New York City (February 4, 2015) Undisputed Heavyweight World Champion WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO will defend his 10-year title reign against top rated challenger BRYANT JENNINGS on Sat., April 25 emanating from the “The World’s Most Famous Arena”, Madison Square Garden and televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Said Klitschko about the highly anticipated battle, “I do have great respect for Bryant Jennings and his achievements. He has good movement in the ring and good technique. I know this will be a tough challenge.”

“I am extremely happy to fight in New York City again. I had my first unification fight there and a lot of great heavyweight matches have taken place at Madison Square Garden. It will definitely be a great fight night and I will do everything for it from my side.”

Stated undefeated contender Jennings, “This is the moment I have been waiting for,” now it’s time to bring the belts home.”

“For the fourth time Wladimir will be boxing in the world’s most famous arena.” said BERND BOENTE, CEO of the Klitschko Management Group. “It’s always something special to promote at Madison Square Garden, where legends such as Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield stood inside the ring. We are looking forward to another exciting fight and a great event.”

Continued TOM LOEFFLER, Managing Director of K2 Promotions: “Wladimir has proven to be the most dominant heavyweight champion in recent history and we are looking forward to another great performance on April 25.”

“We’re proud to present Jennings with the opportunity to win the Unified Heavyweight Title of the World,” said GARY SHAW, head of Gary Shaw Productions

“On April 25th at Madison Square Garden, Wladimir Klitschko defends his heavyweight championship for the first time in the United States since 2008,” said Peter Nelson, vice president, programming, HBO Sports. “Heavyweight is boxing’s supreme glamour division, and its champion could not be a better ambassador to the sport in a career heading toward historic landmark achievements. Bryant Jennings has an opportunity to halt those ambitions and become America’s first unified heavyweight champion in more than 13 years, challenging for the crown in the media capital of the world. HBO is thrilled to present the event live on our flagship World Championship Boxing series.”

“It is an honor to host the World Heavyweight Championship at Madison Square Garden and welcome back Wladimir Klitschko, who last fought at The Garden in 2008,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, MSG Sports. “Throughout our 135 year existence, The Garden has hosted the very best in sports and entertainment, and to bring the World Heavyweight Championship back so our passionate boxing fans can see Bryant Jennings challenge for the heavyweight title is a moment not to be missed.”

Holder of the IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO and “The Ring Magazine” world titles and undefeated over the last ten years, Klitschko returns to Madison Square Garden for the fourth time sporting a record of 63-3-0 (54KO’s).

On November 15, Klitschko scored a fifth round knockout over #1 ranked contender Kubrat Pulev in Hamburg, Germany. Looking as dominant as ever during his illustrious career, Klitschko dropped the heavy handed Bulgarian four times in front of a sold out crowd at the 02 World Arena.

Returning to HBO® for his third straight fight, Philadelphia native Jennings has compiled a record of 19-0-0 (10KO’s) over his five-year professional career.

Making his HBO and Madison Square Garden debut on January 25, 2014, the 30-year-old Jennings devastatingly stopped undefeated Polish contender Artur Szpilka in the tenth and final round.

Following up on his knockout victory over Szpilka, Jennings won a 12-round unanimous decision over top contender Mike Perez on July 26, 2014 setting up the showdown with Klitschko.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents another stacked card from Resurrection Fighting Alliance as the promotion heads back to southern Calfornia for RFA 23: Murphy vs. Ware at The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif.

The entire main card will be televised live at 10 p.m. ET nationwide in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

RFA 23: Murphy vs. Ware will feature a main event between two of the world’s most exciting bantamweight prospects as Joe Murphy returns to the RFA octagon fresh off a spectacular RFA debut in December. He will face fellow RFA vet and southern California native Terrion “Flash” Ware in a high-stakes bantamweight showdown.

In the co-main event, former RFA title contender Gabriel “Zangief” Checco and “TUF 11” alum Joseph “Leonidas” Henle will meet in a middleweight bout.

“Joe Murphy vs. Terrion Ware will be an exciting main event between two of the top bantamweight prospects in the sport,” stated RFA president Ed Soares. “They have both proven themselves on the talent-rich southern California MMA scene and in the RFA octagon. This will be a fantastic fight in our return to Orange County at RFA 23.”

Murphy (8-1) returns to the RFA two months after a spectacular promotional debut. Murphy, who was born and raised in Orange County, needed less than three minutes to dispatch world class jiu-jitsu practitioner Bruno Frazatto via TKO at RFA 21 and will be riding that momentum into the same building where that demolition took place. Murphy is a Cleber Luciano protégé that made a name for himself on the national jiu-jitsu and submission grappling circuit. He also excelled in high school wrestling, which has given him a very potent and balanced style of grappling for MMA. These skills have translated into five submission wins in his MMA career before he got to showcase his potent striking skills in December. Murphy is eager to shine once again on the international stage in the main event of RFA 23.

“I’m honored to get the main event spot in my hometown at RFA 23,” stated Murphy. “Facing Terrion Ware is a brilliant move by the matchmaker, because we both show up to bring it.”

Ware (12-3) returns to the RFA after making a successful promotional debut at RFA 12. Ware took that fight at RFA 12 on a week’s notice after his teammate Marcus Kowal suffered an injury a week before the fight. Ware stepped up and submitted RFA vet Zac Chavez in the second round via rear-naked choke in a bout that impressed everyone in attendance. In the time since, Ware has won and defended a regional title and is eager to get back in the RFA octagon.

“This is a great match-up between two high-level guys,” Ware explained. “Joe Murphy is a high-level grappler and that’s what you get with the RFA. You’re only going to fight high-level guys on their way up and that’s what Murphy is going to get with me. Getting to fight in the main event for the RFA doesn’t happen for a lot of people, so I feel very fortunate and look forward it.”

The co-main event of RFA 23 will also see the return of Gabriel “Zangief” Checco (7-1). Checco returns to the RFA after headlining RFA 19 in a bout that saw the winner Jake Collier take home the RFA middleweight title and immediately get signed by the UFC. Checco realizes what is at stake with a big win in the RFA and the newly promoted jiu-jitsu black belt is eager to show what he can do in his sophomore performance for the promotion.

“I’m excited about this fight, because I feel like I will be fighting in my second home of southern California. It’s only a few hours from Las Vegas, where I now live.” stated Checco. “I also feel less pressure in this fight, than I did in my North American debut where I fought for the belt. Joseph Henle is a good wrestler and likes the ground game, which is what I like, but I’m also feeling very confident in my hands. I’m looking forward to this new challenge.”

Awaiting Checco, will be Henle (9-1-1) who is a native of southern California that many remember from his time competing on the eleventh season of the UFC’s hit reality show The Ultimate Fighter. In the first episode, Henle submitted current UFC star Constantinos Philippou via armbar to earn a spot in the house. Since competing on the show, Henle has compiled an impressive 6-1-1 record, while competing in the United States and Canada. Henle is now ready to make a statement in the RFA octagon.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity to fight for the RFA,” Henle explained. “Checco is a really solid, well-rounded guy. He brings the wood when he throws and he has a really good ground game. This is an exciting challenge and I look forward to showing everyone what I can do.”

The main card of RFA 23 will also include a high-octane featherweight showdown between RFA fan favorites Raoni Barcelos (7-1) and Jamal Parks (5-0). In the lightweight division, undefeated jiu-jitsu world champion Marcelo “Lapela” Mafra (6-0) faces RFA vet Ricky Legere Jr. (19-6) who will be making his lightweight debut. In the women’s strawweight division, RFA fan favorite Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger (4-1) looks for her third straight RFA win against the undefeated and highly-touted Maria Rios (2-0). RFA 23 will also see the return of two exciting middleweights as John Hackleman Jr. (2-1), the son of famed MMA trainer John Hackleman, returns to face Blake Troop (3-2).

The entire main card of RFA 23: Murphy vs. Ware will be televised live on Fight Network starting at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 6.

RFA 23 will be the promotion’s second event in Orange County and its fifth event to take place in southern California. It will be the first time the RFA has visited “The Golden State” of California in 2015.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

New York, NY (2/4/15) – For the first time in its 12-year existence, Broadway Boxing heads north to the suburbs of Westchester County, NY, when DiBella Entertainment stages an exciting card from top to bottom, headlined by undefeated prospects Bryant “Pee-wee” Cruz (13-0, 7KO’s) and Frank “Notorious” Galarza (15-0-2, 9KO’s) in separate eight-round bouts at the beautiful Hilton Westchester in Rye Brook, NY.

The red-hot Galarza, seen as one of the most promising and exciting junior middleweights in all of boxing, is set to square off against hard-hitting fellow prospect Michael Finney (12-1-1, 10KO’s) in a mouth-watering 154lb. affair.

Cruz, from Port Chester, NY, is considered Westchester county’s favorite ‘boxing’ son and with the Hilton Westchester just minutes away, Cruz’ legion of fans are expected to come out in droves as the fast-rising junior lightweight continues his ascent up the ranks of the 130lb. division in what will be his Westchester debut.

“This is going to be our first ever Broadway Boxing show in Westchester and we are truly excited about it. It allows us to expand the series into a new territory and reach an entirely new fan-base. We anticipate a terrific card from top to bottom and hope that this will be the first of many cards to come in the area.”

