PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Aug. 10th, 2016) — As he puts the finishing touches on his fight week weight cut, Chuck O’Neil can’t even remember what it was like to fight at welterweight, nearly 15 pounds lighter than his current middleweight limit of 185.

“It’s insane,” said O’Neil, who returns to the cage Friday, Aug. 12th, 2016 on the main card of “CES MMA 37” at Twin River Casino.

“I’m like 197 ½ [Wednesday] with abs showing. I don’t know how the hell I used to make 170 a year ago. It’s crazy.”

The Bourne, Mass., native always found a way to get to 170, but not without sacrificing his long-term effectiveness in the cage. His inability to fully recover the following morning showed in his last fight at welterweight, a loss to Dominique Steele in June of 2015 in which O’Neil (16-8, 5 KOs) looked sluggish from the opening bell.

“A minute and a half in, my arms just felt like shit,” O’Neil said. “I knew I was in for a long haul in that one. I never want to feel like that again. That was terrible. It’s just not worth it to feel like that and fight.

“The biggest thing is I’m obviously very heavy into lifting. In between fight camps at 170, I’d work so hard to get myself strong again and then during camp I’d lose so much muscle mass trying to get myself down to cut that water weight. It was this back-and-forth yo-yo effect and I would just feel like crap at the end of camp where now I feel good the whole camp. I’ve put a lot of substantial muscle on. I’ve never felt this strong before. It’s awesome.”

The move to 185 didn’t come without its own setbacks; O’Neil actually lost his first fight in the middleweight division to Daniel Vizcaya via rear-naked choke, but fought old friend and rival Dennis Olson five months ago in an exhausting, 15-minute war that put his conditioning and cardio to the test, a sign that 185 was the right place to be. O’Neil won by unanimous decision.

“Dennis was in great shape then, too, and we both kind of got up and were joking around that we really weren’t breathing too heavy,” O’Neil said. “That was a really grinding kind of fight, too, where there was a lot of wrestling and Jiu Jitsu going on and grinding back and forth. For both of us to stand up afterward and be OK and show we were both in great shape, I felt great.”

In preparing for Olson, O’Neil had plenty of background to work with since he and Olson were former training partners. Friday’s fight features more of an element of the unknown; O’Neil faces Roy Jones (7-4, 3 KOs), a native of Waterloo, Iowa, who moved to southern Florida three and a half years ago to train with American Top Team.

Jones last fought in October and 2012 and later broke his leg training with former professional football player and Bellator vet Matt Mitrione, a freak accident in which Mitrione rolled over onto his leg.

“He easily had me by 100 pounds,” Jones recalled. “You could hear the snap. It was nasty.”

A full-time security guard, Jones couldn’t always balance work and mixed martial arts, so the post-recovery layoff grew longer and longer, but he’s always had the desire to step back into the cage.

“You know how it is when you miss something so bad you get depressed,” Jones said. “There are always those one or two good fights on TV you see that make you think, ‘I can do better than that guy.'”

Now Jones will get his own shot at television stardom against the experienced O’Neil, who is no stranger to fighting on the big stage. Facing The Ultimate Fighter alum is a strong test for a fighter making his way back into the cage for the first time in nearly four years.

“For me, it’s not even about testing myself,” Jones said. “Personally, I don’t feel like he’s that much of a threat to me. I take everyone seriously at the end of the day. Anyone can have that one lucky punch, but, at the end of the day, you can’t be afraid of people. I don’t fear anybody. I don’t care how big he is, how tall he is, how old, young. I’m coming to rumble. That’s the way it is. We can shake hands afterward.”

“This guy is obviously a real wild card,” O’Neil said. “You never know what you’re going to get coming into this fight. At the end of the day, I feel I can beat a lot of the top-level 185-pounders in the [Ultimate Fighting Championships] or Bellator, so if I can’t get past this guy, what the hell’s the point of talking about any of that other stuff?

“Whatever this guy brings to the table, I’m not going to overthink it or overplay it. I’m just going to go out there and play my game and he’s going to have to deal with me. That’s what’s going to happen at the end of the day.”

With a few more fights at 185, O’Neil’s comfort level in his new weight class will continue to grow. Whether or not he makes it to the next level depends on a lot of factors, luck included, but without having to think about drastic weight cuts, losing muscle mass or running out of steam in the cage, the veteran middleweight can instead focus on training for each challenge one fight at a time.

“Realistically, I just have to keep my nose to the grind and keep doing what I’m doing,” O’Neil said. “It’s time to move forward and keep that winning streak going now and just be smart. I had a lot of wins at 170. They know I’m not some bum.

“Now I have to carve my stone at 185 and show I’m capable of fighting in the bigger organizations at 185, which I honestly feel I can do. I train with heavyweights now and I toss them around in training, so it’s fine.”

Tickets for “CES MMA 37” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The main card features three, five-round title fights. Woonsocket, R.I., native Andre Soukhamthath (10-3, 6 KOs), now fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., defends his CES MMA Bantamweight Title for the first time against Cambridge, Mass., vet Kin Moy (8-2, 2 KOs) in the main event, a rematch of their back-and-forth war in January of 2014 in which Moy won by unanimous decision. Providence’s Greg Rebello (20-6, 12 KOs) faces Oklahoma’s Ashley Gooch (9-4, 6 KOs) for the vacant CES MMA Heavyweight Title and Johnston, R.I., featherweight Joe Pingitore (6-2-1, 2 KOs) faces Matt Bessette (19-7, 5 KOs) of Stafford Springs, Conn., for the vacant CES MMA Featherweight Title.

The preliminary card features four exciting bouts, highlighted by a middleweight showdown between Berkeley, Mass., vet Pat McCrohan (2-0, 1 KO) and Russian Ruslan Melikov (3-1), fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. Providence bantamweight Marquis Brewster (1-0) faces Turtle Creek, Pa., native Roosevelt Archie (0-1); and Dylan Lockard of Derry, N.H., makes his professional debut against Seldon, N.Y., featherweight Mak Kelleher (1-2). Quincy, Mass., middleweight Mike Rodriguez (3-1, 1 KO) battles Stephfond Ewins (3-3-1, 3 KOs) of Pennsylvania.

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/ces.mma for more information and use the hashtag #CES37 to join the conversation.

Former world champion Ishe Smith will take on Frank Galarza on September 16 at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m the type to always stay in good condition, so I will be ready to get in on fight night,” Smith said. “I’m deep into training, and I’m planning on delivering a great hard fight for all the fans to enjoy. I’m focused on this fight, but my goal is to get the world title back.”

The card, which is being promoted by Floyd Mayweather’s Mayweather Promotions and was announced Tuesday, will also feature junior middleweight Chris Pearson (14-1, 10 KOs) taking on Justin DeLoach (15-1, 8 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.

“I feel great, and I’m ready for a chance to redeem myself,” Galarza said. “I know Ishe is an experienced fighter, but this is a shot for me to get back to the top level. I can’t wait to show the boxing world what I am made of.”

“I’m familiar with my opponent, and I’m treating this like a world title fight,” Pearson said. “I feel like getting this victory will put me right at the top of the division. We’re both hungry and want to prove that we have what it takes to be world champions. I’m preparing to be at my very best because of the caliber of fight this is.”

“I’m very excited to get back in the ring against a good opponent. This has been a great year for me, and it seems to keep getting better,” said DeLoach, who has beaten undefeated opponents in his past two fights. “I’m looking forward to a great fight and heading to Las Vegas to handle my business. I’m fighting for my whole city, my family and my fans. I won’t let them down.”

According to Dab Rafael former world champion Marcos Maidana announced his retirement.

“After a long time out of the ring and after giving it a lot of thought since my last fight I’ve decided to hang up the gloves for good,” Maidana wrote in a letter addressed to “boxing friends” on social media. “Probably my decision would not surprise much as I had given hints of it in the last few months. But at this time I am making it official.

“Before anything else, I must say that I leave very proud and deeply thankful to boxing and everything that I have achieved. I’ve really never imagined getting this far when I put on a pair of gloves for the very first time when I was 15 in my native Margarita City. I think I was able to put the name of my country Argentina very high after winning two world titles, winning and losing against the best fighters of the world.

“I had a tough career and I fulfilled many of my dreams. I am a very happy man with my family and friends by my side these days. I know many of you think that I still have things to do and battles to fight. And I respect them. That is something that I had in my mind in the last few months. But only those who really know what a real challenge is, like the ones I always had, may understand that you have to be absolutely motivated to approach them.

“Only through a great physical and mental effort you can mix in the ring with best of the world if winning is your goal. And I always wanted to win. Today I do not feel motivated enough, do not have the fire inside me to intend to climb those mountains again. That is why I announce my retirement. At this time when I take a look back at my career I want to thank so many people that helped me to have what I call a successful career.”

“To my parents, Olga and Americo, to my wife Mariana, to my son Nahuel and my daughter Emilia, to all of them, thanks for standing by me for such a long ride,” he said. “Last but not the least, to my dear fans, who always supported and cheered me either from their homes or from the stands of all the arenas where I fought. I will never forget that chanting: ‘Chi-nooooo, Chi-nooooo!'”

“At this time I start a new stage in which I will remain close to boxing, advising and unconditionally supporting ‘Team Maidana,’ aiming for new generations to reach the highest levels,” Maidana said. “I will be there for our (featherweight titlist) Jesus Cuellar, for new great prospects like Brian Castaño, my brother Fabian Maidana (and) Alan Castaño, who are already making some noise internationally; for Javier Maciel. Also I will be there for the new kids like Neri Romero and Luis Veron. And most likely I will be there for many others who will join us along the road looking for great challenges. My goal is to pass the baton over to them now.”

10 August 2016 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), will return to the iconic Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur for another stacked fight card. ONE: UNBREAKABLE WARRIORS is set to electrify fight fans in Malaysia’s capital city with a world-class event headlined by the nation’s own Ev “E.T.” Ting as he takes on Rob Lisita in the main event.

Ticket information for ONE: UNBREAKABLE WARRIORS will be available at www.onefc.com

CEO of ONE Championship, Victor Cui stated: “There is always a tremendous atmosphere and excitement in Kuala Lumpur each time ONE Championship comes to visit. This time, Malaysian MMA stars the likes of Ev Ting, Peter Davis, Ann Osman, Agilan Thani, Gianni and Keanu Subba will all grace the ONE Championship cage in one night, ready to set the Stadium Negara ablaze with excitement and world-class mixed martial arts action. ONE: UNBREAKABLE WARRIORS will be a historic evening for Kuala Lumpur, and we can’t wait to be there.”

