Undefeated Prospect Michael Angelo Perez to throw out first pitch at Newark Bears Game!

Unbeaten prospect Michael Angelo “The Artist” Perez of Newark, NJ will throw out the ceremonial first pitch this Friday before the Newark Bears battle the York Revolution. Perez, 7-0-1 NC (3 KO’s) is making his National TV debut just one week later on Telefutura when he takes on unbeaten Francisco Reyes at the Paradise Theater in Bronx, NY. The 2008 National Golden Gloves champion finished his amateur carer with a stellar 112-10 record and meets Reyes over six rounds. Tickets to Perez’ next fight can be ordered by calling 718-823-2000,




Chris John title defense postponed due to shoulder injury

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Featherweight champion Chris John’s upcoming title defense against Fernando Saucedo after suffering a shoulder injury, John’s adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz, told ESPN.com.

John (43-0-2, 22 Kos) was scheduled to make the 13th defense of his 126-pound belt against Argentina’s Saucedo (38-4-3, 1 KO) on May 22 in Bali. It would have been John’s first fight in his home country since January 2008.




Marquez – Diaz II is on


According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the rematch of 2009’s fight of the year between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz will take place July 31st in Las Vegas on Pay Per View.

Marquez-Diaz I took place in front of a wild crowd of more than 14,000 on Feb. 28, 2009, at the Toyota Center in Diaz’s hometown of Houston. It turned out to be an unforgettable fight and was named fight of the year by ESPN.com, the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring magazine.

“These two guys are made for each other,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said. “The first fight was fight of the year and I have no doubt the rematch will be another great fight.”

“I came back to lightweight because at welterweight I lost a lot of speed,” Marquez said.

“I know that 140 is not my weight class,” Diaz said. “It didn’t take anything away from me.”

“I am going to forget our first fight. It is like it never happened,” Marquez said. “I am going in as if this were our first meeting. A lot of people are asking me, ‘Why Juan Diaz again?’ There are two reasons. No. 1 is that he is a great fighter and deserves a rematch. No. 2, the people deserve a great fight like this.

“Our fight was the fight of the year in 2009 and it may be the fight of the year again in 2010. Finally I want to give the people a great fight, especially the Mexican people. You are all going to see two warriors who will give everything they have and leave everything in the ring.”

“I am very excited because I have two things going on in these next couple of months,” Diaz said. “I have the second biggest fight of my career. I have some career defining decisions. On June 7, I am going to take the LSAT and those logic puzzles are kicking my butt. I am excited because this is going to be a great summer for myself, for my family and for my team.

“People are saying this is going to be a must win fight for me. But I don’t see it that way. I see this as redemption. Redemption for what I was going to accomplish in 2009, but it wasn’t meant to be. Come July 31, I am going to pick up in the ninth round. I left off in the ninth round last time, and I am going to pick it up from there.”




Video: Juan Manuel Marquez

Juan Manuel Marquez talks about his July 31st showdown rematch against Juan Diaz

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VIDEO: JUAN DIAZ

Juan Diaz discusses his July 31st showdown rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez on Pay Per View

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VIDEO: Marquez – Diaz II press conference

Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz meet the media to announced their July 31st rematch on Pay Per view

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Video: BJ Flores

Undefeated Cruiserweight contender, BJ Flores breaks down Mayweather – Mosley and discusses his nect career move

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15rounds.com Mayweather – Mosley staff picks


Marc Abrams

I subscribe to the Theory that if in forty previous fight, Floyd Mayweather has given me no reason to pick against up and tomorrow night is the same story.

Floyd may be in for the toughest night of his life but somehow someway he will win this fight by pounding a tough and well earned decision that actually may turn some of his harshest critics to realize that Mayweather is a superior talent and hopefully set up a fall mega matchup with Manny Pacquiao

Bart Barry

One thing I know about picking fights is that if you do it with your
heart instead of your head you’ll live a happier life on fightnight. My
head says Mayweather. My heart says Mosley. It says here: Mosley TKO 11.

Mario Ortega Jr.

First off, this is the first Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight I have had an above moderate excitement level going into fight week since he fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. This is also the first time since he fought the rematch against Jose Luis Castillo in 2002 that I can really envision a scenario in which he could lose. Shane Mosley is one of the best fighters of recent times, but Mayweather is the best fighter of recent times. I was in the minority of writers for this site that voted him the fighter of the past decade over Manny Pacquiao and I see him taking the decision over Mosley on Saturday.

Anson Wainwright

I believe this is a tougher fight for Mayweather than a fight with Pacquiao. Mosley will most likely be the fastest guy Mayweather has fought and visa versa. I think early Mosley may pose several problems for Mayweather round by round Mayweather will figure things out and win a close but deserved points decision.

Joon Lee
Mayweather on points.
Stylistically, this would’ve been a much more intriguing duel had it taken place when it was first proposed back in ‘99. Shane’s blend of speed, power, and naturally superior strength might have prevailed then, but with his inevitable decline in those departments with an exception of strength, I have to favor the younger, faster, and better defensive boxer in Mayweather. Mayweather doesn’t throw punches nearly as much as in the past, nor is he as mobile as he was at lower weights, but he’s still the sharper technician and I anticipate his speed and impenetrable defense to be the factor in out-pointing Shane over twelve rounds.
Natash Aiello

Mayweather by decision

David Winston

Mayweather by unanimous decision. Floyd is still in his prime, Shane is not. PBF almost never gets hit in the head; Mosley knows this and will concentrate on the body. This will open up Mosley to Floyd’s right hand upstairs. Remember, Floyd is an extremely selective, but accurate puncher. Sugar Shane is not known for defense the way Money is. Both quality and a surprising quantity of shots will carry The Money Man to a clear victory.

Matt Yanofsky

Mosley by knockout: I have a crazy feeling about this one much like I did with Baldomir-Judah. This will be Floyd’s first test against a real welterweight that appears to have a good amount left in the tank. Mosley also has Nazim Richardson, the best trainer at depicting styles not named Freddie Roach, in his corner. The always prepared Richardson helped Bernard Hopkins demolish previously unbeaten fighters in Felix Trinidad and Kelly Pavlik, while giving the great Joe Calzaghe the toughest fight of his career. I expect him to provide the same guidance to Mosley, who will break through Mayweather’s shoulder roll defense with straight right hands en route to a stoppage that will go down as one of the most unforgettable moments in boxing history.

