Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, will wrap up 2013 with marathons of live fights broadcast throughout the year from some of the biggest organizations in combat sports.

Included in the year-end Holiday Marathon schedule, Fight Network will re-air marquee events from GLORY World Series, K-1 Global, ONE Fighting Championship, Cage Warriors Fighting Championship, BAMMA, Cage Contender, Golden Boy Promotions, International Judo Federation and SportAccord World Combat Games, as well as daily award-winning feature films from the 20th Century FOX library.

Some of the highlights this year include Andy Ristie’s stunning knockouts of Giorgio Petrosyan and Robin van Roosmalen at GLORY 12 New York, the resurgence of Buakaw Banchamek under the K-1 Global banner, the continued dominance of Shinya Aoki and Bibiano Fernandes in Japan, the crowning of new Cage Warriors champions, a pair of brutal knockouts from Paul Daley, as well as heated scraps in the sweet science, including a landmark year for promotional juggernaut Golden Boy Promotions. Some of the film titles include Die Hard, The Transporter and X-Men series, as well as Fight Club, Commando and other acclaimed fight-themed movies.

In addition, Fight Network will air a special 1-hour “2013 Year in Review” edition of Fight News Now, which recaps all the biggest storylines and highlights from a memorable year in combat sports.

On Christmas Day, December 25, Fight Network will premiere the official Zuffa L.L.C.-produced UFC 168 Countdown Show, a comprehensive preview of the highly anticipated rematch between Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva, as well as its original production Fight News Now: UFC 168 Edition, which features analysis and predictions ahead of the year’s biggest fight.

On Boxing Day, December 26, Fight Network re-airs notable fights from 2013 featuring the likes of Shane Mosley, Antonio Tarver, Josesito Lopez and Carl Froch. At 9 p.m. ET, Fight Network premieres the fourth annual original production of Agency Wars, a charity boxing event featuring ad agencies going toe to toe to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Toronto and NABS.

Fight Network’s Holiday Marathon schedule is set to run between December 23 and January 5.

A pair of live events will round out the year as the K-1 World MAX 2013 Quarterfinals airs December 27 at 11 p.m. ET, while Cage Warriors 63 emanates from Dublin, Ireland on December 31 at 4 p.m. ET.

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

DEERFIELD, Fla. (December 19, 2013) – International Boxing Federation (IBF) Junior Lightweight World Champion Argenis “La Tormenta” Mendez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) has vowed not to leave the outcome of his January 3 title defense against No. 1 mandatory challenger Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs), airing live on the 2014 ESPN Friday Night Fights season opener, in the hands of the judges.

Mendez, fighting out of Brooklyn (NY), will make his second world title defense against Barthelemy at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The 2004 Dominican Republic Olympian learned an invaluable lesson in his first world title defense, fighting a controversial 12-round draw with Arash Usmanee last August, in which most observers felt Mendez clearly won, on the first event ever presented by his promoter, Iron Mike Productions (IMP).

“I definitely learned that, when you’re in the ring,” Mendez explained, “you have to give it your all. Sometimes, what you and our corner think isn’t what is going through the judges’ minds. Honestly, I don’t know what fight the judges saw. There was no way that bout was a draw. Unfortunately that fight wasn’t the first time this has happened to me. I’ve been robbed twice before, once in Denver (vs. Jaime Sandoval), and the other time in Mexico (vs. Juan Carlos Salgado). I knocked both guys down during our fights. Now, I’m more determined to get in there and be more aggressive to make sure there is no doubt that I am the winner. I’m definitely not going to leave it to the judges. I know for sure that I’m going home with my title.”

The irony of the Jan. 3rd fight is that Mendez’ head trainer for the first time is two-time world champion John David Jackson, who used to be Barthelemy’s head trainer. Also, Barthelemy also was a controversial winner in an IBF eliminator for the No. 2 spot over Usmanee, in which the large majority felt Usmanee was robbed. Unbeaten Cuban-born Barthelemy then knocked out Fahsai Sakreerin (39-3-1) on June 21 in an official IBF title eliminator to earn his first world title shot versus Mendez.

“John David Jackson has been great,” Mendez remarked. “He’s definitely been teaching me how to be more aggressive, throwing more punches and improving my power. He’s great strategizing and together we have worked out a great plan for this upcoming fight. Along with Jackson, I also have former two-time world champion (IMP stable-mate and fellow countryman) Joan Guzman in my corner. I doesn’t get any better than that! I have two world champions in my corner helping me prepare for his fight. In addition, Jackson trained Barthelemy in for his previous two fights. We already have the blueprint, my job is to go out there January 3rd and execute.

“I really think Usmanee won his fight with Barthelemy and that’s why I gave him the opportunity in August to fight me for the world title. I honestly thought that he was the better fighter.”

Mendez finds himself in the rare position of being the headliner on an ESPN Friday Night Fights show to conclude one season and then come right back to kick-off its next year of programming.

“I plan on expanding my fan-base by headlining both the finale and premier of the ESPN boxing season,” Mendez concluded. “Everyone is getting a chance to see what I bring to the tale and why I am world champion. I would like to thank the entire ESPN family for giving me the chance to prove myself to the boxing world. The support ESPN has given me is incredible. I play on repaying them by having an exciting title match that will have all boxing fans on edge. Hopefully, my upcoming bout will bring bigger and better opportunities for me.”

The first 2014 installment of ESPN Friday Night Fights on Jan. 3 is being presented by Iron Mike Productions, Seconds Out Promotions and Warriors Boxing. Tickets are priced at $35, $65, $100, $150 and $250 and are available at Target Center’s Box Office, online at AXS.com or by calling 888.9.AXS.TIX (888.929.7849). Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bell 7 p.m. ET, and the ESPN broadcast starts at 9 p. m. ET.

ABOUT IRON MIKE PRODUCTIONS (IMP): Previously known as Acquinity Sports, Iron Mike Productions is a full-service boxing promotion company co-founded and led by CEO Garry Jonas. In partnership with Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, IMP is committed to changing traditional boxing promotion by advocating for its fighters’ successes, inside the ring and out, throughout their professional careers and into retirement.

For additional information go online at www.IronMikeProductions.com or follow Iron Mike Productions on Twitter @IronMikeProd and Mendez @Argenis_Mendez.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Bermane Stiverne will meet Chris Arreola for the WBC Heavyweight title that was vacated by Vitali Klitschko earlier this week.

Stiverne already scored a unanimous decision over Arreola on April 27.

“Here we are. We got the order from the WBC to fight Arreola for the vacant title. It’s a fight we will happily do,” said Stiverne’s manager Cam Estephan told ESPN.com. “We would have hoped to take the belt from Vitali but this was not something in our control. I respect what he is trying to do in the political arena. Now we are facing a guy we already beat. We’re looking to do it again.

“We feel like Bermane dominated the fight with Arreola in April. But we do have a lot of respect for Arreola and his team, so we take nothing for granted. We will be diligent and put more of an exclamation point on things and send Wladimir Klitschko a message as well. His brother didn’t want to fight Bermane, so when we’re done with Arreola, let’s do it and unify all the titles.”

