ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Jan. 13, 2015) – Former M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Kenny “Deuce” Garner will take on powerful Chechen prospect Aslambek “Titan” Musaev in the initial fight announced by M-1 Global for its 2015 season-opening event, M-1 Challenge 55, on Saturday night, February 21, in Tbilisi, Georgia.

M-1 Challenge 55: Guram Gugenishvili Memorial Show will be streamed live in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Andriod and Apple smart phones and tablets.

Garner (14-8-0, 7 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) fought an epic trilogy with Gugenishvili, the first M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion, with the American winning two of three fights. Garner holds the longest reign of the coveted M-1 Challenge heavyweight title, 1-½ years, from October 14, 2011 to April 9, 2013.

In his last fight this past November 25 at M-1 Challenge 53: Battle in the Celestial Empire in Beijing, China, as a late replacement for injured Satoshi Ishii, the hard-punching Floridian lost to the great Sergei Kharitonov (21-5-0), by way of a technical knockout when the doctor stopped the fight in the third round due to injury.

In 2013, Musaev (5-1-0, 1 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) won the WAMMA tournament final, defeating Rasul Islamov. The powerful Chechen also holds the Guinness Book world record for weight lifting with only one arm (right), making him a dual-threat as a dangerous striker as well as for applying strong holds.

Musaev has displayed his physical strength at public events by lifting cars, heavy objects and even people. His only career loss as a professional MMA fighter was to former UFC champion Brett “The Grim” Rogers last October.

Additional fights will soon be announced. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 55 on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, on Roku devices across North America, and also globally in more 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

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ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St Petersburg, Amsterdam and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and matchups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2014 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport. M-1 Global’s greatest asset is renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

Prospect Boxing today confirmed their first show in 2015 at the Fauldhouse Miners Welfare, where local fighter Sean Watson will return to action for the first time since August 2013,when he picked up a points win over James Ancliffe.

The card also marks the return for Edinburgh’s Lee Redpath, while Livingston’s Martin Taylor is also pencilled in to make his professional debut.

Speaking about his first card of the year, Promotor Paul Graham is excited to have secured the venue “Over the years, there has been a bit of talk about a professional show at the Fauldhouse Miners Welfare, but nothing has ever materialised. So I am glad to be given the town a chance to see professional boxing.

A local lad aswell, Graham goes on to add that the town has had its fair share of talent over the decades “Fauldhouse has produced some fine boxers over the years. We had Johnny Smillie who lost to Peter Keenan for the British Title aswell as John Fisher who was a top amateur, and more recently Colin McNeil and Sean Watson, so it will be good to finally give something back the local community.

“This will be the first time Sean Watson has fought in about 18 months, he didn’t get out last year due to work commitments and injury, it was frustrating for him as he is looking to really make waves in the Super Featherweight division, and if he can pick up the British Masters Belt that is on offer on the 27th February then that will be the best start possible for him this year.

“I am expecting a sell out at the venue, it has a cracking set up and has been used for amateur bouts in the past, so it will be good to see it packed. We have a buffet on the night, aswell as a licensed bar and a comedian, so there will be a lot on offer on the night to everyone.

Prospect Boxing prestent an evening of Championship Boxing at the Fauldhouse Miners Welfare Club in Fauldhouse on Friday 27th February 2015. Headlined by local fighter Sean Watson who fights for vacant British Masters Super Featherweight Title, the card also see Edinburgh Lee Redpath return to action while Livingstones Martin Taylor makes his pro debut.

Tickets are priced at £40, and include a Buffet and a comedian, are available from the fighters or by calling 01698 338888,

Juergen Braehmer (45-2, 33 KOs) will defend his WBA World Light Heavyweight title against Robin Krasniqi (43-3, 16 KOs) on March 21 in Rostock, Germany.

The 36 year-old southpaw returns, following the first-round knockout Pawel Glazewski in December, to face Krasniqi in a hotly anticipated domestic showdown. ‘’This is a fight people have been talking about for a long time.’’ said Braehmer. ‘’Now, the time has come to give the fans what they want. On March 21, I will defeat Krasniqi and retain my title.’’

In Rostock, Krasniqi will have the opportunity to achieve his ultimate ambition, when he makes his second world title attempt. ‘’My dream has always been to become world champion,’’ said the Munich-based boxer. ‘’I missed my first opportunity two years ago, but this time I will take my chance and dethrone Braehmer!’’

Said promoter Kalle Sauerland: “Braehmer vs. Krasniqi is a fight that has been on the wish list of German boxing fans for some time. We’re delighted that, on March 21, in cooperation with our new TV partner SAT.1, we can fulfil this wish.’’

Tickets for the WBA World Light Heavyweight Championship clash between Braehmer and Krasniqi are available via tickethall.de.

Damon Feldman will make you Famous , He is a undefeated professional Boxer 9-0 was injured in out of ring accident, he got into promoting and started with Toughman competitions from there to Professional Wrestling where I created the WWU World Wrestling Union , then to professional Boxing, from there after putting on several matches, Feldman felt the need for a change, he wanted to give the local guy a chance to be in spotlight and get 15 minutes of Fame and get Celebrities who are out of the spotlight the chance to make the comeback and get their 16th minute. so Damon reached out to Danny Bonaduce to see if he would do a Celebrity Boxing match in January 2008 , he agreed and the rest is history, some of the Celebrities who have stepped in the World Xtreme Entertainment Ring are Jose Canseco, Tonya Harding, Octomom, Tila Tequilla, Tank Abbott, Kimo Leopoldo, Amy Fisher, Joey Buttafucco, Coolio, Jeremy Jackson, Tareq Salahi, Willie Aames, James Buster Douglas, The Sandman and many more. Damon is in his 7th year and 77 matches of putting celebrity boxing all over the country and this is what I do for a living to to take care of my family, Feldman is looking for an Investing/Business Partner to help finance these events, create a Training facility for undercard matches and the building of future stars. The business is the 15 minutes of Fame for the regular guy and the 16th minute for the celebrity to earn a payday and keep their name out in the Spotlight to help get signed for endorsements events and deals, these events are a Boxing Meets Professional Wrestling Meets Reality TV, 1 Big Reality show in the Ring!!!

To get a chance at your 15 minutes of Fame and want more info –email Feldman at
thepromoterx@aol.com

LONDON (13 JAN) Rising heavyweight prospect Hughie Lewis Fury aims to make up for recent inactivity with an impressive performance against Ukrainian puncher Andriy Rudenko on February 21 in Monte Carlo.

Hughie, cousin of Tyson, has been sidelined since May due to illness, but is now back firing on all cylinders and ready for the biggest test of his 14-bout professional career.

“I’m just delighted to be back training and to have a big fight on the horizon,” the 20-year-old said.

“The last eight months have absolutely killed me really. I’ve spent my days doing nothing and just getting really bored. I was basically watching films all the time. I was out of the gym completely. All I could do was swim. I had to stick to the medication and do exactly as I was told.

“It’s been very frustrating for me and for everybody around me. I’ve had to sit and watch everyone else crack on and have fights, including members of my own family, and I’ve been able to do nothing with my own career. It’s been very hard. I can’t wait to get back in the ring and make a statement.

“I feel good and healthy now, though. I am 100% healthy.”

The heavyweight’s exasperation was shared by his father and trainer, Peter, who had lined up a number of fights for Hughie only to see them fall through.

“It was very frustrating,” he said. “One of the main reasons for pulling Hughie out of those fights is that he has such great boxing skills and is a world-class performer and I didn’t want to see him perform below par. He could have carried on at the same level, having the same kind of fights and just labouring through them. But what’s the point?

“We’re aiming for world-class boxing. I didn’t want him to be someone who stepped up and failed because of his health. The decision was obvious to pull him out and just get to the root of the problem. We think we’re almost there now. He’s had extensive checks over the last eight months and it has cost upwards of fifteen thousand pounds in health bills. We’ve taken him everywhere.

“But he’s feeling good now, he’s back in training and it’s all systems go. He’s been in training for three weeks and he’s responding well to the training. Everything is going very well. His strength is increasing and I’ve seen the results I would expect to see.”

A healthy Hughie is a dangerous Hughie and he’ll need to be at his very best to overcome the considerable threat of Rudenko in Monte Carlo. The Dnipropetrovsk-native is renowned for his punch power and durability and has won 24 of his 25 professional fights, 16 via knockout. The only black mark on his record is a controversial 12-round decision loss to top contender Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne last August.

“This is an easy fight to get motivated for, but I’ve always been focused and motivated for my fights,” said Hughie, 14-0 (8 KOs). “I just want to show people what I can actually do. I know I can beat anyone in the heavyweight division and, now I’m 100% healthy, it’s up to me to prove myself. You’ll see on the night what I can do at this level.”

Peter Fury added: “Hughie’s now 20 years of age and he’s been in excellent camps and sparred with some elite-level heavyweights. He’s around Tyson Fury and Eddie Chambers all the time. He is used to mixing at that level now. So, although it’s a step up and sparring isn’t boxing, it’s not like he’s completely new to this level. Hughie is a skilled fighter. He’s on a different level.

“He’s also 14-0, let’s not forget. He’s done his schooling and he knows his way around the ring. He’s been eight rounds when he’s been under the weather. He’s managed to get his way through it.

“Hughie is now experienced enough for me to be confident in taking a risk like this. He’s also got the amateur credentials. In fact, when you really condense it down and look at it, this is no inexperienced and vulnerable kid. Hughie can handle himself and he’ll show that on February 21.”

*** Fury-Rudenko is part of the ‘Thunderbolt in Monaco’ show on February 21 in Monte Carlo. The event, televised on Channel 5, is headlined by the WBA Super world middleweight title fight between the destructive Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin and well-schooled Brit Martin Murray ***

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Micki Nielsen (16-0, 12 KOs) is on the ‘Road To Glory’. The young Dane can claim his first major title when he faces Julio Cesar Dos Santos (27-3, 24 KOs) for the WBC International Cruiserweight title on February 7 at the Arena Nord in Frederikshavn, Denmark.

