GH3 Promotions signs Cuban amateur standout Hector Frometa to promotional contract

Hector Frometa
Nutley, New Jersey (October 20, 2015) – Vito Mielnicki’s GH3 Promotions is pleased to announce the signing of Welterweight Hector Frometa to an exclusive promotional contract.

Frometa of Cuba had an outstanding amateur career as he amassed a record of 195-22 for the most distinguished amateur program in the world.

He has traveled the world and has won many amateur tournaments.

“We are excited to add Hector to our stable,”said GH3 Promotions president, Vito Mielnicki. “He comes from the great Cuban amateur system and with that pedigree and his hunger to be great, we feel we have added another top prospect to the company.”

“I am very blessed and happy to be with GH3 Promotions. I am very thankful and I am 150% focused in becoming a world champion,” said Frometa.

Frometa has been called a good boxer who is aggressive.

Frometa will make his pro debut on November 6th on the off-tv portion of a ShoBox: The New Generation show in Las Vegas.

“I am so happy that my first fight will be in Las Vegas. I will be able to show my skills in front of the best boxing people in the world.”

The 2-time Cuban National champion has been in the United States for three months and excited to be in his adopted home of Miami.

“It was tough in Cuba. It was hard to live there. I had to fight like a dog just to get to the United States. I will make the most of this great opportunity. I consider myself a real student of boxing as I eat, drink and sleep the sport.”

“I just want to say that a storm is coming. I plan to take over the 147-pound division and show why Cuban boxers are the best,” finished the 24 year-old Frometa.

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight Champion John Thompson, Jr., undefeated Welterweight’s Jerrell Harris & Keenan Smith, Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell, Jr. Lightweight O’Shanique Foster & Super Middleweight Andrew Hernandez to the GH3 Promotions stable.




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Q&A: WORLD TOP TEN BANTAMWEIGHT NIKOLAY POTAPOV

Potapov
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Oct. 20, 2015) – Boxing champion-turned-promoter Dmitriy Salita will once again provide NYC with a night of pugilistic prowess as the former IBF, WBA and NABA International Junior Welterweight Champion brings his Brooklyn Brawl series back to South Brooklyn on Thursday, Oct. 29. The Aviator Sports and Events Center will serve as the next proving ground for many New York City-based rising stars; the exciting undercard building toward featured events, where Alicia “Slick” Ashley and Christina McMahon (7-0, 3 KOs) will square off for the WBC Super Bantamweight title and top-10 world-ranked bantamweight contender, Nikolay Potapov, makes his U.S.A. debut.

“Our Oct. 29 show will feature some of the best fighters on the planet, such as world-rated Nikolay Potapov. He is one of the hottest, undefeated world-ranked prospects in the bantamweight division. This will be another outstanding card for area boxing fans to enjoy,” said Salita, who co-promotes Potapov with Pavel Popov of PBL Promotions.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 6:30 p.m., as the Brooklyn Brawl looks to once again captivate New York City with fistic fury. Tickets begin at $20 and are available by calling 1-844-890-2120 or by visiting SalitaPromotions.com.

Potapov – currently ranked as the No. 14 bantamweight in the world by the WBO and now rated No. 13 globally by the WBC and No. 10 by BoxRec – will put his undefeated 13-0 record (6 KOs) on the line as he makes his debut on U.S. soil. The fast-rising battler piled up more than 180 amateur tilts and amassed a number of national and international tournament victories, and now as a 25-year-old pro has wasted no time in signing on for four 10-round bouts and a 12-rounder against experienced, top competitors. In his last pro victory, Popatov earned the WBA Asian title by besting Jason Canoy, who is rated No. 14 in the WBC and No. 12 in the IBF.

We sat down with Potapov to find out about his history with “the sweet science” and to learn more about what the unbeaten contender expects from his U.S. debut:

Question: How did you get your start in the sport of boxing? What made you look to turn professional?

Nikolay Potapov: I started boxing when I was a young boy. My father said, “Boxing teaches you to be a man, and develops your strength inside and outside.” When I was young our neighbor was a Hall of Fame boxing trainer of Russia. My father did not have to think about it for long before taking me to the gym, and that was my beginning in boxing.

Question: What was your childhood like?

Nikolay Potapov: I grew up in Podolsk, Russia, near Moscow. I started playing soccer and doing kick boxing at the age of six before eventually starting to box. I would go to school and then go to either soccer or kick boxing practice. I was a very good soccer player and captain of my team, every day I would practice until the lights went out at 9 p.m.

Question: You’ve had a quick rise to be listed among bantamweight contenders and the Top 15 in the world right now. What’s been your favorite part or most surprising aspect of your early success?

Nikolay Potapov: I had more 170 amateur fights which I believe gave me a great amount of experience and the ability to climb up the pro ranks at a faster pace. I love boxing and turned professional to pursue my dream of becoming a world champion, fighting championship fights and thrilling fans with my skills!

Question: What are you looking forward to in the U.S.? What do you think fighting in the U.S. is going to be like?

Nikolay Potapov: This will be my first trip to the U.S.A. I have always dreamed about fighting in the U.S. and in New York City, and my dream is coming true. I want to show my skills to the world and make my Brooklyn Brawl debut an exciting one. I am very focused on my boxing career and am very excited to progress and fight the best fighters in the world. I am committed to defeating whoever I have in front of me in the ring. That is why I am already rated in the top 15 in the world with only 13 fights, because I want to fight the best in my division. I fought fighters who are rated higher than me and with more experience from early in my pro career, I just want to challenge myself and fight the best!

Oct. 29 Brooklyn Brawl broadcast information will be announced at a later date. Interested corporate partners should contact Mark Fratto at mfratto@linacremedia.com.

For tickets, more about the participants and additional updates on the Thursday, Oct. 29, Brooklyn Brawl please log on to SalitaPromotions.com and AviatorSports.com. Follow all the action via social media leading up to the event – and on fight night – at @BrooklynBrawlNY on Twitter and Instagram, or by accessing the hashtag #BrooklynBrawl

For media information and credentials, Contact:

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

About Brooklyn Brawl
Brooklyn Brawl is a series of electrifying New York City-based boxing events showcasing the talents and skills of fighters from throughout the city, across the country and around the world. Brooklyn Brawl fighters include veteran boxers working their way toward a world title shot, as well as talented prospects, many of whom have already won prestigious national and international amateur titles, including Golden Gloves championships and others. Young contenders often challenge veteran boxers in exciting crossroad title fights that bring winners one step closer to a world title.




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Blackwell urges Eubank Jr to stop name-dropping GGG and step up in class

LONDON (20 OCTOBER) Reigning British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell has poured scorn on domestic rival Chris Eubank Jr’s WBA interim title fight this Saturday (October 24) and encouraged him to stop making idle boasts and start making meaningful fights.

Eubank Jr this week claimed he has sights set on a showdown with WBA and IBF world middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, but, on Saturday night, meets Tony Jeter, an American with three stoppage defeats and not a single standout win on his record.

Blackwell is left confused.

“I’ve never heard of Eubank Jr’s next opponent,” he concedes. “I just assumed it was an eight-round warm-up fight until someone told me they were actually putting it on as a title defence. That just blew my mind. It’s a joke. At least if you’re going to pretend to be some kind of ‘world champion’, fight someone we all know.

“As for the Golovkin talk, it’s hilarious. I’d be surprised if he fights Spike O’Sullivan in December, let alone Golovkin. I think they’re worried about O’Sullivan, so you can imagine what they truly think of a fight with Golovkin.

“Golovkin would toy with Eubank Jr and make him look stupid. I think he’d smash him to pieces within four rounds. But, if Golovkin wanted to, he could knock him out in one.

“The Eubanks know what they’re doing, though. They know that if they make stupid statements about Golovkin, people will at least have an opinion and be talking about them. They have no intention of ever stepping into a ring with Golovkin, but that won’t stop them pretending in order to generate some column inches.”

