Category Archives: New England Fights

Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS ANNOUNCES THE RESULTS FROM LEWISTON

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Lewiston, Maine (June 18, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF) held the fight promotion’s latest event, “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND” on Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event featured a full slate of professional boxing, amateur mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional MMA bouts.  Nearly 2,000 packed the hallowed halls where Muhammad Ali once defended the heavyweight championship of the world against Sonny Liston.  A special video tribute was presented honoring Ali prior to the beginning of the event.

 

For the second time since April, Brandon Berry (11-2-1) and James Lester(11-9-1) went the distance.  This time, unlike the last bout which was scored a draw, there was a winner.  Lester is travelling back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan the new Northeast Junior Welterweight Boxing Champion after winning a unanimous decision.

 

Alex Walker (1-1) and Nicole Burgess (0-1) kept alive the tradition of women’s fights stealing the show at NEF events.  The two athletes battled back and forth in what can only be described as a “thriller” before a deafening crowd.  Walker picked up the first win of her MMA career via an armbar submission in the third round.

 

Fans who missed the event, or who were at the Colisée and want to relive it, can watch the archived copy of the show by signing up for a FloPRO account at  www.FloCombat.com.

 

The  results from Lewiston, Maine:

 

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

James Lester def. Brandon Berry via unanimous decision

Russell Lamour def. Roberto Valenzuela via KO, round 1

Vinnie Carita def. Francisco Mireles via KO, round 2

Casey Kramlich def. Zenon Herrera via TKO, round 3

Steve Collins, Jr. def. Jose Humberto Corral via unanimous decision

PROFESSIONAL MMA

 

Jesse Erickson def. Amos Collins via KO, round 1

Brandon Bushaw def. Matt Denning via Kimura, round 3

 

AMATEUR MMA

 

Dustin Veinott def. Ryan Burgess via triangle choke, round 2

Mike Bezanson def. Shawn Bang via KO, round 1

Derek Daley def. Johel Stephenson via TKO, round 1

Justin Witham def. Conner Murphy via rear-naked choke, round 3

Skyler Bang def. Eddie DeRoche via rear-naked choke, round 1

Steve Bang, Jr. def. Dom Cofone via guillotine, round 1

Alex Walker def. Nicole Burgess via armbar, round 3

Dr. Steve Bang def. Stacy Lupo via TKO, round 3

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 25: HEROES & VILLAINS,” takes place on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the event.

 

For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

amateur mixed martial arts, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

BURGESS SIBLINGS READY TO BATTLE AT NEF 24

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Lewiston, Maine (June 16, 2016) – As the only girl in a rough-and-tumble household with three older brothers in Mexico, Maine, Nicole Burgess learned how to fight for pride, for respect, sometimes even just for fun.

Sometimes such sibling rivalries are a challenge and burden. In Nicole’s case, however, the arrangement furnished three built-in fans and best friends. And the closest bond of all naturally formed with the family’s youngest boy, Ryan, exactly one year and three days older than his sister.

“We were born pretty much back-to-back,” said Ryan Burgess, the pride becoming perceptible in his voice. “She’s always been tough. She’s really strong, just very athletic.”

Ryan, 22, has backed up his three high school championships as a wrestler with a pair of impressive mixed martial arts wins and the New England Fights amateur flyweight title.

Not to be outdone, multi-sport athlete Nicole, 21, finished fourth against primarily male competition in the state wrestling meet her sophomore, junior and senior years of high school. She has carved out a successful college field hockey career at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire.

Similarly accomplished, so close in age, rarely seen apart from one another in childhood, Ryan and Nicole’s athletic and life stories remain intertwined as young adults. Nicole will follow her brother into the NEF cage on Saturday, June 18, making her debut against Alex Walker (0-1) in a 115-pound women’s bout at “NEF 24: Promised Land.”

Anybody who grew up with a brother or a sister probably can imagine the good-natured ribbing that has taken place in training camp.

“He thinks I’m probably going to want to throw up,” Nicole said with a laugh.

Ryan, who will defend his strap on the same card against Dustin Veinott in a rematch of their split-decision title tilt from November 2015, knows there is no substitute for experience in the cage.

Although he was one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the history of his proud community, Ryan discovered in his first two cage confrontations that the variety of skills and size of the crowd at an MMA event demanded a quantum leap.

“You don’t know what to expect,” he said. “Before my debut, I had never been in a fight in my life. I thought I had, but I really hadn’t. I told myself ‘It’s just another wrestling match,’ but it’s not.”

