PHILADELPHIA–Oleksandt Gvodyk retained the WBC Light Heavyweight title with a 5th round stoppage over Doudou Ngumbu after Ngumbu could not continue due to a leg cramp.

Gvozdyk controlled the distance trough the abbreviated contest, with the rare occasion of Ngumbu trying to dive in. In round five, Ngumbu started hopping around injured, and it was ruled he could not continue at the 58 second mark.

Gvozdyk, 174.7 lbs of Ukraine is now 17-0 with 14 knockouts. Ngumbu, 174.3 of Toulouse, FRA is 38-9.

“It wasn’t what I expected, but I did my best,” Gvozdyk said. “Sometimes this happens in the sport of boxing. It is what it is.

“My goal is to unify titles. I will wait to see what my team tells me to do next.”

Egidjust Kavaliauskas and ray Robinson battled to a ten-round draw in a welterweight bout.

It was a nip and tuck battle that each guy take turns pushing the action.

Robinson took a card 97-93 ans two cards read even at 95-95.

Kavaliauskas, 146.1 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 21-0-1. Robinson, 145.8 lbs of Philadelphia is 24-3-1.

“I won the fight, and I won it clearly,” Kavaliauskas said. “The judges did not agree, and I can’t control what fight they were watching. I still want to fight for a world title because I consider this fight a victory. I am still undefeated, and I know I can beat all of the champions in the welterweight division.”

“I think everyone in Philadelphia knows I won this fight,” Robinson said. “At the end of the night, I know I beat him. I’m the last person to beat Terence Crawford in the amateurs, and that’s the fight I want.”

Sonny Conto destroyed Omar Acosta in under a round of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

Conto landed hard punches that backed Acosta into the corner, and then landed a wicked left hook that sent Acosta down. Acotsa got to his feet but wobbled, and the fight was stopped at 1:15.

Conto, 217.1 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-0 with two fist round knockouts. Acosta, 206.6 lbs of Hereford, TX is 1-6.

Jose Lopez stopped Askhat Ualikhanov after round six of their scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.

Lopez landed hard shots throughout and had Ualikhanov in trouble several times before the fight was halted.

Lopez, 141.5 lbs Humacao, PR is now 12-1 with 10 knockouts. Ualikhanov, 141.3 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 4-2.

Joshafat Ortiz stopped James Thomas in round of their scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

Ortiz dropped Thomas with a hard right, and the bout was stoped at 2:53.

Ortiz, 129.6 lbs of Reading, PA is 6-0 with four knockouts. Thomas, 130.3 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI is 6-5.

Juan Ruiz upset Frederick Lawson by scoring a 4th round stoppage in a scheduled eight-round super welterweight bout.

Ruiz seemed to have dropped Lawson in round four, but it was a ruled a slip. Lawson was groggy, and he took a flurry of punches on the ropes, and the bout was stopped at 1:16 of round four.

Ruiz, 149.5 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 22-4 with 14 knockouts. Lawson, 146.7 lbs of Accra, GHA is 27-2.

Christian Mbolli went the distance for the 1st time and pounded out a eight-round unanimous decision over Humberto Gutierrez in a super middleweight bout.

Mbilli, 163.3 lbs of Montreal won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice, and is now 14-0. Gutierrez 165.5 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 33-8-2.

Kudratillo Abudukakhorov won a 12-round unanimous decision over Keita Obara in an IBF Welterweight elimination bout.

Abudukakhorov, 145.8 lbs of Kuala Lumpor, MAL won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 115-113 and is now 16-0. Obara, 146.4 lbs of Tokyo, JPN is 20-4-1.

Cassius Chaney stopped Christian Mariscal in the 1st round of their scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Chaney registered two knockdowns, and the fight was stopped at 2:16.

Chaney, 248.6 lbs of new London, CT is 15-0 with nine knockouts. Mariscal, 251.2 lbs of Tijuna, MX is 12-3.

Jeremy Adorno made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Sebastian Baltazar in a super bantamweight contest.

