DEL MAR, CA (March 6, 2014) – Paco Presents in association with A&T Gym, Don Chargin, Golden Boy Promotions and San Diego-based Barron Entertainment, is happy to announce the second edition of its popular boxing series titled “Ringside at Del Mar” taking place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on April 11, 2014.

The 8-round main event will feature the return of former world title challenger, Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (26-1, 14 KOs), as he faces an opponent to be announced in the Lightweight division. Gesta, who resides in San Diego, by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines, is eager to get back in the ring since his last fight in December of 2012, a world title bout against Miguel Vasquez on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez IV.

“The time is now for me to get back in the ring and show the world that I can still compete at the championship level,” said Gesta. “Although I don’t know who my opponent is at the moment, I’m ready for anyone they put in front of me. I’ve had time to reflect on my loss to Miguel Vasquez, which was a great learning experience, and vow to come back stronger than ever.”

“San Diego is my second home so I’m excited to be making my ring return at the Del Mar Fairgrounds where all my family and friends can come see me fight. I want to thank all the promoters who help put this fight card together. “No Mercy” is back!” Gesta concluded.

“Every card has been great since we started the Ringside at Del Mar boxing series mid last year, but this one is shaping up to be the strongest card to date.” Andy Perez president of A&T GYM said. “The response from the San Diego fans has been overwhelming. We have great passion to grow the series and bring world class fights while showcasing the sports best rising talent to a legendary venue that is the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The Del Mar Fairgrounds offers a first-rate environment, where you can bring the entire family to enjoy a great night of boxing.”

“This is a new beginning, a new team, and a new Mercito Gesta. A loss does not end a career, in fact that is where fighters become champions!” said
Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Robert Diaz. “If he can put together a few good victories, he’ll be right back in the mix to challenge any of the current lightweight world champions. Jorge Marron and I are working together to get an opponent for Mercito and you can expect an announcement on Gesta’s rival as well as the complete undercard in the near future.”

Undercard To Be Announced Shortly

Tickets for “Ringside at Del Mar” priced $25 (General Admission) $45, $50 and $60 are on sale now and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster, at www.RingsideatDelMar.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000, in person at the Del Mar Fairgrounds ticket office, or by calling (858) 755-1161. Select VIP table seating is available at $75. Tickets may also be purchased at the door the night of the event, based on availability. Advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended. Parking is only $10. The “Ringside at Del Mar” live boxing event is sponsored in part by 7UP, Joel Diaz Training Camp, and El Latino Newspaper.

The Del Mar Fairgrounds are located at 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard in Del Mar, Calif. Doors open at 7:00pm. The evenings first of seven bouts is scheduled for 8:00pm. We’ll see you Ringside at Del Mar!

(San Diego, CA) – Gary Shaw Productions in association with Cohen Promotions and All-In Entertainment present ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” this Friday, March 7th, at the Pala Resort and Casino in Pala, CA. Featured on the card will be super featherweight Aaron “Gavilan” Garcia (13-3-2, 4KOs) of Vista, CA. Garcia will be fighting in his backyard for the first time in years and he is more than excited at the possibility.

“I am ready to put on a show, I’ve been working hard and I want to show everybody who Aaron Garcia is,” the father of two said during a public work out held yesterday at the Pacific Training Center in Birdrock.

Aaron “Gavilan” Garcia (13-3-2, 4KOs) of Vista. Photo: All-In Entertainment

For more on the public workout, please click HERE

Doors will open at 5PM and the first bout will start promptly at 5:30PM. The live ESPN Friday Night Fights telecast will start at 6:00PM.

Tickets are still available by contacting PALACASINO.COM

LONDON (March 6) – Canelo Alvarez is using the story of ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali to help inspire him to make his own boxing history starting this weekend.

The cinnamon haired superstar will be going toe-to-toe with countryman Alfredo Angulo as they lay their Mexican machismo on the line in front of a packed crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this weekend.

It is a significant fight for both men, particularly the 23-year-old Canelo, who will be under close scrutiny to see what effect his first defeat last September against pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather has had on him.

Hotly tipped as the man to take over the throne of Mayweather, Canelo was soundly beaten over twelve rounds but is refusing to let that setback stop him from following in the footsteps of his idol Ali and becoming one of history’s very best.

“I consider myself a person with a strong mindset and that’s how I moved on from the loss against Mayweather. I always train to win, like everybody else and unfortunately last September that was not the case,” Canelo recalled.

“I’m training to make history and to be one of the best in boxing history. One defeat is not everything. The biggest boxers in history have been defeated. For instance, Muhammad Ali was defeated and he came back and made history.

“So, here I am, making history, moving forward. I fight to make boxing history. That is why I fight,” said Canelo.

The former WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine light-middleweight world champion has jumped right back in at the deep end and refused to take an easier comeback fight than the one the hardened Angulo presents.

Having knocked out 18 opponents in his 22 wins, the 31-year-old Angulo has earned a reputation as one of boxing’s most exciting and dangerous fighters.

Canelo is under no illusions, however, and knows he will need to be on top of his game to tame the man known as ‘El Perro’ – ‘The Dog’.

“Angulo presents a difficult challenge because he’s a fighter who can punch and take a great punch. I know I have to prepare and establish my game plan early. But you know how it can be with game plans. Sometimes, once a fight starts, you have to do what you have to do to win and that’s what I am going to do on Saturday,” Canelo said.

“Obviously a knockout would be beautiful; that’s what the fans like, an impressive knockout. But I never go into a fight looking for a knockout. If it comes, it comes.

“Everyone says Angulo is the stronger guy, but I think I’m the strongest,” said a confident Canelo.

A fan favourite himself, inside and outside the ring, Canelo is keen to build on his budding reputation having broken pay-per-view records in his last fight with Mayweather.

The attractive eye-catching style of Angulo was one of the main reasons that Canelo opted to take the fight in a bill that has quite aptly been dubbed ‘Toe-To-Toe’ due to the exciting all-action affair many are expecting.

“Of course that was very important [the style of Angulo]. What the fans want to see is attractive fights, very good fights, and that was a big reason for doing this fight,” said Canelo.

“It’s a very, very different style [to Mayweather]. So the whole camp has been different, the sparring partners have been different. But it’s a style that’s going to be attractive and it’s going to make for a very good fight,” he said.

BoxNation viewers can see the premiere of episode two ‘All Access: Canelo vs. Angulo’ this Saturday at 6.30pm. Before live boxing action from Liverpool where rising bantamweight star Paul Butler faces tough Argentine Oreste Nieva for the vacant WBA intercontinental title.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

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

Heavyweight contender Odlanier Solis arrived in Istanbul (Turkey). The 2004 Olympic gold medalist will face US veteran Tony “Tiger” Thompson on March 22nd in Tekirdag. It is the clash of two former Klitschko foes: In March 2011 Solis lost to then WBC champion Vitali Klitschko in Cologne (Germany) due to a knee injury; Thompson had already two shots at Vitali’s younger brother Wladimir in 2008 and 2012 but lost both fights.

“The winner of this bout will get another shot at the world title”, says promoter Ahmet Oner. “With Vitali in retirement and Wladimir facing stiffs like Alex Leapai it’s about time to bring back some action to the heavyweight scene. Both guys have a lot to win but even more to lose. So I am sure that it will be a hell of a fight.”

Solis hit Istanbul yesterday with Miami based physician Osvaldo Nordelo to wrap up his training camp in Turkey. Tomorrow the team expects head coach Manny Masson who will be in Solis’ corner for the Thompson fight. “Solis and Masson have been a very good team before. Manny was one of Solis’ first coaches when he came to Germany in 2007. They have a good chemistry and I am sure that they will have the right game plan to beat Thompson”, states Oner. “Solis loves Turkey. He loves the people and the hospitality. He is in great shape already and we gave him the best possible conditions over here to finalize his training camp. He will do one more week of sparring and then just focus on the fight.”

NEW YORK: (March 6, 2014) Former world champion Joshua
“The Grand Master” Clottey will head to Newcastle, Australia on
APRIL 2 to clash with former two time WBA Champion and local favorite Anthony “the man” Mundine in a twelve round junior middleweight clash, it was confirmed today by Joe DeGuardia, Founder and President of Star Boxing.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for Joshua, and we are glad that after extended negotiations with Brendan Bourke from BOXA Promotions this fight is officially on.” said DeGuardia. “He’s been training since his last victory in September looking for a big fight and Mundine presents a high risk/high reward type of fight. A win over Mundine will put him right back on track for a major fight in the United States.”

