Atlantic City, NJ (February 3, 2016)–On Saturday night, March 19, Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will take part in the main event of a card that will take place at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City
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The card is promoted by Rising Star Boxing Promotions in association with Vincent M. Ponte’s Gulf Stream Promotions.

The Welterweight bout is scheduled for 8-rounds.

“We are looking forward to this event March 19th” said Debra LaManna of Rising Star Promotions. “Our first show in December was a big success and we are only getting better. I want to thank The Claridge Hotel for being the host to this event. We have four dates this year with March 19th as our kick off and in May as our following date. I also want to thank all the boxers that risk their lives and participate in Rising Star events to please the fans because that is what it’s all about. My mission as President is to give back to the fighters and make them feel appreciated. A big goal we have is to bring the “sport” back into boxing and not just “business”. It continues March 19th on the boardwalk in Atlantic City.”

LaManna (19-1, 7 KO’s) of nearby Millville, New Jersey will be making his second consecutive appearance at The Claridge. LaManna won a 8-round unanimous decision over Ariel Vasquez on December 5th.

LaManna used his reach and height and worked behind his jab to keep Vasquez at bay. As the fight wore on, LaManna started to dominate with body punches and cruised home to victory to the tune of 79-72 on two scorecards and 78-73.

The 24 year-old LaManna turned professional in 2011 and won his first sixteen bouts that were highlighted by wins over Ashandi Gibbs & Jamaal Davis.

Since suffering his only loss to world ranked Middleweight Antoine Douglas on ShoBox: The New Generation, LaManna has won three straight which includes a 6-round unanimous decision over rugged Ayi Bruce on September 26th in Beach Haven, New Jersey.

This will be LaManna’s second fight at Welterweight after moving down from Middleweight.

“I’m excited to headline for the second time in Atlantic City. I feel great in the Welterweight division and I look to make a lot of noise in 2016. I want to thank the whole Rising Star Promotions team as well as Vinny Ponte of Gulf Stream Promotions for giving me yet another opportunity to display my talent at such a high class venue in Atlantic City. I also would like to thank the Claridge Hotel and the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame for all the help and support in making this event possible.” said Thomas LaManna

In the 6-round co-feature, former IBF Cruiserweight champion Imamu Mayfield will be making his long awaited comeback in a Heavyweight bout.

Mayfield of Perth Amboy, New Jersey will making his first appearance in just for 8-years.

Mayfield won the IBF Cruiserweight championship when he won a 12-round unanimous decision over Uriah Grant on November 8, 1997. He made one defense and was stopped by Arthur Williams on October 30, 1998.

Mayfield won the USBA Cruiserweight title with 10th round stoppage over Gary Wilcox on June 30, 2001.

Mayfield has also fought world champions Juan Carlos Gomez, Krzystof Wlodarczyk and Alexander Povetkin.

A full undercard will be announced shortly.

Tickets are $50 GA, $75 Ringside, $75 Stage & $125 VIP (Booths of 5 available for $500) and are available at RisingBoxingPromotions.com or 609-487-4444.

The Clardige Hotel is located at 123 S. Indiana Ave. Atlantic City NJ

Facebook.com/risingstarboxing
Instagram: @risingpromo

OS ANGELES (Feb. 2, 2016) – Undefeated welterweight Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (19-0, 13 KOs) hosted a Los Angeles media workout today at Wild Card Boxing Club with his trainer Freddie Roach, Hall of Fame Trainer and Seven-Time BWAA Trainer of The Year Award Winner, ahead of his Feb. 5 10-round, co-main event fight against former IBA Super Lightweight Champion Silverio “Chamaco III” Ortiz (29-16, 15 KOs).

Below is what the fighter and his trainer had to say at today’s workout:

FRANKIE “PITBULL” GOMEZ, Undefeated Welterweight Contender:

“I’m ready for the fight, I’ve been training hard. I’m as focused as ever. I train two or three times a day, and I’m at the gym every day.

“On February 5, it’s going to be a war, I know that Ortiz is a tough fighter; he’s durable.

“Last year was a bad year for me but I’m looking forward to putting it behind me in 2016. I want to stay active this year and fight as many times as I can. Hopefully I can fight for a world title before the end of this year.”

FREDDIE ROACH, Hall of Fame Trainer and Seven-Time BWAA Trainer of The Year Award Winner:

“I hope Frankie rises this year to what he should be. He can beat all these guys, that’s how good he is.

“After this fight, I’m taking Frankie to the Philipines with me for training camp. It’s a hard place to be for 8 weeks but he’s going to do it. He will be sparring with Manny (Pacquiao) over there to train. He has sparred with him in the past and has done well the first few rounds but then Manny takes over.

“I’ve seen Frankie’s talent and he’s ready to take on tougher fighters. I told Golden Boy Promotions after this fight on Feb. 5, let’s pick it up. If it’s not now, it’s never going to happen.”

In the main event on Feb. 5, hometown hero and former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs) will make his grand return to the ring in a 10-round super bantamweight bout against Ruben Garcia (15-1-1, 6 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico, televised live nationally on Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV.

Fans with tickets to the fight on Feb. 5 will have an opportunity meet and interact with former eight-time world champion in three weight divisions Sugar Shane Mosley in a meet and greet at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Special Events Center from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $75, $65, $45 and can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Randy Caballero vs. Ruben Garcia is a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Friday, Feb. 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT., and will stream live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

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

ANAHEIM, CALIF. (February 2, 2016) – Unbeaten brawlers Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington (16-0-1, 11 KOs) and Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (18-0, 13 KOs) will meet in a 10-round showdown of rising heavyweights on Saturday, February 27, in the opening bout of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

The telecast features two world title fights. In the main event, undefeated three-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will make the first defense of his Featherweight World Championship against former world champion Kiko Martinez. Televised coverage begins live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) with the exciting super bantamweight world title rematch between Mexican power-punchers Julio Ceja and Hugo Ruiz.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting so close to home in front of all my friends and family,” said Washington. “Oscar Rivas is a hard puncher but he’s never faced anyone as big and strong as I am. I’m anxious to get in the ring and continue to prove myself on my way to a world title opportunity.”

“I’m very excited to be fighting Gerald Washington in my first fight in Southern California,” said Rivas. “I know that he is a very tough, strong fighter. I will be prepared to come out victorious and stay undefeated as I head towards my goal of becoming a world champion.”

“The heavyweight division has been revived and Gerald Washington and Oscar Rivas are two guys to keep your eyes on,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Both are undefeated and hungry to earn their shot at a world title.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.

A two-way player (tight end and defensive end) at the University of Southern California, Washington spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills practice squads on his unconventional path that led him to boxing. The 33-year-old also worked in the Navy as a helicopter mechanic before going to USC and did not get his start in professional boxing until 2012. Fighting out of San Jose, California, he is yet to lose in his latest endeavor after fighting to a draw with Amir Mansour in October and defeating Jason Gavern in March last year.

Rivas, who represented Columbia at the 2008 Olympics, fought exclusively as a pro in his adopted hometown of Montreal before making his U.S. debut with a first-round knockout of Jason Pettaway in June 2015. The 28-year-old is riding a seven-fight knockout streak and most recently took down Joey Abell in the second round of a November 2015 fight. He will be looking to impress against the toughest opponent of his career on February 27.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

A purse bid procedure was held today in the IBF offices in New Jersey and promoter Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing has won the right to promote the IBF Super Flyweight Champion McJoe Arroyo’s first mandatory defense, against Jerwin Ancajas

Sampson Boxing now has 15 days to submit the executed contracts (no later than February 17, 2016) and the fight must take place within 90 days or by May 2, 2016. Lewkowicz says Ancajas’ home country of the Philippines is the probable location for the fight.

Arroyo (17-0, 8 KOs), from Fajardo, Puerto Rico, is a 30-year-old southpaw. He won the championship last July with a 10-round technical decision over Arthur Villanueva. Ancajas (24-1-1, 16 KOs), nicknamed “Pretty Boy” is a 24-year-old southpaw.
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.

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (February 2, 2015) – On the heels of what is one of the biggest free agent moves in mixed martial arts history, the man at the center of the shift, Benson Henderson (23-5), now has a debut date.

Today, Bellator MMA is pleased to announce that “Smooth” will compete for welterweight gold against current champion Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) at the newly announced “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” card on April 22 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Tickets for “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” start at just $30 and go on sale this Friday, February 5 at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Box Office. A special presale offer for Bellator Nation members will be available starting Wednesday, February 3.

“Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

Henderson has accomplished a great deal over the course of his 10-year professional career as a mixed martial artist. A former World Extreme Cagefighting and Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titlist, “Smooth” holds black belts in both Taekowndo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and also earned NAIA All-American honors in both 2005 and 2006. Multiple media outlets named Henderson the fighter of the year in 2012, and he has been one half of several epic battles that have received “Fight of the Year” accolades: Donald Cerrone (2009), Anthony Pettis (2010), Frankie Edgar (2012), and Brandon Thatch (2015).

The Glendale, Az., resident has shown that he can compete at both 170 and 155-pounds and few have done so as frequently as Henderson. Since his MMA debut in 2006, there’s only been one year where the MMA Lab-competitor has fought less than three times in a calendar year. If that’s any indication of what to expect, 2016 could be huge for the 32-year-old.

Standing opposite of Bellator MMA’s newest acquisition will be Koreshkov, a 25-year-old fighter out of Russia who took the title from Douglas Lima during a main event bout at “Bellator 140: Lima vs. Koreshkov” in July of last year. With only one defeat on his impressive resume, “Spartan’s” first title defense will likely put him in the position of underdog, a spot that champions rarely find themselves heading into a matchup. With 13 finishes in 18 victories, the 10-fight Bellator MMA veteran will attempt to stop a fighter who has only lost by knockout or submission three times in 28 outings.

“Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” Updated Fight Card

Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title Fight: Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) vs. Benson Henderson (23-5)

About Bellator MMA:
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

Philadelphia, PA—Super middleweight Jesse Hart brings his boxing skills back home for the first time in 15 months when he defends his North American Boxing Organization (NABO) title against Dashon Johnson, of Escondido, CA, in the scheduled 10-round main event Friday evening, March 18, at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. First of seven fights is at 7 p.m.

Hart, 26, is the son of former Philly middleweight contender Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, whose legendary left hook terrorized the 160-pound division in the 1970s.

The younger Hart (left), a pro since 2012, is 19-0, 16 K0s. He is ranked No. 3 in the world among 168-pounders by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), No. 8 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No.10 by the World Boxing Association (WBA).

“I’m beyond excited to be fighting in my first main event in front of my home town fans,” Hart said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Hart last boxed in Philadelphia on Dec. 13, 2014, when he knocked out Colombian Samuel Miller in two rounds at the 2300 Arena.
In three subsequent fights in 2015—two in Las Vegas, NV, one in Tucson, AZ–Hart scored knockouts over Mike Jimenez, of Chicago, IL, Aaron Pryor, Jr., of Cincinnati, OH, and Andrik Saralegui, of Tijuana, Mexico.
Hart won the vacant NABO super middleweight title by beating Jimenez and he defended it against Pryor.
Johnson (right), 28, has turned his career around by winning his last four fights, including an eighth-round stoppage of one-time conqueror Mike Gavronski in Gavronski’s Tacoma, WA, backyard last November. He followed that upset with another one in his last fight Jan. 15, when he earned a 10-round decision over Izaak Cardona, of Colorado Springs, CO, also in Tacoma, WA.
“I’m ready and I’m excited,” Johnson said. “We took a different and more difficult route to get here but we’re here now. I hope the 2300 Arena in packed because somebody is going to sleep.”
A pro since 2008, Johnson is 19-18-3, 6 K0s, but his record was compiled against some of the best from 154 to 168: Aaron Martinez, Glen Tapia, Jermell Charlo, Yudell Johnson, Julian Williams, Joshua Clottey, Dominic Wade and Luis Arias. He has boxed 10 men who were undefeated when he fought them and he has only been stopped twice in 41 fights.
The preliminary card will feature popular local favorites: lightweight Victor Vasquez; junior middleweight Ismael “Tito” Garcia; lightweight Jerome Conquest; junior middleweight Fred Jenkins, Jr., junior welterweight Scott Kelleher.

ABOUT MARCH 18

The Jesse Hart-Dashon Johnson Homecoming Fight headlines a seven-bout card at the 2300 Arena, located at 2300 South Swanson Street in South Philadelphia (between Ritner & Porter, Front and 2d Streets). The March 18 fight is being sponsored by Parx Casino. Doors open at 6 pm; first fight at 7pm. Tickets are $40, $50 and $75 and can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and Wanamaker’s Tickets (215-568-2400). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.wanatix.com. The March 18 card is promoted by Top Rank, Peltz Boxing, Joe Hand Promotions and BAM Boxing.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 2, 2016) – WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) will make his first title defense of 2016 against former two-time world champion and resurgent contender Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) on May 7, Cinco De Mayo weekend, in a match-up of two of the biggest stars in boxing. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

Golden Boy Promotions will exclusively promote the fight, with Khan returning to his former home at Golden Boy Promotions for the showdown. The mega-fight promises high-intensity action between two of boxing’s most popular and powerful fighters competing in the primes of their careers. Information regarding, the venue, ticket availability and a press tour for the fight will be announced in the coming weeks.

“As the middleweight champion of the world, I will take on the best fighters in the sport and on Cinco De Mayo weekend, I look forward to making the first defense of my titles,” said Canelo Alvarez. “Amir was a decorated amateur, a two-time world champion and is in the prime of his career. Fans are in for a great fight on May 7.”

“I know Canelo fights the best and wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to face me like others have,” said Amir Khan. “My goal is to always fight the biggest names and the best fighters that is why I’m excited for this fight. Also, I would like to thank my team and Golden Boy Promotions for this opportunity. I know I have the speed and ability to beat him and will give my fans what they deserve on May 7.”

“We are committed to putting on the biggest and best fights in boxing,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO, Oscar De La Hoya. “Canelo is the biggest star in the sport and as he demonstrated against James Kirkland and Miguel Cotto last year, he is only getting better. Those who predicted that he would take an easy fight for his first defense have been proven wrong once again. As for Amir, he has won his last five fights including an incredible performance against Devon Alexander, and now that he is back where he belongs at Golden Boy Promotions, his future is very bright, once again.”

At the age of 25, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez, the current WBC, Ring Magazine, and Lineal Middleweight World Champion has conquered the boxing world, captivating fans both at home and around the globe with his action-packed fighting style, charisma and willingness to take on the toughest challenges. The 2015 Fighter of the Year candidate’s road to stardom began in 2011 with a win over Matthew “Magic” Hatton for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World title, his first title defense against Ryan Rhodes and stoppage victories over Alfonso Gomez and Kermit Cintron. Then in 2012, Canelo defended his belt against future Hall of Famer Sugar Shane Mosley and showed the veteran his first retirement, winning via unanimous decision. Canelo continued on the path to superstardom in 2013 with a fifth round technical knockout of Josesito Lopez, followed by a unanimous decision victory over then world champion, Austin Trout in front of over 40,000 fans at San Antonio’s Alamodome. The victory earned, Canelo the WBA Super Welterweight World Championship and proved his dominance at 154-pounds and a clear, bonafide ticket seller. On September 14, 2013, Canelo faced the man on top of the pound-for-pound list – Floyd “Money” Mayweather – giving a stellar effort before falling short of victory for the first time via 12-round majority decision. The fight ended up being the biggest of 2013, but also the second highest grossing bout of all-time and the second most watched boxing event ever on Mexican television (only behind 2015’s Mayweather-Pacquiao). Since then, Canelo has won four straight fights, defeating top stars Alfredo “Perro” Angulo via 10th round technical knockout and Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara via split decision in 2014. On May 9, 2015, Alvarez dazzled with a victory over the fierce James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland at Minute Maid Park in Houston in front of more than 31,000 fans that featured what many have already deemed the “Knockout of the Year.” Finally, On November 21, 2015, Alvarez defeated future Hall-of-Famer Miguel Cotto for the WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight Championship in front of a packed arena at the Mandalay Events Center in Las Vegas and more than 900,000 homes across the country. The unanimous decision victory cemented Canelo’s status as boxing’s biggest draw and among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Bolton, Lancashire, England native, Amir “King” Khan catapulted into the media spotlight after winning the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Khan turned professional on July 16, 2005 with a first round technical knockout victory over Phil Edwards. Since then, Amir Khan has exploded onto the international sports scene. In July 2009, Khan competed for his first world title against Andriy “Kotelya” Kotelnik where Khan was crowned as the WBA Super Lightweight World Champion via a unanimous decision victory. Khan went on to successfully defend the title five times against tough competition in Dmitriy “Star of David” Salita, Paul “Magic Man” Malignaggi, Marcos “El Chino” Maidana, and Paul “Dudey” McCloskey. In July 2011, Khan faced Zab “Super” Judah and added the IBF Super Lightweight World Championship to his collection when he knocked out Judah in the fifth round. The victory was short lived however; as Khan lost a controversial 12-round split decision to Lamont “Havoc” Peterson on December of 2011. The controversy surrounding the officiating prompted a rematch, but that bout was canceled when Peterson failed a pre-fight drug screening. Disappointed but not discouraged, Khan faced Danny “Swift” Garcia in July 2014 for a chance to become a world champion once more but was stopped in the fourth round. Since then Khan has rebounded giving Carlos Molina his first professional loss in December 2012, defeating former IBF Lightweight World Champion Julio “The Kidd” Diaz in April 2013, securing the WBC Silver Welterweight and the WBA International Welterweight Titles against Luis Collazo in May 2014, and defending his titles in spectacular fashion against former three-time world champion Devon “The Great” Alexander in December 2014 and former WBO Super Lightweight World Champion Chris Algieri in May 2015. Now, “King” Khan will be looking to become a world champion again when he faces Canelo on May 7.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan and @OscarDeLaHoya, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan and @OscarDeLaHoya, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (February 2, 2015) –An injury to Mike Bronzoulis has shifted things during the SPIKE-televised main card of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” on Feb. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Now, the lightweight contest will pit Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) against Derek Campos (15-6).

