SHOWTIME SPORTS® CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF 30 YEARS OF SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® IN SEPTEMBER WITH “BRITAIN’S BEST”

September 2, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

THE BRITISH INVASION

Relive Chris Eubank vs. Nigel Benn II Tonight At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

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NEW YORK (Sept. 1, 2016) – The most popular and prolific prizefighters in British Boxing history will be highlighted when SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s 30th anniversary year-long celebration continues in September with “Britain’s Best’’ on SHOWTIME EXTREME^®.

The featured fighters –Naseem Hamed, Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe, Carl Froch, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn– were longtime world champions. Each had a distinctive personality inside and outside the ring, and all helped usher in an era of boxers from Great Britain that currently features a record 14 world champions, including Carl Frampton, James DeGale, Lee Selby and Anthony Joshua.

Of the eight fighters, all but Eubank and Hatton reached dizzying heights by scoring significant victories against distinguished American fighters. Benn blasted out Iran Barkley in 2:57. In his premium network television debut, Hamed dominated Tom “Boom Boom” Johnson and, 10 months later, stoppedKevin Kelly. Calzaghe destroyed Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy. Froch rallied from the brink of defeat to stop Jermain Taylor, and Hatton crushed perennial 140-pound world champion Kostya Tszyu of Australia.

The rivalry between longtime WBO Middleweight and Super Middleweight champion, Eubank, and Benn, a longtime WBC Super Middleweight boss, may have been the most celebrated in U.K. history. Eubank took their savage first fight on a ninth-round TKO; the rematch ended in a draw.

Hamed (2015) and Calzaghe (2014) are members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

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

Thursday, Sept. 1: Chris Eubank-Nigel Benn II
Thursday, Sept. 8: Naseem Hamed-Tom “Boom Boom” Johnson
Thursday, Sept. 15: Ricky Hatton-Kostya Tszyu
Thursday, Sept. 22: Joe Calzaghe-Jeff Lacy
Thursday, Sept. 29: Carl Froch-Jermain Taylor

All fights will air on “Throwback Thursdays” on SHOWTIME EXTREME (10 p.m. ET/PT) throughout the month of September and will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME^® and via the network’s online streaming service.

(Throwback Thursdays/ Fight Synopsis)

Eubank vs. Benn II – Oct. 9, 1993, Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, Lancashire, England

Three years after Eubank rallied to stop defending champion Benn in an intense, fiercely contested battle for the WBO Middleweight Crown that marked the beginning of a great era for British middleweights and super middleweights, the rivals fought to a controversial 12-round draw in a 168-pound unification bout for Eubanks’ WBO and Benn’s WBC titles.

With more than 42,000 fans in attendance roaring their approval, the two legends went at it again from start to finish. There were lots of close rounds with frenzied flourishes at the end of each. The thrilling 12^th round is considered a classic as both boxers were told they needed it to win. At the finish, one judge scoring it for Eubank, 115-113, one judge gave it to Benn by the identical score while the third judge had it 114-114.

Hamed vs. Johnson – Feb. 8, 1997, New London Arena, London, England

The undefeated WBO Champion Hamed unified the featherweight division with an eighth-round TKO over respected longtime IBF titlist, Tom “Boom Boom” Johnson. Hamed dominated Johnson, who was making his 12^th defense, from the third round on, scoring the bout’s lone knockdown with a huge uppercut in the eighth. Hamed was ahead by 69-63, 69-64 and 69-65 when it was stopped at2:27 of the round.

Four starts later, Hamed won his United States debut with a wild fourth-round knockout over Kelly, a former WBC Champion, at Madison Square Garden.

Hatton vs. Tszyu – June 4, 2005, M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, England
The largely unproven but hungry Hatton scored one of the most sizeable stunners in British history and announced his entry to the upper echelons of the world boxing scene by recording an 11^th-round TKO over Tszyu for the unified IBF, Ring and lineal light-welterweight titles.

This is regarded as the signature performance in Hatton’s career; the stamina, aggression and heart he displayed is now legendary. A massive underdog against a dominant, feared champion and one of the world’s top pound-for-pound boxers, Hatton won when Tszyu failed to answer the bell for the 12th round. After 11, Hatton was ahead by 107-102, 106-103 and 105-104.

Calzaghe vs. Lacy – March 4, 2006, M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, England
In the most important and anticipated super middleweight match since Roy Jones defeated James Toney in 1994, Calzaghe produced a masterpiece and the performance of his career, thoroughly overwhelming the previously unbeaten IBF kingpin Lacy. It was a Brit Beatdown at its brutal best, a wipeout from the outset. Calzaghe cut Lacy over both eyes and caused blood to flow from Lacy’s nose midway through a fight that could have been stopped several times, and floored him in the 12th.

By impressively prevailing over Lacy, Calzaghe also earned the The RingChampionship, becoming the first super middleweight to be recognized as world champion by The Ring.

Froch vs. Taylor – April 25, 2009, Foxwoods Resort Casino in Foxwoods, Conn.
Froch registered one of the most dramatic finishes to a world title fight sinceJulio Cesar Chavez, behind on points, stopped Meldrick Taylor two seconds from the end of the 12th round in 1990.

Froch, making his second U.S. start and initial defense of the WBC title, survived a third-round knockdown – the first of his career, amateur and pro – to finish Taylor with 14 seconds left.

Froch hurt and staggered Taylor with a cracking right hand just over a minute into the 12th. Desperate to get the knockout, he continued to belt Taylor all over the ring. With about 90 seconds left, Taylor went down from a barrage of head shots. He barely arose at nine with 0:29 remaining but had no defense for an ensuing barrage of damaging blows.

(The British Invasion/Boxer Capsules)

Chris Eubank (45-5-2, 23 KOs), of Brighton, England, was one of the top British super middles of all-time; he was responsible for helping British boxing ride a peak of popularity in the 1990s. After winning the WBO 160-pound title by stopping Benn and making three subsequent defenses , Eubank moved up to 168, captured the WBO crown and retained it 14 times (12-0-2) over a five-year-period. One of the draws came against WBC champion Benn in world title unification in their rematch in October 1993.

Nigel “Dark Destroyer” Benn (42-5-1, 35 KOs), of West Ham, England, went pro in January 1997 and won his first 22 fights by knockout. He took the WBO 160-pound belt with an eighth-round TKO over Doug DeWitt on April 29, 1990, in Atlantic City. In his first defense, he stunned the boxing world by scoring a devastating TKO 1 over former middleweight world champion Barkley on Aug. 18, 1990. In his next outing, Benn fought Eubank the first time. He captured the WBC 168-belt in October 1992 and made nine successful defenses.

Naseem Hamed (36-1, 31 KOs), of Sheffield, England, was a global superstar. He was known, loved, despised and acclaimed as one of the greatest British pound for pound boxers of all time. He was known for his marvelous movement and entertaining, albeit unconventional antics. He held multiple world championships at featherweight and made 16 consecutive featherweight world title defenses. He was considered the linear world champ at 126 pounds for five years (1995-2000) and was The Ring Magazine’s No. 1 Featherweight Fighter from 1997‑2000.

Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton (45-3, 32 KOs) of Manchester, England, is viewed by many as the No. 1 British 140-pounder of all time. He was the 2005 RingMagazine Fighter of the Year, the first British boxer to receive the award since its inception in 1928. He was also the 2005 ESPN and Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year. During his15-year career (1997-2012), he held various world titles at junior welterweight and one at welterweight. He reached the pinnacle of his profession in June 2005 when he upset Tszyu to seize the unified IBF, Ring and lineal 140-pound titles.

Joe Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KOs) is the longest-reigning super middleweight world champion in history, having held the WBO title for more than 10 years and making 21 successful defenses before relinquishing it to move up to light heavyweight. As his reins at 168 and 175 pounds overlapped, he retired with the longest continual time as world champion of any active fighter. Calzaghe annihilated IBF Super Middleweight Champion Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy to become world super middleweight champion on March 4, 2006. He held the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, Ring magazine and lineal super middleweight titles, as well as The Ring light heavyweight title.
Carl “The Cobra” Froch (33-2, 24 KOs), of Nottingham, England, was a four-time super middleweight world champion who possessed an aggressive, style, toughness and granite chin. Froch won the WBC crown twice and was the WBA titleholder from 2013-2015 and the IBF champion from 2012-2015. In 2013, the BBC listed him as the best British pound-for-pound boxer.

One outing after Froch captured the WBC belt with a triumph over Jean Pascalin May 2008, he rattled the boxing world by producing one of the most remarkable comebacks in history. Rallying from an early knockdown and a four-point deficit on two of the scorecards entering the final round, Froch came on to batter former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor senseless and knock him out at 2:46 of the 12^th on April 25, 2009. A few months later, Froch entered the Super Six World Boxing Classic on SHOWTIME, where he got the only two defeats of his career, losing decisions to Mikkel Kessler, and toAndre Ward in the finals.

# # #

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.

boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

Daniel Jacobs, Sergio Mora, Robert Easter & Richard Commey Media Conference Call Transcript

September 2, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

For Immediate Release

Marc Abrams

Okay. Welcome to the Daniel Jacobs/Sergio Mora conference call. The rematch will take place Friday night, September 9th, at the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania, and live on Spike TV. It’s a championship double header, a great show that will also feature the IBF lightweight championship of the world between undefeated Robert Easter and undefeated Richard Commey of Accra, Ghana. The show is promoted by Kings Boxing. And to make some opening statements, the President of Kings Boxing Mr. Marshall Kauffman. Marshall?

