boxing

Brooklyn Brawl Series Featured in The Wall Street Journal

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Once on the Ropes, Boxing Thrives in New York Thanks to Local Fighters

The lifeblood of the city’s boxing scene is strong in gyms and small venues throughout the city, even if you can’t find it at Madison Square Garden

By
Alex Raskin
Will Rosinsky is a 30-year-old Queens native who works as a firefighter in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. A longtime acquaintance of his, Joe Smith Jr., is a 26-year-old construction worker from Long Island and a member of the Local 66 Laborers Union.
On Saturday night, the two are going to Barclays Center in Brooklyn for a night of boxing matches headlined by a middleweight championship bout. But they won’t be sitting in the stands. Rosinsky and Smith will be there to fight each other on an undercard to the title match between Brooklynites Peter Quillin (32-0-1) and WBA middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs (30-1).
“We know each other,” Rosinsky (19-2) said of Smith, his former sparring partner. “There’s nothing different that he’s gonna do that I haven’t seen him do already.”
For his part, Smith (19-1) even took some vacation time from his day job in order to prepare for Saturday’s light-heavyweight bout. “I’m sure a lot of people can’t do that,” he said, “but I’m lucky and I was able to take off and still pay my bills on time.”

Mixed martial arts may be on the rise, but the boxing scene in New York City has never been stronger-as shown by a recent night of mid-level fights in Marine Park, Brooklyn.

Don’t be fooled by their “real” jobs, respectable as they may be. Rosinsky and Smith, both Golden Gloves champions, were boxing long before they entered the traditional workforce. They are part of New York’s growing pugilistic middle class, walking symbols of the sport’s renaissance in the city.
There was a time when New York was synonymous with boxing. Madison Square Garden averaged 28 fight cards a year between 1940 and 1950, when the arena was located on Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets. The current Garden hosted only two cards in 2015, including Gennady Golovkin’s sold-out title defense against David Lemieux on Oct. 17. It appeared that boxing was disappearing from the city’s sports scene.
“We didn’t have a whole lot going on in the first part of the new century,” explained Bruce Silverglade, owner of Brooklyn’s famous Gleason’s Gym.
“The fights left New York,” he said. “Taxes are a big part of that, but just the cost of doing a show… New York is an expensive town. You have to house the fighters. You have to give them a per diem. If you take the same big fight and put it in Las Vegas, or a place where there’s a casino that supports boxing, they will give you a site fee for coming.”
‘As far as the popularity of boxing in the city of New York, it couldn’t be better, as far as I’m concerned.’ -Bruce Silverglade, owner of Gleason’s Gym
The taxes and costs remain, but thanks to newer venues, midlevel purses, and localized fight cards, they aren’t as prohibitive. Now local boxers have a hometown advantage in a city that is, once again, nurturing the sport at all levels.
As Silverglade put it, “[boxing is] starting to come back.”
The Barclays Center card on Saturday reads like a local white pages. Heather Hardy, who works as a trainer at Gleason’s and boasts a 14-0 professional record, is making her fifth appearance at the arena. “I sell tickets to my clients, co-workers, their clients. I’m like everybody’s kid sister,” said the 33-year-old mother and Brooklyn native.
Also appearing are rising light-heavyweight contender and Staten Island native Marcus Browne (16-0) and Huntington, N.Y., native Chris Algieri (20-2), a welterweight. As for the main event, Jacobs is a product of East New York’s Starrett City Boxing Club, and Quillin also lives in the borough.
It will be the 28th and final fight card of the year in New York, which matches last year’s total, according to the New York State Athletic Commission. As recently as 2009, only 14 boxing cards were commissioned within the city limits.
Now the events are reflective of the city itself.
“The great thing about New York is that no matter where in the world you hail from, you will always find a ‘home crowd’ in New York due to its inherent diversity,” explained Tom Hoover, chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.
Such is the case for rising prospects and recent immigrants Bakhtiyar Eyubov (9-0) and three-time Georgian national champion Giorgi Gelashvili (3-0), both of whom won fights at the Oct. 29 “Brooklyn Brawl” showcase at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Marine Park.
Thanks in large part to the Ukrainian-born, Brooklyn-raised boxer and promoter Dmitriy Salita, the two have found a home gym, Brooklyn’s Fight Factory, and an opportunity to box in front of their growing number of fans, many of whom also hail from former Soviet Republics.
Another Starrett City product, Salita (35-2-1) climbed the ranks as a welterweight before losing to Amir Khan in 2013. He continued boxing, but after reading a book about Israel’s economy called “Start-Up Nation,” Salita decided to try his hand at promoting.
“I looked around the boxing world in New York City,” said Salita, an Orthodox Jew with an orthodox fighting stance. “I made a couple of phone calls. It all came together rather quickly. Six, maybe seven weeks later, I had my first show on Sept. 1, 2010. Several good fighters fought.”
Salita’s Star of David Promotions eventually launched the Brooklyn Brawl series, which stages fights at midsize venues like Coney Island’s MCU Park, the Paramount Theatre, and the Aviator Center.
Since the fights are typically shown on the MSG Network or online at ESPN3, Salita’s fighters are gaining needed exposure. Another of his fighters, lifelong friend and heavyweight contender Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, delivered an impressive performance on Showtime in October, dropping Akhror Muralimov in three rounds to improve to 16-0-1.
“I think there’s a bigger middle class in boxing than there was before,” said Salita.
 “There’s more people now that make $50,000 to $100,000 a year.”
That middle class might not exist were it not for the sport’s accessibility. Nowadays, everyone is stepping into the ring.
“Today I am around 80% business people-men, women, children,” said Silverglade, whose customers range in age from 6 to 87. He noted that when Gleason’s was located in Manhattan, “it was 100% boxers-amateurs and pros. We actually had two businessmen. No kids, no women.”
Now, as in many gyms in the area, women and children make up a large portion of Silverglade’s business. “As far as the popularity of boxing in the city of New York, it couldn’t be better, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “I could not be in business today, I could not afford the insurance or the rent otherwise.”
M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts

