Chicago, IL (February 6, 2014) Former Chicagoland amateur standout Jose Felix Quezada makes his professional debut this Friday night, FEBRUARY 7 at the UIC Pavilion against East Chicago’s Chris Jackson in a four round lightweight clash.

Finishing up his amateur career two weeks ago with a record of 88-25, the 19-year-old Quezada spoke about his highly anticipated opening bow in the paid ranks.

“I won my last amateur bout two weeks ago and I’m ready to turn pro,” said the Shepard High School graduate. ‘This seems like the best time, I’ve accomplished a lot as an amateur.”

This past Saturday, Quezada and his advisor, Chicago entrepreneur Rick Ramos hosted a public media workout at a packed Body Shot Boxing Club on the city’s near South Side.

“It was terrific to see so many members of the media and friends come to the workout,” said Quezada who expects over 200 supporters to watch his fight on Friday night.

About the changes from amateur to pro Quezada said the head gear will be the biggest challenge, “It will take a bit to get used to but I sparred recently without and it went very well. My vision was much better as was my breathing.”

“Jose is ready and I’m thrilled to be a part of his professional career,” said Ramos. “He’s a terrific young man with all the attributes to have a very successful professional career.”

BOLTON (Feb. 6) – Rising super-flyweight Haroon Khan returns to action tomorrow night as he looks to continue the impressive start to his professional career.

The 22-year-old, who enjoyed a good amateur run, winning Commonwealth bronze in 2010 in Delhi, has made a flying start to his career in the paid ranks, racking up three wins including a stunning stoppage of American Vincente Medellin in Atlantic City last year.

The exciting prospect now steps back into the ring when he faces Middlesbrough’s Francis Croes in a four round contest this Friday night at Ice Sheffield, in a city which evokes good memories for the youngster having won his debut fight there against Brett Fidoe.

Khan has been out of action since his dominating points victory over Stefan Slavchev last November in Blackpool, and now the man, who has drawn comparisons in parts of his boxing style with his esteemed older sibling Amir Khan, is ready for a big 2014.

“I just want to stay as active as possible this year,” said Khan. “My goal for 2014 is to get as many fights under my belt and gain more experience in the professional ranks. I want to test myself against different styles and opponents with the aim of really bringing me on this year. I’ve been spending a lot of time in the gym but nothing can beat actually getting in the ring and testing yourself there. It’s going to be a very important year for me and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

Khan is in no doubts that should he win tomorrow night and continue impressing over the coming year, he has the ability to push for domestic honours in the not too distant future.

“At the moment my mind is fully focused on winning my next fight against Francis Croes. I want to look good in the fight and show people the progress I’ve been making,” he said.

“I’ve done a lot of work in the gym and I think it’s going to show in this fight and in the fights to come over the next few months. I definitely want to be challenging for an English or British title in the near future but first I need to gain experience and keep doing what I’m doing – winning,” said Khan.

“I believe in my ability and my trainer Oliver Harrison believes in it and we’re in no doubts that if I keep working away we can get to where we want to get to – which is the top,” added Khan.

Khan is expected to take a large contingent of fans with him to Yorkshire for what is set to be a great night’s boxing.

Centennial, Colo. – February 6, 2014 – Boxing fans across the nation will have a ringside seat when Fathom Events, Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions bring the highly-anticipated 12-round bout between boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez and the relentless Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo on Saturday, March 8 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. MT / 6:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. AK / 4:00 p.m. HI. “Toe to Toe: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast live to select theaters nationwideforan action-packed fight from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas that assures redemption for just one of these elite fighters. The fight card also features Two-Division World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KO’s) against Former World Champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KO’s), WBC Lightweight World Champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa (24-0-1, 17 KO’s) opposite Canelo’s older brother, Lightweight Contender Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KO’s), as well as IBF Middleweight World Champion “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KO’s)against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KO’s).

Tickets for “Toe to Toe: Canelo vs. Angulo” are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change). The event will be broadcast to nearly 400 select movie theaters across the country through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network.

“March 8 will be a huge night for boxing, and as we team up with Fathom Events once again, fight fans in movie theaters around the United States will be able to experience the entire Canelo vs. Angulo event like they never have before,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

“This will be my second fight that will be played in movie theaters and I am thrilled,” said Canelo Alvarez. “The fans know that I always look to leave them satisfied with my performance in the ring and that’s why I invite all of them to be part of a great experience by watching my fight against ‘El Perro’ Angulo on the big screen. I promise endless action from the first bell because when Mexican fighters get in the ring, fans are guaranteed a tremendous fight.”

“My fans know that my hands speak louder than my words,” said Alfredo Angulo. “For those who don’t know me, this cinematic experience with Canelo on March 8 will help you see why these hands always guarantee a great show. Please sit back, enjoy and get ready for a great performance.”

Mexican boxing superhero and pride of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KO’s) returns to the ring hungrier than ever after a hard-fought loss to the pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather in September 2013. His bout against Mayweather marked the highest grossing pay-per-view event in history and made him a hero to thousands of boxing fans all around the world. Now, six months later, the 23-year-old is ready to make his highly anticipated ring return and prove to the world that he really does belong amongst the elite fighters of his generation.

Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-3, 18 KO’s) from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico is a fan-favorite in the boxing world. The 31-year-old star embodies the guts and glory of a true Mexican warrior and has every intention of demonstrating this against the younger Canelo. Like Canelo, Angulo is also coming off of a controversial loss after suffering an eye injury during the ninth round of an exciting showdown against top Super Welterweight Erislandy Lara in June 2013. A win against Canelo would cement Angulo’s status as one of boxing’s most dangerous fighters and catapult him to the top of the list of world title contenders.

“Six months ago, movie theaters were packed with boxing fans eager to watch the match-up between the reigning boxing kings of the U.S. and Mexico,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of Fathom Events. “We are thrilled to welcome Canelo back to another amazing fight as he and Angulo go ‘toe to toe’ for a night that will surely leave you on the edge of your seat.”

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For artwork/photos related to “Toe to Toe: Canelo vs. Angulo,”click here.

About AC JV, LLC
Fathom Events is owned by a newly formed entity called AC JV, LLC. Fathom is the recognized leader in the alternative entertainment industry, offering a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events in movie theaters nationwide that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, the performing arts, major sporting events, music concerts, comedy series, Broadway shows, original programming featuring entertainment’s biggest stars, socially relevant documentaries with audience Q&A and much more. Additionally, Fathom events take audiences behind-the-scenes and offer unique extras – creating the ultimate entertainment experience for fans of all ages. Co-owned by the three largest movie theater circuits in the United States, AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), Fathom’s live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live events to more than 750 locations in 171 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

BROOKLYN, NY (FEBRUARY 6, 2014)–On Thursday night, February 27th at the Millennium Theater, Dmitry Salita’s Star of David Promotions will present a special night of boxing that will be highlighted by a n eight round cruiserweight bout between Steve Bujaj and Elvin Sanchez.

One of the featured undercard bouts will pit undefeated Jr. Middleweight Shawn Cameron against Ibrihim Shabazz (2-2-1) in a fight scheduled for six rounds.

Cameron of Brooklyn has a perfect mark of 6-0 with 4 knockouts and will be fighting in support of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP).

The organization hits close to home as Cameron served two tours of duty for the United States Army and was in Iraq in 2003.

The vision vision of WWP is to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service members; to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other; to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.

“I did two tours back to back when I was 18 years-old,”said Cameron. “I thank god that I came back 100% healthy both mentally and Physically.”

“People do not understand what these men and woman go through and it took for my best friend to get killed and for a lot of my friends to get injured and then it hit me that I have a chance to help these people. Besides the physical injuries there is mental trauma. I recently got involved with the Wounded Warrior Project . It is the least I can do.”

“A lot of these guys come home and just feel lost, physically incapable of doing simple tasks due to injury. I could go on for days, these guys just need all the support they can get and the wounded warrior project is definitely doing a good job helping them

“By me fighting it raises awareness and hopefully I can help a lot. Sometimes these heroes need moral support more than anything financial. If it wasn’t for the military, I wouldn’t be boxing. One day in the desert, we were boxing and that led to me competing in some smoker tournaments in Korea.”

When Cameron got back home he took up boxing and had a short amateur career but in that time he won the 2008 Golden Gloves tournament and was a semi-finalist in 2008 and 2010. He was a 2009 Metro finalist and a 2010 national PAL quarter-finalist at 152 pounds.

In an eight round lightweight co-feature, Michal Chudecki (8-0-1, 3 KO’s) of Poznan, Poland takes on Edward Valdez (12-10-2, 9 KO’s) of New York.

In six round bouts:

Steve Martinez (13-1, 10 KO’s) of New York takes on an opponent to be named in a Jr. middleweight bout.

In a super featherweight bout, Angel Garcia (6-2, 2 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY battles an opponent to be named.

In a middleweight bout, Akil Aguste (3-1, 3 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY battles Donnie Dukes (0-6) of Albany, NY.

In four round bouts:

Peter Reyes (4-0, 2 KO’s) of New York fights Michael Mitchell (2-3-2) of Paterson, NJ in a middleweight bout.

Dimash Niyazov (4-0-2, 3 KO’s) of Staten Island, NY will fight Carlos Nieves (0-5) of Brooklyn, NY in a Jr. welterweight bout.

Marcos Suarez (1-0-1) of Bronx, NY will square off with Jean Hernandez (0-1) of Bronx, NY in a lightweight bout.

Tickets for this outstanding night of boxing will are $125 (VIP); $100 (Ringside), $80, $60 & $40.

Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs) will appear in studio during tonight’s episode of Olbermann live at 11 p.m. ET. Pacquiao is in New York for a Thursday press conference to announce his much anticipated rematch between undefeated Welterweight title holder Timothy Bradley Jr. (31-0, 12 KOs). The fight will take place Saturday, April 12, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Bradley won a controversial split decision, ending Pacquiao’s Welterweight title reign, in their first fight back in 2012.

NEW YORK (Feb. 5, 2014) – The first time Angelo Santana appeared on ShoBox: The New Generation he scored one of the most memorable knockouts of 2012. The second time, he suffered the only loss of his career in a shocking upset. Now, in his third consecutive ShoBox appearance, Santana (14-1, 11 KOs) will look to regain his status as one of the most promising – and feared – boxing prospects of today.

But it won’t be an easy test as he takes on the more experienced Hank Lundy (23-3-1, 11 KOs) in the compelling 10-round lightweight main event of ShoBox on Friday, Feb. 21, live on SHOWTIME® (10:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). The event is promoted by Don King Productions from the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Opening the telecast will be a 10-round super lightweight bout featuring one of the most exciting prospects in boxing, Amir “Young Master” Imam (12-0, 11 KOs), and Jared “The Quiet Storm” Robinson (14-0, 6 KOs) in a battle of unbeatens. The electrifying, power-punching Imam has won 11 consecutive fights by knockout, all but one inside three rounds.