Marshall Kauffman

Hello, everybody. It’s a pleasure to be able to host such an exciting fight comeSeptember 9th. I’m looking forward to fireworks between both these–with both of these bouts. You have–with Richard Commey and Robert Easter, Jr., and of course, Daniel Jacobs and Sergio Mora, it’s going to be an exciting night. I’m really looking forward to it. And the [unintelligible] town of Reading as well is really excited about such a big event coming to our town.

Abrams

Well, we’ll start with Robert Easter–would like to make an opening comment.

Robert Easter

Yeah, I’ll all very excited to come to Reading, PA, and fight for the IBF world title. Hopefully, Richard Commey will bring his A game to the table because I’m definitely bringing my A-plus game to the table.

Abrams

And, Richard, would you like to make an opening statement?

Richard Commey

Oh, yeah, I’m very excited to have this opportunity to fight for the IBF lightweight world title. I’ve worked so hard to get this opportunity. And I know Robert Easter, Jr., has also. So, it’s going to be a great fight.

Robert, basically, he hasn’t faced anyone with your height, reach, power, and speed. Is that accurate? Can you give an assessment of your thoughts on that?

Easter

Yes, no, he hasn’t faced anyone like me and my agility, my power, my length, my reach. He hasn’t faced a guy like me. So, that’s where I come in and take over this fight.

On the other hand, who would you say that you have faced that is either comparable or better than him in ways that you think he need–he would need to be able to compete against you?

Easter

It was–Mendez, he was a speedy, speedy guy, fast, and could move a lot. But, what I’m hearing, Commey brings pressure I guess. That’s probably the only thing Mendez didn’t have. He came–he definitely came to fight, though, but he was a speedy guy, a slick guy, to move his hands.

I guess the last question, is there anything that is different or unique about Richard that you haven’t seen in an actual fight? I know you’ve been in sparring with guys like [Lamont Peterson] and Anthony Peterson, Adrian Broner, guys like that. But, in an actual fight, is there anything about him that you respect to the level that you’re really going to have to be on your P’s and Q’s about?

Easter

Every opponent you step in the ring with you have to respect. But, it’s nothing unique I see coming from him. It’s nothing I haven’t seen or faced. So, like I said, this should be a walk in the park for me, and I say that with confidence.

Okay. Richard, I wonder what tradition you know when you talk about Azumah Nelson Have you talked to any of those guys or heard from any of those guys ?

Commey

Yes. And I’m going to use the advice Azumah gave me over the last few weeks here in Ghana.

Richard, how does Robert stack up to left hander went the distance with both those guys. Have you seen anything like what you’re going to see out of Robert in terms of reach and–?

Commey

I’ve inspired a lot of people with a lot of heart. I need this opportunity. His height really won’t matter. I’m coming there to win and that’s what I’m coming to do.

The last question, what do you think you’ve–that he hasn’t fought anyone like? What do you think is unique about you that he hasn’t seen before?

Commey

Well, I’m a tall guy. And no matter what he does, I can win. I’m strong. And I can take punches and I can punch as well. I can do all that. If he can’t–he will lose. I respect the height and his reach and his skills as a boxer.

I’ll start with you, Easter. Welcome to the fight, and good luck to you. You mentioned that you’re ready, and Commey has not fought anybody of your caliber. But, if you look at both records, you guys are both undefeated with a nice double figure of knockouts. And he’s already a champion is his country and all that. Now, and you are an ex-Olympian. Are you telling me, or as I understand, that you’re minimizing what he has, taking in consideration that he is undefeated, just like you, and somebody’s always got to go? So, what do you–how do you assess that?

Easter

Seeing the few rounds I did watch is the skills, and I wouldn’t say they were that good, but he–like I said, he’s just very strong. They say he’s strong. But, you’re only strong to somebody you can hit.

When you got to–boxing out there, like me, I’m using my rank, my length, and what I’m throwing [can be] hard as well, how you going to be able to get past that? So, like I said, the skills are not much there. But, I don’t like to get hit that much. I won’t get hit that much. So, I’m going to take all that away, and then whatever he’s bringing and adjust to have him adjust to me. Once I get him in my game plan, the fight is going to go my way the whole few rounds it’s going to last.

Do you feel that your Olympic experience is an advantage over him because, after all, when you get to the high heights of Olympic experience and international amateur fighting, you’re almost like a pro? It’s almost like stepping into the living room when you turn pro. So, that has–you have an edge on that?

Easter

I wouldn’t pretty much focus on the amateur side because the transition from the amateur to pro is way different. You know patience.So, I’ll transition pretty quickly like Lamont Peterson, Anthony Peterson, Adrien Broner, guys like that..

Are you hoping to–just to name two guys to follow the tradition of African champions, like Ike Quartey and the great Azumah Nelson, to bring another title back to Africa? Is this what–not only to win, of course, but is–this is your direction, your crusade, when you were saying that, “Finally, I got a chance at a world title,” and your heart of hearts, this is what you want to do, to bring another title to Africa?

Commey

Yes, that’s exactly what I want to do. Like you said, the likes of Ike Quartey, Azumah Nelson, to bring a championship back to my country.

Knowing that this is for the vacant IBF world title, of course, what have you–without giving out trade secrets, what have you done in camp to–different or with a high acceleration to make sure that your hand is raised in victory over Easter?

Commey

Well, of course, I spar a lot of big guys like Joshua Clottey, and I have the kind of power to excel in the gym and on fight night. I want to follow the tradition of Ghanaian boxing. So, I’m coming there to make sure, once I get my game plan underway, then I’ll victorious.

Do you run at all the risk of being a little overconfident against another opponent who is also undefeated and has traveled all over, fought a lot of different type of fighters in all different countries and certainly has no fear of coming here? Are you a little overconfident in those remarks?

Easter

No, not at all. Not at all. I believe in my skill. And I know what I’ll come and do, just like my last fight and fight before that and a few fights before that. Once I got my game plan, when I come in the ring, I know how to make the fighter try to adjust to me. Once I get a fighter try and adjust to me, then the fight is already won.

The skills, you can see the skills, mine and his. He’s a straight coming-forth fighter, try to hard punch and all that. But, when got boxing and you can punch as well and you can move, don’t matter. It speaks for itself.

So, how surprised were you that Barthelemy did give up the title and that you ended up getting this title shot? Seems to me probably about maybe around a year or so or at least in the IBF 9 or 10 months sooner than maybe you had expected.

Easter

I knew after the Mendez fight I was going to have a big fight coming up. So, either way, I was going to train like it was a championship fight, like I do always. So, it is surprising that it came up this soon.

Do you think, when you face him, you’re going to have to use your height and length and box him because you mentioned how aggressive he is, or is this going to be similar to Argenis Mendez, where you can drop that big shot at any moment and knock the guy out?

Easter

Yeah, I’m going to and I will have to box. That’s the plan for every opponent I fight. I box and use my length. So, as long as I do that and see a weakness–wherever I see a weakness, that’s when I go for it.

I count six different countries that you’ve fought in between your home country, United States, throughout Europe. Can you talk about what that experience has done in terms of giving you confidence to come again to the United States and take on an American fighter in a pretty significant fight for a world title?

Commey

Like you said, I’ve been fighting all over the world. I’m very comfortable fighting in the U.S. I don’t really think about where I’m going to fight, just do my best, and whatever happens, I take it because, as a boxer, I need to prepare. I need to be ready to go wherever to fight. I’m ready to go anywhere to fight to so wherever I go as a boxer. So, I’m all good

Richard, can you just give me your opinion about the kind of fighter and what you think about the style of Robert Easter, if you’ve seen him fight?

Commey

What I’ve seen of him, I know he’s a great boxer, a skilled boxer, and he tries to move a lot. But, likewise, I can box. I can come forward. So, on the night of the fight, definitely, I know what I’m going to do.

Did you have a preference of fighting Barthelemy, who was the reigning champion, or taking on another undefeated fighter for the vacant title, or did it not make a difference to you?

Commey

Well, at the end of the day, that’s you want. Once you got a chance to fight for it, whatever comes, it doesn’t really matter who you’re supposed to fight. It’s the title I want. So, for me, I don’t really feel much disappointed. I’m there to fight for the title. That’s what I want. So, I’m not disappointed. It’s all good as I’m really looking forward for the title. And once I’m fighting for the title, I don’t mind.

Abrams

Okay. We’re going to wrap up this part of the call. I know we’ve got–Sergio is on the line. And I think Daniel will be on the line in a second. Just a quick final comment from both, we’ll start with Robert.

Easter

Just be ready September 9th. I’ll come bring a lot of fireworks and a lot of action and another short bout, September 9th, and will be the IBF champion.

Commey

Come on the 9th of September. I’m coming to put my life on the line. And I’m going to be the world champion, IBF lightweight world champion.

Abrams

Thank you, guys. We’ll see you in Reading September 9th. And, Danielle, I think we’re ready now with the–I believe Sergio is on the line. I know Daniel going to be in, in a second. I guess, while we wait for Daniel, Marshall, I don’t know if you want to introduce Sergio?