“I know there were a lot of questions about Don King and the relationship with Bermane,” Estephan said. “We have come to a very good agreement that everybody is happy with this past Tuesday. We are gonna do things together and hopefully bring the heavyweight division back to North America. We have a good agreement with Don King and we feel like we’re a strong team.”

“I know there were a lot of questions about Don King and the relationship with Bermane,” Estephan said. “We have come to a very good agreement that everybody is happy with this past Tuesday. We are gonna do things together and hopefully bring the heavyweight division back to North America. We have a good agreement with Don King and we feel like we’re a strong team.”

On Friday, January 10, promoters Greg Cohen Promotions, DiBella Entertainment, Brian Halquist Productions, GH3 Promotions will proudly present “Battle at the Boat 94”, a night of high-level professional boxing, televised live, worldwide by ESPN in the I-5 Showroom of the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

In the night’s main event, IBF #8-ranked Afghani-Canadian Arash Usmanee (20-1-1, 10 KOs) will face Mexican KO artist Juan Antonio “El Mozo” Rodriguez (25-4, 23 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight battle.

And in the televised co-feature, longtime top contender and Erik Morales conqueror Zahir “Z-Man” Raheem (34-3, 21 KOs), the former Philadelphian turned hometown Tacoma hero, will continue his comeback against an opponent that is TBA.

On the undercard, former top cruiserweight contender Lateef “Power” Kayode (19-0, 15 KOs) will make the second appearance of his heavyweight campaign.

31-year-old Usmanee, was born in Afghanistan, is now based in Montreal, but trains in Las Vegas with former champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. He was last seen fighting to a draw with current IBF Super Featherweight Champion, Argenis Mendez, in August of 2013. In a battle many felt the aggressive Usmanee had won, the fight was declared a majority draw with one judge scoring for Usmanee.

Puebla, Mexico’s hard-punching southpaw Juan Antonio Rodriguez was last seen n November of this year, scoring a TKO 4 over Javier Mercado at the Centro de Convenciones IMSS, in Tlalpan, Mexico. Rodriguez has been very competitive against top level opposition including former IBF Featherweight Champion Billy Dib, but has just fallen short. The fight against Usmanee will be his chance to join the upper ranks of the division.

37-year-old Zahir “Z Man” Raheem was a top-level featherweight for many years and scored a nationally televised win over all-time-great Erik Morales and dropped a highly questionable decision to multi-world champion Acelino Freitas. He began his comeback earlier this year and has notched three victories since stepping away in 2010. He was last seen scoring an impressive TKO 2 over Tim Coleman at the Emerald Queen Casino.

Undefeated 30-year-old Nigerian Lateef Kayode is best known for fighting to a draw with world champion and Roy Jones conqueror Antonio Tarver in June 2012. Kayode began campaigning as a heavyweight earlier this month and scored a devastating TKO 2 over Travis Fulton at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California.

“I am happy to be working with so many great promotional firms to bring this sensational event to the fans in Tacoma. We are expecting a total sell-out, standing room only.” said event promoter Greg Cohen. “Arash Usmanee is the uncrowned champion of the world and I congratulate ESPN for recognizing his importance and putting him in another main event of one of their exceptional broadcasts. The entire night will be terrific. There is also a full undercard of local prospects. I expect this to be one of the best shows of the year.”

“We are very excited to be working with Friday Night Fights once again,” said Brian Halquist. “We have now been working with Zahir for over a year now and are absolutely ready for a national showcase. Being 3-0 with 3 knockouts, Zahir has done everything we have asked of him and more. After Zahir defeated Morales there were always questions surrounding a Raheem vs. Pacquiao fight, leaving behind some unfinished business. He belongs on the world stage and that’s where we’re going to take him.”

Tickets for “Battle at the Boat 94” are available through Ticketmaster and start at $35. All bouts are subject to change. The Emerald Queen Casino is located at 2024 E. 29th St, in Tacoma. This event will begin at 6:00 pm (PST). Visit GCPboxing.com for more information. This event is for persons 21 years of age and older. No one under 21 will be admitted.

NEW YORK (Dec. 19. 2013)- On January 17, DiBella Entertainment will present the premiere show of the 2014 ShoBox: The New Generation season with an exciting quadrupleheader live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Headlining the card will be devastating Ukrainian lightweight Ivan “The Terrible” Redkach (15-0, 13 KO’s), who takes on once-beaten Tony Luis (17-1, 7 KO’s) in the 10-round main event. In the co-features, unbeaten junior middleweights John Thompson (14-0, 5 KO’s) and Frank Galarza (11-0-2, 7 KO’s) collide in an eight-round matchup and fast-rising and highly regarded up-and-coming prospect Antoine Douglas (11-0, 7 KO’s) squares off against Marquis Davis (8-0-2, 5 KO’s) in an eight-round middleweight showdown. Opening the telecast will be hard-hitting Maurice Hooker (12-0-1, 9 KO’s) against an opponent to be announced in an eight-round junior welterweight matchup.

The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions, Greg Cohen Promotions and Prize Fight Boxing, and will take place at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN. The SHOWTIME telecast will air live at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

“This is a tremendous way to kick off the 2014 ShoBox season. People are going to get the opportunity to see Ivan Redkach, a potential star, along with a number of other undefeated, young fighters, all competing to make a name for themselves. This is what ShoBox is all about,” said promoter Lou DiBella.

“We are excited to start the year with a four-fight card full of talented prospects,” said Gordon Hall, the executive producer of ShoBox. “This card represents the epitome of ShoBox with each fighter bringing solid amateur pedigree and high hopes of turning from prospects to contenders. Redkach, in particular, holds a lot of promise and he is in for his toughest test to date. He has a fan-friendly style and knockout power. But he can’t underestimate Luis who had over 100 amateur bouts and is a skilled boxer who throws a lot of punches. This should be an all-action affair.”

Redkach amassed an impressive 260-40 record as an amateur, which culminated in him being a 2008 Olympic Team alternate for his native Ukraine. Redkach turned pro in November 2009 and has been impressive ever since with his relentless seek-and-destroy style and devastating power. Twelve of Redkach’s 13 knockouts have come in three rounds or less, with six coming in the first round.

After witnessing one of his bouts in 2012, a first-round stoppage, esteemed reporter Doug Fischer, of Ringtv.com, stated, “Ivan Redkach is a stud; best lightweight prospect with less than 20 bouts. I think he can beat most prospects with 20-plus bouts.”

After his one-round destruction of Tebor Brosch at Roseland Ballroom on Oct. 24, the highly regarded Michael Woods, who writes for TheSweetScience.com and ESPN.com, proclaimed, “This kid scared me. He put bad thoughts into my head.”

The WBC No. 13-rated Redkach, who was included on ESPN’s Dan Rafael’s 2012 “Prospects to Watch” list, is expected to make the transition from top prospect to legitimate world contender in 2014, but he must first get by his toughest opponent to date in fellow prospect Luis, in what will be Redkach’s first scheduled 10-rounder of his career.

Luis was a seven-time provincial champion in his native Canada as an amateur and was also a three-time National Silver medalist before turning pro in 2008. Luis has put together two consecutive victories since suffering the lone blemish on his record, an eight-round upset stoppage loss to Jose Hernandez. Luis knows that a win over the world-rated Redkach on national TV will not only erase the loss to Hernandez but also throw his name directly into the mix of the 135-pound division.