“As a promoter we take pride in consistently providing our fighters with the best opportunities as we’ve also done most recently with world champion Demetrius Andrade, Chris Algieri and Delvin Rodriguez among others.”

Sporting a record of 37-4-0 (22KO’s), Clottey comes off a ten-round shutout decision over Los Angeles based veteran Dashon Johnson on September 14, 2013 at The Paramount in Huntington, New York as part of Star Boxing’s acclaimed , “Rockin’ Fights” series.

“I am now fighting at my best weight, 154 pounds, and Anthony Mundine is one stop on my road to the world championship” stated Clottey.

With an outstanding fourteen-year career that includes wins over former world champions Zab Judah and Diego Corrales, Clottey is perhaps best known to New York City area boxing fans for his war for the ages with Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto on June 13, 2009 at Madison Square Garden.

Fighting in front of a capacity crowd of over 20,000 boxing fans, Clottey bloodied the WBO Welterweight Champion and although valiantly battled throughout, the judges awarded Cotto a split decision by the slimmest of margins.

The 38-year-old Mundine, 46-5-0 (27KO’s), had an uneven 2013, losing an IBF World Title shot to fellow countryman Daniel Geale while also defeating boxing legend Shane Mosley via seventh round stoppage.

Most recently, the Sydney, Australia resident won a ten round unanimous decision over Gunnar Jackson on January 29th.

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

Tyron Zeuge is ready for his first homecoming as a champion. On March 29, the Berlin-native is going to support the WBO Cruiserweight World Championship between Marco Huck and Mirko Larghetti at the Velodrom in Berlin, Germany. The 21-year-old’s premiere title defense of his WBO Youth Belt will come against same-aged and unbeaten Gheorghe Sabau of Romania.

Zeuge secured his first title in the pro ranks on January 25 in Stuttgart, Germany – just minutes before Huck beat Firat Arslan in their rematch. “That was an awesome feeling to fight in front of about 10,000 people. However, I was just nervous walking to the ring,” says the prodigy of Karsten Roewer. Afterwards, he kept his cool. “I blanked out the fans in attendance as the first bell rang to be absolutely focused and it worked.”

The challenge now is to verify this result on March 29. Zeuge already discussed the style and strengths of Sabau with his coach Roewer. “My next opponent is southpaw and has a temporizing style being a counter-puncher. In the upcoming weeks, my trainer will give me the exact strategy to be victorious against Sabau.”

Promoter Kalle Sauerland has a high opinion of Zeuge: “Tyron is one of the biggest talents at super middleweight. I am proud to present his first title defense in his hometown.”

However, defending the WBO Youth Title is just a stepping-stone according to the ambitious Zeuge: “I want to become a world champion.”

Tickets are available at www.eventim.de. All previously purchased tickets for the boxing event at the Velodrom Berlin on March 29 remain valid.

LAS VEGAS (March 5, 2014) – MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. has won the right to host the Saturday, May 3 mega-fight between 10-time and Five-Division World Champion and current WBC Welterweight World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather against Argentine power-puncher and WBA Welterweight World Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana.

“We are honored to host another one of Floyd Mayweather’s epic championship fights at MGM Grand,” said Richard Sturm, president of Sports and Entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “The MGM Grand Garden Arena has been Floyd’s home for many years and he always thrills the fans inside the Arena and those watching worldwide.”

“We are so delighted that Floyd will be fighting at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for the 12th time,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “It is truly Floyd’s home away from home and as we always say, when Floyd fights at MGM Grand, it stands for ‘Mayweather gets money’ because of his ability to sell every seat in the house.”

“Floyd Mayweather will be coming home once again on May 3 when he faces Marcos Maidana at MGM Grand in Las Vegas,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “With 11 of his previous fights being held at MGM Grand, Floyd has become the venue’s greatest sports franchise, so it is only fitting that he face one of his toughest challenges here in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas.”

Mayweather has fought and won some of his most memorable battles at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, including wins over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and most recently Canelo Alvarez last September. This will be the ninth consecutive time that Mayweather fights at MGM Grand and 12th appearance overall.

Mayweather is known for breaking records every time he steps into the ring as evidenced by his appearances at MGM Grand as well as the facts outlined below:

Mayweather’s last five fights have been sellouts.
Mayweather’s September 2013 fight against Canelo Alvarez shattered gate records totaling more than $20 million.
MGM Grand displays Mayweather “Home of the Champion” banners on the exterior of the building.
The official weigh-in for the Mayweather vs. Canelo fight in September at the MGM Grand Garden Arena set a record of more than 12,000 fans in attendance, making it one of the biggest weigh-ins in the history of the sport.
It is very rare for events to use souvenir tickets, but it is a Mayweather standard to create tickets with a fight graphic. At his last fight against Canelo, Mayweather had artist Richard Slone develop a one-of-a-kind piece printed on all of the tickets.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $750, $550 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Saturday, March 8 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of two (2) at the $350 price range. 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.

Mayweather vs. Maidana, a 12-round world championship unification bout for Mayweather and Maidana’s respective 147-pound titles, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV and is the third fight of a lucrative six-fight deal with SHOWTIME Networks Inc.

More details about the event, including undercard bouts, will be announced shortly.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather and Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, U2, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to annual events including Academy of Country Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, iHeartRadio Music Festival, Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Championship and the Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game hosted by the Los Angeles Kings.

The March 7 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will feature up-and-coming Lightweight contender Rustam Nugaev (26-6, 16 KOs) and former Lightweight world title challenger Marvin Quintero (25-4, 21 KOs) in the 10-round Lightweight main event.

Friday’s show, from Pala Casino in Pala Calif., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise the fights on Saturday, March 8, at 7 p.m. The card is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.

New PictureCommentators:
Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) filling in for 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. Leopoldo González, filling in for Delvin Rodríguez, will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Cuban comedian Bonco Quiñongo will join Trejos as a special guest in studio this week. Quiñongo has previously appeared on ESPN Deportes radio to talk boxing with Trejos.

Main Event:
Russia’s Nugaev, who resides in Los Angeles, has won his last four fights by knockout and is coming off a first-round knockout win over Mario Hermosillo. In his previous fight, he scored a fifth-round knockout win over Jose Hernandez on Friday Night Fights. After that fight, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael wrote: “Nugaev is a fun fighter to watch. He’s an aggressive brawler who lets it all hang out when the bell rings, and it was no different in his methodical destruction of Hernandez, who gave it his all but was simply outgunned. It was a good action fight.”

Mexico’s Quintero is looking to rebound from a 12-round split decision loss to IBF titlist Miguel Vazquez. Quintero said of Friday’s fight, “I think the Russian (Nugaev) is strong, a brawler. He has a pretty good reach and huge experience.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit undefeated Bantamweight Roman Morales (17-0, 9 KOs) against Khabir Suleymanov (16-3, 6 KOs). California’s Morales is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Roberto Castaneda, while California’s Suleymanov is looking to continue his winning ways following an eight-round unanimous decision win over Juanito Rubillar.

Opening Fight:
Friday’s show will open with a six-round bout between undefeated Welterweight Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (19-0, 10 KOs) and Michael Balasi (10-3, 7 KOs).

Upcoming Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Fri, Mar. 21

9 p.m.

Vanes Martirosyan (33-1-1, 21 KOs) vs. Mario Alberto Lozano (27-4, 20 KOs) — 10 rounds, Junior Middleweights

Morongo Casino, Cabazon, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, Mar. 28

9 p.m.

Boxcino Lightweight Semifinals: eight rounds each

Chris Rudd (13-1, 8 KOs) vs. Petr Petrov (33-4-2, 14 KOs)

Miguel González (23-3, 16 KOs) vs. Fernando Carcamo (16-5, 13 KOs)

4 Bears Casino,
New Town, N.D.

ESPN, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, Apr. 18

9 p.m.