“My first boxing promotion in Cleveland was on Aug. 28, 1972,’’ said Don King. “It was a charity event for ‘Show For People Care’ to benefit Forest City Hospital and it featured Muhammad Ali in an exhibition match. For our great fight card on Feb. 21, we’re calling it ‘Cleveland Show for People Care: Let’s Do it for Cleveland, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.’

“It’s going to be a terrific night of fights, a dynamite show in Mayor Frank Jackson’s great city of Cleveland, in Gov. John R. Kasich’s great state of Ohio. We will be in a city and a state where people are the most important.

“This ShoBox event features the next generation of young boxers. In Santana and Imam, you have two guys, who, if they win, could be fighting for a world title in their next fight.’’

Tickets to the event – priced at $35, $75, and $125 plus tax and fees – go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 6, at 5:00 p.m. ET and can be purchased through the Wolstein Center box office and website www.wolsteincenter.com or by calling Charge-by-Phone 1-877-468-4946. Doors open at 7 p.m., and a full undercard will be presented prior to the televised matches.

The talented Santana, 25, is seeking to regain his winning ways in his first outing since suffering his lone defeat – a stunning ninth-round TKO to late substitute and underdog Bahodir “Baha” Mamadjonov last April 12 on ShoBox. Going into the fight, the popular and aggressive Santana was ranked No. 3 in the WBA.

Despite his loss, expectations remain high for the Cuban native. In a career-best performance in his ShoBox debut on Nov. 16, 2012, Santana registered one of the most devastating knockouts of the year – a brutal fifth-round stoppage over previously unbeaten Johnny Garcia in Hallandale, Fla.

Lundy, 30, is a tough out for any boxer and figures to give Santana all he can handle. A dedicated, determined boxer-puncher with good speed and movement and a strong amateur background, Lundy has registered notable victories in his seven-year career, including wins over former WBC lightweight world champion David Diaz (KO 6) in August 2011 and current WBA lightweight world champion Richar Abril (W 10) in January 2010.

“Hank Lundy is one of the most exciting and TV-friendly fighters in the ring today,” said Jimmy Burchfield, President and CEO, CES Boxing. “We appreciate the opportunity for this fight given by Don King and Angelo Santana. We feel it’s going to be a terrific fight.”

A former NABF lightweight champion whose currently ranked No. 10 in the IBF and No. 13 in the WBC at super lightweight, the switch-hitting Lundy is coming off a lopsided 10-round decision over former top ranked Olusegun Ajose (31-1 going in) on July 19, 2013. Seemingly always matched tough but willing to fight anybody, any place, Lundy dropped a close, questionable 12-round decision to local favorite and still-undefeated Viktor Postol in the Ukraine two outings ago on March 21, 2013.

Imam (pronounced “EE-mom”), 23, an amateur standout and silver medalist at the 2011 U.S. Olympic Trials, fought six times in 2013. This will be his second appearance on ShoBox. He was devastating in his debut, impressively knocking out Jeremy Bryan in the second round of the co-featured bout under Santana vs. Mamadjonov on April 12, 2013. A left hand followed by a colossal right to the chin finished Bryan at 2:13 in what was expected to be Imam’s toughest test.

The only time Imam went the distance as a professional came in November 2011 when he won a four-round decision in his pro debut. His last 10 fights have ended in two rounds or less.

Robinson, 31, a pro since August 2009, fights out of Charlotte, N.C. He is coming off a sixth-round knockout over Jahaad Wingfield last Aug. 17.

A well-prepared and focused athlete, Robinson hasn’t come close to losing while competing exclusively in the South (North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina).

This opportunity, on a nationally televised event, is one that Robinson, who was the No. 3-rated U.S. amateur in 2008, has longed for and he is confident he will make the most of it.

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

The February 7 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presented by Corona Extra will feature Junior Middleweights Roberto “La Amenaza” García (33-3,1 ND, 22 KOs) and “El Demonio” Norberto González (20-2, 13 KOs) in the 10-round main event.

Friday’s show, from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise the fights on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 3 p.m. The card is promoted by Warriors Boxing.

Watch Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore preview Friday’s main event

Commentators:
Joe Tessitore will be ringside with Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. Delvin Rodríguez and Pablo Viruega will call the fights for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Grisham Interviews with Pacquiao and Bradley:
Grisham will interview undefeated Welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr. and Manny Pacquiao on Thursday as they prepare for their much anticipated rematch that will take place Saturday, April 12, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Both interviews will air during Friday’s show on ESPN2.

Main Event:
Texas’ García, who has won his last five fights, scored a six-round unanimous decision win over Larry Smith in his last outing, while Mexico’s González is looking to continue his winning ways following a 10-round unanimous decision win over Michael Oliveira.

García scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Antwone Smith in 2012 on Friday Night Fights. After that fight ESPN.com boxing writer Dan Rafael wrote: “This is the most notable victory of Garcia’s career. Garcia pressured the slicker Smith and just seemed to want it more. He outhustled Smith and beat him to the punch throughout the bout to take the clear decision.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit undefeated Featherweight Kamil “Szurek” Laszczyk (15-0, 7 KOs) against former Bantamweight world title challenger Daniel “El General” Diaz (20-5-1, 15 KOs). New Jersey’s Laszczyk, by way of Poland, is coming off a third-round TKO win over Laszlo Fekete, while Nicaragua’s Diaz, scored a 10-round split decision win over Roberto Marroquin in his last fight.

Additional Fight:
Friday’s show will open with a four-round bout between undefeated Welterweight Erickson Lubin (2-0, 2 KOs) and Roberto Acevedo (13-12-3, 1 KO).

Upcoming Schedule:

Date
Time (ET)
Main Event
Location
Networks
Fri, Feb. 14
9 p.m.
Chris Algieri (18-0, 8 KOs) vs. Emanuel Taylor (17-1, 12 KOs) —10-rounds, Junior Welterweights
Paramount Theater, Huntington, N.Y.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb. 21
9 p.m.
Boxcino 2014 Lightweight Quarterfinals: six-rounds each

Chris Rudd (12-1, 8 KOs) vs. Yakubu Amidu (22-4-1, 18 KOs)

Petr Petrov (32-4-2, 15 KOs) vs. Fedor Papazov (14-0, 9 KOs)

Miguel Gonzalez (22-3, 16 KOs) vs. Miguel Angel Mendoza (21-2-2, 21 KOs)

Fernando Carcamo (15-5, 12 KOs) vs. Samuel Neequaye (21-0, 15 KOs)
Edgewater Casino, Laughlin, NV
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb 28
9 p.m.
Boxcino 2014 Middleweight Quarterfinals: six-rounds each

Donatas Bondorovas (18-4-1, 6 KOs) vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. (15-1, 6 KOs)

Cerresso Fort (17-2-1, 11 KOs) vs. Vitalii Kopylenko (22-0, 12 KOs)

Brandon Adams (12-0, 7 KOs) vs. Daniel Edouard (23-4-2, 12 KOs)

Raymond Gatica (13-1, 7 KOs) vs. Sena Agbeko (15-0, 15 KOs)
Harrah’s Horseshoe, Hammond, Ind.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Mar. 7
9 p.m.
Rustam Nugaev (26-6-1, 16 KOs) vs. Marvin Quintero (25-4, 21 KOs) —10-rounds, Lightweights
Pala Casino, Pala, Calif.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Mar. 21
9 p.m.
Vanes Martirosyan (33-1-1, 21 KOs) vs. Luciano Cuello (33-3, 17 KOs) —10-rounds, Junior Middleweights
Morongo Casino, Cabazon, Calif.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook. Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo. Also 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. For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.

Tacoma, WA (February 5th, 2014) – Fighters scheduled to appear on this weekend’s CageSport XXIX card are making their final preparations as they get ready to step onto the scales Friday night and into the cage on Saturday. Headlining the action is Tacoma’s Drew Brokenshire (8-1) taking on Oregon’s Talon Hofman (9-6) in a five round main event for the CageSport featherweight title. Being featured on the undercard is five time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, Miriam Cardoso, who will make her professional MMA debut against Oregon’s Katie Howard.

A limited amount of tickets are still available for CageSport XXIX, scheduled for Saturday, February 8th at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA and can be purchased at the EQC box office and online at Ticketmaster. Prices start at $35. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early as the 1900 seat EQC showroom is expected to be a sellout.

Saturday night will mark the fourth time that Brokenshire will fight on a CageSport event, all four being main events for the promotion’s featherweight title. With his technical savviness and energetic fighting style, Brokenshire has become one of the Northwest’s most dynamic fighters helping him gain support as an easy CageSport fan favorite.

Brokenshire’s next opponent, Talon Hofman, could surprise the local fight fans in his first appearance on CageSport. Graduating from Burns High School in Oregon, Hofman is a four time high school state wrestling champion and figures to be a tough challenge on the ground for the current featherweight champ.

“The fight is less than a week away and I can’t wait to get back in there and show why I have the CageSport Title,” said Brokenshire. “I know the crowd there is the best and I will feed off their energy and put on a pace that will match their intensity. I love fighting in front of my hometown crowd and will do everything it takes to come out with the win!”

Nine other fights are scheduled on the undercard portion of CageSport XXIX including the professional MMA debut of Redmond’s five time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, Miriam Cardoso.

Miriam Cardoso (Pro Debut | Redmond, WA) vs. Katie Howard (Pro Debut | Portland, OR) at 115+1
Reagan Benedetti (Pro Debut | Seattle, WA) vs. Cheryl Chan (0-1 | British Columbia) at 115+1
Julian Erosa (10-2 | Yakima, WA) vs. Mike Joy (9-6 | Olympia, WA) at 145+1
Arjay Murphy (2-3-1 | Tacoma, WA) vs. Kario Isacc (1-0 | Tacoma, WA) at 136+1
Dylan Morgan (0-1 | Spokane, WA) vs. TBD
Zach Conn (1-3 | Ellensburg, WA) vs. Chaz Jordan (1-1 | Mercer Island, WA) at 170+1
Woo Johnson (Pro Debut | Tacoma, WA) vs. Rico Rough (0-1 | Olympia, WA) at 155+1
Rob Cann (2-2 | Bremerton, WA) vs. Erik Victor (0-2 | Bend, OR) at 145+1
Trevor Sojot (4-9 | Olympia, WA) vs. Eduardo Torres (2-2 | Wapato, WA) at 140+1

Doors for CageSport XXIX open at 6 PM with the first fight scheduled for 7 PM. For more information about CageSport XXIX and all other Halquist Productions events, please visit www.halquistproductions.com and the official Facebook and Twitter pages of CageSport MMA and Battle at the Boat.