Rick McKenzie

I feel as if I’m having a deja vu..last time I said “this is the fight Floyd will lose” was against Hatton, and PBF KO’d him. Blueprint is there, pressure fighter with skill, speed , and power. Sugar should win right? Wrong! PBF is the top 3 defensive fighters of all time IMO…I got Mayweather winning UD. I’ll even give him 7 rounds.

Brett Mauren

I’ll take Mayweather via UD in the fight of his life.

Dominick Panfile

This fight will not be a matter of whether Sugar Shane will figure out a way to win. It’s simpler than that. Mayweather does not know how to lose, and the fight Saturday night will be no exception to the rule. Shane will keep it close early getting in some good shots during exchanges, but as the fight progresses and Floyd slows him down, Mosley will increasingly end up on the shorter end of the exchanges. Shane can be a solid defensive fighter as well, so I’ll give him some credit for that and predict that Mayweather wins a Unanimous Decision. A tenth round stoppage would not surprise me either. Either way, there is no path to victory for Sugar Shane Mosley.

Joseph Davey

There are two fighters in boxing I never pick against: Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio. If a fight ever does take place between the two, I’ll make my choice then. Until that moment, I’m staying the course and going with Mayweather by unanimous decision. I think by the fourth round he’ll have timed Mosley well enough to start taking command of the fight en-route to a fairly wide points victory.

Adam Berlin

When Mosley, with the help of Nazeem Richardson’s insightful eyes, figures out how to get inside Mayweather’s pocket, he’ll strafe Money with brutal shots. And when Mayweather goes back to his corner, he’ll realize how alone he is. Punch-drunk Roger will provide no answers. As this fight progresses Mosley will take Mayweather’s mind and shut down Floyd Jr.’s mouth. It may be wishful thinking, but I see Sugar Shane beating Pretty Boy Floyd inside the distance.

Alejandro Echevarria

For a few years now I’ve thought Mosley to have the biggest chance of beating Mayweather. His combination of speed, power and experience might just be enough to solve Floyd’s defensive enigma. I expect to see Sugar tagging Money’s body with both hands when the latter goes into his shoulder roll defensive posture but not sticking long enough to get countered that often. Mosley is also wise enough (especially with Nazeem Richardson in his corner) to be able to tell when a round is going his way so as to force Mayweather to come forward and fight.

Floyd Mayweather is closer to his peak in physical condition than Shane is. At 38, Mosley may age overnight and get outhustled all might long. If the Pretty Boy were to press the action and throw over fifty punches a round there would be little Mosley could do as he usually gets beaten to the punch when his opponent doesn’t let him get into rhythm.

I’m going against the odds in this one and I’m picking Mosley to pull off the upset. Most of my brain suggests otherwise but Mayweather may finally hit a bump in the road when he gets in the ring with an elite welterweight.

Johnny Schulz

Floyd Mayweather will be all money Saturday night. His natural skill and amazing slick defensive will prevail here as he will win a unanimous decision over Sugar Shane Mosley. I say he will win at least 9 out of the 12 rounds. Nonetheless this proves to be a very exciting bout, and great for boxing fans, new and old! The sport needs more of these types of match ups.

Claudia Bocanegra

Out of the list of men that Mayweather has beat under his belt, Mosley may well be one of those challenges that will shine on your resume. But even with that, I still think that Mayweather’s speed and defensive skill overpowers Shane. Money May UD.

Dan Stasiukiewicz

I predict a close decision in favor of the younger, slicker Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather will use his elusive defensive techniques to fend off the agressive Mosely. In the early rounds Mosely’s pressure will win him a few of the early rounds but the age and mileage on Mosely’s body will become apparent in the later rounds. Neither fighter will be seriously hurt and I do not see a knockdown for either fighter as well. Also look for Mosely to make this fight interesting early by pressuring Mayweather and taking him out of his element but look for that attack to wane in the later rounds. The end result of 8 rounds to 4 in favor of Mosely.




Guerrero dominates Arrietta via eighth round stoppage


Former two division world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero stepped up to the lightweight division that culminated a turbulent three months of his life by scoring a decisive eighth round stoppage over Roberto Arrietta in a scheduled ten round bout at the Tropicana in Las Vegas.

Guerrer dominated the bout as he dropped Arrietta three times including the first knockdown from a right hook in round two. Guerrero was effective was his straight left hand and that was the punch of choice that dropped Arrietta in the third round. Arrietta was game but outclassed and his night came to an end in round eight as he was dropped in the opening seconds from a hard straight left. Guerrero wasted no time and jumped over his wounded foe that forced referee Jay Nady to stop the fight just twenty-nine seconds into the contest.

Guerrero, 135 lbs of Gilroy, CA has been through turmoil in recent months as his wife Casey has had a relapse of Leukemia that she has been battling courageouslyover the last couple of years.

Guerrero is now 26-1 with eighteen knockouts and could possibly be eying a third world title as he could be in line to face the winner of the much anticipated rematch of the 2009 fight of the year between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz that will take place on July 31st just yards away at The Mandalay Bay.

Arrietta, 134 lbs of Santa Rosa, Argentina is now 35-16-4.

“I feel great and wanted to get some rounds in. I made a statement at 135 and I want the winner of Marquez-Diaz”, said Guerrero.

“This fight means alot to me. Casey’s fight is for her life. I just had fun in there.”

Toddy Junior and Rene Torres fought to a four round majority draw in a Jr. Lightweight bout.

Scores were 39-37 for Torres and 38-38 on two cards.

Junior, 129 lbs of Las Vegas was cut over the left eye in round two is now 2-0-1. Torres, 129 lbs of Los Angeles is now 0-1-1.

In a four round Lightweight bout, Abner Cotto scored a unanimous decision over Juan Sandavol.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Cotto, 133 lbs of Caguas, PR who is now 7-0. Sandavol, 131 lbs of San Bernandino, CA is now 1-3.

Cotto is the cousin of former two-division world champion Miguel Cotto and Jose Miguel Cotto, who fights tomorrow night against unbeaten Saul Alvarez on the Mayweather – Mosley PPV undercard

Heralded prospect Frankie Gomez scored a second round stoppage over Ricardo Malfavon in a scheduled four round bout.

Gomez dropped Malfavon with a hard right early in round two and followed up with a barrage of punches that had referee Russell Mora stop the bout at 1:06 of round two.

Juan Velasquez scored a four round unanimous decision over Robert Gullien in a Featherweight bout.

Velasquez, 126 lbs of Guaynabo, PR won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 10-1.

