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Qeb Archives: boxing
MIKEY GARCIA RETURNS ON SATURDAY, JULY 30 FOR STACKED NIGHT OF BOXING ON SHOWTIME® AND SHOWTIME EXTREME®FROM BARCLAYS CENTER PRESENTED BY PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® – 9 p.m. LI/6 p.m. PT
Leo Santa Cruz Defends WBA Featherweight Championship vs. Carl Frampton
Two-Division Champ Mikey Garcia Returns Against Former Champion Elio Rojas
Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko Meet in IBF 154-Pound Eliminator
SHOWTIME BOXING ON SHOWTIME EXTREME® – 7 p.m. LI/PT
Brooklyn Welterweights Paulie Malignaggi and Gabriel Bracero Square Off
Ivan Redkach Faces Tevin Farmer in Lightweight Bout
Tickets On Sale Now
BROOKLYN (Rau hli ntuj 28, 2016)—Undefeated former two-division world champion Mikey Garcia will return to the ring after a two-and-a-half-year layoff on Hnub vas xaum, Lub Xya hli ntuj 30 on an exciting night of boxing on SHOWTIME thiab SHOWTIME EXTREME that is one of the strongest cards ever assembled at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Garcia, who won world titles at featherweight and super featherweight, will fight former world champion Elio Rojas in a 10-round bout in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature of the Leo Santa Cruz vs. Carl Frampton event presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).
In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast that begins at 9 p.m. LI/6 p.m. PT, once-beaten 154-pound contenders Harrison Tony thiab Sergey Rabchenko will meet in a 12-round IBF Junior Middleweight Eliminator. Harrison and Rabchenko will square off for the No. 2 mandatory challenger spot to IBF titlist Jermall Charlo, who successfully defended his crown on Tej zaum 21, and undefeated contender Julian Williams, who earned the No. 1 mandatory position on Lub peb hlis ntuj 5, both on SHOWTIME. Harrison vs. Rabchenko is the sixth matchup in 2016 between top 154-pound fighters, a lineup showcasing three world title fights and three title elimination matches in one of boxing’s deepest divisions.
The combined record of the six fighters on the SHOWTIME telecast is an impressive 162-4-1 nrog 113 knockouts.
An all-Brooklyn showdown between welterweight technicians Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi thiab Gabriel “Tito” Bracero highlights the undercard action on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME. The 10-round bout is a matchup between a former two-division world champion, Malignaggi, and a fellow Brooklyn native, Bracero, coming off the biggest win of his career when he knocked out Danny O’Connor last October.
A 10-round clash between once-beaten lightweight Ivan Redkach and streaking Tevin Farmer, a winner of 14 straight, will open the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast live at 7 p.m. LI/PT.
Tus Lub Xya hli ntuj 30 event at Barclays Center comes on the heels of last Saturday’s potential Fight of the Year thriller between Keith Thurman thiab Shawn Porter, a back-and-forth slugfest that generated the top grossing live gate and second-highest attended boxing event in venue history.
“This is the strongest card from top to bottom that I have promoted at Barclays Center,” said DiBella Entertainment President Lou DiBella. “Every single fight is significant and competitive, and this is a great follow up from the tremendous success that boxing had with Thurman-Porter this past weekend.”
“This will be our 19th boxing event, but from top to bottom it’s arguably our best card yet,” said Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Brett Yormark. “We are excited to welcome undefeated Santa Cruz and Frampton to Brooklyn for the first time, a fight that could rival Barclays Center’s epic Thurman-Porter bout for Fight of the Year. It’s also a pleasure to welcome Brooklyn’s own Paulie Malignaggi back to Barclays Center for the fifth time and to host the return of Mikey Garcia after a two and a half year hiatus. Lub Xya hli ntuj 30 is going to be another big night for BROOKLYN BOXING.”
