Brooklyn, NY (August 7, 2014)–Fast rising World Ranked Junior Middleweight Frank “Notorious” Galarza (14-0-2, 9 KO’s) will have a full length featured story, including photo, in the September issue of the popular Muscle and Fitness magazine. The article, which is on newsstands now, will cover Galarza’s incredible life story, overcoming multiple obstacles, how he got into boxing, as well as work out tips he uses leading up to fights.

The Brooklyn Native was interviewed by writer Mark Barosso, at the prestigious New York Health and Racquet Club, where Galarza has worked for many years as a personal trainer. “The New York Health and Racquet Club (NYHRC) has supported me so much throughout my career,” Galarza stated, “I’ve enjoyed working there, the gym is top notch, and I prepared for many fights there and recommend the gym to anybody looking for real results. The NYHRC has been a huge part of my early success, they are like family to me. I am so thankful for everything they have done for me and my career, including getting me into Muscle and Fitness.”, finished Galarza

2014 has been a breakout year of sorts for Galarza. In January he put the junior middleweight division on notice with an stunning 2nd round Knockout of previously undefeated John Thompson, to win the WBC Latino Championship. The bout was his first televised fight, and was broadcast nationally on Showtime’s ShoBox. He then dismantled Franklin Gonzalez in April, again via 2nd round Knockout, and then shortly after was back on ShoBox, defeating a tough Sebastien Bouchard by Unanimous Decision. He is scheduled to headline long time promoter New Legend Boxing’s “International Fight Night” on September 20 at the Resorts World Casino in Queens, NY, against an opponent to be named shortly.

Galarza is managed by A.J. Galante of Elite Boxing Enterprises and Co-Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and New Legend Boxing. He can be followed on twitter @Notorious_FG

CORPUS CHRISTI (August 6) – The homecoming of the sensational contender Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes against Puerto Rico’s Abner Cotto headlines this week’s edition of FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes’ Golden Boy Live! on Thursday, August 7 and the rest of the card at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi is just as stacked, with several national and local stars ready to prove that things are bigger and better in Texas.

In the co-main event, unbeaten KeAndre Gibson (10-0-1, 3 KOs) of Austin faces off against Fort Worth’s Jose “Loco” Hernandez (14-7-1, 6 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight bout and opening the televised portion of the card will be a six-round bantamweight matchup between Kingsville’s Oscar Cantu (7-0, 1 KO) and San Antonio’s Joseph Rios (13-9-2, 4 KOs).

In a swing bout scheduled for six rounds in the junior lightweight division, Robstown’s Robert “Boom Boom” Vela (9-0-1, 5 KOs) meets San Antonio’s Jesse Anguiano (2-3-2, 1 KO). Vela has scored four knockouts in two rounds or less thus far in his professional career, but two-time Texas Games Champion Anguiano is coming off of a big win over Martin Solis and he is prepared to keep the momentum going this Thursday.

Also representing the great city of Corpus Christi will be a pair of junior lightweights in separate four round fights, Julian Gilden (6-0, 5 KOs) battles Nuevo Laredo’s Manuel Rubalcava (1-9) and Jeremy Longoria (5-4, 1 KO) who collides with Kingsville’s Alberto Navarro (3-7-1, 1 KO). Plus, the brother of headliner Jerry Belmontes, junior welterweight Steve Belmontes, will make his professional debut in a four-round fight against Fort Worth’s James Burns (1-3-1, 1 KO).

But that’s not all, San Antonio welterweight Jairo Castaneda (5-0, 2 KOs) meets El Paso’s Josue Garcia (1-1) and Round Rock lightweight Cesar Martinez (0-1) faces Alice’s Roy Garcia (2-11, 1 KO) in four-round contests.

Highly-touted middleweight Justin DeLoach (8-0, 4 KOs) of Houston returns to the ring for his third consecutive fight in his home state, as he takes on the Bronx, New York’s Thomas Allen (2-5, 2 KOs) in a four-round matchup. It will be the third bout of 2014 for the 20-year-old DeLoach.

Already 2-0 with two knockouts in a professional career that began in May, former amateur standout Ryan “Cowboy” Karl of Houston looks for three straight wins when he takes on Monroe, La. veteran David Green (2-20-1, 1 KO) in a four-round welterweight bout.

Individual tickets priced at $25, $17 and $12 as well as group table packages priced at $1,000, $800 and $600, plus applicable fees and service charges are available for purchase. Tickets can be purchased by calling Leija*Battah Promotions at (210) 979-3302, the American Bank Center at (361) 826-4100, Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Belmontes vs. Cotto, a 10-round junior lightweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions and is sponsored by Corona and O’Reilly AutoParts. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CT and the first bell rings at 6:00 p.m. CT. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/9:00 p.m. CT/7:00 p.m. PT.

LAS VEGAS (Aug. 6, 2014) – Unbeaten IBF Welterweight World Champion “ShowTime” Shawn Porter and undefeated contender Kell Brook held an open media workout at Barry’s Gym in Las Vegas on Wednesday as they reach the apex of preparation for next Saturday’s world championship showdown.

Porter (24-0-1, 15 KOs), of Akron, Ohio, will defend his 147-pound crown against Britain’s Brook (32-0, 22 KOs) in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader Saturday, Aug. 16, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from the storied StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., home to some of the most memorable, non-stop action, exciting fights in recent boxing memory.

Joining Porter and Brook on Wednesday were former two-division world champion Jorge “Niño De Oro” Linares, Porter’s father and trainer, Kenneth Porter and Dominic Ingle, who trains Brook.

Linares (36-3, 23 KOs), of Barinas, Venezuela, will face Ira Terry (26-11, 16 KOs), of Memphis, Tenn., in the opening bout of the Aug. 16 SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast, live at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Here’s what the participants and their trainers had to say during Wednesday’s workout:

SHAWN PORTER, IBF Welterweight World Champion

“I stay hungry because I know the feeling. I know what it takes to get to this position; I know the struggle along the way. It takes a lot of hard work and commitment.

“I’m not concerned about Kell Brook. Earlier today, people were asking me about his power, and I don’t have much to say about that other than that I haven’t seen anything on film that makes him different from anybody else.

“I believe that Brook will feel the added pressure in this being his first title fight. I handled it great. I welcomed it and loved it going into my first title fight. I’m not sure if he has the same personality to handle the extra pressure. I do know there will be a big crowd out there and I can’t wait. The West Coast is hot and the crowd gets loud. I’m ready.

“This fight will be pure entertainment for the crowd, and I love to entertain the crowd and my fans. I have played this fight in my head thousands of different times from going the distance to me knocking him out with one punch.

“I don’t know if he is the toughest opponent I’ve faced yet. His record (32-0) would say that he is, but if you take a look at the caliber of fighters that I’ve fought before him, I think the other guys are more challenging fighters, especially Devon Alexander, who has an awkward and complicated style. Not to call Kell Brook plain, but he has a more up-and-down style that will be easier to deal with.

“I’ve watched about six different fights on Brook, all the way back to as early as I could.

“There is no added pressure for me to win. The easy part is to make the adjustments and doing what I do. There is no added pressure. The fights in the past are in the past. For me it’s on to bigger and better things so this fight has to be bigger and better. We had an excellent training camp and I am in the best shape of my life. With that being said, I believe this fight will be more spectacular.”

KELL BROOK, Undefeated Welterweight Contender

“It’s been a long time coming for me, fighting for this world title, with all the postponements before. But this is the start for me, fighting at the elite level in America. People always have an opinion; I just want to compete with the best fighters in the world. I’m a fighter. I was born to compete.

“I think about fighting in somebody else’s backyard. It goes through my mind, of course. Many things go through my mind. But it’s boxing and there’s nothing I can do. It’s the way the situation is. I’ve traveled a long way to challenge for the world title, but I’m prepared for everything and anything.

“Me beating Porter and winning a world title opens up all of the doors and opportunities. I think a fight with Amir Khan would be a huge. Everybody would grab on to that fight.

“I’m excited. The future’s bright. But it’s all about performing next Saturday. I always rise to the occasion. The bigger the fight, the better the opponent, and the better I am. I think you’ll see the best of me –ever.

“I don’t think anybody at this level has massive weaknesses. Porter is a good fighter. He’s aggressive, he’s done what he’s done in the last couple fights and proven that he belongs where he’s at being world champion.

“The fact is, it’s going to be a very, very tough fight. I’m always trying to improve myself. You never stop learning. I’m still proving myself. I’m not studying him, as much as I’m studying me, that the best Kell Brook can beat Shawn Porter.

“Fans can expect fireworks from me next Saturday night. It’s a candidate for Fight of the Year. I believe you have two young, unbeaten fighters with punching ability power going at it. It’s been a long time coming. I’ve always wanted to be a champion and it’s now my time. My dream will come true. So believe you me, I’m going to leave it all in the ring that night.”

JORGE LINARES, Former WBC Featherweight & WBA Super Featherweight World Champion

“We’re only two weeks away, it’s basically here. So I’m excited and feeling great. I’m ready to fight. I’m right on weight. Even though this fight is not at my regular weight of 135 pounds, I feel very good.

“Whoever can’t make weight with the extreme heat here in Las Vegas, has a serious issue [laughs]. Thankfully, I feel very good.

“I don’t feel like I’m coming into the fight with any disadvantages. I always think positively, you have to jump in the ring with the thinking of a winner.

“I trust my training and my trainer and corner. We don’t have any negativity at all, we feel good and prepared.

“It’s obligatory; I have to win next week, without a doubt. There’s no thinking about losing, I have to get a good win next week and then look for that world title.

“Winning that world title is the only thing present on my mind. “

KENNETH PORTER, Shawn Porter’s Father and Trainer

“When you get to this level it’s necessary to have everything that he needs in one facility so that he doesn’t have to travel or worry about weather or be concerned that he has to go into a different city to train. We want to control all aspects of the environment where we train. There are certain types of bags that he likes that other people don’t. We want to make sure that he is completely comfortable.

“There are not many welterweights that stay within 12 pounds of their weight like Shawn does, and he has stayed at that weight year-round for two years now. He is very disciplined because this is his lifestyle. He doesn’t go on a diet, this is the way he lives. He doesn’t go to camp, this is the weight he is at year-round until he is done with boxing.

“[Julio] Diaz was a two-time world champion, Devon [Alexander] was a two-time world champion, Paulie [Malignaggi] was a two-time world champion in different weight classes. Brook doesn’t have the resume of those guys. Not that Shawn made it look easy against those guys, but he pretty much dominated those fights. This is another level stepping up for Brook and he has to climb up to us. Once he tries to get up to us, Shawn will kick him right back down, that’s just what he does.”

DOMINIC INGLE, Kell Brooks’ Trainer

“Coming to the U.S. doesn’t faze us. We’ve been in this situation before. Once you’re in that ring you could be anywhere in the world. It doesn’t matter where you are; when you’re in that ring you could be on the moon. Anything can happen.

“When Ricky Hatton boxed, he had some tough fights in America and won the title. And he put England back on the map in the welterweight division. And now Kell is here to do the same thing.

“No stone has been left unturned for this fight. Shawn Porter is a tough guy –he surprised a few people when he beat Devon Alexander –and we’re not taking him lightly. He’s a champion, we’re in the U.S. and we’re here to take the belt.

“I’ve known Kell since he was nine-years-old and the superstars like Naseem Hamed were rolling into the gym. That’s the motivation for Kell, that’s what Kell wants to do. He wants to be the next fighter from Sheffield and be a world champion like Naseem Hamed was. That’s a great motivation for Kell Brook and that’s what has gotten him through all the injuries. That’s what has kept him focused and that is what will make him win the fight on Aug. 16.

“It’s been a long camp for Kell, probably about twice as long as his usual camps. His usual camps are about eight to nine weeks and by the time he steps into the ring to fight Shawn Porter he will have been in training camp for 16 weeks.

“Kell trains hard, probably sometimes too hard for his own good and you’re going to pick up injuries. Sometimes these things happen in your career. Lots of fighters have injuries, but they usually happen well away from the fights and don’t interfere with the fights. Unfortunately for Kell, they happened coming into the fights and that has set him back a long, long time. He should have had this fight a year and a half ago. His time has finally come. He has his chance and that’s all he wants.