Nemkov decisions Puetz in exciting rematch Recaptures M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title   Emeev stops Fioravanti Retains M-1 Challenge middleweight crown   M-1 Challenge 63 OFFICIAL RESULTS

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New M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Viktor Nemkov is crowned
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (December 4, 2015) – In a much anticipated rematch, Viktor Nemkov recaptured the coveted M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title, winning a hard-fought five-round decision over defending champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz, in the M-1 Challenge 63 main event, at the Sports and Concert Complex in St. Petersburg, Russia.
In the co-feature, M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev successfully defended his crown, as American challenger Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti was unable to continue after four rounds.
M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev retained his title
Undefeated in four previous M-1 Global fights to date, Puetz (13-2-0, 5 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) captured the M-1 Challenge title 1 ½ years ago with an entertaining five-round split decision over defending champion Nemkov, who was making his first title defense after having defeated Vasily Babich (SUB2 – arm-lock) two years ago for the vacant title.
 
Puetz came into his rematch with Nemkov off a sensational SuperFight victory this past May against M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Marcin Tybura, whose severely broken nose halted the action in the third round at M-1 Challenge 57.
 
Kazakhstan-native Nemkov, who fights out of Stary Oskol, Russia, had won two straight fights since he lost to Puetz, of Germany, including an impressive decision in his last action over always tough Maro Perak.
Two-time M-1 Challenge middleweight champion, Emeev (13-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) is a native of Dagestan who fights out of Makhachkala, Russia.  He first won the M-1 Challenge championship in 2012 at M-1 Challenge 35, taking a decision from Mario Miranda, who Emeev defeated four months later by third-round knockout at M-1 Challenge 38. At M-1 Challenge 51, Emeev was stopped in the fourth round by Vyacheslav Vasilevsky, who lost the title back to Emeev by fifth-round submission this past April at M-1 Challenge 56.
Fioravanti (26-14-0, 10 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), representing American Top Team, is a popular fighter out of Orlando, Florida.  He was coming off a second-round win by submission (choke) last July against Sergey Kovalev at M-1 Challenge 59.
Georgian light heavyweight Raul Tutarauli (6-2-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) registered a huge upset, knocking out Russian Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (10-4-0, 4 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) in the second round.
Russian light heavyweight prospect Rashid Yusupov (7-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) remained undefeated, taking a three-round unanimous decision from German foe Martin “King Kong” Zawada (26-14-1, 16 KO/TKO, 5 SUB)).
Unbeaten featherweights Mikhail Korobkov (9-0-1, 1 KO/TKO, 6 SUB), of Russia, and Brazilian invader Rodrigo Magalhaes (7-0-1, 0 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) fought to a three-round draw.
In preliminary card action, veteran Ukrainian lightweight Alexander Butenko (39-11-2) and Russian featherweight Zalimbek Omarov (6-1-1) won three-round unanimous decision, respectively, over Heydar Mammadaleiv (8-2-0), of Azerbaijan, and Ukrainian Artem “Iron” Lezhnev (7-5-0).  Ruslan Shamilov (1-0-0) stopped Bulat Zhumabatov (0-1-0) in the second round (doctor’s stoppage) in a Super Cup St. Petersburg match between Russian middleweights.
Also fighting on the preliminary card, Russian middleweight Vasily Zubkov (9-4-0) won a hard fought three-round split decision from pro-debuting Uzbekistan-native Sarvar Iskhakov, fighting out of Russia, Russian welterweight Damila Prikaza (2-0-1) stopped experienced Ukrainian Artem “Shockwave” Shokalo (13-14-0), and Russian featherweight Mikhail Kuznetsov (5-1-0) defeated Ukrainian opponent Stanislav “White Warrior” Reutsky (8-5-) by way of a rear naked choke for a second-round submission.
Complete results and photo gallery below (all winners listed first):
 
