LONDON (12 NOV) Morden’s newly-crowned EU champion Lenny Daws has been made official challenger for the European (EBU) light-welterweight title and hopes to tempt the champion, Michele Di Rocco, into a rematch at some point in 2015.

Daws lost a disputed and controversial 12-round decision to Di Rocco in June 2013 and has been eager for a return ever since. Now, thanks to his mandatory position with the EBU, the exciting 35-year-old could be on track to become European champion next year.

“This is what I want and it’s something I’ve wanted for a while now,” he said. “I’m just delighted to now be next in line for a shot at the European title.

“In an ideal world, I’ll fight Di Rocco for the belt next year. But he’s just had his mandatory defence and may be entitled to a voluntary defence next. Whatever happens, though, I know I’ll get my shot.

“Fighting for the vacant title would be great, but fighting Di Rocco again would be even better. I want to set the record straight and I want to avenge that bad decision I suffered in Italy.

“I have my doubts he’ll stick around and do the rematch. He’s up there in the world rankings now and he may decide to vacate the title and move on. I wouldn’t blame him. If he fights me and I beat him, his world title dream goes up in smoke.”

Daws received his shot at the European title following Saturday night’s emphatic tenth round stoppage victory over the awkward and dangerous Frenchman Chaquib Fadli.

“He was a tricky customer,” said Daws, 29-3-2 (11 KOs). “I didn’t get to see much footage of him beforehand and I just had to suss him out round by round.

“He wanted to dance around and swing those wild uppercuts and hooks, but I stayed focused on slowly breaking him down. I didn’t let his antics bother me. It was only a matter of time.

“In the end, he was lucky in round ten when he got a long count after I heavily put him down. After that, I knew I was going to finish him. All I focused on was not rushing in and getting caught with something silly. I took my time and landed enough shots for the referee to stop the fight.”

END
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Los Angeles, CA:
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KOs) returned home late Monday evening to his family after he added the WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship belts to his collection, which already included the WBO Light Heavyweight World Championship belt, when he held his newborn son, Aleksandr Kovalev, for the first time.

Because the Baby Krusher was born on October 20 in Los Angeles after Sergey had already left California for training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on October 12, this was the first time father and son got to meet face-to-face. Sergey was able to Skype with his wife, Natalia, and the baby just after she gave birth but Krusher could not take time away from training camp with John David Jackson to fly back to Los Angeles. Doctors had told the Kovalevs that the baby was due on October 18 so they were hoping Natalia would give birth before Sergey left Big Bear Lake to go to Florida; unfortunately, the baby arrived two days late.

Krusher Models Custom-Made
Baby Krusher Robe & Trunks
When he was finally able to hold his son in his arms he said, “I was waiting for this moment for such a long time. The first night I met my son was sleepless but I didn’t think about that because I am just finally enjoying time with my family. My newborn son is healthy and that is most important thing to me. I am with my family now for the very first time.”

These last several weeks have been action-packed for the 31-year old champ from Chelyabinsk, Russia. In addition to his three title unification and the birth of his first child, he was also named the WBO Fighter of the Year. Sergey explained, “I didn’t know at the beginning of the year that I would get three belts by the end of the year. I would have been happy with the two and I am so happy I got three belts.”

After his win on Saturday night Kovalev said, “I was too excited to sleep.” He left the press conference a little after 2:00 AM ET to call his wife and son as the newly crowned unified champ. He spent all day Sunday wandering alone on the boardwalk just basking in his win.

Monday morning, however, before catching a late flight back home to his family, he travelled to Connecticut to visit his dear friend Magomed Abdusalamov. Mago suffered grave neurological injuries following his fight with Mike Perez earlier this year. After his last title defense against Blake Caparello in August, Sergey auctioned off memorabilia from the fight on eBay and donated the proceeds to help the Abdusalamov family with his medical bills.

Krusher and Mago Pose with WBO Belt
Along with Amin Suleymanov
His manager, Egis Klimas, travelled back with Sergey to Los Angeles and said, “Now Sergey is the happiest person on earth. Finally he met his son, finally he has three belts but he is not done yet. He is looking forward for more sons and more belts.”

Sergey’s wife, Natalia, has been patiently waiting for her husband to return home to her and her son. “I was waiting for my husband to come home whether with victory or no victory but of course knowing him he brought his newborn son a victory,” explained Natalia. “Now we work together to raise our son and we are very, very happy.”

Sergey & Natalia Kovalev
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events

Donations can be made to the Abdusalamov family at:

Ring10NY

SAN ANTONIO, TX (November 12, 2014) — Undefeated No. 2-world-rated super middleweight contender GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ and two-time Mexican Olympian and undefeated featherweight knockout artist ÓSCAR VALDEZ will headline an exciting boxing card, Saturday, November 15, at San Antonio’s Alamodome.

Ramirez , of Mazatlan, Mexico, will be defending his NABF and WBO International super middleweight titles in a 10-round battle against four-time world title challenger FULGENCIO ZUNIGA of Barranquilla, Colombia. Valdez, of Nogales, Mexico, will battle one-time world title challenger ALBERTO GARZA of Mexico City in an eight-round featherweight rumble. Both fights will be televised live on HBO Latino, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT

The non-televised undercard will feature undefeated Texans IVAN NAJERA of San Antonio and CASEY RAMOS of Austin, in separate eight-round lightweight bouts, and 2012 Russian Olympic gold medalist EGOR MEKHONTSEV of Asbest, Russia, in an eight-round light heavyweight fight.

The event is promoted by Top Rank®, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Zapari Boxing Promotions, in association with Foreman Boys Promotions and Tecate.

Ramirez (29-0, 23 KOs), of Mazatlan, Mexico, is world-rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the World Boxing Organization (WBO), No. 3 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and No. 4 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF). A sensational young contender, Ramirez, 23, has won all three of his 2014 bouts by knockout. In his last outing, on July 19, he successfully defended his NABF and WBO International super middleweight titles via a second-round knockout of world-rated contender Junior Talipeau Ramirez will once again be putting his titles on the line, this time against four-time world title challenger Zuniga (27-9-1, 24 KOs), of Barranquilla, Colombia. Zuniga, whose resume boasts victories over Jose Zertuche and Antwun Echols, also went the distance when he challenged WBO junior middleweight champion Daniel Santos, WBO super middleweight champion Denis Inkin and IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud. His last three victories have been by knockout.

Valdez (13-0, 11 KOs), who represented Mexico in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, is considered one of the bright lights of the featherweight division. On the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley welterweight championship rematch last April, he captured the NABF super featherweight title, knocking out Adrian Perez in the fourth round. Valdez successfully defended that title one month later, again by knockout, stopping Noel Echevarria in the sixth round. Garza (26-8-1, 21 KOs), of Mexico City, looks to be the toughest opponent Valdez has faced. A former WBC Continental Americas featherweight champion and a former WBC Silver featherweight champion, he unsuccessfully challenged WBA featherweight champion Nicolas Walters in 2013. Fifteen of Garza’s last 17 victories have been by knockout.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/hboboxing or facebook.com/hbolatino, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, twitter.com/hboboxing or twitter.com/hbolatino.

LONDON (12 Nov) – As a prelude to the eagerly anticipated showdown next Saturday night between WBO welterweight world champion Manny Pacquiao and fast-rising challenger Chris Algieri, BoxNation are airing “24/7 Pacquiao/Algieri”, an action-packed one episode, 30-minute special examining the 147-pound title showdown.

The “24/7 Pacquiao/Algieri” special will premiere tonight at 7pm, free-to-air to customers on the Sky TV platform.

The all-new documentary-styled presentation will explore the intriguing storylines connected to the November 22nd fight: one of the world’s most popular and famous athletes defending his crown versus a remarkably confident, poised and undefeated world light-welterweight champion from New York, whose journey to the highest-profile stage in the sport is unparalleled and reads like a Hollywood script.

The quintessential underdog versus superstar storyline will be explored with “24/7? cameras visiting Algieri at home on Long Island and in camp in Las Vegas as well as travelling to the Philippines to visit with Manny Pacquiao as he trains for the fight.

The bout taking place in Macau will be aired live and exclusive on British television on the number one home of boxing, BoxNation, with ‘The Channel of Champions’ enjoying a monster month which will culminate in Dereck Chisora’s heavyweight clash with Tyson Fury.

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky437/490HD, Virgin 546 & TalkTalk 525) for just £12 a month please visit www.boxnation.com.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.525), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

Saturday night December 6th on the paradise island of Sint Maarten, nestled nicely in the Caribbean, two titles will be on the line as Bobby Ottley’s Bose Promotions presents a big night of professional boxing titled “This is it-War.” The twelve round main event of the Bose Promotions promoted card will also be in association with Elton Dharry Promotions, as Elton Dharry (16-5-1, 10KOs) of Brooklyn, New York, by way of Guyana, battles it out with Nicaraguan bantamweight champion Jose Rios (13-1-1, 6KOs) for the coveted IBF Inter-continental bantamweight title.

Dharry, who is known as quick boxer who adjusts quickly when in the ring to the various styles of his opponents as shown in his victories over Dexter Marques (8-1,3KOs), Rudolph Hedge (7-0-3, 2KOs) and Eilon Kedem (11-3-1, 7KOs).

In his last fight Elton Dharry only needed one round to stop thirty-five fight veteran Lashaun Blair.

He will face his toughest opponent to date on December 6th at the L.B. Scott Auditorium in Phillipsburg, Sint Maarten when he takes on Nicaraguan bantamweight champion Jose Rios (12-1-1, 5KOs).

It will be the first fight out of Nicaragua for the dangerous Nicaraguan champion Jose Rios, who has six knockouts in his twelve victories.

He captured the Nicaraguan bantamweight title in June of 2013 with a ten round unanimous decision victory over Carlos Osorio (10-3, 5KOs). In his last bout, October 24th, he successfully defended the Nicaraguan title with ten round unanimous decision over Frederick Castro (8-3-2,1KO) and he should be primed and ready come December 6th.

The co-feature of the loaded international card will be a war to settle the score perfectly fits the card title “This is it-War” as Carlette “The Truth” Ewell (15-7-1, 9KOs) battles it out with top rated Sonya Lamonakis (9-1-2, 1KO) over ten rounds for the IBO female Heavyweight title.

It will be a rematch of a hotly contested draw back in January 2012 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. The stakes have been raised this time as the vacant IBO Female Heavyweight title is on the line.

The top ranked Lamonakis knows a win will avenge the draw on her record and put her in the driver’s seat of the heavyweight division. In her last bout she avenged the only other previous draw with a solid eight round unanimous decision victory over Tanzee Daniels.

The more experienced Carlette Ewell, nicknamed the truth pulls no punches and says that she felt she won the first battle, but that the bout was declared a draw in the hometown area of Lamonakis. Now she promises a knockout or a lot of pain for Lamonakis if she has to go the distance to secure the victory. If she is to do this, there must be two years of ring rust to be shaken off. Carlette isn’t worried, proclaiming that she has been in the gym, but several fights fell through.

Team Sauerland is delighted to announce the signing of Kai Robin Havnaa. The Norwegian amateur star has signed a long-term promotional contract with Europe’s leading boxing promoter and will make his professional debut on November 29 at the Falconer Hall at the Radisson Blu in Copenhagen.

‘’It’s a great feeling to become a Sauerland boxer,’’ said Havnaa. ‘’It’s a dream come true and I’m looking forward to an exciting journey ahead. The plan is to win titles and become the best in the world.

‘’I’ve had a short but successful amateur career, and at 25 years old, I feel the time is right for me to turn pro. I’m absolutely positive I’ve made the right decision. I can’t wait to begin my journey to the top.’’

The 25 year-old is the son of Magne Havnaa, the former WBO World Cruiserweight Champion and to do this day the only male boxer from Norway to have held a world title.

