WORLD BOXING COUNCIL “WBC” CONFIRMED FOR SECOND ANNUAL BOX FAN EXPO TAKING PLACE SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 IN LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas (July 23, 2015) – The World Boxing Council (“WBC”) has confirmed that it will have a booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the second annual Box Fan Expo that will take place Saturday Sept. 12, 2015. The Boxing Expo will coincide with Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s last fight and Mexican Independence weekend.

The World Boxing Council is an elite boxing sanctioning body and has as its maximum priority to work and protect for the athlete’s safety and health inside and outside of the boxing ring. The WBC was founded in 1963 and led by José Sulaiman, who was unanimously elected on December 1975 as president and served in that capacity until the time of his death on Jan. 16, 2014.. His son, Mauricio Sulaiman, succeeded him and became the organization’s president. The WBC is now composed of 165 countries from around the world and has sanctioned approximately 1,836 title fights on five continents. Some of its greatest champions are Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar de La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Manny Pacquiao among others.

The organization joins James “Lights Out” Toney, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez, “Showtime” Shawn Porter, Mia St. John, “Terrible” Terry Norris, Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor, “El Feroz” Fernando Vargas, Ruslan “Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov and Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin among early commitments to this year’s Box Fan Expo.

This unique fan experience event, which allowed fans to meet and greet boxing legends, past and current champions and other celebrities of the sport, debuted last September. This year the Expo will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and once again, allow fans a chance to collect autographs, take photos and purchase merchandise and memorabilia.

Exhibitors such as boxing gear, apparel, broadcasting media and other brand companies who wish to participate will have a chance to showcase their products to fans and the whole boxing industry.

Last year’s inaugural Box Fan Expo featured some of the most popular fighters and boxing celebrities in recent history. Fans were treated to visits with Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr, Martinez, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Mikey Garcia,Toney, Riddick Bowe, Leon Spinks Terry Norris, Porter, Chris Byrd, Jesse James Leija ,Lamon Brewster, Ray Mercer, Earnie Shavers, St-John, Erislandy Lara, Quillin, Jean Pascal and Austin Trout. Also appearing were current WBC Champion Deontay Wilder, the charismatic Vinny Pazienza, Paul Williams, noted commentator Al Bernstein and trainer Roger Mayweather of Mayweather Promotions.

The roster of attendees for this year’s Box Fan Expo will be announced throughout the next several weeks leading up to the event.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at: http://www.boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

For anyone in the boxing industry or brand companies who wish to be involved and reserve a booth as an exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Box Fan Expo at:

U.S.A telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

More information on the Box Fan Expo is available at: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

You can follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com/BoxFanExpo and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

“WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Adds Five-Bout Preliminary Card Featuring Jake Heun vs. Davin Clark

LAS VEGAS (July 23, 2015) – World Series of Fighting’s blockbuster “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event will feature five preliminary contests that will stream live on WSOF.com prior to the live NBCSN telecast of the much-anticipated world championship doubleheader on Saturday, August 1.

Featuring a pair of highly anticipated world title fights with reigning WSOF World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar Palhares (17-6) vs. top-ranked challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields (31-7) as well as WSOF World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Marlon Moraes (14-4-1) vs. undefeated challenger Sheymon Moraes (7-0), the mega-card will take place at The AXIS inside Las Vegas’ Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

The new preliminary contests include light heavyweights (205 pounds) Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun (7-4) vs. Davin “Relentless” Clark (5-2-2), flyweights (125 pounds) Donavon Frelow (4-0) vs. Carlos Garcia (0-0), a 140-pound catchweight contest with Jimmy “Rabbit” Jones (4-3) vs. Marco Simmons (0-0), light heavyweights Cory Hendricks (2-0) vs. Julio Hinojosa (3-1) and lightweights (155 pounds) Gil Guardado (3-1) vs. Pete Martin (5-3)

Fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla., the 27-year-old Heun is a two-time veteran of WSOF action who is sporting an overall record of 1-1 in the promotion. Four of his seven career victories have come by way of (T)KO and one by way of submission. He is looking to rebound from a second round (4:11) submission (arm-triangle choke) defeat at the hands of Clifford Starks.

Heun faces Clark, a 33-year-old American Kickboxing Academy product from San Jose, Calif., who has been competing professionally since 2007. While he suffered an October loss to fellow veteran Joe Vedepo, Clark’s previous two appearances saw him earn a pair of first-round finishes.

Las Vegas’ Frelow was originally expected to compete on the evening’s main card for the inaugural World Series of Fighting flyweight title. However, fellow undefeated contender Magomed Bibulatov suffered an injury in training and was forced to withdraw from the contest. Frelow elected to stay busy rather than wait on a title fight and now meets fellow Las Vegas resident Garcia, an Xtreme Couture fighter making his professional debut.

Additional preliminary bouts see some of Las Vegas’ top prospects enter the WSOF cage, as Xtreme Couture’s Jones meets Wand Fight Team’s Simmons, and Xtreme Couture’s Guardado faces Wand Fight Teams’ Martin.

Meanwhile, Syndicate MMA’s Hendricks welcomes Hinojosa, of El Paso, Texas, to the World Series of Fighting decagon.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will open at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m. PT.

The live NBCSN telecast of the main card begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

MAIN CARD

WSOF World Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Rousimar Palhares (Champion) vs. Jake Shields (Challenger)

WSOF World Bantamweight Championship Co-Main Event:
Marlon Moraes (Champion) vs. Sheymon Moraes (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight: Thiago Silva vs. Mike Kyle
Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Jorge Moreno
Lightweight: Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

PRELIMINARY CARD

Light Heavyweight: Jake Heun vs. Davin Clark
Flyweight: Donavon Frelow vs. Carlos Garcia
Catchweight (140 pounds): Jimmy Jones vs. Marco Simmons
Light Heavyweight: Cory Hendricks vs. Julio Hinojosa
Lightweight: Gil Guardado vs. Pete Martin

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

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

Contact:
Mike Afromowitz, Witz End Communications, Inc.; (917) 566-8754, mikea@yourwitzend.com

HAT TRICK!!! NEVADA BOXING HALL OF FAME ONCE AGAIN SELECTS SUPERSTAR FLOYD MAYWEATHER AS NEVADA FIGHTER OF THE YEAR!

LAS VEGAS, NV (July 23, 2015) — Unbeaten pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. made it three in a row when he was chosen as the Nevada Fighter of the Year once again by the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. Mayweather also won the award in 2013 and 2014. The annual Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame induction gala will be held Saturday, August 8, at Caesars Palace. This year’s event will have special meaning to Mayweather, whose uncle, Roger, is being inducted into the Hall for his brilliant boxing career.

A number of the greatest stars in boxing history will attend the popular induction ceremony on Aug. 8 at Caesars Palace. Among the big names who have confirmed they will be in attendance are Lennox Lewis, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Felix Trinidad, Marco Antonio Barrera, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and Roger Mayweather.

The boxer known as “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, is also among the inductees.

Remaining Tickets for the August 8 induction ceremony are $300, $175 and $75 and are fully tax deductible as the NVBHOF is an IRS 501 (c)3 charity. They can be purchased online at the Hall’s website, nvbhof.com. Donations are also accepted at http://nvbhof.com.

The Nevada Fighter of the Year announcement was made by NVBHOF Founder and CEO Rich Marotta, who recognized Mayweather for wins over Manny Pacquiao and Marcos Maidana. Mayweather scored a convincing win over Maidana in a Sept. 13, 2014, rematch at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He followed that with a brilliant performance in a wide win over Manny Pacquiao on May 2, 2015, in a bout that set all sorts of financial records.

“I appreciate the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame for selecting me as Fighter of the Year once again,” Floyd Mayweather said. “My uncle Roger is also being inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. He was a great fighter and is a fantastic trainer who doesn’t always receive the credit he deserves. It’s nice for him to be recognized by the NVBHOF for his role in boxing for so many years.”

Mayweather’s bout with Pacquiao was billed as “The Fight of the Century,” and smashed all financial records. Mayweather earned more than $200 million in purse money after setting a record by selling 4.4 million pay-per-views.

It also smashed the record for the largest paid gate, at $72.2 million. Mayweather’s 2013 bout in Las Vegas was the previous mark, at $20 million.
Mayweather, who has been involved in the three top-selling pay-per-view in boxing history, has the three largest gates in Nevada history as well as five of the top six.

He is 48-0 and heading into the final bout of his career on Sept. 12 in Las Vegas.

Marotta also announced that the NVBHOF will honor Layla McCarter as its women’s Fighter of the Year and Jarred Santos of the University of Nevada, Reno, as its amateur Fighter of the Year.

It will present its President’s Award to Mike Martino and its Humanitarian Award to Yank Barry.

The Hall was founded by Marotta, a noted boxing broadcaster. Its chief operating officer is Michelle Corrales-Lewis, whose late husband, Diego Corrales, was an inaugural inductee into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

For more information, phone 702-3-NVBHOF, or 702-368-2463.

Barrera Highlights Kovalev-Mohammedi International Undercard July 25 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV: Saturday’s fight between WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) of Chelyabinsk, Russia and IBF Mandatory Challenger Nadjib “IronDjib” Mohammedi (38-3-0, 23 KOs) of Aix-en-Provence, France is just one of top-notch fights scheduled to take place at Mandalay Bay.

