Former two division world champion Ricky Hatton will make his much anticipated comeback against former WBA Welterweight champion Vyacheslav Sanchenko on November 24th in Manchester, England according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I can’t wait to get in the ring now and I’m sure that Vyacheslav Senchenko will give me a good fight. It’s one that I am confident I can win, though,” said Hatton, who turns 34 next week.

Hatton stopped Malignaggi in the 11th round of a lineal junior welterweight championship fight in November 2008 in Las Vegas, one bout before Hatton got knocked out by Pacquiao.

“Senchenko lost the last time he fought to Paulie Malignaggi but he has got a good pedigree,” Hatton said. “I’m in great shape, I’m feeling good and I know I can put on a performance for all those watching.

“I’m a boxer who loves boxing and loves to box. I’m driven by a hunger to box and look forward to getting back in the ring on the 24th.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Featherweight titlist Orlando Salido fractured a finger by accidentally slamming his hand into a car door and his November 10th defense against undefeated Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia has to be postponed.

“The worst part of this is that it was not even a boxing-related injury,” said Salido’s manager Sean Gibbons. “It’s just bad luck. One of his guys shut the door on his hand by accident. Just a freak accident.

“We’ve never had an injury and had to pull out of a fight before. Salido is one of the healthiest guys you’ll meet. He’s always in condition. He doesn’t ever get too far out of shape but these things happen.”

Gibbons said that Salido would be ready to fight again in early January.

“This guy was making a very high six-figure payday for this fight,” Gibbons said. “Even though he was making a good purse, he’s got too much pride and heart just to go through with it and not be 100 percent. He isn’t just fighting for the payday. He wants it to heal properly so he can train properly so he can win the fight. Some guys would jump at the payday even if they were injured, just because of the money. But Salido has a lot of pride. He doesn’t want to just fight. He wants to win.”

“HBO’s intention is to go forward with the card,” said Top Rank’s Carl Moretti. “I’m talking to them. Everybody is in mind to fight Mikey. It depends on who is available and who we can get.”

The co-feature remains intact, a junior middleweight title elimination bout between 2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes Martirosyan (32-0, 20 KOs) against Erislandy Lara (17-1-1, 11 KOs) for the right to become the mandatory challenger for titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

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LAWTON, OK (September 28, 2012) Middleweight contender George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah returns home to the Comanche Nation Casino TONIGHT to face off against Tuscaloosa, Alabama native Gundrick “Sho Gun” King for the NABA Middleweight Title.

Presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, the Tahdooahnippah/King ten round clash headlines “Comanche Nation’s Friday Night Fights”, a six bout evening of world class professional boxing which will be broadcast LIVE on the internet at GO FIGHT LIVE (www.GFL.tv).

The fight can be seen Live beginning at 8pm eastern for just $9.99 beginning by clicking: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Comanche_Nations_Friday_Night_Fights/1672

Said DeGuardia, “We’re very excited to work with the team at the Comanche Nation Casino in this title bout for George. We’ve got big plans for his future and are excited to show fight fans in Lawton as well as those watching online across the country how truly exciting he is.”

Speaking about the fight, Tahdooahnippah stated, “This is a very big fight for me, my first for Star Boxing and I’m very happy that it will be broadcast LIVE on GO FIGHTLIVE so that Native Americans and fight fans across the country can see me fight.”

“King is an ex-college football player, very strong and a southpaw. He’s obviously looking to make his name off my undefeated record, but I’ve prepared very well. We’ve had a great camp and excellent southpaw sparring.”

Tahdooahnippah is undefeated with a sterling record of 30-0-1 with 22 knockouts while King brings a record of 18-8-0 (11KO’s) in the title bout.

Speaking further about fighting back home at the Comanche Nation Casino, Tahdooahnippah stated, “This weekend is the Comanche Nation Fair and there will be a massive crowd attending the fair and I very much look forward to their support.”

About his future plans, “I need to look good here and dominate, I trust Star Boxing to take me to the next level and this fight is the first step. Ideally, I’d like to fight a top ten middleweight in my next bout.”

Tahdooahnippah won the first two bouts of his 2012 campaign; most recently dominating Rahman Yusubov over six rounds on APRIL 26 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Riding a two bout-winning streak, Gundrick enters the title bout against Tahdooahnippah with a record of 18-8-0 (11KO’s). In his last outing Gundrick won a unanimous decision over Mikel Williams on AUGUST 4 in Mobile, Alabama.

The Comanche Nation Casino is located at 402 SE Interstate Drive in Lawton, Oklahoma, 73501. Doors on the evening of the event will open at 6:30pm with the first bell at 7:00pm.

General admission tickets priced at $15, ($20 day of show) can be purchased through Stub Wire (www.StubWire.com)

For more information on the Comanche Nation Casino, please visit their website at www.comanchenationcasinos.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 28, 2012) – On paper, it could be the fight of the night, or perhaps the fight of the year, a bona fide main event on almost any other card.

The impending Oct. 6 showdown between Saul Almeida and Calvin Kattar is almost too good to be true, so much so that it might make fight fans wonder why two red-hot prospects in their mid-20s are willing to risk their records and reputations against one another in front of a worldwide Pay Per View audience.

“Fights like this don’t come around often,” Kattar said. “I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.”

This rare match-up will take place on the undercard of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Real Pain” mixed martial arts event Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in association with June Entertainment.

The event, which is available live on Direct TV Pay Per View, features the professional debut of former six-time World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) heavyweight champion Dave Bautista, but the Kattar-Almeida showdown could steal the show, even with four former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veterans on the undercard.

Kattar, a Methuen, Mass., native and Almeida, who hails from nearby Framingham, enter next weekend’s featherweight showdown with identical records (12-2) and equal opportunities to climb even higher if they win the fight.

According to the website ULTMMA.com (Uniting Fighters Locally Through Mixed Martial Arts), which ranks “unsigned” fighters – primarily those not affiliated with the UFC or signed by another major promotion – on a pound-for-pound scale and by their respective weight class, Almeida and Kattar are No. 5 and No. 11, respectively, in the pound-for-pound rankings, a list that includes fighters from New York, Iceland, Brazil and Germany.

Kattar, a natural lightweight (155 pounds), is dropping to 145 to face Almeida, who has never lost in the featherweight division (both of his losses, including his most recent setback against Matt Bessette at the Bellator Fighting Championships in March, have come at 155). While the two have identical records, this is actually a stark contrast in styles; six of Kattar’s 12 wins have ended by knockout, prompting the nickname “The Boston Finisher,” whereas “The Spider” Almeida has gone the distance 10 times in his 12 wins, using his lanky, 6-foot-1 frame to impose his will on his opponents.

“He’s a little unpredictable,” Kattar said. “Long, definitely rangy – he likes to impose his will, and I generally like to do the same, so it’ll be an interesting fight.”

“He likes to trade a little more and push the pace,” Almeida countered. “It’ll be interesting to see who can impose their will. This is the fight that’s supposed to happen. Everyone wants to see it. I want to fight the best and I feel as though he and I are right up there, so it’s a big fight for both of us.”

Though the perception is Almeida would rather keep the fight on the ground, “The Spider” is quick to point out he was a black belt in karate at 10 years old and began boxing at 16. He even made his professional boxing debut in July, a fight that ended in a no-contest due to an accidental headbutt.

Kattar doesn’t care where the fight ends up; he’s preparing for every imaginable scenario.

“I don’t want to say, ‘He can’t take me to the ground!’ because then I’ll get taken down and there goes my whole game plan,” he said. “I’ll adjust as the fight goes.”

What the future holds for the winner remains to be seen, but both fighters understand the implications. Kattar has a show a willingness throughout his career to fight anyone at any given time. He’s won four consecutive fights dating back to 2010, including wins over Jeff Anderson and Cody Stevens, both of whom have also lost to Almeida. Throw in Kevin Roddy, who has also lost to both fighters, and that makes three common opponents.

Considering they’ve traveled similar paths to the top, Kattar is correct in saying next month’s showdown against Almeida has “been a long time coming.”

“He kept winning, I kept winning – the fight had been hanging around for a while, but it never made as much sense as it does right now,” Kattar said. “CES made it happen.”

“He was never someone I was gunning for,” Almeida said, “but once he dropped down to featherweight, I knew it’d be a possibility. I really see the winner moving on [to something bigger].”

The only major difference between the two as they prepare to face one another on Oct. 6 is Kattar has been red-hot of late, whereas Almeida is coming off a loss, one in which he blames his own lack of focus for the outcome.

“My head wasn’t it,” he said. “I wasn’t listening to my team or my corner. I wasn’t following the game plan. I looked at the fight afterward and I knew I was sloppy. Not to take anything away from [Bessette], but that wasn’t me out there.

“I feel better now,” he added. “Plus, I’m fighting at 145. I feel stronger and quicker at this weight. I’ve never lost at 145, so it should be a good fight.”

Kattar hasn’t fought since October; he had a fight lined up for August that fell through the day of the weigh-in. Rust might be a factor, but he’s been in the gym consistently since the beginning of his last training camp, so he doesn’t anticipate any problems matching Almeida’s impeccable level of conditioning.

“Given the caliber of opponent, I know I won’t have a problem,” Kattar said. “I know he’ll be ready, too.”

When it’s all said done, Kattar might even have enough time afterward to enjoy the rest of the fight card, including Bautista’s highly-anticipated debut.

