Category Archives: boxing

Sammy Vasquez Jr. welcomes Billel Dib to ProBox Management stable

Miami, FL (February 5, 2016) –  Pro Box Management is proud to announce the signing of junior lightweight contender Billel Dib to a management contract.

Dib of Sydney, Australia has a record of 18-1 with nine knockouts and is a former two-time Australian Super Featherweight champion and the current WBO Interim Oriental champion.  He is currently ranked number-twelve by the WBO.
Dib won his first nine bouts before his only blemish, which was a split decision that he later avenged with an eighth-round stoppage over Dylan Sendeckyi.
Since then. Dib is currently riding a ten fight win streak in which he captured the WBO Interim Oriental Super Featherweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Brent Elliot. a
Dib is the cousin of former IBF Featherweight champion. Billy Dib.
“Being around, training with my cousin and seeing his success is a great motivation for me.  I look forward to becoming the second Dib in the family to become world champion,” said Dib.
“I am very excited to have signed with ProBox and to be represented by Henry Rivalta and Gary Jonas.  You can’t help but notice how many good fighters that have and how well they have built their careers, I am looking forward to them doing the same with me.”
“The Dib’s are very family oriented and my father and I were impressed were impressed by the family culture,”said Dib.
“We signed Billel because he has all the characteristics that we look for.  He is a hard worker, well spoken, good looking action fighting young man, who is very marketable .  We definitely think he can be a significant world champion sometime soon,” said Gary Jonas.

SHOWTIME SPORTS® CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF 30 YEARS OF SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® WITH PAULIE AYALA-JOHNNY TAPIA I & II, PLUS ISRAEL VAZQUEZ-RAFAEL MARQUEZ I, II & III

UNRIVALED “RIVALRIES”

 Click HERE to Watch Round 12 From Ayala-Tapia I & Tune-In Tonight To Re-Live The Full Fight (SHO EXTREME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT)

Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

 

NEW YORK (Feb. 4, 2016) – Round 2 of the SHOWTIME Sports® 12-round celebration commemorating 30 years of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® continues in February with “Rivalries’’ onSHO EXTREME®.

 

This month will be highlighted by five of the most exhilarating and memorable fights in boxing history: the two Paulie Ayala-Johnny Tapiabattles and the first three Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez wars.

 

Ayala-Tapia I was 1999 Fight of the Year; Ayala was 1999 Fighter of the Year.

 

The initial three Vazquez-Marquez showdowns are universally acknowledged as among the best of all-time and were consensus Fight of the Year winners in 2007 and ’08.  Additionally, the third round of Vazquez-Marquez II earned Round of the Year honors in ’07 while the fourth of Vazquez-Marquez III was 2008 Round of the Year.

 

These epic rivalries will air on “Throwback Thursdays” all month long at10 p.m. ET/PT on SHO EXTREME and are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service.  Each fight will be wrapped with brief context and commentary from SHOWTIME Sports host Brian Custer.

 

Below is the schedule of SHOWTIME EXTREME premieres for the month of February:

  • Today/Thursday, Feb. 4: Ayala vs. Tapia I
  • Thursday, Feb. 11: Ayala vs. Tapia II
  • Thursday, Feb. 18: Vazquez vs. Marquez I & II
  • Thursday, Feb. 25: Vazquez vs. Marquez III

 

In celebration of the best rivalries on SHOWTIME, see below for a special column from SHOWTIME Sports expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood.

 

 

RIVALRIES

By Steve Farhood

 

Boxing without rivalries would be like elections without debates.

 

Rivalries are natural, especially in boxing. Who is the best prospect in the neighborhood?

Who is the best bantamweight in Mexico? Who is the best fighter in the entire world?

 

Fans want to know, and so do the fighters, especially if a one-on-one matchup is likely to provide a definitive answer.

 

The best example comes from the best rivalry in history, regardless of sport: When Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier clashed in their rubber match in Manila, they were fighting for something much greater than the world heavyweight title. They were fighting for the championship of each other.