Burgess stuck with what he knew best and ground out a unanimous decision over Justin Witham in June 2015.

He was introduced as an independent. His studies at Kennebec Valley Community College interfered with his training schedule, and Burgess’ coaches at Berserkers MMA didn’t want him representing the stable until he spent a full cycle under their watchful eyes.

The same night, he scouted out Veinott’s win over Norman “Sleepy” Fox and felt that he compared favorably to both fighters. He proved it in a championship setting five months later, albeit by an on-paper verdict that most cage-side observers felt could have gone either way.

After struggling to find an opponent worthy for the title shot in his weight class, Burgess was eager to extend Veinott (4-4) a second chance.

“I’ve already been in the cage 18 minutes, which is more fight time than a lot of guys who’ve been in four of five fights can say they’ve had,” Ryan said. “I’m completely confident now with the venue, the fans. The only person I hear now is my coach.”

He doesn’t even hear Nicole, although little sister was so enamored with the environment as a spectator that she couldn’t wait to resume her own combat sports career.

“I always watched UFC and stuff like that,” she said. “I actually started boxing before Ryan even got into it.”

Nicole donned the gloves in high school after giving up softball. In sixth grade, she made a similar transition from basketball to wrestling after waiting for a ride home, watching one of Ryan’s grueling mat practices and deciding that it looked fun.

“It was weird at first. I didn’t want to touch the guys,” Nicole said. “Then you heard things like, ‘Oh, it’s just a girl.’ Often times the guys would be stronger, but I had good technique.”

Walker brings experience, in the form of a loss to Randi Beth Boyington, and a tough stand-up game.

Speaking with the typical subtlety of a big brother, Ryan said that Nicole “should be OK as long as she doesn’t get kicked in the head.”

He quickly noted that she has the poise and talent to enjoy a successful debut if she can shake off the requisite whirlwind of emotions.

“As long as she can put together everything she’s learned. You have to overcome the nerves and the adrenaline dump,” Ryan said. “I remember that from my debut. It stunk.”

Nicole said she would like to end the fight early but predicted that it probably will go the distance.

Her brother aims for his first stoppage and forecasts that his improved striking will catch Veinott and everyone else by surprise.

“Up until now, I was focused on school, just graduating in May, and trying to get my career started,” Ryan said. “I was working 40 hours a week for free as an internship and working 20 more hours on the weekend trying to make ends meet. Dustin is going to see a completely different fighter this time.”

The opening bell on June 18 is set for 7 p.m. The current docket includes five pro boxing fights, four pro MMA bouts and eight amateur MMA skirmishes. Tickets for “NEF 24: Promised Land” start at $25 and are available atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

MIKE HANSEN: FACING FEAR HEADFIRST

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Mike Hansen

Lewiston, Maine (June 15, 2016) – Fighting anyone, anywhere, anytime and under any circumstances has become Mike Hansen’s calling card with New England Fights.

No surprise, then, that the 30-year-old father of three from Rumford, ME will gladly entertain the idea of a mixed martial arts contest … against an opponent about whom he admittedly knows precious little … on the eve of Father’s Day.

Hansen (4-4) will take on Robert Laroski in a heavyweight clash at “NEF 24: Promised Land” on Saturday, June 18 at Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.

There is no fear of the unknown in a man who has carved out his reputation confronting substantially bigger foes since his days as a state champion wrestler at Mountain Valley High School. During his relatively short time in NEF, Hansen has fought as a middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.

“When I took the fight (at NEF 23 in Massachusetts) against Brendan Battles, people were saying, ‘You’re crazy! He’s going to bust your head!’ I understand why the weight classes exist, and I respect that it’s about safety and all that, but I’ve always felt that a fighter should be ready to fight anybody, no matter what,” Hansen said. “In high school, I would drink two gallons of water and put lead in my uniform just so I could get to the minimum weight for the unlimited class.”

That’s the attitude of a fighter whose skill and talent level far exceed his current record as a professional.

Hansen’s docket includes a stoppage win over former NEF “Fighter of the Year” Crowsneck Boutin. His record also includes TKO losses to Battles and Cody Anderson and a choke-out at the hands of Zach Elkins.

When he reflects upon his unique life story, Hansen, who fought twice for the World Fighting League as a 20-year-old college student, marvels that he ever got back into the cage at all.