Each time that Thompson has stepped up as a pro, he has looked better and better. In 2012, he scored a second-round TKO in his toughest fight to date against the then-4-1 Jamond Bourgeois. In his first fight of 2013, he stopped the 5-1 Grayson Blake in the fifth round of their scheduled six-rounder. Thompson followed up that performance with a dominant eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Giovany Rodriguez (8-0), which aired on ShoBox. In September, he won a shutout eight-round unanimous decision over the 10-1-1 Brandon Quarels and in his fourth fight of 2013, he scored a third-round TKO over Johnathan Batista. The bout against the undefeated Galarza will be another chance for Thompson to showcase his talents on SHOWTIME and begin moving into even more lucrative fights in the junior middleweight division.

The tall, hard-hitting Puerto Rican Galarza is a boxer-puncher who has power in both hands. The former New York Golden Gloves champion turned pro in 2010 and has gradually progressed along the way. Galarza is coming off his most impressive victory, a sensational fourth-round TKO over previously undefeated Rich Neves (6-0-1) to win the New York State junior middleweight title. A win over Thompson would propel Galarza right into the spotlight as one of the true up-and-coming prospects in the 154-pound division.

A stellar amateur with over 120 bouts, including an appearance at the 2011 World Cup in Russia, the 21-year-old undefeated prospect Douglas is on the fast track to superstardom. Having already gained national exposure appearing on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights”, the bout on Jan. 17 will be Douglas’ twelfth in 15 months since turning pro in October 2012. Douglas has looked more and more impressive with each outing, and appears to be one of the hottest prospects at his age in boxing. In Douglas’ last bout, he absolutely dominated previously undefeated Colby Courter (4-0, 4 KO’s) scoring a devastating third-round TKO.

In Davis, Douglas will be facing his toughest opponent to date and it will be a true litmus test to see just how good at this stage of his career Douglas is. A first cousin of former New York Mets legend, Doc Gooden, Davis is the bigger and likely the stronger of the two. The bout on Jan. 17 will be the first scheduled eight-rounder for both middleweights.

A Dallas Regional Golden Gloves champion with an 85-7 record as an amateur, Hooker went a perfect 5-0 in 2013 and is looking to carry that momentum into a breakout year in 2014. Hooker is serving as one of the lead sparring partners for current IBF super featherweight champion Argenis Mendez for his upcoming title defense. An opponent for Hooker in his eight-round light welterweight bout will be announced shortly.

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation

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

Toronto (December 19) Tyler Asselstine is looking for a victorious return to the ring when he faces Luis Montano in Mexico City on 21 December.

The Canadian featherweight has been out of action since April and is climbing back into the ring for the first of what he hopes will be a busy schedule over the festive period.

Now 100% healthy having fought with practically one hand for over 12 months, Tyler’s power is back and he will be looking to demonstrate that this Saturday.

However, Mexican fighter Montano will certainly not be an easy fight. With home crowd advantage he’ll be out to add to his record of six wins with four knockouts.

But, aired live on Mexican TV and in Canada on Fight Network on delay, Tyler is ready and raring to make it win number 14.

Tyler features is on the undercard to Samuel Vargas’ 10 round contest against Pablo Munguia.

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS
FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

MAIN EVENT – VACANT NABF JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10)
AMIR “Young Master” IMAM (11-0, 10 KOs), Albany, NY 139 lbs.
SERGIO “Sirenito” PEREZ (28-15, 19 KOs), Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico 139.6 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS (6)
JOEL DIAZ, JR. (13-0, 11 KOs), Palmdale, CA 133.6 lbs.
TONY “Sugar Boy” WALKER 5-3-1, 3 KOs), Cincinnati, OH 134 lbs.

WELTERWEIGHTS (6)
EMMANUEL “Pirata” DE JESUS (8-0, 5 KOs), Canovanas, Puerto Rico 149 lbs.
ANTONIO CHAVES-FERNANDEZ (4-13-2, 0 KOs), Brockton, MA 148.8 lbs.

BANTAMWEIGHTS (6)
THOMAS “KO” SNOW (16-1, 10 KOs), Capital Heights, MD 117/8 lbs.
NATE GREEN (4-0, 1 KO), New Haven, CT 117.6 lbs.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS (6)
DONTE STRAYHORN (3-1, 0 KOs), Cincinnati, OH 134 lbs.
SAM MOURA (0-2), New York, NY 132.8 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)
RYAN “Blue-Chip” MARTIN (1-0, 1 KO), Cleveland, OH 135 lbs.
ERIC JAMAR GOODALL (1-2, 0 KOs), Las Vegas, NV 139.6 lbs.

(NOTE: Illness forced Luis Olivares to withdraw from his six-round fight against Tony Walker, who is now fighting a six-round bout with Joel Diaz, Jr. whose 10-round main event fight vs. Wanzell Ellison was canceled two days ago after Ellison pulled out with an arm injury.)

(all fights & fighters subject to change)

WHAT: “Big Apple Boxing”

WHEN: Friday, December 20, 2013

WHERE: Resorts World Casino NYC in Jamaica, Queens, NY

PROMOTER: SMS Promotions

SPECIAL MEET-AND-GREET: Promoter/rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his newest boxer, world junior middleweight contender James Kirkland, will hold a meet-and-greet prior to Friday night’s fights between 6:30-7 p.m. ET at Resorts World Casino NYC

LIVE PERFORMERS: Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Troy Ave, Tony Yayo, Nyemiah Supreme, Pop Dallas and Nyemah Supreme. Ms. Irene Renee will sing the National Anthem.

TICKETS: $350.00, $125.00, $85.00 and $35.00, are available to purchase by calling Resorts World Casino NYC at (718) 215-2828, or visiting www.etix.com/ticket/online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=9244. The $350.00 ticket holders will also receive a pair of autographed SMS Street by 50 Cent on ear headphones.

DOORS OPEN:
6 p.m. ET FIRST BOUT: 7 p.m. ET

FACT SHEET
‘Big Apple Boxing’ Friday night at Resorts World Casino NYC
WHAT: “Big Apple Boxing”

WHEN: Friday, December 20, 2013

WHERE: Resorts World Casino NYC in Jamaica, Queens, NY

WHO: MAIN EVENT – VACANT NABF JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10)
AMIR “Young Master” IMAM (11-0, 10 KOs), Albany, NY
SERGIO “Sirenito” PEREZ (28-15, 19 KOs), Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS (6)
“Magic Man” LUIS OLIVARES (6-0, 4 KOs), Glendale, AZ
TONY “Sugar Boy” WALKER 5-3-1, 3 KOs), Cincinnati, OH

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS (6)
EMMANUEL “Pirata” DE JESUS (8-0, 5 KOs), Canovanas, Puerto Rico
ANTONIO CHAVES-FERNANDEZ (4-13-2, 0 KOs), Brockton, MA by way of U.S. Virgin Islands

SUPER BANTAMWEIGHTS (6)
THOMAS “KO” SNOW (16-1, 10 KOs), Capital Heights, MD
NATE GREEN (4-0, 1 KO), New Haven, CT

WELTEERWEIGHTS (6)
DONTE STRAYHORN (3-1, 0 KOs), Cincinnati, OH
SAM MOURA (0-2), New York, NY

LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)
RYAN “Blue-Chip” MARTIN (1-0, 1 KO), Cleveland, OH
ERIC JAMAR GOODALL (1-2, 0 KOs), Las Vegas, NV

FEMALE BANTAMWEIGHTS (4)
MAFATO KAMOGAWA (pro debut), Brooklyn, NY
MICHELLE COOK (0-0-1), Massena, NY

(all fights & fighters subject to change)

PROMOTER: SMS Promotions

SPECIAL MEET-AND-GREET: Promoter/rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his newest boxer, world junior middleweight contender James Kirkland, will hold a meet-and-greet prior to Friday night’s fights between 6:30-7 p.m. ET at Resorts World Casino NYC

LIVE PERFORMERS: Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Troy Ave, Tony Yayo, Nyemiah Supreme, Pop Dallas and Nyemah Supreme. Ms. Irene Renee will sing the National Anthem.