Of course, what Blackwell really wants is the chance to pick up where Billy Joe Saunders left off and add another defeat to Eubank Jr’s record. It’s a fight he has wanted for some time now. It’s one he feels should happen.

“Unfortunately, the only way that fight will ever happen is if Spike pulls out of their proposed December 12 date and they offer me the fight on two or three weeks’ notice,” he says.

“Eubank Jr would never have the guts to fight me with a full eight or ten-week training camp behind me. He knows exactly what would happen if I was given that amount of time to prepare. He’s been in the ring with me before and he knows he wasn’t able to handle me.”

*** Nick Blackwell defends his British middleweight title against unbeaten challenger Elliott Matthews on November 14 at Bristol’s City Academy, LIVE on Channel 5.

For tickets to BANG BANG: The Knockout Kings, please contact the Ticketline Box Office on 0844 888 4402, the Sanigar Events Box Office on 0117 949 6699 or visit www.hennessysports.com ***

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FIREMAN DEAN GILLEN OUT TO EXTINGUISH VIJENDER SINGH’S RING FIRE

Indian hotshot Vijender Singh will face unbeaten Dean Gillen in his big London debut on Friday 30th October at the Harrow Leisure Centre.

Middleweight Singh made an immediate impact in his professional debut this month when he destroyed Sonny Whiting in three rounds at the Manchester Arena.

The fight was televised live in India on Sony Six with an estimated 20m viewers tuning in – arguably the largest ever audience for a boxer’s professional debut.

Singh, 29, who will be celebrating his birthday a day before the second fight, will now face Nottingham’s Gillen over four rounds as he looks to claim the record of his first unbeaten pro fighter.

Gillen made his pro debut in May this year with a points win over Shaun White and followed that up in September with a points win over Lewis Van Poetsch.

The fight between Singh and Gillen also represents a Battle of the Badges, with Singh a Deputy Superintendent of Police in his native Haryana and Gillen a firefighter serving in Nottingham.

As an amateur, Gillen’s highlight was to win the 2013 World Police and Fire Fighter Games in Belfast where he knocked out all of his opponents to claim the Gold medal and now he aims to extinguish Singh’s fire in the ring.

Gillen, 33, said, “I’ve watched him in the Olympics and in his pro-debut, he’s a world class kid and I can’t wait to get in there and put him to the test,”

“He’s an Olympian and that speaks for itself, he’s a hero in his country and he’s idolised by millions of people, but at some point he’ll have to get beat and that could well be his second fight against me,”

“I’m certainly no journeyman and I’m not going in to make up numbers, I’m here to fight and win. I know the odds are stacked against me, but when you’re facing life risking tasks through your job then fighting someone like Singh is a walk in the park,”

“I will be coming for him. I’ve got the heart of a lion and a serious will to win. I’ve got a strong jab and the reach to take advantage of him, backed up with a solid chin and a real desire and with nothing to lose, I think I’m going to be a really dangerous opponent for Singh,”

“Add to the fact I’ve never lost to a Police boxer in the amateurs and with stacks of pride and honour on the line, I refuse to lose.”

Singh is in serious training in Manchester with coach Lee Beard as he aims to beat Gillen and stay on track to achieve his history making dream to become India’s first ever world professional boxing champion.

“I can’t wait for this fight against Gillen, he’s talking the fight and it looks like he will bring me a challenge in my second fight,” Said Singh.

“From what I have seen of him he looks like a good opponent who will push me and I hope he does because then the better I will fight, I rise to my opponent and it brings the best out in me,”

“He’s got an unbeaten record, albeit two fights, and it’s a big motivator for me to claim his first loss, if I can stop him, like against Whiting, then that will be another good win for me,”

“While I was pleased with my pro-debut there is still plenty that I need to work on in my defence and offence and I’ve been training hard with Lee to correct things and improve, it’s a continual process and it will happen fight by fight,”

“Being a fireman, he’ll be used to dealing with fire and coping with heat but this is one fire he won’t be putting out and it will be an entertaining fight for the fans in my first pro fight in the capital.”

A quality packed show is headlined by WBO European Super-Middleweight Champion Jamie Cox who defends his title for the first time. The undercard features red hot light-heavyweight Tom Baker from Chingford in the chief-supporting contest against Margate’s Jack Morris for the Vacant Southern Area Light-Heavyweight Championship.

The undercard features a host of top talents: Bushey light-heavyweight Miles Shinkwin, Islington light-middleweight Georgie Kean vs Nottingham’s Nathan Macintosh; West Ham light-middleweight Sam McNess vs Kevin McCauley; Ilford light-heavyweight Anthony Yarde vs Derby’s Elvis Dube; Jez Smith, younger brother of super-featherweight star Mitchell takes on Newark’s Fonz Alexander over four rounds at middleweight; Acton flyweight Prince Patel faces Gateshead Gary Reeve; Chingford lightweight Archie Sharp tackles Hereford’s Dean Evans; plus the professional debut of West Ham light-welterweight Ben Smith who faces Nuneaton’s Kristian Laight and also Sidcup’s light-welterweight D.P Carr who takes on Trowbridge’s Dan Carr.

Remaining tickets are available from Ticketmaster on www.ticketmaster.co.uk and 0844 844 0444 and Frank Warren Box Office on 01992 550 888.

The Channel Of Champions, BoxNation, will televise the show live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546 and Talk Talk 415. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android.




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FIGHT NETWORK BOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Sept. Oct. 19-25, 2015)

Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for boxing, mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

Monday, Oct. 19

5:00 p.m. – KOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.
7:30 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. ET- Fight New Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

Tuesday, Oct. 20
4:00 p.m. – KOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.
8:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

Wednesday, Oct. 21
3:00 a.m., 7:00 a.m. & 10:00 p.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.
7:30 p.m. ET — Fight New Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

Thursday, Oct. 22
1 a.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Weekly – Covering all the latest news in professional boxing, featuring full recent fights and highlights from the sweet science.
9:00 a.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.
8:30 p.m. ET – Fight New Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

Friday, Oct. 23
7:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
Saturday, Oct. 24
1:00 a.m. ET – CANADA ONLY — Golden Boy LIVE (two-hour tape delay) from Indio, Calif., featuring Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Ruben Tamayo in a 10-round super bantamweight showdown.
2:30 p.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Weekly – Covering all the latest news in professional boxing, featuring full recent fights and highlights from the sweet science.

Sunday, Oct. 25
2:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.
5:30 a.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Weekly – Covering all the latest news in professional boxing, featuring full recent fights and highlights from the sweet science.
8:00 p.m. ET – Ultimate Classic Boxing: Jones vs. Humez – Featuring Ralph “Tiger” Jones vs. Charles Humez from Nov. 19, 1956 at The Palais des Sports on Paris.

Information:

www.FightNetwork.com

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

CONTACT:
Bob Trieger, Full Court PRESS, 978.664.4482, bobtfcp@hotmail.com, @FightPublicist

ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK: Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland, and Suddenlink Communications in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes throughout North America, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.




Antonio Tarver refutes failed drug tes

Antonio Tarver
TAMPA (Oct. 19, 2015) – Five-time world champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (31-6-1, 22 KOs) vehemently refutes the results of his failed New Jersey Boxing Commission drug test taken prior to his 12-round draw with two-time IBF champion Steve “USS” Cunningham this past August 14th in Newark.

A report claims Tarver tested positive for synthetic testosterone. He categorically denies taking any banned substance before his fight with Cunningham. “I have no idea how my urine sample tested positive because I didn’t take anything illegal,” Tarver said. “Either the test was contaminated, or mixed-up with another sample. We believe in the process and I will fully comply. Further analysis will prove I’m 100-percent innocent because I’ve done nothing wrong.”




UNBEATEN ROB ‘BRAVO’ BRANT READY FOR BIG STEP UP, HEADLINES SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION QUADRUPLEHEADER

Rob Brant
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Oct. 19, 2015) – Undefeated Minnesota-based middleweight Rob “Bravo” Brant (17-0, 11 KOs) says he’s nervous, but excited for his showdown against Louis “The Unknown” Rose (13-2-1, 5 KOs) of Los Angeles this Friday, Oct. 23.