 

Ali-Frazier … Robinson-LaMotta … Louis-Schmeling … Barrera-Morales … Mayweather-Pacquiao … Pep-Saddler … Leonard-Duran … Holyfield-Tyson: Boxing history has been told through its juiciest rivalries.

 

In 30 years of memorable fighters and unforgettable fights, SHOWTIME boxing’s history can largely be told through its rivalries as well.

 

On SHOWTIME EXTREME, we’ll be focusing on two rivalries in particular: Rafael Marquez-Israel Vazquez and Paulie Ayala-Johnny Tapia.

 

Marquez-Vazquez is the equal of any pairing in recent history. So compelling were the battles, so consuming was the rivalry that many fans can’t tell you what the final scoreboard read. It didn’t matter all that much.

 

(Fittingly, the fighters split four bouts.)

 

What made Marquez-Vazquez different from most rivalries: They were defined more by similarities than differences. Most rivalries feature stark contrast. Think Borg-McEnroe. Or Bird-Magic. Or Evert-Navratilova. But Marquez and Vazquez were both classy champions from Mexico who needed each other to raise their profiles and all-time standings.

 

They gave us no trash-talking, no posturing, no hatred, real or imagined. Instead, they punched and bled and fought proudly and at the highest level. And because of the classic ring drama they created, that was more than enough.

 

Suffice to say that two of their bouts were chosen as Fight of the Year. And Marquez-Vazquez III was surely among the best fights I’ve covered live in my 37 years in boxing.

It was a bit different with Ayala and Tapia. When they first fought, Ayala wasn’t a familiar name. Tapia, on the other hand, was an undefeated and long-reigning champion with a unique personality and a distinctive ring persona.

 

A suitable rival is exactly what Tapia needed to fully realize the potential that we sensed when he soundly defeated New Mexico rival Danny Romero two years before.

 

A pair of controversial decisions, the contentiousness that marked the negotiations preceding the rematch, and Tapia’s raw emotion made Ayala-Tapia a particularly bitter rivalry.

 

It was a memorable rivalry as well.

 

# # #

 

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel, and offers Smithsonian Earth through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

Full Card Announced for Saturday Night’s ‘Detroit Brawl’ at Masonic Temple

Detroit Brawl Banner
The full card has been announced for promoter Dmitriy Salita’s “Detroit Brawl” thisSaturday, February 6, at 6:30 pm at the iconic Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit.
In the night’s main event, WBA #14-ranked cruiserweight Junior “Hurricane” Wright (14-1-1, 11 KOs) of Chicago will face Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Chris “Nightmare” Stallworth (9-3, 3 KOs) in a six-round cruiserweight battle. The powerful 29-year-old Wright has already challenged for a world title and is looking to secure another opportunity.
In the intriguing six-round co-main event, undefeated New York (via Kazakhstan) lightweight Dimash Niyazov (8-0-3, 4 KOs) takes on Detroit’s capable James Lester (10-9, 4 KOs). While Niyazov has the unbeaten record, Lester has been in with stronger opposition and always been competitive.
Topping the undercard, Detroit’s undefeated bantamweight James Gordon Smith (8-0, 5 KOs) will go against Saint Paul, Minnesota veteran Antwan Robertson (10-14-1, 6 KOs).
Tickets for “Detroit Brawl” are priced at $28, $38$48, $63$93, and $123 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000or by visiting the Masonic Temple box office. For event information visit themasonic.com and SalitaPromotions.com.
In other exciting action, Detroit’s Ed Williams (10-1-1, 4 KOs) will face Angel Figueroa (4-2-1) of Lorain, Ohio, in a six-round welterweight bout.
In a super lightweight six-rounder Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic’s undefeated Eudy Bernardo (20-0, 14 KOs) goes against Ben Odamattey (16-12-3, 9 KOs) of Accra, Ghana. Bernardo, considered a strong up-and-coming prospect, is now trained by Detroit’s former world champion Frank Tate and is looking for a world title opportunity in the very near future.
In four-round bouts, light heavyweight James Ballard (5-0, 2 KOs) of Detroit battles Nathan Bedwell (5-15, 4 KOs) of Lexington, Tennessee; cruiserweight Emilio Salas (4-1-1, 2 KOs) of Coamo, Puerto Rico, faces Jackson, Michigan’s Karinn Davis (2-5, 2 KOs); and Canadian super welterweight Kane Heron (2-0, 1 KO) will face Michigan’s Brian Otey (0-1).
Rounding out the action in a very special pro debut, Turkmenistan’s former Asian Games Amateur Champion, Serdar Hudayberdiyev will face Kevin Shacks (0-1).
Can’t make it to the live event? gfl.tv will be broadcasting the event in full, online worldwide, starting at 7:30 pm EST for the low price of $14.99. VOD of the event will be available starting at 8:00 pm EST.