In addition, Justin “The Big Pygmy Viking” Wren (11-2) returns to action in what will be his second appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, when he meets Juan Torres (4-4) in heavyweight fisticuffs.

The fights join a card that already features a double main event — Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) meets Royce Gracie (14-2-3) for a third time and Kimbo Slice (5-2) will fight the man who has been calling him out since their friendship ended years ago, Dhafir Harris, better known as “Dada 5000” (2-0). In featherweight action, Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) will look to continue his torrid pace when he meets Daniel Pineda (21-11) and former light heavyweight titlist Emanuel Newton (25-9) battles Linton Vassell (15-5).

Tickets for this mixed martial arts extravaganza start at just $50 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as HoustonToyotaCenter.com, the Toyota Center Box Office and Houston area Randall’s locations.

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

Guillard suffered a horrific broken hand during his Bellator MMA debut against Brandon Girtz earlier this year. “The Young Assassin” has made it clear that he intends on eventually fighting for the 155-pound title, and his road to the gold begins on Feb. 19 against a tough Texas native with plenty to prove. Of Guillard’s 32 wins as a professional, 23 victories have come before reaching the judges’ scorecards.

Known as “The Stallion” to those familiar with his mixed martial arts career, Campos will come into his meeting with Guillard riding a two-fight skid. During his eight-fight tenure with Bellator MMA, the 27-year-old Texan has faced a plethora of top lightweight talent, going up against names the likes of: Michael Chandler, Patricky Freire, Brandon Girtz (2x), and Estevan Payan.

You would be hard-pressed to find a better story in all of MMA than the one that Wren can tell. The two-time National High School Wrestling Champion generated massive amounts of media attention on the road to his promotional debut at “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz,” where he defeated Josh Burns. His story begins several years earlier, in 2010, when Wren confronted an opponent tougher than any he could face in combat sports: addiction.

With an opportunity to continue fighting on the table, Wren left the sport and began his recovery process. A chance meeting with a friend led Wren on a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he came across and developed a deep connection with the Mbuti Pygmies, many of whom were enslaved, living on only the scraps the slave masters would pay them with. Wren found his calling there and wanted to do everything in his power to help the Pygmies. With multiple visits to the Congo, including a stint that lasted a year, Wren started a foundation called “Fight for the Forgotten.” Through his efforts, Wren and his staff of 17 have systematically bought the land of the slave owners, and have thus far legally given 2,740 acres of rainforest to the Pygmies, effectively freeing them from slavery.

Partnering with other groups like Shalom University and joining forces with Water4.org, Wren and his charity are responsible for drilling 26 water wells to help provide both the Pygmies and the former slave masters with clean water, and have plans to drill hundreds more. In addition, the team has begun a sustainable farming project to benefit and provide food to both the Pygmies and non-Pygmies of the community.

Take a look below at the complete 19-fight “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” card and be sure to tune into SPIKE on February 19 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT for an event that has something for every fight fan.

Completed “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” Fight Card

Bellator MMA Openweight Main Event: Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) vs. Royce Gracie (14-2-3)
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (5-2) vs. “Dada 5000” (2-0)
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Emanuel Newton (25-5) vs. Linton Vassell (15-5)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) vs. Derek Campos (15-6)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-11)

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Wren (11-2) vs. Juan Torres (4-4)
Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Davis Sylvester (5-3) vs. Jeremy Mahon (5-4)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Charlie Ontiveros (6-4) vs. James Christopherson (2-2)
Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Ruben Esparsa (1-0) vs. C.J. Hancock (Debut)
Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Adrian Yanez (3-1) vs. Daniel Santos (3-0)
Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Isaac Villanueva (9-7) vs. Richard Knepp (3-3)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Trinh (2-3) vs. Angel Zamora (2-2)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Langellier (2-0) vs. Anthony Ivy (1-0)
Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Manny Lozoya (Debut) vs. Jacob Norsworthy (1-5)
Bellator MMA Bantamweight Amateur Bout: Leomana Martinez (2-0) vs. Casey Jones (2-0)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Amateur Bout: Chris Solis (2-0) vs. Alex Macedo (2-0)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Amateur Bout: Jonathan Davis (2-0) vs. Shawn Solis (1-0)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Amateur Bout: Hunter Scott-Gregg (1-0) vs. Ricardo Deluque (1-0)

About Bellator MMA:
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About Toyota Center:
Since opening in October 2003, Toyota Center has set a new standard for sports and entertainment, becoming one of the premier live entertainment venues in the nation. Laid over the span of six city blocks, Toyota Center is home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets and annually hosts over 100 events including the nation’s top concerts and touring shows. The arena’s playing surface is set nearly 32-feet below street level giving Toyota Center the largest lower level of any arena in the nation. Coupled with the exclusive 1510 Reserve, Lexus Lounge, trendy Woodforest Club and Red and White Bistro’s superior food and service, Toyota Center offers something for

GOBBLER’S KNOB, (Groundhog Day 2016) — At approximately 7:25 A.M. ET today, Punxsutawney Phil — the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators — emerged from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA — wearing a Denver Broncos jersey embroidered with “Manningfest Destiny” — and proclaimed, in his native Groundhogese, that five-time world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY would prevail in the rubber match of the world welterweight championship trilogy with Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO on Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas., NV. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, the world welterweight championship three-match between pound-for-pound titans Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, and Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., who has held a world title every year since 2008, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

“I caucused long and hard over this. Because both fighters are equally great, I had to break the deadlock on predicting the winner by flipping a coin,” said the world’s No. 1 pound for pound quadruped as he shadowboxed during his annual news conference.. “Both fighters are going to go at each other with guns blazing. It’s going to be a firefight, and since Bradley and his trainer Teddy Atlas are firemen, you have to give them the nod. I also predict that Bradley will spring into an early lead for 2016 Fighter of the Year.”

When pressed for a definitive answer on whether Pacquiao had a chance to defeat Bradley, Phil astounded the media by answering in Tagalog and in English.

Quoth the groundhog, “Hinding-hindi na. Nevermore.”

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Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley world championship event are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or www.mgmgrand.com on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.

Callum Smith says he will in the WBC World Super-Middleweight title as he came face-to-face with his final eliminator opponent Hadillah Mohoumadi today ahead of their clash at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on April 2, live on Sky Sports.

Smith finally gets his chance to take the mandatory spot in the WBC after winning three eliminators against top ten opposition in Nikola Sjekloca, Christopher Rebrasse and Rocky Fielding, and now the unbeaten Liverpool star must get over one last hurdle to reach his World title dream

That hurdle comes in the shape of Frenchman Mohoumadi, who returns to England having boxed IBF king James DeGale MBE back in 2012 and puts his European title on the line to boot.

‘Mundo’ would become the first of the Smith brothers to hold a European strap should he beat Mohoumadi; but Smith’s real target is to join Liam as a World king – something he says will happen this year.

“This is the biggest fight of my career by far,” said Smith. “It’s great that it’s at home at the Echo Arena. My dream is to fight for a World title; win this fight and I am there, so there can be no slip-ups. He’s a tough fighter and has pedigree so I know I have to be at my best, but I believe with a good camp behind me I will be. Then it’s onto the World title fight and I believe that I can take the title from Jack and hold it for a long time.

“George Groves didn’t want to know when I was calling him out a while back and now the tables are turned, so it’s good to know that I am up there with the best 168lbs in the world and I believe that I can go on and beat them all and become the best of the lot.”

Smith’s last opponent was Fielding and his fellow Merseyside favourite returns to action on the bill with a huge fight against Rebrasse. The Frenchman is aiming to make it third time lucky on English soil having handed out stern examinations to Smith and Groves, but Fielding wants to prove that he still has ambitions on the world scene himself and put the loss to Smith behind him.