In addition to the Kovalev-Mohammedi fight, the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast will feature a light heavyweight battle between former light heavyweight world champion Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) of Laval, Quebec, Canada and undefeated Cuban sensation Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Pascal suffered his first career knockout at the hands of Kovalev in front of his home crowd in Montreal back in March and he is eager for a rematch. However, first he will have to get past Gonzalez and his dangerous 75% knockout-to-win percentage.

Barrera and Lacy
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Highlighting the non-televised undercard will be another undefeated Cuban sensation, Sullivan Barrera (15-0, 10 KOs). Barrera was originally scheduled to face Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin but Lepikhin suffered an injury during training camp so Hakim Zoulikha (21-7, 10 KOs) of Villeurbanne, France has stepped into his place at the last minute. Sullivan is slowly making a name for himself as a force in the division. His knockout-to-win ratio is 67% and he knocked out veteran Jeff Lacy in the fourth round in his last fight back in January. However, he will have no easy task with Zoulikha. The veteran from France has over 25 career professional fights.

Undefeated super featherweight Joel Diaz (18-0, 14 KOs) of Palmdale, California will face Alejandro Rodriguez (24-17-1, 14 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico for six rounds. Diaz has knocked out his last two opponents and has a stellar 78% (14 of 18) knockout-to-win ratio. Rodriguez has already fought in five bouts in 2015 (3-2, 2 KOs).

Cassius Chaney
Photo Credits:
Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment

Heavyweights Cassius Chaney of (2-0, 1 KO) New London, Connecticut and Edward Ramirez (1-2, 1 KO) of Yuma, Arizona are scheduled for four rounds of action. This will be Chaney’s first professional appearance outside of his home state of Connecticut and his third professional fight in just four short months. Ramirez is looking to redeem himself after suffering two straight losses, both knockouts, in 2014. The California native will also make his Las Vegas debut on Saturday night.

Middleweights Daniel Henry (2-4-3) of Austin, Texas and Jas Phipps (5-5-2, 2 KOs) of Kileen, Texas will face each other for four rounds. Henry has suffered three straight losses and the Texas native is looking to make up for the first round TKO he suffered at the hands of Caleb Plant earlier this year in his last appearance in Las Vegas. Phipps won his first five fights of his professional career. In his last fight he battled Steed Woodall to a majority draw.

Finally, Rodney Hernandez (7-2-1, 1 KO) of Modesto, California will face Brice Ritani-Coe of San Pedro, California (4-3-1, 3 KOs) for six rounds of heavyweight action. Hernandez is making his first appearance in Las Vegas since 2012 and is currently riding a two fight win streak. Ritani-Coe snapped a three-fight losing streak in his last outing in June of 2014. This will be his second fight in Nevada but his first in boxing’s mecca.

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) will compete in his first mandatory title defense against Nadjib “Irondjib” Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, July 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-feature will include a ten-round light heavyweight match-up between Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) and Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster and all MGM Resorts Properties Ticket Offices. The HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits
Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits

Hey Harold!: Kovalev vs. Mohammedi
Hey Harold!: Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

kovalboxer.com
Twitter: @krusherkovalev
Facebook: facebook.com/shopkrusher
irondjib.com
Twitter: @IronDjib
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Nadjib-Mohammedi-Officiel
www.jeanpascalboxing.com/en/
Twitter: @jeanpascalchamp
Facebook: facebook.com/Jean-Pascal/25519558870
www.mainevents.com
Twitter: @main_events
Facebook: facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing
YouTube: YouTube.com/MEBoxingSeries
www.Interbox.ca
Twitter: @Interbox
Facebook: facebook.com/InterBox
starboxing.com
Twitter: @StarBoxing
Facebook: facebook.com/joe.starboxing
www.hbo.com/boxing
Twitter: @HBOBoxing
Facebook: facebook.com/HBOBoxing
www.mandalaybay.com
Twitter: @MandalayBay
Official Hashtag: #KrusherMohammedi

Blackwell says Jones needs more than the confidence of youth on Saturday night

LONDON (23 JULY) Reigning British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell remembers what it’s like to be a young underdog heading into a title fight, but insists his first challenger, Damon Jones, will need a lot more than just ambition and the confidence of youth when the pair clash at Derby Arena on Saturday (July 25).

Twenty-four-year-old Blackwell won his British title in May – stopping John Ryder in seven rounds – and he won it at the third time of asking, having come up short in previous title shots against Billy Joe Saunders and Martin Murray. Too young, too inexperienced and too raw at the time, he believes Jones will feel a similar sensation this weekend.

“Jones sounds confident, but he’s going to, isn’t he?” said Blackwell. “He’s going to be confident. He’s unbeaten, he’s had a good amateur background and he feels like he can outbox me. It would be weird if he came out and said he was just going to give it a go and didn’t have much hope. If he’s confident, he shouldn’t be involved in boxing and he definitely shouldn’t be fighting me on Saturday night.

“The thing is, it’s all well and good having confidence but that can all change when you get punched in the face. Then it tends to all go out the window.

“I felt invincible before my first two British title fights. I thought I could take on the world. But then reality hits home and you get in there with top opposition and realise the importance of experience. You can’t buy experience. It takes time to collect. I thought it wasn’t important at the time; I thought I’d just get in there and be too good for them. But I found out the hard way. I fought two men in Murray and Saunders who were more experienced than me and I didn’t quite know enough to beat them at the time.”

Now on top, Blackwell isn’t about to leave any stone unturned. That’s why the champion has worked harder than ever in training, and that’s why he’s adamant his belt will be heading back to Trowbridge with him.

“I’ve been sparring three different sparring partners and doing 12, 15 and 16 rounds with no difficulty at all,” he said. “I’ve been finishing those sessions and not even feeling tired. But the people I’ve been sparring have been the ones getting out the ring feeling knackered.

“The weight is good, the training has been spot on, and this is the best I’ve felt in my career. I feel a lot better than I did before the John Ryder fight in May.”

Blackwell expects Jones to give him a sterner test than Ryder, too, and says that for a few rounds his tall, rangy southpaw style and unshakeable self-belief may prove to be a factor in the contest. But then the champion believes he will start to take over and, ultimately, dominate.

“I’m expecting him to come flying out and not let me do anything,” he said. “He’ll bring a lot of nervous energy and he’ll be busy and he’ll try to stop me working. But I’ve got a different plan. I’ll show him the importance of experience.”

*** Tickets for Blackwell vs. Jones can be purchased from the Derby Arena Box Office on 01332 255800 or by visiting www.derbylive.co.uk ***

*** Blackwell vs. Jones will be televised live on Channel 5 on July 25 (10pm), while the supporting undercard will be televised live earlier in the evening (8pm) on Spike ***

www.channel5.com
www.maxinutrition.com
www.hennessysports.com

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

Lewkowicz Signs Ceferino Rodriguez to a Co-Promotional Contract

Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing proudly announces the signing of welterweight Ceferino “Ferino V” Rodriguez (19-1, 10 KOs) to a co-promotional agreement, along with former champion Sergio Martinez’s Maravilla Box Promotions.

26-year-old Rodriguez, from Las Palmas, Islas Canarias, Spain, will be trained by well-known Madrid-based trainer, Gabriel Sarmiento. The five-year pro has already won the Spanish Welterweight, European Union Welterweight, and WBC Latino Welterweight Championships.

Lewkowicz, who has previously worked with Spanish champions Kiko Martinez, Gabriel Campillo and Javier Castillejo, says Rodriguez will make a fine addition to his stable.

“Ceferino Rodriguez has the talent to become another great champion from Spain and I am happy he chose to let Sergio Martinez and I help guide his career,” said Sampson Lewkowicz. “He will be training with one of the best in the sport in Gabriel Sarmiento, so everything is now in place for his career to explode.”

Rodriguez hasn’t ventured out of his homeland to fight often, a fact Lewkowicz says is about to change.

“He is at the international level as a fighter and I will be looking to make moves with him on the world stage,” said Lewkowicz of Rodriguez. “Sergio and I believe he has what it takes to become a champion.”

ABOUT SAMPSON BOXING

After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

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

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

YUNIESKY GONZALEZ READY TO TAKE ON JEAN PASCAL SATURDAY JULY 25th ON HBO FROM MANDALAY BAY LAS VEGAS

Star Boxing’s undefeated Cuban Light Heavyweight Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0 12 KO) is ready to burst onto the scene when he takes on former WBC Light Heavyweight champ Jean Pascal (29-3-1 17KO), Saturday, July 25th, at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV in a 10 round Light Heavyweight matchup. The bout will be telecast live on HBO and serve as the opener to the Sergei Kovalev-Nadjib Mohammedi Light Heavyweight unification bout. Gonzalez, currently rated #13 by the WBC has been in intensive training for this bout under the watchful eye of veteran trainer Orlando Cuellar in Miami, FL. Gonzalez was a decorated amateur in his homeland of Cuba amassing close to 400 amateur fights and was a member of the Cuban national team. Like many other Cuban refugees, Gonzalez defected on a small boat in 2009 and eventually found his way to Miami where he was signed by manager Michael Luzbet and turned pro in December of 2010.

Gonzalez is a versatile fighter not only known for his tremendous punching power but also his ability to box and adapt to his opponents. He is more than ready for the Pascal fight having put in over 6 weeks of hard training for the biggest fight of his career.

Star Boxing head Joe DeGuardia had this to say about the fight: “We are looking forward to showing the boxing world an exciting fighter and hope a new star will be born on July 25th on HBO. I am excited for this fight and I know that Gonzalez has tremendous confidence and that he expects to be successful when he steps into the ring with Jean Pascal”.

