LAS VEGAS, NV (January 29, 2014) Undefeated junior welterweight professional boxer Chris Algieri held a fan friendly “Meet and Greet” this past Sunday in Las Vegas where he is preparing for his ESPN Friday Night Fights debut on FEBRUARY 14 in his hometown of Huntington, New York.

“It was a great opportunity to meet some terrific kids in Las Vegas and talk about their health and nutrition,” said Algieri, also a pre-med student specializing in clinical nutrition. “Las Vegas has been a terrific place to train with excellent sparring and I’m looking forward to putting on a career best performance on FEBRUARY 14.”

The event was held at the Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Known as “The Fighting Pride of Huntington, New York, Algieri,
18-0-0 (8KO’s) will challenge world ranked Emanuel “The Tranzformer” Taylor
, 17-1-0 (12KO”s) on ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin Fights 12
at The Paramount in Huntington, New York, presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

Advance tickets, priced at $200, $150, $100, $60 and $50 for “ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin Fights 12” are available through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000). Tickets are also available by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or on their website www.starboxing.com and through The Paramount Box Office, (631) 673-7300.

The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue in Huntington, New York, 11743. Doors on the night of the event will open at 7:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:30 p.m.

ABOUT ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS
ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will begin at 9 p.m. ET live on ESPN2,

Watch ESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.
ESPN Deportes will re-brand its coverage as Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) with some telecasts on Saturdays.

ESPN2 Commentators/Studio:

Blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore and ringside analyst Teddy Atlas will return to describe the action for ESPN2. Both are recipients of the prestigious Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism presented by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA): Atlas (2001), Tessitore (2010). Studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), will return for his second season providing all the latest boxing news and highlights. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn), who last year became the series’ first-ever on-site reporter, will contribute to Friday Night Fights in English, and Noche de Combates (Fight Night) in Spanish.

ESPN Deportes Commentators/Studio:

Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combateson both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez will join Trejos and González in studio throughout the season, with Osuna providing reports and interviews.

ABOUT STAR BOXING ®
Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. The company has produced some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star Boxing continues to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star Boxing is proud that is has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook at Star Boxing.

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

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

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

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

Lawrence, MA (January 28, 2014) – Charismatic cruiserweight Jean Pierre “Kid Creole” Augustin is already well-educated about how difficult the business of professional boxing is.

Initially scheduled to enter the paid ranks last September, Augustin, a Lawrence, MA native of Haitian descent, saw his pro debut cancelled on multiple occasions. A two-time Massachusetts State Golden Gloves champion and Gold Medalist at the 2011 Pan American Games Qualifiers, Augustin competed in the 2012 Olympic Trials but lost a decision to Jonathan Hanson. He was hoping to have a few fights under his belt by now, but things didn’t go as expected.

“I was working out two or three times a day to get ready for my original pro debut in September only to find out there was an issue with getting an opponent.” said Augustin. “I then had another date scheduled, took a week off and went back to the gym, but the whole card got cancelled. I also had two dates fall out earlier this month. This was extremely frustrating to say the least since I had a total of six fight dates fall out.”

On Saturday, February 8, Augustin’s long awaited pro debut will finally take place in Weirton, WV against 19 fight veteran Michael Davis. Davis, who faced seven unbeaten fighters, hails from Cincinnati, OH and has been a pro since 2005.

“It’s been a long time coming and I’m extremely anxious to fight. I’m ready to go in there and get a taste of the pros after waiting for too long. A knockout is always nice but I’m going in there with a game plan to win by any means necessary!”

Fans can interact with Augustin on Twitter and Instagram at @_Kidcreole

PHILADELPHIA (JANUARY 28, 2014)–On Friday night, February 7th Greg Robinson’s Power Productions will present a special night of professional boxing at the National Guard Armory in Northeast Philadelphia.

In the special 4-round main event, 17 year-old Milton Santiago Jr. will make his anticipated pro debut against Moses Molina in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Santiago of Warminster, Pennsylvania had an amateur record of 184-12 and won a staggering 59 tournaments is ready for the occasion.

“I feel great and this is a dream come true. I believe that I am the youngest professional in Pennsylvania.”

Santiago has been preparing with professionals and is not worried about going into the paid ranks.

“I spar with a lot of professionals,” said Santiago. “They are all grown men and I beat them up. I feel I am very strong and I am ready to turn pro.”

Santiago started boxing at 5-years old and had his first fight at 8.

The Junior at William Tennant High School is will have some support from the faculty from the school.

“My English teach will be at the fight. When some of my teachers found out what I do, they were happy for me and shocked. Boxing helps a lot with school because it helps me stay focused with both studying and boxing.”

Santiago says he likes watching Floyd Mayweather, Andre Ward, Guillermo Rigondeaux and Felix Trinidad.

He also receives a lot of moral support and advice from some of the top professionals in Philadelphia.

“Hassan Young gives me good advice but I also talk with Jesse Hart, Bryant Jennings and Danny Garcia as well.”

Outside of the ring, Santiago is your typical kid as he enjoys playing video games with his brothers and playing sports in the neighborhood.

“I have been wanting to turn pro for a while now and I can not wait until February 7th.”

His dad, Milton Santiago Sr. is his trainer and explains his reasons for his son get the special dispensation to turn pro.

“This would have been his last year with headgear in the amateurs anyway. After January 1st, he would have had to fight without it.”, said the older Santiago.

“He isn’t your typical 17-year old. He spars very well with the older professionals. There have been promoters who told me they could not believe he is 17. He is so relaxed in the ring. To him it is just like unwrapping a candy bar. In fact sometimes in the corner, he has to tell me to calm down.”

Santiago will fight this fight at the 140-pound eight limit but he plans to campaign as a Lightweight.

The rest of the card is as follows:

In an eight round Super Featherweight bout, Frank Trader (10-1, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named.

In six round bouts:

Anthony Flores (9-4-1, 6 KO’s) of Philadelphia battles Ramesis Gil (8-7-5, 5 KO’s) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in a Super Featherweight bout.

Denis Douglin (15-3, 9 KO’s) of Marloboro, NJ battles Orlando Membreno (12-18-1, 11 KO’s) of Barcelona, Spain in a Middleweight bout.

Lenroy Thomas (16-3, 8 KO’s) of St. Petersburg, FL will see action in an Heavyweight bout against an opponent to be named.

In Four round bouts:

Emanuel Folly (3-0, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take part in a Super Bantamweight bout.

Sultahn Staton (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will compete against Mike Eroza (0-1-2) in a Lightweight bout.

Angel Concepcion (5-0) of Newark, NJ will battle Maurice Amaro (2-5, 1 KO) of Philadelphia, PA in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Carlos Lopez (1-1-1, 1 KO) of Humacao, Puerto Rico will fight in a Middleweight bout.

Tickets for this special evening of boxing cost : $75 Ringside, $50 for Floor seats and $40 For General Admission and can be purchased by calling Power Productions at 267-584-5196; Moz at 215-500-7435 or at Ticketmaster.com

THERE WILL BE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD AT CHICKIE’S & PETES AT 6PM ON 11000 ROOSEVELT BLVD. IN NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA. FOOD AND BEVERAGE WILL BE SERVED.

The Jan. 31 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presented by Corona Extra will feature undefeated Light Heavyweight contender Blake “Il Capo” Caparello (18-0-1, 6 KOs) and Elvir “The Kosovo Kid” Muriqi (40-5, 24 KOs) in the 10-round main event. Friday’s show, from the Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange N.J., will take place Super Bowl weekend and is less than 20 miles from MetLife Stadium, site of Super Bowl XLVIII.

The show will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise the fights Sunday, Feb. 2, at 2 a.m. The card is promoted by Dibella Entertainment.

New Picture (37)
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.

Atlas Fight Plan:
Former New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs will be Atlas’ sparring partner in this week’s “Fight Plan” segment during which Atlas will illustrate what Friday’s headliners will need to do to win.

Main Event:
Australia’s Caparello, who will be making his U.S. debut, scored a 12-round unanimous decision win over Allan Green in his last outing, while Muriqi, who hails from N.Y., is looking to continue his winning ways following an eight-round majority decision win over Paul Vasquez.

“I’m a boxer-mover. I like to use angles, long punches and quick hands,” Caparello said. “Elvir (Muriqi) is a strong, solid fighter. We’ve had a good look at him. He’s the type, if we want to make an impression, we have to beat him good. That’s our plan.”

“When you fight a lefty, you can never look great but as long as I win, that’s what matters,” Muriqi said. “I’m pretty good with lefties and think I’m going to surprise a lot of people.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit undefeated Featherweight Luis “KO King” Rosa (15-0, 7 KOs) against Jorge Diaz (17-2, 10 KOs). Connecticut’s Rosa is coming off a third-round TKO win over Andre Wilson, while New Jersey’s Diaz is looking to rebound from a fourth-round TKO loss to Yenifel Vicente.

Additional Fight:
Friday’s show will open with an additional eight-round bout between undefeated Welterweight Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (19-0, 11KOs) and Tim Witherspoon Jr. (10-3-1, 2KOs), son of former Heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date
Time (ET)
Main Event
Location
Networks
Fri, Feb. 7
9 p.m.
Norberto González (20-2, 13 KOs) vs. Roberto García (33-3, 22 KOs)—10-rounds, Middleweights
UIC Pavilion , Chicago
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb. 14
9 p.m.
Chris Algieri (18-0, 8 KOs) vs. Emmanuel Taylor (17-1, 12 KOs) —10-rounds, Junior Welterweights
Paramount Theater, Huntington, N.Y.
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.

