PHILADELPHIA–Once beaten Super Middleweight Farah Ennis rebounded from his first professional loss with a very solid fifth round stoppage over durable Grover Young that highlighted a ten bout card at the National Guard Armory.

Ennis had a gameplan of working the body of the southpaw and he executed that strategy to a tee, as he placed some perfect shots to the flanks of Young. Ennis continued to back Young up with the body work and occasionally mixing up shots upstairs. The end came when Ennis drilled Young with a left to the body which made Young take a knee for the referee’s ten count at fifty-nine seconds of round five.

Ennis of Philadelphia ups his mark to 18-1 with twelve knockouts. Young of Tennessee is now 5-5-1.

The co-feature was a six round Welterweight tussle that matched unblemished Angel Ocasio and once beaten Jason Sosa.

The was a fight that proved that some geography could be the key to fights as Early Ocasio showed superior handspeed as he picked Sosa apart from the outside. A clash of heads caused a cut from the corner of Sosa’s left eye in the opening frame. It was more of the same over the next couple rounds as clearly Ocasio seemed in control. Feeling desperate, Sosa started to get inside and land some nice combinations and scored some telling uppercuts. Seeing that Ocasio was moving backwards, that may have swayed the judges to pull Sosa even on the score cards as the bout ended in a majority draw that read 58-56 for Ocasio while the two other cards were tallied at 57-57.

Ocasio of Philadelphia is now 6-0-1. Sosa of Camden, NJ is now 4-1-2.

Tim Witherspoon Jr. and Tevin Farmer waged an old school Philly War in their six round Lightweight bout.

Witherspoon, The taller southpaw looked to box from outside while fellow southpaw Farmer got inside with great success. Much like the Ocasio-Sosa bout, this was about where each fighter needed to be. Both guys got their preferred distance at times. The crowd was on their feet for most of the bout as the action was fast throughout with Framer picking up the majority decision by scores of 58-56; 58-56 and 58-57.

Hot shot Bantamweight prospect Miguel Cartagena was impressive in disposing David Rodriguez in sixty-eight seconds of their scheduled four round bout.

Cartagena landed a big right that sent Rodriguez to the canvas ans the bout was stopped when Rodriguez got to his feet. Cartagena is now 4-0 with three knockouts. Rodriguez was making his pro debut.

Heavyweight’s John Lennox and Riley Brooks waged a four round war with Lennox coming put on top with a unanimous decision.

Both guys stood toe to toe landing tremendous shots that drew “oohs and Ahhs” from the capacity crowd.

In the end, It was Lennox better boxing ability that proved to be the difference as he took the fight by scores of 40-36; 40-36 and 39-37 and is now 9-1. Brooks of Baltimore falls to 1-3.

Former world amateur champion scored a four round unanimous decision over huge Corey Winfield.

Dawejko landed some nice body shots that were followed by some hard shots to the head.

Dawejko, 230 lbs of Philadelphia won by 40-36 scores on all cards and is now 6-0. Winfield, 302 lbs of Winston-Salem, NC is now 4-9.

Brian Donahue came off a five year hiatus to scored a four round unanimous decision over Randy Campbell in a Super Middleweight bout.

Donahue dropped Campbell in the final round with a big right hand. Scores were 40-35; 39-36 and 39-36 for Donahue who is now is 2-1.

Todd Unthankmay landed a huge right hand that knocked out winless Phillip Hannah in round one of their scheduled four round Light Heavyweight bout.

Unthankmay, 175 lbs of Philadelphia is now 2-0 with one knockout. Hannah, 169 1/2 lbs of Bronx, NY is now 0-7.

Jaywoon Woods came back after an eighteen month layoff to pound out a four round unanimous decision over Rayshawn Myers in a Cruiserweight bout.

Woods landed a right hand in round three that sent Myers down for the bout’s only knockdown.

Woods, 199 lbs of Danville, VA won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is now 9-1-1. Myers, 182 1/2 lbs of Cleveland is now 4-12.

Tal Middleweight John Thompson used his height to easily outbox Aaron Williams over four rounds.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Thompson of Newark, NJ and is now 4-0. Williams of Kinston, NC is now 0-3.

Sources have told 15rounds.com, that after much scrambling, two undefeated young Heavyweights will be the co-feature this Saturday night as Bryant Jennings will take on Maurice Byarm as one of the featured bouts on the inaugural NBC Sports Network Broadcast from Philadelphia.

The bout was made only after the original bout between Eddie Chambers and Sergei Liakhovich was scrapped because of a rib injury to Chambers. Several scenarios were kicked around with end result being that the two undefeated Heavyweights agreed to fight.

Jennings, 11-0 with five knockouts ids a Philadelphia resident and Byarm, 13-0-1 with nine knockouts of Washington, D.C but grew up in Philadelphia, where his father Lionel was the first man to oppose Evander Holyfield

The other scheduled television bout will pit Jr. Middleweight Gabriel Rosado and Jesus Soto-Karass

“This series is about giving the fans exciting, action-packed fights where the outcome is in doubt,” said promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events. “It is truly a shame that Chambers and Liakhovich cannot fight on Saturday, but athletes get injured. We tried all weekend to find a suitable replacement to face Liakhovich, but truly competitive opposition could not be found on such short notice. Last night we decided that it would be in the best interests of the fans and the series to go in another direction and present a fight that will live up to the standards that we have set for this project. We are thrilled to have come up with such a compelling bout. The fans in Philadelphia and those watching on TV will have plenty to cheer about on Saturday night.”

“I often hear people say that there are no American Heavyweights,” said Russell Peltz of Peltz Boxing, matchmaker for the NBC Sports Network “Fight Night” Series. “We are presenting a terrific fight on Saturday night at the Asylum between two promising American heavyweights who are willing to test themselves sooner rather than later.”

“I am really excited to get the chance to show what I can do on national television,” Jennings said about the sudden turn of events. “I’ve wanted to fight Byarm for a long time. I’m not worried about dealing with a southpaw. This is a perfect match for me.”

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that former two division champion Vic Darchinyan will fight for a bantamweight crown when he takes on Shinsuke Yamanaka in Tokyo on April 1

“I am very happy I was able to make a world title fight for Vic,” said Darchinyan’s promoter Gary Shaw. “He wanted another opportunity so badly that we took this fight for short money to do it.”

“Vic says he feels he can fight and win at 118 pounds,” Shaw said. “He has not had the success he had in the lower divisions, but he has also fought the best fighters in the world and he has not lost to inferior fighters. I thought he won the Mares fight, absolutely, 1,000 percent.

“A lot of people thought he won that fight. The only fight I believe he was outclassed in was against Moreno and that was a style mismatch thing. It just was not a good matchup for Vic. But no matter who he fights, he brings action and he brings the fight.”

“I haven’t seen any film on him but I was able to make the fight for Vic,” Shaw said. “I’ll get some film and have a better feeling of what we are up against after I look at it. I give credit to Vic for wanting to always fight the best and being willing to travel around the world to fight wherever the opportunity is.”

MAIN EVENT:

JOSE ALDO:

“This is the spirit I wanted to come out with tonight. The fans here gave me so much energy. We knew Chad was going to try to take me off my feet. We prepared for that and I had a chance to land the knee. It connected and I finished the fight. I was so overcome with emotion that I wanted to celebrate with my people.”

CHAD MENDES:

“Jose is a great champion and he was the better man tonight. He showed why he’s one of the best fighters in the world. I knew it would be hard to take him down, but I kept trying. I tried to keep the pressure, but he is just so tough and his takedown defense is great. I wanted the title so bad.”