The bout is being promoted by Main Events in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Interbox
For more information visit official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook.com/StarBoxing.

LORENZO HOOD SET FOR PROMOTIONAL DEBUT AGAINST RAPHAEL BUTLER DURING MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 AT PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 22, 2015) – The highly anticipated promotional debut of Lorenzo “The Samoan Silverback” Hood (9-2) will come on the main card of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz” against Raphael “The Silencer” Butler (9-1-1) on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

The contest will serve as the opening main card bout of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, with preliminary bouts streaming on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, are on sale now at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later.

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action when Saad Awad (18-6) takes Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6).

One of the most sought-after heavyweight prospects in MMA, the 6-foot-3 Hood has been competing professionally since 2009 and has never allowed a fight to go past the first round. Of his nine career victories, each and every one has come by knockout. Hood has fought throughout the U.S. while competing on the regional circuit, earning himself the distinction of being one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport.

“The Silencer” started his combat sports career as a professional boxer, where he racked up 28 knockouts in his 35 total victories, and still trains with high caliber strikers including Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder. Butler now makes his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, his first since finishing Josh Diekmann at “Bellator MMA: British Invasion” this past February. Much like Hood, the Minnesota native has never allowed a match-up to reach the judges’ scorecards, accruing six knockouts and three submissions along the way.
With all the hype surrounding the debut of Hood, Butler will look to play the role of spoiler when he enters the Bellator MMA cage for second time in 2015.

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

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

HBO PRESENTS A SIZZLING DOUBLEHEADER OF INTERNATIONAL TALENT WHEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®: SERGEY KOVALEV VS. NADJIB MOHAMMEDI AND JEAN PASCAL VS. YUNIESKY GONZALEZ IS SEEN SATURDAY, JULY 25 FROM LAS VEGAS

Light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev, who has been on the fast track collecting title belts the past two years, makes his Las Vegas debut when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: SERGEY KOVALEV VS. NADJIB MOHAMMEDI AND JEAN PASCAL VS. YUNIESKY GONZALEZ is seen SATURDAY, JULY 25 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from the Mandalay Bay Events Center, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team of Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman, Bernard Hopkins and Harold Lederman will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: July 26 (9:15 a.m.) and 27 (midnight)

HBO2 playdates: July 26 (4:30 p.m.) and 28 (11:30 p.m.)

In the main event, undefeated Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) of Kopeysk, Russia, now living and training in Los Angeles, defends his crown against intriguing mandatory challenger Nadjib Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) from France in a 12-round bout. The fast-rising, hard-hitting Kovalev has taken the 175-pound division by storm with a sizzling knockout ratio and a willingness to battle top-tier fighters, even when his opponent has a decided home crowd advantage. In the past two years, he’s decisively beaten Nathan Cleverly, Cedric Agnew, ring legend Bernard Hopkins and Canadian superstar Jean Pascal. One of the sport’s top attractions, thanks to his fan-friendly style, Kovalev enjoyed a banner year in 2014, earning Fighter of the Year honors from a host of boxing news organizations. This bout marks his seventh HBO appearance.

In his U.S. debut last November, Mohammedi scored a stunning first-round knockout of Demetrius Walker on the undercard of Kovalev-Hopkins. He will train for his HBO debut against Kovalev at Big Bear Lake in California.

The opening bout features former light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) of Quebec, Canada, and undefeated Cuban-born Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs) from Miami, Florida in a 175-pound contest scheduled for ten rounds. Pascal, who previously lost by TKO to Kovalev, wants another shot at the light heavyweight title, and defeating Gonzalez should bring him that opportunity. This fight marks Pascal’s first bout outside his home country since 2008 and his fifth HBO appearance.

Gonzalez, who had a successful amateur career in Cuba, aims to disrupt Pascal’s plans with his knockout power, which has stopped his last three opponents before the end of the third round. He’ll be making his HBO debut.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jon Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

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AUGUST 1 RISING STAR PROMOTIONS CARD AT VANDETTA BOXING IN VINELAND, NJ–POSTPONED!!!!

Vineland, NJ (July 22, 2015)–The August 1st Rising Star Promotions fight card at the Vandetta Boxing Club in Vineland, New Jersey has been postponed.

Rising Star Promotions is already hard at work on a Fall date to be announced shortly.

All tickets may be refunded at the point of purchase.

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS PHILADELPHIA MEDIA WORKOUT: DANNY GARCIA & STEVE CUNNINGHAM QUOTES

PHILADELPHIA (July 22, 2015) – Two of Philadelphia’s top fighters held a media workout Tuesday as Danny “Swift” Garcia (30-0, 17 KOs)and Steve “U.S.S.” Cunningham (28-7, 13 KOs) prepared for their respective Premier Boxing Champions headlining events in August.

Garcia, who was joined by his father and trainer Angel, will be looking for his record fifth main event victory at Barclays Center on Saturday, August 1 when he takes on former world champion, Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight battle on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET/6 :00 p.m. PT.

Cunningham, a two-time world champion trained by Naazim Richardson, is set for a 12-round heavyweight showdown with former light heavyweight world champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (31-6, 22 KOs) on Premier Boxing Champions on Spike taking place Friday, August 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT from Prudential Center in Newark.

Tickets for the August 1 event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $250, $150, $120, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 855-GROUP-BK.

Tickets for the August 14 event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are $150, $100, $70 and $45, not including applicable service charges and facility fee and are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets may also be purchased at Prudential Center’s box office.

Here is what the fighters and their trainers had to say Wednesday:

DANNY GARCIA

“There’s no reason to go back in my career. The sky is the limit. It’s 147 for me now. I definitely feel a lot stronger.

“I’m able to work on things now later in camp. Before I would just be coming in to lose weight. Now I’ve had great nutrition throughout camp. My legs are there and I’m faster. It’s all going to fall into place on August 1.

“I’m not really concerned about Paulie, at this point in my career if I’m 110% percent ready, I feel like I can adapt to anything and find a way to win.

“I couldn’t cut the ring off the way I wanted to at 140. Now I have more agility and I can really corner people, use the jab and control the fight.

“My weight is great. I’ve been really disciplined with what I eat. I’m staying sharp and building muscle. I believe I could have been a welterweight two years ago.

“He’s from Brooklyn, I’m from Philly. The fight makes perfect sense. All the Italian fans, the Puerto Rican fans will be coming in to see a great fight. He’s a former 147-pound champion, it’s going to be a great fight.

“There’s no pressure on me. I just want to go in there and be Danny Garcia, a smart Danny Garcia.

“I feel like my style matches up great with anybody at 147. I’m ready for Paulie Malignaggi. I know he’s coming into his hometown. It’s a big fight for him so I just have to be completely ready.

“I moved up to 147 to fight the best fighters. Whatever the best fights are, that’s what I want.

STEVE CUNNINGHAM

“When we were offered this fight, we took it right away. Not that I think It’s going to be easy, because no fight is easy until you go in there and make it look easy.

“I’m going to do what I do. I put in the work in the gym and then I do work in the ring. The fans are going to enjoy what they see and we’re going to come out victorious.

“All I know is my situation. My back is against the wall. I want to be the heavyweight world champion and I want to be great in the sport. Fighting guys like this and beating them is what makes me great. Even as a two-time champion, my back has always been against the wall.

“There’s so much talent in Philadelphia, there has been for generations. You come to the city and see the stars. Philly is a rough city, it’s a tough hardcore city and you need to be cut from a special cloth to come out of the city and be successful.

“People came together for a cause to try and help my family. The boxing community got us to Pittsburgh in time for my daughter Kennedy to get her heart transplant. Indebted doesn’t event match how we feel, I owe the boxing community everything and I wish I could pay them back double. What I can do is continue to stay in shape and prepare right and give everyone the fights that they want to see.
[On his 9-year-old daughter Kennedy’s heart transplant which took place seven months ago in Pittsburgh]

“We’re going to take everything we’ve done in past camps and fine-tune it for this fight. Naazim has the plan and we’re going to execute it. It’s not just going to be outworking him, I’m a veteran too. I’ve been in the lion’s den and won.

“I don’t underestimate anybody. I just prepare and we’re prepared for the best Antonio Tarver we’ve ever seen.”

ANGEL GARCIA, Danny Garcia’s Father & Trainer

“Danny’s going to be ready on August 1 to show the world that he’s ready. The power is there. He’s coming like a lion in the night. He’s going to eat everybody up at 147.

“At the end of the day, you gotta fight. He’s not going to win running around. We’re coming to smash you.”

NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Cunningham’s Trainer

“With Steve you have to gauge the camp differently. He comes into camp in such good shape; he lives it because he’s in this shape year round.

“He’s in such good shape, he throws your timing off. There are things that you want to do, but you don’t have to because he’s there. He’s already looking very good in camp.”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.barclayscenter.com, www.PruCenter.com, www.dbe1.comand www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @PaulMalignaggi, @AntonioTarver, @USSCunningham, @LouDiBella, @ESPNBoxing, @BarclaysCente,@PruCenter, @SpikeTV and @SpikeSport and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/fanpagedannyswiftgarcia, www.facebook.com/PaulMalignaggi, www.facebook.com/barclayscenter,www.facebook.com/ESPN , www.Facebook.com/PruCenterand www.Facebook.com/Spike.
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Hughie Fury expects a long night with Arias, but hopes for a knockout

LONDON (22 JULY) Twenty-year-old Hughie Fury is in no rush to reach the top of the heavyweight pile, but knows an empathic victory over durable Brazilian George Arias this Saturday (July 25) will only add further momentum to his quick ascent.