MAIN CARD
M-1 CHALLENGE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Viktor Nemkov (23-5-0), Russia
WDEC5
Stephan Puetz Puetz (13-2-0), Germany
(Nemkov recaptured M-1 Challenge middleweight title)
M-1 CHALLENGE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Ramazan Emeev (13-3-0), Russia
Luigi Fioravanti (26-14-0), USA
(Emeev retain M-1 Challenge middleweight title)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Rashid Yusupov (7-0-0), Russia
WDEC3
Martin Zawada (26-13-0), Germany
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Raul Tutarauli (5-2-0), Georgia
WKO/TKO2 (punches – 6:29)
Alexey Makhno, Russia
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Mikhail Korobkov (9-0-1), Russia
DRAW3
Rodrigo Magalhaes (7-0-1), Brazi
PRELIMINARY CARD
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Ruslan Shamilov (1-0-0), Russia
WKO/THO2 (doctor’s stoppage – 2:15)
Bulat Zhumabatov (0-1-0), Russia
Sarvar Iskhakov (4-2-0), Russia
Vasily Zubkov (8-4-0), Russia
WELTERWEIGHTS
Damila Prikaza (2-0-0), Russia
WKO/TKO1 (punches – 2:15)
Artem Shokalo (13-14-0), Ukraine
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Alexander Butenko (39-11-0), Ukraine
WDEC3
Heydar Mammadaliev (8-2-0), Azerbaijan
FEATHERWEIGHT
Zalimbek Omarov (6-1-1), Russia
WDEC3
Andrey Lezhnev (8-5-0), Ukraine
Mikhail Kuzenetsov (4-0-0), Russia
WSUB2 (rear naked choke – 3:00)
Stanislav Reutsky (4-2-0), Ukraine
 
(L-R) Puetz vs. Nemkov
 
 (L-R) Puetz vs. Nemkov
 

(L-R) Nemkov vs. Puetz
 

(L-R) Fioravanti vs. Emeev
 

 

Emeev punished Fioravanti
Alexey Makhno & Raul Tutarauli
 

Andrey Lezhnev & Zalimbek Omarov
Bulat Zhumabatov & Ruslan Shamilov
 

Alexander Butenko vs. Heydar Mammadaliev
 

M-1 Challenge Medieval Knight Fight between Dmitry Kovrizhin & Evgeniy Bedenko
Rodrigo Magalhaes & Mikhail Korobkov fought to a draw
Information
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boxing, Showtime Boxing

DANIEL JACOBS KNOCKS OUT PETER QUILLIN IN ALL-BROOKLYN MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN SATURDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME® FROM BARCLAYS CENTER

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Jesus Cuellar Defends Featherweight Championship With Unanimous Decision Over Jonathan Oquendo in SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Co-Feature
Catch The Replay This Monday At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME
Click HERE To Download Photos From Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
 