BOUT EIGHT: PALHARES SUBMITS MASSENZIO

ROUSIMAR PALHARES:

“What a great victory! It’s what I always say when I get in there…if it’s God’s will then it is God’s will. I went in there and got it done. I like submissions and I got another one tonight.”

MIKE MASSENZIO:

“That’s a world-class athlete who was the better fighter tonight. I had the best camp of my career. I just got stuck. It wasn’t my night. I’m really disappointed.”

BOUT SEVEN: PRATER def. SILVA by DQ

CARLO PRATER:

“I’m not a judge. I didn’t stop the fight. All I know is that he hit me and it sent a shock of pain through my body unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I don’t know if the shots were legal. I just know it was unlike anything I’ve ever felt.”

ERICK SILVA:

“Everyone here knows that wasn’t intentional. I don’t know what else to say.”

BOUT SIX: BARBOZA def. ETIM by KNOCKOUT

EDSON BARBOZA:

“When you fight in Brazil, it’s unlike fighting in any other place in the world. In a fight, you try things and hope they work. Tonight, it (the kick) worked. It’s something I’ve practiced a lot and I finally was able to land it hard. I’m happy with this outcome and you can expect more of that soon.”

TERRY ETIM:

*Transported to local hospital for medical care following the fight and was unavailable for comment*

BOUT FIVE: TAVARES def. STOUT by DECISION

THIAGO TAVARES:

“Sam Stout was the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced and this is the biggest win of my career. I thought about this fight for a long time. I have to be honest: of all the ways I saw this fight going, I never expected to beat him striking. I tried to take the fight to the ground, but he has great takedown defense. The fight stayed on the feet and I was able to win there. I want another big name next.”

SAM STOUT:

“This was my first fight without Shawn (Tompkins). It was definitely an adjustment not having him in my corner. I hope Shawn would be proud.”

“I thought I took rounds two and three, but I just struggled to find my rhythm. My head wasn’t in it in the first round. I had a slow start and I have no one to blame but myself for that.”

Gonzaga submits Oliveira

BOUT FOUR:

GABRIEL GONZAGA:

“It felt great to be back in the Octagon. I showed that I still have my BJJ skills in there tonight. My time away from the UFC was good for me. I dealt with some personal business in my life and came back refocused. Before, I was training well, but my mind just wasn’t in it. Now, I’m back, I feel great. I’m focused and I showed that by beating a 13-0 fighter.”

EDNALDO OLIVEIRA:

“Part of me is sad and part of me is angry. I left an opening and Gabriel capitalized. I wanted to win badly and this is not a good feeling.”

BOUT THREE: ALCANTARA def. OMIGAWA by UNANIMOUS DECISION

YURI ALCANTARA:

“This was like the World Cup for me tonight. To fight against a veteran like him was a true honor. I hope this win proved to the UFC that I’m ready for the main card. I felt like a complete fighter in there tonight.”

MICHIHIRO OMIGAWA:

*Suffered an injury during the contest and was transported to a local hospital for further examination. Thus, he was unavailable for comment.*

BOUT TWO: MIKE PYLE def. RICARDO FUNCH by TKO

MIKE PYLE:

“After my last fight, I took a step back and readjusted some things in my training. I knew that I had to really take a look at my whole MMA game and I think you saw some of the adjustments and improvements tonight. My striking and my overall game have evolved. This was an important fight for me in my career and I appreciate Ricardo taking this fight on short notice.”

RICARDO FUNCH:

“I’m disappointed. I don’t have any excuses. He caught me with a good shot and it was over.”

Felipe Arantes def. Antonio CARVALHO by UNANIMOUS DECISION

FELIPE ARANTES:

“I’m very happy with this win because I went out there and proved to the people of Brazil that I belong in the Octagon. He was a very tough opponent. I had a tough camp and battled some injuries, but I was able to get in there tonight and control the striking and win.”

ANTONIO CARVALHO:

“I expected the crowd to be against me, but I’m not sure it played a big factor. They were definitely loud. In the end, Felipe listened to his corner very well. I wish I would have had more efficient shots (for takedowns) because they worked in the first round. I went for a few too many submissions and tired myself out.”

Former Middleweight champion Arthur Abraham scored a fifth round stoppage over Pablo Farias in a scheduled twelve round Super Middleweight bout in Offenburg, Germany.

Abraham got pff to a slow start but started getting through with power shots in round three. In round five, Abraham dropped Farias with a body shot. Seconds later he scored a 2nd knockdown form a body shot. Abraham was all over Farias and scored a 3rd knockdown and the fight was stopped at 2:00 of round five.

Abraham, 167 1/2 lbs of Germany is now 33- with 27 knockouts. Farias, 166 1/2 lbs of Buenos Aries, Argentina is now 19-2.

Dustin Dirks scored a 4th round stoppage over Sam Couzens in a scheduled eight round Light Heavyweight bout.

Dirks dropped Couzens in round four from a right hand. A follow up flurry which was finished by a right on the ropes dropped Couzens again and the fight was stopped at 1:26 of round four.

Dirks is now 23-0 with 17 knockouts. Couzens is 8-7.

Ramona Kuehne scored an 8th round stoppage over Renata Domsodi to retain the WBO Super Featherweight title.

Domsodi was cut over the left eye and dropped in round eight and the fight was stopped at 1:24 of round eight.

Kuehne, 129 3/4 lbs is now 19-1 with 6 knockouts. Domsodi, 126 3/4 lbs is now 7-2.

Heavyweight contender Eddie Chambers suffered displaced fractures of his left anterior ninth and tenth ribs in training and, therefore, has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled 10-round bout with Sergei Liakhovich on the inaugural NBC Sports Network’s Fight Night card from the Asylum Arena in Philadelphia, PA on January 21st.

Promoters Main Events and Peltz Boxing have reached out for a replacement for Chambers and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

New York, NY (January 13, 2012) – Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson will face his most experienced foe to date when he battles Shawn Rawley Wilson in a six round junior middleweight bout Saturday, January 21 at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom.

Hailing from Omaha, NE, Wilson’s faced a number of quality opponents including contenders DeAndre Latimore, Grzegorz Proksa and Jesus Gonzalez. In his most recent bout on October 15, Wilson improved to 6-5 (1 KO) by outpointing Reuben Rodriguez. In addition to having a winning record as a pro boxer, the 29-year-old is a top-notch mixed martial artist with close to 50 fights.

“Wilson is definitely coming to fight,” said Melson, a West Point graduate who improved to 7-0 after knocking out Danny Lugo in December on the Andre Ward-Carl Froch undercard in Atlantic City. “With the experience he has in boxing and MMA, I need to be at my best, especially because a number of West Point boxers are going to be on hand watching me. I’m training hard and working on my endurance because this is going to be a barnburner!”

Melson is also excited about his growing fan base, which helps support his donations to Justadollarplease.org in association with America’s first Clinical Stem Cell Trial using Umbilical Cord Cells.

“It’s truly an honor to see more and more people supporting me each fight. All of my tickets for this fight have been sold, so I really owe it to the great fans out there that are not only helping me, but those in need by supporting the cause”

In association with Justadollarplease, Melson created Team Fight to Walk, whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community about the importance of stem cell research for spinal cord injuries. Team Fight to Walk is comprised of Melson, former two-time cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Hector Camacho Jr., 2008 US Olympian Shawn Estrada, and prospects Sid “The Messenger” El Harrak, Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin, Frank Galarza, Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien, Ahmed “Prince of Egypt” Samir and Delen “Sniper” Parsley.

