New York (February 24, 2022) – TONIGHT at Live! Casino & Hotel in Philadelphia, undefeated heavyweight Sonny Conto returns to action when he takes on Mike Marshall in a six-round bout just a few blocks from his Philadelphia residence as headlines in a bout scheduled for six-rounds.

Conto, who turned 26 on February 12th, has a record of 8-0 with seven knockouts, will be making the 6th start in his hometown, and is coming off a 3rd round stoppage over Joel Caudle on November 18th in the same Live! Casino ring.

Conto, who is managed by Split-T Management, is promoted by Top Rank.

Marshall of Danbury, Connecticut is 6-2-1 with four knockouts. The 33 year-old Marshall has a win over Justin Rolfe (4-1-1). The seven year-pro is coming off a defeat to Victor Faust on October 9, 2021 in Las Vegas.

Conto weighed 226.1 lbs. Marshall was 248.8 lbs.

The bout can be seen on flocombat.com

PHILADELPHIA (February 24, 2022)–Veteran Silverio Ortiz will replace Cleotis Pendarvis in the main event to take on welterweight contender Ray Robinson the six-round main event that will take place this Saturday, February 26th at the 2300 Arena.

The show is promoted by RDR Promotions.

Robinson of Philadelphia, has a record of 24-3-2 with 12 knockouts. The 36 year-old Robinson will be shaking off a two-and-a-half-year layoff as he is coming off of back-to-back draws with world title challenger Egidijust Kavaliauskas (21-0) and former British Olympian Josh Kelly (9-0). In both of those fights, most observers believe that Robinson should have had his hand raised in victory. Robinson has wins over Roberto Acevedo (2-0-1), Darnell Jiles Jr. (8-0-1), Former U.S. Olympian Terrance Cauthen (36-7-1), Ray Narh (26-2), Aslanbek Kozoev (25-0-1) and Sherzodbek Almjanov (22-2).

Ortiz of Merida, Mexico has a record of 37-28 with 18 knockouts. At 39 years-old, Ortiz is a 22 year veteran of the ring and has faced no less than nine world champions and a plethora of title challengers, contenders and prospects. He has wins over Juan Carlos Chan (9-1-1), Ricardo Dominguez (13-0-2), former world title challenger Daniel Seda (20-1-1), Elvis Perez (18-4-3), Mahonri Montes (25-0-1), Armando Robles (24-1-2), Jesus Gurrola (19-4-3), Jorge Silva (20-4-2), Ivan Pereya (19-2), Felipe De La Paz Teniente (11-2-1), Mian Hussein (16-0), Ramzan Baysarov (7-0). Ortiz is coming off a loss to Chrodale Booker on September 24, 2021 in Hartford, Connecticut.

A packed undercard will feature a plethora of Philly-Favorites and undefeated prospects.

In six-round bouts:

Muhsin Cason (9-0, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas battles Steven Lyons (5-7-2, 2 KOs) of Larose, Louisiana in a cruiserweight matchup

Jerome Conquest (11-6, 1 KO) of Philadelphia fights Oscar Barajas (16-8-1, 8 KOs) of Mexico in a lightweight battle.

Robert Sabbagh (3-0, 2 KOs) of Brooklyn squabbles with Joel Caudle (8-6-2, 5 KOs) of North Carolina in a heavyweight scrap.

In four-round fights

Isaiah Johnson (3-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia will fight Diemerci Nzau (11-15, 8 KOs) of Silver Spring, Maryland in a junior welterweight fight.

Dominique Mayfield (0-1) of Philadelphia takes on Daryl Clark (1-1, 1 KO) of Houston in a heavyweight fight.

Jabril Noble (2-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia will take on Joseph Santana (0-4) of Providence, RI in a super featherweight bout.

Edward Cortes (1-0) of Millville, NJ takes on Jerrod Miner (2-13-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a bantamweight affair

Tickets are $75, $100 and $150 and can be purchased at

Hanover, MD (February 23, 2022) — This past Saturday night, surging super featherweight Jordan White won his 9th consecutive fight with a 10-round split-decision over late-replacement Brandon Valdes to capture the WBC USNBC title in front of yet another capacity crowd at The HALL inside Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, Maryland.

The exciting card was the 7th consecutive top-notch card promoted by Jeter Promotions at Live! Casino.

In round five, White dropped Valdes with a left hook to the head. The action was nip and tuck throughout the fight with Valdes trying to make a slugfest out of it. White came home with the victory by taking two cards by scores of 97-92 and 96-93. Valdes won a scorecard by a 95-94 tally.

White is now 13-1. Valdes falls to 14-3.

In the co-feature, super middleweight Demond Nicholson took out Gabriel Pham in round five of their scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout.

Nicholson dropped Pham with a left hook in round one. Nicholson continued his domination, and in round five, put Pham on the canvas for the count that was courtesy of a hard right hand.

Nicholson is now 25-4-1 with 21 knockouts. Pham of Atlantic City is 15-3.

Brandon Chambers won the ABF USA Super Bantamweight title with a dubious opening round stoppage over Paul Carroll.

Carroll seemed to take a misstep that caused an injury to his leg. With Carroll limping around, the fight was stopped 62 seconds into the contest.

Chambers is now 7-0-1 with four knockouts. Carroll is 4-3.

Colby Madison took a six-round unanimous decision over Antonio Robertson in a heavyweight bout.

Madison won on all cards by shutout margins of 60-54 and is now 10-3-2. Robertson is 4-8-1.

AJ Williams won the ABF Atlantic Super Middleweight decision with a close six-round split decision over Brent Oren.

Williams, a Penn State graduate, won by scores of 59-55 and 58-56. Oren took a card 58-56.

Williams is now 6-1. Oren falls to 4-8.

Mansaborie Conde needed just 28 seconds to destroy debuting Malcom Phillips in their four-round super middleweight contest.

Conde jumped all over Phillips and dropped him. The fight was stopped quickly after a count started.

Conde is 5-0 with four knockouts.

Jaqeem Hutcherson won a four-round unanimous decision over Jalan Woodmore in a foul-infested super bantamweight fight.

There was a lot of holding, shoving and illegal tactics until Hutcherson was deducted a point in round in the final round, but he had done enough to take every round and won by scores of 39-36 on all cards to move to 4-1. Woodmore is 0-2.

Thyler Williams of Philadelphia stayed undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Maurice Anthony in a welterweight fight.

Williams took all cards by 60-54, 59-55 and 58-56 scores and is now 6-0. Anthony is 3-4.

Joseph Veazey won a four-round unanimous decision over Corey Champion.

Veazey took two cards by 40-36 and third read 39-37 to stay perfect at 6-0. Champion is 2-4.

Ahmad Muhammad Jones stopped Tyree Arnold in the fourth and final round of their welterweight fight.

The time of the stoppage was 2:02 for Jones, who is now 2-0 with two knockouts. Arnold is 1-4.

tomorrow night’s first 2020 installment of RJJ Boxing Promotions on UFC FIGHT PASS® tomorrow night at Palenque de la Expo in Obregón, Sonora, Mexico.

All the action, including the semifinals of the World Boxing Cup Series’ “4-Man Lightweight Tournament,” will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, boxing starts at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com

Fighters’ weight below:

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS

MAIN EVENT – WCBS 4-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – SEMIFINALS (8)

Luis Torres (14-0, 9 KOs), Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico 135 lbs.

Rodolfo Flores (14-5, 6 KOs), Los Mochis, Nuevo Leon, México 135 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – VACANT WBC USNBC SILVER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10)

Quinton Randall (8-0, 2 KOs), Houston, Texas, USA 147 lbs.

Ivan “Zurdo” Alvarez (31-13-1, 21 KOs), Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México 147 lbs.

WCBS 4-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – SEMIFINALS (8)

Isai Hernandez (11-2-1, 7 KOs), La Paz, Baja California, México 135 lbs.

Irving Castillo (9-2, 6 KOs), Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, México 135 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS (8)

Fradimil Macayo (15-1, 13 KOs), Carúpano, Venezuela135 lbs.

Armando Ramirez Almanza (5-0-1, 2 KOs), Celaya, Guanajuato, México 135 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS (6)

Jorge Lugo Cota (6-0, 4 KOs), Los Mochis, Sinaloa, México 135 lbs.

Rene de Leon Mazariegos (7-3, 4 KOs), Celaya, Guanajuato, México 135 lbs.

(card subject to change)

WHEN: Thursday, February 24, 2022

PROMOTERS: RJJ Boxing Promotions, De La O Promotions and World Cup Boxing Series

BROADCASTERS: James “Smitty” Smith (blow-by-blow) and Amber Dixon (color commentator)

RING ANNOUNCER: Michael Vale

INFORMATION:

Websites: http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com, www.ufcfightpass.com

Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /WorldCupBoxingSeries

Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial

Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @WorldCup_Boxing_Series, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing. RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years. Creating exhilarating content for UFC Fight Pass, CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS®: UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combat sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

February 23, 2022–Weights for Thursday Night’s Joe Hand Promotions fight card at Live Casino & Hotel Philadelphia

Sonny Conto 226.1 – Mike Marshall 248.8
Daiyaan Butt 143.1 – Bryce Mills 141.9
Christopher Burgos 139.6 – Carlos Marrero 136.2
D’Angelo Fuentes 123.8 – Justice Bland 126
Eslih Owusu 155 – Evencii Dixon 155.2
Jordon Murphy 128.8 – Nasir Mickens 129.4
Quadeer Jenkins 159.5 – Rahiem Cooke 158.3

Promoter: Joe Hand Promotions
Venue: Live! Casino & Hotel Casino Promotions
1st Bell: 7 PM ET

BOSTON, MA, February 23, 2022 – Middleweight Contender Mark “The Bazooka” DeLuca 28-2, 16 KOs has signed an exclusive managerial agreement with Waymaker Management.

Boxing is in DeLuca’s blood as he has been training since the young age of three years old. He went on to win three national championships as an amateur boxer before turning pro in 2007. After quickly compiling six wins, he joined the United States Marine Corps in 2008. DeLuca’s boxing career was put on pause while he was serving his country and deployed to Afghanistan in 2011.