ABNER MARES AND FERNANDO MONTIEL TO MEET IN ALL-ACTION SHOWDOWN OF THREE-DIVISION WORLD CHAMPIONS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 12, LIVE ON CBS®

Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter Face Off in Welterweight Blockbuster
In Main Event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® on CBS
Presented by Premier Boxing Champions
 
Live On CBS At 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT
NEW YORK (Feb. 3, 2016) – Former three-division world champions Abner Mares and Fernando Montiel will square off in all-action co-feature on Saturday, March 12, live on CBS at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT.
In the main event of the first primetime boxing presentation on CBS in nearly 40 years, welterweight knockout artist Keith Thurman will defend his WBA Welterweight World Championship against former titlist Shawn Porter in a matchup of two elite fighters in boxing’s glamour division.
The event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment from Mohegan Sun Casino Resortin Connecticut, is produced by SHOWTIME Sports® for the CBS Television Network, both divisions of the CBS Corporation.
Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) and Montiel (54-5-2, 39 KOs) are two of the most accomplished and entertaining Mexican boxers in the sport today.  Mares compiled a staggering resume over the past five years while earning titles at 118, 122 and 126 pounds.  Montiel is one of the most skilled boxers of his generation having won championships at 112, 115 and 118 pounds over a 17-year career.
“I’m ready to get back in the ring and have the boxing world see the monster that the Mares and Robert Garcia partnership is creating,” said Abner Mares. “I’m a tough fighter. I’ve made some adjustments and I will show my warrior spirit and skill on March 12. It’s time to go to work.”
“I have been wanting to fight Abner Mares for many years,” said Montiel. “They say that styles make fights and Abner Mares’ style is tailor made for me. My last fight was a close decision against one of the best featherweights in the world in Lee Selby. I need to make every fight count and on March 12 Abner Mares will be my next step to another world title!”
“Abner Mares and Fernando Montiel are both proud warriors,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Both are coming off tough, competitive fights and both must win to once again realize championship dreams. This will be a throw down, entertaining battle.”
Tickets for the live event are priced at $300, $150, $75 and $35 (plus applicable fees) and are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call (800) 745-3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.
Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of Downey, Calif., Mares won his first title in 2011 when he beat Joseph Agbeko to win the bantamweight crown. He continued his rise up the pound-for-pound list with wins over Anselmo Moreno and Daniel Ponce De Leon to win world titles at super bantamweight and featherweight.  The 30-year-old won three straight fights leading to a massive showdown with Leo Santa Cruz last August. Mares showed the same explosiveness that made him a multiple division world champion in a thrilling Fight of the Year candidate that he lost by decision. The always-exciting Mares will enter the ring for the first time under the tutelage of renowned trainer Robert Garcia and strength coach Luis Garcia as he looks to work his way towards another world title.
The veteran Montiel won his first world title in 2000 over Isidro Garcia and went on to have title-winning performances over Pedro Alzacar, Ivan Hernandez, Z Gorres, Ciso Morales and Hozumi Hasegawa.  Born in Sinaloa, Mexico, Montiel rode an eight-fight win streak heading into his October world title shot against Lee Selby.  Montiel’s aggressive style frustrated Selby but it was not enough for him to grab a title in his fourth weight class.  The 36-year-old has an opportunity to get back in the mix for a world title with a victory over Mares.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel, and offers Smithsonian Earth through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports,  www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionsand www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna to headline on Saturday, March 19 at The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City