“I was gutted about the fight with Callum but it’s gone now and I am straight back into a big fight,” said Fielding, who can land the WBC International belt with victory. “I watched Rebrasse against Callum and George, he’s a fit lad and he comes to win, so I have to be at my best. I feel I need to take him out to make a statement and get back up in the running for a World title.”

The Echo Arena played host to one of the fights of the year between Scotty Cardle and Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd in November, and fittingly it will stage the rematch on April 2. Cardle puts his British Lightweight strap on the line once more against the Birkenhead crowd favourite, and the pair were full of mutual respect at today’s press conference as they reflected on their epic battle that Cardle kept his belt with a final round stoppage.

“I underperformed on the night and I shouldn’t have got drawn into the fight I did,” said Cardle. “I’m better than that and I want to prove it this time. I have aspirations to fight for bigger titles but I said to Sean straight away that I wanted the rematch.

“It’s all experience and I learnt a lot that night. The atmosphere is going to be intense but I will rise to the occasion.”

“Scotty is a true fighting man,” said Dodd. “I really respect him for granting me the rematch and also for the great fight that he put on last time. I believe that I am going to get the win this time though, I think I can do a number on him.

“I’ve had a taste of fighting at a high level on Sky Sports and I like it. I was pinching myself fighting Scotty for the belt after I’d seen him spar in Joe Gallagher’s gym years ago and next thing you know, I am fighting him. I thought I might have been out of my depth before the first one but I truly believe I will beat him this time.”

With three great fights announced today, promoter Eddie Hearn expressed his excitement at returning to one of Britain’s proudest sporting cities with a stellar show.

“There’s nothing like a fight night in Liverpool and April 2 will be one of the best,” said Hearn. “The three fights we’ve announced today really take your breath away.

“Callum is one of the top talents in world boxing and I think this is a well-deserved final eliminator. He’s boxed three top ten guys in the WBC rankings and now there’s just one more hurdle between him and a World title shot.

“Rocky deserves a lot of credit for his role in the Smith fight and for coming back in a massive fight against Rebrasse. The first fight between Cardle and Dodd was one of the fights of 2015 and it’s great that they will get it on again, credit to Scotty for making sure the fight happens and I’m sure they will deliver once more.”

Tickets for April 2 are on sale now to Matchroom Fight Pass members from the Fight Pass area at www.matchroomboxing.com. Tickets are priced at £40, £60, £80, £100 and £200 VIPs.

Tickets go on general sale tomorrow (February 3) from midday from the Echo Arena website www.echoarena.com and on 0844 8000 400 – with the Echo Arena selling tickets priced in the £40-£100 bracket. The £200 VIP tickets are available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing at www.matchroomboxing.com and on 01277 359900.

Tickets for April 2 are available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.

Liverpool’s European Bantamweight Champion Ryan Farrag can’t wait to return to action on home soil when he boxes in an eight-rounder on the mouth-watering Liverpool Echo Arena shown on Saturday 12th March, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

The 27-year-old, who has 14 wins and one loss on his record, beat two-weight world title challenger Stephane Jamoye in his own back yard last time out to claim the vacant European Bantamweight title. Many labelled Ryan as the massive underdog going into the fight but the Scouser upset the bookmakers and showed his class to defeat Jamoye by stoppage in the ninth round.

Farrag hopes his victory in Belgium will encourage more British fighters to test themselves against top foreign talent outside of the UK but understands why many are reluctant to do so.

He said: “Seeing poor decisions from judges and referees definitely makes a lot of British lads think twice about fighting abroad. Sometimes in life you have to take a risk; as they say the bigger the risk the bigger the rewards and I went out there and became the European Champion overnight,”

“I was gutted that it wasn’t televised as it would have been good for British lads to see it’s not impossible to go abroad and get a win. Hopefully a few more British fighters do start to take risks because it can really push your career on.”

A huge all-British world title showdown between Liverpool’s Derry Mathews and WBO World Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan tops the night’s action and Farrag is backing his fellow Scouser to get the job done.

“I haven’t seen a lot of Flanagan but from what I have seen he looks very tough. He’s young and he’s fresh so I’m sure he’ll give Derry a few problems. Derry is as experienced as they come, he’s been there and done it before so I’m going for a Derry win. He’s going to be boxing in front of his home crowd and that can make a big difference,” said Farrag.

“I boxed at the Echo Arena back in 2012 when I beat Gary Smith on points so I know it’s going to be a cracking atmosphere. Scousers get right behind their fighters and I’m sure there’ll be plenty there showing their support for me.”

Boxing is soaring in Liverpool at the moment with a rich batch of champions and contenders. Farrag is proud that the North West is flying the flag for English boxers and hopes it continues to do so for many years.

“Having such big names encourages young boxers to follow in their footsteps. There are so many good fighters in the city at the moment you have to really push yourself to get recognised; it definitely makes you perform better. You have to work that little bit harder to get to where you want to be because you’re up against a lot of hungry fighters.”

The one and only loss of Farrag’s career came way back in Ocotber 2012 against the current IBF World Bantamweight Champion Lee Haskins, since then Farrag has put his stamp on the division with a solid unbeaten streak of nine fights.

“The win against Jamoye has given me a lot of confidence, knowing that I can go in and do what I’ve set out to do in the ring is important. It’s one thing believing you can do something but it’s another actually going in the ring and doing it. I’d fight anyone in the division; that’s how confident I am.”

Ticket for ‘A Tale Of Two Cities’ are priced at £40, £60, £80, £100, £150* and are available from:

Eventim

0844 249 1000

www.eventim.co.uk

Liverpool Echo Arena

0844 8000 400

www.echoarena.com

Ticketmaster

0844 844 0444

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

A special V.I.P ticket priced at £250* that includes an inner ringside V.I.P seat, lanyard, complimentary beer, wine and soft drink (between a certain time period) and canapés are available to purchase through the Frank Warren Box Office office only on 01992 505 550.

The Channel Of Champions, BoxNation, will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415 and Freeview 255. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at watch.boxnation.com and via iPhone, iPad or Android and Amazon devices.

Detroit, MI – As the Flint water crisis continues, the promoter and boxers of the upcoming professional boxing series “Detroit Brawl” have joined the fight by donating 7,200 bottles of water to be handed out at Art Van Furniture today at 2 pm (Tuesday, February 2, 2016).

“Many boxers come from humbled beginnings and understand the struggle. As the Detroit Brawl gains attention, it is very important to use this platform to show how important it is to give back,” says event promoter Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions.

Taking a break from their intensive training for Saturday’s matches and recognizing the daily need for bottled water in homes, neighborhoods, warming centers and soup kitchens throughout the city of Flint, Michigan-based boxers Ed Williams (10-1-1, 4 KOs), James Gordon Smith (8-0, 5 KOs), and James Ballard (5-0, 2 KOs), as well as trainers Javan “Sugar” Hill (Kronk Gym) and Theotrice Chambers will be distributing 300 cases of water.

Art Van Furniture is located at 4095 E. Court Street in Burton.
Tickets for “Detroit Brawl” are priced at $28, $38, $48, $63, $93, and $123 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or by visiting the Masonic Temple box office. Please Note: Tickets purchased at the $123.00 price level include three free-drink tickets for patrons 21 years of age and older. For event information visit themasonic.com and SalitaPromotions.com. On fight night, doors open at 6:30.

For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visit www.salitapromotions.com. The Greektown Casino Hotel is located at 555 E Lafayette Street in Detroit. For more information, visit them online at greektowncasino.com. Twitter: @GreektownCasino.

WORCESTER, Mass. (Feb. 2nd, 2016) — The following are quotes from Monday’s pep rally / press conference at Rocky’s Food, Spirits & Music in Worcester to promote CES Boxing’s February 19th, 2016 season opener at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I.

The upcoming event features Worcester’s Khiary Gray (11-0, 9 KOs) in the 10-round main event against Washington’s Cameron Sevilla-Rivera (6-2-1, 5 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth World Junior Middleweight Title, plus a 10-round co-feature bout between Providence, R.I., middleweight Kali Reis (7-5-1, 3 KOs) and New Mexico’s Victoria Cisneros (12-18-2, 5 KOs) for the vacant Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Middleweight World Title.

Worcester junior welterweight Freddy Sanchez (7-0, 5 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in a 6-round bout against Lancaster, Pa., vet Evincii Dixon and Alaskan middleweight Fatlum Zhuta (2-0, 2 KOs) returns to Twin River to face Greg McCoy of New Haven, Conn., in a 4-round bout.

Massachusetts junior welterweights Mohamed Allam (1-1) of Holyoke, Julio Perez (3-0) of Marlborough, Timmy Ramos (2-0-1, 2 KOs) of Framingham and Travis Demko (4-0, 1 KO) of Stoughton are featured on the undercard in separate 4-round bouts.