Click HERE For Photos From Edward Diller/DiBella Entertainment
BROOKLYN (Dec. 6, 2015) – WBA Middleweight World Champion Daniel Jacobs shocked undefeated challenger Peter Quillin with a first round TKO in the all-Brooklyn main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday in front of 8,443 fans at Barclays Center.
Brooklyn’s Jacobs (31-1, 28 KOs) won the “Battle For Brooklyn,” a matchup of top middleweights facing off in the prime of their career in their hometown.
One minute into the fight, Jacobs landed a straight right to Quillin’s temple and pounced with an onslaught of punches while his opponent was against the ropes. Quillin stumbled forward and referee Harvey Dock looked in Quillin’s eyes and halted the fight without the challenger ever touching the canvas.
After the fight, Dock told SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray that Quillin (32-1-1, 23 KOs) could not comprehend where he was and “was not able to continue.”
“I hope he’s okay,” Jacobs said.  “I was patient and when I came with an uppercut I knew I hurt him and that’s when I went for the kill.
“I told him I love him. Me and Peter go back to the Golden Glove days. I respect him to death, but I knew this fight would be my night.  There are no lucky shots in boxing. Obviously I caught him with a shot. Once I knew I had him hurt I kept going.
“I saw his eyes and it looked like his equilibrium was off. I’m not a referee, but if I was I probably would have still gave him another opportunity.”
The fight, which only lasted 1:25, begged the question of a potential rematch.
“I definitely would give him a rematch,” Jacobs continued. “I’m willing to fight him next if that’s what the fans want.”
Quillin seemed to disagree with the stoppage until watching the replay during his SHOWTIME post-fight interview.
“That’s right on the temple,” Quillin said.  “In the moment you don’t know what happens until you see it in the replay.
“This is a time you sit with your family and figure out what you have to do.  I have a lot of options, maybe a rematch is the best option.
“I can’t think of a better person to lose to than Danny Jacobs.”
Jesus Cuellar defended his WBA Featherweight World Championship with a unanimous decision over Jonathan Oquendo in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature.
Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) was the busier fighter from the outset, throwing nearly 1,000 punches in the 12-round championship fight, compared to just 637 for the challenger.  Cuellar initiated the action and pressed forward, but his Puerto Rican opponent would not engage for most of the bout.
“We knew the fight would be difficult but we accomplished everything we wanted to during training camp,” Cuellar said.  “The only thing that was left was the knockout, but because of the movement of his head it was impossible.
Oquendo (26-5, 16 KOs), who was cut over his left eye from an accidental clash of heads in the fifth, was knocked down midway through the fourth.  Replays showed that Oquendo tangled his feet with his southpaw opponent.
The win, which was scored 116-111 twice, 120-107, likely sets up a major fight at 126 pounds for the Argentine Cuellar in 2016.
“First we’re going to rest and then we’re going to determine what’s next,” Cuellar said.
“We’ll have two more fights at featherweight and then move up in weight.  Hopefully we get Leo Santa Cruz next.”
After the fight, Oquendo acknowledged that he didn’t properly implement his game plan.
“I have to give credit to Cuellar.  I never got to use my game plan and he fought a good fight and he’s a good champion,” Oquendo said. “I needed to start more aggressive but I started boxing. That was my mistake. The head butt made it hard for me to see as well.
“I have time to come back and get another world title opportunity. I am disappointed, but I will be back in the gym ready to get back to work soon.”
Long Island’s Chris Algieri defeated Erick Bone via 10-round unanimous decision (95-94, 97-92 twice) in a fast-paced, all-action fight the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME.
The back-and-forth fight featured plenty of in-fighting in the center of the ring.  Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs), who landed 49 percent of his power shots, floored Bone (16-3, 8 KOs) with 20 seconds left in the eighth round.  However, upon replay, the knockdown looked more like Bone’s foot became tangled with Algieri.  The ninth-round featured non-stop action, with each fighter throwing over 100 punches, but it was clear that the Ecuadorian Bone was gassed and had little left in his punches as the fight neared the end.
“Erick said that he was going to have surprises, but I had a few of my own in there,” Algieri said.  “I boxed a little bit and slugged more than I should have, but I was just having fun.  He’s got a good punch, he’s an underestimated fighter and you could tell he was in great shape.
“This is big.  Bone is a real tough guy and I felt in control.  I thought the fight was mine the whole way.  I wanted to get the knockout, but he was in great shape.  I’m looking forward to big fights in 2016.”
In the opening bout on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME, Marcus Browne scored a fourth-round TKO over Francisco Sierra.
Browne (17-0, 13 KOs) thoroughly dominated the fight from the outset, landing an astronomical 64 percent of his power punches.  The bout was halted after the third round upon request of ringside physician Dr. Barry Jordan due to significant swelling around Sierra’s (27-10-1, 24 KOs) left eye.
“I saw I cut him early, but I had to stay persistent and consistent,” said Browne, of Staten Island.  “I had to work the jab and keep working it.  I felt like I seized this opportunity to put my name out there.
“It is an honor to fight at Barclays Center for the 10th time.  It was a nice stoppage – not necessarily the kind of stoppage that you want, but a stoppage is a stoppage.”
In non-televised undercard action, Long Island’s Joe Smith Jr. (20-1, 16 KOs) earned a hard fought unanimous decision over Brooklyn firefighter Will Rosinsky (19-3, 10 KOs) in their 10-round light heavyweight bout. Both men exchanged power punches throughout the fight, but it was Smith’s reach advantage that allowed him to control the action. All three judges scored the fight in favor of Smith by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94.
Popular Brooklyn fighter Heather Hardy (15-0, 3 KOs) remained undefeated with an action-packed unanimous decision victory over Noemi Bosques (10-4-2, 2 KOs) in a rematch of their May fight won by Hardy. The judges’ totals for the eight-round super featherweight bout was 80-72 twice and 79-73.
Former super welterweight world champion Yuri Foreman (33-2, 9 KOs) had a successful return to the ring in his hometown as he defeated Lenwood Dozier (9-9-1, 4 KOs) 77-75 in the eyes of all three judges.
John Hernandez (6-1, 1 KO) shutout Jack Grady (0-2-1) over four rounds to win 40-36 on all three judges’ cards in their welterweight attraction. Cruiserweight Luis Garcia (13-0, 10 KOs) remained undefeated by knocking out Willie Williams (14-11-2, 4 KOs) 1:03 into the first round.
In a fight that saw both men hit the canvas in round one, Titus Williams (4-0, 2 KOs) recovered and cruised to a victory Emmanuel Castro (2-2, 2 KOs) by scores of 60-53, 60-54 and 59-54.
Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will re-air on Monday, Dec. 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME while the SHOWTIME BOXING ON SHO EXTREME will re-air onWednesday, Dec. 9 at 11 p.m. ET/PT.  Both telecasts will be available On Demand beginning this Sunday.
 