‘’My Dad was the best in the world, and a great inspiration to me,’’ said Havnaa. ‘’But I have to create my own name. I will not win fights because I’m the son of Magne, I will win fights because I’m Kai Robin.’’

Havnaa will have the chance to claim his first professional victory on November 29 when he joins fellow Norwegian talents Cecilia Brækhus, Tim-Robin Lihaug and Alexander Hagen in action at the Falconer Hall in Copenhagen.

‘’I can’t wait to get in the ring and get my pro career started,’’ said Havnaa. ‘’I feel confident and I’m ready to impress. It’s going to be a huge night for Norwegian boxing and I’m really excited to be a part of it!’’

Said promoter Nisse Sauerland: ‘’Kai Robin is the future of Norwegian boxing. He has all the ingredients to become a super star and we fully expect him to follow in his father’s footsteps and conquer the world. The journey begins on November 29 in Copenhagen!’’

Tickets for the Nordic Fight Night on November 29 in Copenhagen are available via billetnet.dk.

Moscow, Russia / Philadelphia (November 12, 2014)–On Friday November 28, former world champions will collide when “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov squares off with Jose Luis Castillo in a 12-round Welterweight bout at the Luzhniki GCKZ “Russia” Arena in Moscow,

The fight is promoted by Artie Pelullo’s Banner Promotions and World of Boxing LLC

“I’m happy to be fighting at home! It’s been three years, and I’m ready for war with Castillo! Hope to see all my fans in Moscow on Nov. 28th!” said Provodnikov

Provodnikov will be making a homecoming as it will be his first fight in his native Russia since December 5, 2011.

Provodnikov of Beryozovo, Russia has a record of 23-3 with 16 knockouts and is the former WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion.

He is considered the most exciting fighter in the sport due to his crowd-pleasing style.

Provodnikov won his first seventeen bouts as he defeated many quality opponents.
.
On March 16, 2013, Provodnikov took on undefeated WBO Welterweight world champion Timothy Bradley at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

Provodnikov beat and battered Bradley to the point where Bradley suffered a concussion and was sent to the canvas in the final seconds of the bout

The fight made Ruslan a one of boxing’s “Cant Miss” stars. Unfortunately, Bradley won a debated split decision in what was the 2013 Fight of the Year.

Since that bout, there has been a major push for the rematch, but Provodnikov has been turned down several times by Bradley. Bradley has stated on more then one occasion that he will never get into the ring with Provodnikov again.

Provodnikov would not be denied as in his very next bout he won the WBO Jr. Welterweight title with an emphatic 10th round stoppage over Mike Alvarado in Alvardo’s hometown of Broomfield, Colorado.

Provodnikov dropped Alvarado twice in round eight, which were the first two times in Alvarado’s career that he ever tasted the canvas. Provodnikov continued to batter Alvarado until he could no longer take any more punishment and he quit on the stool in the bout which took place on October 19, 2013.

Provodnikov is coming off a controversial split decision defeat to undefeated Chris Algieri, in a bout that saw Ruslan drop Algieri twice in round one and badly closed Algieri’s eye. Most ringside observers and the audience watching on HBO thought the verdict should have gone to Provodnikov.

Castillo of Mexicali, Mexico is a two-time WBC Lightweight world champion who has made five total defenses and has been in several memorable bouts.

He has a record of 66-12-1 with 57 knockouts,

He captured the WBC Lightweight title on June 17, 2000 with a 12-round majority decision over Stevie Johnston (30-1). He defended the title with a draw with Johnston and then he scored a 6-round stoppage over Cesar Bezan & Seung-Ho Yuh (13-1).

In April 20, 2002, Castillo was denied a victory that most believed he deserved when he pushed Floyd Mayweather to the limit before being on the wrong end of a unanimous decision. Eight months later, Castillo fought a rematch with Mayweather and lost another unanimous decision in a bout where the scores were even closer than their first encounter.

On June 5, 2004, Castillo regained the WBC Lightweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Juan Lazcano. He defended the title with a 12-round split decision over Joel Casamayor and a 10th round stoppage over Julio Diaz.

On May 7, 2005, Castillo and Diego Corrales engaged in what most think is one of the greatest fights of all time. They fought an epic battle that saw Corrales and Castillo wage an inside battle for the ages. In the memorable 10th round, Castillo sent Corrales to the canvas twice. Only to see, Corrales, with his left eye closed, comeback and landed a barrage of punches on the ropes before referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight.

Castillo got even in the rematch by stopping Corrales in the 4th round of the rematch.

Castillo has continued to fight and defeat top opposition and is on a two-fight winning streak and in his last bout, he defeated Jose Luis Payan (12-1-1) via 5th round stoppage on May 30 in Nogales, Mexico.

“I am very excited to have Ruslan fight back in Moscow. Ruslan is one of the biggest stars in the sport of boxing. He will be fighting in front of his countrymen in a sold-out arena against a great former world champion in Jose Luis Castillo. I want to thank Andrey Rybinski for all his help and it has been a pleasure to work with him and his staff,”said Banner Promotions President Artie Pelullo.

An American television outlet will be announced shortly.

Congratulations. Your recent tournament in Monte Carlo delivered high-quality match-ups. Presumably your partners in Monaco were very satisfied?
I would hope so. The objective is gaining publicity for the principality, encouraging tourism, that sort of thing. It was very well received internationally.
The reality is we have been moving towards Gennady Golovkin against Martin Murray, which will be a mega-event.

You are now promoting Martin Murray and have co-promoted a number of Gennady Golovkin’s fights in Monaco. How difficult was it to put together Murray versus Golovkin for next February?
It was relatively easy. It was a very unique situation: both Golovkin and Murray are thorough gentlemen and [K2 Promotions’] Tom Loeffler, on Golovkin’s side, is one of the most honourable guys I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with. Andrew Mikhail, Murray’s advisor, is of the same ilk. They understand the logistics. Outside of a Miguel Cotto or Canelo Alvarez fight, Murray against Golovkin was an obvious choice for international television and a great fans’ fight.

Are you torn? It is well-known that you have an excellent relationship with each.
Yes, it’s very difficult. Golovkin has done a helluva lot for Golden Gloves. It has been a privilege promoting him and it’s fair to say part of his stature has grown from his past fights in Monte Carlo.
And we promote Murray. As I said when it was announced, this is a very hard fight for me . . . both guys are very dear to me. As long as it’s a good, competitive fight, neither fighter truly “loses”. I can assure you Murray is not going to be another Marco Antonio Rubio.

What qualities do they each bring to the fight and what do you think will be critical in determining a winner?
The jury is still out to some extent on GGG’s super status. He hasn’t fought the superstars as yet. From what I’ve seen, all of his opponents, perhaps with the exception of Curtis Stevens, were defeated before they stepped foot in the ring.
Murray, though, comes from a tough background. I will venture to say that he will be the first challenger who won’t be overwhelmed. He has true boxing skills and will also be the biggest middleweight Golovkin will have fought.
Remember, Murray is probably a two-time uncrowned champion who gave a peak Sergio Martinez a very good fight.
One of the reasons I give Murray a chance is that Golden Gloves has been involved in some of the biggest upsets in recent years – Hasim Rahman beating Lennox Lewis, Corrie Sanders knocking out Wladimir Klitschko, Harry Simon beating Winky Wright and Vuyani Bungu handling Kennedy McKinney. The list is uncanny.

What has the appetite been from the international broadcast community for February’s big fight?
Outstanding. There has been much competition in various countries for the rights because it is seen as a proper fight. HBO in the US, Channel 5 in the UK, Chinese television and SuperSport across Africa will all be taking the fight, plus many more regions.

The venue in Monte Carlo is a small, intimate one. Given the scale of the fight, how do you plan on satisfying the fans, media, dignitaries and VIP’s?
It’s great because the demand will exceed the supply 100-fold. It’s virtually sold out already. The pressure for tickets doubles the value for television.
The truth is we can’t ensure everyone who wants a ticket will get one. We have to be very selective, it’s one of those things. When we ventured into Monte Carlo, this is what we knew.

Golden Gloves has been around a long time and promoted many big names, among them Shane Mosley, Lennox Lewis, Gennady Golovkin, Corrie Sanders and Brian Mitchell. You have made big headway in Europe and are planning to promote in the UK. Tell us more about your business model and ambitions.
I’m a front man. I have a lot of support from top drawer partners, from our driver to the matchmaker, who are all a part of Golden Gloves’ success.
The reason for our success is we run on corporate lines and don’t let emotions get in the way. We are fortunate that SuperSport Television in South Africa were very much part of our success, as was [hotel group] Sun International and more latterly Peermont.
We have also been blessed with very good fighters. We are probably getting stronger and stronger promotionally. We are getting requests from a lot of international boxers to join us. We will soon promote in England and have been approached by another country in Europe.
My one ambition, probably unattainable, is to promote a black world heavyweight champion born and bred in South Africa.

You have a tremendous little fighter in the shape of WBA and IBO minimumweight champion Hekkie Budler, fresh off a win against former WBC champion Xiong Zhao Zhong. What are your plans with him?
I’m hoping Hekkie won’t be deprived of his true greatness. Zhong refused to fight him when he was WBC champion, and Hekkie beat him convincingly last month.
[WBC champion] Oswaldo Novoa similarly rejected an offer to fight him in a unification. It’s extremely difficult to make those fights.
I’m almost certain that we will soon feature him on a K2 Promotions undercard in the United States where Hekkie can become just as marketable as guys like Chiquita Gonzalez and Michael Carbajal. That’s what we’re aiming for.

Unbeaten Tommy Oosthuizen also makes his return after a year’s layoff against Denis Grachev this weekend. He’s had a few issues with indiscipline in the past. What does the future hold for Tommy?
Tommy is the captain of his own soul. He has unlimited ability, but it’s up to him. There are opportunities if he satisfies us and knuckles down. Depending how he goes against Grachev, I will push for him at the WBC convention to get suitable recognition in the light-heavyweight division.

There was the recent death of a female boxer in a South African ring and there have been tremendous issues with Boxing South Africa. What is your view on the state of SA boxing?
I would rather not comment.

We bring you Chris Algieri today live from his training camp at the Venetian Las Vegas and joining him today is his trainer Tim Lane and his promoter Joe DeGuardia. Chris Algieri is the undefeated champion and the only world champion representing New York right now and a renaissance man by any definition.. After sparring session on Wednesday, he will depart for Macau that evening. To tell us more about Chris and the promotion, here is Hall of Fame Promoter Bob Arum.

BOB ARUM: What do you mean he is the only champion that New York has? The Jets just beat the Steelers over the weekend! I’m glad to be on this call and we are all getting ready to go across the world to Macau and our hosts, The Venetian. Everybody is really looking forward to this event. It is building up tremendously. All of these great fighters leaving who will be participating on the card and we are thrilled to have Chris Algieri with us today because he has really stirred the pot. People are paying tremendous attention to this fight and I think everyone should watch “Under the Lights” this weekend on HBO because it is a true analysis of the fight. Tim Bradley did a great job with Virgil Hunter analyzing the fight so without further ado, I know Tim Lane is here and Joe DeGuardia, but I would like to now turn the call over to Chris Algieri.

CHRIS ALGIERI: Thank you, Bob. I am glad to be here and it’s great to be involved with this promotion and have the opportunity for this fight.

Before we get started I would just like to take a moment to pay tribute to the real warriors that are out there on this Veterans Day and give them the honor and tribute that they deserve for going above and beyond in fighting for our country and our freedom.

With that being said, I am happy to be here and training camp has gone fantastic and it has been a tremendous lead-up going into fight week and Team Algieri is very excited about our trip to Macau. All of our work is done here and now we are ready to travel across the world and shock the world.

TIM LANE: Thanks to everyone for joining in and thanks to Top Rank and Star Boxing for allowing us to be in a show like this. Training has been wonderful. Chris is in shape. He is mentally and physically ready to go and we are ready for our road trip.