The pair will meet in a 10-round main-event bout for the vacant WBC Continental Americas middleweight title, as part of a ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader that matches eight young prospects against each other at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona and live on SHOWTIME® (10:30 p.m. ET/PT).

In the televised co-features, unbeaten Filipino junior lightweight prospect Harmonito “El Huracan de Gensan” Dela Torre (16-0, 11 KOs) will make his U.S. debut against Angel “El Gato” Luna (12-1-1, 7 KOs), of the Dominican Republic; in a heavyweight scrap, undefeated Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (14-0-1, 12 KOs), of Brooklyn, N.Y., will face Ahror “Aha” Muralimov (14-1, 11 KOs), of Houston, Texas via Uzbekistan; and Lavarn “Baby Bowe” Harvell (15-1, 8 KOs) of Atlantic City will face southpaw Samuel “The Main Event” Clarkson (16-3, 10 KOs), of Cedar Hills, Texas, in a light heavyweight match-up. All but Clarkson will be making their ShoBox debuts. All three co-featured bouts are scheduled for eight rounds.

Tickets for the event, presented by Greg Cohen Promotions and Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions in association with Iron Boy Promotions, GH3 Promotions, Fight Card Promotions, Salita Promotions and Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $65 Ringside, $50 reserved and $30 general admission and are available online at www.celebritytheatre.ticketforce.com.

“I’m really excited and to be honest, there are a lot of nerves that come with it,” admitted Brant. “I’m stepping up from a supporting fight on a smaller network to headlining a ShoBox on SHOWTIME. “I’m really jumping up in class in two ways. I decided to take a slower track in pro boxing because I had a very strong amateur style and it’s taken me up to this point to shake that off and really start developing my professional style. I feel like I’m a solid pro now and this is my first time really stepping up against a truly tough opponent. So yeah, there are some nerves, but I’ll be fine when fight night comes.”

The 25-year-old Brant agrees that Louis is the toughest opponent of his young career. “I’ve watched a fair amount of film on Rose,’’ Brant said. “He’s one of those guys who is an outside boxer, but once he gets hit he’ll bite down and throw combinations. He has a lot of will to win with a good record and some quality opponents. He’s coming to win 100 percent. I respect that, but he has a lot of defensive flaws, which will open up lots of opportunities for me to counter punch.”

Brant has been preparing with trainer Derrick James at R&R Boxing and Cooper Fitness Institute in Dallas, where he moves for eight weeks before every fight. James also works with top contenders Errol Spence Jr. and Jermell Charlo and Brant has been working with them extensively.

“I have sparred multiple rounds with Spence, but for this one I’m working a lot with Charlo,” Brant said. “Jermell Charlo is a right-handed, outside boxer with more skill than my opponent. He’s such a fast, athletic guy. He forces you when you’re on offense to simultaneously work on your defense. He’s so fast; he’s thrown a few jabs at me and it looked like his hand didn’t even move. He doesn’t allow me to throw a right hand and drop my left. An upper-level fighter like him will see that and counter it instantly. Sparring with a guy at his level of skill will translate really well in this fight. I’ve learned a lot.”

How does Brant see the fight against Rose unfolding?

“I see it a few different ways, all of which end with me raising my hand,” Brant said. “He can be caught with a big shot early but I never really bank on that. I could see catching him, but I’m really training for 10 rounds of having to use my mind and think my way through. I do feel it’ll be a big victory. I will win big on the scorecards at least. I won’t figure him out right away. He’s a tough fairly athletic fighter.”

Brant says a high-profile victory over Rose will be good for his career, but he’s not concerned with anything other than his opponent.

“I don’t like to look too far ahead,’’ he said. “The reason is when I was in the amateurs, I was facing a guy named Steve Nelson and I completely overlooked him and I ended up losing by a decent amount. I never look past what’s in front of me now. If I win, I believe I’ll be in the top 15 of the WBC. It’s all up to my promoter, Greg Cohen, and where he decides we should go next.”

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with 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.

On fight night, doors open at 5 p.m. and the action starts at 6 p.m. The Celebrity Theatre is located at 440 N 32nd Street in Phoenix, AZ. For more information, call (602) 267-1600 or visit www.celebritytheatre.com. For more information on Greg Cohen Promotions, visit www.gcpboxing.com. Twitter: @gcpboxing. Or check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GCPBoxing.

# # #

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. Some of the growing list of the 63 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.




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LONG ISLAND’S UNDEFEATED “EMPRESS” NAPOLEON SET FOR TITLE SHOT SATURDAY AT THE PARAMOUNT

NEW YORK (Oct. 19, 2015) – “What are you fighting for?” is the cutting interrogatory mantra posed by the Overthrow Boxing Club, a half year-old ultra-hipster retro boxing space that currently occupies 9 Bleecker Street in lower Manhattan, an area of New York City traditionally linked to decades of cultural and social activism.

For most who enter 9 Bleecker these days, the answer to the query posed has less to do with political demonstrations and more to do with fitness. Fifty years ago, for the young neighborhood residents who occupied that space, perhaps the answer may have involved a certain sociocultural ideology during the Yippie movement.

But for one of the building’s most-frequent modern-day inhabitants – the gym’s head trainer and undefeated pro boxer Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (4-0, 4 KOs) – on Saturday, Oct. 24 the specific answer to the seemingly rhetorical, “What are you fighting for?” question will actually be a world title. This weekend the 29 year-old Lindenhurst native heads toward familiar territory on Long Island as she co-headlines Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing Rockin’ Fights 21 – with the IWBF Junior Middleweight crown up for grabs at The Paramount in Huntington.

“Fighting for my first world title on Long Island at The Paramount is epic for me. I’m a born and raised Long Island girl at heart. To have this opportunity means the world,” said Napoleon, who has built a reputation for delivering big blows and drawing big crowds during her burgeoning pro career. “It’s even more meaningful to have the support from my Long Island and New York City fans. I couldn’t have made it this far without them, and I hope to be celebrating my first pro championship with them on Oct. 24.”

Napoleon, now ranked as the No. 2 junior middleweight boxer in the U.S. and No. 4 in the world, takes on Kita Watkins (7-13, 1 KO) of Tyler, Texas, for the IWBF World Title belt in a matchup scheduled for eight rounds. Tickets are available by calling TicketMaster or by visiting Overthrow Club at 9 Bleecker.

The “Wonder Woman” – often clad in bold-colored boxing attire reminiscent of Superhero garb – scored her most-recent victory via a third-round knockout of Latashia Burton on Sept. 19 at Resorts World Casino in Queens. A first-round TKO victory on July 8 came in stunning fashion, as Napoleon overwhelmed opponent Natalie King and caused a stoppage after only 19 seconds of fury.

Napoleon began training at age 18 in Manorville, Long Island, and attended her first competition at 20 years of age. She amassed notable accolades as an amateur, including a 22-5 record, 11 amateur titles, two New York Golden Gloves championships, one National Golden Gloves title, two national bronze medals, three metro belts, one Empire State Games title, one Platinum Gloves victory and one NYABC belt.

A virtuoso in and out of the ring, Napoleon has used her hands to not only destroy but to create. An active painter, Napoleon draws inspiration from artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Picasso, Alex Katz and Elizabeth Peyton. Her painting style displays her love of life on large-scale canvases adorned with the bold, vibrant colors that match her boxing trunks. Her work is currently featured at Gallery 212 in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Fla.

Reflecting on her career to date, Napoleon offered, “When you believe in yourself it becomes contagious and people what to be a part of it. I only hope to shine like a star, giving the glory to God and showing other little girls around the world they are no different than me. I believe that women of all ages and walks of life can achieve their dreams if they only believe in themselves. It starts in your heart and you can never let anyone tell you different. Be strong. Be true. Be you.”

For updates on Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon, follow her on Instagram at @BoxingNapoleon. Fans can follow Overthrow Boxing Club via its website – www.overthrownyc.com – at @overthrownewyork on Instagram, on Twitter at @overthrownyc or by accessing the hashtag #WhatAreYouFightingFor.