In 2014 DeLuca returned to the ring and improved his record to 21-0, 13 KO capturing the IBA World Title and the NABA Title. The first blemish on his record was a controversial split decision loss to “The Contender” Season 2 Star, Walter Wright 16-4, 8 KOs in 2018. DeLuca avenged that defeat winning the rematch by a clear cut unanimous decision. After that, DeLuca went on to dominate Jimmy Williams 16-1-1, 5 KOs and Brandon Brewer 20-1-1, 11 KOs. In 2020, DeLuca earned a shot against former IBF World Champion Kell Brook 38-2, 26 KOs in the United Kingdom. Although DeLuca came up short in the Brook fight he subsequently obtained four straight victories. DeLuca is currently rated in the top 10 in the US and is looking to make a big statement this year by challenging one of the top names in boxing.

Waymaker Management’s Founder, Artie DePinho said, “We are excited to have the opportunity to work with Mark. He is one of the biggest names in New England and we are ready to show the world what he is capable of. We are looking forward to some tremendous opportunities on the horizon.”

DeLuca said, “Teaming up with a manager that I can trust is what I needed at this stage of my career. I’ve known Artie for a long time and have seen how he operates. Artie has proven that he is capable of getting boxers to the next level. I am looking forward to working with Waymaker Management.”

Artie DePinho said, “Mark is the type of person that we want to align our company with inside and outside of the ring. He has all of the tools to compete at the highest level in boxing. He is a US Marine Corps Veteran and an active member of his community.” Deluca joins Super Welterweight World Title Challenger, Greg “The Villain” Vendetti 23-4-1, 12 KOs and Super Middleweight Prospect Kendrick “Peppa” Ball Jr. 17-2-2, 11 KOs on Waymaker Management’s roster.

ABOUT WAYMAKER MANAGEMENT

Formed in 2021, Artie DePinho’s Boston based Waymaker Management is a full service management company with a focus on professional boxing. The management team specializes in career development, contract negotiation, and public relations. Waymaker Management paves the way for boxers to recognize and achieve their full potential. Waymaker Management’s roster includes Super Welterweight World Title Challenger, Greg Vendetti 23-4-1, 12 KOs, Middleweight Contender Mark DeLuca 28-2, 16 KOs and Super Middleweight Prospect Kendrick Ball Jr. 17-2-2, 11 KOs. For more information visit out website at waymakermanagement.com or follow us on social media at www.facebook.com/WaymakerManagement and
www.instagram.com/WaymakerManagement.

Abass Baraou (11-1, 7 KOs) will headline an action-packed event at the Tempodrom in Berlin on Saturday March 19 as the rising Super Welterweight star takes on Argentinian southpaw Brian Damian Chaves (14-1, 5 KOs).

Boxing returns to the Tempodrom for the first time in 18 years as Wasserman Boxing and Probellum continue their partnership with another exciting event following the success of their first co-promotion on December 3 in Ilsenburg.

Baraou, fighting in his adopted hometown for the first time in his paid career, will follow in the footsteps of German greats Markus Beyer, Sebastian Sylvester and Oktay Urjkal who have all previously topped the bill at the famous Berlin venue.

Oktay Urkal challenged ‘Vicious’ Vivian Harris for the WBA World Super Lightweight Title at the Tempodrom in October 2004, while Markus Beyer defended his WBC Super Middleweight crown against Italy’s Alberto Colajanni in January 2006, and future IBF World Champion Sebastian Sylvester fought Francois Bastient for the EBU European Middleweight Title in January 2008.

Baraou, who won Gold at the European Championships and Bronze at the World Championships in 2017, hopes victory over the former WBA Fedebol Champion will enable him to realise his own World Title ambitions.

“I am excited to face an interesting opponent like Chaves at the Tempodrom,” said Baraou. “This is another important step forward for me as I move closer to being able to fight for World Titles. I know it will be a challenge that requires intense preparation. This gives me even more motivation for the next few weeks. I look forward to putting on a great fight for all my fans in Berlin.”

Baraou’s opponent Chaves intends to spoil the party for the former German and WBC International Super Welterweight Champion with the South American confidently predicting he will end the fight in the first five rounds.

“On March 19, I am going to announce myself to the world,” said Chaves, the 29-year-old from Buenos Aires. “I will defeat Abass Baraou by KO within five rounds. I am not going to let this opportunity pass me by. I have plenty of quality and I will be bringing the victory back to Argentina, VAMOS!”

“We’ve promoted three fantastic events at the Tempodrom in the past,” said promoter Kalle Sauerland. “We’re delighted to return with Abass Baraou, who can become one of Germany’s next boxing superstars. Following the success of our first event in Ilsenburg, we’re thrilled to be working once again with our partners Probellum. Spectators will be allowed at the Tempodrom, and I am sure that fans will come in large numbers to experience boxing live in this fantastic setting.”

Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum, adds: “We’re excited to continue our partnership with Wasserman Boxing. This is the second in a series of high-quality boxing events that we will be promoting together this year in Germany. I look forward to seeing Abass Baraou in action as well as the other fights that will be announced in the coming days. Our partnership now continues to gather momentum as we look forward to many more great nights together with Wasserman Boxing!”

Sign up for ticket alerts for Abass Baraou vs. Brian Damian Chaves on March 19 at the Tempodrom in Berlin here: http://eepurl.com/hVwg2z

Nathan Gorman (18-1, 12 KOs) is back in action as he looks to kick-start his promising career with a statement win against Scott Alexander (16-4-2, 8 KOs) on April 2 at the Utilita Arena Newcastle.
 
Having signed promotional terms with Wasserman Boxing, the Nantwich Heavyweight will return to the ring for the first time in over a year following a TKO win over Pavel Sour at London’s Copper Box Arena on March 27, 2021.
 
The 25-year-old is now looking forward to a period of activity as he targets domestic titles and world rankings, starting with a tough test in the North East against 32-year-old LA-native Alexander, who has previously gone the distance with Heavyweight contenders Carlos Negron and Travis Kaufmann.
 
“I’ve been out of the ring for a year so I can’t wait to get back out under the lights,” said Gorman. “It’s an exciting time for me. I’ve got a big brand backing me in Wasserman and I’m fighting on a huge platform with Sky Sports. This is a new adventure for me and I can’t wait to get started.
 
“Scott Alexander is a decent opponent. He’s been in there with some good names, and he’s never been stopped. If I give a good performance and get the stoppage that will send a statement to the Heavyweight division.”
 
“I’m focused, ready, and excited to fight in the UK, they have great fans and an amazing atmosphere,” said Alexander. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m looking forward to showcasing my skills to the boxing world and demonstrating that I belong in there with the best in the Heavyweight division.”
 
Gorman will be fighting as part of an action-packed event in Newcastle co-promoted by Wasserman Boxing and Boxxer and shown live on Sky Sports.
 
Savannah Marshall tops the bill with a defence of her WBO World Female Middleweight Title against former World Champion Femke Hermans. Also confirmed for Newcastle is Florian Marku in a key domestic encounter with former British and Commonwealth Champion Chris Jenkins. Plus, Tyneside legend Aaron Chalmers, who will be making his professional debut.
 
Kalle Sauerland, Head of Global Boxing at Wasserman, said: “Nathan Gorman is a fantastic addition to what promises to be a stacked card at the Utilita Arena Newcastle on April 2. Nathan is without a doubt one the most exciting British Heavyweight talents out there, and at just 25 years of age, he has a massive future ahead of him. Fighting on Sky Sports will provide him with the perfect platform to showcase his skills against a tough opponent like Scott Alexander. Expect fireworks when these two Heavyweights meet in the ring!”
 
Adam Smith, Head of Boxing Development at Sky Sports, said, “We are thrilled to be returning to the North East where there is such a passionate and growing  fan base for Savannah Marshall…..as she aims to successfully defend her WBO Middleweight crown against former World champion Femke Hermans.  Can Sav keep the mega match with arch rival Claressa Shields on track?!  After THE GWOAT’s excellent display and those fireworks ringside in Cardiff  – that unification is HUGE! No doubt Claressa will be back in the UK to see Savannah in April!  Add to that the hugely popular Florian Marku in a real test against Chris Jenkins and we will have a night to remember on Sky Sports in Newcastle!  Excellent to have heavyweight action on the big show – as Britain’s Nathan Gorman tackles America’s Scott Alexander. At just 25 and with 18 of 19 wins – this is a key night for Nathan!”
 
Ben Shalom, BOXXER founder and CEO, commented, “We can’t wait to return to the Utilita Arena on April 2 and feel the incredible atmosphere and buzz of the Newcastle fans. This is a crucial fight for Marshall – she has to beat the dangerous Femke to secure the ultimate showdown with Claressa Shields. Last time it was a really special night with Marshall’s incredible win.  When the Utilita became available we knew that we wanted Savannah to headline a big arena on a big show and we’re returning with a great card featuring Marku in his first outing on his new contract in a tough fight against Chris Jenkins, plus the immensely popular Chalmers and many more to be announced soon.  We’re looking forward to another massive night in Newcastle.”

Melrose, MA (February 22, 2022) – Fire Fist Boxing Promotions’ Yamaguchi Falcao and Connor “The Kid” Coyle both scored knockouts Saturday, February 19 at Memorial Hall in Melrose, MA.

Headlining a card promoted by Reyes Boxing Promotions, Falcao captured the WBC Latino Super Middleweight title via second round knockout of Fernando Ezequiel Farias.

Fighting out of his signature southpaw stance, Falcao was aggressive from the opening bell. The 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist found a home early for his jab, hook and left cross. A minute into the second, Falcao hurt Farias with a crisp left uppercut that sent him reeling towards the ropes. Moments later, Falcao put Farias down for the count with a hard left hook.

Time of stoppage was 1:21.

Falcao, who is from Brazil and currently resides in Florida, improves to 20-1-1 with 9 KO’s. Farias slips to 11-2-2 (4 KO’s).