Adorno, 120.1 lbs of Allentown, PA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 1-0. Baltazar, 120.3 lbs of Tacoma, WA is 1-4.

Donald Smith remained undefeated with a 4th round knockout over Jose Antonio Martinez in a scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

Smith registered a knockdown in round one. In round four, Smith landed a perfect counter left that plummeted Martinez to the canvas. The back of Martinez head hit the canvas, and the bout was stopped at 2:01.

Smithm 126.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 9-0 with six knockouts. Jose Antonio Martinez, 127.5 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 11-18.

Oleksandr Gvozdyk 174.7 lbs vs. Doudou Ngumbu 174.3 lbs
(Gvozdyk’s WBC light heavyweight title- 12 Rounds)

Egidijus Kavaliauskas 146.1 lbs vs. Ray Robinson145.8 lbs
(Welterweight – 10 Rounds)

ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET)

Sonny Conto 217.1 lbs vs. Omar Acosta 206.6 lbs
(Heavyweight – 4 Rounds)

Askhat Ualikhanov 141.3 lbs vs. Jose Lopez 141.5 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 8 Rounds)

Joshafat Ortiz 129.6 lbs vs. James Thomas 130.3 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 6 Rounds)

Frederick Lawson 146.7 lbs vs. Juan Ruiz 149.6 lbs
(Super Welterweight – 8 Rounds)

Christian Mbilli 163.3 lbs vs. Humberto Gutierrez 165.5 lbs
(Super Middleweight – 8 Rounds)

Kudratillo Abdukakhorov 145.8 lbs vs. Keita Obara 146.4 lbs
(IBF Welterweight title eliminator – 12 Rounds)

Cassius Chaney 248.6 lbs vs. Christian Mariscal 251.2 lbs
(Heavyweight – 6 Rounds)

SWING BOUT 1
Jeremy Adorno 120.1 lbs vs. Sebastian Baltazar 120.3 lbs
(Super Bantamweight – 4 Rounds)

SWING BOUT 2
Donald Smith 126.4 lbs vs. Jose Antonio Martinez 127.6 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 6 Rounds)

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtags #TheNail and #MeanMachine to follow the action on social media.

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PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 13, 2019) — The Nail and the Mean Machine are ready for their South Philly close-up.

WBC and lineal light heavyweight champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk will make the first defense of his world title against Doudou Ngumbu on Saturday, March 30 at the 2300 Arena. In the 10-round co-feature, Gvozdyk’s stablemate, top welterweight contender Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, will take on Philadelphia native Ray Robinson.

Gvozdyk-Ngumbu and Kavaliauskas-Robinson will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The undercard, including the IBF welterweight title eliminator between Kudratillo “The Punisher” Abdukakhorov and Keita Obara and an appearance by Philadelphia-born heavyweight prospect Sonny Conto (1-0, 1 KO), will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $125, $75, and $50 go on sale Thursday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at 2300arena.com, the 2300 Arena box office at (267) 758-2173, or by calling Peltz Boxing at (215) 765-0922.

“It was a long journey for me to become a world champion, and I plan on showing everyone why I am the best light heavyweight in the world,” Gvozdyk said. “Ngumbu is a tough fighter who I cannot afford to overlook. My goal in 2019 is to unify with the other champions, but before I can do that, I have to take care of business on March 30.”

“It is a great opportunity to face arguably the best light heavyweight fighter in the world. After 12 years and 46 fights in my career with serious opposition, I get my first shot at a major world title,” Ngumbu said. “I have the utmost respect for Oleksandr Gvozdyk, a great champion who took the WBC title in a war against Adonis Stevenson. It is not going to be easy, but I believe I am much more experienced as a pro and I intend to use that to my advantage.”

