PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 22nd, 2014) — Rob Font had about as good a year in 2013 as any fighter could hope for.

Imagine him being even better this year. It’s almost improbable, but not at all impossible for a fighter who defied the odds in a breakthrough 2013.

“I’m coming into this year taking names and collecting bodies,” said Font (8-1, 2 KOs), who’ll make his season debut Friday night at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I.

“I’m here to win and fight, and I want to fight even bigger and better names this year.”

The reigning CES MMA featherweight champion will put his seven-fight win streak on the line against Bombsquad veteran Ahsan Abdullah (5-4, 2 KOs) at “CES MMA XXI.”

A Tampa, Fla., native, Font moved to Boston four years and didn’t even begin his amateur career until 2011. Less than three years later, he’s the premiere featherweight in the northeast, still the underdog in many ways despite his impressive resume as a pro.

Fighting with a chip on his shoulder is perhaps what makes Font such a dangerous adversary in the cage, not to mention the realization that this ride could end at any minute courtesy of a swift right hand or a tricky armbar.

“MMA, in general, is a humbling sport,” Font said. “You’re constantly getting beat up every day. You realize real fast you’re not the man. I have a black eye right now, and that actually came from an amateur coming up. We’re always, always in there sparring with tough guys.

“With those 4-ounce gloves, anything can happen at anytime, so I never take anything for granted. I always try to be as prepared as possible, but anything can happen. I’ve seen guys win fights when they’re losing all three rounds and at the last minute and a half they come up with the big knockout off baby clips and punches. It just happens. It’s definitely something to keep in the back of your mind when you’re out there.

“Knowing anything can happen is what keeps you alive. Your senses are up. I call it my spider senses. That tingling. I’m always aware. I know at any point a jab can put you on the ground.”

Font’s breakthrough performance in 2013 began in February when he dominated Saul Almeida, at the time considered one of the top featherweights in the northeast. It was Font’s coming-out party, so to speak, and he continued his rise to the top with wins over Lucas Cruz and Chris Foster, the latter for the then-vacant CES MMA featherweight title, a lopsided fight that ended by technical knockout four minutes into the opening round.

Font closed the year with another impressive win, beating Matt DiMarcantonio by unanimous decision in December, and is now focused on somehow topping his 2013 output with the ultimate encore performance in 2014.

As always, the first step won’t be easy, not against the veteran Abdullah, who’s fought in Rhode Island before, beating Shaun Marmas in June.

“The guy’s driving from New York, and you know he’s not trying to take that long ride home with an ‘L’ so he’s going to bring the fight,” Font said. “I think he has a perfect style for me. He’s going to be a perfect style, actually, for the fans. He’s coming forward, and I’m a better counter-puncher than coming forward, so, pretty much, I’m going to catch him coming in.”

“CES MMA XXI,” scheduled for Friday, Jan. 24, 2014, also features the return of fan-favorites Andre Soukhamthath (7-1, 4 KOs) of Woonsocket, R.I., and Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Todd Chattelle (12-9, 9 KOs).

Chattelle is hoping for a fresh start in 2014 against the always dangerous Shedrick Goodridge (4-6, 2 KOs) of Rahway, N.J. Soukhamthath will face his toughest test to date in a possible early candidate for Fight of the Year against undefeated Cambridge, Mass., bantamweight Kin Moy (4-0, 1 KO). Soukhamthath is making his first trip back to the Ocean State since relocating to Boca Raton, Fla., where he now trains with the famed Blackzilians. Since making his CES MMA debut in 2012, Soukhamthath has won seven consecutive fights, including a knockout win over Corey Simmons in CES’ 2013 season finale in December in which he broke a tie with Chattelle to become the promotion’s winningest fighter.

Also returning to Twin River is Melrose, Mass., heavyweight John Johnston (4-0, 4 KOs), who will attempt to keep his impressive streak of consecutive knockout wins (4) alive when he faces unbeaten William Baptiste (2-0, 1 KO) of Goldsboro, N.C.

Dinis Paiva Jr. (3-5), an East Providence, R.I., native, will look to snap his two-fight losing streak in a bantamweight bout against Franklin Isabel (4-6) of Chelsea, Mass.; while Marmas (5-5, 1 KO) will face Matt Doherty (2-0, 2 KOs), a Salem, Mass., native, in a potential Fight of the Night candidate. Marmas split two bouts in 2013, beating Tom Evans in April before losing to Abdullah in June.

Featherweight Kyle Bochniak of Winthrop, Mass., will make his professional debut in a separate three-round bout. Middleweight Adam Quitt (1-3) of Framingham, Mass., will return for his first fight since February when he battles Rocky Hill, Conn., veteran Sylvester Murataj (0-2). All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets for “CES MMA XXI” are priced at $40, $55, $100 and $125 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253/2254, online at www.cesmma.com or www.ticketmaster.com or at the Twin River Players Club.

LONDON (Jan. 22) – Lamont Peterson is adamant he has overcome his devastating knockout loss to Argentine bruiser Lucas Matthysse.

The IBF light-welterweight world champion steps back into the ring this weekend, live on BoxNation, when he goes up against the undefeated and big-hitting Dierry Jean at the DC Armory in Washington DC.

The bout will be Peterson’s first, following his crushing defeat last May when he was stopped inside three rounds by Matthysse – one which he insists he is over, despite the stunning nature of the defeat.

“Getting over the loss, that happened in one day,” said Peterson. “Who cares about the knockout? It’s part of boxing. That’s what happens. You pick yourself up and you move on. At this point, it’s in the past. Who cares? As a fighter, you have to block that out and you keep moving,” he said.

“As far as me moving on, I’m a fighter. At the end of the day, I had to focus on January 25th. I train hard, give it my all, and we go out there and we fight. It’s always going to be the same with me. Who cares about what happened in the last fight?,” Peterson declared.

Due to the fact Peterson faced Matthysse at the somewhat odd catchweight of 141 pounds, his IBF light-welterweight crown, which is up for grabs this weekend, was not on the line.

Some have called into question the fact Peterson has remained the IBF champion, though the Washington DC native appears unaffected and has called on his upcoming opponent, Jean, to back up his big talking in the ring.

“Who cares about what he thinks, what he says? At the end of the day I have to get in there and show him. So it’s not going to make me feel no type of way. He can say what he wants. It’s all his perception at this point. He has to go in there and show me,” Peterson said.

“At the end of the day the belts mean nothing. It means a lot to ya’ll, but it means nothing to me. I just love to fight. I go, I bust my ass in the gym, I go and I fight. I give it my all in the ring.

“Who cares about who’s number one, who’s number two, who’s pound for pound, who has this belt, who has that belt? I care less about that. So whether you look at me as a champion or not, it doesn’t make a difference,” he stated.

At 31, the opportunity to capture world title glory appears to have come just at the right time for the Haitian born Jean, who moved to Canada as a 10-year-old with his older brother.

Having blasted his way past 25 opponents, and scoring 17 knockouts, including an impressive stoppage in his last fight over Cleotis Pendarvis in the eliminator for a shot at Peterson’s IBF belt, Jean is sure his time has come.

“I see a better fighter [when compared with Peterson]. I’m more vicious. I can hit harder than him, and I want it more so I give everything to earn that title,” Jean said.

“This fight means everything for me. I’ve been working so hard to get there, and now I’m there. It’s to go conquer the belt. It’s a lot for me. I started at 18 years old, and now I’m 31. I think I deserve it now.

“I worked so hard from the bottom of my heart. So now it’s time to go get that belt. It’s my time now. Lamont did his time. Now it’s my time,” he declared.

Jean is also certain that he can capitalise on the vulnerability of Peterson given his last fight.

“It’s a great opportunity for me because I think in his mind he’s not 100% okay. So it’s going to be a great opportunity for me to strike him again, for me to catch him again, to remind him the nightmare he took last time,” said Jean.

In the co-featured bout, undefeated light-middleweight Jermell Charlo and the unyielding Gabriel Rosado square off in a highly anticipated 10-round fight for the WBC Continental Americas super welterweight title.

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.

Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions, promoter of red-hot WBA #9 heavyweight Travis “My Time” Kauffman, has received a letter of approval and Kauffman’s showdown this Saturday, January 25, against “Vicious” Vincent Thompson will be for the WBA Fedelatin Championship.

Reading, Pennsylvania’s Kauffman (27-1, 20 KOs) and Federal Way, Washington’s Thompson (13-1, 2 KOs) will meet in the 10-round main event of a King’s Promotions professional boxing event at the Sands Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Tickets for Championship Boxing at the Sands Bethlehem are priced at $50, $75, $125, and $200 in advance ($5 more at the door) and are available through The Sands box office and all Ticketmaster locations.

“I am happy the WBA has chosen to recognize this fight as being of championship caliber, as both guys have excellent records and are deserving of this opportunity” said Greg Cohen. “Travis has slowly built momentum during his comeback and is now running full steam into important tests such as this. These are the kinds of fights that will get him ready for his eventual world championship challenge.”

The WBA Supervisor appointed for the bout is Carlos Sucre. The Sands Bethlehem is located at 77 Sands Blvd in Bethlehem.

22 January 2014 – SINGAPORE: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) will collaborate with TV9, the No. 1 station for young, fresh and Mass Malays market in Malaysia. This historic partnership marks the first time mixed martial arts will be broadcasted monthly on free-to-air television to 30 million people in Malaysia. The collaboration will also extend to ONE FC’s next show in Kuala Lumpur in March.

TV9 is one of the four free-to-air (FTA) television stations under Malaysia’s leading media conglomerate, Media Prima Berhad and currently a strong No. 2 most watched television in Malaysia after TV3. TV9’s target audience is the Young Fresh Mass Malays (YFM) between the ages of 15 to 29. Its prominent and distinct image had propelled TV9 to retain its second spot as the most watched television station in Malaysia. Its successful formula includes catering to the specific tastes of its target audiences, presenting them with a variety of reality, entertainment, drama and tele-movies as well as a mix of modern religious-themed programs.

ONE FC CEO Victor Cui stated, “On behalf of ONE Fighting Championship™, I would like to warmly welcome TV9 on board as a broadcast partner. This is an exciting time for mixed martial arts in Asia and Malaysia is rapidly becoming a hotbed for the sport. TV9 is a fantastic partner and one of the biggest free-to-air broadcasters in Malaysia and ONE FC is excited at the opportunity to showcase our fighters to millions of homes throughout the country.”
General Manager of TV9, Zurina Othman, said, “We are honored with this collaboration and excited to show this adrenaline charged mixed martial art sports program to our viewers. It is also a good opportunity to acknowledge our best talent from Malaysia like Gianni Subba, Adam Kayoom, Saiful Merican and Anne Osman, into the homes of our viewers, as they showcase their skills inside the ONE FC cage.”

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

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

About TV9
Since its inception in 2006, TV9 has developed target to the youngsters and appear as free station, channel number 2 in the country and children’s favorite. To maintain this position in 2012, TV9 will continue to focus on young people of the Malay community and the audience in the city without forgetting the existing loyal audience. This can be translated into a fresher look with a focus on entertainment, drama, comedy and reality to satisfy the requirements of the target segment. Among the interesting arrangement by TV9 are including Idola Kecil, Versus; drama slot “Ratu” “Aurora,” “Skrin di 9”, “Mutiara Hati;” international slot which shows Korean drama “Chamsarang”, Korean film “Saranghae” and Hollywood film “Movie Night” and also “9X” slot which is an experimental program for teens. Not to mention the entertainment program that has been our station’s signature such as Galaksi, Hip TV, NLKO and Upin & Ipin through Bananana! slot.

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 21, 2014) – Hundreds of fans turned out on a Tuesday afternoon to witness up close and personal Mexican boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez, fan favorite Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and four other world-class action fighters for a jam-packed press conference hosted by Golden Boy Promotions to formally announce “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a fantastic four-fight telecast on Saturday, March 8, on SHOWTIME PPV® from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Joining the popular main event fighters at the Los Angeles Central Public Library Outdoor Plaza undefeated Two-Division World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz, former Three-Time World Champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares and Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez, a brother of Canelo Alvarez,

In what will be a slugfest in the March 8 main event, Canelo (42-1-1, 30 KO’s), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will make his return to the ring to face the fearless Angulo (22-3, 18 KO’s), of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. In three 12-round world title fights on an all-action pay-per-view undercard, unbeatenWBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KO’s), of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacán de Ocampo, Mexico, will defend his title against Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KO’s), of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico; unbeaten Omar “Panterita” Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KO’s), of McAllen, Texas, will risk his WBC Interim Lightweight Title against Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KO’s), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and Chicago’s “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KO’s) will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KO’s), of Houston.