About CageSport MMA
Halquist Productions’ CageSport MMA continues to be the longest running and leading all professional MMA promotion in the Northwest. The promotion has drawn fighters from all over the region such as: Miesha Tate, Bryan Caraway, Sam Sicilia, and Michael Chiesa, who have all fought on former CageSport cards and going on to become UFC superstars. CageSport has become a top MMA promotion in the country for northwest fighters to gain experience and exposure as they continue to dedicate their lives in hoping to one day sign with the UFC

TORONTO (February 5, 2014) – Heavyweight destroyer Tyson Fury has promised not to let new opponent Joey Abell derail him from his summer showdown with Dereck Chisora at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday, February 15 in London, UK.

Fury was due to face Gonzalo Omar Basile but the Argentine has withdrawn because of a lung infection, instead he will face dynamite-fisted American Abell over ten rounds on the card headlined by Chisora’s WBO/WBA International title defense against Kevin Johnson.

Canadian fans may watch all the action on Fight Network, starting at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT), while Americans can view on both cable and satellite pay-per-view for a suggested retail price of $24.95 via DIRECTV, iN Demand, DISH, Avail-TVN. Integrated Sports Media is distributing this major British boxing event in the United States on behalf of Fight Network.

If Chisora and Fury come through their respective fights then it will set up the blockbuster rematch between the two rival heavyweights which could also be a final eliminator for the WBO World title for the right to fight long-reining ruler Wladimir Klitschko.

Hard-hitting Abell, from Minnesota, has halted 28 opponents out of the 29 wins on his 35-fight career record. The 6′ 4″ southpaw gave IBF No. 1 ranked challenger Kubrat Pulev some early problems in their IBF International title fight in December before being stopped in the fifth round.

Wilmslow puncher Fury, who has stopped 15 out of 21 opponents, is looking forward to getting back in the ring after almost a year since his thrilling shoot-out against Steve Cunningham in his American debut.

“Abell is big and he can punch,” Fury said. “Just what I want on my comeback. One thing I do respect about him is his power. He’s got a great knockout record and in the heavyweights it only takes one shot to turn things around. He’ll have confidence in seeing that I was floored by Cunningham and he’ll want to have a good go, he likes to get things done early with a lot of knockouts coming in the first few rounds. Who knows? He could land one on me. This is his big chance to make a name and upset the future of the heavyweight division.

“I love these American opponents. They have all the talk, but I hope and pray that he does bring it on and comes at me swinging away because it will be one hell of a tear up. There’s one thing I don’t come off second best on and that’s a fight. I’m in perfect shape though and even though Abell is a late substitute there’s no way he’ll knock me off course for my summer rendezvous with Mr. Chisora who’s got his own Yank to deal with in Johnson. I’ll do my job and if he’s does his then we’re all set for a summer settler.”

An action packed card at the Copper Box Arena features super-middleweight star Frank Buglioni defending his WBO European title against Gaetano Nespro, plus Bradley Skeete in a showdown against former world champion Vivian Harris for the vacant WBA Intercontinental Welterweight title. An all-star line up features former amateur star and unbeaten pro Thomas Stalker, Tyson Fury’s cousin and undefeated heavyweight sensation Hughie Fury, plus top talents Lewis Pettitt, Georgie Kean, Billy Morgan and Steve Collins, Jr.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

For additional information go online to www.fightnetwork.com or www.integratedsportsnet.com, or follow on Twitter @FightNet and @IntegratedPPV.

A failed physical by his opponent last week forced a delay in Derrick “Take it to the Bank” Webster (14-0, 7 KOs) returning to the ring, but the wait will finally be over this Friday night at the Philadelphia Armory. After turning over every stone in an attempt to find a new opponent, it is now official that the undefeated super middleweight will meet gritty Puerto Rican scrapper Julio Garcia (6-5, 3 KOs).

Webster holds a perfect 14-0 record as a professional fighter (Photo courtesy of Team Webster, Click for full-size version).

“I was really excited that we were able to find a new opponent so quickly,” Webster stated. “My main priority is that I didn’t want to upset my fans anymore, so I had to figure out something. After my fight fell through last week, I reached out to Roy Jones and 50 Cent, and they advised me to go ahead and look for the next possibility. I knew my fans were upset that they didn’t get to see me fight last weekend, so I had to do something to rectify the situation as quickly as possible. It took some work, but I’m happy that they now have something to look forward to this Friday.”

Due to many circumstances out of his control, Webster has now waited over a year to get back in the ring. Despite that absence, the Glassboro, New Jersey, native has maintained an intense training regimen and has not taken any breaks from the gym, just to make sure that he is always ready if he received a call to fight.

“This is the prime of my career. I’m knocking at the door for some big time opportunities,” Webster confirmed. “It’s very important for me to always be in shape. When they pull my number out of the hat, I definitely want to be prepared. I want them to look at me like a guy who has been inactive, so when they choose me, they realize they just chose the wrong number. It sounds cliché because a lot of fighters use it, but I honestly feel like I am in the best possible shape right now that I have been in my entire career.”

Come Friday night, Webster looks forward to showing all of the boxing community exactly how great of shape that actually is.

“I’ve been indecisive about if I just want to get this fight over with or if I want to put on a show for my fans,” he remarked. “I definitely want to give my fans something to see, and I want them to recognize that I am a totally different fighter. Even in my sparring, I’m shocking myself with my hand speed and my combinations. Fighting off my back foot, fighting on the inside. It’s the things that I create and put together that has been the most impressive. I want to go out there and shock my fans and all of those people who come see me fight after fight. They’re going to see a whole new D-Web, a whole new Take it to the Bank. I’ve matured so much, and they’ll see all of that come Friday night.”

Tickets for Webster’s highly anticipated return to the ring this Friday night at the Philadelphia Armory are available now by calling his team at (609) 680-7131.

Redwood City, CA (February 5, 2014) – Newly crowned International Boxing Association (IBA) Super Flyweight Champion, Bruno “The Aloha Kid” Escalante (11-1-1, 5 KOs), from Redwood City, CA by way of Cebu, Philippines, will make his 2014 debut in a non title defense on Friday, February 28th, against Lorenzo Trejo 33-28-1 (20 KOs) from Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. The 10-round main event attraction will take place at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City.

Escalante was just named 2013 Northern California Fighter of the year while ending a successful 2013 by winning the IBA Super Flyweight Championship in a majority decision over Michael Ruiz Jr. on December 7. Escalante’s record was 5-0 throughout 2013 and he is looking to improve it over this next year.

“My goal is to continue working my way up the top of the Super Flyweight division,” said Escalante. “Trejo is a veteran with a lot of experience and I’m taking this fight very seriously. I’m in great shape, I feel I’m at the top of my game, and on fight night I’m going to give the fans a great show.”

Escalante vs Trejo headlines a night of world-class professional championship boxing presented by Don Chargin Productions and Paco Presents Boxing. Doors open at 5:00 pm, the main event at 8 pm.

Tickets, priced at $40, $50 and $60, are on sale now and available for purchase at foxrwc.com and PacoPresentsBoxing.com.

Undercard

In a 6 round co-main event, Jonathan “El Carismatico” Chicas 12-1 (5 KO) from San Francisco, CA, will take on veteran Rogelio Castaneda Jr. 26-19-3 (8 KOs) of Sacramento, CA. Chicas is fresh off his sensational TKO win over Rodolfo Armenta on December 7, 2013 and is looking to improve his record. While the veteran, Castaneda Jr. has fought tough fighters such as Lucas Matthysse and will look for a strong comeback against Chicas.

The show will also feature six more exciting fighters: San Francisco favorite Ricardo Pinell 6-1-1(5 KOs), who is fresh from his KO win over Arthur Brambila. Also including, the undefeated Darwin Price 4-0 (2 KOs) of Salinas, CA, along with Tony Johnson 7-0 (2 KOs) of San Jose, Redwood City’s own Jesus Sandoval 3-1-3, Mauricio Zalaveta 1-0 (1 KO) from San Leandro and the pro debut of Andrew Tinae from San Leandro.

The weigh-in will take place at the Holiday Inn and Suites, 330 N Bayshore Blvd, San Mateo, CA 94401 on Thursday, February 27 and is free to the public. The official weigh-in time is 3 pm.

For more information on Paco Presents Boxing, visit pacopresentsboxing.com or visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/pacopresentsboxing.

New York, NY (2/5/14) – Next Wednesday, February 12, DiBella Entertainment will promote the last boxing show ever to take place at NYC’s famed Roseland Ballroom in midtown Manhattan. The card, entitled “The Last Dance”, will be the premiere show of the 2014 Broadway Boxing series and the last boxing event to take place at the famed arena before it officially closes its doors in April following more than 50 years of operation at its current location.

As previously announced, featured bouts on the card will see New York fan-favorites Heather “The Heat” Hardy (7-0, 2KO’s), an undefeated super bantamweight, and West Point graduate junior middleweight Boyd “The Rainmaker” Melson (13-1-1, 4KO’s) in separate eight-round bouts, with the remainder of the card showcasing a number of exciting bouts and young prospects from the stables of both DiBella Entertainment and 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions.

Seeing action in separate six-round light heavyweight matchups will be fellow New York Golden Gloves champions Travis Peterkin (10-0, 5KO’s) and hard-hitting Joe Smith Jr. (13-1, 11KO’s). The undefeated Peterkin is set to compete against heavy-handed Michael Gbenga (18-10, 18KO’s), while Smith takes on his toughest opponent to date squaring off against battle-tested Otis Griffin (24-14-2, 10KO’s).

Returning to the ring for the first time in 2014 will be hot junior lightweight prospect Bryant “Pee-Wee” Cruz (8-0, 5KO’s) looking to continue where he left off in 2013 as he steps up the level of competition by facing Joshua Reyes (5-1, 2KO’s) in their six-round lightweight showdown. The 24-year-old Cruz, from nearby Port Chester, NY, in Westchester County, fought eight times in his first full year as a pro. With the backing of one of Westchester County’s most popularrestaurant/bar chains (Mickey, Molly and Maggie Spillanes), he has quickly become one of the more popular up-and-coming fighters on the local New York boxing scene. Cruz is focused on winning and moving up the ranks of the lightweight division in 2014, but he must first get by the once-beaten Reyes.

Appearing on the card out of the SMS-promoted stable will be Ryan Martin, Donte Strayhorn and Christopher Galeano, all in separate four-round bouts.

Widely considered the crown jewel of 50 Cent’s up-and-coming prospects, Martin (2-0, 2KO’s), nicknamed “Blue-Chip”, was an outstanding amateur, amassing a record of 180-22 while winning numerous regional titles as well as a national amateur championship along the way. Martin will seek to make it a perfect 3-0, with 3KO’s, when he takes on Jose Del Valle, of Puerto Rico. Fellow former amateur standout Donte Strayhorn (5-1, 1KO) will do battle against Jose Gomez, of Kent, WA.

