boxing, Showtime Boxing

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

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UNRIVALED “RIVALRIES”

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

Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

 

RIVALRIES

By Steve Farhood

 

Boxing without rivalries would be like elections without debates.

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(Fittingly, the fighters split four bouts.)

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

It was a memorable rivalry as well.

 

# # #

 

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

boxing

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

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

THREE NEW MATCHUPS COMPLETE WSOF29: GAETHJE VS. FOSTER MAIN CARD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 12

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NEW, LIVE NBCSN START TIME OF 10 P.M. ET
FROM GREELEY, COLORADO

LAS VEGAS (February 3, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today the addition of three main card matchups, including a heavyweight co-main event contest between Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland(11-3) and Mike “300” Hayes (19-10-2), to its highly anticipated WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster world lightweight (155 pounds) championship event at the Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley, Colo. on Saturday, March 12, live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In other action on the four-bout live telecast that will be headlined by the lightweight championship showdown between reigning, undefeated kingpin Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (15-0) and number one contender Brian Foster (25-9), middleweight (185 pounds) standouts Cory “The One” Devela (15-6) and Louis “Handgunz” Taylor (11-3) will collide in their respective World Series of Fighting debuts.

Kicking off the live, four-fight telecast will be a welterweight (170 pounds) scrap pitting Josh Cavan (11-6) against Kris Hocum (7-4).

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster, are on sale at WSOF.com and the University of Northern Colorado’s online ticketing platform.

Josh Copeland vs. Mike Hayes

The 6-foot-1 Copeland of Denver, Colo. is a former number one ranked heavyweight in his home state, and a four-time title holder since turning professional in 2010.

The 33-year-old, former Youth Ministry student at Dallas Baptist College, has earned 8 of his 11 career victories as a professional by way of (T)KO or submission, with 5 of those wins coming in less than 2 minutes.

A teammate of Gaethje’s at Grudge Training Center, Copeland will look to rebound from a second round (2:50) submission (kimura) defeat at the hands ofVitaly Minakov on December 11, a result that snapped a two-fight win streak for Copeland.

During his professional career spanning eight-plus years, the 6-foot-4, 35-year-old Hayes of Redmond, Wash. has faced off with elite level competition, including former world champion Andrei Arlovski and superstar Ruslan Magomedov, both of whom he fought to a decision.

On November 2, 2013, Hayes notched his most impressive victory to date, scoring a devastating, third round (3:11) KO on decorated MMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wrestling champion Jeff “The Snowman” Monson with a head kick.

In his last start on June 4, 2015, Hayes produced another impressive result, fighting former South African national wrestling champion and four-time MMA titlistTrevor Prangley, to a draw.

Cory Devela vs. Louis Taylor

The 6-foot-2, 31-year-old Devela of Bonney Lake, Wash., will enter the decagon cage in the midst of a four-fight win streak that includes a unanimous decision victory over superstar Nick “The Promise” Ring on June 26, 2015.

A longtime protégé of MMA superstar and submission expert Dennis “Superman” Hallman, Devela, who has notched 11 of his 16 career wins by way of (T)KO or submission, burst into the national spotlight at a Strikeforce promoted event in Tacoma, Wash. on February 23, 2008, scoring a first round (1:22) TKO on heralded superstar Joe “Diesel” Riggs with a thunderous slam that rendered Riggs unable to continue fighting.

Devela’s recent ascendance that has him knocking on the door of becoming a world championship contender again, comes after he took an extended, three-year hiatus from competition to care for a sick loved one between 2010 and 2013.

Also looking to earn his fifth consecutive win, the 5-foot-11, 36-year-old Taylor of Chicago, Ill. is the number one ranked middleweight in his home state, according to the latest Tapology.com ratings.

A prolific striker who has finished 10 of his 11 opponents to date by way of (T)KO or submission, Taylor’s last four victories all came inside of the first round of battle.

Prior to becoming a mixed martial artist, Taylor was a wrestling standout for the NCAA Division I program at Eastern Illinois University where he benefited from training with fellow, former team member turned assistant coach Matt Hughes, who went on to become a two-time UFC champion and Hall of Fame member.

Josh Cavan vs. Kris Hocum

Fighting out of Denver, Cavan is a 5-foot-10, 32-year-old, lifelong athlete who competed at the minor league level of professional hockey before turning his attention to MMA.  A winner of 9 of his 11 professional career fights by way of (T)KO or submission, Cavan will look to bounce back from a second round (1:28) TKO (punches) defeat at the hands of Joe Eichelberger on November 6.

The 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Hocum of Fort Collins, Colo. made his professional debut on October 27, 2012 as a participant in a one-night, eight-man tournament, defeating multiple opponents to emerge the victor of the grueling affair.   He will look to regain momentum after back-to-back losses in his last two appearances.

The WSOF29 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR MMA INKS SERGEI KHARITONOV TO AN EXCLUSIVE, MULTI-FIGHT CONTRACT

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SANTA MONICA (February 3, 2015) – Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) is the newest free agent by Bellator MMA, with the news that the Russian heavyweight has been signed to an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight contract. A veteran of both Strikeforce and Pride Fighting Championships, Kharitonov remains on active duty with the Russian Airborne Troops.

 

Doubling as a kickboxer at different points throughout his combat sports career, “The Paratrooper” has decided to parlay his recent five-fight winning streak and focus purely on mixed martial arts. Kharitonov’s resume is extensive, with the 35-year-old scoring wins against some of the sport’s most notable names including UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Pedro Rizzo, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, and Alistair Overeem.

 

“I have had the best seat in the house for some of Kharitonov’s heavyweight outings,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said, “and I know Sergei [Kharitonov] can come in and make an immediate impact on our heavyweight division. He is an extremely skilled and experienced fighter who can end a fight in the blink of an eye, and we look forward to having him do just that inside the Bellator cage. Plus, he’s already competed at one ‘Dynamite’ event before, maybe he could do so again in the future!”