For more information or to make a donation, go to teamfighttowalk.com or Justadollarplease.org.

– Friday, January 13, 2012 8:00pm ET featuring Spartan Fighting Championship 11 – Destruction, at the National Guard Armory in Ashland, Kentucky. SFC always puts on action-packed cards and this event is no exception. The 17-bout pro/am card has a total of 3 titles up for grabs along with a main event that features two rising prospects on a collision course. SFC only promotes the best prospects in the region as the athletes records speak for themselves. SFC has quickly become the top organization not only in the Bluegrass State by throughout the territory because of its matchmaking and the high quality of fighters that it is able to sign. In the main event, Jason Butcher (2-0) fights Jared “Honey” Combs (7-1) in a pro tussle. Butcher recently turned pro after amassing a (6-2) amateur record. Both of Butcher’s professional victories have come via first round finishes, one KO and one submission. With a strong wrestling and grappling background, Butcher likes to get the fight to the mat where he can work for a submission or use his ground and pound to finish his opponents. Fighting Combs will be like looking in the mirror as he too likes to get fights to the ground and use vicious striking to take his opponents out. Combs has 4 times the experience fighting professionally and that should be an advantage for him in this bout. Neither fighter has ever gone the distance so if the fight gets into the later rounds, conditioning could play a major part. The winner of this bout sets himself up to be the #1 prospect in the entire Ohio Valley region. In the co-main event, Cornelius Godfrey (3-0) battles Thomas Campbell (3-1) for the newly minted SFC 135 lb Pro Championship. Godfrey has finished every opponent that’s been put in front of him, but the challenger on January 13 is going to be the toughest test to date. Campbell is on a 3-fight winning streak with all victories coming way of first round submission. Look for this bout to be “fight of the night” as these two bantamweights don’t know how to pace themselves. Don’t blink as this bout could be over seconds into round one. Also up for grabs are two amateur titles. Undefeated Michael Seals (7-0) battles David West (5-1) for the SFC 170 Amateur Championship, while Chris Brown (5-0) takes on James Williams (3-0) for the SFC 205 lb Amateur Title.

– Friday, January 13, 2012 11:00pm ET featuring Ultimate Reno Combat 30 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. In the main event, Radames Garcia (6-1) fights Andrey Mitchell (3-2). Garcia, who fights out of Cung Le’s AKA Fight Team, is coming off a spectacular run culminating in winning the CAMO MMA title in a state-wide tournament in California this past December. Garcia also picked up submission of the night for his first round victory to win the championship. Garcia looks to pick up right where he left off in 2012 and build on the success of the past year. Standing in his way is Andrey Mitchell. For Mitchell this is a great opportunity to not only even his record, but defeat a fighter who has a lot of momentum going into the bout. Mitchell is a URC vet as all 5 of his bouts have been inside the URC cage. Coming off the heels of two decision losses, a victory against Garcia could erase those controversial defeats. Expect Mitchell to come out guns blazing as he doesn’t want to let another fight go to the judges. The co-main event features Nathan Brimm (1-0) against “Bad” Brad Robasciotti (1-1) in a 205 lb scrap. Brimm is coming off a first round stoppage victory at URC 21 and will look to get the fight to the mat where his powerful punches can do the most damage. Robasciotti is coming off an injury in his last fight and now that he is completely healed he wants to get back to his winning ways. This bout is going to resemble two bulls in a china shop as there will be chaos and destruction at every turn. Don’t blink as odds are, this bout is not going the distance. Don’t miss this loaded event with 9 high octane bouts.

Other non MMA events this week: Boxing: Time for Truth featuring Jank Trotter vs. Adam Trupish, Jan 13, 2012 9:00pm. Pro-Wrestling: Future Stars of Wrestling: High Octane(free view): Jan 12, 2012 10:00pm ET , Impact Zone Wrestling(free view): Jan 14, 2012 8:00pm ET.

GFL now offers full access to over 6,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 subscribe now at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1100 live events with over 6000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is also available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices. Check the event page for details.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.GFL.tv or twitter.com/GFL or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

New York – January 12, 2012 – The NBC Sports Network today announced that Hall-of-Fame boxing trainer Freddie Roach and cruiserweight contender B.J. Flores team up with NBC’s veteran broadcaster Kenny Rice to provide commentary for the network’s new NBC Sports Network Fight Night Series.

The first Fight Night broadcast will be on the new NBC Sports Network on Saturday, January 21st beginning at 9 p.m. ET when heavyweight contenders Eddie Chambers and Sergei Liakhovich face off live from Philadelphia’s historic Asylum Arena.

Roach, the five time BWAA Trainer-of-the-Year, currently trains eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, among many others, at his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. A protégé of the late, great Eddie Futch, Roach is regarded as one of professional boxing’s best and most popular trainer. In addition to his work as a trainer, Roach owns the Wild Card Club/Gym in Los Angeles where, alongside his brother Pepper, he fosters the development of young boxers. On January 20, HBO will premiere a six-episode series on Roach that takes an intensely personal look at the world-famous boxing trainer. The series chronicles his life and career against the backdrop of his daily battle with Parkinson’s disease.

A former U.S. amateur heavyweight champion, the articulate Flores will interrupt his own boxing training – he is headlining an event on January 28th, in Springfield, Missouri – to make his NBC announcing debut. Flores has carved out an alternate career in broadcasting, while continuing to pursue his dream of adding a professional world title to his many accomplishments. A frequent guest analyst on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, Flores fought his first two professional fights on NBC Sports broadcasts in May of 2003. His professional record stands at 24 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw.

Rice, who has served as NBC’s Olympic boxing reporter, has called boxing matches on HD Net since 2005 and has hosted a weekly Inside MMA series on HD Net since 2007. Rice has covered horse racing for NBC since 1999, reporting on the network’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup, and, in 2008, he hosted NBC’s Olympic equestrian competition. In addition, Rice covered the U.S. Olympic Trials in both triathlon and equestrian and has reported on the NFL for NBC’s Football Night in America. Rice has also done play-by-play for track and field, rugby, and basketball, as well as the Pro Bull Riders World Finals.

Additionally, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated will serve as reporter and researcher for the NBC Sports Network Fight Night Series.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

To find NBC Sports Network on your TV, visit http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/ and use the NBC Sports Network Channel Finder on the right-hand side of the webpage.

PHILADELPHIA (January 12, 2012)—At this past Sunday’s annual “Salute To Philly Boxing” Awards Dinner, Joey Eye Boxing Promotions was selected at the 2011 Philadelphia Promoter of the Year.

Joey Eye Boxing, which has been promoting fights for the better part of a decade, made a big splash in 2011 by promoting five big events at Harrahs in Chester and signed two of the most popular fighters in the area in Tony Ferrante and Victor Vasquez.

“I would like to thank everyone for this award”, said promoter Joey “Eye” Intrieri.