Gvozdyk (16-0, 13 KOs) captured an Olympic bronze medal for his native Ukraine in 2012 as part of a national team that included two-time gold medalist and future promotional stablemate Vasiliy Lomachenko. He climbed the rankings with dominant wins over the likes of Nadjib Mohammedi and Yunieski Gonzalez and won the WBC interim light heavyweight title last March with a unanimous decision against Mehdi Amar. As the mandatory challenger, he traveled to Quebec City and, behind on two of the three judges’ scorecards, knocked out longtime champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson in the 11th round. Ngumbu (38-8, 14 KOs) is coming off perhaps the most significant win of his career, a 12-round majority decision over then-unbeaten Yoann Kongolo in May of last year. A native of the Democratic Republic of Congo who is now based in France, Ngumbu will be making his first attempt at a world title.

Kavaliauskas (21-0, 17 KOs) is universally regarded as one of the welterweight division’s top contenders, a massive puncher who rolled through then-beaten Roberto Arriaza in three rounds last November in Oklahoma City. He has knocked out five of his last six foes and is the WBO’s top contender for the belt currently held by pound-for-pound great Terence “Bud Crawford. Robinson (24-3, 12 KOs) is a rangy southpaw boxer who rebounded from back-to-back losses early in his career to Shawn Porter and Brad Solomon to win 13 in a row. In his last bout, Feb. 17, 2018 against Yordenis Ugas, he saw that winning streak come to an end when Ugas scored a seventh-round stoppage.

“I know a lot of Robinson’s fans will be in Philadelphia to cheer him on, but they will leave the 2300 Arena disappointed,” Kavaliauskas said. “This is the year that I fight for, and win, a welterweight world title. I am ready for anybody, including the Crawford-Khan winner. I will show everyone in Philadelphia and watching on ESPN what the ‘Mean Machine’ is all about.”

“I am always excited to come home and put on for my city,” Robinson said. “Every fight is a risk, but the higher the risk, the bigger the reward.”

Abdukakhorov (15-0, 9 KOs), a native of Uzbekistan who now lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, went 2-0 in 2018, including a convincing 12-round unanimous decision over Laszlo Toth in defense of his WBC silver welterweight belt. Obara (20-3-1, 18 KOs), who hails from Tokyo, is one of the division’s heaviest punchers. He knocked out Alvin Lagumbay in three rounds last August, a measure of revenge over the man who knocked him out in two rounds less than four months earlier.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:
facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtags #TheNail and #MeanMachine to follow the action on social media.

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###

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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

###

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.”

###

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.

MONTEBELLO, Calif. (Oct. 22, 2014) – Crowd-pleasing Windy City fan favorite Andrzej “Chicago’s Polish Prince” Fonfara (25-3, 1 NC, 15 KOs), who’s been training in Big Bear, Calif., participated in an open media workout Tuesday in preparation for his “Homecoming” fight against Congo’s Doudou Ngumbu (33-5, 12 KOs) in the main event of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In the co-feature of a tripleheader, WBO World Bantamweight Champion Tomoki “El Mexicanito” Kameda (30-0, 19 KOs) will make his third title defense when he meets interim WBO Bantamweight Champion Alejandro “Payasito” Hernandez (28-10-2, 15 KOs). Opening the telecast, former interim WBA World Featherweight Champion Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (25-0-1, 18 KOs) will face Abner “Pin” Cotto (18-2, 8 KOs) in a super featherweight 10-round bout.

Fonfara, who turns 27 on Nov. 4, worked out for 90 minutes Tuesday without an extended break. Fonfara will be returning to the ring after a valiant effort in a 12-round decision defeat to WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Adonis Stevenson on May 24 on SHOWTIME. After winning the final five rounds against Stevenson, Fonfara proved his worth against the world champion and did more to enhance his reputation than all 13 of his previous wins combined.

Here’s what the world-ranked Fonfara, and his trainer, Sam Colonna, said during Tuesday’s workout:

ANDRZEJ FONFARA, Light Heavyweight

Question: This is your third time holding training camp in Big Bear, what made you go to Big Bear the first time?

Answer: “Every good boxer prepares there. If I want to be the best I must train where the best fighters in the world train. Big Bear has great altitude, good weather for runs and a very good gym. It’s a great base for camp.

Do you feel the difference in the altitude when you’re up there?