Tickets are on sale and priced at $600, $400, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Before fighter introductions and a press conference that was streamed live on the SHOWTIME Sports website officially began, a nervous Angulo had several inches of his shoulder-length hair cut. It will be donated to Locks of Love, a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, who emceed the proceedings, and Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager, SHOWTIME Sports, were the first to speak at the podium, followed by the fighters.

Schaefer mentioned that “almost 6,000” seats had already been sold for the event and that he expected “a full house.” Espinoza announced that ALL ACCESS: Canelo vs. Angulo would premiere on Friday, Feb. 29, on SHOWTIME with Episode 2 on Wednesday, March 5.

In the top bout preceding the pay-per-view telecast, former two-time World Champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s) will face Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s) in a 10-round lightweight match.

See below for quotes from the boxers and executives:

CANELO ALVAREZ, Former Super Welterweight World Champion
“Alfredo Angulo is a very strong fighter, and he knows how to come forward. He knows how to throw a punch and take a punch and he comes to fight.

“I’m sure you want to see a fight and you don’t want to see a guy who is going to be running all night.
“I’ve prepared myself very well to give you all a great fight. I’m glad Alfredo has some fans here today, but my fans are better.

“I can’t tell you all the things I learned from my last fight [against Floyd Mayweather on a record-shattering pay-per-view event last September], but there is a long list. I don’t take it as a loss. I take it as a learning experience. And that is what’s going to keep me going. That’s the greatest thing about this sport. You learn and you move on.

“We have two different styles and you really can’t compare the two. Angulo’s aggressive. I’ve fought bigger guys but I see him as a middleweight coming down to super welterweight.

“We offered this fight to [Miguel] Cotto first, but he wasn’t ready. We wanted to give you guys, the media, and the fans this fight. This is for the fans.

“Losing is part of boxing. Muhammad Ali lost and he’s still the greatest of all time. So a loss isn’t going to prevent me from being the future of boxing.”

ALFREDO ANGULO, Former WBO Interim Junior Middleweight World Champion
“I’m the same Alfredo Angulo as I’ve always been and I’m going to always give the fans great fights. I think that I earn respect in my fights and March 8 is going to be no different.

“I don’t know if he’s the most powerful fighter I’ve faced, but I know I have to give my all in this fight for my fans. This fight is for the fans.

“What’s this fight going to mean if I win? I don’t know. Once I win, then you can ask that.

“He [Canelo] knows the heart that I have. He’s knows it very well; that the advantage I have over him.
“I know I have some doubters. But if you doubt me, go ahead and look up my fights on YouTube.”

CHEPO REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer
“Like always, we respect Mexican fighters, especially Alfredo Angulo. He’s a tough fighter, a very good fighter and very strong. Thank you for coming out and supporting boxing because there are some great Mexican fighters on this card.”

VIRGIL HUNTER, Angulo’s Trainer
“Each man has to come to grips that they are coming off a loss. Alfredo came so close to upsetting [Erislandy] Lara and I’m just pleased he’s getting this fight. I couldn’t be happier for him.

“You can’t say that Alfredo doesn’t deserve this fight because Angulo was up on most of the scorecards in his last fight and Canelo was shut out on his. I think this is as good a time as any and that this fight makes sense. Alfredo has come to understand the importance of defense. Initially he had a disdain for defense but I’ve been teaching him the importance of that aspect of the game.

“Whoever wins this fight is going to have to fight to win it. I’ve called this a must-win fight for Canelo to stay relevant and I think he definitely has something to prove.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ, Two-Division World Champion
“I’m very happy and I’m very prepared for this fight. Mijares is a great fighter.

“When I was in the beginning of my career, I used to see him fight. I once sparred against Jose Navarro to help him fight against Mijares. I watched that fight and I know that he’s a great fighter that will give me a tough fight.

“We come 100 percent ready and we’re trying to the fans a great fight. Hopefully, it’s one of the best fights of the night.”

CRISTIAN MIJARES, Former World Champion
“I’m very happy to be on such a big card like this, in the co-main event of the big fight between Canelo and Angulo.

“I’m motivated because I’m coming back. I know it’s going to be a very good fight against Leo Santa Cruz because he’s a very good fighter.

“I’m motivated. I’m coming here to win, I’m coming here to be a world champion. I’m not going to give away anything. I’m expecting to win. It’s going to be a war. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

RICARDO ALVAREZ, Top Lightweight Contender
“I know this is a big opportunity for me. I understand this opportunity that my promoter has given me. Figueroa is very aggressive and styles make fights so I know it’s going to be a great fight.

“I’m motivated. I know I can make history for me and my family [if triumphant, it will mark the first time three Mexican-born brothers have won a world title]. We made history once before in Mexico when all six of my brothers and I fought on the same card. I want to make history again.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, Golden Boy Promotions CEO
“This fight is like an infomercial. You remember when you were ready to order and they’re like: ‘Wait, there’s more.’ That’s what this card is; one great fight after the other. Action-packed.

“This is the kind of card you want to make sure to have the carne asada and the cerveza ready when the first fights go live on SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View at 6 o’clock.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President, General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports
“This is a boxing card that has everything for the true fight fan. Canelo Alvarez is taking on the most dangerous opponent of his career in Alfredo Angulo, who is perhaps the strongest puncher and fighter that Canelo has yet face and I have no doubt this fight will be an action fight for as long as it lasts.”

# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,”a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. This event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @elperro82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @OmarFigueroaJr, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @FutureOfBoxing, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

NEW YORK (January 21, 2013) – The first father-son combination of Floyd Patterson and Tracy Harris Patterson highlight the announcement of the Class of 2014 inductees heading into the third-year New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF).

The third annual NYSBHOF induction dinner will be held Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), March 30, at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York. The NYSBHOF is sponsored by Ring 8

“This is another very strong class of inductees,” Ring 8 & NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy said. “We are honoring New York’s finest in our sport. This is all about recognizing great fighters, as well as others involved in boxing, from the state of New York.”

Two-time World Heavyweight Champion Patterson (55-8-1, 40 KOs), of Brooklyn, will be inducted posthumously along with his adopted son, boxing trainer Tracy Harris (63-8-2, 43 KOs), the former WBC/IBF Super Featherweight Champion from New Paltz.

Other living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF are former WBC/WBA Welterweight Champion Billy Backus (49-20-5, 23 KOs), of Canastota; former WBC Featherweight Champion Kevin Kelley, of Flushing, Queens; former WBC Featherweight Champion Juan LaPorte (40-17, 22 KOs), of Brooklyn; Huntington’s World Heavyweight title challenger Gerry Cooney (28-3, 24 KOs), Brooklyn’s two-time World Middleweight title challenger Mustafa Hamsho (44-5-2, 28 KOs) and Glen Cove’s Howard Davis, Jr. (36-6-1, 14 KOs), a 1976 Olympic gold medalist as well as Outstanding Boxer, and a three-time World Lightweight title challenger.

Other posthumous participants being inducted along with Floyd Patterson are World Lightweight Champion Lou Ambers (91-8-7, 28 KOs), of Herkimer; three-time World Welterweight Champion Jack Britton (239-57-44), of Clinton; and World Featherweight Champion Terry McGovern (55-8-1, 40 KOs), of Brooklyn.

Living non-boxer inductees are ESPN boxing commentator and trainer Teddy Atlas, of Staten Island; promoter Lou DiBella (DiBella Entertainment), of Brooklyn; boxing historian and Showtime analyst Steve Farhood, of Brooklyn; trainer and Sunnyside Gardens matchmaker Gene Moore, of Queens; and boxing writer/historian Angelo Prospero, of Rochester.

Deceased non-boxers in the Class of 2014 are trainer/cutman Whitey Bimstein, of Manhattan’s Lower East Side; legendary trainer Cus D’Amato (Bronx and Catskill), who launched the career of “Iron” Mike Tyson as well as Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres; trainer William Muldoon (Belfast/Caneadea and Westchester County), who was also the first Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission; and manager Tom O’Rourke, of New York City.

Each inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his induction into the NYSBHOF. Plaques are on display at the New York State Athletic Commission and Waterfront Crabhouse. Ring 8 also plans to build a monument in Long Island City with every NYSBHOF inductee’s name inscribed.

The 2014 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Jack Hirsch, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Don Majeski, Henry Hascup, Ron McNair and Neil Terens.

All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years, in order to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers.

Tickets are priced at $150.00 per adult ($125.00 for Ring 8 members in good standing) and $50.00 for children, and includes a complete brunch and cocktail hour upon entry, starting at 12:30 p.m. / ET, as well as dinner (prime rib, fish or poultry) and open bar throughout the evening. Tickets are available to purchase at the Waterfront Crabhouse (2-03 Borden Ave in Long Island City), or by calling at 718.729.4862 or Ring 8 president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304. Ads for the NYSBHOF program are available, ranging from $50.00 to $250.00, by contacting Duffy or Tony Mazzarella.

Go on line at www.Ring8ny.com for additional information about the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.

CLASS of 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve Acunto, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Nat Fleischer, Bill Gallo and referee Arthur Mercante, Sr.

CLASS of 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard, and Don Dunphy.

About Ring 8: Formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, Ring 8 became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association – hence, RING 8 – and today the organization’s motto still remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.

RING 8 is fully committed to supporting less fortunate people in the boxing community who may require assistance in terms of paying rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need.

Go on line to www.Ring8ny.com for more information about RING 8, the largest group of its kind in the United States with more than 350 members. Annual membership dues is only $30.00 and each member is entitled to a buffet dinner at RING 8 monthly meetings, the third Tuesday of every month, excluding July and August. All active boxers, amateur and professional, are entitled to a complimentary RING 8 yearly membership.

Sherman Oaks, CA (January 21, 2014) Heading into their ten round light heavyweight battle this Friday night,Thomas Williams Jr. and Cornelius White were very confident of victory as they prepared to travel from their respective hometowns of Baltimore, Maryland and Houston, Texas to theLittle Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington for the main event of ESPN Friday Night Fights “Little Creek Brawl IV”.

Thomas Williams Jr.
“I want to face the toughest competition possible, my last two victories came against opponents (Otis Griffin and Yusaf Mack) who were both ranked in the top ten as is White.”

“I’m looking to stay busy, we had four fights last year, I’m okay with even fighting more often in 2014.”

“Cornelius is a very solid fighter but I plan on controlling the action and dictating the tempo right from the start. Fight my fight and I’ll be victorious.”

“I’m very excited to show what I can do on national television. This is my first time on ESPN and I’m very happy and grateful that my handlers were able to put me in this position.”

“My goal is to be a major player in the light heavyweight division. There are title holders at 175 but no young real stars from America, no one that truly stands out.”

Cornelius White
“Williams is a good fighter but I want the win more than he does. I watched one of his fights, he’s a southpaw and throws a lot of punches, and is pretty much Taylor made for me.”

“We both come forward, we can both hit, and it’s going to come down to who can take the others punches better. I don’t see it going the distance. It’s going to be an action packed fight.”

“This a big fight and a big opportunity for me. It’s a must win for me; I have to beat a guy like this to get a world title shot.

“I’ve always trained in Houston, I’m proud to be from here and ready to represent Houston as a world champion this year.”

_______________________________________

The “Little Creek Brawl IV” main event, broadcast on ESPN Friday Night Fights and presented by Corona Extra™ will feature an NABO Light Heavyweight Title clash between top undefeated prospect Thomas Williams Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs) of Fort Washington, Maryland and Houston based contender Cornelius White (21-2, 16 KOs), with former World Champion Rico Ramos (22-3, 12 KOs) taking on upset-minded Jonathan Arrellano (14-2-2, 3 KOs) in a 10-round semi-main Featherweight Bout.

About Little Creek Casino Resort
Proudly owned and operated by the Squaxin Island Tribe, Little Creek Casino Resort is situated just minutes from Olympia in the heart of the Kamilche Valley. Home to the nationally acclaimed Salish Cliffs Golf Club, the luxurious Seven Inlets Spa, and the state-of-the-art Skookum Creek Event Center, Little Creek Casino Resort offers the latest in electronic and table gaming with one of the largest and newest smoke-free casinos in the region. This 190-room resort boasts the area’s best appointed amenities featuring the latest in concerts and entertainment with numerous casual and fine dining options, truly making it an unmatched destination for the Pacific Northwest.