BOXNATION TO AIR WORLD TITLE HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENDER ALEXANDER POVETKIN’S SCINTILLATING SHOWDOWN WITH MARIUSZ WACH EXCLUSIVELY LIVE ON NOVEMBER 4TH

alexander_povetkin_image
LONDON (19 October) – BoxNation will air big-punching Russian Alexander Povetkin’s showdown with Mariusz Wach exclusively live on a stacked bill on November 4th.

The imposing Povetkin is coming off a stunning first-round stoppage over the skilled Cuban Mike Perez who he dismantled in just over a minute in May.

Following that win the 36-year-old is now on course for a meeting with WBC world champion Deontay Wilder but must first get past a dangerous foe in Wach, who like the Russian has only one loss on his record to that of boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko.

A new era is shaping up in the heavyweight division with both Povetkin and Wach among the frontrunners looking to stamp their mark in what has historically been boxing’s glamour division.

Poland’s Wach has been on a four-run winning streak since his setback to Klitschko in 2012 and against Povetkin, the man known as ‘The Viking’, will be looking to use his 6ft 7inch frame to dominate his smaller opponent.

Though that will be no easy task with Povetkin having a history of toppling bigger men, as his record of 21 knockouts from his 29 wins proves.

The Wednesday night fight card, taking place at Basket-Hall Arena in Kazan, will also see a host of other exciting matchups taking place with WBA champion Denis Lebedev, who beat Youri Kayembre Kalenga earlier this year by unanimous decision facing Lateef Kayode.

Kayode is undefeated in 21 fights, with 16 KOs, and will be out to claim his first world title against the tough Lebedev who has 27 wins, 20 KOs, with just two defeats on his record.

In addition, 2008 gold medalist Rakim Chakhkiev will look for his fifth-straight knockout against California-based Londoner Ola Afolabi, with IBF light-welterweight ace Cesar Rene Cuenca looking to equal Floyd Mayweather’s 49-0 record against Eduard Troyanovsky.

Knockout king Dmitry Kudryashov, who has stopped all 18 of his opponents, challenges for the vacant WBC Silver cruiserweight title against another hard-hitter in Olanrewaju Durodola, who has 19 knockouts in his 21 wins.

Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “This is a really exciting card featuring some of the very best fighters in the world. The main event is an intriguing matchup with the winner putting themselves in pole position for a shot at the WBC heavyweight world title. There is also the chance to see some top class cruiserweight action and the fact that the bill has some of the biggest hitters around makes for a thrilling night of boxing.”

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415, online or app) for only £12 a month visit boxnation.com.

-Ends-
About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* 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.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at Livesport.tv and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

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CUBAN SENSATION ERISLANDY LARA RETURNS TO DEFEND HIS TITLE AGAINST FORMER WORLD CHAMPION JAN ZAVECK WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 ON PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN FROM HIALEAH PARK RACING & CASINO IN MIAMI 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT

Erislandy Lara
MIAMI (October 19, 2015) – Cuban sensation Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (21-2-2, 12 KOs) will defend his super welterweight world title against former world champion Jan Zaveck (35-3, 19 KOs) on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on ESPN Wednesday, November 25 from Hialeah Park Racing and Casino in Miami with televised coverage beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

“I’m very excited to be defending my title in my hometown of Miami,” said Lara. “Getting in the ring with a former world champion and an experienced fighter like Jan Zaveck is something I’m very much looking forward to. On November 25 I will put on a show for all my fans and especially all my Cuban fans watching on ESPN.”

“I am aware that this will be one of the toughest fights of my career,” said Zaveck. “I respect Lara and I will prove that I am on the same level. I am aware that I am the underdog and that I am coming into Lara’s ‘living room.’ I am coming to Miami to chase my dreams and surprise everybody.”

Lara, known as one of the best technical boxers in the sport, was an exceptional amateur for the Cuban national team before eventually defecting from the country. Now, Lara will fight in Miami for just the second time in his career, a city that boasts the largest Cuban population in the U.S.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing, are priced at $100, $75, $50, $35 and $25, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online at www.myticketforce.com, by phone at (877) 840-0457 or at the Hialeah Park casino cage.

The 32-year-old Larais a slick boxer with the ability to deliver punishment while taking very little of it in return. Lara has notched victories over Alfredo Angulo, Austin Trout, Ishe Smith and Freddy Hernandez throughout his career. As an amateur, Lara won numerous titles including a national championship at welterweight and also participated in the 2007 Pan-Am games. The fighter originally from Guantanamo, Cuba most recently dominated Delvin Rodriguez on a June 12 PBC card.

A former world champion at welterweight, Zaveck was a seven-time national champion in his native Slovenia, but has fought out of Germany for most of his career. The 39-year-old won a world title by stopping Isaac Hlatshwayo and went on to defend his title against, Rodolfo Martinez, Rafal Jackiewicz and Paul Delgado. Zaveck enters this fight on a three-bout win streak including his most recent triumph over Sasha Yengoyan in April 2015.

For information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.hialeahpark.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LaraBoxing @WarriorsBoxingProm and @ESPNBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions
and www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo. Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.




Siberian Rocky steps in to headline Monte-Carlo Boxing Bonanza

Ruslan Provodnikov (1024x576)
Johannesburg, October 19 – Crowd-pleasing former world junior-welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov of Russia will fight unbeaten Jesus Alvarez Rodriguez of Mexico in the headliner of the “Night of Champions” tournament in Monte Carlo on November 7.

This bout replaces the WBA championship fight between Juergen Braehmer and Tommy Oosthuizen after the German sustained a hand injury in training. Frantic efforts to secure a highly-rated replacement for Oosthuizen were unsuccessful, although promoter Rodney Berman was delighted to get Provodnikov’s signature.

“He’s in great shape as he was in training,” said the South African, who reached agreement with Art Pelullo of Banner Promotions. “Provodnikov is all-action, a made-for-TV fighter who will add great value. I’m disappointed the Braehmer-Oosthuizen fight has fallen through, but I’ve been around long enough to know that such things are an occupational hazard.”

“We are working on finding a new date for the event,” said Braehmer’s promoter, Kalle Sauerland.

Provodnikov’s opponent is 23-years-old and unbeaten in 13 fights (although it is understood that five additional pro bouts are unrecorded).

Provodnikov (24-4, 17 KOs) has come off a remarkable run of five fights against top-level opposition: Tim Bradley jr, Mike Alvarado, Chris Algieri, Jose Luis Castillo and Lucas Matthysse.

“The Siberian Rocky” is a former WBO junior-welterweight champion rated number four by both the WBC and the WBO. His fight against Bradley in 2013 was named Fight of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. More recently, his fight against Matthysse was another candidate for Fight of the Year.

On the undercard, cruiserweights Youri Kalenga (21-2, 14 KOs) and Roberto Bolonti (36-4, 25 KOs) will fight a 10-rounder.

Additionally, Venezuelan Charlie Navarro’s (25-7, 20 KOs) will meet David Avanesyan (20-1-1, 10 KOs) of Russia for the WBA Interim welterweight belt.

Also, Yonfrez Parejo (16-1-1, 7 KOs) of Venezuela, the WBA’s number one-ranked bantamweight, defends his Interim belt against Kazakhstan’s Zhanat Zhakiyanov (25-1, 18 KOs)

Rounding out the tournament is a fight for the WBC Silver super-bantamweight title between French champion Amor Beladhj Ali (14-3-1, 2 KOs) and Qiu Xiao Jun (17-2, 7 KOs) of China.




Chaotic beauty

By Bart Barry-
Roman Gonzalez
“The only way to predict (the result) after a given number of iterations is to actually perform them. This is the ‘hell’ of chaos. There is no shortcut way to predict the future of a chaotic system. Yet it is completely deterministic. If one begins with the same growth rate and start value and does the same number of iterations, the result is always the same.” – Michael McGuire, An Eye for Fractals

Saturday in the co-main event of a Gennady Golovkin fightcard that should not have been on pay-per-view, Nicaraguan master Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez defeated by TKO American flyweight Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria. It was, as always, an honor to watch Chocolatito.

