rounds, exchanging explosive shots before Cotto pulled out a close, but unanimous decision to retain his WBA Welterweight title for the third time.

Previously only known to the hardcore fight crowd, Trout announced his arrival to the rest of the world in February of 2011, when he traveled to Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico to defeat the favored hometown favorite Alvarez and capture his first world championship belt. He has since defended that belt three times, setting up December’s title defense against Cotto.

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“Showdown: Cotto vs. Trout” is a 12-round battle between Four-Time and Three-Division World Champion Miguel Cotto and undefeated WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin Trout taking place on Saturday, December 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The co-featured fights will see Jayson Velez take on Salvador Sanchez in a 10-round fight for the vacant WBC Silver Featherweight title and Danny “Miracle Man” Jacobs battle Chris “The Irish Ghost” Fitzpatrick in a 8-round middleweight fight. The event is promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, sponsored by The Puerto Rican Tourism Board and Corona and will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

Tickets priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.thegarden.com.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.comor www.FOXDeportes.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes visit us on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page or www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes.

With the search for the next great American heavyweight underway, renowned promoter Roy Englebrecht believes that he has not just found one, but two of the best in the game today, with the announcement that he has signed highly-touted “Vicious” Vincent Thompson to a five year promotional contract.

Thompson now joins fellow unbeaten Alexander “The Great” Flores on the Roy Englebrecht Promotions roster.

“I am very excited to sign with Roy Englebrecht Promotions,” said the 29-year-old Thompson, who is 11-0 as a pro. “Roy has a long history in boxing and he is the type of promoter who will give me the opportunity to reach my goal to become the heavyweight champion of the world.”

“To have the opportunity to sign and promote Vincent Thompson at this point in his career is an honor for my company,” said Englebrecht. “Vince brings a great support group with him in his co-managers Sam DiTusa and Cal Thompson, so we are already halfway there. I believe Roy Englebrecht Promotions now has two of the top five heavyweight prospects in the country in Vince Thompson and Alexander Flores, and the sky is the limit for both fighters.”

Thompson will make his debut under the REP banner on Thursday, December 6, when he faces Giovanni Sarran on the Fight Club OC card at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California. Joining him will be Flores (10-0, 8 KOs), who battles Matt Hicks. Both bouts are scheduled for six rounds or less. Needless to say, this is an exciting moment in REP’s history of putting on top-notch boxing action throughout the Southern California area.

“I’ve had the opportunity to see Vince’s entire career from Day One, and have seen the progression,” said REP matchmaker Whitfield Haydon. “He has come a long way in a fairly short time. What he does well, he does very well. His hand speed and mental makeup are world class.”

A native of Fort Bragg, North Carolina now making his home in Federal Way, Washington, Vincent Thompson (11-0, 2 KOs) has had gloves on his fists since the age of six. 23-5 as an amateur, Thompson turned pro in August of 2009 with a four round win over Freddie Miller, and he hasn’t skipped a beat since. A popular boxer in his home state of Washington, “Vicious” Vincent’s blinding hand speed and ring savvy always produces a packed house, and in his most recent bout, on May 25, he delivered a near-shutout performance in decisioning Joell Godfrey on ESPN Friday Night Fights. Now he’s ready for the next step in his career, and Thompson and his team believe the man to get him there is Roy Englebrecht.

“I am happy to have signed Vince with a premier promoter on the West Coast in Roy Englebrecht,” said Calvin Thompson, father, trainer, and co-manager of the rising heavyweight star. “He runs a first-class operation and I have all the confidence that he will take Vince to the championship.”

“On behalf of our entire team I am very happy to be signed with Roy Englebrecht,” adds co-manager Sam DiTusa. “He runs a first-class promotion and we have total confidence in him and his matchmaker Whit Hayden, who has been an integral part of our team since Day One, and we know to have our best interests at heart.”

Tickets for the Thursday, December 6th Fight Club OC show, featuring both Thompson and Flores, along with five additional bouts can be purchased at www.fightcluboc.com.

LOS ANGELES, November 21 – Unbeaten contender Jermell Charlo, unbeaten prospect Randy Caballero and 2012 United States Olympian Dominic Breazeale are ready to step into the ring at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California on Saturday, November 24 in separate bouts leading up to the HBO World Championship Boxing® doubleheader featuring the WBC Interim Welterweight World title fight between Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto.

In the featured non-televised undercard bout, undefeated junior middleweight Charlo will face Dashon Johnson in a 10-round bout. Also in action will be Coachella, California’s fan favorite Caballero facing Mexico’s Rigoberto Casillas in a junior featherweight fight scheduled for eight rounds and Breazale battling Mike Bissett in a four round heavyweight matchup.

Houston’s Jermell Charlo (18-0, 9 KO’s) has been on fight fans’ radar ever since he turned pro in 2007 after an outstanding amateur career. In the last two years, he’s made even more of an impression with his big wins over unbeaten Luis Grajeda and fellow prospects Francisco Santana and Chris Chatman. Coming off of a fifth round knockout win over Denis Douglin in June, the 22-year-old Charlo will look to give fans another stellar performance this weekend against Escondido, California’s Dashon Johnson (13-8-3, 4 KO’s) who will be stepping into the ring with his third straight undefeated foe after battling Daquan Arnett and Glen Tapia in 2012.

Popular NABO Bantamweight Champion Randy Caballero (16-0, 8 KO’s) will be stepping up in weight on Saturday to face Delicias, Mexico’s Rigoberto Casillas (8-8-1, 6 KO’s). 22-year-old Caballero had an impressive title defense in August against Manuel Roman and is looking to end the year with a fourth win against the hard-hitting Casillas.

2012 United States Olympian and heavyweight prospect Dominic Breazeale (1-0, 1 KO) introduced himself to professional boxing earlier this month taking just 66 seconds to stop Curtis Tate. He’s not about to let that momentum slip away, as he returns to the ring to take on fellow unbeaten Mike Bissett (1-0, 1 KO) of Nashville, a fighter who needed just 1:43 to win his pro debut against Roberto White in October.

In additional undercard bouts, Vallejos, Calif. heavyweight Gerald Washington (4-0, 3 KO’s) faces Jamiah Williamson (3-4, 2 KO’s) of Gardena, featherweight Manny Robles Jr. (2-0, 1 KO) takes on fellow Los Angeles product Misael Martinez (0-6) and Cincinnati lightweight Robert Easter Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) meets Bell’s Carlos Gonzalez (1-2). This trio of bouts are scheduled for four rounds each.

# # #

Guerrero vs. Berto, a 12-round world title fight between Four-Division and Six-Time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto for Guerrero’s WBC Interim Welterweight World Championship, will take place on November 24 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Also featured will be a junior middleweight fight between rising star Keith “One Time” Thurman and former World Champion Carlos Quintana. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or AXS at (888) 9AXS- TIX (888-929-7849), at the Citizens Business Bank Arena box office or online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.cbbankarena.com or www.axs.com.

ROBERT “THE GHOST GUERRERO, Four Division and Six Time World Champion
“There is nothing left to say. It’s time to fight. I’m ready to fight and take care of business on November 24.”

ANDRE BERTO, Former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion

“This has been a long time coming. I’ve had a hell of a year, going through a lot of trials and tribulations. I believe that everything happens for a reason and I’ve learned a lot about myself and how strong I am to get through what I’ve been through. I’m in a whole other mind frame and have a whole new motivation.

“I had a tremendous training camp and I’m in the best shape that I’ve been in in a long time. I’m focused and I think that’s the most important thing.