JOE DeGUARDIA: It is a pleasure to be on this call. So much has been said about Chris already. He has been a great ambassador for the sport. I am proud of our relationship and it has been a great promotion going from Stony Brook to Wall Street to Shangahi and Macau. It’s going to be a great fight and we are looking forward to taking on Manny Pacquiao on November 22nd. .

BOB ARUM: You forgot to mention Joe that because we stopped at AT&T Park in San Francisco a lot of people are crediting Manny and Chris for bringing good luck to the San Francisco Giants, who went from Wild Card to World Champions.

How is Chris handling the pressure?

TIM LANE: Chris has been handling the pressure like there is no pressure. There is a lot of relaxation and meditation and ice baths after workouts. This is the Chris Algieri Show, like I said before, this is what he had visualized for years and now he has the situation the way he has always dreamt about having it. This is a dream come true so there is no pressure. There is great energy and Chris is feeding off all of it and he is stronger than ever.

Is Medical School still in your future?

CHRIS ALGIERI: Medical School is the next step in my career. There is no doubt about that. My mind is still hungry and I want to continue my education. But that is on hold right now. Now I am focusing full time on my boxing career. We are at the elite level right now and it takes 100% focus.

Where do you wish to go to Medical School?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I had always planned to go to a New York institution because I love New York and had a great experience in college back on Long Island. Stony Brook is my Alma Mater from undergrad and they have a fantastic, competitive medical school and that would be a great place to look into. But there are other great schools in New York and we’ll see what’s available when the time comes. In terms of what I want to study, I have a lot of friends that have gone through the process and often times you don’t know what your expertise will be until you go through your rotations to experience it first-hand. My background is health and fitness and cardiovascular interests me. A lot of the issues we are having in the country right now are directly related to a lack of good fitness and nutrition and since I have a background in that already it does make logical sense. There is also Sports Medicine, so we’ll see. There are a lot of options when it comes to medicine and health care.

Since Manny is in the Philippines and you are in the USA, how has it been for you to carry this entire promotion?

CHRIS ALGIERI: It’s been fantastic. It’s the kind of stuff that you want as a fighter coming up. I am now a champion and fighting at the elite level and you want this kind of exposure. A lot of guys say this, but when it comes they really don’t want it. I’m not that kind of guy. This stuff gets me up. My open workouts are like fight day. I’ve got a lot of pressure on me and I ride it to the top. I am enjoying my time here and my time under the microscope and I believe that has helped out whole team step up to perform that much better.

Do you feel as though you are being taken advantage of because you are here doing all of the interviews and Pacquiao is all by himself?

CHRIS ALGIERI: See, this is actually the first time I am fighting when I am not working as well. I have been a full-time boxer for this camp, so all of this other stuff I have been doing is kind of in par with stuff I have been doing anyway. I am a guy that does a million other things in addition to boxing. I have a lot of other stuff that I have been into my entire career and I have put all of that on hold now I am doing more stuff involving the actual promotion of the fight like doing interviews and making appearances. So for me I am no busier than I have ever been – I have always been a busy guy.

If Chris Algieri wins, what do you think that does for the sport?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I would hope that it would attract a more mainstream audience and have a crossover appeal – we need to get more people watching boxing. I love this sport and anything we can do to help it is great. The more attention that is drawn to any of the fighters, especially in a positive way, is good for the sport. And if it’s elevating my career, what the hell, let’s do it.

When you hear a Freddie Roach talking smack, do you feel a need to go back at him or just sit quietly by?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I am not going to change just to promote a fight. My stance is to not go back-and-forth and I am not fighting Freddie. That’s not the man I have to box with so I am not going to go back-and-forth firing darts at each other. You don’t see Pacquiao doing that. That’s Freddie’s prerogative and that’s what he likes to do. That’s not me, even if it helps the promotion of the fight, that’s not my style. It is what it is. If he wants to say that, that’s fine by me. What matters is fight night and myself and Pacquiao.

If Algieri beats Pacquiao, is he in line to fight Mayweather?

BOB ARUM: How can I talk for Mayweather? As far as the Pacquiao fight is concerned with Mayweather, as much as a lot of people surrounding it would want it to happen, myself included and Manny included, Floyd is reluctant to fight Manny Pacquiao, period. If people don’t see that by now, they are never going to see it. In as far as if Chris Algieri wins the fight against Manny Pacquiao, then there is a provision in the contract for a rematch. If he beats Pacquiao then beats Manny in a rematch and Floyd wants to fight him, that’s not my business – that’s up to Joe DeGuardia and it’s up to the Mayweather camp.

How do you feel about putting Long Island back on the map? This is the most anyone has talked about boxing on Long Island in a very long time – since Buddy McGirt was champion.

CHRIS ALGIERI: Boxing on Long Island – there is history there. It’s been a while since Buddy McGirt and Gerry Cooney, but you know, we are in kind of a resurgence now. We are putting our show there constantly – Star Boxing shows at the Paramount have drawn big crowds over the years and there is a lot of up and coming talent there now. You see more and more gyms with competitive professional fighters. It’s really come up and it’s great. When I was a kid, I did martial arts because boxing wasn’t really available on Long Island. I think now kids are able to begin boxing earlier. So it’s great and whatever can promote the sport on a whole is a good thing. And if we can do it on Long Island, where I am from, it’s a beautiful thing.

Do you ever it back and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I got to this point in my career this quickly?’

CHRIS ALGIERI: It’s zero to one hundred and that is just the nature of the game. I told my mother a joke the other day and she said ‘Chris, it’s just the way you said it would happen.’ It’s nothing then boom! it is a full on sprint. It’s the nature of the business and I’m not surprised by it. I’ve been watching this sports for years and I have seen it with other fighters. I knew my time would come I just had to stay focused and disciplined and if you work hard good things happen. I am right where I am supposed to be.

How does preparing for Pacquiao differ from preparing for Provodnikov?

CHRIS ALGIERI: Let me touch on Provodnikov’s style. He is a lot better than people think. Every fight he has lost has been a very close fight. He really brought it and he is a great champion. On top of being an exciting fighter the guy is good. And to tell you the truth the Ruslan I fought was the best Ruslan I have ever seen. They guy was cutting off the ring and his technique was very sharp and he was faster than usual. I made a mistake early and we all know how that went. I don’t want to downplay Ruslan’s power at all. He’s a fantastic fighter but in terms of his style and Manny’s they are completely different and the preparations for each are completely different but that is no different for me because I am always fighting guys with different styles. I have not been one of those champions that have been fed perfect guys to make me look great. I have had to fight every single style coming up on my way to get here I wasn’t fed anyone in any point of my career. I fought every style you could think of – righty, lefty, tall, short, power-puncher, fast guys, counter guys, so for me it is the norm – training for guys with different styles. Provodnikov has a totally different style than Manny Pacquiao and that’s what training camp is all about and that’s why I stay in shape year round, so I can work on strategy in camp instead of getting in shape.

Is your size an advantage?

CHRIS ALGIERI: It’s genetic. I’m tall for the weight class. I am built to go in and stand in front of the man and trade bombs – why would I do that? I’ve got length, I’ve got reach, I’ve got speed; I’ve got footwork and defense, but that’s not what’s going to be the difference in this fight. It’s not a tall guy versus a short guy – It’s Chris Algieri versus Manny Pacquiao. It’s what I bring to the table versus what he brings to the table. I think a lot of it has to do with my mental preparation and mind going into this fight as well as what we know from Manny. We know Manny is a living legend and a hall of famer for sure. He’s one of the greatest fighters that has ever lived. For me, I have to go out there and be myself. I have the talent and the tools to win this fight – I just have to go out there and perform.

How do you feel about the WBO wanting to take the belt away?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I am just focused on what’s in front of me. I really can’t worry about or complain about the WBO situation at this point. I am just focused on winning another WBO title on November 22nd. It’s one of those things that can’t matter to me. I’ve got other things to focus on and I’ve always been good at that. If it doesn’t make a difference right now, I can’t worry about it.

BOB ARUM: That decision from the WBO is now on hold. Paco [Valcarcel] will be over in Macau and you will be too. You can talk to him there. Obviously if Chris beats many all of this is moot, so a decision will be made after the fight. But you will have the opportunity to question Paco in Macau because I think he will be arriving on Tuesday or Wednesday of fight week.

How do you feel about Freddie trying to intimidate you with the comments he is making?

CHRIS ALGIERI: For one, he is wasting his time because I don’t even read those reports. So that’s the first thing. Secondly, I hear about them from other people around me and it doesn’t make a difference to me. It seems kind of odd for him to be coming out so much and saying so many different things and every day it’s a new thing. But like I said, I don’t read them and I don’t care about them and it doesn’t make a difference come fight night. I would imagine it is some kind of strategy, a kind of mental game or whatnot. Freddie’s been around a long time and maybe this has worked for him in the past but it’s not going to work on me.

Some would compare you to the San Francisco Giantsm with you both being the Wild Cards…

CHRIS ALGIERI: It’s not just this fight. It has been like that for many of my fights in my career, especially this year, and people seem to think I came out of nowhere. I was given an opportunity as a Wild Card and I ran with it and I think I’ve done that. So yes, I think that’s a fair association.

Do you think, since most of the fans will be Pacquiao backers, you will need a knockout to win?

CHRIS ALGIERI: No, I don’t think so. The judges are much closer to the action than the fans are. Fans sure can sway the way a fight looks. I am confident in the ability of the judges and if I do what I need to do and things go the way that we plan, we will come out with the victory regardless of the fan support.

BOB ARUM: Also, I wanted to say, you have to understand, if a fighter was fighting in America, and he was Mexican, would you say that the American judges would favor him because they come from the same continent? And the answer is ‘no.’ Manny Pacquiao is a Filipino and most of the people at the fight will be Chinese, whether they are from Hong Kong or mainland China. To think that someone would favor a Filipino over a US guy is to not understand the geo-political nature of different countries. The Chinese have as much affinity for a Filipino as they would an American, just as Americans would not necessarily favor a Mexican who is fighting over here. We can’t get into the narrow thinking that an Asian is an Asian. That’s silly – that just isn’t the case. Thai’s, Indonesians, Chinese, Filipinos – various groups and they are not always particularly friendly to each other.

Do you feel as though you are carrying the Argentinean torch?

CHRIS ALGIERI: It’s great to see part of my culture doing so well in the sport that I’m involved in, a sport that I have a passion for. I grew up hearing about a lot of Argentine fighters, the great Carlos Monzon and even the fighters on ESPN lime Omar Vaez; and now guys like Marcos Maidana and Sergio Martinez. More often you see Argentine fighters doing big things on a major stage. To be associated with those guys is really an honor and it’s great to see so many people from my culture do big things in the sport.

You drink the mate-tea made from the Argentinean yerba mate plant?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I drink mate every day during training camp, and just in general. It’s packed full of vitamins and nutrients and a lot of B vitamins that you would normally get from meat. The caffeine in there affects me less and it’s more like a stimulant. I can drink more of it and it’s hydrating as well. It’s one of my favorite drinks, especially on a cold morning. It gives me just enough of a pep after a workout. It helps also with fat loss and staying lean. It really is an overall incredible health drink and on top of it it’s part of the culture. It’s something my whole family and does and what we have always done. It’s warm and soothing for the belly and it helps you digest as well. I drink it all the way up until fight day. It’s a part of my routine.

CHRIS ALGIERI: I feel like I fight an aggressive style – smart / aggressive. I would have been more aggressive in the Ruslan fight if not because of my eye early in the fight. I had to protect that eye and be even smarter than I normally would. Don’t be confused with my style just from that one fight, because I know a lot of you have only seen that one fight. I am an aggressive style boxer and I will be in there to mix it up, but it’s going to be in a smart way.

How does you medical / nutritional background help you in training?