Las Vegas (JANUARY 28, 2014)–Boxing legend and four division world champion Roy Jones Jr. has confirmed that he will appear at the inaugural Box Fan Expo this September at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Jones, who was the former Middleweight, Super Middleweight. Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight champion of the world will be in attendance to meet his fans at his own booth and will be available to sign autographs and photo-ops.

Jones will also have merchandise to sell to his fans with pricing detailS to follow.

” I’m looking forward to meeting all of the boxing fans at BOX FAN EXPO. It’s going to be a wonderful experience and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”, said Jones Jr.

Every year, one of the biggest boxing weekends of the year is Mexican Independence Day. In 2014, that weekend has just got bigger, better and more fan accessible with the announcement of the FIRST-EVER BOX FAN EXPO.

Box Fan Expo will take place on Saturday, September 13th, 2014 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and will run from 10am to 6pm.

Box Fan Expo is the ultimate fan experience that was created to promote the entire boxing industry and to allow fans to celebrate and join their favorite boxers and boxing celebrities. The event will feature boxing legends, today’s superstars, Hall of Famers, future prospects and the stars of today all under one roof.

The event will also feature major promoters, ring card girls, sanctioning organizations as well as trainers, referees, commentators and announcers. Anyone that directly or indirectly represents the sport of boxing will have a chance to showcase themselves to the boxing fans and whole industry. Also in attendance will be exhibitors, sponsors, television broadcasters and media.

Box Fan Expo will also feature different activities such as meet and greets, autograph sessions, photo ops and you can weigh in and face off with your favorite fighters.

Throughout the next several months, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that have already committed their appearance at the Box Fan Expo.

For anyone in the industry who would like to be involved and reserve a booth, contact

Box Fan Expo at:
U.S.A Telephone Number: (702) 997-2099 or (514) 572-7222

Email info@boxfanexpo.com | For more info go to:www.boxfanexpo.com

OTTAWA, Canada (January 28, 2014) – Undefeated North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight champion Ghislain “Mani” Maduma (15-0, 9 KOs) will make his first NABF title defense Wednesday night, February 5 against Mexican knockout artist John Carlo Aparicio (26-7, 21 KOs), live on pay per view from New City Gas in Montreal, Canada.

Eye Of The Tiger Management (EOTT) will launch its new Boxing Lounge Series with a strong top-to-bottom card, which will be available to watch worldwide as a $19.99 PPV event being streamed in high-definition via www.PunchingGrace.com. Maduma vs. Aparicio will be the 12-round main event and world-class welterweight Antonin Decarie (28-2, 8 KOs) faces Cesar “El Dolar” Chavez (21-5, 9 KOs) in the eight-round co-feature.

“This series is made to be seen on the screen in HD,” EOTTM president Camille Estephan explained. “IPTV is the future in terms of watching entertainment. Our series is old school boxing with cigars, Scotch, tables and seats for 500, in an intimate environment. It really looks great on the screen. PunchingGrace will bring real-life boxing to viewers. They’ll be close to the action in the ring, as well in the back area before and after fights. It is available worldwide and we’re also developing a network of bars around the world to take it. We’re very excited about this undertaking.”

The 29-year-old Maduma, who lives in Montreal, is world rated at No. 3 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and No. 6 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF). Maduma, who is also the reigning WBC Continental 135-pound title-holder, is coming off of one-sided unanimous decision (120-108, 119-109, 118-110) victory last September over Fermin De Los Santos (24-14-2, 16 KOs), who had been unbeaten in his previous 15 fights.

“This is going to be a big year for me,” Maduma said. “Everything is in place for me to accomplish my goal of becoming world champion. First, though, I need to take care of business with Aparicio, a tough Mexican veteran with a lot of experience. I never look past one fight to another.

“The lightweight division is exciting but lacks a big name right now. Our division has a lot of good fighters and I plan to emerge as the lightweight champion of the world. I have all the tools to dominate opponents and I’m gaining the experience I’ll need to beat the very best.”

Aparicio is a former WBC Mundo Hispanic super featherweight and WBC FECOMBOX light welterweight champion.

“Ghislain has blazing hand speed, power and accuracy,” commented Estephan, who promotes Maduma. “He’s explosive and always in top condition. He wants to win the world title this year and that’s our plan. Ghislain has always been a very special talent. He was a young father at 18 and has three children. As an amateur, all he did was work, go to school and compete in tournaments. He didn’t have time to train back then. Ghislain, like all of our fighters, now does extensive strength-and-conditioning workouts at highly-respected Centre Claude Robillard alongside Canadian Olympians.

“There are always doubters in boxing. They doubted me when I talked about (EOTTM stable-mates and world title challengers) Bermane Stiverne and Dierry Jean. They’re missing the boat with Ghislain, too. Not only is he going to be a world lightweight champion, he’s going to be the No. 1 lightweight in the world and a major headliner.”

“Boxing Lounge” also features Decarie, the popular Quebec boxerwho is rated No. 11 by the WBC. Decarie’s last fight was this past September, in which he won a six-round decision versus Salim Larbi (17-3-2), after dropping a 10-round decision to Luis Carlos Abregu (34-1, 28 KOs) last April for the vacant WBC Silver Championship.

“After Antonin’s loss to Abregu,” Estephan noted, “he came back to fight a bigger opponent, Larbi, who is really a light middleweight. Coming off a loss, Larbi was a very tough opponent, and a good test for Antonin. He will face another good test in this upcoming fight so he can get back into world title contention. He’s not too far off right now. Adjustments have been put in place so that he’ll be ready to take advantage of his next opportunity to get a world title shot.”
The undercard will showcase many of Canada’s most exciting prospects such as super middleweight Schiller Hyppolite (8-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout; light middleweight Mian Hussain (7-0, 4 KOs) and lightweights Ibrahim “Fireman” Kamal (9-1, 6 KOs), Michael “L’Unique” Gadbois (9-0-2 (3 KOs) and Chris Plaitis (5-0-1) in separate six-round fights; and welterweight Mitch Louis-Charles (2-1-1, 1 KOs) and light heavyweight Erik Bazinyan (2-0, 2 KOs) in four-round matches.

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

The Feb. 5th show is a private event that is already sold-out. Tickets are not available to purchase but fans all over the world may watch all of the action live on www.PunchingGrace.com

For further information about Maduma, Decarie and the Feb. 5 show, visit www.eottm.com, or follow on Twitter @eotmvd, @GhislainMaduma and @DecarieBoxing.

oronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents live professional boxing action promoted by Golden Boy Promotions at Barclays Center in Brooklyn this Thursday, January 30, at 9 p.m. ET, featuring one of the best matchups of the year as former world champions “Vicious” Victor Ortiz and Brooklyn’s own Luis Collazo collide in a pivotal showdown for the WBA International welterweight title.

In the 10-round co-main event, New York phenom Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez will meet top Florida prospect Daquan “King” Arnett in a clash of junior middleweight unbeatens.

In the televised opener, undefeated top super featherweight contender Gary “The Lion” Russell Jr. faces Mexico’s Miguel “Yaqui” Tamayo.

“I’ve got a lot of friends and fans in New York and I’m excited about fighting at Barclays Center for the first time,” said Ortiz. “This is a big fight for me. I missed being in the ring and even though Collazo will be a tough challenge, I’m going to win in spectacular fashion.”

“Ortiz is a former world champion and you have to respect that, but Barclays Center is my home and he’s going to find that out the second he leaves the locker room,” said Collazo. “I need to win this fight and make a statement if I want to get a shot at a title and I plan on doing just that.”

“I have no excuse not to win,” said Gomez. “This is my city, my building and my people. If Arnett thinks he can come into my backyard and beat me, he is definitely mistaken.”

“You don’t see fights like this too often and I respect Gomez for stepping up and putting his ‘0’ on the line, just like I am,” said Arnett. “This is going to be a great fight between two of boxing’s top young prospects and I have no doubt that I’m going to leave the ring with the victory.”

One of boxing’s most charismatic young stars, 26-year-old “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (29-4-2, 22 KO’s) fighting out of Ventura, Calif. has made headlines in and out of the ring, not only as a fighter, but also as an entertainer. First, as a former welterweight world champion who has engaged in memorable battles against the best in the boxing business including Floyd Mayweather, Andre Berto, Marcos Maidana, Antonio Diaz and Josesito Lopez proving that he will not back down from any challenge. He has also crossed over into the bright lights of Hollywood as a member of the cast of ABC’s hit series “Dancing With The Stars” and most recently as part of the film “Expendables 3,” which comes out next year. Now with his acting skills pushed aside, Ortiz has the gloves back on and on Jan. 30 he faces a stern test in Collazo.

A proud native of Brooklyn, NY, Luis Collazo (34-5, 17 KO’s) is a former WBA Welterweight World Champion who held the belt from 2005-2006. Since then, the 32-year-old southpaw has continued to fight and beat the best with back-to-back wins at Barclays Center and a recent victory in September of this year on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes. Now making his second appearance on the new hit sports network and fourth appearance at Barclays Center, Collazo is more ready than ever to step into the ring as he makes his case for a world title shot when he battles Ortiz.