TICKETS: $350.00, $125.00, $85.00 and $35.00, are available to purchase by calling Resorts World Casino NYC at (718) 215-2828, or visiting www.etix.com/ticket/online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=9244. The $350.00 ticket holders will also receive a pair of autographed SMS Street by 50 Cent on ear headphones.

DOORS OPEN: 6 p.m. ET FIRST BOUT: 7 p.m. ET

OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN: Thursday, Dec. 19 (3:00 p.m. ET start) at New York State Athletic Commission, 123 Williams Street, New York, NY. MEDIA ONLY (media must RSVP in advance with Yvette Gayle, SMS Promotions, yvettegayle@me.com

Danny Williams (44-17) [267 lbs] v. Mazur Ali (10-8) [196 lbs], Heavyweight, 10 rounds

Nasser Al Harbi (17-1) [154 lbs] v. Giorgi Ungiadze (23-16) [147.7 lbs], Welterweight, 8 rounds

MohammadAli Bayat Farid (3-0) [206 lbs] v. Abdul Kabbani (3-1) [231 lbs], Cruiserweight, 6 rounds

Stjepan Bozic (26-7) [late weigh-in] v. Paata Vardaushvili (26-7) [161 lbs], Middleweight, 8 rounds

Mohammed Reza (1-0) [191.3 lbs] v. Hakim Wahid (Debut) [195.5 lbs], Cruiserweight, 6 rounds

Rabih Fayad (Debut) [163.1] v. Boubaker Masrar (Debut) [162 lbs], Super Middleweight, 4 rounds

Hamza Bouaoud (1-0) [167.8 lbs] v. Mehdi Ramizani (1-1-1) [166.4], Middleweight, 4 rounds

Ahmed Al Ali (Debut) [151.4 lbs] v. Abbas Mohamed (Debut) [late weigh-in], Super Featherweight, 4 rounds

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of GLORY 13 Tokyo from Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan, this Saturday, December 21, at 5 a.m. ET.

Fight Network’s live broadcast will repeat on December 21 at 9 p.m. ET in primetime.

GLORY 13 Tokyo features a one-night, four-man welterweight world championship tournament and is headlined by the final match of a kickboxing icon.

The world’s top-ranked welterweights square off in GLORY’s world championship tournament, as #1 ranked Nieky ‘The Natural’ Holzken (82-11-0, 43 KOs) of the Netherlands faces Armenian Karapet Karapetyan (42-8-2, 4 KOs), currently ranked #4. On the other side of the bracket, Canada’s own surging ‘Bazooka’ Joe Valtellini (10-1-10, 9 KOs) meets undefeated karate-stylist Raymond ‘The Real Deal’ Daniels (24-0-0, 14 KOs). The tournament winner will receive a grand prize of $100,000, with the runner-up receiving $20,000.

GLORY 13 Tokyo, broadcast live on Fight Network at 5 a.m. ET, is headlined by the retirement fight of living legend Peter Aerts (103-30-1, 78 KOs), taking on newly crowned GLORY heavyweight tournament world champion Rico Verhoeven. In the co-headline bout, #3 ranked heavyweight, Romanian tactician Daniel Ghita (49-10-0, 38 KOs) battles the revitalized and hard-hitting Errol Zimmerman (101-10-1, 42 KOs). Also on the card, UFC veteran Dustin Jacoby (4-2-0, 3 KOs) competes against local fighter and GLORY newcomer Makoto Uehara (15-4-1, 9 KOs).

“We’re wrapping up a landmark year from GLORY World Series with another sensational live event this Saturday,” said Chad Midgley, VP of Programming & Production at Fight Network. “In a year highlighted by the emergence of new stars, massive upsets and world-class matchmaking, there’s no better way to bring 2013 to a close than the legendary Peter Aerts gracing our presence for the very last time.”

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

Chicago, IL, Wednesday, December 18, 2014–Bobby Hitz announced today that Hitz Boxing is kicking off its 2014 season with two action packed “Fight Night” cards as Chicago’s longest running promoter returns to the Belvedere Events & Banquets in Elk Grove Village, IL on Friday, January 31 and the The Venue at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN on Friday, February 28.

“As we wrap up a highly successful 2013 campaign, I am very excited about launching our 2014 season in January at an intimate venue like the Belvedere and then returning to the electrifying atmosphere at the Horseshoe,” said Hitz. “We finished this year with a bang with a card that energized Chicago’s boxing scene and we look forward to carrying that momentum into next year.”

Hitz’ November fight card at the Horseshoe featured two hard fought crosstown battles that resulted in closely scored decisions that have local fight fans clamoring for rematches in 2014. In a battle of undefeated welterweight boxers Nick “Bad Boy” Ramirez (4-0-1, 1KO) bested Roy Navarro (3-1, 2 KOs) for a majority decision, while veteran Antonio “Aztec God of War” Canas (9-1-1, 3 KO) also scored a closely scored light welterweight majority decision over Genaro Mendez (7-2-1, 4 KOs).

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

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

Ievgen Khytrov 165 – Christian Nava 166
Michael Chudecki 135.5 – Joshua Nieves 136.5
Peter Reyes 159 – Ruben Ortiz 161
Jarrell Miller 266 – Sylvester Barron 235
Dimash Niyazov 137 – Rapahel Luna 139
Akil Aguste 160. Jermaine king 161
Stevens Bujaj 199 mike bissett 196
Glenford Nickey 133 rigoberto Miranda 131
Wesley Ferrer 135. Richard bonds 137

Promoters: Star Of David Promotions & Fight Promotions Inc.
Venue: Webster Hall
1st Bell: 7pm

NEW YORK CITY (December 17, 2013) – An arm injury has forced Wanzell Ellison (9-0-1, 5 KOs) to withdraw, forcing the cancelation of his scheduled 10-round main event fight this Friday night against undefeated beaten junior lightweight prospect Joel Diaz, Jr. (13-0, 11 KOs), on the SMS Promotions-presented “Big Apple Boxing” card at Resorts World Casino NYC in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

The 10-round bout for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) junior welterweight title, matching undefeated Amir “Young Master” Imam (11-0, 10 KOs) against Mexican veteran Sergio “Sirenito” Perez (28-15, 9 KOs), has been elevated to the main event.

