mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

TRAHAN AND DENNING IN SEARCH OF A MUCH-NEEDED WIN IN THE MMA CAGE

September 7, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (September 5, 2016) – Taylor Trahan is a statistical oddity.

A native of Littleton, New Hampshire, now living in East Concord, Vermont, the 25-year-old pursued mixed martial arts seven years ago, soon as he was legally old enough to do so. He has entered the cage a total of 20 times in professional and amateur competition.

All that experience in this neck of the woods, yet his featherweight bout against Matt Denning at “NEF 25: Heroes and Villains” on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Androscoggin Bank Colisee will be his debut with New England Fights.

Trahan (5-6) is not buying the underdog or bad-guy label, even though he will walk into the historic arena in a city that Denning (3-3) calls home.

“This is only a two-hour trip (each way) for most of my fans,” Trahan said. “Most of them are used to traveling four hours or more to watch me fight. They’re like, ‘Oh, sweet.’”

Both fighters hope the matchup will reverse their recent career fortunes. Trahan has lost five consecutive fights since a red-hot start to his pro docket, while Denning has dropped three of his last four contests.

Denning is quick to point out that the results are deceiving on both sides.

“He fought a guy named Joe Pingitore. Beat him the first time with a rear naked choke and then lost to him in the rematch,” Denning said. “That’s a guy who is one of the best 145-pounders in New England.”

If anyone has the right to consider himself an expert in ranking those middle weight classes, it’s Denning.

The local favorite known as “Ken Doll” has never shied away from fighting the best that NEF has to offer fighters in the neighborhood of 145. Denning twice defeated Derek Shorey. He inched upward in weight, unsuccessfully, against Jon Lemke at 150 and Josh Harvey at 155. Most recently, Brandon Bushaw beat him by submission at “NEF 24: Promised Land” in June.

“You think about Lemke and Harvey, and I train with Jesse Erickson (at Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu),” Denning said. “The only one really missing is Devin Powell. I feel like I’ve fought and trained with the best group of guys around.”

Jiu-jitsu is the go-to for both fighters. Trahan is a brown belt, while Denning is a purple belt.

In other areas, their styles clash. Three of Trahan’s pro wins have come by decision. Denning, meanwhile, has never gone the distance as a pro. He only went to the cards once as an amateur – a loss to Dom Cofone in his cage debut.

Trahan stopped short of a prediction but said that he expects to prevail by submission.

“I see it being a slow first round for at least the first couple minutes,” he said. “Then once I get my timing down and start doing the things I want to do, I don’t see it going into the third round.”

Denning has prepared for a lengthy encounter. He confessed that he smoked through most of his career but has quit.

Couple that with a renewed commitment to road work and Denning forecasts that his fans will be pleased with his readiness for the relatively unknown foe.

“I believe the longest fight I’ve had was two minutes left in the third round,” Denning said. “I feel good conditioning-wise. I’m a shorter guy, so I’ve got to stay at 145.”

He said that sparring against Erickson has prepared him for the taller Trahan.

Denning believes that his striking and wrestling are superior to Trahan’s repertoire, but he complemented his rival by adding that he considers him another in a line of rugged opponents.

“I wanted to pick someone hard to fight. This is my fourth fight in six months,” Denning said. “Before that I took a year off. The last time I won in Lewiston was September of last year. I’m hoping the hometown advantage will help a little bit this time.”

Given the unpredictable nature of MMA, pro fighters must have short memories while applying the hard lessons they learn from losses. Trahan, like Denning, thinks he has achieved that.

“I’ve learned that I have to stick to what I know, and don’t do what’s not me,” Trahan said. “I think that in order for me to win, I have to take it to the ground. I favor the ground style. He’s excellent on the ground, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve seen some things I think I can exploit.”

The opening bell this Saturday, September 10 is set for 7 p.m. The current docket for “NEF 25: Heroes and Villains” includes three professional boxing matches, five pro mixed martial arts bouts and five amateur MMA scraps. Tickets 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 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.”

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights, women's MMA

FROM MAINE TO FLORIDA, FINDING FIGHTS IS THE CHALLENGE FOR FEMALE MMA ATHLETES

September 5, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (September 4, 2016) – Rachael Joyce has her civil engineering degree from the University of Maine. Jessica Borga is a veterinary technician from Lakeland, Florida.