“First and foremost, I want to thank my promoters DiBella Entertainment and New Legend Boxing for this opportunity to showcase my skills. I had a big year last year, but I am planning on having an even bigger year in 2015. I want to show the world that I am not only a top prospect but hands-down I am one of the best fighters in the entire 154lb. division. To do that, I must continue to look impressive with each and every outing and, on February 20th, I plan on putting on another spectacular performance,” said Galarza.

“Ever since I turned pro, people all over Westchester have been asking me when I am fighting here at home. Now the time is finally here and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Fighting so close to home, it gives a lot of people who haven’t had a chance to see me fight to come out and show their support.

The Brooklyn-native Galarza, a NY Golden Gloves champion, who turned pro in 2010, had a break-out year in 2014, beginning with his highlight reel second-round knockout over previously undefeated and highly regarded John Thompson (14-0) on “ShoBox: The New Generation” in January. Galarza followed up that performance with another second-round knockout over Franklin Gomez in April, before returning to the “ShoBox” series and cruising to an eight-round unanimous decision over undefeated Sebastien Bouchard (8-0). Galarza finished off the year by dropping and dominating Johnathan Batista (14-3) before Batista was disqualified in the fifth round for repeated illegal blows. Galarza is looking to continue his rise and begin making the transition from up-and-coming prospect to legitimate contender when he takes on the dangerous and heavy-handed Finney.

Cruz, the runner-up at the 2012 National Golden Gloves, turned pro in December of that same year and has kept a busy schedule, scoring 13 consecutive victories in just under a two-year span. Backed by Westchester County’s premier chain of sports bars (Mickey, Maggie and Molly Spillane’s), Cruz has quickly become the most popular fighter that the suburb county of New York City has seen in many years. It will be the first time Cruz has fought in the county since his amateur days, and he will be ready to put on a spectacular performance come February 20th.

Both bouts are being promoted in association with New Legend Boxing. Additional bouts, including an opponent for Cruz will be announced shortly.

Tickets are priced at $100, $60 and $40, and are currently on sale through the DiBella Entertainment office by calling (212) 947-2577. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

The Hilton Westchester is located at 699 Westchester Avenue, Rye Brook, NY 10573.

For additional information you can visit www.dbe1.com follow us on twitter @loudibella @DiBellaEnt or like our fan page on facebook/DiBellaEntertainment

icki Nielsen (16-0, 12 KOs) can continue his ‘Road To Glory’ on Saturday night when he challenges Julio Cesar Dos Santos (27-3, 24 KOs) for the vacant WBC International Cruiserweight title at the Arena Nord in Frederikshavn, Denmark.

The Dane spoke about the importance of the fight at a press conference today in Copenhagen. ‘’This is the biggest test of my career so far,’’ said the 21 year-old. ‘’Victory will put me in line for bigger and better fights. Losing is not an option!

‘’Dos Santos is a tough opponent, but me and my coach Joey Gamache have studied him well and we believe we have the perfect plan to beat him. I’ve trained hard and I’ve trained smart. On Saturday night, I will continue my journey to the top.’’

Nielsen’s coach, former two-time world champion, Joey Gamache, shares his young charge’s confidence and believe the current WBC Youth Champion is ready to add another title to his collection.

“I have studied Dos Santos so much that I feel like I could get in the ring with him,’’ said Gamache. ‘’We’ve been working on some new angles and techniques to break Dos Santos’ defence up. We’re well prepared and I’m confident Micki will be taking the title home on Saturday night.

“I’ve been really pleased with Micki’s development the past 12 months. He has an incredible punch, but technically he is constantly developing. The Perdomo-fight has given him a lot a lot of confidence and he still has so much untapped potential. In Frederikshavn, I’m going to unleash the beast!’’

Dos Santos has travelled from sunny Sao Paulo in an attempt to capture the WBC International crown. He too is aware of the importance this fight holds.

‘’This is a massive fight for both of us,’’ said the power-punching Brazilian. ‘’The winner will have the opportunity to move on to bigger fights and challenge for bigger titles. I dream about fighting the top names in the division, and Micki Nielsen is the stepping-stone for me.

“I have great respect for Nielsen. He is a skilled boxer who still is still developing. However on Saturday night, I will be doing everything possible to put a stop to his development. I never go into a fight with the aim to put people down, but if I get the opportunity I will exploit it, like I have done many times before.’’

Nielsen’s WBC International title challenge tops the bill at the Arena Nord in Frederikshavn, which also features the WBC Baltic Welterweight title fight between Anthony Yigit (11-0-1, 4 KOs) and Kim Poulsen (26-1, 7 KOs), Dennis Ceylan’s (12-0-1, 6 KOs) rematch with Cristian Montilla (6-3-1, 3 KOs), rising Danish stars Abdul Khattab (9-0, 3 KOs) and Rashid Kassem (6-0, 3 KOs), Norwegian talents Tim-Robin Lihaug (9-1, 5 KOs), Simen Smaadal (8-1, 3 KOs), Alexander Hagen (5-1, 1 KO) and Kai Robin Havnaa (1-0), and Ghanaian lightweight Richard Commey (19-0, 17 KOs).

BOLTON (4 FEB) By Peter Fury: Sparring began for real on Monday and it was great to see Tyson and Hughie get put through their paces by a number of quality heavyweights.

For this particular camp we’ve got Kevin Johnson, the American heavyweight due to fight Anthony Joshua in April, as well as Marcin Rekowski, who is 15-1, and Sean ‘Sexy’ Turner from Dublin. It’s a nice mix of experience and youth.

We’ve had Kevin twice in camp now and it’s always good to have him around. He’s a good lad, Kevin, and he’s the ultimate professional. He does his job properly. When he’s got the bit between his teeth and has a big fight coming up, you get good work out of him. He does what he needs to do and is ideal for what we need.

Not everybody is, though. The likes of Johnson come back to us because they like what they see, we’re fair with them and they want to return. The ones who don’t come back, however, are the ones who come over and don’t perform in sparring. They don’t give me what I want. Some of them come over and think they’re just getting an easy payday. They do the bare minimum and expect that to be enough. Then comes the reality check. We soon get rid of them.

Sparring, I believe, is majorly important to a fighter’s development. You have to have it because it helps detect any mistakes and flaws. You’ll quickly pick up on and work on mistakes if a boxer is being punished by a sparring partner every time he makes one. Sparring puts boxers under pressure. They’re getting punched back and they’re simulating a fight.

Also, when you have sparring partners they’re not used to, and you then rotate them – in and out – it’s a different ball game. It’s impossible for Tyson and Hughie to get accustomed to any one style. Just when they think they’ve sussed one of the sparring partners, he’ll jump out and another one will jump in. It teaches them to be adjustable and to develop not just one way of fighting but a variety of ways of fighting.

Typically, I’ll have a sparring partner do no more than one round at a time. Johnson, for example, will do a round and will then be replaced by Rekwoski. After Rekowski’s done a round, he’ll be replaced by Turner and so on. I find it keeps them fresh if I’m only giving them a round at a time. They know they can give their maximum effort for that one round and then refresh afterwards ready for the next round we need from them.

Tyson and Hughie, during these sessions, will simply work on what they’re being told. It’s almost as if the opponent in front of them doesn’t exist. They’ll just go through the motions and work on what they need to work on. They’ll work on their flaws. If we’re looking to work a certain style, they’ll practice that and make the mistakes in sparring rather than on fight night itself. They’re just working on their game plan. It’s not about getting the better of the sparring partner or beating them up. That doesn’t prove anything at this stage. They have no interest in that. They’re simply focused on working towards fight night.

All in all, I’ll look for Tyson and Hughie to spar five days a week and they’ll do ten rounds each. It’s enough.

For Hughie, in particular, this camp is vital. Hughie is in a big fight and he’s right up there now and ready to go in with the big boys. He’s always done full-on sparring, to be fair, so this is nothing new to him. The only things that have hampered Hughie in the past have been health issues.

But now he’s back to full strength and he’s going okay so far. So far, so good. He doesn’t have a problem being thrown into hard sparring. He can mix it with the best. He’s shown that in previous camps; anybody who has shared the ring with him knows how good Hughie Fury is…

*** Hughie Fury fights dangerman Andriy Rudenko over ten rounds on February 21 in Monte Carlo, televised by Channel 5. Meanwhile, Tyson Fury defends his WBO International heavyweight title against Christian Hammer on February 28 at the O2 Arena, live on BoxNation ***

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www.channel5.com
www.maxinutrition.com
www.hennessysports.com
www.goldengloves.co.za

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LONDON (4 FEB) Australian heavyweight contender Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne has backed Hughie Fury to defeat Andriy Rudenko on February 21 in Monte Carlo, but has warned the youngster not to take the Ukrainian dangerman lightly.

Browne defeated Rudenko over twelve rounds last August and is well aware of just how durable and dangerous Fury’s next opponent will be later this month.

“Rudenko is one of those hard-nut fighters who keep coming and makes you work,” said Browne, 22-0 (19 KOs).

“When we fought last year, I wasn’t fit enough, I weighed too much and I almost wanted to give up. Nothing was going right for me in my personal life and it came out in my boxing.

“Rudenko wasn’t better than I expected him to be, but he was much tougher. I hit hard and know I do, but he stood there and just took it all.

“I realised in about the fifth round that I wasn’t going to knock him out, so I had to think points. I needed to land good, hard hits to accumulate points and win the rounds.”

Browne gained victory over Rudenko via a close but unanimous decision. Fury, meanwhile, fifteen years Browne’s junior at 20, is looking to make it fifteen wins from fifteen against the Dnipropetrovsk-native.