“We are excited to be part of Mikey Garcia’s return to the ring. Before the layoff, he was a two-division world champion and considered one of the top boxers in the world. We know he is determined to reclaim his place among the elite,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “SHOWTIME has distinguished itself by delivering the most compelling matchups and the most important events in boxing all year long. There is no other network as committed to the sport, thiab Lub Xya hli ntuj 30 event, from top-to-bottom, is a prime example.”
MIKEY GARCIA vs. ELIO ROJAS
“I expect to pick up right where I left off,” Garcia told SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray last Saturday on CBS. “I was a world champion, I was undefeated, and I still am. I didn’t leave because I was injured. I think I’ll come back even better. I’m hungrier now than I was before.
“I just have to get one fight in. This first fight with Elio (Rojas) will be somewhere between 135 thiab 140 pounds, but I want to fight at 135 and win a title there. I want to win a title there and keep going after champion after champion. Now that all that (uncertainty) is behind me I look forward to the next stage of my career. This next stage of my career will be what people remember me for.”
“Mikey Garcia is a great fighter,” Rojas said. “I want to thank him for this opportunity. We are both former WBC World Champions and I expect a great fight. However, all of the talk surrounding this fight has been about Mikey’s comeback and his future plans. I am no tune-up. This is also about me coming back and fighting again. He may be looking past me, but I am fully focused on him and securing the victory. I will do whatever I have to do to win, so I can move on and regain my world championship.”
Garcia (34-0, 28 KOs), of Ventura, Calif., is 28-years-old and in the prime of his career. Once considered one of the top young boxers pound-for-pound in the world, he will make his first ring appearance since he retained the WBO 130-pound title with a 12-round unanimous decision overJuan Carlos Burgos on Jan. 25, 2014. Garcia, the brother of renowned trainer Robert Garcia, has been victorious by knockout in 10 of his last 12 fights and holds impressive victories overRoman “Rocky” Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez, Orlando Salido thiab Bernabe Concepcion.
Rojas (24-2, 14 KOs), of San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, won the WBC featherweight world championship in 2009 with a 12-round unanimous decision over defending titleholder Takahiro Ao in Japan. The 33-year-old successfully defended the title against Guty Espadas Jr. nyob rau hauv 2010, before losing the belt via unanimous decision to Jhonny Gonzalez in April 2012. Since the loss to Gonzalez, Rojas moved up to lightweight, where he defeated Robert Osiobe in August 2014.
TONY HARRISON vs. SERGEY RABCHENKO:
“I’m thrilled to return to the ring on this big stage for my first fight in Brooklyn, and I’m ready to put on a show,” said Harrison. “Fighting for a world title is my dream and I know that I have a challenge in front of me. I’m working hard in camp to get another knockout and to make my mark on the division.”
“This is the start of realizing my dream,” Rabchenko said. “America is the Mecca of boxing so it is a huge privilege for me to be asked to fight there. American fans like to see knockouts and I like to knock people out so I think they will like what they see. I think I can build a fan base there. I am hungrier than ever. I have not seen much of Harrison, but I am ready for anyone. People say he is a very good fighter with good power. I’m not worried. I have good power as well and I think I will have too much for him.”
At just 25-years-old, Harrison (23-1, 19 KOs) has showed tremendous promise. He manufactured a 10-fight knockout streak from 2013 mus 2015 and proved he could recover from a loss when he dominated Cecil McCalla for 10 rounds in October 2015 and stopped Fernando Guerrero in impressive fashion in March.
Fighting out of Belaraus, Rabchenko (27-1, 20 KOs) is looking to put himself squarely into world title contention when he makes his U.S. debut on Lub Xya hli ntuj 30. The 30-year-old is coming off stoppage victories over Walter Calvo in May 2015 and Miguel Aguilar in February.
SHOWTIME EXTREME:
PAULIE MALIGNAGGI vs. GABRIEL BRACERO:
“I feel truly blessed to have yet another opportunity to fight in Brooklyn,” Malignaggi said. “I have known Tito a long time and I know he always comes to fight. We will give the Brooklyn fans a great appetizer before the terrific main event later that night in Barclays Center.”