There is a joy in seeing Roman Gonzalez ply his craft that serves as a point of personal nostalgia more than glee; it’s a reminder that brings sadness, now, of how much more we cared about prizefighting even five years ago – when there were stakes, when every match wasn’t settled in the contract, when the opening bell rang on a championship match and the promoters and matchmakers and commentators had at least a sprinkle of doubt what might transpire.

Are there upsets today? Supposedly. But they almost universally originate in acts of matchmaking incompetence, which is fairly the opposite of how one supposes they should: Neglecting his homework, a matchmaker imports an unknown commodity from afar and watches in horror as the unknown commodity exceeds expectations, and then reacts in horror as the promoter-friendly judges do not “stay bought” – in Simon Cameron’s memorable phrase. Saturday the favorites on the telecast won at least 90-percent of the rounds, and more than 95-percent of the minutes. Bereft of moments for insight, the commentating crew meandered to its likeliest spot, selfreference and salesy exuberance, violating, as it did, an olden days’ formula that goes: Wisdom = Insights / Words.

But let them not turn you against Chocolatito. Freed from the penitentiary in which Richard Schaefer and Chuck Giampa once held it, “The Ring” magazine ratings panel now recognizes Chocolatito and Andre Ward as, pound-for-pound, the world’s two best fighters, ensuring Gennady Golovkin someday will have to fulfill all those promises we used to hear about his fighting at 168 pounds, if aficionados are to recognize him as the world’s best fighter. Golovkin will not beat Ward, and it’s good to see the ratings panelists recognize that, both conditionally and historically; however many b-level, 8-1 underdogs Golovkin bionically razes, however many junior middleweights abdicate titles to avoid him, however strainedly commentary crews liken his rise to Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s or Manny Pacquiao’s, Golovkin will remain a talented athlete whose supporters looked upon an accumulation of mediocrity and called it great, sometimes absurdly, sometimes soberly, sometimes even with eyes wetted.

It does not behoove Golovkin to continue fighting immediately after Chocolatito; a better promotional programmer would separate them with some heavyweights, a cleansing of the excellence palate, as it were, to make Golovkin look more fluid and faster than he does every time he comes onstage moments after Chocolatito. It is not a talent river forded in the time it takes to sing a national anthem, even if it is America’s, a song somehow far more inflatable than any other country’s; Golovkin looks stiff after a half hour with Chocolatito, and that is not a pointed criticism of Golovkin: he’s simply outmatched the way Golovkin’s opponent was Saturday night.

David Lemieux had power, we were assured relentlessly, and that was the equalizer. In an imaginary match with Chocolatito, Golovkin, we’d be told, has immeasurable power advantages, the sound and ferocity of his punches convincing even the lamest of the laity. One-punch-knockout power, grows the canard, even as Golovkin needs hundreds more punches to stop opponents as his quality of opposition migrates north from level C. Golovkin was technically superior to Lemieux as Chocolatito is technically superior to Golovkin, who does do a number of things very, very well.

Chocolatitio does simply everything very, very well. There is a pure chaos to the combinations Chocolatito throws at an opponent; they are fully sensitive to their starting points, self-referential, and unpredictable. Because he routinely fights men who can hurt him – “every punch hurts me,” Chocolatito said after Saturday’s victory – he throws rebalancing punches more often than Golovkin does (or needs to). Chocolatito has the defensive responsibility of a young Juan Manuel Marquez and the offensive prowess of an old Juan Manuel Marquez and none of the Mexican’s deep contempt.

A perfect combination has no end point, as the old saw has it, because every punch flows frictionlessly to its counterpart: The jab positions the hips for the cross that cocks the lead shoulder for the hook that sets the back hip for an uppercut that places the lead hand for the hook that brings an overhand right that forces an up jab that positions the hips, and so forth. Chocolatito’s conditioning is right, of course, but it is famous because of the mechanical purity of his combinations and how very little energy is lost to the friction of missing and reversing and getting hit in unacceptable ways.

One such unacceptable way was the left hook Viloria landed Saturday in the match’s final round, a punch to the fabled button that frightened Chocolatito with both its instant pain and arriving consequences, and yet, what poise. Chocolatito lowered his right guard, tucked his chin and began to spin and breathe, enduring the misery long as his recovery required. Then he stopped Viloria.

We have yet to see such poise from Golovkin because we have never seen him challenged because, we’re told, he has no equal in the world, man or beast. Such claims are often made. They never survive posterity.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry




Video: Oscar De La Hoya




STATEMENT FROM PROMOTER LOU DIBELLA ON PRICHARD COLON

Prichard Colon became symptomatic in his dressing room following his bout with Terrel Williams Saturday afternoon at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA. Within moments, he was under the care of EMTs and was rushed to Inova Fairfax Hospital. He suffered a brain bleed as a result of an injury during the bout and underwent immediate surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. His condition remains critical. Prichard’s family has requested that their privacy be respected at this time. Updates will be provided when appropriate. We ask that everyone join us in praying for Prichard and his family.”

– Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment




HBO replay of Golovkin-Lemieux & Gonzalez-Viloria

Gennady Golovkin
HBO Sports serves up a double dose of world title boxing action with the presentation of the world middleweight unification title fight GENNADY GOLOVKIN VS. DAVID LEMIEUX and the flyweight showdown ROMAN GONZALEZ VS. BRIAN VILORIA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 on HBO. The HBO Sports team, which was ringside for the live coverage at New York’s Madison Square Garden, called all the action, available in HDTV. The hard-hitting bouts will be presented along with the previously announced “HBO World Championship Boxing®” event featuring the world junior welterweight title fight between Terence Crawford and Dierry Jean in Omaha, beginning at 9:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

These two fights took place Saturday, October 17, live on HBO Pay-Per-View® in what was viewed as a highly anticipated pay-per-view card with 160-pound attractions Golovkin and Lemieux headling the event and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez seeking to re-affirm his standing as the consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world versus a challenge from Brian Viloria.
Other HBO playdates: Oct. 25 (9:00 a.m.) and 26 (11:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Oct. 25 (3:30 p.m.) and 27 (11:00 p.m.)
® HBO World Championship Boxing is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.




Short Night: Jessie Magdaleno strikes with first-round KO

PHOENIX – Las Vegas featherweight Jessie Magdaleno was looking forward to his first 10-rounder.

Still is.
Magdaleno didn’t need nine of the scheduled rounds. He didn’t even need all of the first round’s three minutes.

Magdaleno (22-0, 16 KOs) looked a lot like a prospect in the express lane toward a major title Saturday night in a first-round knockout of Filipino Vergel Nebran (14-10-1, 9 KOs) in a UniMas-televised bout on a Top Rank/Iron Boy Promotions card at Celebrity Theatre.

The beginning to a swift end started about two minutes after opening bell when Magdaleno delivered a lightning strike of combos that sent Nehran falling along the rope and onto the canvas.

At 2:22, Nebran was down again. This time, he didn’t get up from a Magdaleno body shot, a left, that knocked the air and will out of him.

Off The Card

Phoenix Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal had a chance to watch HBO’s pay-per-view telecast of pound-for-pound king and fellow flyweight Roman Gonzalez’ ninthj-round TKO of Brian Viloria after all.

Carbajal, who 22 years ago was the first fighter from the flyweight divisions to be ranked among the top five in The Ring’s pound-for-pound ratings, was scheduled to work the corner for a debut of Johnny Tijerina, a featherweight from his Ninth Street Gym.

But the four-rounder was cancelled. Turns out, Tijerina’s opponent, Pedro Romero, was too young for an Arizona license. He’s 17. For an Arizona license, you have to be at least 18.

Romero had one pro fight, a loss in Texas, where he was licensed. In Texas, the minimum age is 17, according to Matthew Valenzuela, executive director of the Arizona State Boxing & MMA Commission.