The former #1-rated amateur and National champion Galeano (1-0-0-1NC) is co-promoted by DBE and SMS and is looking to stay very active in 2014. Galeano’s career got off to a bit of a rocky start when he dropped a decision in his pro debut. Galeano dominated the action throughout, but unfortunately suffered two flash knockdowns that were the difference on the scorecards. Fortunately for Galeano, the bout was later declared a no-contest after his opponent failed the post-fight drug test. Galeano righted the ship in his next outing, winning a bloody four-round unanimous decision over Jamil Gadsen. Galeano was cut badly early in the bout from an accidental head-butt, but fought through the adversity to win the unanimous decision. Galeano will challenge Travis McClaren (1-3, 1KO) in a four-round junior middleweight matchup.

Rounding out the card will be Queens’ undefeated junior welterweight Danny Gonzalez (5-0, 3KO’s), as he takes on Troy, New York’s tough Ray Velez (3-4, 1KO) in a four-round welterweight matchup. Gonzalez has shown promise since turning pro in late 2012, winning all four of his fights the following year. Three of Velez’ four career losses have come against undefeated fighters so he will be a good test for the 24-year-old Gonzalez.

The card is being promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions and is sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group and Everlast. SNY will broadcast the event tape-delayed. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (212) 947-2577. Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $45. There will also be VIP tables available with each ticket on sale for $150 and each table holding eight seats. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Bouts are subject to change.

Las Vegas, Nev. – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) and Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. ® (Toyo Tires®) have announced their partnership will continue for a seventh and eighth year, running through 2015. The extended partnership provides Toyo Tires with more exposure than ever before across UFC’s platforms including branding inside the Octagon® for two live FOX events and during the new season of The Ultimate Fighter® (TUF) Nations airing on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).

In addition to branding in the FOX and TUF Nations broadcasts, the Toyo Tires logo will continue to be inside the Octagon during select events on pay-per-view and FS1.

“Our increased partnership with UFC provides us even more opportunities to connect with, and introduce Toyo Tires to, their incredibly passionate fans,” said Amy Coleman, senior director of marketing, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “From the live event broadcasts reaching more than 825 million households, to the extensive media coverage and promotional opportunities, UFC provides us with worldwide, year-round exposure that is unmatched by any other sports organization.”

“We are pleased to continue our longstanding and productive partnership with Toyo Tires. We share the same values and both brands are driven to perform,” said Mike Mossholder, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships for UFC. “As the UFC’s overall growth continues to accelerate, we’re excited to enter into a deeper partnership that leverages the avidity of our fan base and value of our reach across multiple platforms.”

Outside the Octagon, Toyo Tires will again have a presence on UFC.com, which averages more than 6.7 million unique visitors per month worldwide and continues to be a top destination for UFC coverage and behind-the-scenes access. UFC fans will also see Toyo Tires at the UFC Fan Expo in Las Vegas and at UFC tailgate parties before events.

Toyo Tires also leverages the partnership through promotions, fighter appearances and fighter sponsorships. In 2013, Toyo Tires ran the Drive Within Sweepstakes awarding one lucky fan a trip to UFC® 167 and dinner with UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. At the 2013 SEMA Show, Toyo Tires hosted three days of autograph signings and appearances by UFC superstars. Athletes affiliated with Toyo Tires include Pettis, former UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz; and No. 1 ranked UFC Featherweight Chad “Money” Mendes.

UFC is the premier mixed martial arts organization worldwide, producing nearly 50 global live events annually to more than 145 countries and territories in 28 different languages. Financial terms of the agreement will not be released.

About Toyo Tires®

Established in 1966, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. represents the innovation, quality, performance, and excellent service that Toyo Tires has delivered worldwide for more than 65 years. The company offers a complete selection of premium replacement tires for nearly every make and model including light trucks, SUVs, high performance cars and luxury vehicles as well as commercial trucks. Consumer product lines include the popular Open Country® tires for light trucks and SUVs; Proxes® ultra-high performance tires; Versado® tires for luxury passenger cars; and the value line of Extensa® passenger car tires. Many of the tires are built in the United States at their state-of-the-art factory in Bartow County, Georgia. For more information log onto www.toyotires.com and connect with the community at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google+.

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, the UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries to 800+ million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S. which includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, 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. UFC also owns over 100 UFC GYM® locations, UFC.TV (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC 360 (the internationally distributed magazine), a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, best-selling DVDs and Blu-rays, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit www.UFC.com and follow UFC at www.Facebook.com/UFC and Twitter: @UFC.

PHILADELPHIA (FEBRUARY 5, 2014)–This past Friday night at Harrahs Philadelphia, Tevin “American Idol” Farmer scored a solid eight round unanimous decision over Noel Echevarria in a featherweight bout.

With the win, Farmer notched his 8th consecutive victory to raise his record to 15-4-1 with three knockouts.

Farmer, 23-years old of Philadelphia was making his 1st appearance as a featherweight since early in his career, won by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 78-74.

Tevin Farmer

“It was a step up in how I won the fight,”said Farmer, “He was tough as expected and he came to fight.”

Farmer believes that featherweight is a weight that will suit him just fine.

“I know if I get 1 or 2 more fights at this weight, I will be where I need to be.”

This was the 8th consecutive win for Farmer and he knows that bigger fights are on the horizon.

“I need to keep on winning and win the way I have been. I feel the big change in me is that I believe that if you work hard, stay dedicated and do the right things in and out of the ring, then the winning comes easy.”

Farmer has been one of the busiest fighters around as the eight wins came in under 12 months and he plans to keep up the same work scheduled for 2014.

“I already told my manager that I am ready to fight ASAP.”

Said Manager, Mark Cipparone, “We are very proud for Tevin. He continues to get better with each performance and we are seeking the best possible fights for him.”

Las Vegas – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that pound-for-pound king Jon “Bones” Jones will return to the Octagon® on Saturday, April 26 at Baltimore Arena to make an unprecedented seventh UFC® light heavyweight title defense against No. 2 contender Glover Teixeira, who is undefeated in the UFC. The event marks the organization’s first ever trip to Baltimore.

Jones, the brother of Baltimore Ravens star defensive lineman Arthur Jones, holds the UFC record for most light heavyweight title defenses with six. The dynamic striker and powerful wrestler will now meet the heavy-handed Teixeira, who has reeled off five straight wins in the UFC.

In addition to the Jones-Teixeira showdown, two more light heavyweights will meet in Baltimore when the division’s fourth-ranked competitor and 2008 national champion wrestler at Penn State Phil Davis (12-1, 1NC, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) meets the explosive Anthony Johnson (16-4, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Dublin, Ga.), who returns to the UFC riding a six-fight win streak.

The card also features top middleweights in action as former STRIKEFORCE® middleweight champ and sixth-ranked Luke Rockhold (11-2, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) takes on No. 11 Tim Boetsch (17-6, fighting out of Sunbury, Pa.). No. 5 ranked Jake Ellenberger (29-7, fighting out of Lake Forest, Calif.) returns to action against former STRIKEFORCE welterweight champion and ninth-ranked Tarec Saffiedine (15-3, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.). Also, No. 2 ranked flyweight Joseph Benavidez (19-4, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) hopes to rebound when he takes on eighth-ranked Tim Elliott (10-4-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.).

Highly-touted lightweight prospect Joe Ellenberger (14-1, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) makes his UFC debut against Honolulu’s Yancy Medeiros (10-1), while, battling to break into the featherweight rankings, Max Holloway (8-3, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) will meet recent UFC recruit Andre Fili (13-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.), who is coming off an impressive second-round knockout victory in his promotional debut.

Tickets for UFC®172: JONES vs. TEIXEIRA go on sale Friday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $350, $225, $125, $75 and $50. Tickets will be available at the Baltimore Arena Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800)745-3000 or on the web at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Feb. 6 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Through Quint Events, the UFC is proud to offer the UFC® VIP Experience. The experience combines tickets with behind-the-scenes access to the official weigh-ins, backstage tours, meet and greets, autograph signings with top UFC stars, Q&A sessions, photo opportunities, access to an in-arena VIP party room, a chance to hold the championship belt inside the Octagon and more! Please click here for more information on the UFC 172 VIP Experience.

UFC®172: JONES vs. TEIXEIRA 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.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Beijing and Singapore, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which airs on FOX Sports 1.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, to nearly 882 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.7 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

DANNY “SWIFT” GARCIA, Unified Super Lightweight World Champion
“I am a Puerto Rican. I could have been born on the moon, but I’m still Puerto Rican.

[On fighting in Puerto Rico] “It means a lot to me. Everybody in the stands is going to be Puerto Rican. I’ve never had that before.

“Even though I’m from Philly, that’s not my heritage. It’s important for me to reach out to my fans because I think Puerto Rican boxing needs this right now.

“I think that Puerto Rico is going to accept me as its own after I win on March 15. Philadelphia might be my birthplace, but Puerto Rico is my blood. ”

MAURICIO HERRERA, Super Lightweight Contender
“I know this is a huge opportunity, and I’m going to take full advantage of it.

“To have a shot at Danny’s belts has been a dream of mine for a long time.

“Danny Garcia is an intelligent and tough fighter, but so am I.

“I’m coming to Puerto Rico and I know there is a lot of pressure, but hopefully they will support me too.”

JUAN MANUEL “JUANMA” LOPEZ, WBO International Junior Lightweight Champion
“I’m excited about this great opportunity. I have the people of Puerto Rico confident in me and their support means everything to me.

“I’m prepared for this fight and I know that it’s going to be a tough one. I’m going to give it my all.”

DANIEL PONCE DE LEON, Former WBC Featherweight World Champion
“I’m happy to be here in Puerto Rico. I’ve been training hard and I’m ready for this rematch.

“It’s been five years [since our last fight] and I know that JuanMa is going to come in strong. He’s a great fighter, but I’m coming in fully prepared for this fight.”

ANGEL GARCIA, Garcia’s Father and Trainer
“March 15 is going to be like no other. Herrera has never fought a Puerto Rican and my son Danny is 100 percent Puerto Rican.

“My wife and I are both Puerto Rican, and like it or not, Danny is Boricua. It’s always been a dream of his to fight in Puerto Rico, so we’re happy to see that coming to pass.”

ARMANDO GAYTAN, Deputy COO & Senior VP of Golden Boy Promotions
“Puerto Rico has long been one of the hotbeds for boxing, with great fighters like Felix Trinidad, Wilfred Benitez, Miguel Cotto and Wilfredo Gomez all hailing from the island. So when we found out we were bringing this event to Bayamon, we knew we had to make it something special, and we’ve got a spectacular lineup of fights for the fans on March 15.