CHRIS ALGIERI: If I can think of anything, but nothing specific that I have learned, is the time management and discipline and stay focused. Mentally focused to be aware. Our training sessions are mentally packed. We work on very specific game plans and strategies. So I have been dealing with those types of complicated things and my scholastic background, so I think that helps me – my nutrition and my understanding of the human body, and the processes for recovery and proper dietary restrictions.

CHRIS ALGIERI: Stony Brook is a great school scholastically and I enjoyed my time there. It taught me a lot about life and about the future that I am living now. It is an honor to have graduated from there and to be recognized as an alumnus.

Coach Tony Walters?

CHRIS ALGIERI: Tony was one of the first international world-class athlete I had ever dealt with and I was lucky enough to have him as a coach and he taught me a lot about the mental aspects of training and competition. It was great to be around him – he was like a father figure to me especially in my athletic background. That is a person I will never forget and share in all of my victories since I left there until I am done.

What type of work did you do recently?

CHRIS ALGIERI: Well, I was a full time student either at Stony Brook or NYU getting my masters degree. After I graduated with my masters I was working as a nutritionist and a personal trainer. So I have always had other business or other things going on while training for a fight.

Were you training people prior to the Provodnikov fight?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I was training people on Tuesday of fight week.

Did they get in shape when you trained them?

CHRIS ALGIERI: Absolutely, I had some very fit people. I worked with a lot of athletes helping them, especially combat athletes, MMA fighters, Bermudez, Weidman, and guys on the lower levels – boxers and MMA fighters. Then also moms, middle aged mothers that want to get back in shape after pregnancy or just being home and not training. I had a very varied client list.

You’ve never been in a big fight such as this, so do you think you are doing the right things to be mentally prepared? Guys have always said they know they are ready then they get in the ring and they realize they are not ready. Why do you think you will be different?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I guess you won’t know until November 22nd. But that being said, there are tell tales on the way up. At press conferences, and everything leading up to this fight has been kind of like a dress rehearsal for the big show. All the attention and being under a microscope for the past five months I think has prepared me well. But like you said, I guess we won’t know until that night.

Do you try to entertain as you box?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I box but I have never heard anyone say that I was a boring fighter or that they didn’t really like watching my style. I use a lot of the sweet science as they say but that sort of stuff is exciting to watch. I throw a lot of punches. I am an active fighter. All of my fights have been exciting, even the lopsided ones. I am not concerned about taking a conscious approach to making my style more exciting. I think I go out there and fight in the manner that works best for me getting a win and it just so happens that it’s good to watch.

Would you compare your style to Floyd Mayweather?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I throw a lot more punches than Floyd. He’s very efficient with his punches and when he throws he lands a very high percentage but he’s not exceptionally busy every round. I think I bring a lot of energy and combinations and punches every single round. Even when I’m not throwing I am moving my upper body, I’m moving my feet, I’m moving my head, I am changing levels – all those things are important and they count and they are a part of boxing. It’s kind of a lost art because it is difficult to teach and unless you are an educated fan or a trainer or a fighter you don’t even see those kinds of things. Bringing some of the finer elements of the sport to the ring.

CHRIS ALGIERI: Bernard Hopkins’ style is the way…everything he does is for a reason – little head feints, little hand movements, little shoulder rolls and gestures are all finer points of the sweet science. Before contemporary times everyone did that kind of stuff. I have seen videos of Sugar Ray Robinson and Willie Pep who did a million other things than just punch, to set up a perfect shot or to offset their opponents’ rhythm. Boxing is incredibly complicated. It’s not Rock’em Sock’em Robots.

When you had the competition with Manny on the press tour, what did you play?

CHRIS ALGIERI: We played pool, we bowled then we had batting practice then we went to ESPN Deportes they had a basketball shooting game Pop-a-Shot.

Did you win all the games?

CHRIS ALGIERI: I did, yes.

In Closing…

BOB ARUM: I just want to say that this has been a fantastic conference call. The promotion is really interesting. You have promotions where guys just trash-talk each other and that to me is boring. This has been a very intelligent kind of promotion with both fighters. I think everybody should watch on Saturday night, HBO’s “Under The Lights” because the different styles of the fighters are discussed extraordinarily intelligently by Max Kellerman, Tim Bradley and Virgil Hunter. It’s a program that I recommend that everybody watch because a lot of questions that you have just might be answered by watching that program.

BOB ARUM: I want to say something else…this promotion and this event has been like a real-life Rocky story. Now we know that Rocky came from the streets of Philadelphia and was uneducated, and we have a Rocky here that is highly educated and very articulate, but this is truly a Rocky story nevertheless. If I had scripted this and sent the script in to HBO, it would have been rejected because of being unrealistic. But here we are; it’s real, it’s real life, and Chris Algieri is the modern day Rocky. And this should be a tremendous event and fight on November 22nd and I want to thank everybody for participating in this conference call.

CHRIS ALGIERI: Thanks for all of the kind words. This has been a tremendous promotion and I have enjoyed every moment of it. I hope I was able to answer your questions today, and I will see you all on the other side of the world when it’s fight week. Team Algieri is very excited and very much looking forward to this fight. We are done with the hard work and we are ready to rock.

* * Chris will be sparring on Wednesday then heading to the LAX to depart for Macau.

Promoted by Top Rank® and Sands China Ltd., in association with MP Promotions, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, Banner Promotions and Tecate, the Pacquiao-Algieri world welterweight championship event will take place Saturday, November 22, at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Arena, and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

An all-new special “Under the Lights: Pacquiao-Algieri” debuts This Saturday! November 15 at 11:45 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO.

Replays of “24/7 Pacquiao/Algieri,” will air on HBO during the following days and times: November 13 (2:30 p.m.), 18 (8:45 a.m.), 19 (6:00 p.m.), 21 (1:00 p.m. & 3:00 a.m.), and 22 (9:45 a.m.). It is also available on the HBO On Demand® service, HBO GO® and at www.hbo.com/boxing.

HBO2 playdates for 24/7: 19 (8:00 p.m.) and 21 (4:15 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.).

HBO Signature playdates for 24/7: November 22 (5:30 p.m.).

All times are ET/PT.

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

(San Diego) – It is hard to believe that undefeated San Diego featherweight Prince “Tiger” Smalls has only been seriously boxing for five years. Despite his father and now trainer Priest Smalls, a member of the California state boxing hall of fame, enjoying a fourteen year and thirty-five bout career, Smalls who fights in his first six rounder of his career against Tijuana tough guy Jose Iñiguez, didn’t seriously lace up the gloves until he was a teenager.

Smalls Attacking his Opponent Photo by Paul Gallegos
“When I decided this is what I want to do I was around sixteen years of age, I started training and I started fighting when I was seventeen,” Smalls said some weeks ago after his media day workout. “I wasn’t living with my dad when he was active, when he finished boxing and retired I moved back to California and started getting back into the gym and got serious.”

While his dad battled it out in the ring, Smalls lived in six different states with his aunt but finally made it back to California to join his father and embark on his boxing journey. A road the elder Smalls wasn’t all that enthusiastic in going down. “I didn’t want him in the game; he decided all this on his own. I didn’t want him to be a fighter. To this day I don’t want him to be a fighter. It’s stressful being a fighter seeing your son in there and you knowing what can happen. It’s kind of stressful but he chose to do this so I have to support him.”

To read more, Please click HERE

The Crowne Plaza Hotel is located at 2270 Hotel Circle North, San Diego. “San Diego Fights” is presented by Bobby D. Presents with Mossy Automotive Group, Pepsi,
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, DGS Construction and Car Czar. Doors open at 6:30pm with the first punch thrown at 7:30pm. For more info, please dial (619) 420-8866 or visit BobbyDPresents.net.

Regular WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev has started training camp for the first defense of his second title reign which is supposed to take place in early 2015 in Hamburg. After his mandatory challenger Luis Ortiz disqualified himself with a positive doping test team Chagaev is currently looking for an opponent. “Ruslan is ready to go but now that Ortiz is out we will have to see who is available”, says promoter Timur Dugazaev. “And of course, we need to coordinate the exact date and challenger with the WBA. We will announce the fight once the contracts are signed.”

This week Chagaev and his team will take a close look at the action that will take place in their adapted home town Hamburg. The regular WBA champion will be ringside when “Super Champion” Wladimir Klitschko defends his titles against Kubrat Pulev. “I still want my rematch with Wladimir and I know that I will get it”, says Chagaev. “I didn’t have any time to prepare for our first fight in summer 2009 because they brought me in as last minute replacement. I didn’t want to pass on the chance but I am not happy with the circumstances. I know that it will be a different fight when I have the chance to get ready. To take on Wladimir I have to be in the best possible physical shape and I also need the right mindset.”

After winning the WBA championship for the second time the 36-year-old Uzbek started training with champion coach Fritz Sdunek. They have known each other for a long time as they were both signed to promotional powerhouse Universum Box-Promotion but they never really worked with each other until Chagaev beat Fres Oquendo this summer in Grozny. Sdunek was at the show as head coach of former world champion Juan Carlos Gomez and helped his former assistant Artur Grigorian as cutman in Chagaev’s corner. When Chagaev suffered a cut early in the fight Sdunek took charge and led him to the victory and to regaining “his” world title.

After that Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrow who had helped putting the fight against Oquendo together in Grozny as Chagaev’s friend and supporter urged promoter Timur Dugazaev to sign Sdunek as new head coach. “Fritz is definitely the best trainer in Germany”, states Dugazaev. “He is doing a tremendous job with Ruslan.”

Says Chagaev, “I think with Fritz Sdunek as head coach, Artur Grigorian as his assistant, Timur Dugazaev as promoter and, of course, Ramzan Kadyrow as supporter in my corner I cannot go wrong and I am ready to take on every possible challenge.” Asked about his relationship with the Chechen President, the WBA champion adds: “He is like a brother to me and I have the utmost respect for his gigantic work ethic and discipline. He is working really hard for his people and I am very grateful for all his help. He is surely a great man.”

New York, N.Y. (Tuesday, November 11, 2014) – This Friday night at the Five Star Banquet Hall in Long Island City, Queens, Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions, in association with Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, will be returning to action with a loaded card of top prospects. Leading the way on the show will be undefeated Uprising Promotions stablemates Angel “El Gato” Luna (9-0, 6 KOs) and Wesley “El Bongocero” Ferrer (5-0, 4 KOs), who will be looking to better their perfect professional records.

“We are happy to be back in Long Island City, Queens,” Uprising Promotions President Ronson Frank remarked. “The Five Star Banquet Hall is a familiar spot and a familiar location. We always have a great crowd and a great atmosphere there. We were fortunate to put together a really strong lineup with some young upcoming fighters who look to take the next step in their careers. I am expecting a great night of boxing on Friday night. This venue is always live and full of energy. It’s fun to watch these fighters, especially our guys Angel and Wesley, taking another step towards their ultimate goal of a world title.”

Luna returns to the ring on Friday night for the first time since a second round TKO of Joey Arroyo at the Five Star Banquet Hall in May, a bout that marked his American debut under the Uprising Promotions banner. Standing opposite him this Friday evening will be battle-tested Victor Serrano (4-7, 1 KO), a gritty Mexican super featherweight who owns a deceiving record. Including the bout with Luna, Serrano has faced nine undefeated fighters in his last 10 fights.

Also back in action this Friday night is Ferrer, who made short work of Shiwone Gortman in his last bout this past September, finishing him with a liver shot in the first round. Trained by his father, Mateo De La Cruz (who also trains Luna), Ferrer had a very accomplished amateur career, winning his first NY Daily News Golden Gloves Championship in 2009 when he was just 17-years-old before turning professional in September of 2013. In five professional contests, the hard-hitting Brooklyn native has stopped four of his opponents in the first round. He finds his latest test this Friday night in the form of Will Walters (2-5, 1 KO), a Sacramento native making his first appearance outside of California.

In addition to those two bouts, this card features an additional set of intriguing match-ups.