“The cool part is this on the undercard, so there’s a little less pressure for me,” he said. “This is the perfect storm. This is what fight is all about. I’m excited to finally have this opportunity.”

The Oct. 6 undercard features 13 fights, including four Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veterans. Charleston, S.C., middleweight Chris McNally (5-4) will face former UFC title contender Dave Loiseau (20-10, 13 KOs); former UFC welterweight Marc Stevens (14-7, 6 KOs) of Lorraine, N.Y., will face dangerous Providence native Luis Felix (7-6, 4 KOs); Boston native John “Doomsday” Howard (17-7, 6 KOs), a veteran of seven UFC shows will take on middleweight Brett Chism (16-11, 7 KOs) of Valdosta, Ga.; and former UFC welterweight Chad Reiner (29-13, 9 KOs) of Omaha, Neb., will face Pawtucket, R.I., veteran Keith Jeffrey (8-2).

The remainder of the undercard is littered with Top 10 regional fighters. Pawtucket’s Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle (10-7, 8 KOs), the former CES MMA middleweight champion, will end his five-month layoff and face Boulder, Colo., native Chandler Holderness (9-3, 4 KOs) in a bout originally scheduled for June before Chattelle suffered an arm injury during training camp. In the 205-pound division, Providence’s Greg Rebello (13-4, 7 KOs), No. 3 in the northeast, will look to get back on track against Chris Guillen (13-12, 1 KO) of St. George, Utah. Providence’s Mike “The Beast” Campbell (11-4, 7 KOs), now ranked No. 5 among lightweights in the northeast, will face Philadelphia’s Gemiyale Adkins (7-3, 3 KOs), a former welterweight making his first appearance in the 155-pound division.

“Real Pain” also features another battle between two Top 10 fighters, this time in the heavyweight division with No. 3 Josh Diekmann (12-4, 8 KOs) of Groton, Conn., facing No. 5 Tyler King (4-1, 2 KOs), a former NFL offensive lineman from Norwood, Mass. King and Diekmann actually fought on the same card in separate bouts in Rhode Island back in February; King beat Eric Bedard while Diekmann lost to former UFC contender Josh Hendricks.

Also on the undercard, No. 6 ranked middleweight Brennan Ward (3-0, 2 KOs) of Providence will face Shedrick “Chocolate Thunder” Goodridge (2-2) of Rahway, N.J.; Providence’s Nate Andrews (1-0) will battle Leon Davis (2-0) of Springfield, Mass., in an interstate welterweight showdown; bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath (2-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., will face Rob Costa (2-0) of Fall River, Mass.; and Waltham, Mass., welterweight Tyson Chartier (3-2, 1 KO) will face Kevin Horowitz (4-4) of Queens.

Tickets are available at www.cesmma.com or www.ticketmaster.com and are priced at $20.00, $35.00, $55.00, $75.00, $125.00 and $250.00. The show will also air live on Direct TV Pay Per View for $29.95 ($39.95 in high definition) – available starting this week – beginning at 8 p.m., or through Livestream via www.bautistamma.com in high definition.

He produced the songs for Dariusz Michalczewski, Graciano “Rocky”
Rocchigiani and Henry Maske, whose walk-in tune “Time to say Goodbye” is one
of the greatest songs in boxing history. Next in line could be “Golden”
Jack, who is defending his WBA Intercontinental Championship at the
Sporthalle Hamburg against Mark Thompson on Saturday. Producer of the stars,
Frank Peterson, is sending the singing monks of Gregorian (over 6 Mio. sold
copies) to the ring. The chart toppers, who jumped straight into the German
top ten with their new album “Epic Chants”, will sing their newest single
“World Without End” in cooperation with the Russian singer Eva Mali, to
perform for Culcay. And the German shooting star is already looking forward
to the show act: “I am so excited to be walking into the ring to Gregorian.
I don’t want to give away too much, but the show is going to be of the
chain.” But not only will the musical highlight be of great quality. The
sport on display will also get the crowd roaring. Right after Culcay,
Alexander Povetkin steps into the ring. The WBA Heavyweight Champion will
face Hasim Rahman from America. Also putting his belts on the line is Kubrat
Pulev who has to defend his European Heavyweight and IBF-International
Championship against Alexander Ustinov.

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NEWARK, NJ (September 27, 2012) Saturday night, September 29th, live from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT, HBO Boxing After Dark will feature an exciting triple-header which will begin at 9:30PM with a bout between Alex “The Brick City Bullet” Perez and Antonin Decarie for Decarie’s WBC International Title and the vacant NABF Title. Many boxing insiders feel this match up can easily end up being the fight of the night.

Alex “The Brick City Bullet” Perez, 16-0, 9 KOs, is a tough and exciting fighter from Newark, NJ. Decarie, 26-1, 7 KOs, is also an action fighter, who has fought top competition and has been very successful. While neither fighter is a household name, both are top welterweights on the brink of stardom. When DiBella announced the fight he said, “It is a fight that people are legitimately excited about. Alex Perez is one of my best prospects and I think it’s going to be a great fight with Antonin Decarie.”

Since turning professional in 2004, Perez has experienced many ups and downs outside of the ring, but he has always trained hard and remained focused when in the ring under the tutelage of trainer/manager Jose Rosario. He is selective with his company and he travels with a small circle of close friends and family that form “Team Perez”. He is in the best shape of his life and is more than ready for Saturday, recently saying, “I always fight my heart out because I want to give my three sons a life that I always dreamed of and I also know my grandmother who passed away recently is watching over me.”

After an impressive amateur career, Alex successfully turned pro but was shot in the chest just weeks later. He recovered, returned to the sport and quickly found success back in the ring. However, just when things started to progress in his career again, Alex found himself looking at 30 years in prison while facing gun and aggravated assault charges. Perez, who prides himself on his faith and loyalty to his family and friends had that loyalty repaid when Danny Serratelli, a close friend who had trained with Perez since he was a teenager took the case pro bono. With the help of “Team Perez” the truth was brought to light and he was exonerated on all charges. At that point Perez returned to the ring with a vengeance and after picking up a couple of wins he signed with promoter Lou DiBella.

Since signing with Lou DiBella he feels that he has been given the opportunities that he may have lacked in the past and he is now on the fast track to the top of the 147 pound division. After his most recent unanimous decision victory over highly regarded Francisco “El Gato” Figueroa some people have finally started to take notice, but the fight with Decarie on HBO is the biggest of his career and he is ready to show the world who “The Brick City Bullet” is. The powerful and rangy southpaw has a crowd pleasing style and always comes to fight 110%. He is a difficult match up for any fighter and has served as the main sparring partner for champions such as Felix Sturm, Miguel Cotto, and most recently, Sergio Martinez.

The Canadian-born Antonin Decarie, is the #8 ranked WBC welterweight and holder of the WBC International welterweight title. Since turning professional in 2005, Decarie has only lost one bout, a 12 round decision to Souleymane M’baye for the interm WBA World welterweight title back in 2010. Since that lone loss, Decarie has won three straight fights, including his last victory over Victor Lupo Puiu for the WBC International welterweight title.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Gary Shaw Productions. All three bouts will be aired on HBO’s Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the Foxwoods box office by calling 1 (800) 200-2882. Tickets are priced at $45, $75, $100 and $200. Further information on Alex “The Brick City Bullet” Perez can be found on www.Brickcityboxing.com

TIJUANA, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 27, 2012)— Juan Carlos Burgos is ready for his mandated challenge against newly crowned WBO Jr. Lightweight champion Roman “Rocky” Martinez.

Burgos of Tijuana, Mexico is promoted by Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions.

Burgos, 30-1 with twenty knockouts is now ranked number-one by the WBO and has been informed that Martinez must defend against him next.

Since his one blemish which came in his only world title opportunity against Hozumi Hasegawa, Burgos has won five in a row against top competition such as contenders Frankie Archueta, Gilberto Sanchez Leon; undefeated upstarts in Luis Cruz and Cesar Vazquez as well as former world champion Cristobal Cruz.

“I am ready for Rocky Martinez, he showed his ability on his fight against Beltran Jr., and was the deserving of the title, but I’m ready to challenge him for it,” said Burgos from his native Tijuana, Mexico.

“I want to thank the WBO for giving me this opportunity which I had a chance for before,” reminisced Burgos who fought and lost a title bout against Hozumi Hasegawa in Nagoya, Japan. “I won’t let this one get away from me, I want to fulfill my destiny with the WBO belt around my waist, I just need to know the date so I can prepare to go to war with Martinez”

“Juan Carlos is a young warrior that has been waiting for his shot at the title. We are confident he will make the best of it but it will not be an easy task against a good fighter like Rocky Martinez. It should be a great fight for the fans and we are proud to have gotten Burgos back where he belongs”, Said Alex Camponovo General Manager and Matchmaker of Thompson Boxing

“Juan Carlos has shown that he is more than ready for this opportunity”, said Artie Pelullo CEO of Banner Promotions

“He has defeated the best at 130 pounds and we are very confident that he will defeat Martinez in what should be a fabulous fight. This will be another classic fight between Puerto Rican and Mexican fighters”

Martinez, 26-1-1 with sixteen knockouts won the title with a twelve round split decision victory over Miguel Beltran Jr. on September 15th on the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. – Sergio Martinez Pay Per View card.