“I want to thank Team Guerrero for taking the fight. He’s a tough opponent and you definitely have to respect him for going through what he’s been through with his wife. There’s nothing to do but respect a man like that.

“I know he’s coming to fight, so that’s going to make it more exciting.

“I’m in shape and I’m ready to get back out there under the lights and have fun like I used to.”

KEITH “ONE TIME” THURMAN, Rising Junior Middleweight Star

“I’m living the dream right now. I’ve been fighting since I was seven years old and this is what I want, to be in a big fight on a big stage on HBO.

“We both want to be champions and one of us already has been and I’m up and coming. I plan on taking out many people during my career and being champion at 154 or 147.

“I have a lot of confidence going into this fight. I’m strong and ready. I’m going to do my thing ‘One Time.’

“This fight is what I’m talking about..I don’t want no chumps. He’s already looking forward and talking about fighting Canelo Alvarez, but I like that. I like the confidence he has, because I want to be in a good fight.

“I have plenty of confidence as well. So don’t blink, as I have a lot of early knockouts and I have the abilities and skills to make that happen again on Saturday night.”

CARLOS QUINTANA, Former World Champion

“I’m very excited to fight on this card on HBO, especially at 154 pounds.

“At 147 pounds, I had a very difficult time making weight, but I’m never looking back, I’m only looking forward to my future. At 154, I’m a new fighter and I’m undefeated.

“I expect a difficult fight from my opponent. He is young, strong and knows how to box, but come November 24, I’ll be victorious.

“I was once his age and know what it’s like to be hungry, but this is my time.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“November 24 is a special Thanksgiving treat for fight fans. In both fights, you have two warriors wiling to face each other to prove they are the best in their weight classes. It will be electrifying night of boxing.

“The co-featured fight is going to be a great fight. It’s a 50-50 fight, where it will be a toss of the coin type of fight. On one side you have a fighter who has the experience, confidence, speed, power and intelligence of a veteran [in Carlos Quintana], but on the other side, you have a future world champion who doesn’t have as much experience, but has youth, confidence and is an unbeaten rising star that brings excitement to the game.”

“With the main event, we are expecting record breaking numbers on HBO because of the magnitude of this fight. The winner of this fight is in line to face the best, the Mayweather’s and guys like that. Guerrero is a tough guy in the welterweight division and not scared to fight anybody. He is fighting one of the best and that’s why we respect him.

“I don’t care when you [Andre Berto] lose or how you lose, but when you come back and knockout your next opponent in the fifth round, that’s a man on a mission.”

# # #

Guerrero vs. Berto, a 12-round world title fight between Four-Division and Six-Time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto for Guerrero’s WBC Interim Welterweight World Championship, will take place on November 24 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Also featured will be a junior middleweight fight between rising star Keith “One Time” Thurman and former World Champion Carlos Quintana. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or AXS at (888) 9AXS- TIX (888-929-7849), at the Citizens Business Bank Arena box office or online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.cbbankarena.com or www.axs.com.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (November 21, 2012) – Rocky Balboa, eat your heart out!

In a battle of pound for pound box office attractions, eight-division world champion and Fighter of the Decade CONGRESSMAN MANNY PACQUIAO (@MannyPacquiao) and television’s late-night comedy king JIMMY KIMMEL (@JimmyKimmel) will go mano a mallo for the seventh time – more than any other active fighter — in their series of entertaining appearances together dating back to November 3, 2009. Pacquiao will appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (@JimmyKimmelLive / #JKL) Tonight ! Wednesday, November 21, on ABC, beginning at Midnight ET/PT. Sold out for weeks, Wednesday’s episode will feature comedian/actor Tim Allen and a musical performance by Flo Rida.

Kimmel, the self-proclaimed “lucky rabbit’s foot” of Pacman, has had the Filipino icon on his show before every fight for the past three years, with the first appearance taking place just one week before Pacquiao’s successful challenge of then-WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. It also marked Pacquiao’s late night network television debut. It was on that night that Pacquiao unveiled his singing chops, belting out a rendition of the Dan Hill-penned hit ballad “Sometimes When We Touch,” a song Hill and Pacquiao later remade. The single rose to No. 7 on the Secondary Adult Contemporary Chart as measured by the Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report (FMQB), where it spent four weeks in the Top-10 during the summer of 2011.

Pacquiao (53-4-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative of the Sarangani province in the Philippines, is in deep training for Act Four of his exciting and fistoric rivalry with Márquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs), of México City. Pacquiao and Márquez, who have won world titles in 12 weight divisions between them, will go mano a mano and toe-to-toe in a high-stakes welterweight showdown, Saturday, December 8, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, Zanfer Promotions, Márquez Boxing, Tecate and MGM Grand, Pacquiao-Márquez 4 will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

All-new editions of HBO’s all-access reality series 24/7 PACQUIAO/MARQUEZ 4 debut on Saturdays – November 24 (12:15-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), and December 1 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) – while the finale debuts Friday, December 7 (8:00-8:30 p.m. ET/PT), the night before the high-stakes welterweight showdown. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand and HBO GO®.

Remaining tickets to Pacquiao-Márquez 4 are priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The Pacquiao vs. Márquez 4 telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #PacMarquez to join the conversation on Twitter. For Pacquiao vs. Márquez updates, log on to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com.

LAS VEGAS – Heavyweight boxer, Bowie Tupou, 22-2, 16 KOs, has traveled many miles over the course of his lifetime. He was born in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga, grew up in Australia, moved to Los Angeles for his boxing career, then relocated to Las Vegas to improve his chances as a professional fighter. Next week, Tupou will log another 2,500 miles when he travels from Vegas to Philadelphia for the biggest fight of his boxing career, a December 8th match with Philly’s Bryant Jennings, 15-0, 7 KOs, for the latter’s USBA heavyweight championship. The 12-round main event will be nationally televised by NBC Sports Network as part of its Fight Night boxing series. The telecast will begin at 10PM ET.

Tupou lived in Tonga until he was eleven years old.

“It’s just one little island,” Tupou said of his homeland. “It’s not that big. You can walk the whole country, the whole island, in half a day.”

His family left Tonga for Australia in 1993. Bowie, one of six children, spent his early days playing sports, and attending school. “When you’re young, you just want to do something to keep active,” he said. “I was playing a bit of rugby. That’s mostly what we do in Australia.”

Eventually he became a professional rugby player, but that career didn’t last long. He found himself running around with his friends and not really applying himself to the sport.

“I didn’t play professional for that long,” he said. “I was just hanging around with my buddies not really focused on what I was supposed to do. Suddenly I found life was not going the way I planned.”

Tupou wasn’t getting himself in any real trouble, but he didn’t feel like he was growing up either. Eventually he met the woman who would become his wife, Georgia, also a Tongan living in Australia. She became a catalyst for many things in Tupou’s life.

“I proposed to my wife when I was 19,” Tupou said. “I wanted to stay out of trouble, and I needed to straighten out my life. That’s why I married so young. I settled down. It was something to keep me straight.”

Married and working various construction jobs, Tupou was putting food on the table and living a rather settled life, but he was still getting into an occasional street fight. That’s when his wife pointed him in a life-changing direction.

“Why don’t you go try out boxing?”, Georgia asked him. “It may help you mentally.”

“I was a physical guy,” Tupou said. “So I said, okay, I’ll have a go at it.”

Georgia had grown up in the same neighborhood as legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis, instructor of Down Under ring greats like Kostya Tsyzu and Jeff Fenech. So she made the introduction.

“I started with Johnny Lewis,” Tupou said. “Once I started training, I said, ‘Oh Yeah! I kind of like this’. So I always tell everybody that my wife talked me into boxing.”