“I haven’t seen too much of Hughie but am very eager to make a direct comparison on February 21,” said Browne. “I think we can expect a good, old-fashioned war and a points decision. I have a feeling Fury will get the nod so long as he’s fit and moves well on the night.

“If he wins, and keeps winning, I could end up fighting Hughie one day. We’ll see. It depends on how he goes on February 21. He has to chase me at the moment.”

*** Fury vs. Rudenko is part of the ‘Thunderbolt in Monaco’ show on February 21 (Channel 5). Headlining the event will be the WBA Super world middleweight title fight between the fearsome Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin and Britain’s Martin Murray ***

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For more information on Channel 5, MaxNutrition, Golden Gloves and Hennessy Sports:

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 3, 2015) – Injury has forced Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Talita Nogueira (6-0) to withdraw from next week’s “Bellator MMA: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko.” However, 24-year-old Zamora Boxing product Gabrielle “Gabanator” Holloway (4-1) has agreed to step in on short notice and will now face Julia Budd (6-2).

A Virginia native, Holloway fought most recently in January, picking up a decision win over Lacie Jackson. She now steps up on less than two weeks’ notice with the hopes of making an impact on the national stage.

Nogueira is expected to make her official Bellator MMA debut later this year.

“Bellator MMA: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” takes place next Friday, Feb. 13, at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. The evening’s four-fight main card airs on Spike TV.

Bellator 133: Friday, Feb. 13, Save Mart Center, Fresno, Calif.

Main Card on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (29-12-1) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (50-9)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-6) vs. Daniel Weichel (34-8)
Bellator Women’s Featherweight Feature Fight: Julia Budd (6-2) vs. Gabrielle Holloway (4-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (5-0) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (4-0)

Preliminary card on Spike.com (8 p.m. ET)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Art Arciniega (14-4) vs. Emilio Chavez (7-5)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Blake Watkins (4-0) vs. George Zuniga (3-0)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Paul Ruiz (5-2) vs. Nicolas Sperling (3-2)

Preliminary card on Spike.com (Following Manhoef vs. Shlemenko)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Nick Bustamante (2-0) vs. Luis Jauregui (2-1)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: John Paul Elias (2-0) vs. Cody Sons (0-1)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Contrestano (4-0) vs. Ryan Tobar (3-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Ray Cervera (8-2) vs. Adam Piccolotti (4-0)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Mason Fowler (1-0) vs. TBD

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 TV:
Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’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.

LAS VEGAS (February 3, 2015) – With five new streamed matchups set, the full nine-bout lineup is now complete for WSOF 18: Moraes vs. Hill at Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Thursday, Feb. 12.

The new additions include welterweights Andrew “Andrewconda” McInnes (5-1) vs. Cody “AK Kid” McKenzie (15-6), welterweights Mark “Sweet Dreams” Drummond (6-2) vs. Spencer “The Jedi” Jebb, lightweights Dan “Daniel San” Lariviere (3-2) vs. Garret “Nasty” Nybakken (6-6), as well as middleweights Matt “The Riotmaker” Baker (11-7) vs. Ali “The Monster” Mokdad (6-3) and middleweights Marcus “The Loudmouth Assassin” Hicks (19-24) vs. Graham Park (3-1).

In addition to the new contests, there are also a handful of changes to the NBCSN-broadcast main card, as injury has scrapped a planned matchup between Antonio Carvalho and Chris Gruetzemacher. In its place is a new matchup of lightweights Mukai “The Afrikan Assassin” Maromo (8-4) vs. Jose “The Rockstar” Rodriguez (7-3).

Lastly, injury also forced Brandt Dewsbery out of a planned welterweight fight with Shane “Shaolin” Campbell (10-2), and Derek “The Gargoyle” Boyle (13-6) has agreed to serve as a replacement opponent.

WSOF 18: Moraes vs. Hill is headlined by a world bantamweight championship showdown between reigning champion Marlon Moraes (13-4-1) and undefeated challenger Josh Hill (10-0).

Priced from just $50, tickets for the event are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com. The four-fight main card airs on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. MT local time).

Baker vs. Mokdad and Hicks vs. Park stream on WSOF.com prior to the main card beginning at 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT local time). Meanwhile, McInnes vs. McKenzie, Drummond vs. Jebb and Lariviere vs. Nybakken stream on WSOF.com after the evening’s main card.

Mukai Maromo, of Edmonton, Alberta, is a Complete Fitness and Martial Arts fighter who makes his World Series of Fighting debut. Fighting professionally since 2010, Maromo boasts four of his eight career wins by knockout and owns a 2011 victory over World Series of Fighting veteran Sabah Fadai. He now meets Jose Rodriguez, of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, who began his professional career in 2007 and has earned all but one of his career wins by stoppage, including three by knockout and three by submission.

Andrew McInnes, of Edmonton, Alberta, opened his professional career in 2011 with a TKO loss to current undefeated welterweight prospect Chad Laprise. However, McInnes has since bounced back with five consecutive submission wins, four of which have come in the opening round. Included in those is an 18-second shoulder choke victory, as well as a 15-second guillotine choke. He now meets Cody McKenzie, of Spokane, Wash. Best known as a cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter 12,” McKenzie boasts 13 of his 15 career wins by submission and at one point finished 10-straight fighters via first-round guillotine choke.

Mark Drummond, of Edmonton, Alberta, made his WSOF debut in February 2014, suffering a disappointing submission loss to Brandt Dewsbery. However, he has since bounced back with a decision victory over Jarid Bussemakers and now looks to win for the first time in the WSOF decagon. He now meets Spencer Jebb, of Grand Prairie, Alberta, who brings a seven-fight winning streak to the cage. Six of his nine career wins have come by way of knockout.

Daniel Lariviere, of Ottawa, Ontario, and Garret Nybakken, of Edmonton, Alberta, each make their World Series of Fighting debuts.

LOCAL FEATURE FIGHTS (Streaming on WSOF.com – 11 p.m. ET)

Andrew McInnes (5-1) vs. Cody McKenzie (15-6)
Mark Drummond (6-2) vs. Spencer Jebb (9-3)
Dan Lariviere (3-2) vs. Garret Nybakken (6-6)

MAIN CARD (NBCSN – 9 p.m. ET)

WSOF bantamweight champ Marlon Moraes (13-4-1) vs. Josh Hill (10-0)
Derek Boyle (13-6) vs. Shane Campbell (10-2)
Mukai Maromo (8-4) vs. Jose Rodriguez (7-3)
Hakeem Dawodu (3-0) vs. Tristan Johnson (9-5)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Streaming on WSOF.com – 8 p.m. ET)

Matt Baker (11-7) vs. Ali Mokdad (6-3)
Marcus Hicks (19-24) vs. Graham Park (3-1)

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide 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. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

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.

After nearly an 18 month hiatus from professional boxing, Sean Watson is looking to shake off the Fatty nickname he has been given by his friends and win his first professional title on February 27th “My friends used to call me ‘Fatty’ when I was younger cause I was a bit chubby, and as I grew up it kind of stuck with me. But as I have been training for the run up to the fight I still get called it in the Gym to this day!

Looking ahead to the fight, the Fauldhouse fighter is looking forward to being between the ropes “Well I have been training hard, I sacrificed my Christmas to ensure I am in shape for the 27th and I look forward to being in action. This is my first time fighting over eight rounds so its new territory for me but im giving 101% in the gym to ensure I get the belt round my waist.
He adds “The show will be the first in Fauldhouse, so it is a real honour to be headlining it and I the local support are putting there money were there mouth is and have been snapping up the tickets for the event.
Prospect Boxing present an evening of Championship Boxing at the Fauldhouse Miners Welfare Club in Fauldhouse on Friday 27thFebruary 2015. Headlined by local fighter Sean Watson who fights for vacant British Masters Super Featherweight Title, the card also see Edinburgh Lee Redpath return to action while Livingstone’s Martin Taylor makes his pro debut. Also entertainment on the evening provided by Gary Greig who will be providing a disco.
Tickets are priced at £40, and include a Buffet and a comedian, are available from the fighters or by calling 01698 338888. Further details are avialable from www.facebook.com/ProspectBoxing and on Twitter @ProspectBoxing

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 3, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s return to WinStar World Casino has received two additional high-level matchups with Francis “Limitless” Carmont (22-10) meeting Guilherme Viana (6-1) in a light heavyweight affair and Dakota Cochrane (18-7) facing Ryan Couture (9-3) at lightweight.

The two new contests join the main card of “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which takes place on Friday, March 27, at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. The night’s main card, featuring previously announced bouts between Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Joe Warren vs. top contender Marcos Galvao and another blockbuster bantamweight attraction between Mike Richman vs. Eduardo Dantas, airs live and free on Spike TV at 9 p.m. EST/ 8 p.m. CST, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 6:30 p.m. EST/ 5:30 p.m CST.

Tickets for “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which include VIP Seating for just $75, are already on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Additional bouts are expected to be announced shortly.

Carmont is a 33-year-old Frenchman who has long been considered among the world’s best middleweights but now moves up to 205 pounds. A primary training partner of MMA great Georges St-Pierre, Carmont boasts notable wins over Chris Camozzi, Lorenz Larkin, Tom Lawlor, and Costas Philippou, among others. Eighteen of his 22 career wins have come by way of stoppage, with eight knockouts and 10 submission. Carmont now makes his Bellator MMA debut.

