boxing, CBS Boxing, Showtime Boxing

KEITH THURMAN TO DEFEND WBA WELTERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST SHAWN PORTER IN BLOCKBUSTER SHOWDOWN OF ELITE 147-POUNDERS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 12

Leave a comment

CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING RETURNS TO PRIMETIME ON CBS WITH PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS BLOCKBUSTER

LIVE ON CBS 8:30 P.M. ET/5:30 P.M. PT

PHOTOS by Esther Lin/SHOWTIME:

 

NEW YORK – January 23, 2016 – WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman will defend his title against former champ “Showtime” Shawn Porter in a blockbuster matchup of two of the world’s best 147-pound fighters on Saturday, March 12 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS.

 

The welterweight showdown will air live on CBS at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT from Mohegan Sun Casino Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut. The event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment, is produced by SHOWTIME Sports® for the CBS Television Network, both divisions of the CBS Corporation.‎ The last primetime boxing event on CBS was Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks on Feb. 15, 1978.

 

Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs), of Clearwater, Fla., and Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of Akron, Ohio, are both coming off superb 2015 campaigns that solidified the fresh faces among the elite of arguably boxing’s most exciting division.  With perennial pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather now retired, the 27-year-old Thurman and the 28-year-old Porter are hungry to stake their claim as the future of boxing.

 

“Thurman vs. Porter is a marquee matchup of two elite boxers in the prime of their careers, and the winner will establish himself as arguably the No. 1 fighter in boxing’s glamour division,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.  “Fights of this caliber don’t come along very often, and when they do, they deserve to be on the biggest stage possible. That’s why all of us at SHOWTIME and CBS are so excited to be able to deliver this pivotal matchup to a primetime audience on America’s highest-rated network.”

 

“Last year was an amazing year for me: I headlined the very first Premier Boxing Champions show and was named PBC Fighter of the Year,” Thurman said.  “But this is my year to dominate the welterweight division and I’m excited to be getting ready to take out Shawn Porter.  I am ready to get back in the ring and bring boxing fans what they’ve been looking for – the top true welterweight champion of the world, the one who is going to take out all competitors one by one. I am Keith ‘One-Time’ Thurman and I’m going to show you what a champion looks like on March 12.”

 

“I’m very confident in my ability.  That’s why I’ve been looking forward to this fight because I’m someone who can beat Keith Thurman,” Porter said.  “Nothing about Keith really makes me nervous.  I do know that he’s going to be ready for this fight.  He’s a fighter that has the heart of a lion just like I do.  I expect this to be a fight to the finish.  A win over Keith Thurman is what we’ve been waiting for.”

 

“Keith Thurman against Shawn Porter is one of the best matchups that can be made in the welterweight division right now and I am thrilled that it is taking place at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn.,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “The hard-punching world titleholder Thurman and the highly skilled former champion Porter will have the opportunity to prove that they are the next heir to the throne in the post-Mayweather era of the 147 pound division.”

 

“One Time” Thurman, who owns a better than 80 percent KO ratio and knocked out 18 of his first 20 opponents, is considered one of the most avoided fighters in boxing.  After unsuccessfully lobbying to fight the best of the division for the past two years, Thurman finally had a breakout 2015.

 

The hard-hitting Florida native floored former champion and long-time contender Robert Guerrero en route to a convincing 12th round unanimous last March in Las Vegas.  He then dominated and bloodied former champ Luis Collazo on July 11, winning via seventh round TKO.  Thurman won the Interim WBA belt with a knockout of Diego Chaves in 2013 and scored consecutive knockouts over Jesus Soto Karass (2013) and Julio Diaz (2014) in his first and second title defenses.

 

Against Porter, Thurman will now get a chance to prove what he’s been claiming for years – that he’s the world’s best welterweight – in the toughest test of his career.

 

“Showtime” Porter has built one of the most impressive resumes in the division since making his welterweight debut in 2010.  Porter, who surprisingly turned professional as a super middleweight (168 pounds), won the IBF crown in 2013 with an impressive unanimous decision over Devon Alexander.

 

The physically-gifted and offensive-minded Ohio native knocked out former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi with a brutal clean right hand in April of 2014 in the lone defense of his title.  Porter lost the IBF belt less than four months after the Malignaggi victory in a close majority decision defeat to undefeated British superstar Kell Brook, but he bounced back with a fifth-round knockout of Erick Bone in March of 2015. Porter scored what many considered an upset victory in his next bout over then three-division world champion Adrien Broner with a clear unanimous decision last June 20 in Las Vegas.