In the co-featured bout of the evening, undefeated middleweight Connor “The Kid” Coyle of Derry, Northern Ireland kept his perfect record intact by stopping Rodrigo Rodrigues after five rounds.

Coyle, who had a significant height and reach advantage, backed Rodrigues up with many of his punches. Rodrigues looked to counter with left hooks and did land a few decent shots but it was mostly one way traffic. Coyle broke down Rodrigues with jabs and quick multi-punch combinations that shook the Brazilian up. Following a dominant fifth round where Rodrigues was battered and bloodied, his corner threw in the towel.

Coyle is now 15-0 with 7 KO’s and retained his ABF Continental Americas Middleweight title. Rodrigues slips to 8-2 (7 KO’s).

“I am very pleased with Yama and Connor’s performances,” said Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “Yama fought much more aggressively than in the past and that is something he was working on in camp. He’s a dangerous opponent for anybody in the 168 pound division. Connor did a great job of breaking his opponent down and fighting smart. We believe this is the year he’ll become top 15 middleweight in the world.”

Falcao returns to action March 26 at the Caribe Royal Resort in Orlando, FL. Coyle’s next bout will be announced shortly.

PLANT CITY, Florida (Feb. 22, 2022): Hard-hitting welterweight sensation Mark Reyes Jr. (14-1, 12 KOs) looks to bounce back from his only defeat in a 10-round fight on the undercard of Islam vs. Kelly. Reyes’ fight is part of a 12-bout card taking place this Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.

Streaming details for the event will be announced shortly.

Reyes is a 25-year-old native of Tampa, Florida who most recently faced Janelson Bocachica on ShoBox. The all-action fighter lost via majority decision, but many felt that Reyes Jr. deserved the nod.

Reyes was originally slated to face a tough challenge in Kendo Castañeda, but the native of San Antonio, Texas was forced to pull out due to illness. Reyes will nevertheless make his return to the ring this Friday, and his opponent will be announced in due course.

As previously announced, Mexican warrior Jose Miguel Borrego (19-3, 16 KOs) faces undefeated “Pistol” Pete Dobson (14-0, 9 KOs) of the Bronx, New York in the co-main event. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds in the super welterweight division.

The rest of the undercard features local favorites and members of the ProBox stable:

Najee Lopez (2-0, 2 KOs), a cruiserweight standout of Puerto Rican nationality who represents Ellwood, Georgia, has plans to rise quickly up the division. On Feb. 25, Lopez meets the rugged and experienced veteran Alex “El Principe” Theran (23-6, 15 KOs) in his first fight scheduled for six rounds.

Theran has faced the likes of Anthony Yarde and Yunieski Gonzalez, so this is a considerable step-up for Lopez.

Light heavyweight Matthew Tinker (7-0, 6 KOs), a UK-born prospect who calls the United States his home, will take on Brandon Maddox (8-4-1, 6 KOs) of Detroit, Michigan in a six-round clash.

The night will also feature a pair of brothers making heavy noise on the Florida boxing scene. Dominic Valle (2-0, 2 KOs) takes on Nelson Colon Torres (4-6, 3 KOs) of Aibonito, Puerto Rico in a four-rounder in the super featherweight division. Big brother Marques Valle (3-0, 3 KOs) battles Marklin Bailey (7-7, 4 KOs) of Durham, North Carolina in a six-round welterweight battle.

California welterweight Tommy Wu fights as a professional for the first time in a scheduled four-rounder against Anthony Curtiss (3-14, 2 KOs) of Butte, Montana.

Rising Puerto Rican knockout artist Julio Solis (5-0, 5 KOs) battles Trenton Gibson (1-0) of San Antonio, Texas in a lightweight battle scheduled for four rounds.

Casey Dixon of Atlanta, George will make his pro debut against Arsenio Hall (3-5) of Chester, South Carolina in a four-round super middleweight clash.

Imran Haddabah (3-0, 3 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida puts his undefeated record on the line against Dominique Wiltz (0-2) of Houston, Texas in a four-round light heavyweight bout.

Jusiyah Shirley (1-0) of Orlando, Florida returns in a four-round super lightweight fight against a soon-to-be-announced opponent.

#

Islam vs. Kelly is a 10-round fight presented by ProBox Promotions for the WBO Global Middleweight Championship. The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Streaming details for the event will be announced shortly.

Tickets for Islam vs. Kelly are on sale now and are priced at $60, $75, $100, $150, $200 and $250, excluding applicable services charges. Tickets are available for purchase at www.EventBrite.com or by clicking here.

About ProBox Promotions
ProBox Promotions is a Florida-based company founded by entrepreneur Garry Jonas out of a desire to incorporate his love of boxing and business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Mark Reyes Jr., Jose Miguel Borrego and more.

ONTARIO, CA (February 21, 2022) – This past Friday at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA, Thompson Boxing Promotions kicked off 2022 with a bang, selling out their “New Blood” event with 1,427 fans in attendance.

In the 8-round main event, Ruben “Ace” Torres (18-0, 15 KOs) remained undefeated with a stellar performance, stopping Cristian Mino (20-5-2, 17 KOs), by way of a sixth-round knockout. With the victory, Torres captured the WBC USNBC title, his first regional belt of his career.

Torres was magnificent throughout the entire fight as he tamed the aggressive approach that Mino was bringing by using his height and reach advantage to perfection, keeping Mino at bay with his superior jab. Mino did his best to get inside but was running into hard shots as Torres’ timing was flawless. After dominating the first five rounds, Torres dropped Mino twice in round six, the first was with vicious uppercut to the head in the early part of the round. Torres then finished Mino off with a picture-perfect left hook to the body, ending the bout at the 1:37 mark of round six.

“I felt my performance against Mino was one of my best to date,” said Torres. “I was really relaxed in this fight and that’s a credit to all the hard work my team and I put in during training camp. Winning the WBC USNBC title will now get me one step closer to a world title fight. I’m hoping I’ll be ranked in the top 15 when the new WBC ratings come out.”

In the 8-round featherweight co-feature, Horacio Garcia (35-4-1, 25 KOs) defeated Isaac “Dinamita” Zarate (16-6-4, 2 KOs) with a majority decision victory. Garcia kept the pressure on Zarate from the opening bell and landed the harder shots throughout the fight. Zarate showed a lot of heart but was outworked by Garcia, who was walking through all his punches. Scorecards read 80-72, 79-72 and 76-76.

“I was in great shape going into this fight and it showed with my performance, as I felt I dominated this fight,” said Garcia. “Not sure why one judge had it even, but that is expected when fighting close to someone’s hometown. I’m hoping this victory will lead to a big fight in the future.”

In the fourth bout of the evening, welterweight Loui Lopez (10-1-1, 4 KOs) survived being dropped twice in round one, winning a majority decision against Cristian Dominguez (11-4, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada. In the opening round, Dominguez sent Lopez to the canvas with left hook to the head. Lopez got up and got caught again with an overhand right to the temple at the end of the round. After that, Lopez outworked Dominguez for the rest of their scheduled six round bout, as he was in superior shape. Scorecards read 57-55 twice and 56-56.

“After I got caught twice in round one, I got my composure back and made the proper adjustments.” said the local fan favorite Lopez, who resides in nearby Corona, CA. “My will to win and being in outstanding shape carried me through this fight. I was also feeding of the energy of my hometown fans.”

In a scheduled 6-round featherweight bout, Japhethlee Llamido (11-0, 7 KOs) of Norwalk, Calif., cruised to a unanimous decision victory against Eric Barrios Santos (3-2, 3 KOs), of San Marcos Calif. Llamido used a lot of lateral movement from the southpaw stance to get into position to lands his punches. Santos showed a lot of toughness but was outboxed for most of the fight, which was the third bout on the card. Scorecards read 59-54 twice, 58-55 across the board

“My opponent was throwing a lot of wild punches, so I had to use my feet and counter his attack,” said Llamido. “I’m still learning, and I know with more experience I’ll be ready for all the top contenders in the featherweight division.”

In the second bout of the night, a battle of unbeaten super bantamweights commenced as Sean Brewer (2-0, 1 KO), of Las Vegas, NV, defeated Ivan Zarate of San Pedro, Calif (3-1, 1KO) by way of a first of a round knockout. After a few heated exchanges, Brewer hurt Zarate with a powerful straight right hand, then later landed a devastating right hook that put Zarate on the deck. Zarate was hurt bad, and the fight was stopped at the 2:50 mark of round one.

“It felt good to get my first knockout as a pro, especially against another undefeated fighter,” said Brewer. “I knew when I had him hurt the first time that it was a matter of time before I landed a big shot.”

Heavyweight Oscar Torrez (8-0, 4 KOs), of Rialto, Calif., won a unanimous decision against Daniel Najera (9-5-1, 4 KOs) of Monterey, Mexico, in the opening bout of the night. Although, Najera put of a valiant effort, he was dominated over four rounds. Scorecards read 40-36 across the board, all in favor of Torrez.

“I was trying to hard to get the knockout, and got out of my game a little bit,” said Torrez. “I was still able to dominate the fight and get some good rounds in. I have a long way to go, but I’m getting more experience, and that’s a good thing.”

This event was sponsored by Thompson Building Materials, transforming spaces in beautiful places; Omega Products International, the leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Henry / Fortifiber, moisture system control as easy as 1,2,3, and Makita, rule the outdoors.

For more information, regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. Fans can also watch all Thompson Boxing fights, weigh-ins, and behind-the-scenes content, via their new Mobile App downloadable on Apple and Google. To follow the conversation on social media, please use #ThompsonBoxing.

Please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on Thompson
Boxing TV, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

DUBLIN – BELLATOR’s explosive return to the Irish capital for BELLATOR 275: Mousasi vs Vanderford, sees one of the most dominant middleweight fighters of all time and current world champion Gegard Mousasi (48-7, 2 NC)defend his crown against undefeated American Top Team standout Austin Vanderford (11-0). The co-main event sees Northern Ireland’s Leah McCourt (6-1) and Ireland’s most-recent title challenger Sinead Kavanagh (7-5) in what is set to be the biggest Irish female fight ever.