Twenty-one-year-old Eddie Gomez (15-0, 10 KO’s) is the latest Bronx, NY product to make his mark on the boxing world. The young star is showing no signs of slowing down as he prepares for what is likely to be the biggest year of his professional career. Fresh off of wins over Javier Gomez, Luis Hernandez and Steve Upsher Chambers, Gomez is ready for all comers, beginning with Arnett on Jan. 30.

Hailing from Winter Park, Fla., 20-year-old former amateur star Daquan Arnett (11-0, 7 KO’s) has already garnered rave reviews for his talent and his willingness to test himself against tough competition every time he steps in the ring. In 2013, Arnett defeated then unbeaten Brandon Quarles and once-beaten Miguel Zuniga, putting him in a big co-main event against Gomez to kick-off 2014.

The non-televised undercard features top local standouts “Sir” Marcus Browne, Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez, Zachary Ochoa, Rafael Vazquez and Steven Bujaj.

Ortiz vs. Collazo is a 12-round fight for the WBA International welterweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Fight Network’s televised broadcast airs live at 9 p.m. ET.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

With Seven straight wins from Seven fights, Aberdeen’s Matthew McAllister returns to action for the first time since his win over Scottish Title challenger Billy Campbell in November last year.

Taking part in a stacked twelve fight card at Ravenscraig Sports Facility, McAllister takes on former International Masters Welterweight Champion William Warburton in a Six round contest on Prospect Boxing’s “Lock, Stock and Twelve Smoking Fights” which also features Rhys Pagan competing for his first professional and WBO European Title Champion Iain Butcher returning to action.
With a excellent start to his career in the paid ranks, McAllister is enjoying his boxing, with his main highlight so far fighting on the undercard of his brother Lee’s European title shot “I have really taken to the pro game and enjoy the training side of it. The highlight of my seven fights, is fighting on the undercard of my brother’s (Lee McAllister) European title fight February 2012. I was boxing in front of Three thousand people in my home town and it was on Sky Sports so that was a good experience for me.
With all the success in the ring, the Welterweight picked up an injury last year, which lead to him being out for most of 2013 “I hurt my knee in training. I went to get it looked at and it was my crucite ligament I ruptured. This lead to me being out for Six months while I recovered from it. I had to do a lot of strength work on my legs to get myself back in shape, it was horrible not managing to train.
Returning to action in November, the 25 year old changed trainers to former Ricky Hatton trainer Bob Shannon “When I came back after the injury, I contacted Bob about coaching me. I moved down for my training camp and it went really well, as we both clicked and I feel we made a good team. I will definitely be working with him in the future.
He adds “My plan for this year is to Stay unbeaten and win the Scottish title, then I will be looking to push for a British or Commonwealth title shot next year. I last fought in November last year, and by the time ‘Lock Stock’ show comes it will be nearly three months, I cant wait to get back into the ring and impress the fans on February 28th.
“Lock Stock and Twelve Smoking Fights” takes place at the Ravenscraig Sports Facility on Friday February 28th 2014.
Headlined by Rhys Pagan, the show will also see the professional début of JP McGuinness, Ryan Love and Shayan Rahmat. Returning to action is Iain Butcher, Scott Edgar, George Thomson and Billy Campbell. George Thomson, David Drummond, Michael McGurk and Matthew McAllister also feature on the card, while the line up is completed by former Commonwealth title challenger Mitch Prince completes the line up.
Tickets are priced at £30 and £50 and available from the fighters directly or by calling 01224 632218 or 01698 338 888 where Credit/ Debit Cards are accepted. Further details on @ProspectBoxing on Twitter, and www.facebook.com/ProspectBoxing

San Diego, CA) – Yesterday evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the new home for live professional boxing in San Diego, all the participants for the last edition of “San Diego Fights” for the year presented by Bobby D Presents got past their first challenge of the event by beating the scale.
Known for competitive fight cards and his “Boxing at its Best” motto, California boxing hall of fame promoter Bobby DePhilippis closed off his 2013 season last November with the best night of professional boxing San Diego, CA, had seen in a long time. A night of knockouts, back and forth action and an all-out night of club fights atmosphere was lived by the nearly sold out crowd. DePhilippis together with his outfit Bobby D Presents and in association with Caribe Promotions are committed to keep it going with a mega-fight card that guarantees to start the New Year with a bang in their first fight event of 2014 in their running boxing series “San Diego Fights” all set for Friday, February, 28th, at the new home for San Diego live professional boxing, the Crown Plaza Hotel in Mission Valley.

WBC #7 ranked flyweight Kenia Enriquez (8-0, 4KOs) of Tijuana will make her U.S. debut in the first Bobby D Presents fight card of 2014. Photo Credit: BoxeoTijuana.com

“Last year was a great year for us and we closed it off in spectacular fashion moving our event to a new venue,” DePhilippis said regarding 2013. “Now we look to keep it going and this first fight card we have planned will only set the bar for the New Year.”

In the main event, once beaten junior welterweight interim WBC Latino champion Yordenis Ugas (15-1, 7KOs) from Miami, Florida, by way of Cuba travels all the way across the country to defend his title against San Diego’s own Emmanuel “Renegade” Robles (9-0-1, 3KOs) in a scheduled ten round bout. The twenty-seven year old Ugas has gotten back in the win column after suffering his lone loss early last year to Johnny Garcia via split decision. Since then, he has defeated his last four opponents, stopping two of them before the distance, and captured the WBC Latino strap. For Robles, 2013 was a productive one, as he remained undefeated fighting three times. Two wins over the always-tough Adolfo Landeros sandwiched in his best win to date, a forth-round knock out of hard-hitting Joshua Marks.

Now Robles will have to prove his mettle against a sure to be difficult opponent in the skilled Cuban Ugas in his first title fight.

In the special attraction co-main event, the WBC ranked #7 female flyweight in the world, the twenty-year-old Kenia Enriquez (8-0, 4KOs) will make her much-awaited U.S. debut versus an opponent to be determined. Enriquez has set the boxing scene in her native Tijuana on fire since going professional in the summer of 2012 with an exciting boxer/puncher style that quickly gets the crowd to its feet as she looks for the knockout with either fist. Enriquez has proven she is the best fighter in Tijuana short of Jackie Nava by quickly climbing the world rankings as well as being named the 2012 Prospect of the Year by the Tijuana boxing commission. Newly signed to Bobby D Presents, Enriquez is ready to take her show on the road.

Also featured on the card will be local favorites Prince “Tiger” Smalls (2-0-1) in featherweight action and super middleweight Ulises Sierra (4-0-1, 3KOs) in four rounders as well as out-of-towners Joet Gonzalez (5-0, 1KO) of Los Angeles, CA, and heavyweight prospect Thanasis Michaloudis (8-0, 7KOs) of Florida by way of Greece.

The Crown Plaza Hotel is located at 2270 Hotel Circle N, San Diego, CA. Doors open at 6:30 PM with the first punch thrown an hour later at 7:30 PM. Tickets available online by visiting www.SanDiegoFights.com or by calling (619) 420-8866.

CHESTER, PA (JANUARY 28, 2014)–This Friday night at Harrahs Philadelphia, now Featherweight Tevin “American Idol” Farmer will look for his 8th consecutive victory when he takes on Noel Echevarria in an eight round bout for the ABA Featherweight title.

Farmer of Philadelphia has a record of 14-4 with three knockouts and has been undefeated since linking up with Mark Cipparone and Club 1957 Management.

Farmer of Philadelphia has been preparing for a good fight from the 11-1 Echevarria.

“Camp has been great and everything is going smoothly,”said Farmer. “I had the opportunity to work with three-time world champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley and it has prepared more for this fight better than any other.I only know that my opponent is 11-1 and he is coming to win. I know he will be ready. I hope he is in shape because when I beat him down I want no excuses. We are coming ready”

Farmer started his career 7-4 and now is staring at 15-4 with a win over Echevarria. The winning streak is not just a coincidence.

“I have surrounded myself with a better team. I have better knowledge and have been having much better training.”

Farmer always kept faith and worked hard to get to this point.

“I always envisioned good things. With better guidance I might not have taken those fights so early on in my career. Now at this point in my career, I am ready for whatever comes my way.”

Because of an injury forcing Jonathan Gonzalez to withdraw, tough veteran Roberto “La Amenaza” Garcia (33-3, 22 KOs) of Weslaco, Texas, via Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, will step in to face Monterrey, Mexico’s Norberto “Demonio” Gonzalez (20-2, 13 KOs) in the Friday Night Fights-televised 10-round middleweight main event on Friday, February 7, 2014, at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

33-year-old Garcia makes a worthy substitute opponent to say the least, as he has lost just one fight in the last decade and that to legendary champion Antonio Margarito.