“I want to thank my partner David Feldman, matchmaker Nick Tiberi, PR man Marc Abrams as well Victor and Tony”

“We have some great plans for 2012 and February looks to be a huge month as Victor is fighting Dorin Spivey on February 4th in Atlantic City. When Victor wins that fight, he will be ranked by the WBA and will be this close to fighting for world title”

“On February 24th, we are back at Harrahs where Tony will be fighting in his biggest fight when he takes on former world title challenger Omar Sheika. When these guys win these fights, it puts us in position for some major things”

Tickets for February 24th at Harrahs can be purchased for $100 (VIP); $65 (Ringside) and $45 (General Admission) and can be purchased at the Harrahs Chester Gift Shop; By calling Joey Eye (267-304-9399); David Feldman (610-291-0806); 800-480-8020 or on www.webtix.net

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former Welterweight champion Victor Ortiz received a one-fight license in Nevada for his February 11th rematch with Andre Berto.

Ortiz had to appear before the commission due to the tactics he used during the September 17th bout with Floyd Mayweather. In that fight, Ortiz repeatedly headbutted Mayweather and stated after the fight the he purposely tried to break Mayweather’s nose.

“I was trying to break his nose, 100 percent,” Ortiz said in the interview. He later added, “Although I take (the loss to Mayweather) as a learning lesson, a learning experience, next time it ain’t gonna be that. If I’m gonna head butt you, I’m gonna break your nose (on the) next head butt.”

During questioning by the commission, Ortiz was contrite about both incidents.

“I won’t make any excuses,” said Ortiz, who was accompanied to the hearing by David Itskowitch of Golden Boy and manager Rolando Arellano.

Of the head butt, Ortiz said, “I acted in a very inappropriate manner. I don’t know what I was thinking. I want a chance to redeem myself and show you guys I’m not a dirty fighter and never have been. … In the heat of the moment, I lost it. That will not happen again, I assure you.”

He said he made his remarks at the end of a long day and that “questions were coming from left and right” and that there were “repetitive questions. Frustration took over. It was a question that had been asked all day of me.”

When a commissioner asked Ortiz how he would react if he felt like he was being fouled — he claimed Mayweather had repeatedly elbowed him — he said, “Next time, I’m not going to commit anymore fouls. … I was very embarrassed by this whole thing.”

Arellano also was allowed to address the commission, saying, “Victor takes full responsibility. There’

“It would be very limited license where you have the opportunity to prove yourself,” he said.

Commissioner Pat Lundvall also supported the one-fight license idea. “Do not let it happen again in this state,” she said.

“I’m thrilled that he got the license,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said. “When I talked to Victor, like he said in front of the commission, he apologized about what happened. I think sometimes you get carried away and you do or say things you regret. I know Victor is a clean fighter, not a dirty fighter. You can look at his record.

“This fight with Berto will be a hard and exciting fight, but it will also be a clean fight. And after the fight, the commission will see this was a one-time glitch for Victor and he will be issued a permanent license.”

One of the rumored opponents for Floyd Mayweather’s May 5th fight in Las Vegas, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero has been penciled off the list as per Richard Schaefer according to Dan Rafael.

“It’s not going to be Guerrero,” Golden Boy promoter Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.

During a recent media event at Joe Hand Gym Boxing Gym in Philadelphia, fighters, promoters and network officials agreed that getting back to boxing basics in the City of Brotherly Love was just what the doctor ordered.

Gary Quinn, Senior Director, Program Planning and Aquisitions, NBC Sports Group, explained how Philadelphia ties in to the NBC Sports Network Fight Night game plan, “What we think puts us in a unique position to make this series succeed is now that we have the NBC Sports Group formulated, we’ve got 4 media platforms: we’ve got the NBC broadcast network; we’ve got the 24/7 NBC Sports Network; we have the 12 regional sports networks; and our digital platforms. It’s no coincidence that we are here in Philadelphia where we have one of the strongest RSN’s (Regional Sports Network) with CSN (Comcast SportsNet) Philly.”

Quinn added, “So you can say, ‘okay you’ve got the promotional platform, but you’ve got to have the product to make it work.’ We think we do. We’ve come up with a model that resembled what we did back in the day when The Fight Doctor (Ferdie Pacheco) said, ‘The key is putting crossroads fights on. You don’t have to worry about titles; you don’t have to worry about records. You want to match styles that will put on a good show.’ We feel Kathy (Duva) and Russell (Peltz) have done a great job on this card from top to bottom. That’s going to be the theme, to put on wars that have our viewers wanting more and more.”

Kathy Duva, CEO Main Events, explained the location for the debut show, “Philadelphia has a powerful boxing history and many avid boxing fans, we want to use that to make our show successful. Five of the eight bouts on this amazing card feature fighters that are from Philly. We want people in the audience that are from Philadelphia, so that everyone in the arena has a rooting interest, so we know they are going to make a lot of noise. This is why we chose Philly fighters like Gabriel Rosado and Ray Robinson to be on the undercard, they make terrific fights and have a big following. This will make for a great night in the arena and on TV.”

Ray Robinson, 12-2, 5 KO’s, will be in an 8 round welterweight fight against Doel Carasquillo, of Frederica, DE, 16-18-1, 14 KO’s. He assured the crowd that he was ready to put on a great show, “This is going to be an action-packed fight. Anybody that knows me knows I bring the fight. I’m a great boxer. I’ve trained hard enough for anything. I’ll make sure that it’s going to be a great fight on January 21st because it is on my birthday!”

Ray Robinson –
Credits: Philly Boxing History

Fellow Philadelphian, Gabriel Rosado, 18-5, 10 KO’s, faces Jesus Soto Karass of Los Mochis, 24-6-3, 16 KO’s, in what promises to be a 10 round junior welterweight war. Rosado ensured his fans that he was ready to give them a rousing show, “I am excited about this card. Soto Karass is a tough guy and I am excited to make a statement. I am going to show that I am a heavy hitter at 154. It’s going to be one helluva fight. Soto Karass is gonna bring it. I’m ready for everything. I have a big following and they’re all gonna come. I can’t wait.”

Gabriel Rosado –
Credits: Philly Boxing History

Kathy Duva spoke of choosing the main event for the NBCSN Fight Night debut show, “When the time comes to try to actually make the fights that everybody wants to see, you find out it’s a lot harder than you thought it might be. As we went through the list, we found consistently that in the heavyweight division there were a lot more people willing to fight each other than anywhere else. And I think that that’s a good thing.” She went on to say, “There’s a lot of talk about how the heavyweight division isn’t what it used to be. Well I’ll tell you, in recent years the only opportunity for heavyweights was to wait their turn to go to Germany and get beat up by one of the Klitschko’s. That does not make for becoming a better fighter, that does not cause anyone to learn or get better. What makes a great fighter is that they have to be in competitive fights, they have to learn as they go along.”

“We were delighted when we were able to make arrangements with Eddie Chamber’s promoter, Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor to bring him to this show. He hasn’t fought in Philadelphia in a very long time, so this is a bit of a homecoming for him. He is one of the top heavyweights in the world and he has agreed to fight another one of the top heavyweights in the world, Sergei Liakhovich. This is exactly the kind of match we were looking for. They both have a lot at stake, they are both going to come in and do their best, and they’re both going to try to win,” Duva concluded.

Philadelphia resident, Eddie Chambers, 36-2, 18 KO’s, was in very good spirits as he discussed his upcoming battle with Sergei Liakhovich, Scottsdale, AZ, 25-4, 16 KO’s, on NBC Sports Network, “I’d really like to thank NBC for stepping up to the plate and trying to bring boxing back to what it used to be. I hate to disappoint NBC because they want competitive fights and all, but in my opinion this is not going to be a competitive fight.” He confidently boasted, “I got a lot of respect for Sergei; he’s been a world champion; a really good fighter; but I think I’m a little more advanced than he is! I think I pose a lot of threats to him. I’ve watched some his tapes, and some of the things he’s done. It doesn’t hurt that I am probably in the best shape that I’ve ever been in. I think it’s not going to be easy, but I think what I bring to the table is going to be too much for him to handle.”

