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Ruben Villa destroys Gerardo Molina in first round of pro debut
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LAWTON GETS NEW OPPONENT ON BANGOR FIGHT CARD
Bangor, Maine (July 30, 2016) – Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-2) has a new opponent this Friday night in Bangor at “NEF Presents Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight.” Lawton’s original opponent, Mike Hansen (4-4), pulled out of the middleweight contest with an injury just days before the start of fight week. NEF officials scoured the country for someone to step up on a mere week’s notice and face the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Lawton. Not an easy task, to say the least. NEF matchmaker Matt Peterson was able to secure a replacement opponent in the form of David “Redneck” Mundell (5-1) of Dunedin, Florida.
Mundell is a purple belt fighting out of Gracie Clearwater. His only loss as a professional came in his last fight this past spring. In fact, Mundell had not lost a single round in any of his previous five professional fights to that point. He is the reigning Florida State Professional MMA Welterweight Champion. Mundell held several titles in the amateur ranks before turning pro.
While most competitors would shy away from the prospect of facing a black belt on a week’s notice in front of UFC President Dana White, Mundell approaches the fight with a workmanlike outlook.
“It’s just another day at the office,” said Mundell when reached for comment.
“I am excited to still be a part of the show and thankful Dave Mundell was willing to step up on short notice to take the fight,” said Lawton. “He is a well-rounded fighter, and I am expecting to put on one of the best fights of the night as always!”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF Presents Dana White: Looking for a Fight” takes place on Friday, August 5, 2016 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.
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 andwww.flocombat.com, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis Stevenson Scores Sensational Knockout Over Hard-Hitting Contender Thomas Williams Jr. In Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Main Event Friday Night From Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada
Middleweight Contenders Immanuwel Aleem & Demond Nicholson
Fight to Majority Draw
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Top Contender Eleider Alvarez Dominates Robert Berridge On Way to Unanimous Decision Victory
Click HERE for Photos from Dave Nadkarni/Premier Boxing Champions
(Photos to be added shortly)
Click HERE for Main Event Highlights
QUEBEC CITY (July 30, 2016) – Light heavyweight world champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (28-1, 23 KOs) delivered a highlight reel knockout victory over Thomas “Top Dogg” Williams Jr. (20-2, 14 KOs) in the fourth-round of an exciting main event showdown on Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Friday night from Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada.
“It was a firefight,” said Stevenson. “He put pressure on me so I decided to put pressure on him too. It was a fight with two guys who could punch and it was spectacular. It was my daughter’s birthday and I gave her a great gift.”
The defending champion Stevenson, fighting in his adopted hometown, put Williams down in round one with a straight left hand. Williams was able to recover and began to fire back in round two. However, Stevenson’s jab consistently sent Williams backtracking, while Williams abandoned the jab and attempted to cut the distance with power punches from difficult angles. Williams staggered the world champion several times, using an effective counter right hand while getting the best of many exchanges.
Both men were hurt in an exciting third round that saw momentum swing in each man’s favor before the bell rang to end the round. A cut opened up over the left eye of Williams in the end of the round that was tended to in his corner. Williams hit the canvas as a result of a low blow early in the fourth, but regained his footing shortly after.
The notorious power puncher Stevenson eventually landed the deciding blow of the night when he caught Williams’ chin hanging in the pocket and delivered a straight left hand that put the challenger to the floor. The Washington, DC area-native was unable to recover, prompting referee Michael Griffin to stop the bout 2:54 into the fourth round.
Additional televised action saw rising middleweight contendersImmanuwel Aleem (16-0-1, 9 KOs) and Demond Nicholson (17-1-1, 16 KOs) fight to a majority draw in their eight-round bout.
Neither fighter was able to control of the fight with Nicholson attempting to use his length and jab while Aleem tried to cut the distance and attack with short punches. Nicholson appeared to have the more effective attack in the early rounds, while Aleem began to have more success as the fight shifted to toe-to-toe action in the second half of the fight.
The judges’ scores reflected the close nature of the fight as one judge had it 77-74 for Aleem while the other two judges had it a 76-76 draw.
The televised opener saw Eleider “Storm” Alvarez (20-0, 10 KOs) keep his perfect record intact with a unanimous decision victory over New Zealand’s Robert Berridge (27-5, 21 KOs) in a 10-round light heavyweight affair.
“I am happy with the win, but I would have liked a knockout! He was tough, but he did not hurt me at all and I thought that I hurt him. I am ready for my next challenge, which will hopefully be a world title fight.”