 

The aggressive, come-forward Porter has built his career as a perennial underdog who relishes in the role. But, with the resume he has built, it’s hard to consider him an underdog anymore heading into this crossroads showdown with Thurman.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $300, $150, $75 and $35 (plus applicable fees) and Ticketmaster are on sale now. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call (800) 745-3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office starting Saturday, January 23, subject to availability.

 

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 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.

amateur boxing, boxing

Central New England (Greater Lowell) 70th annual Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship Quarterfinals round results from Lowell

Leave a comment

For Immediate Release
LOWELL, Mass. (January 23, 2016) – The Central New England (Greater Lowell) quarterfinals round of the 70th annual Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship was held last night at historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium with 13 highly competitive matches in the novice class.
All 13 matches went the three-round distance for 39 rounds of action that the large crowed enjoyed from start to finish.  The super heavyweight match between Dorchester’s 381-pound Ivens Derival and Haverhill’s 266-pound Kyle Davis was of special especially because of their respective sizes.  Davis won by way of a three-round decision, 4-1, in a back-and-forth match that had fans standing throughout.
The CNE semifinals, featuring open and novice class matches, will be heldnext Thursday night (Jan. 28) at Lowell Memorial Auditorium.  See the complete 2016 schedule below as well as last night’s results.
$70 for ’70 – A special offer to celebrate the 70th edition of the Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship is available to purchase: $70.00 season ticket (6 remaining events) in the balcony.  The season ticket also includes the Novice and Open class New England Tournament of Champions.  To purchase call the Lowell Memorial Auditorium box office at1.866.722.8881 or order online at www.LowellMemorialAuditorium.com. Individual event tickets are also available to purchase for $17.00, $15.00 or $12.00.  Student tickets are also available for only $7.00 (student ID required).
Proceeds from the Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship go towards sending the New England Golden Gloves champions to the National Golden Gloves Championship (2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah), in addition to supporting local athletes and area gyms, the Boys & Girls Club, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, cancer funds, scholarships and many other great charitable causes.
Official Results
(winner listed first each match)
Novice Division
BANTAMWEIGHTS (123 LBS)
Joseph Valdes (West Roxbury, MA – Nashua PAL)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Joel Morales (Everett, MA – Somerville Boxing)
LIGHTWEIGHTS (132 lbs.)
Troy Anderson (Dorchester, MA – Nonantum Boxing)
WDEC3 (4-1)
Joshua Jimenez (Lawrence, MA – Intenze 978)
Jonathan Depina (Dorchester, MA – Peter Welch’s)
WDEC3 (3-2)
Frangel Maggiolo (Cambridge, MA – Somerville Boxing)
LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (141 lbs.)
Edwin Rozon (Haverhill, MA – Haverhill Downtown Boxing)
(WDEC3 (5-0)
Mark Butler (Lowell, MA – West End)
Nathan Rosa (Lowell, MA – West End)
WDEC (5-0)
Jesus Marques (Somerville, MA – Redline Fight Sports)
WELTERWEIGHTS (152 lbs.)
Daniel Isberg (Boston, MA – Boston Boxing)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Anthony DeSalvo (Roslindale – Club by George Foreman)
Kenny Larson (Salem, MA – Somerville Boxing)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Nathan Balakin (Tyngsboro, MA – West End)
Lipi Frenandes (Roxbury, MA – Peter Welch’s)
WDEC3 (4-1)
Jaime Cabera (Nashua, NH – Nashua PAL)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS (165 lbs.)
Henry Gedney (Gloucester, MA – Gloucester Boxing)
WDEC3 (4-1)
James Marino (Medford, MA – Somerville Boxing)
Brian Lawrence (Dorchester, MA – Peter Welch’s)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Sean McDonough (Milton, MA – TNT Boxing)
Peter Maher, Arlington, MA – Somerville Boxing)
WDEC (4-1)
Yamraco Guzman (Methuen, MA – Canal Street)
SUPER HEAVYWEIGHTS (201+ lbs.)
Kyle Davis (Haverhill, MA – Haverhill Downtown Boxing)
WDEC3 (4-1)
Ivens Derival (Dorchester, MA – Cambridge YMCA)
Christian Ortiz (Boston, MA – The Ring)
WDEC3 (3-2)
Shane Begin (Brighton, MA – Nonantum Boxing)
70th annual Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship Schedule
(Lowell Memorial Auditorium – 6:30 p.m. doors open, 7:30 p.m. first bout)
Central New England (Greater Lowell)
Open & Novice Class Semifinals, C.N.E. – Thursday, Jan. 28
Open & Novice Class Championship Finals – Thursday, Feb. 4
New England Tournament of Champions
Novice Class Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 11
Novice Class Championship Finals – Feb. 18
Open Class Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 24
Open Class Championship Finals – Thursday, Feb. 25
Information:
Tournament Executive Director: Bobby Russo
Director of Contestants: Art Ramalho
Chief of Officials:  Lauri Purcell
Ring Announcer:  John Vena
Venue:  Lowell Memorial Auditorium, 50 Merrimack St., Lowell, MA
Twitter:  @LowellGloves
boxing, ShoBox, Showtime Boxing

UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT ROB BRANT SCORES IMPRESSIVE KO OF DECARLO PEREZ IN NIGHT OF KNOCKOUTS FRIDAY ONSHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION

Leave a comment

Unbeaten Heavyweight Jarrell Miller Calls Out Heavyweight Champs After Brutal KO: VIDEO:  http://s.sho.com/1Vfnk7K

 

Catch The Replay This Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHO EXTREME®

 

Click HERE For Photos Credit Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

 

TUCSON, Ariz. (Jan. 22, 2016) – Undefeated middleweight prospect Rob Brant scored the most impressive victory of his career with a fourth-round knockout of Decarlo Perez in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation, live on SHOWTIME on Friday from Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Ariz.  VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: http://s.sho.com/1QqySWm

 

Known more for his boxing prowess, Brant (19-0, 12 KOs) displayed impressive power. After a big first round, in which he threw 97 punches and more of the same in the second, Brant floored Perez with a straight-right shot midway through the third.

 

The Minnesota native kept on the gas in the fourth and landed another straight right that sent Perez falling straight back partially through the ropes. Perez (15-4-1, 5 KOs) awkwardly landed back into the ring and referee Rocky Burke instantly ended the fight at :39.

 

“The game plan was to be aggressive,” Brant said.  “We knew we wanted to show him our power early and make him respect us right away.  When I caught him with the right on the temple in the third I knew we had him.   And then when I connected in the fourth it was lights out, game over.  I just want to get back in the ring as soon as possible and continue making progress.”

 

Perez, who entered the fight coming off an impressive win over previously undefeated Juan Ubaldo Cabrera last August on ShoBox, said he just got caught with a good shot.

 

“I just got caught,” Perez said.  That’s all that happened. I didn’t see the shot coming and he was speedier than I thought. He’s fast and he got me with something I wasn’t ready for.”

 

SHOWTIME analyst Steve Farhood was surprised by Brant’s performance.

 

“Brant showed a dimension we hadn’t seen before,” Farhood said.  “He’s thinking man’s fighter who fought an angry fight.  And, as result of that, you have to put him near the very top of the list of middleweight prospects.”

 

Undefeated heavyweight prospect Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller floored Donovan Dennis twice in a thoroughly dominating seventh round TKO (2:31) in the ShoBox co-feature.

 

Miller (16-0-1, 14 KOs), who went past the sixth round for the first time in his career, landed 52 percent of his power shots.  The Brooklyn native scored two knockdowns in the first round – the first with a devastating looping right, the second with a straight to the chest – and had Dennis nearly out on his feet in what looked like a certain first-round finish.

 

The southpaw Dennis (14-4, 11 KOs) somehow survived the round and actually pushed Miller into uncharted waters.  Dennis had some moments where he out boxed his opponent, but Miller’s power and size – a 56 pound weight advantage – was the deciding difference.   Dennis was breathing through his mouth and gasping for air when referee Tony Zaino wisely halted the contest as “Big Baby” teed-off on his defenseless opponent.

 

“I had him out in the first round, but I threw my shoulder out throwing a left hook,” Miller said.  “I was looking for the knockout so bad he started catching me with some shots.  So then I decided to box a little bit and that’s what I did until the knockout came.

 

“I’m glad it went seven rounds.  It taught me to go to Plan B.  I can box beautifully when I want and I showed some of that tonight.  It was good experience.  My power was there; my wind was good. I was breathing well and seeing the shots.”

 

After the fight, Miller called out the two American heavyweight world champions.

 

“Charles Martin, I’m coming for you.  Deontay Wilder, I’m coming for your Alabama BBQ.”

 

In the locker room after the bout, Dennis admitted that he was surprised by Miller’s boxing ability:  “He’s a better boxer than I thought he would be. That surprised me.”