NEW YORK (Sept. 27, 2012) – Two days after a press conference in New York to formally announce “Showdown: Cotto vs. Trout,” Miguel Cotto and Austin Trout were in Puerto Rico on Wednesday to discuss their upcoming world title fight on Saturday, December 1, at Madison Square Garden.

Speaking outdoors at a public press conference at Anfiteatro Paseo De Las Artes Calle Padial in Caguas, Four-Time and Three-Division World Champion Cotto and defending WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Trout spoke enthusiastically about the impending fight with Cotto emphatically declaring his intention to win.

While addressing his adoring fans and media in his native country, Cotto guaranteed a victory: “Thank you all for coming today. We are very happy to see you all and (I thank you for) your great support. I can only say that I will train as hard as I can like I always do, and on December 1, I will become world champion again. I’ll guarantee you all that I will return to Puerto Rico as a champion.”

“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 December 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event is promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, sponsored by Corona and televised on SHOWTIME.

Tickets priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and can be purchased 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.

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (September 27, 2012) – Promoter Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment, hosted the final pre-fight “Road To Glory” press conference today in the Celebrity Room at MGM Grand at Foxwoods for Saturday night’s special HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader, live from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

“Road To Glory,” headlined by a 10-round title bout featuring undefeated super middleweight contender Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs), fighting out of nearby Worcester, Massachusetts, defending his United States Boxing Association (USBA) against unbeaten power-puncher Jason “Monstruo” Escalera (13-0-1, 12 KOs), of Union City, New Jersey.

Also fighting on the HBO BAD show is undefeated Luis Orlando “Orlandito” Del Valle (16-0, 11 KOs) vs. former three-time, two-division world champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (37-5-1, 27 KOs), in the 10-round co-feature for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight title.

World Boxing Council (WBC) International welterweight champion Antonin Decarie (26-1, 7 KOs), rated No. 8 by the WBC and fighting out of Quebec, challenges the unbeaten challenger Alex Perez (16-0, 9 KOs), of Newark, New Jersey, for the vacant NABF welterweight belt.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Gary Shaw Productions. All three bouts will be aired on HBO’s Boxing After Dark, beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Press Conference Quotes

Edwin Rodriguez: “I had a good training camp in Houston. They put me through hell. I’m ready to show the world that I’m a top 10 super middleweight in the world. I know Jason Escalera is a good fighter. He’s Puerto Rican, so he has a lot of will. Saturday night I need to break him down, take his will, and knock him out. I’m going to stay in the middle of the ring and take this guy out before the sixth round.”

Jason Escalera (L) Edwin Rodriguez (R)

Jason Escalera: “I’m excited. Camp was good and I was in the ring with known fighters like Demetrius Hopkins, Joe Smith, Ossie Duran, Glen Tapia, Danny Jacobs and Curtis Stevens. I’ve been working for this day to put on a show. Lou (DiBella), I’m going to disappoint you. I gotta do what I gotta do.”

Luis Orlando Del Valle: “I’m excited. It’s been 12 years of working hard for this time and it’s finally here. I guarantee everybody in boxing will know who Luis Orlando Del Valle is. It’s an honor for me to fight Vic Darchinyan, but everybody’s time comes. This is my time to step up and Vic Darchinyan’s ends. I’ll prove it Saturday night on my way to winning a world title. This is the first of many to come.”

Vic Darchinyan: “I want to thank HBO; it’s my first time on HBO. You will see a very exciting fight from me on fight night.”

Antonin Decarie: “This is an amazing opportunity for me to establish myself as one of the best welterweights in the world. It’s my time to shine. I’m so proud to be fighting on HBO. This is a dream come true. Saturday night will be great for me.”

Alex Perez: “I’m ready to go 10 rounds. I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. Basically, it’s a dream come true.”

Lou DiBella w/ Edwin Rodriguez

Lou DiBella (promoter of Rodriquez & Perez, co-promoter of Del Valle): “This event is selling very, very well and I hope to have a full room on Saturday night.

“This is an opportunity for these young fighters to shine, but it’s a crossroads fight for all of them. Everybody on this card has their hands full. Everybody knows Vic Darchinyan, but this is pretty much the first time on a big show for the other fighters. You’ve got to get out and entertain, not just win, and that’s the type of fighters that people want to see.

“Escalera can’t be in a bad fight. He keeps coming forward throwing punches. Having said that, I don’t think he will win, but it’s going to be a great fight. It’s the kind of match that’s entertaining and exciting. That’s why it’s on HBO. Edwin is now a top contender in the world. He is one of the top 168-pounders in the world.”

Joe DeGuardia (Escalera’s promoter, Star Boxing): “Like Lou said, Escalera can’t be in a dull fight. He’s like Rocky, working in a meat market for the last eight years. I’m proud of him. He’s taken on anybody we’ve put in front of him. He punches like a mule. He keeps ticking and is undefeated. He’s an undefeated brawler. People want to see a fighter like him. He’s coming into Rodriguez’ hometown going for a knockout.”

Gary Shaw (Darchinyan’s promoter and Del Valle’s co-promoter): “When Lou first called me about Luis Orlando Del Valle and Vic Darchinyan, I had mixed emotions. I have a share of ‘Orlandito’ and I’ve traveled the world with Vic and his team from Armenia. It’s a major fight for both fighters. If ‘Orlandito’ knocks off Vic, it makes a major statement; it’s the first time at 122lbs. for Vic and he can be a force if he beats ‘Orlandito.’ Maybe he can get a shot at (Nonito) Donaire before he goes to 126. It’s a major crossroads fight. Vic singlehandedly brought little guys back on TV. No matter what happens in this fight, Vic deserves to go into the Hall of Fame when he’s done fighting.”

Scott Butera (CEO & President of Foxwoods Resort Casino): “Foxwoods has a proud tradition of hosting world-class boxing events and this Saturday will be no exception. This is a tremendous card featuring two undefeated boxers, Mr. Escalera and Mr. Rodriguez.”

“Road To Glory” is the highly anticipated HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader, featuring some of the brightest young fighters in all of boxing looking to continue on their paths toward their respective world championships. The card will take place on Saturday, September 29, at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. Tickets are on still on sale and can be purchased through the Foxwoods box office by calling 1 (800) 200-2882. Tickets are priced at $45, $75, $100 and $200.

September 27, 2012 – Looking to rebound from his first professional loss is Philadelphia Heavyweight, Joey Dawejko (7-1-1, 3 KOs), who faces undefeated Oscar Rivas (11-0, 6 KOs), a Colombian born fighter who now resides in Montreal, Canada. The 6-round bout will take place on October 12, 2012 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.

In his last fight, Dawejko lost a close split decision where one judge scored the bout 59-55 in his favor. After reflecting on the loss, Dawejko feels he can step up his game by working harder on his conditioning.

“I’m a better fighter then what I showed in my last fight,” said Dawejko. “I believe if I work harder on my conditioning I’ll be able to perform at a higher level. I’m going into this fight with a different mindset. I plan to be more aggressive and let me hands go much more.”

Rivas is coming off a split decision win against Sylvera Louis (4-2, 1 KO) and Dawejko believes he has the boxing skills to win this fight.

“Fighting an undefeated is a difficult challenge for any fighter,” continued Dawejko. “But I feel I have the boxing skills to beat this guy. Rivas has some skills but I’m determined to give him his first loss. This fight will be a testament to me and my will to win. I’m going to do everything I can to come out victorious.”

“When Dawejko puts his full attention to his boxing career, he’s a very difficult fighter to beat,” stated Boxing 360’s Mario Yagobi, who promotes Joey. “After losing for the first time, I think Joey found new motivation to take his career to the next level. I know he will rebound and give it his all when he steps in the ring come October 13th.”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 27, 2012) – Gemiyale Adkins isn’t trying to tiptoe his way into the 155-pound division.

He’s looking to bust through the door and dominate immediately, starting next month when he faces established Providence lightweight Mike “The Beast” Campbell Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

“I’m coming to knock his ass out,” said Adkins (7-3, 3 KOs), a Philadelphia native and former middleweight who’ll fight at 155 pounds for the first time in his career next month on Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Real Pain” Pay Per View mixed martial arts event, presented in association with June Entertainment.

“I don’t want him to think I’m just coming here to win; I’m coming to finish him, and it’s going to start from the first round all the way to the third. I’m coming to end it. No disrespect, but this is what we do. We fight. My right hand is Robitussin and my left hand is Nyquil. I’m coming to put his ass to sleep.”

Campbell (11-4, 7 KOs), who has won two consecutive fights and three of his last four, has heard such claims before, most notably a year and a half ago prior to his rematch against Mike Medrano, who disputed the result of their first fight – a first-round knockout by Campbell – and promised revenge. Campbell won the rematch, too, finishing Medrano within two minutes of the opening bell.

“Everyone has a plan until they get hit,” Campbell said. “Tell him to keep his hands up to make sure he doesn’t get knockout out first. I’ve been busting my ass training. I can’t wait for this fight. The only guys he’s knocked out are guys who are 0-5 or 1-0. He hasn’t been in there with the caliber of guys I’ve fought, or anyone with my level of skill. We’ll see if he can back up the talk.”

Both fighters are looking to make a major splash Oct. 6 in front of a worldwide audience on the undercard of a show headlined by the professional debut of former six-time World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) heavyweight champion Dave Bautista, who is starring in the upcoming film “The Man With The Iron Fists,” scheduled for release on Nov. 2.