Gullien, 124 lbs of Glendale, AZ is now 5-7-3.

Former U.S. Olympic bronze medlaist Deontay Wilder notched his tenth consecutive stoppage in bizarre fashion as he and Alvaro Morales got tangled up in round three of their scheduled eight round Heavyweight bout.

When the two fighters tangled, Morales fell to the ground and was down for several minutes. When he got to his feet he was willing to continue but his corner threw in the towel at 1:23 of round three.

Up until that point, Wilder looked very raw and unimpressive but the 219 lb Wilder of Tuscaloosa, AL is now 10-0. Morales, 291 lbs of Las Vegas is now 4-8-5.
Gomez, 140 lbs of Los Angeles is 2-0 with bot wins coming by knockout. Malfavon, 143 lbs of Santa Ana, CA is 0-2.




VIDEO: MAYWEATHER – MOSLEY WEIGH IN

Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley weigh-in for their mega showdown this Saturday on PPV

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WEIGHTS FROM LAS VEGAS

Floyd Mayweather 146 – Shane Mosley 147
Saul Alvarez 150 – Jose Miguel Cotto 149




Video: Jim Lampley

HBO Play by Play man Jim Lampley discusses Saturday Night’s showdown between Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather

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Video: Marco Antonio Barrera

Legendary Marco Antonio Barrera discusses his “comeback” and his thoughts on Saturday night’s Mosley – Mayweather fight

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Video: Said Ouali

Welterweight Said Ouali discusses his bout with Hector Saldiva this Saturday night on the Mayweather – Mosley PPV Card

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Video: Saul Alvarez

Undefeated nineteen year old, Saul Alvarez talks about his American PPV debut against Jose Miguel Cotto this Saturday night on the Mayweather – Mosley PPV card

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LOADED UNDERCARD ADDED TO BIG NIGHT OF BOXING ON FRIDAY NIGHT MAY 7TH AT THE ARENA (FORMALLY THE NEW ALHAMBRA) IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA

PHILADELPHIA (April 27, 2010)—On Friday night, May 7th at The Arena (Formally The New Alhambra) a huge night of boxing will take place that will feature undefeated Jr. Welterweight, Danny “Swift” Garcia taking on rugged Christopher “Kid KO” Fernandez in the ten round main event.

A packed undercard that will highlight some of the best fighters in Philadelphia has just been added to this great night of boxing that will be promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Joe Hand Promotions and Tecate.

The card will be televised nationwide on Telefutura.

The undercard will be headed by undefeated lightweight, Karl “Dynamite” Dargan and jr. middleweight Mike Dargan in separate bouts.

Just added with be the very popular Heavyweight sensation, Joey “Polish Thunder” Dawejko in a four round bout against come backing Charlamagne Jones.

Dawejko, from the Tacony section of Philadelphia brings in a record of 3-0 with one knockout. In his last bout, Dawejko scored a four round unanimous decision over K.C. Cunningham on March 6th in Atlantic City.

The nineteen year old has quickly become a fan favorite in the city as this will be his second start in Philly. In his lone hometown fight, Dawejko scored an explosive first round stoppage over Ricardo Johnson on February 5th at The Legendary Blue Horizon.

Dawejko is a former world Jr. Amateur champion.

Jones of Washington, D.C has a record of 2-2-1 with both wins coming by knockout.

This will be his first bout in nearly a decade and is coming off a no-contest with Dana Dunston in June of 2000 in Glen Burnie, MD.

Also seeing action will be middleweight prospect, Latif Mundy.

Mundy of Philadelphia was an amateur star and has accumulated a professional record of 8-2 with three knockouts.

Mundy won his first eight bouts and will be looking to get back into the win column after suffering back to back defeats to undefeated Patrick Majewski (10-0) and his last bout where he lost to rising Gabriel Rosado (12-4) via seventh round stoppage on November 7th in Atlantic City in what was a toe to toe war.

Mundy’s opponent will be named shortly.

In other bouts:

Charles Hayward (2-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on Andre Espuet (2-1, 1KO) of Morristown, NJ in a four round Light Heavyweight bout.

Undefeated Light Heavyweight, Andy Mejias (5-0, 1 KO) of Utica, NY will battle Todd Eriksson (1-3-1, 1 KO) of Dover, NJ in a bout scheduled for four rounds.

In a four round bout featuring New Jersey based Featherweights, Jose Ortiz (3-2, 2 KO’s) of Jersey City will take on undefeated Jason Sosa (2-0, 1 KO) of Camden.

Undefeated cruiserweight, Julio Cesar Matthews (9-0, 5 KO’s) will see action in a six round bout against an opponent to be named.

Tickets for this memorable night of boxing are priced at $100; $65; and $45

Tickets for this great night of boxing can be purchased at:

Joe Hand Boxing Gym
543-547 North 3rd Street
215-271-4263

Or

The Arena (Formally The New Alhambra)
267-687-7560
For more information, contact Joe Hand Promotions at 1 215 364 9000

The Arena (Formally The New Alhambra) is located at : 7 W. Ritner St. (Corner of Swanson and Ritner) , Phila, PA. 19148




John Ruiz retires


According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former two-time Heavyweight champion, John Ruiz announced his retirement.

“I’ve had a great career but it’s time for me to turn the page and start a new chapter of my life,” Ruiz said in a statement. “It’s sad that my final fight didn’t work out the way I wanted, but, hey, that’s boxing. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished with two world titles, 12 championship fights, and being the first Latino heavyweight champion of the world. I fought anybody who got in the ring with me and never ducked anyone. Now, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family.”

“With my experiences in boxing I want to go home and open a gym where kids will have a place to go, keeping them off of the streets, so they can learn how to box and build character,” Ruiz said. “Someday, I’d like to see one of them go on to represent the United States in the Olympics. I want them to have the same opportunity to see the world that I had as an amateur. I’ve always tried to be involved in community and charity work in the past and now I’ll have more time to work with kids.

“Maybe, someday I’ll get into training, but right now I just want to spend time with my wife, Maribelle, and my children. I wasn’t around as much as I would have liked for my two oldest children, John and Jocelyn, because I was away training or fighting. Now, I’ll be around for them and my 3-year-old son, Joaquin, as he grows up,” he said.

“I’m going back to my roots in Massachusetts, where a lot of my family and friends live, and look forward to helping young boxers avoid some of the bad things that I experienced in the sport but help them to experience the good times, too. Boxing is brutal but also beautiful. As I look back, I’m happy about my career, and my future is very bright.”