“Danny Garcia is one of the top stars in boxing today, and as a young man of Puerto Rican descent, his fight against Mauricio Herrera is not just another title defense, but a night he said he knows he will never forget.”

GILLERMO SILVA, Herrera’s Trainer
“I’m very thankful for this opportunity. It’s going to be a good and hard fight, but Mauricio will be prepared. The preparation and work he has put in will show on fight night. ”

HIRAM PADILLA, Sports Director of City of Bayamon, Puerto Rico
“Puerto Rico is glad to have such a big showcase. The Mayor wants to thank Danny for bringing a world-class fight to Bayamon.

“We know that Danny’s mom is from Bayamon, where the fight is going to take place, and we are proud he’ll be representing us on March 15.”

PETER RIVERA, Vice-President of Puerto Rico Best Boxing
“In all of these years as boxing promoters, we never saw an enthusiasm like today by the fans for this event. I’m sure that the Puerto Rican fans will support Danny Garcia as the new Puerto Rican boxing star.”

MANNY PACQUIAO QUOTES:

“I remember last time believing that I won the first fight against Tim Bradley. I thought I was leading after every round. I thought I won the fight easily. I controlled the fight every round.

“I had a feeling in training camp that he would run from me once he felt my power and he did…after the third or fourth round.

“To be honest, I wasn’t as motivated when I was training for our first fight. I guess I didn’t take him seriously enough.

“I was very surprised by the decision. But that’s part of the game. He got the decision and my title.

“Bradley was tough and strong. His style was different from mine.

“I am impressed with what Bradley has done since our fight. He is a different fighter now since we fought. He has more experience at this level and as a welterweight champion. He fought extremely well against Márquez. I knew Tim would beat him utilizing his speed. But I am still faster than Bradley.

“The only way Bradley can beat me this time is to knock me out. He cannot outbox me. I will be the aggressor. I will throw a lot of punches at him – more than I threw against Rios — and I will land them. Last time I was too nice. This time, I will finish what I start.

“I want to get back that belt he won off of me.

“Boxing has always been fun for me. This time the fun is secondary. This is a mission to prove I am the best.

“In my fight against Rios I proved I can still fight at the high level everyone expects from me. I showed I can still control a fight as well as I ever have.

“I’m excited to be back in Las Vegas fighting. Las Vegas attracts great boxing fans and I have great memories of fighting there.

“For training camp I intend to spend the first four weeks at my gym in General Santos City and the last four weeks at Wild Card in Hollywood”

TIMOTHY BRADLEY QUOTES

“This is all about redemption. I need Manny. He needs me. I’m going to beat him again. I am younger and a better fighter. Manny fights for the money. I have the hunger to win.

“I scored our fight eight rounds to four in my favor. No way he won that fight.

“Manny is great but he is also mortal. I’m not intimidated by him or his legend.

“Manny didn’t look the same against Rios. He didn’t have his usual killer instinct. That’s the first thing I noticed.

“I don’t think he has the hunger anymore and it’s never coming back. He no longer has his killer instinct. That’s the first thing I noticed in the Rios fight. Every time he backed Rios into a corner, Manny stepped back instead of going for it. He didn’t even try to put Rios away. That spoke volumes to me.

“When I fought Márquez I knew my quickness would come into play. I set traps and used my quickness. I fought with intelligence. I used my pure boxing skills.

“I know all about Manny. I went into the ring with him. I felt his best punches.

“Me, I am a different fighter than the one who fought Pacquiao in our first fight. I am more mature, smarter, and I now listen to what my corner is saying.”

DOVER, Del. — Dover Downs Hotel & Casino with Champ’s Management announce a championship boxing event scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21 featuring a headline bout between “The New” Ray Robinson (16-2-0, 7 KOs), of Philadelphia, Pa., fighting for the NABO Welterweight Championship Title against Aslanbek “The Warrior” Kozaev (25-0-1, 7 KOs), of Vladikavkaz, Russia.

In his last three fights, Robinson picked up as many titles — the vacant USBA, interim NABA and vacant USA Pennsylvania State welterweight titles. “I put in 110% every fight and that’s what sets me apart from other fighters,” said Ray Robinson. “I not only work hard but I got the heart too. Come February 21st everyone will see me in my element. This is what I was born to do and this is why I work so hard — so I can be on to top. This other guy may be a good fighter. I don’t doubt that at all, but no one wants this as bad as me. It’s my time and when we step inside that ring Kozaev will regret the day he signed that contract.”

This will be the ninth title shot for Kozaev, and with the exception of a 12-round, split decision draw last March for the WBC Baltic and WBC CIS and Slovenian Boxing Bureau titles against David Avanesyan, Kozaev has won them all and remains undefeated. He agrees fans should expect a great fight for this title. “I am very excited to come to Delaware and showcase my talents. Ray Robinson is a very talented fighter, but he has never been punched in the face by someone like me and he will realize that immediately — and often. I have been coming to the U.S. for several years to train hard for an important opportunity like this one, and I am happy that it has finally arrived. I am undefeated for a reason and I plan to stay that way on February 21st. Fans at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino should expect a great fight. I promise to take pictures and sign autographs with all of them after beating Robinson.”

The undercard features undefeated super featherweight sensation, Omar “Super O” Douglas (11-0, 9 KOs), of Wilmington, Del., featherweight Cornelius Lock (21-6-2, 13 KOs), of Detroit, Mich., lightweight “Jolt’n” Joey Tiberi (11-1-0, 5 KOs), of Newark, Del., light middleweight Anthony Miller (1-0, 1 KO), of Wilmington, Del., super middleweight John “Church Boy” Bowman (8-0-1, 1 KO), of Dover, Del., cruiserweight David “One Two” Murray (1-0, 1 KO) of Pennsylvania.

Pro debuts bring the best of the amateurs to the big leagues. Middleweight Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis made history last year as the first amateur boxer to bring home two national championships to the State of Delaware, the National PAL Boxing Championship last October and the Adidas National Tournament last June. “I had an extremely successful amateur career winning three national titles,” said Davis. “Being on the USA Team with a record of 90-9 is a dream come true. I’m ready to step up in the pro ranks to become a world champion.” Junior welterweight Milton “El Santo” Santiago of Philadelphia, Pa., is also making his pro debut.

Tickets are on sale for $45 – $200 and may be purchased by calling VIP Services at 800-711-5882 or visiting doverdowns.com. Event, times and card are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Owned by Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: DDE), Dover Downs Hotel & Casino® is a premier gaming and entertainment resort destination in Delaware. Operations consist of a 500-room, AAA-rated Four Diamond hotel, a full complement of gaming options including slots, tables, and online gambling, the Rollins Center® concert hall, 41,500 sq. ft. of event space, live harness racing November through April, nationwide horse racing simulcast year-round, professional football parlay betting, multiple restaurants and bars/lounges, and retail shops. For more information, please visit www.DoverDowns.com.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (February 4, 2014) – In a battle of pound for pound titans, undefeated two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Fighter of the Decade Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO. This will be Pacquiao’s first fight in the U.S. since 2012. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 will take place, Saturday, April 12, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2, priced at $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges, go on sale Tomorrow! Wednesday, February 5 at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. There will be a total ticket limit of 12 per person with a limit of 10 per person at the $1,000, $800, $600, $400 and $250 price levels and a limit of two (2) per person at the $150 price level. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

When Pacquiao and Bradley rumbled the first time on June 9, 2012 at MGM Grand, Bradley’s hand was raised via a controversial split decision, ending Pacquiao’s welterweight title reign as well as his seven-year, 15-bout winning streak. Though both fighters claimed victory neither was satisfied. Destiny may have played a hand in their first battle but it will be survival of the fittest that determines the winner of this exciting rematch.

“I want my title back and I am prepared to endure my hardest training camp ever to win this fight against Tim Bradley,” said Pacquiao. “It is very exciting to be returning to Las Vegas. And as always, I dedicate this fight to my countrymen throughout the world and to bring glory to the Philippines.”

“This fight is to get the credit I did not get the first time,” said Bradley. “I must beat Pacquiao as convincingly as I beat Juan Manuel Márquez.”

“Tim Bradley is one of the toughest guys in the world and I saw that up close when he fought Ruslan Provodnikov last year,” said Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, who worked Provodnikov’s corner. “Tim looked even better in beating Márquez in his last fight. Tim is the champion and Manny and I know we have our work cut out for us to successfully challenge him on April 12.”

“This is a fight which will give us peace of mind after the controversy of our first fight,” said Bradley’s trainer Joel Diaz.. “We have to win and make it clear. It’s not going to be easy for Pacquiao if he thinks he can beat Bradley. I will guarantee that.”

“At long last a competitive super fight,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “I am sure the sports books in Las Vegas are gearing up for huge two-way action.”

“Rarely do we see two marquee fighters wanting to fight each other in order to settle doubt,” said Todd duBoef, President of Top Rank. “Someone is going to be very disappointed after the fight.”

“Fight fans have been clamoring for a rematch ever since the decision of Pacquiao vs. Bradley I was announced on June 9, 2012,” said Mark Taffet, Senior Vice President, HBO Pay-Per-View. “These are two exceptional athletes, elite world class prizefighters, who do not hesitate to accept difficult challenges on the sport’s biggest stage. We can’t wait for April 12th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.”

“It is an honor to host this international championship boxing event at MGM Grand in April,” said Richard Sturm, president of Entertainment & Sports for MGM Resorts International. “We look forward to another successful fight and know the rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley will be exciting for the fans in the Arena and watching on television worldwide.”

“Based on the results of their first fight and considering Bradley’s recent success against Márquez and Provodnikov, this fight’s price will be much closer than the first time,” said Jay Rood, Vice President of Race & Sports for MGM Resorts International.
“Our opening number is Pacquiao -180 and +160 for Bradley which means Manny is slightly less than a 2-to-1 favorite. This line may in fact move up and down with most of our action picking up during fight week in April.”

Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines (he was reelected to a second term, running unopposed last year), is the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many different weight divisions. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resumé features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Márquez. From 2008 to 2010, five of his seven victories were world title victories in five different weight classes, from 130 to 154 pounds. No active boxer has sold more live tickets in the U.S. than Pacquiao, who is also credited with more than 12 million pay-per-view buys. He returns to the ring after a scintillating beatdown of former world champion Brandon Rios last November in Macau, China.

Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., a two-division world champion who unified the junior welterweight titles twice during his previous four-year reign, returns to the ring after three consecutive career-best victories. After moving up in weight and beating Pacquiao in 2012, Bradley co-starred in the Fight of the Year on March16, 2013, winning a brutal 12-round decision over future world champion Ruslan Provodnikov though Bradley was suffering from a concussion throughout most of the fight. In his most recent fight, on October 12, Bradley gave a virtuoso performance in defeating three-division world champion and Mexican icon Juan Manuel Márquez proving that Bradley is indeed one of boxing’s elite pound for pound fighters.