Nielsen impressed in his last outing, dominating former world title challenger Gusmyr Perdomo to score a unanimous points victory. Now, the 21 year-old southpaw can take the next step on his journey to become world champion, when he challenges Dos Santos for the vacant WBC International crown.

‘’This will be a tough test, but one I‘m ready for,’’ said Nielsen. ‘’Winning the WBC International title would be the perfect start to the New Year. I want to be the best and challenge for world titles. This is the next step for me!

‘’I can’t afford to take anything for granted. Dos Santos is a strong opponent, with a good record, but I’m confident that I have what it takes to win. I will work hard in the gym, and I know my coach Joey Gamache will come up with the perfect game plan.

‘’I have some great memories of fighting in Frederikshavn, and I’m going to make sure that February 7 is another night to remember. I want to prove to everyone that I’m the real deal, and continue my climb to the top of the cruiserweight division.’’

To realise his ambition Nielsen must get past the former Brazilian and WBO Latino Champion, Dos Santos, which may prove no easy task. Having stopped twenty-four of his previous thirty opponents inside the distance, the Sao Paulo-boxer boasts a fearsome 80% knockout ratio.

While promoter Nisse Sauerland acknowledges the danger Dos Santos possesses, he is confident his fighter is up to the challenge. ‘’This will undoubtedly be Micki’s toughest test to date,’’ said Sauerland. ‘’But we know what he is capable of, and it’s time he showed his true potential.

‘’This is a massive opportunity, and a chance for Micki to announce himself onto the world scene. Outside of a world title, the WBC International belt is one of the most prestigious titles a boxer can hold, and a convincing victory could put Micki in line for a world title fight later this year.’’

Nielsen’s WBC International title challenge tops an action-packed show at the Arena Nord in Frederikshavn, which also features the Scandinavian showdown between Anthony Yigit (11-0-1, 4 KOs) and Kim Poulsen (26-1, 7 KOs), Dennis Ceylan’s (12-0-1, 6 KOs) rematch with Cristian Montilla (6-3-1, 3 KOs), rising Danish stars Abdul Khattab (9-0, 3 KOs) and Rashid Kassem (6-0, 3 KOs), and Norwegian talents Tim-Robin Lihaug (9-1, 5 KOs), Simen Smaadal (8-1, 3 KOs), Alexander Hagen (5-1, 1 KO) and Kai Robin Havnaa (1-0). Tickets for the Nordic Fight Night are available via arenanord.dk.

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 13, 2015) – “RETURN TO GLORY: Stiverne vs. Wilder” fight week is officially here as WBC Heavyweight World Champion Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne, undefeated No. 1 challenger Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder, Hall of Fame promoter Don King, WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz and all the fighters on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) this Saturday, Jan. 17, made their grand arrivals at MGM Grand this afternoon.

Here is what the fighters had to say upon their arrivals in Las Vegas Tuesday:

BERMANE STIVERNE , WBC Heavyweight World Champion

“I really don’t feel any emotions towards Deontay Wilder. The most important thing is for me to defend my world title.

“All the trash talking that he does doesn’t worry me. He doesn’t have anything that I want. I am the champ. This is fighting, this is boxing, this is for real. I keep my concentration on the fight.

“We trained like he was the champion. We didn’t talk about his past experience. We trained like he has gone 12 rounds before.

“I’m here to fight for the people. I fight to inspire people anywhere in the world, that’s my responsibility since I am the world champion.”

DEONTAY WILDER, Undefeated No.1 WBC Heavyweight Contender

“I need to let this beast inside of me out. I am so ready for this fight. We are bringing back the heavyweight division.

“Once I knock this guy out it will be on to the next guy for me. He will definitely go down, I’m going to hurt him bad.

“He has never faced someone with my athletic skills. My athleticism alone is going to hurt him.

“There is no better place to have a fight of this magnitude than in Las Vegas. The fight will be explosive, exciting and I will be bringing this heavyweight belt back to America.

“When you have so much animosity towards someone it makes for a great fight. Everything that I’ve said about him and all he has said about me will be settled on Saturday.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion

“I am always prepared going into every fight. I never underestimate any fighter because those are the ones that can hurt you.

“When you give them the opportunity they come prepared and hungry because they want to take the title away from you.

“Any fighter is dangerous in the ring; one punch could change a fight. Ruiz is a good fighter.

“I trained really hard for this fight as I always do. I am mentally and physically strong, and I’ve been working much more on my power heading into this fight.”

JESUS RUIZ, Super Bantamweight Contender

“I am very excited to be here. I promise you, come Saturday you will have a new world champion.

“I am motivated and looking forward to this fight. It’s an honor for me to be here and I am grateful for the opportunity.

“He’s [Santa Cruz] a fighter that we’re well aware of. I know his style and the way he fights but we’re ready and prepared to win.

“He is an explosive fighter and so am I. I don’t think either fighter has an advantage over the other. I think you’re going to see two strong Mexican fighters going at it, it’s going to be an exciting fight.”

AMIR IMAM, Super Lightweight Contender

“I’m really excited to be on the undercard of a big American heavyweight title fight. I’m coming here to take care of business and get out of there. I’m coming here to do what I do best.

“Boxing is what I do and we’re ready. All that matters is that I get the victory, but I definitely want to win impressively.

“I have big things lined up for 2015, but I need to first take care of business on Saturday.

“[Maldonado Jr.] is no pushover. I don’t look over any fighter. I take everybody seriously.”

FIDEL MALDONADO JR., Super Lightweight Contender

“I am very confident going into this fight. This has been my best training camp that I have had in my professional career, I’m ready.”

“This is the biggest fight I have ever been in and my best opportunity to prove that I belong and get exposure.

“I know that [Imam] was an Olympic alternate, he’s a good fighter. People are underestimating me, so I’m going to go in there and knock him out.”

DON KING, Hall of Fame Promoter

“This is the heavyweight title fight. We are bringing Las Vegas back again.

“We are happy to be back at the world capital of boxing. The current Mike Tyson, Bermane Stiverne, will be defending his world title here at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. If Bermane wins, we’re going to bring Tyson back out of retirement to fight him. This fight is the ‘Return to Glory.’ Boxing goes as the heavyweights go, and the heavyweight division is back. This is one of the biggest fights we have had in years.”

# # #

“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship taking place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defends against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam meets Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will air live on SHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for the event are on sale and priced at $500, $350, $250, $125 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com/.

Brooklyn, NY (January 13, 2015)– Dmitry Salita announced today that the WBU Americas Featherweight Title will be up for grabs as an added co feature to his popular Brooklyn Brawl Boxing Series.

Floriano Pagliara, The popular Italian from Cecine Italy and now residing in Williamsburgh Brooklyn will take on slick moving Antwan Robertson from Minnesota USA

Pagliara has held title belts as the IBF Mederteranian Champion and Italian Federation in the Jr. Lightweight Division.

“Floriano loves America. He has become very popular with the local Italian communities in the tri state area. He is very honored to fight for an American title in front of his American fan base. People respond to Flori. Dmitry and his promotional team will be very happy with the fan support that Floriano brings” quoted Rich Komissar, the American promoter for Pagliara. “His fans support him” added Komissar

The move to featherweight is something that the Italian has been thinking of since his move to America a few years back.

“I always try to think of making the featherweight limit but in Italy my training and diet did not allow for this. But in America I have the best training for this and now I am never more than 132 lbs when I am regular time and not training” said the affable Italian with his operatic dialect.

“Star of David Promotions is happy to add this bout as a co feature” said Dmitry Salita of Star of David Promotions. “I have seen Floriano fight a few times here in New York Area. He is far and away one of the New York Area’s most popular fighters. He always brings a good crowd and he gives a great show. I believe the matchup we are giving you here (Pagliara / Robertson) will produce an all out action packed fight that the fans will like. Antwan Robertson is never in a dull fight. He reminds me a little bit of Junior Jones… This fight will be a war”.

The Brooklyn Brawl Series will hop over the river to Manhattan for this show on January 22nd. The card will be held at the world famous Webster Hall 125 East 11th Street NYC New York 10003.

There will be a press conference this Thursday at Capizzi Restaurant at 2 PM. Capizzi is located at West 41st street and 9th ave.

Below is a video of Pagliara, who has been coined “The Brooklyn Rocky”

Ontario, Canada: When Tony “The Lightning” Luis (18-2, 7 KOs) steps into the ring on Jan. 30 at Foxwoods Resort Casino to face undefeated Philadelphian Karl “Dynamite” Dargan (17-0, 9 KOs) many will consider him the opponent in their battle for the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship but Luis feels he has already proved he has the perseverance and resilience to give Dynamite a run for his money.

“I have much respect for Karl Dargan,” said Tony. “He is slick and quick. In short he is good. To be the best you have to beat the best. I am coming to fight and to win. We both have our work cut out for us. I will be prepared for anything. I know I am the ‘B’ side fighter and he has had the investment and protection I have not had in my career and it will slant in his favor. I have to fight harder and do more. I have been here before. The pressure is on him to stay undefeated. I have been there in his shoes. I will see Karl Dargan in the ring on Friday, Jan. 30 and may the best man win. To the victor go the spoils.”

Lightning Luis did not take the typical road to professional boxing that so many other fighters have. Instead he received a degree from St. Lawrence College in Cornwall, Ontario in Police Foundations. He had planned to become a police officer but then found that his true calling was working with children. Luis decided to pursue a career in social work and became a drug and alcohol rehabilitation counselor at a boys’ group home on an Indian reservation in his native Canada. This position, which he still holds today, allows him to work with kids both inside and outside of the boxing ring. His job also allows him to pursue his other passion which is his professional boxing career.