The top-rated contender for Stevenson’s title, Alvarez established his jab early on while attacking the body of Berridge with right hooks. Alvarez continued to control the fight from a distance as Berridge was slow to begin increasing his output before he started putting the pressure on in round five.
The southpaw Berridge was able to land occasionally on Alvarez with a looping left hand, but never put the undefeated fighter in danger. Alvarez began to have more success varying up his attack with right uppercuts and hooks that eventually left Berridge’s right eye swollen and bruised.
Alvarez took home the decision by scores of 99-90 and 98-92 twice.
PBC on Spike was promoted by Group Yvon Michel (GYM).
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com
Chazz Witherspoon headlines against former world title challenger Mike Marrone on August 6th at The Grundy Arena in Bristol, PA.
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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS FOR TOP MAINE LIGHTWEIGHTS
Bangor, Maine (July 29, 2016) – Devin Powell was enjoying an evening off from his demanding life as a mixed martial arts instructor and fighter.
He was surrounded by food that probably isn’t on his normal training menu. There were celebratory beverages to fit the loud music and party atmosphere at Xfinity Center, the outdoor concert venue in Mansfield, Massachusetts.
Somehow, Powell heard his phone ring, or felt it vibrate in his pocket. The impending conversation altered his day-after plans considerably.
Powell accepted a return engagement with Jon Lemke at “NEF Presents Dana White: Looking for a Fight,” to be held Friday, August 5 at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
“I found out my good friend Jesse Erickson got hurt,” Powell said, “and they asked me to fill in. I said ‘of course.’ Anybody representing UFC, never mind Dana White, if you ever have a chance to fight in front of them, it’s something you want to do if you’re able. It should be a nice, intimate setting.”
Powell (7-1) is the NEF lightweight champion, having secured the strap with a technical knockout of Erickson at “NEF 22: All Roads Lead Here” in April. Lemke (5-5) lost to previous champion Bruce Boyington in a bid for that belt.
The fight will take place five pounds above the lightweight limit at a catch weight of 160.
“It’s a huge opportunity,” said Lemke, who lives in neighboring Brewer. “I’m very grateful. I’m looking forward to fighting in front of probably the most influential person in MMA.”
Their bout is one of eight professional skirmishes to be showcased in front of White, a native of nearby Hermon, and cohorts Din Thomas and Matt Serra. The trio travels the country in pursuit of undiscovered MMA talent in a reality show that is broadcast on White’s YouTube page as well as the UFC Fight Pass subscription-based streamed video service.
Neither man is known to shy away from the spotlight. Lemke stopped Erickson at Bellator 93 in Lewiston two years ago. Powell pushed his winning streak to five with a split-decision triumph June 17 over Tommy Marcellino on the World Series of Fighting stage at Foxwoods.
“I know they’re probably here to watch the guys in the main event,” Powell said of White and his entourage, “but I plan to put on a show that they won’t be able to sleep on. With my fighting style, very aggressive and unorthodox, I believe I definitely will get their attention. This sport is a lot about getting the right opportunity and taking advantage of it.”
When asked if he perceived any edge because Powell took the fight on three weeks’ notice, Lemke politely pointed out that he only began preparing for Erickson two weeks prior to that.
Lemke lost to Josh LaBerge on June 10.
“I only had a couple extra weeks to prepare. I was still training, but that’s all. I was in pretty good shape but not in fight shape,” Lemke said. “It’s one of those things where they ask you and you’re like, ‘Oh, man, I really want to do this, but.’ It’s just too big an opportunity not to. It’s not necessarily ideal, but as a fighter, absolutely you’re looking for that challenge, and Devin is one of the best guys in the game around here.”
He learned that first-hand, and in resounding fashion, when the two fighters previously clashed on May 10, 2014. Powell prevailed via choke-out in only 23 seconds.
That setting was Lemke’s comeback fight after his abrupt withdrawal from a title match against John Ortolani eight months earlier.
“It didn’t go very well last time. There were a lot of distractions and different circumstances for me leading up to that fight. I had to pull out of a title fight before that, which you never want to do. Three-quarters of the battle for me was just getting back in the cage,” Lemke said.
“I’m a completely different fighter now,” he added. “I think I’ve progressed everywhere, not just with my skills but with the approach I take. I’ve had quite a few fights and I’ve learned from both the wins and the losses. You always learn. Sometimes you learn the hard way.”
Lemke and Powell each enter the cage for the fourth time in less than a year. That activity is the reason neither man feels uneasy about accepting such a stern challenge after an abbreviated training camp.