Adkins has been itching to drop to 155 pounds following the advice of world-renowned trainer Greg Jackson, who thinks Adkins can become a world champion in the lightweight division.

“I plan on doing big things at 155 pounds,” Adkins said. “I used to fight at 185. I even used to fight at heavyweight, and I’m only 5-foot-5. Guys couldn’t take my power.”

Though this will be his first official fight at 155, this isn’t the first time Adkins has been forced to make a similar weight cut. He was scheduled to face Brazilian Gil de Freitas at a catch weight of 160 pounds on Aug. 25. The fight was postponed, but Adkins made the cut easily at the pre-fight weigh-in.

“I could’ve made 155 that day if I wanted to,” he said. “I’m prepared in every way to make the weight. I’m eating right, training, running – I’m eating clean, so I’ll still have my energy. I’m making this weight the right way, not just drinking protein shakes. I’m still eating. I’m ready to go. I’m just really anxious to handle business.”

Campbell’s game plan is simple – win his third consecutive fight against Adkins and “go from there.”

“I don’t ever plan on losing again,” he said. “Some guys get one or two wins and then let their ego get to them and start slowing things down. Not me. I’ve trained just as hard for this fight as I have for any fight. To win three in a row with CES would mean the world to me, especially at The Dunk. This would solidify it for me. I don’t think there’s anything better than that.

“Adkins has decent knockout power,” Campbell added, “but I don’t really see him being a threat to me at this point in my career. He’s still raw. He’s still new to this sport. He has some things to clean up and work on, unless he’s changed since the last time I saw him.”

Campbell last fought on Aug. 3 when he outworked Bombsquad veteran Don Carlo-Clauss over the final two rounds of their three-round fight to earn a unanimous-decision win, a fight that showcased Campbell’s transition from an unrestrained knockout artist to a more well-rounded fighter.

“I think I’m making better decisions. I understand what’s going on,” he said. “[Trainer] Tim Burrill told me before I was like a pit bull let off his leash. I’d just overwhelm people and eventually knock them out. Now I’m starting to become more of an elite fighter. I’m becoming smarter. I’m not making irrational decisions.

“I’m three moves ahead of my opponent at all times. I kind of forgot that in the first round against Clauss, but I was able to adapt and change things on the fly in the second and third rounds. That’s what an elite fighter does.”

Adkins hasn’t reached that level yet, but a win on Oct. 6 would make him an immediate force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division. Both sides have a lot to lose and plenty to gain.

“This is a big stepping stone for me,” Adkins said. “Mike is not at the bottom of the heap. He’s a physical fighter – a good wrestler with good strength. I’m not the type of fighter looking for a big name. I’m just here to destroy the man in front of me. It could be Mike. It could be Gil. I’m going to destroy any person they put in front of me in the 155-pound division.”

The Oct. 6 undercard features 13 fights, including four Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veterans. Charleston, S.C., middleweight Chris McNally (5-4) will face former UFC title contender Dave Loiseau (20-10, 13 KOs); former UFC welterweight Marc Stevens (14-7, 6 KOs) of Lorraine, N.Y., will face dangerous Providence native Luis Felix (7-6, 4 KOs); Boston native John “Doomsday” Howard (17-7, 6 KOs), a veteran of seven UFC shows will take on middleweight Brett Chism (16-11, 7 KOs) of Valdosta, Ga.; and former UFC welterweight Chad Reiner (29-13, 9 KOs) of Omaha, Neb., will face Pawtucket, R.I., veteran Keith Jeffrey (8-2).

The remainder of the undercard is littered with Top 10 regional fighters, including a dynamic showdown between No. 1 ranked 145-pounder Saul “The Spider” Almeida (12-2) of Framingham, Mass., and No. 4 ranked Calvin Kattar (12-2, 6 KOs) of Methuen, Mass. Pawtucket’s Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle (10-7, 8 KOs), the former CES MMA middleweight champion, will end his five-month layoff and face Boulder, Colo., native Chandler Holderness (9-3, 4 KOs) in a bout originally scheduled for June before Chattelle suffered an arm injury during training camp. In the 205-pound division, Providence’s Greg Rebello (13-4, 7 KOs), No. 3 in the northeast, will look to get back on track against Chris Guillen (13-12, 1 KO) of St. George, Utah.

“Real Pain” also features another battle between two Top 10 fighters, this time in the heavyweight division with No. 3 Josh Diekmann (12-4, 8 KOs) of Groton, Conn., facing No. 5 Tyler King (4-1, 2 KOs), a former NFL offensive lineman from Norwood, Mass. King and Diekmann actually fought on the same card in separate bouts in Rhode Island back in February; King beat Eric Bedard while Diekmann lost to former UFC contender Josh Hendricks.

Also on the undercard, No. 6 ranked middleweight Brennan Ward (3-0, 2 KOs) of Providence will face Shedrick “Chocolate Thunder” Goodridge (2-2) of Rahway, N.J.; Providence’s Nate Andrews (1-0) will battle Leon Davis (2-0) of Springfield, Mass., in an interstate welterweight showdown; bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath (2-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., will face Rob Costa (2-0) of Fall River, Mass.; and Waltham, Mass., welterweight Tyson Chartier (3-2, 1 KO) will face Kevin Horowitz (4-4) of Queens.

Tickets are available at www.cesmma.com or www.ticketmaster.com and are priced at $20.00, $35.00, $55.00, $75.00, $125.00 and $250.00. The show will also air live on Direct TV Pay Per View for $29.95 ($39.95 in high definition) – available starting this week – beginning at 8 p.m., or through Livestream via www.bautistamma.com in high definition.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (September 27, 2012) – Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO of the Philippines and four-division world champion JUAN MANUEL “Dinamita” MÁRQUEZ of México will go mano a mano and toe-to-toe once again in a 12-round welterweight battle between two of this era’s top pound for pound and evenly matched fighters. Pacquiao-Márquez 4, the eagerly anticipated fourth act of their fistoric rivalry that has had fans and media standing on their feet for 36 action-packed rounds, will take place Saturday, December 8. It will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View from 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 Hotel & Casino, tickets to Pacquiao-Márquez 4 will go on sale Tomorrow! Friday, September 28, at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT. Tickets 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.

Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines, returns to the Fight Capital of the World as the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many weight divisions. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Márquez. From 2008 to 2010, five of his seven victories were world title victories in five different divisions, where he dethroned super featherweight champion Márquez, lightweight champion David Diaz, junior welterweight champion Hatton, welterweight champion Cotto and he annihilated three-time world champion Antonio Margarito for the vacant super welterweight title. Pacquiao’s seven-year, 15-bout winning streak came to an end on June 9, when he lost his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown to undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr. via a controversial split decision. Pacquiao’s knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton in 2009, his victories over Joshua Clottey and Margarito in 2010, his wins against Mosley and Márquez in 2011 as well as his disputed loss to Bradley in June have combined for more than seven million pay-per-view buys making Pacquiao a pay-per-view king. No boxer sold more live tickets in the U.S. than Pacquiao in 2010 and 2011, making him a pound-for-pound monarch in the ring and at the box office.

Márquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs), of México City, is one of only a rare few fighters from México to have won world titles in four different weight divisions. He captured his first world title – the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight championship – with a seventh-round stoppage of three-time featherweight champion Manuel Medina in 2003. He unified the title that same year with a decisive victory over World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight titlist Derrick Gainer. Márquez successfully defended the titles three times during his three-year reign, which included unanimous decision victories over Victor Polo and Orlando Salido and a Draw with Pacquiao. After losing the crown to Chris John and winning the WBO interim featherweight crown, all in 2006, Márquez moved up in weight to dethrone the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera and claim his World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight championship belt in 2007. After successfully defending the title, by a unanimous decision over Ricky Juarez, he lost the title in his 2008 rematch with Pacquiao by the slimmest of margins – a one point split decision. Since that fight, Márquez has won six of his last eight fights, including knockout victories of Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis — the latter two in World Boxing Association (WBA) / WBO lightweight championship fights. In his last fight, on April 14, Márquez won his fourth world title in as many divisions, capturing the WBO interim junior welterweight championship with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Serhiy Fedchenko.

The Pacquiao vs. Márquez 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.

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (SEPTEMBER 26, 2012)—This Saturday night Patrick Majewski & Latif Mundy will renew their rivalry that stems back to June 6th, 2009 as they meet in a rematch in a ten round fight for the WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight championship.

That fight plus a full six bout undercard can be seen live all over the world at 7:30 pm eastern / 4:30 pacific for just $9.99 by clicking: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Global_Boxing_presents_Majewski_vs_Mundy/1665

Majewski of Atlantic City via Radom, Poland won that clash in what turned out to be an exciting eight round unanimous decision. In that fight, Majewski gained an early advantage by using his height advantage and right hands. Majewski was cut midway through the fight and that gave Mundy the opportunity to get inside and score but it was too little too late as Majewski won the unanimous decision by scores of 80-71, 78-73 and a more in line 77-74 scores.

Majewski has a record of 19-1 with thirteen knockouts and has won two straight by knockout since his lone defeat at the hands of Jose Miguel Torres.

Majewski has wins over Jimmy Lubash (13-1); Mundy (8-0); Joe Gomez (17-2-1); former world title challenger Antwun Echols and in his last bout he won the NABF Middleweight title with a fifth round stoppage over Chris Fitzpatrick.