Lightning Luis
Photo Courtesy of:
Greg Cohen Promotions

Luis turned pro in 2008 after a rather impressive amateur career. He decided he wanted to make his professional debut instead of waiting for the next Olympic qualifiers. Although he won his first 15 professional bouts, his early career was not without heartbreak. A week and half before his third professional fight Tony’s mother died suddenly from an unexpected aneurism. Despite pleas from his father/trainer, Jorge Luis, to withdraw from the fight, Tony proceeded. He defeated Mario Andrade via a fourth round unanimous decision.

He suffered his first professional loss, and only career knockout loss, on ESPN to Jose Hernandez. Despite the loss, Jorge believes it was the best thing that could have happened to Tony at the time. He said, “In retrospect it was a good loss because Tony was at a point where he felt he was invincible. Sometimes, when these young guys get to a certain point, they think they are invincible. They think that they got it down pat. He had scored a few stoppages there. He felt they were all going to go the same way. He got a harsh lesson that night from Hernandez who was just a better man that night.”

Tony won his next two fights before suffering a controversial unanimous decision loss to Ivan Redkach for the USBA Lightweight Title. This loss still leaves a bad taste in his father’s mouth who said, “I have never digested that loss. I still get comments everywhere I go that the fight should have been at least a draw or we should have been on the winning end of a split decision.” However, just like the other hurdles Tony has had to overcome in his career, this loss instilled in him a sense of perseverance and resilience.

Luis’s promoter, Greg Cohen, of Greg Cohen Promotions added, “As always, it’s terrific working with Main Events and I’m really pleased to be part of this wonderful event. This is exactly the type of fight Tony needs to win to get to the world championship level. He is one of the most intelligent, professional fighters I have ever worked with and I know he is going to perform on Jan. 30 and have the career defining performance he needs. Karl Dargan is an excellent fighter as well and I expect a terrific fight that will have the fans entertained from the opening bell on. I’m really looking forward to this one!”

About January 30
Presented by Main Events in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, the Jan. 30 edition of Friday Night Fights on ESPN2 and will take place at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT. It features a ten-round lightweight battle between undefeated contender Karl “Dynamite” Dargan (17-0, 9 KOs) against Tony “The Lightning” Luis (18-2, 7 KOs) for the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship in the main event. The co-feature is an eight-round middleweight bout between Thomas Falowo (12-3, 8 KOs) against Russell Lamour (11-0, 5 KOs). The remaining undercard bouts will be announced shortly. Tickets are $40, $60 and $75 and available now through Foxwoods.com and the Foxwoods box office. The doors will open at 5:00 PM ET and the Friday Night Fights telecast will begin at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN2.

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NEW YORK/TORONTO (Jan. 13, 2015) – Ring 8 was a proud sponsor of the recent 28th annual Ring 8 Holiday Events and Awards Ceremony, held at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for boxing, mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

Ring 8, formed in 1954 by ex-prizefighter Jack Grebelsky, became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association – hence, Ring 8 – and today the organization’s motto is still the same: Boxers Helping Boxers. With its 350+ plus members, Ring 8 is the largest group of its kind in the United States. It remains fully committed to supporting less fortunate people in the boxing community who may require assistance in terms of paying rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need.

Below find a photo gallery from the aforementioned event:

Former world welterweight champion Tony DeMarco

(L-R) – Ring 8 president Bob Duffy & Ring 8 2014
Fighter of the Year Chris Algieiri

Ring 8 2014 Comeback of the Year – Daniel Jacobs

Ring 8 2014 Contender of the Year – Frank Galarza

Ring 8 2014 Prospect of the Year – Julian Williams

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Promoter Dmitriy Salita is pleased to announce a compelling main event for the January 22nd card at Webster Hall in New York, which pits cruiserweight contender Junior Wright, a Chicago-based pugilist, against tough Texan Rayford Johnson in a 10-round bout. “Junior was in camp with Adonis Stevenson for Adonis’ fight on Dec. 19, and Junior is ready to challenge the best in world,” Salita said. “He’s looking to make a statement.” Johnson is still buzzed from beating 16-1 Vincent Miranda last September so Wright will need to be on message.

Salita is pumped for a “fight of the year potential” clash pitting lightweight Dimash Niyazov against former NYS lightweight champion Ariel Duran in a bout scheduled for 6-rounds.. “That will be Dimash’s toughest test,” Salita said.

Rising prospect Gary Beriguette of Brooklyn is looking to impress in a junior welter clash; he meets NYC fan favorite Raphael Luna of Albany in a six round bout, someone who has never engaged in a dull fight, and Salita expects him to continue that trend onJan. 22.

A KO is a distinct possibility when fight fans see the SODP debut of heavyweight bomber Ytalo Perea, an Ecuador native, looking to leave his mark on Emilio Salas in a 4-round bout. The Pan Am Games champ seeks to bring a heavyweight belt back to his native land to show off proudly.

Salita looks to be cornering the market on heavy hitting prospects at cruiser and heavy; another one in that category, looking to show off his stuff in NYC, is Russian Alexey Zubov, a 28-year-old hitter who craves KO climaxes. He will face Eric George in a 4-round bout.

Welterweight prospect Treysean Wiggins, out of Newburgh, NY, is another KO-craver under the Salita banner who wants to lay the smack down at Webster Hall when he takes on Llyas Aksbaev.

Fan favorite Floriano Pagliara draws hordes of fans who love his high-volume punching, pleasant personality and attractive visage; he will be in action on Jan. 22 as well in an 8 round bout against Antwun Robertsonin a 8-round bout.

Rising middleweight Akil Auguste is looking to score another KO, extending his perfect streak of wins-by-KO to six when he takes on Eddie Edmond in a six-round bout.

National and NY Golden Gloves champion Marcos Suarez, a possible future star in Salita’s eyes, wants to steal the show at Webster Hall. He takes on undefeated Usiel Hernandez of Geneva, New York in a 4-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Damien Yero of the Bronx will look to make his pro debut a successful one as he takes on Brooklyn slugger Mack Babb in a 4-round Welterweight bout.

The Star of David team clapped hands for their heavyweight hopeful Jarrell Miller, who rose to 11-0 on Friday night, with a decision win over Aaron Kinch in California. It was high-profile outing, featured on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights.”

LAS VEGAS (January 12, 2015) – Although he has lived in Las Vegas for the past decade, Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (24-1, 21 KOs) is extremely proud to be the first world heavyweight champion from his native Haiti, as well as the first from the Province of Quebec to hold that coveted title.

Today, Stiverne is a role model in his native Haiti, as well as in his second home, Quebec, where he trained for many years as an amateur and professional, in addition to fighting in Montreal twice as a pro.

Stiverne makes the first defense of his World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title, which he captured last May with an impressive sixth-round technical knockout of dangerous Chris Arreola (35-4), this Saturday night (Jan. 17) against undefeated, mandatory challenger Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), airing live on Showtime Championship Boxing (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) from MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Stiverne-Wilder is also airing live in Canada on TVA Sports.

Born in Haiti as the youngest boy and 11th of 13 children, “B. Ware” moved with his family at the age of 10 to Miami, where, ironically, he was bullied at school. He resettled in Montreal, Quebec, often going back and forth between there and Miami, before moving to Las Vegas in 2004.

“I’ve lived here in the United States since 1988,” Stiverne said. “My parents moved to Miami and then back and forth between Miami and Montreal. After school, when I was older, I moved to Las Vegas to pursue my boxing career.

“I represent the country I was born in, Haiti, and then Quebec, but I also love the United States. But, first, I’m from Haiti and I want to give hope to those Haitians who don’t have a lot. I want to inspire people there by letting them know it doesn’t matter where you are born, that dreams can come true like it has for me. There aren’t a lot of opportunities there and I hope Haitians pursue their dreams like I did.”

(L) WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne and his manager Camille Estephan
“I know how proud Bermane is to be the first Haitian and first guy from Quebec to be heavyweight champion of the world,” Stiverne’s manager Camille Estephan added. “It really means the world to him. Quebec is a hotbed for boxing and the heavyweight division is the flagship of boxing. We’ve proven that and silenced those who say boxing is dying. The record number of media credentials request for this fight at an international level is crazy.”

“B. Ware” of Stiverne!

For further information visit www.eottm.com, or follow on Twitter @eotmvd and @BStiverne.

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 12, 2015) – The fight this Saturday, Jan. 17, between undefeated super lightweight Amir “Young Master” Imam (15-0, 13 KOs) and hard-hitting Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr. (19-2, 16 KOs) will now be for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Championship, it was announced today.

The 10-rounder, which will open the live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, will precede two world title bouts on a fight card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions

In Saturday’s highly anticipated main event, hard-hitting WBC Heavyweight World Champion Bermane “B.Ware” Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), of Las Vegas, will defend against unbeaten knockout specialist and mandatory challenger Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala. Crowd-pleasing unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (28-0-1, 16 KOs), of Los Angeles, will risk his belt against Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz (32-5-5, 22 KOs) in the co-feature.

Tickets for the event are on sale and priced at $500, $350, $250, $125 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 3 p.m. PT.

Imam (pronounced “EE-mom”), of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., by way of Albany, N.Y., was an amateur standout and silver medalist at the 2011 U.S. Olympic Trials. As a professional, the talented Imam, 24, has mostly had his way; 11 of his fights have ended in the first or second round.

The always-willing Maldonado Jr., 23, had won six straight bouts, five by knockout, before his last outing ended in a third round no contest on Dec. 20, 2014, in Cancun, Mexico.
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“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship taking place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defends against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam meets Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will air live on SHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com/.

NEW YORK, NY (January 12, 2015) – GoFight Live (www.gfl.tv), the world’s premier online destination for live combat sports, announced today that it has partnered with legendary world champion Lou Neglia’s Ring of Combat, which has sent over 90 professional fighters to the UFC, to bring the promotion’s historic, 50th Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event featuring seven championship bouts, to live pay-per-view television as well as to a live global audience on GFL.tv, on Fri., Jan. 23, from the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

At a suggested retail price of $17.99, the live cable television pay-per-view broadcast and the live GFL.tv online stream of Ring of Combat 50 begins at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST on Jan. 23. Additionally, a live, free-of-charge preview show featuring two preliminary card bouts from the event begins exclusively on GFL.tv at 8:30 p.m. EST/5:30 p.m. PST.