Last time out in February, Fury stepped up in class and defeated hard-hitting Ukrainian Andriy Rudenko over ten rounds, and, this weekend at Derby Arena, he takes on Arias, a man who hasn’t been stopped in over a decade.

“Arias looks a tough, tough opponent who will be capable of giving me a few rounds,” said Fury, 15-0 (8 KOs). “He’s been around a very long time, he’s been in with a few good names over the years and he’s taken pretty much all of them the distance.

“Not only that, he gives them a bit of hassle as well. He doesn’t just cover up and take a beating. He can punch, he comes forward and he makes you work for it. It should be an excellent fight.

“I’ve got to be careful and switched on at all times. He’ll be there in front of me, with his head down, throwing shots at me. I’ll use my boxing skills and prove I’m in a different class.”

Forty-one-year-old Arias, a native of Sao Paulo, has won 56 of 68 pro fights and has been active since 1996. He famously knocked out Danish hope Steffen Nielsen inside three rounds in 2005 and is the current Brazilian heavyweight champion and former South American champion.

Known for his toughness and spirit, Arias has extended the likes of Johnny Nelson, Sinan Samil Sam, Audley Harrison, Taras Bidenko, Marcelo Dominguez and, most recently, Denis Boytsov. He enters this date with Fury having won 15 of his last 16 fights, 14 of which ended inside the distance, and, with 42 stoppages from 56 career wins, boasts a 75% knockout ratio.

“If the stoppage comes, it comes,” said Hughie. “If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. There’s no point going in there with the intention of stopping him because that’s what he wants.

“He’s an older guy, a veteran, who has been around the block. He will look at me as a younger fighter and hope I go out there and punch myself out trying to get the stoppage. That then gives him the chance to get into the fight, tire me out and stop me.

“But that’s not going to happen. I’m not stupid. I’m not going to go flat out and run out of steam. I will play it smart in there and if I can see an opportunity to stop him, I’ll take it.”

Fury admits Arias wasn’t his first choice opponent for July 25, but ended up with the Brazilian following a run of rejections.

“We tried to get other opponents but it’s been so hard finding them,” said Fury. “None of them want to take it. They hear my name and run the other way.

“I’m a fighting man and I’m here to fight. I don’t care who I’m fighting. When I get in that ring, I’m ready for the challenge.

“I have respect for everyone in this game, but once you’re in that ring with me, we’re there to fight. Too many heavyweights want to talk rather than fight. It’s hard to get them in the ring.

“These guys don’t want to fight a 20-year-old who is on the way up. They’d rather fight a 40-year-old on the way down.

“I’m not in there to lose. I take these fights and then I go in there and win them.”

*** Tickets for Blackwell vs. Jones can be purchased from the Derby Arena Box Office on 01332 255800 or by visiting www.derbylive.co.uk ***

*** Blackwell vs. Jones will be televised live on Channel 5 on July 25 (10pm), while the supporting undercard will be televised live earlier in the evening (8pm) on Spike ***

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FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

Lennox Lewis to Attend Nevada Boxing HOF Induction – Aug. 8, at Caesars Palace

LAS VEGAS, NV. (July 22, 2015) — Superstar heavyweight LENNOX LEWIS, who won an Olympic gold medal with a victory over Riddick Bowe and scored professional victories over boxing legends such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Vitali Klitschko, confirmed Wednesday that he will return to Las Vegas to attend the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame’s third annual induction gala at Caesars Palace on Saturday, August 8.

Lewis is the latest in a gaggle of stars who have announced they’ll attend the popular gala induction ceremony which is just 17 days away. In addition to Lewis the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame has confirmed that Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Felix Trinidad, Marco Antonio Barrera, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and Roger Mayweather will also attend the high-profile event as the newest members of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

Remaining Tickets for the August 8 induction ceremony, priced at $300, $175 and $75, are fully tax deductible as the NVBHOF is an IRS 501 (c)3 charity. They can be purchased online at the Hall’s website, nvbhof.com. Donations are also accepted at http://nvbhof.com.

Lewis, who was 41-2-1 with 32 knockouts and had a win over every man he ever faced in the ring, is one of the headliners of the NVBHOF’s 2015 class of inductees, chosen in the non-Nevada boxer category.

Lewis avenged the only two losses of his career, stopping both Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman after losing to them earlier.

Lewis was a classic boxer with a powerful punch. He’s probably best known for his 2002 win over Tyson, in which he won every round before stopping him in the eighth round.

He held all, or a version of, the heavyweight title from 1993 until 1994 and then again from 1997 through the end of his career in 2003.

Lewis had great success in Nevada and avenged both of his losses in Las Vegas. He was 8-0 in his Nevada career and won fights at both Caesars Palace and Caesars Tahoe.

In the latter part of his fighting career, Lewis joined HBO Sports as an expert analyst and was a familiar figure at ringside for many of the biggest bouts of the late 20th and early 21st century in Las Vegas.

The Hall was founded by noted boxing broadcaster Rich Marotta. Its chief operating officer is Michelle Corrales-Lewis, whose late husband, Diego Corrales, was an inaugural inductee into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

For more information, phone 702-3-NVBHOF, or 702-368-2463.

Casimero Elects to Face Arroyo, Puts Pursuit of Ruenroeng Rematch on Hold

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing says his fighter, former IBF and WBO Light Flyweight Champion Johnriel “Quadro Alas” Casimero, will not pursue an immediate rematch against IBF flyweight titleholder Amnat Ruenroeng, but will instead look for a more lucrative match against Puerto Rico’s McWilliams Arroyo.

Calling it the “business-wise career path” for his 25-year-old fighter from Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines, Lewkowicz says the well-deserved rematch against Ruenroeng will have to be put on hold temporarily.

Casimero lost a highly questionable, foul-filled 12-round decision to Ruenroeng at the Hua Mark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 27. The bizarre fight included the champion being warned by referee Larry Doggett five times for wrestling Casimero to the canvas before being penalized. In an abysmal refereeing performance, Doggett also gave Ruenroeng credit for a non-knockdown push and ruled a legitimate knockdown against the champion a slip.

“Despite the injustice done to my fighter last June, we are putting our pursuit of a Ruenroeng rematch on the back burner in favor of a better opportunity to face McWilliams Arroyo,” explained Lewkowicz. “We were offered another fight in Thailand to make up for the fiasco that occurred in the first fight, but what’s to stop it from happening a second time?”

Arroyo (also the victim of a questionable decision against Ruenroeng last year) and Casimero will instead face off at a soon-to-be-announced time and place later this year.

“The winner of Casimero and Arroyo will then look to rematch Ruenroeng on neutral ground in the United States early next year,” continued Lewkowicz. “Sometimes putting your frustration and disappointment away for a better time make more sense for the fighter’s career and this is what we are choosing in this case. John Riel will get his justice eventually and he will get a huge opportunity to face Puerto Rico’s Arroyo. Out of a bad situation will come two of his biggest victories.”

ABOUT SAMPSON BOXING

After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

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

6 Fights, 6 KOs: Alvin Varmall, Jr. Featured on Friday Night Show in Brooklyn

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Wednesday, July 22, 2015) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions returns to the Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Friday night, featuring both local and top prospects on a loaded fight card entitled Ring of Fire. Among the rapidly rising stars on the show is cruiserweight Alvin “Iron Majik” Varmall, Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), who will look for his seventh consecutive knockout when he faces Lamont Capers in a scheduled six-rounder.

“Training has been going great. I’ve been getting in some good work,” Varmall said of his preparation for Friday night. “I went down to Manhattan and got in some good sparring with former cruiserweight champion Wayne Braithwaite. My trainer, Greg Young, and I have been training hard and putting in a lot of hours at the gym. I feel mentally prepared, as well as physically prepared. We’re just looking forward to putting on a good show for you all.”

Varmall, 23, is a native of Louisiana and bears much resemblance to a fighter he always admired, former undisputed heavyweight champion “Iron” Mike Tyson. His 100% knockout ratio and “Iron Majik” moniker are two distinct similarities, but his new training location is the icing on the cake. Earlier this year, he began working out of the Catskills, New York, at Cus D’Amato’s Gym, which holds the name of the legendary late trainer who brought Tyson to heavyweight dominance.

However, Varmall says there is much more to his game than just fantastic knockout power.

“I really like to let people decide for themselves,” he responded when asked what type of fighter he is. “I really like to just go out there and do what I have to do. I like to look as myself as a throwback fighter, like a Mike Tyson, a Sugar Ray Robinson or a Joe Louis. Guys like that. I just want to go out there, put on a good show and leave the crowd saying ‘Wow. When is that guy gonna fight again?’

“I’m not a flashy guy. I don’t jump up and down after I knock somebody out. That’s not my style. I just like to keep it simple. Go in there, take care of my business and get up on out of there. A lot of people commend me on my power, but I’m a boxer as well. I’m a boxer-puncher, and I like to use my mind in there. A lot of guys try to keep me on the outside because I’m a much shorter fighter (5-foot-8) than these guys in my division, but I don’t look at it as if I’m in there with these 6-4 guys. I look at it as if these guys are in the weight division with me. I don’t look at it as a disadvantage because of my height or my reach. At the end of the day, you have to work with what God gave you, and I feel like I’m blessed with a lot. I just go out there, and I try to break my opponents down systematically. Putting my punches together, coming behind my jab with movement and controlled aggression. I stay in these guys’ chests because they’re taller, and I like to stay on the inside.”