His opponent Viana also fights in the Bellator MMA cage for the first time. A 6-foot-4 Brazilian import, Viana has earned victories in six of his first seven professional appearances. All six wins came by knockout or submission, and Viana’s lone loss came via decision. Prior to this appearance, Viana was best known internationally as a cast member of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3,” where he was selected to compete as a heavyweight.

Nebraska-born lightweight Cochrane is a five-year professional who competes for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner. The 28-year-old boasts career wins over the likes of former WEC champion Jamie Varner and “The Ultimate Fighter 8” champion Efrain Escudero, as well as MMA notables Anton Kuivanen, Marcus LeVesseur, Joe Stevenson and Carey Vanier. However, he came up short in Bellator MMA debut, losing to former tournament finalist Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy, and now looks to notch his first win for the promotion.

Couture was born in Washington but now calls Las Vegas home. Well-known as the son of former multiple-time world champion Randy Couture, Ryan has competed 12 times in his professional career, with every one of those contests taking place under the bright lights of a national promotion. In September, the 32-year-old Couture made his Bellator MMA debut, earning a first-round submission win over Tom Bagnasco. With the result, Couture now boasts a three-fight winning streak.

For more information visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, and check out Bellator on Facebook.

“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” – Friday, March 27, WinStar World Casino, Thackerville, Okla.

Bellator Bantamweight Title Fight: Champ Joe Warren (12-3) vs. Marcos Galvao (16-6-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Francis Carmont (22-10) vs. Guilherme Viana (6-1)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dakota Cochrane (18-7) vs. Ryan Couture (9-3)

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 TV:
Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’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.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 3) – Golden Boy Promotions and Cancun Boxing de Pepe Gomez bring fans an exciting night of boxing on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Domo del Palacio Municipal, Chetumal, Mexico, airing live on Televisa and Fox Deportes. In the main event, Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano (27-4-1, 20 KOs) from Tlalnepantla, Mexico will face Tijuana’s Jorge “Pantera” Silva (20-6-2, 16 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout. Next, Vanadzor, Armenia native Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (39-7-1, 28 KOs) will face Juan “El Penita” Jimenez (19-8, 12 KOs) from Casas Nuevas, Chihuahua, Mexico in the co-main 10-round event. Opening up the telecast on Fox Deportes, undefeated Tijuana, Mexico native Antonio “La Joya” Gutierrez (17-0-1, 7 KOs) will fight in a six-round middleweight bout against seasoned fighter Gilberto “Gil” Flores (23-14, 18 KOs) from Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico.

Cano vs. Silva, is a 10-round welterweight bout, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Cancun Boxing de Pepe Gomez. The FOX Deportes broadcast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT and the Televisa broadcast airs at 10:30 p.m. CT on Cannal 5.

Former WBA Interim Super Lightweight Champion Pablo Cano is a stellar contender out of Tlalnepantla who has drawn raves as one of Mexico’s best hopes for future world title honors. Cano entered the professional ring early, making his debut at the age of 16 with a first round knockout of Miguel Angel Merino. Now an experienced battler who has taken on tough fighters like Shane Mosley, Paul “Magic Man” Malignaggi, Johan “El Terrible” Perez and Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Cano is ready to start off 2015 strong with a win against Tijuana’s Jorge “Pantera” Silva.

At just 22 years old, Jorge Silva is already a seasoned fighter. The Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico native, has faced tough challenges versus Yoshihiro Kamegai and Alfredo “Perro” Angulo and is looking to open 2015 with an impressive win in the welterweight division.

A 15-year professional and former flyweight world champion, Vic Darchinyan from Vanadzor, Armenia training out of Glendale, Calif. is looking to conquer the super bantamweight division. Facing Juan Jimenez is Darchinyan’s first step towards getting himself back on the road to a title after notching notable wins in the bantamweight and flyweight division.

Undefeated fighter Antonio Gutierrez has been quickly moving up the middleweight ladder towards a title shot. A professional since 2011, the Tijuana native’s only blemish on his record includes a draw against Victor Fonseca in 2012. Now a middleweight contender, Gutierrez is ready to take down an experienced Gilberto Flores and prove that he has what it takes to go the distance in 2015.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.quequi.com.mx, www.FoxDeportes.com and www.televisadeportes.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/PeriodicoQueQui, www.twitter.com/TD_Deportes and www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes and visit on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/periodicoquequi and www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes.

Las Vegas, Nevada – The UFC®, along with UFC women’s bantamweight champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey, are happy to announce they have selected a winner for the Ronda Rousey Walkout T-Shirt Design Contest. In October 2014, the UFC called upon all fans, artists and designers to show off their creativity by submitting an original design to be worn by Rousey during her walkout at UFC® 184: ROUSEY vs. ZINGANO in Los Angeles.

Over 1,000 designs were submitted by UFC fans from all over the country. Rousey and the UFC panel of judges hand-picked the winning design based on two criteria: 50-percent creativity/originality and 50-percent on the submission that best captures Ronda Rousey’s personality.

“Thanks to everyone who submitted their designs for the contest. There were so many amazing options and I’m really excited to walkout wearing the winning design at UFC 184 because it perfectly represents my style and personality,” Rousey said.

Along with the recognition of being the creator of the official walkout shirt, the winning contestant receives the Ultimate UFC Pack. This prize pack includes an EA Sports™ UFC® VIP Kit (Sony PlayStation® 4 and controllers, a copy of EA SPORTS UFC, and Century UFC fight gloves in an Octagon™ container), Monster UFC Octagon™ headphones and earbuds, 10 walkout t-shirts with the winning design and one walkout t-shirt autographed by Ronda.

The undefeated Rousey (10-0, fighting out of Venice, Calif.) will be wearing the winning design as she enters the Octagon® to defend her title against fellow unbeaten and No. 1 contender Cat Zingano (9-0, fighting out of Broomfield, Colo.) at UFC 184 live at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, Feb. 28.

Men’s, Women’s and Youth T-shirts, Unisex Zip Up Hoodies and Hats with the winning design will be available for purchase online starting today at the UFC Store.

Tickets for UFC® 184: ROUSEY vs. ZINGANO, presented by Bud Light, are on-sale now. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.staplescenter.com, via axs.com, or by phone at 888-929-7849, and are available at the STAPLES Center Box Office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.

UFC®184: ROUSEY vs. ZINGANO, presented by Bud Light, will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High -Definition.

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About UFC®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, UFC® is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in 129 countries and territories to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT® (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, UFC branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

Queens, NY (February 3, 2015)–On Saturday Night, February 14 Sal Musumeci’s Final Forum Boxing will promote a very special night of Boxing titled Championship Title Boxing from the Resorts World Casino New York City and will be shown LIVE on a major national network to be announced.

In the one main event, Perennial Heavyweight contender Derric Rossy (29-9, 14 KO’s) will take on undefeated Akhror Muralimov (16-0, 13 KO’s) in a 10-round bout for the IBF North American Heavyweight title. In a co-main event, the popular & undefeated Mike Lee (13-0, 7 KO’s) will fight Gary Tapusoa (6-3-1, 5 KO’s) in an 6-round bout for the UBF All America’s title.

Rossy of Medford, NY has faced and beaten some of the top Heavyweights in the world such as Gary Bell (22-3-1), Shannon Miller (14-2), Edward Gutierrez (15-3-1), Former Heavyweight champion Ray Mercer (35-6-1), William Shahan (7-0), Carl Davis Drummond (26-1), Alexis Mejias (10-2), Ian Lewison (6-1-1), Travis Walker (39-8-1), and Joe Hanks (21-1).

Rossy, 34 years-old is coming off a highly disputed majority decision defeat to current IBF number-two ranked Heavyweight Vyacheslav Glazkov on August 9 in Bethlehem, PA.

Muralimov of Houston, Texas by way of Toytepa, Uzbekistan is looking for a signature win as he already has wins over previously undefeated Olanrewaju Duradola (9-0) and Nate James (9-2).

In his last bout, Muralimov scored a 2nd round stoppage over Jason Bergman on July 26 in Washington, PA.

Lee of Chicago is popular throughout the country as he has amassed many fans from his alma mater Notre Dame and being the star of several Subway commercials.

The 27 year-old turned pro in 2010 and has wins over undefeated Peter Lewison (6-0) and his bout when he won a 6-round majority decision over Paul Gonsalves on July 25 in his hometown of Chicago.

To find out more on Mike Lee, click www.mikeleeboxing.com

Tapusoa of Independence, MO has faced 4 undefeated fighters and has a win over Nick Guivas (4-0-1).

There will be one more additional television bout to be announced.

Also slated to appear on the off-tv portion card are Super Middleweight Devaun Lee (3-1, 1 KO) of Jamaica, Queens, NY; Cruiserweight Armin Mrkanovic (6-2, 3 KO’s) of Queens, NY; Cruiserweight Dave Valykeo (4-3) of Neptune, NJ; Middleweight Henry Beckford (0-1) of New York and pro debuting Phillip LeGrand.

Tickets for this great evening of boxing can be purchased at www.rwnewyork.com or www.etix.com.

1st Bout is at 8 PM with the doors opening at 7 PM

Resorts World Casino New York City is located at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd, Jamaica, NY

“I didn’t know the odds were 7-1 against me, or I would have bet on myself!” laughed Canadian lightweight Tony “Lightning” Luis (19-2, 7 KOs).