Presented by Mike Tyson and Garry Jonas (Iron Mike Productions), Dominic Pesoli (8 Count Productions) and Leon Margules (Warriors Boxing), Garcia vs. Gonzalez will also feature a 10-round, televised co-feature between undefeated featherweight prospect Kamil Laszczyk (15-0, 7 KOs) of Warsaw, Poland, and Nicaragua’s Daniel “El General” Diaz (20-5-1, 14 KOs), plus 18-year-old welterweight prospect Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (2-0, 2 KOs) opening the telecast in a four-rounder vs. TBA.

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.

The switch in combatants became necessary on Saturday when Puerto Rico’s “Mantequilla” Gonzalez hurt his shoulder sparring and found he couldn’t lift arms above his head. Gonzalez visited the hospital this morning and underwent tests confirming a muscle pull that requires adequate healing time.

A victory over Garcia would still be a step forward for the 32-year-old “Demonio” Gonzalez, who got his career back on track with a surprise upset over Michael “Brazilian Rocky” Oliveira last November at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

###

About Iron Mike Productions(IMP)

Previously known as Acquinity Sports, Iron Mike Productions is a full-service boxing promotion company co-founded and led by CEO Garry Jonas. In partnership with Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, 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

World renowned boxing promoter Don King is thrilled to welcome back his former three time world champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga. Rarely do boxers love to fight the way Ricardo Mayorga does. He always fought with the reckless abandon and fearlessness of a teenager in a street brawl. Mayorga last fought in March 2011 against Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas, Nevada and immediately announced his retirement from the sport. However, growing up in the rough streets of Managua, Nicaragua, instilled a fire in him that still burns to this day and he recently announced that he has decided to return to boxing. With Don King as his exclusive promoter, Mayorga is set on becoming world champion once again.

Who can forget Mayorga’s comments after his shocking 3rd round KO of the late Vernon “The Viper” Forrest to become WBC Welterweight Champion in 2003. The first thing Mayorga said after winning his first title was that he needs a cigarette and a beer!

King is looking forward to meeting with Mayorga in the next few weeks to plan out the return of “El Matador”.

King has already met with his partner Vlad Hrunov to negotiate Mayorga’s fight with Dmitry Chudinov in Russia. “I can’t wait to get the Matador back in action” said King “I love Ricardo Mayorga and I am very happy to see him come out of retirement. I believe he can become the people’s champion again….” “He is one of the most promotable fighters in the world and I look forward with great anticipation on promoting him and the great people of Nicaragua.”

“Viva Nicaragua!!”

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (January 27) – Fighters for the Victor Ortiz vs. Luis Collazo card gathered at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, N.Y. to workout for the media and hold a press conference before their respective Thursday, Jan. 30 fights at Barclays Center airing live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes.

VICTOR ORTIZ, Former WBC Welterweight World Champion
“We’re so ready, we’ve had the best sparring partners and we’re ready to get in the ring. Training camp was really good.

[On experiencing “ring rust”] “Absolutely not, I’m completely 100 percent confident. I have no ring rust whatsoever.

“I’m not at all concerned about my jaw, I feel great and I can’t wait to get in the ring.

“This is my first time fighting in Brooklyn and I’m excited. I don’t have any words to say, nothing bad, nothing good. I’m here for the victory.”

LUIS COLLAZO, Former WBA Welterweight World Champion
“I’m really excited and humbled by the opportunity. I just want to give the boxing fans a great fight and a great outing. I’ve been waiting a long time for a fight of this caliber.

[On Ortiz’s strategy] “He can do what he wants, but I know on fight night I will be ready. If he wants to dance, I’ll be the bull.

“This fight is for my future. I’m trying not to look past it, but this victory here means everything to me. It means I have a future. If not, I have to start all over again from scratch.

“Preparation has been great. I’ve got a great team. We’re just getting stronger and feeling great.

“I’ve been counting down for weeks waiting patiently for this. I was motivated before getting this fight, but this has escalated my motivation.

[On supporting the Nephcure Foundation] “As a fighter, we fight to give the fans entertainment. To be a champion fighting for your life, you have to be champion in your heart.”

EDDIE GOMEZ, Undefeated Super Welterweight Prospect
“We’ve had six or seven hard weeks of training camp, doing everything we have to do to prepare for the fight.

“We [Gomez and Arnett] fought in the amateurs. I beat him and knocked him down three times. So now we’re going back at it again. He’s improved a lot but somebody’s ‘0’ has to go.

“We’ve grown and developed a lot both power-wise and ability-wise.

[On fighting at Barclays Center] “It’s a short drive from my house. I love fighting there. I have a lot of people coming to see me.

[On what to expect Thursday] “You can expect fireworks. I have everything, speed, power and whatever it takes to get the ‘W,’ I’ll be doing it.”

DAQUAN ARNETT, Undefeated Super Welterweight Prospect
“This fight is a great opportunity and a great stage to be on during Super Bowl week.

“I feel like I’m an all-around fighter. I can box, I can punch, I can sit in the pocket and fight inside and outside. The main thing is I can adjust and adapt to anything.

“I think these are some great, fan-friendly fights. I like to give the fans what they want to see.

[On fighting Gomez as amateurs] “It keeps coming up, but all I can say is we’re men now. We keep growing up and we’ll see what happens on Thursday. We were kids then, running around the ring throwing punches.

“I expect a good entertaining fight, something the fans will love to see. This will get both of us back on TV again. It will definitely be a win on my end.

“We are going to have a great show Thursday night so everyone get your tickets.”

GARY RUSSELL JR., Undefeated Super Featherweight Prospect
“I had a fun training camp. A lot of people approach this as a job, I understand that but for me, training camp was fun because I’m fighting a southpaw and I’m a southpaw.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m the oldest of six boys and all of us our southpaws.

“We’re animals, soldiers and warriors and I’m looking forward to bouncing around six, seven, eight rounds.”

MARCUS BROWNE, 2012 U.S. Olympian & Light Heavyweight Rising Star
“This is my sixth time fighting at Barclays Center and I’m ready to go out and take another step forward in my pro career.

“I just have to do what I have to do and keep carrying on with my career.”

ZACHARY OCHOA, Undefeated Super Lightweight Rising Star & Newly Signed GBP Fighter
“Fighting at Barclays Center is a good experience for me because it’s the best arena in the world. It’s a great thing that’s convenient for people and people from Brooklyn love to fight.

“Signing with Golden Boy was a beautiful thing for me. I couldn’t really get fights. For someone with my work ethic who trains all year it was disappointing not to get fights. But Golden Boy saw something in me and I’m excited they decided to sign me.

“Teachers in school used to say I wasn’t going to graduate, but I graduated high school, got accepted to college and I chose a different path.

“I am blessed with talent and I am so hungry to be the best, that’s why I call myself Zungry.”

EMMANUEL GONZALEZ, Undefeated Featherweight Prospect
“We have a great main event, great co-main event and I just hope everyone up here is ready. I know I’m ready and I hope everyone comes out and supports a great show.”

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, Former Two-Division World Champion & FOX Sports 1 Color Commentator
“This is such a stacked card for it being in the middle of Super Bowl week here in New York. The whole city is buzzing.

“I am excited looking at this whole line up, it’s really a great card we have here.

“Everything in New York City is electric. It is a perfect time for a card like this. Tickets start at 25 dollars, which you just can’t beat.

Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets
“Our venue has become a place where the local fighting community aspires to become future champions.

“I am looking forward to seeing one of Brooklyn’s stars, Luis Collazo, in action.

“We really want Brooklyn to be a destination for fans that are coming to the New York metropolitan area as part of their plans before the big game on Sunday night.”

# # #

Ortiz vs. Collazo is a 12-round fight for the WBA International Welterweight title on Thursday, Jan. 30 presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Casamigos Tequila. Barclays Center doors open at 6:00 p.m. ET with the first bell sounding at 6:30 p.m. ET. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $25, $43, $80 and $160 plus applicable taxes and service charges are on sale now available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-745-3000 and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK. A limited number of suites are available for the event. For more information on how to reserve one, please call 718-BK-SUITE (718-257-8483).

Bayamon, Puerto Rico’s Roberto J. Acevedo (8-1, 5 KO’s) returned to the ring in sensational fashion last Friday night at Resorts International in Atlantic City, New Jersey, by crushing highly touted Russian prospect Ilshat “The Sheriff” Khusnulgatin in less than a round.

Appearing for the first time since suffering a controversial decision last March in Chicago, Acevedo made his first fight as a light heavyweight count by dropping and stopping Khusnulgatin (11-1, 6 KO’s) with an impressive series of powerful right hands.
The end came at 2:09 of the first round.
With the stunning victory, 26-year-old Acevedo reasserted himself as one of the top Puerto Rican prospects.
“I felt strong,” said Acevedo. “My hands went well and I could hurt him and finish him off. With the blessing of God, we were able to work and show that we are here to stay.”
Acevedo, who took the fight on only seven days’ notice, spoiled Khusnulgatin’s promotional debut with top boxing outfit Main Events. The 23-year-old Khusnulgatin stands nearly six feet four inches tall, and was being touted as a new star in boxing. Ranked #14 by the WBA, Khusnulgatin shares the same management and trains with WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey Kovalev.
Acevedo is managed by Free Agent Boxing Management. He will be returning to the ring in March, looking for a regional title.

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® has confirmed that the eagerly awaited The Ultimate Fighter® Brasil: Team Wanderlei vs Team Sonnen season will be available exclusively on the organization’s new digital subscription service UFC® Fight Pass™.