Kauffman

Sergio Mora, a very exciting fighter. His last fight was fireworks. And I’m looking forward to fireworks once again. Danny Jacobs dropped him first, and Sergio came back and took advantage of Danny’s mistakes. And then the third knockdown was something that’s still a question mark, whether it was from a knockdown or a twisted ankle. So, there are question marks–there are questions that are left to be spoken for. And I believe Sergio is in shape. And we’ll see, come September 9th. How about it, Sergio?

Sergio Mora

It was no knockdown. I always–I’m the one getting punched, by the way. So, I didn’t feel the punch, and it was definitely just me twisting my ankle. It was Jacobs pushing me down as well. Yeah, the referee kept warning Jacobs also that he was pushing me down with his elbow. I normally go down low like that. So, it’s not the first time it happened. So, it’s a mix of a lot of things. But, it wasn’t a punch to knock me down. It was all my ankle. And if was a punch, then why didn’t I stay down? I was up at the count of two or three on one foot. So, it definitely wasn’t a punch.

Abrams

And I believe the WBA middleweight champion Daniel Jacob on the line. Daniel, you want opening statements and maybe a response to that?

Daniel Jacobs

Well, I came in briefly. And from what I hear, he’s saying that that last shot wasn’t a punch that put him down. I don’t know what my eyes were seeing, or I don’t know what my fists felt, but in my opinion, and I think, if you clearly go to the video, the replay, it was a punch that put him down. It was the uppercut that started–which had him back–withdraw and back up. And then it was the overhand right that put him down. So–.

Mora

The overhand right grazed the back of my head. Yeah, the overhand right grazed the back of my head, but my ankle was already twisted. It was a tricky shot.

Jacobs

It could be a graze. It could be whatever you want to say it could be, but it put you down. Listen, let me give my opening statement, please. I just got on the line.

Mora

But, it didn’t keep me down. If I was hurt, –I wouldn’t have gotten up.

Jacobs

Okay. Allow me to have my opening statement, Sergio, please. I just got on the line, brother. Show some respect. I just got on the line. So, my opening statement, ladies and gentlemen, it is the honor to be back into the ring. I’ve been out for quite some time. The reason we’ve actually been out for so long was because we were trying to get a better opportunity at fighting B.J. Saunders. Obviously, that fight took a little longer than anticipated. And this is the reason why this fight is happening. It isn’t because I’ve been avoiding Sergio Mora. I just understand that this fight for my career at this particular point isn’t really going to do anything for me. It’s more going to do anything–more for Sergio than it would do for me. But, me and him have the same management in Al Haymon. So, I can understand why this fight is being made.

But, the reasons why he’s saying this fight is being made as far as me ducking him and not wanting to fight him, I mean, that’s absurd. That’s absurd. But, I’m just excited nevertheless to be back into the ring. It’s a good time for me to be able to get back in there and have some fun again. I look forward to a very good matchup again I hope. But, one question that I do have for Sergio is, in previous interviews, he said that he was going to have a more exciting style and he was tired of being the born fighter he used to be that wasn’t appealing to fans, and he wasn’t going to do much running, this other stuff, stuff that he’s been getting criticized before, he wasn’t going to do that. And now that he says he’s felt the power of myself, he says he’s going to completely switch the game plan. So, my question is, what–why the sudden change? I mean, what’s the difference now? Why are you not going to be more exciting and more appealing now, like you said before?

Mora

I said I was going to be exciting and more aggressive. I didn’t say I was going to be stupid.

Jacobs

Oh, yeah, that is stupid to come and–that will be stupid to come and actually go toe to toe and bang with me. You’re absolutely right. So it’ll be interesting to see the game plan that you have for this coming fight because I just hope it’s not a stinker, man. You’re getting a second opportunity at a world–at my world title shot. Please let’s not make it a snoozer. It’s bad enough we’re both receiving a lot of criticism for this fight, but dude, please let’s just make it exciting.

Mora

Hey, listen, I’m the king of criticism. If you can’t take criticism, you don’t belong to be a champion. You don’t belong in the top like that. That’s part of being a world champion is taking all the bullshit from critics and media and everyone else. And if you’re thin-skinned, then you’re not going to hang very much as the world champion.

Jacobs

Okay. Yes, sir. Ready for some questions.

Sergio, after that first fight, you said that you felt that, because it was so early in the fight, it was going to be called-be a no contest. Turns out it ultimately ended up being a loss on your record. Do you feel like the fact that it’s been so–that the fight ended in that way, do you feel like an extra layer of motivation to try to win this second fight?

Mora

No, that blemish on my career is–it’s already there. I tried to contest it with the New York Commission. But, it got me nowhere. The New York Commission is a mess as we’re all finding out when it comes to the fights and boxing and MMA and everything else. So, I went that route. It didn’t go anywhere. So, I’m going to have that TKO on my record for the rest of my career and the rest of my life. And it’s sad because I don’t want it to be on a technicality. So, does it irk me? Absolutely. But, am I past it? Yes. I just want an opportunity to clear whatever happened. Jacobs said that he dropped me twice. I only fell once. I dropped him once. Round of the year, Sports Illustrated. Second round, I feel I was in control and winning. With 5 or 10 seconds left, the injury happens, and I bust my ankle. So, there’s a lot of unanswered questions. And for whatever reason this fight is happening again, I’m going to–I’m fully prepared for whatever comes. And I just want to–I just want my opportunity. And I’m thankful that I got it.

Daniel, in that–in the first round, Sergio did knock you down. You said after the fight ended that you were a little bit careless in that first round. Are you taking a more conservative approach, or are you being a little more careful knowing that Sergio has the capabilities of knocking you down?

Jacobs

Listen, there’s always opportunities to learn and grow in the sport of boxing. Even with a light-punching guy like Sergio Mora, I learned a valuable lesson that, after I knocked him down and I was going in for the kill, that you still have to be defensive minded, even when you have a guy hurt because I was on the verge of stopping this man. There’s no way around that. I was definitely on the verge of stopping him. But, in my mind, I got a little careless. And the way I had my feet spread, I mean, I just got caught with a real clean shot. It’s nothing I can take away from him. He definitely earned that. But, it was a valuable lesson to me and a lesson that I’m sure I won’t make again.

Sergio, how was the rehab in trying to get back and healthy? Was there anything that, during that time, you looked at yourself as a fighter and wanted to improve upon for this rematch?

Mora

No, not as a fighter. The only thing I had in mind was to heal up 100 percent. I did everything in my power, in my capability to heal up properly. I did all the–I got the best treatment. I tried to go with the best physical therapist and with ice and do all the remedies, all the Mexican remedies that my mom would tell me to do. And I tried to do everything possible to do it. So, finally, I–after 6 to 7 months, I started–little by little started putting pressure on it. And I started feeling good and taking it–taking Aleve. And sometimes, I have to take cortisone shots in order for me to go harder and faster. So, I just did everything in my ability, plus prayer. And thank God I’m back.

I don’t know who’s best fit to answer this question, but is there a rubber match clause in the event that Sergio pulls the upset?

Mora

I’m the king of rematches. So, I’ll answer that. I’ve had four rematches. This is going to be my fifth. And I’ve never had a rubber match. I probably deserved a rubber match with Brian Vera. But, Texas is just too big and strong for me to beat. So, rubber matches, I don’t know. We’ll see. I got to get the win first.

Are you confident, Sergio, in your ability to plant on your ankle?

Mora

Absolutely. Now, I am. There were times within the year that I’ve been off that I questioned it. And I’m 35 years old now. So, everything heals up slower. I can’t fool myself. So, sometimes, I question it. But, now, I’m not anymore. I did everything. I put all the pressure, sprinting uphill, sprinting downhill, stopping on a dime, pivoting, twisting. And I feel an ache here and there. But, as far as me doing, I’ve done it. So, mentally, I’m there. I’m ready.

Daniel, do you feel this fight is a backwards step?

Jacobs

I absolutely do. I mean, I think it’s just–to me, this is kind of like a just-stay-busy fight because we weren’t able to get the fight that we actually wanted, for whatever reason. But, to me, I don’t think this does anything for my career. Like I said before, we’ve always wanted to move up to bigger and better opposition each time out. This is kind of a step back. And I understand that it left a bitter taste in certain people’s mouths because of the way Sergio Mora lost. But, in my opinion, he was on the verge anyway. So, that’s how I look at it. But, this is for me an opportunity to kind of quiet the critics and just make the final statement once and for all that I am the better fighter, better boxer.

Hell, I’m better in general inside that square ring. Sergio Mora has nothing in there to stop me, especially come September 9th. I’m in the best shape that I’ve ever been in my life. And he said before that I don’t like to go 12 rounds. I mean, I’ve never said that. I mean, just because I’ve knocked guys out doesn’t mean I don’t like to go 12 rounds. With the Caleb Truax fight, I wanted to go 12 rounds, and I did, and then I stopped him in the 12th round. So, it’s not like I’d just like to go out there and have this false identity like I’m this super big knockout artist. I’m a superb boxer. I learned the fundamentals from the amateur USA boxing. I’ve gone internationally and performed on an international level. I know how to box. Sergio Mora is extremely awkward. That’s what allowed him to get where he is now. Take nothing away from him being a world champion. Yeah, I have to give him credit for that. But, as a–.