Lewis insisted that the sometimes unfocused young Tupou dedicate himself to training for at least one year before scheduling any fights. Bowie complied, patiently working and applying himself as he’d never done before. The young version of himself probably would have grown restless waiting around for a match, but Tupou was a becoming a new man.

“There’s a lot to learn in boxing,” he said. “You’re not going to pick up boxing in one day. It takes time. In fact, you never stop learning about boxing.”

So after a year’s “apprenticeship” in the gym, Tupou finally got into the ring for the first time as an amateur boxer.

“I didn’t have a long amateur career,” Tupou said. “I only had one amateur fight. Then he (Lewis) put me through to the pros.”

Tupou rattled off nine straight victories as a professional in Australia. However, he kept working his construction job on the side, learning that boxing paydays in Australia are nothing to live on. It was at this point, 2007, that Tupou and his wife packed their bags and moved to Los Angeles.

He found his way to Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym and resumed his boxing career in the States.

“California, it was a new experience for me,” Tupou said. “A different lifestyle, but I knew my purpose. I knew the reason I came here.”

And so Bowie continued to fight and to win. The restless teenager was nowhere in sight. Tupou was living the life of a professional boxer and finally had a real goal to pursue.

“That is the dream of every fighter out there,” he said. “To win the heavyweight title.”

Four years ago, Tupou moved his base to Las Vegas and began working with Jeff Mayweather, the low-key link in the wild and wooly Mayweather boxing clan. Although he is still learning his trade, the time has come for him to make a real move toward his dream. Enter Bryant Jennings, and the December 8th title fight.

“I don’t know much about him,” Tupou said of his opponent. “But I know he has the USBA title. It will be a good fight. It will be a good night. And as they say, let the best man win.”

Tupou’s hard-earned maturity won’t allow him to trash-talk the least bit.

“Anything can happen during the fight,” he said. “My wish and my dream is to win this fight and to move on. We will both fight our fight and we’ll see who wins on that night. It should be a good night.”

ABOUT DECEMBER 8TH

Pearson/McGonigle Halls, a 4,500-seat venue at Temple University located at 1800 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19121. It has hosted both professional and amateur boxing in the past, but when NBC Sports Network broadcasts the sixth installment of its Fight Night series on Dec. 8, it will be the first professional boxing event held at Pearson/McGonigle Halls in over 19 years.

Eight bouts are planned for the Philadelphia card. The doors open at 6PM, first fight is at 7PM. The card is promoted by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, and Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with BAM Boxing. For ticket information, contact Peltz Boxing at 215-765-0922, www.peltzboxing.com. Tickets also are on sale at www.comcastTIX.com

To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here:http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

Tweet the link to NBC Sports Network Fight Night channel finder: bit.ly/175UuU
Twitter: #FightNight Twitter: @main_events @NBCSN Facebook:facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing facebook.com/NBCSports

November 20, 2012 – IBF middleweight champion, Daniel “Real Deal” Geale (28-1, 15 KOs), and Anthony Mundine (44-4, 26 KOs) will square off in a highly anticipated rematch on January 30, 2013. Both fighters hail from Australia, but one has stated his reasoning on why he’s going to lose.

That fighter is Anthony Mundine, who recently came out and said that Geale’s international promoter, Gary Shaw, and his relationship with the IBF is the reason he might lose this fight.

American Promoter Gary Shaw weighs in on Mundine’s recent rants saying, “Anthony Mundine is coming up with every excuse on why he’s going to lose his fight with Daniel. This obviously shows me he is lacking confidence in his ability to beat Geale. Just because I promote shows internationally, doesn’t mean I’m always on the winning end of each fight. This man is clearly delusional and I believe reality is starting to set in about Geale being a different fighter this time around. He knows he’s in for a long night.”

In 2009, Geale suffered his first loss when Mundine defeated him by way of a razor close split decision. Since then, Geale has become a two-time world champion, winning twice on German soil against Sebastian Sylvester (34-5-1, 16 KOs) and Felix Sturm (36-3-2, 16 KOs). Geale has stepped up his game since he last fought Mundine, and Gary Shaw knows this.

“Mundine is in trouble,” said Gary Shaw. “Daniel Geale is a much improved fighter since they last met and the world will see a major shift on how this fight is going to play out. He can say all he wants about the judging in this fight, but what he needs to be worried about is getting off the canvas.”

# # #

The Sydney Entertainment Centre has capacity of 11,500 guests and is located 35 Harbour Street, Darling Harbour NSW 2000, Australia. Tickets priced Cat 1-$1000, Cat 2-$500, Cat 3-$300, Cat 4-$200, Cat 5-$100 and Cat 6-$75 can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com from 9am AEDT Friday, November 16.

For more information on this terrific showdown and to interact with their chosen fighter, simply log onto www.mundinevgeale.com and show your support for Dan or The Man!

Once registered, you will receive regular updates from your chosen fighter as well as the opportunity to purchase tickets to next year’s blockbuster before they are released to the general public.

This is a rare opportunity step inside the inner sanctum ahead of one of the most anticipated boxing events in Australian sports history. Check out www.mundinevgeale.com and join Team Mundine or Team Geale now!

Exciting news for Robert Helenius (18-0, 11 KOs) and Kubrat Pulev (17-0, 9
KOs). Both top heavyweight contenders currently hold the number one spot in
their respective rankings.

After beating former world champions Lamon Brewster, Samuel Peter and
Siarhei Liakhovich, the WBO (World Boxing Organization) already instated
Helenius as their number one fighter back in September of last year.
However, after the fight for the European Championship against Dereck
Chisora in December 2011, the Finn had to take a longer break due to a
serious shoulder injury. On November 10, Helenius gave his successful
comeback in Helsinki. After ten rounds, the “Nordic Nightmare” won a
unanimous points decision against Sherman “The Tank” Williams – the WBO’s
previous number ten. In their latest Rankings, 28-year-old Helenius is back
as the number one ranked boxer.

Kubrat Pulev has also been enjoying some very successful months. The prodigy
of coach Otto Ramin first laced his gloves as a professional back in
September of 2009. In his debut fight as a pro, he beat Romanian Florian
Benche on points. Since then, the 31-year-old has won every single one of
his 17 fights and boasts a perfect record. The big break came this year
after beating Alexander Dimitrenko to claim the European Championship on Mai
5 in Erfurt, Germany. Another victory followed on September 29, when the
Bulgarian took on the 140-Kilo colossus Alexander Ustinov in Hamburg. Hence,
the move up to first place of the official IBF (International Boxing
Federation) rankings was just a matter of time.

The current WBO and IBF Champion is Wladimir Klitschko. The Ukrainian also
holds the WBA (World Boxing Association) Super Champion status. The regular
WBA Champion is Alexander Povetkin (25-0, 17 Kos), who is signed to Team
Sauerland just like Helenius and Pulev. “The hunt for Wladimir Klitschko is
on. First, he will have to face mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.
Once that fight has happened, we will see if Klitschko is still the
champion,” said a confident Kalle Sauerland. “We already have one
heavyweight world champion in Povetkin. With Robert Helenius and Kubrat
Pulev we have two more fighters who capable of taking the belts of
Klitschko. Added to that, we also have 24-year-old heavyweight hopeful
Edmund Gerber in our ranks. But before we can start thinking of anything
else, Klitschko has to face Povetkin.”

SUNRISE, Fla. (November 21, 2012) – Sunrise Sports & Entertainment and Golden Boy Promotions announced today that they have partnered on a new boxing series which will feature at least four annual live boxing events at the BB&T Center.