Read those one-line biographies of the two women and they probably do not fit whatever is your personal profile of a mixed-martial-artist. And perhaps that presumption, and maybe a lingering societal bias against female fighters, is the reason Joyce and Borga have struggled mightily to find opponents in their corners of the country.

Each woman will end what is almost a one-year hiatus from the cage when Joyce (1-0) welcomes Borga (2-1) to Maine in a bantamweight bout at “NEF 25: Heroes and Villains.” New England Fights returns to its hub venue, Androscoggin Bank Colisee, on Saturday, September 10.

“I’ve had one fight, last October. I’ve found it really hard to find fights. It’s just tough. Maine doesn’t have the population density for it. It’s just hard to find that pool of fighters,” Joyce said. “Early in your career you want to build that experience close to home. It’s the best thing for your whole team, given the commitment that is involved.”

Joyce, who lives in the Penobscot County village of Veazie, splits her training time between Bangor, Portland and Boston.

The competitive grass is no greener for Borga, who is known to her fans as “The Black Widow” and is coached by Ross Kellin.

“My coach has scheduled fights for me that have fallen through. I was supposed to fight eight times this year, and this will be my first one.

Borga was beaten badly in her previous bout, a November 2015 clash against Caitlin Sammons for which she weighed in at 126.5 pounds, just above the flyweight limit.

She said that women feel added pressure to make drastic weight cuts due to the lack of available fight opportunities, and in her case it was especially dangerous.

“I learned that I will never fight at 125 again,” Borga said “It was my own fault. I lost 25 pounds in two weeks. I was sick in camp, and I fought sick.”

Before the episode was over, Borga was hospitalized twice with strep throat, a kidney infection and a bladder infection.

“I do believe (the weight cut) was part of it,” she said. “You’re putting that strain on your body and your mind. My mental game struggled with what I had to put myself through. I think it’s harder for women, also. I won’t ever do that again. I learned that it’s better to withdraw than to take a loss.”

Borga has experienced no such issues in this camp. She said her energy level is way up and that she can train harder for longer periods of time.

She also is eager to visit from the Sunshine State, an eagerness that isn’t lost on her opponent.

“When an opponent is flying up from Florida, that’s exciting,” Joyce said. “It shows that she’s really committed to it. It is hard to find opponents who are as committed as you are.”

Both women are BJJ blue belts. Joyce has trained in the discipline for more than two years.

It is an extension of her childhood, when she played three varsity sports in each year of high school. She joked that she strongly considered a fourth.

“I was always the girl who tried to convince my parents to let me play football,” Joyce said. “They would not hear any of it. I’m sure they’re thrilled that their 20-something-year-old daughter is now a fighter. No, they’re supportive, but now it’s my decision.”

Joyce never tried individual sports before the combat realm, but she quickly developed into a fan of women’s MMA as it exploded in popularity at the UFC level.

“Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey were coming up, and then (UFC president) Dana White had his famous line that ‘there will never be women in UFC,” Joyce said. “I saw what they were doing and I said, ‘I can do that. I’m going to do that.’”

Now the women wait for a spike in female participation that has not appeared to follow the success of those international role models.

Joyce said she received invitations to fight in New Jersey earlier this year but that those, also, would have required an uncomfortable cut to a same-day weigh-in of 125 or even 115 pounds.

So she retreated into a game of train-and-wait. Thanks to the like-minded, equally fight-challenged Borga, the wait is almost over.

“I’ve always loved MMA, always loved fighting. I guess I was known for that as a kid. Everybody who knows me always pushed me to get into this,” Borga said. “I tried eight years ago and found out right away that I was pregnant, so that put a stop to it. When my son turned five, I said, ‘It’s now or never.’ I started training and developed really fast. My coaches said I had a knack for it.”

The opening bell on September 10 is set for 7 p.m. The current docket for “NEF 25: Heroes and Villains” includes four professional boxing matches, six pro mixed martial arts bouts and five amateur MMA scraps. Tickets start at $25 and are available at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.

boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Darwin Price works behind his jab to set up seventh-round TKO of Javontae Starks in Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN Main Event

September 5, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

NOTE: This piece is posted on the Premier Boxing Champions website and was written by Sean DeFrank. For more PBC news, go to www.premierboxingchampions.com.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions

CLICK HERE FOR FIGHT HIGHLIGHTS

San Antonio (Sept. 3) – Darwin Price stayed true to his jab against Javontae Starks, and in return it stayed true to him.