Mora

About time you give me some credit. And guess what? I–and hey, listen, man. Sorry to interrupt you, but that’s the first time you’ve ever given me credit.

Jacobs

Oh, I’m sorry. I thought I was answering the question. Okay. I’m going to let you go ahead.

Mora

That’s the first time you’ve ever given me credit, man. Thank you very much. Thank you, Danny. Thank you.

Jacobs

Oh, okay. You’re very welcome. But, as I was saying, yes, this is definitely a setback.

It didn’t take long for you to get acquainted the first time around. What are your mindsets? Are you looking to pick up where you left off, or you taking a completely different approach this time around?

Mora

I’m still in shock that he gave me credit. Look, the first time around, he downplayed and downgraded me as a former world champion. And he said that he wanted to move onto bigger and better things. I just want to touch on something. I’m the best name on Daniel Jacobs–no, let me take that back. I’m the most accomplished name on Daniel Jacobs’s record.

So, how is he down–how is he going backwards? How is he regressing by fighting me? I’m the best–I’m the most accomplished on his resume. He’s not even top three on mine. I’ve got hall of famers on my resume. I had to beat a world champion, a five-time world champion to become champion. He had to beat a guy Jarrod Fletcher Jacob–I don’t even know what the hell his name is, Fletcher Jones or whatever it is. So, the bottom line is you’ve got to give me my credit, man. So, thank you for giving me that credit. Now, what was your question, again? I’m sorry.

Are you looking to pick up where you left off, or are you coming in with a totally different mindset?

Mora

Well, look, I know that I got dropped. I’ve been dropped before. I can get up, and I’m pretty resilient that way. Jacobs took a little longer to get the cobwebs off. So, he–now, he knows that I can punch. I don’t think he’s going to come in as aggressive as he was the first time. If he does, maybe we’ll leave off. That’s going to be up to the champ. The champ wants to start if off, I’m good. If not, if I see him–fighting behind a jab, then I’m going to have to go and put the pressure on a little bit.

And, Daniel?

Jacobs

So, I just–I totally feel like he’s just full of it right now. I don’t think he’s going to come forward. He’s even said it in the interview. Now, he understands and he knows how much power I possess. He’s going to change the game plan. And he’s going to try to take me into what he quotes are deep waters. So, he’s going to try to take me in later rounds, which in my opinion, he has to box, and he has to be on the back foot to do so.

So, in my opinion, I think he’s going to try to make it a snoozer. He’s not going to try to make it exciting and come forward. And it’s just my–it’s just up to me to make it an exciting. And I’m going to do what I’ve always done. I’m going to come forward, and I’m going to adjust if I need to make adjustments. And that’s simple. I want to hurt this man. There’s no way around it. I want him to feel and eat his words, clearly. So, I’m going to come in there, and I’m going to try and punch you in your face. It’s plain and simple, Sergio. That’s my game approach. But, if you want to box–.

Mora

That’s all good. You try to reach my–.

Jacobs

If you want to go on the back foot–.

Mora

I’m going to be touching that body.

Jacobs

Hold on, sir. Hold on, baby. Hold on, baby. I’ll let you answer your question. Hold on now. Be respectful. If you wanted to be on the back foot, that’s the game that I can play, too. I have an extreme amateur and professional boxing resume, brother. Like, we can do this. But, the game plan for me, to answer your question, is to go in there and hurt this man, period.

Sergio, given the fact that Danny has said that this is a backwards step for him, he looks at it as a tune-up fight, didn’t really want to have the rematch, why–what do you think it was that actually got you this rematch and I know you wanted very badly?

Mora

Al Haymon, plain and simple, Al Haymon. I think no one was campaigning for this rematch, Dan. And I think a lot of people were surprised that it happened. I certainly was surprised that I got the phone call because, even though I was promised by Al a big fight my first fight back, I didn’t expect it to be for world title versus Daniel Jacobs in a rematch. So, I’m very, very thankful to Al Haymon. And honestly, just to–I mean, not to be funny or anything, but if I really have to thank another person, another thing, it’s Twitter because it gives me a voice when I was injured. And I never had that before. I just wish I would’ve started it earlier and had more of a following. So, yeah, I’ve got to thank Twitter, too.

Do you think–I mean, you’ve had your ups and downs. You fought a lot of good names. But, you mentioned a little earlier 35 years old. Do you think this maybe this could be your last chance at a world title?

Mora

Yeah, probably. I mean, I can’t be foolish and say that I can move–I can beat Bernard Hopkins. I can’t. I’m not Bernard Hopkins. There’s only special people that could fight in their mid-30s and so on and still be fighting the best. So, even though, if my body hasn’t taken a beating, I’ve been in the game a long time. And the wear and tear from sparring and from running and from the dieting and from all the other stuff, all that takes effect.

But, even though I am well preserved, I’m still the age that I am. And the hunger’s still there. So, number one, if the hunger’s still there, everything else falls into place. So, we’re going to find out in two weeks exactly if the hunger and my body is at the same level.

Were you anxious to just go right back in with Danny in a second fight if you could get the fight, or did you consider a tune-up?

Mora

No, no. Great question, Dan. Me and my team did have that discussion. And we did think about fighting someone else. And I think Alfredo Angulo was a name they offered and were considering. But, we know Angulo very well. And we just didn’t feel right taking that fight, especially watching the fight–his last fight. But, the ankle feels good. And we decided to go straight into this title fight because we weren’t sure we were going to get it again. I think the stars lined up perfectly for it to happen. And Jacobs admits that, too, that he didn’t want to fight me for whatever reasons, and I got this fight thanks to Al Haymon. And that’s it.

What was it that made you decide that, ultimately, you would in fact give him the rematch, even though it’s clear that it’s not a fight that you want?

Jacobs

It’s just I understand how it left a bad taste in people’s mouths. So, with the options that we were given, with talking to Al and talking with my team, I guess it just kind of made–not sense, but it just was the right thing to do at the very–at that moment. And I won’t say we looked at it as, like, hey, this is an easy win or this is an opportunity to make easy money.

Like, we don’t look at it like that. But, we kind of just–and we definitely wasn’t forced into the fight. So, that’s another thing that I want to make clear. Al Haymon didn’t say, “Hey, this is going to be what you’re going to do.” So, me and my team came together. And for whatever reasons, we allowed this fight to happen, but we definitely wasn’t forced into it.

So, you mentioned you had some other options that were brought to your attention. What were those other options?

Jacobs

They just wasn’t–like, it wasn’t guys in my opinion at that level that were bigger and better. Like I said before, we looked at the whole scene of the middleweight division, and Andy Lee and a couple other guys that names were thrown out there. We were trying to make that fight happen with Lee. I think that fight kind of fell through maybe once or twice. So, we were just like, “Hey, let’s just go with Sergio Mora.” The way we–the way it looked and the way we won kind of left a little bit bad taste in people’s mouths. So, it just makes sense to do it.

What is the big fight out there? You are–as the WBA’s regular champion, you are the mandatory for Gennady Golovkin. I want to know if that’s a fight that you’ll consider after this?

Jacobs

Absolutely. That’s the fight that I want. I want the best out there. We tried to make the fight with B.J. Saunders. We tried to make the fight with a couple other guys. But, it just didn’t work. Chris Eubank, Jr., was another opportunity for us to fight. But, he didn’t want no part. So, even after winning the–forgot what title he won because I know I was his mandatory at some point, and he declined. And so, we want to fight the best, point blank, period. Triple G is the best, and that’s the guy that we want.

What kind of particular stylistic problems you think you’d give Golovkin that he hasn’t seen yet?

Jacobs

I definitely believe I would be the toughest test because I believe I would be the victor in that fight. I definitely believe in my skills and my ability. At one point in my career, the only reason why I said I wanted to wait was so I could get 12 rounds so we can go the full distance and know how we can actually feel in a tough fight for 12 rounds. I’ve accomplished that. And then the only thing that was kind of keeping me from making this fight happen earlier was the finance. So, people saying I was ducking or I was doing a whole bunch of this and a whole bunch of that, that’s far from the truth. I just wanted to be compensated accordingly. And that was it. If we can make these fights happen sooner than later, I’m all for it. But, in the same token, I still would like to be compensated accordingly.

Are you confident that you could get a deal done that would be good for the finances?

Jacobs

I don’t really know too much about that. I mean, I have a great team. And I leave all those things up to my team. My thing is to stay ready, to be ready, and to perform at my best when I’m inside the ring. So, whatever the logistics is outside the ring, all I have to do is say, “Yes, I’m comfortable with that. And let’s make the fight.”

Now, I know you’re a pretty even-keeled guy, but has Sergio got under your skin with all the trash talk?

Jacobs

Oh, hell yeah. I mean, not under my skin to where it would affect my game plan or it’ll affect me inside the ring. No, it’s just some of the things that he’s said or from the pictures that he’s posted, and that’s what he’s supposed to do. And he’s landed an opportunity at fighting me again. But, this is an opportunity that I’m looking forward to. And this is probably for me the first personal fight that I’m entering in with mean intention.