“I’m looking to make a statement by winning this fight,” said Bracero. “Paulie and I have been friends since the amateurs and I’m thankful to have this opportunity, but he’s had his run. Now it’s time for me to have mine. This fight is going to change my life.”
A former world champion at 140 and 147-pounds, the 35-year-old Malignaggi (35-7, 7 KOs) will return to the ring to fight at Barclays Center for the fifth time. He has faced a slew of big names throughout his career and has been victorious over the likes of Zab Judah, Vyacheslav Senchenko thiab Pablo Cesar Cano. Born and raised in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, “The Magic Man” was victorious twice fighting in his birth country of Italy last year after unsuccessfully challenging unbeaten Danny Garcia in August.
Another Brooklyn-native, Bracero (24-2, 5 KOs) comes off of a sensational one-punch knockout of rival Danny O’Connor in their rematch last October. The 35-year-old owns victories over Dmitry Salita thiab Pavel Miranda in addition to his first triumph over the previously unbeaten O’Connor in 2011.
IVAN REDKACH vs. TEVIN FARMER:
“I am extremely happy to be back in the ring on a big show in New York,” Redkach said. “There are so many Ukrainian fans in New York and I am thrilled to have their support and will put on a great show for them. I want to thank Leo Santa Cruz and his team for having me in their camp as we both prepare ourselves to put on tremendous performances come Lub Xya hli ntuj 30.”
“I couldn’t be more excited about this fight,” Farmer said. “This is my Barclays Center debut and it is going to be a spectacular performance. I have called out anyone and everyone in the 130- pound division to no avail, so now I’m moving up to 135 to take on Redkach, one of the most feared punchers in the division. Redkach is an aggressive guy and I know he is coming to fight, but there is no way I leave that ring without my hand being raised. This is a fight where I can and I will make a major statement. I’m willing to fight whoever they put in front of me to inch closer to a world title opportunity and Lub Xya hli ntuj 30 is another step in that direction. I tip my hat off to Redkach for giving me this fight, but this is my time to shine.”
Born in Ukraine but fighting out of Los Angeles, Redkach (19-1-1, 15 KOs) began boxing at the age of six and has put together an impressive career since turning pro in 2009. The 30-year-old owns victories over Tony Luis, Sergey Gulyakevich and Yakubu Amidu. Most recently, Redkach knocked out Erick Daniel Martinez in October 2015 and fought to a draw with Luis Cruz in April.
Representing the fighting city of Philadelphia, Farmer (24-1-1, 5 KOs) has won 14 bouts in a row since losing to unbeaten world champion Jose Pedraza nyob rau hauv 2012. The 25-year-old has come on strong in recent years, upsetting previously unbeaten fighters such as Emmanuel Gonzalez, Angel Luna thiab Camilo Perez. Farmer dominated veteran Gamaliel Diaz in March and will make his Barclays Center debut on Lub Xya hli ntuj 30.
Daim pib rau cov kev tshwm sim nyob, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions, start at $38 and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD AND POWER-PUNCHING COLOMBIAN ALEXANDER BRAND SET FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 SHOWDOWN AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO®
NEW YORK, NY (Rau hli ntuj 28, 2016) – Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce that Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) will return to the ring onHnub vas xaum, Lub yim hli ntuj 6, to continue his conquest of the light heavyweight division when he takes on power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) at Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, California. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® pib thaum uas muaj 10:30 p.m. LI/PT.
Ward and Brand were slated to face each other last November on the pay-per-view undercard of Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez, but a leg injury forced Ward to withdraw from participation in the event.
Tickets priced at $300, $120, $90, $60 thiab $30, thiab tsis muaj kev tsub thiab se, go on sale Tuesday, Rau hli ntuj 28 tom 5:00 p.m. PT and will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.
Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, the motion picture HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms) and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 xyoo.
“We can get it on, right now,” said Ward. “August 6th, I will be ready, so come out to Oracle Arena or tune in live on HBO. Don’t miss it.”