 
Plus the return of former world champion Imamu Mayfield

Headlining the undercard will be popular Tommy “Razor” Rainone of Long Island NY. Also seeing action will be local favorites Isiah Seldon of Atlantic City as well as undefeated fighters Quian Davis, Caleb Hernandez, Steven Ortiz, Alvin Vermall & Hakim Bryant.
For Immediate Release
Atlantic City, NJ (February 3, 2016)–On Saturday night,  March 19, Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will take part in the main event of a card that will take place at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City
.
The card is promoted by Rising Star Boxing Promotions in association withVincent M. Ponte’s Gulf Stream Promotions.
The Welterweight bout is scheduled for 8-rounds.
“We are looking forward to this event March 19th” said Debra LaManna of Rising Star Promotions.  “Our first show in December was a big  success and we are only getting better. I want to thank The Claridge Hotel for being the host to this event. We have four dates this year with March 19th as our kick off and in May as our following date. I also want to thank all the boxers that risk their lives and participate in Rising Star events to please the fans because that is what it’s all about. My mission as President is to give back to the fighters and make them feel appreciated. A big goal we have is to bring the “sport” back into boxing and not just “business”. It continues March 19th on the boardwalk in Atlantic City.”

LaManna (19-1, 7 KO’s) of nearby Millville, New Jersey will be making his second consecutive appearance at The Claridge.  LaManna won a 8-round unanimous decision over Ariel Vasquez on December 5th.

LaManna used his reach and height and worked behind his jab to keep Vasquez at bay.  As the fight wore on, LaManna started to dominate with body punches and cruised home to victory to the tune of 79-72 on two scorecards and 78-73.
The 24 year-old LaManna turned professional in 2011 and won his first sixteen bouts that were highlighted by wins over Ashandi Gibbs & Jamaal Davis.

Since suffering his only loss to world ranked Middleweight Antoine Douglas on ShoBox: The New Generation, LaManna has won three straight which includes a 6-round unanimous decision over rugged Ayi Bruce on September 26th in Beach Haven, New Jersey.

This will be LaManna’s second fight at Welterweight after moving down from Middleweight.

“I’m excited to headline for the second time in Atlantic City. I feel great in the Welterweight division and I look to make a lot of noise in 2016. I want to thank the whole Rising Star Promotions team as well as Vinny Ponte of Gulf Stream Promotions for giving me yet another opportunity to display my talent at such a high class venue in Atlantic City.  I also would like to thank the Claridge Hotel and the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame for all the help and support in making this event possible.” said Thomas LaManna
In the 6-round co-feature, former IBF Cruiserweight champion Imamu Mayfield will be making his long awaited comeback in a Heavyweight bout.
Mayfield of Perth Amboy, New Jersey will making his first appearance in just for 8-years.
Mayfield won the IBF Cruiserweight championship when he won a 12-round unanimous decision over Uriah Grant on November 8, 1997.  He made one defense and was stopped by Arthur Williams on October 30, 1998.
Mayfield won the USBA Cruiserweight title with 10th round stoppage over Gary Wilcox on June 30, 2001.
Mayfield has also fought world champions Juan Carlos Gomez, Krzystof Wlodarczyk and Alexander Povetkin.
A full undercard will be announced shortly.
Tickets are $50 GA, $75 Ringside, $75 Stage & $125 VIP (Booths of 5 available for $500) and are available at RisingBoxingPromotions.com or 609-487-4444.
The Clardige Hotel is located at  123 S. Indiana Ave. Atlantic City NJ

Facebook.com/risingstarboxing
Instagram: @risingpromo

About Rising Promotions:
Rising Promotions was created with the intent of becoming a house hold name with the key objective of Rising Promotions being able to coordinate an array of diversified special events within the sports and entertainment industry, The CEO and partners at Rising Promotions feel that the opportunities for growth are endless. We would like to give opportunities to up and coming professional as well as amateur boxers that other promoters would not readily give opportunity to. The events that Rising plans to coordinate will provide much needed affordable, family-friendly sports entertainment.