Best of the undercard: Phoenix light-heavyweight Trevor McCumby (21-0, 16 KOs) is still unbeaten, but he wouldn’t be without a timely display of toughness. West Virginian Dustin Echard (11-2, 8 KOs), who knocked him down in the round wiht powerful right hand. McCumby answered the threat with a furious succession of body to head combos for hard earned victory by unanimous decision.

The Rest: Chinese light-heavyweight Que Peng (5-1, 4 KOs) might have traveled far, but he was as comfortable in a Phoenix ring as he would been in a Beijing one, throwing an overhand right that scored first-round KO of Mexican Lauro Alcanter (9-5, 1 KOs).

Francsico De Vaca (13-0, 4 KOs), a Phoenix super-bantamweight trained by ex-Oscar De Hoya cornerman Robert Alcazar, survived a whirlwind four rounds for a unanimous decision over Ricardo Proano (11-3, 9 KOs) of Mexico.

Phoenix super-lightweight Luis Olivares (9-0, 6 KOs) overwhelmed Mexican Brandon Aguinaga (6-4, 4 KOs), landing a succession of punches at head spinning rate for a second-round TKO.

Phoenix lightweight Victor Castro (15-0, 7 KOs) remained unbeaten, yet appeared vulnerable in escaping with six-round majority decision over Mexican lefthander Victor Capaceta (4-9-3, 2 KOs), who stormed out of the ring in anger after the scores were announced.

The card opened with DQ. Oswaldo Ortega (1-2, 1 KOs) threw one cheap shot after another until referee Wes Melton said no more, disqualifying him in the fourth round of a heavyweight bout with fellow-Mexican Bernardo Marquez (3-1-1, 1 KO).




Andrade, Lundy score knockout wins

Demetrius Andrade 1
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (Oct. 17th, 2015) – With two more impressive highlight-reel knockouts on their resumes, Demetrius Andrade and Hank Lundy are ready for whoever’s willing to accept the challenge in their respective weight classes.

Andrade (22-0, 15 KOs) stopped Argentinian Dario Fabian Pucheta (20-3) at the 50-second mark of the second round Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena to capture the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) International Junior Middleweight Title in the main event while Lundy disposed of Carlos Winston Velasquez (23-22-1) 23 seconds into the fifth round of the co-main event to bring home the World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas Lightweight Crown.

The dual main event headlined CES Boxing’s “Gold Standard” card, promoted in association with Banner Promotions and Star Boxing.

Fighting for the first time in 16 months, Andrade – the former world title-holder in the WBO – made quick work of Pucheta, sending him to the canvas twice in the opening round, the first time courtesy of a straight left hand and again just seconds later with a right uppercut. Already on wobbly legs, Pucheta gave it a go in the second round, but Andrade laid him out flat with another right, sending the pro-Andrade crowd into an uproar.

Andrade will now vault back into the WBO rankings, where he says he’s ready for the “big boys” at 154 pounds, whether that’s World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara, WBC middleweight champ Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, or anybody else in that weight class.

“Everybody else can get the big fights. Why can’t I get the big fights?” Andrade said. “Lara calls out Delvin Rodriguez and he gets that fight, but I can’t get Lara. He can go in and barge in on Canelo’s press conference and get that fight. Why can’t I get the same thing? I called him a bitch, nationally!

“No disrespect to any fighter because anyone who gets in that ring, I have high respect for, but it’s time for me to showcase what I really have against the guys everyone thinks is No. 1.”

Showing no signs of ring rust, Andrade came out firing Saturday and could get his shot real soon.

“This layoff, I just took the time to get better physically, spiritually, mentally, just all around, to be better myself,” he said. “Once I found out I was fighting September 17th, I always keep the synthetic oil in, but I had to get the motors running again. Here we go, man.”

For Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs), this is familiar territory. The former North American Boxing Federation (NABF) and North American Boxing Organization (NABO) lightweight champion and former No. 1 contender in the WBC, Lundy has settled back into the 135-pound weight class following a brief stint at 140 and also hopes to contend for a world title by the end of 2015.

He, too, came out fast Saturday, dropping the scrappy, tough Velasquez in the second round and again at the bell in the fourth, but Velasquez refused to quit. He continued to eat lefts and rights and even jawed with Lundy during exchanges, practically charging at his opponent after picking himself up off the canvas at the end of the fourth.

Seeking his first win in three fights, Lundy finally ended it in the fifth with another trademark flurry, backing Velasquez into the corner before the referee stopped the fight.

What’s next for “Hammerin’” Hank?

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring in December,” Lundy said. “Our mission this year is to stay busy, stay active, get that world title, and that’s what I’m going to do.

“Now I’m back at 135 and you see the punching power, you see the hand speed. No one is going to stop us.”

Lundy suffered back-to-back losses to Thomas Dulorme and Mauricio Herrera at 140 and also had a bout with Petr Petrov scrapped when he failed to make this 135-pound weight limit taking the fight on eight days’ notice. On Friday, he clocked in at a lean 134, removing any doubt as to whether or not he can still fight at lightweight.

“I’m still a lightweight,” he said. “They threw me under the bus. They didn’t give me credit for taking a fight on short notice, but I showed you today. I came in at 134. I think I was a little lower than that, but the commission didn’t want to show that off!

“What it is, before I was going up and down in weight, but now, as a veteran, we’re eating and living right. I have a mentor, Bernard Hopkins. When you have an icon around like that who lectures to you, you have no choice but to take it and feed off it. I’m living proof.”

Unbeaten Worcester, Mass., junior middleweight Khiary Gray (10-0, 7 KOs) kept his perfect record and his knockout streak intact, stopping South Carolina’s Kevin Cooper at the 1:33 mark of the second round.

Cooper succeeded where Gray’s last six opponents failed by making it past the opening round, but not without hitting the canvas courtesy of a left hook in the closing seconds. Cooper made it through the first, but didn’t last much longer in the second. Gray finished the bout with a left uppercut, sending Cooper to his knees. He made it to his feet before the 10 count, but referee Danny Schiavone wisely waved it off. Gray has now won his last seven bouts by knockout, six in the first round.

New Haven, Conn., featherweight Josh Crespo (5-2-3) won for the second time in as many fights, out-working the game Greg Coverson of Detroit to earn a 58-55, 60-53, 60-53 unanimous decision.

Crespo benefitted from a first round knockdown, catching Coverson lunging and countering with a clean left hook. Coverson survived and gained some momentum in the later rounds, but Crespo proved too quick and too elusive.

Unbeaten light heavyweight Nate Millier (7-0-1, 5 KOs) impressed in his United States debut, stopping Queens veteran Borngod Washington 40 seconds into the second round. Millier opened the round with a flurry, backing Washington into a corner and unloaded with wide left and right hooks, forcing Schiavone to give Washington a standing eight count. Washington began complaining of a shoulder during the break in the action and could no longer continue.




Nietes retains Light Fly title with decision over Alejo

Donnie Nietes retained his WBO Light Flyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Jose Alejo at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Alejo was cut under his right eye in round and around his left eye in round four. Nietes suffered a cut around his left eye in round six.

Nietes, 107.8 lbs of Bacolo, PHL won by scores of 120-108 and 119-109 twice and is now 37-1-4. Alejo, 107.4 lbs of Guadalupe, MX is 21-4.

Albert Pagara scored a6th round stoppage over former world title challenger William Gonzalez in a scheduled 12-round Super Bantamweight bout.

Pagara dropped Gonzalez with a right in round six and the fight was stopped at 2:52 of round six.

Pagara, 121.8 lbs of Cebu City, PHL is 25-0 with 18 knockouts. Gonzlez, 120.6 lbs of Managua, NC is 27-6.




De Vaca decisions Proano

Jessie Magdaleno remained perfect by scoring a 1st round stoppage over Vergel Nebran in a scheduled 10 round Featherweight fight at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona.

Magdaleno dropped Nebran in round one with a left to the body. Seconds later a second left to the body crumpled Nebran to the canvas for the 10 count at 2:22 of round one

Magdaleno, 127 1/2 lbs of Las Vegas is 22-0 with 16 knockouts. Nebran, 123 1/2 lbs of Paranque, PHL is 14-10-1.