“Porter’s fight with Devon Alexander wasn’t a fantastic fight. There was a lot of hitting and holding and it wasn’t very clean. The referee let both fighters get away with a lot of dirty tactics that wouldn’t have been allowed in the UK. At the end of that fight neither fighter seemed convinced they won the fight – there was no celebration and Shawn Porter got the decision.

“It was a different fight altogether against [Paulie] Malignaggi. Shawn Porter closed him down very quickly and put his game plan on straight away. It was a good finish and he’s done very well his last two fights.”

# # #

Porter vs. Brook is a 12-round fight for Porter’s IBF Welterweight World Championship promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event, the WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio Bika defends his belt in a rematch against Anthony Dirrell, and in the televised opener, Omar Figueroa defends his WBC Lightweight World Championship against Daniel Estrada. The event will take place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will air on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (SHOWTIME 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale now and are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425.

BROOKLYN (Aug. 6, 2014) – Fight week is heating up as Danny “Swift” Garcia, “Lightning” Rod Salka, Lamont Peterson, Edgar “El Camacho” Santana, Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs, Jarrod “Left Jab” Fletcher and undercard fighters hosted a media workout at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, N.Y., today as they prepare for their bouts this Saturday, Aug. 9 at Barclays Center live on SHOWTIME®.

The fighters put on their gear and showed off their skills in the ring after speaking to the assembled media members at Gleason’s Gym. Here is what the participants had to say:

DANNY GARCIA, Unified Super Lightweight World Champion

“It feels great to be here. I love the atmosphere in Brooklyn and I can’t wait for Saturday night. I’m calling it the ‘Danny Garcia Show.’ Team Garcia is going to ‘purge’ Barclays Center.

“I’m 100 percent focused this time. My weight is good and I’m going to do what I’m supposed to do.

“I don’t know why Salka is being underestimated by fans. At the end of the day the fans can think what they want to think, but I know what I bring to the table. I bring excitement. I bring fun and I’m going to get the job done.

“Salka is going to give it his all, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for him to fight one of the young stars in boxing. He has nothing to lose. I’m going to have to hunt him down and rip the body, but I’m prepared for anything.

“I’ve been facing top competitors for a long time, but sometimes you get a little over your head. I didn’t prepare myself as well as I should have mentally in Puerto Rico. All the people in Puerto Rico were great, but it was a little hard to stay focused. Every fight can’t be easy.

“Puerto Rico was a great experience, but I’m happy to be fighting near my home. I love fighting here. There’s something about this atmosphere here that motivates me. They support not only the Puerto Ricans but I have all kinds of crowds behind me at Barclays Center.”

ROD SALKA, Super Lightweight Contender

“I’d have laughed with you if you told me six months ago I’d have this fight. But a lot of things happen over time in boxing and that’s one of the beautiful things about it. You win some fights and catch a couple breaks and the opportunities open up.

“My style is going to be the same against Danny as it always is. I am what I am. He’s going to be the bigger guy but that doesn’t make any difference to me. I’m going to do what I do and he’s going to have to adjust to that.

“I never listen to the outside noise. If confidence is a problem for you at this level, you’re not going to make it very far. I block all of that out and live in the moment and further my career.

“I’m going to beat the best 140-pounder in the world Saturday night, no doubt about it.

“You can’t be any more motivated than I am for this fight. I know I’m deserving of this shot and we’ll see what happens when we’re in the ring.

“I don’t think Garcia is underestimating me. I don’t think he would anyway, but especially after the (Mauricio) Herrera fight he even more feels like he has something to prove. I think I’m going to get the best Danny Garcia we’ve seen in a long time.

“I’ll watch all of my fights one hundred times because I can control what I’m doing right all the time, but he can change it up from last time. So I can’t put too much stock into his last fight.

“I’m going to shock the world by winning, winning decisively and proving that I belong. Not just for one night but that I belong for a very long time.”

LAMONT PETERSON, IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion

“I feel good right now, I just want to build on my last victory and keep going forward trying to improve every time out.

“I’m really excited to be fighting in New York and Barclays Center is a beautiful venue. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to make my mark there.

“Santana is an experienced fighter, he’s been doing it even longer than me and if he’s still in the game it means he’s doing something right. He’s a typical fighter and he can bang. I expect a good fight.

“There are ups and downs in the sport. The last loss was tough but I don’t get too down. Everything changed the last fight and hopefully we can build on that. I want to give the fans the fight they want to see.

“I just like doing things the right way. I’m an all-in type of person. If I do something I want to do it the right way all the way through.

“I treat every opponent the same way because I don’t listen to the media. Whether they say I’m going to win or going to lose, either way I have to go out there and prove what I can do. I listen to the coach and stick to the game plan and go from there.”

EDGAR SANTANA, Junior Welterweight Contender

“Right now I’m feeling great. All of the hard work is done. Right now it’s time to let the body recover and wait until it pays off on Saturday night.

“I know Peterson is good. He’s a champion. He likes to fight and he lets his pride take over.

“All I have to do is let my hands go. I’m in shape and I just have to make it a fight.”

DANIEL JACOBS, Middleweight Contender

“Being at home doesn’t give me motivation to go for a knockout, just to get the victory. We’ve had a long hard training camp (in the Poconos) and I’m just looking forward to displaying my skills. If I do get him hurt. I will get him out of there.

“Given that his name is ‘Left Jab’ Fletcher that’s probably his marquee attribute. I’m going to try to stabilize that as best I can to get the victory.

“Young fighters should have the opportunity like I have doing commentary for SHOWTIME, so that they could do something like this in the future. They’ve had me on several times and I look forward to doing it in the near future.

“You can expect bigger and better things after this fight. God-willing I’ll be the first cancer survivor to be a world champion and I’m looking forward to being the best that I can be.”

JARROD FLETCHER, Middleweight Contender

“It’s going to be a tough fight, he’s heavily favored so I know I have to win the fight clearly. Danny is a good boxer and he has the full package. We’ve prepared well and we think we’re ready for him.

“Every boxer has weaknesses. I’ve done everything in my preparation to work on those things. I expect him to come out hard, but who knows? No one knows what is going to happen but I know I’m ready.

“I’m hoping this will be the start of big things. This has been a dream of mine since I started fighting at the age of 10. This is what it all comes down to.”

SADAM ALI, Undefeated Welterweight & 2008 U.S. Olympian

“I’m ready to perform at Barclays Center. I’m not overlooking anybody and I’m prepared for the challenge. I do feel safe at Barclays Center. It’s my home, I get a lot of support there and it’s very important to me.

“I’m going to make the statement that I’m ready for the next level. I want to take that next step, I’m excited for it.

“There are a few things that (Jeremy) Bryan does that I’m working on. I’m working on adding more speed and power plus using my body a little more. It’s a big fight and I’m here to win.”

ANTHONY PETERSON, Lightweight Contender

“As a fighter, I’ve gotten more patient and I have a better grip of my emotions now. You can have all of the tools but if you don’t have the emotions to hold everything together, what good are you?

“Being around boxing for 20 years, there’s a comfort level you reach. There’s nothing the boxing ring can show me.

“It doesn’t matter that I don’t know much about my opponent, it just matters that I know the game. He’s not going to be 10 feet tall and 1,300 pounds. He’s going to be my size, he’s got a heartbeat so we got a fight.

“It’s easy to make adjustments because I have better speed and I’m younger and fresher. I’ve got a great coach, so if I’m falling off I know he’s going to be there to tell me what I’m missing. Now it’s just getting ready for Saturday night.”

ZACHARY OCHOA, Undefeated Super Lightweight Prospect

“You can expect to see me doing what I have to do to get the win and putting on a show for everyone who comes out to support me at Barclays Center. It’s going to be a beautiful evening.

“I know (Luis) Cervantes has 17 fights, he’s a tough guy with more fights than me. I’m going to take my time and do my thing.

“If I see the opportunity to take him out with a knockout I will, but if it doesn’t come I’ll box and get the win.”

MARCUS BROWNE, Undefeated Light Heavyweight & 2012 U.S. Olympian

“I’m sharp as a razor blade, it’s been a great camp and we’ve gotten lots of great rounds in with Edwin Rodriguez.

“All I know about (Paul) Vazquez is he’s a man, he’s a righty and he’s coming to take my ‘O’.

“I’m going to go in there to have some fun. If the knockout comes, it comes.”

# # #

“GARCIA VS. SALKA,” a 10-round welterweight bout on Saturday, August 9,

is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Dibella Entertainment, IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont Peterson puts his title on the line against Edgar Santana in a 12-round championship bout. Opening the telecast, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, Brooklyn’s own Daniel Jacobs takes on Jarrod Fletcher for the vacant WBA Middleweight World Title. The event will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., will air live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Live preliminary fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME begin at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and feature Sadam Ali defending his WBO NABO Intercontinental Welterweight Championship against Jeremy Bryan. Also featured will be a 10-round lightweight bout between Anthony Peterson and an opponent to be named plus undefeated super lightweight Zachary Ochoa taking on Luis Cervantes in a swing bout.

Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges

are on sale now at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster

locations, by calling 800-745-3000 and at the American Express Box Office. For group

tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

SANTA YNEZ, CA (August 6, 2014) – Gary Shaw Productions undefeated Super-Featherweight sensation, Puerto Rico’s, Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (17-0, 11 KOs), makes his way back to the ring against Juan Carlos Martinez (20-14-1, 7 KOs) August 15, 2014 as the co-feature to Rustam Nugaev (27-6-1, 17 KOs) vs. Denis Shafikov (33-1-1, 18 KOs). The 10-round bout will air live on ESPN “Friday Night Fights” and will take place at Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif.

Pedraz, who’s knocked out five of his last seven opponents, is currently ranked WBA #4, IBF #7 and WBC #7. A slick boxer-puncher, Pedraza is not looking past Martinez who recently defeated top contender Alejandro Perez. He vows to put on a great performance for all the fans in attendance, as well as those watching on TV.

“Martinez is coming off an impressive win against Perez who is a good fighter,” said Pedraza. “I know he’s going to be coming with all he’s got to try to knock me off, but I’ll be ready for anything he brings. Gary Shaw and Javier Bustillo have once again got me a wonderful opportunity to showcase my skills on an international stage. A world title fight is right around the corner and I just want to keep getting better with each fight. I’m excited to put on a good show for the fans.”

“Bustillo and I have really seen the improvement in Pedraza with each fight,” said Gary Shaw. “He’s advancing brilliantly. I know he has the skills to take his career to the next level. Martinez has a lot of skill and he is going to bring a unique style, but I’m confident Pedraza will use his superior boxing skills to come out victorious.”

Undercard Bouts

8-Round Welterweight Bout

Francisco Santana (20-3-1, 9 KOs) vs. Wilfredo Acuna (15-15, 12 KOs)

6-Round Featherweight Bout

Rufino Serrano (14-5, 1 KO) vs. Khabir Suleymanov (16-4-1, 6 KOs)

4-Round Super-Bantamweight Bout

Edwin Sandoval (2-1, 1 KO) vs. Lyonell Kelly (0-3)

4-Round Heavyweight Bout

Makani Sarellano (1-1, 1 KO) vs. Andrew Tinae (0-2)

4-Round Super-Middleweight Bout

Carlos Samuel Lopez vs. Jamal Harris (5-10-4, 3 KOs)

The ESPN “Friday Night Fights” telecast begins Friday August 15, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST from the Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif.

Tickets priced $35, $50, $65, $85, and $95 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Chumash Casino Box office or online at HERE. Doors open at 5:00 P.M, first fight starts at 5:30 P.M.

ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra heats up on Friday, August 8, when the show takes place outdoors in the Nevada desert as the seventh annual “Fallon Fights: Rural Rumble” from the Churchill County Fairgrounds in Fallon, Nev., is televised live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. Jr. Middleweight contender Willie “The Great” Nelson (22-1-1, 13 KOs) and Luis Grajeda (17-2-2, 13 KOs) will be featured in the10-round main event. The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment.

New Picture (5)
Commentators:
Todd Grisham will be ringside with analyst Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Doug Kezirian will provide all the latest boxing news and highlights. Alex Pombo and analyst Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights for Noche de Combates on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Claudia Trejos and Leopoldo González will anchor the studio.