“I started the winter of 2004-05. I started training because I had gone from 187 to 242 pounds in a few months. I was seeing stretch marks,” Hansen recalled. “I was pretty upset with myself for allowing that to happen. I started doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu two nights a week to get in shape. Then I went home for the summer and ended up with my first fight in August. My friends got me the fight without my coaches knowing about it. They told me it was a good thing I won, or they would have kicked my butt.”

Hansen kept a promise to his father to quit the sport after a knockout loss to Alexander Chianurashvili in 2006. He was studying at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, with intentions to enter the medical field.

He was stabbed and attacked with a baseball bat by three men in a case of mistaken identity not long thereafter. “I walked out of the hospital the next day, and all three of them were still in there from the beating I gave them in self-defense,” Hansen said proudly.

That dogged determination served Hansen well in the United States Army, where he studied in the elite Combatives program.

“They ask you ‘Who wins the fight?’ and the answer is, ‘Whoever’s buddy gets there first to help him clean up.’ That’s what Combatives taught me: How to survive that extra 30 to 60 seconds,” Hansen said. “Work ethic is what it taught me. It helped me grow and do things I might have questioned mentally whether or not I could do. Not many people find that extra little motivation. The Army taught me how to find it and utilize it.”

A few years later, Hansen found that inner fire again. Even as he returned to coaching wrestlers in his hometown, his own physical fitness suffered as work and fatherhood took precedence.

Hansen vividly describes sitting in a bean bag chair, eating snack food, watching TV at 2:11 a.m. when his phone rang. He assumed it was a friend in trouble.

“It was (NEF co-owner) Matt Peterson. Our families grew up maybe 200 yards apart. My high school wrestling coach had called him, unbeknownst to me, to tell him he needed to get me back in the cage,” Hansen said.

Three weeks later and 20 pounds lighter, Hansen dispatched super heavyweight fixture Artie Mullen at “NEF 16: New Blood Rising,” and the comeback was on.

In the 15 months that have followed, Hansen has been instrumental in launching Berserkers MMA and building his reputation as both a fighter and an instructor.

Life is blossoming at home, also. Hansen is the father of two girls, ages 5 and 2, and a boy of four months. His older daughter, Kaydn, often accompanies Dad to the gym at Greater Rumford Community Center. He returns the favor by chaperoning field trips for her kindergarten class.

“She and her friends will be on the playground practicing boxing stances and stuff,” Hansen said. “Her teacher says it’s adorable. Hopefully she is learning to take care of herself so I don’t have to.”

Kaydn’s parents are making plans to take her to her first live NEF show after she turns 6. For now, she is content to watch her Dad’s fights on YouTube.

“If we’re watching TV together,” Hansen said, “we have a thing where I get two shows and then she gets two shows. If I put in a fight tape, she’ll say, ‘Daddy, I know this doesn’t count as one of your shows, because this is your work.’”

The opening bell on June 18 is set for 7 p.m. Tickets for “NEF 24: Promised Land” start at $25 and are available at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

FIGHT WITH DENNING IS THE CROSSROADS FOR BUSHAW

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Lewiston, Maine (June 14, 2016) – Like so many headline-grabbing heavy hitters with New England Fights, Maine native Brandon Bushaw (1-2) had nothing left to prove in his combat sports career.

Bushaw parlayed his undefeated state championship season as a Westbrook High School senior in 1999 into a college wrestling career at Michigan State University, where he was a teammate of UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (19-5-1).

“I was with my high school girlfriend (Cynthia), now my wife, so I knew we would always have ties to Maine,” Bushaw said. “Other than being on wrestling scholarship, I thought I was done fighting.”

The couple settled in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and opened Island Bar and Grill, which they have owned and operated for a dozen years.

It is a good, comfortable life. Extended family visited and found the area so alluring that they stayed permanently.

Those competitive juices never completely evaporated, however.

“I had teammates who turned to mixed martial arts,” Bushaw said. “I watched them, and as I approached 30, it became a bucket list thing. Now here I am, 17 fights later.”

Bushaw, 35, explained the journey in a phone interview as he prepared for his fourth professional bout, a featherweight clash with Auburn’s Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (3-2) at “NEF 24: Promised Land” on Saturday, June 18 at Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.

The fight is Bushaw’s first on his original home turf since a 2014 loss to Elias Leland at the 135-pound limit. He ascends to 145 pounds, where he admitted he is more comfortable (“at my advanced age,” Bushaw quipped) for the confrontation with Denning.