Mauro Ranallo called the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING action with Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former world champion Paulie Malignaggi commentating and Jim Gray reporting. In Spanish, Alejandro Luna called the blow-by-blow with former world champion Raul Marquez serving as color commentator. Barry Tompkins called the SHOWTIME EXTREME action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst.
The fight was promoted by DiBella Entertainment. The Algieri vs. Bone and Rosnisky vs. Smith Jr. fights were promoted in association with Star Boxing. The executive producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.
# # #
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @DanielJacobsTKO, @KidChocolate, @ChrisAlgieri, @LouDiBella, @StarBoxing, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

JOSH THOMSON STOPS PABLO VILLASECA IN ‘BELLATOR 147’ HEADLINER

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COMPLETE MAIN CARD PHOTO SELECTION HERE

 

SAN JOSE, CA. (December 4, 2015) – Josh Thomson’s (22-8, 1 NC) a mixed martial arts legend in San Jose and his “Bellator 147” effort against a young and promising prospect by the name of Pablo Villaseca (10-2) will only add to his career’s story.

A packed Event Center on the San Jose State University’s campus witnessed the “The Punk” utilize a plethora of skills en route to a finish of the Chilean fighter. Referee Jason Herzog officially called a stop to the action at 3:59 of the second frame, sending those in attendance into an uproar and pushing Thomson’s mark under the Bellator MMA banner to 2-0.

After the fight, Thomson made it clear that while a matchup against incumbent Bellator lightweight kingpin Will Brooks is enticing, he’s about the fans and the vast majority of fans he’s heard from want him to fight “Iron” Michael Chandler.

“Will Brooks is a great fighter man, and he has the belt,” Thomson said. “But, regardless of the gold around his waist, the fans want me to fight Michael Chandler and I fight for the fans.”

Bellator President Scott Coker has said he foresees Thomson returning to action in early 2016, and without fights scheduled for Chandler or Brooks as of print, another marquee lightweight contest could come to fruition sooner, rather than later. Watch the finish here.

Weichel Tops Karakhanyan, Hoping to Face Daniel Straus For the Title

 

In the featherweight co-feature bout of the evening, Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1) and Daniel Weichel (36-9) unleashed hard jabs and numerous round houses throughout a three-round thriller. The difference was Weichel’s ability to use his pinpoint accuracy to pepper away at his jab, putting an end to Karakhanyan’s night. In the end, “The Weasel” escaped with a split decision victory with scores of (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), and likely moved closer to another shot at the 145-pound champion. Watch the official decision here.

Anderson Outduels Freire Once Again, Inside the Bellator MMA Cage

 

A lightweight rematch between Patricky Freire (14-7) and Derek Anderson (13-2, 1 NC) came to a head tonight, with both men trading body blows and kicks for the 15 minute duration of their violent bout. In the end, “Barbaric” took home a split decision victory with judges’ scores of (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). The upset marks his second career win over Freire, after previously making his Bellator debut in a unanimous decision victory over Freire at “Bellator 98.”Take a look at some highlights here.