 

In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated welterweight prospect Bakhtiyar Eyubov impressed with a dominating demolition of the durable Jared Robinson with a third round TKO (:56).

 

Eyubov (10-0, 10 KOs), who scored three knockdowns in three rounds, recorded his 10th knockout in his 10th career professional fight.  The hard-throwing Eyubov landed a staggering 57 percent of his power shots while throwing only three jabs in the fight.  The Kazakhstan native scored two knockdowns in the first and one in the third over the veteran Robinson (17-3-1, 17 KOs), who was only the second opponent to push Eyubov into the third round.

 

“Was I surprised at how easy it was?  No, I can’t believe he made it to round three,” Eyubov said.  “The ref should have stopped it earlier.  I am much smarter than I was before.  I expect more of myself now.  It was another step forward and I promise everyone all my fights will be like that. I am like (Arturo) Gatti.

 

“My trainers are teaching me to move my head, and I’m confident that no one can hurt me.  I will never ever be knocked down.”

 

Eyubov, who entered the ring with a “papakha,” explained his cultural dance following the knockout win.

 

“The dance and the hat are traditional Kazakhstan traditions,” Eyobov said.  “I was honoring my countrymen with that dance.  And the hat is a symbol of my honor.  No one can take that hat from me. “

 

The ShoBox tripleheader will re-air on Monday, Jan. 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® beginning Saturday, Jan. 23.

 

Barry Tompkins called the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer was Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughanproducing and Rick Phillips directing.

 

# # #

 

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 65 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

mixed martial arts, MMA

The FNU Combat Sports Show With MMA Referee Kevin MacDonald

Leave a comment

Kevin MacDonald is one of the most knowledgeable and professional referees in Mixed Martial Arts. Just last Sunday he was the third man in the cage for three fights on the UFC Fight Night 81: Dillashaw vs. Cruz card. Our interview covers a wide range of topics, from rule and weight class changes on the horizon to a few behind-the-scenes glimpses into the UFC’s operations. Psychic Tom Padgett and Rabble Rousin’ Rich Bergeron also recap the past week’s combat sports events (including Szpilka vs. Wilder and Cruz vs. Dillashaw) and preview the next UFC event headlined by Anthony Johnson vs. Ryan Bader.

boxing

Trey Lippe-Morrison Headlines Saturday in Miami, OK!

Leave a comment

 

Miami, OK (January 22, 2016) – Heavyweight sensation Trey Lippe-Morrison will compete in his final six round contest when he faces Thomas Hawkins in the main event of a Holden Productions card at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, OK.

Coming from the talent laden city of Houston, TX Hawkins has a 4-1 record with one win by knockout. Although he will enter tomorrow’s fight as the underdog, he sees it as added motivation to spoil future plans for Lippe-Morrison.

“When nobody expects you to win, it puts all of the pressure on your opponent. I’ve seen film on Trey and he’s a tough kid. My trainer knew his father well and Trey is a straight forward fighter just like his dad. As long as I work on what we did in training, we expect to win!”

Perfect as a pro with ten wins all by knockout, Lippe-Morrison’s jaw-dropping power has drawn comparisons to his father. Currently training under the tutelage of Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club, the popular Vinita, OK native has huge expectations in boxing circles but must first get past Hawkins.

“It feels good to be moving up from six to eight rounds if all goes as planned,” said Lippe-Morrison. “I don’t know much about Hawkins outside of some footage I saw on YouTube where he appeared to be a patient and smart fighter that will make you pay for mistakes. My plan is to box him and get rounds in. I never go for knockouts they just happen to come.”

“Trey is the real deal and I plan to put him in big fights within the next year,” said promoter Tony Holden. “We are going to keep stepping him up and hope to get him rounds but he continues to knock out every man in front of him. I have no doubt that Trey Lippe-Morrison is the next American heavyweight star.”

Highlighting the undercard will be Lippe-Morrison’s “Four State Franchise” stablemates in separate bouts. Along with Lippe-Morrison, the Four State Franchise has fought in front of standing room only crowds on multiple occasions.

Bartlesville, OK based welterweight Jarrett “The Legacy” Rouse will look to make it 9-0 when he squares off with Arkansas’ Juan Parra over six stanzas.

 

Welterweight Jesse Cook of Seneca, MO aims for his sixteenth victory but Corpus Christi, TX’s John David Charles will attempt pull off the upset and win for the second time in three bouts. Cook and Charles will do battle over six rounds.