In six-round affairs, Brooklyn lightweight Scott Burrell (8-2, 6 KOs) faces tough opposition in Joe Gbolo (3-1-2, 1 KO) of Albany, while New York welterweight Daniel Gonzalez (6-0-1, 3 KOs) put his unbeaten record on the line against gritty Newark resident Malik Jackson (1-3-4). Also slated for action is New York middleweight Orland Ortiz (1-0, 1 KO), who will be facing an opponent to be announced.

In a four-frame bout, popular Brooklyn middleweight Akil Auguste (4-1, 4 KOs) will meet Florida native Marlon Farr (4-7, 0 KOs), who has already fought such prospects as Jesse Hart and Junior Younan during his young career. In a sure-to-entertain four-round scrap, Brooklyn junior welterweights Glenford Nickey (3-1, 1 KO) and Italy Martinez (1-2-1, 1 KO) will face off, while New York bantamweight Jordan Rodriguez will be making his professional debut against Daniel Hernandez (0-1-1).

Five Star Banquet Hall is located at 13-05 43rd Avenue in Long Island City, Queens, New York. Tickets for this card are priced at $60 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating. There is also a table option with dinner, beer/wine and seating with a celebrity fighter. For pricing on those tables, call (516) 451-6773.

Additionally, Uprising Promotions is pleased to announce that a fundraiser will be taking place on Friday night to benefit children with autism, and proceeds from the night will be donated to The School For Language and Communication Development in Glen Cove, New York.

This show is being sponsored by Brooklyn Brothers, Bill4Time, Belaire Rosé Champagne, Alamo Restaurant, Charlie’s Auto Collision in Long Island City and Resolution Sports. All bouts are subject to change.

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

LOS ANGELES (NOV. 11, 2014) – Local rising stars Joseph Diaz Jr., Julian Ramirez, Diego De La Hoya and Roy Tapia, as well as seven-foot tall international sensation Taishan, held a media workout at Ponce De Leon Boxing Club in Montebello, Calif. in advance of their bouts at Fantasy Spring Resort Casino this Thursday night on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes.

Here is what each of the fighters had to say about their respective bouts:

JOSEPH DIAZ JR., Undefeated Featherweight Rising Star

“I’m very excited to be on this great card on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes as the main event. The whole card features future stars, so I’m excited to be back at Fantasy Springs.

“I know that my opponent is very tough, but that’s what I want to show everyone; that I’m fighting tough opponents. I’m going to be aggressive on Thursday because that’s what fight fans want to see.

“Thanks to Golden Boy Promotions I’ve been staying busy and active throughout 2014. In 2015, I would like six or seven fights and to continue fighting tough opponents.”

JULIAN RAMIREZ, Undefeated Featherweight Rising Star

“I’m ready for Thursday. Hopefully the knockout comes, but I won’t force anything, if it comes it comes. I’m going to give it my all Thursday. I just want to please the crowd and give everyone a great show.

“All I know about Pedro Melo is that he’s good. He’s a boxer and has a good jab, so I’m ready for that and for anything he brings.

“It’s been a good year for me, it’s my fourth fight, so I’m staying active and getting the wins. I’m fighting at 10-rounds now and winning.

On his weight class: “I think Guillermo Rigondeux is the best and most skilled in my weight-class. Lomachenko is also one of my favorites, but he needs to be more aggressive in my opinion. I also look up to Jhonny Gonzalez, Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz. I want to be up there with all of them.”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, Undefeated Featherweight Prospect

“I’m well prepared. Training camp has gone great and the most important thing is that I’ve got a winning mentality. I’m just waiting for Thursday to come.

“I’m very happy about this year because I’ve kept very busy. Golden Boy Promotions has done a good job at getting me fights often, so I’m staying active.

“I’m very excited to fight at Fantasy Springs again, especially because my fans and family from Mexicali will be there to cheer me on.”

ROY TAPIA, Junior Featherweight Prospect

“On Thursday my plan is to work the body as much as I can. This camp has been the best one yet. I’ve been at 100 percent because I started when Jesus Cuellar and Juan Manuel Lopez were in camp, so I was able to spar with Cuellar. I’m on weight for Thursday and ready to go.

“On Thursday expect a lot of head movement and aggressiveness. I’ll be working the body a lot. Like a pit bull, once I got them I won’t let them go.

“I’m very grateful to Golden Boy Promotions. I hope they and the fans love my crazy style and that I work my way up to fighting on TV.”

TAISHAN, Undefeated Heavyweight Prospect

“Training has gone very well. I feel confident with my new coach, Buddy McGirt, and I feel confident with myself.

“I’m very excited about my second professional boxing fight. I’m well prepared and I’m looking forward to it.

“Because of my height and size I hope to bring something different for boxing fans.

On choosing boxing over MMA or wrestling:”I loved boxing and always watched matches in China. But I never had the chance to learn about boxing and become a true student of the sport until I came to the U.S.”

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“Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Roberto Castaneda,” a 10-round featherweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Golden Ram Group and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bell rings at 5:15 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. In the co-main event, Julian Ramirez will face Pedro Melo in an eight-round featherweight bout. Diego De La Hoya vs. Ali Gonzalez in a six-round featherweight contest. In the opening televised fight, Taishan will face Tommy Washington in a four-round heavyweight bout.

Also, don’t miss a double header of activities at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino with the Randy Caballero Celebration Victory Party on Wednesday night from 6:00-8:00 p.m. PT at the LIT Lounge at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and former World Champion Fernando “Ferocious” Vargas will host a meet and greet with fans in attendance at Thursday’s fight night at the Special Events Center from 6:00-7:00 p.m. PT.

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

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @FOXSports1, @FOXDeportes and follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visit www.FOXSports.com/watch/FOXSports1 and become a follower on @FOXSports.

Former UFC Middleweight and Light Heavyweight title contender Chael Sonnen has joined ESPN in a multi-fight agreement as a studio and on-site analyst, providing expert pre- and post-fight insight on SportsCenter’s coverage of major UFC pay-per-view events. Sonnen will make his debut on Friday, Nov. 14, prior to UFC 180, appearing throughout the weekend on SportsCenter and various ESPN platforms.

“Chael is a tremendous analyst and we are excited to have him join ESPN,” said Glenn Jacobs, ESPN senior coordinating producer. “Along with our established UFC analyst Gilbert Melendez, Chael allows us to provide unparalleled UFC coverage. We feel his insights from years in the octagon and his outgoing personality will enhance SportsCenter’s place as a destination for UFC fans.”

Sonnen said, “The industry leader in sports…and ESPN have finally joined forces. You’re welcome, wait! These mics hot? The biggest thing to happen to ESPN since…well nothing really comes close. In all seriousness, to ESPN, to Disney, to the Hearst Corporation and to all the viewers…you’re welcome. From one industry leader to another, I look forward to the opportunity of bringing my stories, insight and unique perspective of mixed martial arts to the network.”

Sonnen — who fought for the UFC world title three times at two different weight classes, against former UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva (twice) and UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones — retired with a professional MMA record of 29-14-1. He has served as a UFC analyst for FOX Sports and was a coach on “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen,” which aired on FX, and “The Ultimate Fighter Brazil: Team Wanderlei vs. Team Sonnen,” which aired on UFC Fight Pass, the organization’s digital subscription service. In addition, he made several guest appearances as an analyst on ESPN’s MMA Live in 2010. He currently hosts “You’re Welcome with Chael Sonnen,” a weekly podcast featuring MMA insight, analysis and interviews on PodcastOne. Sonnen, an Oregon native, attended the University of Oregon, where he was an NCAA All-American wrestler.

CHESTER, PA (November 11, 2014)- This Friday night, rising Heavyweight Joey Dawejko will look for his fifth consecutive win when he takes on Rayford Johnson in the 8-round main event at Harrahs Philadelphia in Chester, PA.

The show is promoted by Joey Eye Boxing and XFE.

Dawejko of Philadelphia has a record of 12-3-2 with 5 knockouts and in his four bout winning streak, the last two have ended in explosive first round stoppages.

The 24 year-old Dawejko was a former world junior amateur champion which was part of a 56-12 record in the non-paid ranks.

He turned professional in 2009 with a 6-round unanimous decision over Royphy Solieau. He won his first six bouts (and was 7-0-1 in his first eight) which included knockout wins over undefeated fighters Ricardo Johnson and John Lennox.

“I don’t know much about Johnson other than he is tough and has been the distance with a lot og good fighters,” said Dawejko.

Dawejko is coming in off two consecutive first round knockouts for which he registered three knockdowns in each fight for a total of six knockdowns in just his last three minutes and twenty-two seconds worth of work.

“I always had power but I was always saving energy to go the distance. I am now in shape to knock these guys. I have proved I can got the distance with top class fighters before. I now know that I am in the right position to knock these guys out now.”

Johnson wasn’t the first choice of opponents but Dawejko is looking for big named opponents with a win this Friday.

“We offered the fight to a lot of guys and they all turned it down. In 2015, I want to make my move and step up the competition. The guy I would really like to fight is Amir Mansour.”

Johnson of Longview, Texas has a record of 10-15 with six knockouts.

He is a good foe for Dawejko as despite his record, he is very capable with quality wins over Terrrence Woods (7-0), Arman Mrkanovic (4-1), former world title challenger Will Mcintyre (40-5-1). In his last two bouts, Johnson has two great wins over Ernesy Reyma (4-0) and his last bout which was a 6th round stoppage over Vincent Miranda (16-1) on August 15 in Saratoga Springs, NY.

In the six-round co-feature, Raymond Serrano (18-2, 8 KO’s) will be back in action when the Philadelphia native takes on Wilfredo Acuna (15-15, 12 KO’s) of Managua, Nicaragua in a Jr. Welterweight bout

In Six round Bouts:
Immanuel Aleem (10-0, 6 KO’s) of Richmond, VA will take on Angel Antonio Martinez (6-8-3, 1 KO) in a Middleweight bout

In four round bouts:

Alex Barbosa (4-1-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on Benjamin Burgos (1-9-1) of Mount Pocono, PA in a Super Bantamweight bout.

Nathaniel Rivas (5-0, 2 KO’s) of Berlin, NJ will take on an opponent to be named in a Welterweight bout.

Randy Easton (2-4-1, 2 KO’s) of Williamsport, PA will fight Dan Bolden (2-3, 1 KO) of Louisiana in a Heavyweight bout.

David Grayton (9-0, 8 KO’s) of Washington, DC will take on Donald Ward (7-5, 3 KO’s) of Memphis, TN in a Welterweight bout.

Tickets are now on sale for $100 (VIP); $75 (Ringside) and $50 (General Admission) and can be purchased at the Harrahs Philadelphia Gift Shop; By calling Joey Eye (267-304-9399); David Feldman (610-291-0806); Peltz Boxing (215) 765 0922; 800-480-8020 or on www.webtix.net

Venice, CA (November 11, 2014) Former multiple world title challenger OLA “Kryptonite” AFOLABI left Southern California last week in final preparations for his International Boxing Federation (‘IBF’) Cruiserweight World Title clash with champion YOAN PABLO HERNANDEZ set for Saturday, December 6th in Oldenburg, Germany.

“I had been training for the last few weeks in Los Angeles but for the best sparring I came to Kiev, Ukraine to work with OLEKSANDR USYK in his camp” said the London born Afolabi who has compiled a record of 21-3-4 (10KO’s) during his distinguished career that began with no amateur bouts.

With a record of 5-0 with five knockouts, Usyk is a very highly regarded cruiserweight prospect, the southpaw having won the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal at heavyweight for Ukraine.

“I’ve watched Usyk fight before and he is clearly very strong and talented. He is a tall southpaw who will help me prepare for Hernandez, if I can do well with him I will beat Hernandez.”

Having challenged current WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Marco Huck three times, Afolabi is excited at the challenge of facing Hernandez, 29-1-0 (14KO’s).