“It will be a great honor to face Andre Ward on August 6 and better yet in his own backyard,” said Brand. “Fighting somebody with such an illustrious career, facing a guy that perhaps hasn’t lost a round in his entire life, is even more thrilling. We were set to face each other last November, but he was forced to pull out of the fight with an injury. Now the time has come to fight him and I can’t wait to derail his future plans. I’ll work hard to spoil them.”
“Andre Ward’s quest to become the best light heavyweight on the planet and boxing’s number one pound-for-pound fighter continues on Lub yim hli ntuj 6,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Boxing Roc Nation Sports. “Alexander Brand has been waiting for this fight since last year and we have no doubt he is going to enter the ring hungry for a huge victory. There’s a lot on the line in this fight for Andre who knows he can’t look past Brand towards a much discussed clash with Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev.”
“Undefeated for the last two decades, technically brilliant and the last American man to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, Andre Ward is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world,” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. “On August 6th, Andre continues his move up in weight to campaign in the 175-pound division against challenger Alexander Brand in front a hometown crowd at the Oracle.”
Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his warrior’s instinct inside it, 32 year-old Andre Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, culminating in a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold in the past
decade, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. He turned professional on December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO. He has gone on to rack up 27 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process. After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a new chapter in his storied boxing career. The Bay Area product returned to the ring on June 20, 2015 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland, California and scored a ninth-round knockout over Paul Smith, continuing his unbeaten streak which dates back to when he was a 12-year-old amateur. In his most recent fight on March 26, 2016, Ward made his highly publicized 175-pound debut against Cuba’s undefeated and IBF number one rated light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera in front of frenzied crowd at Oracle Arena that including luminaries such as Michael B. Jordan, Stephen Curry, Marshawn Lynch and Draymond Green. Ward expertly managed the fight and began to unravel his opponent in the third round when he caught Barrera with a counter left hook, dropping him to the canvas. The rest was a routine victory for Ward, who scored a dominating dispatch of Barrera by way of unanimous decision after 12 muab suav. Ward looks forward to a formidable challenge in Brand who is now the only obstacle in the way of his anticipated showdown against Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev in the fall.
Bogota, Colombia native Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) turned professional at the relatively late age of 32 following a long and accomplished amateur career that saw him tally over 400 wins. He burst on to the professional scene in 2009, scoring knockout wins in his first 12 fights and winning 15 of his first 17 bouts inside the distance. His first and only professional setback came via an eight-round split decision loss to current WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack in a 2012 fight that many ringside observers thought Brand had won. Since that fight, Brand has passed every ring test with flying colors, notching eight consecutive victories. In his last bout, Brand faced the sternest test of his career since the Jack fight when he fought a favored, undefeated and highly touted light heavyweight Medzhid Bektemirov on December 5, 2015 at Osceola Heritage Center in Kissimmee, Florida. Brand weathered an early Bektemirov blitz, including recovering from a first round knockdown, and notched a 10-round split decision victory by the scores of 98-91, 98-91 thiab 94-95. Tus 39 year-old Brand, who has held several regional title including the WBC Latino Super Middleweight and the WBC Silver Interim Super Middleweight Championships, will be looking to pull off another upset on Lub yim hli ntuj 6 and thrust himself into light heavyweight title contention.
Follow the conversation using #WardBrand.
Xav paub ntau ntxiv, please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.
Xav paub ntau ntxiv, sib ntsib www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
DAVID “EL BANDERA ROJA” BENAVIDEZ “I got my eye on all the champions at super-middleweight”
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DiBella Entertainment signs Conn. Teenage Prospect Mykey Williams
NEW YORK, N.Y. (Rau hli ntuj 28, 2016) – DiBella Entertainment has announced the signing of E. Hartford, Connecticut 18-year-old welterweight prospect Mykquan “Mykey” Hmong/Williams (1-0, 1 KO) to an exclusive promotional contract.
Hmong/Williams, who is currently finishing his junior year at A.I. Prince Technical School in Hartford, was a decorated amateur boxer with a 45-13 amateur record, highlighted by three gold-medal performances at the Ringside World Championships, in addition to winning the PAL Tournament and Silver Gloves Championships.