Main Event:
Cleveland’s Nelson, by way of Youngstown, Ohio, has won his last six fights, including most recently a first-round TKO over Darryl Cunningham. Grajeda, who hails from Mexico, is looking to score a win following an eight-round draw against Said El Harrak.

“I’ve seen a few of Grajeda’s fights,” Nelson said. “He fights at a slow, steady pace and throws loopy punches, sort of like Michael Medina. There’s nothing really special about him besides his power. He really does have big punching power, but his quality of opponents wasn’t the best.”

Grajeda said through an interpreter, “I’ve been watching videos of Willie Nelson. He’s a boxer and uses his reach a lot. This is the first time I’ve fought anybody that tall. I’m just going to be intelligent in the fight, and maintain the distance that I fight at. I’m going to go to the body a lot, too, because he’s so tall. I’m going to give my all in the ring – I’m going to fight my heart out.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit undefeated Super Middleweight Norbert Nemesapati (14-0, 13 KOs) of Hungary, against New Jersey’s Jason “Monstruo” Escalera (14-2-1, 12 KOs). Nemesapati, who will be making his U.S. debut, is coming off a sixth-round TKO win over Ivan Stupalo. In his last outing, Escalera won a six-round split decision over previously undefeated 2008 Swedish Olympian Naim Terbunja.

Opening Fight:
Friday’s show will open with a four-round Heavyweight bout between China’s Zhang Zhilei and Tennessee’s Curtis Lee Tate (6-4, 6 KOs). Zhilei, a 2008 Olympic silver medalist, will be making his professional debut.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Fri, Aug 8

9 p.m.

Willie Nelson (22-1-1, 13 KOs) vs. Luis Grajeda (17-2-2, 13 KOs) — 10 rounds, Jr. Middleweights

Churchill County Fairgrounds,
Fallon, Nev.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, Aug 15

9 p.m.

Rustam Nugaev (27-6-1, 17 KOs) vs. Denis Shafikov (33-1-1, 18 KOs) — 12 rounds, Lightweights

Chumash Resort & Casino,
Santa Ynez, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, Aug 22

9 p.m.

Austin Trout (26-2, 14 KOs) vs. Daniel Dawson (40-3-1, 26 KOs) — 10 rounds, Jr. Middleweights

Pechanga Resort & Casino
Temecula, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates Social Media:

· Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook.

· Score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

· Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo.

· For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.

Totowa, NJ: Main Events has signed yet another Russian powerhouse to its already impressive stable with the signing of Dmitry “The Mechanic” Mikhaylenko (17-0, 6 KO’s). The 28 year old Mikhaylenko, is from Gelendzhik, Russia. He made his U.S. debut this past Saturday night on the undercard of the Kovalev-Caparello show at Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ defeating Sechew Powell via an eight round unanimous decision at junior middleweight. He said, “First of all I would like to thank Main Events for giving me this opportunity and trusting in me. I am very happy of signing promotional agreement to Main Events and I know they can help me to go the right way as they did for many fighters. I am very motivated and ready 100% to prove and to show what I am capable of in the ring. To come and fight in America was always my dream.”

Powell & Mikhaylenko
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events
Mikhaylenko is managed by Egis Klimas, who also manages WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey Kovalev, WBO Featherweight Champion Vasyl Lomachenko, IBF North American Heavyweight Champion Czar Glazkov and many more. Klimas said, “Dmitry is an action fighter and very interesting to watch, you never get bored when he is in the ring. He throws a lot of punches and always busy. I can see him becoming a Champion in 147LB. division and I am proud to be his manager and help him to lead in right direction.”

Dmitry Mikhaylenko
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events

Dmitry is co-promoted by Titov Promotions. When German Titov was asked about the signing he said, “I am very happy and excited to work with such a good promotional company Main Events on co-promoting Dmitry “The Mechanic” Mikhaylenko. Dmitry is a world class fighter and he is fun to watch in the ring. I think together we will walk him into a champion bout within a short period of time.”

Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva is excited to add yet another hot prospect to her already remarkable stable. She said, “Dmitry is a non-stop action fighter and we are so pleased to have him on board with us. He joins our already impressive team of top-notch fighters and should fit right in.”

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (July 6, 2014) – Former two-time World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz and Peter “The Pride of Providence” Manfredo, Jr. lead a six-member Class of 2014 into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (CBHOF).

New members will be inducted at the 10TH annual CBHOF Gala Induction Dinner on Saturday night, November 8 in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun.

The new CBHOF inductees also includes referee Michael Ortega, International Boxing Federation president Daryl Peoples, trainer Paul Cichon and the late boxing judge William Hutt.

“I’m ecstatic about our 10th annual Class of Inductees,” CBHOF president and Class of 2011 inductee Glenn Feldman said. “The board once again did a great job selecting these six men to be honored in November.”

Ruiz (44-9-1, 30 KOs), a Massachusetts native now living in New Hampshire, is the first and only Latino heavyweight champion of the world. He fought three times in Connecticut, including his 2001 WBA title defense with Evander Holyfield that ended in a draw.

Manfredo (40-7, 21 KOs) starred in the inaugural season of NBC’s reality television show, The Contender. The two-time world title challenger was born and raised in Providence and he now lives in Dayville, Connecticut. Eleven of his 47 professional fights were held in Connecticut.

Ortega, the son of 2006 CBHOF inductee Gasper Ortega, has been a world class referee since 1996. He has officiated such notable fights at Paulie Malignaggi vs. Zab Judah, Johnathon Banks vs. Seth Mitchell, Arthur Abramah vs. Robert Stieglitz, Chad Dawson vs. Glen Johnson and Carl Froch vs. Jermain Taylor.

Peoples has been a highly respected IBF official since 1995. In 2010, the IBF Board of Directors elected him as its President and Chief Executive Officer, a position that he still holds today.

Cichon is director of boxing for the Manchester Ring of Champions Society. A veteran boxing trainer for more than 16 years, he was chief second for four-time national amateur champion Matt Remillard and guided him undefeated through his first 23 pro fights. He has also trained two-time Junior Olympics heavyweight champion Miguel Ayala. Cichon was the 2011 CBHOF Contributor to Boxing Award recipient.

Hutt not only was considered one of the finest officials to ever judge a boxing match in Connecticut, but he also spent a lot of his free time helping to promote the sport he loved. He was a mainstay in Connecticut amateur and professional boxing. He judged fights all over the world including fights featuring Larry Holmes, Prince Naseem Hamed, James Toney, Julio Cesar Chavez, Bernard Hopkins, Chris Byrd and a pair of CBHOF past inductees, Micky Ward and Vinny Paz. The CBHOF official’s award is named after Hutt, who passed away in 2001 at the age of 49.

Tickets for the CBHOF 10th annual Gala Induction Dinner, reasonably priced at $90.00, are on sale now by calling Kim Baker at Mohegan Sun (1.860.862.7377) or Sherman Cain at the Manchester Journal Inquirer (1.800.237.3606 X321). Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET, cocktails at 6 p.m. ET, followed by dinner.

Go online to www.ctboxinghof.org for additional information about the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame, its 10th annual Gala Inductee Dinner, or past CBHOF inductees.

ABOUT CBHOF: The Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame was founded in 2004 to honor and celebrate the careers of outstanding individuals involved in the sport of boxing. Its inaugural Induction Ceremony & Dinner was held in 2005. Connecticut’s rich boxing history could never have flourished if it weren’t for the achievements of those enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

As a non-profit organization, the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame is deeply committed to keeping the fighting spirit of Connecticut thriving through various charitable contributions.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL: 2014 has brought many changes for Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (17-0-1, 11 KOs). He defeated veteran Tomasz Adamek to claim the NABF North American Heavyweight Title and secure the #2 position in the IBF. After, he immigrated to the United States from war-torn Ukraine with his wife and daughter and moved to sunny Fort Lauderdale, FL. In Florida, he started training with world-renowned trainer John David Jackson. Jackson also trains fellow Main Events’ stable mate Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. This Saturday boxing fans will finally get to find out how all of these changes have affected Glazkov’s game as he steps into the ring with Derric “El León” Rossy (29-8-0, 14 KOs) at Sands Resort Casino and live on NBCSN Fight Night.

Czar Glazkov – Interview with Asst. Trainer Derik Santos
Czar Glazkov
Interview with Asst. Trainer Derik Santos

Glazkov, 29, is an Olympic Bronze medalist but, according to Jackson’s assistant trainer, Derik Santos, before training with Jackson, Glazkov’s game was very one-dimensional, “One of the things we saw from a lot of his past fights is he throws a lot of good ones. His jab is good but everything was in ones.” Jackson decided he wanted Glazkov to add more combinations. Santos added, “He is very fast. He’s agile. He rolls well. So we decided to work with combinations. That’s how you’re going to beat people. You are going to out-box them. You are going to beat them. You are going to outsmart them. You gotta stick that good jab out there.”

Czar Glazkov
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events

Jackson also pushed Glazkov more than his previous trainers and Santos believes Czar has stepped up in response to the challenge, “We have pushed him hard since he got here. He’s liked it. I am not sure that he was pushed that hard before. I am not sure that the technical aspect was broken down for him. One thing that John [David Jackson] does really well, he breaks things down and explains to the fighter why they are doing it.” The new approach as paid off according to Santos, who said, “In our first sparring session, in the beginning he was throwing ones and twos and threes, but then after he started getting the combinations we have been working on and his sparring partner called it short. We are working on him rising up with that right hand.”

Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva added, “I’ve seen what John David Jackson accomplished with Sergey Kovalev. Knowing how good Glazkov was before he started working with John, I can’t wait to see what he looks like now. This is an important fight to see where Czar is in his training and development. Bigger things are on the horizon for him when he’s ready.”

About August 9:

The Aug. 9th special triple-header edition of NBCSN Fight Night will take place at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and will feature a ten-round heavyweight match-up between Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov and Derric “El León” Rossy, a twelve round light heavyweight match-up between Robert “The Butcher” Berridge and Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin and an six-round heavyweight fight featuring Joseph Parker and Keith “Untouchable” Thompson. The undercard bouts will be announced shortly. Ticket prices are $50 and $75 and available at Ticketmaster.com. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing and Pushka Promotions in association with Final Forum Promotions and Duco Events. The special triple-header NBCSN Fight Night telecast will begin live at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.

NBC Sports Live Extra:

NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on August 9.

Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

All NBC Sports Network live events live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

FOLLOW US:

Official hashtag: #FightNight

www.mainevents.com
Twitter: @main_events
Facebook: facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing
www.nbcsports.com
Twitter: @NBCSN
Facebook: facebook.com/NBCSports
www.peltzboxing.com
Twitter: @PeltzBoxing
Facebook: facebook.com/PeltzBoxingPromotions
www.pasands.com
Twitter: @Sands_Bethlehem
Facebook: facebook.com/SandsCasinoResortBethlehem

New York, N.Y. (Wednesday, August 6, 2014) – New York-based Uprising Promotions, in association with WBO Middleweight Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, has confirmed the date and venue of its next boxing card, which will be held on September 5th at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple at 317 Clermont Avenue #4 in Brooklyn. Among those being featured on the exciting card will be the talented roster of Uprising Promotions fighters, including lightweight Wesley Ferrer (4-0, 3 KOs), super featherweight Angel Luna (9-0, 6 KOs), junior welterweight Italy Martinez (1-1-1, 1 KO) and the highly anticipated professional debut of Irish junior welterweight Darren Mangan.

“I am very excited about the lineup that we have put together so far. We already have four exciting fights on deck,” said Ronson Frank, President of Uprising Promotions. “Wesley Ferrer and Angel Luna are two great young fighters, and we are expecting big things from them. We are also looking forward to seeing what Darren Mangan can bring to the table, and Italy Martinez is another guy with a promising future ahead of him.

“We are currently negotiating with some other fighters, and we have overall been receiving a really good vibe from everyone. I am getting really excited about the new venue, seeing these guys in action and taking another step toward our future goal, which is taking these guys all the way to a world championship.”

As a professional fighter, Frank is a perfect 17-0 with nine knockouts, and one person with whom he has shared much blood and sweat is WBO Middleweight Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs). Both men were trained for an extensive period of time by the internationally renowned Colin Morgan, who is currently preparing Darren Mangan for his professional debut on the September 5th card.