Francisco De Vaca won a 6-round unanimous decision over Francisco Proano in a Super Bantamweight bout.

De Vaca, 121 3/4 lbs of Phoenix, AZ won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 13-0. Proano, 121 3/4 lbs of Chihuahua, MX is 11-3.




WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING ANNOUNCES BRACKETS, FIRST-STAGE MATCHUPS FOR ONE-NIGHT, EIGHT-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT AT COMERICA THEATRE IN PHOENIX, ARIZ. ON FRIDAY, NOV. 20, LIVE ON NBCSN

LAS VEGAS (October 17, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced tonight during its live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 24: Fitch vs. Okami,” the quarterfinal stage matchups and brackets for its historic, one-night, eight-man tournament that will crown its winner the new number one contender in the promotion’s coveted lightweight (155 pound) division, at “WSOF 25: Eight-Man Lightweight Tournament,” on Friday, Nov. 20, live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz.

Additionally, a lightweight co-main event pitting Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High against fellow battle-tested star and World Series of Fighting newcomer Estevan “El Terrible” Payan was announced for WSOF 25.

“We are excited about the star-studded lineup and incredible matchups we have assembled for the first World Series of Fighting one-night tournament in history,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo. “Combined with an outstanding co-main event between Jason High and Estevan Payan, this is a must-see event for any fight fan.”

In one tournament bracket, Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-11) of Miami, Fla., coming off another “Fight of the Month” performance at WSOF 23 in September, will square off with rising star Rich Patishnock (6-2) of East Stroudsberg, Pa., while Brian Foster (23-7) of Sallisaw, Okla., fresh off a thunderous, first round (:32) KO of previously unbeaten LaRue Burley at WSOF 23, will collide with streaking submission wizard Joao Zeferino (18-6) of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

In the opposite bracket, wrestling and submission ace Brian “The Bandit” Cobb (20-8) of Bakersfield, Calif. will battle Firas Zahabi-trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Mike “The Martian” Ricci (10-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, while Islam Mamedov (12-1) of Jersey City, N.J. via Derbent, Dagestan, Russia will put his phenomenal, 11-fight winning streak on the line against five-time, one-night tournament winner and Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Jorge “Macaco” Patino (38-15-2, 1 NC) of Houston, Texas via Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The winner of the quarterfinal stage bout between Palomino and Patishnock will meet the winner of the fight between Foster and Zeferino in the semifinal stage of the single-elimination affair, and the winner of the matchup between Cobb and Ricci will face the winner of the bout between Mamedov and Patino in the semifinal stage of the tournament.

The two semifinal stage victors will face off against each other for the tournament championship and the right to challenge reigning, undefeated World Series of Fighting lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

High (18-5) of Kansas City, Mo. will look to establish his presence in the World Series of Fighting lightweight division after defeating top-level competition elsewhere in the U.S. as well as in Japan, where the 34-year-old made his initial mark in the sport by collecting wins in the now defunct DREAM and K-1 promotions, and followed up his stellar performances overseas with a perfect, 3-0 run in the Strikeforce cage.

Another former Strikeforce standout, the 33-year-old Payan (16-8, 1 NC) of Tempe, Ariz. has also scrapped with notable adversaries, and has imposed his will with dangerous punching power. Payan is looking for his second straight victory after scoring a third round (2:45) KO on Roberto Young with a barrage of punches on June 6.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 25: Eight-Man Lightweight Tournament” are on sale at the Comerica Theatre box office as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

World Series of Fighting will announce additional details concerning the format and rules of the tournament soon.

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
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Golovkin takes out Lemieux in 8

Gennady Golovkin continued to make his case as boxing’s number one fighter and attraction as he scored an 8th round one-sided beatdown of David Lemieux to retain his WBA and WBC Interim and win the IBF Middleweight title at a sold-out Madison Square Garden

Golovkin dominated the action and did as he wanted as he set the tone with a piston like jab in round one.  In round five, he sent Lemiux to the canvas from a short right hand.  Golovkin continues the assault with thunderous punches that started to bloody the face of the Canadian.  Finally in round 8, Golovkin landed a big flurry of punches that forced referee Steve Willis to mercifully stop the bout at 1:32 of round eight.

Said Golovkin, “I feel great, it was a great fight”

“I felt his power, but I was strong tonight
and my punches hurt him.”

“He is a great champion and I’m glad to beat him.”

“I want all the belts, now I have two. The winner of Cotto/Canelo
for sure.”

“I’m not sure who will win that fight, but I want to fight the winner next.”

“I’m staying at 160 until I have all the belts.”

Said Lemieux, “I feel like the referee called the fight too early. I am fine. When he stopped it I wasn’t event on the mat, I can keep going.

“I have a lot of respect for Golovkin as a fighter. We prepared well for this fight but I feel like I waited too long to take some shots tonight and that really hurt me.”

“I want another chance at Golovkin and I will take advantage of it.

said referee Steve Willis, “I had to do something”

“David is very competitive fighter and as long as he was able to throw punches he was going to keep on trying but his chances of winning were decreasing as the fight went on”

“Against a guy(golovkin) like that he was going to get really hurt and I’m here to protect the fighters health and that’s my top priority ”

“I couldn’t let him continue to receive punishment ”

“I gave him every chance I could and i still hesitated too much. It was over.”

Said Lemieux manager Camile Estephan, Camille:
“It was too early to stop the fight. That punch that Golovkin threw didnt even bring David to the mat. David fought valiantly, he showed a lot of heart and skills. But Golovkin’s defense was great, I think that his defense is underestimated.

Said Bernard Hopkins, “Today was a great night of boxing. David did a great job and put on a great performance. But today Golovkin was better and proved that he deserves to be the unified middleweight champion.

Roman Gonzalez remained perfect with a 9th round stoppage to retain the WBC Flyweight title over Brian Viloria.

In round three, Gonzalez sent Viloria to the deck with a perfect counter right.

Gonzalez dominated the fight as Viloria did well to the body bit Gonzalez’s furious punching battered the face of Gonzalez.  In round nine, Gonzalez landed a right to the head that backed Viloria up to the ropes and then landed a hard flurry of punches until the bout was stopped at 2:53 of round nine.

Gonzalez, 111.4 lbs of Managua, NIC is 44-0 with 38 knockouts.  Viloria, 111.4 lbs of Waipahu, Hi is now 36-5.

Said Viloria, “Roman is a tremendous fighter. I have nothing but respect for him. I had prepared for a different Roman and he surprised me with his defense and his speed. I do feel like the fight was stopped prematurely, I feel good and can keep going. If I had an opportunity to take him on again I would. I feel like I learned a lot today and would use that for the next time around.”

Heavyweight Luis Ortiz annihilated Matias Ariel Vidondo in round three of their scheduled 12-round WBA Interim Heavyweight title bout.

Ortiz dropped Vidondo in round two from a left and ended things in round three when he landed a crushing left that made Vidondo land face first at 17 seconds of round three.

Ortiz, 237.8 lbs of Miami, FL is 23-0 with 20 knockouts.  Vidondo, 261 lbs of Rosario, ARG is now 20-2-1.

Said Ortiz, “I deserve this win and deserve to fight the best. Vidondo did hit hard but he wasn’t good enough to face me. Everyone can see that I dominated the fight. I want to fight the best and I want Golden Boy Promotions to keep its promise and get me the best. I am ready for Klitschko, I know he is running from me. I am going to come after him. I am just ready to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

Taureano Johnson won a 12-round unanimous decision over Eamonn O’Kane on a Middleweight elimination bout.

It looked like it was going to be an early night as Johnson dropped O’Kane twice in round one.  First from a double right hook and again from a sweeping right hook.

Johnson was able to grind out the tough rounds in close and win by scores of 119-107, 118-108 and 117-109.

Johnson, 159.4 lbs of Nassau, BAH is 19-1.  O’Kane, 160 lbs og Belfast. IRE is 17-2-1.