Tickets for the Feb. 19th season debut are priced at $40, $75 and $125 (VIP) and are available for purchase online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club.

For more information visit www.cesboxing.com or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cesboxing. Updates are also available at www.facebook.com/cesboxing.

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Cameron Sevilla-Rivera
Fife, Wash., junior middleweight

“First and foremost, I want to thank CES for the opportunity. I know they’re putting their fighter through the ringer against someone who will fight back a little bit. He’s a very come-forward fighter and I respect that. I’m excited to see what happens when he takes a step back.”

Kendrick Ball
Trainer, Khiary Gray

“I want to thank our team, the entire team CES. I want to thank my team, Sean Fitzgerald, my cut man, Chico Lopez, my No. 2, my advisor, the new guy on our team, Tank [Steve Tankanow], and I’d also like to thank the [Camp Get Right] ladies and all the people from our gym who buy tickets. Also, Khiary’s mom, Khiary’s dad, for their whole support. February 19th, we’re fighting for the WBC Youth World Championship. This is a big fight for us. We don’t underestimate anyone we fight. We go into every fight with a game plan. Our first game plan is we’re going to come home with the belt, we’re going to bring it back to Worcester. Our second game plan is Khiary is going to go in and look as sharp as he did in his first 11 fights. People who know or have seen Khiary, the kid can fight. You’ve seen his power, you’ve seen his speed. This fight here, he’s going to be a little more calm and we’re going to pick this guy apart. I think once he starts feeling Khiary’s power he’s going to curl up and want to get up out of there. I understand he was saying, ‘Can Khiary fight going backwards?’ Well, he’ll see that night we can fight going backwards, he can fight going to the side, he can fight going forward. We have a gear on us that can go anywhere we want to go, and for us to bring the belt back, we’re going to put on a good show and we’re coming back with the belt. Khiary, this fight here is real big. I think we’re starting to move up the ladder and we’re starting to get known more. Us bringing home this belt, it’s going to open up a lot more eyes and we’re hoping other guys will step up to the plate and take fights with us. We want to thank Jimmy Burchfield because we’re 19 months into it going onto our 12th fight. It’s overwhelming to be as busy as we are and as long as Khiary stays healthy and sticks to our game plan and sticks to our goals, the sky’s the limit. Our goal is to be in the same shoes as Jose Rivera, to become a world champion and to do that, you need to be focused, dedicated and give 100 percent to what you need to do. For this fight right here, trust and believe we’re going to give 100 percent and you’re going to get the same results you’ve been getting, a ‘W.’ I’m not going to predict a knockout, but you will get a ‘W.’

Jimmy Burchfield Sr.
CES Boxing President & CEO

“What this fighter [Cameron Sevilla-Rivera] from Washington doesn’t know is not only what punching ability that this young fighter, this young champion [Khiary Gray] has, but when he starts hitting, I’ve never seen anyone work the body like he’s been doing. Kendrick, it’s just been amazing to see the body punching, because that’s what breaks everything down. They’ve done a great, great job.”

Khiary Gray
Worcester, Mass., junior middleweight
UBF Northeast Junior Middleweight Champion

“I just want to thank CES, my team, Kendrick [Ball], Chico [Lopez], Sean [Fitzgerald], Tank [Steve Tankanow], all my family, Camp Get Right, everyone that’s been here supporting me. Come February 19th, you can expect a whole lot of action coming from me. I’m the main event, but I’m going to steal the show regardless. That’s what I came to do. He says he wants to see me fight backwards. I can fight backwards, just like Ken says, sideways, forward, it doesn’t matter. All the fights I’ve had, they’ve been knockouts. We don’t go out for knockouts in the game plan, but if you make that mistake I’m going to capitalize on it and I’m going to stop you. Come February 19th, he better not make any mistakes, because I’m ending it in the first or third round.”

Steve “Tank” Tankanow
Advisor / agent for Khiary Gray

“I never thought I’d be in this position again, but for the last year and a half, Sean Fitzgerald — you know I managed him — he’d come to my office every month and say, ‘Tank, Tank, Tank! We’ve got a new fighter!’ I’m not interested. Go home. A week later, ‘Tank, Tank, Tank!’ Finally, he wore me down. He got me to go to Twin River to watch the kid fight. I came back and he said, ‘What do you think?’ and I said, ‘I don’t like him, now go away!’ A month later, he says, ‘Tank, Tank, Tank! He’s fighting again!’ I went to the fight and said, ‘He’s getting better, but I’m still not interested.’ This went on for three or four fights. Finally, I went to his last fight [December 18th] and saw him fight and I liked the way he fought. He fought a great fight. I said, ‘Sean, you’re starting to wear me down.’ Finally, Kendrick and Khiary came in and said, ‘We’d like you to work with us.’ I didn’t want to be a manager. I think Kendrick is a great trainer / manager. I’ll be his agent. I’ll navigate him through the pitfalls and the rises. I did it once before. I know how to get someone to be a world champion. I only came on board because I respect Mr. Burchfield. I’ve known him for 15, 20 years. I respect everyone involved with Khiary — Kendrick, Sean, Chicho, who, I don’t know if you’re aware, Chico was the trainer of a world champion. This guy went over to Germany [in 2003] — the three of us — and Jose [Antonio Rivera] beat the German champion [Michael Trabant]. Three little guys from Worcester, whom nobody gave a shot, and he brought the world title home to Worcester, Massachusetts.”

Kali Reis
Providence, R.I., middleweight
IBA Middleweight World Champion

“I am so excited. I have not fought on home ground, on USA soil, in well over three years. I’m a road warrior. I’ve been fighting the top, pound-for-pound, middleweight, welterweight, junior welterweight, every weight — if I get the call, I go. I want to fight. I fight. That’s what I do. I put the pound-for-pound, No. 1, undefeated WBO middleweight champ [Christina Hammer] on her ass. I didn’t win, but I got her on her ass and that just tells you I’m supposed to be here. I’m ready to do work on February 19th. I’ve got to thank CES for finally giving me the opportunity to showcase my skills. I’ve been around CES and I’ve been around boxing forever. It’s just a real honor to actually fight at home. I’m fighting a girl, Victoria Cisneros, who comes to fight. She’s a WBC champion and she comes to fight. I don’t put anything past any opponent I’m in front of. It’s seek and destroy. I’ve learned a lot from these past fights. I’ve got losses on my record, but I’ve never been beaten. I’m ready for February 19th.

Freddy Sanchez
Worcester, Mass., junior welterweight

“Thank you guys for coming out. I promise February 19th I’ll put on a show like I always do. Like I said, I don’t know anything about this guy I’m fighting, but I’m just going to go fight my fight. That’s about it.”

Rocky Gonzalez
Trainer, Freddy Sanchez

“Freddy, as you guys know, gets underestimated because he looks skinny like he can’t fight, but once he lands a good shot, the fight changes. He usually has to start chasing guys. I’m just going to keep working off of that and hopefully he knocks out everyone he fights. Pros, that’s why you get 4, 6, 8, 12 rounds. People want to see knockouts and exciting fights. That’s why I’m always pushing my guys to be exciting fighters. I always tell my fighters I’d rather lose getting knocked out trying than going the distance, getting the decision knowing you could’ve done more. If you see me pissed off in that corner, it’s for a reason. I want to see an exciting fight.”

Julio Perez
Marlborough, Mass., junior welterweight

“I’m in very good shape. I want to say thank you to CES for putting me on the card. I feel I’m in my greatest shape. I want to thank my coach who’s always been there for me, my father, and thank you all for supporting me.”

Mohamed Allam
Holyoke, Mass., welterweight

“I promise to give a show as I always will and as I always do and I’ll continue to do so for the rest of my life. I promise you I’ll give you the best I’ve got.”

Jose Antonio Rivera
Worcester, Mass., native and former three-time world champion

“I’m honored to be here today with some future world champions. This is great support, everyone being here today. I remember when I was coming up, this is what we were looking for, this is what, as fighters, we strived for. This support, it’s huge, because it helps the promoter keep running shows to keep helping us, the fighters. I’m very happy you guys are here and I’m sure the fighters are happy you guys are here. More importantly, make sure you’re there on February 19th. That’s what’s going to count. There’s a lot of talent here and you’re going to see it on February 19th. Some of the things these fighters know, the hard work, a lot of people don’t understand the hard work it takes to be a world champion, a lot of sacrifice. Those are the things a lot of people don’t see. I want them to be successful, but I want to tell them something: It doesn’t matter how hard you work in the gym, the sacrifices you make outside of the gym are what will help you become a world champion. You’ve got to eat, sleep and live boxing. You’ve got to take care of your body nutrition-wise, you’ve got to go to bed early, you’ve got to do your roadwork, you can’t be going out partying. Sometimes there are no birthdays, no Christmas, no Thanksgiving. We’ve got to sacrifice, because if you sacrifice now, it’s worth it later. When you become a world champion, then you can party. We’ll all party. The city of Worcester will party. The city of Providence will party. Everyone will party after you do your work. It’s like [New England Patriots coach] Bill Belichick says, ‘Do your job.’ On February 19th, you’re going to see some talented fighters do their job. CES is going in the right direction. I’ve been in boxing for 24 years and I’ve seen CES grow tremendously. I wish they were where they’re at now back when I started, but they’re here now and that’s all that matters. Take advantage of what they have to offer.”