Advance tickets priced at $30 can be purchased by calling (800) 667-7711 or online at www.Little-Creek.com. Doors will open on the night of the event at 4:30 p.m. with the first bell at 5:00 p.m. For more information and directions to the Little Creek Casino Resort, please visit their website at www.Little-Creek.com

SOMERVILLE, Mass. (January 21, 2014) — Legendary boxing photographer Angie Carlino passed away this past Sunday at the age of 73. He was a retired laborer for the M.B.T.A. as well as a proud U.S. Marine.

Carlino photographed countless world champion boxers and Olympians for nearly a half-century. He is best remembered for his pictures of “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler.

His wake will be held Thursday, Jan. 23 from 4-7:30 p.m. ET, immedialy followed by a funeral service, at Doherty Funeral Home, 855 Broadway, Somerville, Mass. To sign and view his guestbook to online to www.dohertyfuneralservice.com.

New York, NY (January 21, 2014) – This past Friday, DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions, presented the premiere installment of the 2014 ShoBox: The New Generation series with an action-packed quadrupleheader from the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn., before a raucous crowd. On paper, the card was a can’t-miss, featuring eight exciting and promising prospects with a combined 96-1-5 record. Thankfully, the fights not only lived up to the hype, but in many ways surpassed it, with boxing fans and experts alike still buzzing about the stacked card.

“Anyone who hasn’t seen this show, should watch it. If you have, it’s worth seeing again. We are proud to have been able to deliver an action-packed ShoBox. This card represents the best of what ShoBox is about and what its fans have grown to expect,” said promoter Lou DiBella.

Following the exciting four-bout card, ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood proclaimed, “Tonight was our first ShoBox telecast of the year and it was a smorgasbord. We got a little bit of everything. The fights we thought would go long went short and the fights we thought would go short went long. Redkach was legitimately tested for the first time and while he didn’t get the knockout, he showed the fans why he’s considered such an exciting fighter to watch. Galarza, who had limited credentials coming in, absolutely stole the show with a savage, stunning and sudden knockout.”

If you happened to miss the card, the ShoBox quadruple-header will re-air tonight/Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME. The card is also already available ON DEMAND.

Headlining the card was promising, world-ranked southpaw Ivan Redkach (16-0, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, by way of Ukraine, as he passed the toughest challenge of his career, scoring one knockdown en route to a unanimous 10-round decision over Canada’s determined and tough-as-nails Tony Luis (17-2, 7 KO’s).

From the opening bell, Redkach and Luis went to war. Redkach landed the cleaner and hard shots throughout, but Luis had his moments, scoring with lightning-quick combinations with Redkach against the ropes.

CompuBox numbers tell the tail the best, calling the fight “trench warfare” as 312 of the combined 340 punches landed were registered as power shots. With the victory, Redkach picked up the USBA lightweight title, and moves one step closer to challenging for his first world title.

The co-feature bout on the card featured fellow undefeated junior middleweights “The Brooklyn Rocky” Frank “Notorious” Galarza (12-0-2, 8 KO’s), of Brooklyn, N.Y., who registered a scintillating and surprise second-round knockout over John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson (14-1, 5 KO’s), of Newark, N.J.

Thompson got off to a good start in the first round working behind his piston-like jab and keeping Galarza at bay for most of the round.

Galarza came out charging to start the second frame and immediately landed a huge right hand that visibly rocked Thompson. The follow-up pursuit saw Galarza land another big right hand, followed by a monstrous left hook that dropped Thompson face first to the canvas. Referee Keith Hughes began his count before officially calling a halt to the contest at the 0:16 mark of round number two.

It was a show-stealing performance for Galarza, who certainly showed that he is a fighter to watch in the loaded junior middleweight division.

Also on the card, fast-rising middleweight prospect Antoine Douglas (12-0, 7 KO’s), of Burke, Va., by way of Washington D.C., won a lopsided eight-round decision over Marquis Davis (8-1-2, 5 KO’s), of Tampa, Fla., in a matchup of unbeaten middleweights. Douglas won by the scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73, and even knocked Davis’ tooth clear out midway through the bout, adding some dramatics to the matchup.

The card opened up with a tremendous matchup of unbeaten junior welterweights between Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (12-0-2, 9 KO’s), of Dallas, Texas, and Abel Ramos (8-0-1, 4 KO’s), of Casa Grande, Ariz., by way of Gettysburg, Pa. Hooker-Ramos saw great two-way action from start to finish in their excellent eight-round give-and-take fight. In the end, one judge had it for Hooker, 77-75, but the other two scored it 76-76, leaving the packed house in attendance in a standing ovation.

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series,
ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The
ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. The growing list of fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Berto, Leonard Dorin, Scott Harrison, Juan Diaz, Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton, Joan Guzman, Juan Urango, David Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Malignaggi, Kendall Holt, Timothy Bradley, Bernard Dunne, Yonnhy Perez, Yuri Foreman, Andre Ward, Cornelius Bundrage, Austin Trout, Rico Ramos and, most recently, Shawn Porter. Follow us
@SHOSports or visit us at www.facebook.com/SHOboxing
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vist our fan page at facebook/dibellaentertainment

The Jan. 24 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presented by Corona Extra will feature undefeated, up-and-coming Light Heavyweight southpaw Thomas “Top Dog” Williams Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs) and contender Cornelius “Da Beast” White (21-2, 16 KOS) in the 10-round main event.

Friday’s show from Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Wash., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise Friday’s fights on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 10 p.m. The card is presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions.

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. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez will join Trejos and González in studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Main Event:
Washington D.C.’s Williams Jr. is coming off a November 10-round unanimous decision win over Yusaf Mack. Manager-trainer George Peterson, who also managed-trained former Welterweight titlist Paul Williams, said of Friday’s fight: “Cornelius White is rangy, he’s tall. He’s a good boxer. He’s got quite a bit of experience, and he’s somebody we’re going to have to contend with. We can’t look over him. But we’re going to prepare for it and we’re not going to have any trouble with him.”

White, who hails from Texas, is looking to rebound from a third-round TKO loss to current Light Heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev. “This is going to be my first test against a lefty,” White said of Friday’s fight. “I look at this fight as an opportunity for me to get to the next level. I wanted an opponent with an undefeated record, a young lion, somebody that didn’t want to lose that ‘0.’ My job is to take that ‘0.’ On the 24th, they’re going to see what I’m capable of doing. I’m coming prepared and am ready to go to war.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s 10-round Featherweight co-feature will pit former Junior Featherweight titlist Rico “Suavecito” Ramos (22-3, 12 KOS) against Jonathan “Thunder” Arellano (14-2-2, 3 KOs). In his last outing, Los Angeles’ Ramos scored a one punch, 10th-round knockout win over previously undefeated Puerto Rican Olympian Carlos Velázquez, while Arellano, of Ontario, Calif., is looking to continue his winning ways following an eight-round majority decision win over Charles Huerta.

Next Week on FNF:
Friday Night Fights and Noche de Comabates return next week on Jan. 31 (9 p.m., ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN) when undefeated Light Heavyweight contender Blake Caparello (18-0-1, 6 KO’s) meets Elvir Muriqi (40-5, 24 KOs) in the 10-round main event. The fight, from Codey Arena in West Orange N.J., will take place Super Bowl weekend and is less than 20 miles from MetLife Stadium, site of the 2014 Super Bowl.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date
Time (ET)
Main Event
Location
Networks
Fri, Jan 31
9 p.m.
Blake Caparello (18-0-1, 6KO’s) vs. Elvir Muriqi (40-5, 24 KOs) —10-rounds, Light Heavyweights
Codey Arena, West Orange, N.J.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb. 7
9 p.m.
Jonathan González (17-0-1, 14 KOs) vs. Norberto González (20-2, 13 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.

New York, NY (1/21/14) – Undefeated teenage welterweight phenom Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (19-0, 11KO’s), a fan favorite in his hometown of Washington D.C., has been tabbed to open a rare triple-header on ESPN Friday Night Fights, presented by Corona Extra, on January 31. The 19-year-old sensation is hoping to take advantage of this opportunity and show a nationwide audience that he is establishing his place as a top prospect in the welterweight division and a future world champion. He will be facing Tim Witherspoon Jr., 10-3-1 (2 KOs), the son of the former heavyweight champion, in an eight-round welterweight contest. The card, hosted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions, will be staged at the Richard J. Codey Arena, in West Orange, NJ, on the eve of Super Bowl weekend.

Headlining the show will be light heavyweight contender Blake Caparello in a 10-round bout against the always-exciting Elvir Muriqi. Junior featherweights Luis Rosa and Jorge Diaz meet in the eight-round co-feature, which is guaranteed to be a barnburner.

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

Speaking about this event, Dusty’s promoter, Jeff Fried, of All In Entertainment, said, “Working with quality promoters like DiBella Entertainment, Greg Cohen Promotions and GH3 makes the business side of boxing both productive and enjoyable.”

Given the arena’s proximity to the Super Bowl, Hernandez-Harrison is expecting the card to have a tremendous vibe.

“With the Super Bowl taking place 15 miles from the venue, and everything involved with Super Bowl weekend, the fight night atmosphere should be amazing,” said an enthusiastic Hernandez-Harrison. “I can’t wait to perform in that kind of environment.”

Since turning pro in June 2011, Harrison, 19-0 (11 KOs), has fought at a busy pace. Over the ensuing two years, Harrison has managed to fight an extraordinary eight times in both 2012 and 2013. To start off 2013, Harrison picked up the Delaware welterweight title with a third-round knockout over Kelly Wright on February 8, at the Chase Center, in Wilmington, DE.

“I am working hard in the gym and focused on January 31,” said Hernandez-Harrison. “I know lots of my fans are making the drive from Washington, DC. I am excited and want to also put on a great performance for all the fans that will be tuning into ESPN2 that evening.”

Dusty’s father Buddy added, “Dusty has a huge following in our hometown of Washington, DC. After the fans around the nation get to watch him on ESPN he’ll have an even bigger following.”

Trained by his father, Buddy Harrison, Dusty first fought in an amateur exhibition at the age of six. Soon after, he was winning regional titles and championship medals, including the National Silver Gloves Championships, National Golden Gloves Championships and the Ringside World Championships. After competing in a total of 197 amateur bouts, accumulating a 167-30 record, Dusty decided it was time to turn pro. When he did so at the age of 17, he became the youngest licensed professional fighter in the United States.

Dusty realized a childhood dream when he fought at Madison Square Garden in New York, on November 2, 2013. Moving up to the next phase of his career, in what was his first bout scheduled for 10 rounds, Hernandez-Harrison faced the 12-2 Josh Torres, with the WBC Youth welterweight title at stake. After dominating his foe over the distance, Hernanez-Harrison won by scores of 100-90, and 98-92 twice.

Buddy, very proud of his son, said, “I told Dusty nearly 10 years ago in that very arena that if he worked hard and did the right things, he could one day win a title at Madison Square Garden. [With the win], we made that dream a reality as we continue our mission.”

That mission continues in what will be Hernandez-Harrison’s first exposure on national television. Facing him in the ESPN Friday Night Fights opening bout will be Tim Witherspoon Jr. Having lost his pro debut, Witherspoon returned to the ring three years later and has impressively won 10 bouts, while losing just twice in very close decisions.

“Witherspoon is a very slick boxer and we will be ready,” said Buddy. “I am impressed with how hard Dusty is training for this fight. We’ve brought in some great sparring for him and he’s training like a world champion.”

Fried is happy with Dusty’s progression thus far and what lies ahead on January 31. “This is a nice next step in Dusty’s career,” said Fried. “Dusty’s work ethic is a true distinguishing factor in his drive to be a marquee World Champion.”

Fried continued, “This should be an extraordinary ESPN Friday Nights Fights opening up with Dusty and as part of a historic weekend in New Jersey/New York. We will have many of our business partners and clients in the sports and entertainment industries sitting Ringside and as a continuation of their overall Super Bowl weekend entertainment.”

A complete list of bouts, which will feature a number of top prospects and local talent, will be announced shortly.

Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $75 and $40, and can be
purchased by calling
1 (888) 612-4191 or by visiting https://tickets.completeticketsolutions.com/BOX/Online/default.asp#

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

SAN DIEGO, CA. (JANUARY 21, 2014)-A terrific afternoon of live boxing is in store for fight fans as Lee Selby and Rendall Munroe battle for the vacant European Featherweight title as well as Selby’s British title live and exclusively on AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment.

The main event will headline a full fight card from the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales and will be shown LIVE in the United States on AWE and www.awetv.com starting at 3 pm ET / Noon PT.