In a six round special attraction junior middleweight bout, unbeaten Nathan Gallimore travels from Evanston, IL to put his 10-0-1 ledger on the line against 34 fight veteran Rahman Yusubov of Texas.

 

“The Four State Franchise continues to impress in the ring and the demand for them is unlike anything I’ve seen since I promoted Tommy Morrison,” said Holden. “All of these guys can fight and I look forward to seeing them in bigger bouts in the near future.”

boxing, Showtime Boxing

New Heavyweight Champ Charles Martin Says: ‘My Time to Shine Will Come!’

Leave a comment
Brand new IBF Heavyweight Champion “Prince” Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21 KOs) should be on cloud nine.
In just his seventh year of boxing and slightly over third as a professional, Martin already finds himself the sixth southpaw to have ever won a heavyweight championship after scoring a TKO 3 over Ukrainian top contender Vyacheslav Glazkov last Saturday night, January 16, at the Barclay’s Center in New York.
Winning any world title is an amazing accomplishment that most never reach in decades of boxing. Add in that Martin took out the 2008 Olympic Super Heavyweight bronze medalist to become the second current American heavyweight champion in a suddenly rejuvenated division.
“It feels good,” admits Martin. “I wanted to do it fast. I couldn’t wait,” he explains of his quick ascension. “Some things they say take time but when you’re really determined to do something, you’ll do it as soon as possible.”
With his place already assured in the boxing history books and several lucrative possible showdowns on the near horizon, why isn’t Martin the happiest man on the planet?
It was the way he won.
“I have an empty feeling right now,” said the 29-year-old champion. “I was in front of so many people and it was my time to shine on Showtime and show the world my skills. I felt that he had no power and said to myself that he would be easy work. I knew I was going to have a great night. I was going to KO him and then everyone would love me… but it didn’t happen like that.”
Glazkov stopped fighting in round three due to torn ACL in his knee and Martin was declared the winner of the then-vacant title by way of injury-induced TKO.
“I wanted to win the belt my way,” continued the disappointed Martin. “He would have got knocked out eventually. It was coming to him. I never even got to use my uppercut on him, but it’s all good.”
Humble and extremely likeable, Martin remained polite, post-fight and expressed his condolences to the disappointed Glazkov. However, since that night, Glazkov has gone on to say he had “figured Martin out” and that the championship would have certainly been his had he not been injured.
“Oh my goodness, I’m trying to stay humble about the situation, but that’s so crazy what he said,” said Martin. “If he really thinks that, he’s tripping. Things were about to get a lot worse for him. I promise you, once he started slowing down, my combinations would have started to come out. I was throwing the one/two because he was getting out of the way pretty good in the first few rounds. I was just getting started. I thought I would box him for a while and then start going at him and whip his butt. I promise you I could have. That injury saved him. It broke my heart that I didn’t get to do what I wanted. How does that happen? I was having fun.”
Martin says his team and friends and relatives have been good to remind him the abbreviated ending was out of his control. He also says he’ll take a quick vacation and then get right back to work.
So what comes next for the new American heavyweight champion?
“Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder. I want them both. I want all the best. That’s the next move. My time to shine will come. I’m a world champion now and I can say that the belt is in the right hands. I’m not going to sit around. I want to fight.”
Martin also says that is Britain’s world champ, Tyson Fury, ever points his taunting antics at him, he won’t mind.
“It’s good for boxing for him to do that kind of stuff. I like that. It’s all business. At the end of the day he has no crazy beef with anybody. Nobody choked anybody’s mother. It’s just boxing. You got to get attention somehow. He makes people want to see a fight. We’re in the entertainment and hurt business. It’s definitely a real fight in the ring though. It’s a non-personal thing that very gets personal once they step in the ring with me. That’s two guys’ livelihood in there. That’s our income for our families.”
boxing, charity, Team Fight to Walk

Melson to speak to Veterans Leadership Council in February at Johnson & Johnson Town Hall Meeting

Leave a comment

 

New York, NY (January 22, 2016) – WBC USNBC 154 pound champion Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson will serve as a special guest speaker for Johnson & Johnson during their Veterans Leadership Council Town Hall Meeting Thursday, February 18th in Raritan, New Jersey.

 

A 2003 West Point graduate, Melson was personally invited to speak by retired Army Colonel and current J&J employee Irving Smith, who was Melson’s Minority Admissions Representative and mentor when he applied to West Point as a teenager. On the 18th, Melson will present to J&J employees who are part of J&J’s Veterans Leadership Council with respect to the topics of Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury. A former standout salesman for J&J’s Ethicon Division, Melson’s success in and out of the ring is still closely monitored by J&J’s CEO and fellow West Point graduate Alex Gorsky.