UNBEATEN HEAVYWEIGHTS COLLIDE AS GERALD WASHINGTON TAKES ON  OSCAR RIVAS ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, IN OPENER OF SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® TRIPLEHEADER FROM HONDA CENTER IN ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

 
Exciting Night Of Action Features Undefeated Leo Santa Cruz vs. Kiko Martinez
& Julio Ceja vs. Hugo Ruiz 2 In A Pair Of World Title Bouts
 
ANAHEIM, CALIF. (February 2, 2016) – Unbeaten brawlers Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington (16-0-1, 11 KOs) and Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (18-0, 13 KOs) will meet in a 10-round showdown of rising heavyweights on Saturday, February 27, in the opening bout of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
The telecast features two world title fights. In the main event, undefeated three-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will make the first defense of his Featherweight World Championship against former world champion Kiko Martinez. Televised coverage begins live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) with the exciting super bantamweight world title rematch between Mexican power-punchers Julio Cejaand Hugo Ruiz.
“I’m thrilled to be fighting so close to home in front of all my friends and family,” said Washington. “Oscar Rivas is a hard puncher but he’s never faced anyone as big and strong as I am. I’m anxious to get in the ring and continue to prove myself on my way to a world title opportunity.”
“I’m very excited to be fighting Gerald Washington in my first fight in Southern California,” said Rivas. “I know that he is a very tough, strong fighter. I will be prepared to come out victorious and stay undefeated as I head towards my goal of becoming a world champion.”
“The heavyweight division has been revived and Gerald Washington and Oscar Rivas are two guys to keep your eyes on,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions.  “Both are undefeated and hungry to earn their shot at a world title.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.
A two-way player (tight end and defensive end) at the University of Southern California, Washington spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills practice squads on his unconventional path that led him to boxing. The 33-year-old also worked in the Navy as a helicopter mechanic before going to USC and did not get his start in professional boxing until 2012. Fighting out of San Jose, California, he is yet to lose in his latest endeavor after fighting to a draw with Amir Mansour in October and defeating Jason Gavern in March last year.
Rivas, who represented Columbia at the 2008 Olympics, fought exclusively as a pro in his adopted hometown of Montreal before making his U.S. debut with a first-round knockout of Jason Pettaway in June 2015. The 28-year-old is riding a seven-fight knockout streak and most recently took down Joey Abell in the second round of a November 2015 fight. He will be looking to impress against the toughest opponent of his career onFebruary 27.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports

Sampson Boxing Wins Right to Promote McJoe Arroyo vs. Jerwin Ancajas IBF Super Flyweight Championship Fight

 

A purse bid procedure was held today in the IBF offices in New Jersey and promoter Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing has won the right to promote the IBF Super Flyweight Champion McJoe Arroyo’s first mandatory defense, against Jerwin Ancajas
Sampson Boxing now has 15 days to submit the executed contracts (no later than February 17, 2016) and the fight must take place within 90 days or by May 2, 2016. Lewkowicz says Ancajas’ home country of the Philippines is the probable location for the fight.
Arroyo (17-0, 8 KOs), from Fajardo, Puerto Rico, is a 30-year-old southpaw. He won the championship last July with a 10-round technical decision over Arthur Villanueva. Ancajas (24-1-1, 16 KOs), nicknamed “Pretty Boy” is a 24-year-old southpaw.