The first episode of TUF Brasil will be available, on demand, on UFC Fight Pass from 7pm PT/10pm ET on Sunday, March 9, just hours after airing on Brazilian television. Each new episode will then be available every Sunday at the same time.

Filming has already begun in Sao Paulo, Brazil and the bad blood between coaches Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva has already resulted in incidents which UFC president Dana White could only describe as “crazy”, “nuts” and “absolute insanity.”

Bad blood has been on the boil between three-time UFC title challenger Sonnen and the legendary “Axe Murderer” for years and now that they are in close proximity to each other day-in, day-out, the pair is struggling to keep their mutual dislike in check.

Sonnen said: “I don’t quite know what to make of it down here. Wanderlei has already been an experience, to say the least. He’s like a cartoon character, he gets angry and runs out of words and steam starts to come out of his ears. He’s a caveman. But I feel sorry for him so I’m helping him get to where he wants to go – retirement.”

Former PRIDE FC world champion Silva said: “Sonnen messed with the wrong guy. Now his time has come. He’s fearful, afraid of me. For everything he said – now he has a payback. I’m here because of Brazil and the Brazilian fans. I’m going to give them what they want – the most exciting season of TUF ever.”

In addition to airing the entire series, UFC Fight Pass will also take subscribers behind the scenes with regular updates from Chael Sonnen, a teaser for which can be seen here.

UFC Chief Content Officer Marshall Zelaznik said the addition of The Ultimate Fighter Brasil makes UFC Fight Pass a must-have for all MMA fans.

He said: “We’re excited to confirm that UFC Fight Pass subscribers won’t miss any of the action from what is certain to be a crazy season of The Ultimate Fighter Brasil. Subscribers will be able to catch each installment on demand, within hours of the show airing on television in Brazil.

“March continues to be a huge month for UFC Fight Pass. On March 1, we have our second exclusive fight card, live from Macau, featuring top welterweight Dong Hyun Kim taking on the returning John Hathaway, a heavyweight battle between Matt Mitrione and Shawn Jordan and former No.1 featherweight Hatsu Hioki in a must-win fight against Ivan Menjivar.

“Then, on March 8, UFC Fight Pass will be the only place to see the stacked UFC London card, headlined by the No.1 ranked Alexander Gustafsson risking his title shot against knockout specialist Jimi Manuwa. The event will also feature a great flyweight fight between Ian McCall and Brad Pickett, Melvin Guillard taking on fellow TUF alumnus Michael Johnson and a battle between unbeaten welterweights with Gunnar Nelson taking on Omari Akhmedov.

“All that, plus the UFC Fight Pass Prelims, unrivaled access to the world’s biggest MMA fight library and now TUF Brasil – March is a huge month for UFC Fight Pass.”

UFC Fight Pass has already launched in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, with a $9.99 price point per month in all four markets. The service will be rolled out in other markets shortly, with content varying according to local television blackout rules.

All bouts live and subject to change. Visit UFC.com and UFC.tv for more information.

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.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (January 27) – Top super featherweight contender Gary “The Lion” Russell Jr. will kick off the FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes telecast live from Barclays Center on Thursday, Jan. 30 when he faces Obregon, Mexico’s Miguel “Yaqui” Tamayo in the opening televised bout on the fight card headlined by the WBA International Welterweight Title fight between “Vicious” Victor Ortiz and Luis Collazo.

The eight-round super featherweight bout will air beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT followed by the 10-round super welterweight co-featured bout between unbeaten prospects Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez and Daquan “King” Arnett.

Also added to the undercard are bouts featuring top local standouts “Sir” Marcus Browne, Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez, Zachary Ochoa, Rafael Vazquez and Steven Bujaj.

Highly ranked, undefeated standout from Capitol Heights, Maryland Gary Russell Jr. (23-0, 13 KO’s), expects that this will be the year in which he challenges for a world championship. But hard-hitting southpaw Miguel “Yaqui” Tamayo, from Ciudad Obregon Sonora, Mexico (14-7-2, 12 KO’s) can put a dent in those plans if he can upset the 25-year-old rising star on Jan. 30.

A member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team, Staten Island’s “Sir” Marcus Browne (8-0, 7 KO’s) has already thrilled fans at Barclays Center five times as a professional, most recently stopping Kevin Engel in a single round. Now, the 23-year-old goes for six straight wins in Brooklyn when he faces Kentrell Claiborne (4-8, 3 KO’s) of Shreveport, LA in a six-round light heavyweight bout.

Another familiar face to Brooklyn fans will be the Bronx’ Emmanuel Gonzalez (13-0, 7 KO’s), who scored a clear-cut win over previously unbeaten Noel Echevarria on the Sept. 30 event at Barclays Center. On Jan. 30, the unbeaten 26-year-old returns to the arena to square off against Houston, Texas’ Victor Sanchez (5-7-2, 2 KO’s) in an eight-round featherweight matchup.

Making his first start as a member of the Golden Boy Promotions roster, Brooklyn’s own Zachary Ochoa (5-0, 3 KO’s) will put his perfect professional record on the line in a four-round super lightweight bout against Manati, Puerto Rico’s Jose Valderrama (3-6 3 KO’s).

In featherweight action scheduled for eight rounds, Brooklyn’s Rafael Vazquez (9-1, 7 KO’s) takes on St. Paul, Minn.’s Bradley Patraw (10-6, 5 KO’s) and in the six-round cruiserweight opener, New York’s popular Steven “Superman” Bujaj (10-0, 7 KO’s) faces longtime standout Derek Bryant (20-7-1, 17 KO’s) of Philadelphia.

Ortiz vs. Collazo is a 12-round fight for the WBA International Welterweight title on Thursday, Jan. 30 presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Casamigos Tequila. Barclays Center doors open at 6:00 p.m. ET with the first bell sounding at 6:30 p.m. ET. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $25, $43, $80 and $160 plus applicable taxes and service charges are on sale now and available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-745-3000 and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK. A limited number of suites are available for the event. For more information on how to reserve one, please call 718-BK-SUITE (718-257-8483).

CHICAGO (January 26, 2014) – Gary Shaw Productions and Antonio Leonard Promotions have just signed two of the top U.S. amateur boxers in Kenneth Sims Jr. and Eduardo Martinez. Both fighters who hail from Chicago, IL, were brought to the professional ranks by manager James Prince and are trained by Kenneth Sims Sr.

Kenneth Sims Jr. (198-21) is a highly decorated amateur standout with over 200 amateur fights. Having become a 2-time National Pal Champion, Sims Jr. was also the 2013 USA National Champion, a Silver Gloves Champion, a Junior Olympic Bronze Medalist, a 3-time Ringside World Champion and a 2012 Olympic Trials Semifinalist. At age 20 and Standing 5’10, while competing in the lightweight division, Sims Jr. has all tools to become something special in the sport.

“I started boxing at age 9 and I fell in love with the sport after winning my first trophy,” said Kenneth Sims Jr. “My dad forced me to start boxing because I was the smallest kid in my class and the rest is history. I feel I made the right decision signing with Gary Shaw and Antonio Leonard, along with my manager James Prince. Together they know the game and boxing is a business and I believe they can lead me in the right direction. With Gary Shaw, Antonio Leonard and James Prince guiding my career, I truly believe I can become the best.”

After winning numerous amateur tournaments, Eduardo Martinez (85-10) won the 2013 USA Boxing National Championship. At age 21, Martinez stands 5’6 and fights in the bantamweight division. With power in both hands, Martinez is tailor made for professional boxing.

“It’s been my dream to become a professional boxer since I started boxing at age 13,” Eduardo Martinez said. “My motivation comes from my family as my parents always pushed me to be the best. To sign with big time promoters like Gary Shaw and Antonio Leonard is incredible because I know they’ve guided the careers of many world champions. I want to thank my manager James Prince for turning me pro with Shaw and Leonard. I know they will do a great job taking me to the top. I believe I’ll do well in the pros because I’m a big puncher and I feel this move will get my career off to a tremendous start.”

“These two kids have remarkable talent,” said Gary Shaw. “I want to thank my good friend James Prince for bringing me these two top fighters from the amateurs. Antonio Leonard, James and I will once again start another journey together as we did in the past with the late Diego Corrales and many others. We will go far with these two young men.”

“With Gary Shaw, Antonio Leonard and I coming together once again it’s a very powerful unification,” stated James Prince. “I know together we can take Sims Jr. and Martinez to the top. Both these fighters have tremendous character and I’m happy to bring them to the professional ranks with the best promoters in the business.”

“Sims Jr. and Martinez are close friends and they both have big dreams to become world champions,” said Antonio Leonard. “Gary, James and I are becoming a powerful force in boxing once again and the future looks bright for everyone involved. I can’t wait to see these two kids ascend to the top of the boxing world.”

New York, NY (January 26, 2014) – Most football fans make a serious effort to get ready for the Super Bowl.

Those hosting it commonly prepare tasty food, load up on beverages, and decorate their house to make America’s most popular annual event enjoyable for a large group of guests. For the football fanatics that aren’t having others over, there are many places to watch the big game. Similar to New Years Eve, debates on where to go isn’t uncommon and choosing where to watch the Super Bowl is not typically easy.