 

“Johnson and Johnson will always exist within an independent aspect of my heart. I am overwhelmed with pride that the honor of speaking to J&J’s Veterans Leadership Council is now extended to me as I was once myself a Veteran working for J&J” said Melson.

 

Last week, Melson was honored at Johns Hopkins University as a military superstar. He was their guest of honor for their Men’s and Women’s basketball game, and upon personal request from the women’s basketball team’s coach, he delivered a pre-game inspirational talk to the ladies on that team.

 

In regard to J&J, Melson said it “it was a great place to work. They were extremely supportive of my boxing career and the mission of Team Fight to Walk. Many of J&J employees are loyal supporters that purchased tickets to see me fight. I am personally asking J&J CEO Alex Gorsky to attend this lecture on the 18th. It is very important to me that he learns how close we are towards receiving FDA Approval to conduct the clinical trial in the United States that Team Fight To Walk has worked the past 5.5 years to raise money for.”

 

For more information about Team Fight to Walk, please visitTeamfighttowalk.com. Tax deductible donations can be made on the website or by texting “Walk” to 20222.

boxing, Fox, Premier Boxing Champions

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON FOX & FOX DEPORTES FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & PHOTOS

Leave a comment
 
Click HERE For Photos From Suzanne Teresa/Premier Boxing Champions
LOS ANGELES (January 21, 2016) – “Fight Week on FOX in L.A.” heated up Thursday afternoon as fighters hosted a final press conference before Saturday’sPremier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FOX and FOX Deportes showdowns taking place at STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles.
The press conference culminated with choice words between the main event fighters’ fathers Ruben Guerrero and Angel Garcia. Both fathers, known to be more outspoken than their sons, did not back down and caused quite the scene and security was forced to break up the scuffle.
Televised fights begin at 4 p.m. PT inside of the arena with the FOX and FOX Deportes broadcast beginning at 5 p.m. PT. The main event of the evening pits undefeated Danny “Swift” Garcia against former world champion Robert “The Ghost’ Guerrero in a welterweight world title battle. Also featured in televised action is a welterweight showdown between Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez and Aron Martinez plus a heavyweight match-up between Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale and Amir “Hardcore” Mansour.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced
at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 or at STAPLES Center.
 