Q –

And a question for Sergio. You’ve been around for a long time. You’ve fought a lot of top guys, like Sugar Shane and so forth. Where–how would you compare Danny to those guys? And how do you think you’ll–a guy like you who has such a high boxing IQ, how do you think a rematch would help you?

Mora

Sugar Shane and so forth, and Vernon Forrest, two great fighters. Look, Danny has his amateur pedigree. And he can fight behind the jab, like he says. And he could be–and he can fight on his back foot, as he claims. He says he’s gone 12 tough rounds. I only seen him go 12 one-sided rounds against a guy named Caleb Truax. Those weren’t tough. He doesn’t know what tough is yet. And he isn’t really–he hasn’t experienced what it is to be in there with an all-around championship caliber fighter for 12 rounds. I have. That’s the difference. That’s the difference.

And I feel that, until he experiences that, he still doesn’t know what it is to be an all-around champion, a champion that’s had to deal with getting knocked down, getting up, bad cuts, being down behind them cards, losing on cards going through the final championship round. These are the experiences you can only dream of and hope of. So, until you experience that, you can’t really say he’s done that. Right now, he still needs to learn.

Sergio, do you relish having the kind of opportunity to, as you said, teach somebody to be a fighter?

Mora

Absolutely. I relish the opportunity to do great things, man. And I think that, if you look back at my career, every time I get a big opportunity, I conquer it, or something like the Shane Mosley thing happens where, actually, I won, and it was a draw. But, the big opportunities, I shine, man. And this is just something that always needs to happen, always have to take the hard route. That’s been my career, man. I’ve never been the A side. I’ve always been the B side that could compete with the A side.

And this is just another example of that. Danny, the young champion looking down on me, subordinating me, making me feel like I’m lucky to get this opportunity, I’ve dealt with that my entire career, man. It’s nothing new. I know I’m here over and over, time after time for a reason because I’m that fucking good. And so, people recognize and realize that. I’ll never get the credit for it. And that’s fine, as long as I keep getting the opportunities and as long as I become a three-time two-division champ.

Tell us about that, how you approach the fight, what you expect to take place, especially in light of the last two fights ending quickly.

Jacobs

Well, I don’t really anticipate or expect anything. Boxing is one of those things where anything can happen at any given moment. My thing is I just want to be ready. And when I prepare inside the gym and I’m in tip-top shape, I’m prepared and ready for anything that will come my way inside that ring, whether it’s the first round or whether it’s the last round. It just so happens that these last couple of fights I’ve had been very exciting first rounders. So, my thing is, as long as I’m able to adjust, I can come and be prepared for anything that comes my way.

What was key in those two fights–to both of those fights starting off with so much activity and so much action?

Jacobs

I think just getting warmed up properly and the backstage, making sure that the flow was going and that you don’t have to kind of warm up in those first couple rounds. Me and my team do a great job–and shout out to my team, by the way, who do such a great job with making sure that we’re prepared and ready for each round from the very first to the very end.

And is that going to affect at all your game plan because people have seen those two previous fights, and they’re talking about it. They say, “Maybe this is a guy who is just going to destroy people in the beginning.” Is that weighing on your approach at all for this rematch?

Jacobs

Absolutely not. My MO as a fighter is to be a fluent boxer first. It just so happened that the speed and the power that I possess as well kind of hurt guys, and I’m a really great finisher, where actually, my mentality is to go in there and show my skills. That’s what I love about the [sweet science]. I actually love to get behind my jab and put my combinations together and start to get good movements and good angles. Like, I love that stuff.

But, it just so happens that, when I’m in there with guys and I’m starting to land good shots, and they get hurt, we just have rounds of the year and first round stoppages and early stoppages, so on and so forth. So, I’m just happy I’m able to get the victory and finish strong.

And, Sergio, what do you expect? Do you expect this rematch to have this same type of electric start, or how do you prepare for this?

Mora

Well, we’re going to go back to Danny’s power. He does have power. And you’re born with power. You can’t teach power. You can’t go in the gym and work on power, or else I would’ve done that 20 years. So, he’s blessed with an ability to punch hard with both hands. And he’s always going to make for exciting fights. Now, he’s also vulnerable because he’s been dropped before. And that’s also on the exciting side. So, whenever it comes to a guy like Danny Jacobs, you never know what you’re going to get. It’s kind of like fighting a guy like Victor Ortiz, even though I think he’s better all around than Victor. Victor’s exciting. He’s a former champion. He’s a power puncher. But, you never know what Victor you’re going to get.

So, I think that’s the same thing with Danny, only Victor’s fought better opposition than Danny. So, that’s the difference. I think, for this fight, I don’t know, man. I really don’t know what I’m going to expect. I didn’t expect to go down in the first round. I was surprised by the punch. It was an awkward punch in from a southpaw angle. I believe his right foot was in front. I took a picture a little too long and held the position, expecting a left hook to come, and instead a right uppercut came, which is awkward. And he calls me awkward. That was an awkward punch. So, yeah, you know what? He stunned me. I got up. I shook it off. And he came for the kill, like I knew he would. And I was able to catch him. I think we both learned that we can hurt each other, and we both learned that we both can be sneaky from certain sneaky positions. So, I don’t think it’s going to start off with fireworks, like it did the first time. But, I think it’s going to end up fireworks. I don’t know if it’s the second, third, or further down the fight. But, that’s what I’m expecting.

And would anybody like to make a prediction for this fight, Danny?

Jacobs

I don’t make predictions. I don’t like to go in there and have any type of thing going in my head where I have to live up to it. I just like to win. And however I win, however it comes, I’m grateful for it.

Mora

If I’m ready, I go in there to win. And I’m ready for this fight. I’m confident. I expect a great performance from both of us. And I expect to become a world champion, a two-time world division champion by the end of this fight. So, I’m expecting to win. I don’t know. But, I’m going to win.

Marc Abrams – Okay. Well, that’s going to wrap it up. I just want to get every–Daniel and Sergio, just a quick final comment. And after that, we’ll see you on fight week. Daniel?

Jacobs

I just have a lot of people to thank that I would take this time to thank. First off, I would like to thank my team and everyone involved for allowing me to have such a great camp. They’ve put in the necessary work, everyone, team Jacobs, the necessary work that we need to be 100 percent prepared for this fight comeSeptember 9th. I will be proudly representing my Brooklyn Boxing apparel as I’m sporting my trunks and finessing my moves inside the ring.

I want to give a big shout out to Brooklyn Boxing, have been supportive of my whole career. And me being an ambassador, I definitely have to big them up. And Al Haymon, most importantly, Al has been taking care of me. I’ve been the first guy that Al has had directly out of the amateurs to a world championship. So, I have to give my hat–take my hat off to Al and everyone in our team Haymon. And that’s pretty much it, all the promotors and managers involved with this as well, everyone who has made this possible, and thanks for all the fans for all the continued support. Thank you very much.

Abrams

And, Sergio?

Mora

I got to start with Al Haymon because he’s given me not only a second opportunity, third, I’ve already had four opportunities to come back and reinvent myself. And Al Haymon gave me that opportunity. So, I thank Al Haymon. I’ve got to thank my loyal team, my trainer Dean Campos, who’s been with me since the amateurs, [John Montillado], the rest of my team, my cut man Carlos, and [Panda Martinez]. And I want to thank my sponsors, [Snac]. Victor Conte’s onboard for this fight. And I’ve never been a fighter that takes supplement. I’m a guy that just tries to eat right and hydrate. And I notice a difference with supplements. And I do it the scientific way. So, I want to thank the Snac System and Victor Conte. And I want to thank my sponsor Spy Optics. And that’s about it. I want to thank the fans as well for–my day-one fans and even my critics, they keep me alive, so thank them, too.

Jacobs

Yeah, you forgot one more person, brother. You forgot one more person, Sergio.

Mora

I want thank, what, Danny Jacobs?

Jacobs

That’s it. That’s my man. That’s my man.

Mora

Go fuck yourself. I see you in two weeks, old boy.

Jacobs

Well, let’s do it on September 9th. You already know, Sergio, I’m coming for you, brother. I’m coming for you.

TICKETS: Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions,

start at $20 and are on sale now via Ticketmaster.

boxing, CBS Boxing

LaManna Sees Big Opportunity In Sept. 15 Fight With Dusty Hernandez-Harrison

September 2, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Philadelphia, PA – Welterweight prospect Thomas ” Cornflake” LaManna took time out from training to discuss his much-anticipated Sept. 15 showdown with Dusty Hernandez-Harrison at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia and live on CBS Sports Network

What are your thoughts on Dusty Hernandez-Harrison?

I think he is better than what people are given him credit for. He is 29-0-1 for a reason. He has defeated everyone that they have put in front of him

(except the one draw).

How important is this fight for your career?

This is a career-defining fight. The winner gets a world ranking. It is for the USBA title and a spot in the Top 15 (in the world). This is a big opportunity for both of us. I am zoned in and I will do what I have to do to get the win. It is a huge opportunity. I have a loss and I don’t like that feeling.

You just mentioned that you have a loss. What did you learn from that defeat that will help prepare you for this upcoming fight with Dusty?

The Douglas loss has prepared me for this. Being a headline fighter on television. We will be seen by more people being on CBS Sports Network. I am five fights more mature since my loss. I have been fighting solid competition and I have been more active.