“I want to thank all of my fans for staying in my corner through a long, up-and-down ride, as well as members of my family and team — my manager and legal advisor, attorney Tony Cardinale, my brother [and cornerman], Eddie, and [strength coach] Keith McGrath, who’ve been with me so long,” Ruiz said. “I also want to thank my trainer Miguel Diaz and [assistant] Richie Sandoval for teaching an old dog new tricks, and my promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, the fairest promoter in boxing.”




Truax-Williams ends in a draw; Abell demolishes Gutcher in St. Paul!

St. Paul, MN (April 25, 2010) – Minnesotans “Golden” Caleb Truax and Phil “The Drill” Williams battled to a spirited ten round draw in front of a standing room only crowd Friday night at the St. Paul Armory.

The story line was one that those in attendance clearly bought into, as Truax looked to avenge an amateur loss to Williams, while the latter was gunning for a knockout over an unbeaten opponent.

In one of the more heralded fights in Seconds Out Promotions’ history, Truax got off to a solid start by effectively outboxing the heavy handed Williams in the early rounds. Both fighters continued to pick their spots in the middle rounds, with Truax starting to press the action, while Williams began to work his jab. With a sudden sense of urgency, Williams rallied late and stunned Truax in the last round, leaving fight fans at the edge of their seat until the final bell.

Scores of 97-94 Truax and 96-94 Williams were met by a 95-95 tally, forcing the draw while leaving the Minnesota State Super Middleweight crown vacant. Truax remains unbeaten at 14-0-1 (9 KO’s). Williams’ professional ledger is now 11-3-1 (10 KO’s).

“I thought it was a close fight”, said Seconds Out’s President and CEO Tony Grygelko. “Caleb won the early rounds and Phil made it very close down the stretch, but I think Caleb proved his toughness by taking on such a dangerous opponent.”

In the co-feature, fan favorite Joey “Minnesota Ice” Abell of Coon Rapids demolished Josh Gutcher of Albia, IA inside of two rounds. The cement fisted heavyweight violently dropped Gutcher with a monster right hook, prompting referee Mark Nelson to stop the contest without a count.

Abell improves to 26-4 (25 KO’s) while Gutcher falls to 18-12 (13 KO’s).

Local prospects Ismail Muwendo and Charles Meier also scored thrilling victories, while James Owen upset crowd favorite Antwan Robertson.

The undercard also featured two action packed MMA bouts.
When retired professional boxer Tony Grygelko found himself unable to stay out of the gym, he realized that his passion for boxing was undeniable. At age 29, Grygelko formed Seconds Out Promotions. By utilizing the vast boxing knowledge of world-class trainer Ron Lyke, Grygelko and Seconds Out quickly became a hit.

Through determination, integrity and hard work, Seconds Out strives to become a top promotional firm by giving young fighters the ability to showcase their talents to a worldwide audience, along with offering fans the highest quality of entertainment. Seconds Out is committed to recruitment and development of the best and brightest young fighters to help achieve our mission.

Seconds Out Promotions’ current stable of pugilists includes undefeated prospects “Golden” Caleb Truax, Marcus Oliveria, Michael Faulk, Ismail Muwendo, dynamite fisted Heavyweight Joey “Minnesota Ice” Abell, Willshaun Boxley, Charles Meier, Jon “The Ironman” Schmidt, and Mohammed Kayongo.

For more information, go to www.soboxing.com or text “fights” to 95495.




Donovan George Scheduled to Throws First Pitch at Chicago Cubs Game At Wrigleys Field!

On Monday April 26, 2010 , Cestus Management’s 168 pound contender Don “Da’Bomb” George is slated to throw out the honorary first pitch, as Chicago’s beloved Cubs begin a home stand against the Washington Nationals at the famed Wrigley Field. It is an honor that any sports fan would want but few ever get to experience. George, who is on the rise in his chosen pugilistic profession feels that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. “This is absolutely amazing for me, I grew up watching the Cubs” with the rest of Chicago and i cannot put into words how i feel, I’m speechless said Donovan George as he winds down training for his fight next Friday.

Mike Michael, who is Cestus Management’s Chief Advisor, added, “ Chicago has always been a great sports town rich in baseball, football, basketball, and boxing traditions. On Monday Baseball fans across the country will watch Donovan throw out the first pitch and four days later boxing fans across the country will watch Donovan represent Chicago when he fights on national TV; what more can be said.

Donovan George fights Asumanu Adama on THE NEXT GENERATION OF SUPERMIDDLEWEIGHTS which will take place at the UIC Pavilion on April 30th 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.

Advance Tickets starting at $31, can be purchased through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com Tel 1-800-745-3000); Cestus Management (Tel 856 690 9095) and 8 Count Productions (Tel 312 226-5800). Doors open at 7pm, first bout starts at 7:30pm.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF SUPERMIDDLEWEIGHT: will be televised live on ShoBox The New Generation at 11pm EST, 10PM CST and 8pm PST.




Arce tunes up for world title shot with stoppage over Santos


Jorge Arce tuned up for a world title shot this June with a seventh round stoppage over Cecilio Santos in a scheduled ten round Bantamweight fight in Ciudad, Sinaloa, Mexico.

It was an action filled fight with the bigger Arce getting through and trying to impose his will but Santos, who has three times fought for a world title washitting Arce and even caused a cut over Arce’s right eye.

The two came out firing in round seven until Arce caught Santos with a thudding left to the body that sent Santos on his knees for the ten count at fifty-eight seconds of round seven.

Arce, 119 lbs of Los Mochis, Mexico will now face Eric Morel for a Bantamweight crown on June 26th on the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. – John Duddy card in San Antonio with a record of 54-6-1 with forty-one knockots. Santos, 119 lbs of Mexico City is now 24-14-3.

Joksan Hernandez got through two first round knockdowns to score a stoppage victory over Miguel Beltran in the tenth and final round round of their Super Featherweight bout.

Beltran dropped Hernandez in round one with a left hook and then a left to the body dropped Hernandez for a second time as Beltran seemed to be in control of the contest. Hernandez seemed to be coming on late in the bout as in round seven he got through with two hard uppercuts that knocked out the mouthpiece of Beltran. In the final frame, Hernandez just continued to move his hands and a tired Beltran crumbled to the canvas and took the ten count at 2:08 of the final round.

Hernandez, 131 lbs is now 18-2 with eleven knockouts. Beltran loses for the first time and is now 22-1.

