Former world title challenger Andrzej Fonfara won a 10-round unanimous decision over Doudou Nugumbu in a Light Heavyweight bout at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois.

Fonfara, 176 lbs of Chicago won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 twice ans is now 26-3. Ngumbu, 175 1/2 lbs of Congo is 33-6

Tomoki Kameda retained the WBO Bantamweight title with a 12-round split decision over Alejandro Hernandez.

Kameda, 117 1/2 of Mexico City, MX won by scores of 115-113 twice while Hernandez won a card 115-113.

Kameda is now 31-0. Hernandez, 118 lbs of Mexico City is now 28-11-2.

Javier Fortuna scored a 5th round stoppage over Abner Cotto in a scheduled 10-round Jr. Lightweight bout.

Fortuna was all over couple in the first couple rounds when Cotto landed a shot behind the head that put Fortuna on the canvas. The knockdown should not have counted but it and to add more confusion, Cotto was rightly docked a point. In round four, Cotto was docked another point for a low blow. The craziness continued in the round when Fortuna was deducted a point after he took a swing at Cotto and apparently missed him but Cotto went down like he was hit. Fortuna hurt Cotto for real in the next round as he landed a hard left that sent Cotto down on his stomach for the 10 count at 1:32 of round five.

Fortina, 129 1/2 lbs of La Romana, DR is now 26-0-1-1 with 19 knockouts. Cotto, 130 1/4 lbs of Agua Beunos, PR is now 18-3.

Final Punch stats: Fortuna 105-302. Cotto: 46-144

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT MAIN EVENT – 10 Rounds
Andrzej Fonfara: 176 Pounds
Doudou Ngumbu: 175 ½ Pounds

WBO BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 12 Rounds
Tomoki Kameda: 117 ½ Pounds
Alejandro Hernandez: 118 Pounds

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS – 10 Rounds
Javier Fortuna: 129 ½ Pounds
Abner Cotto: 130 ¼ Pounds

Caleb Truax 166.5 vs. Scott Sigmon 160
Koki Kameda 115.2 vs. Omar Salado 116
Jamal James 145.5 vs. Cameron Kreal 147
Demond Nicholson 160.5 vs. Lekan Byfield 159.5
Eddie Ramirez 142.5 vs. Manny Brown 141.5
Semajay Thomas 144 vs. Paul Pindroh 143
Jose Felix Quezada 137.5 vs. Alfred Hall 142.5
Alex Martin 145.5 vs. Travis Hartman 148.5
Adam Kownacki 250 vs. Jamal Woods TBA

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Homecoming: Fonfara vs. Ngumbu is a 10-round light heavyweight fight promoted by Warriors Boxing. In the co-main event, WBO World Bantamweight Champion Tomoki Kameda defends his title against interim WBO Bantamweight Champion Alejandro Hernandez in a 12-round bout, and opening the telecast, former interim WBA World Featherweight Champion Javier Fortuna will face Abner Cotto in a 10-round super featherweight bout. The SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition will take place at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Ill., and will air on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for “The Homecoming” start at $31 and are available at Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or call: 1-800-745-3000, the Warriors Offices: 312-622-7668 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office: 312-413-5740, or visit the UIC Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM). They can also be purchased the night of the event. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00 pm. All bouts are subject to change. For more information, visit www.warriorsboxing.com.

For more information, visit www.warriorsboxing.com, www.sports.sho.com and http://www.uicpavilion.com/pavilion, follow on Twitter at @andrzej_fonfara, @DoudouNgumbu, @TomokiKameda, @SHOSports, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and the first non-televised bout starts at 5:30 p.m. All bouts are subject to change.

CHICAGO (Oct. 30, 2014) – Virtually all corners of the world were represented at Thursday’s final press conference at the W Hotel in Chicago for this Saturday’s SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition tripleheader from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

Warsaw, Poland native and Chicago favorite Andrzej “The Polish Prince” Fonfara (25-3, 15 KOs) will square off with Doudou Ngumbu (33-5, 12 KOs), of Toulouse, France by way of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the 10-round light heavyweight main event, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In the co-feature, undefeated WBO Bantamweight World Champion Tomoki “El Mexicanito” Kameda will make the third defense of his 118-pound title against interim titlist and mandatory challenger Alejandro “Payasito” Hernandez. Hernandez (28-10-2, 15 KOs) is a native of Mexico City, Mexico, while Kameda (30-0, 19 KOs) is Japanese but has been training in Mexico since he was 15 years old. “El Mexicanito” translates to the “The Little Mexican” while “Payasito” translates to “Little Clown.”