Bob Benoit
Former Worcester, Mass., light heavyweight boxer

“Years ago, we never had anything like this. Mr. Burchfield has his finger on the pulse of boxing. He knows what to do and he does it and he does it right. He does it right. Thank you all for being here tonight. We’ll see you at the fights.”

Rich Cappiello
CES Boxing matchmaker

“All of you fighters around New England, and the trainers and managers, you really don’t understand what’s standing in front of you. There are fighters I make fights for on a weekly basis, they’ve got to pack up and go out of town to fight. There is some really good, talented kids out there with upside down records, but they’re forced to go out of town because they don’t have the ability of having a guy in their area to build a following and build your record and learn along the way to create bigger opportunities down the road. This opportunity, this company, CES Boxing, they are a true boxing promotional company. I’ve got to tell you, I’ve dealt with every promoter in the world and in my honest opinion, there is positively no guy that grinds it out and that really feels and believes in this sport and who truly wants to impact in this business like Jimmy Burchfield. You need everyone to work, not just the fighters, but the trainers and managers and the fans, you’ve got jump on board and support these kids to keep this program going. We need the support from everybody. You’ve got the ground work, you’ve got the platform for huge opportunities that come within time. Get involved, because this is the company.”

San Diego, CA – February 2, 2016 – On Saturday afternoon, March 5th, undefeated and number-two ranked WBA heavyweight contender Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne (23-0-0) will battle defending WBA World Heavyweight champ Ruslan Chagaev (34-2-1) for his belt. The bout will be broadcast LIVE in the United States on AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment.

Undefeated Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne (right photo), a former bouncer and MMA fighter, is known for knocking out his opponents. Browne, from Australia, has a perfect 34-0-0 record and a staggering near 90% knockout percent.

“Browne is arguably the top one-punch heavyweight in the world since Mike Tyson. Lucas has a perfect record and the power to end a fight at any time. It will make for an explosive day of world-championship boxing,” states AWE president, Charles Herring.

Legendary world champ Ricky Hatton, is the promoter of Lucas Browne. Hatton’s strategy for Browne is clear – a knockout finish. According to Ricky, “We don’t want the fight to go to the judges. Not that I’m saying they’ll be anything wrong with the judges the WBA chooses, it’s just that when you’re away from home you have the crowd against you and they cheer everything the fighter does, which can sway things.” Hatton added, “(Lucas needs to go) for what he does best, which is go for the knockout.”

A victory by Browne or Chagaev puts either man in a good position to challenge America’s WBC World Heavyweight Champ Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury, who’s coming off a major upset over long-time reigning heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko.

“The heavyweight division is incredibly exciting once again. There’re a number of world-class heavyweights with undefeated records, including Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Lucas Browne. They’re on a collision course,” stated boxing insider Marc Abrams.

Chagaev of Andijan, Uzbekistan was a former world amateur champion, who turned professional in 1997. The 37 year-old won his first twenty-five contests which was highlighted by a WBA Heavyweight title with a 12-round majority decision over previously undefeated champion Nikolay Valuev (46-0). He made two defenses of his title with wins over Matt Skelton (21-1) and Carl Davis Drummond (26-0) before being stopped by Wladimir Klitschko.

The start time and a full undercard will be announced shortly. Boxing fans can enjoy this amazing card on AWE available on AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD, Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD, CenturyLink PRISM TV ch. 144 and 1144 in HD, and numerous regional cable providers across the nation. Please check www.awetv.com for boxing updates.

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE LIVE Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, AWE has earned multiple Boxing Writers Association of America nominations for “Fight of the Year” and has featured over thirty world class boxing events. In 2013, AWE showcased all live bouts featuring heavyweight David Price. AWE aired live the stunning upsets of Tony Thompson over David Price, along with Adonis Stevenson and Tony Bellew cards, who fought each other for the light Heavyweight championship; 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner James DeGale. AWE brought boxing fans two of the most controversial bouts which saw Ricky Burns keep his Lightweight title against Ray Beltran. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson. In 2014, AWE televised the crowning of lightweight champion Terence Crawford with his win over Burns as well as the exciting rematches between Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez along with Tony Bellew defeating Nathan Cleverly. In 2015, AWE brought boxing fans on of the most anticipated rematches of the year, Darleys Perez v. Anthony Crolla II for the WBA Lightweight World Title.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment
A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyles and entertainment programming from exotic travel and outrageous homes to live world championship boxing. AWE is featured on over a hundred cable providers, including AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD and Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD. For more information, please visit www.awetv.com.

Callum Smith takes on Hadillah Mohoumadi in a WBC World Super-Middleweight final eliminator at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on April 2, live on Sky Sports, on a huge night of action.

Unbeaten Smith is targeting a clash with WBC champion Badou Jack but must first dismiss Frenchman Mohoumadi, who also puts his European title on the line in the bout.

‘Mundo’s’ last action was in the Echo Arena in an all-Liverpool battle for the British and Commonwealth titles against Rocky Fielding, and he is straight back into action in a great fight, taking on former European champion Christopher Rebrasse, the Frenchman that handed tough examinations to both Smith and three-time World title challenger George Groves.

Scotty Cardle and Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd meet again in a rematch for Cardle’s British Lightweight title following their epic encounter in Manchester in November, where Cardle clung onto his belt with a final round stoppage following a career-best performance from Liverpool man Dodd.

Tickets will go on sale to Matchroom Fight Pass members from midday today (February 2) from the Fight Pass area at www.matchroomboxing.com. Tickets are priced at £40, £60, £80, £100 and £200 VIPs.

Tickets go on general sale on Wednesday February 3 from midday from the Echo Arena website www.echoarena.com and on 0844 8000 400 – with the Echo Arena selling tickets priced in the £40-£100 bracket. The £200 VIP tickets are available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing at www.matchroomboxing.com and on 01277 359900.

Tickets for April 2 are available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.

WBA World Light Heavyweight Champion Juergen Braehmer is in search of a new opponent for his sixth successive World title defence following the withdrawal of Thomas Oosthuizen.

Oosthuizen has been ruled in no fit state to compete by promoter Rodney Berman, who is understandably disappointed with the recent turn of events.

“This is the final nail in the coffin – Tommy’s finished as a fighter,’’ said Berman. ‘’I can’t see him having another fight. The stark reality is he’s… beyond any help.

‘’Many people are angry and disappointed. I am duty-bound to inform the World Boxing Association of this situation, I can’t sweep this under the carpet. There are far more deserving boxers who should be rated.”

Promoter Kalle Sauerland is currently looking for a suitable replacement, with Braehmer still scheduled to defend his WBA World title on March 12 at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg.

‘’We are working hard to find an adequate opponent to replace Oosthuizen,’’ said Sauerland. ‘’There are a number of options on the table, and we’re confident we will be able to deliver a deserving opponent and a high-quality World title fight on March 12 in Neubrandenburg.’’

Tickets for Juergen Braehmer’s WBA World Light Heavyweight title defence on March 12 at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg are available online via www.tickethall.de and www.eventim.de.

LAS VEGAS (February 1, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) has announced the addition of two welterweight (170 pounds) bouts – Jamie “The Chosyn 1” Yager (6-4) vs. Greg Parker (5-1) and Ozzie Alvarez (6-3) vs. Andrew “The” Ramm (4-3) – to complete the live NBCSN televised (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), main card portion of its WSOF28 world bantamweight (135 pounds) championship event at Next Level Sports Complex in Garden Grove, Calif. on Saturday, Feb. 20.

In the main event of the four-fight telecast, reigning World Series of Fighting bantamweight kingpin Marlon Moraes (15-4-1) will put his title on the line for the third time against ferocious contender Joseph Barajas (12-1).

The co-main event will pit two other bantamweights – red-hot contenders Timur “Lucky” Valiev (10-1) and Chris “El Guapo” Gutierrez (8-1-1) – against one another.

Jamie Yager vs. Greg Parker

The 32-year-old Yager of Huntington Beach, Calif. will return to the cage after being sidelined for three years due to injuries.