Alonso Lopez remained undefeated with a close unanimous decision over debuting Misael Juarez.

Lopez, the son of former minimumweight king and Hall of Famer Ricardo Lopez, is now 4-0.




Kessler wins Super Middle crown in barnburner with Froch


Mikkel Kessler won the WBC Super Middleweight championship and muddled up the Super Six World Boxing Classic standings as he took a twelve round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Carl Froch at the MCH Arena in Herning, Denmark.


The fight was a boxing match early as Kessler tired to establish his jab by coming forward in an effort to make an imprint on the awkward style of Froch. Froch’s punch of choice was the right hand and he landed several of them early including a thudding right in round four. Froch had a solid round five as he was dominant with the right hand as he landed at least three good ones in that frame. The punches were starting to show their effect as blood appeared on the face of Kessler in the sixth round.


The fight turned in round eight as Kessler landed his own right hands and staggered Froch with a big shot. That punch caused bleeding on the bridge of Froch’s nose. Kessler landed some nice counter shots over the next few rounds with Froch landing hard looping rights but one at a time. Kessler opened up round eleven with a nice three punch combination. Froch answered that with a nig right of his own. The fight picked up in that round as Kessler would gain some advantage by landing a big right/left hand combination. Round twelve was frenetic as both fighters went for it as they put everything on the line as they stood at war toe to toe. They both landed huge shots and rocked each other in desperation, Froch to keep his title and Kessler fighting to still be a factor in the Super Six Classic. These two great champions fought hard and with the class right until the final bell with back and forth action.


“There was a lot of desperation coming off the Ward fight,” said Kessler, who resides in Copenhagen, Denmark. “But this was my night. I had a lot of people from my country say that I was finished. It is nice to get my belt back and show them.”


“I (studied) his fights and he isn’t good fighting backwards,” Kessler continued. “I hurt him with the straight right hand (eighth) and I saw it turn. Then he fought my fight instead of his.”

“In my last two fights I’m starting to look like a fighter,” joked Kessler after the fight. “No more modeling! I have to be careful of the cuts. I have to move my head more.”

“I thought I did enough to win,” said Froch, a proud Englishman who showed little sign of disappointment. “I had him hurt two or three times. Actually, I know I had him badly hurt three times. It’s my fault though. If I had put it to him more and if I had sustained the pressure I could have gotten him out of there. No one has been able to do that. I wasn’t able to do that.

“It was very close but if we were in my hometown in Nottingham, it would have gone my way with the same scores. There will be people who say it was robbery but I won’t take anything from Mikkel Kessler. I thought I did enough but that’s boxing.”

Kessler, 167 lbs of Copenhagen, Denmark became a three-time champion as he won by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 to raise his impressive mark to 43-2.

Froch, 167 1/4 lbs of Nottingham, England loses for the first time and is 26-1

SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC SCOREBOARD

Record Fighter Points

1-1 Arthur Abraham 3

1-1 Mikkel Kessler 2

1-1 Carl Froch 2

1-1 Andre Dirrell 2

1-0 Andre Ward 2

0-0 Allan Green 0




Joey Gilbert Returns to Reno May 22nd


Reno, Nevada — The Grand Sierra Resort & Casino and Let’s Get It On Promotions are pleased to announce “Reno Xtreme Fights IV”, May 22nd. Reno’s own Joey Gilbert (18-2, 14 KOs) will make his return to the ring against veteran Anthony Bartinelli (20-13, 13 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight bout. Tickets are on sale now.

Gilbert is coming off of an impressive fifth-round knockout victory against Ivan Stovall in August. The Bartinelli fight will be Gilbert’s first fight back in his hometown since his twelve-round unanimous decision loss to local rival, Jesse Brinkley.

“I just want to get in the ring again,” said Gilbert. “I felt great in my last fight, and I would like to have a shot at a big name at middleweight.”

Bartinelli is a tough veteran from Phoenix, Arizona who is known for taking fights with the best middleweights in the world. Bartinelli recently went the distance with middleweight world title challenger Elvin Ayala and contender Albert Onolunose. Although he has traveled the world and faced off with the best fighters around, Bartinelli looks at this fight as being his chance to make a name for himself in boxing.

“I’ve wanted this fight with Joey Gilbert for a couple of years now,” says Bartinelli. “This could be my big break.”

Both fighters are known for being brawlers with power and good chins.

“This fight has the makings of a war,” says Let’s Get It On Promotions’ Tommy Lane. “Both stand toe-to-toe and are not afraid to get hit while trying to knock the other out.”

This will be the fourth installment of “Reno Xtreme Fights,” the successful professional boxing/MMA series. Other boxers slated to fight on the card are Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (11-0, 9 KOs) and Chad “Chadillac” Forrester (1-1). Mixed martial arts fighters currently slated are Reno’s own Rick “The Holy Terror” Reeves (9-2) and Kristin “Barbie” Molina (1-1).

Fight card subject to change. More details will be announced shortly. Ticket information is below.

Reno Xtreme Fights is a boxing and mixed martial arts series of events between Grand Sierra Resort & Casino and Let’s Get It On Promotions. Doors will open at 7 p.m. for the fight on Saturday, May 22nd with the first bout at 8 p.m. in the Grand Theatre. Tickets are $75, $55 and $35. Tickets for a King’s Row Booth for four are $1,000 which includes an exciting spot to get close to the action with light appetizers and one bottle of alcohol included. To purchase tickets or for more information: please call 1.800.648.3568 or visit www.grandsierraresort.com.

ABOUT LET’S GET IT ON PROMOTIONS:

Reno, Nevada based Let’s Get It On Promotions was founded in 2000 by legendary boxing referee Mills Lane. In early 2005 he was joined by sons Terry and Tommy in the operations of the company. Along with super middleweight contender Jesse Brinkley, Let’s Get It On Promotions also promotes middleweight prospect Brandon Gonzales, lightweight contender Rustam Nugaev, lightweight prospect Bayan Jargal and highly regarded brothers Tyler and Derek Hinkey. They have consistently promoted world class boxing events on a national basis.