Ev “E.T.” Ting is a mixed martial artist of Malaysian descent. He lives and trains out of Auckland, New Zealand, and has amassed a stellar 11-3 record so far in his professional career. A winner of his last two bouts by impressive submission over top caliber opponents, Ting is one of the most talented fighters to come out of Malaysia. As Ting’s popularity in his hometown soars, he gets the chance to once again grace the ONE Championship cage in the headliner against Rob Lisita.

33-year-old Rob “Warrior of God” Lisita of Campbelltown, Australia, is known as a relentless offensive force, armed with powerful striking combinations intended to score highlight-reel finishes. He is 14-8 as a professional mixed martial artist, and has proven to be a fixture in big fights owing to his fan-friendly style. A veteran fighter who has faced the best in his division and beyond, Lisita looks to continue fulfilling his goal of competing against the promotion’s top contenders. His next assignment is Ev Ting, who will be fighting in front of his hometown crowd.

Kuala Lumpur’s Peter Davis is a local MMA star, actor, and model. The 35-year old Malaysian star owns a respectable 10-4 professional record, winning four of his last five bouts in impressive fashion. He likes to use his reach and athleticism to stifle opponents from range while picking them apart with pinpoint strikes. Davis is set to take on offensive dynamo Shannon Wiratchai of Thailand.

Shannon “One Shin” Wiratchai of Thailand, is a veteran of exciting and memorable battles inside the ONE Championship cage. A mainstay of Bangkok Fight Lab, he trains in various martial arts disciplines at home in Bangkok, including Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling and jiujitsu. An innovator with a wide range of offensive manoeuvres at his disposal, Wiratchai likes to be creative with his striking, employing a myriad of unpredictable off-angle elbows and kicks. He’s set to lock horns with Peter Davis next.

Ann “Athena” Osman of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, makes a swift return to the ONE Championship cage following her exciting come-from-behind victory over Egypt’s Haiat Farag in her last bout. Known as Malaysia’s fighting belle, the female warrior hones her craft at Borneo Tribal Squad, advancing her skills in various disciplines such as wrestling, jiujitsu and Muay Thai. A well-rounded fighter, Osman likes to overpower opponents, and is always extremely aggressive in pursuit of a finish. Osman will take on April Osenio in what should be an interesting clash of styles.

April Osenio of the Philippines is known as Team Lakay’s fierce female warrior. The 22-year-old prospect trains out of the high-altitudes of Baguio City along with her more experienced Lakay teammates. In her last bout, Osenio upset Filipino-English fighter Natalie Gonzales Hills impressively by first-round armbar, despite being adept in the striking art of Wushu. She now aims to continue in the win column by taking on a monstrous challenge in Ann Osman.

Tatsuya Mizuno of Tokyo, Japan, is a 35-year-old mixed martial arts veteran with a professional MMA record of 15-11-1. Mizuno’s knowledge and wisdom is a cut above the level of any of his opponents due to his vast experience inside the cage. Mizuno is a highly-resilient and determined competitor, with great all-around striking and grappling skills. He gets another shot at victory inside the ONE Championship cage against Gilberto Galvão.

Gilberto “Giba” Galvão is a 34-year-old mixed martial arts veteran from Balneario Camboriu, Brazil, with extensive experience in the sport of MMA. A solid middleweight contender, Galvao has competed largely in Brazil and has compiled 28 total victories, more than half of which have ended in a submission. The exceptional grappler will make his ONE Championship promotional debut against Japanese veteran Tatsuya Mizuno.

Malaysia’s Gianni Subba is a 23-year-old flyweight prospect from Kuala Lumpur. He spends his time carefully honing his craft with talented teammates, including brother Keanu, at Bali Muay Thai & MMA in Indonesia. A winner of four of his last five bouts, Subba is a seasoned athlete with a stellar 7-2 clip in his young career. Five of his seven wins have come either by submission or by crowd-pleasing technical knockout. In his next assignment, the crafty Yago Bryan poses a stern challenge.

Yago Bryan of Rio de Janeiro is a Brazilian strawweight prospect who took on former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke in his promotional debut. The 24-year old more than held his own against the Muay Thai veteran, going back-and-forth with Dejdamrong for five gruelling rounds. Skilled in both the striking and grappling arts, Bryan is making his way back to the ONE Championship cage, this time against Gianni Subba.

The undefeated Agilan “Alligator” Thani of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will be making a quick return to the ONE Championship cage following his spectacular technical knockout victory over American Brad Robinson this past May. The 20-year-old prospect is a perfect 5-0 as a professional, with four of his five victories ending in the first round. Thani has shown steady improvement in each outing, and will look to put his skills further to the test against the hard-hitting Trestle Tan.

Trestle Tan is a welterweight contender from Manila, Philippines, and is known as one of the hardest punchers in the promotion regardless of weight class. In his last bout, Tan made quick work of Djatmiko Waluyo at ONE: TRIBE OF WARRIORS in Jakarta this past February, winning via rear-naked choke submission in an exciting matchup. He will need to be at full strength as he squares off against Agilan Thani in an incredible showdown of powerful competitors.

22-year-old Keanu Subba of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is a former amateur MMA champion and is one of the most promising young talents in ONE Championship’s featherweight ranks. He is 3-2 as a professional mixed martial artist after making a name for himself as Malaysia’s former MIMMA featherweight champion. Subba’s experience inside the ONE Championship cage as a young fighter has taught him great lessons that he says has helped him improve his overall game. He’ll get the chance to test those skills against Waqar Umar next.

Waqar Umar of Pakistan is a featherweight with a 4-3 professional mixed martial arts record. All four of his victories have come by submission, made possible by his well-established grappling skills. Inside the ONE Championship cage, he’s faced the likes of Peter Davis, Amir Khan, and Benedict Ang. His next task is to take on rising Malaysian star Keanu Subba.

In the evening’s Facebook Livestream preliminary bouts, Brazilian jiu jitsu world champion Bruno Pucci will take on Nuerdebieke Bahetihan, while Indian female atomweight Jeet Toshi makes her return to the ONE Championship cage against undefeated Taiwanese female fighter Jenny Huang. They will be accompanied by former WBF Asia-Pacific Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion Hisyam Samsudin and current MIMMA Featherweight Champion Muhammad Aiman, who will face off in a battle of Malaysian prospects to kick off ONE: UNBREAKABLE WARRIORS.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com, follow @ONEChampionship on Twitter and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, Physique TV, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

VERONA, NY (August 9, 2016) – Undefeated rising prospect Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (5-0, 3 KOs) will battle veteran brawler Ira Terry (26-14, 16 KOs) in a six-round welterweight attraction that highlights undercard action this Friday, August 12 from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

The August 27 event features Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes action headlined by undefeated rising contender Miguel Flores taking on exciting once-beaten contender Ryan Kielczweski in featherweight action. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a welterweight showdown between unbeaten contender Bryant Perrella and Cuban Olympian Yordenis Ugas.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $60 for ringside, $35 and $25, and are on sale now (may be subject to additional fees). Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster, by calling 877-833-SHOW or by visiting the Turning Stone Box Office.

Additional action will see unbeaten super lightweight Kent Cruz (10-0, 6 KOs) in a six-round bout against Rochester’s Darnel Jiles (9-4-2, 3 KOs), undefeated prospect Darnell Pierce (4-0, 1 KO) taking on Louis King (3-2, 1 KO) in a four-round cruiserweight showdown and the pro debut of Rochester’s Ronnie Robidoux in a four-round super middleweight fight against Damien Lewis (0-2).

Round out the night of fights are a pair of middleweights making their pro debut as Larry Gleeson faces Simon Sayes in four-rounds of action, plus four rounds of super welterweights as Michael Pryor (1-1-2) battles Daniel Castro (0-1) and two more fighters making their pro debuts as Jonathan Perez squares off against Badraiel Smith in a four-round featherweight attraction.

The 18-year-old Vargas recently signed with Floyd Mayweather’s Mayweather Promotions and dominated Ryan Picou in his U.S. debut in June on the Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter undercard in Brooklyn. Now fighting out of the Bronx, Vargas picked up the first four victories of his pro career fighting in Mexico. He takes on the 29-year-old Terry out of Memphis who has shared the ring with former champion Jorge Linares and top contenders Claudio Marrero, Haskell Rhodes and main event participant Kielczweski.

MIGUEL FLORES VS. RYAN KIELCZWESKI MEDIA SCHEDULE
*All Times Are Eastern*

Thursday, August 11

4:30 p.m. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN
Location: Turning Stone Resort Casino – The Oneida Room
5218 Patrick Rd.; Verona, NY 13478
4:30 p.m. – Media Arrival
5:00 p.m. – Fighters to Scales

Friday, August 12

6:00 p.m . TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO DOORS OPEN
Location: 5218 Patrick Rd.; Verona, NY 13478

6:45 p.m. FIRST BOUT

9:00 p.m. ESPN & ESPN DEPORTES BROADCAST BEGINS

ORANGE, Calif. (Aug. 9, 2016) – NABA Champion Danny Roman (19-2-1, 7 KOs) defends his title for the fourth time on Thompson Boxing Promotions’ “New Blood” 10-round main event on Friday, Aug. 26, from the Omega Products Events Center in Corona, Calif.

The Los Angeles-based super bantamweight faces Mexico’s Enrique Quevedo (16-7-1, 10 KOs), who is best known for capturing regional titles in the flyweight and super flyweight divisions.

Roman, 26, currently sits at number eight on the WBA rankings. Roman first appeared on the WBA list last year and has been steadily climbing the ladder with each successful title defense.

With eleven wins since 2014, Roman is among the more active contenders in the division. He largely outboxes his competition – a testament to his superior technical ability – so it comes as a slight surprise that his last two victories have come in knockout fashion.

“I’m always trying to improve and get better with every fight,” Roman said. “Quevedo presents another challenge for me. I see him as someone that is in my way for what I want to accomplish. I’ll be more than ready to defend my title.”

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and are available for purchase online at ThompsonBoxing.com, or by calling 714-935-0900.

In the co-feature, heavyweight knockout sensation LaRon Mitchell (13-0, 13 KOs) looks to extend his unbeaten, KO winning streak against Mario Heredia (14-4, 12 KOs) of Mexico (8-rounds).