In terms of what spectators can expect on Friday night, Varmall kept it short and simple.

“Expect to see an exciting show and a future champion,” he predicted. “I just want to go out there and do what I do. Expect an exciting fight, that’s for sure.”

Scheduled to headline Friday night’s show is a featherweight scrap between two aggressive fighters, with Dominican fighter Yenifel Vicente (26-3, 18 KOs) facing Manuel de los Reyes Herrera (21-16-1, 15 KOs) of Colombia. With 33 knockouts between the duo, sparks will certainly fly in this bout.

Also slated for action on the card is lightweight Scott Burrell (9-2, 6 KOs), who will be fighting on his second consecutive Uprising Promotions show when he steps into the ring to meet California native Moris Rodriguez. Also returning for his second straight appearance on an Uprising Promotions card will be Villi Bello (2-1), a converted mixed martial artist who will square off against Francisco Cruz.

Another key participant on the card is hard-hitting Queens native Joseph Williams (6-0, 5 KOs), who welcomes southpaw Michael Wilmer to New York in light heavyweight action. Also, New York native Jeff Laguree (1-0, 1 KO) will fight in front of his home crowd for the first time when he battles 28-bout veteran David Johnson of Los Angeles in a heavyweight tilt.

Three significant professional debuts are on tap for Friday night, with must-see pro entrances by middleweight Nikita Miroshnichenko (facing Sean Nurse), welterweight Carlos Adams (facing Jeff Souffrant) and junior middleweight Matthew Armstrong (facing Anton Williamson).

The Brooklyn Masonic Temple is located at 317 Clermont Ave #4 in Brooklyn. The intimate setting ensures that there is not a bad seat in the house, and tickets are priced at $60 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating. There is also a table option with dinner, beer/wine and seating with a celebrity fighter. For pricing on those tables, call (516) 451-6773.

This show, titled Ring of Fire, will continue the initiative of Uprising Promotions to KO Autism, with proceeds from the night getting donated to The School For Language and Communication Development (SLCD) in Glen Cove, New York. This card is being sponsored by Charlie’s Auto Collision in Long Island City, Sleep Inn, Ronson Frank Fitness and Resolution Sports. Doors open at 6:30 PM with the first bout taking place at 7:00 PM.

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

YOANDRIS SALINAS SET TO FACE MANUEL AVILA FOR THE VACANT INTERIM NABF SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE AS THE NEW CO-MAIN EVENT AT FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO LATINO®

LOS ANGELES (July 22) – Former world title contender Yoandris “El Nino” Salinas (21-1-2, 14 KOs) of Miami is set to face undefeated standout Manuel “Tino” Avila (17-0, 7 KOs) of Fairfield, Calif. for the vacant interim NABF Super Bantamweight Title as the new co-main event for Johan Perez vs. Dmitry Mikhaylenko on Aug. 8. The 10-round super bantamweight bout will be televised live on HBO Latino® Boxing from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

Former nine-time World Champion Roy Jones Jr., will host a special meet and greet with fans prior to the televised bouts from 6:00 pm to 7:00 p.m. in the Special Events Center at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Fans with tickets to the event will have an opportunity to meet and take photos with the decorated champion, along with having him sign boxing memorabilia.

As previously announced Johan “El Terrible” Perez (20-2-1, 13 KOs), former interim WBA Light Welterweight Champion of Caracas, Venezuela, will defend his current NABA Welterweight Title against undefeated Russian boxer Dmitry “The Mechanic” Mikhaylenko (19-0, 8 KOs) the exciting 12-round main event on HBO Latino Boxing. In the opening televised bout, Tevin Farmer (19-4-1, 4 KOs) of Philadelphia will fight Juan Rodriguez (25-5, 22 KOs) of Puebla, Mexico in a 10-round super featherweight fight. In the non-televised undercard, undefeated featherweight Joet Gonzalez (11-0, 4 KOs) of Glendora, Calif., Palm Desert junior middleweight favorite Neeco Macias (8-0, 4 KOs), and middleweight Quilisto Madera (1-0) of Las Vegas are set to fight in respective eight-round, six round and four-round matches.

Tickets are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Johan Perez vs. Dmitry Mikhaylenko is a 12-round welterweight title bout for Perez’s NABA Welterweight Title, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico, Live It To Believe It! Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bell rings at 5:05 p.m. The HBO Latino telecast airs live at 10:30 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT).

Hailing from Ciego de Avila, Cuba, but now fighting out of Miami, Florida, Yoandris Salinas is looking to get back into the world title contention game. A professional since 2009, Salinas has remained consistently active earning the WBC Latino Super Bantamweight Title and the WBA Fedebol Super Bantamweight Title. Salinas got his shot at the WBA Super Bantamweight World Title in 2013 against Scott Quigg, delivering an action-packed and equally matched fight that resulted in a draw. Now coming off of a victory against Ricardo Alvarado in April of 2015, Salinas is determined to prove he is still in the title game when he goes up against Manuel “Tino” Avila for the vacant Interim NABF Super Bantamweight Title.

The undefeated standout Manuel “Tino” Avila of Fairfield, Calif. has taken the local boxing scene by storm since his professional debut at Fight Night Club at Club Nokia in Los Angeles in 2010. 2014 was a busy year for Avila, as he took on and defeated Enrique Quevedo, David De La Mora, and Sergio Frias. In his first bout of 2015, the Fairfield, Calif. native defeated Erick Ruiz, via unanimous decision on May 7. Now, facing the toughest opponent of his career in the experienced Yoandris Salinas, Avila is ready to prove that he has what it takes to become a world champion on August 8.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOLatino, and, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/hbolatino, and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing.

Collision Course: Nielsen and Markussen fight in Frederikshavn

The Danish mega-fight between Patrick Nielsen (26-1, 12 KOs) and Rudy Markussen (38-3, 25 KOs) edges another step closer on September 12 as the bitter rivals share top billing at a star-studded Nordic Fight Night event at the Arena Nord in Frederikshavn, Denmark.

The two fighters have been on a ‘Collision Course’ since Nielsen moved up to super middleweight in March. Following a war of words in the press, Markussen added further fuel to the fire by crashing one of Nielsen’s pre-fight press conferences.

With terms close to being agreed for a blockbuster showdown later this year; Nielsen and Markussen must now overcome a final hurdle in Frederikshavn as both men take on tough international opposition at the Arena Nord.

‘’I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring. I had a short break after my last fight but now I’m back in the gym and the serious work can begin,’’ said Nielsen, who returns following a one-sided points victory over Charles Adamu in June.

‘’Every fight is a must win fight for me now, and this is no exception. I want to look good and I want to prove I’m ready for the big names in the division. I’m not worried about Rudy Markussen. He’s fighting on my undercard! I’m the A-side and he’s a has-been. After I win in Frederikshavn, Rudy can get it next!’’

‘’It feels great to be back,’’ said Markussen, a former European Champion and World title challenger. ‘’I can’t wait to brush off the cobwebs and remind everybody of what I can do. I’m a little wiser now. I’m living a healthier lifestyle and working hard everyday. A lot of people have written me off – they say I’m too old and that I’ve been out of the ring too long, but I’m ready to prove them wrong. There is still a lot more I want to achieve and a fight with Patrick gives me all the motivation I need!’’

‘’This is an exciting time for Danish boxing,’’ said promoter Nisse Sauerland. ‘’We have the biggest domestic fight in recent history just around the corner. On September 12, fans in Frederikshavn will have the chance to see both Patrick and Rudy in action, alongside a stacked undercard featuring the country’s top boxing talents including Micki Nielsen, Dennis Ceylan, Abdul Khattab and Rashid Kassem. We have some great fights lined up and will be announcing all the opponents in the coming weeks.’’

‘’We’re delighted and extremely proud to welcome the Nordic Fight Night back to Frederikshavn for a record seventh time,’’ said Per Malmberg, CEO of Arena Nord. ‘’Working with Team Sauerland we have played host to some fantastic boxing events in the past, but with the fighters confirmed, I believe this could be the best yet!’’

Tickets for ‘Collision Course’ featuring Patrick Nielsen and Rudy Markussen are on sale now via arenanord.dk. All the action will be shown live on Viasat channels in Denmark.

Peter Fury says Hughie must first mature and then he can dominate

LONDON (22 JULY) My son Hughie Lewis Fury has his sixteenth professional fight this Saturday night (July 25) at Derby Arena and I’m looking for him to do a professional job on his opponent George Arias.

Hughie is still only 20 years of age – and is therefore a work in progress – but we, as a team, have very high standards and expectations. Last time out against Andriy Rudenko, Hughie got the win, went ten rounds for the first time in his career and answered a lot of questions in my mind.

However, there’s always plenty to work on. His right hand was sloppy, he was leaning in with it, and there were some other things that alarmed me. But you’ve got to look at what we achieved in that fight and appreciate what I was looking for. It wasn’t just a case of getting a win over a guy like Rudenko. Hughie is a talented fighter, he’s got a good chin, he’s got movement and he can box; nine times out of ten, someone as talented as Hughie will get the better of someone like Rudenko.

I looked at Rudenko and didn’t really see any danger signs there. But Hughie is a young kid who was fighting somebody who’d had 25 fights, 16 knockouts and one disputable loss to Lucas Browne, who is now highly-ranked with the IBF.

We were asking Hughie to get in there, step up to a whole new level and see how he deals with hitting someone and the punches having no impact on them – they’re just walking through the shots. And, secondly, we wanted to see how he paced himself over the ten rounds. There were a lot of unanswered questions going into that fight with Rudenko and anything can happen.