The new series will bring top-notch professional boxing action to the BB&T Center with each event featuring a guest appearance by a boxing legend.

“We are thrilled and honored to partner with an incredible athlete and entrepreneur such as Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions,” said SSE President Michael R. Yormark. “We believe that together we can take live professional boxing to the next level in South Florida.”

“At Golden Boy Promotions we are committed to bringing boxing to fight fans across the country and this new partnership is further proof of this,” said President of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “South Florida has traditionally been a hotbed for boxing and we are excited to have a new home with Michael Yormark and the BB&T Center.”

The date, main event and undercard fights, guest boxing legend and single event ticket information for the series’ inaugural event will be announced shortly.

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment is the premier company of its kind in South Florida. Florida Panthers social media is powered by Ford. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook . Home to the Florida Panthers Hockey Club and internationally recognized concerts and events, the Broward County-owned BB&T Center is one of the top ranked venues of its kind in the world.

Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by Oscar de la Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. In 2007, in its fifth year of promoting, Golden Boy Promotions set a record by selling over 2.5 million in pay-per-view homes in a single night. Also in 2007, Golden Boy Promotions established the record for highest grossing pay-per-view homes in a single year with more than 4 million total. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the United States on networks such as HBO, SHOWTIME, TeleFutura, FOX Sports Net and FOX Deportes. For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, visit us on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page.

BOB ARUM: The reports we are getting from the closed circuit exhibitors and the foreign broadcasters are very enthusiastic so we’re anticipating a tremendous event on December 8th. It will be a fight that will go into the annals of boxing history because these gentlemen that fought three previous times and over the course of the timeline, this fourth fight will be the best fight of all.

FREDDIE ROACH: We have a tough fight ahead of us. We know that Marquéz in a great counter-puncher. We are working on things to defeat that counter-puncher style. Manny is looking great in training. I like what I see. He is where I want him to be right now. His focus is where it has not been for some time. He is very focused for this fight and I think it’s going to be the best fight yet.

MANNY PACQUIAO: Training camp has been going great. I have really been training hard for this fight.

Do you plan on going for the knockout in this fight?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Right now my mind is focused on being more aggressive for this fight. If there is a chance in the ring during the fight, why not make the fight easy (knock him out) if I have the opportunity?

FREDDIE ROACH: The thing is Marquéz fought the fight at a slow pace the last time. We plan to fight the fight at a much faster pace this time like we did in the first fight in the early rounds – that’s where we had the most success. Going by all the tapes we have watched, we do our best when we are more aggressive. More hand speed. We are going to use a lot of that.

What do you think if the referee just would have stopped that first fight after the three first-round knockdowns?

FREDDIE ROACH: The thing is, the referee was very experienced and he made a good call. Now we are in the fourth fight, and Nacho Béristain is my big rival and we need a big win here.

Do you have any kind of relationship with Márquez outside of the ring?

MANNY PACQUIAO: No, we are just doing our job in the ring. We have a job to do, to do our best and make the people happy. I never hate my opponent outside of the ring. It is just my job to fight and there is nothing personal. I guess we are kind of friends because I look at all of my opponents as a friend.

Did the two of you sing a duet in México?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes, we did sing a song together at TV Azteca for a live show in México City. I remember that I was more on key than he was.

Are you worried about Márquez being stronger?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Our strategy for this fight is to be more aggressive. Develop strength more and focus on speed. I am not worried about his strength.

FREDDIE ROACH: I don’t think it is a factor. I don’t think muscle-men have a better chin. If anything, I think if you put a lot of muscle he will be a little slower than he used to be and we are going to take advantage of that.

Do you feel extra pressure considering [recent losses during] the last couple fights?

FREDDIE ROACH: No, I just do the job the best I can to get Manny ready for this fight. I thought Manny won the last fight [against Timothy Bradley] 11 rounds to 1 so I don’t really consider that a loss. So it’s just business as usual.

MANNY PACQUIAO: NO.

If you can’t get Floyd Mayweather into the ring next year will you continue to fight?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes, I will continue to fight through next year.

What is your motivation to fight Márquez?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I am giving him a chance. I am giving him a chance to prove he can win the fight because he thought he has won all three and he keeps talking about it. So it is very important to me, to win this fight, especially since Márquez really wanted this fight.

What is the difference in the two of you between the first fight and now?

MANNY PACQUIAO: We are much more experienced now. But it is not harder because we know each other so well in the ring.

Will you be able to be as aggressive now as you were a few years ago?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Right now I am training with more aggression and more intensity in the ring and that is our focus right now.

How do you plan to be more aggressive?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes, that’s why I train hard for this fight. More action, more condition in the ring, which I have been doing in all of training camp. I always train hard, but this time is a little harder. Harder and more punches, and some changes. We have been throwing more combinations, and changing our strategy – in movement. So it will be a little different than the last one.

Do you see a future fight against Cotto? Who will win Cotto vs. Trout?

MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes, there is a chance. I think Cotto will win the fight. Not sure if by decision or knockout. Better chance for knockout but not sure.

What are the best attributes of Márquez?

He is a good counter-puncher. He is very patient and sits back and waits for action. If I waited for him to throw the punches first, the fight would be boring. That’s why I have always been the one to make the fight between us.

Why have these fights been so close?

BOB ARUM: They are close because they are close. There was controversy after the last fight and they are matched very well together. Both of them will be looking for different strategies this time so that the winner will be more conclusive. That’s what they are saying – each of them will be more aggressive and each of them will be taking the fight to the other. That may be a disadvantage for Juan Manuel whose biggest advantage is counter-punching but he’s going to be a lot more aggressive as well.

Can you envision a fifth fight?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I don’t know. It’s hard to imagine a fourth one.

BOB ARUM: There is a possibility. Not likely but a possibility. Robinson and LaMotta fought 6 times.

Is there any strategy you want to change from the last three fights?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I will try not to fight as slow at the end of this fight as I did in the last three fights. That is my focus now. I want to finish stronger in this fight.

Do you feel added pressure to be better than the last couple of fights?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I don’t feel any extra pressure for this fight. I chose to fight him.

Juan Manuel is nervous about the judges…

MANNY PACQUIAO: I don’t have any say in the judges. I don’t pick the judges. I am an athlete and train hard to fight well in the ring. Selecting the referee and the judges is the job of the commission.

In closing…

BOB ARUM: I am certain that we will see a fight that is different from the other three.

MANNY PACQUIAO: I want to say thank you to all the fans and hope that you watch the fight on December 8 between Juan Manuel Márquez and me and it’s going to be a good fight in the ring.

**************************************

All-new editions of HBO’s all-access reality series 24/7 PACQUIAO/MÁRQUEZ 4 debut on Saturdays – November 24 (12:15-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), and December 1 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) – while the finale debuts Friday, December 7 (8:00-8:30 p.m. ET/PT), the night before the high-stakes welterweight showdown. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand and HBO GO®.

Remaining tickets to Pacquiao-Márquez 4 are priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The Pacquiao vs. Márquez 4 telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #PacMarquez to join the conversation on Twitter. For Pacquiao vs. Márquez updates, log on to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com.

Main Event
Andrey Fedosov 226 lbs. vs. Rodney Moore226 lbs.

Dimar Ortuz 192 lbs. vs. Terry Martin 189 lbs.

Mike Jimenez 170 lbs. vs. Antwun Echols 161 lbs.

Frank Scalise 135 lbs. vs. James Owens 133 lbs.

Jimmy Murphy 145 lbs. vs. Andrew Kato 149 lbs.