Mitchell, who lives and trains in San Francisco, has already won three times this year. His latest knockout win came against rugged veteran Epifanio Mendoza. In the third round, Mitchell strung a couple of combinations together and connected with a left hook to the body. Mendoza crumbled to the floor and was counted out at the :52 mark.

“I’m not the type that is careless and wild in the ring,” said the 36-year-old Mitchell. “In the heavyweight division, any fight could be your last. I’m extremely careful about not chasing knockouts. I just let the fight develop and the knockouts take care of themselves.”

On the undercard, welterweight prospect Robert Arriaza (12-0, 10 KOs) of Los Angeles by way of Nicaragua meets Benjamin Whitaker (11-2, 2 KOs) of San Antonio, Tex. in an eight round fight.

Additionally, heavyweight Scott Alexander (11-1-2, 6 KOs) of Moreno Valley, Calif. takes on Sergio Ramirez (11-1, 7 KOs) of Tijuana, Mex. (6-rounds).

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bell at approximately 7:45 p.m. The Omega Products Events Center is located at 1681 California Ave., Corona, CA 92881 and can be reached at 951-737-7447.

“New Blood” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with Everlast.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. To follow the conversation on social media, please use #NewBlood and #ThompsonBoxing.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, find us on Google+ and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Aug. 9th, 2016) — Less than a week ago, Johnston, R.I., featherweight Joe Pingitore spoke about his desire to one day climb to the top of the rankings in the northeast and perhaps headline a future CES MMA fight card.

He’ll get his chance much sooner than anticipated.

Originally scheduled to fight Bill Jones Friday night on the main card of “CES MMA 37” at Twin River Casino, Pingitore (6-2-1, 2 KOs) will now face the region’s top 145-pounder, Matt Bessette (19-7, 5 KOs) of Stafford Springs, Conn., in a five-round bout for the vacant CES MMA Featherweight Title, one of three title fights airing live on AXS TV.

Pingitore stepped to the table with Bessette’s scheduled opponent forced to withdraw from the fight. Jones (12-10, 3 KOs), fighting out of Somersworth, N.H., will remain on the card in a separate three-round bout.

“When I have nothing to lose in a fight like this, that’s when I’m most dangerous,” Pingitore said Tuesday. “I’ve really got nothing to lose here.”

For Bessette, it’s more than just business as usual as he prepares for his third opponent in the past six weeks; it’s now become personal.

While talking about his originally scheduled bout with Jones, Pingitore mentioned he was interested in seeing how Bessette’s fight turned out that same night, hinting at a possible matchup down the road. When CES MMA announced the planned Bessette-Cervantes bout three weeks ago, Pingitore threw his hat into the ring via social media.

“He wrote, ‘I would’ve taken that fight.’ I laughed. I thought it was a joke,” Bessette said. “I thought he was kidding for a while because that’s Ping. Ping jokes a lot.

“But he started being fucking serious and then he started going on my Twitter talking more shit. I told him, ‘You need to stop.’ For one, I thought we were cool. We’ve trained together 30 times. We’ve gone to places together. We’ve traveled to train places together. Then this dude just up and calls me out like that? It’s a fucking slap in the face.

“It’s just not who I am. If he never did that three weeks ago, there’s a zero percent chance I’d say yes to taking the fight with him. I just wouldn’t do it. It’s not me. I’m not a guy who goes behind your back and fights good friends. If he didn’t do that and put himself in that position, he would not be in this fight. Ping talked his way into a fist-fight and he’s going to get a fucking fist-fight.”

Challenging Bessette, a nine-time Bellator and four-time CES MMA veteran, is a major step up in opposition for Pingitore, who carries a two-fight win streak into what is now the biggest test of his career and his first shot at a major mixed martial arts title.

“These opportunities come along and I just go out there and grab them. It presented itself to me and I saw no reason not to go out and try to get that upset,” Pingitore said.

“All of the preparation, everything has been the same. I still train for a five-round fight even though it was only a three, but now it’s actually five rounds. Everything worked out. I had a great camp either way. It’s not like I showed up to camp just because I was fighting Bill Jones.”

Friday will be Pingitore’s fourth consecutive nationally televised fight. He last fought in March when he knocked out Taylor Trahan in the third and final round of their rematch at “CES MMA 33.”

Since suffering a stunning loss to Lenny Wheeler in August of 2015, Bessette has caught fire, winning his last four bouts, including an impressive submission win over Taurean Bogguess at “CES MMA 33” and a victory over veteran Ran Weathers two months ago at “CES MMA 36.”

“He’s the pound-for-pound [No. 1] in the rankings for a reason,” Pingitore said of Bessette. “He’ll come out and he’ll come straight forward and I think that’s where I’ll have my opportunity to catch him. He’s got tricky standup. His wrestling is decent. His ground game is pretty legit. He’s been around. He’s probably one of the next kids to go to the UFC, unless I upset him.”

For Bessette, the last-minute change has become an all-too-familiar dilemma in recent months. Pingitore is the third opponent scheduled to face Bessette for the title. The original opponent, Pedro Gonzalez, suffered a back injury midway through training camp. Weathers was also a last-minute fill-in five months ago for Jairo Soares, who was forced to withdraw during the week of his scheduled fight against Bessette.

“It’s insane,” Bessette said. “In my own mind, I was positive no one was going to take this fight because it’s a 25-minute fight on five days’ notice against me on national television for a world title. An opportunity, yes, but people have got to be in shape for this. It was just good timing that Ping was on the card already and was already prepared to fight.

“They gave me several names and I said yes to them, but, in my mind, I said, ‘I’m going to smash these guys because none of them have been training.’ Ping was in shape, so this will be cool.

“Ping likes to bang, that’s for sure. He’s going to get what he wants, but it’s not going to be the way he wants it.”

As for the theory that Bessette has everything to lose while Pingitore has nothing to lose, Bessette laughed and said, “I’ve had 27 fights. I’ve always had something to lose. It doesn’t matter. I always have something to lose. It doesn’t matter who’s in there with me. I’m going to run fucking through them. I was going to run through this guy, I was going to run through Pedro and now I’m going to run through Ping. He just stepped up to get ran over.”

Tickets for “CES MMA 37” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The Pingitore-Bessette fight is one of three, five-round title fights on the main card. Woonsocket, R.I., native Andre Soukhamthath (10-3, 6 KOs), now fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., defends his CES MMA Bantamweight Title for the first time against Cambridge, Mass., vet Kin Moy (8-2, 2 KOs) in the main event, a rematch of their back-and-forth war in January of 2014 in which Moy won by unanimous decision, while Providence’s Greg Rebello (20-6, 12 KOs) faces Oklahoma’s Ashley Gooch (9-4, 6 KOs) for the vacant CES MMA Heavyweight Title.

Also on the AXS TV main card, middleweight Chuck O’Neil (16-8, 5 KOs) of Bourne, Mass., faces Roy Jones (7-4, 3 KOs) of Waterloo, Iowa.

The preliminary card features four exciting bouts, highlighted by a middleweight showdown between Berkeley, Mass., vet Pat McCrohan (2-0, 1 KO) and Russian Ruslan Melikov (3-1), fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. Providence bantamweight Marquis Brewster (1-0) faces Turtle Creek, Pa., native Roosevelt Archie (0-1); and Dylan Lockard of Derry, N.H., makes his professional debut against Seldon, N.Y., featherweight Mak Kelleher (1-2). Quincy, Mass., middleweight Mike Rodriguez (3-1, 1 KO) battles Stephfond Ewins (3-3-1, 3 KOs) of Pennsylvania.

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/ces.mma for more information and use the hashtag #CES37 to join the conversation.

NEW YORK (Aug. 9, 2016) – Top lightweight prospect Mason Menard will face tough Bahodir Mamadjonov in a 10-round battle in the new co-feature of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, Aug. 19 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed in the West Coast) from the outdoor soccer venue Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, N.Y.

Menard (31-1, 23 KOs) is coming off a Knockout of the Year contender in his last appearance on ShoBox on April 15 (VIDEO: http://s.sho.com/1NtEYjW).

Undefeated heavyweight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (17-0-1, 15 KOs), a consensus Top 15 heavyweight, will take on the experienced Fred Kassi (18-5-1, 10 KOs), of New Orleans, La. in the 10-round main event.

Plus, undefeated welterweight knockout artist Bakhtiyar Eyubov (10-0, 10 KOs), of Brooklyn, N.Y. by way of Kazakhstan, steps up when he faces veteran Karim Mayfield (19-3-1, 11 KOs), of San Francisco, Calif. in a 10-round battle. In the telecast opener, unbeaten Antonio Nieves of Cleveland, Ohio will square off against new opponent, Mexico’s Alejandro Santiago in a 10-round bantamweight bout for Nieves’ WBO NABO Title.

Nieves was initially set to fight world-ranked Nikolay Potapov (14-0-1, 6 KOs), of Potolsk, Russia, but he withdrew with an injury.

Tickets for the event presented by Salita Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions are available at http://www.rhinossoccer.com/ and http://www.etix.com

“These are the fights I need to get to the top,” Menard said. “My opponent, Bahodir Mamadjonov, is no pushover. He has been in with some quality guys and I have to be able to beat guys like him to get to the top ones. I’m looking forward to getting the job done on August 19th. It’s blessing to be able to fight on SHOWTIME and this time is for the WBO NABO title,” Menard said.”

“I’m excited I’m fighting on ShoBox again. It’s a great opportunity” Mamadjonov said. “Menard is no joke. He’s a credible opponent.

“I’m not going to rush on this fight. I’m not going to lie, I’m always looking for the knockout, but if it goes the distance I’d be ready.”

“I’m war-ready,” Nieves said. “I’m excited to finally showcase my skills on the big stage and let the boxing world know that I have graduated to contender. I feel many don’t see that I’m one of the best 118-pounders out there.

“I’m confident I have what it takes to win, and I’m a better boxer. I’m 100 percent ready for whatever type of fight my Santiago brings. I will box my way to my big shots.

“After this fight, I’ll probably look for a path to a world title shot. I want to bring a title home, just like the Cleveland Cavaliers brought the NBA Championship home,”

“I know I’m a replacement opponent, but I’m always ready,” Santiago said. “I’m always in training camp. I don’t take any breaks from the gym after I fight. I’m a true Mexican warrior. Always ready.