SPECIAL 50-CENT & JAMES KIRKLAND MEET-AND-GREET

Promoter/rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and newest boxer in his SMS Promotions stable, world junior middleweight contender James Kirkland, will hold a meet-and-greet prior to Friday night’s fights between 6:30-7 p.m. ET at Resorts World Casino NYC

Undefeated junior welterweight prospect “Magic Man” Luis Olivares (6-0, 4 KOs) will be showcased in a six-round bout against Tony “Sugar Boy” Walker (5-3-1, 3 KOs). Also fighting on the undercard in six-round matches are undefeated Puerto Rican junior middleweight Emmanuel “Pirata” De Jesus (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Antonio Fernandez-Chaves (4-13-2), super bantamweight Thomas “KO” Snow (16-1, 10 KOs) vs. Nate Green (4-0, 1 KO), and welterweight Donte Strayhorn (3-1) vs. Sam Moura (0-2). Scheduled to fight in four-round matches are lightweight Ryan “Blue-Chip” Martin (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Eric Jamar Goodall (1-2), and pro-debuting bantamweight Mafato Kamogawa vs. native Michelle Cook (0-0-1).

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Live performers include Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Troy Ave, Tony Yayo, Nyemiah Supreme, Pop Dallas and Nyemah Supreme. Ms. Irene Renee will sing the National Anthem.

Tickets, priced at $350.00, $125.00, $85.00 and $35.00, are available to purchase by calling Resorts World Casino NYC at (718) 215-2828, or visiting www.etix.com/ticket/online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=9244. The $350.00 ticket holders will also receive a pair of autographed SMS Street by 50 Cent on ear headphones.

Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

NEW YORK (Dec. 17, 2013)—SHOWTIME Sports® continued with significant gains in viewership on its flagship series SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® on Saturday, Dec. 14, drawing 1.3 million viewers to an action-packed main event featuring the welterweight world championship, Adrien Broner vs. Marcos Maidana. The dramatic bout, the final match on the 2013 boxing calendar, is a late contender for boxing’s coveted Fight of the Year honor.

The audience performance during the main event ranks as the third-highest audience on record for live boxing on SHOWTIME since the network began tracking individual bouts in 2009.

The average viewership across the entire event, a four-fight, four-hour telecast, brings the series’ 2013 average up 24 percent and a remarkable 64 percent over 2011.

Further, the average audience for the entire telecast ranks as the fourth-largest live boxing telecast on SHOWTIME since 2004 (when the Nielsen began separately measuring premium television multiplex channels) with all four coming within the last 12 months ranking behind the events headlined by Miguel Cotto vs. Austin Trout (Dec. 1, 2012); Paul Malignaggi vs. Adrien Broner (June 22, 2013); and Bernard Hopkins vs. Karo Murat (Oct. 26, 2013).

“SHOWTIME Sports has achieved incredible growth in viewership of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING in 2013, and we’ll take this momentum into 2014,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “With marquee events featuring boxing’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter and global star Floyd Mayweather, the return of Canelo Alvarez, and a myriad of incredible matchups on the horizon in the welterweight, junior welterweight and super welterweight divisions—the very deepest, most talent-rich divisions in boxing–our subscribers can continue to expect SHOWTIME Sports to deliver the biggest and most significant bouts in boxing.”

Replays of the full four-fight telecast air tonight, Dec. 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME® and again on Tuesday, Dec. 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME®. The telecast is available at SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and via mobile devices on SHOWTIME ANYTIME®.

The event was promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Leija*Battah Promotions and emanated from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

A rousing quadrupleheader from start to finish was capped by Maidana’s scintillating performance. The fearless Argentine scored two knockdowns en route to a unanimous decision over the heavily favored, previously unbeaten Broner. The startling result becomes an instant candidate for not only Fight of the Year, but Upset of the Year as well.

In the co-feature, undefeated Keith Thurman retained his WBA Interim Welterweight title with a sensational ninth-round stoppage over tough-as-nails Jesus Soto Karass in a Knockout of the Year candidate. The always-exciting Leo Santa Cruz kept his WBC Super Bantamweight belt with a unanimous decision over determined Cesar Seda in a 12-round slugfest. And WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Beibut Shumenov made an emphatic statement with an impressive third-round TKO over Slovakia’s Tomas Kovacs.

# # #

“DANGER ZONE: Broner vs. Maidana,” for Broner’s WBA Welterweight World Championship took place on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, was promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T, Grudge Match and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-featured attraction, Keith Thurman put his interim WBA Welterweight World Championship on the line against Jesus Soto Karass. Leo Santa Cruz put his WBC Super Bantamweight World title on the line against Cesar Seda and Beibut Shumenov faced Tamas Kovacs in a 12-round clash for Shumenov’s WBA Super & IBA Light Heavyweight World titles. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast aired live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and was available in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts aired live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

THE FIGHT GAME WITH JIM LAMPLEY returns for its latest edition SATURDAY, DEC. 21 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. A provocative, engaging and informative experience that delves into intriguing storylines, newsmakers and issues that are top-of-mind in boxing, the latest edition of the show debuts immediately following the premiere of episode two of the HBO Sports reality series “24/7 Red Wings/Maple Leafs: Road to the NHL Winter Classic.” Four-time Sports Emmy® winner Lampley has been the host of HBO Boxing since joining the network in 1988.

Other HBO playdates: Dec. 24 (2:00 p.m., 2:40 a.m.), 25 (9:30 p.m.), 27 (3:30 p.m., 12:45 a.m.), 28 (11:30 a.m.) and 30 (6:30 p.m.), and Jan. 2 (9:30 a.m., 7:30 p.m.) and 5 (10:00 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Dec. 22 (10:00 a.m., 5:30 p.m.), 24 (12:15 a.m.), 26 (12:10 a.m.) and 31 (10:45 a.m., 4:45 p.m.), and Jan. 3 (1:30 p.m., 2:30 a.m.) and 6 (10:00 a.m., 4:45 p.m.)
HBO On Demand availability begins: Dec. 24

Headlining this new edition will be an in-depth year-in-review report, as Lampley explores the most significant events of 2013. In addition, he will assess boxing’s “cold war,” present THE FIGHT GAME’s second annual boxing awards and unveil an all-new Gatti List.

NEW YORK CITY (December 17, 2013) – Tennessee lightweight prospect Ryan “Blue-Chip” Martin has taken a quick liking to the bright lights of New York City as he prepares for his second professional fight this Friday night at Resorts World Casino NYC in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

Back on September 16th, Martin (1-0, 1 KO) made his professional debut for his promoter, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, in which he stopped Darius Somierari in the second round of their fight at Resorts World Casino NYC. The 20-year-old Martin will face Eric Jamar Goodall (1-2), of Las Vegas, in a four-round bout on Friday’s “Big Apple Boxing” card, presented by 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions.

Martin, who now fights out of Cleveland, was a 12-time US amateur champion, including a sweep of the Junior Golden Gloves, Silver Mittens and Junior Olympics tournaments. His gold-medal performance at the prestigious U.S. Under-19 Tournament marked the highlight of his amateur career. He fought in several European cities – Berlin, Paris and London – but as a pro it’s been all New York City.