Simon Buettner 174 lbs. vs. Fred Thomas 167 lbs.

Brian Houston 206 lbs. vs. Josh Clark 223 lbs.

Jonathan Manos 158 lbs. vs. Bill Finn 160 lbs.

Adan Ortiz 121 lbs. vs. Salvador Perez 121 lbs.

Genaro Mendez 145 lbs. vs. Agustin Cicero 145 lbs.

Donatas Bondorovas 161 lbs. vs. David Thomas 162 lbs.

Abdulai Amidu 146 lbs. vs. Clifford McPherson 149 lbs.

Promoter: Hitz Boxing

Venue: Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, IN

ST. LOUIS (November 20, 2012) – The freakish physical attributes of North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Super Welterweight champion Willie “The Great” Nelson presents a clear and present danger, as well as a totally unique challenge, for World Boxing Council (WBC) 154-pound king Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0, 30 KOs).

Nelson(19-1-1, 11 KOs), the top-ranked American in the WBC ratings at No. 6, stands 6′ 4″ and has an 81″ reach. The 5′ 9″ Alvarez has never fought anybody even remotely close to Nelson’s size. In fact, in his six world title fights, the popular Mexican fighter’s opponents have averaged 5′ 9″ with a 70 3/4″ reach. The 5′ 11″ Kermit Cintron with his 74″ reach is the tallest and longest-reaching foe Alvarez has fought to date.

Rumble Time Promotions president Steve Smith, who co-promotes Nelson along with Lou DiBella (DiBella Entertainment), believes Nelson is ready to make some noise. “Willie’s willing to fight the top super welterweights in the world. He is done ruining the dreams of top prospects, as he did in his last two fights, and is ready to wake-up the boring 154-pound division. Willie can deliver to the networks what boxing fans really want to see – excitement and action! He can be a fresh face for the public to enjoy, replacing the same old faces of recycled fighters that fans are tired of watching. This is Willie Nelson’s time.”

Neither No. 1 ranked Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KOs) nor No. 2 Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyan distinguished themselves as viable title contenders in their recent WBC title eliminator. The only thing more disappointing than it ending in a nine-round draw, due to a cut over Martirosyan’s left eyebrow, resulting from an accidental clash of heads, was their overall lack of action.

Lara and Martirosyan have been awarded a rematch by the WBC to determine its mandatory challenger for Alvarez,whohas been granted a voluntary defense option. Although Alvarez is reportedly eying a mega-fight in May against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto or Sergio Martinez, if none of those fights are made, Nelson is ready, willing and able to accept that challenge.

“If ‘Canelo’ was going to fight the winner of Martirosyan and Lara,” Nelson’s head trainer Jack Lowe said, “hands down, Willie would give him a much better fight than either of those two guys. That fight was disgusting, the most boring title eliminator I’ve ever seen. Neither kid wanted it. They were fighting for a big payday and world title shot but neither of them wanted to really fight. ‘Canelo’ is the champ and I’ll give him his props, but Willie is next in line in the junior middleweight division. I’ve looked across the board, at all of the top boxing organizations, and there isn’t a world champion or top 5-fighter we wouldn’t fight right now. If not Alvarez, I’d like to see Willie in against Cotto, who has had his day, and I’d put him in against (Austin) Trout tonight. (Alfredo) Angulo, (James) Kirkland…those are the type of guys we’d like to fight.”

Nelson is coming off of impressive back-to-back victories by 10-round decisions over a pair of previously unbeaten prospects, two-time Cuban National champion Yudel Jhonson (12-1) on ShoBox, and WBC Youth champion John “Dah Rock” Jackson (13-1, 12 KOs), for the vacant NABF super welterweight title, on the September 15th Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. HBO Pay-Per-View event.

The only fighters ranked ahead of Nelson in the WBC ratings, other than Lara and Martiosyan, are virtually unknowns in North America: 3. WBC Baltic champion Damion Jonack (34-0-1, 21 KOs), of Poland; 4. WBC International titlist Emanuele Della Rosa (30-1, 8 KOs), of Italy; No. 5 European and WBC Silver champ Sergey Rabchenko (21-0, 16 KOs), of Bellarussia.

Cleveland-native Nelson, who trains in Youngstown, Ohio with Loew, has a rich amateur pedigree having had nearly 250 matches, including title-winning performances in the PAL Nationals twice and Under-19 Tournament, and only 22 losses.

Because of his freakish size for a junior middleweight, Nelson has been favorably compared to a right-handed Paul Williams, or a young Tommy Hearns. Nelson may not be as famous as his singing namesake, but Alvarez has never fought anybody like him, and boxing fans most certainly would be entertained by their contrasting styles and divergent body stature.

“What’s very interesting is that ‘Canelo’ was supposed to fight Paul Williams (who was paralyzed in motorcycle accident),” Loew added. “So, it’s not like Alvarez won’t take a fight against a guy with Willie’s freakish stature. I thought Paul would have had an excellent shot of beating Alvarez, as long as he didn’t get hit by a shot over the top. ‘Canelo’ is improving each fight but I don’t think he is a superstar. If he’d fight Paul Williams with his style, why not give us a shot? If Willie had only 15-20 amateur fights, I wouldn’t say he’s ready for ‘Canelo’ right now, but Willie had more than 200 amateur fights and 21 in the pros. He’s ready for Alvarez and confident.”

Go online to www.RumbleTimePromotions.com for more information about Nelson or any of his Rumble Time Promotions stable-mates.

Former world champion Hector “Macho”Camacho has been declared brain dead in Puerto Rico after being shot in the face on Tuesday.

The family of Camacho are now deciding weather to take him off life support

The report said that Camacho, who had little to no brain function as of Wednesday night and all tests have been completed.

Camacho was a passenger of a car and was shot shot in the neck and jaw.

The fifty year-old Camacho was the former WBC Super Featherweight, WBC Lightweight, WBO Jr. Welterweight champion and had a record of 79-6-3.

The Hangar at the OC Fair and Event Center will be shaking the weekend of December 6th thru 8th, as Roy Englebrecht Promotions announces a fight show doubleheader as good as any show in the country and at the best ticket price out there!

It all starts on Thursday, December 6th with America’s only hybrid series, featuring five boxing and three mixed martial arts bouts set. Featured on the 6th will be not one, but two undefeated heavyweight prospects, as Fight Club OC fans will see in action 10-0 Alexander “The Great” Flores taking on 10-4 Matt Hicks from Las Vegas. Then fight fans will see 11-0 heavyweight Vince Thompson face 4-5 Giovanni Sarran from Palmdale. Thompson has just signed a five year promotional agreement with Roy Englebrecht Promotions, giving the OC based promoter two undefeated heavyweights in his stable of fighters.

Other pro boxing bouts will see Azusa’s 2-2 (2 ko) Danny Martinez facing Daniel Martinez of Moreno Valley a veteran of two pro fights. Costa Mesa’s Steffan Lugo returns to The Hangar to battle Lawrence Letuli out of Carlsbad, and 3-4 (1 ko) John Worthy is back at Fight Club OC to face tough 6-1 (4 ko) Javier Albonica from Los Angeles.

The mixed martial arts portion of the show won’t disappoint either, as top warrior Ricardo Abreu out of Tito Ortiz’s Punishment Gym in Huntington Beach, and undefeated at 3-0 meets Nick Piecuch from Lompoc. The second MMA bout will see Lake Forest’s own 2-0 John Gorton meeting Romulo Romano at 2-2. The featured bout of the night will be a battle for the Beach. When Huntington Beach’s own Ozzie Alvarez sitting at 2-1 faces cross town rival Patrick Fitzgerald who’s hungry for his first pro win at 0-2, this fight will be war!