“I am looking to follow the heritage of great Mexican fighters from Tijuana and bring this win and title back home. I am coming to win. Get ready for war.“

Menard vs. Mamadjonov

The co-main event features promising Louisiana lightweight “Rock Hard Mighty” Mason Menard facing his toughest test to date in Bahodir “Baha” Mamadjonov of Houston, Texas by way of Uzbekistan for the WBO NABO Lightweight Title. Both fighters are making their second appearance on ShoBox: The New Generation.

Menard, an eight-year pro at the age of 27, is fighting outside of his native Louisiana for only the second time. He’s is ranked among the Top 15 fighters at 135 pounds in the WBA and WBO. In the most noteworthy victory of his career, he made his ShoBox debut at Turning Stone Casino & Resort last April 15 delivering an impressive Knockout of the Year candidate over previously undefeated Dominican Eudy Bernardo with a vicious one-punch knockout. VIDEO: http://s.sho.com/1NtEYjW

Menard floored Bernardo for the first time in his career with a series of rights near the end of the second round. Bernardo beat the count and finished the round, but he had no answer for Menard’s power. With less than one minute left in third, Menard connected with a huge right, knocking Bernardo out before he even hit the canvas.

Mamadjonov (19-2, 11 KOs), has been matched against very tough opposition throughout his career. His only blemishes were to opponents with a combined record of 46-0 (38 KOs) – Colombian Darleys Perez in Aug., 2012 and Ghana’s Richard Commey in April of last year. Perez went on to become interim WBA Lightweight World Champion and recently lost a rematch against world champion Anthony Crolla. Commey is set to fight Robert Easter Jr. for the vacant IBF World Lightweight Title on Sept. 9.

This is Mamadjonov’s third start since losing to Commey and his second ShoBox appearance. In his ShoBox debut in April, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nev., Mamadjonov scored an upset ninth-round stoppage (:51) against previously unbeaten Cuban prospect Angelo Santana. VIDEO: http://s.sho.com/2aPfkwp

Nieves vs. Santiago

Also featured in the Aug. 19 quadrupleheader are WBO NABO Bantamweight Champion Antonio Nieves and his new foe, Alejandro “Peque” Santiago

Nieves, (16-0-1, 8 KOs), a prospect at 118 pounds, has stayed active with five fights in 2014, five in 2015, and is fighting for the third time this year. The 29-year-old is coming off his first 10-round performance, a unanimous decision over then once-beaten Oscar Mojica on June 18 in Washington, Pa. A win against Santiago will put Nieves a step closer to his goal of challenging fellow Ohio-native WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Rau’shee Warren.

Santiago, (11-2-1, 3 KOs), of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, is a three-year pro who seldom breaks training camp between fights. He has won three fights in a row since his last loss in November 2014 to fellow Mexican Hector Flores. In his last fight on Feb. 27, Santiago won an eight-round unanimous decision over Mario Lara. This will be his United States debut and the first time he’s fought north of 116 pounds.

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

# # #

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 67 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

About Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Totowa, NJ: Main Events deepens its already stacked stable with the addition of former professional kickboxing sensation Enriko Gogokhia (1-0, 1 KO). The 25-year old from Ukraine made his professional boxing debut at super welterweight in June of this year with a second round knockout of Steven Chad McKinney in El Monte, California.

As a kickboxer Gogokhia was a Muay Thai-style fighter. His professional career record as was 42-7, 21 KOs*. During his kickboxing career he acquired several accolades. In 2012 he won the WKF World Title and the Tatneft Arena World Cup. Then in 2015 he was a Kunlun Fight World Championship Finalist and won the W5 Intercontinental Championship belt. After nearly six years as a professional kickboxer he has decided to make the transition to boxing.

Enriko will have his first fight under the Main Events’ banner on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 when he faces Even Torres (4-1, 4 KOs) at LA Exchange in Los Angeles, California in a six round bout.

“Since I was a kid I always had a dream to become professional boxer,” said Gogokhia. “I am so happy to partner with Main Events as I transition into this next phase of my professional career. I hope my fans will follow me from kickboxing to the sweet science.”

Gogokhia is managed by renowned manager, Egis Klimas who added, “Gogokhia was an exciting kickboxer and I am sure he will be an even more exciting boxer. That is why we are pleased to team up with Main Events as he makes the move from kickboxing to boxing.”

According to Main Events’ Matchmaker and 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year Jolene Mizzone, “After seeing Gogokhia’s boxing debut on June 11 we were very impressed with his fighting style. He has a come-forward aggressive attack and he throws a lot of punches and dangerous combinations. He is very exciting and I loved his attitude. Outside of the ring, he reminded me of a young Fernando Vargas.”

*Source Wikipedia

He was billed from the first day of his career as a “boxing prodigy,” but not even David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez himself could have predicted his meteoric rise through the boxing ranks.

Despite having had just 31 boxing matches in his entire life, amateur and professional, 19-year-old Benavidez (16-0, 15 KOs), is already the undefeated WBA #10 super middleweight in the world and a sure lock on 2016 “Prospect of the Year.” The young phenom from Phoenix has been nearly flawless tearing through his ever-escalating level of opponents (his last four had combined records of 62-7), while being labeled a potential superstar by world-famous trainer/commentator Teddy Atlas.

Last Friday night at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia, Benavidez wore down and stopped capable veteran Denis Douglin (20-5, 13 KOs) in the tenth and final round of their ESPN-televised main event.

“It feels amazing to be in this position,” said Benavidez, “everything that has happened wasn’t expected, but we worked hard to get to this point and I feel like I just have to keep working hard, stay in the gym and stay determined and dedicated. I want to be ready for any opportunity that comes up.”

Benavidez, who appears ready to reach a dream and smash the record for youngest super middleweight champion in history (Darrin Van Horn was 22), attributes his natural sense of space in the ring as a big reason for his success.

“I feel like it’s a mix between distance and power in the ring. I know how to control it with the jab and there’s power behind my punches, so I’m are able to get dudes out of there.”

“To be honest I didn’t expect this to happen this soon,” said father/trainer Jose Benavidez. “It’s a dream come true for me to have my sons as two of the best in the world.” David’s brother, Jose Jr., is the undefeated former interim WBA junior welterweight champion.

“Today we went to eat and we were talking about how fast things were happening. We just have to be ready for big opportunities to show up. We’ve got to keep working and stay focused. David knows big challenges are coming, so we have to be ready. I tell him ‘you’re only 19 and people are already talking about you. Keep working hard and make your sacrifices now, so they pay off later. David understands that.”

Both Benavidez credit promoter Sampson Lewkowicz for helping make their miraculous run through the division a reality. “He’s done everything he said he would,” said David. “He says I’ll be back in December against another veteran with good experience. I’ll be ready.”
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world’s best fighters and most promising young contenders.

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

MIAMI, FL (August 8, 2016) – This past Saturday at the Miami Airport Convention Center, 19-year old Super-featherweight prospect, Antonio “Bang” Williams, remained undefeated with a dominating unanimous decision victory against tough opponent, Brian Santos, improving his record to (4-0, 3 KOs). Scorecards ready 40-36 across the board.

After knocking out his first three opponents within two rounds, Williams goes the distance for the first time in his young career. With the win, Williams, who is signed by Pro Box Management, reflects on getting the much needed rounds as he is ready to get right back in the ring.

“It was great experience going the full four rounds,” said Antonio Williams. “Although I’m always gunning for the KO, every fight comes with a different style, so I know I’m not going to be able to knock everyone out. Santos came to fight and pushed me past the second round. I made the proper adjustments and came out on top. I’m happy with my performance and I’ll be ready to get back in the ring immediately. I’ll be back in the gym waiting on my next fight.”

“Antonio showed a lot of maturity in this fight by not punching himself out while going for the knockout,” stated Gary Jonas of Pro Box Management. “We will be looking to get him a few more fights before the end of the year. He has all the ability to be something special in this sport, especially in the super-featherweight division.”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Aug. 8th, 2016) — Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and where there’s bad blood between two fighters, there’s usually a different account of past events.

The anticipated showdown between featherweights Joe Pingitore and Bill Jones, who face off Friday, Aug. 12th, 2016 on the main card of “CES MMA 37” live on AXS TV from Twin River Casino, features the classic story of one fighter allegedly ducking the other; Jones (12-10, 3 KOs) says he’s clamored for this fight for quite some time, but Pingitore (6-2-1, 2 KOs) never agreed to come to the table until now.

In a rare twist, Pingitore, the Johnston, R.I., vet who makes his sixth appearance with CES MMA Friday, backed up his opponent’s claim — sort of.

“I ducked him and his terrible record because I didn’t want to fight a dude who’s 1-4 since 2012,” Pingitore said. “But enough is enough. He’ll be 1-5 now.”

There’s no doubt Jones has struggled in recent years, both in and out of the sport. The 38-year-old Somersworth, N.H., native, a full-time roofer during the day, hasn’t fought since last July and hasn’t won since December of 2014, but he enters the cage Friday with a clear conscious and a new outlook following a major lifestyle change.

Eleven months ago, after watching his father pass away due to what he called “poor decisions and poor habits,” Jones decided to quit smoking cold turkey. His ultimate goal, aside from improving his quality of life for the sake of his four children, is to fulfill his father’s last request to get back in the cage and “go win another” fight.

“I smoked for as long as Joe’s been alive,” Jones said. “Not smoking, this is the best camp I’ve ever had. This is the best I’ve felt, the best I’ve ever looked, the best I’ve ever trained. I feel like an animal.

“I’m going to kill this kid. He thinks he’s got an easy fight because I went in a slump. He’s got no idea.”

The outspoken Jones didn’t take his first pro fight until 2007 when he was 30 years old. He won nine of his first 13, including a split decision win over Matt Bessette in just his second pro fight, and was ranked high as No. 3 in the northeast in 2014 despite “smoking butts every day,” a lifestyle that eventually caught up to him in the cage.

“I didn’t do anything right,” Jones said. “I worked six days a week, I trained when I could, but when I trained, I worked hard training. At my job, I worked hard. We’d strip for three or four hours in the morning. We worked hard to get the job done.

“That atmosphere followed me to the gym. I’d get there and everybody would ask, ‘How do you feel?’ ‘Horrible, but let’s get to it!'”