To find NBC Sports Network on your TV, visit http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/ and use the NBC Sports Network Channel Finder on the right-hand side of the webpage.

——————————————————————————–

Promoted by Main Events, Peltz Boxing Promotions and Goossen Tutor, the non-televised undercard fights will begin at 7 p.m. ET on January 21st.
Televised bouts begin at 9 p.m. ET. Tickets are priced at $45 and $65 can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing, (215) 765-0922, or online at www.peltzboxing.com

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT CARD LIVE
NEW YORK (JANUARY 11, 2012)—On Thursday night January 19th, a great night of boxing will be streamed LIVE all over the world as Greg Cohen Promotions presents Championship boxing at the Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island, New York.

The night of boxing begins at 7:30 pm for a price of just $9.99 and can be ordered when clicking:

http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Greg_Cohen_Promotions_Presents_Championship_Boxing/1316

In the main event, popular Mikey Faragon will see action in the six round main event.

Faragon of Guilderland, New York has been perfect with a record of 16-0 with seven knockouts and is a very exciting fighter that has amassed a great fan base in the New York area.

This will be Faragon’s second appearance on GFL.TV and first since a six round unanimous decision over Albert Amaro on July 31st, 2009.

Faragon is coming off his most impressive win to date as he stopped Ira Terry (24-5) on August 5th.

Fighting in the six round co-feature will be one of the top prospects in the country as Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia risks his perfect mark against Ishwar Amador in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Tapia of Passaic, New Jersey has a record of 12-0 with six knockouts and has appeared on some of the biggest cards in the world over the past few years.

Tapia has appeared on the big stage at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk and Madison Square Garden and has beat the likes of James Winchester and in his last bout, Tapia scored an explosive second round knockout over highly regarded Mike Ruiz as part of the Miguel Cotto – Antonio Margarito undercard in Madison Square Garden.

The Jr. Middleweight prospect, who gained a world wide reputation as being one of the toughest sparring partners that pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao has had in recent time, will be making his second appearance on GFL.TV

Amador of Mira Loma, California has a record of 11-9 with six knockouts has not had it easy as he turned pro against 12-0 contender Eric Regan. Amador has faced four undefeated opponents plus former world title challenger Shibata Flores. Amador holds a win over then 19-4 Alvaro Ayala.

Popular New Area Jr. Middleweight Tommy “Razor” Rainone (16-4, 4 KO’s) will see action in a six round bout against Sean Wilson (6-5, 5 KO’s) of Nebraska.

In a six round female special attraction, Diana Prazak (9-1, 7 KO’s) of Australia will be making her American debut against Lucia Larcinese (4-8) of Montreal in a Super Featherweight bout.

Good looking Light Heavyweight prospect Travis Peterkin (3-0, 3 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY takes on Ralph Johnson (0-2) of Massachusetts.

Anthony “Juice” Young (2-0, 1 KO) of Atlantic City will see action in a four round Welterweight bout.

Lightweight Nicky DeMarco (3-2, 2 KO’s) will be making his return in a four round bout.

Rounding out the card will be Jr. Middleweight Noel Godson, who will make his pro debut against Tony Harvey (0-3)

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 subscribe now at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1100 live events with over 5500 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is now available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.GFL.tv or twitter.com/GFL or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will originate from Las Vegas, on January 13 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN 3D and ESPN3 when junior featherweights “Marvelous” Chris Martin (23-1-2, 6 KOs) and Teon “The Technician” Kennedy (17-1-1, 7 KOs) meet in the 10-round main event.

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino describing the action, while studio host Bernardo Osuna will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. The card is presented by Top Rank.

Friday’s show will be the first 2012 Friday Night Fights telecast on ESPN 3D. Pictured in photo are ringside analysts Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas wearing 3D glasses. ESPN 3D presented boxing for the first time in the U.S. last February. Muhammad Ali’s 70th birthday will also be recognized within Friday’s show.

This Friday San Diego’s Martin, will look to rebound after an October 10-round split decision loss to Jose Branza. Previously, Martin scored his career-best win in a 10-round decision against previously undefeated Chris Avalos.

“The key to fighting this guy (Kennedy) is the jab and movement,” Martin said. “I think Kennedy’s a straight-forward fighter, and that’s what we’re working on – lateral movement and combinations. I’m working on throwing more punches and landing more punches.”

Philadelphia’s Kennedy said, “I’ve been training really hard for this fight, and am well-prepared. I’ve seen a couple of tapes on Chris Martin. He has a lot of skills, but I also see a lot of mistakes that I can capitalize on. My approach is to keep the jab out there and see what he can do with it.”

Friday’s card will also feature 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist/undefeated junior welterweight Yordenis Ugas (10-0, 5 KOs) against Esteban Almarez (10-4, 4 KOs). Miami’s Ugas is coming off a second-round knockout win over Rynell Griffin, while Texas’s Almarez is coming off an eight-round majority decision loss to Jose Reynoso.

Tacoma, WA (January 11, 2012) – Cruiserweight hopefuls Joell Godfrey and Henry Namauu will square off Saturday, January 21 in the ten round main event of Halquist Productions’ “Battle at the Boat 85” from the Emerald Queen Casino.

Tickets to “Battle at the Boat 85” start at $25 and are available on ticketmaster.com or by calling the Emerald box office at 1-888-831-7655.

The East St. Louis, IL based Godfrey received international attention as a participant on the fourth season of “The Contender,” although he was eliminated by Felix Cora Jr. in the opening round. He later returned as an injury replacement, but came up short against former title challenger Rico Hoye. Since appearing on “The Contender,” Godfrey, 13-5-1 (6 KO’s), continued to face stiff opposition, battling world rated heavyweight Chauncey Welliver, unbeaten prospect Daniel Kooij and cruiserweight standout Francisco Palacios.

A winner in five of his last six bouts, the 6’3 Godfrey has never been knocked out and owns a victory over then-unbeaten DeLeon Tinsley.

Namauu, 9-4 (5 KO’s), came through the paid ranks the hard way. Within his first six bouts, the Las Vegas native faced future Contender participant Erick Vega, highly touted Seth Mitchell and renowned spoiler Victor Barragan. After dropping a decision to Barragan, Namauu went on a six bout winning streak, including victories over Patrick Liles (7-1-1), Jason Douglas (8-2) and Vega in a rematch.

“This is going to be one heck of a fight,” exclaimed Brian Halquist, CEO of Halquist Productions. “Both men are battle tested, come to fight and recognize the importance of a victory. I’m really looking forward to this one.”

In the six round co-feature, unbeaten welterweight prospect Nate Serrano, 3-0 (2 KO’s) of Yakima, WA takes on California’s Roberto Crespo, 2-1. Serrano, who’s fought all three of his pro bouts at the Emerald Queen Casino, is quickly becoming a crowd favorite.

Also appearing in undercard bouts are local favorites Randell Corpus, Olanrewaju Duradolan, Adrian Hermann, Jose Rico and MMA-standout-turned-boxer Len “The Tiger” Bentley.

Renowned ring announcer Amy Hayes will serve as the master of ceremonies throughout the evening. Doors open at 6 pm and the opening bell is scheduled for 7.