Saturday, December 8th Double Header

MMA & Muay Thai

Yes, two shows are better than one, and Roy Englebrecht Promotions has announced that the Saturday, December 8th Fight Club OC Rising Stars show will now see Muay Thai added to the show. If you are a fan of nonstop action you need to be at The Hangar on Saturday as the show will feature a total of 16 bouts, including 10 bouts featuring some of the best young Muay Thai fighters in Southern California, and six mixed martial arts bouts.

Three of the Muay Thai bouts will be for the inaugural Fight Club OC Muay Thai Ultimate II Belts!

To review the fight cards for December 6th and December 8th go to www.fightcluboc.com.

For those of you looking for a great place to hold your Holiday Party, why not consider a Fight Club OC All Inclusive VIP Suite for either December 6th or December 8th. Entertain from 12 to 24 people in your own suite, complete with a full buffet, all the beer, wine, cocktails, soda you want, a coffee and dessert card, and VIP Parking. For VIP Suite information contact Roy Englebrecht at (949) 760-3131 or boxing77@aol.com.

VIP Suite Only 35ft from all the ACTION!

To order tickets priced from $40 to $50 go to www.fightcluboc.com.

Remember to follow our Fight Club OC social networks for specials offers and promotions to upcoming shows!

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Nov. 20, 2012) – Having been out of the ring for nearly four months, Vladine Biosse is itching to show his loyal fans what he learned during his much-needed “vacation” when he returns Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 at Twin River Casino.

“You’re going to see a different Vladine Biosse,” promised the super middleweight prospect from Providence, R.I., appropriately nicknamed “Mr. Providence,” who will star in the six-round co-feature of the finale of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ Thursday Night Fight Series next week.

Of course, the term “vacation” is used facetiously since Biosse (14-1-1, 7 KOs) never really left the gym this summer despite not having a fight to prepare for. Instead, he and his trainer, Orlondo Valles, headed back to the drawing board to figure out what Biosse could do better, even in the aftermath of his knockout win over Michael Walchuck on July 19 at Twin River.

“That time off wasn’t to rest. That time off was to learn,” Biosse said. “We feel like we’ve gotten to the level where we have to step up the competition even more, so we needed a little time away to try to put some things together – some different things we saw from previous fights we needed to fix.

“It was a good thing, but as much as I thought it was a good idea, I still missed being in the ring, so the time to rest is done. I’m ready now. I’m more prepared. I’ll be more relaxed and much stronger mentally when I’m in the ring. I feel great.”

There’s also the added bonus of fighting on the same card as Providence’s Peter Manfredo Jr., who will face Rayco Saunders in the main event next Thursday. Since his meteoric rise as one of New England’s top prospects, followed by a successful stint on the debut season of The Contender reality television series, which made him a household name worldwide, Manfredo Jr. has been Rhode Island’s most beloved fighter for the past decade.

With two nationally-televised wins already on his resume, a fan base that continues to grow with each fight, and an outgoing personality to match his ability in the ring, Biosse is right on his heels – perhaps the heir to Manfredo’s throne once “The Pride Of Providence” finally steps away from the ring.

Eight years ago, Vinny Paz, the former five-time world champion from Providence, passed the torch to Manfredo Jr., both figuratively and literally, shortly before Manfredo Jr. began his journey with The Contender. Could Biosse be next?

“That’s what I fight for,” he said. “I feel I have so much more to give in this game. Being the man Peter is and everything he’s accomplished in this sport, hopefully one day I’ll be the guy he turns to in order to pass it onto me.”

Until then, Biosse is just thrilled to share the same stage as a fighter he considers a close friend and a mentor.

“Peter is one of my favorites,” Biosse said. “When I was first starting straight out of college and learning to box, long before my first amateur fights, he was already a pro and the man on The Contender, and he was one of the guys always encouraging me. He’s such a great personality and a great person.

“He’d never tell anyone, ‘Hey, you’re too old,’ or, ‘You don’t have what it takes.’ He was always the guy who, despite the discouragement I’d get from others, would tell me, ‘Keep doing it. Keep pushing yourself.’ With a guy who is positive like that, you run out of words.”

Local fight fans have other ideas; many want to see that proverbial torch change hands in the ring. Biosse has heard all the rumors, and he remains focused on the task at hand, though he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of he and Manfredo Jr. facing one another if – somehow, some way – their paths crossed in the ring.

“There’s a time and place for everything,” Biosse said. “I will always respect Peter and have love for him whether we fight or not. When the time comes, it will come, but there will definitely be no animosity or hard feelings. The game is the game, and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. That’s part of being in this business.

“If that fight is ever offered to me I’d be honored just to get in the same ring with him.”

That “time and place” is nothing more than an illusion right now for both fighters. Manfredo Jr. is back after a one-year layoff with no plans of passing his torch just yet, while Biosse – despite everything he’s accomplished in just three years – is still climbing the ladder one step at a time. Neither fighter is looking past Nov. 29, especially Biosse, who is looking to shake off the rust and show off his new look for his hometown fans.

“I’ll be ready,” Biosse said. “My fans will get the best of me, as they always do.”

Tickets for Nov. 29 are $40.00, $60.00, $100.00 and $150.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

The show also features a six-round super middleweight intrastate showdown between Alex Amparo (5-0, 3 KOs) of Providence and Joe Gardner (9-5-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket. Female bantamweight Shelito Vincent (5-0) of Providence (New London, Conn.) will battle unbeaten Rosie Serine (2-0) of Ottawa, Canada; and Burlington, Vt. (Willimantic, Conn.), light heavyweight Kevin Cobbs (6-0, 2 KOs) will face Tylon Burris (3-0, 2 KOs) of Hartford, Conn. Springfield, Mass., light heavyweight Reinaldo Graceski (2-0), and middleweight Thomas Falowo (8-1, 6 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I., will also be on the undercard in separate bouts. All bouts are subject to change.

(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “The Pride Is Back.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)

TOKYO, Japan (Nov. 20, 2012) – The opening round matches for the highly-anticipated GLORY 4 TOKYO – Heavyweight Grand Slam, one-night, 16-man kickboxing tournament at Saitama Super Arena on New Year’s Eve, were determined via a random draw in the Japanese capital today.

“The tournament draw has made some really interesting matches for the first round, matching the best rising stars with some of the sport’s biggest names. Some of the pairings are absolutely explosive and will be guaranteed wars,” says GLORY chairman Pierre Andurand.

“This is the world’s most prestigious kickboxing tournament and is the single biggest kickboxing event in history. We are extremely proud of this line-up that features fighters from over a dozen nations, and are very excited at seeing the tournament play out,” says GLORY Managing Director Marcus Luer.

“Tens of thousands of fans watched the draw online and it was attended by numerous members of the press both in Tokyo and online, guaranteeing that the eyes of the world will be on the Saitama Super Arena this New Year’s Eve.”

World No. 1 ranked heavyweight and No. 1 tournament seed Semmy Schilt (39-6, 18 KO’s), who won the GLORY heavyweight title earlier this year, drew Brice Guidon (28-7, 4 KO’s) of France as an opening round opponent. Schilt, an Ashihara Karate black belt, is a notoriously difficult opponent because of his size (2.12 meters/6-foot-11) and his unique style, which explains why only four men have ever beaten him in his entire career.

Guidon’s style is characterized by excellent timing. He is the WPMF European Heavyweight and WPMF World Super-Heavyweight champion and has fought Schilt once before, going the distance with him in Moscow, Russia earlier this year.