The opening bout of the telecast pits the Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico. Undefeated contender, former interim WBA Featherweight World Champion and Dominican Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (25-0-1, 18 KOs), will take on Puerto Rican Abner “Pin” Cotto (18-2, 8 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight bout.

Here’s what the fighters had to say at Thursday’s final press conference:

FONFARA:
“I’m happy to be back here in Chicago. [Ngumbu] is a good fighter who should give me a tough fight, but I’m going to walk out the champion.

“I can’t wait to go in there and give the fans what they want to see – a good, tough fight.

“I’m going to box him a bit and use my jab, but if the knockout comes then I’m going to take it.

“I want another shot at a world title, but I have to beat this guy first and keep winning until I get another chance. I feel that I’m ready for another shot, but this guy stands in my way on Saturday.”

NGUMBU:
“This is a great opportunity for me and a great honor to fight on American soil. I trained hard to be perfectly fit for this fight and my opponent.

“It’s not a secret that Fonfara is a powerful puncher, but I’m not worried it. What happens in the ring on Saturday is the only thing that really matters. I’m not worried and I’m certainly not scared. I’m confident I have what it takes to defeat him.

“I did everything that I had to do while in training camp. I’ve trained very hard. And now I’m here to show the world that working hard pays off.

“I came all the way here to do one thing: win.”

KAMEDA:
“It’s my second time fighting here in the U.S. and I’m very excited to defend my belt again here.

“I’m Japanese, but I live in Mexico. I fight like a Mexican. Boxing fans better be ready, because Saturday night is going to be a true all-Mexican brawl.

“This is a fight for Japan, a fight for Mexico, a fight for all the Latinos. I respect my opponent a lot, but there is a reason I’m undefeated, there is a reason I’m the champion and I’m going to win the fight.

“We’re going to scream ‘Viva Japan,’ we’re going to scream ‘Viva Mexico’ and ‘Viva los Latinos’ for all the fans in the U.S.

“On Nov. 1, you are going to seem me eat up ‘The Little Clown.’

“No question, I’ll be looking for a knockout. There’s no other way to go.”

HERNANDEZ:
“I’m going to take advantage of this opportunity to become a world champion. I’m ready to show that I’m the champion, not him.

“Tomoki is a good fighter. He’s fast and slick, but I am, too. I know his style, he’s predictable, and I’m ready to fight and take that belt away from him.

“He’s not a real Mexican. He wants to be a Mexican, but he’s Japanese. I’m the real Mexican here. I’m so Mexican that even the dirt under my fingernails is Mexican. Tomoki is Japanese, and he came to my country to learn from us, the Mexicans. But let’s not forget who the real Mexican is here.

“He comes here saying he represents Mexico and he’s not even Mexican. I don’t have to pretend. I’m 100 percent pure Mexican blood.

“I have my game plan ready. I’ve trained hard and I know exactly what I’m going to do in the ring — how I’m going to move, what type of punches I’m going to throw. I’m ready. This is my chance to shine and I’m not about to let it go.

“On Saturday night, I will win. I’ll be a world champion, a true Mexican champion.”

FORTUNA:
“I’m not really worried about him. I prepared very well and I hope he trained well, too. I don’t want any excuses when he lands on the floor this Saturday.

“He’s a good fighter and he has a good trainer, but he hasn’t faced anyone like me.

“He may have faced Dominicans before, but that was in the amateurs. It will be a lot different now that he’s a professional, and it will be a lot different when he gets in the ring with me.

“I have faced better fighters in my career than he has, no question.

“I’m not looking for the knockout, but if I connect a few punches and I see he’s hurt, I’ll just go for it. I’m going to work him. This is going to be the end of Abner Cotto.

“I studied Abner Cotto very well. Day after day and night after night, I studied him throughout training camp with my trainer, Hector Bermudez. I studied his strengths and his weaknesses. I’ve learned his ways, I learned everything about him and I’m ready to defeat him.

“At 130 or 135 pounds, wherever I see the opportunity to get a world championship, I’m going to seize it.”

COTTO:
“It won’t be an easy fight, but I’m going to do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t go the distance.

“I’ve faced Dominican fighters before so I’m not worried about him or his power. Beating Fortuna is an opportunity to put myself in the top three in the division.

“I hope he comes ready and we can give the fans a good fight. I know I’m ready.

“I have faced some of the best fighters in the world in this division. Fortuna doesn’t intimidate me, he doesn’t bring anything that I haven’t seen before.