What in those five fights has helped you prepare for this fight?

None of those guys are comparable to Dusty, but I fought guys with different styles and went some rounds with them when people may have questioned my stamina. I fought a rugged guy in Ayi Bruce and a crafty southpaw in Ariel Vasquez. Those guys aren’t killers, but I was getting work in.

What things have you fixed since the loss to Douglas? Did you feel you were overmatched in the fight?

It opened my eyes and it showed me that I needed to fix stuff. My diet and daily living. I was overmatched in maybe size, but I really felt going into that fight that I would beat him.

What are you doing different?

My diet and other things I do when I am not training. I was a middleweight because I was too lazy to drop down in weight. I have made a lot of adjustments.

You started out at middleweight, but you have eased your way down to welterweight. How difficult has that been and what type of advantage does this play into the September 15fight?

I was always a big middleweight, but strength-wise I wasn’t. Now at welterweight, I am more explosive, faster, more experienced and now I can dictate the action. This is the first time he (Harrison) is fighting someone bigger than him. He has been fighting smaller guys. He now will have to face punches from a grown man.

The fight was originally scheduled for Atlantic City, where you would have been involved in the promotional aspects of the show. That would have entailed doing a lot of work behind the scenes, which would have taken some time away from training. Are you relieved that the fight is in Philadelphia?

I am thankful for that. I know I would have had to get involved in the promotional aspect and some of the stuff leading up to the fight. To me it doesn’t matter where the fight is. Philadelphia is a neutral ground. As long as there is a ring, it doesn’t matter where it takes place

Why this fight right now?

It’s time. He has fought one tough guy and if you saw the fight, he lost it (officially a draw with Mike Dallas). I have no doubt in my mind that I will win the fight and maybe even stop him. But it is a great opportunity to get showcased on national television for the USBA title.

# # #

ABOUT SEPT. 15

Welterweights Thomas LaManna and Dusty Hernandez-Harrison will collide in a scheduled 10-round bout for the vacant USBA Welterweight title on Thursday, Sept. 15, at the 2300 Arena. The card is promoted by Final Forum Boxing, Peltz Boxing Promotions & GH3 Promotions and will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network, beginning at 10pm.

Tickets for the nine-fight card, which begins at 7pm, are priced at $75, $50 and $40 They are available at Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922), at the 2300 Arena (267-273-0945) and Bam Boxing (215-280-6709).

mixed martial arts, MMA, WMMAA

Pan-American Championship Official Promo

September 2, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

History will be made October 7-9 when Chile hosts the inaugural World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) Pan-American Championship – CHILE 2016 — in Santiago.

Initiative on MMA as a sport will build on the well-earned reputation of previous martial arts history in terms of addressing, sharing and discussing significant developments and social advancements that will impact the future of MMA:

mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING ANNOUNCES SEVEN-BOUT PRELIMINARY CARD FOR WSOF33: GAETHJE VS. DUGULUBGOV MEGA-EVENT IN KANSAS CITY ON FRIDAY, OCT. 7

September 2, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Undercard headlined by much-anticipated rematch
between bantamweight stars Chris Gutierrez and Timur Valiev

Live, three-hour NBCSN telecast begins at 11 p.m. ET
Preliminary bout card to stream live on WSOF.com at 8 p.m. ET

Tickets on sale tomorrow

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 1, 2016) – World Series of Fighting (www.WSOF.com) has announced a stellar and complete, seven-fight preliminary bout card, headlined by a much-anticipated rematch between rival bantamweight (135 pounds) stars Chris “El Guapo” Gutierrez (9-1-1) and Timur “Lucky” Valiev (10-2), for the star-studded, WSOF33: Gaethje vs. Dugulubgov world championship doubleheader extravaganza at Kansas City Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. on Friday, Oct. 7, live on NBCSN at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

The preliminary bout card will stream live, in its entirety, on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, immediately before the unprecedented, three-hour telecast of the six-fight main card that will be headlined by a world lightweight (155 pounds) title fight between reigning, undefeated champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (16-0) of Safford, Ariz. and number one contender Ozzy Dugulubgov (8-2) of New York, N.Y.

Priced from $20, tickets for WSOF33: Gaethje vs. Dugulubgov go on saletomorrow, Friday, Sept 2 at the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium box office as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

The rematch between the 5-foot-9, 25-year-old Gutierrez of Greenville, Texas and the 5-foot-6, 26-year-old Valiev of Albuquerque, N.M. via Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia will unfold less than eight months after the two went to war in a see-saw battle for three full rounds in Garden Grove, Calif. on February 20.

After the closing bell, Gutierrez, walked away with a controversial, split decision, leaving unfinished business between the two prolific athletes.

Leading off the undercard, undefeated submission ace Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell (6-0) will face off with fellow rising star and knockout artist Brandon Phillips (6-1) in a featherweight (145 pounds) matchup.

One of MMA’s hottest prospects, the ferocious, 5-foot-9, 21-year-old Mitchell of Searcy, Ark. has notched all six of his professional wins to date via submission in the first round of action. He made his promotional debut at WSOF27 in Memphis, Tenn. on January 23, finishing Jorge Medina with a rear-naked choke at the 1:02 mark of the opening round.

Phillips of Oklahoma City, Okla. is a hard-hitting striker who has earned four of his six professional career wins, thus far, by way of (T)KO. The 5-foot-6, 26-year-old is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Chuka Willis at Bellator 159 on July 22.

Elsewhere on the WSOF33 preliminary card, world-ranked Jesse Brock (22-8) will make his World Series of Fighting debut opposite dangerous finisher Bekbulat Magomedov (16-1) in a bantamweight (135 pounds) scrap.

In his last start, the 5-foot-4, 34-year-old Brock of Boise, Idaho notched his sixth consecutive victory, forcing Olly Bradstreet to tap out from a rear-naked choke in the third round (3:57) of their bout at Bellator 155 on May 20.

The 5-foot-8, 25-year-old Magomedov of Makhachkala, Dagestan will look to rebound from his sole loss to date, a split decision to Josh Hill, at WSOF26 on December 18. Prior to the fight, Magomedov had gone unbeaten since his professional debut in 2011.

Abu “Gladiator” Azaitar (12-1-1, 1 NC) of Cologne, Germany will square off with “Mad” Mike Arrant (15-11) of Las Vegas in a welterweight (170 pounds) tilt.

In a second welterweight matchup, Magomed Magomedkerimov (17-5) of Makhachkala, Dagestan will lock horns with Bobby “Super Duper” Cooper(12-6) of Knob Noster, Mo.

Streaking finisher Islam Mamedov (13-1) of Jersey City, N.J. via Derbent, Dagestan will face battle-tested veteran Alonzo “Zo Diddy” Martinez (40-19) of Papillion, Neb. at lightweight.

In middleweight (185 pounds) action, three-time UFC veteran Bruno “Carioca” Santos (14-2) of Macae, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will make his World Series of Fighting debut against Xtreme Couture team member Clinton Williams (11-4) of Las Vegas.

WSOF33: GAETHJE VS. DUGULUBGOV

MAIN CARD (Live on NBCSN)

World Series of Fighting Lightweight Championship Main Event:
Justin Gaethje (Champion) vs. Ozzy Dugulubgov (Challenger)

World Series of Fighting Light Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event:
David Branch (Champion) vs. Vinny Magalhaes (Challenger)

Lightweight: Jason High vs. Joao Zeferino
Lightweight: Brian Foster vs. Luiz Firmino
Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. John Howard
Heavyweight: Shawn Jordan vs. Ashley Gooch

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on WSOF.com)

Bantamweight: Chris Gutierrez vs. Timur Valiev
Bantamweight: Jesse Brock vs. Bekbulat Magomedov
Welterweight: Abu Azaitar vs. Mike Arrant
Lightweight: Islam Mamedov vs. Alonzo Martinez
Welterweight: Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Bobby Cooper
Featherweight: Bryce Mitchell vs. Brandon Phillips
Middleweight: Bruno Santos vs. Clinton Williams

boxing

BROADWAY BOXING WEIGHTS & PICTURES FROM FOXWOODS

September 1, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

WEIGHTS FROM FOXWOODS

(all pictures by Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

MAIN EVENT – LIGHTWEIGHTS – (8)

Amos “2 Smooth” Cowart (11-1-1, 9 KOs), Groveland, FL 137 lbs.

“Nice” Nick DeLomba (10-1, 2 KOs), Cranston, RI 137 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS (8)

Dardan Zenunaj (12-1, 9 KOs), Braine le Comte, Belgium 130 lbs.

Jose “Shorty” Salinas (9-2-1, 5 KOs), Las Cruces, NM 131 lbs.

WELTERWEIGHTS (4)

“Marvelous” Mykey Williams (3-0, 2 KOs), East Hartford, CT 142 lbs.

David Nelson (3-5, 1 KO), Lawton, OK lbs. 140 lbs.

FEATHERWEIGHTS (8)

Irvin Gonzalez (1-0, 1 KO), Worcester, MA 126 lbs.

Juan Muniz (0-4), Tyler, TX 129 lbs.

WELTERWEIGHTS (4)

Anthony Laureano (pro debut), East Hartford, CT 146 lbs.