“My relationship with Peter goes back quite a few years,” Frank reflected. “We had the same trainer, Colin Morgan, and we grew close to the point where he became like my little brother. It has just been a natural progression where we continued to have an interest in what the other was doing. His top priority is being an exciting world champion fighter, and having him involved is a great complement to what I am doing at the promotional level. Having a world champion involved is something we want to bring to our shows, and we see the collaboration as being something that will be very beneficial for the both of us.”

In addition to Quillin, a number of other fighters, athletes and entertainers have been known to frequent Uprising Promotions fight nights. Among those who have attended previous shows include former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi, legendary boxing analyst Harold Lederman, former middleweight titleholder John Duddy, former three-division world champion Iran Barkley, actor Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), as well as current boxing contenders Sechew Powell, Frank Galarza and Sonya Lamonakis. The fact of the matter is you never know who you may see at an Uprising Promotions show.

Opponents and additional fights for September 5th will be named in the upcoming weeks. Tickets for the card at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple are priced at $50 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating. There is also a table option with dinner, unlimited beer/wine and seating with a celebrity fighter. For pricing on those tables, call (516) 451-6773.

Proud supporters of the FDNY and NYPD, Uprising Promotions is also pleased to announce that a fundraiser will be taking place on September 5th to benefit children with autism. Proceeds from the night will be donated to The School For Language and Communication Development in Glen Cove, New York.

This upcoming show is being sponsored by Brooklyn Brothers, Frank Brothers Fitness, Gotham Gym and Trinity Boxing. For more information on Uprising Promotions, make sure to check out www.UprisingPromotions.com and also like our fan page on Facebook.

Medford, NY (August 6, 2014)–This Saturday night at the Sands in Bethlehem, PA, Heavyweight Derric Rossy (29-8, 14 KO’s) will take on IBF number-two rated Heavyweight Vyacheslav Glazkov (17-0-1, 11 KO’s) in the 10-round main event of a fight card that will headline a big night of action that will be televised on NBC Sports Network.

The fight is promoted by Main Events in Sal Musumeci’s Final Boxing.

Rossy of Medford, New York is looking to get back into championship contention. A spot that he was just in as recent as 2011.

The 34-year old former Defensive End at Boston College knows that a win over Glazkov will catapult him right back into rankings and will put him in line for a Heavyweight championship.

“Glazkov is a very sound fighter. What he does, he does well. That’s what you get when you are fighting the top guys,” said Rossy.

“This fight is big for both of us. It could mean a title fight. Two well qualified fighters are fighting each other. Who ever wins this should be in talks for a world title.”

This will be the 2nd fight that Rossy has been able to concentrate fully on boxing as he was an Iron worker. He lifted heavy beams to help with construction on big buildings.

“I have a dream to be champion. It needs to be financed. I did enough work where I saved up to be a full-time boxer. That 100 % focus showed up in the Hanks fight and will show again on Saturday. I am hoping my fans that are in attendance will make a loud ruckus. Everyone tune in because it will be a great fight.”, finished Rossy

Said Rossy’s longtime promoter Sal Musumeci of Final Forum Promotions, “This is a crossroads fight for Derric. If he wins this, he will be in line to get into contention to bring the Heavyweight title back to the United States. I commend Glazkov for taking this great risk against a live and true Heavyweight contender like Rossy.

Warriors Boxing is proud to announce the signing of Chicago lightweight Jose Felix Quezada (3-0, 2 KOs) to a promotional agreement.

19-year-old Quezada is an enormous fan-favorite locally and a three-time State Silver Gloves Champion, three-time Chicago City-Wide Champion, two-time Regional Silver Gloves Champion, and the 2009 National Junior Golden Gloves Champion.

As a professional, the talented Quezada has stopped two of his three professional opponents.

“Jose Felix has it all,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing. “He has the fighting talent, the looks and the brains to become a mainstream media star and we’re very proud he chose to join our team.”

Quezada joins undefeated Eddie Ramirez (5-0, 3 KOs) on Warriors’ growing list of the Windy City’s best up-and-coming talent.

“We’re making an investment in Chicago and putting together a stable of its best fighters,” continued Margules. “When you pair our guys, Jose Felix Quezada and Eddie Ramirez, with Semajay Thomas and Alex Martin, you can put all the top fighters in Chicago on one show, which is what we had July 25 and will again.”

“I’m very excited to have signed this kid and looking forward to bringing him back as soon as possible,” said Warriors Boxing’s Luis DeCubas. “Given his background of half-Mexican and half-Filipino, he’s very marketable not only in the Midwest, but also on the West Coast. I’d like to thank Jose’s manager, Rick Ramos, for helping put this terrific deal together.”

Margules says Quezada’s next opponent will be announced shortly, but he will be the type of opponent needed to craft a world champion. “Jose will come up through the ranks the right way: against opponents who push him. I fully expect he’ll become nationally known before too long.”

More About Jose Felix Quezada:

Twitter: @QuezadaTeam
Facebook: Official Team Quezada

###

About Warriors Boxing

Launched in 2003, Warriors Boxing operates under a simple philosophy-bring the best boxers in the world to fight fans, match them in competitive bouts, and in doing so help re-establish the sport of boxing for a new generation.

With a series of successful Pay-Per-View shows and packed houses to its credit, the Warriors business model is working wonders in a sport that was sorely in need of the innovation and energy that the company brings to the table.

When it comes down to it though, a promotional company is only as good as the fighters and fights it promotes. Warriors Boxing has delivered on all fronts, with outstanding bouts such as Lara-Molina, Cayo-Peterson, Abraham-Miranda I and II, Miranda-Pavlik, Miranda-Green, Ibragimov-Briggs, Ibragimov-Klitschko, Urango-Hatton, Urango-Bailey, Cayo-Maidana and Ibragimov-Holyfield.

For more information on Warriors Boxing, visit their website at www.WarriorsBoxing.com.

New York, August 5—Here’s the latest “Big Bang” theory: Just win, baby! ?“Fight Week” has finally arrived for “Big Bang” Zhang Zhilei, ?as the Chinese heavyweight Olympic Silver-Medalist makes his professional debut on August 8. DiBella Entertainment and Dynasty Boxing, in association with Rumble Time Promotions, head to Fallon, NV, to host ESPN Friday Night Fights/ ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates. ?

The 6-foot-6 southpaw will open the card in a four-round heavyweight special attraction against Curtis Lee Tate of Tennessee, a knockout artist with six KO’s to go along with his 7-4 ring record?. ESPN will begin live coverage at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN.

For Zhilei’s promoter, Dynasty president Dino Duva, it is the culmination of a five-year journey. “We’ve all been waiting a long time for this moment, for Zhilei’s first pro fight,” says Duva. “I’ve been waiting almost 5 years!? This may very well be the first fight for a very historic boxer’s career – his goal is to be the first Chinese world heavyweight champion. I feel he has the potential, but it’s going to be a learning process that will take much hard work and dedication from Zhilei” Duva and his heavyweight depart for Nevada on Tuesday.

Headlining the card will be top-rated junior middleweight contender Willie Nelson (22-1-1, 13KO’s) taking on the hard-hitting and dangerous Mexican Luis Grajeda (17-2-2, 13KO’s) in the 10-round main event. In the co-feature, fast-rising 18-year-old phenom Norbert Nemesapati (14-0, 13KO’s) will be looking make a splash in his US debut when he faces fellow unbeaten Lennox Allen (17-0-1, 10KO’s) in an eight-round super middleweight matchup.

“On behalf of Dynasty Boxing, we are happy to be working with DiBella Entertainment and ESPN, and extremely grateful for them giving Zhang Zhilei the opportunity to showcase his professional debut on ESPN,” said Dino Duva, President of Dynasty Boxing, promoter of Zhang.

Says Zhang Zhilei: “I’ve trained very hard for this fight. Everything has been going smoothly getting ready for this moment. I stick to the training schedule and stay disciplined.

“I’m extremely excited about my first professional fight,” adds the “Big Bang”. “It’s an important fight and I’m looking forward to it. As everybody knows, ESPN is biggest sports TV network in the world with hundreds of millions of viewers. And Friday Night Fights is an important part of ESPN shows. I never thought that my first fight would be broadcast on ESPN. I’m very thankful and will perform my best.”

“Opening up the card, you have Zhilei, a silver medalist who many believe has the ability to be a future star in the heavyweight division,“said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This is a big event for the people of Fallon and we are excited to be a part of it.”

“From top to bottom, this is a terrific event, featuring up-and-coming local talent in exciting fights on the undercard and three intriguing televised bouts on ESPN,” added DiBella. “Willie Nelson is knocking on the door to a world title opportunity and an impressive performance against the hard-punching Grajeda moves him in that direction.”

“The Fallon Fights: The Rural Rumble is one of Fallon’s premier special events, drawing visitors from northern Nevada and California,” tourism director Rick Gray said.

“Fallon welcomes ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. We have worked hard to put on a top-notch event that would draw the attention of the network,” Fallon tourism director Rick Gray said.

“The fights are a labor of love. All of the City’s departments worked together to support the production of the event,” Fallon Mayor, Ken Tedford, said.

# # #

For more information visit us at www.dbe1.com, follow us at twitter/loudibella and twitter/DiBellaEnt or visit our fan page at facebook/dibellaentertainment.

Bethlehem, PA: Before viewers tune into the special triple-header edition of NBCSN Fight Night on August 9th live from Sands Casino Hotel in Bethlehem, PA the live audience will be treated to a diverse undercard filled with local prospects. The triple-header features undefeated Ukrainian sensation Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (17-0-1, 11 KOs) against Derric “El León” Rossy (29-8, 14 KOs) for ten rounds of heavyweight action in the main event. In the middle bout, Robert “The Butcher” Berridge (24-1-1, 20 KO’s) squares off against Vasliy Lepikhin (15-0, 8 KO’s) in 12 rounds for the PABA & WBO Oriental Light Heavyweight Titles. Starting off the live telecast on NBCSN Fight Night are heavyweights Joseph Parker (9-0, 8 KO’s) and Keith Thompson (7-2, 4 KO’s) in a six-rounder.

Ismael Serrano
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events

The final fight before the live telecast begins on NBCSN is six rounds of welterweight action featuring local sensation Arturo Trujillo (5-0, 3 KO’s) of Easton, PA against an undetermined fighter. Trujillo, 22, is a southpaw. He has knocked out his last two opponents (Apr. 24, 2014 – Kevin Womack Jr. in the third round and Nov. 16, 2013 – Pablo Sanchez in the first round).

In an all-local showdown of light welterweights, Ismael Serrano (1-1), 27, of Bethlehem, PA will take on Jonathan Williams (0-2), 21, of Allentown, PA in four rounds. Serrano is coming off his first career loss against the always-dangerous Wellington Romero Jan. 24, 2014 at Resorts in Atlantic City, NJ. Williams is still looking for his first professional win since making his pro debut on Nov. 16, 2013 against Nathaniel Rivas at Sands.

Luis Acevedo
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events
Two featherweights will face off in four rounds, both of whom are still looking for their first professional victory. Frankie Garriga (0-1-2), 26, of Bronx, NY will take on Puerto Rican native Luis Acevedo (0-0-1), 22, (now residing in Bethlehem, PA). Garriga made his professional debut with a points draw on June 6, 2011 in four rounds against Josh Crespo in Hartford, CT. Acevedo also made his professional debut with a draw against Josh Crespo, at Sands on March 15, 2014 on the Glazkov-Adamek Fight Night undercard.

Undefeated heavyweight, Tyrell Wright (5-0, 4 KO’s), of Jersey City, NJ will meet up with Randy Easton (2-2-1, 2 KO’s) of Sansbury, PA for four rounds. Wright has knocked out four straight opponents (Apr. 4, 2014 – Dan Bolden in the fourth round; Sept. 13, 2013 – Alex Rozman in the first round; Jul. 27, 2013 – Eric George in the third round and Jun. 14, 2013 – Moses Marshall in the second round). Easton is coming off two straight victories, both knockouts (Nov. 30, 2013 – William Monroe in the first round and Dec. 18, 2013 – Dante Selby in the first round).