BELLATOR 275 will sport a five-fight main card, including two great featherweight features between Ciaran Clarke (4-0) and Abou Tounkara (7-2), as well as Khasan Magomedsharipov (6-0) versus Jose Sanchez (11-1), plus a bantamweight bout between home favorite Brian Moore (14-8), and No. 9 ranked Jornel Lugo (7-0) to kick things off.

The event will air live on SHOWTIME this Friday, Feb. 25, at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, while the stacked eight-fight preliminary card airs live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. Limited tickets for the event remain and are on sale now and can be purchased online from Ticketmaster.ie and Bellator.com.

Please find the updated card for BELLATOR 275: Mousasi vs Vanderford below:

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BELLATOR 275: MOUSASI VS. VANDERFORD MAIN CARD:

SHOWTIME (US) / BBC iPlayer (UK) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)

Friday, Feb. 25 – 9 p.m. GMT/4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

Middleweight World Title Main Event: #C-Gegard Mousasi (48-7, 2 NC) vs. #1-Austin Vanderford (11-0)

Women’s Featherweight Bout: #5-Sinead Kavanagh (7-5)vs. #4–Leah McCourt (6-1)

Featherweight Bout: Ciaran Clarke (4-0) vs. Abou Tounkara (7-2)

Featherweight Bout: Khasan Magomedsharipov (6-0)vs. Jose Sanchez (11-1)

Bantamweight Bout: Brian Moore (14-8) vs. #9-Jornel Lugo (7-0)

BELLATOR 275: MOUSASI VS. VANDERFORD PRELIMINARY CARD:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV (US)

BBC iPlayer (UK) | Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)

6 p.m. GMT/1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT

Bantamweight Bout: Brett Johns (17-3) vs. Khurshed Kakhorov (8-0)

Lightweight Bout: Charlie Leary (17-11-1) vs. Davy Gallon (19-7-2)

Strawweight Bout: Danni McCormack (5-0) vs. Stephanie Page (5-3)

Lightweight Bout: Darragh Kelly (Pro Debut) vs. Junior Morgan (3-0)

Lightweight Bout: Vladimir Tokov (7-1) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (11-5)

Heavyweight Bout: Gokhan Saricam (6-1) vs. Kirill Sidelnikov (13-6)

Featherweight Bout: Nathan Kelly (Pro Debut) vs. Scott Pedersen (1-2)

Featherweight Bout: Lee Hammond (1-0) vs. Jamie Hay (2-0)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Apply for BELLATOR media credentials

RSVP for BELLATOR virtual media availabilities

****

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Fri. Feb. 25 // BELLATOR 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland

Fri. Mar. 12 // BELLATOR 276: Borics vs. Burnell // The Family Arena // St. Louis, Mo.

Fri. Apr. 15 // BELLATOR 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2/Nemkov vs. Anderson // SAP Center // San Jose, Calif.

Fri. May 6 // BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paris, FRA

Fri. May 13 // BELLATOR LONDON: Amosov vs. MVP // The OVO Arena Wembley // London

****

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

QUINCY, Mass. (February 21, 2022) – Granite Chin Promotions has announced it has signed New England amateur standout Dave Ribeiro, who hails from boxing rich Brockton (MA) to an exclusive 3-year promotional contract.

A solid all-around boxer and ferocious body puncher, 25-year-old Ribeiro is a throwback fighter, who works as a social worker in Brockton through the Old Colony YMCA.

A decorated amateur boxer, Ribeiro captured top honors at the Mike Tyson Tournament in New York, 2019 King of the Ring Tournament in Massachusetts, Regional Junior Olympics, and the 2020 New England Golden Gloves. He finished second in the New England Championships (Youth Division), in addition to being a Rocky Marciano Tournament finalist, competed in the National Golden Gloves Tournament, and 2019 USA Olympic Trials.

Ribeiro, who has a dual citizenship, also finished runner-up in the Cape Verde Olympic Trials.

“I thought about leaving the amateurs before, but I shot for the stars with my Olympic dream,” he explained. “But I fell short. The timing was right now to go pro instead of getting more wins as an amateur. I believe I’m part of the Brockton boxing tradition (includes Hall of Famers Rocky Marciano and Marvelous Marvin Hagler). I was born and still live here in Brockton. When I started to box, my first coach was Goody Petronelli (Hagler’s co-trainer) at Petronelli’s Boxing Gym (in Brockton). Continuing that tradition is very important to me.

“I heard about Granite Chin from other boxers like Edet Mkpanam, and Mike Ohan, who I’ve sparred,” welterweight Ribeiro spoke about signing with Granite Chin. “I believe Chris (Traietti) is one of the top promoters in New England. Me turning pro is great. We have great things ahead. He understands what I’ll be going through because he’s a fighter who has been through it. We’re targeting May on the South Shore for my pro debut.”

“When I was first contacted by Carlos Alvarado (Ribeiro’s advisor) to meet David, it was a no brainer for me to get down to Fall River and have a meeting,” promoter Traietti commented. “Everyone in New England whose opinion I value had nothing but great things to say about him as a person and a fighter. After talking to him, I saw he’s a humble, well-spoken guy who wants an opportunity to prove himself in the pro ranks. Over the next couple of years, we are going to move him in a controlled but continuous pace. He isn’t going to rot away his youth on small shows. He has a rich amateur background, so before long, I am going to get him on a massive stage. I have no doubt!”

Ribeiro is a boxer-puncher like his favorite contemporary fighter, Terence Crawford. “My all-time favorite fighter is Andre Ward, but he’s retired,” Dave added. “Like Crawford, I start as a boxer and box well, but I also bring power, and eventually I’ll knockout my opponent.”

Ribeiro has benefited from his friendships with world super middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade and Toka Kahn-Clary. “They motivate me, and I’ve sparred with them,” Ribeiro noted. “I come from the same background as Demetrius.”

It’s unusual for an amateur boxer to effectively display a body attack like Ribeiro, who trains out of Bishops Training and Fitness in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

“My coach, Joshua Lemar, has really developed my body punching,” Ribeiro concluded. “He has helped me develop a lot of my skills. He’s brought the best out of me. I would like to give all credit to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Ribeiro joins Granite Chin’s stable that includes Mass. middleweights Anthony Andreozzi, Julien Baptise, Mass. super welterweights Denzel Whitley and Carlo Castillo, Mass. light heavyweight Laurent Humes, Edet Mkpanam, Leondro Silva and Steven Sumpter, Mass. super featherweight Ryan Kielczweski, Mass. welterweight Mike Ohan, Jr. (New England champion), Mass. heavyweight Quinton Sumpter, New York light heavyweight Scott Lampert, New Jersey super lightweight Tyrone Luckey, Conn. heavyweight Mike Marshall (New England champion), Maine heavyweight Justin Rolfe (former New England champion), Texas middleweight Larry Smith, Georgia middleweight Antonio Todd, and Florida middleweight Manny Woods.

Brockton’s rich boxing is in good shape with prospect Dave Ribeiro.

INFORMATION:

Facebook.com/GraniteChin, /DavidJRibeiro

Twitter: @Granite_Chin

Instagram: @DavidJRibeiro

Euri Cedeño Martínez decidió seguir los pasos de su hermano mayor Hendri y convertirse en profesional. Hendri Cedeño Martínez acumuló un récord de 4-0 en su primer año como boxeador profesional. Si bien ambos hermanos querían convertirse en profesionales juntos, Euri se había clasificado para los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio y tuvo que suspender su carrera profesional. En los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio, Cedeño Martínez alcanzó los cuartos de final luego de un nocaut en 67 segundos contra Eldric Sella de Venezuela en la primera ronda del torneo. En la segunda ronda superó por puntos a Francisco Daniel Veron de Argentina, antes de perder por decisión dividida en una pelea muy competitiva contra el gran favorito Oleksandr Khyzhniak de Ucrania.

Euri Cedeño Martínez comenzó a boxear a los 5 años inspirado por su padre, quien era entrenador de boxeo en la República Dominicana. A lo largo de su carrera amateur, acumuló numerosos títulos nacionales y representó a su nación en todos los torneos internacionales importantes. Su logro más reciente fue ganar el Torneo Internacional Copa Independiente donde detuvo a todos sus oponentes en su camino hacia la medalla de oro.

“Ganar la Copa Independiente fue una buena manera de terminar mi carrera amateur. Estoy muy emocionado de comenzar mi viaje en las filas profesionales”, dijo Cedeño Martínez.

El jugador de 22 años da el siguiente paso hacia ese objetivo después de firmar con el asesor Trifon Petrov. Para Cedeño Martínez, la decisión se redujo a confiar en las habilidades de Petrov para hacer tratos y en su carácter.

“Trifon Petrov ha estado en el juego y tiene un establo muy sólido de luchadores jóvenes. Estoy muy emocionado de ser parte de su equipo. Es una persona muy genuina y vi cualidades en él que no vi en otros manejadores que querían ficharme, fue una decisión fácil confiarle mi carrera”, dijo Euri Cedeño Martínez.

Para Petrov, fue una combinación de sus habilidades boxísticas y su carácter lo que lo hizo perseguir al prospecto dominicano.

“Con más de 400 peleas de aficionados e innumerables logros en los aficionados, Euri es un verdadero prospecto de primer nivel. Sobre todo, es un gran ser humano y creo que será un gran modelo a seguir para la próxima generación de jóvenes atletas”, dijo Trifon Petrov.

Después de vincularse con Petrov, Euri Cedeño Martínez firmó con un promotor muy respetado en Marshall Kauffman y Andrew Foy de Kings Boxing.

La compañía con sede en Pensilvania ha demostrado que puede construir un caza desde cero una y otra vez. Marshall Kauffman ha promocionado más de 130 eventos en todas las grandes plataformas de medios, como Showtime y Fox.