Nahir Albright (pro debut), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 144 lbs.

WELTERWEIGHTS (4)

Jonathan “Smooth” Figueroa (pro debut), Hartford, CT 144 lbs.

Demetris Williams (0-1), Philadelphia, PA 144 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS (8)

Jon “Jonfer” Fernandez (8-0, 6 KOs), Bilbao, Pais Vasco, Spain 132 lbs.

Naciff “Chata” Castillo (17-8-2, 5 KOs), Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico 132 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)

Wesley Ferrer (11-0, 6 KOs), Brooklyn, NY 139 lbs.

Angel Figueroa (4-3-1, 0 KOs), Lorain, Ohio 139 lbs.

WHAT: “Broadway Boxing”

WHEN: Thursday, September 1, 2016

WHERE: Fox Theater, Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT

PROMOTER: DiBella Entertainment

DOORS OPEN: 5:00 p.m. ET

FIRST BOUT: 7:00 p.m. ET

TICKETS: $125, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.foxwoods.com or by visiting the Foxwoods’ Box Office. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

For more information, visit www.DBE1.com and www.Foxwoods.com, follow on Twitter @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt, @FoxwoodsCT and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.facebook.com/foxwoods/

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘IRON’ MICHAEL CHANDLER SET FOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST ‘SMOOTH’ BENSON HENDERSON ON NOV. 19 IN SAN JOSE

September 1, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (August 31, 2016) – It’s a fight that both men have had their sights set on for quite some time, and now it serves as the main event of Bellator MMA’s return to the at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Nov. 19, when Michael Chandler (15-3) defends his Bellator MMA Lightweight Championship against Benson Henderson (24-6).

The tilt anchors a card that also features a welterweight feature bout pitting undefeated British striker Michael “Venom” Page (11-0) against Menifee, Calif., native Fernando Gonzalez (25-13), after the two had originally been scheduled to fight at“Bellator 151” and “Bellator 158.” Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for “Bellator MMA in San Jose” go on sale this Friday, Sept. 2 atBellator.com, as well as SAP Center Box Office and Ticketmaster. Bellator Nation presale offer will take place Thursday, Sept. 1.

“Iron” Michael Chandler will look to defend his belt for the first time since having it wrapped around his waist following a devastating first-round knockout over Patricky “Pitbull” at “Bellator 157: Dynamite 2.” A 15-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, Chandler has consistently proven that he belongs among the world’s elite; collecting memorable wins over who’s who at 155-pounds including UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. The 30-year-old Missouri native now looks to capture his third career title defense, after successfully defending the belt at both “Bellator 85” and “Bellator 97” during his 2013 reign. The veteran enters his fight with “Smooth” riding a hot streak of three straight victories and now sets his sights on handing Henderson his first Bellator MMA loss at lightweight.

Fresh off his victory during the main event of “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull,”Henderson has earned a title shot in the ultra-competitive lightweight division against its current titleholder in Chandler. With 10 of his 24 career wins coming by way of submission, the 32-year-old Glendale, AZ native will try to do what no other opponent has ever done and finish Chandler via submission. Nicknamed “Smooth” for his silky style and demeanor, Henderson took care of business in his most recent bout, utilizing impeccable technique to defeat Bellator MMA veteran Patricio “Pitbull” Freire after a broken fibula forced the Brazilian star to forfeit in the second round. Henderson hopes to avenge his first title shot with the promotion and trot off with Bellator MMA gold onNov. 19.

“Bellator MMA in San Jose” Main Card:

Lightweight World Title Main Event: Michael Chandler (15-3) vs. Benson Henderson (24-6)

Welterweight Feature Bout: Michael “Venom” Page (11-0) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (25-13)

boxing, women's boxing

Christy Martin’s Pink Promotions and Pretty Girl Promotions present a night of championship boxing on Wednesday, October, 19 at the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, NC

September 1, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Charlotte’s own Quinton Rankin in the main event

Rosalinda Rodriguez battles Naomi Bosque for the NABF Flyweight title

TICKETS ON SALE–TOMORROW–SEPTEMBER 1ST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Charlotte, NC (August 31, 2016) – Former world champion, Nevada Boxing Hall of Famer, Bare Knuckle and Women’s Boxing Hall of Famer, Christy Martin embarks on a new career as she introduces Pink Promotions along with Pretty Girl Promotions will present a special night of boxing on Wednesday, October 19 at Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In the main event, light heavyweight Quinton Rankin (11-3-1, 8 KO’s) of Charlotte will compete in an eight-round bout against an opponent to be named.

Rankin, 29 years old is a five year pro is a known commodity in the area as he has fought half of his fights in the greater Charlotte area.

He has been active in 2016 as this will be his fifth fight of the year. He will be looking to get back in the win column after going eight rounds with prospect Medzhid Bektemirov (16-1) on August 13.

In the co-feature, it will be a battle for the NABF Flyweight title as undefeated Rosalinda Rodriguez (4-0, 1 KO) of Miami, Florida battles Naomi Bosque (10-7-2, 2 KO’s) of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Rodriguez has two wins over undefeated foes which include Federica Bianco and her last bout when she won a four-round unanimous decision over Samantha Salazar on July 16th in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Bosque has wins over Monica Flores (3-0) and Yolaine Lin De Lauf (6-1).

Also scheduled to appear will be super featherweight, Christian Camacho (2-1) of Las Vegas.

Camacho is the son of Hall of Famer Hector “Macho” Camacho.

Taking part in an eight-round bout will be Renan Ruiz (7-2-1, 3 KO’s) of Brooklyn, New York.

Opponents for Rankin, Camacho and Ruiz plus more bouts will be announced shortly.

“My company Pink Promotions will be working with Mercedes Vazquez Simmons of Pretty Girl Promotions to put on a spectacular show,” said Hall of fame champion, Christy Martin. “The Championship fight between Rosalinda Rodriguez and Noemi Bosque is going to be a show stealer and will give the crowd its money worth. Neither is a classic boxer. They`re brawlers who are tough, durable, hard hitting and strong.”

“Another exciting bonus on this spectacular card, is promising 24 year old Christian Camacho- son of the famous, late great Hector “Macho” Camacho.”

“All along I knew I would be a promoter. There`s so much to be done and I`m here with my feet on the ground in Charlotte, North Carolina. The issue is to sell tickets, convince people to attend to see some great boxing and to build on that success. These two women are going to give us a REAL FIGHT!”

“We’re thrilled at the opportunity to partner with Christy Martin’s Pink Promotions on her inaugural event in which we plan on making a series of fights card in city of Charlotte , NC.,”Said co-promoter, Mercedes Simmons of Pretty Girl Promotions.

“Christy Martin and I share the same philosophy, which is to provide quality fight cards that will allow regional and under exposed fighters a platform for them to display their talents. Our commitment to Charlotte, NC is long term ”

Tickets go on sales September 1st on line at www.christy-Martin.com and at

Fast Fit Boxing Gym
2130 Wilkenson Blvd
Charlotte NC

boxing, CBS Boxing

The “O” must go in co-feature showdown at “Knockout Night at the D” between Undefeated junior middleweight prospects Rolando Garza & Neeco Macias

August 31, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Live Sept. 9 on CBS Sports Network from the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center

LAS VEGAS (August 30, 2016) – In a classic match-up of contrasting styles, Rolando “Rola” Garza and Neeco “The Rooster” Macias will both put their undefeated records on the line in the “Knockout Night at the D” 8-round co-featured event, airing Friday night, September 9, on CBS Sports Network, live from the outdoor Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC).

The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by

the D Las Vegas

and DLVEC, is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions. Hall Of Fame announcers Jim “J.R.” Ross and Al Bernstein will call all of the action from ringside, starting at 11 p.m. ET / 11 p.m. ET, on CBS Sports Network.

The 10-round main event pits unbeaten junior welterweights Emmanuel “Renegade” Robles (15-1-1, 5 KOs) and Steve “The Dragon” Claggett(23-4-1, 16 KOs),promoted in association with Bobby D Presents, for the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) – United States junior welterweight championship.

Garza and Macias (12-0, 6 KOs), who will be fighting for the vacant WBC – US junior middleweight championship, are exact opposites in and out of the ring. The winner will advance to the next level of competition in the 154-pound division.

A technically sound boxer, Garza had an extensive amateur background as a member of the Mexican National Team, finishing with a 120-12 record, before turning pro September 29, 2012. The quiet, unassuming fighter 24-year-old was impressive in his last fight, also at the DLVEC this past June 10, in which he dominated previously unbeaten Erasmo Garcia (5-0-1) on his way to an 6-round unanimous decision (59-54, 59-54, 58-56) victory.


Rolando Garza (Photo by Tom Donoghue / the D))

“The opportunity that Roy Jones Jr Boxing Promotions and CBS Sports Network has presented me has boosted my confidence to another level,” Garza said. “I have never been more confident in my skills, my team and training. I’m going to show Las Vegas and the rest of country what my talent brings into the ring. Once Las Vegas witnesses my talent, fighting on national television, no one will be able to turn a blind eye. Not only will this fight put my name out there, but better opportunities will present themselves, and that keeps me motivated.