Starting off the event will be undefeated light heavyweight, Khalib Whitmore (5-0, 4 KO’s), 29 from Philadelphia, PA against Lamont Capers (4-4) of Brooklyn, NY in four rounds. Whitmore has knocked out the last four victims who have dared to step into the ring with him (Aug. 23, 2013 – Richard McCombs in the first round; Nov. 23, 2013 – Martez Williamson in the second round; Nov. 30, 2013 – Mark Baltimore in the first round; and Jan. 25, 2014 – Antonio Liles in the second round). Whitmore was scheduled to fight on the June 21st card at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre, PA and the April 4th fight at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA but both times matchmakers Jolene Mizzone and J Russell Peltz were unable to find an opponent willing to take on the dangerous Whitmore. Capers lost his most recent bout to Travis Reeves via unanimous decision in six rounds on Jun. 28, 2014 in Baltimore, MD which snapped a three-fight winning streak (Mar. 8, 2014 – Brian Donahue unanimous decision in four rounds; May 9, 2014 – Earl Platt unanimous decision in four rounds and May 17, 2014 – Dave Valykeo majority decision in four rounds).

About August 9:

The Aug. 9th special triple-header edition of NBCSN Fight Night will take place at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and will feature a ten-round heavyweight match-up between Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov and Derric “El León” Rossy, a twelve round light heavyweight match-up between Robert “The Butcher” Berridge and Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin and an six-round heavyweight fight featuring Joseph Parker and Keith “Untouchable” Thompson. The undercard bouts are subject to change. Ticket prices are $50 and $75 and available at Ticketmaster.com. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing and Pushka Promotions in association with Final Forum Promotions and Duco Events. The special triple-header NBCSN Fight Night telecast will begin live at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.

NBC Sports Live Extra:

NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on August 9.

Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

All NBC Sports Network live events live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

FOLLOW US:

Official hashtag: #FightNight

www.mainevents.com
Twitter: @main_events
Facebook: facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing
www.nbcsports.com
Twitter: @NBCSN
Facebook: facebook.com/NBCSports
www.peltzboxing.com
Twitter: @PeltzBoxing
Facebook: facebook.com/PeltzBoxingPromotions
www.pasands.com
Twitter: @Sands_Bethlehem
Facebook: facebook.com/SandsCasinoResortBethlehem

LAS VEGAS – (August 5) – “World Series of Fighting 12: Palomino vs. Gonzalez” Features a key lightweight matchup between hard-hitting Peruvian veteran Luis Palomino (22-9) and undefeated Californian wrestling champion Lewis Gonzalez (9-0). The evening’s five-fight main card airs live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT local time) and all international viewers will be able to watch the entire card on NBCSports.com or WSOF.com.

Tickets for “World Series of Fighting 12: Palomino vs. Gonzalez” start at just $39 and are on sale now at AXS.com.

“We are always expanding our international reach, and are proud to already be on television networks in more than 80 countries around the world,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. “Starting now, regardless of whether or not you have access to a television set, international fans be able to watch our fights live on the Internet. This is something we are very proud of, and we’ve taken steps to streamline the process and make it easy for our fans to view.”

The complete “World Series of Fighting 12: Palomino vs. Gonzalez” lineup includes:

(NBCSN-televised and NBCSports.com-streamed card)

Luis Palomino vs. Lewis Gonzalez

Cully Butterfield vs. Ronny Markes

Elvis Mutapcic vs. Kelvin Tiller

Brandon Hempleman vs. Alexis Vila

Bryson Hansen vs. Matt Sayles

(NBCSports.com live stream)

Lucas Montoya vs. Jimmy Spicuzza

Danny Davis Jr. vs. Jorge Lopez

Adam Acquaviva vs. Cody Maltais

Soslan Abanokov vs. Bryson Gutches

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)

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

About NBC Sports Network

NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is Las Vegas’ off-strip playground, just minutes and less than three miles from McCarran International Airport. The premier destination entertainment resort is owned by Brookfield Real Estate Finance Fund II and managed by WG-Harmon, LLC, a subsidiary of Warner Gaming, LLC. Built in 1995, the property completed a $750 million expansion in 2010. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Incubus, Foo Fighters, Carlos Santana, Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses have all performed. Features of the property include an 11-story Casino Tower with 640 guest rooms, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites and the all-suite HRH Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouse suites; 72,000 square feet of casino space featuring Peacock High-Limit gaming and Asian gaming amenities; 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space; more than $4 million in rare music memorabilia; Body English Nightclub; Reliquary Water Sanctuary, Spa & Salon; 4.5 acres of tropical pool paradise housing world-famous pool parties REHAB Sunday and RELAX Monday; live music/entertainment venues The Joint and Vinyl; Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.; restaurants Culinary Dropout, Nobu, The Ainsworth, 35 Steaks + Martinis, Pink Taco, Mr. Lucky’s Café and ?Fú; a state-of-the-art fitness center and trendsetting retailers John Varvatos, Affliction, Love Jones, Rocks The Jewelers and Rock Paper Photo. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit hardrockhotel.com. Follow Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagramfor the latest news and updates.

NEW YORK (Aug. 5, 2014) – Leading to the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader telecast on Saturday, Aug. 9 (live on SHOWTIME® 9 p.m. ET/PT; delayed on the West Coast) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., featuring unified world champion Danny Garcia taking on the pride of Pittsburgh, Rod Salka, SHOWTIME will televise an exciting lineup of preliminary fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (SHO EXTREME, live at 7 p.m. ET/PT; delayed on the West Coast).

In the featured bout, undefeated Sadam “World Kid” Ali defends his WBO NABO Intercontinental Welterweight Championship against former Golden Gloves champion Jeremy Bryan. In the opening bout on SHOWTIME EXTREME, top East Coast contender Anthony Peterson faces Mexico City’s Edgar Riovalle (37-18-2, 26 KOs). Time permitting, the network will televise Zachary Ochoa versus Luis Cervantes in a four or six-round super lightweight bout.

Brian Kenny hosts “SHOWTIME Boxing on SHO EXTREME” with Brian Custer calling the action and boxing historian Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst.

Also in action on non-televised bouts at Barclay Center will be “Sir” Marcus Browne, Prichard Colon and D’Mitrius Ballard.

Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges are on sale now and available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-745-3000 and at the American Express Box Office. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

Brooklyn born and raised Sadam “World Kid” Ali (19-0, 12 KOs) has been on a tear since his Golden Boy Promotions debut at Barclays Center against Jay Krupp in September of 2013. Since then, the 25-year-old 2008 U.S. Olympian has halted Jesus Selig and Michael Clark to run his perfect record to 19-0. Jeremy Bryan (17-3, 7 KOs), of Paterson, N.J., was a decorated amateur who won two National Golden Gloves titles and owns a victory in the amateurs over headliner Danny Garcia. The 28-year-old Bryan has won three of his last four bouts, most recently defeating Yuir Ramanau and Issouf Kinda.

“I feel fortunate to have my first title defense in the heart of Brooklyn. Fighting at home brings the best out of me,” said Ali, who’s defending his title for the first time at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. “I’ve been working hard since I was eight-years-old. I’m climbing the ladder, and with every victory I’m step closer to my dream, a shot to a world title.”

The brother of IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont Peterson, lightweight contender Anthony Peterson (33-1, 21 KOs) hopes to add his own title belt to the family trophy case in the coming year, but first he’ll have to add to his three-fight winning streak against an opponent to be announced.. Owner of wins over Daniel Attah, Dominic Salcido and Marcos Leonardo Jimenez, the 29-year-old Washington, D.C. product is currently ranked 12th in the world by the IBF, and he’s expecting to climb higher with a triumph in his upcoming bout.

“I’m excited and honored to have my fight televised on SHO EXTREME and from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Those are two firsts for me,” said Lamont Peterson’s younger brother, Anthony. “Boxing is my life. It’s in my blood. It’s the only thing I live for and I couldn’t ask for more. Fighting in a world class arena in a televise bout and sharing the card with my brother…that’s the dream.”

Proudly representing his borough of Brooklyn will be super lightweight prospect Zachary Ochoa (7-0, 4 KOs). Appearing at Barclays Center for the third time, the 22-year-old Ochoa has showed style and savvy throughout his young career. He’ll face Luis Cervantes (7-7-3, 2 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., in a four-rounder on Aug. 9.

As he approaches his record seventh appearance at Barclays Center, 2012 U.S. Olympian “Sir” Marcus Browne (11-0, 8 KOs) is becoming synonymous with boxing’s newest Mecca. Unbeaten as a professional, including four victories by knockout at Barclays Center, the Staten Island native has shown that there’s nothing like fighting in his own backyard. The up-and-coming light heavyweight will make his 10-round debut against Paul Vazquez (10-5-1, 3 KO’s), of Oakland, Calif.

Puerto Rico’s latest star on the rise, Orocovis’ Prichard Colon (10-0, 10 KOs) has been devastating winning all his fights inside the distance. Just 21-years-old, Colon, who will face Washington, D.C,’s Lenwood Dozier (9-6-1, 4 KO’s) in an eight-round junior middleweight bout, is sure to thrill the fans in his New York City debut.

Joining the Peterson brothers in representing the D.C. area, 21-year-old super middleweight phenom D’mitrius Ballard (5-0, 4 KOs) will open the show in a six-round bout against Hayti, Montana’s Barry Trotter (2-1, 1 KO). A ferocious finisher with power in both hands, Ballard is coming off a second-round technical knockout over Quincy Miner in April.

ABOUT “GARCIA VS. SALKA”:

Garcia vs. Salka, a 10-round welterweight bout on Saturday, August 9, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Dibella Entertainment, IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont Peterson puts his title on the line against Edgar Santana in a 12-round championship bout. Opening the telecast, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, Brooklyn’s own Daniel Jacobs takes on Jarrod Fletcher for the vacant WBA Middleweight World Title. The event will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, will air live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary SHOWTIME EXTREME bouts start at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

New York, NY / Fallon, NV (8/5/14) – This Friday night, world-class boxing returns to Fallon, NV, when this week’s edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights/ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates heads to Churchill County Fairgrounds, just outside of Reno. Headlining the card will be top-rated junior middleweight contender Willie Nelson (22-1-1, 13KO’s) taking on the hard-hitting and dangerous Mexican Luis Grajeda (17-2-2, 13KO’s) in the 10-round main event.

In the co-feature, fast-rising 18-year-old phenom Norbert Nemesapati (14-0, 13KO’s) will be looking to make a splash in his US debut when he faces fellow knockout artist Jason Escalera (14-2-1, 12KO’s) in an eight-round super middleweight matchup.

Opening up the card will be the highly anticipated pro debut of China’s 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist Zhang Zhilei, in a four-round heavyweight special attraction when he squares off against Curtis Lee Tate (7-4, 6KO’s).

Also seeing action on the card will be highly regarded undefeated prospect Joel Diaz Jr. (16-0, 12KO’s) challenging the once-beaten Kevin Aguilar (8-1-1, 2KO’s) in an eight-round super featherweight matchup. The 22-year-old Diaz, a training stable-mate of middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, is as good a young prospect as there is in boxing and is fresh off of his exciting and dominant 10-round unanimous decision victory over Canadian prospect Tyler Asselstine (14-1) on ShoBox in May of this year. Look for another impressive performance out of the DBE/Jean Pascal Promotions-promoted Diaz on Friday night.

Undefeated middleweight prospect Eduardo Alicea (7-0, 3KO’s) is also scheduled to appear on the card when he competes against fellow undefeated Kirk Huff (3-0, 1KO) in a six-round middleweight matchup. Trained by Robert Garcia and promoted by DBE and Rumble Time Promotions, Alicea, the former Junior Olympics National champion and #1-rated US amateur, has continued to impress with each outing and is already 3-0 in 2014.

Rounding out the card will be a battle for bragging rights when hometown favorite Oscar Vasquez (6-1, 1KO) squares off against fellow Nevada-native Sergio Lopez (2-1-1) in a six-round flyweight matchup.

ESPN will begin live coverage at 9p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN.

The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Let’s Get It On Promotions, in association with Rumble Time Promotions, King Sports, Jean Pascal Promotions, Dynasty Boxing and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at an extremely affordable $27 ringside and $12 general admission. Special VIP tables are also available for purchase at $500 each. The VIP tables accommodate seating for eight guests at ringside and include a complimentary bucket of beer, executive suite restrooms, cocktail service, a dedicated full service bar, food station and a Fallon Fights souvenir for each guest. Advance tickets can be purchased by calling (775) 423-4556 or by visiting the Fallon Convention Center or NAS Fallon MWR. You can also purchase tickets by emailing info@visitfallonnevada.com.