In Powell’s case, fighting is simply a natural extension of his everyday life as owner and head instructor at Nostos MMA in Somersworth, N.H.
“I’m grateful for everything I have. I have a 4-year-old daughter and she likes to come to the academy and train jiu-jitsu,” Powell said. “I have a pretty amazing life. I only have to teach, train and fight. A lot of people don’t get more than a couple hours with their kids every night. We sacrifice a lot for this sport. People only see the 15 minutes of hell. They don’t see everything else.”
Powell is pleased to represent NEF for only the third time in his blossoming career.
“NEF is one of the biggest promotions in the country. They make superstars out of guys from Maine,” Powell said. “I fought for World Series of Fighting, and I don’t want to sound like I’m knocking them, but it was a much smaller show. NEF has a huge following, and now you see them going places like Cape Cod and Bangor, and that can only grow it even more. They do it right, and I’m glad to be able to step in there for them.”
Lemke faces the added pressure of fighting in front of not only White but his hometown fans from the Bangor area.
Many of them are not accustomed to the four-hour round trip for his encounters in Lewiston.
“A fight is still just a fight, and the next fight is the biggest fight regardless. You never know who could be there watching or what could happen as a result,” Lemke said, suggesting that he is more concerned with his opponent. “Devin is a phenomenal fighter. He has a great skill set. He’s highly touted and he has a great record to back it up. It’s definitely the challenge of a lifetime for me. He’s also a great guy outside the cage. I get along with him well. I think we respect each other.”
Powell confirmed those suspicions, although he reiterated that his objective is nothing less than another decisive victory.
“He’s a good guy. I don’t have to go to that deep, dark place. I understand that my job is to hurt someone so badly that the referee has to step in to save his life. It’s a beautiful, violent sport. I respect anyone who has the courage to get in there with the same goals as me,” Powell said. “I’m expecting a brouhaha with Lemke. He’s aggressive. He comes to fight. I like to do the same things. The first fight was short-lived. If I’m able to repeat that, I’m sure Dana White will be happy.”
“NEF Presents Dana White: Looking for a Fight” takes place on Friday, August 5, 2016 at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.
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 and www.flocombat.com, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
“PAULIE MALIGNAGGI: DEAR BOXING” PENS OPEN LETTER SHARING HIS INTIMATE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ON WHY HE KEEPS FIGHTING
Photo by Amanda Westcott / SHOWTIME
“Boxing Gave Me Things I Couldn’t imagine. Boxing Let Me Dream. That’s What I’m Fighting For: That Chance To Dream Again.”
Veteran boxer, a former two-division world champion, Paulie Malignaggi pens an open letter to the sport of boxing as the Magic Man prepares to step into the ring once more on Saturday night.
Malignaggi (35-7, 7 KOs) will face Gabriel Bracero in a 10-round welterweight bout between fellow Brooklynite in the SHOWTIME EXTREME® main event tomorrow, Saturday live at 7 p.m. ET/PT from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Malignaggi explains in the letter why he keeps on climbing into the ring: “I know fighters don’t age gracefully,” he says. “I know fighters get hurt. But I also know in my heart, I gotta fight. At least one more time. Why? I’ll tell you why: Love.”
After his bout, Malignaggi, also a SHOWTIME Sports® boxing analyst, plans to join the announce team and call the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader featuring featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz defending against N. Ireland’s Carl Frampton and the return of undefeated and former two-division champion Mikey Garcia facing ex-champion Elio Rojas, live onSHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).
Wilcox tops Orozco in Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada (July 29, 2016) – Up and coming lightweight Steven Wilcox of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada scored an impressive eight round unanimous decision over rugged Mexican Juan Orozco Thursday, July 28 at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto.
Topping Lee Baxter Promotions’ inaugural “Next Generation” fight card and with an excited crowd supporting him, the taller Wilcox looked to use his range from the opening bell. Orozco was able to close the gap at times during the first few rounds, landing some decent shots in close quarters. Wilcox effectively adjusted and found his range, peppering Orozco with clean punches. For the remainder of the bout, Orozco attempted to press forward but was unsuccessful as Wilcox continued to land clean shots to the body and head of his game foe en route to a unanimous decision.
Wilcox improves to 14-1-1 with 5 knockouts. The game Orozco is now 14-4-2 with 10 KO’s.
Light heavyweight “Irish” Tim Cronin of Etobicoke, Ontario dominated Slovakia’s Kristof Demendi over six one sided rounds en route to a decision. Cronin, who is unbeaten since losing a split decision in his pro debut, dominated the fight as Demendi was never able to find his rhythm.