About Grand Sierra Resort and Casino:

Grand Sierra Resort & Casino (GSR) is in the heart of Reno/Tahoe. GSR is northern Nevada’s most complete resort destination with nearly 2,000 guest rooms and suites. The property offers a wide variety of accommodations for the everyday business traveler to the complete family vacation with amenities that include 200,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, branded retail shopping, headliner entertainment, a cinema, a 50-lane championship bowling center, outdoor thrill rides, aqua golf driving range, an 85,000 square foot casino with 24 hours of heart-pounding action plus so much more. GSR is a proud member of Summit Hotels and Resorts, a prestigious brand of Preferred Hotel Group. For more information, please visit www.grandsierraresort.com or to make reservations call 800-648-5080.




Collazo – Aydin is OFF

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com the proposed Welterweight showdown between former WBA champ Luis Collazo and Selcuk Aydin will not happen due to Collazo not feeling he can make the weight plus he is unhappy with the financial terms of the fight.

“We are not fighting at 147 [pounds] anymore,” daid Collazo’s trainer Nirmal Lorick. “We told Don (King) a couple of weeks ago he was having trouble with the weight and that we’re not fighting at 147 anymore. The inactivity has been a real problem for Luis. He feels his body has been through enough and he’d rather move up in weight to fight someone else. We’re looking for a fight with [junior middleweight titlist and new middleweight champ] Sergio Martinez.”

“We waited around for months thinking we’d have the rematch with Berto while the purse bid kept getting rescheduled,” Lorick said. “Then Berto got an exception to fight Mosley [in a January fight that was ultimately canceled] and we were supposed to fight Aydin for the interim [title].

“Then the fight was delayed over and over,” Lorick continued. “It’s ridiculous. Now, they say Luis should go over there, lose the weight and fight for no money? By the time Don gets paid, they take out the taxes, Luis ends up with nothing. Training camp alone costs us $15,000 to $20,000. But the weight is really the issue. We are not going to put Luis’ health in danger by making that weight anymore.”




Weights From St. Paul, MN!

Caleb Truax 162.5 Phil Williams 163 (Minnesota State Super Middleweight Championship)
Joey Abell 241 Josh Gutcher 245
Ismail Muwendo 130 David Laque 131
Antwan Robertson 117 James Owen 121.5
Charles Meier 158.5 Dan Copp 158

MMA:
Zach Juusola 160 Shaine Emmons 160
Elias Jones 142 Travis Reddinger 142

Promoter: Seconds Out Promotions
Venue: St. Paul Armory
Tickets: ticketweb.com




Jimmy Bivins Annual Charity Boxing Classic invades North Olmsted!

North Olmsted, Ohio – April 23, 2010 –The annual Jimmy Bivins Classic is one day away! Warner Promotions in association with the VFW Men’s Auxiliary post 7647 and the Old School Boxing Club are done putting the final touches on the show and look forward to bringing professional boxing back to the Cleveland market, in nearby North Olmsted, Oh. The Jimmy Bivins classic will be headlined this year by Cleveland lightweight prodigy Yuandale “Money Shot” Evans against the power punching Rey “The Prosecutor” Hernandez in a six round lightweight attraction. The event will take place on Saturday, April 24th from the Soccer Sportsplex, 31515 Lorain Road, in North Olmsted, and has a total of six professional bouts on the card.

Evans, (6-0, 4 KO’s) will be fighting in northeast Ohio for the first time since he turned professional last August. He is coming off a second round TKO over Juan Baltierrez on the undercard of the Bernard Hopkins/Roy Jones Jr fight just thirteen days ago.

As an amateur, Evans was one of the best in the nation. He was the 2009 Cleveland Golden Glove champion, and won a bronze medal at the 2009 USA National Championships.

Hernandez, (6-7, 6 KO’s) is coming off the best win of his professional career in Februray. In his last fight he knocked out Noah Zuhdi in the first round. Zuhdi was an undefeated prospect with a perfect record of 9-0 at the time. Hernandez has won four of his last five bouts overall.

The co-featured bout will present the long anticipated professional debut of Lorain’s Wilkins Santiago, as he squares off with Torrence King (1-6) from Columbiana, OH in a four round Middleweight clash. Santiago was originally scheduled to make his debut on the “ESPN Friday Night Fights” event at the Wolstein Center in February. King’s record is a bit misleading as he has fought very tough opposition. The combined record of his opponents is 30-5

Also featured on the crowd is lightweight sensation Julius Leegrand (2-0), from East Cleveland. Leegrand was also an amateur standout in his days, as he was the 2005 Cleveland Golden Glove Champion. Leegrand will be matched up against Francisco Portillo (0-3) of Dennison, OH in a four round lightweight contest. Leegrand will look to become the first person to stop the game Portillo inside the distance.

Making his professional boxing debut will be Cleveland’s Chris Lozano, the NAAFS Middleweight champion in the world of mixed martial arts, as he will take on Albany, NY’s Reggie Scott (1-0) in a four round Light Heavyweight attraction bout. Lozano, who has some amateur boxing experience, wants to make his mark in the world of professional boxing, just as he has in the world of MMA.

Another fighter making his professional debut is Jr. Middleweight Rogelio Sanchez, from Fort Wayne, IN. He will go toe to toe with Stephen Scott (1-0), from Albany, NY over four rounds.

Opening the action will be Rock Hill, South Carolina’s James Hope (5-4, 4 KO’s) in a four round welterweight clash with Toledo’s Gabriel Morris (1-5-1).

Doors open at 6:00 PM, with the first bell set for 7:30 PM.

Tickets for the Jimmy Bivins Charity Boxing Classic are charitable donations as 100% of the proceeds are donated to the VFW Post 7647. Ticket prices start at just $20 for general admission. There are also $50 VIP Ringside tickets, and tables seating eight for $600. Tickets can be purchased at the North Olmsted Soccer Sportsplex, VFW Post 7647, or by calling 216.854.0485 or 440.258.8117.

About Jimmy Bivins

Jimmy Bivins fought out of Cleveland whose professional career ran from 1940 to 1955. Although he was never given the opportunity to fight for a world title, despite at one point being the number one contender in both the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions, Bivins fought and defeated many of the great fighters of his era. In recognition of his achievements in the ring, among other things, he defeated eight of the eleven world champions he faced. Bivins was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999.

About Warner Promotions

Warner Promotions is a boxing promotional company, based out of Cleveland. They served as the co-promoter for the ESPN Friday Night fights event at the Wolstein Center on February 19th. A newly formed, Cleveland based company, owned by Ron Warner, and run by Antonio Castro, Warner Promotions has four boxing events planned for 2010, and will be signing the top local boxers to compete in their events. For further information, please visit www.warnerpromotionsllc.com.




CLARK FACES PIRES FOR NABA BELT!