6 August 2014 – SINGAPORE: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, has confirmed all nine bouts set to take place at ONE FC: REIGN OF CHAMPIONS. The event, which will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 29 August, is set to be the largest in mixed martial arts history. It will feature multiple ONE FC World Championship bouts, including a ONE FC Featherweight World Championship clash between current champion Koji Oishi and Mongolian striking expert, Narantungalag Jadambaa. James McSweeney will drop a division to light heavyweight to take on Cristiano Kaminishi while Ann Osman steps in for Irina Mazepa, and will face Ana Julaton in a flyweight clash. Mohamad Walid will also enter the ONE FC cage to take on Filipino standout Vaughn Donayre while Muay Thai champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke returns to the ONE FC cage against fellow Muay Thai specialist, Ali Yaakub.

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC: REIGN OF CHAMPIONS is set to be the biggest night in the history of mixed martial arts! A historic three world championship titles will be on the line on 29 August and will feature some of the greatest mixed martial artists from all over the world. Fans can expect a historic night featuring world class and adrenaline-pumping mixed martial arts action!”

Tickets for ONE FC: REIGN OF CHAMPIONS will be on sale from 1 August at www.platinumlist.net. Ticket categories begin with the full red carpet and cage side experience for AED 2,000. Tickets priced at AED 1,000, AED 500, AED 300 and AED 150 are also available. All applicable service charges apply.

Koji Oishi was originally scheduled to face Eric Kelly, but Kelly was not medically cleared to accept the bout after his recent victory at ONE FC: WAR OF DRAGONS. Naratungalag Jadambaa will step in to take his place opposite Oishi fresh off a victory over former ONE FC Featherweight World Champion Honorio Banario last May.

ONE FC Featherweight World Champion Koji Oishi is a veteran of 44 fights and a former Lightweight King of Pancrase. He has only lost two of his last 18 fights and is a seasoned veteran who has been consistently facing the best opposition in the world. At ONE FC: RISE TO POWER, he captured the ONE FC Featherweight World Championship title by knocking out Honorio Banario in front of Banario’s home crowd. Oishi has fought more than 100 rounds in his career, making him one of the most experienced Featherweights in the world. This bout against Jadambaa will mark Oishi’s second title defence, and he is determined to hold on to the biggest accomplishment of his career till he retires.

Narantungalag Jadambaa is the top mixed martial artist to emerge from Mongolia. He boasts an impressive record of nine wins and three losses against top competition in Asia. He also has kickboxing experience, facing the likes of renowned kickboxing champions Buakaw Banchamek and Masato. Jadambaa made an impressive ONE FC debut by defeating former ONE FC Featherweight World Champion Honorio Banario at ONE FC: HONOR & GLORY. He now gets the biggest opportunity in his career when he takes on current ONE FC Featherweight World Champion Koji Oishi.

James McSweeney is a top English mixed martial artist and kickboxer who have competed against some of the best mixed martial artists in the world, racking up numerous titles in the process. He is currently on the best streak of his career, with nine wins in his last 12 fights. McSweeney is a proven finisher and have gone to a decision only once in 24 fights.

Cristiano Kaminishi has gone 8-1 while competing predominantly in Japan and will be making his debut for Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization on 29 August. Kaminishi is a former Heat heavyweight champion and has also won multiple Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu titles across multiple weight divisions. Originally from Brazil, he made the move to Japan at the age of 17. Kaminishi is a BJJ black belt under Taka Watanabe of Axis Jiu-Jitsu, one of the pioneering academies in Japan. Kaminishi has spent years training with some of the best fighters in the world, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and has also cornered luminaries such as Nogueira, Paulo Filho and Mario Sperry.

Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton is the first Filipina boxer to win the women’s WBO Super Bantamweight and IBA Super Bantamweight World Championships. Julaton’s signing with ONE FC marks her first step to becoming a two-sport athlete. Her overpowering attacks in the ring earned her the nickname “The Hurricane” and made her a fan favorite in the Philippines. It took her only five professional bouts to win a championship in boxing and she hopes her mixed martial arts career will be equally successful. She made a successful ONE FC debut by defeating Aya Saber of Egypt and will return to the ONE FC cage looking for the second win in her mixed martial arts career.

Ann Osman is the first female Malaysian mixed martial artist to compete in a major mixed martial arts organization. Osman possesses wrestling skills and powerful ground and pound, making her a tough test for any opponent. She made her debut in an empathic battle last October, and has been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to get back into the ONE FC cage.

Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke has an impressive Muay Thai record of 282-65, and is a 3x Lumpinee World Champion. Now an instructor at Evolve MMA, he has trained extensively in mixed martial arts in anticipation of this bout. His prolific striking skills was on full display in his ONE FC debut, when he dismantled Filipino boxer Jomanz Omanz with devastating kicks and punches en route to a TKO victory in the first round.

Ali Yaakub is one of the best Muay Thai practitioners to emerge from Malaysia. A former WMC Asian Champion and I-1 Asian Champion, he has faced and defeated several top strikers in his weight class. After training in mixed martial arts for several years, he will now make his debut in the sport against a fellow Muay Thai champion.

Mohamad Walid is the first Syrian mixed martial artist to compete for Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. Walid is currently undefeated after competing in local promotions in the United Arab Emirates. Walid is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt and also a black belt in karate. He has finished all three opponents and hopes to keep that streak going when he takes on Donayre.

Vaughn Donayre is a Filipino mixed martial artist currently based in Dubai. The Cebu-native quit his mechanical engineering job and moved to Dubai to chase his passion, mixed martial arts. He has won seven of his last eight bouts and is regarded as an exciting mixed martial artist constantly in the pursuit of the finish.

Fans in Asia can catch all the action live on STAR Sports. Check your local listings. Also, fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.livesport.tv. The event will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.

For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Instagram and Twitter @ONEFCMMA, Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA and Weibo at http://www.weibo.com/onefc.

About ONE FC
With a 90%+ market share in Asia, ONE Fighting Championship is Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

Las Vegas, Nevada – UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones looks to extend his historic reign over the talented 205-pound division Saturday, Sept. 27 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas when he takes on bitter rival and No. 2 contender Daniel Cormier. Jones will look to make his record eighth light heavyweight title defense against the two-time U.S. Olympian Cormier.

The bad blood between Jones (20-1, fighting out of Endicott, N.Y.) and Cormier (15-0, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) has brewed for months with the two trading heated words in the press. The talk comes to an end in Las Vegas next month in one of the most anticipated title fights of the year!

In addition, Irish phenom Conor McGregor (15-2, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland) will meet sixth-ranked Dustin Poirier (16-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) in a featherweight showdown that could have major title implications. McGregor is coming off a first-round knockout of Diego Brandao and will be looking to stay unbeaten inside the Octagon® against Poirier, one of the most devastating finishers in the division who has won nine of his last eleven.

Also, undefeated No. 1-ranked women’s bantamweight contender Cat Zingano (8-0, fighting out of Broomfield, Colo.) will clash with Brazilian knockout artist and No. 8-ranked Amanda Nunes (9-3, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) in a bout that could determine the next challenger for Ronda Rousey’s crown.

Other bouts for UFC 178 include:

· No. 7-ranked Bobby Green (23-5, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) vs. No. 14-ranked Jorge Masvidal (27-8, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) in a lightweight battle.

· Two top middleweights clash as No. 6-ranked Tim Kennedy (18-4, fighting out of Austin, Texas) faces No. 11-ranked Yoel Romero (8-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.).

· Former UFC bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz (19-1, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) makes his long awaited return to the Octagon as he meets No. 5-ranked Takeya Mizugaki (20-7-2, fighting out of Kanagawa, Japan).

· Hard-hitting welterweight Patrick Cote (21-8, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec Canada) vs. electrifying kickboxer Stephen Thompson (9-1, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.).

· Welterweight striker John Howard (22-9, fighting out of Boston, Mass.) vs. gritty veteran Brian Ebersole (50-16-1, 1NC, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand).

· Lightweight rising star Jon Tuck (8-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) vs. submission specialist Kevin Lee (8-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.).

Tickets for UFC® 178: JONES vs. CORMIER, presented by MetroPCS, go on sale Friday,

August 8 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $800, $600, $400, $250, $125 and $75 (prices do not include applicable service charges). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and will be available at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

Get your VIP package today! The UFC VIP Experience packages together your tickets with behind-the-scenes access to the official weigh-ins, backstage tours, meet and greet and autograph signings with top UFC stars, Q&A sessions, and photo opportunities, access to an in-arena VIP party room, a chance to hold the championship belt inside the Octagon® and more!

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, August 6 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, August 7 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC®178: JONES vs. CORMIER will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High -Definition.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

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

About the MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, U2, Lady Gaga, Sting, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to the annual Academy of Country Music Awards, annual Billboard Music Awards, annual iHeartRadio Music Festival and the Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game which features the Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche.

Bethlehem, PA: The special edition of NBCSN Fight Night triple header scheduled for August 9th at Sands is going to be jam-packed with action as heavyweights and light heavyweights square off in three of the most exciting fights of the year. This battle of the big men features some of the biggest prospects in the heavyweight and light heavyweight division and includes a diverse crew of international talent.

Czar Glazkov
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events

Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (17-0-1, 11 KOs), 29, is originally from Lugansk, Ukraine and just immigrated to Ft. Lauderdale, FL in the last few months. He is now training with world-renowned trainer, John David Jackson, who also trains fellow Main Events’ stable mate Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. Now that Czar is working with Jackson look for him to start adding new combinations in the ring. He is also coming off a huge upset victory over veteran heavyweight Tomasz “Goral” Adamek on March 15th at Sands. With the victory he secured the #2 position in the IBF and the IBF North American Heavyweight Title. He is an Olympic Bronze Medalist. He is very defensive-minded and tends to be a slow starter, but look for him to get more aggressive as the fight progresses.

Derric Rossy
Photo Courtesy of:
VPeiPics

Derric “El León” Rossy (29-8-0, 14 KOs), 34, has far more professional experience than his younger opponent, Glazkov. He is a veteran with over 30 career professional fights in over ten years as a pro. He has fought a never-ending list of contenders from Eddie Chambers (twice), Ray Mercer, Kubrat Pulev, and more. He is a big man who likes to fight the style of a smaller man, enjoys fighting on the inside if he can. If not then he can find success utilizing his jab. He is coming off a majority decision victory over Joe Hanks on May 16th to snap and two fight losing streak so look for him to try to keep the momentum moving forward.

Vasily Lephikin
Photo Courtesy of:
Titov promotions

In the middle bout of this special edition triple-header we have 12 rounds of light heavyweight action for the PABA & WBO Oriental Light Heavyweight Titles. Robert “The Butcher” Berridge (24-1-1, 20 KOs) will face Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin (15-0-0, 8 KOs). Berridge, 29, hails from Albany, New Zealand. He has won his last nine fights in a row (all KOs) dating all the way back to October 5, 2012. He also possesses that killer instinct of a fighter, when he has his opponent in trouble he finds a way to finish the job. However, he will have his hands full with his undefeated opponent. Lepikhin, also 29, is originally from Chelyabinsk, Russia, the same hometown as WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. Like Krusher, Lepikhin will make his Fight Night debut in the middle fight of a special triple-header edition. He is still an unknown but with more than half of his victories coming by way of knockout boxing fans are wondering if there are more similarities between Lepikhin and Kovalev.

Keith Thompson
Photo Courtesy of:
Katie Thompson Photos

Starting off the Fight Night triple header will be another New Zealand native Joseph Parker (9-0, 8 KOs) against Birmingham, AL native Keith “Untouchable” Thompson (7-2, 4 KO’s) in six rounds of heavyweight action. Parker, 22, is a hot prospect with an incredible 89% (8 of 9) knockout-to-win ratio. His biggest strength though may be the willingness to fight anybody, in only his 9th pro fight he defeated ranked heavyweight contender Brian Minto. However, he has a tendency to swing wildly at times, looking a little too hard for the knockout. Thompson is an American fighting on his home soil but this will be only the second time he has fought outside of the South (May 24, 2014 – Loss via KO to Alexis Santos in Dorchester, Massachusetts). Parker’s next fight is already scheduled back in New Zealand with Sherman Williams for PABA and WBO Oriental Light Heavyweight Titles on October 16, 2014 so the question remains whether or not Parker will be looking past Thompson and not focused on this fight.