“It’s weird, because I thought I was done competing up that way when I graduated from high school, but when I go home after all these years, all the old friends that I haven’t seen for years turn out to watch me fight,” Bushaw said. “I’ve fought all over, but any time I fight in Myrtle Beach or in Maine, it’s more special.”

Some athletes return to their competitive arena because they miss the allure of the cheering crowd.

That’s true of Bushaw, to a degree, although even the spectator interest he drew with the Blue Blazes and Spartans pales by comparison to what greets him surrounding the NEF hexagon.

“It’s nothing like high school or even college wrestling,” Bushaw said. “You show up and there’s two, three, four thousand people watching. It’s so different. You don’t get multiple chances to fight in a week or even a single weekend. It lasts a few minutes and then it’s the highest of the highs or the lowest of the lows.”

The physical toll and the necessary complement of skills also exceed what Bushaw knew in his youth.

He made that discovery about a minute into his initial amateur bout.

“MMA is more dynamic than wrestling. I remember my first fight, the guy picked me up and threw me down and I landed on my head,” Bushaw said. “I remember thinking, ‘This was probably not such a good idea,’ but I found a way to get the win.”

“You can be better than a guy in four different categories, but if he’s better in just one, he’s capable of beating you,” he continued. “You think things are going your way and then it’s the biggest letdown in the world.”

There’s a camaraderie in that unpredictable realm that only veterans of the cage can fully understand. Bushaw, who has trained with the likes of childhood friend Jamie Harrison and Amos Collins, noted that he has become cordial with almost all his prior opponents.

Denning (3-2) is one of the few with whom Bushaw (1-2) became “friends” on social media before their fight.

“It’s kind of strange, but all those things go out the window,” Bushaw said. “He’s fought my buddy Dom Cofone. He’s a local boy. I know it’s going to be a tough challenge for me.”

In many respects it is a crossroads bout for Bushaw, who admitted that he has considered retirement from the sport.

“Probably my last five fights I’ve gone in saying, ‘One more fight and I’m done,’ and then I keep going. I don’t shy away from anybody,” he said. “My last fight was against a kid who was 23 and he’d been in Thailand for two years or some (stuff). That was one time when I might have said, ‘What am I doing?’

“For me it’s family, then business, then fighting. For a lot of these younger guys, fighting is first, and that makes it a challenge.”

The opening bell on June 18 is set for 7 p.m. Tickets for “NEF 24: Promised Land” start at $25 and are available at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

amateur boxing, amateur mixed martial arts, Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

COMBAT SPORTS GIVE BEZANSON DIRECTION AFTER FAMILY TRAGEDY

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Lewiston, Maine (June 13, 2016) – Combat sports gave Mike Bezanson (1-0) direction. They also helped him cultivate the relationship with his father that he always coveted but could never seem to grasp.

Now, on the eve of Father’s Day, less than a week past the four-year anniversary of his dad’s untimely death, Bezanson is poised to take another step in the career that was their shared dream.

Bezanson, 21, of Lancaster, N.H., returns to the New England Fights hexagon to take on Shawn Bang (1-1) of Auburn, Maine, in a welterweight bout at “NEF 24: Promised Land.” Their amateur bout is one of the many attractions on theSaturday, June 18 card at Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.

“I think this fight is going to be good for me, because I’ll be able to show my skills against an opponent with more in-cage experience than I have,” Bezanson said. “Also, the fact that June 18 is the day before Father’s Day makes this a sentimental and emotional fight for me.”

The encore comes almost a year to the day after Bezanson stopped Jeff Dustin (0-1) by technical knockout via strikes in his mixed martial arts debut on June 13, 2015. Bang has split his first two verdicts in the NEF cage.

Bezanson’s showboating, stick-and-move style drew mixed reviews from the large crowd that witnessed his rookie effort. Some booed the relative lack of action, perhaps suspecting that Bezanson was toying with an overmatched opponent.

It was all part of his plan to relish the moment and take advantage of the opportunity.

“Truthfully we had a game plan to get experience,” Bezanson said. “If I have any thoughts of going pro, I need to get as much experience as I can. If you go in there and knock a guy out in 10 seconds, don’t get me wrong, you got a knockout and that’s great, but you’re not learning what it takes to get comfortable on the other side of that 10 seconds. You don’t know how much energy you’re going to need.”