Mundy of Philadelphia is no stranger to big fights as he is battle tested and not afraid to take on anybody. He has a record of 10-4 with four knockouts.

Mundy won his first eight bouts which included a win over George Rivera (8-1). He fought to a no-contest with former Contender contestant Rudy Cisneros before meeting Majewski.

Mundy, who is capable, will be trying to right the ship after losses to Gabriel Rosado, Ossie Duran and undefeated top prospect Matt Korobov.

In what has turned into a turf-war co-feature, Atlantic City natives Shamone Alvarez and DeCarlo Perez will get it on in an eight round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Alvarez has a record of 21-5 with twelve knockouts and has fought many top contenders and future world champions.

He won his first nineteen fights which included quality victories over Darren Fallen (6-1-1), a first round destruction over previously undefeated Mohammad Kayongo (11-0-1), Jose Medina (11-2), Jose Luis Cruz (34-2-2) and Germaine Sanders (27-3).

The win over Cruz earned Alvarez the NABO title which put him in line for an elimination bout with eventual world champion Joshua Clottey.

Alvarez rebounded with a win over former U.S. Olympian Terrance Cauthen and Alexis Camacho (17-2). Alvarez has had disappointing losses to former world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez as well as to Ayi Bruce (17-3) & Antonin DeCarie (24-1).

Perez, fourteen years the junior to the thirty-five year old Alvarez will be looking for a significant win to put on his resume.

Perez and his team called out Alvarez and on Saturday they will get what they asked for.

Perez turned pro in 2010 and was 5-0-1 in his first six fights. He lost a six round unanimous decision to undefeated Grayson Blake (3-0). In his last bout, Perez was efficient in pounding out a six round unanimous decision over Linwood Dozier.

In a six round Jr. Welterweight bout, a pair of undefeated fighters will meet as Emanuel Colon (2-0, 2 KO’s) takes on Hassan Young (1-0-1).

In four round bouts, Patryk Szymanski (1-0, 1 KO) of Poland will fight debuting Adrian Wilson in a Welterweight bout.

Michal Chudeki of Poland will make is pro debut against Moses Molina (1-0, 1 KO) of Bridgeton, NJ in a Welterweight bout.

Anthony Prescott (1-0, 1 KO) of Cherry Hill, NJ will take on debuting Terrell James of Philadelphia in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Rounding out the card will be David Gonzales (1-0) of Philadelphia taking on debuting Charles Mack of Philadelphia in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

September 27, 2012 – Light heavyweight contender, Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (19-1-1, 9 KOs) has hired famed trainer, Buddy McGrirt, to work his corner for his upcoming fight against Rayco Saunders set to take place this Saturday, September 29, 2012 at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

In his last fight, televised on ESPN2, Isaac Chilemba defeated power puncher, Edison Miranda (35-7, 30 KOs), by way of unanimous decision. He’s looking to gain more knowledge in the ring working with McGirt.

“Buddy McGirt is an accomplished trainer and I’m excited to be working with him,” said Chilemba. “He brings a lot of world championship experience to the ring and I know I can learn some new tricks from him. We started training in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and everything is going smooth.”

McGirt is an experience trainer who’s guided the corner of many world title fights. With Chilemba his goal is to keep it simple and make some minor adjustments to his style.

“Chilemba is a fantastic fighter and you can see that the talent is here,” stated McGirt. “I don’t really need to change much with Isaac’s style, just need to brush up on a couple of things. He’s working hard and everything is coming together nicely. ”

Chilemba vs. Sunders an 8-round bout, is scheduled off TV on the underdard of this Saturdays HBO BOXING AFTER DARK® beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

27 September 2012 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) announced today that Singaporean striker Bruce Loh will replace an injured Radeem Rahman at ONE FC: RISE OF KINGS on 6 October. Loh will battle Malaysian submission specialist Gianni Subba in what should be a classic battle of styles. After selling out arenas in Indonesia, Malaysia and Manila, ONE FC is set to return to the famed Singapore Indoor Stadium for what is expected to be the biggest event in Asian Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) history.

Singaporean Loh (2-1-0) is a rough and tumble fighter who lives and trains in the Lion City. His credentials as a martial artist includes a Gold at the 2008 National ShanShou tournament, Bronze at the 2002 Penang Boxing tournament and Bronze at the 2007 Southeast Asian Submission tournament. Loh is a blue belt in Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), currently trains at Impact MMA in Singapore and is an unarmed combat instructor for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Loh also holds professional MMA victories over Shodiyar Jurabekov and Ahmad Nazharul needing only sixteen seconds to defeat a seasoned Nazharul in his second professional MMA fight. Singaporean fans will see the return of their hometown hero to MMA when he steps up to face the ever so tough Malaysian submission specialist Gianni Subba.

Nineteen year old Gianni Subba (1-0-0) fights out of Monarchy Gym in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Subba impressed MMA fans in 2009 when he won the Silver medal at the Champion Submission Grappling Tournament in the United States. Subba first learned MMA when he trained with the legendary Jeremy Horn and entered MMA as a professional in 2012, defeating Singaporean Ronald Loh via submission.

For more updates, log on to www.ONEFC.com

About ONE Fighting Championship™

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with ESPN STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 28 countries in Asia.

September 26, 2012 – Undefeated lightweight standout, Eudy “AK 47” Bernardo (13-0, 8 KOs), who hails from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will travel to hostile territory and fight Jose Gonzalez (20-0, 15 KOs) who resides in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. Both fighters will put their undefeated records on the line as they battle for the WBC Latino Lightweight title.

This 10-round bout is promoted by PR Best Boxing Promotions in association with Boxing 360 and will take place on October 6, 2012 at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez, in Bayamon, PR.

Fighting for his first sanctioned title, Bernardo who’s a dynamic boxer-puncher is excited for the opportunity to fight for the WBC Latino lightweight title. Having won his last two fights by knockout, Eudy understands this fight will be his toughest challenge to date.

“I know when I step in the ring with Jose Gonzalez it’s going to be a war,” said Bernardo. “He’s fighting in his homeland and he’s going to do everything in his power to please his fans. He’s coming off a couple of knockouts so I expect him to be aggressive in this fight. I’m in great shape and will be prepared for anything Gonzalez brings to the ring. I don’t expect this fight to go the distance.”

“This is the type of fight that makes boxing the greatest sport on the planet,” stated Boxing 360 promoter Mario Yagobi, who promotes Bernardo. “When two young hungry undefeated fighters are scheduled to face each other, it’s the fans that benefit the most. Eudy Bernardo is a special fighter who brings nothing but excitement to the ring and this fight will prove he’s a blue chip prospect.”

Jose Gonzalez has never fought outside of his native land of Puerto Rico and will have the hometown crowd on his side. If Bernardo is successful in winning this fight, it will be a remarkable feat having traveled to a place where a fighter has never lost.

“There is no doubt about it if Bernardo comes out victorious, he’ll be considered one of the best young prospects in boxing,” continued Yagobi. “I know Gonzalez is going to do everything he can to win this fight, but I anticipate a hard fought victory for my fighter, Eudy Bernardo.”

For more information on Donyil Livingstion and Boxing 360 please visit www.boxing360.com

New York, NY (9/26/12) – Earlier today, at the beautiful and brand new Mendez Boxing Club located at 23 East 26th Street in Manhattan, Puerto Rican knockout artist Jason “Monstruo” Escalera (13-0-1, 12KO’s) and his trainer/manager Joe Botti, hosted an open media workout in preparation of Escalera’s upcoming bout this Saturday night against fellow undefeated contender and current USBA super middleweight champion Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (21-0, 14KO’s). Rodriguez-Escalera is scheduled for 10 rounds, and will be the main event bout of the evening on the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast, coming to you live from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

The card, entitled “Road to Glory”, will also feature Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle (16-0, 11 KOs) taking on former three-time, two-division world champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (37-5-1, 27 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight title. Opening up the HBO televised portion of the card will be (WBC) International welterweight champion Antonin Decarie (26-1, 7 KOs) squaring off against unbeaten contender Alex Perez (16-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant NABF welterweight title.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Gary Shaw Productions. All three bouts will be aired on HBO’s Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Below are quotes and photos from the workout

JASON ESCALERA: “I had a very good camp for this fight and I feel great. I am already on weight and I am really looking forward to Saturday night. I know that some people feel that I might be in over my head, but I can assure everyone that this fight is coming at the perfect time.”

“I have been hearing things out of Edwin and his camp that he is going to put on a show, he is going to stop me and that Donovan George hits harder than I do. If he truthfully believes that, then he is going to be in for a big surprise on Saturday night. First off, I hit much harder then Donovan does, and I can assure you that he will find that out in the very first round. Also, I have never been down in my entire career. Not in the gym, not in the amateurs and not in the pro’s. That being said, there is no shot that Edwin can knock me out. If he thinks he is in for an easy night on Saturday then he better think again.”