The exciting co-feature will pit former WBA Super Lightweight champion Gavin Rees battle Gary Buckland in a 12 round Lightweight bout.

“This is a great doubleheader to start our 2014 boxing program”, said AWE President Charles Herring. “These will be exciting fights and it will be a great afternoon of boxing.”

Selby of Barry, Wales has a record of 17-1 with six knockouts

Lee Selby

The 26 year-old turned professional in 2008 and is on a 13 fight win streak which includes a slew of quality victories over the likes of Stephen Smith (12-0) to win the British Featherweight title; Patrick Okine (11-1-1) to win the Commonwealth Featherweight title; Martin Lindsey (20-1); Corey McConnell (11-0-1); Viorel Simon (16-0) and in his last bout Selby scored a 12 round unanimous decision over Ryan Walsh (16-0-1) on October 5, 2013 to retain his British and Commonwealth titles.

Munroe of Leicester, England is a three-time world title challenger and has a record of 27-3-1 with 11 knockouts.

He won his first ten bouts as a pro and then came up short in his 1st attempt to capture the British Featherweight title when he dropped a close decision to Andy Morris (13-0). Munroe then went on a roll where he won 11 straight which included 2 wins over future and current IBF Jr. Featherweight champion Kiko Martinez. The first win was for the European Super Bantamweight title and Munroe made six defenses of the title with wins over Arson Martirosyan (12-1) and Simone Maludrottu (30-2). The win over Maludrottu doubled as an elimination bout that forced a final eliminator bout with Victor Terrazas (26-1-1).

Munroe was up for the challenge as he stopped Terrazas in nine rounds to set up a title fight with WBC Champion Toshiaki Nishioka. Munroe traveled to Japan and came up a bit short in his first shot at a world title.

Munroe was not deterred as he won three straight to set up a 2nd world title shot with fellow Brit Scott Quigg (24-0) for the WBA Crown.

Unfortunately Munroe was cut in the 3rd round of their 1st contest which set up a rematch that saw the classy Quigg score a 6th round stoppage. Since that fight, Munroe has won three in a row which includes a decision win over Pavels Senkovs on November 2nd.

In the co-feature, Rees of Newbridge, Wales will look to get back in the title picture. He has a record of 37-3-1 with 18 knockouts.

Rees won the WBA Super Lightweight title with a 12 round unanimous decision over Soulemayne M’baye. Rees dropped the title in his 1st defense as he was stopped in the final round against Andriy Kotelnik.

Rees went on to win eight fights in a row and captured a Prizefighter championship as well as the European Lightweight championship when he stopped previously undefeated John Murray (13-0) in 11 rounds.

He defended the crown four times before coming to America and putting up a terrific effort before being stopped by Adrien Broner in five rounds. Rees will be looking to get back in the column after losing a 12 round majority decision to Anthony Crolla on June 29, 2013.

Buckland of Cardiff, Wales has a record of 27-3 with 9 knockouts. He won 18 of his 1st 20 fights. He lost via 11th round stoppage to undefeated John Murray (28-0) for the British Lightweight title. After that defeat, Buckland won nine fights in a row, including the Prizefighter Lightweight championship with wins over Derry Matthews (23-4); Gary Sykes (16-0) and Stevie Bell (18-2-2).

Buckland won the British Super Featherweight title with a 12 round unanimous decision in the rematch with Sykes.

He defended the title twice with wins over Paul Truscott (18-2) and Stephen Foster (30-3-1) before dropping the title in his most recent outing via 5th round stoppage to Stephen Smith (16-1) on August 17, 2013.

The time of the telecast and more fights will be announced shortly.

About AWE
For 2012, AWE earned 2 of the 6 Boxing Writers Association of America nominations for “Fight of the Year” candidates, beating out all other networks except HBO which earned three. AWE also showcased live all 2012 David Price fights. In 2013 AWE has featured the stunning upsets of Tony Thompson over Price, bouts with Adonis Stevenson and Tony Bellew, who just fought each other for the Light Heavyweight championship; 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner James DeGale and possibly the most controversial bout which saw Ricky Burns keep his Lightweight title against Ray Beltran.

The network is currently available nationally on Verizon FiOS TV channel 169 and 669 in HD, AT&T U-Verse TV channels 470 and 1470 in HD, along with over 100 cable systems across the country and worldwide. The new website for AWE is www.AWEtv.com.

AWE is the premier lifestyle and entertainment network -the destination for exclusive and original programming, simultaneously transmitted in high definition and standard definition. AWE delivers informative shows to its viewers, providing invaluable insights on what every American dreams of – from travel secrets to fast cars, from outrageous homes to live boxing events, and much more. The network fills a television vacuum by delivering intellectually stimulating, thought-provoking entertainment and always-unbiased news from an insider’s perspective.

For more information, please visit www.awetv.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 21st, 2014) — Twenty-one fights in just under seven years. Think about that for a second.

In a sport where an athlete’s shelf life is about as long as that of your average NFL running back, a sport where a two- or three-year layoff is the norm, not the exception, Todd Chattelle (12-9, 9 KOs) has survived every bruise, break and contusion in a remarkable career defined as much by his longevity as his success.

Friday night, he’ll step back inside the cage for the first time in 2014 and the 22nd time in his career when he faces middleweight Shedrick Goodridge (4-6, 2 KOs) in the main event of “CES MMA XXI” at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I.

“I have more fights than CES has shows!” Chattelle said with a laugh.

Truth is, the two might not be as successful as they are right now without one another; this will be Chattelle’s 10th fight under CES’ promotional guidance, a stretch that includes a 4-0 finish in 2011 that helped revived Chattelle’s career during a time in which he was questioning whether or not he wanted to continue fighting.

Why so much Chattelle through the years? He’s as popular as he is prolific; win or lose, Chattelle’s bouts bring a special energy to the arena, drawing sold-out crowds that leave the fans anticipating his next fight. Few compete with the same passion and explosiveness on such a consistent basis. It’s a special symbiotic relationship between fighter and promoter that has kept Chattelle successful, active and, more importantly, relevant as he approaches his 35th birthday.

“I feel like it’s gone by so quickly,” Chattelle said. “When [CES matchmaker] Pat [Sullivan] said that to me the other day, I was like, ‘Really?!’ I’ve been on, like, half your shows. That’s pretty cool.

“If you think about it, I have 22 fights, but I’ve trained and prepared for about 30 camps, all the fights that backed out and didn’t happen. I did the rough math, and with sparring and everything, I’ve had 22 fights, but I’ve really had about 2,000 fights in my life.

“It definitely gets harder as the years go by. Sometimes it’s not even physically; it’s mentally.”

With everything Chattelle has been through growing up in Pawtucket, R.I., with four brothers, the run-ins with the wrong crowd, the adversity, it’s hard to imagine anything happening inside the cage that could slow him down.

So, when asked how much longer he can keep fighting, Chattelle just laughs.

“At the end of the day, I’ve been through some things that most people haven’t been through,” he said. “I’ve been through things war veterans have been through. I’ve been shot, I’ve been stabbed, I’ve been hit in the face with tires, I have metal plates in my face, I have a bullet in my leg, and all these things, if I let them weigh on me I’m not going to be able to continue to do it, so I put all that in the back of my mind and keep going.

“The fight itself, what’s going to happen? A bruise? A cut? It’s not really going to matter. It’s not life-threatening. I just don’t think there’s anyone out there that can threaten my life physically.Through all things, injuries, feeling good, feeling bad, I can still get up through Christ and still keep going.”

Chattelle’s renewed faith in God is his driving force. It’s what gets him out of bed each morning to continue fighting both in and outside of the cage. It’s what gets him through those tough, two-a-day training sessions leading up to a big fight.

“I’ve had a life resolution to get closer to my family and put them first more and get closer to God and put God first, first before anything, which in turn will put my family first and everything else I should be doing first.

“To have faith is everything. At any second, if I didn’t have faith I’d be like, ‘Whatever. I’m done.'”

With CES in his corner, and vice-versa, it doesn’t appear either are going anywhere anytime soon.

“I think the key is to stay focused on the main reason I stared in the first place, which was to be successful for my family, friend and children, mostly my children so they’d know if you work hard you can succeed and make it through some times and keep going,” Chattelle said.

“It’s not always easy. You get beat down, but you rest up and get ready, let your muscles, let your body heal and just mentally focus on the task at hand. You go to work.”

“CES MMA XXI,” scheduled for Friday, Jan. 24, 2014, also features the return of fan-favorites Andre Soukhamthath (7-1, 4 KOs) of Woonsocket, R.I., and CES MMA featherweight champion Rob Font (8-1, 2 KOs) of Boston.

Font will face Ahsan Abdullah (5-4, 2 KOs) of Binghamton, N.Y., in a three-round bout as he aims for his eight consecutive win and fifth overall under the promotional guidance of CES.

Soukhamthath will face his toughest test to date in a possible early candidate for Fight of the Year against undefeated Cambridge, Mass., bantamweight Kin Moy (4-0, 1 KO). Soukhamthath is making his first trip back to the Ocean State since relocating to Boca Raton, Fla., where he now trains with the famed Blackzilians. Since making his CES MMA debut in 2012, Soukhamthath has won seven consecutive fights, including a knockout win over Corey Simmons in CES’ 2013 season finale in December in which he broke a tie with Chattelle to become the promotion’s winningest fighter.

Also returning to Twin River is Melrose, Mass., heavyweight John Johnston (4-0, 4 KOs), who will attempt to keep his impressive streak of consecutive knockout wins (4) alive when he faces unbeaten William Baptiste (2-0, 1 KO) of Goldsboro, N.C.

Dinis Paiva Jr. (3-5), an East Providence, R.I., native, will look to snap his two-fight losing streak in a bantamweight bout against Franklin Isabel (4-6) of Chelsea, Mass.; while fellow bantamweight Shaun Marmas (5-5, 1 KO) faces Matt Doherty (2-0, 2 KOs), a Salem, Mass., native, in a potential Fight of the Night candidate. Marmas split two bouts in 2013, beating Tom Evans in April and losing to Abdullah in June.

Exciting prospect Willie Brown Jr. (2-0) of Meriden, Conn., will look to keep his perfect record intact in his first bout of the year against lightweight Kevin Haley (2-0, 1 KO) of Dover, N.H., and featherweight Kyle Bochniak of Winthrop, Mass., will make his professional debut in a separate three-round bout. Middleweight Adam Quitt (1-3) of Framingham, Mass., will return for his first fight since February when he battles Rocky Hill, Conn., veteran Sylvester Murataj (0-2). All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets for “CES MMA XXI” are priced at $40, $55, $100 and $125 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253/2254, online at www.cesmma.com or www.ticketmaster.com or at the Twin River Players Club.

The two African boxers featuring on the Monte Carlo Boxing Bonanza bill next weekend are both in the shape of their lives, according to their trainers.

Ilunga “Junior” Makabu (15-1, 14 KOs), who hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo and is based in South Africa, fights unbeaten Ruben Angel Mino (20-0, 20 KOs) of Argentina.

Nkosinathi Joyi (24-2, 17 KOs), from the boxing heartland of South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, challenges for the vacant IBO light-flyweight title against Rey Loreto (17-13, 9 KOs) of the Philippines.

The fights are on the undercard of WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin’s (28-0, 25 KOs) title defence against Osumanu Adama (22-3, 16 KOs) of Ghana.

According to Harold Volbrecht, Makabu’s trainer and a former two-time world title challenger, his protégé is comfortably three kilograms under the limit and ought to be perfect for next week’s weigh-in.

“We’ve had good camps before, but we’ve taken it to a new level for this show,” said Volbrecht. “Junior’s brother is a heavyweight and he has given us tremendous sparring. We’ve also done many rounds with [SA light-heavyweight] champion Johnny Muller. Junior is sharper than ever.”

Notwithstanding a succession of changes to opponents – Pawel Kolodziej and Nathan Cleverly both withdrew – Volbrecht has no issues with Makabu fighting Mino.

“That’s just boxing. I don’t agree with fighters who make a big deal of such developments. You’re supposed to be professional. It’s like a doctor arriving for surgery and having to work on a gall bladder rather than an appendix. You roll up your sleeves and get on with it if you’re a pro. You must be prepared, no excuses.”

With Makabu on the brink of being installed as the number one contender in the WBA following current number one Kolodziej signing to challenge for the IBF belt, every fight is now tremendously important for the transplanted African.