Bezanson never lacked energy, or personality, from childhood. He describes himself as a young man who never got into any serious trouble, and never experimented with drugs or other disorderly conduct, but one who freely challenged authority.

He gravitated to the boxing ring as a freshman in high school. It gave him direction. It also provided a foundation for the on-again, off-again relationship with his father, Jamie.

“Before I took up boxing, my dad wasn’t really involved much in my life. He would come and go, you know, for personal reasons,” Bezanson said. “When I started boxing, we got really close. Boxing and racing were his things. He would tell anybody and everybody that I was boxing and how proud he was, and that meant a lot to me.”

Jamie Bezanson never had the chance to watch his son develop as a fighter. On June 15, 2012, during annual “Bike Week” in Laconia, his motorcycle crossed the center line and struck another vehicle.

The elder Bezanson succumbed to his injuries. He was 37.

“I lost it for a while. I stopped boxing. Mentally, I was just in a very emotional place,” Bezanson said. “Then right next to my house, Kaze Dojo opened up. I said, ‘That’s something I could do.’”

Bezanson began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Greg Williams. He proved himself a natural talent, winning the gold medal in his debut at the Vermont Open.

Then came the natural progression to MMA, where his stand-up skills proved too difficult for Dustin to defend. Bezanson commanded the cage with the poise and surgical precision of a veteran.

“I’m a pretty confident guy all around. I really wasn’t that nervous. I figure why be scared if you’re prepared and you’ve put in all that training?” he said. “Ninety percent of fights are lost before you even get into the cage. If you let the emotions get to you, you’re not going to perform to the best of your ability.”

Bezanson suffered a catastrophic knee injury in training shortly thereafter. He has spent most of the past year recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL and meniscus.

Once he returned to the gym, Bezanson spent much of his time focused on his evolving ground game. It should be tested royally by Bang, a former high school wrestler from a renowned regional fighting family.

“Striking is definitely one of my strengths. I’m a lanky dude, and I try to use that to my full advantage,” Bezanson said. “But I’ve worked really hard on my ground game in training. I didn’t really get a chance to show it in my first fight, but I know I will this time.”

Bezanson sees his second foray into the cage as the true beginning of what he hopes will be a prolific career.

In addition to the many fans who will make the four-hour round trip from the North Country to watch him, Bezanson knows he will have one special set of eyes in his corner.

“Boxing taught me a lot of discipline. MMA is the same thing. People can use it however they want, but that’s what it does for me,” he said. “It’s something I like to do and something that I know makes my father proud all at the same time.”

The opening bell on June 18 is set for 7 p.m. The current docket includes five pro boxing fights, three pro MMA bouts and eight amateur MMA skirmishes. Tickets for “NEF 24: Promised Land” start at $25 and are available atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

amateur boxing, amateur mixed martial arts, Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

INTERNATIONAL FLAIR ADDED TO LEWISTON BOXING CARD AS IRELAND AND MEXICO RENEW RIVALRY

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Lewiston, Maine (June 7, 2016) – In an international  boxing match-up, Ireland’s undefeated Steve Collins, Jr. (7-0-1, 3 KOs) will face his stiffest test yet as a pro when he takes on Mexico’s Jose Humberto Corral (19-21, 12 KOs) in a six-round cruiserweight fight on June 18, 2016 at The Androscoggin Bank Colisée.  The bout will take place as part of New England Fights’ (NEF) next event “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.”

 

Collins, Jr., the son of former world champion and Irish boxing legend “The Celtic Warrior” Steve Collins (36-3, 21 KOs), will be fighting in the United States for the third consecutive time after having each of his first six fights in Ireland and Great Britain.

 

“I’m happy to be back over in the States fighting,” said Collins, Jr.  “The crowd and the fans have really seemed to enjoy my fighting and style that I bring to the boxing world.   I’ve been training hard at the Celtic Warriors Gym here in Ireland, and I’m looking forward to putting my knowledge to use in the ring.  My next opponent  has got a lot of fights under his belt, but I’m looking forward to giving him another loss.”

 

Jose Humberto Corral is a former amateur standout on the Mexican national team who has made a career as a pro as a journeyman giving solid tests to future world champions like Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin and regional prospects like Chris Traietti, Vinnie Carita and Paul Gonsalves.