Hughie held back a lot because he was going into unknown territory. But now he has gone through the ten rounds at a decent pace, and he’s hit a tough man with everything he’s got, I’m expecting him to be much more relaxed in future. He knows he can do the ten rounds at a good pace and knows he can stay disciplined and stick to a gameplan for the duration of a fight. He has all this knowledge now and a confidence in this knowledge which should stand him in good stead going forward. I’m hoping to see Hughie look a lot more relaxed and polished against Arias on Saturday.

A lot of boxing is mental and Hughie is still young in the mind. He’s still a kid. When you speak to him and when you see the way he behaves, you get little reminders that he’s still a kid. He acts like a young teenager at times. When I’m explaining things to him and instructing him to do things in sparring, you can see that the maturity still isn’t quite there. He’s got to learn his trade properly.

Yes, the talent is there, and he’s a big lad, but he still needs to grow up mentally. Don’t worry, though, that will all come. You look at any other heavyweight who is in the mix and they’re 25, 26 or 27 and considered young. They’re looked upon as young prospects in the game – potential world champions. Well, Hughie is 20 years of age. He has half a decade on a lot of these supposed young prospects.

He’s also 15-0 and looking to fight people in the top fifteen. I’ve no interest in him fighting men who are on losing runs. He won’t learn anything from those kind of fights.

We’ll stick him in with good fighters. That’s what we want to do now. If I told him today that we’d received an offer for him to fight Deontay Wilder, he’d be jumping around the room and you’d have to get him down off the ceiling. He’s not afraid of any man.

Don’t get me wrong, if a world title shot landed on our lap tomorrow, I’d say you’ve got nothing to lose, get in there and take a hiding. You’ll learn from it. But that’s not going to happen. Before any of that, I’ve got to see him grow up mentally as well as physically.

Look at where Tyson, his cousin, was at 20 to where he is now. He looks like he’s got completely different DNA. He’s a different fighter, absolutely, completely. They have to mature. There’s no point rushing them. Hughie will probably be the same.

*** Tickets for Blackwell vs. Jones can be purchased from the Derby Arena Box Office on 01332 255800 or by visiting www.derbylive.co.uk ***

*** Blackwell vs. Jones will be televised live on Channel 5 on July 25 (10pm), while the supporting undercard will be televised live earlier in the evening (8pm) on Spike ***

www.channel5.com
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Pascal vs. Gonzalez Scouting Report Former Champion vs. Undefeated Prospect

Las Vegas, NV: On July 25, 2015 former light heavyweight world champion, Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) will take on undefeated prospect Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs) as the co-feature to the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast of the Sergey Kovalev vs. Nadjib Mohammedi fight live from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pascal is fresh off his first loss in almost four years and is looking to take on the undefeated Cuban prospect. Below is the scouting report for this exciting match-up:

Category
Jean Pascal
Yuniesky Gonzalez
Age
32
30
Record
29-3-1 (17 KOs)
16-0-0 (12 KOs)
Strength
Pascal possesses good speed and power in both hands; he also has a solid chin and a ton of experience. He has been competing against the division’s top fighters since 2008, which is a list that includes Bernard Hopkins twice and the division’s top light heavyweight, Sergey Kovalev.
Gonzalez has good power and has the ability to distribute punishment throughout his fights. He overwhelms his opponents before finishing them off. He is a very good inside fighter and fights with great confidence too.
Weakness
Pascal has a tendency to tire out late in fights if he does not conserve his energy properly in the earlier rounds. He also tends to get sloppy, which could cause his defense to open up a bit.
Gonzalez lacks adequate experience and has not fought top-level opposition yet. This fight against Pascal will be a major step up in competition and could be a game-changer in his young career.
Experience
Jean will have the advantage here. He has been a part of eight major title fights and holds victories over both Chad Dawson and Lucian Bute. He also currently has more than two-times as many professional bouts (32) as Gonzalez (16).
Gonzalez will be at a disadvantage. He has yet to face any top level opposition, nor has he had even half the amount of professional bouts as Pascal.

Power
Pascal has good power in both hands, especially when he puts his punches together. He has a right hand that can be a game-changer in any fight if he lands it flush.
Yuniesky possesses good power in both hands; he has a left hook that can change the direction of any fight if landed clean.
Speed
Pascal is quick, which becomes more evident in his flurries of punches, which are usually put together when he has his opponent against the ropes and he goes for the finish.
Yuniesky has good hand speed that is put on full display when he finds a weakness in his opponent. He fights very well on the inside, where his punches are fast, short, and crisp.
Endurance
Pascal will have an advantage here as he has gone 12 rounds on eight separate occasions.
Gonzalez’s endurance is still in question, he has yet to go a full 12 rounds and has only gone ten rounds once in his career (in 2012).
Accuracy
Pascal may be at a slight disadvantage in terms of accuracy, he tends to get sloppy at times when unloading flurries of punches.
Gonzalez may have a slight advantage as his accuracy becomes more evident when fighting on the inside. Then he uses his accurate body work in hopes of setting up his left hook upstairs.
Defense
Pascal likes to dictate the pace of the fight, which can mean standing in the center and trading blows. This is a tactic that allows him to take shots and leave openings in his defense that he should avoid.
Yuniesky’s offense might be his best defense. He likes to come forward and walk his opponents down, looking to break them down and finish the fight.
Chin
Pascal has a solid chin and has been in wars with some heavy-handed punchers. However, he was stopped for the first time in his career in his most recent outing against the division’s heaviest hitter, Sergey Kovalev.
Gonzalez’s chin is still yet to be seen; he has finished nine of his 16 fights by the third round. If this fight gets into the later rounds, then his chin may become an issue.
Style
Jean is an aggressive fighter who will not hesitate to stand and trade with anyone if given the opportunity.
Yuniesky is an offensive fighter who likes to move forward at all times; he tries to finish all of his opponents – and finish them early.
Crowd Support
Pascal is a popular name in the sport of boxing, so he will probably have most of the support from the fans in attendance.
Although Yuniesky is an undefeated power puncher, he is still a bit unknown to the boxing world. However, his in-your-face style could win over some of the crowd as he fights Pascal with a very similar and exciting style.
Intangibles
After coming off a tough and hard-fought defeat against the division’s best fighter, Sergey Kovalev, Pascal opted to make a quick turnaround and get right back in the ring. Instead of a tune-up bout, he will test his skills against a young, undefeated power puncher in Yunieski Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has taken a very quiet road to becoming the IBF’s #15 light heavyweight contender. Rather than test his skills against someone deeper in the ranks, he will face a former light heavyweight titleholder, and current top ten ranked light heavyweight, Jean Pascal.
The Match-Up
Is this too big of a stage for Gonzalez to handle in his toughest test to date?
Will Pascal be able to take Gonzalez’s power and speed?
This is the fight where Gonzalez can make a big statement in the light heavyweight division, will he?
Will Pascal be scared to get hit after his last fight with Kovalev?

According to Main Events’ matchmaker Jolene Mizzone who was recently named the NABF Matchmaker of the Year, “If Gonzalez pulls the upset with Pascal he would enter one of the top divisions in boxing as new blood, which would make it very interesting for the entire division. I think any light heavyweight fight that is made is very important in boxing right now because it is a hot division that needs some hungry up-and-coming guys.”

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits
Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits

Hey Harold!: Kovalev vs. Mohammedi
Hey Harold!: Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

Photo Recap from Kovalev’s Visit with Las Vegas Russian Community Today

Today WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev met with local media and members of the Russian ex-pat community in Las Vegas at the Green Dacha Grill. He also engaged in an arm wrestling demonstration with fellow Russian Kirill Yakovlev and posed for photos with fans. Below are photos from today’s event:

Click Here for Photos – Credit Jim Laurie/Main Events

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) will compete in his first mandatory title defense against Nadjib “Irondjib” Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, July 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-feature will include a ten-round light heavyweight match-up between Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) and Yunieski Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster and all MGM Resorts Properties Ticket Offices. The HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits
Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits

Monday, July 20,2015 Declared “Sergey Kovalev Day on the Las Vegas Strip and throughout Clark County”

Las Vegas – July 20,2015 – WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) from Russia receives a proclamation from Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow at McCarran Airport Monday July 20,2015 proclaiming Monday as “Sergey Kovalev Day on the Las Vegas Strip and throughout Clark County.”

Kovalev, the undefeated WBO/WBA/IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion makes his long-awaited debut in Southern Nevada on the HBO-televised card promoted by Main Events Saturday, July 25, at Mandalay Bay. Kovalev faces No. 1-ranked contender Nadjib Mohammedi in the 12-round championship bout.

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) will compete in his first mandatory title defense against Nadjib “Irondjib” Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, July 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-feature will include a ten-round light heavyweight match-up between Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) and Yunieski Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster and all MGM Resorts Properties Ticket Offices. The HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits
Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits

12-TIME WORLD CHAMPION JAMES “LIGHTS OUT” TONEY CONFIRMED FOR SECOND ANNUAL BOX FAN EXPO SATURDAY, SEPT.12 IN LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas (July 21, 2015) – James “Lights Out” Toney, a 12-time world champion in five different weight classes, has confirmed that he will appear at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the second annual Box Fan Expo, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015. The Box Fan Expo will coincide with Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s last fight and Mexican Independence weekend.