With “family problems” affecting his training and work habits, Jones admittedly took some ill-advised fights in recent years and wound up losing four out of five during a three-year stretch between 2012 and 2015. He hit rock bottom last July when he ran out of gas in a fight against John Santos and got knocked out in the second round.

“I should’ve murdered that kid. Hands down,” Jones said. “I was so mad at myself because I had lost that fight by not training and smoking. I destroyed him for the first round and a half and as soon as I hit my wall, I was puffing for air. I couldn’t do anything. I was like, ‘That’s it. I’m done. I’m going to give it up.'”

At his father’s request, which came three days before he died, Jones has decided to give it one last shot. He’ll face a tough test in the 25-year-old Pingitore, who has won back-to-back fights and is looking to carve his path toward a potential headliner fight on a future CES MMA card. Pingitore says he never considered fighting Jones until Jones began tracking him down on social media.

“After I beat [James] Murrin [in June of 2015], he just commented on my Facebook statuses and stuff, talking shit, saying, ‘Let’s fight!’ and I ignored it at first because the guy isn’t in Top 10,” Pingitore said. “He said I’m the weakest one in the Top 10. We’ll see on the 12th. He’s going to find out different.

“This is the type of shit I live for. The last guy who called me out [William Chan] was back in my amateur days. I put him away in 40 seconds. I’m going to try to top that.”

Smoke-free for the first time since he was a teenager, Jones promises fatigue won’t be an issue Friday. The back-and-forth between he and Pingitore has escalated in recent weeks with Pingitore taking shots at Jones’ record in addition to his age, the latter of which admittedly “got under” Jones’ skin.

“My main goal is to go in there and put a hurting on Joe because he’s a cocky, mouthy little fuck,” Jones said. “Thirty eight years old is old? I’m 38 and I’m in better shape than 80 percent of the guys in the cage — smoking cigarettes!

“It’s one thing to say, ‘I’m going to tear this guy up … he’s nothing compared to me!’ but to say I’m old? I roof six days a week. This guy couldn’t carry three bundles up the ladder in a row. No way am I old. He’s 25 and fat and I’m 38 and shredded and he’s saying I’m old. I work crazy hard in everything I do. This kid doesn’t know what hard work is.

“I’m super excited. I haven’t been this excited since my first fight.”

While Pingitore isn’t looking past Friday’s fight, he’s still hopeful of one day being the main event on a CES MMA card and perhaps even dropping down to challenge contenders in a new weight class while maintaining his power and cardio. A win over Jones, who has more experience than any of his previous opponents, would be a step in the right direction.

“To fight a main event for CES, you’ve got to not only have the reputation, you have to be way up there,” Pingitore said. “This is going to be my ninth professional fight, No. 5 under the CES banner. I think it’s coming to the point now where it’s getting there. The hype is kind of setting in. It’s becoming real.

“If everything goes my way on the 12th, I’ll be [7-2-1]. That’s a legit record and that’s a legitimate contender. I’m interested in seeing what happens with the Bessette fight. I don’t know. I’m walking light these days, so, I might be going to 135. I’m kind of taking it one fight at a time, but at the same time I’m looking out for my future.”

Tickets for “CES MMA 37” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

In addition to Pingitore-Jones, the main card features three, five-round title fights. Woonsocket, R.I., native Andre Soukhamthath (10-3, 6 KOs), now fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., defends his CES MMA Bantamweight Title for the first time against Cambridge, Mass., vet Kin Moy (8-2, 2 KOs) in the main event, a rematch of their back-and-forth war in January of 2014 in which Moy won by unanimous decision. Providence’s Greg Rebello (20-6, 12 KOs) faces Oklahoma’s Ashley Gooch (9-4, 6 KOs) for the vacant CES MMA Heavyweight Title while Bessette (19-7, 5 KOs), a Stafford Springs, Conn., native, fights for the CES MMA Featherweight Title vacated by current Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) contender Rob Font in 2014.

Also on the AXS TV main card, middleweight Chuck O’Neil (16-8, 5 KOs) of Bourne, Mass., faces Roy Jones (7-4, 3 KOs) of Waterloo, Iowa.

The preliminary card features four exciting bouts, highlighted by a middleweight showdown between Berkeley, Mass., vet Pat McCrohan (2-0, 1 KO) and Russian Ruslan Melikov (3-1), fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. Providence bantamweight Marquis Brewster (1-0) faces Turtle Creek, Pa., native Roosevelt Archie (0-1); and Dylan Lockard of Derry, N.H., makes his professional debut against Seldon, N.Y., featherweight Mak Kelleher (1-2). Quincy, Mass., middleweight Mike Rodriguez (3-1, 1 KO) will be featured in a separate three-round bout against an opponent to be determined.

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/ces.mma for more information and use the hashtag #CES37 to join the conversation.

New York, August 8 — A spectacular undercard with a true, Long Island flavor will accompany the junior welterweight standout Anthony “Showtime” Karperis (12-2, 4 KOs, Hicksville, NY) vs. Ariel Duran (9-8-1, 5 KOs, Queens, NY) 10-round New York State Junior Welterweight Championship bout at Rockin’ Fights 25 at The ?Paramount in Huntington, New York presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing? on Saturday night, August 13.

All five companion bouts assembled by matchmaker Ron Katz feature a Long Islander stepping through the ropes in quality competition.

In the co-featured attraction on the 25th installment of the wildly-popular “Rockin’ Fights” series, Huntington’s Johnny Hernandez (7-1, 1 KO) will be facing off against Seifullah Wise (3-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in an eight-round junior welterweight contest.

In a four-round battle of north vs. south, undefeated Terrell Bostic of Wyandanch (2-0, 1 KO) will take on Utica’s Neyeine Muang (2-2-2) in the welterweight division.

Another match up between Long Island and Philadelphia will take place when Elmont’s Tyrone James (3-0, 2 KO) meets Philly’s Rakym Dyer in his pro debut in a four-round welterweight bout.

A middleweight clash will see East Hampton’s Juan Mancilla make his professional debut against Brooklyn’s Phillip LeGrand (1-3, 1 KO).

Rounding out the card will be a battle of Long Island where super middleweights Vinny D’Angelo (1-0) of Glen Cove takes on Farmingdale’s Dan Cion, who is debuting as a professional.

Tickets can be purchased by calling Star Boxing 914-437-7575 or www.Starboxing.com, the Paramount box office 631-673-7300 and at Ticketmaster.com 1-800-745-3000.

Doors open at 7 pm with first fight scheduled for 7:30 pm.

08 August 2016 – Macau, China: ONE Championship™ (ONE) athlete and flyweight contender Andrew Leone has suffered an injury in training and will no longer be competing in the main event of ONE: HEROES OF THE WORLD which takes place next Saturday, 13 August at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Arena.
Flyweight prospect Tilek Batyrov of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan will replace Leone in the main event battle against Adriano Moraes with the Interim ONE Flyweight World Championship still on the line.

Ticket information for ONE: HEROES OF THE WORLD available at www.onefc.com

Tilek Batyrov is a 24-year old flyweight prospect with a stellar 10-1 professional mixed martial arts record and is a former two-time Combat Sambo world champion. Fighting out of Fight Club Jash-Kuch gym, he is the former Alash Pride Grand Prix Champion and is one of the most promising young fighters to come out of the country. With six submissions and three thrilling stoppage victories on his fight resume, Batyrov is known as a bonafide finisher and will look to give former ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes a stiff challenge.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, Physique TV, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

Lightweight contender Felix Verdejo was injured Sunday in his native Puerto Rico after a motorcycle accident, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“He’s being treated for head trauma and lacerations to the face, head and his whole left arm, and he is in stable condition,” Carl Moretti of Top Rank, Verdejo’s promoter, told ESPN.com. “They have him sedated.

“We are waiting for further details on his condition. There is no reason to speculate on anything. Our prayers are with him, and we are hoping he makes a speedy recovery.”

He was looking at a possible 135-pound world title shot in his next fight against England’s Terry Flanagan (31-0, 12 KOs) in a mandatory bout. The camps, which were ordered to begin negotiations last week, have until later this month to make a deal or a purse bid will be ordered, although that would seem to be up in the air following the accident.

Moretti said Top Rank and Flanagan promoter Frank Warren have been in the midst of negotiating the bout, which Top Rank was eyeing as the cofeature for the HBO PPV card headlined by Manny Pacquiao’s return from a brief retirement on Nov. 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

“We were getting closer to the fight with Flanagan for Nov. 5,” Moretti said. “But at this point who knows what will happen. We are more concerned with Verdejo and his recovery.”

August 7- Three of Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing fighters saw action this weekend and the results were explosive.

Light Heavyweight contender Yunieski Gonzalez returned to the winning column after two consecutive heart breaking defeats to former world champ Jean Pascal and undefeated contender Vyacheslav Shabransky, scoring an explosive 1st round KO over the dangerous Brazilian Jackson Junior, in Miami, FL, on Saturday night. Under new trainer Pedro Diaz, Gonzalez came out fast and furious and dropped Junior 3 times causing a halt to the bout in the 1st round of a scheduled 10 round Light Heavyweight contest. Gonzalez improves to 17-2 13KO’s.

Also on Saturday night in Philadelphia, PA, Jr. Welterweight contender Emanuel “Tranzforma” Taylor scored his second consecutive KO win as he took out Mexican Carlos Aguilera in the 3rd round of a scheduled 8 round Jr. Welterweight match. A devastating left hook to the body put down the game Aguilera for the count. Taylor improves to 20-4 14KO’s and now has his eyes set on a September 3rd date with the highly ranked Jose Zepeda in Arizona. The bout will be telecast live on BEIN TV and is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Zanfer Promotions.

Friday night in Los Angeles, CA, Jr. Lightweight Luis Franco, unfortunately, was the victim of some rather dubious scoring as he dropped a 10 round verdict to the fast rising Carlos Morales in the main event on Estrella TV. Franco was the far more experienced of the two and constantly made Morales miss throughout the fight while he countered nicely and dictated much of the pace of the fight. However, in the end, somehow the judges awarded Morales with the victory by unanimous decision. Franco drops to 14-2-1 9KO’s. The bout was co-promoted by Star Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia had these comments about the weekend results “Although I’m thrilled that Yuniesky and Emanuel both looked spectacular, I’m disappointed in the decision of the Franco fight. Yuniesky and Emanuel both looked great and now Manny has another opportunity on September 3rd to put himself in the picture of the Jr. Welterweight division taking on the number 2 rated Jose Zepeda. Yuniesky headlined the show in his hometown of Miami for the first time and the turnout was great. We will be going back to Miami again in the very near future”.