Boxcino Middleweight
Semifinals: eight rounds each

Brandon Adams (13-0, 9 KOs) vs. Raymond Gatica (14-2, 9 KOs)

Willie Monroe Jr. (16-1, 6 KOs) vs. Vitalii Kopylenko (22-0, 12 KOs)

Turning Stone Casino, Verona, N.Y.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates Social Media:

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

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

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

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

LONDON (March 5) – Alfredo Angulo will be looking to seize his opportunity when he battles fellow Mexican star Canelo Alvarez in a fight set to be an edge of the seat thriller.

The 31-year-old originally from Mexicali, in Baja California, the twelfth largest state in Mexico, battles his countryman Canelo this weekend on BoxNation at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in a fight which is expected to go down as one of the very best this year.

A likeable and affable character outside the ring, Angulo has graduated from the school of hard knocks and has fought tooth and nail for the opportunity which presents itself on Saturday night when he will look to humble one of boxing’s glamour boys.

“Every fight is important, but this one is more special because all of the fans in Mexico will know that the winner of this fight is the number one Mexican fighter,” Angulo said. “It’s a huge fight for Mexico and it’s a huge fight for Canelo and me. Everyone can have their own opinion on who will win the fight. My fans know what I do in the ring and they know what to expect on Saturday night.

“My hand will be raised. I’m ready now and I will give the fans my best performance against Canelo. You will see the best Alfredo Angulo on Saturday,” he said confidently.

The light-middleweight star joined up with esteemed trainer Virgil Hunter in 2012 and the pair have looked impressive together, with Angulo giving Erislandy Lara, the man many regard as the best 154 pounder in the world, his toughest fight to date in his last bout.

Canelo himself is looking to bounce back from defeat in his last fight to pound-for-pound ace Floyd Mayweather but Angulo is determined to make it two miserable nights in a row for the 23-year-old star.

“Canelo has gained a lot of experience the last couple of years, he’s a fighter that has fast hands and he can also box if he wants to, so those are maybe some of the attributes, some of the things that I have to look out for,” said Angulo.

“All I do is fight, and I let my fighting do the talking for me. Canelo knows that I’m a good fighter. I’m just glad that I have Virgil on my side to help me construct a game plan and figure out the styles,” he said.

“I am happy that I’m facing another Mexican, because as all the fans know, everybody knows when two Mexicans get in the ring it’s a guaranteed show, it’s a guaranteed exciting show. And March 8th, don’t expect anything different,” Angulo stated.

‘El Perro’, or ‘The Dog’, as he is affectionately known, has lived in the shadow of his Mexican foe Canelo since forging his professional career, but he knows victory in his upcoming fight will allow him to step out of that in the hope of finding sunlight against boxing’s best.

“God willing, it’s going to be that way [getting in the Floyd Mayweather sweepstakes]. That’s what I want, that’s what I’m working for, and it will happen that way [by beating Canelo],” said Angulo.

“But as far as who I want to fight next, I’m not thinking about that. I’m just thinking about Canelo Alvarez right now, that’s on my mind, and it’s not up to me. It’s up to my team. It’s up to Golden Boy, Richard Schaefer, to decide who I’ll fight next. I’m not worrying about that. The most important thing for me right now is Canelo Alvarez,” he said.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

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

New York, NY (March 4, 2014) – For the first two and a half rounds of his February 12 bout against veteran Donald “Bulldog” Ward, rising junior middleweight Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson appeared en-route to another impressive victory. In the second, Melson nearly stopped Ward and was seeking to score a knockout in the Roseland Ballroom’s final fight.

This was until an unexpected injury completely debilitated the 2003 West Point Graduate.

In the third round with the fight in his control, Melson’s entire right arm was temporarily paralyzed after throwing a hook. Shockingly, Melson was diagnosed after the fight with a stretched brachial plexus, which controls all of the movement and feeling from his collar bone down to his fingertips. From that moment forward, he was unable to throw jabs or his trademark check-hooks, as his right arm literally dangled at his side. Realizing his foe was at a major disadvantage, Ward looked to turn the tides.

For the next five and a half stanzas of the scheduled eight rounder, Melson struggled mightily as a one-armed fighter. Having to rely on his less coordinated arm, Melson used his intelligence and left arm to fight on.

“Doctor Barry Jordan of the New York State Athletic Commission told me he was astonished that I finished the fight and he’d never seen an injury like mine in 30 years of working with fighters,” stated Melson. “Dr. Jordan told me “often in the NFL, you will see players taken off the field with their arm dangling lifeless, sidelining them for weeks.”

Melson, an Army Reserve Officer, refused to quit even with the circumstances.

“My arm down to my fingertips felt like it weighed 1000 pounds and I literally could not move it. The pain was surreal and crippling in itself. I was nervous I was going to get stopped since I wasn’t able to fully defend myself. I felt disconnect from my right shoulder, making my arm go limp in segments down to my fingertips. Then it became heavy to the point where I could not move it. I tried moving my finger tips and they were frozen. When I tied my opponent up, my first thought was that I am having a stroke. While tied up, I check on my right leg and it felt strong. The right side of my face felt strong too, so I figured it wasn’t a stroke. Then I thought perhaps I was dizzy and uncoordinated from taking a blow and canceled that out as I felt myself able to think clearly. I pushed off with my right arm lifeless by my side, kept my left glove up against my left cheek and started moving around to buy time since I needed to think.”

“My thoughts went as follows in a matter of a few seconds while I was bouncing around: I am so scared I have no idea what has happened to me, I need to call the referee over, take a knee and tell him what happened. I can’t believe this has happened and I don’t know why I can’t move my fingertips. I can’t believe this is happening. He is going to jump on me and pummel me because I cannot defend myself. I will explain to the media what happened in post interviews, but nobody will care.”

Melson then received internal motivation.

“Christan came smashing into my mind and I could see her forcing herself to walk with her face in pain, then West Point popped into my head and I thought I am a damn West Point Graduate and Army Captain, I have one hand, he still has to beat me!”

Melson stopped bouncing around and settled in front of Ward with his arm dangling and proceeded to fight. When Melson sat down following that round, he told his corner that his arm was dead and he couldn’t move his fingertips, but he’d be ok. His cornermen told him that maybe he’d be able to use it the next round, but that next round never came.

“I remember during the sixth, I was able to raise my right glove to my face. I tried to catch a jab and my right arm at the elbow folded as if it were made of jello and dropped to my side. I figured that it didn’t work yet and I’ve got to figure out something else.”

After his victory, Melson was shocked that notable ringsiders weren’t aware of his injury.

“Professional boxers and fans who watched the fight said they did not notice anything wrong with my right arm and that I was just being lazy or using an unusual strategy. Most ringside reports all said I faded after the second round, my opponent came back strong, in the SIXTH round it appeared I hurt my right shoulder and the last fight at the Roseland was a let down.”

“The few fans that quickly noticed it were personal friends who were medical clinicians. Respected boxing writer Thomas Hauser spoke to me a week later and when I shared the details of the injury with him, he said he knew right away what happened and was amazed nobody else recognized that I was hurt. After I left the ring, I told one reporter what happened. He admitted he missed the injury, but the fact that I fought through it is a testament to my character. He went on to say I never panicked or gave signs that would make others realize something bad had happened.”

Regardless of what others said, Melson’s satisfied with his performance under the circumstances.

“I am extremely proud of how I responded to what life threw at me. It is sad and ironic to me that the last fight at Roseland was reported as me performing poorly instead of a boxer who fights to cure paralysis having one of his limbs become paralyzed in the fight and still finds a way to win.”

Sadly, Melson is suffering from terrible neuropathic (nerve) pain three weeks after his gutsy victory.

“I am in pain every day all day since this happened. It’s deep in my arm and it tingles regularly. Different parts of my arm down to my fingertips feel funny to the touch as if they are waking up from being asleep with pins and needles. I saw multiple doctors and they all said to be patient as it could be worse and fortunately for me, it will fully heal in time.”

Melson will be out of the gym until further notice.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 5th, 2014) — Tom Egan was just a wide-eyed, 20-year-old novice with an ear-to-ear grin when he fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championships in his native Ireland four years ago, unaware of the pressure he was about to face.

“I had literally just put on a pair of gloves for the first time less than two years before that fight,” Egan said.

The bright lights of mixed martial arts’ biggest stage and the pressure of fighting in front of more than 15,000 native fans in Dublin overwhelmed the young, inexperienced Egan (7-4, 6 KOs). He lost that night by first-round knockout, and yet despite relocating to the United States a year later to further his professional career, he’d love nothing more than an opportunity to return home and do it all again.