During the last 23 years, Halquist Productions built a reputation in the boxing world for their loyalty, honesty and integrity. In 1997, Halquist Productions ran their inaugural “Battle at the Boat” series, which remains successful to this day. Halquist Productions promoted many world title bouts and their fight cards have been seen on ESPN, HBO and Showtime.

NABA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT
Dorin Spivey (40-6-0/29 KO’s) vs. Victor Vasquez (14-5-1/7 KO’s)

Co-Main Event
Chazz Witherspoon (29-2-0/21 KO’s) vs. Evans Quinn (20-6-1/18 KO’s)
Atlantic City, NJ (January 10, 2012) – On one of the biggest weekends in sports, boxing will take center stage on the eve of Super Bowl XVLI when Dee Lee Promotions LLC, in association with the Tropicana Casino and Resort present Super Brawl I on Saturday, February 4, 2012 in the Tropicana Showroom. The night features co-main events. First slated is a 10-round brawl for the vacant NABA Lightweight Championship with Dorin Spivey (40-6-0/29 KO’s) of Portsmouth, VA and Philadelphia, PA native, Victor Vasquez (14-5-1/7 KO’s) going toe-to toe. The other featured bout pits Philadelphia’s own and Atlantic City favorite, Chazz “The Gentleman Heavyweight” Witherspoon (29-2-0/21 KO’s) vs. Evans “The Sandman” Quinn (20-6-1/18 KO’s). Witherspoon, an all-around athlete has an arsenal of skills he brings to the ring. He considers each fight just one step closer to a title shot and hopes to follow the path of his cousin, two-time world heavyweight champion, “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon.

The remainder of the Super Brawl I undercard features seven scheduled bouts showcasing several of boxing’s rising stars: From Norfolk VA, Frankie “The Freight Train” Filippone (8-2-0/2 KO’s) vs. Tacoma, WA Richard Langley (5-3-0/ 3 KO’s); From Newark, DE Joey Tiberi (6-1-0/4 KO’s) vs. Independence, MO Steve Cox (2-3-0/1 KO’s); From Norfolk, VA heavyweight Dorset Barnwell (5-0-0/3 KO’s) vs. New York, NY heavyweight Jon Bolden (2-3-0/2 KO’s); Philadelphia, PA lightweight Angel Ocasio (6-0-0/1 KO) vs. TBA; From Philadelphia, PA Keenan Smith (4-0-0/1 KO) vs. Detroit, MI Chris Finley (2-3-0/2 KO’s); From Atlantic City, NJ middleweight, Isiah Seldon (5-0-0/2 KO’s) vs. TBA. The evening will also feature a female 4-round bout with Cleveland, OH featherweight, Carla Torres (3-2-0) and Bronx, NY featherweight, Nydia Feliciano (3-2-3).

Doors open at 7:00 p.m., with the first bout slated for 8:00 p.m. Tickets are priced at $40, $55, $75 and $100 and can be purchased at the Tropicana Box Office, by calling Ticketmaster at 1.800.745.3000 or Dee Lee Promotions at 856.692.1206.

About Dee Lee Promotions, LLC
Dee Lee Promotions, LLC is owned and operated by New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame promoter Diane Fischer of Vineland, NJ. Fischer has earned a reputation not only as a premier matchmaker who has presented some of the most memorable and entertaining boxing contests in the country, but as woman who has been innovative and overcome gender barriers in an industry dominated by men. Her industry awards and distinctions include: New Jersey Promoter of The Year; Undercard Fight of the Year; Best Girl Fight of The Year; The First Time Six World Title Belts [Pay Per View] appeared on one card (Atlantic City); The First All Girl Fight on the East Coast; The first woman ever to promote an all girl fight card in Baton Rouge Louisiana; The first woman promoter ever to promote a World Title Fight in Panama City; The first male or female promoter to present a title fight in Delaware; The first woman promoter to promote/co-promote a Heavyweight Championship Fight on HBO, Ray Mercer, and Wladimir Klitschko on June 29, 2002; the fight also was aired on PPV in Germany and was the first Heavyweight Championship promoted by a female in that country. To contact Dee Lee Promotions LLC., call 856.692.1206.

About Tropicana Casino and Resort
Tropicana Casino & Resort is a 24-hour gaming destination located on the beach and Boardwalk. Featuring 2,078 rooms and suites and home of The Quarter, a 200,000 square foot entertainment complex, Tropicana is the premier resort in Atlantic City. With more than 20 restaurants, 25 shops, 15 bars and lounges, 2 pools, an IMAX Theatre and a spa, Tropicana is consistently rated as the “Must-See Attraction” in Atlantic City. For more information, visit the official Web site at www.tropicana.net.

For more exclusive discounts, current information, pictures and video, be sure to check out the Tropicana on the Web at www.tropicana.net/facebook or follow us on Twitter at www.tropicana.net/twitter.

Tropicana Entertainment Inc. (“Tropicana Entertainment”) owns and operates 8 casinos and resorts in Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and New Jersey. In addition, the Company owns a development property in Aruba. Tropicana Entertainment properties collectively have 5,750 rooms, 8,300 slot positions and 240 table games.

Kentucky’s leading cage fighting event is back as Spartan Fighting Championship 11 presents Destruction on Friday, January 13 at the National Guard Armory in Ashland, Kentucky Live iPPV at www.GFL.tv. SFC always puts on action-packed cards and this event is no exception. The 17-bout pro/am card has a total of 3 titles up for grabs along with a main event that features two rising prospects on a collision course. SFC only promotes the best prospects in the region as the athletes records speak for themselves. SFC has quickly become the top organization not only in the Bluegrass State by throughout the territory because of its matchmaking and the high quality of fighters that it is able to sign.

In the main event, Jason Butcher (2-0) fights Jared “Honey” Combs (7-1) in a pro tussle. Butcher recently turned pro after amassing a (6-2) amateur record. Both of Butcher’s professional victories have come via first round finishes, one KO and one submission. With a strong wrestling and grappling background, Butcher likes to get the fight to the mat where he can work for a submission or use his ground and pound to finish his opponents. Fighting Combs will be like looking in the mirror as he too likes to get fights to the ground and use vicious striking to take his opponents out. Combs has 4 times the experience fighting professionally and that should be an advantage for him in this bout. Neither fighter has ever gone the distance so if the fight gets into the later rounds, conditioning could play a major part. The winner of this bout sets himself up to be the #1 prospect in the entire Ohio Valley region.

In the co-main event, Cornelius Godfrey (3-0) battles Thomas Campbell (3-1) for the newly minted SFC 135 lb Pro Championship. Godfrey has finished every opponent that’s been put in front of him, but the challenger on January 13 is going to be the toughest test to date. Campbell is on a 3-fight winning streak with all victories coming way of first round submission. Look for this bout to be “fight of the night” as these two bantamweights don’t know how to pace themselves. Don’t blink as this bout could be over seconds into round one. Finally, in a professional debut fight, Jesus Contreras (7-1) will take on Zack Oden.

Also up for grabs are two amateur titles. Undefeated Michael Seals (7-0) battles David West (5-1) for the SFC 170 Amateur Championship, while Chris Brown (5-0) takes on James Williams (3-0) for the SFC 205 lb Amateur Title.

Don’t miss this thrilling mixed martial arts card with the top up and coming talent in the Ohio Valley area coming to throw down as Spartan Fighting Championship 11 presents Destruction. 3 titles are on the line on this stacked pro/am show and the main event features two of the most highly regarded prospects in the area that will no doubt splash on to the national scene sooner than later. Watch the champions of tomorrow compete today on January 13 streaming live on pay-per-view exclusively at www.GFL.tv or at www.spartanfighting.com.