Working consistently behind his piston-like left hand Saturday night, Price was able to follow up with power shots as he earned a seventh-round TKO in a 142-pound main event at Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio.

Darwin Price (11-0, 6 KOs) frustrated Javontae Starks (13-2, 7 KOs) throughout the scheduled eight-round bout with his jab, which he doubled to set up combinations.

After a measured first two rounds in which both boxers threw almost nothing but jabs, Price loaded up a right hand behind a pair of jabs to knock Starks to the canvas in Round 3.

“I had to pick up the tempo, so I kept the jab going. I had to be smart,” Price said. “He’s a technical fighter, so I had to keep it tactical in the ring, so I kept using the jab, keeping him at bay, feigning and moving my feet because my speed was a lot faster than his.”

In the seventh, Price landed another crisp double jab followed by a straight right that had Starks hurt and trying to hold on. Price began throwing wildly with both hands in an attempt to finish off Starks, who was pinned against the ropes.

Price, 27, then connected on a straight right that stunned Starks and began to dial in with both hands as referee Mark Calo-Oy briefly separated the fighters before stepping right back in to stop the fight at 1:52 of the round.

“I kept on bringing the double jab with the right hand because he was open with the right hand, I just didn’t throw it in the beginning that much,” Price said. “But it brought that knockdown and it brought that knockout, so I’m thankful for that.”

Price, who was a star distance runner at Grambling State University for four years before starting his pro boxing career, had won his last two fights by eight-round unanimous decision.

It was the second straight defeat for Starks, who was fighting for the first time in more than 300 days since losing an eight-round decision to Samuel Figueroa last year in Orlando, Florida.

Despite fighting at the lowest weight of his pro career, the 27-year-old Minneapolis native made no excuses after the loss.

“He had a pretty good stiff, quick jab and it took me a second to come in and get heated up,” Starks said. “I’ve been off since last October; he just pretty much fought a couple of months ago, but he came in and did his job. He did what he was supposed to do, stuck to his game plan, and he made it difficult for me to get through the jab.”

In undercard action, Kent Cruz (11-0, 6 KOs) earned an eight-round unanimous decision over Rickey Edwards (11-1, 3 KOs) in a clash of unbeaten 140-pound prospects. Cruz floored Edwards in Round 2 with an overhand right to take early command of the bout.

David Perez (8-0, 4 KOs) delivered a lights-out right hand to gain a sixth-round KO of Gustavo Molina (12-13, 5 KOs) in a 122-pound bout. Perez put Molina down in Round 3 before finishing him off in the final round of the fight.

Dominican 2012 Olympian Junior Castillo (11-1, 9 KOs) gained a six-round unanimous decision over Josue Obando (12-11-1, 10 KOs) in a 162-pound bout.

Justin Pauldo (8-1, 4 KOs) defeated Eric Anton (4-4, 1 KO) by six-round unanimous decision in a 135-pound bout.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

BRANDON MONTELLA PREPARES FOR BOXING BATTLE IN LEWISTON, MAINE

September 3, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (September 2, 2016) – The 3,800-square foot warehouse in Woburn, Massachusetts, is known simply as “The Way.”

No coincidence, since the proprietor who lives out his passion as a personal trainer under its roof, Brandon Montella, has found a way, in his own unique way.

From a turbulent childhood in North Anson, Maine, to four years of meritorious service in the United States Marine Corps, to the mixed emotions of staying ahead in the professional rat race, to intense personal tragedy, Montella, 36, has endured what most would consider a lifetime’s worth of challenges.

Yet he perseveres, finding strength and clarity in a life devoted to helping others. And he stays sharp, counter-intuitive as it may seem to the uninitiated, by letting other people punch him in the face.

“On a personal level it helped me so much. I had a lot of fear, maybe a little lack of confidence, due to some of the abuse in my past,” Montella said. “Boxing helped me so much with that. It made me a more complete person. I’m a better husband, a better businessman, a better man since I started fighting.”