168-POUND STAR ANDRE DIRRELL TAKES A STAND AGAINST POISONED WATER IN  FLINT, MI WITH FUNDRAISING EFFORT

 
Flint Native Creates GoFundMe Page As Call To Action
 
To Donate CLICK HERE
 
Flint, MI (Feb. 2, 2016) – Olympic bronze medalist and super middleweight star Andre Dirrell has taken matters into his own hands with a grassroots effort to raise funds in toward the purchase of clean water for those affected by the poisoned water crisis in his hometown of Flint. President Obama, last month, declared a national state of emergency in Flint, Michigan, whose water supply was contaminated with toxic levels of lead when its source was changed from Lake Huron to the Flint River. To date, over 102,000 people have been poisoned and the number continues to climb (source: Huffington Post).
The super middleweight has already donated thousands of dollars of his own money toward the purchase of clean water for Flint residents and is imploring his fellow fighters and everyone in the boxing community to do what they can to help.
 
“As an athlete, I have a great appreciation for the importance of water in someone’s life,” said Dirrell. “You can’t train without water, but the people of Flint need it for much more than drinking. They need to bath, cook and stay alive. This is a tragedy and I feel as though I’m in a position to not only do what I can to help these people, but encourage my fellow fighters and the whole boxing community to do what they can.
 
“On a personal note, I have over 30 family members living in Flint can possibly be poisoned, including six or seven of my nieces and nephews who range from the ages of 2-13. It hurts knowing that there are serious long-term effects, especially on young kids. If those were my kids, I would want something to be done. Let’s help save my city.”
 
To donate to support Dirrell’s fundraising effort to purchase clean water for the residents of Flint, click go to https://www.gofundme.com/7wm96hz8.

Open & Novice finals of Central New England Golden Gloves Championship THIS THURSDAY NIGHT IN LOWELL