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

Chicago, IL, Tuesday, February 4–Bobby Hitz announced today that Russian heavyweight prospect Andrey Fedosov (24-3, 19 KOs) has relocated to Chicago and will train full time in the United States. In June, Fedosov, who hails from Shuya, Russia, impressed American boxing fans in a televised fight against Bryant Jennings (18-0, 10 KOs) which Hitz felt was stopped prematurely.

“Andrey is an impressive fighter who has a legit shot at a title. Chicago has a large Russian community and I am confident that his fan base will grow as a result,” said Hitz. “He would like another shot at Jennings because that fight was stopped early by a ref who couldn’t communicate with him. Whenever Spanish speaking boxers fight they make sure the ref speaks Spanish, they don’t give that same courtesy to Eastern European fighters like Andrey or Donatas Bondas.”

As Fedosov, who was recently married, settles into the Windy City he is ready to make an impact on the local boxing scene.

“I have made Chicago my new home, but I have to clean out my backyard which starts with me beating Mike Mollo and that bum Spzilka, who will never want to visit Chicago from Poland when I am done with him” said Fedosov. “I have a lot of respect for my Hitz stablemate Fres Oquendo, but I know I must challenge him too.”

Fedosov believes a rematch with Jennings is in order. Following their bout in June 2013 many boxing writers characterized Fedosov as giving Jennings a scare, conversely many said that Artur Spzilka (16-1, 12 KOs) was outclassed by Jennings.

“Bryant is a great boxer but I know that I will win a rematch,” said Fedosov. “I didn’t get any sparing rounds in before this fight. On the evening of the bout I wasn’t allowed to follow my normal warm up routine because they told me they couldn’t find my gloves and got them to me at the last minute. I know what was going on. Jennings is lucky I got cut early because I would have won that fight.”

Hitz, also promotes WBA Fedelatin and NABA heavyweight champ “Fast’ Fres Oquendo (36-7, 23 KOs) of Chicago, Brian Houston (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Omaha, NE and newcomer Nick Asberry (2-0, 2 KOs) from Waukegan, IL.

On Friday, February 28, Hitz returns to Hammond, Indiana’s The Venue for its wildly popular “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” as it partners with Banner Promotions for a card to be featured on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights.” Earlier in the month boxing legend “Iron” Mike Tyson hits The Venue stage for “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” on Saturday, February 8. Tickets for both are available at ticketmaster.com

ABOUT HITZ BOXING
Since its debut in 1991, Hitz Boxing has been the midwest’s leading boxing promoter. Led by Bobby Hitz, who boasted a 21-4 record with 18 KO’s as a boxer, Hitz Boxing is the longest running boxing promoter in the Chicago area dating back to the bi-monthly boxing series the “Ramada Rumble,” held at the former Rosemont Ramada Inn. The organization currently promotes the wildly popular “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN and is the subject of the actuality show “Hitz Boxing,” a web series which has amassed over 5 million internet views. Over the year’s the organization has produced matches that have included some of the top names in boxing such as James Toney, Antonio Tarver, Montell Griffin, Iran Barkley, Andrew Golota and “Fast Fres Oquendo.

For more information, please visit: www.hitzboxing.com.

Here are the main quotes from today’s kick-off press conference to WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Juergen Braehmer’s first title defense against former Cruiserweight titlist Enzo Maccarinelli on April 5 at the Stadthalle Rostock, Germany.

Juergen Braehmer: “Size doesn’t matter [regarding the difference in height] as the title will stay in Germany!” “Maccarinelli is a quality operator and a former world champion – a tough task to handle inside the ring. Still, I believe that I know what it takes to beat him.

Enzo Maccarinelli: “I am from Wales but have Italian roots. In terms of football you can compare this to Germany vs. Italy – and we all know that Italy was always successful against Germany when it came to the point. Come April 5, I will only be the second prizefighter after Bob Fitzsimmons to have won a world title, come down to light heavyweight and win a 2nd world championship.”

Francis Warren: “Enzo will have his Maccarinelli-Army with him coming over to Germany and support him. You will see a pro Maccarinelli crowd in Rostock to cheer on the new champion!”

Kalle Sauerland: “I might fear a British invasion to Rostock on April 5. At the end of the day it will be still Juergen Braehmer to be the one standing tall and still the WBA Light Heavyweight Champion. It will not only be a very entertaining bout but also to be fought on a world class level.”

Sherman Oaks, CA (Feb. 4, 2014) Recently signed former world title challenger Vanes ‘The Nightmare” Martirosyan will head back home to fight in front of his hometown fans on Friday, March 21 in a 10-round super welterweight clash against upset minded Argentinian veteran Luciano Cuello in the main event of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California, it was announced today by Goossen Tutor Promotions.

Tickets priced at $35 and $55 for “Goossen Tutor Promotions and Morongo Casino Resort & Spa Presents ESPN Friday Night Fights and presented by Corona Extra” can be purchased at the Morongo Box Office, by phone 951-755-5391, or through Ticketmaster.

“Vanes said he’s ready to go and we’re wasting no time,” said Dan Goossen, President and Founder of Goossen Tutor Promotions of his charge. “We’re excited to give boxing fans in Southern California and those watching on ESPN an opportunity to see Vanes come ‘Homeward Bound’ at Morongo against a very tough and experienced fighter in Cuello. There is a lot to gain for both fighters which always brings out the absolute best in them,” said Goossen.

“We’re also very thrilled to work with the terrific team at ESPN Friday Night Fights on this event and the outstanding staff at the beautiful Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. With Vanes’ popularity in the Southern California area and the venue being only an hour from downtown Los Angeles along with the fan friendly ticket prices, we expect a sell-out crowd in what will only be the second time Vanes has fought in California in the past five years.”

“We are looking forward to the great boxing event Goossen Tutor Promotions is bringing to Morongo Casino Resort and Spa on March 21, 2014,” said Bruce McClure Executive Director of Casino Operations.

Just 27-years-old, the Armenian born Martirosyan, 32-1-1 (20 KO’s), a native of Glendale, California, is returning to action following his WBO Junior Middleweight Title challenge against undefeated top rated contender Demetrius Andrade on November 9 of last year. Despite dropping Andrade for the first time in his career in the first round, the hard-hitting 2004 US Olympian lost a very competitive 12-round split-decision in a bout telecast on HBO.

On November 10, 2012 in Las Vegas, Martirosyan squared off with top rated contender Erislandy Lara in a WBC Super Welterweight Elimination bout. After eight evenly fought rounds Martirosyan suffered a bad cut from an accidental head-butt and the bout was declared a technical draw.

Sporting a record of 33-3-0 (17 KO’s), the 29-year-old Cuello is coming off a fourth round stoppage of Juan Jose Dias in La Plata, Argentina on November 22, 2013.

Prior to the knockout of Dias, Cuello battled highly regarded contender Willie Nelson on June 29, 2013 over ten rounds. Telecast on HBO, Cuello beat Nelson to the punch throughout their back-and-forth bout seemingly winning the fight. However, the three judges awarded the contest to Nelson.

Cuello’s only other two losses were to former world champions, Saul “Canelo” Alverez and a very questionable loss to the then-undefeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Mexico.

“This fight promises the type of all-action affair that Friday Night Fights is known for. Martirosyan may come in as the favorite, but fans who remember Cuello’s fight last year with Nelson know that he will have his hands full with this one,” said Brian Kweder, Senior Director, Programming & Acquisitions.

The March 21 event will be in held in the Morongo Ballroom, which is located at 49500 Seminole Dr. in Cabazon, California just off Interstate 10. Doors on the night of the event will open at 3:30 p.m. PT with the first bell at 4:30 p.m. PT. The show will air live at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates and also available via the WatchESPN app. The Martirosyan-Cuello Bout is promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment.

A full undercard of great fights featuring numerous Southern California prospects will be announced shortly.

For more information, follow Goossen Tutor on Twitter @GoossenTutor, @DanGoossen
and Vanes Martirosyan @VanesBoxing.

About Morongo Casino Resort & Spa:
Morongo (morongocasinoresort.com) is the premier gaming resort in California. Located in Cabazon, California, in the scenic Coachella Valley, Morongo is a prime getaway for residents of Orange County, Ontario, Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Los Angeles. Earning the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award for nine consecutive years, Morongo offers 310 well-appointed rooms and suites, a 150,000 sq. ft. casino floor, ten restaurants and lounges, and continuous world-class entertainment. One of the largest tribal gaming facilities in the country Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is owned and operated by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.

LONDON (Feb. 4) – One of boxing’s biggest showmen Tyson Fury makes his BoxNation debut next Saturday night.

The heavyweight sensation faces off against Argentine bruiser Gonzalo Omar Basile from the Copper Box Arena, on a bill which also features Dereck Chisora’s showdown with American Kevin Johnson.

Ahead of the Fury’s eagerly anticipated ring return, live and exclusive on the ‘Channel of Champions’, BoxNation will be bringing subscribers a special one-off show titled, ‘Fists of Fury’, which will showcase the last seven bouts featuring the rising heavyweight star.

Airing this Saturday 8th February from 6pm GMT, the show will start with the enthralling encounter between Fury and Chisora in front of a sold out Wembley Arena in July 2011 and will feature all Fury’s fights since – up until his latest conquest against Steve Cunningham in his US debut.

BoxNation will also bring a ‘not to be missed’ programme, free-to-air to all Sky TV customers, in which viewers can get an up, close and personal look at the often outspoken and charismatic Fury.

‘BoxNation meets – Tyson Fury’ airs on Thursday 13th February at 7.30pm GMT and will lift the lid on one of the sports most colourful characters as it gives a unique insight into the man many believe is set to become the next heavyweight champion of the world.

Further exciting news for BoxNation subscribers is that they will be able to watch Fury’s ring return at the Copper Box Arena on February 15th in glorious high definition, at no extra cost, on Sky channel 449, providing they are already HD enabled.

Fury vs. Basile & Chisora vs. Johnson is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch. 546) on Saturday February 15th. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £10* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

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

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 449), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

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

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £10 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 4, 2014) – The World Series of Fighting returns home to the fight capital of the world for “World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares.”

World Series of Fighting, the Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts promotion, returns to The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas on March 29 with a pair of championship titles on the line, as welterweight title holder Steve Carl (21-3) defends his belt against Brazilian jiu-jitsu master Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares (15-5) and bantamweight Marlon Moraes (12-4-1), a world-ranked top-10 contender, meets Josh “The Finisher” Rettinghouse (10-2) for the promotion’s inaugural 135-pound championship.