“Quería firmar con Marshall Kauffman porque escuché grandes cosas de mi asesor y mi hermano, quien conoce al Sr. Kauffman desde hace un par de años. He visto el trabajo que Marshall y Andrew han hecho con todos los peleadores de Kings Boxing, el trabajo que pudieron hacer con el campeón mundial interino de la WBA Ra’eese Aleem y la campeona mundial unificada del WBC/IBO Alycia Baumgardner habla por sí mismo. Estoy muy emocionado de trabajar con Kings Boxing”, dijo Cedeño Martínez.

Marshall Kauffman, quien recientemente fue incluido en el Salón de la Fama del Boxeo de Pensilvania, está ansioso por ver a su nuevo prodigio en acción.

“Es una rareza ver a un luchador que es un paquete completo a una edad tan joven. Con solo 22 años, Cedeño Martínez tiene todos los dones físicos, la fortaleza mental y el conocimiento del ring para alcanzar la grandeza en el deporte del boxeo”, dijo Kauffman.

Euri Cedeño Martínez estará entrenando en Reading, Pennsylvania bajo la tutela de Denny Rivera conocido como “Sensei”. Rivera es bien conocido por su trabajo con campeones mundiales como Roman “Rocky” Martinez, Elio Rojas y Cesar Seda.

WARWICK, RI (February 20) – Jaime “Hurricane” Clampitt capped a banner weekend for CES Boxing Saturday night with a unanimous decision win over Kim Wabik at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, her first victory in nearly a decade.

The 45-year-old Clampitt (23-5-2), a Warwick, RI, resident who came out of retirement last summer two years after being inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame, headlined CES Boxing’s 2022 debut and its inaugural event at the Crowne Plaza.

Flanked by longtime promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CEO and president of CES Boxing, Clampitt capped the event – appropriately titled “Rhode Wars” – in front of a sold-out crowd with a dominant performance against Wabik (4-2-2), who, despite continuing to come forward the entire fight, could not thwart Clampitt’s experience and ring savvy.

The victory, scored 60-54 on all three scorecards, was Clampitt’s first since 2013 when she defeated Dominga Oliva.

In addition to opening its newly-launched fight series in front of a capacity crowd at the Crowne Plaza, CES Boxing celebrated an even bigger victory Friday when lightweight star Jamaine Ortiz of Worcester, MA, captured the NABF title in Orlando with a unanimous decision win over Nahir Albright in the main of Showtime’s ShoBox: The New Generation telecast. With Clampitt back in the picture among female lightweights and Ortiz putting his entire weight class on notice in Friday’s win, CES Boxing is poised for a groundbreaking year as the sport continues its rise in popularity.

In other action Saturday, super lightweight Wilson Mascarenhas (5-1, 2 KOs) earned his fifth consecutive win and his second consecutive by knockout, stopping Virginia southpaw Akeem Jackson (5-5) in the third round of their scheduled six-round bout.

Since losing his pro debut in 2018, Mascarenhas has been on a roll; he earned his first knockout win last summer at Cranston Stadium against Geoffrey Then and continued his winning streak last night, chopping down the much taller, lankier Jackson with body shots.

Heavyweight Tim Hatfield (3-0, 3 KOs) also kept his win streak alive, stopping veteran Kaleb Slaughter (1-4-1) of Cincinnati in the opening round of their scheduled four-round bout. A former college football at Brown University, Hatfield has now won three times since November, accumulating three first-round knockout wins in just under three months.

Making his United States debut, Italian middleweight Nicola Quarneti (5-2-1) got off to a slow start and lost a technical decision to Yakima, WA, veteran Charon Spain (4-18-2) when the fight was stopped after three rounds due to an accidental headbutt. Spain won the first two rounds before Quarneti found his footing in the third, using his jab to set up a potent left hook.

As Quarneti began applying pressure toward the final bell, the two butted heads, opening a severe cut above Spain’s left eye. The ringside physician stopped the fight and, since the fight had gone past the halfway point, the decision was left in the hands of the judges, who ruled unanimously in favor of Spain.

In the opening bout of the evening, bantamweights Dan Cormier (2-0) of East Providence, RI, and Christian Andrade (1-1) of Fairhaven, MA, put on a show for four rounds with Cormier winning by majority decision, 40-36, 40-36, 38-38. A former mixed martial arts fighter, Cormier has now won twice as a pro in boxing since debuting in August.

CES Boxing returns to the Crowne Plaza on March 26 with “Rhode Wars 2.” Visit CESFights.com for more information. Updates on CES Boxing can also be found on Facebook in addition to Instagram and Twitter by following @CESBoxing.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel Providence-Warwick is the first choice of those seeking the best in accommodations, convenience, service and sophistication in Rhode Island. A nine-time winner of the Intercontinental Hotel Group’s Torchbearer Award, one of the most prestigious accolades in the hotel industry, the Crowne Plaza Hotel has 266 guestrooms and 45,000 square feet of meeting space. Whether you’re a business traveler seeking respite from a long flight, a family on vacation visiting nearby Newport, a trade association holding its annual convention, or a young couple planning a wedding, the Crowne Plaza is ready to satisfy your every need. Located 10 minutes from downtown Providence and two miles from T.F. Green Airport on a spacious landscaped 17-acre site featuring abundant, free parking, the Crowne Plaza Hotel is prepared to treat you like royalty.

#5-Logan Storley (13-1) defeated #4-Neiman Gracie (11-3) via unanimous decision (48-47, 50-45, 49-46)

Logan Storley following his win: “That fight right there, I had to dig deep. That’s those farm roots. That’s Midwest. Figuring out who you are in the fourth round and coming back. 

“I was stung for a little bit but I was playing and moving. And then he started wearing himself out and I landed it. I’m a fighter now. That proved it right there. Any doubt I ever had about taking a punch, fighting the best guys – that’s the No. 4 guy in the world – and I just beat him. It was 25 minutes on the feet. That was the most fun I’ve ever had competing in my life.

“I want the belt. That’s why I got in this business. I didn’t get it done at the NCAA level and that drives me today. To be the best in the world. Once I’m the best in the world, then it’s time to go do something else. I want to be the best in the world and I want the title next.”

#9-Andrey Koreshkov (25-4) defeated Chance Rencountre (16-5) via TKO (body kick) at :38 of round one

Andrey Koreshkov returns with a vengeance: ““It’s what we prepared for. The spinning back-kick is like a tradition for Storm School. Hey BELLATOR, I know you prepare many tournaments in Europe. And I know one guy – Paul Daley – I want to kick his ass. He doesn’t like wrestling just like me. We will show a great stand-up fight and I will knock him out.”

Adam Piccolotti (13-4) defeated Georgi Karakhanyan (31-13-1, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Adam Piccolotti continues his winning ways: “I’d give myself a B+. My jiujitsu was an A. My jiujitsu was on point. My wrestling felt really strong. My striking was a little hesitant. It was a mixture. It was me being a little hesitant but it was also me having a ton of respect for Georgi. I knew Georgi was ready to come in and have a firefight. He was ready to wait for me to make any sort of opening or any sort of mistake. He was going to try to make it a dogfight which is the opposite fight of what I wanted to have tonight. It was a strong B+.

“I want somebody in the top five. I don’t care. There’s a lot of good guys in my division right now but there’s no one better than me.”

Brennan Ward (15-6) defeated Brandon Bell (10-11) via TKO (punches) at 0:32 of round two

Brennan Ward after his return to BELLATOR: “Everybody who came out, thank you. I got support from every aspect of my life. I know I got my Union brothers in here. I got my two coaches right there. They’ve been with me throughout this whole rollercoaster. And my family, my girl, my daughter, my parents, my sister, everybody – I came here tonight for myself and I came here tonight to show the world that you can go to hell and you can come back. You can come back.

“A lot of days away. Brandon Bell took some shots. I thought I was going to knock him out. He’s a tough guy, man. It felt good. It felt good to be back. I’ve got a lot more to show. And I got more to come. You know that you’re going to have to see me face a top 10 guy next. You know it. You know I have to.”

“I see a lot of these dudes in the top 10 I respect. I know Scott Coker is going to pick me out somebody good. Test one of these young guys that you got. Test one of these young guys like I used to get tested when I was a young guy coming up. I’m the gatekeeper now. Test one of these young boys against me!”

#8-Davion Franklin (5-0) defeated#9–Said Sowma (8-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Davion Franklin had this to say following his win: ““I was just trying to get him off me. I knew he wanted to hold me against the fence and try to tire me out. It didn’t work so I knew I needed to figure something out to get him off me. I would like to fight Linton Vassell next sometime over the summer. That would give me enough time to continue to correct some errors I made tonight.”

PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS: 

Nick Browne (13-1) defeated Mandel Nallo (8-2, 1 NC) via TKO (punches) at 2:20 of round two

Jaylon Bates (5-0) defeated Chris Disonell (6-5) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:00 of round three

Bobby King (11-4) defeated #9–Aviv Gozali (6-1) via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round one

#7-DeAnna Bennett (12-7-1) defeated Justine Kish (7-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Jordan Newman (4-0) defeated Cody Herbert (2-1) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Justin Montalvo (5-0) defeated Corey Samuels (3-3) via TKO (punches) at 2:43 of round one

Isaiah Hokit (1-1) defeated Theodore Macuka (1-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:59 of round one

Jonathan Di Lorenzo (2-0) defeated Orlando Mendoza (0-2) via submission (D’arce Choke) at 1:07 of round one

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME^®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ and FLIX^®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com. 

Top-ranked middleweight contender Jaime Munguia stopped D’Mitrius Ballard in round three of a scheduled 12-round fight in front of over 15,000 in Tijuana, Mexico.

In round three, Munguia hurt Ballard with a left hook and a follow-up barrage sent Ballard to the canvas. Shortly after, Munguia was all over Ballard, and a big left hook to the head forced a referee stoppage at 1:47

Munguia, 159 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is now 39-0 with 31 knockouts. Ballard, 159 lbs of Prince George County, MD is 21-1-1-1-1.

William Zepeda hit the deck once, but dropped Luis Viedas three-times en-route to a third round stoppage in a scheduled 10-round lightweight fight.