Cronin ups his professional ledger to 8-1-1 with 2 wins by knockout while Demendi slips to 10-2-2 (6 KO’s).
Highly touted heavyweight newcomer Mladen Miljas (1-0, 1 KO) battered David Vyletel (5-2, 2 KO’s) of Slovakia until the referee saved the latter from further punishment in the second stanza. Miljas, who fights out of Ontario, displayed an arsenal of skills during the impressive showing.
In other action, junior middleweight Mayron Zeferino (1-0) scored a first round knockdown and overcame a late rally from Danyk Croteau (1-1) en route to a decision victory while super middleweight newcomers Augistino D’Aluisio (0-0-1) and Mike Miller (0-0-1) battled to a draw.
“We went through a lot of changes with this card and worked hard to make it happen,” said Lee Baxter. “Miljas looked fantastic and Zeferino gutted out a decision over a very determined opponent. Steven Wilcox was very sharp tonight and outpointed a very tough foe that never stopped trying. Overall, I’m satisfied with the event and hope the fans that tuned in around the world via the webcast enjoyed it as well. We’re looking forward to bringing more exciting boxing to Ontario.”
Lee Baxter Promotions’ next card will be announced shortly.
Melson named New York Sportscene Children Foundation’s Humanitarian Honoree
New York, NY (July 28, 2016) – WBC USNBC junior middleweight champion, West Point graduate and Army Reserve Officer Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson has been selected as New York Sprotscene Children Foundation’s (NYSCF) Humanitarian Honoree.
He will be honored and serve as the special guest for their 2nd annual Celebrity Golf Classic and pool party August 15 inCommack, NY at The Hamlet. As the honoree, Melson’s also participating in a cocktail hour, award dinner, interview sessions, photo ops and meet & greet.
A501(c)(3), the NYSCF helps to benefit and improve the lives of children and help those in need live happier and healthier. The mission of the New York Sportscene Children’s Foundation is to provide much needed support of local charities.
A recognizable figure in and out of the ring, Melson gained notoriety in the boxing world by donating 100% of his fight purses towards helping others. 16 of his purses went to Team Fight to Walk to help find the cure for Chronic Spinal Cord Injuries and the other went to a friend whose son has brain cancer. Between his fights, charity galas and donations, Melson and co-founder Christan Zaccagnino helped raise close to $400,000. He is also a well-known motivational speaker that has inspired the US Army, various athletes, at-risk youths, large corporations and students of all ages.
The NYSCF is specifically recognizing Melson for his dedication and support of Team Fight to Walk, mentoring at risk youths and excellence as an athlete.
The NYSCF’s Golf Classic will raise funds to provide for local children in need. Their 2015 event made it possible to host a poolside party for more than 150 ill, special needs and underprivileged children and their families. These children, many whom never swam in a pool before, will be shuttled in from the NYC boroughs as well as Long Island to enjoy the pool party. The funds raised last year also covered a holiday celebration for close to 1,000 children and their caregivers.
This event also supports the YES WE CARE Veteran Support Program, Family Services of Westchester Jerome Wagner Youth Residence for Boys, Evelyn Sachs Steiner Residence for Girls and a SUNY Farmingdale Alumni Association Scholarship. On top of that, the NYSCF is making a donation to Team Fight to Walk, which literally brought Melson to tears upon hearing the news.
“I’ve had the blessing to be honored many times for things I’ve done in and out of the ring but this is truly unlike anything else,” said Melson. “When I got the call for this and was asked to be the honoree, I thought they were kidding. The original guest was Denzel Washington and the fact that they went from him to me is beyond humbling. I immediately started crying over the phone thanking them profusely. I’m looking forward to this event and owe a special thanks to both Laura Quintoni and Fran Petito, who are both part of the New York Sportscene Children’s Foundation’s leadership. I told them both that the universe keeps reminding me of my path by sending angels into my life to help me along my path. As soon as I heard about the pool party, my first question was “can I get in the pool and play with the kids.” I was met with an encouraging yes and I am looking forward to that part of the day as much as any part. FOX News will be filming and although it will not be aired live, the coverage will air nationwide at some point. I hope to meet many great families and bring smiles to their faces. My wish from this is that this experience increases my opportunities to help positively impact the lives of others.”
For more information on the NYSCF outing, please visithttp://nysportscene.com/
Adonis Stevenson vs. Thomas Williams Jr. PBC on Spike Official Weights, Weigh-In Photos & Fight Week Quotes
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