“Some people say that Fortuna is very powerful and I that should be very careful, but I’m not thinking about that. I’m only focused on the power in my punches. I’m not going to let them get into my head.

“My Puerto Rican fans better be ready. I’m going to deliver on Nov. 1 and I’m going to make them very proud. I’ll put up a great show. I’ve had plenty of hard fights, tests and challenges and I’ve overcome them. On Saturday, my fans are going to see a different Abner Cotto.

“The key for my victory lies on being smart, patient and taking advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. I plan on exploiting every little mistake that Fortuna makes.”

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Homecoming: Fonfara vs. Ngumbu is a 10-round light heavyweight fight promoted by Warriors Boxing. In the co-main event, WBO World Bantamweight Champion Tomoki Kameda defends his title against interim WBO Bantamweight Champion Alejandro Hernandez in a 12-round bout, and opening the telecast, former interim WBA World Featherweight Champion Javier Fortuna will face Abner Cotto in a 10-round super featherweight bout. The SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition will take place at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Ill., and will air on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for “The Homecoming” start at $31 and are available at Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or call: 1-800-745-3000, the Warriors Offices: 312-622-7668 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office: 312-413-5740, or visit the UIC Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM). They can also be purchased the night of the event. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00 pm. All bouts are subject to change. For more information, visit www.warriorsboxing.com.

For more information, visit www.warriorsboxing.com, www.sports.sho.com and http://www.uicpavilion.com/pavilion, follow on Twitter at @andrzej_fonfara, @DoudouNgumbu, @TomokiKameda, @SHOSports, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and the first non-televised bout starts at 5:30 p.m. All bouts are subject to change.

CHICAGO (Oct. 29, 2014) – Hometown favorite Andrzej “The Polish Prince” Fonfara, France’s Doudou Ngumbu, WBO Bantamweight World Champion Tomoki Kameda and Interim WBO Bantamweight Champ Alejandro Hernandez worked out for the media on Wednesday at Oakley Fight Club in Chicago as they reach the apex of preparation for Saturday’s SHOWTIME Boxing: Special Edition from UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

Fonfara (25-3, 15 KOs) and Ngumbu (33-5, 12 KOs) will square off in the 10-round light heavyweight main event while Kameda (30-0, 19 KOs) will defend his belt against mandatory challenger Hernandez (28-10-2, 15 KOs) in the 12-round co-feature.

Saturday’s tripleheader, which will air live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), is promoted by Warriors Boxing. In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated super featherweight contender and former Interim WBA Featherweight World Champion Javier Fortuna will take on Puerto Rican Abner Cotto in a 10-round super featherweight bout.

Kameda was joined in the gym by his two brothers, Koki and Daiki, who made history when all three recently held world titles at the same time. While Tomoki held the WBO Bantamweight Championship, Koki was the WBA Bantamweight Champion until he voluntarily relinquished the title in December in order to move down to flyweight. Daiki was the IBF Junior Bantamweight Champion until he lost by decision last December. Koki will fight on the non-televised undercard on Saturday.

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Wednesday:

FONFARA:
“I’ve seen a couple of his fights. I know he’s quick and has a different boxing style, an odd style. He’s fast and sneaky, but if I want to be the best and get a rematch with [Adonis] Stevenson then I need to beat guys like him.

“Training camp in Big Bear [Calif.] went well. We had good sparring partners and good preparation for this fight. We had two weeks in Big Bear after a nice camp in Chicago so I’m ready for this fight.

“I know he’s fought tough opponents in Europe, and he’s used to fighting 10 or 12 rounds. He doesn’t have the strongest punch, but he has solid technique and he’s fast.

“It’s very exciting to be fighting back in Chicago, to be fighting in front of my fans. It’s a huge motivation for me.

“I want to show everyone that I’m in great shape. We’ll see, if I get a chance to knock him out I’ll knock him out. If not, I just want to win the fight. It doesn’t matter how, I just want to win the fight.

“My next step is the rematch with Stevenson because I feel I can beat him. I don’t know if he’ll take the fight, but if I win this one and become a mandatory challenger at some point then he’ll have to fight me. I want to be the champion.”

NGUMBU:
“Training camp went very well. We took Fonfara very seriously because he’s a well-known boxer, not just in the U.S. but in the world. So we didn’t take him lightly.

“The fight is going to happen in the ring. You can’t predict what is going to happen in advance. There will just be two of us in there on Saturday.

“I’m not concerned with his power. If I was concerned about it I wouldn’t have come all the way to Chicago.