 

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to fight Steve Collins in Maine,” said Corral recently through a translator.  “Sure he’s an undefeated prospect and son of a former world champion, but I’ve got way more ring experience, and you can’t teach that.  If I had a peso for every time I got beat up by the son of a former world champion, I would have zero pesos.  I look forward to showcasing my skills in the same building Muhammad Ali fought in and leaving with all the American boxing fans looking forward to me coming back.”

 

Collins Jr. is promoted by Murphy’s Boxing USA, a boxing organization headed by Ken Casey of the popular rock band The Dropkick Murphys who are well known for hit songs like “I’m Shipping up to Boston,” “The State of Massachusetts” and “Skinhead on the MBTA.”

 

“It’s wonderful to be able to have Steve Jr. here so often,” said Ken Casey when reached for comment from Cork, Ireland during the band’s latest European tour.  “This will be his third fight here in the States in less than a year, and we are all excited to see where it goes from there. He’s proven that he can step out of his father’s shadow and legacy, and make a career and name for himself.  It’s going to be interesting to see where he ends up in another year from now, but we’re all excited to be part of his journey, and seeing what Steve Jr. can do.”

 

NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.”  Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.

 

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

amateur boxing, Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF WILL TAKE FIGHT FANS TO THE PROMISED LAND THIS FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND

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Lewiston, Maine (June 3, 2016) – It will be a celebration of all things Americana when New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée on Saturday, June 18, 2016.  The wildly popular fight promotion will once again give fans a full night of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing action.

 

In the main event of the boxing portion of the fight card, Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (11-1-1) will defend the Northeast Junior Welterweight Title against challenger James “The Motor City Bad Boy” Lester (10-9-1).  The two fought to a draw on the judges’ scorecards this past April in Lewiston.  They agreed to rematch with Berry’s title on the line.  This time, however, there will be an odd number of rounds (seven to be exact) to make the chances of another draw very slim.

 

Also on the boxing portion of the card, former USA New England Middleweight Champion Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour (13-2) and Casey “The Buzzsaw” Kramlich (4-0-1) from the Portland Boxing Club in Portland, Maine will both make their respective NEF Boxing debuts.

 

The professional MMA portion of the card will see Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-5) return to the cage after his third unsuccessful attempt at capturing the lightweight title this past April.  Erickson will have his work cut out for him in the form of the always tough Amos Collins (4-5) at a catchweight of 161-pounds.

 

Erickson’s teammate, Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (3-2), will also see action on the professional MMA card when he meets Brandon Bushaw (1-2) in a featherweight bout.

 

The amateur MMA card will be headlined by a flyweight title rematch as Ryan Burgess (2-0) defends against the former champion, and the athlete he took the title from, Dustin Veinott (4-4).  Veinott’s loss to Burgess last fall via split decision put a stop to his four-fight win streak.

 

Also on the amateur card will be 46 year-old Dr. Steve Bang, Sr. (1-1), a bariatric surgeon from Auburn, Maine.  In an unplanned homage to Father’s Day, he will be joined on the fight card by his sons Steve Bang, Jr. (3-5),Shawn Bang (1-1), Skyler Bang (0-0) and foster son Conner Murphy (1-0).

 

The “NEF 24” fight card (subject to change):

 

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

 

140*TITLE Brandon Berry (11-1-1)(c) vs James Lester (10-9-1)

HWT Vinnie Carita (11-1-1) vs Francisco Mireles (17-10)

190 Steve Collins, Jr. (7-0-1) vs Jose Humberto Corral (19-21)

160 Russell Lamour (13-2) vs Roberto Valenzuela (69-71-2)

154 Casey Kramlich (4-0-1) vs Zenon Herrera (0-1)

PROFESSIONAL MMA

250 Michael Hansen (4-4) vs Robert Laroski (1-1)

 

170 CJ Ewer (1-0) vs Phil Rowe (1-2)

161 Jesse Erickson (6-5) vs Amos Collins (4-5)

 

145 Matt Denning (3-2) vs Brandon Bushaw (1-2)

 

 

AMATEUR MMA

 

125*TITLE Ryan Burgess (2-0)(c) vs Dustin Veinott (4-4)

170 Shawn Bang (1-1) vs Mike Bezanson (1-0)

155 Steve Bang Sr. (1-1) vs Stacy Lupo (0-0)

 

155 Derek Daley (0-0) vs Johel Stephenson (0-0)

 

155 Steve Bang, Jr. (3-5) vs Dominic Cofone (6-5)

 

145 Skyler Bang (0-0) Eddie DeRoche (0-0)

 

125 Conner Murphy (1-0) vs Justin Witham (1-4)

 

115 Alex Walker (0-1) vs Nicole Burgess (0-0)

 

 

NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.”  Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.