“We are very excited to be returning home for this incredible fight card,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. “Steve Carl will have a real serious challenge ahead for the first defense of his welterweight title as he faces Rousimar Palhares, and Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse will be an incredible fight and a great way to crown our first bantamweight champion.

“We’re working on a few more fights that we should be able to announce shortly, but fans are really going to love the lineup for this event, and great fights are guaranteed.”

The 29-year-old Carl earned World Series of Fighting’s welterweight belt in October with a dramatic, fourth-round submission win over Josh Burkman. The Iowa native has already earned three victories under the World Series of Fighting banner and currently boasts a seven-fight winning streak.

For his first title defense, Carl now meets submission expert and one of the most feared men in MMA, Rousimar Palhares. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and former Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship silver medalist, the 33-year-old Palhares is a grappling master who has earned 11 of his 15 career wins by way of submission.

Meanwhile, Moraes has quickly established himself as one of world’s best fighters at 135 pounds and has already earned four wins for the promotion after downing Carson Beebe, Brandon Hempleman, Tyson Nam and Miguel Torres. A former Muay Thai Brazilian national champion, Moraes currently trains under respected MMA legend Ricardo Almeida. The 25-year-old Moraes is currently ranked as the No. 8 bantamweight in the world by Fightmatrix.com.

Moraes now meets Washington’s Rettinghouse. The 23-year-old made his World Series of Fighting debut in October, earning a hard-fought decision win over Olympic wrestling bronze medalist Alexis Vila. Rettinghouse has won his past eight fights, and eight of his 10 career victories have come by stoppage.

Additional fights will be announced shortly.

Tickets for World Series of Fighting 9, which start at just $39, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at The Joint box office or by phone at (800) 745-3000. The night’s featured fights air live on NBCSN following preliminary bouts that stream on World Series of Fighting’s official website, WSOF.com.

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

About 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 Instagram for the latest news and updates.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (February 4, 2014) — M-1 Global Heavyweight contender Denis Smoldarev headlines M-1 Challenge 45 on Friday night, February 28 against Ante “Walking Trouble” Delija at Atmosphere Show Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The main event is an intriguing heavyweight showdown between Estonia’s undefeated Smoldarev (5-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) and Delila (9-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 1 SUB), who has been billed as the next great Croatian MMA star.

The 6′ 5″, 250-pound Smoldarev, who has a judo and sambo background, was the heavyweight winner of the M-1 Selection Grand Prix. The 24-year-old advanced to the semifinals of the 2013 M-1 Heavyweight Grand Prix but was forced to pull out only two days prior to the fight due to a knee injury. Delila, who stands 6′ 4 ¾” and weighs 230-pounds, is best known for his killer instinct having stopped within the distance all nine of the opponents he has defeated.

M-1 Challenge 45 will air live on Russia 2, the terrestrial channel, throughout Russia and the Commonwealth of Individual States (CIS), as well as across the Middle East on Abu Dhabi Sports Channels.

“This first event of 2014 for M-1 Global kicks off with some great rivalries and important fights to determine who is going to fight for the title,” M1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein said. “This fight is for the No. 1 Heavyweight contender between two very talented and enormous young prospects. Smoldarev is unbeaten in seven bouts while Delija has only one loss and is considered to be the next big thing in Croatian MMA. Whoever wins is likely to challenge the M-1 Global Heavyweight Champion (champion Damian Grabowski will defend next vs. Marcin Tybura) in the summer.”

M-1 Global is the No. 1 European MMA organization, as well as one of the oldest in the world, dating back to 1998. Superstar Fedor Emelianenko, considered by many to be the greatest fighter in MMA history, has been the face of M-1 Global around the combat sports world for the past decade.

The M-1 Challenge series has traditionally introduced a new wave of potential MMA stars, showcasing elite athletes from Russia and across Europe. Many fighters who fall into the aforementioned category will be showcased on M-1 Challenge 45.

The M-1 Challenge 45 event is stacked from top-to-bottom, featuring five Super Fights to go along with the main event.

M-1 Global lightweight title challenger Nikko Puhakka (28-14-0, 5 KO/TKO, 8 SUB) meets undefeated Russian prospect Maxim Divnich (7-0-0, 4 KO/TKO). Puhakka’s a skilled submission artist with tremendous stamina. He was one of the best Team Finland fighters in the 2009 M-1 Challenge Team Championships. Divnich is a high-regarded kick-boxer who, of course, prefers to fight on his feet.

Tough Spanish welterweight Daniel “The Gladiator” Tabera (17-5-3, 4 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) faces unbeaten Russian sensation Ilya Doderkin (3-0, 3 SUB). Tabera will be making his welterweight debut having previously fought in all weight divisions between middleweight and heavyweight, while Doderkin has achieved status of Master of Sports in Sambo (Russian Federation).

Battle-tested Polish light heavyweight Marcin Zontek (12-8-0, 6 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) will battle 20-year-old Russian striker Rashid Yusupov (2-2-0, 1 KO/TKO, 1 SUB). A past M-1 Global light heavyweight title challenger, Zontek has never been knocked out and he returns to action after a lengthy lay-off due to multiple injuries following his “Best Fight of 2013” effort against Sergey Korneev. Yusupov graduated to professional MMA after winning top honors in Russian and World Amateur MMA tournaments last year, in which he stopped all of his opponents in the latter competition.

Hot Bulgarian prospect Sotir Kichukov (12-1, 2 KOs, 7 SUB) rides a seven-fight win streak into his match-up with veteran Russian featherweight Yunus Evloev (12-6-0, 4 KO/TKO, 6 SUB). The 23-year-old Kichukov is an outstanding grappler and Maxfight Bantamweight Champion back in his country. The winner of multiple international grappling tournaments, Evloev started his MMA career in 2005 as a lightweight.

A pair of 23-year-old Russian lightweights, Rakhman Makhadzhiev (1-0-0, 1 SUB) and Sergey Andreev (5-2-0, 2 SUB), round-out the M-1 Challenge 45 event. Another standout grappler, Makhadzhiev is dropping down from the welterweight division. He was a 2012 Russian National and European Amateur MMA Champion. Andreev is an aggressive fighter with a solid wrestling base. He won a four-man amateur tournament at M-1 Challenge 41.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Go Facebook for more information about M-1 Global and M-1 Challenge 45 at https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244.

ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St Petersburg, Amsterdam and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Gobal and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and matchups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2014 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fuelled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport. M-1 Global’s greatest asset is renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

ORANGEVILLE, Ontario, Canada (February 4, 2014) — Undefeated North American Boxing Association (NABA) featherweight champion and world title contender, Logan Cotton McGuinness (20-0-1, 9 KOs), is a promotional free agent.

The 26-year-old, fan-friendly McGuinness fought only once in 2013, capturing the vacant NABA featherweight title by way of a unanimous 12-round decision over South American champion Sergio Carlos Santillan (30-12-3). The rugged Irish-Canadian boxer has been mourning the recent death of his manager, Stephen den Elzen.

McGuinness had been rated as high as No. 4 in the world, however, his lack of activity currently finds him rated No. 14 in the World Boxing Council (WBC). A huge draw in Ontario, McGuinness has also been the NABA super featherweight and lightweight champion during his 5 ½ year professional career.

“I’m confident of winning a world title, hopefully as soon as this year, with the right promoter in my corner,” McGuinness said. “I’m thrilled to announce that I have an experienced boxing manager, Attorney Larry Army, Jr., as a new member of my team. I was deeply saddened by the loss of my good friend and manager, Stephen den Elezen, who I’m sure would be happy with my selection of Larry as my advisor. I’m sure that Larry will connect me with the right promoter to help me realize my dream of becoming world champion.”

Army is president of Massachusetts-based Elite Management, which is a full-service boxing management firm focused on branding professional boxers. Best known for guiding the successful careers of world-title contenders Edwin Rodriguez and Peter Manfredo, Jr., Army presently manages one of the hottest prospects in the world, new USBA lightweight champion Ivan “The Terrible” Redkach.

“I’m excited to be working with a world-class boxer like Logan McGuinness,” Army remarked. “Not only is he a highly-rated fighter, Logan is a tremendous ticket seller in Canada. He is an exciting, good looking Irish-Canadian fighter who has tremendous marketability potential across North America and Europe. It’s not going to be difficult finding a top promoter to sign Logan to a promotional contract position him to fight for the world title.”

McGuinness’ most notable victories have been against 2004 Canadian Olympian Benot Gaudet (24-2), Dominican Republic champions Carlos Manuel Reyes (23-1-1) and Hector Julio Avila (47-5), Polish title-holder and European title challenger Krzysztof Szot (16-3-1), Bahamian champion Meacher Major (20-4-1), Daniel Ruiz (23-3-1) and Carribbean champion Pedro Navarette (24-6-3).

Follow McGuinness on Twitter at @LocoPuglist

In the midst of NBCSN’s coverage of the Winter Olympics from Sochi, Russia, NBCSN is airing a full night of boxing replays on February 11th beginning at 7:00 PM ET.

The night will begin with two episodes of Fight Night: Future Stars airing between 7:00 and 8:00 PM: a super featherweight bout between Jason Sosa and Chip Perez (which originally took place on January 19, 2013) and a lightweight match up between Alan Gotay and Michah Branch (which originally took place on February 23, 2013).

After Future Stars, the night of fights will continue with a replay of the exciting knockout of Patrick “The Machine” Majewski by Curtis “Showtime” Stevens and the skillful defeat of former Olympian Olanrewaju Durodola by Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu at 8:00 PM ET (originally aired January 24, 2014).

Finally, at 10:00 PM ET, NBCSN will re-air the action-packed card from December 14, 2013 featuring heavyweights Amir Mansour vs. Kelvin Price and light heavyweights Lionell Thompson vs. Ryan Coyne.

NBCSN will also re-air the Stevens-Majewski Fight Night card again on Saturday, February 8th at 1:00 AM ET.

The undercard has been announced for the ESPN Friday Night Fights-televised night of boxing this Friday, February 7, 2014, at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

No less than five exciting fights are scheduled in support of the 10-round middleweight main event between Roberto “La Amenaza” Garcia (33-3, 22 KOs) of Weslaco, Texas, via Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and Monterrey, Mexico’s Norberto “Demonio” Gonzalez (20-2, 13 KOs); the 10-round featherweight co-feature between Kamil Laszczyk (15-0, 7 KOs) of Warsaw, Poland, and Nicaragua’s Daniel “El General” Diaz (20-5-1, 14 KOs); and the four-round welterweight opener featuring Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Roberto Carlos Acevedo (13-12-3, 1 KO) of Moca, Puerto Rico.