No. 2 seed is Gokhan Saki (77-15, 53 KO’s), of Turkish heritage, but born and raised in the Netherlands. Saki is a fan favourite worldwide and his famous left hook has put a quick and definitive end to many an opponent’s night. Saki is the shortest fighter in the tournament but also the most explosive and anyone who faces him knows they are going to get hurt.

Facing him in the first round will be the Japanese puncher Raomoru. He likes to get into a scrap and he will happily stand and trade with Saki, which should ensure that one of them will not be making it to the final bell.

Daniel Ghita (44-7, 34 KO’s), known as ‘The Savage Samurai,’ is the No. 3 seed. Noted for his brutal leg-kicks and technical kickboxing, he has dismantled all the opposition placed in front of him over the last two years. Ghita is now at his absolute prime and touted as a future all-time great. He is the second favourite to win the tournament, according to odds makers.

Ghita will face the Brazilian-Japanese fighter Fabiano ‘Cyclone’ Aoki (27-9, 14 KO’s) Hailing from the large Japanese-descent community to be found in the Belem region of Brazil, Aoki is from the same town as former UFC champion Lyoto Machida but competes in Japan. In recent years he has taken the RISE, J-Network and WPMF heavyweight titles.

No. 4 seed is the high-flying Remy Bonjasky (77-14, 40 KO’s). His breath taking array of flying kicks and knees makes him one of the most unique fighters ever to step into the ring and he always puts on a show. He returned to action this year after an extended layoff and showed that he deserves his spot at the upper end of the rankings.

Bonjasky will face Filip Verlinden (38-6, 17 KO’s), an outstandingly technical Muay Thai fighter. Verlinden had a long and successful amateur Muay Thai career which culminated in his winning a world title. Verlinden has trained from a young age under his father, a former champion, and it has been his lifelong dream to win a major kickboxing tournament.

No. 5 seed Peter Aerts (104-30-1, 78 KO’s) has, for two decades he won in the rings of Japan, becoming an idol to fans both there and around the world. Aerts is the oldest fighter in the competition but also the most experienced. He holds three wins over Schilt and there are few fighters who can surprise him with anything.

Opposing Aerts in the first round of the tournament will be his close friend and training partner Mourad Bouzidi (73-19, 33 KO’s). The draw was not what they wanted but such is the nature of things in tournaments and they say it will be strictly business on Dec. 31, with the friendship suspended until the fight is out of the way.

No. 6 seed Errol Zimmerman (76-16-1, 41 KO’s), ‘The Bonecrusher’, earned his nickname due to his ferocious right hand. Zimmerman’s raw power is unbelievable and he has been adding new skills to his game following an unsuccessful shot at the GLORY heavyweight title earlier this year.

The draw has matched Zimmerman with Jamal Ben Saddik (22-0, 19 KO’s) who has been referred to as the ‘Moroccan Semmy Schilt’ on account of his size. Almost as tall and as heavy as Schilt, it’s hard to believe Ben Saddik is just 22 years old. He made his professional debut last year by stopping Rico Verhoeven, who had never previously been knocked out.

No. 7 seed Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva (32-8-1, 22 KO’s) is Brazil’s top heavyweight and was Aerts’ main sparring partner for several years while based in Holland. He faced Bonjasky and fellow top heavyweight Badr Hari in 2012 and impressed fans in both starts. In 41 professional fights, the 26-year-old has never once been KO’d.

Silva faces the hard-hitting Igor Jurkovic (44-5, 29 KO’s) of Croatia. Jurkovic made his GLORY debut in Brussels earlier this year and stopped Tony Gregory of France with a body shot in the second round, earning himself a spot in the Grand Slam in the process.

No. 8 seed is the Russian bear, Sergei Kharitonov (22-7, 12 KO’s). A former paratrooper, Kharitonov knows a thing or two about shock tactics and he tries to overwhelm his opposition with the bombs he carries in each glove.

He has drawn Rico Verhoeven (37-6-1, 8 KO’s), regarded as one of the brightest young prospects in the heavyweight division. Verhoeven is 23 years old and has faced some stiff tests on the way to this tournament, including a win over the It’s Showtime heavyweight champion Hesdy Gerges.

GLORY tournaments use a seeding system akin to that used in tennis and other tournament sports. The top eight fighters in the official GLORY rankings were appointed seeds one through eight, respectively, in the invitation-only Heavyweight Grand Slame draw, and today’s draw determined which of the remaining eight participants would face them in the first fights of the night.

A total of $600,000 in prize money will be awarded during the GLORY 4 Tokyo – Heavyweight Grand Slam fight card, which represents one-half of the ‘GSI presents DREAM 18 and GLORY 4 Tokyo – New Year’s Eve Special,’ double-header event at Saitama Super Arena.

The action will kick off at 4 p.m. JST with DREAM 18, a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) card stacked with world-class talent to be announced soon.

About GLORY:

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

With television deals spanning every continent, plus a groundbreaking online video streaming system and the world’s largest online martial arts library, GLORY is one of the world’s most widely-broadcast sporting organizations.

Owned and operated by Glory Sports International (GSI), the organization has offices in Holland, the UK, Tokyo, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Its personnel includes a diverse mix of award-winning hedge-fund and private equity investors; principals from pioneering sports marketing agency Total Sport Asia; and senior level executives from several leading sports franchises, including WWE, FIFA, Golden Glory, Champions League and It’s Showtime.

In keeping with the Thanksgiving tradition of holiday sales, Main Events presents its own version of the annual pre-holiday sales extravaganza–“Black Eye Friday.”

Fans who purchase ringside or box seat tickets to any of Main Events’ next three upcoming NBC Fight Night events during this coming weekend will save 20% off the face value of the ticket. The sale begins on Black Friday, November 23 and ends at midnight Sunday, November 25.

This special, “Black Eye Friday” offer includes:

Jennings-Tupou: Ringside tickets for the December 8th NBC Sports Network event featuring America’s top up and coming heavyweight, Bryant Jennings vs. tough Tongan, Bowie Tupou at Temple University’s McGonigle Hall in Philadelphia. For three days only, beginning 10AM ET, Friday, November 23, ringside seats priced at $75 will be available at a 20% discount, for $60 per ticket, plus applicable taxes and fees. Fans can order by calling 215-704-6055 until 10PM ET Sunday, November 25th.

Adamek-Cunningham 2: While the ringside seats for the December 22nd rematch between heavyweight contenders Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham at the Sands Event Center in Bethlehem, PA have already sold out, a limited number of box seats for the historic NBC afternoon show have been added to the manifest. Those seats–located directly across from the ring and featuring the option of food and beverage service are perfect for large groups, parties and those who simply wish to have an incredible view of the action. Priced at $130, the box seats will be available at a price of $105.00, plus Ticketmaster fees during the sale, beginning 10AM ET, Friday, November 23. Box seats can be purchased at this special rate through the website only through 10PM ET, Sunday, November 25th. Discount code is BLACKEYE. Ticketmaster link to 12/22 Adamek – Cunningham

Great Christmas Gift-Campillo-Kovalev: Finally, tickets to the highly anticipated showdown between former World Light Heavyweight Champion Gabriel Campillo and up and coming Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev make the perfect Holiday gift for boxing fans. On January 19th, 2013 the NBC Sports Network travels to the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CN. Beginning Friday, November 23 at 10AM ET, ringside seats, regularly priced at $125, will be available to fans at $101, plus Ticketmaster fees during the big “Black Eye Friday” sales event. To take advantage, log on to Ticketmaster link to 1/19 Campillo – Kovalev before 10PM ET, Sunday, November 25th. Internet only – discount code is BLACKEYE.