Here is what the participants had to say at Thursday’s press conference at the Conga Room:
DANNY GARCIA
“I want to thank Ruben Guerrero because he’s awakened the devil. I can’t wait forSaturday night to show the world what Danny Garcia is all about. I feel fast, I feel strong and I’ll see everyone Saturday.
“My dad and I are chilling right now, we’re business men. They set it off and they woke us up. That’s the last thing you want to do to us. I’m going to bring the heat. He never faced a guy like me. I’m sending a message.
“I haven’t felt this way in a long time. It’s that feeling you get when you know you’re going to put on a great performance.
“I feel great. I’m keeping my composure and staying focused. Saturday night will be another night of work for me.
“I’m the type of fighter where I can be cool, but certain things bring out the anger in me. I don’t feel any pressure. I’m going to go in there and be Danny Garcia.
“I’m going to make adjustments. I know he wants to get dirty but we have an answer for everything he has.”
ANGEL GARCIA, Danny’s Father & Trainer
“Danny had a great camp. It was a beautiful camp. He looked great sparring. This is a new beginning in his life. There’s a new man in town.
“There’s no doubt Robert’s coming to fight. This is boxing. He’s supposed to come to fight. I know he’s not going to come in here and play with Danny. We’re ready for anything he brings to the table.
“We’re not going to let Robert take away what Danny has worked his whole life to get. I worked hard to make Danny the man he is today.
“Danny is going to be the new champion of the world Saturday night. After that we’re going after the other belts. Fight night is going to be about Danny and Robert.”
ROBERT GUERRERO
“We’re really ready to go. We trained hard and did everything we had to do. There’s nothing left now but to do it.
“I have to go out there and show my heart. Everything I put into this, I want to get even more out. I’m a hard worker and it will translate into the ring.
“I’m excited to get to the fight and take care of business. As my dad says, ‘we’re ‘letting the roosters go.’ It’s time to fight.
“I’m very grateful to be fighting on this show as the return of boxing is back on FOX. I’m ready to settle our business in the ring.
“All the talking is done. He said he’s going to knock me out…well we’re going to see. I’m ready to represent the Mexican people and bring the fans a great, action-packed fight.
“A title is on the line and I’m extremely motivated to silence the critics who are doubting me.  I’m ready to become a champion once again”
RUBEN GUERRERO, Robert’s Father & Trainer
“I wish the fight was today, because we’re ready. Danny Garcia better be ready. It’s over. It’s time to fight. It’s going to be a bloody and rough fight. We’re bringing everything.
“Same thing that happened to Andre Berto is going to happen to Danny. His dad better be ready to throw the towel in.”
SAMMY VASQUEZ
“This is going to be my first time fighting in L.A., and so far it’s been a blessing. Everyone has accepted me with open arms.
“Training camp has gone amazingly well. I know Aron is going to bring it. He’s that type of fighter. He’s got a lot of heart, a lot of grit and he’s going to come at me. It’s going to be an incredible fight.
“To me, I’m supposed to be at the top with the top guys. I’m not like the guys that Aron Martinez has beat. I know he’s on a high right now and it’s my job to knock him off of it.
“This is probably the biggest stage I’ve been on. Fighting in primetime is huge. The city has accepted me and I’m going to take that feeling into the ring Saturday night.
“Somebody is going to get stopped and I’m pretty confident in myself. We’re ready. I’m excited and I feel like I’m going to win. We’re going to do it.”
ARON MARTINEZ
“I’m just really happy to be here. I’m thankful for everyone who got me here. Everything has run smoothly and we’re feeling ready.
“My team is calm and ready to go. This is where I grew up. What else can I ask for? I have a lot of people coming to support me and I’m excited.
“It feels like I’ve been training for a whole year. I have no problem with the southpaws, I’ve been preparing for that in camp. We’re so focused and ready for this opportunity.
“We respect each other. We’re here to do a job. I respect Sammy. He’s a veteran. But once you get in the ring, it’s a different story. Everything goes out the window. He’s a boxer and a good counter puncher. But we have a plan and there won’t be any excuses.
“I’ve never been more ready than I am for this fight. I had a good training camp. My whole team has really gone above and beyond. It’s going to be a war. There’s nothing else to say.”
DOMINIC BREAZEALE
“I’ve been waiting to get into the ring for a long time. I’m chomping at the bit. I’m anxious to get in there.
“This has been one of those camps. We had a fight in December. Charles Martin got away from me, but we’re going to get him back.
“They say you can’t go from the football field to the boxing ring, but I’m doing it. Undefeated and going for another knockout.
“That’s the first time I’ve seen him in person. He’s a midget compared to me. I don’t think he has any chance at all on Saturday night. I’m looking for a great knockout.
“Anytime you get a chance to fight on primetime TV is amazing. I fought on primetime during the Olympics and I’m looking forward to doing it here in front of my fans. If you’re not a fan of mine yet, you will be after Saturday.
“I hope Amir Mansour had a great camp as well because I’m going to bring it. It’s going to be fireworks.”
AMIR MANSOUR
“I’d like to thank everyone who helped me get this opportunity. PBC is doing a great thing with boxing and this is going to be another great fight.
“I’ve been winning fights, knocking guys out. We’ve all had trials and tribulations, I certainly have. But I’m a real fighter and a true fighter. I love the sport of boxing and I dedicate myself to the things that have gotten me here.
“Saturday I’m going to go in there and do my thing. You can’t come from a football field into the ring with me. It’s not going to work for you. I’m not going to allow it. I have a history of putting everything on the line in that ring and Saturday will be no different.”
TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions
“This fight is about finding out who the best is. All great fighters want the opportunity to be in a fight like this.
“The show is headlined by one of the most exciting undefeated boxers, Danny Garcia, against a former world champion in Robert Guerrero. We know for sure that this is going to be a battle of two great warriors. Both men are going to bring everything they’ve got to this fight.”
DAVID NATHANSON, Head of Business Operations for FOX Sports
“This will be first of many events we will be doing with PBC on the FOX Network this year. It’s the first of some great things to come. Thanks to PBC for being such great partners and we’re thrilled to bring this fight into every home in America.”
# # #
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.comand www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage,www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift @GhostBoxing, @SammyV2112, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter andwww.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX.
boxing, charity, Ring 8