 

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

THE DOCTOR IS IN; BANG RETURNS TO NEF MMA CAGE

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Lewiston, Maine (June 2, 2016) – At most New England Fights (NEF) events, Steve Bang, Sr. (1-1) would be on the other side of the cage either watching one of his sons do battle or acting as the cageside physician.  On June 18, 2016, however, as he has done twice in the past, Bang will enter the mixed-martial-arts cage (MMA) in Lewiston as a competitor.  The 46 year-old bariatric surgeon from Auburn, Maine will take on 48 year-old Stacy Lupo (0-0) in an amateur MMA lightweight bout at “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.”

 

“I love competition and how it drives us to improve and become a more perfect version of ourselves,” said Dr. Bang.  “It has been a year since I have battled in the cage.  This past year has been filled with the accomplishment of personal milestones and athletic goals with many more yet to be realized.  Amidst all of this chaos, the stars have once again aligned to give me the opportunity to reenter the battle arena where the stakes of competition, for me, are highest.”

 

A native of Riverton, Wyoming, Dr. Bang graduated from Brigham Young University in 1994 and then from the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1998.  Coming from the medical field, he is well aware of the risks he takes every time he enters the cage.

 

“Just days after turning 47, I will face a warrior intent upon bodily harm and yet I find myself incredibly blessed and thankful for the health and privilege to do so,” Dr. Bang continued.  “I bring the health of mind, body and spirit beyond what is required to just be a participant.  I have checked all of the boxes that give me the tools required to be a victorious warrior at any age.”

 

Dr. Bang currently trains alongside his sons at Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ).  Steve Bang, Jr. (1-1), Skyler Bang (0-0), Shawn Bang (1-1) and foster son Conner Murphy (1-0) will join their father in cage competition at “NEF 24.”

 

“I am passionate about my training, and take advantage of every metric available to quantify and qualify that training.  By every metric, I am at my peak performance levels.  I am in the best shape of my life,  better than I have ever been. One day that trend will indeed head south, but today is not that day.  I do not take this health and privilege for granted.  Every moment of life and every opportunity we are given is a gift and I plan to take full advantage of it as if it were my last.”

 

Dr. Bang’s opponent, at “NEF 24,” Stacy Lupo, while making his debut in the MMA cage, is a longtime veteran of combat sports.  Lupo currently trains out of the Shatterproof Combat Club in Dexter, Maine, but he has been a martial artist for an amazing 32 years.  He holds black belts in both Taekwondo and Shotokan karate.  He was an accomplished wrestler in high school, placing in states his senior year.  For more than a decade, Lupo ran his own martial arts academy before closing shop to concentrate on raising his family.  In the 1980s and 1990s, Lupo competed in amateur boxing and kickboxing.  His last kickboxing bout saw him win a unanimous decision over Don Labbe in the main event of a 1995 card in Lewiston.

 

“I don’t know Steve personally, but like me, he is an old man in a young man’s sport, so I give him his due and my respect,” said Lupo.  “As the saying goes, ‘be wary of old men in a world where men die young.’  I want to thank him for giving me the chance to compete in a sport I’ve always loved – so, thank you Steven Bang, I look forward to our meeting.”

 

“I do not know my opponent personally, but I respect anyone willing to do what it takes to get to the cage door,” said Bang in closing.  “That next single step across the threshold commands another whole level of respect.  As with the warriors of old, we will battle with the same intensity to maim, kill or disable until compelled to mercy by the referee.  Then we will have a bond that cannot be understood, nor shared, by anyone who has never been there.”

 

NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.”  Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.

 

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

HE BUZZSAW ARRIVES IN NEF TO CUT THE COMPETITION DOWN

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Lewiston, Maine (June 1, 2016) – Just one day removed from the announcement that Russell Lamour, Jr. (13-2, 6 KOs) would make his debut on a New England Fights (NEF) card, the fight promotion announced that Lamour’s teammate Casey “The Buzzsaw” Kramlich (4-0-1, 2 KOs) would also be featured on the “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND” professional boxing event.  On June 18, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée, Kramlich will face Zenon “K-Bar” Herrera (0-1) in a four-round super welterweight contest.