Miguel Cotto
“Trout has been a World Champion and he deserves his recognition. I know why I accepted this challenge..

“Training in Big Bear was great and we accomplished all the goals that [trainer] Pedro [Diaz] had for us. Everything so far is going just as he planned. I’m feeling great.

“Pedro has been a great addition to my career and for our team. Everyone saw the results with my fights against (Antonio) Margarito and (Floyd) Mayweather. Now, we’ll see how I perform against Trout.

“All fights are different and every fighter is different, but I’m training hard like always and I’m ready to show that everyone on December 1st.

“Trout is not the only undefeated fighter that I have faced. He is not the first champion either. With that in mind, I will climb into the ring to win.”

Pedro Diaz

“Since I started working with Miguel Cotto, we talked about the future, different training techniques and new preparations like training at high altitude. We trained for three weeks in Puerto Rico to prepare Miguel for Big Bear. Once we got there, training was excellent.

“The final result was exactly what we wanted and we met our physical and mental goals for Miguel. Miguel has been in some very tough and difficult fights and we wanted to give his body some extra oxygen by training in Big Bear. Everyone knows the benefits of training at a high altitude and it paid off.

“We came back to Orlando to finish our preparations and everything has gone smoothly. He’s 100% ready and Miguel can feel the difference from this training camp to the others before. I know were going to win on December 1st.”

Jayson Velez

“I’m very emotional and happy about my upcoming fight. I’m fighting at a legendary venue and to fight on the co-main event underneath Miguel is an honor. This is also my first time on SHOWTIME and an opportunity that very few people get.

“I’m fighting a tough Mexican fighter and I’m expecting a war…Puerto Rico vs. Mexico! I promise everyone, it will be a great show.”

# # #

“Showdown: Cotto vs. Trout” is a 12-round battle between Four-Time and Three-Division World Champion Miguel Cotto and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin Trout taking place on Saturday, December 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The co-featured fights will see Jayson Velez take on Salvador Sanchez II in a 10-round fight for the vacant WBC Silver Featherweight title and Danny “Miracle Man” Jacobs battle Chris “The Irish Ghost” Fitzpatrick in a 10-round middleweight fight. The event is promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, sponsored by The Puerto Rican Tourism Board and Corona and will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.thegarden.com.

For more information, visit www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, and www.thegarden.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RealMiguelCotto, www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/NoDoubtTrout, www.twitter.com/Jayson_Velez, www.twitter.com/DanielJacobsTKO, www.twitter.com/MSGSportsNYC, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #CottoTrout or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

PHILADELPHIA – When word came this weekend that an injury was forcing Teon Kennedy to pull out of the December 8th nationally televised NBC Sports Network Fight Night co-feature bout with undefeated Jerry Belmontes, another hungry Philly fighter jumped at the chance to take his place. West Philly’s Eric “Outlaw” Hunter, 16-2, 9 KOs, has signed to face the rising Belmontes, 17-0, 5 KOs, in an extremely attractive matchup of up and coming prospects. The Fight Night telecast will begin at 9PM ET.
Hunter is a fighter with a big reputation in the tough boxing gyms of Philly. He’s been touted by many since his amateur days as one of the most talented boxers on the local scene.

Eric Hunter
Photo credits: phillyboxinghistory.com

In July, Hunter returned from a lengthy layoff with a flashy stoppage of Jason Rorie in Philadelphia. It was a fight that Hunter vowed would be the launching pad for the rest of his career, and the first step in reaching his potential. He promised to stay active and look for the key fights that would move him up the ranks. Clearly a nationally televised 10-rounder against the talented Jerry Belmontes was exactly what he was looking for.
“This is an incredible opportunity for Eric Hunter,” said Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz, matchmaker for the Fight Night series. “Here is a young fighter with a lot of ability but his career was in limbo and all of a sudden he gets a chance to fight on the hottest boxing series on television and it’s in his hometown. Most fighters would give their eye teeth for this kind of opportunity and Eric jumped at it. Good for him!”
Eric Hunter appears ready to keep his word and fight his way to the top of his division.
However, Jerry Belmontes has his own plans and high expectations to meet. As an amateur, Belmontes, was a superstar, and the “Corpus Christi Kid”, as he is known, has knocked off every professional fighter put in his path. In his last start, Belmontes made his East Coast debut with a solid 8-round unanimous decision over Joselito Collado in Newark, NJ.
Peltz sums it up by saying this match up is ” a crossroads fight between two very good junior lightweights, the winner of which should be rated in the top 15 when the fight is over.”

ABOUT DECEMBER 8TH
Pearson/McGonigle Halls, a 4,500-seat venue at Temple University located at 1800 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19121. It has hosted both professional and amateur boxing in the past, but when NBC Sports Network broadcasts the sixth installment of its Fight Night series on Dec. 8, it will be the first professional boxing event held at Pearson/McGonigle Halls in over 19 years.

Eight bouts are planned for the Philadelphia card. The fight is promoted by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, and Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with BAM Boxing. For ticket information, contact Peltz Boxing at 215-765-0922, www.peltzboxing.com. Tickets also are on sale at www.comcastTIX.com.

To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here:http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

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DETROIT, MI (November 19, 2012) In less than two rounds this past Saturday night, the global landscape of the heavyweight boxing division was given a much-needed shot in the arm. World ranked heavyweight Johnathon Banks proved himself to be “The Best Heavyweight From The United States” with a devastating second round knockout of undefeated and highly regarded Seth Mitchell at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Broadcast LIVE on HBO’s World Championship Boxing, the replay will be shown Tonight at 12:15AM ET/PT and Tomorrow night, Tuesday, NOVEMBER 20 on HBO2 at 11:00PM ET/PT.

Along with training for his own heavyweight showdown with Mitchell, the 30-year-old Emanuel Steward Protégé was preparing World Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko in Austria for his defense against world ranked challenger Mariusz Wach. Klitschko’s fight took place on NOVEMBER 10 in Hamburg, Germany where won a dominant twelve round decision with Banks in his corner.

“My training schedule was hard but I’ve been a boxing person my whole life. I trained twice each day for my fight with my trainer Javan ‘Sugar” Hill (Steward’s nephew) and I trained Wladimir twice each day for his fight” said the Detroit native.

“Having Wladimir win his fight and then beating Mitchell on HBO a week later made it completely worthwhile” said the classy and humble Banks who was tabbed by Klitschko to lead his training camp and work his corner upon the untimely passing of Hall of Fame trainer Steward.

“Emanuel was my trainer, friend and mentor since I was 15. All the time I spent with him over the years in and out of the Kronk Gym prepared me for this time. I’m glad it worked out so well for Wlad and myself, just as Emanuel said it would go. We both felt his spirit in our fights and he was definitely still giving instructions from above.”

Added Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, “For a long time fans and media have looked for the next great heavyweight from the United States. Johnathon decisively added his name to the top of the list with his devastating stoppage of Mitchell. He had a terrific camp with the team in Austria and he was fully prepared for this fight.”

“This win opens a lot of doors now for Johnathon and there are many great matches for him in the heavyweight division. It’s a true testament to him as a person and his talents in the ring that he could overcome the adversity he’s faced over the last two months and put on such a great performance.”

“Never before has a fighter trained and worked the corner of the World Heavyweight Champion and then won his own highly significant title fight the following week. “

ABOUT K2 PROMOTIONS

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

For more information, please visit their website at

www.K-2Promotions.com