“I’m done with Huck, three fights is plenty and it’s time for a change. I’ve been studying Hernandez for the last few months and know what will work against him” said Afolabi.

Continued TOM LOEFFLER of K2 Promotions; “This is a great opportunity for Ola. He had the three very close bouts with Huck but has now fought his way back into another world title fight. His perseverance throughout his career has served Ola well and I am confident sparring with Usyk is the right move and will have him well prepared to beat Hernandez.”

Afolabi will be fighting for the eighth time in Germany and is therefore undeterred about hometown scoring for Hernandez. “I just focus on winning the fight, as many rounds as possible to leave no doubt.”

Fighting under K2 Promotional banner, Afolabi has the full support of the most popular boxer in Germany, Unified Heavyweight World Champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Afolabi has fought his last two bouts at Madison Square Garden, The Mecca of Boxing, including a 12-round unanimous decision over Lukasz Janik on November 2, 2013, winning the International Boxing Organization Cruiserweight Title.

He followed that with a third round stoppage of Anthony Caputo Smith on July 26th on the undercard of the Gennady Golovkin/Daniel Geale World Middleweight Championship.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Canada (Nov. 11, 2014) – Former Canadian college basketball player and No. 2 ranked “Dangerous” Denton Daley (12-0, 6 KOs) challenges Interim World Boxing Association (WBA) cruiserweight champion Youri “El Toro” Kalenga (20-1, 13 KOs) Saturday night at Hersey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Kalenga-Daley headlines “World Championship Boxing,” promoted by United Boxing Promotions (UBP), the first world title fight ever held in Mississauga, as well the first in the province of Ontario in 4 1/2 years, since Mississauga-native Steve “The Canadian Kid” Molitor defeated Takalani Ndlovu in Rama by 12-round decision for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight championship.

The Kalenga-Daley winner will become the mandatory challenger for WBA World “regular” cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev (26-2, 19 KOs).

“We’re proud to make history by presenting the first world title fight ever in Mississauga,” UBP promoter Don MacDonald commented. “The 6,000 fight fans at Hersey Centre this Saturday night will witness a war between two great fighters. Denton is ready for his first world title shot and Kalenga deserves credit for putting his title on the line in his opponent’s backyard. A lot is at stake for both fighters.”

With a victory the 32-year-old Daley, who has lost only one round in his 12 professional fights to date, will become the only Canadian-born world champion today in boxing. A former college basketball player in Canada, as well as a college graduate with a degree in business, Daley didn’t start boxing until 2010. He is trained by two-time world title challenger Syd Vanderpool.

The late-blooming Daley pitched a complete shutout against former world champion Richard Hall (30-11) in 2013, winning all 10 rounds on each of the three judges’ scorecards, followed by June 1, 2013 with his North American Boxing Association (NABA) cruiserweight title winning performance against Faisal Ibnel Arrami (15-4), who was unable to continue after four rounds due to a shoulder injury. In two NABA title defenses, Daley won 10 and 12-round unanimous decisions, respectively, over Jean Marc Monrose (26-6) and Andres Taylor (21-5-2).

“It is an honor to be given the opportunity to showcase my talent in front of the people who have supported me,” Daley said. “My opponent will give me a tough fight which my people have been waiting to see for a long time. I expect a dog fight and may the better man win.”

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the 26-year-old Kalenga fights out of France, where 16 of his 20 professional fights have been held. His initial title defense against Daley will mark the African’s first pro fight outside of Europe.

Kalenga captured the Interim WBA crown in his last fight this past June 21 in Monte Carlo, winning a 12-round split decision (116-112, 115-113, 113-115) over Mateusz Masternak (32-1).

Limited tickets, starting at only $20.00, are still available to purchase at the Hershey Centre box office (Gate A entrance), online at www.ticketmaster.ca, or by calling TicketMaster at 1.85.985.5000.

Go online at www.unitedpromotions.cafor additional information, friend Daley at www.Facebook.com/UnitedBoxingPromotions. Follow UBP on twitter at @UnitedPromotions, Kalenga @YouriKalengaELT, and Daley @DentonDaley.

CHICAGO — November 11, 2014 — Hitz Boxing Entertainment founder and promoter Bobby Hitz is a man who wears many hats, and tomorrow night he will showcase his acting talents when he plays the owner of a boxing gym on the hit NBC police drama Chicago PD. It isn’t a stretch for Hitz, whose acting credits include a recurring role in the TV series Mob Doctor. “I’ve been auditioning for various roles on the show, and am pleased to have been cast in the role of the boxing gym owner. I am hoping it leads to a recurring role in the show,” said Hitz. “It was great to be cast in such a terrific show that showcases my good friend and boxing aficionado John Seda. That makes the experience all the more rewarding.” Seda plays straight-arrow detective Antonio Dawson on the NBC show.

Seda is an avid boxing fan, having been an amateur boxer in his youth. Seda has attended several Hitz Boxing events, and is a personal friend of Bobby Hitz. “I love boxing. It’s something that’s a big part of me. I fought in the 1989 New Jersey Golden Gloves and took runner up,” said Seda.

For his part, Seda is pleased to work with Hitz on Chicago PD. “I just think it’s so cool to have someone like Bobby HItz as a part of our show. He brings such a uniqueness and such a real taste of what the boxing world is like. Bobby has his boxing background, and he’s the top promoter here in Chicago. I go to a lot of his fights, and a lot of the cast goes to his events. It’s just a great thing to have him on the show. It really helps us, shooting in Chicago, bringing out the best of Chicago. He’s one of those guys – he’s so well known in Chicago, especially in the boxing community. I just think it adds such an element of realism to have Bobby involved.”

Seda is also hoping that Hitz’s character becomes a recurring role. “They’ve established that Bobby’s character owns the gym in the show. Now that it’s established, and with my character’s having a boxing background, it’s limitless what they can do story wise in the future. I believe there will be future scenes that tie Antonio back into the gym. I’m talking to the producers about it…when we have Bobby it opens the door to having different story lines. That’s something I see in the future.”

Hitz hopes to see Seda become more involved with Hitz Boxing. “Boxing is what brought us together,” said Hitz. “He’s an actor, and I’ve always been a fan. It’s the icing on the cake that we both have this love of boxing, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can work together to bring Hitz Boxing to more fans in Chicago.

Fans can watch Hitz’s appearance tomorrow night on NBC at 10/9CST.

NEW YORK (Nov. 10, 2014) – Undefeated welterweight and newly crowned WBO Intercontinental Welterweight Champion Sadam “World Kid” Ali made a statement Saturday night with a remarkable ninth-round technical knockout victory over Argentine slugger Luis Carlos Abregu. Ali, a hot prospect in the welterweight division, may have broken into the boxing mainstream Saturday night with his dominating performance as the co-featured event on the “Bernard Hopkins vs. Sergey Kovalev” undercard. It was his first fight on HBO World Championship Boxing® and a major step up in competition for the fighter who upped his record to 21-0 with 13 knockouts.

While Ali has much to be proud of as he enjoys his recent victory, he will take time to honor our nation’s military veterans as he participates in the annual New York City Veteran’s Day Parade also known as “America’s Parade.” As a native of Brooklyn and a 2008 U.S. Olympian, Ali is a great addition to the day’s festivities.

He will ride on a float as a guest of Wounded Warrior Project® amidst 1,000 soldiers and 600,000 spectators.

“It’s an honor to be able to pay homage to the great men and women who support our country,” said Ali. “They fight for our freedom and are true champions. I’m thrilled to be included and I hope New Yorkers come to the parade and show their support.”

“We can take for granted the veterans who risk their lives to protect the things that make this country so great and I’m happy to be able to give back,” said Ali.

Ali (21-0, 13 KOs) took a slow and steady approach to his professional career, but since signing with Golden Boy Promotions in 2013, Ali has been fighting in the fast lane and continues to impress including his major win on Saturday night. Other wins include recent bouts over Jay Krupp, Jesus Selig, Michael Clark and Jeremy Bryan, the dynamic Ali heads into 2015 with open options in one of the most divisions in boxing.

For more information follow www.twitter.com/realworldkidali, www.twitter.com/goldenboyboxing, @theworldkidali and @goldenboyboxing on Instagram or go to www.goldenboypromotions.com

LAS VEGAS (Nov 10, 2014) — World Series of Fighting (WSOF) announced today that it will bring it’s highly-anticipated world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event, headlined by a welterweight (170 pounds) title fight between reigning champion Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares (16-6) of Dores Do Indaia, Minas Gerais Brazil and fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and superstar Jon Fitch (26-6-1, 1 NC) of San Jose, Calif. to the McClellan Conference Center in Sacramento, Calif. on Saturday, Dec. 13, live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on NBCSN.

Priced from $50, tickets are on sale now at www.wsof.com.

“We are excited to bring the World Series Fighting product to the city of Sacramento for the first time and are looking forward to delivering an incredible night of MMA action to a market where fans have shown tremendous appreciation and enthusiasm for our great sport,” said World Series of Fighting President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

In a featherweight (145 pounds) world championship co-main event, reigning kingpin and streaking finisher Rick “The Gladiator” Glenn (15-2-1) of Marshalltown, Iowa will put his belt on the line against submission powerhouse and Team Alpha Male alumnus Lance “The Party” Palmer (8-1) of Sacramento.

Rousimar Palhares vs. Jon Fitch
Palhares, the reigning World Series of Fighting welterweight kingpin, has also become one of the sport’s most feared executioners, with an unmatched ability to trap his opponents in a variety of leg locks. To date, 13 of the stocky and muscular fighter’s 16 career wins have come by way of submission, 10 of which he produced with either a heel hook or ankle lock.

On March 29, Palhares was crowned champion after submitting Steve Carl with an inverted heel hook just over one minute into the first round of action. During his 10-year career, Palhares has claimed wins over a number of stellar adversaries, including, Jeremy Horn and Mike Pierce, whom Palhares tapped out with a heel hook just 31 seconds into their fight.

Also a decorated submission stylist as well as a longtime member of San Jose’s Team AKA, Fitch will make his second start of 2014 and aim for his third consecutive win, after earning a split decision over Marcelo Alfaya on Oct. 26, 2013 and a unanimous decision over superstar Dennis “Superman” Hallman on July 5, 2014, respectively.

During his 12-year professional career, Fitch has submitted or scored TKO’s on a long list of rival superstars, including Roan Carneiro, Josh Burkman, Thiago Alves, and has earned decisions over Diego Sanchez, Erick Silva and Ben Saunders.

Rick Glenn vs. Lance Palmer
The 25-year-old Glenn is looking to extend an unbeaten run that began 13 fights ago, in June 2010, and a 3-fight win streak under the World Series of Fighting banner. In those 13 starts, Glenn finished 10 of his opponents by way of TKO or submission, including his last opponent second round TKO stoppage of Georgi Karakhanyan, on June 21 2014.

Palmer, a 26-year-old standout, is looking to claim his second consecutive win after submitting Nick LoBosco with a rear-naked choke in the first round (4:15) of action in the World Series of Fighting cage on June 21. Palmer has produced four of his eight career wins by way of submission.

Two additional, main card bouts will be announced soon. The live, four-bout NBCSN telecast of WSOF 16: Palhares vs. Fitch will begin at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST on Dec. 13.

Doors at the McClellan Conference Center will open at 2 p.m. PST and the first preliminary bout will begin at 3 p.m.

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

HBO BOXING AFTER DARK begins early with a special presentation of a heavyweight title showdown when WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO VS. KUBRAT PULEV is seen SATURDAY, NOV. 15 at 4:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT), exclusively on HBO, with an encore presentation later that day at midnight (ET/PT). The HBO Sports team will capture all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Nov. 16 (9:00 a.m.) and 17 (12:30 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Nov. 16 (4:45 p.m.) and 18 (11:00 p.m.)