In the first boxing upset of the new year, Luis picked up the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship and ruined the undefeated record of IBF #15 rated Karl “Dynamite” Dargan (17-1, 9 KOs), last Friday night at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, by way of a 10-round unanimous decision. Luis clearly dominated Dargan and dropped him in rounds three (the referee mistakenly ruled it a slip) and 10 to cap off a very impressive performance.

The career-changing victory is the latest in a hot streak for the 27-year-old Luis, from Cornwall, Ontario. Dargan’s was the second “0” in a row that Luis has taken, as he handed New Jersey’s Wanzell Ellison his first loss last July as well. It would be his third consecutive if not for some questionable scoring against Ukraine’s Ivan Redkach last January. The combined records of Luis’s last three opponents were 43-0-1, 27 KOs.

“Words can’t even describe what I’m feeling right now,” continued Luis. “It hasn’t even sunk in yet. It seemed like it took so long to get there, with all the highs and lows of training camp, but now that it’s over, it feels like it happened too quickly.”

Luis says that while it may have appeared to be an easy win for him (scores were 97-92, 99-90, and 97-92), looks are deceiving. “I didn’t think it was going to look as easy as it did. It wasn’t easy in any way, I had to work hard in there to get the win, but watching it, it looks like I had an easy time. I’m just grateful to my promoter, Greg Cohen, for the opportunity and for the fair judging and officiating we received this time.”

2015 is starting out smashingly for Luis. Not only will he now sky rocket through the world rankings as a streaking contender (he is currently #13 in the WBA), he and fiance Manon Latulippe are expecting their first child any day now.

“The year is starting off with a bang. I couldn’t be happier. I’m going to enjoy my baby and then, soon as he’s born, I’ll be right back in the gym.”

Promoter Greg Cohen says he’s excited about the future for his Canadian slugger.

“Tony works very hard in the gym and has all the heart you could ask for and it shows in his fights. He outworks his opponents and overwhelms them with his relentlessness aggression. This is his second consecutive win over a well-regarded, undefeated fighter, and should actually be his third. I am proud to be working with such an outstanding fighter and his team. Tony is ready to fight for the world title and we are going to do everything we can to deliver him a title fight or title eliminator.”

A substance abuse counselor back home, Luis says the reception in Cornwall has been tremendous. “Everybody. My family, all my friends and so many fans from back home are ecstatic. I’m overwhelmed by the support I get. It’s an honor.”

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About Greg Cohen Promotions

One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen made headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman (50-8-2, 41 KOs); and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney (74-7-3, 45 KOs).

Current world-rated contenders in the GCP roster include Arash Usmanee, universally recognized as a top-10 super featherweight; former WBA International Middleweight Champion and world-rated middleweight contender Jarrod Fletcher; top-rated featherweight Joel Brunker; Freddie Roach-trained heavyweight Lateef Kayode; Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis, currently rated #12 in the WBA; Top 15 IBF and WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Rising Undefeated Welterweight sensation Cecil McCalla.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.

LONDON (3 FEB) Eager to make up for lost time, Hughie Fury returns to the ring on February 21 in Monte Carlo knowing a win over Ukrainian dangerman Andriy Rudenko will make the rest of the heavyweight division sit up and take notice.

The 20-year-old Fury, inactive since May due to illness, is back firing on all cylinders and keen to emerge as the UK’s leading heavyweight prospect in 2015. To do so, he’ll have to beat Rudenko and stay one step ahead of unbeaten Olympic champion Anthony Joshua.

“Rudenko has had 25 fights, 24 wins and 16 knockouts, and I don’t think Joshua has fought anybody with that sort of record yet,” said Fury, 14-0 (8 KOs). “It might be a while before he does.

“Unlike some of Joshua’s opponents, Rudenko is still ambitious and has plans of his own. He will try to win. He won’t just be expected to lose.

“His fight with Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne (August 2014) was a very, very close one. If you ask Rudenko, he’ll probably say he’s still unbeaten. He still wants it and he wants to make a statement against me, I’m sure. He’ll be going full force on February 21 and I know this isn’t some knockover job.”

Should Fury defeat Rudenko and continue his climb up the heavyweight ladder, an all-British showdown with Joshua could become a real possibility in time.

“Joshua’s done well so far and he’s a good fighter,” said Fury. “But he’s been very comfortable at a certain level and we still have yet to see him tested. He’s in the same situation I’m in. We’re winning comfortably at a certain level, but we need to be tested in order to prove just how good we are. I’m going to be getting that sort of test on February 21. Joshua needs to do the same this year. For now, it’s just a waiting game.

“Saying that, I think our paths will definitely one day meet, and I’m happy to take that fight whenever it comes about. As soon as my dad says I’m ready for it, that’s when it happens. If we both keeping winning, we could have some big fights in the future.”

Fury’s father and trainer, Peter, added: “I remember a time when they were comparing Joshua to Hughie, but now they’re comparing him to Tyson (Fury). Let’s not forget, Hughie is fighting an opponent in Rudenko who is better than anybody Joshua has faced. Rudenko has had more knockouts than Hughie’s had fights. This is a guy who is coming to win. He’s not just going to fiddle his way around, hope to stay upright and then collect his money.”

For now, Peter Fury likes what he sees in Joshua. And he fully expects to one day be in the opposing corner to him, stood alongside either Hughie or Tyson.

“I think Joshua’s moved quite well,” said Peter. “He’s a good fighter, I like everything about him. He’s athletic and he’s dedicated.

“But you can only train so much. Boxing and real fighting are either in your DNA or they’re not. Let’s see what he’s like when he can’t hit the target and he’s getting hit back and going rounds. If he has to go five or six rounds and is getting hit repeatedly, how will he react? We don’t know yet.

“One thing’s for sure, if he got in there with Tyson or Hughie, he’d get hit a lot. He also won’t be landing the bombs he’s been using to take people out with one shot. You can’t get away with that at any kind of serious level.

“I just hope everybody keeps winning because then we’ll have some massive fights this year and next. When the time comes and the money’s right, we can make all of these heavyweight fights people keep talking about. And I’d be over the moon if those fights happen because it’s good for British boxing. We need fights like that to keep people talking about this sport.”

*** Fury vs. Rudenko is part of the ‘Thunderbolt in Monaco’ show on February 21 (Channel 5). Headlining the event will be the WBA Super world middleweight title fight between the fearsome Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin and Britain’s Martin Murray ***

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Carl Froch vacated his IBF Super Middleweight title due an elbow injury according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks with terms agreed for the Chavez fight only for me to be unable to proceed in camp due to injury,” Froch said. “I know what it’s like to wait for a shot, and I didn’t want to hold James up in fighting for a world title. James is a great fighter, and I hope he can go out and win that title, and who knows, we may even meet later in the year.”

“Talks continue with the Chavez camp regarding a summer clash in Las Vegas, and discussions have taken place with Golden Boy Promotions regarding a bumper clash in [Froch’s hometown of] Nottingham with two-weight world champion legend Bernard Hopkins in the summer,” Hearn said.

James DeGale could face Andre Dirrell for the vacant belt.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, there is no imminent announcement for the much talked about fight featuring Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

“The thing that really concerns me is that we are running out of time for May 2,” Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who represents Pacquiao, told ESPN.com on Monday. “If you want to drag this out a little longer then move the fight to later in May — May 30 is a good date — or go in June. We agreed to go on May 2 because that is the date Mayweather is hung up on, but if we’re going to go on May 2 we need to get this done.”

“There are issues that should be solved in 10 minutes, but it’s a slow dance,” Arum said. “We send one draft to their side and their lawyer sends back a draft with something else that’s an issue. And there doesn’t seem to be any urgency about it on their side. It’s terrible.”

Arum has negotiated many of the deal points for the bout through CBS chief executive Leslie Moonves, who has acted as a go-between for Mayweather and his adviser, Al Haymon. Arum said he continues to remain in touch with Moonves and that they exchanged emails on Monday trying to work out the issues.

“I’ve asked Les to expeditiously handle the points there are issues with,” said Arum, who declined to go into the specific issues. “Moonves can handle it. The question is whether the Mayweather side will listen to him. If they’re sincere about trying to make the fight it shouldn’t be an issue, or are they playing a game? I don’t know. I go back and forth. I thought they were always playing a game, that Floyd didn’t want the fight.

“Then Manny and (adviser) Michael (Koncz) spent an hour or so with Mayweather in the hotel suite and they read it that, no, Mayweather really wants the fight. But I don’t know. If people were really concentrating on this it could be done in no time.

“There are unresolved issues on both the fighter deal and the network deal. (The fighters are) on the same page regarding basic deal points but there are lot of meaningful items still unresolved,” said one source involved in the negotiations.

Stung by recent media reports that it is holding up a deal, HBO, which has not even publicly acknowledged the negotiations in the first place, issued a surprising statement on Monday in which it essentially said that nobody should blame it if the deal doesn’t get done.

“We are not an impediment to this fight. We stand ready to go. The principals need to agree to terms and come to a deal,” HBO Sports said in the statement.

ORANGE, Calif. (Feb. 2, 2015) – Undefeated junior welterweight Giovani Santillan (15-0, 8 KOs), one of Thompson Boxing Promotions most promising prospects, headlines “Path to Glory,” Friday, Feb. 20, from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Santillan, a San Diego native, takes on Rafael Cobos (15-5-5, 3 KOs) of Tijuana, Mex. in the 8-round main event.