A late bloomer who didn’t fully immerse himself in the fight game until his 30s, Montella (4-0, 3 KOs) will put his undefeated credentials on the line against Tollison Lewis (2-1, 1 KO) at “NEF 25: Heroes and Villains” on Saturday, September 10 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine, the venerable boxing venue that in 1965, when it was known as “St. Domenic’s Hall,” played host to the infamous Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston II world heavyweight title rematch. (Yes, the same boxing bout that spawned rumors of the “phantom punch,” and produced the most iconic image in the history of sports photography.)

Montella was born in Massachusetts but spent much of his childhood in the Western foothills of Maine, where he graduated from Carrabec High School. He describes those formative years as “a tough time, a little bit of a struggle,” and says fighting was both a means of both self-defense and a way of compensating for that lack of self-esteem.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world now,” Montella said. “It helped shape who I am. I tell everybody the Marine Corps started the process of my becoming a man, and boxing helped finish it.”

He spent four years in the service before receiving an honorable discharge. Along the way he met his wife, Tonya, and settled into the comfortable habit of seeking significance through work.

Fatefully, and admittedly on a lark, he accepted a military buddy’s challenge to enter a Toughman contest. It was the amateur, brawling, distant cousin of boxing that Eric “Butterbean” Esch made famous.

“I was a 240-pound meathead. Three one-minute rounds; that seemed like it was right up my alley,” Montella said.

In the process, Montella discovered that getting back in shape, setting goals and chasing intangible successes that were larger than wins and losses suited him, too.

“That was a turning point for me. Corporate America, I just wasn’t into it,” Montella said. “I couldn’t lie to people and take advantage of them. I couldn’t deal with it morally. I had to turn my back on that. The Marine Corps taught me a different code. I cashed in my 401(k), moved to Massachusetts, became a personal trainer.”

Well, it wasn’t quite that easy. He had to sell Tonya, whom he describes as “the major breadwinner in the house,” on the merits of such a change. She already had politely proclaimed Maine a great vacation spot but not a place she cared to settle down, for professional reasons.

In 2008, work took Tonya to Boston.

“It was when the Celtics were getting ready to win the championship. She got caught up in the atmosphere and came home and told me, ‘I would move to Boston.’ I said OK,” Montella recalled with a laugh. “I didn’t let her take that back.”

Montella started his gym in a 10-feet-by-10-feet basement of a townhouse. He took up amateur boxing, in part, to set an example for his clients.

“I decided I couldn’t train athletes if I’m not doing the (stuff). I want to wear the boots before the suits, you know?” Montella said. “Six months later I was the No. 1 ranked heavyweight in New England. It blew my mind. I found a place that was home.”

He won 14 of his 21 amateur fights, including a novice heavyweight championship in Golden Gloves.

Montella’s trainees have watched him conquer adversity in the prize ring and fight through tragedy in his personal life. Tonya and Brandon’s first child was stillborn on Christmas 2015.

Boxing, and the wilderness in the shadow of Sugarloaf Mountain that holds so many contradictory memories for Montella, are part of his healing process.

“I’m here in Maine now getting ready, diving off 40-foot cliffs, doing hill sprints up 100-foot sand dunes, training like a savage,” Montella said. “We used to go up there to drink. All the crazy stuff I did as a kid, now I use it to make myself the best I can be.

“I preach it all the time at my gym: See the world as your training facility. What someone else sees as a cliff, I see as place to work on my focus and mental control. Where they see nothing but trees and open space, I see as a place to go and meditate. In my 30s, I don’t need drugs or alcohol now to be open with my emotions. Boxing has given me the strength to be who I always wanted to be.”

The opening bell on September 10 is set for 7 p.m. The current docket for “NEF 25: Heroes and Villains” includes three professional boxing matches, five pro mixed martial arts bouts and six amateur MMA scraps. Tickets start at $25 and are available at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009, extension 525.

boxing

Introducing The International Championship Boxing League (ICBL)

September 3, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

A Revolutionary Professional Boxing League Driven by Fan Influence and Open to Fighters Around the World

Virginia Beach, Virginia (September 2, 2016) – The International Championship Boxing League (ICBL) is set to commence operations this month.

The ICBL is the world’s first competitive league for boxing. In this unique multi-weight-class league structure, boxers from around the world must “fight to win” in order to earn the league title.

Created to revolutionize the sport for fans and athletes, the ICBL will bring boxers from around the world to compete, gladiatorial style, in a relentless season of competition where fans influence the action. ICBL fans will be intensely involved, via the soon to be unveiled ICBL parallel judging platform.