Reigning world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 53 KOs), originally from Ukraine and now fighting primarily in Germany, puts his championship belts on the line against Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KOs), from Sofia, Bulgaria, in a scheduled 12-round title bout from the O2 World Arena in Hamburg, Germany. In his 19th appearance on HBO, the 38-year-old Klitschko will be seeking his 17th consecutive successful heavyweight title defense, which would rank as the third-most behind legendary heavyweight champs Joe Louis, who had 25, and Larry Holmes, with 20.

Pulev, 33, is undefeated as a pro following an amateur career in which he won several European tournaments and gold medals. In Aug. 2013, he defeated American Tony Thompson in a title elimination contest, paving the way to this showdown.

“Fight fans recognize the history, mystique and legacy of the heavyweight championship, and we are delighted to present the world’s premier heavyweight, Wladimir Klitsckho, live on HBO,” says Peter Nelson, vice president, HBO Sports Programming. “Wladimir represents all the great qualities that one embraces in sport. We are looking forward to televising his 17th world title defense live.”

Also that day, HBO Latino presents an exclusive doubleheader from San Antonio at 9:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT), when Gilberto Ramirez (29-0, 23 KOs) takes on Fulgencio Zuniga (27-9-1, 24 KOs) in a super middleweight bout and Oscar Valdez (13-0, 11 KOs) goes up against Alberto Garza (26-8-1, 21 KOs) in a middleweight contest.

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

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

® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

Boca Raton, Florida (November 10, 2014) Calling from the final days of a two-month long training camp in South Florida, undefeated junior middleweight prospect ERICKSON “The Hammer” LUBIN is anxious for his return to the ring this Friday, November 14th at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Fighting in one of the featured bouts at “The Pride of Pittsburgh II”, Lubin will face battle tested Mexican veteran NORBERTO “Demonio” GONZALEZ in a scheduled eight round contest.

Sporting a record of 7-0-0 with six knockouts, the 19-year-old Lubin, a favorite for 2014’s “Prospect of the Year”, has impressed fans and media across the country this year with his crunching knockout power in both hands. Combining his show stopping knockouts with his world-class skills, Lubin has become a must-see attraction.

“Erickson’s got the “it” factor” said promoter MIKE TYSON of Iron Mike Productions. “Having been around the sport for over 30 years I can tell when a fighter is special. We were impressed with him coming out of the amateurs and in his six fights this year the fans have loved him.”

“It’s been a big year, getting to travel and perform in front of big crowds across the country” said the southpaw Lubin. “But I’m actually looking to fight more often in 2015. Ten times would be perfect.”

About his training in preparation for Gonzalez, Lubin stated, “This has been my longest camp, over two months. But I’ve had great sparring in Colorado Springs with (world champion) Terence Crawford and Sammy Vasquez Jr.”

‘The longer camp also gave me time to increase my arsenal, both on offense and defense. I know Gonzalez is a big step up for me but I’m ready for it.”

Erickson is returning to CONSOL Energy Center where he dismantled Francisco Javier Reza with a first round stoppage on August 8th.

A native of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, the 33-year-old Gonzalez has compiled a record of 20-5-1 (13KO’s) over his seven-year career. Included among the names on his ledger are Jermall Charlo, Roberto Garcia and Yudel Johnson.

“The Pride of Pittsburgh II” is headlined by a 10-round WBC FECARBOX Welterweight Title clash between Pittsburgh’s SAMMY “The Who Can Mexican” VASQUEZ JR., 16-0-0 (12KO’s), and Panamanian veteran ALBERTO “Metralleta” MOSQUERA, 21-1-2 (14KO’s).

Co-featured is a terrific 10-round cross-town battle for the WBC FECARBOX Lightweight Title between local favorite MONTA MEZA-CLAY, 36-3-0 (22KO’s), and rival “Lightning” ROD SALKA, 19-4-0 (3KO’s).

Advance tickets for “The Pride of Pittsburgh II”, starting at $42 are available through the Dick’s Sporting Goods Box Office at CONSOL Energy Center, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 800-745-3000. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:00 p.m.

CONSOL Energy Center is located at 1001 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219. Further information can be located at their website, www.consolenerycenter.com

For additional information on Iron Mike Productions visit www.IronMikeProductions, follow on Twitter at @IronMikeProd and on Facebook at IronMikeProductionsOfficial.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, PHILIPPINES (November 10, 2014) — “Rocky” is fiction and so is “The Chris Algieri Show,” so says MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO’s Hall of Fame trainer World-Famous FREDDIE ROACH.

With just seven days to go until Manny Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri World Welterweight Championship Fight Week begins, it seems like the winds of war are beginning to blow from Pacquiao’s Philippines-based training camp.

“Manny looks tremendous. He has worked hard against the best sparring partners he has ever had. He knows what is at stake here. Believe me, he wants an emphatic victory. He needs an emphatic victory. That is why he has gone the extra mile in this camp to achieve that,” said Roach.

“I know New York is a sports capital desperate to hold on to its only world champion. But everyone in the Big Apple needs to realize that CHRIS ALGIERI is going up against a buzz saw in Manny Pacquiao,” said Roach, following Pacquiao’s latest training session. “New York has had its share of sports miracle upsets in the past — Bobby Thompson’s ‘Shot Heard ‘Round the World,’ Jerry Koosman’s two World Series victories for the Miracle Mets and Joe Namath’s Super Bowl III MVP performance — but the reality is this, heart, no matter how big, can only take you so far. On November 22, Manny is going to drop the curtain on The Chris Algieri Show.”

A little motivated, Freddie?

“You bet I am,” Roach continued. “Remember, I grew up in Deadham, Massachusetts. There is no love lost when Boston plays New York in any sport. I live for beating a New Yorker. And by the way, Dom DiMaggio was a much better centerfielder than his brother Joe.”

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Promoted by Top Rank® and Sands China Ltd., in association with MP Promotions, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, Banner Promotions and Tecate, the Pacquiao-Algieri world welterweight championship event will take place Saturday, November 22, at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Arena, and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

An all-new special “Under the Lights: Pacquiao-Algieri” debuts This Saturday! November 15 at 11:45 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO.

Replays of “24/7 Pacquiao/Algieri,” will air on HBO during the following days and times: November 13 (2:30 p.m.), 18 (8:45 a.m.), 19 (6:00 p.m.), 21 (1:00 p.m. & 3:00 a.m.), and 22 (9:45 a.m.). It is also available on the HBO On Demand® service, HBO GO® and at www.hbo.com/boxing.

HBO2 playdates for 24/7: 19 (8:00 p.m.) and 21 (4:15 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.).

HBO Signature playdates for 24/7: November 22 (5:30 p.m.).

All times are ET/PT.

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

NEW YORK (Nov. 10, 2014) – The next chapter of multiple world champion Yuriorkis “The Cyclone of Guantanamo” Gamboa’s (23-1, 16 KOs) illustrious boxing career starts November 15 as the 2004 Olympic gold medalist takes on upset-minded Joel Montes de Oca (18-3, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature at Plaza de Toros in Cancon, Mexico.

The show is being promoted Jose Gomez’ Cancun Boxing, headlined by a 10-round featherweight fight between three-time super flyweight champion Cristian “El Diamente” Mijares (52-8-2, 25 KOs) and Lester Medrano (14-2-1, 9 KOs).

Gamboa will be in an unfamiliar position coming off the first loss as a professional, this past June 28 in Omaha, Nebraska to undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion Terence Crawford (24-0, 17 KOs). Gamboa was stopped in the ninth round but the four-time Cuban National amateur champion gained more respect than ever with his gutsy performance and entertaining style in a legitimate Fight of the Year candidate that aired live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

“I want my fans know that I feel great,” the 32-year-old Gamboa said from his home in Miami. “I’ve been training very hard for this fight, which I’m taking very serious because I know the importance of ending the year on a positive note. I’m very happy with my new team. I’m now fully focused on becoming ‘King’ of the lightweight division, as well as hopefully being much more active in 2015 with my goal to fight three or four times next year. I am honored to fight in Mexico and I plan to fight there again in 2015.”

(L) 50 Cent & Gamboa
Gamboa defected from his native Cuba in 2006. The dangerous puncher has captured two World featherweight titles, in addition to three Interim World championships in three different weight classes, ranging from featherweight through lightweight.

Excluding his loss to Crawford, Gamboa has defeated three world champions and seven world title challengers in his last 10 fights, including Orlando Salido, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Michael Farenas, Jorge Solis, Jonathan Victor Barros and Darleys Perez

Montes de Oca has never fought outside of his native Mexico, nor anybody in the same class as Gamboa. In his last fight this past May, Montes de Oca won a 10-round split decision over Daniel Evangelista Jr. (17-3-1), extending his winning streak to 14.

Gamboa is promoted by 50 Cent’s (Curtis Jackson) SMS Promotions.

Follow Gamboa on Twitter @Gamboa.

Ermano Fegatilli has had a lengthy gap between fights in 2014. His only fight this year was a lopsided stoppage win against an overmatched Hungarian, Csaba Toth, in June. Before then, Fegatilli hadn’t fought since August of 2013. Activity hasn’t been on his side, even though the motivation and hunger has remained with all of the opportunity lying ahead.

Still, waiting around isn’t a route he’s accustomed to taking, and he’s ready to step up and look to extend his four-fight winning streak. Fegatilli will start off with a “stay-busy” fight against Kristin Dochev, above the 130lb/59kg weight limit on November 23th.

The last year has been eventful, outside of the ring, that is. “Le Seresien” has been forced to balance work life, personal life, and boxing life. He recently moved from Belgium to the Netherlands to live with his longtime fiance, and, as of August, beloved spouse. Managerial rifts have also played a role in keeping him out of the ring. Yes, as one aspect of his life changes, so does the rest. As of earlier this year, Ermano’s career is being managed by Renald De Vulder, who has been working relentlessly and tirelessly to land him a major opportunity.

Indeed, he will get one soon enough. As long as Fegatilli comes away with a victory against the Bulgarian Dochev, who is 11-19, he will face Romain Jacob for the EBU Super Featherweight title soon after.

The plan is to face Dochev on 11/23, take another eight-round fight on January 30th, and then challenge Jacob by the second quarter of 2015 — most likely early April. A victory there would drive him a step ahead to the world title picture.

The details of the Jacob fight are still being materialized, but it has been mandated by the European Boxing Union that Jacob, who recently won a unanimous decision over Devis Boschiero, defend against Fegatilli in his next championship bout.

Fegatilli originally held that same EBU’s Super Featherweight title from February 2011, when he captured it with a dominant win over Stephen Foster Jnr, until August 2012, when he lost it in a close and controversial fight with Boschiero. The Jacob fight will be about taking back what was rightfully earned, and lost, just a couple of years ago.

For now, the focus in on Ermano Fegatilli’s return bout on 11/23 in Antwerp, Belgium, where he has a substantial fan-base and had resided for many years. Dochev is 21, and knows that a victory could be life-changing. A lack of focus could be detrimental, and this fight is as important as any other.

The 30-year-old contender won’t be pedestrian when a shot at brilliance lies within his grasp. Boxing is a sport of passion, blood, and desire. Few display more desire than Fegatilli when it comes to doing what he loves. There is nothing left to do but step into the ring and fight.

More information on Ermano Fegatilli will be released shortly.

German KO star Vincent Feigenbutz (16-1, 15 KOs) will make his UK debut on November 22 at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. The 19 year-old super middleweight faces Lorenzo Di Giacomo (41-11-1, 19 KOs) on the undercard of the domestic grudge rematch between Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Feigenbutz, who has stopped fifteen of his seventeen opponents, is considered one of Germany’s most exciting boxing prospects. His aggressive style and concussive power has earned him a fearsome reputation. The young star is eager to impress when he travels to Liverpool to face the Italian veteran Di Giacomo.