Media coverage leading up to the game is considered ridiculous even by the biggest fans of the sport, with pre-game shows starting more than seven hours before the opening kickoff.

Much like his peers, boxer Boyd Melson’s got a lot on his mind this week however it’s not due to his undecided plan’s about what he’s doing for the game. Instead, they are because of events he’s partaking in through invitation to assist those in need.

On Monday January 27, Melson, who founded Team Fight To Walk with his best friend Christan Zaccagnino, will participate in a lobbying event in Albany, NY for Spinal Cord Injury research funding. A coalition comprised of a handful of highly influential individuals was assembled for this cause and Melson was contacted to join this team. The mission is to get Governor Andrew Cuomo to reinstate a bill already signed into legislation that allocates a percentage of each moving violation in New York State towards Spinal Cord Injury research.

Melson was asked to speak last year in Albany alongside NY State’s top Spinal Cord Injury Researchers and Physicians, and played a key role in having $2 million approved in last year’s state budget for Spinal Cord Injury research. The reinstating of the bill would equate roughly to $7.5 million annually in research funding, and this is the amount they are going for this year. The meetings will involve key legislatures within the State Assembly and Senate members in the Capitol Office Building. If successful, the potential state-provided funding could greatly assist towards finding a cure for chronic Spinal Cord Injuries.

Four days later, Captain Melson is invited to a special Mission Continues event hosted by A&E and the History Channel. The Mission Continues is an organization established to allow Post 9/11 Veterans with at least two years of service the ability to continue selfless service towards a higher purpose. They make the transition from serving their country as a member of the United States Armed Forces towards serving their communities as a citizen. During their six month fellowship with The Mission Continues, they work part time for any nonprofit willing to bring them on while The Mission Continues pays them a stipend.

Melson spent his fellowship working with The Spinal Cord Injury Project at Rutgers University as well as volunteering as an aid at Push To Walk, a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation facility in New Jersey. The Mission Continues itself is a nonprofit founded by former Navy Seal Eric Greitens. The Mission Continues is also hosting a pre-Super Bowl dinner featuring a number of high profile politicians.

Melson, along with his brother Rudy Melson, a fellow veteran who just completed his own fellowship at the Mission Continues working with the Clinton Foundation in Manhattan, were specifically selected by Greiten’s organization to be covered by A&E and the History Channel Super Bowl weekend. For this selection, Melson and his brother will receive two tickets to the game on February 2 at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. When asked, Melson said his immediate excitement to attend was specific to think about what politicians he may be introduced to in order to expose them to Team Fight To Walk and the clinical trials he donated his fight purses towards.

Just 24 hours before the Super Bowl, Melson is participating in the annual Friendship Bowl hosted by the National Football League. The location of the game will be at a high school in New Jersey soon to be announced. Melson will be a representative on the US Ambassador team in a flag football game between US and Mexican Ambassadors. The Friendship Bowl takes place from noon until 3:30 PM on Saturday, February 1. The event is supporting the Non-Violence Project and is hosted annually by the National Football League.

“These are all incredible events that it’s an honor to be invited to,” said Melson, who gained notoriety in the sports world for donating 100% of his earnings from his purse to Justadollarplease.org in support of America’s first trial of its kind. “It is surreal that they’ve chosen me for these events. Each one is important it its own way and I plan to make a positive impact everywhere I go this week. I pray that my exposure to the various politicians at the Super Bowl will be the catalyst for something big in regards to Team Fight To Walk. We are always in the fight!”

Melson, who is an impressive 13-1-1 in the squared circle, returns to the ring Wednesday, February 12 against Mike Ruiz in the main event of the final card at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom. Tickets are available on teamfighttowalk.com.

For more information or to make a donation, go to teamfighttowalk.com or Justadollarplease.org. All specific questions about the nature of the Clinical Trial to cure Spinal Cord Injury can be sent to boydmelson@yahoo.com.

The rebuilding process has begun for David Price (16-2, 14 KOs). The British heavyweight is back to winning ways following the first-round knockout of Istvan Ruzsinsky (12-10-1, 8 KOs) at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart. Price landed two devastating right hands in the opening round to send Ruzsinsky crashing to the canvas and unable to continue.

‘’It feels great to get back under the lights and get going again,’’ said Price. ‘’I knew I had an opponent in front of me who was nowhere near my level but I still had to get in there, stay focused and do a professional job. I am happy to get the win and now we can crack on.’’

Promoter Kalle Sauerland: ‘’There will be no screaming and shouting from us yet. This was the first step of the journey for David and he did what he needed to do. We still have a long way to go but it was important to get this first win under his belt. It is great to see the big man back in the ring, reminding us all of what he is capable of!’’

NEW YORK (January 25, 2014) – Bob Arum and Todd duBoef, CEO and President of Top Rank, respectively, and Michael Koncz of MP Promotions are pleased to announce that an agreement was reached today for undefeated two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Fighter of the Decade Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, Pacquiao-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.

Both fighters and their teams will embark on a U.S. media tour the week of February 3, including press conferences in Los Angeles and New York on Tuesday, February 4 and Thursday, February 6, respectively. Ticket information and other details on the promotion and the media tour will be released shortly.

When Pacquiao and Bradley rumbled the first time, on June 9, 2012 at the 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.

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 over eight million pay-per-view buys. He returns to the ring after a scintillating beatdown of former world champion Brandon Rios.

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 2013 Fight of the Year last March, winning a brutal 12-round decision over Ruslan Provodnikov though Bradley was suffering from a concussion throughout most of the fight. In his most recent fight, in October, 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.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (JANUARY 25, 2013)–Two members of the GH3 Promotions stable will be in action at The Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City.

Undefeated Heavyweight Doorset “The Bullet” Barnwell and undefeated Light Heavyweight Gabriel Pham will take part in six and four round bouts respectively.

Barnwell (11-0, 5 KO’s) of Norfolk, Virginia weighed in at 245 lbs, for his bout with Jon Bolden (6-7, 5 KO’s) of New York who weighed in at 227 lbs.

Barnwell will compete in the co-feature bout.

Pham (5-0, 2 KO’s) of Atlantic City weighed in at 174 lbs for his rematch with Michael Mitchell (2-2-2) of Paterson, NJ who checked in at 171 lbs.

Said GH3 Promotions Vito Mielnicki: “I see two big victories for my fighters tonight. I signed guys who can and want to fight. Doorset stepped in for an injured fighter to be in the co-feature against a guy who can punch. Gabriel has been off for a bout 10 months and is getting back in the ring with a guy he had a war with in Mitchell.”

The bouts can be seen LIVE all over the world beginning at 7:30 on www.pandafeed.tv for just $9.99 by clicking: http://pandafeed.tv/#!/watch/52961bea2b83679220004154

The show is promoted by Sal Musumeci’s Final Forum Promotions.

Travis Kauffman 237 – Vincent Thompson 234
(WBA FEDLATIN TITLE)

Frankie De Alba 131 – Chazz McDowell 134
Miguel Cartagena 112 1/2 – Felipe Rivas 114
Sammy Quinones 136 – Benjamin Burgos 131
Khalib Whitmore 177 – Antonio Liles TBA
Christian Molina 140 – Dominic Goode 139
Lonnie Jackson Jr. 138 – Robert Ramos 136

Venue: Sands Bethlehem
Promoters: King’s Boxing & XFE
1st Bell: 7:15 est

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 24th, 2014) – Not even Shedrick Goodridge beating Todd Chattelle could upstage the upset of the night Friday at Twin River Casino.

On a night where Goodridge dominated Chattelle over the course of three rounds and featherweight Rob Font kicked off the year with another impressive win, underdog Kin Moy stole the show with a unanimous decision win over fan-favorite Andre Soukhamthath on the undercard of “CES MMA XXI.”

Facing his toughest test to date, Moy (5-0) ended Soukhamthath’s seven-fight win streak and kept his own perfect record intact by winning the final two rounds of his three-round bantamweight battle with Soukhamthath to earn a 29-28 score on all three cards. Soukhamthath (8-2) looked sharp early, dropping Moy twice with a pair of rear leg kicks and dominating the opening round, but once Moy took the fight to the ground, the momentum shifted.

Moy nearly choked out Soukhamthath in the second and although Soukhamthath fought his way back and controlled most of the round, Moy dominated the final minute. With the fight even at a round apiece, Moy took control early in the third, keeping Soukhamthath on his back and not allowing him to get to his feet. Unable to work his stand-up, Soukhamthath dropped the last two rounds and suffered his first loss in eight fights.

Starring in his 10th bout under CES’ promotional guidance, Chattelle (12-10) broke his right hand early during his main event bout with Goodridge (5-6) and never recovered. The New Jersey native dominated the stand-up and earned several key takedowns to take control of the fight midway through the opening round, winning unanimously, 30-27, on all three scorecards.

Font (9-1) made quick work of his opponent, New York’s Ahsan Abdullah (5-5), dropping him early in the opening round with a flying knee and unloading with a barrage of right hooks that Abdullah somehow survived, but the fight didn’t last much longer as Font – a bit weary from the punches – a locked in a d’arce choke moments later and finished Abdullah for good at the 3:48 mark. Font, the reigning CES MMA featherweight champion, has won eight consecutive bouts.