“This has never been done before in boxing,” said ICBL Founder and CEO Jack Perone Fulton. “This is the new way the world will come to know the names of the greatest boxers alive, and anyone who thinks they can be one has a fighting chance.”

Over the next six months, fighters from select weight classes will be selected for the ICBL, based on criteria including career record, impressive performance in an ICBL Open Event, and fan demand. “Fans have a voice at the ICBL and the league’s structure gives promoters and managers an alternative for their athletes,” continued Fulton.

Additionally, fighters with accomplished records can be awarded a “Franchise Tag” by simply logging on to www.icbleague.com and applying. Upon approval, the Franchise Tag allows a fighter to opt in, or opt out of the League at the beginning of each season depending on what immediate opportunities lie ahead for them. Franchise tags will be awarded to fighters based on their overall body of work.

Each ICBL season will feature four pre-determined weight classes, featuring eight international boxers, per class, in a single-elimination tournament format. The winner of each weight class will receive the League title for that class and the season ending points standing determines the pound for pound championship.

“Without question, a uniformed professional boxing league is what fighters and fans have wanted for years,” said Fulton.

2016 ICBL Open Bouts will be broadcast on PPV, CBS Sports Network, and foreign broadcast networks. Event highlights, fighter interviews and other behind-the-scenes content will be posted online at www.icbleague.com.

About the International Championship Boxing League

The ICBL is the brainchild of Veteran Promoter Jack Fulton who developed the innovative “multi-weight-class parallel fan judging league platform.” The ICBL team includes former President of the MVPGROUP Del Wilber and former Martin Agency Executive Director Bruce Kelly. The ICBL is a privately held company.

boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Undefeated Rickey Edwards Takes On Fellow Unbeaten Kent Cruz In Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN Action Saturday, September 3 From The Dancehall in San Antonio 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

September 3, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Plus! Unbeaten Prospect David Perez Battles Mexico’s Gustavo Molina & Super Welterweight Contender Junior Castillo Featured

In Undercard Action

SAN ANTONIO (September 2, 2016) – Undefeated Rickey Edwards (11-0, 3 KOs) is set to take on unbeaten Kent Cruz (10-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight contest as part of Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN this Saturday, September 3 from the Dancehall in San Antonio.

Edwards was originally scheduled to face unbeaten Cuban Yordan Frometa, who was forced to withdraw due to an injury.Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by super lightweight prospects Darwin Price and Javontae Starks in an eight-round bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Leija Battah Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $20, $85 and $100 and $1,000 and $850 for tables, before taxes and fees and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, call (210) 988-8821visit https://lbtickets.ticketleap.com/sept32016/ or in person at Champion Fit Gym at 6824 San Pedro Ave.

Additional action features undefeated prospect David Perez (7-0, 3 KOs) entering the ring for six-rounds of super bantamweight action against Gustavo Molina (23-12, 9 KOs), super welterweight contender Junior Castillo (10-1, 9 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a six-round bout against Mexico’s Josue Ovando (12-10-1, 10 KOs) and Orlando’s Justin Paulido (7-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round lightweight fight against Eric Anton (4-3, 1 KO) of Plano, Texas.

Rounding out the night of action is the pro debut of San Antonio’s Selina Barrios in a four-round super lightweight showdown against Amanda Garza (1-0), San Angelo’s Brandon Soto taking on Waco’s Tanner Dodd (0-2) in a four-round super featherweight battle and San Antonio’s Xavier Wilson (1-0) against fellow San Antonio-native Frank Brown in a four-round lightweight fight.

A former New Jersey Golden Gloves champion from Paterson, Edwards fights out of Houston and is unbeaten since turning pro in 2013. The 26-year-old was busy in 2015 as he racked up five victories including a knockout over Marco Antonio Solis. Edwards has defeated previously unbeaten boxers John Delperdang and Azriel Paez in his last two fights. He takes on the unbeaten 23-year-old Cruz. A pro since 2013, Cruz picked up a victory over Jerome Rodriguez in April of this year.

A 20-year-old rising prospect fighting out of Houston, Perez turned pro in April of last year with a first round stoppage of Deseante Armstrong. Perez would pick up four more victories in 2015 and has already won three times in 2016. His last outing saw him defeat previously once-beaten Adan Ortiz in his first six round bout and he will now take on the 27-year-old Molina out of Tlaxcala, Mexico.