“I actually think I’ve faced the tougher fighters than he has. And I think I’ve faced a few guys that are stronger than Fonfara.

“I came here to do my job, which is to box, and I came here to win.

“It’s a huge honor to be able to box on U.S. soil. The time difference and travel isn’t an issue for me. I’ve fought all over the world so I know how to adapt.”

KAMEDA:
“All fights are different, all opportunities are different, but we are always prepared to win. We’ll take what we get in the ring, but if the right hook to the body is there we’re going to take it.

“I’ve always dreamed of fighting in the U.S., and I’ve always dreamed of fighting on TV. Now that I’m here and I’ve signed with Al Haymon, I know all the doors will open for me. But our main goal is to win on Saturday and put on a good show for the fans.

“I sparred with him [Hernandez] about six years ago, but we’ve both changed a lot since then. He’s matured and I’ve matured. But the difference is that I’m the champion now.

“Training camp was great. We put in all the work in the gym and now we’re ready to get in there and put on a show.”

HERNANDEZ:
“I prepared very well for this fight. I had a very strict and rigorous routine. Definitely the hardest training camp I’ve ever had.

“Tomoki and I have sparred in the past, and that might help. But not as much as everybody might think. It’s been a while since our sparring sessions and we’ve both changed our styles and techniques. I have changed and matured as a fighter, and come Saturday night, it will show.

“I’m going to implement a different game plan. I’m not going to be focused on one particular area or punching style. I just have to go at him with everything I have. I’m going to surprise him; he won’t see me coming.

“It’s a dream of any boxer to leave a mark and make an impact in this sport and I’m grateful I have my chance on SHOWTIME this Saturday.”

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Homecoming: Fonfara vs. Ngumbu is a 10-round light heavyweight fight promoted by Warriors Boxing. In the co-main event, WBO World Bantamweight Champion Tomoki Kameda defends his title against interim WBO Bantamweight Champion Alejandro Hernandez in a 12-round bout, and opening the telecast, former interim WBA World Featherweight Champion Javier Fortuna will face Abner Cotto in a 10-round super featherweight bout. The SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition will take place at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Ill., and will air on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for “The Homecoming” start at $31 and are available at Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or call: 1-800-745-3000, the Warriors Offices: 312-622-7668 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office: 312-413-5740, or visit the UIC Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM). They can also be purchased the night of the event. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00 pm. All bouts are subject to change. For more information, visit www.warriorsboxing.com.

For more information, visit www.warriorsboxing.com, www.sports.sho.com and http://www.uicpavilion.com/pavilion, follow on Twitter at @andrzej_fonfara, @DoudouNgumbu, @TomokiKameda, @SHOSports, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and the first non-televised bout starts at 5:30 p.m. All bouts are subject to change.

NEW YORK (Oct. 2, 2014) – Undefeated WBO Bantamweight World Champion Tomoki “El Mexicanito” Kameda will make the third defense of his title against interim titlist and mandatory challenger Alejandro Hernandez on Saturday, Nov. 1, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT) in the co-feature of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition.

In the main event of the tripleheader, popular light heavyweight contender Andrzej “Chicago’s Polish Prince” Fonfara will return to his adopted hometown against experienced veteran Doudou Ngumbu in a 10-round light heavyweight showdown from UIC Pavilion at University of Illinois-Chicago.

In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated super featherweight contender and former Interim WBA Featherweight World Champion Javier Fortuna will take on twice-beaten Puerto Rican Abner Cotto in a 10-round super featherweight bout. The event, titled “The Homecoming,” is promoted by Warriors Boxing.

Chicago’s Fonfara, 26, a native of Warsaw, Poland, had won 13 in a row before a hard-fought loss to WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis Stevenson this past May in a thrilling battle on SHOWTIME. A heavy underdog, Fonfara floored the champion in his hometown of Montreal in the ninth round in a showdown that was closer than most experts anticipated.

Fonfara (25-3, 15 KOs) is now 15-1 with one no-contest since July 2008. The WBC No. 6 contender at 175 pounds, Fonfara has defeated three former world title holders -Byron Mitchell (TKO 3), Glen Johnson (a clear 10-round decision in perhaps a career-best victory) and Gabriel Campillo (TKO 9) -in his last six starts.

Fonfara, who campaigned for much of his career at 168 pounds and below, has only lost once at light heavyweight, and that loss was to Stevenson, widely considered as the top fighter in the world at 175 pounds. The 6-foot-2 Fonfara, who turns 27 three days after the showdown with Ngumbu, will return to Chicago for his eighth fight in his last nine starts.