Santillan is coming off a monster year in 2014. The 23-year-old southpaw recorded four impressive wins against quality opposition, took the next step in his development by winning a vacant regional title, and further improved his resume by successfully defending his championship.

“I want to build on what I accomplished last year,” said the 23-year-old Santillan. “I know things will only get tougher from here on out, so the only thing I’m focusing on is beating Cobos. Nothing else matters for me right now.”

“We feel very confident in Santillan’s abilities,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing Promotions. “He has an appetite for winning in dramatic fashion and is well disciplined. He’s on the doorstep of becoming a fantastic, crowd pleasing boxer.”

Tickets for “Path to Glory” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and can be purchased by calling (714) 935-0900, or online at www.ThompsonBoxing.com.

Santillan has been on a tear since turning professional in 2012, while Cobos was beginning to turn his career around until dropping a decision to popular welterweight contender Josesito “Riverside Rocky” Lopez in September. Lopez is co-promoted by Thompson Boxing and Goossen Promotions.

“I can’t afford to lose back-to-back fights at this point of my career,” said Cobos, who has been active since 2006. “I’m a natural welterweight, so by dropping to a lower division I know I’ll have the power and strength advantage.”

“I’m not worried that he might be bigger than me,” Santillan said. “I’ve fought guys at 147 before and I have the longer reach so I’m not worried about that. I know have the boxing skills and acumen to win this fight.”

The co-main event features super bantamweight Isaac Zarate (9-1-1, 1 KO), newly signed to Thompson Boxing Promotions. Zarate is a quick-handed southpaw from the Los Angeles port city of San Pedro.

His exciting brand of boxing – high volume boxer-puncher – has made him a fan favorite on the Southern California boxing scene. He faces a more experienced fighter in Pedro Melo (12-6-2, 3 KOs) out of Tijuana, Mex.

“Melo may have more experience, but I have better skills and a higher aptitude for the game,” said the 23-year-old Zarate. “I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Additionally on “Path to Glory”

Taras Shelestyuk vs. TBD (8-rounds/super welterweights)

Ukrainian super welterweight prospect Taras Shelestyuk (10-0, 7 KOs) puts his unbeaten streak on the line against an opponent to be named later. Shelestyuk last fought on a Thompson Boxing card in September – an 8-round split decision win over Patrick Boozer.

Cesar Villarraga vs. Eduardo Rivera (6-rounds/lightweights)

Former Colombian Olympian Cesar Villarraga (5-0, 3 KOs) looks to remain unbeaten against Eduardo Rivera (9-1-2 3 KOs) of Mazatlan, Mex. Villarraga, 29, got a late start to his professional career, but nevertheless, has made excellent progress thanks to his outstanding amateur career that saw him win more than 200 fights.

Francisco Javier Lapisco vs. Gilberto Mendoza (4-rounds/junior flyweights)

Francisco Javier Lapisco (7-0, 2 KOs) of Sonora, Mex. is among the most exciting prospects in the junior flyweight division. While not particularly powerful, Lapisco more than makes up for his power deficiency with his high work rate and ability to throw punches from virtually any angle. He will be tested against Gilberto Mendoza (4-4, 1 KO) of San Francisco.

LaRon Mitchell vs. Chad Davis (4-rounds/heavyweights)

Undefeated heavyweight LaRon Mitchell (5-0, 5 KOs) aims to score his sixth knockout win against Chad Davis (5-12, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz. Mitchell possesses the height (6’4″) and punching power to advance in boxing’s most glamorous division.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m, and the first bell rings at 7:45 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N Vineyard Ave, Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at (909) 937-0900.

“Path to Glory” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with KCAL 96.7 FM Rocks!, KOLA 99.9 FM, and LATV Networks.

For additional information please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ThompsonBoxing. To follow the conversation on social media, please use hash tags #ThompsonBoxing & #PathtoGlory.

IAMI, FLORIDA (February 2, 2015) – Undefeated light-heavyweight prospect, Ahmed Elbiali (8-0, 8 KOs) will square off against unbeaten Dustin Craig Echard (10-0, 7 KOs), this Friday February 6, 2015, at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. The 6-round bout will open up the telecast on ESPN “Friday Night Fights”.

In his last fight, a bout that was shown on ESPN “Friday Night Fights”, Ahmed showed great power, dropping his opponent Lawrence Blakey three times before the referee stopped fight at the 1:44 mark of round three. Known for having heavy hands, Elbiali is a knockout artist who will look to extend on his KO streak.

“I want to continue to get better with each fight,” said Elbiali. “I’m always throwing hard punches and the knockouts are happening. I don’t want to rely on my power every time I step in the ring. I know if I start head hunting then I’ll be doing myself a disservice. I want to keep improving on my body punching and head movement. If I see my opponent is in trouble, then that’s when I’ll try to end the fight.”

Advised by Al Haymon, Elbiali feels he has what it takes to become something special in the cruiserweight division. With a few more victories, Ahmed sees himself fighting for a regional title.

“I know with Al Haymon steering me in the right direction, I can become a household name in this sport,” Ahmed continued. “If I can have a strong outing in 2015, I know there will be opportunities for me to capture the fans attention. I just want to keep fighting on a regular basis and make some noise in the light-heavyweight division.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com former Super Middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler has retired.

“I have thought long and hard over the options, which have been made available, but none of these options are enough to get me motivated,” Kessler wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday. “My promoter (Sauerland Event) has done a great job in creating these, but unfortunately the opportunities in the division are currently limited. I said at the time when I would fight on that I would need the right fights to motivate me. This is not a question of money. In fact these offers have been for great purses, but it is about motivation. After all if you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?

“I need big events to make me train to get me to the standard that I have been used to presenting my fans with. I said I would like nothing more than to avenge my loss against Andre Ward and also to have the decider against Carl Froch. These are fights that motivate me, but for one reason or another, they do not want to fight me. I am always in training. It is part of my life, but I consider myself in a state of retirement. Finally, I would like to thank all of my fans for supporting me throughout my career. It has been an absolute pleasure stepping into the ring, home as well as abroad.”

“I’ve talked with my team, the people around me, and they are ready to support me on the journey to become world champion again. I still have a desire for boxing. I still love to train, and I believe that I can become a world champion again. Now that I’ve made the decision, it’s all in. I’m ready for all the big names out there.”

Gary Shaw left Roc Nation after just under a month according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

As part of that agreement, Shaw resigned from the company on Friday and they are in the process of completing their separation in a deal in which Shaw will leave with his fighters and staff and continue doing business as Gary Shaw Productions.

“We gave it a try and unfortunately it did not work out for both parties,” Shaw told ESPN.com on Monday. “It is an amicable separation. Roc Nation was very professional at our meeting and they allowed me to keep all of my fighters and my company, and terminate any agreements we had together. They gave me back my company.”

Roc Nation Sports spokesman Ron Berkowitz told ESPN.com, “Both parties decided to go their own way and we wish Gary nothing but the best.”

Los Angeles, CA (February 2, 2015) World ranked welterweight contender CHRIS “The Heat” VAN HEERDEN, fresh off his highly successful New York City debut has arrived this past weekend in Los Angeles to open camp at the Wild Card Boxing Gym under the tutelage of renowned trainer FREDDIE ROACH.

On January 9, at “The Mecca of Boxing”, Madison Square Garden, Van Heerden improved to 20-1-1 (11KO’s) with a dominant ten round decision over Cecil McCalla earning the IBF International Welterweight Title.

Calling from his native Johannesburg, South Africa last week, the 27-year-old Van Heerden was anxious to return to Southern California.

“It’s been terrific to see family and friends here but coming off my last win I’m excited to see what’s next and get back in the gym with Freddie,” said the southpaw. “This was my first time home in thirteen months.”

Recruited by Los Angeles’s based promoters KING SPORTS, Van Heerden relocated to Southern California the day after Christmas in 2013 and went right to work.

Fighting for the first time in the United States and with Roach in his corner, Van Heerden stopped battle tested Mexican veteran Cosme Rivera on February 6, 2014 in Hollywood, California.

Just two months later Van Heerden followed up with a ten round decision over perennial contender Ray Narh in Santa Monica on April 16.

“Working with Freddie I’ve truly seen a major improvement, I feel like a different fighter,” said Van Heerden. “Right from the beginning I knew relocating to the United States was the perfect move. New trainer, new promotional group and its all worked out well.”

“We were confident in Chris’ skill level but these last three fights have clearly displayed those of a future world champion,” said MICHAEL KING of KING SPORTS.
“He had high quality wins in the past over Matthew Hatton for the IBO Title and against Kaizer Mabuza back in South Africa.”

“This week we’ll get together as a team and prepare our next course.”

Continued Van Heerden, “I’m ready to go, I’ve won the fights I should. I’ve spent dozens of rounds sparring with Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez and held my own. I want to be a world champion and I’m prepared to make the sacrifices and put in the work to make it happen. “

Chris Van Heerden Promo Video

ABOUT KING SPORTS
King Sports is a company started by entertainment entrepreneur Michael King. King Sports’ first foray into boxing was with All-American Heavyweights, a revolutionary boxing program that boasted a state-of-the-art training facility equipped with the latest technology, premiere coaching and medical staff along with the ideal dietary and nutritional needs for its fighters. Since making the decision to enter professional boxing, King Sports has spent time evaluating the entire spectrum of global boxing talent. Through an exhaustive scouting and evaluation process, King Sports has found some of the most exciting young fighters from around the world.