Desperately looking to end a two-fight losing streak and get his first win since 2012, bantamweight Dinis Paiva Jr. (4-5, 2 KOs) of East Providence, R.I., came out firing on all cylinders, stopping Franklin Isabel (4-7) of Chelsea, Mass., with a series of unanswered strikes at 1 minute, 48 seconds of the opening round.

In an exciting bantamweight bout, Shaun Marmas (5-6) of Coventry, R.I., and unbeaten Salem, Mass., native Matt Doherty fought tooth and nail until Doherty finally finished the bout via rear-naked choke at the 2:12 mark of the final round.

This was a strong, technical ground-and-pound match with both fighters jockeying for position through the first two rounds, though Doherty maintained the edge by reversing most of Marmas’ takedowns and keeping the momentum on his side. Doherty opened the third by dropping Marmas to the canvas with a knee and ultimately taking his back to sink in the rear-naked choke.

Keeping his impressive streak of knockout wins alive, heavyweight John Johnston (5-0, 5 KOs) of Melrose, Mass., flattened South Carolina’s William Baptiste in the opening round with a head kick so vicious it even sent Johnston to the canvas, too.

Johnston appeared on the verge of ending the bout in the opening seconds when he dropped Baptiste (2-1) in the center of the canvas and began pounding him with hammer fists, but Baptiste eventually fought his way back to his feet. Moments later at the 1:49 mark, Johnston caught him with a head kick that prompted the referee to immediately stop the bout. Johnston has now won all five of his fights by knockout.

Exciting newcomer Kyle Bochniak (1-0) of Winthrop, Mass., wasted no time getting the win in his professional debut, choking out the overmatched Peter Bertucci (0-1) of Hyannis, Mass., via rear-naked choke 1:05 into the opening round of their featherweight bout. Bochniak immediately took Bertucci to the canvas, took his back, and applied for the quick submission.

Fighting as a last-minute replacement for the injured Sylvester Murataj, Johnston, R.I., middleweight Tunde Odumoso (2-2) evened his record with a dominant win over the scrappy Adam Quitt (1-4) of Framingham, Mass., 30-27, on all three scorecards.

Odumoso was the faster, more effective striker, peppering Quitt and bloodying his opponent’s face midway through the second round. Quitt tried to press Odumoso against the cage and drag him to the canvas to utilize his wrestling, but Odumoso’s takedown defense was on point, allowing to fight in stand-up mode for all three rounds. By the third round, Odumoso began boxing circles around Quitt, mixing in a few knees to the midsection and rear-leg kicks to keep Quitt at bay.

Making his Twin River debut, Boston lightweight Bekzod Abdurakmonov (5-0) kept his perfect record intact with a dominant win over Philadelphia’s Andrew Osborne (7-8). Abdurakmonov scored a quick takedown and eventually took Osborne’s back to earn the rear-naked choke submission at the 1:54 mark.

LONDON (Jan. 24) – BoxNation kicks off its 2014 world title coverage this weekend with an intriguing clash for the IBF World Light-Welterweight title between champion Lamont Peterson and mandatory challenger Dierry Jean from the DC Armory in Washington, USA.

The 29 year old Peterson’s story will be familiar to British diehards due to the extensive coverage he received here for his hugely controversial victory over Amir Khan in December 2011.

Despite scoring an early knockdown, the Bolton lad conceded the tightest of split decisions in Peterson’s hometown of Washington DC, after having two points docked for ‘pushing’. Then, their keenly anticipated rematch had to be shelved when Peterson failed a pre-fight drugs test. The pair still has an unresolved score to settle.

Known as ‘Havoc’, Peterson and his younger brother Anthony – also a leading pro – survived a homeless childhood on the mean streets of DC, prior to finding sanctuary inside the prize ring.

A multiple US national amateur champion, he joined the pros in September 2004 and romped to victory in his first 27 gigs before colliding with formidable WBO king Tim Bradley in December 2009.

Though widely outscored, he delivered a sufficiently plucky showing to merit a second world title crack at Khan two years later.

Problems beyond the ropes confided the forceful, technically adept Peterson to just two airings over the subsequent 25 months. Whilst he retained his claim by grinding out an eight round stoppage over ex WBO king Kendall Holt last February, he was pulverised in three by Argentine bomber Lucas Matthysse in an over-the-weight non title affair in May and has been dormant since.

At just 7-5 against, 5ft 7in challenger Jean is a very live underdog. Born in Haiti 31 years ago, he is a product of the currently thriving Quebec boxing scene, having lived in Canada since the age of 10.

A late starter at 18, he posted a 54-8 amateur slate and has been victorious in all 25 contests since joining the pros in December 2006. Seventeen stoppage wins suggest there is plenty of pop in his gloves.

It’s a contest full of curiosity and who better to assess it for us than the aforementioned Khan, a former two-time 140lb world champion who spoke to boxing writer Glynn Evans from his training base in California on Monday evening.

Catch a terrific night’s boxing which also includes heavyweight David Price’s return to action plus the rematch between WBO cruiserweight king Marco Huck and Firat Arslan from Stuttgart, Germany, by tuning into BoxNation, the Channel of Champions from 6pm on Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546.

“It’ll be very interesting to see what Peterson has still got left. He’s 29 and he’s coming off a bad knockout loss to Lucas Matthysse last year. Sometimes a bad defeat can make you a better fighter, if you can learn from it and make changes. It’s happened to me against Breidis Prescott and Danny Garcia but I proved it doesn’t necessarily mean the end.

I was surprised by how Matthysse managed to put Peterson away so early and so clinically because when I fought Lamont he absorbed a lot of big shots. But then our fight took a lot out of both of us. It was brutal. Later he tested positive (for synthetic testosterone in the build up to their aborted rematch) so you don’t know if he was on something that night.

When I fought Lamont he was challenging for a world title in front of his hometown crowd and he was really up for it mentally. Fighting at home gave him a huge advantage and he came with real hunger to win. The shots he took from me proved he has a real fighting heart. He had to dig deep.

He’s quite a good technical boxer but without wanting to disrespect him or sound big headed myself, I was a bit better than Lamont, boxing wise, the night we fought. When I got him onto his back foot, his shots usually fell short.

But Lamont applied a lot of good pressure. He closed the range and cut the ring down well. He’s got a firm stance, keeps his hands tight and moves pretty well. He’s not the biggest puncher but he chugs forward, grinding away, grinding away. In Barry Hunter, he had a very good trainer who continually inspired him to drive forward. But he’s only really got the one style and I know I took a lot out of him. He’s not been the same in either of his two fights since.

After his loss to Matthysse, I’m not sure that Peterson deserves to hold a belt and, personally, I think he falls a bit short of Danny Garcia (WBC/WBA king) and Ruslan Provodnikov (current WBO boss), the other champions at 140. Still, styles make fights.

Like most people, I’ve not seen or heard a lot about Jean. But he’s the mandatory challenger and has been highly ranked by several organisations for some time. I’m told he’s a very tough and durable orthodox boxer and he’s going into his world title chance unbeaten. He should certainly be confident and up for it. He’ll provide us with a good gauge of what Peterson has left.

It’s his big chance and my advice to Jean would be to jump on Peterson from the very start. Push him back and put him under pressure immediately. Lamont’s coming off a bad stoppage defeat so there’s sure to be doubts in his mind. After dropping Peterson heavily in the first round, I made the mistake of backing off and allowing him back into the fight. I let him get his confidence back. I regret that.

Coming off that kayo (defeat), I’d expect Peterson to be very careful at the start and to keep it tight until he’s fully warmed up. It’s a big opportunity for Jean to break through and make a name for himself. It’s definitely a fight worth watching.

But I expect Peterson to win this, probably by decision. He’s got far greater experience at top level and fighting in his hometown will prove a big advantage again.”

Lamont Peterson vs. Dierry Jean is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 1.30am. To subscribe visit www.boxnation.com.

-Ends-

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £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 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.

ESPN3 will present exclusive live coverage in the U.S. of the 12-round WBO Cruiserweight title bout between defending titleholder Marco Huck (36-2-1, 25 KOs) and former titleholder Firat Arslan (33-6-2, 21 KOs) Saturday, Jan. 25, at 5 p.m. ET. The fight, from Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Germany, will be the second fight between the two boxers. Huck won a unanimous decision over Arslan in their first meeting last November. The fight will also be carried in the Caribbean on ESPN’s broadband service ESPN Play.

About ESPN3
ESPN3 is ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members, Roku and Apple TV. The network is currently available to more than 85 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational and on-base military networks.

NEW YORK (Jan. 24, 2014) – Renowned broadcaster Brian Custer is the new voice of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

The knowledgeable and popular veteran sports broadcaster will take over play-by-play duties alongside expert analyst Steve Farhood and host Brian Kenny beginning with a three-fight SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast preceding the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 25, at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. (live at 7 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME followed by 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME).

SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTEME began in 2011 as a platform to showcase young, up-and-coming prospects in TV-worthy undercard bouts offering fight fans more content and value for their subscription. Custer and Farhood will generally call between two and four undercard fights prior to a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast. Saturday’s matchups feature three undefeated prospects facing tough veteran fighters.