“To go back to Dublin and win, and do it with the UFC, would mean a lot to me,” said Egan, who will fight on the undercard of “CES MMA XII” against Chip Moraza-Pollard (7-6, 4 KOs) in a three-round middleweight bout at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., on Friday, March 14th, 2014.

“I recently watched that fight again, and I was looking at myself thinking, ‘Wow, what a big smile I had on my face!’ Being able to fight on that stage was like growing up wanting to be in an action movie and then within two years you’re starring in the biggest action film in the world.

“It was definitely a lot of pressure, but it was meant to happen, because now I’m in the United States and I have a great life here. It’s been a great run.”

Tickets for “CES MMA XXII” are on sale now at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com or by phone at 401-724-2253/2254. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Egan, who grew up in Kildare, a small town with a population under 9,000 in County Kildare, and speaks fluent Gaelic, relocated in 2010 to the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester, an area heavily-populated by Irish-Americans rich in Irish history and culture. He immediately felt right at home.

“I’m big into Irish history. I grew up speaking Gaelic and continue to study and speak it. I’m very passionate about it, and there’s a huge amount of Irish culture here,” Egan said.

“There’s no shortage of people who speak Gaelic, too, or who are familiar with fighting.”

Shortly after settling in, Egan met former Dorchester boxer and Ireland native Sean Mannion, who fought for the World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight world title at Madison Square Garden in 1983. Egan soon became a part of Mannion’s circle, which includes many former fighters, some of Irish descent.

“Believe it or not, there are a lot of guys in there 50s who have some sort fighting background, whether it’s amateur or professional,” Egan said. “Sean and a lot of his buddies are still here. I knew those were definitely the guys I wanted to surround myself with.

“I’m not into MMA for the money, fame or recognition,” he continued. “I initially came here to better my fighting career. I’m not in this for anything other than the mental, physical and spiritual test. I truly believe MMA is the ultimate of those tests. That’s the reason I do it. I literally do it to test myself.”

Egan made his U.S. MMA debut in November in 2010, beating Eric Attard by second-round knockout, and has since become a fixture on the regional circuit, including his last two fights with CES MMA. He beat Aldo Santos in August of 2013 at Twin River before losing his last fight in November to veteran Harley Beekman.

“That was disappointing for me,” Egan said. “I trained hard — maybe a little too much mentally and physically in preparation. Maybe I overthought it. I was a little burnt out going into the cage, and it was too late that night to make adjustments.

“No excuses. Harley absolutely won the fight. With this fight coming up, I learned a lot from my last time out. I learned a lot about myself. I feel like my preparation has been far greater both mentally and physically. I’m excited to get back in there.”

Moraza-Pollard is coming off back-to-back losses, but has appeared in bouts for both Reality Fighting and the Bellator Fighting Championships and has faced a handful of New England’s top welterweights, including Keith Jeffrey and Brett Oteri.

“He’s got a lot of experience. I’m taking him very seriously,” Egan said. “I feel like a win over Chip would help me get back on the right track. A win over anyone, anywhere would get me on the path again and back to where I want to be.”

The main event of “CES MMA XXII” features Providence lightweight Luis Felix (10-7, 3 KOs) facing seven-time UFC vet Drew Fickett (42-20, 3 KOs) of Tucson, Ariz., who has won 31 bouts by submission.

Looking to keep the momentum going from his win over Chris Woodall in November, former TUF vet Chuck O’Neill (12-6, 4 KOs) of East Bridgwater, Mass., will battle Dade City, Fla., welterweight Roger Carroll (13-10) in a three-round bout. Caroll has won 11 bouts by submission. Lightweight contender Andres Jeudi (5-2, 1 KO) of Somerville, Mass., will face Brendan Rooney (5-1) of Shelton, Conn.

Also on the undercard, rising featherweight star and Johnson & Wales alum Charles Rosa (6-0, 3 KOs) of Boynton Beach, Fla., will return to Twin River for the fourth time in a three-round bout against Philadelphia veteran Brylan Van Artsdalen (9-9, 1 KO), an eight-time Bellator veteran.

Marshfield, Mass., featherweight Brendan Fleming (3-2) will take on Baltimore’s Robert Sullivan (3-1); fellow featherweight Josh LaBerge (8-4, 3 KOs) of Fall River, Mass., will battle Philadelphia’s Steve McCabe (6-14, 5 KOs); Tommy Venticinque (0-1) of Warwick, R.I., will face Rick Rivera of Springfield, Mass., in a welterweight bout; and Winthrop, Mass, featherweight Kyle Bochniak (1-0) will aim for his second win of the year when he faces Marius Enache (1-2) of Philadelphia.

Unbeaten in 20 fights with twelve knockout victories to his credit – EU-Champion Mirko Larghetti will be facing Marco Huck for “The Captain’s” WBO Cruiserweight World Championship on March 29. The Velodrom in Berlin, Germany will play host to Huck’s 13th defense of the title he acquired back in August of 2009. If successful, the prodigy of coach Ulli Wegner will equalize Johnny Nelson’s record for most title defenses in the cruiserweight division.

Actually, it should have been IBF Champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez in a title defense vs. Pawel Kolodziej on March 29. However, “Iron Man” Hernandez is still suffering from gastritis after picking up a viral infect in mid-February and is not able to prepare for this date.

Huck on the other hand, who was last seen defending his WBO Belt against compatriot Firat Arslan via TKO on January 25, kept up his fitness level and is more than happy to defend his world championship in Berlin just two months later. “I was on holidays in Dubai when I was asked about the possibility to fill in for my teammate Hernandez. It will be a real cracker against Larghetti, who will suffer his first defeat against me,” said 29-year-old Huck, who is never in a dull fight. His 31-year-old opponent from Italy begs to differ: “I will shock Huck in front of his fans and rip the title away from him.”

Tickets are available at www.eventim.de. All previously purchased tickets for the boxing event at the Velodrom Berlin on March 29 remain valid.

Donnie Nietes will rematch Moses Fuentes on May 10 for a Jr. Flyweight title according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The rematch is from a draw that took place last March 2nd.

LAS VEGAS (March 5, 2014) – Mexican boxing superstar and former world champion Canelo Alvarez, hard-hitting countryman Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” pay-per-view undercard fighters worked out in front of a throng of media and adoring fans on Wednesday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena lobby.

Canelo (42-1-1, 30 KOs) and the dangerous Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs) will square off in what is expected to be a slugfest in the 12-round super welterweight main event this Saturday, March 8, LIVE on SHOWTIME PPV® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Undefeated two-division world champion and current WBC Super Bantamweight titleholder Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his title against former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KOs) in Saturday’s co-feature. In the second world title fight of the evening, IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) will defend his title against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs).

A 10-round lightweight fight between former two-time world champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) and exciting Japanese contender Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) will open the pay-per-view telecast. Lightweight contender Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KOs), brother of Canelo, will face late-replacement Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (28-3, 26 KOs) on the non-televised undercard after WBC Lightweight Champion Omar Figueroa Jr. pulled out due to injury.

Tickets for the event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions are on sale and priced at $600, $400, $200 and $100, 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. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Below is what the fighters said at Wednesday’s workouts:

CANELO ALVAREZ:
“My main concern when we are this close to a fight, is always my weight and making the weight. Although I’m on weight and it will not be a problem, that is always my concern this close to a fight. All of the hard work in the gym is done.

“Between the fans, my family and myself, I’m always motivated for my fights. The support I get has always motivated me. I fight for them, on behalf of them. Everything I have is because of the fans. I know I’m young and they have so much faith in me. I can just be who I am and continue to work as hard as I can.

“Angulo presents a difficult challenge because he’s a fighter who can punch and take a great punch. I know I have to prepare and establish my game plan early. But you know how it can be with game plans. Sometimes, once a fight starts, you have to do what you have to do win and that’s what I am going to do on Saturday.

“Obviously a knockout would be beautiful; that’s what the fans like, an impressive knockout. But I never go into a fight looking for knockout. If it comes, it comes.

“Everyone says Angulo is the stronger guy, but I think I’m the strongest.”