For more information follow King Sports on Twitter @KingSportsWorld, Facebook @KingSportsWorldwide and visit their website at www.KingSportsWorldwide.com.

For more information on Chris Van Heerden follow him on Twitter @TheHeat001 and
Facebook at @ChrisVanHeerdenBoxing.

New York, N.Y. (Monday, Feb. 2, 2015) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions, in association with Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, have announced a loaded fight card coming up on Friday, February 13th, at the Five Star Banquet Hall in Long Island City, Queens. On the show, Top Rank welterweight John “Action” Jackson (16-3-1, 13 KOs) is slated to headline against Rafael Gonzalez (8-2, 6 KOs), while fan favorite super featherweight Gary Stark Jr. (23-3, 8 KOs) will be ending a long layoff to face 33-bout veteran Jose Roberto Gonzalez. Additionally on the card, undefeated super middleweight prospect Ronald Ellis (10-0, 8 KOs) will step in against battle-tested Samuel Clarkson (12-3, 7 KOs), and Uprising Promotions super featherweight Angel Luna (9-0-1, 6 KOs) will return against Jhovany Collado.

“I’m pretty excited about the lineup we have,” Uprising Promotions President Ronson Frank stated. “From top to bottom, we have some really competitive fights. I’m excited about seeing Ronald Ellis. I’ve heard some really good things about him. I’m also looking forward to seeing John Jackson. It’s nice for us to be getting these high caliber fighters on our show. We have a co-promotion with Top Rank for the Jackson fight, and they will have an entourage at the show supporting him.”

After a decorated amateur career, the hammer-fisted John Jackson turned professional in 2005. Of his 16 victories, the Miami resident has stopped 13 of his opponents inside the distance. Born in Detroit, Jackson groomed his skills at the famed Kronk Gym. On the other side of the ring will be hard-hitting Puerto Rican native Rafael Gonzalez, who now fights out of Easton, Pennsylvania, and will be competing for the first time in the United States.

Rising super middleweight Ronald Ellis has been on a tear since turning professional, winning 10 consecutive fights and knocking out eight of his opponents. Trained by former IBF Super Featherweight Champion Roberto Garcia Cortez, Ellis had a stellar amateur career that included an upset of 2012 US Olympian Terrell Gausha in the 2010 National Golden Gloves Championships. He will have a worthy test in front of him on February 13th when he meets Samuel Clarkson, who is just one of three fighters who has taken super middleweight prospect Jesse Hart the distance.

Fan favorite Gary “Kid” Stark Jr. will be ending a four-plus year layoff when he returns to action to meet 33-fight veteran Jose Roberto Gonzalez. The native New Yorker is known for a large following, and his crowd-pleasing tactical style is the reason behind that. Prior to turning professional, Stark created a huge buzz for himself after becoming a three-time New York City Golden Gloves Champion and reaching the Olympic Trials.

Returning to action on the card is Uprising Promotions super featherweight Angel Luna, who puts his aggressive style on the line against 18-bout veteran Jhovany Collado. A pair of Gleason’s Gym stablemates are also slated for action, with junior welterweight Mikkel Lespierre (5-0, 3 KOs) and lightweight Dean Burrell (9-1, 7 KOs) fighting in separate bouts against opponents to be named.

The women will again take the stage on February 13th as well when Susan Reno and Paolo Ortiz meet in a flyweight match. World Series of Boxing veteran Marcos Forestal will also appear on the card when he makes his professional debut against an opponent to be announced. An additional professional debut is slated in the welterweight division, with Maxito Sainvil stepping through the ropes for the first time to square off against Kashif Mohamed. The final bout of the card is a junior middleweight scrap that will feature Queens native Villo Bello in his third professional fight against an opponent to be named.

“It’s just a blessing to be such a young promotion and go from where we started, doing small club shows, to expanding into having big names, top prospects and really good up-and-coming guys,” Frank concluded. “I’m feeling blessed and appreciative about this upcoming show, and I’m expecting a great event. I hope everyone comes out, supports our show and has a really good time.”

Five Star Banquet Hall is located at 13-05 43rd Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. Tickets for the February 13th card are priced at $60 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating. Additionally, all law enforcement and military members with ID will receive 10% off their ticket prices when purchased at the door. There is also a table option with dinner, beer/wine and seating with a celebrity fighter. For pricing on those tables, call (516) 451-6773.

The card, entitled “The Big Pay Back,” continues the initiative of Uprising Promotions to KO Autism, and proceeds from the night will be donated to The School For Language and Communication Development (SLCD) in Glen Cove, New York. This show is being sponsored by Resolution Sports, Brooklyn Brothers and Charlie’s Auto Collision in Long Island City.

For more information on Uprising Promotions and to keep up with all of our latest news, make sure to check out www.UprisingPromotions.com and follow us on social media: @UprisingNYC

UPRISING PROMOTIONS MISSION STATEMENT:
Our mission is to grow interest in the sport of boxing in New York City by showcasing entertaining and evenly matched fights. We are focused on providing opportunities to local New York City area fighters.

GOBBLER’S KNOB, (Groundhog Day 2015) — At approximately 7:23 A.M. ET today, Punxsutawney Phil — the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators — emerged from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA, and proclaimed, in his native Groundhogese, that two-time Chinese Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Amateur Champion ZOU SHIMING (6-0, 1 KO), from Guizhou, China, would become China’s first Olympic champion to win a world title in the professional ranks. Zou challenges International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight world champion AMNAT RUENROENG (14-0, 5 KOs), from Si Racha, Thailand, in the main event of The Showdown at Sands, Saturday, March 7, at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Arena. Promoted by Top Rank® and Sands China Ltd., in association with Tecate, SECA, Kreerin Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Foreman Boys Promotions, the Zou Shiming – Amnat Ruenroeng World Flyweight Championship fight will be televised via same-day delay on HBO2®, beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Singing his version of Duke Ellington’s, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Shiming), Punxsutawney Phil strolled up to the microphone for his annual press conference. Wearing a Wild Card Boxing Club t-shirt, personally signed by Zou’s Hall of Fame trainer World-Famous Freddie Roach, the world’s No. 1 pound for pound quadruped had this to say:

“Without a shadow of a doubt, Boxing will begin its Shiming Dynasty on March 7 at The Venetian Macao. How appropriate that the Chinese New Year — The Year of the Sheep — begins in a few weeks. Because it would be shear madness to think anyone can stop Zou Shiming from becoming the new IBF flyweight world champion. We may be facing six more weeks of winter, but Shimingtime is right around the corner. Can Amnat Ruenroeng successfully defend his title against Zou Shiming? Russell Wilson had a better shot of completing his last pass to Ricardo Lockette.”

“You can’t pull the wool over Punxsutawney Phil’s eyes,” said Roach, when reached for a comment at Zou’s Hollywood-based training camp at Wild Card.

When pressed for a definitive answer on whether Ruenroeng had a chance to defeat Zou, Phil astounded the media by answering in Mandarin and in English.

Quoth the groundhog, “Nevermore.”

Making the fight even more intriguing is the history these two warriors already have with each other. Their amateur trilogy began with Ruenroeng winning their first battle — as a late substitute called up by the Thailand amateur team — at the 2007 King’s Cup, which was also Ruenroeng’s first international competition. Zou won the next two times they fought, including a reverse in their semi-final of the 2010 Asian Games that could have gone either way — and did. Now that they are professionals, the stakes are much higher and their simmering rivalry is set to become a roiling boil.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, 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 #ShowdonAtSands to join the conversation on Twitter.

Los Angeles, CA (February 2, 2015)– “The Siberian Rocky”, former WBO Jr. Welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Sunday night to begin preparations for a major Spring bout that will be announced shortly.

Provodnikov was greeted by his manager Vadim Kornilov and was joined by Boxcino 2015 Heavyweight participant Andrey Fedosov.

They will begin training at the famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Philadelphia, PA—Heavyweight prospect Joey Dawejko, who has scored three straight one-round knockouts, takes on Enobong Umohette, of Nigeria, in an eight-round fight Friday evening, March 6, at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.
The Dawejko-Umohette match, as well as the eight-round junior lightweight contest between Jason Sosa, of Camden, NJ, and Bergman Aguilar, of Escazu, Costa Rica, top a seven-bout card which begins at 7pm

Dawejko (right), 24, had a big year in 2014, going 5-0 and beating fringe contender Derric Rossy, of New York, to break onto the heavyweight scene 12 months ago..
A pro since 2009, Dawejko, also known as The Tank, is 13-3-2, 6 K0s. In his last three fights, neither David Williams, of Philadelphia, Yohan Banks, of Redwood City, CA, nor Rayford Johnson, of Longview, TX, were able to survive the first round. Dawejko also defeated then-unbeaten Philadelphia Mark Rideout in 2014.
“This could be the start of a big year for me,” Dawejko said, “so I’m not taking any chances. I’m going away to the mountains to train for this fight. Umohette is a big, strong guy and I need to be prepared. Last year was a rebuilding year for me and I hope to get into the world rankings in 2015.
“I saw Umohette fight on video and I listened to his story. This is a big fight for him, also.”
Umohette (left), 35, now living in Milwaukee, WI, started boxing in 1998. Known as The Nigerian Gentleman, he won his country’s National Amateur Championship in 2005 in the super heavyweight division.
After relocating to Wisconsin, he won that state’s Novice Heavyweight Title in 2007.
Umohette turned pro in 2009 and promptly lost his first fight before going on a nine-fight winning streak which included winning the Wisconsin State Heavyweight Title.
“It will be an honor and a privilege to compete against the highly decorated former World Amateur Champion, Joey Dawejko, in his home state of Pennsylvania, which has a legendary boxing history,” Umohette said. “Dawejko’s very distinguished amateur career and his blazing pro career is testimony to his enormous talent. I look forward to an entertaining bout against The Tank on March 6.”