“[Promoter] Rodney Berman is guiding him smartly. But it’s getting harder,” says Volbrecht. “This guy is just 26 but already has a fearsome reputation. Guys who get the call to fight aren’t ready, they’re not on the weight or whatever, but mostly they want nothing to do with him.

“The guy we’re fighting is an unbeaten puncher. On paper he looks good, but what matters is what he does in the ring. I expect Makabu to come hard.”

Joyi, one of the finest fighters to have emerged from South Africa in the past decade, recently switched trainers, joining Gert Strydom in Johannesburg. His Mdantsane home is 1000km (620 miles) away.

“He struggled the first week or so with the altitude, but he’s bang on the weight and looking excellent. We’re using top prospect Khanyiso Mbetye for sparring. He fights orthodox or southpaw and on the front or back foot. He gave Joyi a hard time initially, but Joyi now bosses him.”

Having studied footage of Loreto, Strydom says he sees an aggressive, come-forward fighter ideally suited to the former IBF champion’s style.

“He’ll be in Nkosinathi’s face and that’s what we want. Once he feels the power, I expect he’ll run before Nkosinathi catches him in about round seven or eight. This kid is one of the hardest hitters around. It’s phenomenal how he generates such power for such a small man.”

Joyi has even taken to sleeping in the gym, ensuring he has no distractions ahead of his title bout.

Both camps leave for Monte Carlo on Sunday.

After confirming their first card of the year, Prospect Boxing are pleased to confirm that Light Middleweight Rhys Pagan will be competing for his first professional title on the February 28th show.

With a near perfect 7-1 record, Sanquhar based Pagan takes on tough Bulgarian Valentin Stoychev for the International Masters Light Middleweight Bronze title, in a Eight round contest.

With his first shot at a title since turning professional 2012, Pagan had a mixed year in 2013, picking up three wins and his first loss to the unbeaten Robert Dixon however promoter Paul Graham feels that the loss benefit the fighter in the long run.

“The loss to Dixon was a close one and it came after a good win over another undefeated fighter in Sam Omidi, so It didn’t raise too much concern for me or his Team. After the fight we sat down and looked at what improvements could have been made, and in his next fight with Chris Jenkinson I could see he had worked on what had been discussed.

He added “Rhys is a model professional, and I only wish I could install his values in all my fighters! He trains everyday and just wants to fight as regularly as he can and I do believe we haven’t seen the best of him yet.

“He has been with me for a few years now and I am not just seeing progress in him, but I am seeing clear progress every time he steps through the ropes, and you have to remember he’s only 20 years old – so still has a lot of time on his side.
“Lock Stock and Twelve Smoking Fights” which takes place at the Ravenscraig Sports Facility on Friday February 28th 2014.

Headlined by Rhys Pagan, the show will also see the professional débuts of Lee Gallagher, Shaun McShane, JP McGuinness, Ryan Love and Shayan Rahmat. Returning to action is Iain Butcher, Scott Edgar, George Thomson and Billy Campbell.

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 £40 and available from the fighters directly or by calling 01698 338 888 where Credit/ Debit Cards are accepted. Further details on @ProspectBoxing on Twitter, and www.facebook.com/ProspectBoxin

Sherman Oaks, California (January 20, 2014) ESPN Friday Night Fights will hit the Pacific Northwest this week as Goossen Tutor Promotions brings a full card of world-class professional boxing to the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington.

Boxing fans from the Seattle-Tacoma area are welcome to join the local media as all fighters on the card will take part in the Official Public Weigh-In this Thursday, JANUARY 23 at 2:00 p.m. PT in the Squi Atl Room on the first floor of the Little Creek Casino Resort.

The Little Creek Casino Resort is located at 91 West State Route 108 in Shelton, Washington.

The “Little Creek Brawl IV” main event, broadcast on ESPN Friday Night Fights and presented by Corona Extra™ will feature an NABO Light Heavyweight Title clash between top undefeated prospect Thomas Williams Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs) of Fort Washington, Maryland and Houston based contender Cornelius White (21-2, 16 KOs), with former World Champion Rico Ramos (22-3, 12 KOs) taking on upset-minded Jonathan Arellano (14-2-2, 3 KOs) in a 10-round semi-main Featherweight Bout.

“From top to bottom we’ve put together an excellent fight card for the terrific boxing fans in the Seattle-Tacoma area and ESPN,” said Dan Goossen, Founder and President of Goossen Tutor Promotions. “The main event should be a sensational ten round crossroads matchup between Williams and White in the very hot light heavyweight division with the winner taking a much closer step toward a world title shot.”

“And our co-main event will be an exciting action packed featherweight battle with the former champ Ramos trying to keep his title hopes alive in a very tough battle with Southern California native Arellano, who won the fight of the night on an HBO undercard two months ago.”

“We’re also proud to welcome three of the Pacific Northwest’s finest fighters on the undercard, Seattle’s Eddie Hunter, who is facing Ronald Hearns the son of a true boxing legend, Thomas Hearns, Vancouver’s Virgil Green and Renton, Washington’s undefeated prospect Marcello Gallardo taking on fellow undefeated Juan Funez from Van Nuys, CA as part of our event.”

Advance tickets priced at $30 can be purchased by calling (800) 667-7711 or online at www.little-creek.com Doors will open on the night of the event at 4:30 p.m. with the first bell at 5:00 p.m. For more information and directions to the Little Creek Casino Resort, please visit their website at www.little-creek.com

About Little Creek Casino Resort
Proudly owned and operated by the Squaxin Island Tribe, Little Creek Casino Resort is situated just minutes from Olympia in the heart of the Kamilche Valley. Home to the nationally acclaimed Salish Cliffs Golf Club, the luxurious Seven Inlets Spa, and the state-of-the-art Skookum Creek Event Center, Little Creek Casino Resort offers the latest in electronic and table gaming with one of the largest and newest smoke-free casinos in the region. This 190-room resort boasts the area’s best appointed amenities featuring the latest in concerts and entertainment with numerous casual and fine dining options, truly making it an unmatched destination for the Pacific Northwest.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (JANUARY 19TH, 2014)–On Saturday night, January 25th, Heavyweight Derric Rossy will look to get back in the thick of the Heavyweight discussion when he takes on former world amateur champion Joey Dawejko in a scheduled eight round bout at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

The show is promoted by Sal Musumeci’s Final Forum Boxing and will be streamed LIVE all over the world on www.pandafeed.tv

Making a special appearance at the show will be star of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, Rosie Pierri.

Rosie will be there to support KO Children’s Malnutrition.

A portion of the proceeds from the Pandafeed.tv stream will go to KO Children’s Malnutrition.

For more information on KO Children’s Malnutrition, click http://www.komalnutrition.com/

Rossy of Medford, New York has a record of 28-7 with 14 knockouts and will be looking to get back in the ring after the postponement of a bout on December 14 that constituted a seven month layoff.

“I am finally anxious to get back in the ring,” said Rossy. “I took two or three days off. We didn’t push anything, we just maintained through the postponement and then got good work.”

Rossy knows that Dawejko (8-3-2, 3 KO’s) will be coming for a tough fight.

“He is a real tough kid and I know he wont be laying down. He can fight. I just have to get in there, work hard and prepare for his best.”

Despite seven losses, Rossy believes he still can be a major factor in the Heavyweight division.

“I know I have some losses. We just have to move on. It’s a clean slate and thoughts of past fights are gone. I think big things and I have a real confidence. I just want to display what I have been working on It will show in the fight and I feel big things coming this year. You will see what a future Heavyweight champion will look like.”

The rest of the card will feature some future stars as four undefeated fighters will be on display.

In six round bouts:

Natu Visinia (9-0, 8 KO’s) of Lakewood, CA battles Jon Bolden (6-7, 5 KO’s) of New York in a Heavyweight bout.

Isiah Seldon (7-1, 3 KO’s) of Atlantic City, NJ takes on an opponent to be named in a Middleweight bout.

Ismael Garcia (5-0, 3 KO’s) of Vineland, NJ takes on an opponent to be named in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

In four round bouts:

Heavyweight Ytalo Perea (5-1, 3 KO’s) of Howard Beach, NY battles David Williams (7-7-2, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia.

In a fight between pro debuting Super Bantamweights, Anthony Caramanno of Staten Island, NY takes on Michael Varela of Bethlehem, PA.

In a Cruiserweight rematch, Dave Valykeo (3-0) of Neptune, NJ will fight Brian Donahue (2-6-2) of Philadelphia.

Omar Brito (1-1, 1 KO) of Pleasantville, NJ squares off with Korey Sloane (2-7-2) of Philadelphia.

Gabriel Pham (5-0, 2 KO’s) of Atlantic City, NJ will fight an opponent to be named later.

Tickets for this outstanding evening of boxing are on sale now and are $125 for Ringside, $75 for reserved and $50 for general admission. VIP Tables are available and all tickets can be purchased by going to www.ticketmaster.com

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ABOUT GOLDEN NUGGET ATLANTIC CITY

The Golden Nugget Atlantic City, located on Frank S. Farley Marina is a premier resort destination, offering guests more than 740 rooms and suites. The entire property is all new, with a $150 million renovation complete, it has taken on a fresh, modern look to include a high-energy casino featuring the most popular slot and video poker machines, table games, and poker room; nightly entertainment, new bars and lounges, stylish retail offerings, as well as Landry’s signature world-class restaurants such as Chart House and Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse; a luxury spa and salon; and H20 poolside lounge. Landry’s Inc. successfully introduced first-class accommodations, exquisite dining options and fun-filled entertainment venues unlike anything else available in Atlantic City. The Golden Nugget has already established strong brand recognition worldwide with locations in Las Vegas and Laughlin, NV and Biloxi, MS.

Hotel reservations and additional information are available by calling 800-777-8477 or by visiting www.goldennugget.com.

OTTAWA, Canada (January 19, 2014) – The impending World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship fight to determine the successor of recently retired Vitali Klitschko, matching the WBC’s top two contenders, respectively, WBC Silver champion Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (23-1, 20 KOs) against Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs), is extra special for Stiverne’s veteran head trainer, Don House.

“First,” he explained, “I’ve been with Bermane since the first day and that’s really why this is so special for me. It’s also special for me because I’ve been part of teams for world champions – Diego Corrales, Kevin Kelly, Joan Guzman, Frankie Liles and others – but I’ve never been the head trainer of the world heavyweight champion or a WBC world champion.

“Bermane has grown a lot since the beginning (pro debut July 29, 2005). He was young and a little immature back them. The first time I saw him hitting the heavy-bag I said I could make him a champ and give him the discipline he needed. He liked to say he was a boxer but the last couple of years he has believed he’d be world champion. There’s been no stopping him since the Arreola fight.”

Last April in his second successful WBC heavyweight title eliminator, Stiverne successfully defended his WBC Silver belt, winning an impressive 12-round unanimous decision (118-109, 117-110, 117-10) over Arreola, breaking his opponent’s nose and dropping him in the third round despite a serious right shoulder injury that was aggravated during their fight.

The strong bond between House and Stiverne, who seeks to become the first Haitian World Heavyweight Champion, goes beyond a trainer-fighter relationship. “House is like a big brother to me,” Stiverne said from training camp in Las Vegas where they both live. “The relationship isn’t on a business level, it’s more like family. In my amateur days, I was more of a brawler, but House taught me how to box and be smart in the ring. I knew how to fight and go toe-to-toe back in the day but he taught me to relax in the ring, be calm, and use skills I never knew I had. With him and my conditioning coach, Victor Vargotski, I have the best team I could ever have.”

“Don House has been with Bermane from day one,” Stiverne’s manager Camille Estephan commented. “He is one helluva coach and an excellent person. He and Victor Vargotski have been by Bermane every step of the way. Together, we truly form a family. The bond is very strong and I believe this makes a difference in the sense that there is true trust established, which gives Bermane peace of mind and faith in what he is working on in the gym. This is truly priceless.”

Three scheduled purse bids for mandatory challenger Stiverne to challenge Klitschko were postponed, however, nothing can deter Stiverne and the WBC eventually mandated his world title fight versus Arreola for the vacant belt. They may not know exactly where or when, yet, but Stiverne and House are preparing as if this is not a rematch with Arreola.

“I’ve evaluated this fight and we have been going at this like Bermane hasn’t fought Arreola before, as if everything is brand new,” House noted. “Can Arreola bring anything into this fight differently? No. He may come to fight in the best shape of his life but he doesn’t have the skills to beat Bermane. He doesn’t have the power or speed that Bermane does. Arreola will be right there, Bermane won’t have to look for him, and he will be ready to fight 12 rounds.