ALREDO ANGULO:
“Style-wise, this is a great matchup for the fans and both of us. Fans are going to get a great fight.

“I’m ready to chase him or fight him like a true Mexican warrior.

“I plan to test him like he’s never been tested before. I don’t think anyone has ever hit Canelo as hard as I’m going to hit him.

“I’m totally relaxed and confident. Camp was amazing and I am in unbelievably great shape.

“There were a couple times when I was in the immigration detention center (January-August 2012) that I wanted to quit. But my team of lawyers always motivated me, wouldn’t let me stay down for too long and kept telling me that justice would prevail and that I shouldn’t give up.

“I always dreamed of being a headliner on a major card, and here it is. I am so ready for Saturday.’’

LEO SANTA CRUZ:
“This is going to be a great fight, a war. I have a lot of respect for Mijares, who was a great champion and is still very fast. His style can be complicated which is why I’ve been working in the gym with southpaws who are like him.

“I feel [Cesar] Seda was stronger, younger and faster than Mijares.

“I never enter the ring thinking I’m going to lose, so if he says he can see something in me that indicates that, well, he is very wrong. I am going to stop him.’’

CRISTIAN MIJARES:
“This is such a great opportunity for me. I totally feel like I’m catching Leo at the right time. He’s a great, young champion and I know this is going to be a difficult fight. But I have too much experience for him, too much overall speed.

“I think Leo found out in his last fight that he is vulnerable. I can see in his face, the look in his eyes, that he’s going to lose on Saturday. I am very confident.’’

JERMALL CHARLO:
“This fight is a stepping-stone in my career. In order to be the champion that I want to be, I have to get past this obstacle. He has the title, he has what I want.

“It’s going to take hard work, guts and determination. It’s going to take everything I’ve prepared for to stay in there and battle with him. I need to stay focused and be able to deal with everything that he brings into the ring – the shots behind the head, low blows, I’ll be ready for everything. We’ve all seen Molina fight and I’ve prepared in a way that he can’t surprise me with anything.

“I’m not fazed by the spotlight or the world championship. This is where I belong. I trained hard and will leave it all in the ring.

“I already feel like a world champion and I’m here to prove that I’m ready for this level. I’m going to show everyone that I’m here and that I’m going to be here for a long time.”

JORGE LINARES:
“The battle has already started; we just haven’t shot the first bullet yet. But we are both ready for war. We need to be.

“It’s difficult to knock him down but it’s not impossible. He certainly won’t fall with one punch, and that’s why I’ve prepared for 10 rounds of action..

“You can’t compare my style with Figueroa Jr. We are completely different fighters. I have to break him [Arakawa] down with my speed and intelligence. I can’t fall into his territory and fight his fight.

“I think there is a better chance that the ref stops this fight than it ending in one punch. I’m going to break him down little by little.

“This is the biggest opportunity for me at this point in my career. My mind is just set on winning. It’s been a long time coming so I know I need to be ready for this opportunity. Whoever they put in front of me I can beat.

“Fighting here at MGM pumps me up even more. It gives me a little something extra every time I fight in Las Vegas. I won my first title here in Vegas [at Mandalay Bay], but the difference is now people know who I am and they give me respect.”

NIHITO ARAKAWA:
“I’m not looking at this as a personal challenge but as a challenge as a Japanese boxer and for all Japanese boxers. I’m representing my country, I’m representing Japan.

“[In my last fight] I just did what was natural, which is to fight until the bell rings. I didn’t win but I fought my fight. I’m going to fight with the same style and aggressiveness, but this time I will get the win.

“I’m very happy to get the nickname ‘The Japanese Rocky.’ It’s an honor to earn a reputation like that after just my first fight in the United State. It’s an honor to represent my country with this nickname.

“Spirit-wise, I won’t change. I will fight until I win. I’ll fix my defense and the issues I had against Omar [Figueroa Jr.] to ensure that I get a win. I have a huge opportunity and I’m going to take advantage of it.”

RICARDO ALVAREZ:
“[On the injury to Figueroa Jr.]: That’s the way boxing is. These types of things happen. But I’ll be fine. I’m just happy to be able to fight on this card.

“I always work hard. Whenever the world title opportunity comes up I will be ready. I’ll just keep working hard and the world title shot will come.

“In my last fight, I had a fighter that was moving a lot. It probably wasn’t’ the best for my style, but you learn each time you step in the ring. This time, I’m going to move forward and be aggressive. I’ll keep my style that I’ve always had to satisfy the fans.

“Omar and Sergio [Thompson] have similar styles so the late change doesn’t bother me that much. I’ve prepared for a world title fight so I’m ready for everything.

“There is some sense of pride [fighting on the card with my brother]. I’m so happy for him and all of his success. But it’s important for me to break away from that and fight my own fight. At the end of the day, Canelo will not get in the ring with me.”

# # #

“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, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, two-division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time World Champion Cristian Mijares and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Jorge Linares and Nihito Arakawa, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

Tickets are on sale now and are priced at $600, $400, $200 and $100, 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. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

QUEENS, NY (March 5, 2014) – On Saturday, April 5th, 2014, New Legend Boxing returns to Resorts World Casino New York City with another action-packed night of professional boxing. This will be the sixth “International Fight Night” promoted at the casino by New Legend Boxing. Experience the excitement up close and personal as some of the best local professional fighters compete in a world class venue.

Scheduled to compete on this exciting card with opponents to be named shortly are Super Bantamweight Juan “Baby Tito” Dominguez 16-0 (11KO’s) of Brooklyn NY (Santiago, Dominican Republic); Junior Middleweight Frank “Notorious” Galarza 12-0-2 (8 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY; Super Bantamweight Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez 10-1 (8KO’s) of Queens, NY (Bayamón, Puerto Rico); Welterweight Rajiv Bhattacharya 9-0 (6 KO’s) of Stamford, CT (United Kingdom); Middleweight Timothy McDermott, Pro-Debut of Yonkers, NY (County Kerry, Ireland); Junior Middleweight Rich Neves 6-1-1 (3 KO’s) of Garden City, NY; Jay Rodriguez 2-0-1 (2KO’s) of Queens, NY; Junior Middleweight Gary Beriguette 3-0 (2KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY (Santiago, Dominican Republic); Super Middleweight Devaun Lee 1-0 of Jamaica, NY.

About New Legend Boxing

New Legend Boxing, Inc. was formed in October 2006′ by Felipe Gomez and Kevin O’Sullivan. “We wanted to give local fighters an opportunity to further their careers in their own community and eventually bring them to the next level” said Gomez. “I believe we have been successful in building a solid stable of local fighters that have become serious contenders.”

New Legend Boxing first began working with Super Bantamweight Juan “Baby Tito” Dominguez, when he was just 4-0 (2KO’s). Since then Dominguez has gone on to win the NYS Title at 118 pounds and the WBA-FEDECARIBE at 122 pounds. Dominguez is now ranked #12 by the WBA with a perfect record of 16-0 (11KO’s). Frank “Notorious” Galarza of Brooklyn, NY came to New Legend Boxing when he was 4-0 (1 KO). The talented Junior Middleweight is coming off a stunning 2nd round knockout over previously unbeaten John Thompson 14-1 (5 KO’s) this past January 17th on ShoBox. Galarza now boasts a record of 12-0-2 (8 KO’s) and is ranked #26 by the WBC. Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez 10-1 (8KO’s) made his claim to fame on September 21st, 2013 with a dramatic knockout over Leon Moore 30-2 (24 KO’s) in the 9th round of a scheduled 10 round bout for the WBA-FEDELATIN Championship. Vazquez is currently ranked #14 by the WBA

Don’t miss a great evening of entertainment!
Tickets on sale now…

GENERAL ADMISSION $50 / RINGSIDE $125* / VIP RINGSIDE (First Row) $150* and May be purchased online at: www.newlegendboxing.com or by calling 718-487-4474 *V.I.P. RINGSIDE & RINGSIDE will be sold on a first come, first served basis…
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 p.m. All Bouts Subject to Change

110-00 Rockaway Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11420

Directions and Transportation: Http://rwnewyork.com/visit-resorts-world

CORPORATE ADVERTISING SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES ALSO AVAILABLE

LAS VEGAS (March 4, 2014) – As hundreds of fans and media stood in lines that stretched from the sidewalk outside the main doors to the make-shift ring inside the lobby of MGM Grand in Las Vegas, popular Mexican boxing superstar and former World Champion Canelo Alvarez, his opponent this Saturday, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo, and five-of-the-six other fighters who’ll compete on “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,’’ made their official entry into the hotel Tuesday afternoon.