About March 6

The Dawejko-Umohette and Sosa-Aguilar fights headline a seven-bout card at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Doors open at 6 pm; first fight is 7pm. The card will be streamed live on www.gfl.com and on Comcast SportsNet (CSN) on a delayed basis. Tickets are priced $35, $50 and $75 and they 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.peltzboxing.com and www.wanatix.com. The March 6 card is promoted by Joe Hand Promotions, Peltz Boxing and BAM Boxing.

Philadelphia, PA (February 2, 2015)–His fans came from hundreds and even thousands of miles away. Undefeated Jr. Middleweight Prichard Colon made their trip a happy one as he pounded a 6-round unanimous decision over rugged Hector Munoz to highlight an 8-bout card at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

The show was promoted by King’s Promotions and XFE.

Colon looked to make it a short night as he landed a huge uppercut that sent Munoz to the canvas in the first round which brought the 2300 Arena to a deafening sound. Colon continued to drill Munoz with power shot after power shot which drew blood over the left eye of Munoz as early as round three. Colon continued to show fluid movement while landing hard shots on the game Munoz who fought the last few rounds with that left eye closing. The blood was running down the face of Munoz which was a result of Colon’s master performance.

Colon of Puerto Rico won by scored of 60-53 twice and 60-51 and is now 13-0. Munoz of Albuquerque, NM is now 23-14-1.

Grayson Blake fought through some adversity to win a 6-round unanimous decision over Anthony Prescott in a Welterweight bout.

Blake was badly hurt in round two by a big right hand but was able to hold on and stem the tide. Blake started taking control of the bout and he hurt Prescott in round five with a hard right of his own.

Blake of State College, PA won by scores of 58-56 on all cards and is now 6-3. Prescott of Cherry Hill, NJ is 5-5-2.

Kyrone Davis pounded out a 6-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Garcia in an entertaining Middleweight bout.

Davis of Wilmington, DE won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 6-0. Garcia of Aguada, PR is 4-12.

Rayell Williams overcame a 4th round knockdown to win a 6-round unanimous decision over Ryan Picou in a Lightweight bout.

Williams got the better of the action but was caught with a right hand that stumbled him back on the canvas. He was able to recover and box his way to the unanimous decision by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-55.

Williams, who was a 2008 Olympian out of Cleveland, OH is 6-0. Picou of Las Vegas is 2-5.

Earl Newman dropped Yusshua Zadok in round three from a hard left to the body won a 4-round unanimous decision in a Cruiserweight bout.

Newman of Brooklyn, NY won by 40-35 tallies on all cards is now 4-1. Zadok of Atlanta. GA is 2-3-1.

Stephen Fulton of Philadelphia won a 6-round unanimous decision over Eric Gotay in a Jr. Featherweight bout.

Fulton won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice is now 4-0. Gotay of Puerto Rico is 3-3.

Jamontay Clark boxed his way to a 4-round unanimous decision over Dominique Foster in a Welterweight bout.

Clark bloodied Foster’s nose in round two and won by shutout margins of 40-36 on all cards.

Clark of Cincinnati, OH is 4-0. Foster of of Las Vegas is 2-7-1.

In the opening bout, Antonio Russell scored a scary and wicked 2nd round stoppage over Harold Reyes in a scheduled 4-round Bantamweight bout.

Russell landed a nice combination in the corner which was culminated by a booming right hand that sent Reyes down and out for several minutes.

Reyes had to have some oxygen applied but he was able to walk out of the ring under his own power.

The time of the stoppage was 2:10 of round two for Russell of Capitol Heights, MD who made his pro debut. Reyes of Puerto Rico is 1-2.

PHOTOS BY DARRYL COBB

KINGS PROMOTIONS RETURNS WITH ANOTHER GREAT NIGHT OF BOXING ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21 AT THE ECONO LODGE IN ALLENTOWN, PA FEATURING RISING JR. LIGHTWEIGHT FRANK DE ALBA

LONDON (2 FEB) Bristol bantamweight Lee Haskins knows a European title win later this month could set him up for a shot at a version of the world title, as well as a potential domestic blockbuster with WBA champion and old rival Jamie McDonnell.

Thirty-one-year-old Haskins faces Omar Lamiri on February 21 in Monte Carlo, with the vacant European title up for grabs, but has even bigger things planned for the rest of the year.

“I try not to look at the world title picture anymore,” he said. “They’ve shut me out so much and it can get a little frustrating.

“The sport of boxing isn’t fair, and that’s putting it nicely. You don’t get what you deserve and it doesn’t always treat you well.

“I just have to try and stay positive and focus on dealing with what is in front of me. That’s what I’m doing. If I get a world title shot in 2015, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, I’m going to look after myself, dictate my own future and keep winning.”

Despite winning an eight-round decision over McDonnell in 2008, Haskins has watched his former opponent progress, improve and benefit from the kind of opportunities that have so far eluded the Bristolian. McDonnell now holds a version of the world title, while Stuart Hall, another former Haskins victim, also scooped an IBF title in 2013.

“We’ve tried to get both of them (McDonnell and Hall) to fight me for the world title and they just put me to the back of the queue,” said Haskins, 30-3 (13 KOs), a former British, Commonwealth and European champion. “It was a bit unfair. But, if I was in their shoes, I’d have probably done the same. I wouldn’t want to fight me, either.

“Jamie’s done really well, to be fair. He’s put himself in some serious positions, he’s trained very hard, he’s improved and he’s delivered when he has needed to. I can’t take anything away from him. He’s a great champion and deserves to be where he is. But, still, I’d do anything to get a shot at him and fight him again.

“When we fought first time round, he just couldn’t work me out. It was a very easy and one-sided fight for me. If I fought him again, it would be the same. I’d get the upper hand and win the belt.

“To be honest, I never used to train for fights back then. Even when I fought Jamie, I wasn’t training. I’d do two or three weeks of light training and then struggle making the weight. I was never anywhere near peak fighting condition.

“Now it’s different, though. I’ve got a family and I’m older and wiser. I’m constantly in the gym and train three times a day most days. I learnt my lesson a good few times. It usually ended with me getting beaten up.”

Should a rejuvenated Haskins (WBC no.3) pick up the European title on February 21, and then continue his march up the world rankings, a fight with McDonnell could very much be in the offing. More importantly, he will be on the cusp of landing the world title shot that has so far eluded him in an 12-year professional career.

“It’s in the back of my mind,” he said. “I’d love to fight Jamie again for a world title. I’m not singling him out, though. I’d love to fight anybody from bantamweight to super-bantamweight for a world title. I just want my shot. I’ve won every major belt beneath a world title and I think I’m now entitled to a shot at one. I want to end my career knowing I had the chance to become world champion. That’s all I’m asking for.

“At my best, I’m a dangerous night for anybody in this division. They all know that. It’s the reason they won’t go near me. There are easier fights out there, stylistically. I’m not an easy puzzle to solve.

“Promoters look to protect their champions and they want them to look good and impress each time they defend their belt. I can’t see anybody impressing or looking good against me. I’ll make them look silly.”

*** Haskins vs. Lamiri is part of the ‘Thunderbolt in Monaco’ show on February 21 (Channel 5). Headlining the event will be the WBA Super world middleweight title fight between the fearsome Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin and Britain’s Martin Murray ***

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For more information on Channel 5, MaxNutrition, Golden Gloves and Hennessy Sports:

www.channel5.com
www.maxinutrition.com
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www.goldengloves.co.za

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

Turkish promoter Ahmet Öner signed a new heavyweight prospect. Mohamed Al Zein gave his pro debut on January 17th in Düsseldorf when he beat Czech journeyman Lukas Skirca and returned to action this Saturday (January 31st) to knock out Martin Stensky.

“This boy is the real deal”, states Öner. “He has fists of stone and is very explosive. I am sure that he will make his way to the top very fast.”

26-year-old Al Zein was a promising amateur but took a break from boxing for a couple of years before finally turning pro under Öner’s guidance. The Turkish promoter was a professional fighter himself before starting as a manger for Turkish heavyweight legend Sinan Samil Sam. In 2006, Öner founded ARENA Box-Promotion and got worldwide recognition by signing Cuban Olympic gold medalists Odlanier Solis and Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Solis suffered a disappointing loss to US veteran Tony Thompson last March in Turkey. Their rematch was postponed multiple times but is now finally rescheduled to take place on February 27th in Budapest, Hungary. “Mohamed Al Zein will be on the undercard so the whole world can take a look at the kid”, says Öner.

Francisco Rodriguez scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Jomar Fajardo in a Flyweight bout at Palenque de la Feria in Chiapas, Mexico.

Rodriguez, 110 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 99-90, 97-92 and 100-92 and is now 17-2-1. Fajardo, 110 lbs is 14-6-2.

Aaron Herrera scored an 8-round unanimous decision over Wilfrido Buelvas in a Super Lightweight bout.

Herrera, 141 lbs won by scores of 79-77, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 28-3-1. Buelvas, 141 1/2 lbs is now 15-4