 

Along with Lamour, Kramlich trains at the Portland Boxing Club in Portland, Maine.  Kramlich, to date, has yet to taste defeat in the boxing ring as a professional.  Earlier this spring, Kramlich handed Boston’s Jason Kelly (5-1) the first loss of his professional career on a fight card in Salem, New Hampshire.  He dominated the first two rounds of the fight before the previously-undefeated Kelly was unable to answer the bell to open round three.

 

Last fall, Kramlich fought to a draw against Antonio Chaves Fernandez (6-23-2) on a card in Portland, Maine.  It is the only mark outside of the win column on Kramlich’s record.  On June 18, Kramlich plans to add another notch to that win column at the expense of Zenon Herrera.

 

“I’m very excited to be fighting on an NEF card,” said Kramlich.  “Looking forward to putting on a great show for the fans.  I’ve been training hard, I’m hungry and I’m looking to come out on top victorious and stay undefeated.”

 

Zenon Herrera is one of only a small handful of athletes to have competed in both the NEF MMA cage and the boxing ring.  Herrera made his boxing debut last fall in a losing effort to Tollison Lewis (2-1).  On June 18, Herrera will be looking for his first win in NEF.  He is a veteran of both the United States Army and Marine Corps, having served a combined nine years between the two military branches.

 

NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.”  Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.

 

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

amateur boxing, Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

HAITIAN SENSATION WILL MAKE NEF DEBUT ON JUNE 18

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Lewiston, Maine (May 31, 2016) – The Androscoggin Bank Colisée has a storied history of professional boxing inside the arena’s four walls.  On June 18, Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour, Jr. (13-2, 6 KOs) will add the next chapter to that story when he enters the New England Fights (NEF) ring for the first time.  At “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND,” Lamour will make his NEF debut in a middleweight bout against Mexican veteran Roberto “El Viejo” Valenzuela (69-71-2, 56 KOs).

 

“Definitely excited to be making my NEF debut,” said Lamour.  “NEF does a lot of shows here in Maine, and from what I hear it’s always a packed show.  So I’m looking forward being on this card.  I am excited about fighting at the Colisée ’cause I can then say that I fought in the same building that Muhammad Ali fought in and also that it’s right here at home in Maine.  Fighting here at home again is always a great feeling, especially when you’re fighting in front of the people that support you the most.  Can’t ask for anything better than that when fighting here in your backyard.”

 

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Lamour entered the Portland Boxing Club shortly after graduating from Deering High School in Portland, Maine.  He had a stellar amateur boxing career, finishing with a record of 79-16.  Among his numerous amateur accomplishments, Lamour was a five-time New England regional Golden Gloves champion.  He competed in the semi-pro World Series of Boxing (WSB) where he was the number-one ranked middleweight in the Americas.

 

Lamour’s success carried over to the professional ranks where he won his first 11 bouts.  Over the course of that impressive run, Lamour would capture the vacant USA New England Middleweight Title with a TKO victory over Laatekwei Hammond (21-6) in Lamour’s hometown of Portland, Maine.  Lamour has competed on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights before a national audience.  Last month, he scored a TKO win over Borngod Washington (3-17) in Salem, New Hampshire.  Lamour hopes to make it two in a row with a win over Valenzuela on June 18.

 

“He is a journeymen,” Lamour said of his upcoming opponent. “He’s been fighting for a while and has seen many different styles, but to me he’s just someone else that’s in my pathway that I have to beat to get to where I want to be, so I have to get him out of my way.”

 

Roberto Valenzuela is no stranger to Maine fight fans.  He travelled from his home in Sonora, Mexico to Lewiston, Maine last fall to battle Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (11-1-1).   Valenzuela would lose the bout via unanimous decision, but he impressed all in attendance with his gritty performance, roughing up Berry and cutting him above the eye in the process.  Valenzuela has faced the likes of former world champions Andre Berto (31-4, 24 KOs) and Steve Forbes (35-14, 11 KOs) and current world champion Zahir Raheem (35-3, 21 KOs).  He held the Mexican Pacific Coast Super Featherweight Title from 2003 to 2007.

 

“I am very excited to come back to Maine and fight again,” said Valenzuela through a translator.  “I love New England, and I’ve fought in Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island during the course of my career.  I’ve also worked corners in Connecticut and been pulled over for speeding in New Hampshire, so that must count for something.  The last time I was in Maine, I busted open Brandon Berry’s eye and waged a bloody war.  I’m ready to do the same with Russell Lamour.  I hope he’s ready too.”

 

NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.”  Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.

 

For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”