“I am thrilled to sign such a hungry, young prospect like Mykey Williams,” Hais Lou DiBella. “Williams is an accomplished amateur and Jackie Kallen certainly has an eye for spotting great talent. He already has a growing fan base in the New England area and I am confident that he will quickly develop into a rising prospect.”
“Signing with DiBella was the best move for me,” Williams commented. “I’m excited to be fighting under the DiBella banner now. He’s a great promoter who will help me get to the world-class level in this sport. I’m just happy that the ball is finally rolling!”
Williams has already overcome tremendous obstacles during his young life, including the shooting murder of his father when Mykey was only one week old, and then his house burned down 10 years later.
Paul Cichon, ib 2014 Conn. Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, has trained Williams since he was seven. “If anybody had a reason to go the wrong way, it was Mykey,” Cichon added. “But he’s a great kid who is a hard worker and is always happy with a positive attitude. He’s a boxer who can punch and when he sets up his opponent, watch out, because he’s in big trouble. Mykey is a great finisher who moves well and has good defense. He’s a left-hander who goes to the body to breakdown his opponent. Mykey’s slick and hard to hit, but he’s also unique because he’s a naturally gifted athlete who could have excelled at any sport he chose.”
Although Williams made his successful professional debut on April 16th at Foxwoods Resorts Casino in a card promoted by DiBella Entertainment, he will make his DiBella Entertainment debut this Thursday hmo ntuj (Rau hli ntuj 30) at Foxwoods in a four-round bout.
“I haven’t been this excited about a fighter since I signed James Toney in 1989,” famed boxing manager Jackie Kallen exclaimed. “Mykey Williams is the real deal. His future is unlimited and we are thrilled to partner up with DiBella Entertainment to make it all happen.”
Xav paub ntau ntxiv, sib ntsib www.DBE1.com, follow on Twitter @LouDiBella and @MarvelousMyke or become a fan on Facebook www.Facebook.com/
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RAGING BABE BRUNCH NEW YORK, NEW YORK A SUCCESS, DUVA HONORED
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Unbeaten Featherweight Prospect Stephen Fulton Takes on Mexico’s Christian Renteria on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN & ESPN Deportes Saturday, Lub Xya hli ntuj 2 From Santander Arena in Reading, PAJ.
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Unbeaten Contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko Meets Former World Champion Sam Soliman in Main Event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN & ESPN Deportes Thursday, Lub Xya hli ntuj 21 from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, I (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT)
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Rising Promotions, New Jersey’s busiest promoter set for 4th event in just seven month on July 22
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ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Rau hli ntuj 27, 2016)–Txog rau hnub Friday hmo ntuj, July 22nd, Rising Promotions will present it’s 4th big event at The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.
No doubt another sold-crowd will be on hand to witness the action as Rising Promotions is establishing itself as the busiest promoter in the Garden State.
The shows have consistently featured some of the best talent in the Tri-Stae (New Jersey, New York & Pennsylvania.) in competitive, fan-friendly bouts in front of a packed venue at The Claridge.
“The first three shows have gone exactly to the blueprint which we set out for when we came up with the concept,” said Debra LaManna of Rising Promotions.
“The response has been terrific on all fronts. From the fighters, the fan turn out and sponsors. The Clardige and the New Jersey State Athletic Commission have been a pleasure to work with as well.”
“I think when fans know that every couple months they know they can see these kinds of events with Rising Promotions, the events start to sell themselves. With events scheduled for July, September and November, we will continue to build on what we have started.”
Said Thomas LaManna of Rising Promotions, “Every big time promoter starts somewhere, I just so happened to start at the age of 24 while still active in my career with a pro record of 18-1.”
“It all started out with just doing these shows to keep me active. Ray McCline of the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame and I met in Las Vegas during the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight week and discussed doing shows at The Claridge because he had a direct connection with them. When the meeting was over, I started to see the big picture with it so I than sat down with my parents and my promoter Mr. Vincent M. Ponte of Gulf Stream Promotions, we put together a strong team with a solid mission and three successful shows later, here we are,” Continued Thomas LaManna.