“This fight will propel me into the 154-pound rankings. It’s high risk with an even higher reward: the WBC / US title. My opponent is a brawler; a non-stop, aggressive puncher who moves forward, which will make this fight nothing short of explosive fireworks in the ring.”

In the other corner, the non-stop Macias relies on conditioning and an aggressive, always coming forward approach to break down his opponent. The 25-year-old Macias, fighting out of Palm Desert, California, unlike Garza, who now lives and trains in Austin (TX), had only 30 amateur bouts having started boxing at the relative advanced age of 21. He did win gold medals at the National Blue & Gold Tournament, as well as Central California Golden Gloves and Desert Showdown. Macias is a showman, playing to the crowd before, during and after fights, crowing like a rooster, always with a broad smile on his face.


	Neeco Macia (Photo by Tom Donoghue – the D)

Macias’ last fight, also at the DLVE this past April 16, resulted in an action-packed fight against Limberth Ponce(10-2). Never tasking his foot off the pedal, Macias rolled to a win by 8-round unanimous decision (79-73 X 3), earning him a legion of new fans who were in attendance or watched the fight on CBS Sports Network.

“Fighters don’t really care who they fight, they just want to fight,” Macias explained why his risking his undefeated record against an opponent who has never loss. “I had a fight fall through so, instead of waiting for another fight, when the opportunity to fight a 9-0 guy came, my coaches watched film of him and we agreed that I’m ready. This is the first time I’m fighting on the ‘B’ side, but we’re using that as motivation. I take one fight at a time but I know I’m fighting on TV and need to look good. I want to show everyone that all the hard work has paid off.

“I see this fight as my opponent probably having more skill, he’s technically sound and sets up his shots. But our plan is to take him out of his game plan, wear him down and have some fun doing it. My last fight was my first in Las Vegas and first time fighting on national television. It got a lot of notice. I’ve been through all of that now and will be even better prepared for this fight. It’s awesome fighting in Las Vegas on CBS Sports Network!”

‘Knockout Night at the D” returns Friday, Sept. 30

Hanzel Martinez (23-2, 18 KOs) vs. Emmanuel Quartey (20-2, 19 KOs)

Vacant WBA International Super Bantamweight Championship

Tony Lopez (11-1, 4 KOs) vs. Stephon Young (14-0-3, 6 KOs)

Vacant WBA / NABA Bantamweight Championship

John Vera (14-0, 9 KOs) vs. Milorad Zizic (12-1, 6 KOs)

WBA / NABA Super Welterweight Championship

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT TICKETMASTER.COM or DLVEC.COM

Las Vegas favorite Jeremy “J-Flash” Nichols (5-0, 2 KOs) battles TexanSteve Belmonte (2-0) in a 4-round bout to open the television broadcast.

Also scheduled to fight on the undercard is undefeated Ugandan lightweight prospect Ismail “Sharp Shooter” Muwendo (17-0, 11 KOs), fighting out of Minneapolis, in a 6-rounder versus dangerous Mexican fighter Eliseo “Lobo” Cruz (9-1-1, 6 KOs). In 4-round fights, 20-year-old junior lightweightRandy Moreno (3-0, 2 KOs), of Las Vegas, will square off with Gaige Ireland (2-0-2, 2 KOs), of Australia by way of Ireland, 18-year-old Las Vegas bantamweight Max “Baby Faced Assassin” Ornelas (3-0, 2 KOs) meetsJohnathan Quiroz (6-4, 1 KO), of Oceanside, California, and Las Vegas junior flyweight Marina Ramirez (1-0) faces New Jersey’s Rachel “The Black Widow” Sazoff (0-1).

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $99.99 VIP ringside, $49.99 ringside, $24.99 and $14.99 general admission (seated), are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com orwww.DLVEC.com. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.

Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 6:30 p.m. PT.

The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media.

CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go towww.cbssportsnetwork.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PRELIMINARY ACTION FEATURING PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF KENYA MIRANDA ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 161’

August 31, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

MARK DICKMAN-DANIEL PINEDA SET FOR FEATHERWEIGHT CLASH & MIDDLEWEIGHTS GREGORY BABENE-‘KIKO’ FRANCE READY FOR BATTLE ON SEPTEMBER 16

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (August 30, 2016) – A female flyweight bout pitting Kenya Miranda (2-2) against Emily Ducote (3-1) has been added to the preliminary portion of “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson,” which takes place on September 16 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, Texas.

In addition, featherweights Mark Dickman (11-2) and Daniel Pineda (21-12) have agreed to slug it out while Gregory Babene (17-11-1) and Francisco “Kiko” France (13-4-1) square off in a middleweight bout that will also be featured on the Bellator.com-streamed preliminary card.

The fights join a heavyweight main event pitting Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) against Tony Johnson (10-2) and a bantamweight showdown pitting Joe Warren (13-5) against Sirwan Kakai (12-4). In addition, a lightweight feature fight featuring Derek Campos (16-6) against Djamil Chan (12-2) and a female flyweight battle between Anastasia Yankova (3-0) and Veta Arteaga (2-0) will also highlight an electric main card.

“Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event start at just $25 and can be purchased at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster, or the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park Box Office.

At 28, Miranda will be making her Bellator MMA debut when she steps into the cage on September 16. Since begining her professional career in 2014, Miranda has recorded a pair of wins, both of which came at the expense of opponent Natalia Cristina Silva. In her first career victory, the Brazilian prospect finished her challenger with a second round knockout and followed up the impressive performance with an equally splendid first round rear-naked choke submission. A native of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Miranda will look to prove she belongs with the world’s best when she meets her “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” opponent.

Ducote burst onto the Bellator MMA scene following a second-round rear-naked choke finish of Bruna Vargas at “Bellator 159: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo.” The win earned the the 23-year-old Oklahoma native an exclusive contract with the Scott Coker-led promotion, and was her third straight win in 2016 since dropping the opening bout of her young mixed martial arts career. Training out of American Top Team’s affiliate in OKC, “Gordinha” will look to keep the momentum going when she takes on another top Brazilian prospect on September 16.

At 32-years-old, Dickman has quietly climbed the ranks as one of MMA’s most consistent featherweights. After beginning his professional career 5-0, the Las Vegas native continued his hot start, emerging victorious in nine of his first 10 bouts. The knockout artist will be making his second appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, after defeating Thomas Diagnevia brutal third round knockout at “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo.” Of his 11 professional victories, seven have come by way of KO, punctuated by three first round finishes. “Tricky” enters this fight having won six of his last seven bouts and his last two, as he tries to add to his career total and remain unbeaten since joining the Bellator MMA circuit.

Best known as a submission specialist, the 30-year-old Pineda has spent time with multiple local promotions as well as the UFC during his 33-fight career. Nicknamed “The Pit,” Pineda enters the cage having won three of his last four bouts and the opportunity to earn his first victory since joining the Bellator MMA fray. Hailing from Houston, Pineda will have the hometown edge over his opponent as the Scott Coker-led promotion will take its talented roster to Cedar Park and the H-E-B Center for the first time. Dating back to 2012, each of his last six wins has come by way of submission, with five of them occurring in the opening round of action. It’s worth noting that all 21 of Pineda’s wins have come by way of knockout or submission.

Hailing from Paris, France, 29-fight veteran Babene will be making his second appearance under the Bellator MMA banner. The 32-year-old “Blade” emerged victorious in his promotional debut earlier this year, when he defeated Brandon Farran with a first round rear-naked choke submission at “Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Spartan.” The French middleweight has amassed 17 career wins thus far, 14 of which have come by way of knockout or submission. Babene will face one of the stiffest tests of his career, as he prepares to face rising middleweight “Kiko” France.

France will be fighting for the third time under the direction of Bellator MMA, after earning a victory over Ben Reiter in his Bellator debut at “Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef.” The 33-year-old nicknamed “Kiko” will also be making his 19th overall appearance in the cage, where he has accrued 13 professional wins; 12 of which have come by way of submission. The Gilbert, Arizona native is currently riding a hot streak, claiming victories in six of his last eight fights (including one draw). The veteran submission specialist will have his hands full, as he prepares to enter enemy territory and challenge Babene in his home state of Texas on September 16th.

Updated “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) vs. Tony Johnson (10-2)
Bantamweight Feature Bout: Joe Warren (13-5) vs. Sirwan Kakai (12-4)
Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (3-0) vs. Veta Arteaga (2-0)
Lightweight Feature Bout: Derek Campos (16-6) vs. Djamil Chan (12-2)

Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Kenya Miranda (2-2) vs. Emily Ducote (3-1)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Mark Dickman (11-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-12)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Gregory Babene (17-11-1) vs. Francisco France (13-4-1)

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:
Spikeis available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

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BROADWAY BOXING WEIGHTS & PICTURES FROM FOXWOODS

‘IRON’ MICHAEL CHANDLER SET FOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST ‘SMOOTH’ BENSON HENDERSON ON NOV. 19 IN SAN JOSE

Christy Martin’s Pink Promotions and Pretty Girl Promotions present a night of championship boxing on Wednesday, October, 19 at the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, NC

The “O” must go in co-feature showdown at “Knockout Night at the D” between Undefeated junior middleweight prospects Rolando Garza & Neeco Macias

PRELIMINARY ACTION FEATURING PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF KENYA MIRANDA ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 161’

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