JOE BOTTI: “This was the best camp Jason has ever had in his career. We had a full, hard eight weeks of training. We were sparring with the likes of Danny Jacobs, Glen Tapia, Joe Smith, Seanie Monaghan, Demetrius Hopkins and Jesse Hart, all top guys. We were working on a number of different things with Jason in camp, but mostly his defense and him working behind his jab. Edwin has been saying that he is going to go toe-to-toe with Jason, but we know that as soon as he gets hit with that first shot that he is going to start moving. We have prepared for that though, and Jason will be ready for whatever Edwin brings to the ring on Saturday night.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Gary Shaw Productions. All three bouts will be aired on HBO’s Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

“Road to Glory” is the highly anticipated HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader, featuring some of the brightest young fighters in all of boxing looking to continue on their paths toward their respective world championships. The card will take place on Saturday, September 29, at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. Tickets are still on sale and can be purchased through the Foxwoods box office by calling 1 (800) 200-2882. Tickets are priced at $45, $75, $100 and $200.

September 26, 2012 – Gary Shaw Productions former three division world champion, Vic Darchinyan (37-5-1, 27 KOs), and undefeated Puerto Rican sensation, Luis Orlando Del Valle (16-0, 11 KOs), will battle for the vacant NABF super bantamweight title is Saturday September 29, 2012. The fight will be televised live on HBO BOXING AFTER DARK® beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Darchinyan, known for being a warrior in the ring with a never say die approach to boxing, is looking to get back in the win column after losing to Japan’s Shinsuke Yamanaka (16-0-2, 11 KOs) and Panama’s Anselmo Moreno (33-1-1, 12 KOs) in back to back world title fights.

“I’m the ultimate road warrior” said Darchinyan. “I’ve traveled all over the world to scrap with the best fighters in my division. This Saturday will be no different when I step in the ring with Del Valle. I’m looking forward to giving him his first loss while I get myself back into title contention.”

“Del Valle better be ready for a rough fight because I’m coming hard every round. Gary should not have invested his money in DelValle, because it was a bad investment and he is going to lose his money.”

Darychinyan’s promoter Gary Shaw believes Vic has nothing to lose and will give Del Valle all he can handle.

“Right now Darchinyan has his back against the wall and he’s going to give every ounce of energy to win this fight,” stated Gary Shaw. “Del Valle is a great young fighter with a tremendous amount of talent, but he’s never been in the ring with an experienced fighter like Vic. I’m expecting an exciting fight this Saturday between these two and I won’t be surprised if Darchinyan comes out victorious.”

In the super middleweight main event, Edwin Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KO) will face Jason Escalera (13-0-1, 12 KO). The opening bout will be a welterweight clash between Alex Perez (16-0, 9 KO) and Antonin Decarie (26-1, 7 KO).

# # #

TOTOWA, NJ – Up and coming light heavyweight superstar, Sergey Kovalev, 19-01, 17 KO’s, has signed a multi-year promotional contract with Main Events.The Kovalev camp and the Main Events team are ecstatic about the deal.

Egis Klimas, Kovalev’s manager explained, “We are finally in the right place. I knocked on many doors: Golden Boy, Top Rank, and more; However no one took it seriously that Sergey Kovalev will be the next big champion in his weight division. But Main Events has the same beliefs. They did take us seriously. We signed with them and we are very happy with our decision.”

Kovalev stated, “This is the most important decision I have made in my professional career. I feel I have made a very good choice by signing with Main Events.” He added, “I am ready for my next fight right now. I will fight anyone!”

Kovalev’s commanding ring performance last Friday on NBC Sports Network “Fight Night” against Lionell Thompson created a buzz in the boxing world. He wants to get back in the ring as soon as possible.The undefeated Russian-born boxer has only had two fights go the distance as a professional.

“When Sergey is in the ring, he is simply electrifying,” said promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events. “He told us that he will fight absolutely anyone in the light heavyweight division, and after watching his performance on NBC Sports Network on Friday night, I have no doubt that he is ready. We look forward to seeing more fireworks from Kovalev, who will undoubtedly become a force in one of boxing’s hottest divisions.”

The tension is building. Saturday’s big fight night is just around the
corner. Three title fights are scheduled and they all have one thing in
common. The WBA Heavyweight Championship between Alexander Povetkin (24-0,
16 KOs) and Hasim Rahman (50-7-2, 41 KOs), Kubrat Pulev´s (16-0, 8 KOs)
European and IBF International Heavyweight Championship defence against
Alexander Ustinov (27-0, 21 KOs) and the WBA Intercontinental Championship
bout between Jack Culcay (12-0, 8 KOs) and Mark Thompson (24-1, 14 KOs) are
all likely to end prematurely. It would be a surprise if all of them would
last the distance.

Convinced of an early success is Hasim Rahman. Once again, the 39-year-old
stated his intentions of knocking out current WBA Champion Alexander
Povetkin and taking his throne. “I’m happy that I got the chance for the
title. I’m completely focused on myself and it doesn’t matter who is in
front of me. I will knock Povetkin out.” But how quickly could he end the
bout? “Between rounds one and twelve,“ said the challenger. Also in good
spirits was Alexander Povetkin. “My preparation has been going really well.
I have a lot of respect for Hasim Rahman and his experience,“ said the
33-year-old. His coach Kostya Tszyu added: “Since we started working
together, Alexander has progressed about 40 percent.” Therefore, Team
Povetkin has every reason to be optimistic.

The same principal applies for the defending European and IBF International
Heavyweight Champion Kubrat Pulev. Lately, the prodigy of Coach Otto Ramin
has been riding on a wave of success. “Ever since I won the European title,
Bulgaria has been pretty much ecstatic. Whenever I walk along the streets,
the people recognise me. That motivates me even more to defend my two titles
come Saturday night,” said the 31-year-old, who is known as a joker if he is
not inside the squared circle. However, inside the ring it is all about
serious business. And his opponent Alexander Ustinov is very well aware of
that. The 140 Kilo colussus stated: “If the opportunity for a knockout
arises I will take it.”

The fight for the WBA Intercontinental Championship between Jack Culcay and
Mark Thompson also has the potential to end early. “I said before that I am
not travelling all the way to Germany to lose. I will do what I have to do.
If an opportunity presents itself, I will take it,” said the man from
Heywood near Manchester via a pre-recorded video. But Culcay, who turned 27
today, does not want anyone to spoil his party in front of the home crowd.
“His record is definitely the most dangerous one out of all of my opponents
so far. But in Hamburg I will prove, that I’m the better man,” said the
German light middleweight.

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization returns to England this Saturday for an all-action card at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham. In the heavyweight main event, the biggest man in the UFC® – 6ft 11inch Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve – collides with unbeaten uber-athlete Stipe Miocic in a fight which will catapult the winner towards the top of the division.

Also on the stacked television card, charismatic welterweight Dan “the Outlaw” Hardy fights in his historic hometown for the first time since April of 2008 when he takes on The Ultimate Fighter winner Amir Sadollah and, in what could be the most exciting all-British battle in Octagon® history, elite welterweight John “Hitman” Hathaway takes on John “The One” Maguire.

At an open workout today, the combatants sounded ready to go to war.

Stefan Struve said: “Five round fight? It’s not a five round fight. This isn’t going five. It is a one or two round fight, depending on when I finish him. I am not worried about going five rounds if it happens, I hit pads for an hour at a time and every Thursday at my gym it is pretty much fight night where we do 15 x five minute rounds. I’ve changed nothing in my training. If it goes longer, okay, but I think this is a quick fight.

“A win here puts me in the top five in the world. There’s a lot of hype on this guy and he’s also coming off a big win. I’m only 24 but this is my twelfth fight in the UFC. I am going to do my business on Saturday night. I’ve been in the UFC for five years and I am really putting it together now as a mixed martial artist. I think this fight is a great showcase of what I can now do as a fighter.”

Stipe Miocic said: “This is a big fight for me, my first main event and first five-round fight. Struve is a very big guy with a long reach and great BJJ and is always dangerous, but I’ve prepared very hard. I was a NCAA Division I wrestler and Golden Gloves boxer not because I was the best athlete, but because I trained so hard. I’ve trained very hard to make sure I win this fight. Finding guys who are 6ft 11inches to spar with is hard but I did train with (former UFC champion) Tim Sylvia and I know I can get past Struve’s reach and land my punches. I expect a tough fight – there’s a lot on the line for both of us.”

Dan “the Outlaw” Hardy said: “The last time I fought in my hometown was April 2008 and this is obviously a vast difference. The last time I fought here the only people in the world who knew about it were in the arena, about 700 people, and now this is going to be broadcast worldwide with the UFC. I didn’t think I’d get the chance to fight in Nottingham again but when Dana White announced the UFC were going to Nottingham, obviously I was expecting a call.

“There is pressure on me to win and score a KO because I’ll have hundreds of people in the arena on Saturday night I’ve known for years. But nothing, nothing will compare pressure-wise to my last fight against Duane Ludwig where my UFC career was on the line. Now I am just taking it one fight at a time and am back to enjoying fighting rather than worry about this being my job.

“Amir is a tough guy, he will push the fight on me and he’s got a great chin. He’s going to push this very hard and bring a war. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got, and I am confident that is enough.

“After resting the track last time, I’m walking out to ‘England Belongs To Me’ by Cock Sparrer again. I’ve gone back to the original recording from the 1970s, not the 2010 one they did with me on backing vocals. I lost four times in the UFC after walking out to that version, which obvious is karma for my poor singing.”

Amir Sadollah said: “I enjoy going against fighters that are aggressive. The more passive fighters aren’t as fun to fight. Dan Hardy is a counter-puncher but he’s aggressive with it. I will be able to draw him in. All the pressure is on him to make this a great fight for his own fans here. He’s under a lot of pressure, not me.”