Tickets for “Friday Night Fights” are priced at VIP $151, VIP Ringside $101, Ringside $76, Mezzanine $51 and General Admission $31 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000), the 8 Count Productions Offices: 312-226-5800 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office: 312-413-5740.

Presented by Mike Tyson and Garry Jonas (Iron Mike Productions), Dominic Pesoli (8 Count Productions) and Leon Margules (Warriors Boxing), “Friday Night Fights” will also feature a six-round welterweight battle between Ahmad Cheikho (12-5-2, 7 KOs) of Beirut, Lebanon and Francisco Rios-Gil (14- 21, 8 KOs) of Huatabampo, Mexico; a six-round cruiserweight fight between Evanston, Illinois’ power-punching Junior Wright (9-0, 8 KOs) and St. Joseph, Missouri’s proven veteran Galen Brown (40-25-1, 23 KOs); a six-round super welterweight clash between Patryk Szymanski (7-0, 2 KOs) of Konin, Poland, and Daniel Hicks (5-4, 3 KOs) of Lansing, Michigan; a four-round women’s super-lightweight battle between Berwin, Illinois’ undefeated Kristin Gearhart (2-0) and Allanna Jones (0-1) of Ionia, Michigan.

Rounding out the action will be the four-round welterweight professional boxing debut of Chicago’s Jose Felix Quesada, taking on Christopher Jackson (0-1) from Maywood, Illinois.

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About Iron Mike Productions(IMP)

Founded in 2013 by CEO Garry Jonas and Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, Iron Mike Productions is a full-service boxing promotional company with offices located in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada. IMP is committed to changing traditional boxing promotion by advocating for its fighters’ successes, inside the ring and out, throughout their professional careers and into retirement.

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.

About 8 Count Productions

8 Count Productions, Home Of The Best In Chicago Boxing, was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1998 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland.

Fighters currently under the 8 Count Productions banner include; IBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Andrzej Fonfara, middleweight contender Donovan George, world-class junior welterweight prospect Adrian Granados, former world title challenger Edner Cherry, super middleweight prospect Paul Littleton, middleweight prospect Viktor Polyakov and welterweight prospect Jaime Herrera.

For more information on 8 Count Productions please visit their new website, www.8countproductions.com.

For additional information go online at www.IronMikeProductions.com or www.8countproductions.comorwww.WarriorsBoxing.com.

Mike Tyson Web Site – miketyson.com
Facebook: facebook.com/miketyson
Twitter: @MikeTyson @IronMikeProd

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (January 30, 2014) – Hall of Famer “Iron” Mike Tyson is the youngest world heavyweight champion of all-time and in 1987 he was voted “World’s Most Popular Athlete.” The living legend became a boxing promoter last year, partnering with Garry Jonas to form Iron Mike Productions, which has announced its new monthly boxing series, “KO Kings of Tomorrow,” starting February 22, at Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Tyson, of course, isn’t the first world champion who turned to promoting after retiring from the ring. He joined a select list of fighters who became boxing promoters, including Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali (see photo gallery below), Roy Jones, Jr., Oscar de la Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Tyson also announced that he will perform his acclaimed one-man show, “Undisputed Truth,” on Feb. 20 at Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

The IMP boxing series will be broadcast worldwide as low-cost pay-per-view events over Universal Streaming Network, live from Sands Bethlehem Event Center, for only $4.99 via http://www.ustream.tv/universalstreamingnetwork.

See Mike Tyson Commercial Mike Tyson Commercial

The Feb. 22nd “KO Kings of Tomorrow” is loaded from top to bottom, featuring many of the top contenders and prospects in the world. World-rated featherweight Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero (14-1, 11 KOs) takes on Mexican invader Jose Angel “Pepe” Beranza (36-28-2, 28 KOs) in the 10-round main event. The World Boxing Association (WBA) rates Marrero, a native of the Dominican Republic, as its No. 9 rated 126-pounder in the world. The slick southpaw lost a close 12-round decision (116-111, 115-112, 114-113) in his last fight (August 23, 2013) to Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar for the WBA Interim title.

Two-time Dominican Republic Olympian Juan Carlos Payano (14-0, 8 KOs) faces battle-tested Mexican veteran German “Panteonero” Meraz (46-28-1, 25 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature. Payano had more than 520 amateur matches and he is currently the WBA’s top-rated contender (No. 2, the top spot is unrated), as well as ranked No. 10 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and No. 15 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

One of the best prospects in the world, Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin (2-0, 2 KOs), meets Mississippi’s upset-minded Tirobio Ball (4-1-1, 1 KO) in a four-round Special Welterweight Attraction. Lubin, fighting out of Orlando (FL), was considered Team USA’s No. 1 overall prospect for the 2016 Olympics prior to him signing a promotional contract with Iron Mike Productions last October 1 on his 18th birthday. The explosive southpaw captured a gold medal at the 2012 National PAL Championships, among his many significant accomplishments as an amateur boxer.

Cuban light heavyweight Humberto “El Don” Savigne (11-8, 8 KOs), fighting out of Miami, squares off against former world title challenger Tommy Karpency (21-4-1, 14 KOs) in another 10-round bout. Savigne is rated No. 4 by the WBA. Karpency is a local favorite from Adah, Pennsylvania, who took then-World Boxing Organization (WBO) 175-pound champion Nathan Cleverly the full distance in 2012.

Another powerful southpaw, Cuban-born super featherweight Alexei “The Mexican-Cuban” Collado (17-0, 16 KOs) puts his undefeated record on the line against tough Mexican veteran Edgar “Basuras” Riovalle (36-16-2, 25 KOs) in an eight-round match-up. The 25-year-old Collado, who defected to Ireland and now lives in Miami, has stopped all but one of his 17 opponents as a professional. Riovalle has been knocked out only once in his last 14 fights dating back to 2010.

Another standout IMP prospect, Orlando featherweight Dennis Galarza (2-0, 1 KO), plans to continue impressing in a scheduled four-rounder versus Jesus Gonzalez (1-1), of Mexico. Also fighting on the undercard in a six-round fight are a pair of unbeaten welterweights, popular Moossen (PA) resident “The Who Can Mexican” Samuel Vasquez (11-0, 7 KOs), the two-time All-Army and Armed Forces Champion, and Dominican Republic fighter Berlin “The Rock” Abreau (7-0., 5 KOs). Azerbaijan middleweight Farid Aghaev will make is pro debut in a four-round fight vs. an opponent to be determined.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets priced at $200.00, $125.00, $75.00 and $50.00 are on sale and available to purchase at the Sands Event Center Bethlehem Box Office, or visit http://sandseventcenter.com/event/details/ko-kings-of-tomorrow-featuring-mike-tyson/, all TicketMaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com, or call 1-800-745-3000.

To inaugurate the “KO Kings of Tomorrow” series one lucky ticket holder will be selected to sit ringside with “Iron” Mike.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m. ET.

For additional information go online at www.IronMikeProductions.com or http://sandseventcenter.com/event/details/ko-kings-of-tomorrow-featuring-mike-tyson/

ABOUT IRON MIKE PRODUCTIONS (IMP): Founded in 2013 by CEO Garry Jonas and Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, Iron Mike Productions is a full-service boxing promotional company with offices located in Deerfield Beach, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada. IMP is committed to changing traditional boxing promotion by advocating for its fighters’ successes, inside the ring and out, throughout their professional careers and into retirement.

For additional information go online at www.IronMikeProductions.com, friend on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/IronMike Productions, or follow on Twitter @IronMikeProd.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 3rd, 2014) — For at least one night, Twin River Casino will turn into 19th century Spain complete with the crafty matador trying to tame the hard-charging bull.

Sticking to its promise of bringing bigger, bolder main events to its loyal fan base in 2014, Classic Entertainment & Sports will kick off its Twin River Fight Series with an old-fashioned bullfight as former two-time world champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga (29-8-1, 23 KOs) faces Raul “El Toro” Munoz (22-16-1, 16 KOs) in the eight-round super middleweight main event Friday, Feb. 21st, 2014.

Tickets for the event are priced at $41, $101 and $126 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Players Club at Twin River. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The colorful Mayorga, 40, is a former World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion and WBC light middleweight title-holder. He spent the first seven years of his professional career fighting overseas in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and his native Nicaragua — all 10- and 12-round bouts, which is unprecedented in this era — before making his U.S. debut in 2001 with a knockout win over Elias Cruz in Nevada.

Several months later, now sporting a 22-3-1 record, Mayorga took his first shot at a world title against WBA champion Andrew Lewis, but the fight ended prematurely due to an accidental head-butt. He got another chance the following year and this time stopped the previously-unbeaten Lewis in the fifth round to capture the title.

Six months later, Mayorga stunned the late Vernon Forrest, beating the undefeated WBC welterweight champ by third-round knockout to add another title to his collection. His short-lived reign included a majority decision win over Forrest in the rematch before he lost both titles to Corey Spinks in December of 2003, but Mayorga regained his footing two years later in a new weight class when he beat Michael Piccirillo to capture the vacant WBC light middleweight title, his third world championship.

Mayorga’s latest reign ended abruptly with a knockout loss to the legendary Oscar De La Hoya, but in a remarkable stretch between 2000 and 2006, Mayorga lost just three bouts, all against elite fighters in his weight class (Spinks, Felix Trinidad and De La Hoya), while winning 14 times. He bounced back from the De La Hoya loss with an impressive win over Fernando Vargas before losing to Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto, the latter in the 12th and final round of their scheduled 12-round world-title bout when Mayorga broke his finger. The Cotto fight was supposed to be his farewell bout, but Mayorga has decided to return for one last run beginning Feb. 21st at Twin River.

Munoz’s resume is a who’s who of boxing, including bouts against Jermain Taylor, Mike Jones, Alfonso Gomez, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Austin Trout, Dmitriy Salita and the late Hector Camacho Sr. The 37-year-old Mexican veteran, born and raised in Topeka, Kan., will be fighting for the first time since October of 2012.

The Feb. 21st undercard features the homecoming of Providence native Toka Kahn (9-0, 6 KOs), a former highly-decorated amateur and now an undefeated super featherweight prospect fighting under the promotional guidance of Bob Arum’s Top Rank Boxing. Kahn will fight in his hometown for the first time since 2012 in a six-round bout.

“The Vermont Bully” Kevin Cobbs (7-1, 2 KOs) will end his year-long layoff in a four-round light heavyweight bout while Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (10-2, 7 KOs) will return for the first time since his loss to Chris Chatman in July of 2012 in a separate six-round bout. The undercard also features the highly-anticipated return of unbeaten Springfield, Mass., welterweight Zack Ramsey (6-0, 3 KOs), who will star in a six-round bout, and the Twin River debut of Louisiana cruiserweight Alvin Vermall (1-0, 1 KO) fighting in a separate four-round bout.