In round two, Zepeda dropped Viedas with a straight left. Later in the round, Viedas was able to shockingly put Zepeda on the deck with an inside left hook. Seconds later, Zepeda was deducted a point for shoving Viedas to the deck. In round three, Zepeda sent Viedas down with a straight left. Seconds later, Viedas landed a straight left that put Viedas down. Zepeda got in a left to the body while Viedas was down, but the referee counted 10 at 1:51.

Zepeda, 135 lbs of Mexico is 25-0 with 23 knockouts. Viedas, 135 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 29-12-1.

Diego Torres won a hard fought 10-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Escobedo in a junior welterweight bout.

In round four, the left eye of Escobedo began to bleed.

In round nine, Torres was deducted a point when his mouthpiece came out for the third time.

Torres, 140 lbs of Zapopan, MEX won by scores of 98-91 and 97-92 twice and is now 14-0. Escobedo, 140 lbs of Tonala, MEX is 8-3-1.

Rafael Espinoza stopped Alie Laurel in the opening round of their 10-round featherweight bout.

In round one, Espinoza was credited with a knockdown after sending Laurel to the canvas with a left. He scored another knockdown with a left hook and the fight was over at 1:37.

Espinoza, 125 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 18-0 with 15 knockouts. Laurel, 126 lbs of General Santos City, PHL is 18-7-1.

In a much awaited grudge match, former world champion Kell Brook stopped Amir Khan in round six of their 12-round bout at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.

In round one, Brook wobbled Khan on two occasions. The first was from a hard jab. The second was from a hard right hand. In round six, Brook hurt Khan again with a jab. Brook began to pour on the offense until the fight was stopped at 51 seconds.

Brook, 148.3 lbs of Sheffield, ENG is 40-3 with 28 knockouts. Khan, 147.3 lbs of Bolton, ENG is 34-6.

Natasha Jonas won the vacant WBO Super Welterweight title with a 2nd round stoppage of Chris Namus.

In round one, Jonas dropped Namus with a right hook. In round two, it was a straight left off of a furious exchange that sent Namus down again. Namus got to her feet, but the fight was waved off at 28 seconds.

Jonas, 149.3 lbs is 11-2-1 with eight knockouts. Namus, 147.3 lbs of Uraguay is 25-7-1.

2021 Olympic Bronze Medal winner Frazer Clarke made a successful pro debut with a 1st round stoppage over Jake Darnell in a heavyweight fight.

In round one, Darnell began bleeding from his nose. Shortly after, Clarke landed a big combination that was set off by a body shot that was followed by several head shots that forced the corner of Darnell to throw in the towel at 2:06.

Clarke, 256 lbs is 1-0 with one knockout. Darnell, 248.3 lbs of Blackpool, ENG is 0-1.

Hasan Azim won a four-round decision over MJ Hall in a welterweight bout.

Azim, 148 lbs won by a 40-36 score and is 2-0. Hall is now 2-74-2.

Adam Azim stopped Jordan Ellison in round three of their six-round junior welterweight bout.

In round one, Azim dropped Ellison with a right to the body. In round three, Azim landed a hard left hook to the head that dropped Ellison down and out at 2:09.

Azim, 138.4 lbs is 3-0 with two knockouts. Ellison, 138.4 lbs is 13-36-2.

Brad Rea scored a vicious opening round stoppage over Craig McCarthy in a middleweight fight.

Rea landed a ripping undercard that sent McCarthy down on his back, and the fight was stopped before the 10-count could be completed at 1:53.

Rea, 160.3 lbs of Sweatburg, ENG is 12-0 with five knockouts. McCarthy, 161.3 lbs of Waterford, IRE is 8-1-1.

Viddal Riley won a six-round decision over Will Shihepo in a cruiserweight bout.

In round one, Riley dropped Shihepo with a right uppercut.

Riley, 197 lbs of London, ENG won by a 60-53 score and is now 5-0. Shihepo, 196.3 lbs of Namibia is 25-14.

Germaine Brown won a 10-round unanimous decision over Charlie Schofield in a super middleweight fight.

Brown, 168 lbs of London, UK won by scores of 99-92 and 98-92 twice and is now 12-0. Schofield, 168 lbs of Manchester, UK is 17-2.

Hanover, MD (February 19, 2022) — Weights for Tonight’s big night of boxing at The Hall at Live at Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, Maryland

Jordan White 129.6 – Brandon Valdes 129.0
Demond Nicholson 168.8 – Gabriel Pham 168.4
Colby Madison 231.6 – Antonio Robertson 248.2
A.J. Williams 167.2 – Brent Oren 167.6
Mansaborie Conde 162.2 – Malcolm Phillips 159.6
Brandon Chambers 120.4 – Paul Carroll 122.0
Jaqeem Hutcherson 122.2 – Jalen Woodmore TBA
Tyhler Williams 142.4 – Maurice Anthony 143.6
Joseph Veazey 145.6 – Corey Champion 146.6
Ahmad Muhammad Jones 141 – Tyree Arnold 141.8

Victor Williams 150.4, Jeremiah Kendrick 160.2 — bout scratched due to overage.

Promoter: Jeter Promotions
1st Bell: 6:30 PM ET

Tickets for this great night of boxing are priced at $65-$150 and can be purchased at AXS.COM

The HALL at LIVE! is a 75,000-square-foot, three-story multi-use concert and event venue that features some of the nation’s best touring acts, comedians, championship boxing and other show-stopping entertainment. With a capacity of up to 4,800 persons, the state-of-the-art performance venue features three levels of seating: a main orchestra level, intimate loge-level boxes and a plush VIP Level with private bar, lounge and balcony. Each of these options afford spectacular views and immerse audiences in audio visual systems unparalleled in the region.

The $10 million state-of-the-art audio and visual system provides absolute acoustic perfection combined with stunning visual displays. The built-in performance stage, surrounded by massive, high resolution LED screens, is 60 feet wide by 40 feet deep and, from a technological standpoint, rivals the largest and most advanced performance venues anywhere. The HALL is the largest theater in any casino in the state of Maryland, as well as in Anne Arundel County. The HALL at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland is located at 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, Maryland 21076.

    •  Amir Khan 147.3 vs. Kell Brook 148.3
(Junior Middleweight— 12 Rounds)

•     Natasha Jonas 149.5 lbs vs. Chris Namus 147.5 lbs 
(Vacant WBO Female Junior Middleweight World Title — 10 Rounds)

   •    Frazer Clarke 256 lbs vs. Jake Darnell 248.5 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

   •    Adam Azim 138.4 lbs vs. Jordan Ellison 138.5 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

   •    Brad Rea 160.5 lbs vs. Craig McCarthy 161.5 lbs
 (Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

•    Viddal Riley 199 lbs vs. Willbeforce Shihepo 198.5 lbs
 (Cruiserweight— 6 Rounds)
  •    Charlie Schofield 168 lbs vs. Germaine Brown 168 lbs
 (Schofield’s English Super Middleweight Title — 10 Rounds)

###

About ESPN+? 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 21.3?million subscribers. 
 
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at?ESPN.com,?ESPNplus.com?or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).
 

ORLANDO, FL–Jamaine Ortiz won a 10-round unanimous decision over Nahir Albright at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

Ortiz, 134 1/4 lbs of Worcester, MA won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 twice and is now 15-0-1. Albright, 134 lbs of Sicklerville, NJ is 13-2.

Paul Kroll and Marquis Taylor fought to an eight-round split draw in a junior middleweight fight.

Although Taylor outlanded Kroll 109-84, the judges score cards read 80-72 Taylor, 77-75 Kroll and 76-76.

Taylor, 151 3/4 lbs of Houston, TX is 12-1-2. Kroll, 153 1/4 lbs of Philadelphia is 9-0-1.

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of shows at UFC APEX with an intriguing matchup in a 160-pound catchweight bout, as No. 4 ranked lightweight contender Islam Makhachev aims to halt the momentum of fan favorite Bobby Green, who fills in on short-notice to replace the injured Beneil Dariush. In the middleweight co-main event, renowned finisher Misha Cirkunov looks to secure his first victory in the weight class as he takes on Wellington Turman. 

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: MAKHACHEV vs GREEN will take place Saturday, Feb. 26 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream on ESPN+, with the prelims beginning at 1 p.m. PT/ 4 p.m. ET and the main card at 4 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. ET.

Makhachev (20-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to extend his nine-fight win streak in the UFC. During his run up the rankings, Makhachev proved he is one of the best lightweights with dominant wins over Dan Hooker, Drew Dober, and Thiago Moises. He now aims to to secure a possible shot at UFC gold by defeating the veteran Green. 

Green (29-12-1, fighting out of Fontana, California) steps into the Octagon on 10 days’ notice after a dominanting performance over Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 271. A lightweight bruiser who has nine knockouts and eight submissions to his name, Green continues to rise in the division after victories over Alan Patrick, Clay Guida and Al Iaquinta and he now looks to make a statement and derail the Russian phenom Makhachev and break into the Top 15.   

Former light heavyweight contender Misha Cirkunov (15-7, fighting out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada by way of Riga, Lativa) seeks to start a win streak at 185-pounds. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist has an impressive 11 first-round finishes, with three coming in under a minute. Some of his stoppage victories include Jimmy Crute, Nikita Krylov and Ion Cutelaba. Cirkunov now has his sights set on making a splash in his second fight at middleweight and sending a message to the rest of the division.