 

Kharitonov joins a division that is currently championed by fellow Russian fighter Vitaly Minakov, other top names include Bobby Lashley, Cheick Kongo, Vinicius Queiroz, Kimbo Slice, Tony Johnson, Justin Wren, Dan Charles, and James Thompson.

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Undefeated Alex Martin ready for first national television exposure on TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX DEPORTES

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9
FROM SANDS BETHLEHEM EVENTS CENTER IN BETHLEHEM, PA.
Televised Coverage Begins At 11 P.M. ET/8 P.M. PT
BETHLEHEM, PA. (February 3, 2016) – Unbeaten prospect Alex Martin (11-0, 5 KOs) steps up in the co-featured bout when he takes on Rossemberth Gomez (17-4-1, 13 KO’s) of Minagua, Nicaragua in a welterweight bout scheduled for eight-rounds.
The bout takes place on an exciting night of boxing that will be part of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday, February 9 from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Televised coverage begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT and is headlined by undefeated 2012 U.S. Olympian Jamel Herring (14-0, 8 KOs) taking on Colombia’s Luis Eduardo Flores (21-2, 17 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

In addition to his 2012 National Golden Gloves Championship, Martin won three Chicago Golden Gloves and a National PAL championship fighting out of nearby Harvey, Illinois. An owner of 340 amateur wins, he made it to the United States finals where he lost to eventual Olympian, Errol Spence Jr. Martin turned pro in 2013 and is yet to lose. The 26-year-old picked up four victories in 2015 and will begin 2016 against the 29-year-old Nicaraguan Gomez who will be making his U.S. debut.

“Training is good.  I really do not know much about Gomez, but that doesn’t matter much at all because I just go in there and like to fight.”
Martin is ready to showcase his skills for the first time in front of a nationally televised audience and he knows this is just the beginning of positioning himself into bigger fights.
“It is a big step for me.  This will show me and the fans how good I am and where I can go in my career.”
Without looking too far down the line, Martin would love a chance at his old amateur rival, Spence.  Martin knows that he needs to continue winning and looking good to get that opportunity within in the next year.
“Spence is definitely on my radar.  I can see us fighting by the end of 2016 or early 2017.  I feel that I will be ready for that fight.  He is just one of a few guys that I want to fight on my way to the top.  I am just hoping that everyone tunes in on February 9th and the fans will remember my national television debut.”
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @JamelHerring, @FS1, @TheSBEC, @FoxDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes andwww.Facebook.com/the SBEC. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
boxing, CBS Boxing, Showtime Boxing

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

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

NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS TO HOLD WEIGH-INS THIS FRIDAY AT LEWISTON RAMADA

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Lewiston, Maine (February 3, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS” this Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side.  Earlier today, the promotion announced that it would hold the event weigh-in this Friday, February 5, 2016, at 2:00 pm EST at the Ramada Hotel & Conference Center.  The Ramada is located at 490 Pleasant Street in Lewiston, Maine.

 

Weigh-ins are open to the public and free to attend.  All of the fighters competing on Saturday night will be at the weigh-in, including MMA headliners Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (12-8) and Jon Lemke (5-3), as well as boxing main event participants Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (10-1) and Tollison Lewis (2-0).  Fans and press are encouraged to attend.  For those unable to make it to the Ramada on Friday, weigh-ins will be streamed live on the NEF Youtube page at www.Youtube.com/nefmma.

 

The “NEF 21” fight card:

 

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

149 POUNDS: Tollison Lewis vs. Brandon Berry

147 POUNDS: Evincii Dixon vs. Antonio Chaves Fernandez

175 POUNDS: Crowsneck Boutin vs. Joel Bishop

PROFESSIONAL MMA

 

155 POUND TITLE: Jon Lemke vs. Bruce Boyington (c)

145 POUNDS: Derek Shorey vs. Josh Lange

185 POUNDS: Zach Elkins vs. Mike Hansen

155 POUNDS: Zenon Herrera vs. CJ Ewer

170 POUNDS: Andrew Tripp vs. Alex Henry

125 POUNDS: Norman Fox vs. Brandon Warne

 

AMATEUR MMA

 

205 POUND TITLE: Mike Williams vs. Ryan Glover

170 POUND TITLE: Ricky Dexter vs. Caleb Farrington

135 POUND TITLE: Henry Clark vs. Johnny Crafts

145 POUNDS: Rafael Velado vs. Mike Peitersen

120 POUNDS: Erin Lamonte vs. Randi Beth Boyington

140 POUNDS: Erik Nelson vs. Julio Martinez

265 POUNDS: Gravin Guillen vs. Matt Glover

155 POUNDS: Frank Johanson vs. Taylor Costantino

265 POUNDS: Brendan Battles vs. Dave Smith

230 POUNDS: Zak Bergeron vs. Ras Hylton

170 POUNDS: Adam Nielsen vs. Ruben Redman

155 POUNDS: Dustin Shorey vs. Juan Meneses

160 POUNDS: Caleb Swoveland vs. Tom Burgess

155 POUNDS: Tony Agust vs. Chad Murillo

125 POUNDS: Justin Witham vs. Jake Denham

140 POUNDS: Clifford Redman vs. Richmond Pierce Wiegman

135 POUNDS: David Thompson vs. Caleb Costello

 

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS,” takes place this Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Bell time is 7:00 PM EST.  Tickets for “NEF 21” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the 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.”

boxing

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

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Plus the return of former world champion Imamu Mayfield

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

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

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

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

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

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

Facebook.com/risingstarboxing
Instagram: @risingpromo

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

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

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

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

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

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