His slated November 9th fight in New York City was cancelled when his opponent failed to make weight. “It’s very exciting for me to be fighting on the big stage in New York City,” Martin said. “I just take things one fight at a time but it was frustrating in November when my fight was cancelled.”

At the tender age of eight, Martin followed his older brother, Courtney, into the gym and Ryan instantly fell in love with boxing. A self-described boxer-puncher with speed being his greatest attribute, Martin is composed beyond his years in the ring, where he explodes like his idol, Sugar Ray Leonard.

“Having 50 Cent as my promoter is humbling but very exciting at the same time,” Martin noted. “It’s a blessing.

“What I’m learning as a pro is general ring knowledge. The adjustment from amateurs was a tough challenge, mentally, but I like the pro game better. I’ve even surprised myself with my body attack as a pro. I really didn’t focus on body punching; it just happened but I’m focused on that now.”

Unbeaten junior lightweight prospects, Joel Diaz, Jr. (13-0, 11 KOs) and Wanzell Ellison (9-0-1, 5 KOs) throw-down in the 10-round main event. Undefeated Amir “Young Master” Imam (11-0, 10 KOs) meets Mexican veteran Sergio “Sirenito” Perez (28-15, 9 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) junior welterweight title.

Undefeated junior welterweight prospect “Magic Man” Luis Olivares (6-0, 4 KOs) will be showcased in a six-round bout against Tony “Sugar Boy” Walker (5-3-1, 3 KOs). Also fighting on the undercard in six-round matches are undefeated Puerto Rican junior middleweight Emmanuel “Pirata” De Jesus (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Antonio Fernandez-Chaves (4-13-2), super bantamweight Thomas “KO” Snow (16-1, 10 KOs) vs. Nate Green (4-0, 1 KO), and welterweight Donte Strayhorn (3-1) vs. Sam Moura (0-2). Scheduled to fight in a four-round female match is pro-debuting bantamweight Mafato Kamogawa vs. native Michelle Cook (0-0-1).

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Live performers include Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Troy Ave, Tony Yayo, Nyemiah Supreme, Pop Dallas and Nyemah Supreme. Ms. Irene Renee will sing the National Anthem.

Tickets, priced at $350.00, $125.00, $85.00 and $35.00, are available to purchase by calling Resorts World Casino NYC at (718) 215-2828, or visiting www.etix.com/ticket/online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=9244. The $350.00 ticket holders will also receive a pair of autographed SMS Street by 50 Cent on ear headphones.

Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Following a hugely successful debut show, the Nordic Fight Night will return to the MusikTeatret, Albertslund on February 15. Local hero Patrick Nielsen (21-0, 10 KOs) will headline an action-packed show that will also feature his younger brother Micki Nielsen (11-0, 9 KOs).

The undefeated WBA & WBO Intercontinental Champion is relishing a return to his hometown arena where he defeated Jose Pinzon (24-6, 15 KOs) in front of a sell-out crowd in November.

”It meant a lot to me to fight in my hometown,” said Nielsen. ”I can’t wait to do it all over again. To look out and see all my family and friends cheering me on gave me a real boost and I am sure it will be the same in February. Pinzon was a tough guy. He hit hard and kept coming forward but I knew if I stuck to the game plan I had worked on with my trainer Joey Gamache I would get him out of there. I am happy that I did.”

An opponent for the 22 year-old middleweight is yet to be announced but Nielsen is confident that he will be up to any challenge that comes his way. ”I am putting the work in, training hard in the gym and listening to all of Joey’s advice. I will be ready for whoever is put in front of me. I am looking forward to starting the year with another big win in front of my home fans.”

Promoter Nisse Sauerland is also looking forward to a return to Albertslund. ”We are delighted to be bringing the Nordic Fight Night back to Albertslund,” said Sauerland. ”The atmosphere inside the MusikTeatret was incredible for the last show and I am sure it is going to be the same on February 15. 2014 is going to be a big year for Patrick as he comes ever closer to a world title shot. What better way to kick it off than with a fight in front of his home crowd?”

As always the Nordic Fight Night will feature an exciting undercard showcasing the very best of Danish, Swedish and Norwegian boxing. Tickets are on sale now and available at billetnet.dk. More information including undercard fighters and opponents will be announced shortly.

December 16, 2013 – This past Saturday night in Cancun Mexico, Golden Boy Promotions super-featherweight prospect, Miguel Flores (13-0, 8 KOs) remained unbeaten with an impressive knockout, destroying Jorge “Escorpión” Rodríguez (15-7-0, 6 KO’s) at the Arena Quequi, Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Flores controlled the action from the opening bell, using his jab to set up his combinations. The scheduled 8-round bout ended in the third round when Flores landed a double left hook to the body that sent Rodriguez to the canvas in which he could not continue.

“I was an honor winning my first fight in Mexico,” said Flores. “I was born in Mexico so I wanted to show the fans their that I’m a fighter worthy of their praise. I worked very hard for this fight and the results showed in the fight. I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions and my management team for keeping me busy.”

“My goal is to capture a regional title in the upcoming year.” Flores continued. “I’m learning more about my ability every time I step in the ring. With each fight I’m getting better and better. I’m looking forward to a great 2014.”

Hackensack, NJ (December 16, 2013) – Wednesday, December 18 2013 is a day that Bobby “The Celtic Warrior” Gunn hopes he’ll reminisce about for the rest of his life.

Gunn, a bare knuckle boxing legend who won multiple cruiserweight titles, fought a number of top fighters and participated in controversial fights, could spend hours talking about the trials and tribulations of his career.

“It’s no secret that my career’s been controversial,” stated Gunn, who was born in Canada but resides in New Jersey. “I’ve had a few fights stopped early, opponents switched on 24 hours notice, fought multiple times in hostile territory, sparred with more than 25 world champions when I was a young prospect and boxed all around the world. There was a lot of craziness that I have been a part of and that’s not even including my bare knuckle fights.”

Even with all he’s witnessed and been a part of, winning the WBU Cruiserweight championship Wednesday evening at Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA against former Fighter of the Year and boxing great Glen Johnson would be the icing on the cake.

“Beating Glen Johnson is going to be the best memory of my entire pro or amateur career and would even top winning the bare knuckle championship. Johnson is one of the most underappreciated fighters in boxing history and he viciously knocked out my original opponent Roy Jones Jr. A victory on Wednesday evening would be the highest point of my career without question.”

With the proposed Roy Jones Jr. matchup moved multiple times prior to Jones Jr’s withdrawal, Gunn’s been a gym rat since the summer. The 39 year-old is in great condition and believes his extended training camp will be a big part of what leads him to victory.

“I’ve never spent so much time in the gym for one fight. In a way, it’s a blessing everything that went down with the Roy Jones Jr. situation because we had a lot of changes. What that means is I had the opportunity to work on everything in camp and I had tremendous sparring. Mark my word, I will be victorious Wednesday evening because this is The Gunn’s time!”

December 15, 2013 – Gary Shaw of Gary Shaw Productions and Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing are happy to announce an agreement has been reached for rising heavyweight contenders Bryant Jennings (17-0, 9 KOs) and Artur Szpilka (16-0, 12 KOs) to meet in a 10-round showdown on January 25 in New York at Madison Square Garden Arena.