Wellington Turman (17-5, fighting out of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil) intends to make the most of his first UFC co-main event opportunity. Coming off a split decision win over UFC veteran Sam Alvey, the jiu-jitsu expert now intends to make it two in a row by taking out Cirkunov and beginning his climb up the middleweight ladder.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Ji Yeon Kim (9-4-2, fighting out of Incheon, South Korea) looks to dominate against Priscila Cachoeira (10-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a women’s flyweight bout
• No. 13 ranked UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan (16-2, fighting out Krasnodar, Russia)faces submission specialist Joel Alvarez (19-2, fighting out of Asturias, Spain)
• Dana White’s Contender Series alum Armen Petrosyan (6-1, fighting out of Yerevan, Armenia by way of Krasnoyarsk, Russia) meets streaking Gregory Rodrigues (11-4, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Florida by way of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil ) at middleweight
• Rong Zhu (18-4, fighting out of Sichuan, China) takes on young knockout artist Ignacio Bahamondes (12-4, fighting out of Chicago, Illinois by way of Santiago, Chile) at lightweight
• Josiane Nunes (8-1, fighting out of Fazenda Rio Grande, Parana, Brazil) looks to spoil the UFC debut of Ramona Pascual (6-2, fighting out of Hong Kong) in a women’s bantamweights clash
• Lightweight action sees Terrance McKinney (11-3, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) facing off with Fares Ziam (12-3, fighting out of Givors, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, FranceVénissieux, France)
• Women’s strawweight Jinh Yu Frey (11-6, fighting out of Arlington, Tex.) battles Hannah  Goldy (6-2, fighting out of  Orlando, Fla.)
• Bantamweight veterans meet as Alejandro Perez (22-8-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif. by way of Aguascalientes, Mexico) takes on Jonathan Martinez (14-4, fighting out of Plainview, Tex.)
• Welterweights Ramiz Brahimaj (9-4, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) and Micheal Gillmore (6-4, fighting out of Lansing, Mich.) lock horns
• Flyweights Victor Altamirano (10-1, fighting out of Fort Worth, Tex.) and Carlos Hernandez (7-1, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) face off as they look to make a name for themselves in their first trip to the Octagon

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 166 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 21.3 million subscribers. 
?? 
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

ORLANDO, Fla. – February 17, 2022 – Exciting rising prospects Jamaine Oritz (14-0-1, 8 KOs) and Nahir Albright (14-1, 7 KOs) both made weight Thursday, a day ahead of their 10-round lightweight main event on ShoBox: The New Generation this Friday, February 18, live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT from Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Fla.

The co-feature pits former decorated amateur Paul Kroll (9-0, 6 KOs) against upset-minded Marquis Taylor (12-1-1, 1 KO) in an eight-round super welterweight bout.

The doubleheader is promoted by Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions. 

FINAL WEIGHTS

Lightweight 10-Round Bout

Jamaine Ortiz – 134 ¼ pounds

Nahir Albright – 134 pounds

Referee: Frank Santore, Jr.; Judges: Alexander Levin, Joe Ware, Brian Garry

Super Welterweight Eight-Round Bout

Paul Kroll – 152 ½ pounds*

Marquis Taylor – 151 ¾ pounds

Referee: Michael DeJesus; Judges: Alexander Levin, Joe Ware, Tito Wilgo

Note: All refs and judges for both fights reside in Florida.

* Contracted weight limit is 152 pounds; both fight camps agreed to proceed with fight.  

FINAL QUOTES:

Jamaine Ortiz

“A lot is always at stake when I fight, an undefeated record is at stake. He’s a slick boxer. He can box if he wants to, and he can be aggressive as well. He’s another hungry Philly fighter. I just plan on being the best Jamaine Ortiz that I can be. I’m going to be the technician with correct movements in there, and I’m going to be focused on having fun on Friday night.

“From the fight with Joseph Adorno [last April, which ended in a majority draw and saw Ortiz hit the canvas twice over eight rounds], I learned not to be so anxious. Being down after the knockdown in the second round made me feel like I had to pick it up and show that I was winning the fight. I was very anxious. Now, this fight is a 10-rounder, and I feel I can take my time a little and be patient and effective and just take it round by round.  

“I do have a lot of outside interests, but I give boxing 100 percent, and when it comes to fight time, I don’t do real estate. I don’t do anything except focus on the fight. I wake up and go to the gym. When I’m in that six-to-eight-week camp, that’s all I’m focused on. Nothing comes in between that.

“I hope I can increase my profile and be thought of as one of the best at 135 pounds from this fight. I just don’t know if the opponent’s name is big enough, where I can join that list of other big-name fighters at 135. With the NABF title, if I get ranked in the top 10 in the world, hopefully I can begin to put my name in the conversation with the best at 135 pounds. That’s my goal.

“When I fought Teofimo Lopez in the finals of the national golden gloves in the amateurs, I didn’t think he beat me bad at all. My coach had to fly out the night before. I feel like if I had my coach, I would have done better. When I fought Teofimo back then, he wasn’t the puncher he is today. He was nothing like that. It was more of a boxing match. We were both boxing each other.

“If this fight becomes a Gatti-Ward type of fight, then I’m OK with it. I’ve lived through that before and I’m fine going through that again. If he wants to come at me, it will be an easier fight for me. I’m going to be focused, and I’m going to stick to my game plan.”

Nahir Albright:

“I’ve worked all my life for this opportunity. It just feels so surreal being here. I’m definitely excited and ready to showcase my talent.

“I expect Ortiz to bring the fight to me. You’re all about to experience some fireworks. You’re all about to experience [Manny] Pacquiao versus [Juan Manuel] Marquez. Arturo Gatti versus Micky Ward. I feel like the world’s in for a fight they haven’t seen in a long time. I feel like my boxing ability and my slickness are something he’s never seen before.

“Beating guys like Jeremy Hill and Michael Dutchover in my last two fights definitely boosted my confidence and gave me extra validation on what I already had. It showed that I can have the odds against me, but that I could still come out on top. It showed I could go through some adversity and still be a winner.

“My singing is for a real. Like, I’m a singer for real. I grew up singing. I was a singer before I was a boxer. Singing is definitely going to play a part in my career. I got a surprise for the world. I’m not going to sing Boyz II Men again. It’s something new.

“I’m coming to hurt my opponent. It’s seek and destroy. It’s kill or be killed out there. I come to fight and don’t just try and box and win by decision. I come to fight.

“With an impressive win over Jamaine Ortiz I could see myself fighting Ryan Garcia, Rolly Romero. Any of those tough guys. I can see it definitely by the end of 2022 or the start of 2023 you will see my name next to those guys.

“Even though I’m training in New Jersey, being a Philly fighter never leaves. It’s all in me, for real. You can take a person out of the ‘hood, but you can’t take the ‘hood out of the person. That’s real. That dog’s definitely in me.”

Paul Kroll

“I’m very happy to have this opportunity. This is what I’ve been waiting for. Going through what I went through when I was younger [with his legal issues] helped me a lot from a maturation standpoint. It helped me grow up and made me more mature. When I was younger my boxing career was moving so fast. I won the U.S. Olympic Trials. The experience that I went through made me slow down and spend time working on myself.

“People who know boxing know who I am. The real boxing fans know me. Fighters know me. I beat most of them in the amateurs, so they know me. Now, I’m just getting the opportunity to show what I can do.

“He’s tall, but he doesn’t know the game… There are different levels in this sport. He’s going to bring his ‘A’ game but it’s not going to be enough. I’ve seen a million fighters like him, but he’s never seen a Paul Kroll. I’m going to show my class on Friday night.

“I’m just a better all-around fighter than he is. I can box, fight on the inside and outside. My jab is better than his. Everybody I fight throws a lot of punches, and they always slow down as the fight goes on. [Former opponent Lucas] Santamaria threw a lot of punches, too…. When I touch him, he’s going to feel it.

“He’s just too small, he’s too light. I’m just an all-around better fighter. When I’m on my ‘A’ game, I don’t think there’s anyone who can beat me right now. I fought a million people who were 6’1” in the amateurs. My best asset is that I can adapt on the fly round-by-round. Not every fighter can do that. Only the great ones.

“A win puts me in a better position to get a bigger fight. When it happens, it will happen at 154 pounds. I’ve grown out of welterweight. I can’t make 147 anymore. I’m going to stay at 154 pounds and get a big fight, hopefully back on ShoBox and SHOWTIME. This is a good audition and I’ve always passed all my tests with flying colors.

“That knockout he has on his record doesn’t work. My daughter could have knocked out that opponent [Esteban Alseco]. He’s going to be a volume puncher, but he can’t crack an egg. At the same time, anytime someone has on 10 oz gloves, if you get hit by a punch the right way, it can hurt you.

“I learned a lot from sparring with guys like Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Julian Williams. I learned a lot about myself. I learned how to recognize mistakes that other, younger fighters make. Younger guys, when they’re coming up, they try so hard to make an impression, and they end up making a lot of mistakes. Against someone like Julian Williams, I would do something and then admire my work and he would catch me after I threw my punches. Once I started to recognize that, I started to play the older and more experienced role. I’m more mature mentally now, and I know how to take advantage of other’s mistakes.

“I got my own gym, so I have my own schedule. I can train at any time. I train two or three times a day. I’ll get up before work and work out and then after work I train again. Sometimes I train late at night, like Floyd [Mayweather Jr.] used to do. I’m always in the gym.”

Marquis Taylor:

“I’m honored to be on ShoBox, which has always been a true proving ground for up-and-coming stars of boxing. To be on this platform and prove myself is all any boxer ever asks for.

“The boxing world is finally going to get introduced to someone who will one day be one of the biggest stars in boxing. I know the styles and skills that I possess and all the tools I have in the toolbox will finally be on display before a nationally televised audience.

“I would describe my fighting style as really awkward, but aggressive and rough and relentless. Defensive. It’s like a style you’ve never seen from someone 6-foot-1. With the length and height that I have you would automatically assume this guy is a boxer or a counter-puncher or a runner. But I actually love fighting on the inside and getting in a phone booth. Just giving the fans what they want but also being defensive.

“I’ve made my career of being on the ‘B’ side of boxing. I love being on the ‘B’ side. I’ve actually been thinking once I win this fight, don’t put me on the ‘A’ side because that means I’m projected to win. I want to be the guy who defies the odds. I want to be the guy who is underdog and to beat the guy who I wasn’t supposed to beat. Give me five undefeated guys and I’ll show you these guys aren’t on my level.

“I want Terence Crawford, Errol Spence. I want that type of level. I possess a style that nobody else has. Covid didn’t stall my career. I was able to perfect my style and get stronger and ready to show the best Marquis Taylor that you’ve ever seen.