It feels great to open doors for fighters to jump start there career. So far, I was able to have four boxers make their professional debut on my shows so far and they include (former Olympian Luis Perozo, 2016 United States Olympic alternate Leroy Davila & Marvin Johnson).
“It’s always been my dream and goal to become a world champion. That’s first and foremost because I am still a fighter first, but I also have a goal to be one of the top promoters in the sport of boxing. Most people say I can’t, waste of time, no money to be made. That’s there way of thinking and they can keep that mindset. I strive to be great in everything I do and this is just another journey. Keep a lookout for Rising Promotions.”
Daim pib yog $125 for premium, $77 Ringside stage and $52 reserved and are available atwww.risingboxingpromotions.com los sis 609-487-4444
Facebook.com/risingstarboxing
Instagram: @risingpromo |
Baranchyk Blitzes Cruz; Witt-Morrison, Cook win in Miami, OK
Miami, OK (Rau hli ntuj 27, 2016) – Hot junior welterweight prospect Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk kept his perfect record intact following a three round thrashing of previously unbeaten Eliseo Cruz Saturday, Rau hli ntuj 25 in Miami, OK.
Topping an exciting fight card promoted by Holden Productions, Baranchyk fought his second consecutive match in the Sooner State. Backed by chants of “Beast, Beast, Beast” from the packed house at the Buffalo Run Casino, Baranchyk battered Cruz until his corner threw in the towel at 1:07 of the third round.
Baranchyk, a Russian based in Brooklyn, NY, is now 11-0 nrog 10 wins by knockout. Cruz, of Chiapas, Mexico, is 9-1-1 nrog 6 KO’s following his first setback.
“Four State Franchise” member Jesse Cook of Seneca, MO scored an impressive knockout of hard-hitting Balmaro Solis at 57 seconds of round three. After a slow opening stanza, Cook finished strong with a combination to cap the second. Early in round three, Cook connected with a picture perfect left hook to the body that sent Solis down for the count.
Cook improves to 17-1 (12 KO's) while Solis of Kansas City, MO slips to 12-3 with all 12 wins by knockout.
Undefeated heavyweight Kenzie Witt-Morrison demolished previously unbeaten Robby Mendez nyob rau hauv 2 minutes thiab 30 seconds. Witt-Morrison who fights out of Tulsa, OK and is the half-brother of Trey Lippe-Morrison, battered Mendez until the stoppage.
A member of the “Four State Franchise” who bears a striking resemblance to his late father Tommy Morrison, Witt-Morrison is now 9-0-1 nrog 8 knockouts. Mendez heads back to Topeka, KS with a 2-1 record.
Bartlesville, OK’s Jarrett “Legacy” Rouse (9-0-1, 4 KO's) and Noel Esqueda of Wichita, KS (6-3-1, 3 KO's) fought to a six round draw. The competitive bout could’ve gone either way as both men had their moments but the judges ultimately ruled it even.
In other action, Cuban cruiserweight Luis Garcia (14-0, 12 KO's) stopped Kansas City, MO veteran Demetrius Walker (8-13-2, 4 KO's) in the first round.
2012 Azerbaijani Olympian Gaybatulla Gadzhialiyev debuted successfully by outpointing Wichita resident Brandon Phillips Black (1-1, 1 KO) in a middleweight contest.
Debuting World Series of Boxing standout Hurshidbek Normatov of Uzbekistan topped Wichita’s Ramon Barber (6-11, 5 KO's) in a middleweight affair.
“This was an outstanding, talent rich card.” said Tony Holden. “Ivan Baranchyk is quickly building himself a nice fan base here in Oklahoma and two of the “Four State Franchise” members scored knockouts. We expect to have Trey Lippe-Morrison back shortly and continue to provide our ticketholders with outstanding cards.”
Holden Productions’ next fight card will be announced shortly.