‘’I’m looking forward to making my UK debut,’’ said Feigenbutz. ‘’It’s the motherland of boxing! ’The fans are amazing and always make for an incredible atmosphere. Even though I am coming over from Germany, I hope they will get behind me and support me in this fight. I’m sure they’re going to love my explosive attacking style.

‘’I may only be 19 years old, but I have unseen power for someone my age. On November 22, Di Giacomo will taste my power, and he’s going to get knocked out! He may be an experienced, he’s old enough to be my father, but he’s not going to stand a chance. Don’t blink or you might miss it!’’

Feigenbutz is the latest addition to a bumper bill in Liverpool, which amongst its star names, features British super middleweights George Groves, James DeGale MBE and Callum Smith. All of whom, the young German considers as potential future opponents.

‘’I would love to fight any one of them,’’ said Feigenbutz. ‘’They all have my respect, but honestly, I believe I could beat all three of them. Once I’ve wiped out my domestic rivals, I would be willing to face any of the British super middleweights!’’

Said promoter Kalle Sauerland: ‘’Vincent is an exceptional young talent who has taken the German boxing scene by storm. We’re excited for him to have the opportunity to showcase his skills on such a big show. He is a power punching, no nonsense fighter and the British boxing fans are going to love him!’’

Cleverly v Bellew II is exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office on 22 November with George Groves, Anthony Joshua MBE, James DeGale MBE and World title defences for Scott Quigg and Jamie McDonnell also on the bill. skysports.com/cleverlybellew.

Tony johnson 287.4
Charles daughtery. 226.2

Mike bissert 190.4
Tyrone dowdy. 189.4

Manny woods 156.6
Anthony bowman 154.4

Rashad jones 171.2
Anthony madden 169.4

Quentin willis. 161.6
Willian armstead. 162.4

Ranndy Hedderick. 148
Bobby hill. 145.4

Local hero Mikaela Lauren and Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes are ready for tonight’s battle for the vacant WBC Female World superwelterweight championship in Vasteras, Sweden. At yesterday’s weigh-in both contender were well inside the limit with Lauren bringing 69.4 kg (153 lbs) to the scale while Magdziak Lopes was a little lighter at 69.0 kg (152 lbs).

“It has always been my dream to fight for the Green and Gold belt – the only price that counts in boxing” said Mikaela Lauren. “This is the title which has been held by Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson – as well as by great female champions like Laila Ali.”
Lauren is entering the fight with a tremendous record of 22 wins and only three defeats with one of those losses coming against supreme welterweight ruler Cecilia Braekhus in a world title fight in 2010. Her co-challenger Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes has won 10 of her 14 pro fights with two losses (against Kali Reis and Tori Nelson) and two draws. Magdziak Lopes was born in Gliwice (Poland) but is fighting out of Marshfield (USA) were she works as an attorney when she’s not fighting or training in the gym.
The WBC Female superwelterweight championship has been vacated by Tiffany Junot after she won the title from Mia St. John in November 2012. The title has also been held by Christy Martin (2009) and Jisselle Salandy who made five successful title defenses in Trinidad and Tobago between 2006 and 2008.
The world championship fight between Lauren and Magdziak Lopes headlines an event labeled “Fighting Spirit” which will be available live worldwide as online pay-per-view on https://fightingspirit.solidtango.com/
The show starts at 6pm Central European Time (noon ET) with the main event starting at 10pm CET (4pm ET).

LINCOLN, R.I. (Nov. 7th, 2014) – In what will undoubtedly go down as the fight of the year, and perhaps one of the most memorable fights in the recent history of women’s boxing, Providence, R.I., super bantamweight Shelito Vincent earned her first world title, narrowly beating Jackie Trivilino, 95-95, 98-92, 96-94, to capture the vacant Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) championship.

As expected, both fighters came out swinging, exchanging lefts and rights through the first two rounds while fighting within striking distance of one another the entire fight.

Trivilino (9-9-1) got the better of the exchanges of the third, catching Vincent (13-0) with a hard left hook and a short, right uppercut, but Vincent answered the bell in the fourth, opening the round with a looping overhand right that caught Trivilino square in the jaw on her way in from the corner.

Neither fighting clinched or held. They just kept coming forward, and after a spirited fifth round, which in many ways was a replay of the first four action-packed rounds, Vincent started the sixth with another tremendous blow, a hard overhand right that brought the crowd to its feet.

Trivilino came out orthodox in the seventh, trying to work the body and coax Vincent into lowering her head to set up one of her trademark uppercuts, but Vincent found her second wind toward the end of the round and landed another lead right followed by a left to back up Trivilino for what seemed like the first time in the entire fight.

Fatigue began to somewhat set in late in the eighth round as Trivilino came out firing with a sense of urgency, landing a big right and another uppercut in the closing seconds in what was her best round of the night. Vincent actually tried to wrap her up at one point following a strong right hand, the first time either fighter got tangled up the entire night.

The ninth round was more of the same with nonstop flurries and both fighters leaning in close to work the body and try to land upstairs with vicious combinations. Vincent landed two of the cleanest shots of the round, an overhand right and a left hook, but Trivilino fought well off the ropes in the closing seconds while unloading one last flurry.

Trivilino carried the momentum into the 10th with a solid right uppercut to open the round before Vincent began storming back. She stunned Trivilino with a short right in the closing seconds and began backing up her opponent again and landing another hard right at the bell as the crowd rose to its feet to give both fighters a standing ovation.

Returning to the ring for the first time in more than three years, Providence’s Angel Camacho Jr. (13-0) looked sharp as ever, outworking Hyannis, Mass., vet Paul Gonsalves (7-5-1) to earn a 58-56, 59-55, 59-55 unanimous decision win in the six-round super middleweight co-feature.

Gonsalves, who also fought last Thursday, took the fight on short notice after Camacho’s original opponent, Tylon Burris, withdrew due to a back injury. He looked a step behind at times as Camacho controlled the center of the ring and eluded most of the damage, but Gonsalves began to find his footing midway through and made the fight close toward the end. For Camacho, it was his first win since 2011 and just his second in six years.

One of the best fights of the night occurred in the welterweight where unbeaten Cranston, R.I., native Nick DeLomba (6-0) put his record on the line against the dangerous Lazar Stojadinovic (1-2-1) of Miami, Fla.

The two exchanged blows for six hard rounds and even traded knockdowns before DeLomba escaped with a 56-56, 57-55, 58-55 majority decision win. DeLomba sent Stojadinovic crashing to the canvas with a quick right cross in the closing seconds of the third round, catching Stojadinovic backpedaling during an exchange in the center of the ring.

For the next two rounds, DeLomba continued to fight his trademark fight, boxing on angels and counterpunching against the hard-charging Stojadinovic. At one point, Stojadinovic began egging on DeLomba to keep hitting him, to which DeLomba gladly obliged.

Toward the end of the fifth, Stojadinovic delivered a left to DeLomba’s midsection and DeLomba lost his balance with his feet tangled up and fell to the canvas. Lupino scored it a knockdown, but DeLomba kept pushing and closed out the fight with another flurry, much to the delight of the crowd. The win kept DeLomba unbeaten in six professional fights and unbeaten in all three of his fights in 2014.

The night started with a back-and-forth slugfest between New Haven, Conn., lightweight Oscar Bonilla (3-0-1) and Scott Sullivan (1-1) of New Bedford, Mass. Bonilla, fighting for the first time in more than two years, and Sullivan stood toe-to-toe for four hard rounds, exchanging blows in the center of the ring with Bonilla winning most of the exchanges. Bonilla earned the unanimous decision, 39-37, 40-36, 39-37, his first win since 2012, in an entertaining opening bout.

Warwick, R.I., super middleweight Zack Christy (1-0-1), a former Air Force vet, and Sergio Cabrera (0-3-2) of Somerville, Mass., also slugged it out for four rounds with neither fighter gaining any real momentum over the course of the fight. The bout ended in a draw, 38-38, on all three scorecards, Cabrera’s second draw in the past eight days.

Facing a tall task – literally – against the 6-foot-3 Mike Rodriguez (0-2) of Springfield, Mass., rising prospect Ray Oliveira Jr. (2-0) of New Bedford, Mass., the son of the legendary “Sucra” Ray Oliveira Sr., won his second bout in as many tries by unanimous decision, 39-37, 39-37, 40-36.

A last-minute addition to the card, Brockton, Mass., heavyweight Julian Pollard (5-0, 5 KOs) won for the second time in eight days and kept his five-fight knockout streak alive, stopping Providence veteran Arthur Saribekian (23-6-1) at 2:41 of the opening round.

Pollard came out swinging and landed early, opening a nasty cut over Saribekian’s right eye within the first few minutes. Pollard eventually dropped Saribekian late in the round with an overhand right and Saribekian got to his feet, even convincing referee Joey Lupino to let him continue, but Saribekian’s corner quickly threw in the towel before he could sustain any additional damage.

Battling a southpaw for the first time in his young career, Worcester, Mass., middleweight Khiary Gray-Pitts (3-0) continued to make tremendous strides, outworking the 5-foot-11 Vincent Floyd (1-1-1) to earn a 40-36 unanimous decision on all three scorecards. As the aggressor for the entire bout, Gray-Pitts kept Floyd against the ropes for four rounds and neutralized the one edge Floyd had as a southpaw. The win was Gray-Pitts’ third of the year after making his professional debut in June.

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New York, NY (11/7/14) – Three boxers on DiBella Entertainment’s large and talented roster – two prospects on the rise and one a contender on the comeback – earned impressive victories over the past week.

Last night, in his fifth contest of 2014, Regis “Rougarou” Prograis, of Houston, TX, took on the undefeated Jeff Humphries in a six-round junior welterweight contest held at Evangeline Downs Casino, in Opelousas, LA. Normally the aggressor, the 25-year-old Prograis played the role of counter-puncher as Humphries burst out of his corner throwing bombs. Easily evading Humphries’ offense with adept defensive maneuvers, Prograis returned fire with a four-punch combination to the body and head to knock his foe out cold inside the first minute of round one. Scoring his sixth knockout in a row, Prograis improved to 12-0 (10 KOs).

(Photo credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

Just two weeks after his New York debut where he earned a four-round decision on DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series, the touted English/Irish super middleweight prospect Steed “The Stallion” Woodall made the third trip of his professional career down to the Dominican Republic to face Cleudy Matos at Momo Car Wash, in Salcedo, on Saturday, November 1. Born in Birmingham, England, and now living and training in Palm Beach, FL, the 20-year-old Woodall quickly established his stiff jab to back up Matos. Once inside, Woodall landed a vicious right uppercut on the chin of Matos that lifted him off his feet before dropping to the mat hard. With Matos in no shape to continue, the contest was halted at the 0:47 mark of round one, upping Woodall’s record to 6-0 (4 KOs).

(Photo credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

On Thursday, October 30, Georgian middleweight contender Avtandil “The Tornado” Khurtsidze, now living in Kiev, Ukraine, continued his comeback squaring off against Eddie Hunter at Florentine Gardens, in Hollywood, CA. The 5’4″ Khurtsidze stalked Hunter over the first two frames, parrying his opponent’s flicking jab. Just 20 seconds into round three, Khurtsidze expertly cut off the ring, trapping Hunter against the ropes and flooring him with a combination. Though Hunter arose, Khurtsidze continued to apply pressure with left hooks and right crosses until the bell. For the remainder of the contest, Khurtsidze blasted his adversary with power shots until Hunter’s corner felt that their charge had taken too much punishment, ending the bout at 2:13 of round five. Notching his sixth win since suffering his last defeat in 2010, Khurtsidze is now 29-2-2 (18 KOs).

“Both Prograis and Woodall are exciting young prospects that have thus far thrilled crowds with their seek-and-destroy mentalities and I expect them to continue to show promise as their level of opposition increases,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Khurtsidze is a proven fighter on the comeback and I’m confident that with just a few more wins under his belt, he’ll be ready to challenge for a world title in the near future.”