John Hathaway said: “This is a dangerous fight for me. I think some people only know him from his UFC career but John has fought all over the world and is actually more experienced than I am. I’m not overlooking him at all. I really want to show what I can do in this fight. Everyone saw the best of me against Diego Sanchez but I think I am a much better fighter now. I’ve been in the UFC since UFC 93 (January 2009) and I’m still only 25 years old; I think I’ve got the right mix of big-fight experience while still being at the top of my game physically. I’ve learned a style which suits my body-type and I think the next two years are where I’m going to really make a mark in the division.

“Fights between two Brits are usually great, I remember Mike Bisping and Ross Pointon had a great one on TUF 3, Paul Taylor and Paul Kelly had the fight of the night (at UFC 80) and I beat Taylor in a good battle at UFC 105. I expect me and John to be another great all-British battle.”

John Maguire said: “The funny thing was, a few weeks before the fight was even mentioned, I was doing a photo shoot with John and we talked about whether we would ever fight. And then all of a sudden, we’ve got each other next. We’re ranked pretty close together, and you face who is put in front of you. He agreed and I agreed. I’m a fighter and I’ll fight whoever is in front of me and the thing with me and Hathaway, it makes sense. We’re both high up, and victory moves one of us forward a bit up the ranks.”

The six-fight UFC on FUEL TV card will be broadcast live on FUEL TV this Saturday at 1pm PT/4pm ET in the US and at 9pm on ESPN in the UK.

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

The Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and with offices in London, England, Toronto, Canada and Beijing, China, UFC® produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world.

In 2011, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which now airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 150 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly two million followers on Twitter.

Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed UFC magazine, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and JAKKS Pacific articulated action figures.

NEW YORK CITY (September 26 2012) – Staten Island light heavyweight Marcus Browne, a 2012 U.S. Olympian, has signed with the most powerful advisor in boxing, Al Haymon.

Browne was the first Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Program product to compete in the Olympic Games. Browne is a two-time National PAL champion and 2012 USA Boxing National gold medalist who is trained by Gary Stark at the Park Hill Boxing Club,

Haymon has also signed Browne’s 2012 U.S. Boxing teammates Terrell Gausha, Dominic Breazeale, Rau’shee Warren and Errol Spence Jr. Haymon’s client list includes Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Berto, Adrien Broner, Austin Trout, Peter Quillin, Gary Russell Jr., and Chris Arreola, among the more notables.

The Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by renowned boxing trainer and television analyst, Teddy Atlas, in his father’s memory. The Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Program presently operates two gyms, in Park Hill, Staten Island, East Flatbush in Brooklyn and plans to open two more in the Berry Houses in Staten Island, and in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.

“The boxing program is needed for wayward kids with little or no direction,” Atlas continued. “Our gyms give them a place to go for hope; building confidence and making them feel better about themselves. They get the tools there that they need to grow-up and become productive people. It is an important, valuable alternative to violence, crime and drugs. That’s what boxing does like no other sport. It helps kids find themselves. Not only do they discover things that they didn’t know were available to them, they gain pride and confidence in themselves. Our program is a platform for them to have dignity. The Dr. Atlas Foundation has been helping needy people with medical expenses, relocation assistance, and for other areas like that. But violence is a sickness and we’re helping to prevent that with our gyms. I agreed to absorb the boxing program with a twist – education components had to be part of it. We established behavioral rules and conduct with disciplinary consequences. The kids have to keep their grades up if they want to train. Pat Russo did a great job as the PAL boxing program director and he’s continuing to do a great job as the director of our program.”

For more information go online to http://www.dratlasfoundation.com/boxingclubs.html or call 718.980.7037.

http://www.facebook.com/#%21/DrAtlasFoundation

https://twitter.com/#%21/AtlasFoundation

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDrAtlasFoundation?feature=mhee

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Sept. 26, 2012) – In the wake of her canceled Strikeforce debut, undefeated sensation Cat “Alpha” Zingano (6-0) of Denver, Colo. will rejoin the much-anticipated Invicta Fighting Championships women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card at Memorial Hall in Kansas City on Saturday, Oct. 6 and battle highly-touted prospect Raquel “Rocky” Pennington (3-1) of Colorado Springs, Colo. in a featured bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup.

Pennington’s original Invicta FC opponent, Kim Connor-Hamby, has withdrawn from the event due to injury.

Following the cancellation of Zingano’s scheduled Sept. 29 Strikeforce matchup with Amanda Nunes, Invicta FC officials offered Zingano and Nunes the opportunity to square off with each other on the upcoming Invicta FC card. An injury that Nunes had sustained, however, prevented her from accepting the opportunity.

Zingano was originally tabbed for action on the Invicta FC 3 card, but Invicta FC officials sent her to Stikeforce after the opportunity to face Nunes, a top contender, arose.

“We are excited about bringing Cat back into the fold and to be able to give her the opportunity to compete on an Invicta FC card after preparing as much as she did for her scheduled fight with Amanda,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp.

The 5-foot-6, 30-year-old Zingano tip-toed her way into combat sports after becoming the only girl to join her high school wrestling team and, later, competing in college where she earned All-American honors.

In 2007, she began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Mauricio Zingano, whom she later married, and went on to win a number of tournaments, including the 2007 World Jiu Jitsu Championships. Her success in the grappling art and a third round TKO victory in her only amateur MMA bout were the catalysts behind the launch of her professional fighting career.

To date, Zingano has been unstoppable in the hybrid combat sport, earning four of her six victories by way of either KO or submission. All three of her last wins came by way of KO or TKO.

Pennington’s start will be her second in the Invicta FC cage. The 5-foot-7, 24-year-old earned a unanimous decision over Sarah Moras at the last Invicta FC event on July 28 and, less than six weeks after that, returned to action in Honolulu, Hawaii where she submitted Raquel Pa’aluhi with a guillotine choke in the first round (3:52) of their meeting.

Before her professional debut in March when she scored a second round (2:25) TKO on Kim Couture with a series of knee strikes to the body, Pennington enjoyed a healthy amateur career that spanned three years and saw her amass a record of 7-1.

Tickets for Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sugiyama, priced from $25, are on sale and can be purchased at Memorial Hall box office (913) 549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.

In the Invicta FC 3 main event, superstar Jessica Penne (9-1) of Laguna Hills, Calif. will face off with undefeated phenom Naho “Sugi Rock” Sugiyama (8-0) of Kyoto, Japan at atomweight (105 pounds) in the first-ever Invicta FC women’s world title bout.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler (14-7) of Sioux Falls, S.D. will return to action in the bantamweight co-main event and take on Invicta FC 2 winner Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio (6-2) of San Jose, Calif.

Prolific strikers Kaitlin Young (7-6-1) of St. Louis Park, Minn. and Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (3-2-1) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will face off in a highly-anticipated bantamweight rematch to their April 28 slugfest at the inaugural Invicta FC event that ended in a majority draw.

Another Invicta FC 2 victor, Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak (6-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa, will collide with rising star and furious finisher Aisling “Ais The Bash” Daly (13-3) of Dublin, Ireland in a flyweight (125 pounds) contest.

Invicta FC will welcome one of the original pioneers of women’s MMA, submission expert Tara LaRosa (21-2) of Woodstown, N.J., who will lock horns at flyweight with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vanessa Porto (14-5) of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson (9-3) of Albuquerque, N.M. will also make her first start under the Invicta FC banner against Lacey “The Ladie” Schuckman (7-5) of Lakewood, Colo. in an atomweight scrap.

In the leadoff main card bout, Julia “The Jewel” Budd (3-2) of Port Moody, Canada will meet Elaina “Beef” Maxwell (7-4) of San Jose, Calif. at featherweight (145 pounds).

The six-bout preliminary card will be topped by a strawweight (115 pounds) matchup between Carla Esparza (7-2) of Redondo Beach, Calif. and Lynn Alvarez (5-2) of Las Vegas, Nev.

Two undefeated prospects, Ashley Cummins (3-0) of St. Louis, MO. and Joanne Calderwood (3-0) of Glasgow, Scottland will collide at flyweight.

Amy Davis (3-3) of Idaho Falls, Idaho will face Stephanie Frausto (3-4) of Middletown, Ohio in an atomweight affair.

Fresh off her professional debut win at Invicta FC 2, Jessamyn Duke (1-0) of Richmond, Ky. will face unbeaten Marciea Allen (1-0) of Sioux Falls in a bantamweight battle.

Tecia Torres (0-0) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Kaiyana Rain (0-0) of Los Angeles, Calif. will make their respective professional debuts against each other at strawweight.

Unbeaten Xtreme Couture prospect Katalina Malungahu (2-0) of Las Vegas will battle Ediane Gomes (8-2) of Coconut Creek, Fla. via Sao Paulo, Brazil at featherweight.

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.

NEW YORK (September 26, 2012) – Crowd pleasers Ryan “Polish Prince” Kielczweski and Sonya Lamonakis could steal the “Road To Glory” show from a card stacked with world-class fighters, on the undercard of Saturday night’s DiBella Entertainment-presented special HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader, live from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

The angelic-looking Kielczweski (13-0, 2 KOs), fighting out of Quincy, MA, puts his unbeaten record on the line against Jeremy McLaurin (9-3, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout. An entertaining super featherweight who looks more like a choirboy than prizefighter, the 23-year-old “Ryan K” was a standout amateur (118-26 record) boxer, highlighted by a silver medal performance in the 2008 National Golden Gloves tournament.