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 subscribe now at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1100 live events with over 5500 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is now available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Former Welterweight world champion Paul Williams will be back in action on February 18th when he takes on Nobohiro Ishida on February 18th as part of a Showtime televised card that will also feature IBF Light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud defending against Gabriel Campillo according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Paul is anxious to get back in there and re-establish himself in the minds of people who don’t give him credit for winning the fight with Lara,” said Williams promoter Dan Goossen. “People will forget real quickly with a good performance against Ishida. Whether you had Paul winning or losing (against Lara) it was an exciting fight and that’s what Paul Williams is known for — being in those types of fights. He gives as good as he gets most of the time, so I think this should be another one of those good Paul Williams fights.

“I believe Kirkland’s performance against Angulo was a factor that showed that Ishida deserved the shot with Williams in another big fight,” Goossen said. “To me, Ishida has earned his opportunity to fight a fighter like Paul Williams and Paul has earned the right to fight the man who knocked out James Kirkland. This is a fight that will be a barometer to see where Paul is. I believe he is still at the top of the class in the 154-pound division. Ishida is somebody you have to contend with to get back to that top level.”

“One of the things I love about it is that he is right-handed,” Goossen said.

If Williams is successful against Ishida, Goossen said the hope is that Williams will get a rubber match with Martinez and a rematch with Lara.

“That’s a fight we would like to get back,” Goossen said of another fight with Martinez. “They’re 1-1. Paul wants to do it again with Lara, too, even though he got the victory because Paul is the kind of fighter who wants to erase any doubts.”

“When Campillo got call to fight on Dec. 31 he took the fight immediately,” said Sampson Lewkowicz, Campillo’s promoter. “When they canceled the fight I kept Campillo in training. Now we are getting the fight on Feb. 18. We have agreed on everything. I spoke with Don King (Cloud’s promoter) and I am waiting for the paperwork.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute and former WBC champ carl Froch are working on a two fight that deal that would see the fighters take on each other in each’s home country.

ute and Froch are negotiating a two-fight deal that would begin with a bout in the spring in Montreal, Bute’s adopted hometown where he is a major star, and be followed by a rematch in Froch’s hometown of Nottingham, England, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, Froch’s promoter, told ESPN.com on Monday.

Hearn said he was “having positive discussions with Jean and the team at InterBox” about the deal and that he was “very happy with the idea of working with them.”

“We have penciled two dates — April 14 for Montreal and Aug. 4 in Nottingham — for the ‘home and away’ bouts,” Hearn said. “Don’t see why we can’t get this boxed off in the next week or so.”

“At the end of the day, we need the second fight to be relevant and appealing,” Hearn said. “I’m very sure it will be.

“We are talking,” Hearn said of conversations with Showtime. “They have expressed their desire to keep Carl and I don’t envision any problems either side.”

Paterson native and up-and-coming middleweight Richard Pierson will return to action Friday, February 17, 2012 as Gabe LaConte’s First Round Promotions presents a night of boxing at the Nutley High School in Nutley, New Jersey.

Following nearly a two-year layoff from the squared circle, Pierson (9-2, 6 KO) put on an impressive show in his comeback fight in June of 2010, stopping Reynaldo Rodriguez at 2:32 of the first round, handing the undefeated fighter his first loss. But the young fighter has had problems with fights falling through and getting cancelled last minute.

Having fights fall through has been somewhat of a regular thing for Pierson, through no fault of his own. Fighters and promoters have been avoiding the devastating puncher because in four fights he was supposed to be the “B” fighter, and he came in and knocked out the “A” fighter.

Along with his heavy hands, Pierson has caught the attention of boxing fans around the world because he has always stepped up to fight every time he was given the chance. To his credit, he has never faced an opponent with a losing record.

Although not having a set opponent would present an issue in training for some fighters, Pierson doesn’t allow it to affect him.

“I haven’t changed how I prepare for a fight,” said Pierson. “I train the way I always do; I focus on the win. It is unpredictable. I could have an opponent right now and a week before the fight that can change, so I just make sure that I’m in shape and able to go out there and do what I know I can do.”

Despite the problems Pierson has faced in the past with getting fights, this past year Pierson sought out the management of former heavyweight knockout artist and boxing trainer Lou Esa.

“Richard is probably one of the most devastating punchers I’ve ever worked with,” said Esa. “This kid can hit you with either hand that’ll put you on Queer Street. Just knowing a little bit about Richard has put me in a different state. He has 10 children. He takes care of them all by himself. When you look up father in the dictionary, you see a picture of Richard Pierson. He shows that kind of determination inside the boxing ring. He is determined to win a championship, and I think he will. This kid is not going away silently; in fact he isn’t going away at all. He is someone to be reckoned with, and nobody wants to fight him now.”

In his young career Pierson has fought at top level venues, including the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas, Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, and several others.

When asked if he felt he had an advantage since he has always fought tougher competition, Pierson responded, “The thing with the tougher competition, it’s the same way I look at this fight coming up. I go out there to fight, and look at each fighter as a human being, just like I am. To me it doesn’t matter who you have fought or where you have fought…it depends on what you are bringing to the table. But I don’t think it was an advantage for me to be fighting on big stages early in my career. That’s one of the reasons why it has been so hard for me to get fights now.”

Going forward in 2012 Pierson hopes to stay active and consistently fight throughout the year.

The middleweight prospect currently trains at Ike and Randy’s gym in Paterson, New Jersey.

“Lastly I want to give a shot out to Lou Esa for being one of the only guys who was willing to take time out to try to get my career back and moving, and Maureen Shea, who always gave me great advice. She is the female champion, and always gives me great advice and showed me the right way to go, and always kept me level-headed. There were times that I’ve gotten down in boxing, and she is the one who brought me back. With the two of them I believe my career is going to go on and my life is going to go how it should be. And thanks to Blockstarzzent for getting my photo up on the promo flier for the fight.”

Tickets for Richard Pierson’s return to the ring cost $40 for general admission and $100 for a VIP table (which includes a buffet dinner) can be purchased directly through Lou Esa at Final Round Boxing and Fitness in Whippany, NJ or by calling (973) 885-7962.

For more information follow Richard Pierson on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Richard-TP-Pierson-Fan-Page/251954198152149

The last club show before the start of the Golden Gloves.

The weigh in will begin at 2:00PM and the first bout will begin at 4:00PM.

All our bouts are pre-matched. They are sanctioned by USABoxingMetro. All boxers must have their boxing book with them in order to participate.

The ticket price is $20 per person. Children 6 and under are not charged. All gym members and registered amateurs with their books in hand pay $15 per person.

This show will be shown live and free of cost on: www.gofightlive.tv. The blow by blow for these fights will be done by our very own Champion Sonya Lamonakis.

Our next show is Saturday night February 18, 2012.

This show is for Master’s boxers.

If you wish to compete on this Master’s show, please contact our matchmaker Heather Hardy at 718 797 2872 or gleasons75@aol.com.

According to TMZ.com, Manny Pacquiao could decide today or tomorrow whether he will fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5th — this according to Manny’s trainer.