Former WBO Title Challenger and NABF champion Michael ‘Cold Blood’ Clark (39-5-1 18kos) will meet Jason Pires (22-3-1 9kos) on May 7th for the vacant NABA-U.S. junior welterweight title. Promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s CES Boxing, the 7 bout card will be held at the Twin River Event Center in Providence, R.I. Active and undefeated in his last 5 bouts, Clark looks to climb back into contention with a win in the 9 round main event. Tickets for the show can be obtained by calling (401) 724-2253.




KARPENCY SET FOR MURAT


WBA#12, WBC#15 light heavy Tommy Karpency (19-1-1 11kos) is set to face WBO#2, WBC#3 Karo Murat (21-0 13kos) for Murat’s WBO Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Title on May 1st at EWE-Arena in Oldenburg, Germany. The clash will serve as the televised co-feature under the much anticipated WBO Cruiserweight Title between champion Marco ‘Kapt’n’ Huck (28-1) and American challenger WBO#5 Brian ‘The Beast’ Minto (34-3). A winner of eight straight, Karpency, just 23 years old, aims to upset the undefeated Murat in the scheduled 12 rounder promoted by Sauerland Event.




LYELL RETURNS AS SUPER WELTERWEIGHT


Former IBF Middleweight Title Challenger Billy Lyell (21-8) returns to the ring on Friday May 7 at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, West Virginia. Since losing to IBF champ Sebastian Sylvester (33-3) on Jan. 30th, Lyell has shed pounds and will campaign at super welterweight. He will face veteran super welter Martinus Clay (13-24) in the eight round main event. The six bout card is being promoted by Simons’ Promotions, and tickets can be obtained by calling Steve Simons at (304)290-0291.




MMA on GFL This Weekend


Let’s Get It On MMA Series – Friday at 10PM ET on GFL
Canada’s Let’s Get It On MMA Series is a bold new MMA tourney that will span 9 shows with 32 competitors fighting for a $25,000 purse! For event information or to purchase a pass for online viewing, go to http://www.gofightlive.tv/showEvent.do?eventId=653.

At this event, LGIO will kick off the first round of its 170-pound west tourney. The main event of this event will feature a fight that could easily slide onto any UFC or StrikeForce event, as former UFC competitors Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald will battle Matt “Suave” Horwich in an anticipated encounter. Also, in addition to the $25,000 prize money awarded to both the Canadian 155-pound and 170-pound LGIO tournament winners, StrikeForce will award both champions fight contracts in its Challenger Series.

Each month LGIO MMA events will go back and forth to these two host locations as the tournament unfolds over a nine month period culminating with the finals on Dec 10th at the River Cree Resort and Casino, pitting the best in the west at 155 and 170 against the top counter parts coming out of the east at the same weighs.

At the helm of this promotion is Elaine McCarthy. If that name sounds familiar to you, keep in mind she is married to “Big” John McCarthy who is regarded as one of the top officials in the sport of MMA. However, that’s where John’s involvement ends. “This is entirely my promotion and John has absolutely nothing to do with this. People are asking if he is going to be officiating at my shows, and the answer is always the same …no. In fact there have been days because of the hectic pace of the promotion where we don’t even see each other”. McCarthy boasts an impressive resume on her own having been the former event coordinator for the UFC when it started in 1993. She is the current program coordinator of the international MMA officials training course known as COMMAND and successfully runs one of the biggest MMA gyms in southern California.

Main Event: Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald (23-13) vs. Matt “Suave” Horwich (24-13-1) – 185 lbs.
Co-Main Event: Colin Daynes (3-0) vs. George Belanger (4-2) – 170 lbs.
Jordan “Young Guns” Mein (13-6) vs. Victor “The Professor” Bachman (5-2) – 170 lbs.
Ryan “The Kid” McGillivray (9-4) vs. Andrew Buckland (11-6) – 170 lbs.
Jaret Evans (1-0) vs. Jose Rodriguez (4-0) – 170 lbs.
Aaron Berke (4-1) vs. Advin “Bosnian Bad Boy” Omic (4-2) – 170 lbs.
Nolan “The Minister” Clark (3-7) vs. Dan “Torture” Chambers (10-15) – 185 lbs.
Brandt Dewsberry (1-0) vs. Robert Curtis (1-2) – 170 lbs.
Corey “Pequeno” Knapp (2-12) vs. Rob Roy (2-3) – 145 lbs.

Night of Reckoning III – Friday at 10PM ET on GFL
GFL and Empire Fighting Championship, one of the fastest-growing MMA promotions in the United States, will present Night of Reckoning III this Friday, April 23rd, starting at 10:00 PM ET live from the Harrah’s Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. The event will feature a main event light heavyweight title fight between Kiko France (4-0) and Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s own Chris Davis (9-2). The co-main event will feature Daisy of Love star and Ultimate Fighter season 7 contestant Jeremiah Riggs (3-3) taking on Keith Johnson (5-3), a former Alabama High School State Wrestling Champion. For event information or to purchase for live online viewing, go to http://www.gofightlive.tv/showEvent.do?eventId=651

Undefeated Kiko France is set to return to the Empire Fighting Championship at Harrah’s Tunica Casino 4/23 against Chris Davis in a heavyweight bout. France (4-0) has been on a tear since making his pro debut in July 2008 and has not been out of the first round in any of his four fights. In fact his longest fight lasted only 82 seconds. In his last debut France submitted Tony Roberts in 53 seconds.

France serves as the head Brazilian jui jitsu instructor at American Top Team of Missouri. France is a black belt in Brazilian jui jitsu and is also two time Pan-American champion, two time Brazilian State Champion, two time NAGA champions, Braziliero Champion and Brazilian National Champion.

Davis (9-2), out of Headhunters Combatatives in Tuscaloosa, Al comes into the fight with France on a two fight winning streak. Both wins were by TKO in the first round. In January Davis knocked out Brian Imes halfway through the first round. “The Professional” has fought allover the south and has only been defeated by Vinny Magalhaes and Jeremy Horn.

Tyler Sory, the President of Empire Fights is excited to have France vs. Davis headlining the show. “It is going to be a tough fight for Kiko,” explained Sory. “Kiko has walked through everyone we have put in front of him and Chris Davis is no joke. This guy has knocked out some really good fighters and Kiko shouldn’t take him lightly. Everyone knows Kiko is a stud on the ground but Davis has an underrated ground game and we expect Davis to really bring it April 23rd. Whoever wins this fight deserves to be our new light heavyweight champion.”