“Yes, absolutely. I felt much different training for this camp than I did the first time I went up there. It was much harder running for the first camp. I would run two, three miles and I couldn’t breathe. But when I would come back to Chicago, I would feel much better and stronger.”

What’s it like for you to fight in Chicago?

“Chicago is a very special city for me because I moved there eight years ago. I started my professional career there. I had just one professional fight before I moved to Chicago. Sam [Colonna, Fonfara’s trainer] and I have been together since I came to Chicago.

“When I first started to fight in Chicago I had 30, 50 people at my fights. Now when I fight there I have a few thousand people. It’s not only Polish people who come to watch me fight, but all fight fans.

“Fans like to see me fight because I am entertaining and put my heart into the ring.”

Your opponent on Nov. 1 [Doudou Ngumbu] goes the distance in most of his fights, how are you preparing for him?

“He’s not a bad fighter. He’s very tough and wants to win each time he steps into the ring. He doesn’t come just to collect a check, he wants to beat me and get a chance on SHOWTIME to show what he is made of.

“It’s good for me, it’s more pressure. It makes me work harder, but I know that I’m ready for this fight.

“I’m not the underdog in this fight like I have been in the past. But this is boxing and you must go in the ring and think and box, you never know what is going to happen.

“If I want to think about a rematch with Adonis [Stevenson], I must beat guys like Ngumbu. There’s much at stake on Nov. 1”

Do you need to beat Ngumbu impressively?

“It doesn’t matter if I knock him out or win the fight on a decision. The important thing is that I get the victory. We have a plan and I must execute. If I follow my plan, I will knock him out in the second round.”

You had a big opportunity in your last fight against Adonis [Stevenson], when you look back at that fight what comes to your mind?

“I showed good heart, strength and my condition in that fight. Even when I was knocked down I wanted to stand back up and fight.

“I know that now I must punch more and keep better defense. Adonis is a different kind of fighter, he’s sneaky and a hard puncher.

“I know that if he doesn’t knock me down in the first round then maybe the fight goes a different way.

“That loss made me want to train longer and harder so that I can get a rematch with him.”

So you would like a rematch with Adonis [Stevenson]?

“Yes, that’s the plan. I need to win like two, three fights and then get the rematch. I know that I can beat him.

“I gave him the best fight of his professional career in our first fight.”

SAM COLONNA, Fonfara’s Trainer and former trainer of Andrew Golota, Tomasz Adamek, David Diaz and others

“I’ve been with Andrzej since after he had his first professional fight, when he came to Chicago from Poland. We’ve been together for eight, nine years. What I really like about him is his work ethic, he’s wonderful to work with and easy to train.

“When he first came, there were maybe eight Polish fighters that came over together, and I liked Andrzej the most. He was the least experienced of all the fighters; I called him the runt of the group. He was the smallest, youngest and only weighed 139 pounds when he first came over. What stood out to me was his work ethic and the fact that he constantly wanted to learn. The other guys thought they knew it all and now all those guys are out of the picture and he’s still going.

“The way he’s learning and progressing, you’re looking at the next future champion of the world.
“We’re fighting a very difficult guy [Ngumbu]. He’s not really crafty, he’s very awkward and the way he moves is very different. He’s a runner and won’t let you stand in front of him and let you hit him. We’re going to have to work really hard to get to him. It’s a fight that Andrzej can’t really look good unless he knocks him out early.

“We want to win of course, but it’s hard to be impressive with this guy. He has gone the distance with a lot of good fighters. I looked at his record and I can see that this guy comes to fight till the end. He’s gone 12 rounds a lot of times so I know it’s going to be a fight that we’re really going to work hard for.

“If we win this fight there will be a lot of opportunities for us. There are many good up-and-coming fighters at 175 pounds; it’s a very hot division.

“He had his chance [against Adonis Stevenson] and he let it slide by him. The experience he got in that fight, you can’t buy. He knows he had the guy hurt and he should’ve jumped on him and taken care of business; he let him off the ropes.”