“We are thrilled to team up with GoFight Live, which gives us the opportunity to showcase this event – a major milestone for Ring of Combat – to fight fans all over the globe,” said Neglia, whose organization has been touted by MixedMartialArts.com as “The American Idol of MMA” because of its unmatched track record of discovering future superstars of the sport.

To date, Ring of Combat is responsible for jumpstarting the careers of reigning UFC middleweight kingpin Chris Weidman, retired, former UFC champion Matt Serra; and UFC superstars Frankie Edgar; Al Iaquinta; Uriah Hall; Ryan LaFlare; Costas Philippou and Edson Barboza, among others.

Frankie Perez, a nine-time Ring of Combat veteran who was originally slated to compete on the upcoming 50th event, withdrew from his scheduled title fight after being called up to make his UFC debut on Jan. 18.

Amongst the crop of rising stars that are slated for action at Ring of Combat 50 and that have been touted as potential, future UFC competitors are undefeated Ring of Combat national bantamweight (135 pounds) champion Julio Arce (6-0) of Queens, N.Y., who will put his title on the line in the co-main event against battle-tested Thomas Vasquez (7-2) of Horn Lake, Miss., and undefeated, former NCAA Division I wrestling champion and four-time All- American for Edinboro University Gregor Gillespie (3-0) of Wantagh, N.Y., who will square off with Justin Stewart (0=0) of Greene, N.Y. in one of the pay-per-view pre-show matchups on GFL.tv.

Unbeaten KO artist Oluwale “Holy War Angel” Bamgbose (3-0) of New York, N.Y. will battle Devon “Bam Bam” Morris (1-3) Niles, Mich. for the vacant Ring of Combat national middleweight (185 pounds) title.

Since making his professional debut at Ring of Combat 45 on June 14, 2013 with a blistering first round (2:45) TKO (punches) of Fikret Darzanoff, the 27-year-old Bamgbose has been unstoppable, continuing his dominant success with two more first round stoppages – a TKO (punches) of Michael Elshamy on Jan. 24, 2014, and a TKO (doctor stoppage) of Steve Nichols on Sept. 19, 2014 – both in Ring of Combat action.

In the main event, 25-year-old Jeff Lentz (9-4-1) of Mays Landing, N.J. will square off with fellow up-and-coming finisher, 26-year-old George “Lights Out” Sheppard (15-9) of Newport News, Va., for the promotion’s vacant, national lightweight (155 pounds) championship.

Lentz has earned 6 of his 9 career victories by way of (T)KO (4) or submission (2), while Sheppard has notched 11 of his 15 career wins to date via (T)KO (9) or submission (2).

Unbeaten Randy “Rude Boy” Brown (2-0) of Queens will lock horns with Mike Winters (7-4) of Cortland, N.Y. for the vacant Ring of Combat national welterweight (170 pounds) strap.

A Jamaican import, the 24-year-old Brown made his professional debut under the Ring of Combat banner on May 16, 2014, submitting Steve Tyrrell with an armbar in the first round (1:53) of their meeting. On Sept. 19, 2014, Brown turned in another powerful performance, finishing Leonard Simpson by way of second round (:52) TKO with a barrage of punches.

Brown will face his toughest test to date in Winters, a veteran of more than five times as many fights than Brown. Winters has yet to be finished by an opponent since making his professional debut in 2010, and reeling off wins in his first four starts – three by way of TKO.

Ring of Combat flyweight (125 pounds) champion, Matt “Razor Sharp” Rizzo (7-2) of Levittown, Penn. will risk his title against Corey Simmons (5-6) Defiance, Ohio.

Rizzo is coming off a brilliant first round (3:40) submission (rear-naked choke) of Jimmy Grant at Ring of Combat 49 on Sept. 19, 2014, avenging a KO (punch) defeat at the hands of Grant, just one fight before that, on May 16, 2014. Prior to the loss, Rizzo had collected four straight wins – three via first round submission.

Phillipe “The Filipino Assassin” Nover (8-5) of Brooklyn, N.Y. will square off against Dan Cion (4-1) of Farmingdale, N.Y. for the Ring of Combat East Coast lightweight title.

Nover, 30, is aiming for his third consecutive win, after earning back-to-back unanimous decisions over Darrell Horcher and Mike Santiago on April 4, 2013 and June 14, 2013, respectively. The victory over Horcher represented Nover’s final start of a 2-1 stint fighting for Bellator.

Cion, also 30 years of age, is looking for his second straight win in what will be his first appearance since June 1, 2012 when he decimated Casey Milliken in just 18 seconds with an onslaught of punches.

Kenny Foster (11-8) of Selden, N.Y. will battle Mike Santiago (12-9) of Wood Dale, Ill. for the Ring of Combat East Coast featherweight (145 pounds) belt.

Tickets for Ring of Combat 50, priced from $55 to $135, can be purchased online at RingofCombat.com, the Tropicana Resort & Casino box office and Ticketmaster.com.

Doors at the Tropicana Resort & Casino showroom open at 8:00 p.m. EST.

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About GFL:

GFL (www.gfl.tv) is a fast-growing media and sports entertainment company that utilizes a proprietary technology to deliver the most exciting LIVE combat sports events worldwide and an incredible viewing experience to a global audience. With a diverse mix of combat sports properties, GFL is the premier online destination for live boxing, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Muay Thai, kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu and more. Since its inception in 2007, GFL has streamed more than 2,500 live events with over 10,000 hours of combat sports content. In addition to its web platform, GFL is available on Roku, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices, and broadcasts a weekly, two-hour, syndicated fight TV show on CSN, TCN and SNY, as well as live pay-per-view events directly to iN DEMAND.

About Ring of Combat:

Ring of Combat is one of the longest running and most successful MMA promotions in the country. More than 80 ROC fighters have moved on to the UFC and other top promotions, including former UFC champions Frankie Edgar and Matt Serra and current UFC Middleweight Champion, Chris Weidman. It is because of this success, finding great but unknown talent and preparing them for the world stage, that Ring of Combat has earned the reputation of being called the “American Idol” of MMA. Lou firmly believes that great fights make great fighters!

For more information about Ring of Combat, please visit their website at: www.ringofcombat.com

About Lou Neglia:

Louis Neglia is a three-time World Kickboxing Champion, a former U.S. Kickboxiing Champion, a Florida Karate Champion, New York State Champion, and an Eastern American Karate Champion. No opponent has lasted more than three rounds against Louis Neglia since he won his first World Championship in 1980. Lou is an eight-degree Black Belt, and retired from competition in 1985 with a career record of 34 wins and only 2 losses. He was named Fighter Of the Year in 1984 and was inducted into the Karate Hall of Fame. He starred in four motion pictures(“A Hard Way to Die”,”Super Weapon”,”Fist of Fear”,and “One Down”, “Two To Go”). Featured articles have been written about him in the top American and International magazines and newspapers.

For more information about Lou Neglia’s, please visit his website at: www.louneglia.com

Nutley, NJ(January 12, 2015)–This past Friday night at the Madison Square Garden Theater, previously undefeated Super Middleweight Jerry Odom suffered his first professional defeat when he was controversially disqualified when he was ruled to have hit Andrew Hernandez while he was down following a knockdown.

“Jerry dropped the kid and the referee was way out of position. The referee was in the opposite corner,””said GH3 Promotions CEO Vito Mielnicki.

“We signed Hernandez before the fight so I am looking to do an immediate rematch as soon as mid February. As everyone saw, Jerry was well on his way to stopping him. Hernandez is a good prospect but Jerry got the best of him. I think Andrew knew that Jerry was breaking him down.”

“The referee was way out of position to make a call like that They could have given him five minutes to recover. Stuff like this is a black eye for the sport. All that being said, Andrew knows that if he wants to become something, he has to take the rematch. I am going to talk to the commission on Monday and see what my options are in terms of an appeal but making the rematch is the first order of business for us.”

“We know that Jerry is still the top Super Middleweight prospect out there and we will not let this terrible ruling effect our plans for Jerry going forward.

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Featherweight Glenn Dezurn Jr., undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Jr. Middleweight John Thompson, Jr. Lightweight Wanzell Ellison, Featherweight Jorge Diaz, undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad and Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell to the GH3 Promotions stable.

Baltimore, MD (January 11, 2015) – World record knockout holder Sam “Vanilla Gorilla” Crossed is replacing Joey Veazey in the main event of “Slugfest” January 23 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Veazey was forced to withdraw due to an injury suffered in training.

An exciting heavyweight and former college football player, Crossed set a record by knocking out Adrien Bean in an astonishing four seconds in August 2013. Crossed, a former college football player who continues to improve inside the squared circle, meets Glen Burnie native Jeff Knight for the East Coast Super Heavyweight Championship.

“Slugfest” is promoted by Baltimore Boxing Promotions and tickets starting at $25 are available at Baltimoreboxing.com or by calling 410-375-9175. VIP seats for $50 and VIP tables of 10 for $500 are also available. All VIP ticketholders get free hors d’oeuvres from 7-8 pm. Doors open at 6:30 and the first bell will sound at 8:15.

Baltimore native Allan Burris of Baltimore faces Lamont White in the co-feature. The two fought in December, with Burris taking home the victory. Like Crossed, Burris trains out of the Baltimore Boxing Gym.

Young phenom Tommy Koe Jr. will appear on the card in a special attraction bout. Koe Jr. is slated to appear in this year’s nationals. Fans will also be treated to a special showdown between Courtney Hartlove and Melissa “Million Dollar Baby” Wilson. Hartlove and Wilson, who both work in the Federal Hill section of Baltimore, will do battle for local bragging rights.