In what’s expected to be a slugfest in the main event this Saturday, March 8, on SHOWTIME PPV® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), Canelo (42-1-1, 30 KOs) will face the double-dangerous Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs) in the 12-round super welterweight main event.

In world title fights that precede Canelo vs. Angulo, undefeated two-division world champion and current WBC Super Bantamweight titleholder Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend against crowd-pleasing, former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KOs) and IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) will defend against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs), who missed the arrivals, but was due at MGM Grand later on Tuesday. A 10-round lightweight fight between former two-time world champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) and exciting Japanese contender Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) will open the telecast.

All of the fighters were welcomed enthusiastically by the appreciative fans, but the biggest and loudest cheers were for Canelo, who entered MGM Grand lobby wearing sunglasses and a smile. He was quickly surrounded by fans and media as cameras clicked and TV cameras rolled. Each boxer signed autographs, posed for photos and completed press interviews.

Tickets for the event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions 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. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Below is what the fighters said upon their arrivals on Tuesday.

CANELO ALVAREZ:
“I had a very relaxed camp, but, at the same time, I was very anxious to get back in the ring.
“More than the style difference [between Mayweather and Angulo], I’m just happy to be back in the ring. It’s a tough fight, but I’m very confident.

“I learned a lot from fighting Floyd, but I’m ready to get back in the ring to maintain the path that I was on before. This is what I love to do. I live to fight and we’re ready for Saturday.

“I’m fully concentrated on this fight. What happened in September is in the past. I’m focused on Saturday and Angulo.

“I’m here for the fans. That’s what I fight for.”

ALREDO ANGULO:
“Every fight is important, but this one is more special because all of the fans in Mexico will know that the winner of this fight is the No. 1 Mexican fighter. It’s a huge fight for Mexico and it’s a huge fight for Canelo and me.

“Everyone can have their own opinion on who will win the fight. My fans know what I do in the ring and they know what to expect on Saturday night.

“My hand will be raised. I’m ready now and I will give the fans my best performance against Canelo. You will see the best Alfredo Angulo on Saturday.

“Amir [Khan] and Andre [Ward] told me that I’m ready. They told me this is my time.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ:
“I’ve been in the gym training really hard so when fight day comes I can give them my best.

“It’s a huge motivation to be fighting in a big co-feature on a pay-per-view event like this. It would be a dream come true for me to fight in a main event. But I need to win to get that opportunity.”

CRISTIAN MIJARES:
“Leo is a great fighter, but in this sport you win some and you lose some. Come Saturday, I’m coming to win.

“It’s a great honor to be on this card with this Canelo and Angulo. We’re going to do our best to put on a show.”

CARLOS MOLINA:
“I’m more eager and hungry than I’ve ever been for a fight in my life. I can’t wait to walk in that ring. This is what I’ve worked for, this is what I live to do.

“This guy is undefeated, but he’s never faced anyone like me. I’m still the champion and I’ll still be the champion on Saturday.”

JORGE LINARES:
“This reminds me of 2007 when I won my first world title, the only difference is that was at Mandalay Bay instead of MGM Grand.

“I respect Arkawa’s game. I respect what he did with Omar [Figueroa Jr.], but I’m a different fighter. The ‘Asian Rocky’ won’t last very long on Saturday night.”

NIHITO ARAKAWA:
“I’m grateful to be back in the United States and this time I’m going to win.

“My last fight was a war, but I didn’t come out with the win. This time, we’ll put on another war, but the result will be different.”

# # #

“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, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, two-division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time World Champion Cristian Mijares and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Jorge Linares and Nihito Arakawa, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

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

Bronx, NY (March 5, 2014) Long Island fan favorite Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin returns to action in the main event of “ROCKIN FIGHTS 13” on Thursday, APRIL 24 at The Paramount in Huntington, New York, it was announced today by Joe DeGuardia, Founder and President of Star Boxing.

Advance pre-sale tickets available to Star Boxing Fans for “ROCKIN FIGHTS 13″starting at $50 go on sale Thursday, March 6 at 12:00 p.m. ET through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com) using the code word STAR.

Public sales will begin on Friday, MARCH 7 at 12:00 p.m. ET through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com), the Star Boxing website (StarBoxing.com) and The Paramount Box Office, phone (631) 673-7300.

“We’re thrilled to bring Cletus back to The Paramount in his first headlining slot of our “Rockin Fights” series. Right after his sensational comeback fight in November fans inundated our office with calls wanting to know when he would be fighting again.”

“With each our of past 12 events at The Paramount selling out in advance, I strongly encourage fans to purchase their tickets as early as possible.”

The 27-year-old Seldin, 12-0-0 (9KO’s), will be making his eighth appearance at the venue where his electrifying performances have been a huge part of the tremendous renaissance Star Boxing has built on Long Island over the last two years.

Seldin made his highly anticipated comeback on November 22 at The Paramount dominating veteran Gilbert Venegas over eight rounds in front of a standing room only crowd at The Paramount.

Seldin injured his right hand in the win over Venegas and underwent successful hand surgery to repair damage caused during the fight.
The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue in Huntington, New York, 11743. Doors will open on the night of the event at 7:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:30 p.m.

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

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

EAGLE AUTOMALL “THE BIRD IS THE WORD”
Eagle Auto Mall has a strong and committed sales staff with many years of experience satisfying customers’ needs. Feel free to browse our inventory online, request more information about vehicles, set up a test drive or inquire about financing! If you don’t see what you are looking for, click on CarFinder, fill out the form, and we will let you know when vehicles arrive that match your search! Come out to Eagle Auto Mall and discuss your options.
At eagle Auto Mall, our friendly staff look forward to serving you!
1320 Old Country Road, Riverhead, NY 11901 Sales: (866) 495-3038

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

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

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

Bethlehem, PA: The Tomasz Adamek-Vyacheslav Glazkov battle for the IBF North American Heavyweight title on March 15th at the Sands Casino Resorts Bethlehem, PA will have some competition for the most exciting fight of the event. The undercard is jam-packed with exciting match-ups that are sure to please the in-house audience at Sands.

Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events
The seven-fight card event will showcase Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (21-2-2, 9 KO’s), of Johannesburg, South Africa, as he collides with Denis Grachev (13-2-1, 8 KO’s), a Russian living in San Diego, CA, in the ten round co-feature that will air as part of the NBCSN Fight Night broadcast beginning at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT. Chilemba (#2) and Grachev (#7) both are rated in the top ten of the hot light heavyweight division by the WBC.

Ronald Cruz
Another ten round match features welterweights Ronald Cruz (20-2, 15 KO’s), of Bethlehem, PA, against Kermit Cintron (34-5-2, 28 KO’s), of Reading, PA in a showdown for bragging rights across Southeastern Pennsylvania. The 27-year-old Cruz is the most popular fighter in the area and has knocked out his last three opponents-Rodolfo Armenta, of Rio Rico, AZ; Alberto Morales, of Miami, FL; Hector Munoz, of Albuquerque, NM.

Kermit Cintron
The 34-year-old Cintron turned pro in 2000 and won the vacant IBF world welterweight title in 2006 when he knocked out Mark Suarez, of Riverside, CA. After successful defenses against Walter Matthysse, of Santa Fe, Argentina, and Jesse Feliciano, of Las Vegas, NV, Cintron lost the title to Antonio Margarito, of Tijuana, Mexico, in 2008. In his last fight Aug. 2 in Miami, OK, Cintron earned a ten round decision over Jonathan Batista, of the Dominican Republic.

Karl “Dynamite” Dargan
Photo Credits: Mike Gladysz/Main Events
Lightweight prospect Karl “Dynamite” Dargan (14-0, 7 KO’s), of Philadelphia, PA, takes on Chazz McDowell (6-4-1, 1 KO), of Yonkers, NY, in an eight-round contest. The 24-year-old Dargan is considered one of the best prospects in the country at 135 pounds. In his last fight on Nov. 16th in the co-feature spot on a special afternoon edition of Fight Night on NBC, he out-pointed lefty Michael Brooks, of Nassau, LI, over ten rounds. McDowell, also 24, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Frank Santos De Alba in front of the crowd at Sands on January 25th and is looking to get himself back on track. Including Dargan, the combined record of McDowell’s last five opponents is 50-2-2.