“I never hear anything about injuries or illness from Bermane until after the fight in the locker-room. He keeps that stuff to himself and I didn’t know how badly he hurt his shoulder during training camp. And he hurt himself during the fight, too. This fight he is going to finish things. He fought sick in the Ray Austin fight (101 temperature in Stiverne’s first WBC eliminator win). It just shows how much heart and balls he has; no excuses, ever, from Bermane.”

The 34-year-old Stiverne, noted, “My injured right shoulder was the reason I had to go with plan B and why I didn’t throw a lot of right hands. I dropped him with the only right I threw with power that landed. I came out to finish him the next (fourth) round but slipped and pulled a muscle in my back. I wouldn’t let that bother me, though, despite how painful it was. I kept going and followed the plan to get a W and was rushed to the hospital right after the fight. I learned that, whatever the issue, I still fight like a warrior and that’s the real meaning of no pain, no gain.”

The WBC ordered the promoters of the two fighters – Don King Productions (Stiverne) and Goossen-Tutor Promotions (Arreola) – to negotiate but the fight is slated to go to a WBC purse bid in Mexico on Monday, Jan. 24 unless an agreement is reached prior to the already extended deadline.

“The world heavyweight title means you’re the baddest man on the planet,” House concluded, “unlike a Tiger Woods, ‘Magic’ Johnson or even Floyd Mayweather. This title brings a different twist to sports.”

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

The official “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock” weigh-in took place Friday at Paradise Live inside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. International movie star Danny Trejo joined World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo and Executive Vice President Ali Abdel Aziz on stage as all fighters made weight in advance of their bouts tomorrow evening.

WSOF 8 takes place Saturday, Jan. 18, at Hard Rock Live in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Tickets for “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock” start at just $29 and are on sale at Ticketmaster.com. The championship headliner tops a five-fight main card that airs live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. A five-fight undercard will stream live at www.WSOF.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Justin Gaethje 154.6 lbs. vs. Rich Patishnock 155 lbs.
Anthony Johnson 204.8 lbs. vs. Mike Kyle 205.6 lbs
Jessica Aguilar 114.8 lbs. vs. Alida Gray 114.4 lbs.
Tyson Nam 136 lbs. vs. Cody Bollinger 135.6 lbs.
Luis Palomino 155.6 lbs. vs. Jorge Patino 155 lbs.
Valdir Araujo 170.8 lbs. vs. Tyler Stinson 170.4 lbs.
Derrick Mehmen 246.2 lbs. vs. Scott Barrett 261.6 lbs.
Alexis Vila 125.4 lbs. vs. Sidemar Honorio 126 lbs.
Brenson Hansen 144.4 lbs. vs. Freddy Assuncao 145.4 lbs.
Jose Caceres 170.4 lbs. vs. Anderson Melo 171 lbs.

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

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

About Hard Rock Live
Hard Rock Live, a spectacular state-of-the-art facility, further expands the ultimate entertainment experience at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. This 5,500-seat indoor arena has attracted more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 2005, and has regularly hosted South Florida’s greatest variety of musical acts such as Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Marc Anthony, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Tim McGraw and Carlos Santana; top comedians including Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Kathy Griffin and George Lopez; as well as major sporting events and events of major sports stars, from UFCmatches to charity galas for Jason Taylor, Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade andmore. For additional information, please visit www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com or www.myhrl.com, facebook.com/MyHRL and twitter.com/hard_rock_live.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino invites you to PLAYHARD! Play, stay, dine, and shop at South Florida’s ultimate entertainment destination. Over 90 tables offer Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold ’em Bonus Poker, Casino War and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Additionally, over 2,500 slots include the Native-American Casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room, are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player’s Club members also have access to the exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and VIP Chef’s Table show kitchen. The Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock hosts various games and tournaments of Limit and No Limit Texas Hold ’em, 7-Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. Located inside the casino is Hard Rock Cafe -Hollywood, part of Hard Rock’s 138 globally recognized rock ‘n’ roll restaurants. The Green Lodging Certified by the State of Florida, AAA Four Diamond-rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 40,000 square feet of meeting room space, Rock Spa, award-winning restaurants, high-energy nightclubs, lounges and bars, boutique retail shops, the 350-seat Paradise Live theater and the 5,500-seat Hard Rock Live concert arena. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com, facebook.com/seminolehardrockhollywood, twitter.com/SHRHollywood, instagram.com/semhardrockhollywood and youtube.com/semhardrockhollywood.

ANTONIO OROZCO, Top Undefeated Welterweight

[On training camp] “It’s been a really great camp. I’ve been training for eight weeks and I’m expecting a great fight next week. I know that Huerta has power, but I’m ready for the best.

[On being the Jan. 24 headliner] “It’s a great opportunity to headline a fight on Fox Sports 1 and I’m looking forward to it. I’m definitely hoping for a win next week.

“Finally, thank to all my fans, friends and family. I’ll see you at Fantasy Springs.”

JULIAN RAMIREZ, Undefeated Featherweight Rising Star

[On his opponent, Derrick Wilson] “I know that he has pulled various upsets and beaten undefeated fighters. I know that I’m being tested me with a tough opponent, but I’m ready.

[On his training] “I’ve been training with fast and strong people, I’m going 10 to 12 rounds with them even though my fight is only eight rounds.

[On fighting on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes] “It’s a big thing. I’m pumped up especially because I haven’t had a fight in a while.

[On fighting at a catch weight] “Since I haven’t fought in a while, I don’t want to force my body to make 122 pounds even though I could probably make it, but this will be good for me.”

DOMINIC BREAZALE, Undefeated Heavyweight Prospect

[On his opponent, Homer Fonseca] “He has more experience. I know that he’s a state champion in Texas; unfortunately we can’t fight for his current title because the fight is in California, but I’m still definitely looking forward to getting in the ring.

“I don’t need to do any trash talking, all of my trash talk I do in the ring.”

GERALD WASHINGTON, Undefeated Heavyweight Rising Star

[On his Jan. 24 fight] “It’s an eight round fight, against Arron Lyons after my original opponent pulled out of the fight. I’m going to get him. Get ready because I’m coming.

“To all my Mexican fans and family, remember that one day I’ll be the first Mexican heavyweight champion.”

MANNY ROBLES JR., Undefeated Featherweight Rising Star

[On his opponent Ricky Lopez and his training so far] “He’s got a good record. I know he’s good, but I know that I can pull off the win.

“Training has been good. I’ve been running and training hard and looking forward to the win next week.”

# # #

Orozco vs. Huerta is a 10-round welterweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The Fantasy Springs Special Events Center doors open at 4:00 p.m. and the first fight begins at 4:30 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

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

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.FOXSports.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @PuroOrozco, @K9Boxing, @JoeyHernandez, and follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1 and become a follower on Twitter at @FOXSports @FOXSports1 and @FOXSportsPR.

On moving down to 135 pounds for his upcoming fight against Matt Doherty:

“It was just at 145 I don’t really cut much and guys are cutting more and more. It’s more of a business decision, making the smarter move, and bumping up my training, bringing basically a whole new camp for this fight and pushing it. I think I’ll definitely be stronger. At 145, expect for like, my very last fight, I didn’t feel like the guys were stronger than me. I felt like I could stand with them. I’ve got the reach advantage and I feel I’ll be stronger than most guys at 135. I feel this is the best move for me. I’m ready to make an impact and make my name at 135.”

CES MMA featherweight champ Rob Font, 8-1-1 (2 KOs)

On his outlook for 2014 as he prepares to face New Jersey’s Ahsan Abdullah:

“I’m definitely trying to forget about 2013 and come into 2014 taking names and collecting bodies, pretty much. I’m here to win and fight. I definitely want to fight bigger and better fighters in 2014. This next fight, he’s definitely a tough fighter. He has a real aggressive style. Comes forward, comes from a great camp. The guy’s driving from New York, so you know he’s trying to take that long ride home with an ‘L’ so he’s going to bring the fight. I think he has a perfect style for me. He’s coming forward, and I’m a better counter-puncher than coming forward, so, pretty much, I’m going to catch him coming in.”

Dinis Paiva Jr., 3-5 (1 KO)

On trying to rebound from a tough finish in 2013:

“I’m coming off two losses and I want to come out with a real strong win this year. I think it’s going to be a good year. I’m training out of CCFA now. Got a great group of guys I’m working with up there. The camaraderie’s tight, the brotherhood’s tight, and I’m definitely feel I’m on my ‘A’ game and the best I’ve ever been. There are always different variables in this sport. Going into the cage, you can lose at any moment, so it’s hard to tell. I feel good, I feel confident, I feel headstrong, and I’ve got a good camp backing me up. It’s definitely a good thing.”

Andre Soukhamthath, 7-1 (4 KOs)

On his upcoming bout with Kin Moy and his new training camp in Florida:

“I’m on the card with a lot of my friends and I probably, have, on paper, the toughest test so far, going against an undefeated fighter. Real explosive, real fast. He’s definitely no slouch. You’re going to win some and lose some, so I just want to go in there and perform. That’s what I’m focused on, because if you put too much pressure on yourself you can’t perform to your abilities. I just go in there and do my thing. That’s what I train for. I definitely feel like I’m a lot stronger. I’m going with a lot of tough guys, a lot of high-level guys. In order to beat me, you’re going to have to take my soul away. ”

Todd Chattelle, 12-9 (9 KOs)

On his faith in God and the role it plays in his career:

“if I didn’t have faith I’d be like, ‘Whatever. I’m done. There’s no point in this,’ but 20, 30 years from now, no matter how well I do, I’ll be 60, 70 years old, even 40 and 50 years from now, if we’re still around, God willing, we’re talking to some kid at the bar or the club and we’re like, ‘I used to be tough! I used to be No. 1 in New England!’ which I was, and then they’re going to be like, ‘Yeah, right. Whatever, old man,’ so all this isn’t going to matter. What’s going to matter is the memories I put together and being a good man for my family and whoever else, any brother or sister out there who wants to come to me and ask my advice. I can give them God, hopefully.”

NOTES: “CES MMA XX” is CES MMA’s 21st show since its inception in 2010. … Todd Chattelle will be featured on a CES MMA card for the 10th time in his career, the most among any fighter in promotion history … Andre Soukhamthath is CES MMA’s winningest fighter with seven victories under the promotion’s guidance … Both Soukhamthath and Rob Font have won seven consecutive bouts. … Heavyweight John Johnston, who will be featured on the undercard, has won each of his four bouts by knockout. … Shaun Marmas has alternated wins and losses in each of his last four fights. … Ahsan Abdullah, who is facing Font on Jan. 24th, will be making his third appearance for CES. He is 1-1 in his previous two bouts with the promotion. … Chattelle’s opponent, Shedrick Goodridge, is also 1-1 with CES and will be making his third appearance with the promotion.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Middleweight contender Curtis “Showtime” Stevens, 25-4, 18 KOs, may have lost his last bout, a middleweight title challenge against the top 160-pounder in the world, Pound-for-Pound contender, and undefeated champion, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, but the Brooklyn-born knockout artist is ready to go right back to work Friday night in Atlantic City, NJ against tough Patrick “The Machine” Majewski, 21-2, 12 KOs.

Their ten-round middleweight fight at Resorts International Casino Hotel, is the feature bout on the season-opener of the popular nationally televised boxing series, Fight Night, on NBCSN. Also on the broadcast, which begins at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT, is a ten-round cruiserweight battle between Thabiso Mchunu, 13-1, 9 KOs, of Natal, South Africa, and Olanrewaju Durodola, 15-1, 14 KOs, of Lagos, Nigeria, in West Africa.

Curtis Stevens
Stevens, with his reputation as a big puncher, has been a fan favorite over the past few years, when his showy displays of power toppled excellent opponents like Saul Roman, Elvin Ayala and Romaro Johnson. So devastating is his punch that finding an opponent who can last more than a single round has been an issue of late. Since 2010, only Derrick Findley managed to last the full distance with Stevens.

Atlantic City’s Patrick Majewski, who is renowned for his chin and a high-pressure style that is not so different from Golovkin’s, should provide Stevens with a serious test in the wake of that world title bout with GGG. If Stevens has lost so much as a step, Majewski is tough enough to dish the New Yorker his second straight defeat.

However, Stevens is eager to start another knockout streak and to prove he is still a force in the middleweight division. Majewski may be a tough customer, but Stevens believes that the Polish-born fighter is merely a road block to his next title fight.