“While I’m disappointed that Joey Veazey is no longer on the card, I’m very pleased with our new main event,” said Jake Smith, CEO of Baltimore Boxing Promotions and President of the South Atlantic Boxing Amateur Boxing Program. “Fans love heavyweights and Sam Crossed has been creating a buzz around the area since his record-setting knockout. Ticketholders also get to see a future champion in Tommy Koe Jr., a guaranteed slugfest between two popular young ladies, the Burris-White rematch and other locals. Ticket sales have been great and we’re expecting a sellout on the 23rd.”

To help with their continued community efforts throughout the Charm City, Baltimore Boxing is hosting a 50/50 raffle. 100 percent of the proceeds will go towards Baltimore Boxing’s amateur program, which has helped keep kids off the street and in the gym for more than 20 years.

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com

New York, NY (January 11, 2015) – Bernie Lenahan was a rare breed by today’s boxing standards. Not only was he dedicated to the sport, spending countless hours at New York’s Mendez Boxing Gym, Lenahan was an honest family man that built special friendships with his fighters.

Having worked with various fighters in the Big Apple, Lenahan learned his craft by spending time around New York’s greats. He guided multiple fighters to New York Golden Gloves titles and played a key role during his four years as Boyd Melson’s assistant trainer and cutman. In multiple fights, Lenahan prevented tides from potentially turning by effectively closing Melson’s cuts between rounds. He was also in the gym guiding Melson as he prepared for battle.

Shockingly, Lenahan passed away last week, leaving behind a wife, daughter, granddaughter, two sisters and a brother.

“I spent more time with Coach Bernie these past four years than any other man on this planet,” said Melson. He made me his. My heart broke when I heard the news, and a part of it will be broken until my time is up in my own body. It wasn’t just because of how he loved me and how much I loved him that this hurts me so much, but it is because when Coach passed, hundreds and hundreds of people lost something very special.”

“Coach Bernie offered an unconditional kindness, acceptance and welcoming that you only find in children. When you see a child, you know that you won’t be judged, and you will be offered love for no other reason beyond that child just wanting to love you. At some time in almost all humans’ lives, we tend to lose this. We stop loving everyone, and we start judging everyone. With Coach though, we felt safe as seeing him put instant smiles on our faces because we always felt loved and welcomed. He made you feel that he truly wanted you there and really cared about you. I wish everyone alive on this planet could have met Coach Bernie to experience that feeling. At the end of every practice for the past three years, I hugged Coach Bernie, kissed him on the side of his forehead, thanked him for training me that day, and said I love you to him. He would smile and quietly say “love you too.” Forever and a day, I thank you Coach for this.”

Donations to the Lenahan family can be made by going to https://www.crowdrise.com/BernieLenahan/fundraiser/jamescoppinger

Celebrity boxing promoter Damon Feldman is in talks with Justin Bieber’s camp for Justin to possibly step in the ring in a showdown with internet star Antoine Dodson on April 25th in Los Angeles, Dodson is 1-0 in Celebrity Boxing and Dodson has signed contract now the wait is on Bieber to make this reality, Bieber has been training with Floyd Mayweather jr more info coming you could check Feldman’s events out at Wxent.com
Feldman pictured with VH1,mob wives star Natalie DiDonato also pictures is Antoine Dodson and Justin Bieber and Floyd Mayweather jr.

Tacoma, WA (January 10, 2015) A special Friday night edition of Battle at the Boat started off the 2015 fight calendar with a bang. A packed house at the Emerald Queen Casino was treated to a fantastic night of fights, featuring the northwest’s best up and coming boxing talent.

In the main event of the evening, Tacoma’s own Mike “Imagine Me” Gavronski (16-1-1 10KO’s) took on Dashon Johnson (15-18-3 5KO’s) of Escondido, California. Despite taking the fight on only a week’s notice, Johnson gave Gavronski all he could handle, landing vicious right hands to the head and body in the early rounds. Gavronski was up for the challenge however, picking his opponent apart with crisp jabs and excellent footwork. Even with a 7th round point deduction for pushing, Gavronski proved too much for the more experienced Johnson, winning a Unanimous Decision victory in front of his hometown fans.

The semi-main event saw Vancouver, Washington native Virgil “The Black Mamba” Green (10-3 3KO’s) take on another Tacoma fighter and former Tacoma Golden Gloves Champ, Will Hughes (4-2 3KO’s). Green dominated from the opening bell, using his height and reach advantage to open a nasty cut over the right eye of Hughes. Green went on to win a lopsided Unanimous Decision, picking up the 10th win of his career in the process.

Also featured on the card was undefeated local sensation Jeremy McCleary (6-0) of Buckley, Washington. McCleary used his impressive hand speed to win a close Unanimous Decision over a tough opponent in Portland, Oregon’s Damen Wood (0-2). Another local star, Marquice Weston (4-0-1 2KO’s), fought California’s Lamont Williams (6-6-1 3KO’s) to a majority draw. McCleary and Weston are fighters on the rise, and two of the top names to watch in 2015.

This thrilling night of action was rounded out with two other incredible undercard fights. Those results are as follows:

Antonio Neal (3-1 3KO’s) def. Ron Pryce (0-1) via 1st round TKO
Andres Reyes (2-0) def. Benny Vinson (1-2 1KO) via Unanimous Decision

Battle at the Boat 99 is presented by Brian Halquist Productions. Next up in the series, Battle at the Boat 100, live from the Emerald Queen Casino on Saturday, March 28th 2015. Tickets for this very special evening, celebrating the northwest’s premier fight promotion’s 100th show; will be available through the Emerald Queen Casino Box Office, as well as all Ticketmaster locations. For more information, please visit www.halquistproductions.com and the Battle at the Boat Facebook page.

Main Event: 10 Rounds
Mike Gavronski def. Dashon Johnson (98-91)(98-91)(95-94)

In what proved to be an incredible night of fights, Tacoma’s own Mike “Imagine Me” Gavronski battled California’s Dashon “fly Boy” Johnson in a ten round main event. To cap off a special Friday night edition of Battle at the Boat. The action was fast paced with both fighters exchanging massive blows. Gavronski came out swinging to begin each round, while Johnson finished each of the ten rounds with flurries of his own. After a seventh round point deduction for pushing, Gavronski seemed defeated. But the hometown hero rallied back, winning a close unanimous decision victory in front of a packed house at the Emerald Queen Casino.

Semi Main Event: 6 Rounds
Virgil Green def. Will Hughes via UD (60-54)(59-55)(58-56)

Undercard: All 4 Rounds
Andres Reyes def. Benny Vinson via UD
Antonio Neal def. Ron Pryce via 1st Round TKO (knee injury)
Marquice Weston vs. Lamont Williams ends in a majority draw.
Jeremy McCleary def. Damen Wood via UD (38-37)(40-35)(40-35)

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 9) – Golden Boy Promotions has teamed up with Fernando Vargas to sign exciting new junior welterweight fighter Cesar “The Great” Quiñonez.

Quiñonez is the first fighter from former world champion Fernando “Feroz” Vargas’ boxing gym Feroz Fight Factory to turn professional, and is managed by the late singer Jenni Rivera’s manager Pete Salgado. Quiñonez is now set to make his professional debut on the undercard of the highly anticipated heavyweight battle between current WBC Heavyweight World Champion Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne and mandatory challenger and knockout sensation Deontay “The Bronze Bomer” Wilder on Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I’m excited to welcome the talented Cesar ‘The Great’ Quiñonez to Golden Boy Promotions,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions. “The Golden Boy family continues to grow with the addition of up and coming talent with great potential like Cesar Quiñonez. I’m proud to have his debut on January 17 at the MGM Grand be under the Golden Boy Promotions banner.”

Fernando Vargas has had much success with Feroz Fight Factory transitioning into the professional boxing world with Quiñonez at the helm. The former world champion also has a history with Oscar De La Hoya, fighting the “Golden Boy” in 2002 for a title unification bout in the super welterweight division. Vargas also fought against Luis Ramon “Yory Boy” Campas, Raul “El Diamante” Marquez, Ronald “Winky” Wright and Ike “Bazooka” Quartey.

“I’m excited for my future as a trainer and I also look forward to working with Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions,” said Vargas. “I have a lot of great talent that I know will become world champions in the years to come!”

“It is truly a blessing to be signed by Golden Boy Promotions,” said Quiñonez. “I am very excited they’ve given me this opportunity to display my talents alongside my trainer Fernando Vargas. I’ve always looked up to Fernando growing up watching him fight, he is a great trainer. I’ve learned many things from him and we are ready to show the world what we can do.”

Quiñonez of Las Vegas has been making himself known in the boxing world since he first joined Feroz Fight Factory in 2013. With an amateur record of 74-4 and four national titles, Cesar has had the opportunity to work directly with Vargas and sparring with four-time female world champion Hollie Dunaway and former world champion Billy “The Kid” Dib. He hopes to make an explosive entrance in his professional debut at the MGM Grand Garden Arena next Saturday night.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.fernandovargas.com follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @cesarthagreat, @ferozfightfactory @_fernandovargas, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/elferozfernandovargas or follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya.

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“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship taking place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defends against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam meets Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will air live on SHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for the event are on sale and priced at $500, $350, $250, $125 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are also available at www.mgmgrand.com orwww.ticketmaster.com.

Mike Gavronski 171
*Dashon Johnson

Will Hughes 140.5
Virgil Green 142

Jeremy McCleary 127.5
Damen Wood 127.5

Marquice Weston 179.5
Lamont Williams 178.5

Ron Pryce 154
Antonio Neal 157.5

Andres Reyes 134.5
Benny Vinson 134

*Dashon Johnson was unable to weigh in on time and will instead be weighed in on Friday morning.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (January 9, 2015) Star Boxing President Joe DeGuardia has announced that the thrilling rematch between undefeated Jr. Welterweight prospect Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin, 15-0 12KO’s and Bayan “The Mongolian Mongoose” Jargal, 17-6-3 10KO’s, will air on MSG Network this Sunday, January 11th at 9pm ET (replay dates listed below). The bout was contested for the vacant WBC International Silver Jr. Welterweight championship.