The undefeated pair will meet in an HBO-televised doubleheader, headlined by “Mikey” Garcia’s first defense of his WBO Super Featherweight Championship. The fight will mark the HBO debuts of both fighters.

Co-promoted by Antonio Leonard Promotions, Philadelphia’s Jennings, currently ranked #5 in the WBA and #4 in both the WBC and IBF rankings, will be returning from a seven-month layoff for this fight. Jennings who’s managed by James Prince, who also manages Andre Ward, was last seen in June of this year (his only fight of the year) stopping Russia’s Andrey Fedosov in round six. After competing five times in 2012, the time off has left Jennings eager to get back into the ring.

“It feels like I’ve been caged up for so long,” said Jennings. “I feel like I have all of this intensity built up inside of me and nowhere to release it. My hunger is so strong that not even killing it in the gym is an escape anymore and the only way to satisfy my hunger is to binge, January 25th will be a buffet. With every minute that passes it’s like my hunger grows and that is bad news for Artur Szpilka.”

Warsaw, Poland’s Szpilka, who’s co-promoted by Warriors Boxing and Ulrich Knockout Promotions, is currently rated WBA and WBC #14, was last seen in August, completing a two-fight ESPN-televised series with tough guy Mike Mollo. Szpilka visited the canvas in both fights against Mollo before scoring the KO with his super punching power from the southpaw stance.

“I look forward to the challenge,” said the popular Szpilka of the Jennings fight. “I have been improving with every fight and I am ready for anyone in the world. To take away his ratings in the world by beating him will move my career forward, so that is what I will do.”

“This is an incredible matchup between two undefeated heavyweights on the rise, they are both prideful countrymen and they are both on the fast track to the top,” said Gary Shaw. “Jennings has been on the radar a bit longer, but Szpilka has made a dent over the past year. This fight could steal the show based on the complementary nature of their styles. Bryant could’ve taken a lesser fighter with a more well-known name, or even one of the fading veterans still hanging around the heavyweight division, but instead he decided to get back in the ring and face a strong test. It’s a testament to both his dedication and competitive nature, I think it’s also foreshadowing for the kind of champion he will eventually be.”

“Artur makes all of his fights exciting by fighting to the level of his opponents, so prepare to see the best Artur Szpilka anyone has yet seen in the ring,” said Leon Margules. “He’s a tough Polish fighter with a dynamic style and a charismatic personality. A victory over Jennings will go a long way toward making him the star he was born to become.”

NUTLEY, NJ (DECEMBER 16, 2013)–Two members of Vito MielnickI’s GH3 Promotion’s scored big victories this past Saturday at the Mustang Crossfit Center at Oakridge in Oakridge, North Carolina.

Undefeated Super Middleweight Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom took out veteran Marcus Brooks in round of their scheduled six round bout while Dorsett “The Bullet” Barnwell scored a six round unanimous decision over 38 fight veteran Earl Ladson in a Heavyweight bout.

Odom of Bowie, Maryland was dominant again as he raised his record to 7-0 with 7 first round knockouts.

Barnwell of Norfolk, VA won every round as he had Ladson in survival mode from the opening round on. Barnwell is now is now 11-0.

This Wednesday, Anthony “Juice” Young will be in action in a Welterweight bout in Bethlehem, PA.

GH3 Promotions will be very busy in January.

January 17th in Memphis, Undefeated John Thompson (14-0, 5 KO’s) will take on Frank Galarza (11-0-2, 7 KO’s) in a eight rounf Jr. Middleweight bout on SHO BOX while Middleweight Antoine Douglas (11-0, 7 KO’s) will open the telecast when he takes on Marquis Davis (8-0-2) in an eight round bout. Junderry Odom will see action on the undercard in a six round bout.

On January 31st in West Orange, NJ on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights GH3’s Elvir Muriqi (who is co-promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions–40-5, 24 KO’s) will take on former world champion Zsolt Erdei (33-1, 18 KO’s) in a ten round Light Heavyweight bout; Jorge Diaz (who is co-promoted by GH3 Promotions, Greg Cohen Promitions and Pound for Pound Promotions–17-2, 10 KO’s) will take on undefeated Luis Rosa (15-0, 7 KO’s) in a ten round Super Bantamweight bout. Also seeing action will be GH3’s Welterweight Anthony “Juice” Young (9-0, 4 KO’s), Barnwell and newest GH3 signee Super Featherweight Wanzell Ellison (9-0-1, 5 KO’s) will also compete in six round bouts

Also Greg Cohen Pomotions / GH3 Promotions WBA #9 Ranked Heavyweight Travis Kauffman is coming off a 1st round KO on November 30th will be back in action in a big fight very shortly.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Dec. 16, 2013) – Invicta Fighting Championships has appointed recently retired women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) superstar Julie Kedzie as the new matchmaker for the women’s world championship MMA promotion, it was announced today on an all-new edition of “The MMA Hour” web TV program by award-winning host Ariel Helwani.

Kedzie will simultaneously continue to serve as color commentator for Invicta FC television broadcasts, a role that she has played for the promotion since the inaugural Invicta FC live event in April 2012.

“I am excited about this incredible new opportunity that will allow me to remain as active and hands on as ever in contributing to the growth of women’s competition in our great sport,” said Kedzie, a protégé of MMA guru Greg Jackson who retired from competition earlier this month following her 29th professional career bout at UFC Fight Night 33.

“(Invicta FC President) Shannon Knapp has done an unbelievable job at pushing the envelope and helping transform women’s MMA into an aggressively expanding enterprise,” continued Kedzie, “a development that will undoubtedly lead to increased participation in the sport by young women athletes who want to challenge themselves in the world’s fastest growing sport.”

“We are thrilled to expand Julie’s role in the Invicta FC organization and have one of the pioneers of our sport assume the pivotal role of matchmaker under her wing,” said Knapp. “There is no one more qualified than someone like Julie, who has lived and breathed MMA for the last 10 years, to take on the responsibility of nurturing our athletes, building our roster and creating the most exciting matchups possible for our live event series.”

Invicta FC rolled out its final live event of the year on Dec. 7, an explosive, live Pay-Per-View televised world championship doubleheader that saw Barb “Lil’ Warrior” Honchak (9-2) successfully defend her strawweight (125 pounds) title against Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (6-4-1) in the main event that was also named “Fight of the Night.”

In the eight-bout card’s co-main event, Lauren Murphy (8-0) extended her perfect record and retained her bantamweight (135 pounds), defeating Miriam “The Queen of Mean” Nakamoto (2-1) by way of TKO (knee injury) in the fourth round (:23).

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships (www.invictafc.com) is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 16, 2013) – World-class championship boxing returns to the nation’s capital on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, when hometown hero IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont “Havoc” Peterson defends his 140-pound crown against Montreal’s unbeaten Dierry Jean as part of a live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast)- event at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. In the co-main event, Middleweight Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo risks his undefeated record against Two-Time World Title Challenger Gabriel “King” Rosado.

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $150 and $250, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, go on sale Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. ET and available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster locations, or calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. ET.

“This is the perfect way for me to kick off 2014, with a great fight against a tough opponent in my hometown,” said Peterson. “Fights like these bring out the best in me and I’m going to give my fans a performance to remember on Jan. 25.”