A lifelong athlete who took up Jiu-Jitsu while attending Pasadena City College, Yager was the middleweight winner of the 2008 MMA competition reality television series, The Iron Ring, that aired on BET.

Yager went on to compete in season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter reality series, scoring a punishing, 26 second KO on Ben Stark with a head kick in the first episode and, later, a first round (1:09) TKO (strikes) on Charles Blanchard.

In his last effort, the 31-year-old Parker of Irvine, Calif. rebounded from his first career defeat, submitting Daniel McWilliams with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:22) of their meeting on October 2, 2015.

Between March 2009 and April 2011, Parker was perfect as an amateur, compiling a 3-0 record, before running to four consecutive wins, all by way of (T)KO or submission, in his first four professional bouts.

Ozzie Alvarez vs. Andrew Ramm

Originally from Miami, Fla., the 30-year-old Alvarez fights out of Huntington Beach, Calif. and has gained recognition as a dangerous power puncher since he turned professional in 2010.

In what will be his first start of 2016, Alvarez will look to bounce back from a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Justin Patterson on September 17, a result that snapped a five-fight win streak.

Alvarez’s five consecutive victories all came by way of (T)KO or submission, and all but one of them occurred inside the first round of action.

Ramm of Costa Mesa, Calif. via Bremerton, Wash. is a 31-year-old submission expert who recently earned his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under mentor and famed trainer Eddie Bravo.

To date, Ramm has produced all of his professional career victories by way of submission and, in a span of just 11 months between 2012 and 2013, he amassed a perfect 6-0 record under amateur status.

The WSOF28 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries. WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 1, 2016) – Bellator MMA President Scott Coker continues to make good on his commitment of adding value to the Bellator roster, as he and the promotion are pleased to announce the signing of former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson (23-5) to an exclusive, multi-fight deal. The signing was scheduled to be announced today on “The MMA Hour,” which is hosted by 6-time MMA Journalist of the Year, Ariel Helwani. When news of the signing broke earlier than anticipated, the flood of traffic to the website may have been responsible for technical difficulties causing some of the interview to not stream live; However, the interview will be available in its entirety this afternoon at www.mmafighting.com.

Henderson has accomplished a great deal over the course of his 10-year professional career as a mixed martial artist. A former WEC and UFC lightweight titlist, “Smooth” holds black belts in both Taekowndo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and also earned NAIA All-American honors in both 2005 and 2006. Multiple media outlets named Henderson the fighter of the year in 2012, and has been a part of several epic battles that have received “Fight of the Year” accolades: Donald Cerrone (2009), Anthony Pettis (2010), Frankie Edgar (2012), and Brandon Thatch (2015).

“Benson is a tremendous athlete who puts forth an exciting effort each and every time he steps into the cage,” said Coker. “Whether he chooses to fight at lightweight or welterweight, he’s without question a great addition to this promotion, and brings countless amazing matchups to the table. We’re looking forward to having him put on a show for the great Bellator MMA fans that tune into Spike. We plan on announcing his Bellator debut in the very near future.”

Having competed at both lightweight and welterweight, there are plenty of enticing potential matchups in Henderson’s future. Bellator’s lightweight division is currently championed by Will Brooks, and features many of the world’s best including: Michael Chandler, Josh Thomson, Marcin Held, Brandon Girtz, Brent Primus, Derek Anderson, and Melvin Guillard. Meanwhile, Andrey Koreshkov sits atop the welterweight division with studs the likes of Paul Daley, Brennan Ward, Michael Page, Josh Koscheck, Douglas Lima and Chris Honeycutt vying for his gold.

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

South African superstar Zolani Tete, the former IBF World Super-Flyweight Champion, makes his highly anticipated return to the UK when he fights on the action-packed Liverpool Echo Arena show on Saturday 12th March, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Tete, from Mdanstane in the Eastern Cape, is one of the most explosive punchers in the division with an incredible 18 knockouts in 22 wins – 12 of them coming inside the first round!

The clinical southpaw will be gunning for another show-stopping knockout when he boxes over ten rounds against an opponent to be confirmed on the undercard of Terry Flanagan’s WBO World Lightweight title defence against Derry Mathews.

The 27-year-old impressively announced himself on the world scene last March with a stunning eighth round knockout of then unbeaten Ellesmere Port ace Paul Butler. His world-class performance left English fans mesmerised and demanding to see more. Since then, the all-action power-puncher has gone on to claim two victories over compatriots Diuhl Olguin and Jether Oliva; winning the vacant WBO Africa Super-Flyweight title against the latter.

Tete harbours dreams of becoming one of the greats of African boxing; following in the footsteps of former world champions Azumah Nelson, ‘Sugar’ Boy Malinga and ‘Baby’ Jake Matlala – all promoted by Frank Warren.

Touted as one of the best boxers to come out of Africa in recent years, Tete is determined to become a multi-weight world champion and believes Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren is the man to guide him to world titles. “Last Born” signed a long-term, multi-fight, promotional agreement with Warren in December 2015 and can’t wait to return to the scene of his greatest triumph.

“I’m very excited to make my return to the UK next month. The English fans know I pack a powerful punch and guarantee excitement in every fight and I’ll be looking to send them home happy on March 12th” said Tete.

He added: “It was amazing fighting in front of such a lively crowd back in March last year; English fight fans love their boxing and there’s no better crowd to perform in front of. I’m feeling fit and ready to take anyone that is put in front of me,”

“I want to be remembered as the best boxer that Africa has ever produced. 2016 is going to be a big year for me so it’s important that I get off to the best possible start – another knockout win!”

Promoter Frank Warren added, “It’s fantastic to welcome Zolani back to the UK and what a tremendous show to go on and showcase his explosive punching once again. He’s a world class fighter and very soon he’ll be challenging for world titles as it’s his dream to unify the belts. The show has got bigger and even better with Tete’s addition, but we’ll have some more exciting news shortly about another fight on the card.”

Atlantic City, NJ (February 1, 2016) – The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame is proud to announce it’s alliance with with the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ that will constitute bringing 6 events to the Historic Hotel in 2016.

Four of the events will be fight nights promoted by Rising Promotions, in the Celebrity Theatre venue with the first event being held on Saturday March 19, 2016

Two other major events are being planned which includes the inaugural induction class set for this fall as well as signature events that will appeal to boxing fans around the world.

The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame has assisted various promoters over the past two years in securing events and venues and will continue it’s effort to restore the shore community to being a mecca and destination for future boxing events.

Said Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame President & Founder Ray McCline, “It’s been a pleasure working with the entire Claridge Hotel team. Their commitment and support has been greatly appreciated. We’re looking forward to great things in 2016, at this historic Hotel their 650 seat Celebrity Theatre has proven to be the perfect venue to showcase young local boxing talent”

“The Claridge Hotel is happy to have created a relationship with the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame over the past year to bring boxing events to the property. A. Cem Erenler V.P. of Hotel Operations & Business Development further stated that we’re very excited to announce that we have agreed to collaborate on a series of boxing events for 2016 and look forward to what this year will bring as we develop these fantastic events.”

“It’s such a pleasure to be in a joint venture with the Claridge Hotel and to bring boxing to Atlantic City, ” Said Roy Foreman, Senior Vice-President of the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame. “The Claridge has such a historic background that it almost seems a natural fit that the shows will be taking place there. The Atlantic City boxing hall of Fame is indeed grateful to partake in this venture.”

More news on upcoming events for the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame will be announced shortly.

Mission – Vision – Purpose:

The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame mission, vision and purpose is to offer fans and visitors alike, a highly interactive Sports & Entertainment Boxing Curation Experience, We are committed to preserving the rich boxing history of Atlantic City, through live historical curation, exhibits, legendary boxing stars, and personality appearances. We will also conduct our annual year round events, well paired with multicultural entertainment artistry. The action, excitement, victories and defeats”, The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame wishes to re-fuel the passion, and presence of the sport of gladiators in a City that needs no introduction. The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame purpose is to, remember, acknowledge and honor the great local, national & international boxers as well as the boxing community at-large for their commitment to and accomplishments within the sweet science of boxing that has help create the boxing Mecca Atlantic City has become synonymous with. Through our annual induction ceremonies; boxing greats, as well as the boxing community at-large will have their names enshrined in immortality by being inducted into the the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame. So many great boxers are too often forgotten after they have retired from the sport. The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame will ensure they are always remembered, appreciated and honored by Atlantic City and surrounding communities.