For more information on these fighters visit www.starboxing.com.

www.StarBoxing.com
Twitter at @Star Boxing, Instagram at StarBoxing, and
Facebook.com/StarBoxing.

OAKLAND, CA (Aug. 6, 2016) – On Saturday, Nov. 19 the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer will be crowned. Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs), the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion, and Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) Two-Time World Champion, officially announced their long-awaited showdown following Ward’s victory over Alexander Brand at the conclusion of the live HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast Saturday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Kovalev vs. Ward will take place Saturday, Nov. 19. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT and is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions.

Kovalev and Ward are currently ranked the number two and number four pound-for-pound boxers in the world, respectively, by The Ring Magazine, making their hotly anticipated fight only the third bout in the history of The Ring Magazine pound-for-pound list to pit two undefeated top-five ranked pound-for-pound fighters against each other. Odds makers and pundits have this fight evenly matched at 50-50 and it is poised to be a sure-fire 2016 Fight of the Year candidate. History will be made on Nov. 19th!

Making the fight even more intriguing, Kovalev and Ward are polar opposites. The Russian Wrecking Ball Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev is an unbeaten knockout artist sitting atop boxing’s light heavyweight division. With his ferocity in the ring and his charisma outside of it, Krusher is on his way to becoming the sport’s next big star. The last American man to win an Olympic Gold Medal in boxing, Andre “S.O.G.” Ward is already a future Hall of Famer. Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his warrior’s instinct inside it, Ward has not lost a fight, amateur or professional, since he was 12-years-old. Kovalev’s seemingly unstoppable offense-first approach stands in stark contrast to Ward’s slick, defensive style that has been an unsolvable riddle for every foe he’s taken on.

Neither man has faced an opponent like this before. Who will be the next “Pound for Pound” king? Find out Saturday, Nov. 19!

Additional details for the event, including ticket information, will be released shortly.

Live on HBO tonight, when asked about whether or not Ward is ready to face him Kovalev said, “I think he is ready. I am ready too. The fight against Chilemba was similar to how it is going to be against Andre Ward. He is a really great champion and he proved this today. I just want to say, let’s do it November 19 on HBO.”

Ward responded, “I am excited, man. I am looking forward to it. I want to be the light heavyweight champion of the world. I got past this step. He got past his step. We will see you in November. I have been doing this for 22 years and if I am not ready to fight the best now then I will never be ready. I have been preparing for these moments since I been a kid. You got to respect Sergey for the way he has gotten to where he has gotten. He didn’t have any soft touches. He wasn’t protected. He wasn’t really pushed by the media. He is a guy who should get a lot more credit than he has. The winner of this fight could possibly be pound-for-pound #1.”

*The Ring Magazine began publishing pound-for-pound rankings in 1989.

Kovalev, the Russian Wrecking Ball, 33, has been dominating boxing’s light heavyweight division with his aggressive, fan-friendly style since his breakout performance against then-unbeaten Nathan Cleverly in 2013. His rise to boxing stardom has been meteoric, as he has gone from an unknown fighter from Chelyabinsk, Russia to headlining HBO Pay-Per-View in just four years after signing with his first promoter, Main Events. Out of of Kovalev’s 30 career victories 26 have come by way of knockout. Additionally, he has entered into championship rounds only twice in his professional career. Kovalev has always sought to test himself against the best boxing has to offer; he wants to prove in the ring that he deserves that mantle.

Ward, 32, the last American man to win an Olympic Gold Medal in boxing (2004), reigned as the WBA Super Middleweight World Champion from 2009 to 2015 while fighting mostly out of his hometown, Oakland, CA. He announced his intention to move to up to the light heavyweight division in search of a bigger challenge in 2015, shortly after signing with his current promoter, Roc Nation Sports. He has been a top rated pound-for-pound fighter since 2011. Ward is seeking to assume his place and leave a legacy at the top of the sport.

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Bristol, PA–Chazz Witherspoon scored his fifth consecutive knockout victory as he took out former world title challenger Mike Marrone in round two of their scheduled six-round heavyweight main event at the Grundy Arena.

Witherspoon sent Marrone to the canvas in round one with a left hook. Seconds later it was a hard 1-2 that sent Marrone down for a second time.

In round two, Witherspoon landed a booming right that deposited Marrone on the canvas for a third time. Marrone got to his feet but the fight was waved off at 1:31.

Witherspoon of Paulsboro, New Jersey is now 35-3 with 27 knockouts. Marrone of Vero Beach, Florida is 21-6.

Samuel Teah won a four round unanimous decision over Samuel Amoako in a junior welterweight bout.

Teah of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 8-1. AMoako of Silver Spring, MD is 21-13.

Elijah Vines stopped Julian Valerio in round three of their scheduled four round middleweight brawl.

Vines dropped Valerio with a short right on the inside. Valerio returned the favor after a furious exchange, Valerio put Vines on the canvas from a left hook. In round three, Vines drilled Valerio a multitude of times with power punches that continuously snapped the head of Valerio’s head back until a moment later when Vines landed some hard body punches and referee Hurley McCall stopped the fight at 2:37.

Vines of Philadelphia is 3-0 with three knockouts. Valerio of Brooklyn, NY is 3-4.

Good looking prospect, Jaron Ennis stopped Matthew Murphy in round two of a scheduled four round junior welterweight bout.

In round two, Ennis sent Murphy to a knee after landing a barrage of punches. Seconds later, It was a left to the body that sent Murphy down and the fight was stopped at 2:53.

Ennis of Philadelphia is 5-0 with five knockouts. Murphy of St. Louis, MO is 1-3.

Mike Hilton remained undefeated by stopping Cortez Reed in th fouth and final scheduled round of their cruiserweight bout.

Hilton of Trenton, NJ, is now 3-0 with all wins coming via stoppage. Reed of Atlanta, GA is 1-3.

Emanuel Taylor stopped Carlos Aguilera in round two of their scheduled eight round junior welterweight bout.

Taylor cracked Aguilera with a left hook to the ribs that dropped him. He could not get to his feet and fight was over at 2:07.

Taylor of Edgewood, MD is now 20-4 with 14 knockouts. Aguilera of Chiapas, MX is 10-18.

Leshawn Rodriguez demolished Jason Whar inside of one round of their scheduled four round middleweight bout.

Rodriguez dropped Whar three times in round one, with the last coming from a left hook and the bout was stopped at 1:55.

Rodriguez of Shirley, New York is 4-0 with four knockouts. Wahr of Virginia Beach, Virginia is 4-13.

Luis Perozo remained undefeated by winning a 4-round unanimous decision over Alberto Martinez in a lightweight bout.

In round two, Perozo scored a knocked down from a right hand.

Perozo of New York , NY won by scores of 39-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Martinez of Tifton, GA is 0-2.

Yair Rodriguez won a five-round split decision over Alex Cacares in a featherweight bout in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rodriguez, 146 lbs of Chicago, IL won two cards by 48-47 counts while Cacares took a card 49-46.

Rodriguez is 9-1. Cacares, 145 lbs of Miami, FL is 12-9-1.

Dennis Bermudez won a unanimous decision over Rony Jason in a featherweight bout.

Jason’s face was a mess as it was covered in blood from round one.

Bermudez, 146 lbs of Lyndonhurst, NY won by scores of 30-27 twice and 30-26 and is now 17-5. Jason, 146 lbs of Quixada, BRA is 15-6-1.

Thhales Leites scored a third round submission over Chris Camozzi in their middleweight bout.

Leites made Camozzi tap out with a rear naked choke at 2:58

Leites, 186 lbs of Rio di Jenairo, BRA is 26-6. Camozzi, 186 lbs of Lakewood, CO is 24-11.

Santiago Pozinbbio son a unanimous decision over Zaxk Cummings in a welterweight bout.

In round three, Cummings started to bleed from his nose.

Pozinbbio, 171 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 24-3. Cummings, 171 lbs of Kansas City. MO is 19-5.

Trevor Smith defeated Joe Gigloiotti via unanimous decision in a middleweight bout.

Gigliotti started bleeding from the nose in round two when he was hit with a knee.

Smith, 185.5 lbs of Tokwila, WA won by scores of 30-26 on all cards ans is now 14-6. Gigliotti, 185.5 lbs of Gilbert, AZ is 7-1..

Maryna Moroz won a split decision over Danielle Taylor in a strawweight bout.

Moroz, 115 lbs of Ukraine won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28, while Taylor took card 29-28.

Moroz is 7-1. Taylor, 11.5 lbs of Van Nuys, CA is 7-2.

Court Mcgee won a unanimous decision over Dominique Steel in a welterweight bout.

In round one, Steele was cut over his right eye.

McGee, 169.5 lbs of Orem, UT won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 19-5. Steele, 171 lbs of Cincinnati, OH is 14-8.

Marcin Tybura scored an explosive second round stoppage over Viktor Pesta in a heavyweight bout.

In round two, Tybura countered a right hand with a devastating left kick to the head and Pesta was knocked out cold at 53 seconds.

Tybura, 249 lbs of Warszwa, POL is 14-2. Pesta, 239.5 of Prague, Czech Republic is 10-3.

David Teymur stopped Jason Novelli in the second round of their lightweight bout.

In round two, Teymur landed a straight left that sent Novelli to the ground. Teymur got t his feet only to eat six punches and the bout was stopped at 1:28.

Teymur, 155 lbs of Stockholm, SWE is 5-1. Novelli, 155.5 lbs of Portland, OR is 11-2-1.

Teymur was cut under his left eye in the first round.

Teruro Ishihara knocked out Horacio Gutierrez in the first round of their featherweight bout.

Ishihar landed a hard left that knocked Gutierrez down. Ishihara pounced on Gutierrez and landed one more clipping left and the fight was stopped at 2:32.

Ishihara, 146 lbs of Osaka, JAP is 10-2-2. Gutierrez, 146 lbs of Chicago is 3-3.

New York, NY (8/6/16) – Tomorrow, DiBella Entertainment’s (DBE) Broadway Boxing will return to the SNY network with a brand new episode of the popular and longest running local boxing series in New York. Promoter Lou DiBella announced that four new episodes would air on SNY over the next two months. The first new episode will air this Sunday, August 7, at 8:30 p.m. ET. Broadway Boxing is proudly sponsored by Nissan of Queens, OPTYX, Azad Watches and Christos Steak House.