Said Johnson, “This is my first time going 12-round and man does it feel good. It was a tough fight, no matter how many times O’kane went down he kept coming at me. I have respect for him as a fighter. Winning this title eliminator really makes everything for me come full circle and legitimizes me as a true threat in the middleweight division. You know this was a great fight that everyone enjoyed a true brawl, very Mexican Style. This is the beginning for me, the sky is the limit.”

Ruslan Madiyev won a 4-round unanimous decision over Sean Gee in a Welterweight bout.

Madiyev scored a knockdown in round two from a right hand.

Madiyev, 139.6 lbs of Karagabda, KAZ won by scores of 40-35 twice and 39-36 and is now 6-1. Gee, 142.6 lbs of Chicago, IL is now 2-3.

Said Madiyev, “I’m very happy with my performance, it was an honor to
fight on such a big card here at Madison Square Garden.”

“He was a little awkward but I was able to figure him and
win the fight.”‘

“Thanks very much to Gennady for having me on his card. I look
forward to fighting again as soon as possible.”

Lamont Roach Jr. won a 6-round unanimous decision over Jose Bustos in a Lightweight bout.

Scores were 59-55 on all cards for Roach, 131.4 lbs of Washington, DC who is now 9-0. Bustos, 130.4 lbs of Ciudad, MX is now 7-6-3.

Said Roach, “Bustos came to fight. He was not backing down throughout the fight but I did not feel threatened by him. I feel like I dominated the fight and was giving him my all. I wanted to end the fight impressively via knock out but he has a strong jaw. This is my last six-rounder and will move up to eight rounds in my next fight, very excited to go there.”

Maurice Hooker won a split decision over Ghislain Maduma in a 10-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Hooker dropped Maduma in round three with a left hook. Maduma came to back in round six to rock Hooker several times on the ropes before Hooker spit out his mouthpiece.

Hooker, 139.4 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 95-94, 95-93 and Maduma took a card 95-93.

Hooker is now 19-0-2. Maduma, 139.2 lbs of Montreal is 17-2.

Said Hooker, “I think the fight went a good pace and Maduma was a good fighter. He came prepared to fight. I knew I had him from the first round when I hit him with my left. By the fourth round, I grew confident that I was in the lead once I dropped him. But I grew too confident I think and that is when he caught me by surprise in the sixth round. I wasn’t as focused as I should have been so I made sure to listen to my corner and keep him at a distance with my jab for the remaining rounds. I feel that I am ready for a bigger fight and feel confident I can make a statement at 140 pounds. I would love a shot at Broner or any Golden Boy Promotions fighter at 140 pounds, like Antonio Orozco, I can take him.”




FOLLOW GOLOVKIN – LEMIEUX LIVE FROM RINGSIDE

Golovkin_Lemieux weigh in

Follow all the action as Gennaady Golovkin takes on David Lemieix battle for the WBA/WBC Interim and IBF Middleweight titles.  The action kicks off at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a 3 fight undercard featuring Roman Gonzalez defending the WBC Flyweight title against Brian Viloria; Luis Ortiz and Matias Vidondo for the WBA Interim Heavyweight title as well as Taureano Johnson taking on Eamonn O’Kane in an IBF Middleweight elimination bout.

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12 Rounds WBA/WBC Interim/IBF Middleweight titles–Gennady Golovkin (33-0, 30 KO’s) vs David Lemieux (34-2, 31 KO’s)
ROUND 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 TOTAL
Golovkin  10 10  10 10 10  10 10  70
Lemieux 9  9  9  9 8 9  9 62

Round 1 Golovkin controlling with the jab..Hard right over the top..

Round 2 Hard left hook and right from GGG….Right..Hard jab..Big right…Hard combination staggers Lemieux..

Round 3 GGG lands a jab..Right from Lemieux..Bg left hook from GGG…Body head combo..

Round 4 Double jab from Lemieux…Huge left from GGG rocks Lemieux…Big flurry on the ropes..

round 5  Lemieux lands a nice combo…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES LEMIUEX

Round 6 Hard right from GGG..Left hook from Lemiuex…GGG landing some hard power shots…Big left from Lenieux…GGG lands an uppercut

Round 7 Lemieux face becoming bloody..Doctor checking bloody nose..2 hard rights from GGG…he is dominating

Round 8 Hard left to the bODY RIGHT TO THE HEAD…2 MORE PUNCHES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…TKO FOR GENNADY GOLOVKIN

12-rounds–WBC Flyweight title–Roman Gonzalez (43-0, 37 KO’s) vs Brian Viloria (36-4, 22 KO’s)
ROUND 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 TOTAL
Gonzalez  10 9  10 10  10  10 10 9  78
Viloria 9 10  8  9  9 9 9 10 73

Round 1 Right from Viloria…uppercut from Gonzalez..Right from Viloria..Hard uppercut and right from Gonzalez

Round 2 Right to body from Viloria..Left to body from Gonzalez…Uppercut from Viloria..Double left hook

Round 3 COUNTER RIGHT AND DOWN GOES VILORIA..Wicked 5 punch combo…4 more shots to the head..2 left to the body from Viloria…4 hard shots rock Viloria..

Round 4 Good right from Viloria…Hard straight from Gonzalez..5 punch combination..Viloria answers with combo…Trading left hooks

Round 5 Right from Gonzalez…Right over the top..Right inside..left to body from Viloria…Left from Gonzalez…Viloria working body..Right from Gonzalez

Round 6 Right from Gonzalez..right to body from Viloria..Body shot…Gonzalez nice body head combo..uppercuts on the inside…3 more flush uppercuts..

Round 7 bodyshot/uppercut combo from Gonzalez..right over the top 3 more rights..

Round 8 Right to body from Viloria..2 left hooks..hard uppercut on inside from Gonzalez..Viloria’s face is swelling bad..2 lefts and right…Viloria backpeddling…Nice 3 punch combo from Viloria..

Round 9 Left to body from Viloria..3 rights to th head from Gonzalez..Body combo THAT SETS OFF A BIG FLURRY ON THE ROPES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…TKO GONZALEZ

12 Rounds–WBA Interim Heavyweight Title–Luis Ortiz (22-0, 19 KO’s) vs Matias Ariel Vidondo (20-1-1, 18 KO’s)
ROUND 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 TOTAL
Ortiz 10  10  ko  20
Vidondo 9  8  17

Round 1 Ortiz stalkin

Round 2 BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES VIDONDO

ROUND 3 HARD LEFT AND DOWN GOES VIDONDO FACE FIRST AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

12 Rounds–IBF Middleweight Eliminator–Taureano Johnson (18-1, 13 KO’s) vs Eamonn O’Kane (14-1-1, 5 KO’s)
ROUND 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 TOTAL
Johnson 10  10 10 10  9  10  10 10 10  10 9  9 117
O’Kane 7 9 9 9  10  9 9  9 10  9  10  10 110

Round 1 Fight starts in close..Johnson lands to the body..Hard left buckles O’Kane..DOUBLE RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES O’Kane..aNOTHER RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES O’KANE…

ROUND 2 Johnson rips O’Kane with 3 hard rights…Inside left..2 chopping rights….right

Round 3 Left from O’Kane..right from Johnson..Hard left from O’Kane..Combo to the head…trading rights…Left to body from Johnson…Hard uppercut from Johnson…Double right from Johnson..left to body…solid right

Round 4 Left to the body from Johnson…straight left..double right from Johnson..Uppercut…

Round 5 3 punch comb from O’Kane..right to the body

Round 6 Right from O’Kane..O’Kane trying to work inside…uppercut and left from Johnson..Body shot

Round 7 Johnson rocks O’Kane with several rights

Round 8 Right from O’Kane..O’Kane bleeding from the forehead…

Round 9 Left from Johnson..O’Kane lands 2 shots…Right from Johnson

Round 10 Right from Johnson

Round 11 3 rights from O’Kane…

Round 12 O’Kane pressing…right from O’Kane…

Johnson wins 119-107, 118-108 and 117-109