“Kroll is a good fighter. I never look past any of my opponents. I know he’s fighting for his life just like I’m fighting for my life. So I give all the respect to him, but I know with all the adversity I’ve been through and when you look at his resume and you look at mine, it’s a little different.

“I know I’ve beaten three undefeated fighters, but it’s never been on SHOWTIME. It’s never been on the big stage. I’m past all the undefeated fighters I’ve beaten. Now I have to prove it on the SHOWTIME stage and that’s what I’m going to show on February 18.”

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports  

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 86 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Chad Dawson, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more. 

Ruben Torres 134.6 vs Cristian Ruben Miño 134.4
Isaac Zarate 126.9 vs Horacio Garcia 126.9
Louie Lopez 146.6 vs Cristian Dominguez 144
Japhethlee Llamido 125.5 vs Erick Garcia Benitez 126.8
Ivan Zarate 121.7 vs. Sean Brewer 120.6
Oscar Torrez 229 vs. Daniel Najera 235

“New Blood” will take place at the Doubletree Hotel Ontario, CA. Doors open at 6:30 pm PT with the first fight starting at 8:00 pm PT. Tickets priced at $50, $75, and $100, are only available at the door. Fight fans will be able to watch all Thompson Boxing fights, weigh-ins, and behind-the-scenes content, via their new Mobile App downloadable on Apple and Google.

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Beto Duran will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer. Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.

This event is sponsored by Thompson Building Materials, transforming spaces in beautiful places; Omega Products International, the leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Henry / Fortifiber, moisture system control as easy as 1,2,3, and Makita, rule the outdoors.

For more information, regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #ThompsonBoxing.

Please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on Thompson
Boxing TV, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

WBC #10- and IBF #9-ranked super middleweight Vladimir Shishkin (12-0, 7 KOs), as well as undefeated Detroit super welterweight Gordie Russ II (3-0, 3 KOs) have been added to the lineup in separate bouts for Salita Promotions’ next “Detroit Brawl” event, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in the Lincoln Ballroom of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, Michigan.

Waiting out the pandemic for an inevitable high-profile match-up against a champion or highly rated contender, former amateur star Shishkin, originally from Stepnoe, Russia, is now living and training at the Kronk Gym in Detroit with super trainer Javan “SugarHill” Steward. The talented Russian will look to stay sharp against Ecuadorian trialhorse Jeyson “Verdugo” Minda (14-6-1, 8 KOs), in a bout scheduled for eight rounds.

“I’m excited to add another adopted Detroiter to the card,” said event promoter, Dmitriy Salita. “Like the legendary Russian Five, who played a big role in bringing a Stanley Cup Championship to ‘America’s Greatest Comeback City’ Detroit. I believe Vladimir’s partnership with Sugarhill will soon result in another world title for the city of Detroit. And as a bonus for local boxing fans, they will get a chance to see another future world champion on this stacked Detroit Brawl card!”

Also training with Steward and added to the Detroit Brawl bill is his cousin, the aforementioned super welterweight Russ II, who will hope to keep his record perfect (currently 3-0, 3 KOs) against an opponent also TBA over four rounds.

Tickets for “Detroit Brawl” start at $35 and can be purchased by clicking HERE or by calling or visit the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center Box Office (313.943.2354) at 15801 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn during Box Office hours: Thursday and Friday from 11 am to 4 pm and 5 pm to 8:30 pm on the day of the event.

In the night’s 10-round heavyweight main event, Saginaw, Michigan, spoiler Robert Simms (11-3, 3 KOs) will test the mettle of undefeated New Yorker Moses “ThunderHands” Johnson (8-0, 7 KOs).

Featured in the 10-round super middleweight co-main event will be Detroit’s own Winfred “Hot Boy” Harris Jr. (21-1-1, 10 KOs) taking on another veteran known for pulling off occasional surprises, former NABA-US Super Middleweight Champion Dashon “Fly Boy” Johnson of Riverside, California.

Also seeing action will be undefeated middleweight terror Marlon Harrington (6-0, 5 KOs) stepping up in class to face Montevideo, Uruguay’s Andres Viera (11-4, 8 KOs) in a six-round brawl.

Featured in matching showcase bouts will be popular Grand Rapids, Michigan-based former amateur stars Joseph “Sug” Hicks Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) taking on Justin Baesman (0-2) of Herlong, California, and Joshua Pagan (1-0, 1 KO) in separate four-rounders.

Making their Detroit Brawl debuts against opponents TBA will be Dearborn’s own 19-year-old undefeated southpaw Husam Al Mashhadi (2-0, 2 KOs) in a super welterweight four-rounder; and Detroit’s Vernon Webber will hope to make his heavyweight pro debut a memorable one against Hammond, Indiana’s Gabriel Mota (1-2).

PLEASE NOTE: Tickets ordered online will be mailed up to one week prior to event date. Tickets ordered within a week of event will be placed in will call at the box office for pick-up. A limited quantity of VIP tickets is also available by calling Rhyan Neco: 313.765.7698.

The Ford Community & Performing Arts Center is located at 15801 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00 pm.

ABOUT THE FORD COMMUNITY & PERFORMING ARTS CENTER:

The mission of the Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department is to help fulfill the social, educational and recreational needs of children, adults and families by providing quality programs and activities in clean and well-maintained facilities and to achieve this through exemplary customer service. For more information, visit their OFFICIAL SITE.
ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS:

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

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 17, 2022) — WBC champion Oscar Valdez hopes to become a Mexican boxing legend while WBO king Shakur Stevenson is eyeing the mythical pound-for-pound rankings. On Saturday, April 30, Valdez and Stevenson, the world’s two best junior lightweights, will meet in a title unification matchup for the ages at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
 
Stevenson and Valdez are vying to become the first unified junior lightweight champion since Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera in 2005.
 
Stevenson-Valdez, along with additional to be announced fight action, will be televised live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, ticket information will be announced shortly.
 
“Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson are the world’s best junior lightweights. The fans and the fighters demanded this matchup, and we are proud to deliver it live on ESPN for no extra charge,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “The winner becomes a superstar, and I know both men will rise to challenge.”
 
Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs), the fighting pride of Nogales, Mexico, is closing in on an undefeated decade as a pro after Olympic appearances in 2008 and 2012. He is 9-0 in world title fights and has solidified his standing as one of Mexico’s consummate ring warriors. His 2017 featherweight title defenses against Miguel Marriaga and Genesis Servania were Fight of the Year contenders. In March 2018, he defeated an over-the-weight Scott Quigg despite fighting with a broken jaw for seven rounds. Valdez is 4-0 since moving up to junior lightweight, winning the WBC title with the 2021 Knockout of the Year over Miguel Berchelt. Last September, he made his first defense of that title, coming on strong in the later rounds to edge Robson Conceição by unanimous decision.
 
“I want to make it clear that I am the best 130-pound fighter in the world,” Valdez said. “We know Shakur Stevenson is very good at fighting, but he’s even better at social media. I’ll let my fists speak for themselves.”
 
Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs), the pound-for-pound talent from Newark, New Jersey, won the vacant WBO featherweight world title against Joet Gonzalez in 2019 after Valdez vacated the title to campaign at junior lightweight. Stevenson moved up in weight after dominating Gonzalez, winning three fights before challenging WBO junior lightweight world champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring last October in Atlanta. Stevenson stopped Herring in the 10th round to become a two-weight world champion.
 
As the toast of the U.S. amateur boxing scene, Stevenson was pegged for superstardom ever since making his pro debut in April 2017. Through 17 pro bouts, he’s flashed a defensive riddle that has thus far been impossible for opponents to solve. It is a battle of youth versus hardened experience, as Valdez won his first world title in July 2016, four weeks before Stevenson earned a silver medal at the Rio Olympics.
 
Stevenson said, “I have been chasing this fight for nearly three years since we were both at featherweight. On April 30, I’m going to show him and the world why he ducked me all this time. I’m the best young fighter in the world, and I will become unified champion.”
 

Long Island, New York (February 16, 2022) – Long Island Is buzzing with excitement as “Rockin Fights” is set to return for its 41st edition on March 18th. Adding to the buzz, Star Boxing is excited to announce the return of “THE JACKPOT” TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES (Elmont, NY 11-0 8KO’S) against JIMMY “QUIET STORM” WILLIAMS (New Haven, CT 18-6-2 6KO’s) in an 8 round super welterweight showdown for the ABO North American Championship.

James, who is on a five-fight knockout win streak, returns to the ring after being sidelined due to the COVID induced hiatus, using the time to recover from an elbow injury that required surgery. The undefeated Elmont born super welterweight brings captivating energy and flash to each fight, backed by significant skill and power.

“The return of the Jackpot will be something you do not want to miss,” said James. “I’m back ladies and gentlemen and it’s for a belt. Make sure to purchase your tickets and witness me The Jackpot, Tyrone Pretty Boy James win his first title CHA CHING!”

Williams will be James’ toughest test to date. The 26-fight veteran is coming off a major victory over former world champion Yuri Foreman in June of 2021, earning the ABF USA Super Welterweight Title. Williams followed up this performance with a well fought challenge of the WBC USNBC Title against the tough Greg Vendetti in September, falling short by split decision. Williams resume also includes world title challenger Abel Ramos and rising star Brandun Lee.

Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA had this to say about James-Williams, “It is great to be able to get Tyrone back in the ring with the opportunity to not only fight for the ABO title, but the chance to test his metal against a tough veteran in Jimmy Williams.”

The James-Williams ABO North American Title bout will play support to the previously announced battle of the undefeated in the “Rockin’ Fights” 41 main event pitting #6 world rated super bantamweight OLEH “THE UKRAINIAN PITBULL” DOVHUN (Pittsburgh, PA 13-0 5KO’s) defending his NABA title against challenger and Brazilian banger MICHEL “BABU” DA SILVA (Sao Paulo, Brazil 13-0 12KO’s) over 10 rounds in the super bantamweight division.

The James-Williams bout is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing in association with CES Boxing.

TICKETS:
Tickets to #RockinFights at The Paramount are now available at ticketmaster.com or by visiting www.starboxing.com. Tickets start at $50. Purchase your tickets, HERE.