Piccolotti Wins Bloody Battle at the Expense of Soto

 

In a tightly contested battle between grappling experts Adam Piccolotti (7-0) and Mario Soto, (6-2) “The Bomb” remained undefeated after a second round rear-naked choke submission. Piccolotti sliced up Soto, opening up a significant cut over the right eye of the 29-year-old birthday boy. With blood squirting everywhere, “Dr. Mario” was forced to tap out at 3:25 of round two. Both Northern California fighters brought in a large contingent of hometown fans, but it was the Bay-area guy, Piccolotti, emerging victorious in the end, a product of landing 86% of his strikes thrown. Peep the gash on Soto’s head here.

Rogers Powers Past Zwicker in ‘Bellator 147’ Opener

 

During the opening contest on SPIKE, Brian Rogers (12-8) put an end to a two-fight skid in his debut at light heavyweight, opening fire with vicious ground-and-pound technique, mixed in with relentless hammer fists, which led to Virgil Zwicker (14-5-1) tapping out by arm-triangle submission at 4:38 of round two. “Rezdog” fought valiantly during his time inside the Bellator MMA cage, even withstanding a low blow earlier in the contest; but in the end, it was “B-Rog The Predator’s” night. Watch the video highlights here.

Preliminary Card Results & Photos:

A.J. McKee (3-0) defeated JT Donaldson (1-1) via knockout (knee) at 4:14 of round two WATCH FINISH HERE

Brandon Hester (3-0) defeated Idris Wasi (1-3) via unanimous decision (30-24, 30-25, 30-27)

Gabriel Carrasco (7-0) defeated Khomkrit Niimi (6-8) via technical knockout (elbows) at 3:19 of round one

Nick Barnes (10-1) defeated James Terry (16-8) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:48 of round one

Erick Sanchez (6-2) defeated Thomas Diagne (5-5-1) via technical knockout (punches) at 1:22 of round three

Jeremiah Labiano (9-3) defeated Alvin Cacdac (16-12) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bronson Mohika (1-1) defeated Jose Perez (1-1) defeated via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Adin Duenas (3-1) defeated Anthony Taylor (0-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:43 of round one

Anthony Do (2-0) defeated Dustin Moore (0-1) via technical knockout at 2:05 of round one

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MARCOS GALVAO MEETS EDUARDO DANTAS IN REMATCH FOR BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE AT ‘BELLATOR 150: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’ ON FEBRUARY 26

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ALSO: DAVID ‘THE CAVEMAN’ RICKELS RETURNS HOME

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (December 4, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on the line in a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) against former champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) at Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas, on February 26.

 

In addition, hometown favorite, David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against an opponent that will be revealed at a later date. “The Caveman” always comes ready to put on a show, whether it’s on his way to the cage, or when he’s taking on a who’s who of Bellator MMA lightweight talent.

 

The main event, as well as Rickels’ fight will make up two of the televised contests at “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Bellator.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional fights will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, go on sale next Saturday, December 12 at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.

 

A rib injury sustained by Dantas during training camp forced him to withdraw from his previously scheduled title shot at“Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho.” Now fully recovered, promotional officials have rebooked the tilt.

 

“Loro,” who has fought for world-renowned promotions the likes of World Extreme Cagefighting and Shooto since 2003, will be competing for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner. The 34-year-old is presently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight scraps. In his last outing, Galvao finished Joe Warren at“Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao” via submission to win his first-ever championship.

 

Meanwhile, Dantas will be looking to duplicate the success he had against Galvao in their first meeting, which resulted in a second-round knockout at “Bellator 89.” The 26-year-old Nova Uniao product bounced back from his unanimous decision loss against Warren to dispel of Mike Richman in the same manner at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to call himself a two-time bantamweight champion come October 23.

 

boxing, HBO Boxing, Roc Nation

ROC NATION SPORTS & MIGUEL COTTO PROMOTIONS PRESENT throne boxing: WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR. VS. RAFAEL RIVERA MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS

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PUERTO RICO’S VAZQUEZ JR. AND MEXICO’S RIVERA CLASH ON DECEMBER 5, 2015 AT OSCEOLA HERITAGE PARK IN KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA LIVE ON HBO LATINO® BOXING

 

Click HERE for Photos

Photo Credit: Roc Nation Sports & Miguel Cotto Promotions

 

KISSIMMEE, FL (Dec. 4, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions hosted a media workout ahead of throne boxing: Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. vs. Rafael Rivera which is set for Saturday, Dec. 5 from Osceola Heritage Park Exhibit Hall A in Kissimmee, Florida televised live on HBO Latino Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Former WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (24-1-5, 19 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico and undefeated Rafael “Big Bang” Rivera (20-0-2, 14 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico worked out ahead of their ten-round featherweight showdown this weekend.