Toney is a former IBF middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight world champion. He has been regarded as one of the greatest defensive fighters of his era and was unbeaten in his first 46 contests bouts. Toney has fought at the elite level for more than three decades and is a sure first ballot Hall of Famer. Toney holds notable wins over Michael Nunn, Reggie Johnson, Mike McCallum, Iran Barkley, Vassiliy Jirov and Evander Holyfield. With over 90 pro fights in his career, not once has he ever been knocked out and no referee has ever had to save him or stop a fight while competing. Toney was also awarded Ring Magazine and Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year 1991 and comeback fighter of the year 2003.

Toney will share a booth with the ABA (American Boxing Association) and have photos, gloves and merchandise for his fans to enjoy and purchase.

Toney joins Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez , “Showtime” Shawn Porter, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, “Terrible” Terry Norris, Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor, “El Feroz” Fernando Vargas, Ruslan “Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov and Mia St.John among early commitments to this year’s Box Fan Expo.

Exhibitors such as boxing gear, apparel, broadcasting media and other brand companies who wish to participate will have a chance to showcase their products to fans and the whole boxing industry.

The roster of attendees for this year’s Box Fan Expo will be announced throughout the next several weeks leading up to the event.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at: http://www.boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

View the official promo video of Box Fan Expo here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/video-2/

View Promo Flyer here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/promo-flyer/

View Photos Gallery 2014 here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/photos/

For anyone in the boxing industry or brand companies who wish to be involved and reserve a booth as an exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Box Fan Expo at:

U.S.A telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

More information on the Box Fan Expo is available at: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

To watch James Toney video about Box Fan Expo go to: http://goo.gl/S8HTDk

You can follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com/BoxFanExpo and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

LUCAS BROWNE: NOBODY WANTS TO SEE WILDER V ARREOLA

LUCAS “BIG DADDY” BROWNE believes a fight between Deontay Wilder and Chris Arreola would be bad for heavyweight boxing.

Browne is set to face Argentina’s Gonzalo Basile in Melbourne next month and will turn his attention to his mandatory shot at WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev afterwards.

But he’s hopeful of getting Wilder in the ring before the end of the year and feels it will be a barnburner with potentially two belts on the line.

Wilder is expected to defend his WBC crown against fellow American Chris Arreola in the winter. Browne, however, believes the match-up would do little for the Alabama –native’s reputation and he should instead give fans the fight they really want to see.

“Nobody wants to watch Wilder v Arreola,” Lucas said. “Even if they were giving tickets away, hardly anyone would turn up.

“Wilder is the first American heavyweight champion in years and what people really want to see is him real fights rather than ones against out of shape club fighters like Molina or people who are over the hill like Arreola.

“I mean, Arreola struggled to get a draw with an unknown who looked like a blown-up cruiserweight this past weekend, and now he’s supposed to be next in line for a world title.

“Al Haymon has promised to give fans the best fights and he’d be letting the public down if he gave them weak-chinned Wilder and a guy who doesn’t even look like he takes training seriously.

“I’m mandatory for the WBA title so I’d like a unification after I’ve beaten Chagaev and I hope Wilder will step up to the plate. In fact, I’ll fight him now if wants.”

While the target remains a showdown with Chagaev, Hatton Promotions and Lucas’s management team are willing to speak with the advisor of the WBC to make the fight happen.

FORMER WORLD CHAMPION RICO RAMOS TAKES ON CLAUDIO MARRERO ON SATURDAY, JULY 25 AT THE PEARL AT PALMS CASINO RESORT IN LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS (July 21, 2015) – Former World Champion Rico Ramos (24-4, 12 KOs) takes on hard-hitting Claudio Marrero (18-1, 13 KOs) in a featherweight battle on Saturday, July 25 at the Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The bout is part of a full night action headlined by a 12-round cruiserweight showdown between Beibut Shumenov (15-2, 10 KOs) and B.J. Flores (31-1-1, 20 KOs). Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with a 10-round contest between undefeated cruiserweights Jordan Shimmell (19-0, 16 KOs) and Isiah Thomas (14-0, 6 KOs).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions are priced at $100.50, $75.50, $50.50, and $20.50, plus applicable fees and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Pearl Box Office at 702-994-3200 or Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Undefeated prospects will faces tough tests Saturday as knockout artist Andrew “The Beast” Tabiti (10-0, 10 KOs) faces Roberto Santos (12-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round cruiserweight bout, 2012 U.S. Olympian Michael Hunter (8-0, 5 KOs) battles Michael Bissett (9-7, 7 KOs)in 10-rounds of heavyweight action and Ladarius “Memphis” Miller (7-0, 1 KO)rounds out the action in a six-round super lightweight contest against Sean Gee (2-0).

A decorated amateur out of Carson, California, Ramos won a super bantamweight world title in 2011 by knocking out Akifumi Shimoda. The 28-year-old owns victories over previously unbeaten fighters Efrain Esquivias and Carlos Ivan Velasquez. He most recently took home a unanimous decision victory over Juan Ruiz in Dec. 2014.

After winning a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games, in addition to several other amateur accolades, the Dominican Republic’s Marrero won the first 14 outings of his pro career. At 26-years-old, he brings a four-fight win streak into this matchup on July 25, including his most recent victory over Orlando Rizo in February.

A 2012 U.S. Olympian who won U.S. Amateur Championships in 2009 and 2007, the 26-year-old Hunter has begun to make a name for himself in the professional ranks since turning pro in 2013. After winning four times in 2014, the Van Nuys, California-native won a unanimous decision over Avery Gibson in February to start 2015 and followed that up by stopping Deon Elam in June. He takes on the 31-year-old Bissett of Biloxi, Mississippi.

Coming off of a thrilling one-punch knockout over Thomas Hanshaw in June, the 25-year-old Tabiti looks to keep his knockout ratio perfect when he returns on July 25. The Chicago-born cruiserweight now fighting out of Las Vegas will face the most experienced fighter of his career when he battles the 26-year-old Mexican Santos.

A slick fighter out of Memphis but fighting out of Las Vegas, Miller is unbeaten since turning pro in 2014. The 21-year-old most recently took home a unanimous decision over Marquis Taylor in April and will return to take on the 27-year-old Portland, Oregon born Gee.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.mayweatherpromotions.com and www.TGBPromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Beibut_Shumenov, @BJFloresBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, @NBCSports, and @PearlAtPalms and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions and www.facebook.com/NBCSports

PBC SERIES FIGHTERS BRING AUTHENTICITY & EXCITEMENT TO NEW YORK RED CARPET MOVIE PREMIERE OF SOUTHPAW

NEW YORK (July 21, 2015) – Premier Boxing Champions Series (PBC) fighters Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs and Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin added red carpet excitement to last night’s New York City red carpet premiere of boxing movie Southpaw. The fighters walked the red carpet alongside the movie’s stars including Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams and 50 Cent before attending the screening.

Jacobs and Quillin posed for photos with actor Mack Wilds, “Orange is the New Black” star Selenis Leyva and fellow boxing champion Victor Ortiz, who appears in the movie. The fighters, who both call Brooklyn home, also had a chance to catch up with boxing aficionado and Brooklyn-native, actress Rosie Perez.

Jacobs (29-1, 26 KOs) will put his middleweight world title on the line August 1 when he takes on Sergio Mora live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in the second installment of PBC on ESPN.

“I had such an amazing time at the Southpaw premiere” said Jacobs “I’m so happy I was able to take my son Nate with me to walk the red carpet, have our picture taken and enjoy a great movie about boxing.”

Quillin (31-0-1, 22 KOs) will get back in the ring September 6 as part of PBC on CBS.

“From a fighter’s perspective, I thought the movie was really well done,” said Quillin “The story made me reflect on my own boxing career, securing my financial future. It also reminded me of the importance and value of true love and having the right people around you.”

Premier Boxing Champions launched in January 2015 with a commitment to bringing great boxing back to network television. The series currently airs on NBC, NBCSN, CBS, ESPN, Spike and Bounce TV.

Please visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and follow Premier Boxing Champions on Facebook and Twitter. Click HERE for the full PBC schedule and follow #FreeBoxing4All to monitor fan conversation.

SCOTT BURRELL AIMS FOR 10th PRO WIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Tuesday, July 21, 2015) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions will be returning to action this Friday night at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple, bringing some familiar faces and upcoming stars to the stage. Among the combatants is lightweight Scott “Bang Bang” Burrell (9-2, 6 KOs), who will meet 12-bout veteran Moris Rodriguez in a six-round encounter.

“This training camp has been great,” Burrell stated. “In June, my brother (Dean, his twin) got married, so I had a lot of family here, but I stayed in the gym. Cat (trainer Leon Taylor) is really pushing me, and we have had a really good camp. I’ve learned some new things, and I’ve really pushed myself to the limit. The last three weeks, Joan Guzman joined our training camp, and he’s been helping me out a lot as well. It’s been a special camp, and I’ve had good sparring as well. I’ve pushed myself to the limit with the help of Cat and Guzman, and I feel great, man.”

A winner of six of his last seven fights, Burrell enters Friday night with the opportunity to increase his win total to double digits.

“I was hoping to get my 10th win earlier this year, but circumstances happened. You know how the game goes sometimes,” he remarked. “I’ve been waiting for this. Double digits in a good mark, and I want to push through to that number in style this fight. When you first turn pro, you imagine about getting to your 10th win, and it feels good to be on the verge of achieving that. I just want to get this 10th win in style.”

This contest marks the second consecutive bout for Burrell on an Uprising Promotions card, and he plans to prove why he was quickly invited back on Friday night.