The fight took place at The Paramount, in Huntington, NY on December 20th and was a thrilling slugfest. The broadcast will also include rising Light Heavyweight Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith Jr., 17-1 14KO’s, in his fight against battle tested veteran Maxell Taylor, 18-10-1 8KO’s.
Undefeated Heavyweight prospect Constantin Bejenaru, 8-0 2KO’s, is also going to be shown in the telecast in his bout with Jon Bolden in a Heavyweight match up.
This is the first time that MSG Network has televised an event from The Paramount. Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing has produced 16 sold out installments of the popular “Rockin Fights” series making The Paramount one of the premier fights venues in the world.
Former Heavyweight Title Challenger Gerry Cooney and Randy Gordon, former NYS Athletic Commissioner and Editor of Ring Magazine are doing commentary (color commentary and blow by blow respectively) for the broadcast. Additionally, post fight interviews were with Cara Castronuova (‘The Biggest Loser’).

WATCH on MSG NETWORK
Original Broadcast: Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 9 PM
Replays:
Monday, January 10, 2015 at 1 AM
Tuesday, January 12, 2015 at 8 AM
Tuesday, January 12, 2015 at 2 PM
Sunday, January 25, 2015 at 11 PM
Monday, January 26, 2015 at 12 PM

All photos courtesy Star Boxing (photographer Ed Diller)

ABOUT THE PARAMOUNT:
Opened September 30, 2011 this 1,555-capacity live entertainment venue, located in downtown Huntington, Long Island, New York, features; concerts, comedy, boxing, community and other special events in a club/theater setting. With over 30,000 Facebook fans, The Paramount was recently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as the #24 highest attended club-venue worldwide (January-June 2013). A Ticketmaster venue, booked by Live Nation, TheParamount hosts nearly 200 events per year and in less than two years since its inception, has quickly established itself as the premier music venue onLong Island, NY. Some artists who have recently taken the Paramount stage include; Billy Joel, Pitbull, Don Henley, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, ZZ Top, Counting Crows, Primus, Matchbox 20, The Blues Brothers, Limp Bizkit, & many, many, more.

ABOUT THE FOX HOLLOW:
Nestled upon 8 private acres of Long Island’s north shore is the Fox Hollow, which features a state of the art event venue, fine dining restaurant and an all-suite luxury boutique hotel. Owned & operated by the Scotto Brothers, their Above & Beyond philosophy in providing each & every guest with superior services and amenities is paramount. Visit the Fox Hollow online at www.TheFoxHollow.com & www.TheInnAtFoxHollow.com

ABOUT CAMELOT LIMOUSINE:
Official Sponsor of the Paramount Boxing Series, Camelot Limos is a family owned and operated business located in Nassau County, with over 25 years of professional experience; serving satisfied clientele since 1984. The owners of Camelot Specialty Limos are very active in the business and play a major role in the company’s day-to-day operations. Camelot Specialty Limos, Inc. is an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau. www.camelotlimo.com

ABOUT WBAB 102.3:
WBAB 102.3 is the home of Long Island’s Classic Rock anchored by their Long Island Rock ‘N’ Roll Morning Show with Roger and JP. For more information or to listen online, visit their website at
www.wbab.com and follow them on Facebook.com/1023wbab
and on Twitter @1023wbab.

Warriors Boxing proudly announces the signing of undefeated Mobile, Alabama, light heavyweight Michael Seals (18-0, 14 KOs).

A latecomer, 32-year-old Seals started boxing at age 23, after a successful career as a linebacker for Alabama A&M University. But Seals has wasted no time catching up.

“Boxing was something I always wanted to do as kid, but coming from the south, especially Alabama, it’s all about football, so I played,” explained Seals. “I never really had a chance to box. Once I got done with football, I found a gym in Decatur, Alabama, and started there. I fell in love after the first time I sparred. I said ‘man, I should have been doing this my whole life.’ I was wasting my time with football. I could have been world champion three or four times over by now.”

Seals had just five amateur fights, but went on a world tour of sorts, sparring with many of the world’s top fighters.

“I’ve sparred with lots of world champs and top contenders. Most of the people I sparred with back then were pros, ranked contenders and champs and former champs. I’ve even been to camp with Wladimir Klitschko and held my own. He’s a super hero, but I didn’t embarrass myself. Sparring with these guys was like a fight every time out. I was traveling their homes and you know how that goes. They try to make an example of you. I had to fight for my life, basically.”

Seals is currently rated WBC #25 and says he looks to his new promoters to help him move further and further up the ladder.

“I’ve been knowing about Warriors since I started boxing. Since way back when Glen Johnson knocked out Roy Jones Junior. I’ve always had a healthy respect for their company. And I was always open to signing with them. My trainer, Sugar Burt, has had a long relationship with (Warriors Matchmaker and Coordinator) Chico Rivas since he was 12 years old. We had been talking about signing with Warriors for a long time. I just got out of my previous contract and now Warriors is back on the prowl, doing their thing again. So we revisited the situation and chose to go with Warriors. Hopefully by the end of the year I will at least be in the top 5 if not fighting for a world title. My ultimate goal is to win a super middleweight championship and then move back up and win a light heavyweight title and then win a cruiserweight belt.”

Warriors Boxing President, Leon Margules, says he’s happy to have Seals joining his stable.

“Michael didn’t have a huge amateur career, but he’s a natural talent and we’re very excited about his prospects for the future. He has the power and the ability to become a major force at 168, 175 and even cruiserweight.”

Seals says he prides himself on being a throwback type of fighter.

“My style is more of a James Tony/Bernard Hopkins. I use the shoulder roll and angles with subtle movements. I use the ring like you’re supposed to, without using a whole lot of energy. I’m real smooth. I like to roll punches and slip punches in the pocket and counter.”

LAS VEGAS (Jan 9, 2015) – As we near the epic return of world championship heavyweight action in the United States, WBC Heavyweight World Champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs) and unbeaten knockout specialist Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs) are deep in training camp for their championship showdown on SHOWTIME®.

Tickets for the event are on sale and priced at $500, $350, $250, $125 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are also available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Read below for what the fighters have to say about how training is going, what their place in heavyweight history is and what the fans can expect to see on Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas:

Q: Where have you been training? Who have you been training with? How has training been going?

Bermane Stiverne: I am in Vegas training at the Mayweather Gym. I have had many sparring partners, seven total and they have been alternating since it has been a very long camp. I began training camp in August because we didn’t even know when this fight was going to happen so we had to be ready for any time and we did better than ever. It has been a long, long training camp and I am in the best shape I have ever been in.

I plan to go in the ring between 238 and 242 pounds. We thought about going lower but I am a super heavyweight and that is the weight where I am best.

Deontay Wilder: Camp has been great. It’s been a long hard road but we’re here now. I had my whole team which was excellent — Jay Deas, Mark Breland, Russ Anber, Cuz Hill and my strength coach Peter Khoury, so it couldn’t have been any better.

Q: How do you feel about fighting on the big stage as the main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena?

BS: Fighting at the MGM Grand is a dream come true. I have been dreaming of becoming a champion my whole life. When I think of the MGM I think of all the history and I want to write a new chapter.

DW: I’m super excited about fighting on the big stage. The bigger the better! The more attention and people watching, the more I like it. We’ve been working towards this for a long time, and I am glad we have gotten to this level.

Q: If you could meet any heavyweight champ who would it be? Is there a heavyweight that you would say you emulate?

BS: Muhammad – he was the greatest, he called himself “The Greatest” before he even knew he was The Greatest. He worked hard every single day to fulfill it and that is what I do. No corners cut.

DW: I’ve never patterned myself after any other heavyweight, but if I could meet one from the past it would be Joe Louis. He’s part of my nickname. He was the ‘Brown Bomber’ and since I’m from Alabama like he was and I won the Bronze medal at the Olympics, I’m the ‘Bronze Bomber.’

Q: How do you feel about being in the biggest heavyweight title fight in the United States in a decade?

BS: The Heavyweight Champion is what it’s all about. It’s the King of the Jungle. It is the Champion of all the Champions. I am happy to bring it back. Boxing is alive and well.

DW: It’s time for the heavyweight division to be important again and I’m the guy to do it, so I can’t wait.

Q: Which heavyweights inspired you or did you admire on your climb to this point?

BS: Iron Mike Tyson and James Toney – I really admire the way they fought. I loved Iron Mike’s explosiveness and speed and his fast hands. Tyson could hurt you with any punch at any angle and that is my forte. When I hit somebody, I see it in their eyes and their legs and I feel their pain.

DW: My daughter is my inspiration. I always admired guys like Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes though.

Q: Is there any extra motivation fighting for the WBC title that has been held by so many of the greatest including Muhammad Ali?

BS: The WBC heavyweight belt has been held by many great champions. It’s the biggest prize out there.

DW: A lot of great champions have held the WBC title belt, so it’s the big one and I’m honored and excited to be fighting for it.

Q: How important is it for you to represent your home country in this fight? Do you feel any additional pressure because of it?

BS: I am blessed to have been born in Haiti and lived in Quebec, Canada and now Las Vegas and I like to think of myself as an inspiration to kids in Haiti that have suffered so much – just like me. I want them to know that if they work hard they can achieve their dreams.

DW: Like I said, I am honored and excited. A lot of greats have held the belt and I am ready to make history and be one of the greats. Representing the U.S. in a heavyweight fight, bringing it back home, it’s an honor.

Q: What do you think of your opponent, does anything he does concern you?

BS: I think Wilder is a clown. Wilder thinks this is the WWE. He acts like it’s the WWE. This is for real. It is going to hurt very bad.

DW: I have no thoughts about Bermane Stiverne. I’m just ready to fight and leave it all out in the ring.

Q: What should the fans expect on Jan. 17? Do you have a prediction?