 

Below is what the fighters had to say about their upcoming bouts.

 

WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR., FORMER WBO JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION:

 

“I feel explosive and ready. I have that motivation that keeps me on. I’ve been working on my speed and movement just like I did when I began my career.

 

“Rivera is a classic Mexican fighter that will try to put pressure on me. We are ready to handle and take care of whatever he brings Saturday night.”

 

 

RAFAEL “BIG BANG” RIVERA, UNDEFEATED FEATHERWEIGHT:

 

“Just like my nickname says, I will be using my speed and my agility to win. I’m going to use all of the strategies I’ve been training with for the last two months.”

 

Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. vs. Rafael Rivera, a ten-round featherweight bout, takes placeSaturday, Dec. 5 at Osceola Heritage Park Exhibit Hall A in Kissimmee, Florida. This throne boxing event is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions and sponsored by Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Tequila Cazadores, Venue Kings and SportsLock. Also featured will be Alexander Brand vs. Medzhid Bektemirov in a ten-round light heavyweight bout which is presented in association with Camponovo Sports and Gary Shaw Productions.  The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO Latino beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Tickets priced at $65 and $33, plus applicable service charges, are available for purchase tickets at www.ticketmaster.com and www.ohpark.com. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Osceola Heritage Park box office which is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 5 beginning at 8:00 a.m.

 

For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation. Follow the conversation using #throneboxing.

boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

BOXING COMES TO THE AT&T CENTER

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Click HERE To Read Online
 
By: Lorne Chan Spurs.com
Blood spilled from Omar Figueroa’s nose the last time he was at the AT&T Center, his hands injured from throwing a thousand punches. Figueroa was exhausted, and it was all worth it when the championship belt was placed on his shoulder.
That was on July 27, 2013. Figueroa fought Nihito Arakawa and claimed the WBC Lightweight Title in a bout that topped many Fight of the Year lists.
Two years later, Omar “Panterita” Figueroa is coming back to the AT&T Center. Figueroa (25-0-1, 18 KOs) is headlining a Premier Boxing Champions card on Dec. 12, where he’ll fight Antonio DeMarco (31-5-1, 23 KOs).
Tickets starting at $31 are available at www.attcenter.com for the fights, which also includes Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale against “Prince” Charles Martin in a heavyweight bout and the return to the ring of former welterweight champion Victor Ortiz.
For Figueroa, his return to the AT&T Center ring means a return to the setting of one of the greatest nights of his life, when he defeated Arakawa in a decision.
“Going toe-to-toe, 12 rounds, it was like something in the Rocky movies,” Figueroa said. “It’s about having the courage and heart to stay in there and perform that way. To go in there, blood and broken hands, it was amazing. I was glad to be able to do that here at the AT&T Center.”
Figueroa, 25, is the pride of the Rio Grande Valley. He’s a native of Weslaco, about 250 miles south of the AT&T Center. He trains there with his father, Omar Sr., who first put gloves on his son when Jr. was 6.
Nicknamed “Panterita,” Figueroa developed his style in the ring through an estimated 200 amateur fights in Mexico and another 50 in the United States as a junior.
He’s a relentless puncher. He doesn’t mind taking a few hits if it means getting a few shots in himself. Fights with Figueroa become less about the “sweet science” and more about sheer willpower. That style led the greatest fight the AT&T Center had ever seen.
Figueroa and Arakawa traded punches for every second of their 12-round fight, with the AT&T Center crowd chanting “Omar! Omar!” throughout. Although Figueroa, an orthodox fighter, injured his hands punching Arakawa’s face and body, Arakawa would not go down. Both fighters persevered for 36 minutes, giving each other nods of respect at the end of each round.
When the fight was over and Figueroa was crowned the first world champion from the Rio Grande Valley, his courage through the fight earned him much more than a belt in boxing circles. According to CompuBox, which tallies punches thrown and landed, Figueroa connected on 450 power punches in the fight, the fourth-most all-time in any weight class in CompuBox’s 30 years of recording fights.
“In a sport that has produced many memorable chapters,” announcer Mauro Ranallo said during the fight, “here in San Antonio you can add another chapter to boxing’s beautiful and brutal legacy.”
Having moved up to the 140-pound weight class, Figueroa said this is the first time he’s felt fully healthy since the Arakawa fight. As Figueroa’s star continues to rise, DeMarco, a former WBC Lightweight champion himself from Sinaloa, Mexico, is standing in his way.
“This will be a very tough fight and will most likely be a war because of our fighting styles,” DeMarco said.
The Dec. 12 card is filled with big matchups, another main event bout feature sDominic “Trouble” Breazeale (16-0, 14 KOs) against “Prince” Charles Martin (22-0-1, 20 KOs) and Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (36-4-1, 31 KOs) against Travis “My Time” Kauffman (30-1, 22 KOs).
Breazeale, a former quarterback at the University of Northern Colorado, took up boxing after his college career ended and became a 2012 Olympian. He has recorded a knockout in all but two professional fights, but faces his toughest test against Martin, who has gone more than four rounds just once in his last eight fights.
Victor Ortiz makes his return to the ring in the AT&T Center as well, as his career has taken a fascinating path since he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2011. Ortiz appeared on “Dancing With The Stars” in 2013, and has acting roles in “The Expendables 3” and “Southpaw.” His San Antonio fight will be his first in 364 days, and Ortiz will be a fan favorite.
Leija/Battah Promotions have brought the fight card to San Antonio, as hometown son Jesse James Leija said he hopes to bring bigger and bigger fights to the AT&T Center.
“San Antonio’s probably the best city for boxing in the United States,” Leija said. “We want to keep giving the fans their money’s worth with some of the best fighters in Texas and elsewhere.”
The fights at the AT&T Center are also an opportunity for some local fighters to get in the ring on a broadcast that will be televised on NBC and NBCSN beginning at 5 p.m. CST.
Mario Barrios, a 20-year-old who attended Southwest High School in San Antonio, has already fought six times in 2015 and won all six fights. For Barrios (13-0, 7 KOs), walking into the AT&T Center is something he said his whole career has been building toward.
“I’ve fought in so many places where nobody knew me,” Barrios said. “To fight at home, in front of my family, it might be a little overwhelming. It’s going to feel for me like that point in your career that you’re really doing something.”
Twitter:@lornechan
boxing