“Expect me to be in great condition, physically and mentally,” he predicted. “We have been completely committed to the victory. As always, I am going to give my absolute best effort, and I am going to come away with the win. Hopefully a knockout, but coming away with the victory is the main thing. Expect to see me in top form and doing whatever I have to do to make this win and this knockout happen.”

One fighter who no one will want to miss on this card is the New York debut of cruiserweight Alvin Varmall, Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), a power-punching Louisiana native who has seen just two of his six professional victims make it to the second round. All six of his pro bouts have ended via knockout, so fans will want to make sure they are in their seats when the opening bell rings to start a scheduled contest opposite Lamont Capers.

Also on the card is a middleweight contest between Akil Auguste (7-1, 6 KOs) and 16-fight veteran Justin Williams, while welterweight Julian Sosa (1-0-1) will face Jose Sanchez and flyweight Timmy Ramos (1-0, 1 KO) will battle Leonel Garcia. Also returning for his second straight appearance on an Uprising Promotions card will be Villi Bello (2-1), a converted mixed martial artist who will square off against Francisco Cruz.

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

DENIS SHAFIKOV SCORES KNOCKOUT VICTORY IN MACAO!!!

Macao, China (July 21, 2015) This past Saturday in Macao, China, #1 ranked lightweight contender Denis Shafikov improved to 36-1-1 (20KO’s) with a third round knockout of Roy Mukhlis, 27-5-3 (21KO’s) at the Cotai Arena in Macao, China.

Dropping Mukhlis in the second, Shafikov earned the victory from a barrage of punches resulting in referee Katsuhiko Nakamura stopping the bout at the 1:14 mark of the stanza.

Full fight video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws7fG_vrZJA

“I felt terrific from the start, I was too strong for him and my body punches hurt him,” said Shafikov. “I’m glad to get the win and I look forward to fighting for the world title in my next fight.”

“I’m getting better in each camp with my trainer Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California.”

The International Boxing Federation (‘IBF’) stripped titlist Mickey Bey of its lightweight title after he twice refused to face Shafikov over the last three months.

Bey initially agreed to defend his title on April 30 and again this past Saturday, however Shafikov will now follow the instructions of the IBF to face junior lightweight titlist Rances Barthelemy for the vacant title.

“We will immediately start on Denis’s world title fight with Barthelemy,” said Leo Khorolinsky, manager of Shafikov. “Mickey Bey wasted our time this year with his unprofessional conduct, he never wanted to face Denis in a fight that he knew he couldn’t win.”

“We’re very happy that Denis’ promoter Top Rank was able to have him fight on this card and we look forward to working with them and Ural Boxing Promotions on the world title fight against Barthelemy. We feel Denis is the best lightweight in the world and look forward to giving him the opportunity to prove that.”

ABOUT URAL BOXING PROMOTIONS
Owned by Eugene Vaynshteyn and based in Ural, Russia, included among the world-class professional boxers in the Ural Boxing Promotions’ stable are cruiserweight Murat Gassiev, welterweight Konstantin Ponomarev, junior welterweight Anton Novikov and lightweight Denis Shafikov.

Antonio Tarver believes he is destined to be oldest world heavyweight champion

MIAMI (July 21, 2015) – Five-time world champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (31-6, 22 KOs) honestly believes that he is destined to become the oldest world heavyweight champion in boxing history.

Before he gets a world title shot against fellow 1996 Olympian Wladimir Klitschko, the universally recognized world heavyweight champion, Tarver realizes that he has to get past former two-time IBF champion Steve “USS” Cunningham (28-7, 13 KOs) in their 12-round heavyweight showdown August 14 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

WBA #9 Tarver vs. IBF #6/WBC #14 Cunningham is the main event on a Premier Boxing Champions series show airing live on Spike TV, the same network Tarver serves as its boxing color commentator.

“I know my purpose will set me apart from some great champions,” Tarver remarked. “I am supposed to be world heavyweight champion. I don’t know how but I will be world heavyweight champion. I truly believe that it is my destiny. Cunningham can’t stop me and neither can (Deontay) Wilder; he can’t learn enough to beat me. I’ll knock him out and get the one guy I really want to fight, Klitschko. When I beat him it’ll be the greatest story in boxing history. All the disbelievers will have to believe in ‘Magic Man!’

“Three years ago, I was buried six-feet under but they forgot to put dirt on me. Champions have to have resolve. I could have quit a lot of times. My resolve will make me world champion once again. No fighter has ever struggled like me and overcoming those struggles will make me world champion again.”

The ever popular Tarver realizes that, at 46, he isn’t the same fighter he as was in his early to mid-thirties, especially during a four-year, nine-fight murderous stretch between 2002-2006. As one of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters, he shocked nearly invincible Roy Jones, Jr. in two of three fights, split a pair with Glen Johnson, defeated Montell Griffin, Eric Harding and Reggie Johnson, and lost to Bernard Hopkins.

“I know I’m getting older because the calendar flips over once a year,” Tarver said, “but I don’t look at it as me getting old. I’m not saying I don’t wake up in pain during training camp without minor injuries, but nothing can stop me.

“It’s not an accident that I still have my speed and quickness. I am better today in many respects because I’m smarter from all of my experience.”

Known as one of the greatest defensive fighters ever, Tarver is fighting for his legacy and rightful place in the Hall of Fame after he finally retires. And now comes news that he will become a grandfather in September. “When I do decide to retire,” Tarver concluded, “I’ll hand the torch to my son, (undefeated middleweight prospect), Antonio Tarver, Jr.”

Not only does Antonio Tarver believe he’s destined to become the oldest world heavyweight champion, he will become the first to do so as a grandfather.

www.OfficialAntonioTarver.com

@MagicMan5XChamp

Blackwell has half an eye on Lee vs. Saunders – wants world title shot of his own

LONDON (21 JULY) Reigning British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell one day hopes to win a version of the world middleweight title, but knows such plans will go up in smoke should he lose his Lonsdale belt to Damon Jones on July 25 at Derby Arena.

Still, the talented 24-year-old is allowing himself to dream big and is encouraged by the upcoming WBO world middleweight title fight between Ireland’s Andy Lee and England’s Billy Joe Saunders.

“I’m really looking forward to the fight,” said Blackwell. “They’re both middleweights and they could both be future opponents for me.

“Billy Joe is the better technical boxer. He’s a lot busier. But I think Andy Lee is the one who holds the genuine power and he’s shown that in his last couple of fights. He can be getting outboxed for periods in a fight and then he lands that one punch and it changes the course of the fight completely.

“Billy Joe is going to have to be 12-round fit for this one. I know he can stay switched on and smooth for five or six rounds, but then he can get ragged and make the occasional silly mistake as the fight progresses. If he does that with Andy Lee, he’ll be made to pay. Andy Lee hits hard enough to knock him out.

“I think Billy Joe will win on points or Andy Lee will win by knockout.”

Blackwell concedes he’s still a little way off competing for world titles, but knows that his position as British middleweight champion could prove important in a division chock-full of world-class Brits.

“The whole middleweight division is booming at the moment and there’s a ton of British interest at world-level,” he said. “It’s the division to be in right now. There’s some cracking fights to be made and Andy Lee vs. Billy Joe Saunders is just one of them.

“Further down the line I’d love to get a shot at that WBO title – or any world title – but, at the minute, I’ve still got a lot to learn and I’m still young and progressing. It’s definitely something I want in the future, though.

“When I watch Lee and Saunders fight in September, I’ll definitely be thinking, that could be me fighting either of these for the WBO title one day. It’s mental how quickly things change in boxing. This time last year I hadn’t even signed with Mick Hennessy and now I’m British middleweight champion and headlining a bill on Channel 5. Imagine where I’ll be this time next year.

“I’ve got to focus on Damon Jones for now and get that fight over and done with. Then I can sit down and watch Lee and Saunders do their thing and imagine one day fighting for the world title.”

*** Tickets for Blackwell vs. Jones can be purchased from the Derby Arena Box Office on 01332 255800 or by visiting www.derbylive.co.uk ***

*** Blackwell vs. Jones will be televised live on Channel 5 on July 25 (10pm), while the supporting undercard will be televised live earlier in the evening on Spike (8pm) ***

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Rojas And Singleton Battle For UBO Latino Title

Manuel Rey Rojas is set to fight Chris Singleton for the vacant Universal Boxing Organization Latino Lightweight title on Saturday August 8, 2015 at the Waco Convention Center in Waco, Texas.

Fighting out of Dallas Texas, Rojas turned professional in 2011 and racked up nine straight victories before hitting a rough patch in 2014, losing twice in a row on points to Alexis Del Bosque (4-2) in Forth Worth and Casey Ramos (18-0) in San Antonio.

However, the Ramos bout proved that he is capable of competing against top opponents, he bounced back with two inside-the-distance victories this year, taking his record to 11-2 (4 KOs) and lining up the championship bout against Singleton.

Chris Singleton, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, entered the paid ranks late at 26 years old in 2010, and won his first twelve fights before coming up short against tough Georgian contender Levan Ghvamichava (11-1-1) last year.

He has since won three of his last four, and is coming off a victory over Chris Gray in June. He will step into what will also be his first title fight at 15-2 (7 KOs).

The Rojas vs. Singleton UBO Latino title fight will headline a show promoted by Jesse Rodriguez Promotions and Cavalry Knockout.

CONTACT: Mack Roberts, UBO USA Commissioner, Email: ubo1usa@gmail.com

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