A 2012 Olympian for his native Dominican Republic, Castillo recorded a significant victory in April when he defeated previously unbeaten and highly regarded Kyrone Davis over eight rounds in April before dropping a decision to Justin DeLoach in June. Castillo turned pro in 2013 and made his U.S. debut in December 2015 with victories over Eduardo Flores and Roland Nagy before his triumph in April. Now he will battle the 26-year-old Ovando fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, TGBPromotions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing,. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LeijaBattahPR, @TGBPromotions, @CowboysDanceHal and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionsandwww.facebook.com/NBCSports. Highlights available atwww.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.PBC on NBCSN is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

boxing

Greg Cohen Promotions Inks South African Bantamweight Mzuvukile “Old Bones” Magwaca to a Promotional Contract

September 3, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Greg Cohen Promotions proudly announces the signing of South African bantamweight Mzuvukile “Old Bones” Magwaca.

Magwaca (17-0-2, 10 KOs) from Duncan Village, East London, South Africa, is the current WBA International Bantamweight Champion and the former WBF Africa Junior Flyweight Champion and IBO Inter-Continental Flyweight Champion.

A seven-year professional, Magwaca trains at the “All Winners Boxing Club” in Mdanstane, East London, South Africa, with the guidance of Zolani “Last Born” Tete, a world rated bantamweight and former IBF World Super Flyweight Champion, as well as GCP stablemate and current IBO World Featherweight Champion Lusanda “Mexican” Komanisi.

“Since I was eight years old, when I first wore a pair of old gloves from my elder brother who was a professional boxer himself, I dreamed of becoming a world champion one day,” said Magwaca. “Now that dream is going to be a reality through Greg Cohen Promotions. The Young African Lion is about to pounce!”

“We are proud to sign undefeated WBA International Bantamweight Champion Mzuvukile Magwaca, our second fighter from the All Winners Boxing Club in East London, South Africa,” said Clifford Mass, GCP Vice President of Business Development. “He trains alongside two of the best fighters in South Africa, Lusanda Komanisi and Zolani Tete, and he is ready to take his career to the next level. We have big plans for Bones.”

Magwaca’s manager, Mlandeli Tengimfene, says his fighter just needed to find the right contacts to guide him to a world championship. “‘Old Bones’ will take America and the world by storm. He is a gem and a marvel to watch. He is also tall for his division and a maestro in the ring behind his educated jab. This boy is the future at bantamweight and with Greg Cohen Promotions behind him, the sky is the limit.”

boxing

DeLomba upsets Cowart and Fernandez Shines in DBE Debut

September 3, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

NEW ENGLAND STRONG

RESULTS FROM FOXWOODS

(all pictures by Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

MASHANTUCKET, CT (September 2, 2016) – New England boxers dominated last night’s Broadway Boxing, presented by DiBella Entertainment and sponsored by Nissan of Queens, Optyx, Azad Watches and Christos Steak House, held in the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

Rhode Island lightweight “Nice” Nick DeLomba (11-1, 2 KOs) outboxed and outpunched former Florida State Golden Gloves champion Amos “2 Smooth” Cowart (11-2-1, 9 KOs) for an upset victory by way of an eight-round unanimous decision.

DeLomba, who was one of five winning New Englanders without a loss, took the fight to Cowart, beating him to the punch and effectively counterpunching. Cowart was unable to contain DeLomba’s side-to-side movement or his flurries of punches in the main event.

“Everybody looks at me and thinks they’re going to attack my body,” an ecstatic DeLomba said after the fight. “Nobody moves as smooth as me and I’m going to keep doing it.”

Nick DeLomba (R) outworked Cowart

In the co-feature, New Mexico super featherweight Jose “Shorty” Salinas (10-2-1, 5 KOs) stood tall, stunning Albania native Dardan Zenunaj (12-2, 9 KOs), who is trained byRobert Garcia. Now fighting out of Belgium, Zenunaj couldn’t put Salinas away early and he paid for that in the later rounds. Bloodied and bruised, Salinas refused to stop throwing punches, and his huge heart resulted in an eight-round unanimous decision victory.