“Where Boxing History Comes to Life”

Ryan Burnett will face Anthony Settoul for the vacant WBC International Bantamweight title at the sold-out Manchester Arena on February 27, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

It’s a dream night for Belfast-boy Burnett as he fights in front of hordes of his hometown fans that are making the trip to see Carl Frampton’s World title unification blockbuster with Scott Quigg, and the unbeaten British champion will be looking to make a big statement against the French former EU champion who has mixed with four-weight World ruler Nonito Donaire.

Burnett claimed the British crown in his first outing with new promoter Eddie Hearn in Manchester in November with a shut-out win over Jason Booth, and the 23 year old wants the fans to raise the roof as he looks to add another title to his growing list.

“I cannot wait to perform in front of a sold-out crowd with so many fans coming over from Belfast,” said Burnett. “The atmosphere is going to be electric and that’s going to lift me to a career-best performance. This is a massive opportunity for me to impress on a huge occasion, and while I know Settoul will be coming over to spoil the party, there’s no way I will let him.”

“This is the perfect opportunity for Ryan and the timing couldn’t be better,” said Hearn. “Settoul is a real step up for him and I’m looking for him to put in a great performance on a special night and then move on to headline in Belfast before the summer.”

Billy Joe Saunders was thrilled with his reception at Arsenal on Saturday and says the next time he steps on the pitch he wants to be fighting Gennady Golovkin or Chris Eubank Jnr.

The big Gooners fan went on the pitch at half-time for the Burnley game and was given a roaring welcome by the supporters in recognition of his fantastic win over Andy Lee to take the WBO World Middleweight title in December.

Hatfield ace Saunders then sat back and watched his side storm through to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win and continue on their chase for a third successive trophy.

The undefeated 26-year-old says he’d love to fight at the Emirates and his targets would be Kazakhstani terror and IBF, WBC and WBA Super World Middleweight Champion Golovkin or former victim Eubank Jnr who he defeated in November 2014.

“It was a truly unbelievable feeling stepping onto the pitch where my heroes play week in and week out and to get that welcome from the fans made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up,” Said Saunders.

“I’ve been to the ground many times before and previously to Highbury, but this was the first time I’ve been introduced to the crowd and it was a tremendous feeling. I thought that nothing could come close to the amazing feeling I had when I was crowned world champion after beating Lee in Manchester, but last Saturday at Arsenal came very very close to it,”

“The next time I’m here I either want to be playing as Arsenal’s new signing or a more realistic option is to fight Golovkin or Eubank. Golovkin would be an tremendous fight for British boxing. Muhammad Ali fought Henry Cooper at Highbury so in this new millennium what better than a super-unification fight between me and Golovkin? I know he was at West Ham the other week, but the Emirates is the place it has to be at. As for Eubank Jnr, he’s already had his backside kicked by me, what better than me kicking it again in front of 60,000 at Arsenal!”

IMMOKALEE, FL. (February 1, 2016) – Rising star Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin (14-0, 10 KOs) defeated Mexican brawler Jose De Jesus Macias (18-5-2, 9 KOs) in his first main event Sunday night on Premier Boxing Champions: The Next Round on Bounce TV from a sold out Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee in Immokalee, Florida.

Lubin, of Orlando, showed superior skills by using his quick hands and combination punching to offset Macias’ come-forward style. In round five, Lubin scored a knockdown when he landed a cuffing right hook that forced Macias to touch the canvas with his glove.

The fast rising 20-year-old landed the harder blows and was looking to stop his opponent inside the distance. Macias continued to fight aggressively throughout the contest and he was able to survive and push Lubin to 10-rounds for the first time in his career.

Lubin remained perfect as a professional by scores of 99-90 and 100-89 twice.

In a battle of southpaw welterweights, Florida’s Joseph Elegele (15-3, 11 KOs) stopped Alex De Jesus (21-1, 13 KOs) in the sixth round of their scheduled eight-round affair.

Elegele brought the pressure early, hurting De Jesus with an overhand left in round two before he put his opponent on the canvas in round three with a brilliant combination on the ropes. The knockdown came at the end of the round and clearly dazed De Jesus, who walked to the wrong corner after the bell.

A hard left hand punctuated another combination that closed the show for Elegele in round six. The fight was called off by referee James Warring 56 seconds into the round. De Jesus was taken to North Collier Hospital after the fight as a precaution.

In the opening bout, featherweight prospect Dennis Galarza (12-1, 8 KOs) cruised to a unanimous decision over Ghana’s Samual Amaoko (21-6, 15 KOs) in their eight-round bout.

Galarza outclassed Amaoko in every facet, winning each round on his way to his seventh straight win. The more active and accurate fighter, Galarza was rewarded with scores of 80-72 on all three judges’ scorecards.

In an off-television bout, King’s Promotions Dyah Davis (23-4-1, 11 KO’s) shook off a long-layoff by stopping Edgar Perez at 2:59 of round two of their scheduled 6-round Light Heavyweight bout.

Davis, who was fighting just one month after the passing of his father, former Olympic Gold Medal winner Howard Davis Jr., looked very sharp as he scored two knockdowns with body punches and the fight was halted at the end of the 2nd frame.

Here is what the fighters had to say Sunday night:

ERICKSON LUBIN

“He was a very awkward fighter with a herky -jerky style. He took a lot of blows and a lot of good blows. In the end I was able to come out with the victory.

“He was tougher than I thought. It was a little different than most of my fights but it’s good experience. I’m happy to get 10 rounds in.

“I just want to keep moving on from here and moving forward. I want to move up the ladder.”

JOSE DE JESUS MACIAS

“He was a strong fighter and he moved very well. I was able to handle everything he had and I thought I was in the fight.

“He has a lot of power. He’s not the best guy I’ve faced but he did enough to get the win tonight.”

JOSEPH ELEGELE

“I felt good out there. I did my thing. I told everybody that I was going to stop this guy and that’s what I did.

“I doubled my left hand and I knew I hurt him. He couldn’t take any more shots so I finished him.

“I want to fight someone in the top 15. I want to compete with the best. It’s my time.”

DENNIS GALARZA

“My opponent was very tough. We fought eight hard rounds with a veteran.

“I wanted to get him out of there but we stayed patient and stuck to the game plan. I’m getting better every time out there.

“It’s my second time going eight rounds and soon I’ll be ready for ten rounds anyone that wants to get in there with me.

SAMUEL AMAOKO

“I went out and gave it my all. I thought it was closer and that I was landing some shots with more power.

“He is a very good fighter but I fought well and tried to get the win.”

# # #

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @BounceTV, @EricksonHammerL and @Swanson_Comm and follow the conversation using #PBConBounce, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.Facebook.com/BounceTV.

Bounce TV is the fastest-growing African-American (AA) network on television and airs on the broadcast signals of local television stations and corresponding cable carriage. The network features a programming mix of original and off-network series, theatrical motion pictures, specials, live sports and more. Bounce TV has grown to be available in more than 93.5 million homes across the United States and 93% of all African American television homes, including all of the top AA television markets. Among the founders of Bounce TV are iconic American figures Martin Luther King, III and Ambassador Andrew Young.

For local channel location, visit BounceTV.com.

Harold Calderon won a 4-round unanimous decision over Javier Garcia in a Welterweight bout.

Calderon, 147.8 lbs of Miami won by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37 to keep his undefeated mark at 9-0. Garcia, 147 lbs of Guro, PR is 7-11-1.

Dyah Davis stopped Edgar Perez after round two of their scheduled 6-round Light Heavyweight bout.

Davis scored two knockdowns in round two and the fight was stopped in the corner after the rounds.

Davis, who was fighting less than a month after the death of his father Howard Davis Jr. is now 23-4-1 with 11 knockouts. Pere, 181.6 lbs of Chicago is 6-18-3.

David Grayton survived a 1st round knockdown to comeback and stop Daniel Souza Santos after round two of their scheduled 8-round Welterweight bout.

Grayton, 146.4 lbs of Washington, DC is 14-0 with 10 knockouts. Santos, 147.2 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 14-10.

Jesus Lule won a 4-round unanimmous decision over Jamar Saunders in a 6-round Featherweight bout.

Lule, 132.4 lbs of Fort Myers, FL is 8-15-1. Saunders, 131.2 lbs of Atlanta, GA is 5-15-1.

Ray Lampkin remained undefeated by scoring a 3rd round stoppage over Darryol Humphrey in a scheduled 6-round Lightweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 1:37 of round three for Kampkin, 139.2 lbs of Portland, OR 9-0 with 3 knockouts. Humphrey, 143 lbs of Mount Morris, MI is 2-4.

Hakeem Atkinson won a 4-round unanimous decision over Farid Aghayev in a Middleweight bout.

Scores were 39-36 and 38-37 for Atkinson, 163.6 lbs of Atlanta, GA, who is now 2-1. Aghayev, 163.4 lbs of Miami is 2-1-1.