Robert Berridge
Photo Courtesy of:
Photosport.co.nz

Kathy Duva, Main Events’ CEO, had this to say about this triple header, “Czar Glazkov had a big win in his last fight against Tomasz Adamek and is returning for his 5th appearance on Fight Night, so I think people forget that this is just his 19th pro bout and he’s still learning on the job. A veteran like Derric Rossy, who pulled off an upset over a young heavyweight prospect (Joe Hanks) in his last fight, can show Glazkov things he hasn’t seen before. And then we have the opportunity to introduce four new faces to our fans. I’ve heard a lot about the Kiwis, Joseph Parker and Robert Berridge, so I can’t wait to see them in action.”

About August 9:

The Aug. 9th special triple-header edition of NBCSN Fight Night will take place at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and will feature a ten-round heavyweight match-up between Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov and Derric “El León” Rossy, a twelve round light heavyweight match-up between Robert “The Butcher” Berridge and Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin and an six-round heavyweight fight featuring Joseph Parker and Keith “Untouchable” Thompson. The undercard bouts will be announced shortly. Ticket prices are $50 and $75 and available at Ticketmaster.com. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing and Pushka Promotions in association with Final Forum Promotions and Duco Events. The special triple-header NBCSN Fight Night telecast will begin live at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.

NBC Sports Live Extra:

NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on August 9.

Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

All NBC Sports Network live events live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

FOLLOW US:

Official hashtag: #FightNight

www.mainevents.com
Twitter: @main_events
Facebook: facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing
www.nbcsports.com
Twitter: @NBCSN
Facebook: facebook.com/NBCSports
www.peltzboxing.com
Twitter: @PeltzBoxing
Facebook: facebook.com/PeltzBoxingPromotions
www.pasands.com
Twitter: @Sands_Bethlehem
Facebook: facebook.com/SandsCasinoResortBethlehem

MIAMI (August 5, 2014) – “The Matrix,” world-rated featherweight Claudio Marrero (15-1, 11 KOs), has to be seen in order to truly appreciate his tremendous athleticism in the ring. The dynamic Dominican returns to the ring this Friday night in Pittsburgh in an eight-round bout against former World Boxing Council (WBC) FECARBOX champion Felix Perez (8-6, 3 KOs), of Puerto Rico.

“He is a very elusive, aggressive southpaw who can pick apart his opponent, counter-punching from the outside,” Marrero’s manager/head trainer Herman Caicedo described his 25-year-old fighter’s style. “He uses his jab and effectively cuts-off the ring. He’s learning how to not complicated things, even with his style he doesn’t have to avoid every punch, and he knows he has to sit in the pocket more to be even more effective.”

Marrero learned a valuable lesson August 23, 2013 at Turning Stone Casino, when he suffered the first and only loss of his professional career by way of a close 12-round decision (116-111, 115-112, 114-113) to Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar (22-1) for the Interim World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight title.

In retrospect, the then 24-year-old Marrero had only 14 pro fights under his belt, and the quantum leap into a world title fight, even an interim, was somewhat premature. “Maybe it was a bit premature,” Marrero admitted, “but at the end of the day, it was a world title fight opportunity. It just wasn’t my night but that loss has made me a better fighter. I’ve never been egotistical, always a humble man, and that fight humbled me more and I’m a bigger man today because of it. I learned that I have to be 100-percent at my best to win a big fight.”

Marrero has a rich amateur pedigree, finishing with a sterling 297-12 record and, at the tender age of 17, he lost by a mere single point to two-time Olympic gold medalist and reigning unified world bantamweight champion, undefeated Cuban great Guillermo Rigondeaux, in an amateur bout held in Havana.

Training the last four years in South Florida has provided Marrero with invaluable sparring sessions with Rigondeaux and another Olympic gold medalist from Cuba, Yuriorkis Gamboa, also a multiple world champion as a professional.

“Everybody benefits from that sparring, not just me, but probably me more than anybody,” WBA No. 6-rated Marrero explained. “I fought ‘Rigo’ in the amateurs and have had more than 100 rounds sparring with both him and Gamboa. I’ve gained a lot more confidence in my skills having sparred with them.”

Caicedo. who also manages and trains undefeated bantamweight Juan Carlos Payano (15-0, 8 KOs), a two-time Dominican Olympian scheduled to challenge WBA Super bantamweight Anselmo Moreno on September 26, believes Marrero is special because of his unique talent as well as the sacrifices he has made.

“I think he needs two or three more wins and then he’s in position for another world title fight,” Caicedo remarked. “The fight he lost was a little premature – he was still a baby in boxing – but the opportunity arose and we took a shot. He learned a lot and he’s on his way back to the top.

“Claudio is very reserved. He deeply cares about family, especially his wife and three-year-old son. He is very dedicated, driven, and willing to do whatever it takes to be world champion. Look at what he’s sacrificed the last four years, leaving his family in the Dominican Republic to train here. He only gets to go home once or twice a year. It’s a lot easier for other guys to sacrifice when they go home every day after training. He lives in the gym; always happy and training hard.”

A Dominican brotherhood among boxers has helped Marrero better deal with separation from his family, in addition to him living in a foreign country in which he doesn’t speak its native language, English.

“I believe there is a strong brotherhood of Dominicans who support each other worldwide in professional boxing,” Marrero concluded. “I admire Joan Guzman for breaking away from the Dominican to accomplish all he has in boxing. I’ve oftened looked to him for advice.”

Follow Claudio Marrero on Twitter @MarreroMatrix.

New York, NY (8/5/14) – Lou DiBella has announced two more high profile signings to his ever-growing DiBella Entertainment (DBE) roster and the two promising fighters will both be featured on DBE’s upcoming Broadway Boxing card on Wednesday, August 13, at NYC’s famed B.B. King Blues Club and Grill, in midtown Manhattan.

Headlining the card will be talented former WBC featherweight world champion Elio Rojas (23-2, 14KO’s) returning to the ring for the first time in nearly two and a half years. The first obstacle on the road toward another world championship opportunity will be opponent Robert Osiobe (14-9-4, 6KO’s). Rojas will now be campaigning in the junior lightweight division, though his feature eight-round bout will be held just above the 130lb. limit.

Jonathan Alonso, a former amateur standout and 2012 Olympian for Spain, will be looking to impress in his US and pro debut when he sees action in a special attraction four-round middleweight bout.

“Elio Rojas is not only a former world champion but a tremendous offensive fighter, who will immediately be a player in the 130lb. division. After just a few fights, Elio would love a showdown with a 130lb. champion or his dream bout against Yuriorkis Gamboa,” said DiBella.

Regarding Alonso, DiBella stated, “We are pleased to have inked a deal with Jonathan Alonso, an Olympian and one of the best amateur fighters to come out of Spain in recent decades.”

“I couldn’t be more excited and grateful to have signed with DiBella Entertainment and my manager Joe Duva and to finally get my career back underway,” said Rojas. “Now living in New York, it has always been a dream of mine to fight here, in front of my fans, and now I will have the opportunity on August 13. I want to fight the best that my division has to offer and I feel that I will be ready to take on any of the top fighters that are willing to accept the challenge and ultimately win back a world championship.”

“Ever since I first started boxing, it has been a dream of mine to make my professional debut in the US. I couldn’t be happier than to have signed with Lou and his company, which is one of the most respected companies in the entire world. I have a great team surrounding me and I am going to continue working hard to become a future world champion under the DBE banner,” said Alonso.

In 2009, the Dominican-native Rojas traveled into enemy territory and captured the coveted WBC featherweight title with a dominant 12-round decision over reigning champion Takahiro Ao, in Ao’s backyard of Tokyo. Rojas defended his title just five months later with another impressive decision victory, this time over Guty Espadas Jr. He would lose the title in April 2012 to Jhonny Gonzalez via decision.

After the loss to Gonzalez, Rojas sat on the sidelines, as he sorted out promotional and managerial issues. Now with new manager Joe Duva and promoter DiBella Entertainment behind him, Rojas is ready to once again return to his world championship form.

After picking up boxing at the age of 16, Alonso quickly became one of the most promising amateur prospects in the entire country of Spain compiling an outstanding record of 98-12 and earning a spot on the 2012 Olympic team. Now at 23 years of age, Alonso is eager to show the boxing world that he has the goods to become one of the best fighters ever to emerge from the country.

Also scheduled to appear on the card, all in separate bouts, will be middleweight contender Lamar Russ (14-1, 7KO’s) and junior featherweight contender Rafael Vasquez (11-1, 9KO’s) in separate eight-round bouts, as well as DBE’s top undefeated up-and-coming prospects Junior Younan (5-0, 4KO’s), Bryant Cruz (11-0, 6KO’s), Louis Cruz (8-0, 4KO’s) and Travis Peterkin (11-0, 5KO’s).

The card on August 13 is sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group and Everlast. Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $125, $100, $75 and $55. Tables are also available for purchase for this event, with VIP tables going for $1,000 per table (5 seats at $200 per seat), Ringside tables for $500 (5 seats at $100), and $375 tables (5 seats at $75). Tickets are available for purchase by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Jordan Shimmell won via disqualification at 2:31 of the 4th round on Friday, August 1, 2014 at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, WA. Jordan moved to 16-0 with 13 KOs in his 2 year pro career. The bout was scheduled for 8 rounds at cruiserweight on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights show. Jordan’s opponent was former world title challenger Epifanio Mendoza, now 37-18-1 with 33 KOs.

Jordan used his jab and his hand and foot speed to move in and land punches on Mendoza and then avoid any return fire. Jordan landed several strong jabs that snapped Mendoza’s head back in the first round and an overhand right that made Mendoza start holding plus several body punches.

With Jordan Shimmell clearly winning the first round, Mendoza started to use dirty tactics in the second round. Jordan landed his jab and several right hands plus a couple of strong body punches to clinch the second round, all the while Mendoza continued to miss with wild swings. The referee started to warn Mendoza for low blows, rabbit punches and hitting on the break in the second round.

In the thrid round Mendoza appeared to visibly fatigue which seemed to escalate his use of flagrant fouls. When fighting on the outside, Mendoza was clearly outgunned and he couldn’t handle Jordan’s speed and skills. Mendoza continued to clinch and while holding onto Jordan’s arms would punch Jordan in the back of the head, in the groin, in the back and even on the leg. The referee cautioned Mendoza several times and then took a point from Mendoza when Mendoza hit Jordan after the referee said break and stepped in to separate the two fighters. All of the legally landed punches in the third round were landed by Jordan and he began to clearly frustrate and hurt Mendoza with strong punches to the body and head.

The fourth round continued the progression of the third with Jordan landing some hard punches to Mendoza’s head and body and the Columbian boxer looking for a way out of the fight without getting knocked out. Mendoza continued to foul Jordan right in front of the referee with low blows, excessive holding and hitting Jordan as the referee was separating the two boxers. The referee took a second point from Mendoza and cautioned him that any further fouls would cause a disqualification. Mendoza obviously wanted to get DQ’d as he fouled Jordan again with another caution from the referee and finally he hit Jordan once again behind the head as the referee was breaking the two fighters which caused the referee to issue the disqualification and award Jordan the victory.

As has happened in all of Jordan’s pro fights, his opponent did not like getting hit by Jordan’s stinging jab, strong right and thunderous body punches. Mendoza like all of Jordan’s opponents could not penetrate Jordan’s tight defense and deal with Jordan’s fast hands and feet.

With the victory Jordan moves one step closer to fighting on television for all of his fans to watch. Jordan continues to move up in the world rankings and will soon be a top 10 world-ranked cruiserweight contender. Jordan Shimmell is the USBO Cruiserweight Champion and is ranked in all of the regional rankings.

For more information about Team Shimmell Boxing contact Dennis Shimmell, Jr. at dshimmell@prodigy.net or 616-560-8622 .