Lowell Memorial Auditorium
(photo gallery below – all pictures courtesy of Brian Schnabel)
LOWELL, Mass. (February 2, 2016) – Thirty-eight surviving amateur boxers will compete in 19 scheduled matches this Thursday night (Feb. 4) the Central New England (Greater Lowell) final round, open and novice divisions, of the 70th annual Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship at historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium.
All CNE finals winners will advance to the New England Tournament of Champions, also held at Lowell Memorial Auditorium, later this month.
See Thursday night’s pairings below, as well as a remaining 2016 schedule.
Special Championship Ticket Package – Five Championship Events available to purchase for $50.00 ticket (5 remaining events) in the balcony.  This special ticket offer THIS Thursday night’s CNE finals, as well as the semifinals and finals of the Novice and Open class New England Tournament of Champions.  To purchase call the Lowell Memorial Auditorium box office at1.866.722.8881 or order online at www.LowellMemorialAuditorium.com. Individual event tickets are also available to purchase for $17.00, $15.00 or $12.00.   Student tickets are also available for only $7.00 (student ID required).
Proceeds from the Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship go towards sending the New England Golden Gloves champions to the National Golden Gloves Championship (2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah), in addition to supporting local athletes and area gyms, the Boys & Girls Club, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, cancer funds, scholarships and many other great charitable causes.
CENTRAL NEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL PAIRINGS
NOVICE CLASS
FLYWEIGHTS (114 lbs.)
Christian Moura (Hollis, NH – Nashua PAL)
vs
Steve Delgardo
FEMALE BANTAMWEIGHTS (119 lbs.)
Jennifer Perella (Hyde Park, MA – Peter Welch’s Gym)
vs.
Jessica Grohowski (Boston, MA – Boston Boxing)
BANTAMWEIGHTS (123 lbs.)
Joseph Valdes (West Roxbury, MA – Nashua PAL)
vs.
Marquis Fowler (Lowell, MA – West End Gym)
FEMALE FEATHERWEIGHTS (125 lbs.)
Nicole Gagnon (Quincy, MA – Peter Welch’s Gym)
vs.
Noelle Boran (East Walpole, MA – Boston Boxing)
LIGHTWEIGHTS (132 lbs.)
Troy Anderson (Dorchester, MA – Nonantum Boxing)
vs.
Jonathan DePina (Dorchester, MA – Peter Welch’s Gym)
FEMALE LIGHTWEIGHTS (132 lbs.)
Claire Duffy (East Boston, MA – Peter Welch’s Gym)
vs.
Stephanie Khan (Brighton, MA – Ring Boxing)
LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (141 lbs.)
Nathan Rosa (Lowell, MA – West End Gym)
vs.
Edwin Rozon (Haverhill, MA – Haverhill Downtown Boxing)
FEMALE LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (141 lbs.)
Katie Colton (Arlington, MA – Boston Boxing)
vs.
Katie Gregory (Boston, MA – Peter Welch’s Gym)
WELTERWEIGHTS (152 lbs.)
Lipi Fernandez (Roxbury, MA – Peter Welch’s)
Vs.
Kenny Larson (Salem, MA – Somerville Boxing)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS (165 lbs.)
Brian Lawrence (Dorchester, MA – Peter Welch’s Gym)
vs.
Yancarlos Sanchez (Dorchester, MA – Quietman Sports)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS (178 LBS.)
Joseph DaSilva (Gloucester, MA – Gloucester Boxing Club)
vs.
Justin DeFlumeri (Merrimack, NH – Nashua PAL)
HEAVYWEIGHTS (201 lbs.)
Jose Cabrera (Marlboro, MA – Framingham PAL)
vs.
Jared Gately (Franklin, MA – Pewter Welch’s Gym)
SUPER HEAVYWEIGHTS (201+ lbs.)
Kyle Davis (Haverhill, MA – Haverhill Downtown Boxing)
vs.
Ryan Brooks (Weymouth, MA – Grealish Boxing)
OPEN CLASS
LIGHTWEIGHTS (132 lbs.)
Matthew Fontanez (Nashua NH – Nashua PAL)
vs.
Brandon Higgins (Chelmsford, MA – West End Gym)
LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (141 lbs.)
Jeremiah Perez (Lowell, MA – West End)
vs.
Abraham Nova (Braintree, MA – Peter Welch’s)
WELTERWEIGHTS (152 lbs.)
Xavier Vega (Lawrence, MA – Canal Street Boxing)
vs.
Joe Meuse (Millis, MA – Nonatum Boxing)
FEMALE WELTERWEIGHTS (152 LBS.)
Maureen O’Brien (Hull, MA – Grealish Boxing)
vs.
Kimberly Wabik (Everett, MA – Quietman Gym)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – (178 lbs.)
Tayler Mears (Boston, MA – The Ring)
vs.
Ian Funk (Fairhaven, MA – Somerville Boxing)
HEAVYWEIGHTS (201 lbs.)
John Roche (Haverhill, MA – Haverhill Downtown)
vs.
Jesus Flores (Methuen, MA – Canal Street Boxing)
70th annual Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship Schedule
(Lowell Memorial Auditorium – 6:30 p.m. doors open, 7:30 p.m. first bout)
Central New England (Greater Lowell)
Open & Novice Class Championship Finals – Thursday, Feb. 4
New England Tournament of Champions
Novice Class Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 11
Novice Class Championship Finals – Feb. 18
Open Class Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 24
Open Class Championship Finals – Thursday, Feb. 25

Novice middleweight Brian Lawrence (red shirt) of Dorchester, MA

Open welterweight Joseph Meuse (L) of Millis, MA

Open light welterweight Jeremiah Perez (L) of Lowell, MA
 

Open lightweight Brandon Higgins (R) of Chelmsford, MA
INFORMATION:
Tournament Executive Director: Bobby Russo
Director of Contestants: Art Ramalho
Chief of Officials:  Lauri Purcell
Ring Announcer:  John Vena
Venue:  Lowell Memorial Auditorium, 50 Merrimack St., Lowell, MA
Twitter:  @LowellGloves

ALEXIS SANTIAGO TAKES ON ERIK RUIZ IN MAIN EVENT OF PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS ON FS1 &BOXEO DE CAMPEONES ON FOX DEPORTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 FROM SAM’S TOWN LIVE IN LAS VEGAS (11 P.M. ET/8 P.M. PT)

 
PLUS! LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT LIONELL THOMPSON FACES
PAUL PARKER & HARD-HITTING SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT
 LANELL BELLOWS BATTLES UNBEATEN ANTOWYAN AIKENS
 
Tickets On Sale Tomorrow, February 2!
 