More up-and-comers appear on the rest of the card: Jerome Rodriguez (6-0-2, 2 KOs), of Allentown, PA, vs. Brandon Williams (3-0), of Rochester, NY, six rounds, junior welterweights; Nathaniel Rivas (2-0), of Berlin, NJ, vs. Terrell James (1-1-1), of Philadelphia, four rounds, welterweights; Luis Acevedo (pro debut), of Bethlehem, PA vs. Josh Crespo (1-1-1, 1 K0), of Springfield, MA, four rounds, super bantamweights.

Co-promoter and Hall of Fame matchmaker J Russell Peltz feels this is a very diverse undercard; he said “There is something for everyone on this undercard. The winner of Chilemba-Grachev will join the pool of potential world-title challengers at 175 pounds. Cintron can resurrect his career by beating Cruz and Cruz, by winning, can move back into the world rankings at 147 pounds. Dargan, one of the best youngsters at 135, cannot afford to stumble against McDowell, who has never been stopped and shown the ability to hang in there with the best at 130 and 135 pounds.”

Main Events’ Matchmaker and VP of Operations Jolene Mizzone likes the competitive balance on this March 15th card; she said, “It is refreshing as a matchmaker to have a card with so many evenly matched pick ’em fights where anyone on the card has a chance to win.”

About March 15th:

The March 15th edition of NBCSN Fight Night at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem features the twelve-round heavyweight match-up between Tomasz “Goral” Adamek and Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov for the IBF North American Heavyweight Title and IBF #2 Position Eliminator. The co-feature is a ten round light heavyweight match-up between Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba and Denis “The Pirate/Drago’s Son” Grachev. Doors open at 6:00 PM ET. The co-feature and main event will be broadcast live on NBCSN Fight Night at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Tickets start at $55 and are available through TicketMaster.com (key word: Peltz Boxing). The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Ziggy Promotions, and Pushka Promotions in association with BAM Boxing and Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

NBC Sports Live Extra:

NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on March 15th.
Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

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

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

FOLLOW US:

Official hashtag: #FightNight

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

SAN DIEGO (MARCH 4, 2014)–On Saturday afternoon, April 19th, Scott Quigg will make the 3rd defense of the WBA Super Bantamweight title when he takes on number-one contender and interim champion, Nehomar Cermeno in a 12 round bout that will be televised LIVE on AWE beginning at 3pm eastern / 12 noon pacific.

Boxing fans across the United States can enjoy this world championship bout live via the PlayStation®3 system via the Sony Entertainment Network Live Events Viewer. The price is $9.95 for approximately three hours of world class boxing which includes the Quigg – Cermeno main event. PS3 viewers may subscribe early to the event.

The fight will originate from the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

“This is a terrific fight between a world champion in Quigg and the interim champion in Cermeno,”said AWE President Charles Herring.

“Quigg was very impressive on AWE back in November and he will look to stay undefeated against Cermeno who brings in a ton of experience.”

Quigg of Bury, England is undefeated with a record of 27-0-2 with 20 knockouts and is a 7-year professional.

He won the WBA Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over Santiago Allione. He made 2 defenses of the title before capturing the British title with a 7th round stoppage over Jason Booth. Quigg defended the British crown once and then took on Rendall Munroe for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight title.

That bout ended in a technical draw after a cut to Munroe forced the bout to be halted in the 3rd round. Quigg then scored a 6th round stoppage in the rematch.

In his first defense, Quigg was held to a draw with highly regarded Yoandris Salinas. In his last bout, Quigg dismantled Diego Silva (29-2) in two rounds on November 23, 2013.

Cermeno of Panama City, Panama via Barcelona, Venezuela has a record of 22-5-1 with 13 knockouts.

Cermeno won his first 19 fights which included winning the WBA Fedecaribe Bantamweight title in just his 7th start with an 8th round stoppage over Dioberto Julio (15-4-1). He then won the WBA Fedlatin Bantamweight title with an 10 round unanimous decision over Leonardo Fernandez (12-2-2). He added the WBC Fecarbox title to his mantle.

Cermeno won the WBC interim Bantamweight title with a 12 round split decision over classy champion Cristian Mijares (36-4-2) and defeated Mijares via unanimous decision in the rematch. He made one more defense of that title with an 11th round stoppage over Alejandro Perez (22-3-2).

Cermeno then lost two debatable split decision to reigning WBA champion Anselmo Moreno. He also has a draw with Salinas.

Cermeno has won two in a row which includes winning the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight title with a 12 round split decision over undefeated Oscar Escardon (22-0) August 10, 2013

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

MEDFORD, Mass. (March 4, 2014) – Promoter John “The Quietman” Ruiz, former two-time World Boxing Association heavyweight champion, announced today that the new American Fighting Championship (AFO) will promote a Pro-Am mixed-martial-arts show Saturday night, April 26 at Tyngsboro Sports Center in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts.

The new AFO’s inaugural event under Ruiz’ ownership tentatively calls for professional fights, in addition to the launching of “The Battleground Series: Redemption” amateur tournament, which will feature some of New England’s top fighters in various weight classes.

All participating fighters in the tournament will receive commemorative items. Each weight-division winner will be awarded a world-class championship belt (see below), while a traveling trophy will be presented to the gym producing the most champions.

(belt designed and created by Johnny Masis)

“Not only do I want fighters to be recognized,” Ruiz explained, “I also want MMA gym wars for bragging rights. I think that’s missing in MMA. I was a pro boxer but fighting is fighting. I wanted to create a tournament to determine who the best fighters and gym is in New England. I want to promote my gym (Quietman Sports Gym) and its fighters, of course, but AFO shows will also promote participating all MMA fighters and gyms in New England so the public knows which gyms have the best fighters. We’re all very excited and looking forward to launching the new AFO with this tournament.”

Pro and amateur MMA fighters interested in fighting on the Apr. 26 AFO show should sign-up by registering as soon as possible at www.afomma.com.

“The Battleground Series: Redemption” tournament competition will continue on a monthly basis, in a one-loss elimination format, with divisional champions eventually crowned.

Full details about the Apr. 26 show will soon be announced, including fight match-ups, ticket information, times, etc.

Please contact Deb Cronin at 617.680.2648 with inquiries regarding the new AFO sponsorships and/or advertising opportunities. For more information about the AFO and Quietman Sports Gym, please visit www.afomma.com, www.quietmansports.com, www.facebook.com/QuietmanSports or www.facebook.com/afomma.com.

LAS VEGAS (March 4, 2014) – In addition to the recently announced lightweight battle between Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KOs), older brother of Canelo and hard-hitting Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (28-3, 26 KOs), of Cancun, Mexico, the March 8 undercard for “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will feature five more can’t-miss bouts for those in attendance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In a junior lightweight fight scheduled for 10 rounds, unbeaten Australian star “Wild” Will Tomlinson makes his United States debut against Texas’ Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes. Plus, two more rising stars from the 130-pound weight class face off when Mexico City’s Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas battles Puerto Rico’s Abner Cotto. 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz Jr. takes on Jovany “El Cepillo” Fuentes in an eight-round super bantamweight bout preceded by a six-round junior welterweight bout starring unbeaten Keandre Gibson against Antonio “Tony” Wong. In the opening match on March 8, Australian prospect Steve Lovett faces an opponent to be announced in a six-round light heavyweight contest.

In addition to the exciting main event on “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs Angulo,” there are three more fights on the SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View portion of the card: undefeated two-division world champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KOs); “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) will risk his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs) and former two-time World Champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) will take on exciting Japanese contender Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs).

Tickets are on sale now 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. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

A native of Sydney, “Wild” Will Tomlinson (21-0-1, 12 KOs) was an amateur standout who competed in the 2007 World Championships before becoming a professional boxer in July 2008. Winner of several pro titles, including the Australian, New South Wales State, WBO Asia Pacific, WBO Oriental and IBO Inter-Continental belts, the 27-year-old won the vacant IBO super featherweight crown in November 2011 by defeating Alan Herrera. Tomlinson has successfully defended his title three times, most recently against Malcolm Klassen on May 16, 2013.