Jose Salinas pulled off a stunner

Undefeated Spaniard Jon “Jonfer” Fernandez (9-0, 7 KOs) used a tremendous height and reach advantage to pound his tough Mexican opponent Naciff “Chata” Castillo (17-9-2, 5 KOs) until referee Joey Lupino halted the action midway through the fifth round. Fernandez recently signed a promotional contract with DiBella Entertainment and legendary boxer Sergio Martinez.

Jon Fernandez (R) unloaded on Naciff Castillo

Brooklyn lightweight Wesley Ferrer (12-0, 6 KOs), a 2013 New York City Golden Gloves champion, kept his undefeated record intact by outclassing a game Angel Figueroa (4-4-1). Referee Arthur Mercante stopped the fight 20 seconds into the seventh round.

Wesley Ferrer (L) was simply too much for Angel Figueroa

Sensational high school senior “Marvelous” Mykey Williams (4-0, 2 KOs) unloaded a three-punch combination that knocked out David Nelson (3-6, 1 KO) just 24 seconds into the first round. The 18-year-old Williams, fighting out of East Hartford, is rapidly developing into a rising star.

Mykey Williams ended the show early

Worcester, MA featherweight Irvin Gonzalez (2-0, 2 KOs) needed only two minutes to knock out Juan Muniz (0-5). The 20-year-old Gonzalez, whose pro debut also ended spectacularly in the opening round, exploded with a barrage of punches until referee Mercante stepped in to save the Texan from additional damage.

Irvin Gonzalez (R) is a promising prospect

In an action-packed match between a pair of pro debut fighters, East Hartford welterweight Anthony Laureano (1-0) emerged with a hard-fought win by four-round majority decision over Philadelphia’s Nahir Albright (0-1). The 21-year-old Laureano was a 2016 New England Golden Gloves champion.

Anthony Laureano (R) and Nahir Albright went to war

Fan favorite Jonathan “Smooth” Figueroa (1-0, 1 KO), fighting out of nearby Hartford, turned in an impressive performance in his professional debut, finishing off Philadelphia welterweight Demetris Williams (0-2) in the fourth round. Figueroa, a 2012 Southern New England Golden Gloves champion, wore down Williams and ended things with a powerful right hand.

Jonathan Figueroa celebrating his pro debut victory

Full results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

(all winners listed first)

WELTERWEIGHTS

Anthony Laureano (1-0, 0 KOs), East Hartford, CT

WDEC4 (39-37, 39-37, 38-38)

Nahir Albright (0-1, 0 KOs), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jonathan Figueroa (1-0, 1 KOs), Hartford, CT

WKO4 (1:58)

Demetris Williams (0-2), Philadelphia, PA

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS

Mykey Williams (4-0, 3 KOs), East Hartford, CT

WKO1 (0:24)

David Nelson (3-6, 1 KO), Lawton, OK

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Nick DeLomba (11-1, 2 KOs), Cranston, RI

WDEC8 (80-72, 80-72, 78-74)

Amos Cowart (11-1-1, 9 KOs), Groveland, FL

Jon Fernandez (10-0, 8 KOs), Bilbao, Pais Vasco, Spain

WKO5 (1:45)

Naciff Castillo (17-10-2, 5 KOs), Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Wesley Ferrer (12-0, 7 KOs), Brooklyn, NY

WTKO7 (0:20)

Angel Figueroa (4-4-1, 0 KOs), Loran, OH

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS

Jose Salinas (10-2-1, 5 KOs), Albuquerque, NM

WDEC8 (78-74, 78-74, 77-75)

Dardan Zenunaj (12-2, 9 KOs), Braine le Comte, Belgium

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Irvin Gonzalez (2-0, 2 KOs), Worcester, MA

WTKO1 (2:00)

Juan Muniz (0-5), Tyler, TX

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/.

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale

FNU Combat Sports Show For September 1, 2016

September 2, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

This Week’s Fight News Unlimited Combat Sports Show looks back at the last two weeks in the world of fighting. We discuss UFC 202, Bellator’s recent signing of Rory MacDonald, Patricky Friere’s broken leg and more. Tony, Tom and Rich also look forward to upcoming boxing and MMA cards. Listen right here:

boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing, UK Boxing

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^®

Click On The Link Below To Watch, Share or Embed Eubank vs. Benn II: Round 12

http://s.sho.com/2bSFJtN

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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.

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