LAS VEGAS (February 1, 2016) – Alexis “Beaver” Santiago (20-3-1, 8 KOs) goes for his tenth straight win when he takes on California’s Erik Ruiz (15-4, 6 KOs) in the 10-round bantamweight main event of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday, February 16 from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.
Televised coverage begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT and features two more exciting matchups as light heavyweight Lionell “The Great” Thompson (16-3, 10 KOs) battles Paul Parker (7-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round affair and hard-hitting Lanell “KO” Bellows(14-1-1, 7 KOs) faces Antowyan “Iceman” Aikens (10-0-1, 1 KO) in an eight-round super middleweight contest.
“I’m real excited about this fight and to be headlining on FS1 and FOX Deportes,” said Santiago. “My opponent is a very solid fighter that I look forward to battling. I can go in there and box but I love to get in the middle of the ring and exchange if I have to. I’m sure it’s going to be a war on February 16.”
“This is a great opportunity for me and I’m going to take full advantage,” said Ruiz. “I am going to be aggressive and not let my opponent get comfortable for one second. I’m coming for a knockout, so I hope he doesn’t underestimate me.”
“We’re very happy to be able to showcase some of Mayweather Promotions’ rising stars on FS1 and FOX Deportes, and we look forward to continuing to put on shows here in Las Vegas,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “It’s going to be a great night of fights at Sam’s Town Live and a perfect way kick off 2016 for Mayweather Promotions.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, are priced at $25 and $50, not including applicable fees, and are on sale Tuesday, February 2 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets may be purchased online at: http://www.samstownlv.com/entertain, by calling(702) 284-7777, or at any Boyd Gaming box office.
A pro since 2009, the 25-year-old Santiago is unbeaten in his last nine bouts and is coming off of a victory over Gustavo Molina in October 2015. The Phoenix-native also defeated Javier Gallo and Antonio Tostado Garcia in 2015 and has not taken a loss since 2012. His most impressive triumphs came over once-beaten fighters Alex Rangel and Hanzel Martinez, both of whom he beat in 10-round bouts.
Fighting out of Oxnard, California, Ruiz has fought professionally since 2011 and won the first nine bouts of his career. The 24-year-old is coming off of a November 2015 victory over previously unbeaten Roy Tapia in a hard fought fight that also took place in Las Vegas.
A five-time New York State Golden Gloves Champion representing Buffalo, Thompson comes in off of a stoppage victory over Thomas Hanshaw in October 2015. The 30-year-old also owns wins over previously unbeaten Yathomas Riley and once-beaten Ryan Coyne.
Representing Toledo, Ohio, Parker won the first seven pro fights of his career and looks to collect another victory on February 16. The 30-year-old has picked up stoppage wins over previously unbeaten Dwayne Williams and Brian Holstein.
Originally from Los Angeles but fighting and training out of Las Vegas, Bellows enters this fight on an eight-bout winning streak. The 30-year-old will look to continue to keep the momentum going as he builds on to his four wins from 2015 and earn world title contender status in 2016.
Unbeaten and fighting out of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Aikens is looking to get a big win to start 2016. The 26-year-old closed out his 2014 with a win over previously unbeaten Sherman Artis Jr. before defeating Edgar Perez in 2015.
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com, www.samstownlv.com/entertain andwww.mayweatherpromotions.com . Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LonnieBtheGreat, @LanellBellows  @MayweatherPromo, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports,www.facebook.com/foxdeportes, and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.