BS: On Jan. 17 I will hurt Wilder and I will knock him out and it will be a lasting image in peoples’ minds for a very long time.

DW: Fans should expect a great night of boxing and everyone will see Jan. 17. -. Be there or tune in on TV if you can’t. You don’t want to miss it!

# # #

SHOWTIME Sports® will present ALL ACCESS: STIVERNE VS. WILDER tonight, Friday, Jan. 9 at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship taking place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defends against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam meets Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will air live on SHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com/.

New York, Jan. 9 – – On the heels of UFC® 182, one of the biggest UFC PPV events ever, iN DEMAND, the leading distributor of transactional entertainment to cable and telcos, and Zuffa LLC, the owner of UFC®, the world’s leading mixed martial arts sports organization, have announced a multi-year renewal of their agreement to deliver UFC Pay-Per-View (PPV) events to more than 50 million digital subscribers throughout the United States. The announcement was made today by Marshall Zelaznik, UFC Chief Content Officer, and Michael Berman, iN DEMAND’s EVP, Programming and General Counsel. This deal ensures that UFC’s biggest and most important events will continue to be available via PPV, and includes expanded rights such as the ability of iN DEMAND affiliates to offer EST (ownership via Electronic Sell-Through) and sales of the PPV events to commercial establishments. Plus, affiliates can offer the UFC’s digital streaming service UFC FIGHT PASS® to video subscribers on a fully authenticated basis.

This new agreement provides for the continuation of a long collaboration between the two companies, which has helped the UFC grow to be one of the most powerful entities in the PPV and sports marketplace.

iN DEMAND will deliver every UFC PPV event and purchasers will enjoy longer viewership windows via VOD and TV Everywhere convenience. All events are offered in both Standard and High Definition, as well as a separate Spanish language feed.*

According to iN DEMAND’s Berman, “We have been proud to be a part of UFC’s growth from their launch on PPV to their current status as the gold-standard for Mixed Martial Arts, worldwide. This new deal ensures that we will continue our long-term relationship by not only distributing their core PPV events, but we will also be an intrinsic part of their next generation of growth through subscription and digital ownership of the UFC’s compelling content.”

UFC’s Zelaznik said: “It is great to continue our rewarding and long-lasting relationship with iN DEMAND. The ability of UFC to deliver our best and most meaningful fights and events to so many fans in the years to come is great news for our sport, our brand and our partners. This partnership will allow us to continue to be the world’s leading PPV content provider.”

For upcoming schedules, go to: http://www.indemand.com/whats-on/events/

*HD not available in all systems.

About iN DEMAND

iN DEMAND L.L.C. is a world leader in providing exciting transactional entertainment delivered through television’s most innovative technologies. iN DEMAND creates, acquires and delivers programming through cable Pay-Per-View (PPV), Video On Demand (VOD) as well as on digital platforms. It also supplies marketing support, production services and content transport for the industry. PPV programming includes movies, boxing, wrestling and mixed martial arts events and the digital out-of-market subscription professional sports packages for MLB, the NBA and the NHL. The company’s VOD products include first-run and library movies, plus subscription movie and entertainment services. Content is delivered in SD, HD and 3D. iN DEMAND’s owners are Comcast iN DEMAND Holdings, Inc., Cox Communications Holdings, Inc., and Time Warner Entertainment – Advance/Newhouse Partnership. Further information about the company can be found at iNDEMAND.com. Follow us on Twitter.

About UFC®

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

LAS VEGAS (January 9, 2014) – If not for a career-changing injury, World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title-holder Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (24-1, 21 KOs) may have been a professional football player instead of becoming champion of the world in professional boxing.

The 6′ 2″, 248-pound Stiverne had a Michigan State football scholarship to play linebacker for the Spartans, but he blew-out his knee midway through his freshman year (1997) during a practice session. Stiverne remains an avid football player and he has picked Oregon to defeat Ohio State this Monday night in the College Football National Championship game.

“I like Oregon in the championship game,” Stiverne said from his Las Vegas home. “They’re consistent and have the best offense in the country. Plus, the way they beat Florida State was sweet.”

Stiverne, who knocked out Chris Arreola (35-4) this past May to claim the coveted WBC title belt vacated by retired Vitali Klitschko, makes his first title defense Saturday night, Jan. 17, against undefeated mandatory challenger Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), airing on Showtime Championship Boxing (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) live from MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

For further information visit www.eottm.com, or follow on Twitter @eotmvd and @BStiverne.

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 8, 2015) — Reigning World Series of Fighting (www.WSOF.com) world bantamweight (135 pounds) champion Marlon Moraes (13-4-1) of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. via Nova Friburgo, Brazil will put his coveted Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) title on the line for the first time against undefeated rival Josh Hill (10-0) of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in the main event of a stacked, four-fight, live NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) telecast from the Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Thursday, February 12.

Priced from $50, tickets for WSOF 18: Moraes vs. Hill go on sale at 12 p.m. EST on Tuesday, January 13 at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.
“This is an incredible matchup between two of the world’s top 135 pound fighters that we have been looking to put together for the last several months and, now that it is finally here, we will see who the superior fighter is on February 13,” said WSOF President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

In the featherweight (145 pounds) co-main event, a red-hot Chris “Gritz” Gruetzemacher (12-1) of Scottsdale, Ariz. will square off with hard-hitting puncher Antonio “Pato” Carvalho (15-6) of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
World-class striker Shane “Shaolin” Campbell (10-2) of Edmonton will make his debut in the WSOF cage against brutal finisher Brandt Dewsbery (13-3-1) of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada in a welterweight (170 pounds) tilt, and unbeaten prospect Hakeem Dawodu (3-0) of Calgary, Alberta, Canada will battle Tristan Johnson (9-5) of Jordantown, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Hill

The 26-year-old Moraes, quickly becoming recognized as the top bantamweight fighter in the world, will enter the WSOF cage with eight consecutive victories under his belt, including a split decision over former world champion Miguel Torres, and devastating KO finishes of fellow stars Tyson Nam and Carson Beebe.

In his last effort, Moraes turned in another dominant performance – a second round (1:35) submission (rear-naked choke) of Cody Bollinger in a 140-pound catchweight contest at WSOF 13 on September 13, 2014. Moraes’ win streak dates back to December 2, 2011, when he earned a unanimous decision over Chris Manuel.

The versatile Moraes will attempt to become the first to solve the puzzle that is the 28-year-old Hill, unbeaten since he made his professional debut with a second round (1:42) TKO (punches) of Vito Attanasi on October 10, 2009.
After a 22-month hiatus, Hill, known for his superior wrestling base, made a thunderous return to action on June 7, 2014 at WSOF Canada 2, scoring a first-round (4:20) KO (punch) on Mike Adams.

Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Antonio Carvalho

The 28-year-old Gruetzemacher is riding a spectacular 11-fight win streak that began with his split decision win over Josh Gaskins on April 11, 2009. A power striker with considerable ground skills, Gruetzemacher has, to date, claimed 6 of his 12 career wins by (T)KO and 3 by way of submission.

On March 29, 2014, Gruetzemacher made his WSOF debut, earning a unanimous decision over renowned submission expert John Gunderson. The bout represented the first time in over four years that Gruetzemacher was taken the distance of a fight.

Carvalho will make his much-anticipated debut in the WSOF cage after an extended layoff from competition that began after the 35-year-old suffered a first round (3:06) TKO (punches) at the hands of Darren Elkins, as a result of what many believe was a controversial stoppage by the referee, on March 16, 2013. To date, 10 of Carvalho’s 15 career wins have come by way of (T)KO or submission.

Prior to the defeat, Carvalho reeled off back-to-back victories in the UFC over Daniel Pineda and Rodrigo Damm on July 21, 2012 and November 17, 2012, respectively.

Shane Campbell vs. Brandt Dewsbery

Over the course of the last nine years, the 26-year-old Campbell has distinguished himself as a force in both the MMA world and the kickboxing ring while competing all over the world.

In 2013, Campbell did damage amongst the ranks of kickboxers in three of the world’s top promotions, including K-1, winning five consecutive bouts. In both of his MMA starts in 2014, Campbell dominated with his superior striking, scoring a second round (:43) TKO (punches) on Jerrid Burke on May 9 and a second round (:29) TKO (punches) on Marcus Edwards on October 3.

With a proven ability to finish opponents both on his feet and on the ground, the 24-year-old Dewsbery arguably represents Campbell’s toughest challenge in the cage, yet. The 6-year veteran of professional MMA has, thus far, earned 6 of his 13-career wins by way of (T)KO and another 6 wins by way of submission.
Dewsbery will enter the WSOF cage for the second time in his career, in the midst of a three fight win streak that he began on February 21, 2014 with a first round (4:31) submission (rear-naked choke) of Mark Drummond. Dewsbery continued making a statement through the remainder of the year, scoring a fifth round (4:34) KO (flying knee strike) on Chase Maxwell on May 23, and a stunning, 38-second TKO (punches) on Tyler O’Brien on October 18.

Hakeem Dawodu vs. Tristan Johnson

Dawodu made his professional debut at the inaugural WSOF event in Canada on Feb. 21, 2014, scoring a thunderous first round (1:07) KO (punch) on Behrang Yousefi. The protégé of Muay Thai guru Mike Miles has since extended his unbeaten streak with two more dramatic victories, finishing Jake MacDonald by second round (:18) KO (punches) at the second WSOF Canada event on June 7, stopping Mike Malott by way of first round (4:13) TKO (punches and elbow strikes) at WSOF 14 on Oct. 11.

The hard-punching Johnson finished 2014 on a strong note, KO’ing Keven Morin with a punch in the first round (3:59) of their June 7 matchup. The 31-year-old is an eight-year veteran of the professional fight game, who ran to five consecutive victories in his first five starts before suffering his first defeat three years later, in 2010.

A preliminary fight card for WSOF 18: Moraes vs. Hill will be announced soon.

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.

