Lewiston, Maine (February 22, 2016) - New Ingarangi whawhai (Nef), Tau-kotahi whakatairanga whawhai rohe Amerika o, ka mau tona hui muri, “Nef 22: ARATAI ROADS KATOA HERE” i runga i Rāhoroi, April 22, 2016i te Androscoggin Bank Colisée i Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. I mua i teie mahana, NEF announced the main event of the boxing portion of the “NEF 22” kāri whawhai. Northeast Junior Welterweight Champion Brandon “Ko te Cannon” Berry (11-1, 7 Koó) Ka tangohia i runga i James Lester (10-9, 4 Koó) in a non-title, six-round bout at 140-pounds.
Berry, the pride of small-town West Forks, Maine, has shined since returning from a shoulder injury last year. He has won his last three in a row, including a technical knockout (WHO) stoppage of Tollison Lewis (2-1, 1 KO) earlier this month in Lewiston. The upcoming fight with Lester will see Berry return to his native 140-pound junior welterweight division for the first time since his injury. All three of his recent wins have come in the heavier welterweight and super welterweight divisions.
“April 23rd will be a big turning point in my boxing career,” said Berry when reached for comment. “This will be my fourth time headlining NEF’s boxing portion of the event, and I want to thank Nick (DiSalvo, NEF promoter), Matt (Peterson, NEF matchmaker) and Pete (Czymbor, NEF Director of Boxing Operations) for the opportunity. I asked for a challenge and to make it back down to my regular fight weight of 140-pounds, and that’s what I’m getting with Detroit’s James Lester. I think the crowd will be very happy and impressed with the talent level James brings. This is a big test for me and I hope that with nine weeks to prepare it’s a test that I can pass. He brings so much to the table that can give me problems in the ring, so me showing up anything less than 100% will be unacceptable.
“I know that Tommy (Duquette), Ed (LaVache), Luke (Yetten) and the rest of Boston Boxing will push me to the limit and bring me into the ring prepared. James Lester has been around and fought some very good fighters. He had an amazing amateur career, and has spent years training at one of the most legendary boxing facility’s in the world, the Kronk Gym. Who doesn’t want to see this fight? See you all April 23rd, and as always thank you all so much for the amazing support. The tickets sales are unreal.”
As Berry noted, James Lester is a product of the world-famous Kronk Gym of Detroit, Michigan. It was there he honed his craft alongside world champions like Thomas “Hitman” Hearns (61-5-1, 48 Koó), Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 Koó), Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 Koó) and Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 Koó), ki te whakaingoa i te tahi, under legendary trainer Emanuel Steward. I te runaruna, Lester was ranked nationally at number-two. He competed against the likes of future Olympian Andre Dirrell (24-2, 16 Koó) and future WBC Super Middleweight Champion Anthony Dirrell (28-1-1, 22 Koó) while in the amateur ranks. The bout with Berry will mark the second time Lester has ventured to New England in his professional career. He competed on a card in Worcester, Massachusetts in 2011. Lester looks forward to making his return to the region.
“Fighting Brandon will be exciting, and I’m ready for anything he has to bring,” said Lester. “Fighting in New England was awesome a few years ago against Ryan Kielczewski (24-1, 7 Koó). I met some real good people there and can’t wait to come put on a show for them again.”
hui i muri mai New England whawhai ', "NEF 22: ARATAI ROADS KATOA HERE,"E wahi Rāhoroi, April 23, 2016 i te Androscoggin Bank Colisée i Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 a kei runga i te hoko i teie nei i www.TheColisee.com ranei na roto i te te karanga i te tari pouaka Colisée i 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. I tua atu, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, te whai ia ratou i runga i Twitternefights, me te uru atu ki te rōpū Facebook whaimana "New Ingarangi whawhai."
Mō New Ingarangi whawhai
New Ingarangi whawhai ("Nef") Ko te whawhai whakatairanga ngā kaupapa kamupene. Misioni a nef ko ki te waihanga i te mau ohipa kounga teitei mō ngā whawhai, me pā o Maine rite tahi. Whānui wheako i roto i te whakahaere hākinakina whawhai he kapa whakahaere o nef, production ngā kaupapa, whanaungatanga pāpāho, marketing, ture me te pānuitanga.