Curtis had this to say about the upcoming fight against “The Machine”, “I feel good, I am just ready to get in there and get back to where I was at.” He added, “I have to go in there and destroy him. I just have to do what I do best.”

This NBCSN boxing double header kicks off the third season of Fight Night, and promises more of the same thrilling action that has made the series the most popular boxing program for the past two years.

ABOUT FRIDAY, JANUARY 24TH
Friday, January 24th at Resorts International Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ features a ten-round middleweight battle between Curtis “Showtime” Stevens and Patrick “The Machine” Majewski in the main event.

The ten-round Cruiserweight co-feature between Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu and Olanrewaju “God’s Power” Durodola, will be for the vacant NABF Cruiserweight Title. Six additional fights are planned for the undercard, all fights subject to change.

Doors are scheduled to open at 6:45 PM ET, First Fight at 7:00 PM ET. The main event and co-feature will be broadcast 10:00 PM ET on NBC Fight Night on NBCSN. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Dibella Entertainment and Showpony Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $75 and $50. They can be purchased at the Resorts International Casino and Hotel Box Office, 800-736-1420; at TicketMaster 800-745-3000 or online (key word: Main Events); and at Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922.

FIGHT NIGHT ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night on Friday, Jan. 24 at 10 p.m. ET.

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

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

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

FOLLOW US:
www.mainevents.com
Twitter: @main_events or twitter.com/main_events
Twitter: #FightNight
Facebook:facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing
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Twitter: @ResortsCasino or https://twitter.com/resortscasino

Fight Venue:
Resorts Casino Hotel – Superstar Theatre
1133 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
1-800-772-9000

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LAS VEGAS (Jan. 17, 2014) – Former World Champion and Mexican boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring on Saturday, March 8 to face the fierce and rugged Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo in the headline attraction of a stacked four-fight event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, presented live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, the pay-per-view card offers matchups that promise to be exciting, all-action bouts. The most anticipated match of the night features Canelo, as he looks to reassert himself as the best young fighter of this era. Rounding out the card are two outstanding 12-round fights: Two-Division World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KO’s) will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against former Two-Time World Champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KO’s); exciting young star Omar “Panterita’’ Figueroa (24-0-1, 17 KO’s) will risk his WBC Interim Lightweight Title against Canelo’s brother Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KO’s) and former Two-Time World Champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s) will face Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s) in a lightweight clash.

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $600, $400, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

March 8 is a hallowed date in boxing history as in 1971; “Smokin” Joe Frazier first met Muhammad Ali in the ring to begin their epic series. Now, eight fighters, including two of the most exciting Mexican stars of today, will attempt to do their part to add to its lore.

“This is a great fight for me and for the fans and I can’t wait to get back in the ring on March 8,” said Canelo, who will be making his first ring appearance since his mega-fight with pound-for-pound kingpin Floyd Mayweather last September. “Angulo is a true warrior and I have to be alert every second of every round when I fight him. I expect that we will put on a fight no one will ever forget.”

“Canelo is a great young fighter who has earned his way to the top,” said Angulo. “That being said, I know I’m hungrier than he is right now and I will take him to places he’s never been. Our fans in Mexico and around the world will see what we’re all about when we fight.”

“When we presented opponents to Canelo for his return fight, he immediately took the man who he expected would give him the toughest challenge in the ring and who also would help him give the fans the most exciting fight possible,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Alfredo Angulo fits the bill on all counts and this will not only be a stern test for Canelo, but I know fight fans are going to see all action from start to finish. I can say that about all the fights on the card, and in keeping with Golden Boy Promotions’ promise to fans, we’re making sure to deliver the most competitive and compelling matchups that we can.”

“We are very excited to welcome back Canelo Alvarez to MGM Grand for what’s sure to be a fierce battle with Alfredo Angulo,” said Richard Sturm, president of sports and entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “These two fighters are sure to bring their best performances to the MGM Grand Garden Arena for a thrilling evening of epic boxing.”

“This is the type of stacked, all-action fight card that SHOWTIME has become known for,” said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We are proud to present this excellent main event and compelling co-features on our preeminent platform, SHOWTIME PPV. Last year, this network emerged as the premiere destination for boxing’s biggest events and most competitive fights. The men and the matchups on this fight card embody our commitment to deliver the best the sport has to offer.”

A superstar in his native Mexico who has gone international with his appeal over the last two years, Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KO’s) is a former super welterweight world champion whose talent, fighting style and charisma is likely to keep him on top for years to come. Only 23 years of age, the Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico native turned pro in 2005 and he hasn’t looked back since he defeated the likes of Jose Miguel Cotto, Carlos Baldomir, Lovemore Ndou, Matthew Hatton, Ryan Rhodes, Alfonso Gomez, Kermit Cintron and Sugar Shane Mosley. In 2013, Canelo packed nearly 40,000 fans into the Alamodome in San Antonio for a win over Austin Trout to unify 154-pound titles. Canelo’s last fight, the main event bout vs. Mayweather, shattered pay-per-view revenue records, largely due to the growing popularity of the bright Mexican star. On March 8, Canelo is back.

A vicious puncher with a crowd-pleasing and aggressive style, Mexicali Baja California, Mexico native Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-3, 18 KO’s) produces exciting fights every time he steps through the ropes, as evidenced by knockouts of Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, as well as his classic 2011 showdown with James Kirkland. Owner of 2012 wins over Raul Casarez and Jorge Silva, the 31-year-old appeared to be on his way to his first world championship in June 2013 when he knocked down Erislandy Lara twice in their interim WBA title fight. However, a controversial stoppage due to an eye injury postponed Angulo’s ascension to the top, something he hopes to rectify starting with his bout against Alvarez.

All-action warrior Leo Santa Cruz simply outworks his opponents every time he steps between the ropes, becoming must-see TV in the process. But he will be meeting a former world champion in Cristian Mijares who plans on having an answer for everything the young titlist throws at him.

“I’ve always been a fan of Cristian Mijares, and I know he will give me a tough fight on March 8,” said Santa Cruz. “When two Mexicans get into the ring together, it’s always a show, and this fight will be no different.”

“Santa Cruz is an impressive young fighter and a worthy champion,” said Mijares. “I respect him because he fights like I fight: to get the knockout and give the fans a great fight. They will get their money’s worth on March 8.”
Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KO’s) is widely recognized as one of the highest -olume punchers in the game today. The 25-year-old, two-division world champion fights out of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacán de Ocampo, Mexico, and will be making the second defense of the WBC 122-pound title he won by knockout last August. In his initial defense, Santa Cruz registered one knockdown en route to a close, hard-fought, decision over a determined and courageous Cesar Seda last Dec. 14. His exciting work rate and significant power have made Santa Cruz a mainstay on SHOWTIME as six of his last seven fights have aired on the premium network. The other came on CBS Television Network in December 2012.
Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KO’s), 32, of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico, is as game as any active fighter today. His give-and-take southpaw style makes him as vulnerable as he is exciting. He’s is currently 14-1 in his last 15 fights dating to November 2009. A pro since 1997, the former Three-Time World Champion is 8-2 in world title fights and owns a ninth-round TKO over renowned slugger Rafael Marquez. His only defeat since 2009 came on a split 12-round decision to then-WBC champ Victor Terrazas on April 13, 2013.
Seen for years as the future of boxing, Omar Figueroa’s time is now, especially after his epic win over Nihito Arakawa last July. Now returning to fight in Las Vegas for the first time since 2012, “Panterita” will look to turn back the challenge of Ricardo Alvarez, a winner of five straight who emerged on the world scene with his December victory over Rod Salka.
“I can’t wait to get back into the ring on March 8; it’s been too long and I’m ready to defend my title,” said Figueroa. “The fans know what I can do in the ring, and they’re going to see the best version of me yet against Alvarez.”
“World champions are in the Alvarez bloodline, and we’re going to make history when I become the latest champion from our family on March 8,” said Alvarez. “Figueroa is a great young fighter, but I will be the one with his hand raised in victory. ”
The popular and promising 24-year-old Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KO’s), of McAllen, Texas, captured the Interim WBC 135-pound crown with a unanimous decision over Arakawa in brutal brawl last July 27 that was a top nominee for 2013’s Fight of the Year. Figueroa, despite fighting with a cut on his nose from an accidental head butt in the third round, dropped Arakawa in the second and sixth rounds. Figueroa and Arakawa combined to throw more than 2,100 punches in their memorable 36-minute slugfest.
Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KO’s), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, has triumphed five consecutive times and is 13-1-1 in his last 15 bouts. The older brother of Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez and current WBC Continental Americas 140-pound champion, the 32-year-old “Dinamita” is coming off a 10-round majority decision victory over Rod Salka last Dec. 14.
Former world champion Jorge Linares has fought his way back into title contention with four consecutive victories, including three knockouts, but he will get the fight of his life from Japan’s Nihito Arakawa, whose instant classic with Figueroa last July made him an instant star in the United States and around the world.

“I’ve worked hard to get back to the top of the division, and I can’t let Arakawa slow me down,” said Linares. “He’s a tough, rugged fighter who will be in front of me all night, but I am confident that I will be victorious.”

“The United States fans treated me so well when I fought here against Omar Figueroa, and I’m excited to be back to fight Linares,” said Arakawa. “He is a true warrior and we will put on a memorable fight for sure.”
Twenty-eight-year-old Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s), a Venezuelan now fighting out of Tokyo, Japan, is a former WBC Featherweight and WBA Super Featherweight titleholder. The hard-knocking 11-year professional has won four straight, including a first-round knockout over Francisco Contreras last Nov.10 in Tokyo.
Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s), of Tokyo, will be fighting for the second time in America. The 32-year-old proved his ability and toughness to the U.S. audience in the aforementioned slugfest versus Figueroa last July. Arakawa’s spirited effort was anchored by his ability to overcome two knockdowns and fight exhaustion as he forced the action until the final bell. The Japanese warrior earned great respect in defeat.
# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. This event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @elperro82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @OmarFigueroaJr, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Saturday’s HBO World Championship Boxing doubleheader telecast airs at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT).

The HBO telecast kicks off live from the Bell Centre in Montreal when heavyweights Mike Perez and Carlos Takam square off for 10 rounds.

The evening’s main event features a light heavyweight matchup as Canadian stars Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute lace up their gloves for a 12-round showdown.

Official Weights from Montreal:

Jean Pascal: 175 lbs.
Lucian Bute: 173.6 lbs.

Mike Perez: 231.2 lbs.
Carlos Takam: 256.2 lbs.

Join the conversation on Twitter: #PascalBute

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – (January 17, 2014) “Knockout” is a new reality television show on NUVO TV featuring Floyd Mayweather Sr., Rueben Guerrero & Yoel Judah. The show is built around the 140, 147 and 154 pound weight divisions. The winners of the tournaments in each weight division will then face a top 20 contender to see if they can realize their ring dream. The premier episode of the show will air in March 2014 on NUVO TV.

To get exclusive behind the scenes content and pictures direct from the set of the boxing reality show Knockout, follow our official social networking pages.

Knockout is a show for the fans and we definitely want to interact with you! Fans should make sure that when they are discussing the boxing reality show Knockout to utilize the hashtags #MyNUVOtv #Boxing #Boxeo #KnockoutRealTV. We will have autograph giveaways, ticket giveaways and more!

Make sure you click the like button on the official Knockout reality show FB page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Knockout-Reality-TV-Show/629916893739234

Check out the official Knockout reality show instagram page http://instagram.com/knockoutrealtv

About NUVO TV

NUVOtv (www.myNUVOtv.com) is the premiere English language entertainment network created for Modern Latinos, embodying the spirit and multi-dimensional lifestyle of the modern Latino audience.

Providing original, Latino inspired entertainment and lifestyle programming, NUVOtv is available in more than 32 million homes nationwide with major distribution partners: AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Cox, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FIOS. The network is widely available in all top Hispanic DMAs and most major US markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago and New York.

NUVO TV is Channel 874 on Dish Network
NUVO TV is Channel 182 on AT&T U-Verse
NUVO TV is Channel 276 on Verizon FiOS
NUVO TV is Channel 635 on Comcast Cable
NUVO TV is Channel 185 on Cox Cable
NUVO TV is Channel 143 on Time Warner Cable

The United States Embassy in Poland has granted heavyweight sensation Artur “The Pin” Szpilka (16-0, 12 KOs) the proper visa to enter the United States, and he will be landing in Chicago this evening.