Sunday’s episode will feature three thrilling bouts from BB King Blues Club and Grill, in Manhattan, including two evenly matched contests in the junior welterweight division. In the opening bout, Ukrainian prospect Valentyn Golovko engaged former world title challenger Jerry Belmontes in a battle of attrition. In the main event, Louis Cruz, of The Bronx, waged a back-and-forth slugfest with the always-tough Polish Michal Chudecki.

Viewers should especially tune in to see Providence, Rhode Island’s Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent, a major New England attraction, in her New York debut. Vincent, of course, will return to New York when she faces longtime rival Heather “The Heat” Hardy in an eagerly anticipated matchup on Sunday, August 21, at Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn, televised by NBC Sports Net.

On tomorrow’s episode of Broadway Boxing on SNY, Vincent takes on former two-time Hardy opponent, Hungarian Renata Domsodi, in a junior featherweight bout fought almost entirely shoulder-to-shoulder. It was Vincent’s first fight under the DiBella Entertainment promotional banner. Hardy, an interested ringside observer that night, entered the ring during Vincent’s post-fight interview with commentator Steve Farhood and the two began taunting each other with the understanding that their ring encounter could be imminent.

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

On Sunday, August 21, at Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn, US Olympian and undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (20-0, 17 KOs) challenges once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu (33-1-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight world title eliminator that headlines Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC. The Hardy-Vincent bout will appear on the undercard, televised by NBC Sports Net. Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.

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“DBE is thrilled to continue our partnership with SNY,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “The network has been home to Broadway Boxing for the past eight years and has maintained high ratings by consistently providing viewers with exciting action. Many champions, former champions and rising contenders have passed through Broadway Boxing and I look forward to seeing that continue over these next four episodes, which will include the finals of this year’s New York Daily News Golden Gloves tournament.”

The Broadway Boxing series was launched in April 2004 as a monthly boxing series in association with partner HD Net. By August of 2008, Broadway Boxing had become a weekly series on SNY with a combination of live programming and taped delayed broadcasts of previous events.

For the past eight years, Broadway Boxing has aired every Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on SNY. Over those eight years, the Broadway Boxing series has grown to produce some of the highest ratings for any program broadcast on SNY, outside of NY Mets games. Also, for the third consecutive year, DBE and SNY have partnered with the New York Daily News Golden Gloves to air both nights of the championship matchups from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Those “Special Edition” Broadway Boxing cards are set to air on August 21st and September 18th.

“Lou DiBella and DiBella Entertainment continue to show their support for the New York amateur boxing program,” said Brian Adams, NY Daily News Golden Gloves Director. “It’s a pleasure to once again have the finals televised through the Broadway Boxing series because it gives the world the opportunity to experience the skills that these young men and women have to offer.”

Below is a complete schedule of the upcoming brand new episodes of Broadway Boxing throughout the month of September. Future show dates will be announced soon. Broadway Boxing is proudly sponsored by Nissan of Queens, OPTYX, Azad Watches and Christos Steak House.

Sunday, 8/7 – 8:30 pm – Broadway Boxing
* Sunday, 8/21 – 8:00 pm – Broadway Boxing – Golden Gloves
* Sunday, 9/11 – 8:00 pm – Broadway Boxing
* Sunday, 9/18 – 8:00 pm – Broadway Boxing – Golden Gloves

PHILADELPHIA (August 6, 2016) – Undefeated rising contender David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez (16-0, 15 KOs) knocked out Denis Douglin (20-5, 13 KOs) in the 10-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

Douglin, who is trained by his mother Saphya, opened the fight very aggressive, stealing the first round on all three judges’ scorecards. Douglin continued to press the action, also winning the second round battle with two of the three judges, but Benavidez would soon settle in and take control of the war.

“I knew it was going to be a tough fight. I knew Douglin wasn’t going to go out without a fight,” said Benavidez. “So I came in here and started slower than I usually do, just using my jab a little bit more.”

The 19-year-old Benavidez made the necessary corrections in round three and never looked back, chipping away throughout the fourth and fifth rounds. In the sixth, Benavidez teed off on Douglin with damaging punches to both Douglin’s body and head.

In the seventh round, Benavidez was still having his way when one of the top turnbuckles gave out, causing the ropes on one side of the ring to collapse, and stopping the fight momentarily. When the action resumed, Douglin came forward with a flurry, but that burst of energy was short-lived.

Benavidez regained control in the eighth round, and in the ninth he scored the only knockdown of the fight. In the tenth and final frame, Benavidez threw a barrage of punches, several of which buckled Douglin, causing referee Gary Rosato to intervene and stop the fight at :35 into the round.

When asked about Douglin’s resilience, Benavidez said, “I hurt him a lot of times, but I kept my cool. I knew I was going to get him out of there sooner or later and that’s exactly what I did tonight. This is a good victory for me. Douglin is a tough veteran. He started fast and swinging wildly, and his offense probably looked better on-camera than it was, but he did what he had to do to survive until the final round.”

Benavidez continued, “It was important to me to get the stoppage and show everybody that I am just as strong in the late rounds as I am early on. I love this. This is what I signed up for. I want tough fights.”

A disappointed Douglin said, “I was in this fight, I just got winded. I was in great shape and everything, but I got winded there towards the end. Benavidez is a tough, young fighter. He was able to make me stay in there longer than I wanted to, but I feel good and I’ll be back.”

Benavidez concluded, “Right now, I would like to say that I don’t think about that. I’m just trying to progress in my career and I’m not trying to call anybody out. But if I do dream about fighting anybody, it would be whoever is the champion at that weight. I’m going to work hard to get to that spot.”

Televised coverage began with exciting undefeated contender Alejandro “El Charro” Luna (21-0, 15 KOs) defeating Philadelphia prospect Naim Nelson (13-2, 1 KO) by unanimous decision (99-91, 98-92, 97-93) in a ten-round bout fought at a catch weight of 144 lbs.

Nelson, who stepped up to face Luna on only 24-hours notice, tried to bring the fight to Luna in the early rounds and make it a physical contest on the inside.

Despite Luna landing a couple of blistering uppercuts in the second and third rounds, Nelson still came forward. Luna later said, “Nelson was a tough guy and could bang a little bit.”

By the close of the third round, Luna’s left eye appeared to be swelling badly, but luckily for Luna Nelson’s gas tank appeared to drain just in time. Although Nelson was all aggression and wanted to fight in a phone booth early on, he found himself landing fewer punches and looking to create distance in the middle rounds.

Luna soon took over of the action, and in the seventh round a cut opened on Nelson’s forward, but was quickly controlled by his corner. Nevertheless, Luna had done enough damage in the middle stages of the scrap and was able coast to a unanimous victory on the scorecards.

“Obviously we prepared for another opponent, but I felt I had a solid performance against him,” said Luna. “Nelson came to fight and was in shape, and I thought I handled him pretty well, but I know I can still do better.”

When asked about taking the fight on short notice Nelson said, “I make no excuses, but we took this fight at 9 p.m. last night and I knew I was stepping up to face a tough opponent. I didn’t get the decision, but I felt good in there tonight, and I proved I can compete with a world class fighter.

Nelson added, “Luna is a good puncher and he’s strong. I won’t take anything away from him. We fought a hell of a fight, and I look forward to being back soon.”

Luna summed up the night adding, “I’m looking to build on what I did here tonight and get back in the ring soon for another good fight.”

# # #

In off-television bouts:

Tyrone Brunson came off the deck twice to score a thrilling fourth round stoppage over Carlos Garcia in a scheduled eight round junior middleweight bout.

Brunson dropped Garcia in round one with a left hook. Garcia returned the favor in round two as he sent Brunson to the deck with a right hand.. Later in the round, Garcia sent Brunson down for a second time with another straight right hand. In round four, Brunson drilled Garcia with a body shot that sent him to the canvas. Garcia could not beat referee Shawn Clark’s count and the fight was over at 25 seconds.

Brunson of Philadelphia, PA is 23-6-1 with 22 knockouts. Garcia of Aguada, Puerto Rico is 10-17-1.

Darryl Bunting and Edward Jeramie Ortiz fought to a four-round draw in a super middleweight bout.

Scores were 39-37 for Bunting and 38-38 twice.

Bunting of Asbury Park, NJ is 2-0-2. Ortiz of San Antonio, TX is 1-0-1.

Kieran Hooks won a 4-round unanimous decision over Miguel Martinez in a junior middleweight bout.

Martinez dropped Hooks in the first round with a powerful right, but he came back to win the next three rounds.

Hooks of Philadelphia is 1-0. Martinez of Reading, PA is 2-2.

Jeffery Torres stopped Mariano Rolon in the first round of a scheduled four-round bout of debuting lightweights.

Torres scored two knockdowns and the bout was stopped at 2:23.

Torres of Philadelphia is 1-0 with one knockout. Rolon of Reading, PA is 0-1.

Victor Vasquez (6-2) scored a four round unanimous decision over Jerome Conquest (6-2) in a lightweight bout

The card was promoted by King’s Promotions.

For information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @KingsBoxing, @ESPNBoxing and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions. Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on ESPN is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

LOS ANGELES (August 5, 2016) – On this edition of LA FIGHT CLUB, the fans were treated to non-stop action from start to finish at the Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. Special guests in attendance included NBA Superstar Metta World Peace, NABF Super Lightweight Champion Antonio “Relentless” Orozco, NABA Featherweight Champion Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez, Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass, “King” Gabriel Rosado, Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy, Roy “Pitbull” Tapia, Alexis Rocha, Niko “Baby Face” Valdes and David Mijares, who all sat ringside watching the action.

Fighting in the televised main event on Estrella TV’s Boxeo Estelar, Los Angeles local Carlos “The Solution” Morales (14-1-3, 6 KOs) went on an all-out rampage against Luis “La Estrella” Franco (14-2-1, 9 KOs) of Havana, Cuba in a featherweight bout for the vacant NABA Super Featherweight title. The evenly matched fighters exchanged blocks and jabs for all 10 rounds, with both fighters giving it their all. Eventually “The Solution” came out on top as the judges awarded the NABA crown to the LA FIGHT CLUB fan favorite with scores of 98-92, 97-93, 96-94.