“Peterson has been in the ring with many good fighters, but he hasn’t been in the ring with me,” said Jean. “I’ve worked hard for this for a long time. I have already started training camp and I’m in great shape. I just want to bring that belt home to Quebec, where it belongs.”

“I’ve waited for a big fight like this against a top-level opponent and now I’ve got it,” said Charlo. “Rosado is a rugged, tough fighter and with a win over him, I’ll be making a statement to the boxing world that I’m ready for even bigger and better things.”

“I wanted another world title shot after my fight with Peter Quillin, but with that rematch not happening right now, I want to stay busy and keep sharp until my time comes,” said Rosado. “Charlo’s got talent, but he’s not ready to face someone with as much experience as I have. I am ready to go after my recent fight with Quillin.”

“2013 was a great year for boxing on SHOWTIME, and this doubleheader shows that we’re ready to deliver even more exciting fights in 2014,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Lamont Peterson is a fan favorite in Washington, D.C., and I give him credit for risking his belt against a tough, unbeaten fighter in Dierry Jean. As for the co-main event, Gabriel Rosado always comes to fight and he’s going to put Jermell Charlo to the test on Jan. 25.”

“Coming off a record-breaking 2013, we are taking significant momentum into the new year,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Boxing’s passionate fan base has called for the world’s top fighters to take on the biggest challenges. Lamont Peterson returns to the ring and immediately takes a difficult main event match up against a hungry power puncher in Dierry Jean. And Jermell Charlo is a rising star taking a sizable step up against the battle-tested Gabriel Rosado. January 25 will be a night you don’t want to miss.”

IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont “Havoc” Peterson (31-2-1, 16 KO’s) will begin 2014 determined to defeat Dierry Jean and then continue on to battle his peers at the top of the 140-pound weight class. With his two most recent victories coming over Amir Khan and Kendall Holt, the 29-year-old has proven that he is one of the elite in the sport today, and in his first fight since a May 2013 loss to Lucas Matthysse, Peterson is hungry for a return to the win column and respectability.

A native of Haiti who moved with his family to Montreal, Quebec, Canada as a child, Dierry Jean (25-0, 17 KO’s) has proudly represented his adopted home country, winning a national amateur championship before turning pro in 2006. Since then, his professional record has been perfect, and after winning the NABF title in 2012 with a win over Lanardo Tyner in May 2013, Jean defeated Cleotis Pendarvis in the IBF title eliminator to become Peterson’s mandatory challenger.

At just 23-years old, former amateur star Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (22-0, 11 KO’s) has made plenty of waves in the junior middleweight division over the last few years, dazzling with his mix of speed and power as he mowed down opponent after opponent. In 2013, he triumphed three times, defeating Harry Joe Yorgey (KO 8), Demetrius Hopkins (W 12), and Jose Angel Rodriguez (TKO 10).

A Philadelphia fighter in the truest sense, “King” Gabriel Rosado (21-7, 13 KO’s) is always willing to dig deep and battle it out in the trenches in search of victory. A veteran of nearly eight years in the pro game, the 27-year-old Rosado impressed with his gutsy efforts in recent middleweight title fights against Gennady Golovkin and Peter Quillin. On Jan. 25, he returns to 154 pounds, eager to prove that he’s worthy of another world title opportunity.

Peterson vs. Jean, a 12-round fight for Peterson’s IBF Junior Welterweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and supported by Golden Boy Promotions’ sponsors Corona and AT&T. The live SHOWTIME telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). In the co-featured bout, Jermell Charlo defends his USBA Junior Middleweight Championship in a 12-round fight against Gabriel Rosado. Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com and follow on Twitter at @KingPete26 @DierryJean @KingGabRosado, @TwinCharlo and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #PetersonDierry and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

NEW YORK CITY (December 16, 2013) – Ever since he signed an exclusive promotional contract earlier this year with 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions, 21-year-old “Magic Man” Luis Olivares (6-0, 4 KOs) has been riding a wave towards boxing stardom. The undefeated junior welterweight from Arizona is scheduled to fight for the seventh time this year this Friday night, in his first scheduled six-round bout, on the “Big Apple Boxing” card at Resorts World Casino NYC in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

The 10-round main event on the SMS Promotions-promoted show is a 10-round battle of unbeaten junior lightweight prospects, Joel Diaz, Jr. (13-0, 11 KOs) and Wanzell Ellison (9-0-1, 5 KOs). Undefeated Amir “Young Master” Imam (11-0, 10 KOs) and Mexican veteran Sergio “Sirenito” Perez (28-15, 9 KOs) square-off in the 10-round co-feature for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) junior welterweight title.

Olivares puts his perfect professional record on the line against Tony “Sugar Boy” Walker (5-3-1, 3 KOs). “I have no complaints,” Olivares spoke about fighting so often. “I like staying busy. SMS has been very good keeping me active. Every fight I learn something new and keep progressing. I’ve improved my timing and I’m more relaxed having transitioned from the amateurs to the pro style. Instead of scoring, scoring, scoring (in the amateurs), I’ve learned how to place my shots and now, overall, I’m smarter.

“Fighting in a six-round bout for the first time means a lot to me because it shows that my team trusts me and in my ability to step-up and fight six rounds. I have taken my training even more serious. Going from four to six rounds doesn’t seem like much, but it is in the ring. I’ve gone from three rounds as an amateur to four and now six rounds as a pro. I’m happy with my progress.”

Olivares was a standout U.S. amateur boxer with a final 120-15 record, highlighted by his bronze-medal placing at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Trials, in which he lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual 141-pound U.S. Olympian, Jamel Herring, who is now a 5-0 junior welterweight as a professional.

“Signing with 50 Cent has already helped me a lot,” Olivares added. “Anytime I’m asked questions, his name comes up as my promoter. He is so well known and that’s helped build my name. I’m excited and looking forward to the future.

“I don’t know a lot about my opponent but I’ve heard that he was a good amateur. I don’t take anybody lightly. I will have to fight smart; not cautious but more alert because my team told me Walker can fight.”

Also fighting in the undercard in six-round matches are undefeated Puerto Rican junior middleweight Emmanuel “Pirata” De Jesus (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Antonio Fernandez-Chaves (4-13-2), super bantamweight Thomas “KO” Snow (16-1, 10 KOs) vs. Nate Green (4-0, 1 KO), and welterweight Donte Strayhorn (3-1) vs. Sam Moura (0-2).

Scheduled to fight in four-round matches are lightweight Ryan “Blue-Chip” Martin (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Eric Jamar Goodall (1-2), and pro-debuting bantamweight Mafato Kamogawa vs. native Michelle Cook (0-0-1).

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Live performers include Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Troy Ave, Tony Yayo, Nyemiah Supreme, Pop Dallas and Nyemah Supreme. Ms. Irene Renee will sing the National Anthem.

Tickets, priced at $350.00, $125.00, $85.00 and $35.00, are available to purchase by calling Resorts World Casino NYC at (718) 215-2828, or visiting www.etix.com/ticket/online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=9244. The $350.00 ticket holders will also receive a pair of autographed SMS Street by 50 Cent on ear headphones.

Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.