CABAZON, Calif. (Jan. 8, 2015) – The six fighters who will compete on Friday’s ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) made weight on Thursday at Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabazon, Calif.

In the main event of the DiBella Entertainment-promoted event, unbeaten lightweight Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach (17-0, 1 NC, 13 KOs), of Los Angeles by way of Ukraine, will meet Yakubu Amidu (19-5-2, 17 KOs), of Los Angeles by way of Ghana, in a 10-round fight.

In the co-feature, former amateur standouts Patrick Day (9-0-1, 5 KOs), of Freeport, N.Y., and Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (13-0-1, 4 KOs), of Forestville, Md., collide in an eight-round junior middleweight bout.

In the opening bout of the telecast, former amateur sensation Ievgen “Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov (7-0, 7 KOs), of Brooklyn, N.Y. by way of Ukraine, will take on Maurice “The Natural” Louishomme (8-0-1, 4 KOs), of Colorado Springs, Colo., in an eight-round middleweight bout.

ALL ACCESS: Stiverne vs. Wilder will premiere at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME immediately preceding the ShoBox telecast.

Weights: Redkach and Amidu tipped the scale at 137 pounds; Day weighed 154 pounds while
Fox measured 155 pounds; and Khytrov weighed in at 163 pounds and Louishomme measured 161 pounds.

Here’s what the fighters had to say prior to Thursday’s weigh-in:

IVAN REDKACH:
“This year I have a new team, I have a new manager and this year I’m going to fight for a world title. It would be my dream matchup to fight Jorge Linares for the title. I’m ready.

“I trained for about five months, training three times a day in Oxnard at Robert Garcia’s gym.

“With Robert Garcia we’ve been sparring with some of the top fighters. We sparred with Brandon Rios, Jessie Vargas, Ray Beltran, Mike Perez. Top fighters. It was a great experience.

“Robert has changed some of my techniques to get ready for this fight. He’s made 11 world champions out of his gym. That’s why he was the top trainer of the year. There’s a reason that he’s made so many champions so I think I’m in good hands.

“I’ve sparred with Amidu and I’ve seen him train. It’s good to have that under my belt going into this fight.”

YAKUBU AMIDU:
“Training camp has been going great. I’ve been working out for a few months because I was supposed to fight an opponent at an earlier date that had to pull out.

“My entire team has been working very hard, focusing on this fight.

“I have been training with Freddie [Roach] at WildCard gym, we are all a family at the gym. It has been very comfortable for me.

“I know that Redkach is a tall, strong puncher. I have a strategy for him. We will see what he comes with after the first few rounds.

“Redkach is a very good fighter. I have done my homework on him. If the knockout comes then I will take it, but if it doesn’t come then there’s nothing to worry about.”

PATRICK DAY:
“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow in the ring if this is the toughest guy that I’ve faced. On paper he is, but statistics don’t always prove it. We’ll find out. We’ll see how he reacts.

“His height won’t be a problem for me. Not at all. It will be a bit different than usual, but I’ve faced tall opponents in the past before and I know how to deal with it. It’s not new to me.

“He’ll try to clinch once he feels my speed, how fast I can strike. If I release a hard power shot he’ll definitely try to clinch to slow things down a little.

“I’m looking to make a statement.

“Camp was excellent. We had a superb camp. We trained for about two months straight. We brought in some tall sparring partners to prepare for his height and style. We were running in freezing weather in New York and my will kept me going. We’re ready.”

ALANTEZ FOX:
“Training camp has been great, I feel super strong. I’m ready for this fight and will be in great condition if the fight goes eight rounds. It was a six week camp and I feel 100 percent.

“I don’t know much about [Patrick] Day. I know he’s short, but everyone is short to me. I will use my distance to my advantage like I always do.

“I know that he has to come on the inside and press, and if he doesn’t then he will be playing to my game beautifully.

“I have to thank my team for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be fighting on SHOWTIME. This is what I have been waiting for my entire boxing career since I was eight years old.

“I hope this won’t be my last time on SHOWTIME. I hope to be fighting for a championship bout within the next year or two.”

IEVGEN KHYTROV:
“Training camp was great. We were sparring with Daniel Jacobs, Luis Collazo, Marcus Browne, the strongest guys in the division.

“We knew about this guy for about a week, but it doesn’t matter who I fight. I want to be champion of the world.

“I’ll do my best to knock him out. Fans want the knockout and I’ll try to give them a knockout. I can’t predict the future, but I’m going to do everything possible to get it done.

“I can’t predict the future, but I’m looking for a big year in 2015.”

MAURICE LOUISHOMME:

“I have been training the past 10 years for this fight. I have constantly stayed busy in the gym with the hopes of being able to get this opportunity.

“My biggest strength in this fight will be my jab. I really utilize my jab well. I am looking to set the entire fight up with the jab, and then look for openings with my right hand and uppercuts.

“This is an eight round fight. I am looking to box, move and avoid his big shots. If I can catch him and hurt him I am definitely going to jump on him for the knockout.

“I feel privileged and blessed to be here. I am thankful for SHOWTIME for giving me this opportunity. It’s a chance of a lifetime.”

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. (Jan. 8, 2015) – Undefeated WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (28-0-1, 16 KOs) of Los Angeles participated in a jam-packed open media workout Thursday at Who’s Next Boxing Academy as he continues to prepare for his title defense against Mexico’s Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz (33-5-5, 22 KOs) on Saturday, Jan. 17, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The 12-round, 122-pound world title fight will serve as the co-feature of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader highlighted by the eagerly awaited heavy-duty showdown between WBC Heavyweight World Champion Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), a Haitian native fighting out of Las Vegas, and unbeaten knockout specialist Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala.

In the opening bout of the Jan. 17 telecast, promising world-ranked and undefeated super lightweight Amir “Young Master” Imam (15-0, 13 KOs), of Albany N.Y. will face hard-hitting Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr. (19-2, 16 KOs) of Albuquerque N.M., in a 10-round match.

Tickets for an event co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions are on sale and priced at $500, $350, $250, $125 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Santa Cruz worked out for 45 minutes on Thursday. He shadow-boxed, hit the mitts, did calisthenics, jumped rope and did stretching exercises as live Norteño music blared in the background.

Below is what the champion Santa Cruz, his father/trainer Jose Santa Cruz and his brother/co-trainer Antonio Santa Cruz said at the workout:

LEO SANTA CRUZ, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion

“Right now I am focused on this fight. I want to get this fight over with and get the win. We trained really hard to get this fight. Ruiz is a great fighter, a tough fighter. I think he has fought for a world title already. I know he always comes prepared to win and give a great show.”

“Ruiz has fought good fighters and shown that he has talent and determination. I don’t take him lightly or any other fighter. Sometimes the fighters they say are lazier are the ones that give you a tougher fight and a loss.”

“I feel bad for all the people talking, but if they were in my shoes they would understand. I want the Rigondeaux fight, but the promoters have not come to an agreement. If it was up to me, I would fight him whenever. I am tired of people telling me that I am scared. I am looking for that fight as soon as possible, he is not invisible. I think I have a chance to beat him. I know he is a tough fighter, but that’s what we are here for, to fight the best.”

“We are going to keep pushing for a fight with Abner Mares or Rigondeaux, have the promoters make that fight as soon as possible, so all the fans can be happy.”

“I think if I can fight Mares, it will be a big pay-per-view event here at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.”

“Having my father as my trainer is the best for us. We do get into arguments, but they never last too long. Maybe one day we will get mad at each other, but then we talk as if nothing happened. I always try and concentrate and listen to him the best I can. He is the one I have always worked best with. There is more communication with him.”

“My family is small so we always went into the gym together; we live in the same house together. We have always been together. We go fishing together, bowling, everything.”

“I think because of my family support and my friends I have been able to stay calm and patient. I think of all the positive things and what I want to do to give a better fight.”

JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Father and Lead Trainer

“All of Leo’s fights are always different. He never does the same thing over again. When it comes to training, there are small details we change, but nothing major. We might do weightlifting this camp, and not do weightlifting last camp, just stuff like that.”

“Leo and I have an understanding that whoever we are fighting, we train for 100 percent all the time. The fact he is not fighting Mares or Rigondeaux, those are down the road and will happen. A fight with Rigondeaux does not excite me though because I know when he feels pressure or the heat, he is going to grab hold or run. I am not interested in fighting him. I would like to fight Mares or whoever else though, no problem. I do not like Rigondeaux’s style and neither does the public. The only ones who want that fight are the Rigondeaux camp and his fans.”

“Leo is a great kid; he respects me, looks up to me and listens to me. That is why I am here training him. This is what Leo wants. I know there are better trainers than me out there, but this is what Leo likes and what he wants and it has been working out.”

“I am not surprised my sons are fighters. I knew they would all be good great fighters. What I am surprised about is how the fans and the public have received the Santa Cruz family and especially the way they appreciate Leo.”

“Since day one, when Leo started training at 8-years-old, the people and I saw that Leo had what it took. He was already beating little kids in the gym. I knew he would be something special. I knew that more about Leo than any of this other brothers. Leo is known for his volume punching but he is a good technical fighter too.”

ANTONIO SANTA CRUZ, Brother and Co-Trainer

“There is no difference in Leo’s training for this fight. He always trains the same way. He trains very hard. We will teach him more combinations, but that is really it.”

“I have been an assistant trainer for almost three years. My father has been Leo’s main trainer since the beginning.”

“My father got my brothers and me into fighting. When he first came to the United States, he went to a boxing gym and from there, he started to like it. He used to say that as soon as he had a kid, ‘I am going to put him in boxing.’ I’m the oldest, so he put me into boxing first.”

“I am not surprised at Leo’s success, but very happy. We have a good working relationship; he is very good at listening to me and taking orders.”

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SHOWTIME Sports® will present ALL ACCESS: STIVERNE VS. WILDER tomorrowFriday, Jan. 9 at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship taking place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defends against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam meets Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will air live on SHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com/.