Szpilka had been denied entry on his first attempt to enter the country for his 10-round showdown against Bryant Jennings (17-0, 9 KOs) on January 25 in New York at Madison Square Garden Arena

Promoters Gary Shaw of Gary Shaw Productions and Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing are both breathing a sigh of relief, now that fight will proceed as scheduled.
The undefeated pair will both be making their HBO debuts in a televised doubleheader, headlined by “Mikey” Garcia’s first defense of his WBO Super Featherweight Championship.

Philadelphia’s Jennings is currently ranked #5 in the WBA and #4 in both the WBC and IBF. The wildly popular Szpilka, of Warsaw, Poland, is currently rated WBA and WBC #14.
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 it’s 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.

Danbury, CT (January 17, 2014) -Professional boxing manager A.J. Galante, President of Elite Boxing Enterprises, is currently part of a multi-page feature in Sport’s Illustrated.

The publication giant reached out to Galante, 27 years old, about the minor league hockey team his father and he owned ten years ago, one of the most controversial hockey teams ever, the Danbury Trashers. Galante was named the President of the team at the tender age of 17, and helped build what was known as the toughest hockey team in America. “The Danbury Trashers are a team that can never be duplicated.” Galante stated, “My father and I turned the hockey world upside down in just two seasons. I was young, but worked hard, and we definitely did things our way.” The Trashers became infamous in two seasons due to their rough style of play, crazy antics both on and off the ice, as well as being a winning team, reaching the league finals in just their second season.

Galante’s experience in Minor League hockey laid the groundwork for him to jump into the professional boxing business as a manager, starting in 2011. “My father and I went into minor league hockey with zero, and I mean zero experience running a sports franchise. But we built a team that nobody wanted to go up against. I came into boxing at the age of 24, again with zero experience or knowledge. I have managed a total of 3 boxers, and I believe I’ve been an asset to their careers.”

Galante started managing Delvin Rodriguez in 2011, and helped guide him for 6 fights, culminating in Rodriguez’s biggest match of his career, a main event bout on HBO World Championship Boxing against Miguel Cotto. Galante no longer manages Rodriguez, but is excited about a new Junior Middleweight about to burst onto the scene, reigning undefeated New York State Jr. Middleweight Champion Frank ‘Notorious’ Galarza. “Frank is the real deal. I’ve been with him for 3 fights, and we’ve come a long way each bout and in between. He believes in me and I believe in him, we have a great team and together we will make noise, starting Friday on Showtime.” Galarza will be competing in the co-feature of tonight’s 2014 season premiere of Showtime’s ShoBox: The Next Generation, against undefeated John Thompson.

Be sure to check out this week’s edition of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands today, to read more on A.J. Galante and the Danbury Trashers, and tune into Showtime tonight, 10PMET to watch Frank Galarza battle for the WBC Latino Title in an all action bout.

READING, PA (JANUARY 16, 2014)–On Saturday night, January 25th, WBA number-nine ranked Heavyweight, Travis Kauffman (27-1, 20 KO’s) takes on Vincent Thompson (13-1, 2 KO’s) in a 10 -round bout for the WBU Intercontinental championship from the Sands in Bethlehem, PA.

The show is promoted by King’s Boxing and XFE Boxing.

Kauffman is promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions.

Kauffman knows that a win over Thompson, who has impressive credentials himself, will springboard himself to a big opportunity in the wide open Heavyweight division.

“Everything has been good in camp,”said Kauffman. “I have been working with (undefeated Heavyweight) Bryant Jennings, (Heavyweight contender) Steve Cunningham and (Undefeated Light Heavyweight) Khalib Whitmore. This also is the 2nd camp that we have incorporated former Cruiserweight champion Al Cole as part of the training team.”

Kauffman knows that the southpaw Thompson brings some quality skills to the ring on January 25th.

“Thompson is the toughest fight since my fight with Tony Grano. He is not a big puncher but he is very fast. The plan is to beat him down and show him what I already know that I am at a whole another level that he is at. I know that he is coming to attempt to win, but my experience and pressure will be the deciding factors in the fight.”

Although not looking past Thompson, Kauffman, who is riding a nine fight winning streak, knows that he could be graduating to the big stage shortly.

“I Love fighting at home,” continued Kauffman. “But I also want those big opportunities. I fight better with better opposition and even though I won by 1st round knockout in my last bout, You will see a better Travis Kauffman on January 25th.

Once again, King’s Promotions has put on a stellar undercard.

In eight round bouts:

Frankie De Alba (10-1-2, 3 KO’s) of Reading, PA takes on Chazz McDowell (6-3-1, 1 KO) of Yonkers, NY in a Jr. Lightweight bout.

Miguel Cartagena (10-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia will fight Felipe Rivas (15-15-2, 9 KO’s) of Nogales, Mexico in a Bantamweight bout.

In four round bouts:

Sammy Quinones (4-2, 1 KO) of York, PA will do battle with Benjamin Burgos (1-5) of Mount Pocono, PA in a Lightweight bout

Khalib Whitmore (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia will square off with Raymere Palmer (0-1) of Las Vegas in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Christian Molina of Allentown, PA will make his pro debut against Dominic Goode (0-1) of Williamstown, NJ in a Jr. Welterweight fight.

Lonnie Jackson Jr. (3-1-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will box Robert Ramos (1-1, 1 KO) of Palm Bay, FL in a Lightweight bout.

Tickets for this outstanding evening are priced at $200, $125, $75 and $50 (tickets will be $5 more at the door) and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com and www.kingsboxing.com

1st bout is 7:15 with the doors opening at 6:15

For more information and media credentials, contact

Marc Abrams at phillyboxing@gmail.com or 856 287 7611

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Jan. 16, 2014) – The eight fighters featured in tomorrow night’s ShoBox: The New Generation live telecast on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) made weight Thursday at Jerry Lee Lewis Cafe & Honky Tonk in downtown Memphis.

In an eagerly awaited 10-round main event tomorrow/Friday, Jan. 17, highly regarded, hard-hitting lightweight Ivan “The Terrible’’ Redkach (15-0, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, by way of Ukraine, puts his undefeated record on the line against once-beaten Tony “Lightning” Luis (17-1, 7 KO’s), of Cornwall, Ontario, Canada.

In three televised eight-rounders between six undefeated up-and-comers on an event presented by DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions, Greg Cohen Promotions and Prize Fight Boxing: John “Apollo Kidd’’ Thompson (14-0, 5 KO’s), of Newark, N.J., faces “The Brooklyn Rocky” Frank “Notorious” Galarza (11-0-2, 7 KO’s), of Brooklyn, N.Y., Antoine “Action” Douglas (11-0, 7 KO’s), of Burke, Va., by way of Washington D.C. meets Marquis “MD Goodnite” Davis (8-0-2, 5 KO’s), of Tampa, Fla., in a middleweight match and Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (12-0-1, 9 KO’s) of Dallas will be opposed by Abel Ramos (8-0, 4 KO’s), of Casa Grande, Ariz., by way of Gettysburg, Pa., in a junior welterweight scrap.

WEIGHTS: Redkach weighed 134¼ pounds, Luis tipped scale at 134½ pounds; Thompson weighed 153¼ pounds, Galarza 153½ pounds; Douglas weighed 158 pounds, Davis (making weight on his third attempt, 45 minutes after his initial try) weighed 159½ pounds; and Hooker and Ramos both tipped the scale at 141½ pounds.

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

Below are the final thoughts from the fighters competing on SHOWTIME:

IVAN REDKACH

“This is going to be a great fight. I feel that it is the biggest of my career. I am facing a very good opponent who I know is coming to win.

“I appreciate the nice things people say about me, but boxing is my life and I put pressure on myself to be a world champion someday. I watch tape every day because I know there is still a lot of work for me to do.

“I am very focused. I want to perform well on SHOWTIME because if you don’t perform well on television you don’t always get invited back. I always want to finish my opponents because I know they are trying to take something away from me.’’

TONY LUIS

“This is definitely a career-defining fight for me and I am very excited about this opportunity. I’m looking at it as payback for my loss.

“This fight means everything to me. I know I can’t afford another loss on television, I can’t afford another loss – period.

“We all know about my opponent, but I have more experience and have been places as a pro that he hasn’t. There’s no denying his power or ability, but he hasn’t fought the caliber of me.

“I have a lot of respect for him, but I’ve learned so much since my loss. Speed makes power. I love that I am getting this chance. I didn’t come here to lose.’’

JOHN THOMPSON

“I feel that I’m still learning, but I love the fact I’m fighting against an undefeated opponent. I definitely consider this a step up and it’s one that can open new doors for me.

“I think his main focus is to punch his way to success, so I plan to keep him on the outside.

“I love fighting on television. It gives other people, nation-wide, a chance to see me. Fighting on SHOWTIME is excellent.’’

FRANK GALARZA

“I’m fighting a guy taller than me so he has the reach advantage, but I’m ready to do whatever I have to do. I feel I’ve become smarter with experience, that I use my mind and feet more and that I’m not just a brawler.

“He’s an aggressive guy. I plan to attack, but smartly, and see how it works. I’m not just going to go crazy in there. I actually think I’m more elusive than people think I am.

“This is a good fight for both of us, a good fight for boxing and a good one for ‘ShoBox’. I no longer feel I’m a one-dimensional fighter and I am excited for the chance for you to see what I’m all about.’’

ANTOINE DOUGLAS

“I’m excited to be fighting on SHOWTIME for the first time. I look at this as a big step, but I know the time is right and I’m in the right place to showcase my skills.

“I am not a bragger, but I want you to be able to say in six months that you remember when you saw me on ‘ShoBox’. I hope to show you greatness.

“My plan, like always, is to execute and not worry about what my opponent might do. I do what I have to do. I feel I can throw every punch. I feel I can adjust to anything. My mindset is probably more of a puncher but I feel I can do anything.’’

MARQUIS DAVIS

“I’m a power-puncher that likes to work on the inside. This is a great matchup because I want to make a statement and I know my opponent also wants to make a statement.

“I remember Douglas from the amateurs. He has talent but I don’t feel he’s been tested as a pro like I have. I consider my draws, like losses, and they’ve only served to motivate me more. If you win easy all the time, you get comfortable. I learned that lesson with the draws.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity. I expect to get better as the fight progresses.’’

MAURICE HOOKER

“I’m moving from six rounds to eight rounds, and he’s moving from four to eight, but it won’t matter. I’m ready. I consider myself a boxer-puncher. I like to go inside but will also fight from the outside.

“Bottom line is, I love to fight. I come from a tough area near Dallas. But I know I need to fight smart and utilize my physical attributes. I’m not underestimating Ramos; he can really box but I’m totally prepared.

“I’m dedicating this fight to Muhammad Ali, who is 72 on Friday. I’ll be wearing a patch on my trunks in his honor.’’

ABEL RAMOS

“This is my first fight outside Arizona, but I traveled a lot in the amateurs. I’m a little nervous but definitely more excited about this opportunity.

“Condition-wise, going up to eight rounds, will not be a problem. I’m actually really looking forward to it. It gives me more time to break down my opponent.’’

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (January 16, 2014) — Undefeated lightweight contender, 2012 U.S. Olympian and California Latino Water Coalition member JOSE RAMÍREZ woke up at 5:00 a.m. PT today for political roadwork He and Kings County Supervisor Richard Valle are leading a charter busload of fellow activists from his hometown of Fresno where they will join up with 1,000 farm workers, politicians and concerned and affected citizens to attend a water bond rally and news conference at the State Capitol Building in Sacramento, to get water released and allocated to Central California farmers.

The California Latino Water Coalition aims to help resolve the state’s water crisis and to promote economic growth in the Central Valley. The water crisis has depleted farm-related employment and reduced family income.

“Plain and simple, we need water in our area, it is the lifeline of the people and the economy,” said Ramírez. “Now that Governor Brown has declared a drought emergency we need to meet with our legislators, face-to-face, and voice our concerns directly to them. Today, we intend to go door-to-door to everyone in the Capitol building to tell them the devastating effects our water crisis is having on the Valley community.”

“Jose cares about his people, his community and where he is from. He wants to make a difference,” said agent Rick Mirigian

This link to a recent Fresno Bee story explains the emergency in detail: http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/13/3711994/valley-leaders-urge-gov-jerry.html .

Last November, Ramírez (7-0, 5 KOs), of Avenal, Calif., headlined a sold-out boxing event — “Fight for Water” — in his hometown area of Lemoore, Calif. which raised funds for struggling farm families in the Central Valley

To learn more about Jose Ramírez, please visit his instagram page @jcramirez2012 or like him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Joseramirezboxing or follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RAMIREZBOXING.