In the televised co-main event, Glendora, California’s Joet Gonzalez (14-0, 6 KOs) maintained his undefeated status when he took on Los Angeles native Sergio “Micky” Lopez (19-12-1, 12 KOs) in a featherweight bout that went the distance. Gonzalez showed off his impressive left hook throughout the fight, using it to slowly break down Lopez round by round. Lopez countered and went on the defensive, landing shots to the face and body and at times cornered Joet on the ropes. The ninth round was filled with intensity as Joet landed massive jabs to the face, stunning Lopez. The fighters’ fury carried over to the 10th round, with the judges ruling in favor of Gonzalez via unanimous decision.

“I was mad during the fight,” said Joet Gonzalez. “I felt the referee wasn’t doing his job correctly. There were various points during the fight in which my opponent would lean in, head butt and hold me. However, despite the referee not noticing, I am glad the judges took note of my boxing ability. This was my first 10-round fight, and I prepared for this fight a little differently, using strength and weight training. I was able to share the card with my brother, which means a lot to me. We got first round knockout and unanimous decision victories.”

“During the fight, I didn’t think we were that far away points wise. In the end, it was the fans who won tonight,” said Lopez on the fight. “I feel we put on a great show for everybody. After our 30 days, I am going to hit the gym again and look forward to when I’ll hit the mat again to please the crowd.”

In the swing bout of the night, LA’s Angel Bojado (1-0, 0 KO) made his professional debut with a bang by defeating Euris Silverio (0-4) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Knocked down in the second round, Bojado got right back up and went back to business with a vengeance and was awarded a victory by unanimous decision.

“This fight was a long time coming,” said Bojado. “This victory will be the foundation for the rest of my boxing career. It’s been about two years since I have been in the ring, and training hard in North Carolina has paid off. I knew my opponent was tough because all his fights went to the judges for the decision. I am excited to only go up from here.”

Los Angeles local and LA FIGHT CLUB fan favorite Pablo “The Shark” Rubio, Jr. (7-0, 3 KOs) fought opponent Michael Gaxiola (4-8), of Modesto, CA in a six-round super bantamweight fight. “The Shark” demonstrated his capacity to dominate the ring, throughout the fight by cornering Gaxiola during most rounds. It was during the third round in a series of heated punches that Rubio sustained a cut underneath his right eye from a head butt. Despite the setback, the judges all unanimously agreed that he was the stronger fighter, awarding him the victory of the fight.

“I agree with the judges’ decision and I am happy with my performance tonight,” said Rubio on his unanimous decision win. “I used my jabs and had a lot of movement, which is what I was working on in training camp for this fight. I noticed that I slowed down in the fifth round, however, I still kept my rhythm. My opponent was very technical and he didn’t throw any crazy punches, so I applaud him for a tough fight.”

Glendora, California’s Jousce Gonzalez (2-0, 2 KO) dazzled the crowd in a four-round super featherweight fight against David “Tito” Montes (0-4 KOs) of El Paso, TX, in which he landed a body shot at 1:26 in the first round, to add another knockout to his undefeated record.

“I prepared well for this fight and had great sparring partners in Alex Luna and my older brother Joet Gonzalez,” said Jousce Gonzalez. “I always train for double the amount of rounds and if the knock out comes during the fight, it comes. I’m ready for everything. I’m on fire and in the best shape of my life. I could fight tomorrow if needed.”

Kicking off this fight night with a four-round featherweight fight, Las Vegas’ Francisco “El Alacran” Esparza (3-0, 1 KO) faced Noe Munoz (2-2) of Ciudad Juarez. Ezparza wasted no time getting straight to business by landing a devastating right punch to Munoz’s face, effectively ending the bout by technical knockout in the first thirty seconds.

“I feel amazing,” said Esparza on his victory. “Going in to the fight, you never expect a knock out. I always prepare to go all four rounds. I hope to be back really quick, and I want to thank my team for the opportunity.”

Carlos Morales vs. Luis Franco was a 10-round bout for the NABA Super Featherweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD, Casa Mexico Tequila, Carmelita Coconut Water, and Hands of Stone: The True Story of Robert Duran out in theatres this August. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast aired live on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card was also streamed live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via LBI Media’s Fenomeno Studios. The Ring TV live stream began at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB start at only $20 with Flex Passes for multiple fight packages, Group Tickets and Knockout Experience upgrade are available for purchase at www.goldenboypromotions.com, the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page, by calling 213-233-2957 or by emailing LAFightClub@goldenboypromotions.com. Mark your calendars and purchase tickets in advance before they sell out for the remaining summer dates taking place August 19, September 2, October 7, November 4 and December 2.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.belascous.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV and become a fanon Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheBelascoLA, www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @belascola and @EstrellaTV, follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB and #BoxeoEstelar.

August 5- Three Of Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing’s fighters will be in action this weekend.

First up is former Cuban Amateur standout Luis “La Estrella” Franco (14-1-1 9KO Miami, FL) taking on the tough Carlos Morales (13-1-3 6KO Mexico) for the vacant NABA Super Featherweight Title in the main event August 5th at The Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. The bout, co-promoted by Star Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions, is scheduled for 10 rounds in the Super Featherweight division and will be telecast live on Estrella TV starting at 10pm EST.

Next up on August 6th in Philadelphia, PA will be Jr. Welterweight contender Emanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor (19-4 13KO Edgewater, MD) taking on the rugged Carlos Aguilera (10-17 4KO San Juan, PR) in a Jr. Welterweight bout scheduled for 8 rounds.

Taylor, who is coming off a TKO of Wilfredo Acuna on Feb. 27th of this year, looks to stay sharp as he has an impending showdown with once beaten Jose Zepeda on Sept. 3rd in Arizona on BEIN TV.

Finally and also fighting on August 6th will be Light Heavyweight contender Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-2 12KO Miami, FL) squaring off against the dangerous Brazilian Jackson Junior (21-6 19KO) in a 10 round bout.

Gonzalez looks to get back in the win column after two consecutive heart breaking defeats to Jean Pascal and Vyacheslav Shabransky.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing had these comments “These are 3 very important fights in the careers of these young men. Victory will lead to much bigger fights and the chance to possibly challenge for a world championship. I am very confident in each one these fighters as they all have shown to be highly skilled and up for any challenge we throw at them”.

For more information on these fighters visit www.starboxing.com.

www.StarBoxing.com
Twitter at @Star Boxing, Instagram at StarBoxing, and
Facebook.com/StarBoxing.

Chazz Witherspoon 235 – Mike Marrone 243.2

Emanuel Taylor 140.8 – Carlos Aguilera 137.6

Samuel Teah 139 – Samuel Amoako 138.6
Mike Hilton 196 – Cortez Reed 197
Elijah Vines 152.2 – Julian Valerio 155.2
LeShawn Rodriguez 160.6 – Jason Wahr 153.8
Jaron Ennis 144.8 – Matt Murphy 143.4
Alberto Martinez 134.6 – Luis Perozo 132

Promoters: D and D Promotions & Silver Spoon Promotions
Venue: Grundy Arena
1st Bell: 6 PM

Tickets for this night of boxing are $150 VIP with food and soft drinks; $100; $50; $25 (for children under 17) and can be purchased by calling 856-842-7577 or dboysboxing@gmail.com or www.dboysboxing.com

The Grundy Arena is located at 475 Beaver Street in Bristol, PA.

World rated middleweight Rob Brant stopped Chris Fitzpatrick in round three in a scheduled ten round bout at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California.

Brant scored a knockdown in round two, when he wobbled Fitzpatrick with a left hook and sent him down with a right. In round three, It was a left uppercut that sent Fitzpatrick to deck. Fitzpatrick got to his feet, but the fight was waved off at 1:18.

Brant, 159 lbs of St. Paul. MN is 21-0 with 14 knockouts. Fitzpatrick, 157.4 lbs of Colombia, SC is 15-5.

Skender Halili stopped Ben Odamattey in the first round of a scheduled four-round super welterweight bout.

Halili dropped Odamattey with hahrd combination of body shots in the first rounds. Halili landed several more power shots and wobbled Odamattey again and the fight was stopped at 1:17.

Halili, 153.2 lbs of Bronx, NY is now 11-1 with 11 knockouts. Odamattey, 153.2 lbs of Accra, GHA is 16-15-3.

Cem Kelic stopped Jerhed Fenderson in round two of a scheduled four-round middleweight bout.

In round two, Kelic landed a hard left hook that wobbled Fenderson to the canvas/ Femderson was unsteady and the bout was stopped at 1:50

Kelic, 169 lbs of Germany is now 6-0 with three knockouts. Fenderson, 164.6 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is 1-1.

Malik Hawkins won a four-round unanimous decision over Sean Gee in a welterweight bout.

Hawkins, 147 lbs of Baltimore. MD won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 9-0. Gee, 145.6 lbs of Chicago, IL is 3-5

PHILADELPHIA–Tyrone Brunson came off the deck twice to score a thrilling fourth round stoppage over Carlos Garcia in a scheduled eight round junior middleweight bout.

Brunson dropped Garcia in round one with a left hook. Garcia returned the favor in round two as he sent Brunson to the deck in round two. Later in the round, Garcia sent Brunson down for a second time with a right hand. In round four, Brundon drilled Garcia with a body shot that sent him to the canvas. Garcia could not beat referee Shawn Clark’s count and the fight was over at 25 seconds.

Brunson of Philadelphia, PA is 23-6-1 with 22 knockouts. Garcia of Aguada, Puerto Rico is 10-17-1.

Darryl Bunting and Edward Jeramie Ortiz fought to a four-round draw in a super middleweight bout.

Scores were 39-37 for Bunting and 38-38 twice.

Bunting of Asbury Park, NJ is 2-0-2. Ortiz of San Antonio, TX is 1-0-1.

Kieran Hooks won a 4-round unanimous decision over Miguel Martines in a junior middleweight bout.

Martinez dropped Hooks in the first round with a powerful right, but he came back to win the next three rounds.

Hooks of Philadelphia is 1-0. Martinez of Reading, PA is 2-2.

Jeffery Torres stopped Mariano Rolon in the first round of a scheduled four-round bout of debuting lightweights.

Torres scored two knockdowns and the bout was stopped at 2:23.

Torres of Philadelphia is 1-0 with one knockout. Rolon of Reading, PA is 0-1.