Greece-native Lamonakis (6-0-2, 1 KO), a heavyweight from Turner Falls, MA, takes on Tanzee Daniels (4-1-1, 1 KO), out of Queens (NY). Lamonakis’ aggressive style is in stark contrast to the mild-mannered, caring elementary school teacher that she is in her “real world” at PS241 in Manhattan.

“Road To Glory,” headlined by a 10-round title bout featuring undefeated super middleweight contender Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs), fighting out of nearby Worcester, MA, defending his United States Boxing Association (USBA) against unbeaten power-puncher Jason “Monstruo” Escalera (13-0-1, 12 KOs), of Union City, NJ.

Also fighting on the HBO BAD show is undefeated Luis Orlando “Orlandito” Del Valle (16-0, 11 KOs) versus former three-time, two-division world champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (37-5-1, 27 KOs), in the 10-round co-feature for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight title.

World Boxing Council (WBC) International welterweight champion Antonin Decarie (26-1, 7 KOs), rated No. 8 by the WBC, and fighting out of Quebec, takes on the unbeaten Alex Perez (16-0, 9 KOs), of Newark, New Jersey, in a bout for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title at stake.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Gary Shaw Productions. All three bouts will be aired on HBO’s Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Veteran light heavyweight Rayco “War” Saunders (22-16-2, 9 KOs) has replaced injured Zsolt Erdei as Issac “Golden Boy” Chilemba’s (12-1-1, 9 KOs) opponent in an eight-round bout. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.

“Road to Glory” is the highly anticipated HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader, featuring some of the brightest young fighters in all of boxing looking to continue on their paths toward their respective world championships. The card will take place on Saturday, September 29, at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. Tickets are still on sale and can be purchased through the Foxwoods box office by calling 1 (800) 200-2882. Tickets are priced at $45, $75, $100 and $200.

NEW YORK, NY (September 26 2012) This Saturday night, SEPTEMBER 29, undefeated super middleweight prospect Jason “Monstruo” Escalera will challenge world ranked and fellow undefeated Edwin
“La Bomba” Rodriguez in the HBO Boxing after Dark, “Road To Glory” televised ten round main event at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

The 27-year-old Escalera, 13-0-1 (12KO’s), fighting out of Union City, New Jersey, has become a must-see attraction in the New York area with his show-stopping knockouts.

Most recently the heavy-handed Escalera faced Nick Brinson on MAY 18 at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. In the ESPN Friday Night Fights eight round battle, Escalera aggressively pursued and battered Brinson seemingly winning an easy decision, however the three judges scored the bout a draw. In his six previous starts, Escalera had won each bout by knockout.

“Jason is exactly the type of fighter that HBO wants on their broadcasts. He’s exciting, he always comes to fight, and he has concussive power in both hands” said Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing. “Jason is prepared to take the fight right to Rodriguez from the opening bell this Saturday night. This is a great opportunity and he is very confident and prepared to take advantage of it.”

Also 27-years-old, Rodriguez, 21-0-0 (14KO’s), of Worcester, Massachusetts, is coming off his career best win, a ten round unanimous decision over world ranked contender Donovan “DA Bomb” George on MARCH 17 at Madison Square Garden which was broadcast on HBO World Championship Boxing as the co-main event to the Sergio Martinez/Matthew Macklin world middleweight title bout.

Rodriguez is currently ranked #3 by the WBC, #4 by the IBF and #8 by the WBA.

“Road to Glory” is the highly anticipated HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader, featuring some of the brightest young fighters in all of boxing looking to continue on their paths toward their respective world championships. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the Foxwoods box office by calling 1 (800) 200-2882. Tickets are priced at $45, $75, $100 and $200.

HBO Boxing After Dark has a broadcast time this Saturday night of 9:30PM ET/PT.

CONTACTS:

Kevin Rooney, DiBella Entertainment: (212) 947-2577, kevin@dbe1.com

Bob Trieger, Full Court Press, (978) 664-4482, bobtfcp@hotmail.com

Kevin Flaherty, HBO: (212) 512-5052, Kevin.Flaherty@hbo.com

Dale Wolbrink, Foxwoods Resort Casino: (860) 312-1429, dwolbrink@foxwoods.com

Media Credentials:

Shannan McNair, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Public Affairs: (860) 396-6727, smcnair@mptn.org

ABOUT STAR BOXING:

Star Boxing, Inc. has been in operation since1992. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on twitter.com/starboxing and Facebook.com/starboxing

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that a solid doubleheader has been consummated for November 10th on HBO that will originate from Las Vegas as WBC Super Welterweight eliminator between Erislandy Lara and Vanes Martirosyan as well as WBO Featherweight champion Orlando Salido defending against Mikey Garcia.

“Showtime informed our attorney that they are passing on the match,” said Top Ranlk’s Carl Moretti, adding that the card will take place in a 3,500-seat ballroom at the Wynn.

“This is a fight that matches Garcia’s youth against Salido’s experience,” Moretti said. “It’s boxer-puncher (Garcia) versus brawler (Salido). Clearly, whoever wins the fight establishes himself as probably the best featherweight in the world.”

Top Rank, which promotes 2004 U.S. Olympian Martirosyan (32-0, 20 KOs), won the right to the fight by winning a purse bid in July. Top Rank’s offer of $405,000 topped the $326,000 bid made by rival Golden Boy, which has Lara (17-1-1, 11 KOs), a former world amateur champion who defected from Cuba, under contract.

“It’s a very interesting fight,” Moretti said. “Both guys are quality contenders and both guys had stellar amateur backgrounds. There is a lot on the line for both of these guys. The winner of this fight will have truly earned the title fight. Vanes is really pumped for it.”

Said Martirosyan, “I’m bringing a big wagon so after I beat Lara people can jump on the Team Vanes Wagon. I can’t wait.”

“This is a great opportunity for Mikey even though Salido is not the guy we originally wanted,” manager Cameron Dunkin said. “This is the toughest featherweight in the world. It’s a very, very tough fight for Mikey. Believe me, there are other guys we would have rather fought but we needed somebody who would show up. Mikey wanted to fight for a title and with the other fight (against Caballero) falling apart, we all talked about it — me, Mike, his father (Eduardo) and (trainer and brother) Robert — and we decided we needed to go and make this fight.

“We wanted to fight Caballero but it didn’t materialize for different reasons. So here we are. We know Salido is a warrior. We know it’s a really hard fight, but Mikey is ready. This is what he’s wanted. Salido was willing to give Mikey the opportunity and he can’t wait.”

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (September 25, 2012) — Fresquez Productions held a press conference today to announce its “Fire And Ice” card, headlined by a rematch between 12-time, three-division world champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (31-2-3, 9 KOs) – the recognized pound-for-pound Queen of Boxing – and four-time world title-holder Myriam Lamare (20-3, 10 KOs) for the IFBA and IBA light welterweight titles on Friday night, December 7 at Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque.

“Fire And Ice,” presented by Fresquez Productions in association with Route 66 Casino Hotel, will find Holly matched against a French boxer for her third straight fight having split her last two fights against Anne Sophie Mathis (25-2). Their most recent fight this past June resulted in a 10-round decision win for Holm for the IBA, WBF and WBAN welterweight championships.

Hold won a unanimous 10-round decision over Lamare (who will fight for only the second time outside of France) back on January 23, 2008 in Albuquerque, by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94 in Holm’s successful WIBA welterweight title defense.

“Holly Holm has proven that she’s the best pound-for-pound women’s fighter in the world and Myriam Lamare is the No. 1 world-rated light welterweight,” promoter Lenny Fresquez said. “Their first fight was very competitive and I don’t expect anything less in their rematch on December 7 at the beautiful Route 66 Casino Hotel.”

The 30-year-old Holm (31-2-3, 9 KOs) has defeated a Who’s Who list of woman boxers from the 140 through 154-pound weight classes, including Mathis, Christy Martin, Mary Jo Sanders, Mia St. John, Jane Couch, Duda Yankovich and Chevelle Hallback (twice).

Lamare, a 37-year-old fighting out of Marseille, won a 10-round decision against Hallback in her last action (November 5, 2011) for the vacant IBF light welterweight crown.

“People tell me, ‘At least this fight won’t be so hard,'” Holm commented. “But I think that every fight is tough,” Holm commented. “When Myriam and I met last time, it was one of my toughest fights. I felt like she had me guessing her game plan from round to round. I have faith in my promoter (Lenny Fresque3z), who always believes in me, and my trainer. I’ve become a better person in and out of the ring. I’m as nervous as I’ll ever be, but I’m excited to take on the challenge.”

Supporting fights showcasing local boxers was also announced: light welterweight Matthew “Champ” Baca (1-0, 1 KO) vs. TBA (6 rounds), female light welterweight Victoria “La Reina de la Guerra” Cisneros (6-13-2, 2 KOs) vs. Australian invader Diana Prazak (11-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round bout, bantamweight Raymond “Hollywood” Montez (5-2, 3 KOs) vs. Jazzma Hogue (2-2-1) in a six-round match, undefeated welterweights Cristian Cabral (4-0 3 KOs) vs. Grant John (2-0), plus amateur standout featherweight Jason Sanchez will be making his pro debut vs. Gene Perez (1-0), , in a four-round fight. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

For more information about “Fire And Ice” go on line to www.FresquezProductions.com or www.rt66casino.com.