A boxer with superb stamina and surprising power, Fonfara’s iron chin allows him to outlast his opponents and come on in the later rounds of his fights.

The 32-year old Ngumbu, of Toulouse, France by way of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will make his U.S. and North American debut. Originally a soccer player, Ngumbu found boxing at age 18 and turned professional at 25. The former African champion (33-5, 12 KOs) is vastly experienced, having fought 247 rounds to Fonfara’s 129.

The 5-foot-11 Ngumbu is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision over Johnny Muller in June in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and has gone the 12-round distance six times since 2009.

Ngumbu holds a 2013 win over former world title challenger Vyacheslav Uzelkov, who lost in 2010 to then-WBA Light Heavyweight Champ Beibut Shumenov. Ngumbu also has a 12-round unanimous decision win over Aleksy Kuziemski, who challenged Nathan Cleverly for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title in 2011.

Ngumbu’s long arms and fast hands allow him to come forward with an unorthodox but aggressive attack from unpredictable angles. His tendency to keep his hands at his sides makes all of his fights exciting affairs.

Kameda (30-0, 19 KOs), of Tokyo, Japan, is coming off a brutal 7th round knockout victory of former WBO Bantamweight Champ Pungluang Singyu in his U.S. debut on July 12.

The victory over Singyu was the biggest win of the 23-year-old’s career. Singyu had formerly held the same championship belt until losing it to Paulus Ambunda in March 2013. Ambunda lost his belt to Kameda in his first and only defense of the title last August via unanimous decision.

Kameda and his two brothers, Koki and Daiki are among the most famous fighters in the history of Japanese boxing, and all three recently held world titles at the same time. While Tomoki held the WBO Bantamweight Championship, Koki was the WBA Bantamweight Champion until he voluntarily relinquished the title in December in order to move down to flyweight, and Daiki was the IBF Junior Bantamweight Champion until he lost by decision last December.

Kameda moved to Mexico when he was 15 years old to learn an aggressive fighting style and quickly earned the Spanish nickname “El Mexicanito” (The Little Mexican). A true boxer-puncher with extremely fast hands, Kameda continues to train in Mexico, but has since moved back to Japan where his family enjoys celebrity status.

Hernandez (28-10-2, 15 KOs), of Mexico City, won the vacant Interim WBO Bantamweight World Championship with a unanimous decision over countryman Daniel Rosas on June 14.

The 28-year-old Hernandez has won three fights in a row at bantamweight and is a former world title challenger at 115 and 112 pounds. Hernandez fought to a draw for the vacant WBO Super Flyweight Championship to then-undefeated Marvin Sonsona in 2009 and lost a unanimous decision to then-WBO Flyweight Champion and current WBO Super Flyweight kingpin Omar Andres Narvaez in 2008.

A fearless “do or die” slugger from the classic Mexican warrior mold, Hernandez comes forward relentlessly behind powerful combinations to the head and body.

Fortuna (25-0-1, 18 KOs), of Dominican Republic, is a former Interim WBA Featherweight World Champion – he won the vacant belt against previously undefeated Patrick Hyland in 2012. The southpaw was set to defend his crown in April of 2013 against Miguel Zamudio but lost the title on the scales after failing to make weight. He knocked Zamudio down twice en route to a devastating first round knockout and then gradually settled into the 130-pound division.

Fortuna, 25, is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision over Juan Antonio Rodriguez on May 31 in Las Vegas and is just one fight removed from a knockout of former world title challenger Francisco Lorenzo.

Fortuna, who is known for his explosive speed and highlight reel knockouts, only has one blemish on his record – a controversial draw against Luis Franco in August of 2013.

Cotto (18-2, 8 KOs), a relative of future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto, was a top amateur in Puerto Rico – he won a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games and compiled a record of 235-20 before turning pro.

The 27-year-old Cotto is coming off a split-decision victory of Jerry Belmontes in August and his only two losses have come against top competition. He lost to undefeated WBC 135-pound champ Omar Figueroa in a non-title bout in 2013 and to top 130-pound contender Francisco Vargas this past March.

Additional bouts and the undercard will be announced shortly.

Tickets start at $31 and are available at Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or call: 1-800-745-3000, the Warriors Offices: 312-622-7668 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office: 312-413-5740, or visit the UIC Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. CT). They can also be purchased the night of the event. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00 pm. All bouts are subject to change. For more information, visit www.warriorsboxing.com.