Custer bolsters what has become the freshest broadcast team in sports, a group that is as versatile and experienced as it is vibrant. The Emmy® Award-winning Kenny hosts both SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. He orchestrates the conversation of his colleagues with a straight forward approach and a broad perspective of the sports world.

Play-by-play announcer Mauro Ranallo joined SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING from the mixed martial arts arena, where he earned a reputation for delivering the high drama of combat sports with passion and intensity equal to the fierce competition in the ring.

The foremost boxing analyst in the sport today, Al Bernstein received boxing’s most prestigious honor in 2012 when he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. As knowledgeable and opinionated as he is fair and journalistic, Bernstein has chronicled the sport since 1980 and joined SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING as lead color commentator in 2003.

The brightest face in boxing broadcasting, expert analyst Paulie Malignaggi has made a seamless transition from the ring to ringside microphone on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Malignaggi speaks virtually the same way he boxes, with speed and precision. Concise, clear and quick-witted, the former world champ and current contender doesn’t pull any punches as he offers the relevant perspective of a fighter who has been on both ends of high-impact, dangerous fights.

Farhood, a renowned boxing historian just recently named to the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame, is one of the most trusted and respected veterans in the business for his conversational style and astute ability to recognize nuanced strategy and style. A former journalist and editor of THE RING Magazine, Farhood has never lost his wonder for the sport, a trait that makes him one of the easiest broadcasters for fans to relate to.

Emmy Award-winning sports reporter Jim Gray always knows what the viewers want to ask. What sets him apart from his peers is that he is not afraid to ask the toughest questions on live television. Reporting for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING since 1994, Gray is known for his direct and tenacious interview technique, providing viewers a glimpse into the psyche of prizefighters before and after some of the biggest fights of their lives.

Custer, who won an Emmy while at SportsNet New York (SNY) for his work on the network’s documentary “Baseball in Africa: A Diamond in the Rough,” has been a mainstay on SNY since 2006. Experienced in the sweet science, Custer first called the action on SHOWTIME EXTREME on Oct. 26 for the undercard of the Hopkins vs. Murat event and has called fights for the “Broadway Boxing” series since 2009.

Custer hosts numerous shows at SNY, including The WheelHouse and Jets Post Game Live. Prior to joining SNY, Custer worked at CBS-11 in Dallas for eight years as a sports anchor. A fighter outside of the broadcast booth, Custer overcame a battle with prostate cancer in 2013 and was diagnosed cancer-free following a successful surgery last August.

“At SHOWTIME, we’re always striving to deliver the biggest and most significant events in the sport via the highest quality production in our telecasts,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “One of the key elements of our strategy is to provide viewers with the brightest minds and the freshest voices in sports broadcasting. Brian’s passion, knowledge and experience in boxing make him the perfect fit for our telecast booth.”

The addition of Custer to the announce team is one of the integral production changes Espinoza has overseen since joining SHOWTIME in 2011. With consistently solid matchups, the addition of Kenny, Malignaggi and live undercard fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME, average viewership for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING has increased more than 60 percent in the past two years.

In tomorrow’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event (live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), Lamont Peterson will defend his IBF Junior Welterweight World Championship against undefeated Canadian contender Dierry Jean. In the co-feature, super welterweight contender Jermell Charlo will face the dangerous, former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round bout at 154 pounds.

In action on SHOWTIME EXTREME (live on SHO EXTREME at 7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), three-time U.S. Olympian and undefeated bantamweight prospect Rau’Shee Warren will face the more experienced German Meraz in an eight-round bout; hard-hitting lightweight prospect Robert Easter, Jr., will take on veteran Daniel Attah in another eight-rounder; and undefeated middleweight Dominic Wade will square off with Dashon Johnson in a six-round fight.

About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, FLIX ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

LOS ANGELES (January 24) – Golden Boy Promotions makes its Brazilian debut on Globosat on Saturday, January 25, with a hard-hitting card at the Arena Santos in Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil featuring the pro debut of 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao and a main event pitting hometown hero Adeilson Dos Santos against Carlos Gaston Suarez.

In Saturday’s 10-round main event, which will be contested for the WBC World Youth Featherweight Title, Sao Paulo’s own Adeilson Dos Santos (12-0, 9 KO’s) will defend the title he won last September with a second-round technical knockout of 14-0 Marcos Gabriel Martinez in Argentina against another tough Argentinean in Buenos Aires’ Carlos Gaston Suarez (6-2, 1 KO). A pro since 2012, the 21-year-old Dos Santos is already drawing positive comparisons to Brazilian standouts of the past, and with a win over Suarez, he will keep the momentum going to kick off 2014.

Hailing from Vitoria, 26-year-old Yamaguchi Falcao will be making one of the most eagerly anticipated debuts seen in Brazil in years when he meets Argentina’s Martin Fidel “El Terrible” Rios (9-0-2, 3 KO’s) in an eight-round middleweight bout. A Silver medalist at the 2011 Pan American Games and a Bronze medal winner at the 2012 London Olympics, this national hero is eager to begin his pro journey this weekend against a hungry and undefeated opponent in La Pampa’s Rios.

“GALA DE BOXEO EN SANTOS” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions and sponsored by IBG. The local Globosat broadcast begins at 10:30p.m. The FOX Deportes broadcast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.FOXDeportes.com and http://globoesporte.globo.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes and visit on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents live professional kickboxing action this Saturday, January 25, at 2 p.m. ET as Enfusion presents its 12th live edition from Sporthal Genderbeemd in Eindhoven, Holland.

Headlining the event, Holland’s Robbie Hageman battles Spain’s David Calvo for the Enfusion 70kg world championship.

Other featured matchups include Morocco’s Ismael Lazaar against Surinamese prospect Sergio Pique, Holland’s Dennis Stolzenbach against compatriot Fred Sikking, Morocco’s Hamza Ahnine against Dutchman Pietje Heesbeen, Britain’s Iman Barlow throwing down with Israel’s Adi Rotem, plus Moroccan Fikri Ameziane clashes with Holland’s Brian Douwes.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

David Price (15-2, 13 KOs) arrived in Stuttgart and weighed in ahead of his fight with Istvan Ruzsinsksy (12-9-1, 8 KOs) at the Hanns-Matrin-Schleyer-Halle on Saturday night.

‘’I am very happy to be here,’’ said Price. ‘’I have been looking forward to this day all week and I am glad it has finally come. Tomorrow, I get the chance to get back under the lights and do what I do best. ‘’

A failed medical check led to a late change of opponent for Price but the British heavyweight is not allowing this to effect his focus. ‘’Obviously I was a little disappointed when I first found out but these things are out of my control. I still need to get in, do a professional job and make sure I concentrate on what I have been working on in the gym.’’

Price tipped the scales at 112.8kg, his opponent Ruzsinsky will weigh-in later today.

London (24 January) WBC Silver super middleweight champion James DeGale MBE will be back in action on March 1st at The City Academy, Bristol, live on Channel 5, as his scheduled WBC final eliminator against Badou Jack looks set for purse bids

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Gold Medallist, DeGale, will top the bill in Bristol against a soon to be announced opponent, with an agreement between Hennessy Sports and Mayweather Promotions not looking imminent.

“I can’t wait to get out there in Bristol and put on a fantastic performance,” DeGale said.

“Jack’s team have made it clear they aren’t interested in the March 1st date in England for whatever reason, so I see this as the perfect opportunity to get out there and show everyone what I’ve got.

“I just hope that Jack doesn’t do a Periban when he sees my performance in Bristol.”

DeGale’s scheduled fight with Jack is in the private negotiation period following the WBC’s announcement of their final eliminator contest, fighting for the mandatory position to challenge champion Sakio Bika for the WBC world super middleweight title.

The bout was originally set between DeGale and Mexico’s Marco Antonio Periban, with Hennessy Sports looking at a March 1st date in the UK.

Following Periban’s withdrawal on the eve of purse bids, Jack was nominated as the new opponent and subsequently offered the same date for the fight by Hennessy Sports.

However, in Dan Rafael’s recent ESPN blog, Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, was quoted as saying that Jack’s side isn’t considering taking an offer to come to England for the fight, despite Hennessy Sports’ interest.

“We’re not interested in doing anything like that,” Ellerbe said.

Now, with the contest likely to be decided by purse bids on February 14th, DeGale headlines a packed show in Bristol that includes British bantamweight champion Lee Haskins and young heavyweight sensation Hughie Lewis Fury.

“We offered the date to Jack and his team, but as they have recently made it clear that they have no intention of coming to the UK on March 1st, we have been negotiating with other opponents to make sure James fights on this date,” Promoter Mick Hennessy said.

“James is world class and this gives him the perfect opportunity to send a statement to Jack by putting on a devastating display.”

Also scheduled to fight on the show is a whole host of talent, including local Bristol fighters Dan Sarkozi, Lee Nutland, Ashley Lane and Dane Kelly, along with Gloucester’s Wayne Ingram and Weston Super-Mare’s Liam Hunt in his professional debut.

Read Dan Rafael’s ESPN blog here:

http://espn.go.com/blog/dan-rafael/post/_/id/7187/degale-jack-eliminator-ordered

Ticket Information

Tickets for March 1st are priced from £35 and are available to purchase from the following box office today:

Sanigar Events box office: 0117 949 66 99

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