Main Event: Pro – Chris “The Professional” Davis (9-2) vs. Kiko France (4-0) – for light heavyweight (205 lbs.) title
Co-Main Event: Pro – Keith Johnson (5-3) vs. Jeremiah “Big Rigg” Riggs (3-3) – 170 lbs.
Pro – Chris Hall (3-1-1) vs. Tony Way (5-0) – 145 lbs.
Pro – Joel Cooper (8-1) vs. Doug Larson (5-0) – 170 lbs.
Pro – Anthony “Superman” Jones (1-0) vs. Tim Galluzzi (0-0) – 145 lbs.
Pro – Cory Holder (10-12) vs. Austin Lyons (2-1) – 160 lbs. (catchweight)
Pro – Jonathan Mackles (6-1) vs. Matt Hamilton (9-6) – 135 lbs.
Pro – Benjamin “Benji” Baker (3-0) vs. Goldman Butler (1-2) – heavyweight
For more information or to purchase the event click here.




MMA Weekend Review on GFL


Ring of Combat – Friday
Action on Friday night’s Ring of Combat XXIX did not disappoint fans. It started hot and heavy and continued till the end. The event started off with Ryan Vacco dominating his opponent, landing a takedown, securing mount and rain down shots until Justin Greskiewicz left an opening for Vacco to take his arm and win the fight via armbar. With the victory, Vacco stays undefeated at 3-0 and sets the stage for a night of punishment. Nick Pace vs Jose Adrino would have won crowd-pleasing fight of the night, if that was an award. People may remember Nick Pace from Bellator’s KO of the year in a flying knee KO of his opponent. Pace didn’t disappoint fans in this fight, as he landed what can only be described as a piledriver on Adriano. With a deep choke submission, to a tap out submission in the co-main event, the night ended with Demetrius Richards saying, “I’ll tell you what, I’ve never been hit that hard in my life.” Was Richards victorious in his ROC Light Heavyweight title fight against champion Gian VIllante…… there was a “TKO due to possible broken arm” and to see all the action and find out who came out on top, visit www.GoFightLive.tv and see all the action for yourself!

Wild Bill’s Fight Night 26 – Saturday
Deluth, Georgia played home toWild Bill’s Fight Night 26and the theme of the night was “come from behind”, as several fighters survived tough first rounds only to pull out victories later on. The event saw early KOs and heavy handed fighters testing their opponents. From blood to battle, suplexes to submissions, Wild Bills Fight Night 26 had it all. Visit www.GoFightLive.tv to see what you missed in Georgia.

Asylum Fight League 28 – Saturday
Philadelphia’s The Arena played host toAsylum Fight League 28on Saturday night. Deric Sonnenblick, in his debut, pulled off a slick ankle-lock submission over his opponent. This fight seem to set the tone for the event as submission victories were plentiful, even in the 2 title fights Asylum had for it’s fans. With an arm triangle, triangle choke and event a guillotine submission, the action was fast in Philly. Find out if Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez stayed perfect at 5-0 with the belt, or if James Seipel pulled out the victory and became Asylum Fight League’s newest title holder. Check out GoFightLive.tv for the full fight videos and see for yourself. And be prepared for Asylums next event, Battle at the Beach on Saturday, June 12th in Atlantic City, only on www.GoFightLive.tv

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MMA on GFL This Weekend

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Let’s Get It On MMA Series
GFL is carrying two great cards this Friday night — the first is Canada’sLet’s Get It On MMA Series, a bold new MMA tourney that will span 9 shows with 32 competitors fighting for a $25,000 purse! This show starts at 10PM ET Friday. For event information go to http://www.gofightlive.tv/showEvent.do?eventId=653.

The tournament begins April 23rd in the west at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton and will then travel east the following month May 21st to Casino Lac- Leamy in the Ottawa Gatineau region. Each month LGIO MMA events will go back and forth to these two host locations as the tournament unfolds over a nine month period culminating with the finals on Dec 10th at the River Cree Resort and Casino, pitting the best in the west at 155 and 170 against the top counter parts coming out of the east at the same weighs.

At the helm of this promotion is Elaine McCarthy. If that name sounds familiar to you, keep in mind she is married to “Big” John McCarthy who is regarded as one of the top officials in the sport of MMA. However, that’s where John’s involvement ends. “This is entirely my promotion and John has absolutely nothing to do with this. People are asking if he is going to be officiating at my shows, and the answer is always the same …no. In fact there have been days because of the hectic pace of the promotion where we don’t even see each other”. McCarthy boasts an impressive resume on her own having been the former event coordinator for the UFC when it started in 1993. She is the current program coordinator of the international MMA officials training course known as COMMAND and successfully runs one of the biggest MMA gyms in southern California.

Night of Reckoning III
Also playing Friday is Night of Reckoning III, live on GFL from Harrah’s in Tunica, MS starting at 10:00 PM ET! For more information on Night of Reckoning III click on http://www.gofightlive.tv/showEvent.do?eventId=651

Undefeated Kiko France is set to return to the Empire Fighting Championship at Harrah’s Tunica Casino 4/23 against Chris Davis in a heavyweight bout. France (4-0) has been on a tear since making his pro debut in July 2008 and has not been out of the first round in any of his four fights. In fact his longest fight lasted only 82 seconds. In his last debut France submitted Tony Roberts in 53 seconds.

France serves as the head Brazilian jui jitsu instructor at American Top Team of Missouri. France is a black belt in Brazilian jui jitsu and is also two time Pan-American champion, two time Brazilian State Champion, two time NAGA champions, Braziliero Champion and Brazilian National Champion.

Davis (9-2), out of Headhunters Combatatives in Tuscaloosa, Al comes into the fight with France on a two fight winning streak. Both wins were by TKO in the first round. In January Davis knocked out Brian Imes halfway through the first round. “The Professional” has fought allover the south and has only been defeated by Vinny Magalhaes and Jeremy Horn.

Tyler Sory, the President of Empire Fights is excited to have France vs. Davis headlining the show. “It is going to be a tough fight for Kiko,” explained Sory. “Kiko has walked through everyone we have put in front of him and Chris Davis is no joke. This guy has knocked out some really good fighters and Kiko shouldn’t take him lightly. Everyone knows Kiko is a stud on the ground but Davis has an underrated ground game and we expect Davis to really bring it April 23rd. Whoever wins this fight deserves to be our new light heavyweight champion.”