Ring 8 January Meeting Review & Pictures

Leave a comment
The late Herschel Jacobs’ family & friends
(all pictures courtesy of Stanley Janousek)
NEW YORK (January 21, 2016) – Ring 8’s first monthly meeting of 2016 was held this past Tuesday evening at O’Neil’s Restaurant in Maspeth, New York.
International boxing judge John McKaie (left) was the guest speaker.  McKaie has judged nearly 800 professional fights, including 23 world championships.
Ring 8 historian Henry Hascup (right) eulogized and made a historical tribute to the late Herschel Jacobs, who passed away this past December at the age of 75 (pictured to right).  Jacobs (27-20-2, 11 KOs) fought professionally between 1960 and 1978.  His most notable win was a 10-round decision in 1971 against three-time world light heavyweight champion and Hall-of-Famer, Harold Johnson, at the famed Sunnyside Garden in Queens.  Jacobs also gave Rubin “Hurricane” Carter (4-0) his first pro loss in 1962 by way of a six-round decision.
Jim Kinney (speaking) made a special presentation to Herschel Jacobs’ son (far left).  Ring 8 historian Henry Hascup (white shirt) and Ring 8 president Bob Duffy (far right) also took part in the presentation.
mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING AND TALK2LEGENDS PARTNER TO PROVIDE AN UNRIVALED FAN-ATHLETE INTERACTION EXPERIENCE

Leave a comment

Chael Sonnen, Bas Rutten, Ray Sefo, Jon Fitch, Jake Shields and nearly 20 other MMA icons will be available for mobile video chats during WSOF27 on Saturday, Jan. 23, live on NBCSN

LAS VEGAS (January 21, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) and Talk2Legends (Talk2Legends.com) today announced an unprecedented partnership that will allow fans to chat live on their iPhone devices with some of their favorite Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes and other celebrity talent, using the latter company’s new mobile app.

The partnership will commence on Saturday, Jan. 23 when over two dozen figures from the World Series of Fighting universe will be available for video chat sessions with fans during the WSOF27: Firmino vs. Fodor event that will air live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

Available for download in the App Store, the Talk2Legends app also allows fans to share completed chat sessions with friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

“The partnership between World Series of Fighting and Talk2Legends will enable a fan experience that is unmatched in sports, for a reasonable cost,” said Talk2Legends CEO Ryan Hermansky.

“On January 23, continued Hernansky, “fans will be able to simultaneously watch WSOF27 and get opinions from legends, such as Bas Rutten and Chael Sonnen, and world champions like David Branch and Marlon Moraes.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Talk2Legends and be able to give fans the opportunity to get to know their favorite fighters on a very personal, one-on-one basis,” said World Series of Fighting President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

Using the Talk2Legends app, fans can purchase credits for video chat sessions, review the list of MMA celebrities that will be available for a five-minute, one-on-one video chat session on January 23, and book sessions based on the talent’s availability that is provided on screen.

The athletes and other celebrity participants have the option of donating revenue they earn in exchange for their participation, to a charity or non-profit foundation of their choice.

The following talent will be available for video chat sessions during WSOF27:

On-air and other talent

Chael Sonnen – Color commentator and retired MMA superstar
Bas Rutten – Color commentator and legendary MMA champion
Ray Sefo – World Series of Fighting President and six-time world champion
Jacob “Stitch” Duran – World Series of Fighting cutman and
Andrea Lowell – Playboy Radio hostess and World Series of Fighting round card girl
Joey Varner – World Series of Fighting roving reporter
Jazz Securo – World Series of Fighting ring announcer
Emily Miller – World Series of Fighting round card girl

World Series of Fighting athletes

David Branch – Reigning light heavyweight and middleweight champion
Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje – Reigning, undefeated lightweight champion
Lance Palmer – Reigning featherweight champion
Marlon Moraes – Reigning bantamweight champion
Jon Fitch – Welterweight superstar
Jake Shields – Welterweight superstar
Jason High – Lightweight superstar
Phoenix Jones – Lightweight rising star
Robbie “Problems” Peralta – Featherweight knockout artist
“Notorious” Nick Newell – Retired lightweight phenom
Mike “Mak” Kyle – Former light heavyweight championship challenger
Joseph Barajas – WSOF28 main event competitor
Patrick Walsh – Light heavyweight prospect
Clifford Starks – Middleweight star
Colton Smith – Lightweight standout and The Ultimate Fighter winner
Mike Corey – Featherweight star
Steve Kozola – Undefeated lightweight star

The Talk2Legends app is expected to be available for Android devices in February.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries.  WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

 

The Best Fight News on the Net!

Newsletter Powered By : XYZScripts.com