Freddie Roach just told TMZ Manny and promoter Bob Arum are in the Philippines, figuring out if they can put off several deals to fight other boxers … to clear the decks for a Mayweather fight in May.
Roach is scoffing at Mayweather’s tweet, in which he calls Pacquiao a “punk,” saying, “He should look in the mirror. He’s been ducking us for 2 years.”

As for what weight class Pacquiao will fight Mayweather … Roach said 147 lbs — that’s the upper limit of welterweight.

Of course, even if Pacquiao can rearrange his schedule, both sides have to agree on a financial deal. Roach says, “We’ll do it on even terms.”

According to TMZ.com, Floyd Mayweather Jr. just issued the challenge the world has been waiting for — demanding Manny Pacquiao fight him once and for all … May 5th in Vegas.

Floyd’s jail sentence was postponed to June so he could fight at the MGM Grand on May 5th — but so far, his opponent hasn’t been determined.

Fight fans have been clamoring for Mayweather-Pacquiao for years — and now Floyd himself is calling out Manny with the message, “Manny Pacquiao I’m calling you out let’s fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see.”

Floyd sounded off in the tough and hardcore forums of Twitter and Facebook — and punctuated his challenge with, “Step up Punk.”

Manny is in the Philippines … and has yet to respond to the challenge.

Super Bantamweight contender Teon Kennedy talks about his ESPN 2 Friday Night Fight’s showdown with Christopher Martin

Former world Heavyweight title challenger “Fast” Eddie Chambers talks about his January 21st fight with Sergei Liakhovich

Jr. Middleweight Gabriel Rosado talks about his January 21st fight with Jesus Soto Karass

Main Events CEO Kathy Duva talks about the 1st show on NBC Sports Network that will feature Eddie Chambers and Sergei Liakhovich on January 21st in Philadelphia

Luke Rockhold retained the Strikeforce Middleweight championship with a first round round pound out of Keith Jardine at the Joint at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas.

Rockhold landed a huge right that sent Jardine back towards the cage and eventually on the ground. After eating a few shots, Jardine got to his feet only to absorb a nasty left hand that knocked him out on the ground. Rockhold got in a handful of more unnecessary blows before referee Herb Dean stopped the bout at 4:26 of round one.

Rockhold, 185 lbs of San Jose, CA makes the first defense of his crown and is now 9-1 with two knockouts. Jardine, 185 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is now 17-10-2.

Former Strikeforce Middleweight champ, Robbie Lawler took out Adlan Amagov in the first round of their Middleweight bout.

Amagov hit Lawler with an illegal knee to the head that gave Lawler a few minute respit. Within in seconds, Lawler hit Amagov with a flying kick and then jumped on Amagov and landed ten unanswered blows that forced referee Steve Mazagotti atopped the bout at 1:41 of the opening frame.

Lawler, 186 lbs of Davenport, IA is now 19-8-1 with sixteen knockouts. Amagov, 186 lbs of Fairfield, NJ is now 9-2

Former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion King Mo Lawal stopped previously undefeated Lorenz Larkin in round two of their bout.

Lawal pounded Larkin with about twelve unanswered blows while Larkin lay prone and the bout was stopped at 1:32 of round two.

Lawal, 205 lbs of San Jose, CA is now 9-1 with seven stoppages. Larkin, 205 lbs of Riverside, CA is now 12-1.

Tyron Woodley remained undefeated with a three round split decision over Jordan Mein a Welterweight bout

Scores were 30-27 and 29-28 for Woodley, 171 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL and is now 10-0. Mein, 171 lbs of Lethbridge Alberta, Canada is now 23-8.

Tarec Saffedine fought through a bloody right eye from the first round on to eek out a split decision over Tyler Stinson in a Welterweight bout.

Saffedine, 170 lbs of Temecula, CA won by scores of 30-27, 29-28 and he is now 12-3. Stinson, 170 lbs of Kansas City, KS bloodied Saffedine with a hard elbow in the first round and won a card 29-28 but falls to 23-8

Nah-Shon Burrell scored a three round split decision over James Terry in a Welterweight bout.

Scores were 29-28 on two cards for Burrell while Terry took a third card at 29-28.

Burrell, 171 lbs of Philadelphia is now 801. Terry, 171 lbs of San Jose, CA loses a tough luck bout and is now 11-4

Gian Villante pounded out Trevor Smith in round one of their Light Heavyweight bout.

Villante got Smith on the ground and pounded him with punches and the fight was stopped at 2:05 of round one.

Villante, 205 of New York is now 9-3 with six knockouts. Smith, 206 lbs of Washington is now 9-2

Ricky Legere knocked Chris Sprang from the ranks of the undefeated by scoring a three round unanimous decision in a Welterweight bout.

Legere, 171 lbs of Lake Forrest, CA won by scores of 29-28 on cards and is now 14-4. Sprang, 171 lbs of Las Vegas is 4-1.

Esteven Payan scored a three round unanimous decision over Alonzo Martinez in a Lightweight bout.

Payan, 160 lbs of Tempe, AZ won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 13-3-1. Martinez, 160 1/2 lbs is now 35-14-1

Luis Ramos Jr. scored a ten round unanimous decision Ray Beltran in a competitive Lightweight bout at the Fantasy Springs Hotel and Casino in Indio, California.

Both fighters took turns taking the lead as there was not much to choose from. It seemed that a late surge from Beltran maybe would have got him the verdict but the judges preferred the volume and aggressiveness over the accuracy of Beltran.

Ramos Jr. showed guile as he was cut over his right eye due to an inadvertent head butt in the second round and the two clashed heads several more times during the fight.

Ramos Jr., 135 3/4 lbs of Santa Ana, CA won by scores of 97-93; 97-93 and 96-94 ans is still perfect at 21-0. Beltran, 134 1/4 lbs of North Hollywood, CA suffers another close loss and is now 25-6.

Heading into the evening – after being on the losing side of many tight distance fights – Beltran declared, “The judges are my enemies.” Coming out of this evening’s fight, it’s doubtful that his position has changed.

“I was a little nervous about the decision because I knew it was a tough fight,” said Ramos. “[Beltran] was a tough fighter with a great record but I proved that I could hang in there and take punches.”

Said Ramos: “He got me with a few head butts, but the blood didn’t really bother me.”

The two men engaged in many exchanges full of hooks and headshots with Beltran staying busier but Ramos punching more accurately. The SHO Stats compiled by CompuBox listed Beltran as landing 156 of 522 punches to Ramos’ 190 of 418.

As SHOWTIME boxing analyst Steve Farhood said of the fight, “If I had to pick one word: intensity.”

In a battle of undefeated Lightweights, Omar Figueroa scored a stoppage over Michael Perez after round six of a scheduled ten round bout.

It was an entertaining scrap with each taking turns being the boss. Both especially for young fighters worked the body with effectiveness. Figueroa started to seize control at the end of the fifth round as he started to get through more. Perez kept fighting hard through the sixth but Figueroa seemed to hurt Perez at the end of the round.

The fight was stopped by the Perez corner after the sixth frame.

Figueroa, 134 1/2 lbs of Walesco, TX is now 14-0 with twelve knockouts. Perez, 134 3/4 lbs of Newark, NJ is now 15-1-1.

“It was my legs,” said Perez. “I had no power since round two. I’m disappointed.”

“I was a little disappointed. I hit him with all my best shots but he didn’t go down,” said Figueroa. “But I was confident. I never thought I was going to lose. I’ve been asking for tough opponents. I wanted to fight the best and I proved I can deal with this and much more.

“[Perez] was a tough opponent but that’s what I’ve been asking for.”