On a quest to get back to his winning ways after tough decision losses to fellow prospects Francisco Vargas and Andrew Cancio, Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes (18-3, 5 KOs) has everything to gain this Saturday when he tackles Tomlinson. The exciting 25-year-old up-and-comer hopes he can get his year off to a rousing start with a victory in his first Las Vegas appearance since 2008.

A representative of the 2008 Mexican Olympic team, Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (18-0-1, 13 KOs) stepped up in a big way in 2013, scoring victories over Ira Terry, Cristian Arrazola, Brandon Bennett and Jerry Belmontes that proved that he was ready to make his push for a world title in 2014. That push begins on March 8 against Abner Cotto.

Owner of 235 wins as an amateur, Caguas, Puerto Rico’s Abner Cotto (17-1, 8 KOs) has done the family name proud ever since he put the gloves on. The cousin of Miguel and Jose Cotto, 26-year-old Abner has won all but one of his professional bouts, most recently stopping Daniel Ruiz in four rounds in September 2013. On Saturday, it’s a pivotal meeting against Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas.

Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz Jr. (9-1, 6 KOs), of South El Monte, Calif., continues to impress with each victory and despite being a pro for less than a year, the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team member has shown poise way beyond his years. Fresh off a seventh-round technical knockout over Carlos Rodriguez last December, the 21-year-old will look to show the continuing evolution of his fight game against Bayamon, Puerto Rico’s Jovany Fuentes (5-3, 4 KOs), a potent puncher who has won three of his last five bouts.

St. Louis’ Keandre Gibson (8-0-1, 3 KOs) will look for his ninth win as a pro against Tijuana, Mexico’s Antonio “Tony” Wong (12-6-1, 7 KOs). A 2006 National Golden Gloves champion and Junior Olympics Bronze medalist, the 23-year-old Gibson is seen as having world championship potential, but he will be put to the test by Wong.

In the opening bout of the card, 28-year-old New South Wales native, undefeated Steve Lovett (7-0, 5 KOs) puts his unblemished record on the line as he makes his United States debut against an opponent to be announced.

“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, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, two-division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time World Champion Cristian Mijares and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Jorge Linares and Nihito Arakawa, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast on over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @ElPERRO82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @FutureOfBoxing, @yeyothompson
@MGMGrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LONDON (March 4) – Amir Khan has backed stablemate Alfredo Angulo to upset the odds when he clashes with fellow Mexican star Canelo Alvarez this weekend.

The pair will meet at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in front of what is expected to be a sold out arena, with Canelo being tipped as the favourite in the fight which will be broadcast live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Khan, who has trained with Angulo ever since the pair joined forces with esteemed trainer Virgil Hunter back in 2012, has rallied behind his light-middleweight companion and backed him to produce the goods this Saturday night.

“Alfredo has looked great in the gym and you can see an intensity in his eyes that he’s ready for this,” said Khan. “It’s not going to be an easy fight against Canelo because Canelo is a slick boxer and moves quite well but Angulo showed against Lara how good he is at cutting off the ring. Angulo might be seen as the underdog but under Virgil you’ve seen the progress he’s made and you can be sure he’ll force Canelo to work every minute of every round,” he told BoxNation.

“Alfredo has shown he can follow instructions and stick to the game plan and I’m sure Virgil has devised the right strategy for this fight. It’s not going to be easy but I know Alfredo is ready and can get the win,” Khan said.

The former unified light-welterweight star has seen firsthand the damage ‘El Perro’, or ‘The Dog’, can dish out having sparred with him on a number of occasions.

“There’s a close bond between everyone at Virgil’s gym and we all get fully behind whoever has a fight coming up. I’ve sparred with Alfredo to help get him ready for this one and we’ve done some great work over the last few weeks,” he said.

“Sharing the ring with him I know what he’s bringing to this fight and believe me it won’t be an easy night for Canelo. He’ll have to win Alfredo’s respect in there because this guy keeps coming forward and doesn’t take a back step,” said Khan.

Canelo is coming off a dominating points loss last September to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

Nevertheless, Khan is refusing to underestimate Canelo and believes that the Mexican icon with the movie star looks will be motivated to get back to winning ways, which has seen him lose only once in his distinguished career.

“Neither of these guys will want to lose because of what is at stake with them both being proud Mexican’s. It’s going to be an excellent fight because they’re both at the top of their game. I know Canelo is coming off the loss to Mayweather but he’s still a great fighter who’s looking to bounce back and show he’s still one of the best out there,” said Khan.

Angulo also is looking to return from a loss in his last fight, which came in much more controversial circumstances against Erislandy Lara after he was unable to continue due to damage to his left eye, which Angulo’s team claimed was the result of being ‘thumbed’.

The 31-year-old had had twice floored the Cuban and was beginning to exert his will in the fight before it was stopped in the 10th round.

But this opportunity against Canelo represents one Khan believes Angulo has been waiting for since he started boxing.

“With Alfredo this is the chance he’s been waiting for his whole life. He wants to prove that he’s the best Mexican fighter out there and he has the style to make any fight he takes part in exciting to watch. I know what this means to him and I think that’s going to drive him on to prove to everyone how good he really is,” said Khan.

“I’m expecting Alfredo to be the aggressor in the fight and for Canelo to try and counter and use his boxing skills. Alfredo’s skills are underrated and you don’t really get an idea of the subtle things he does well until you get in the ring with him. He’s got serious power in either hand and has the ability to knock Canelo out,” added Khan.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

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

LAS VEGAS (March 4, 2014) – Perennially top-ranked middleweight Yushin “Thunder” Okami (29-8) makes his World Series of Fighting debut on March 29, as he battles Svetlozar Savov (12-4) on the NBCSN-broadcast main card of “World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares.”

Additionally, a featherweight matchup between Brenson Hansen (5-2) and Boostayre “Bullit” Nefarios (2-1) has also been added to the night’s WSOF.com-streamed preliminary card.

“I was already excited for World Series of Fighting 9, but the addition of Yushin Okami against Svetlozar Savov to our live NBCSN broadcast leaves no question that this is the best card we’ve ever put together,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. “This card now has some of the world’s most established talent, as well as some of the top up-and-coming names in the sport. This truly is a card you do not want to miss.”

“World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares,” which features a welterweight title fight between champ Steve Carl and challenger Rousimar Palhares, as well as Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse for the inaugural World Series of Fighting bantamweight title, takes place March 29 at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Tickets for World Series of Fighting 9, which start at just $39, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at The Joint box office or by phone at (800) 745-3000. The night’s featured fights air live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time) following preliminary bouts that stream on World Series of Fighting’s official website, WSOF.com.

The 32-year-old Okami, of Kanagawa, Japan, is a judo black belt who owns career victories over MMA notables Alan Belcher, Hector Lombard, Nate Marquardt, Mark Munoz, Anderson Silva and Mike Swick, among others. He now meets 25-year-old Bulgarian prospect Savov, who boasts 11 stoppage wins among his 12 career victories.

Hansen has already fought three times under the World Series of Fighting banner, earning wins over Josh Montalvo and Tom Marcellino before suffering a hard-fought split-decision loss to Freddy Assuncao at January’s World Series of Fighting 8 event. Meanwhile, Nefarios makes his World Series of Fighting debut. The son of longtime MMA veteran Marvin Eastman, Nefarios is a well-known name on the Las Vegas fight scene after fighting several times in Sin City as an amateur before making the transition to the pro ranks.

With the two additions, the World Series of Fighting 9 lineup now includes:

NBCSN-TELEVISED MAIN CARD
Champion Steve Carl vs. Rousimar Palhares – for welterweight title
Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse – for inaugural bantamweight title
Yushin Okami vs. Svetlozar Savov
Josh Burkman vs. Tyler Stinson
Ozzy Dugulubgov vs. Johnny Nunez

WSOF.COM-STREAMED PRELIMINARY CARD
Mike Corey vs. Shane Kruchten
Chris Gruetzemacher vs. John Gunderson
Sean Cantor vs. Bryson Hansen
Phil Dace vs. Danny Davis
Brenson Hansen vs. Boostayre Nefarios
Jimmy Jones vs. Rudy Morales
Gil Guardado vs. Jimmy Spicuzza

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

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

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