The already stacked professional boxing card at the GLENDALE CIVIC AUDITORIUM in Glendale, California just got that much better with the addition of two World-Ranked boxers from the Top Rank stable. While previous main event fighter, Andy Ruiz, was forced to bow out last month due to a serious illness in his family, this Saturday’s GLENDALE FIGHT NIGHT card will now include prized undefeated prospect and Top 15 world-ranked Jr. Welterweight Jose “El Chon” Zepeda (19-0, 16 KOs) as well as recent World Title Challenger Jose Felix Jr. (26-1-1, 21KOs).

Zepeda, a Southern California native born in Long Beach and residing in La Puente, is trained by Robert Alcazar, the former trainer of Oscar De La Hoya during his Gold Medal and historic run of seven World Titles. Felix Jr. hails from boxing rich Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico and lost a razor thin decision last April to Bryan Vasquez (33-1, 17KOs) for the interim WBA Super Featherweight World Title. Both Zepeda and Felix Jr. are known for their propensity for delivering a knockout in over 75% of their professional bouts.

As part of the Solo Boxeo Tecate televised portion of the evening on Unimas, undefeated San Antonio prospect Ivan “Bam Bam” Najera (13-0, 8KOs) will take on former #1 ranked amateur, Stan “The Man” Martyniouk (13-1, 2KOs). Also on the undercard, 2012 London Olympics Silver Medalist from Brazil, Esquiva Falcoa (3-0, 1KO) will return to Southern California and a battle of unbeatens will take place between Egis Kavaliauskas (6-0, 5KOs) and Benjamin Whitaker (7-0, 2KOs). Local gate favorites Zachary “Kid Yamaka” Wohlman (8-1-1), Liam Vaughan (8-2), and Edgar Valerio (3-0), Luis Sedano (2-0), and Vic Pasillas (8-0) are also scheduled to appear.

GLENDALE FIGHT NIGHT, the 5th professional boxing show since a 60 year ban of professional boxing was lifted in the City of Glendale, California, is presented by Top Rank in association with Bash Boxing, Art of Boxing Promotions, and the Glendale Civic Auditorium in Glendale, California. As part of the televised Solo Boxeo Tecate boxing series on Unimas, GLENDALE FIGHT NIGHT takes place on Saturday, August 9, 2014 at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, located at 1401 North Verdugo Road in Glendale, California.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.bashboxing.com or by calling
(626) 388-8888. Tickets start at $30 for General Admission and $45 for Reserved Open Seating. A limited number of VIP bottle service tables are also available.

Doors Open at 5:30pm;
First Bout at 6:00pm.
All bouts are subject to change.

LOS ANGELES, CA (August 4, 2014) – Gary Shaw Productions highly ranked lightweight contender, Rustam Nugaev (27-6-1, 17 KOs), who’s rated IBF #5, WBC #3 and WBA #7, is less than two weeks away from his mandatory IBF elimination bout with Denis Shafikov (33-1-1, 18 KOs). The 12-round bout will air live on ESPN “Friday Night Fights” and will take place at Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif., on August 15, 2014.

Nugaev on the current state of his training camp…
“Training camp has been very hard this time around. We always train hard but in this camp we stepped it up a bit. I’ve been sparring with top level opposition and I’m in great shape. I feel my punches are landing with a lot of force. There are no corners being cut in this camp and I’ll be ready to fight to the death against Shafikov.”

Nugaev on training with Rudy Hernandez…
“Rudy is an excellent trainer who understands the boxing game. He’s been around for many years and he’s teaching me all the tricks of the trade. There are a lot of little things he teaches me that helps me prepare against certain styles. Every fighter is different and Rudy knows how to put the game plan together for each opponent. Together we are going to the top.”

Nugaev speaks on fighting in a world title elimination bout…
“I feel I’ve earned my way to this position by beating top contenders. Against Macielo, who was undefeated and rated very high, I was able to knock him out. No one has been able to go the distance with me in my last five fights. This is my chance to get one step closer to fight for a world title and I’m not going to let it slip away.”

Nugaev talks about his opponent Denis Shafikov…
“Shafikov recently fought for the IBF world title but came up short against Miguel Vasquez. That is his only loss so I know he can fight. He does a lot of things well in the ring and I’m going to have to be smart when we fight. I feel I have the power to slow him down and get him out of there before the final bell rings. This will be an all out war and the fans will please with my performance.

Nugaev talks about fighting on ESPN “Friday Night Fights”…
“Fighting on ESPN “Friday Night Fights” is great because everyone can tune in and see me fight. I’ve done a lot of damage on this network and I’m looking to do the same against Shafikov. I want to thank my promoter Gary Shaw for this opportunity.”

The ESPN “Friday Night Fights” telecast begins Friday August 15, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST from the Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif.

Tickets priced $35, $50, $65, $85, and $95 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Chumash Casino Box office or online at HERE. Doors open at 5:00 P.M, first fight starts at 5:30 P.M.

Totowa, NJ: Having achieved its goal of making a light heavyweight unification fight for Sergey Kovalev, Main Events filed paperwork in the Southern District of New York today formally dropping their lawsuit against Groupe Yvon Michel, Inc., Yvon Michel, Adonis Stevenson, Al Haymon, Showtime, Golden Boy Promotions, Inc., and Richard Schaefer. With the announcement of the upcoming unification bout between WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs) and WBA/IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs), Main Events succeeded in obtaining the result it sought for Kovalev.

Main Events filed the lawsuit in April after Groupe Yvon Michel and Stevenson failed to honor an agreement for a scheduled bout between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (24-1, 20 KOs). Now that Kovalev is scheduled for a unification bout with Hopkins, Main Events decided to drop the suit without prejudice, retaining the right to reinstate the litigation in the event the fight between Hopkins and Kovalev does not proceed as scheduled.

Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva said, “The purpose of the lawsuit was to secure a unification bout for Sergey and allow him to face the top competition in the light heavyweight division. By signing on with Hopkins and Golden Boy Promotions for a three-title unification bout, Main Events secured the big fight that Sergey wanted. We no longer have damages, so we will not proceed with the litigation at this time.”

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Aug. 4, 2014) – To kick off fight week in Brooklyn, former world champion and SHOWTIME Sports® analyst Paulie Malignaggi plus fighters on the “Danny Garcia vs. Rod Salka” fight card met fans and signed autographs at the Nets Shop on Coney Island Sunday afternoon.

Joining Malignaggi was Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs, Edgar “El Camacho” Santana, Sadam “World Kid” Ali, Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa and “Sir” Marcus Browne, all of who fight this Saturday, Aug. 9 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. .

Fighters took advantage of the day on Coney Island as Jacobs and Browne rode the Thunderbolt roller coaster at Luna Park. In the evening, Jacobs threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Brooklyn Cyclones game at MCU Park.

# # #

“GARCIA VS. SALKA,” a 10-round welterweight bout on Saturday, Aug. 9,
is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co
main event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Dibella
Entertainment, IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont Peterson puts his title
on the line against Edgar Santana in a 12-round championship bout. Opening the
telecast, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Greg Cohen
Promotions, Brooklyn’s own Daniel Jacobs takes on Jarrod Fletcher for the vacant WBA
Middleweight World Title. The event will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY,
will air live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT) and will be available in Spanish via
secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges
are on sale now and are available for purchase at
www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by
calling 800-745-3000 and at the American Express Box Office. For group tickets, please
call 800-GROUP-BK.

What’s in a name? Quite a bit, when you consider how much self promotion is involved in the sport of boxing.
Throughout the sport’s rich history, nicknames and handles have become an integral part of a prizefighter’s connection to his most avid supporters and die-hard fans. Fighters like “Iron” Mike Tyson, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya, “Sugar” Ray Robinson and most recently Saul “Canelo” Alvarez have each made their mark in the sweet science, and their adopted labels have become synonymous with their respective careers.

With less than a month remaining until his long awaited home coming, undefeated and highly touted Super Bantamweight prospect Adam Lopez (8-0, 3 KOs) is asking the great boxing fans to come up with a fight “nickname” for his TMB Entertainment debut on August 30th.
“I’m trying to find a boxing nickname before the event at Wolf Stadium on August 30th,” admits the 23 year old San Antonio native. “Unfortunately, I was born with a name that really doesn’t fit any classic boxing names. So I’m relying on everyone to come up with a nickname to wear on my robe and boxing trunks on fight night.”
The explosive counter puncher is searching for a ring moniker that suits his fight style.
“I’m willing to listen to any suggestions at this point,” insists Adam Lopez. “We’ve talked about ‘Mantequilla’ Lopez, ‘The Alamo City Assassin’ and ‘The Answer’, but we haven’t really decided on anything. I know that the fight fans can be a lot more creative than myself.”
The Alamo City banger is genuinely serious about the issue, and feels that a fitting ring handle is important to his professional fight career. The talented young fighter is willing to give the eventual winner two special VIP tickets to his August 30th bout at Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio, Texas.
Adam will announce his selection on Saturday, August 23rd, at TMB Entertainment’s final press conference, which is slated to take place at “Copa Ultra Lounge and Grill” on Walzem Rd. at 3p.m.
Please send your suggestions, along with your personal contact information, to TMBoxing1@gmail.com for your chance to attend “Battle at the Ballpark” on August 30th, and forever become an integral part of Adam Lopez’s promising fight career.

SAN ANTONIO, TX (August 4, 2014) – Hot prospect, Mario Barrios (5-0, 2 KOs) is coming off an impressive first round knockout against Salvador Perez, a fight that took place at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indo, Ca. Standing 6’0 feet tall, Barrios has all the natural gifts to become something special in super-bantamweight division and on. Barrios talks about the present state of his career.

What age did you start boxing and why did you decide to turn pro at such a young age?

Mario Barrios: I started boxing at age 7 and fell in love with the sport the first time I stepped in the gym. After fighting in the amateurs for all those years I felt it was in my best interest to turn pro at age 18. I figured I can start making an income now as opposed to later on in my career. I love fighting in the pros because every time you step in the ring gets you one step closer to fighting for a world title which is the ultimate goal.

You’re very tall for the super-bantamweight division. How long do you see yourself fighting at 122lbs?

Mario Barrios: I’m only 19 years old so I feel I can make the weight for a few more fights. The goal is to keep fighting at super-bantamweight until my body can’t make the weight anymore. I’ve already fought at featherweight so the transition will not be a problem.

You’re managed by Al Haymon and advised by Luis Decubas Jr. and Bob Santos. How do you feel about having such a powerful group of people supporting your career?

Mario Barrios: I feel I have the best management team in boxing. Al Haymon is a man who takes care of his fighters and I just want to live up to my potential. Bob Santos and Luis Decubas Jr. are always looking out for my best interest and I know together we can go to the top with Al Haymon. It’s a great team, no doubt.

What are your goals for the rest of the 2014 year?

Mario Barrios: I just want to stay busy and keep learning with every fight. If I can get a few more fights by the end of the year it will be great. I feel I’m ready to step up to six round fights. I’m just going to let my team do their job and I’ll be ready to fight when my name is called.

Who are some of the fighters you liked growing up till now?

Mario Barrios: Julio Chavez Sr. and Oscar De La Hoya were fighters I watched. Diego Corrales was a tall fighter so I like looking at some of his fights as well. Right now I like watching Robert Guerrero and Manny Pacquiao.

When can we expect to see you fight again?

Mario Barrios: Sometime in September I should be back in the ring. Hopefully I can fight on a card in Texas near San Antonio where I’m from. I love fighting in front of my hometown fans, but I’ll fight anywhere. I just love to fight.

Las Vegas, Nev. ? The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC®) is pleased to announce that Carlos Juarez has joined the company as Vice President, Spanish Language Production. In his role, Juarez will oversee all Spanish-language productions and direct overall content execution from inception to delivery. He will also be responsible for all domestic and international studio television and digital production, as well as live and taped Pay-Per-View and television shows.

“The UFC has some of the most passionate fans in all of sports and I am excited to help the company continue to develop exclusive content and programming for our Spanish-speaking fans,” Juarez said. “As the UFC continues to expand throughout Latin America, producing programming and content for our Spanish-speaking viewers is essential to the UFC’s growth throughout the region.”

With over a decade of production experience, Juarez has also directed and produced programming for FOX Soccer Channel and FOX Sports Español that included UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball, and National Football League telecasts. Prior to joining the UFC, Juarez worked for FOX Networks and Engineering as Director of Production, in charge of a production facility and various crews coordinating with FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, FOX Deportes, and MundoFOX.

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