Local boxers John Lennox, Quian Davis and Alshamar Johnson highlight Rising Boxing Promotions undercard this Saturday at the Claridge in Atlantic City

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Thoms “Cornflake” LaManna makes Welterweight debut this Saturday against Ariel Vasquez in main event
Atlantic City, NJ (December 4, 2015)–THIS SATURDAY NIGHT, December 5th, Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna take on Ariel Vasquez in the main event of a card that will take place at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.
The card is promoted by Rising Boxing Promotions in association with Vincent M. Ponte’s Gulf Stream Promotions.

Before the main event, a solid undercard made up with top fighters from New Jersey and the shore area will be featured on the undercard.
In a 6-round bout
John Lennox (13-3, 5 KO’s) of Carteret, NJ will take on Willis Lockett of Takoma Park, MD.
Lennox will be looking to get back in the win column after dropping a unanimous decision to Dan Pasciolla on August 15th.  The former college football standout has a win over Patrick Farrell (8-1-1).
Lockett is a 14 year veteran, who faced top competition such as Brian Minto, Javier Mora, Tommy Karpency, former world champion Keith Holmes, Jerson Ravelo, Aaron Pryor Jr, Tarvis Simms and Michael Seals.
He has quality wins over Tyrone Tate, Glenn Turner, Willie Williams & former world title challenger Larry Marks.
Also appearing will be undefeated Cruiserweight knockout artist Alvin Varmall (7-0-1, 7 KO’s) of Lake Place, LA battling Philly tough guy Brian Donahue in a 4-round bout.
Local Heavyweight Quian Davis of Vineland, NJ will fight Santario Holdbrooksof Kannapolis, NC in a 4-round bout of fighters who will be looking for their first win.
Alshamar Johnson (1-1) of Vineland, NJ, who is coming off a stunning stoppage over previously undefeated Nick Valliere (5-0) will take on Villi Bello (3-1, 1 KO) of Queens, NY in a Super Welterweight bout.
Luis Perozo of New York will make his pro debut against Davonte Steele of North Carolina in a Lightweight bout.
Tickets are $50 GA, $75 Ringside, $75 Stage & $125 VIP (Booths of 5 available for $500) and are available at RisingBoxingPromotions.com

The doors open at 6 PM with 1st bell at 7 PM.

The Clardige Hotel is located at  123 S. Indiana Ave. Atlantic City NJ

Facebook.com/risingstarboxing
Instagram: @risingpromo

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, fantasy sports

Winner sets Throwdown Fantasy Points record for #BradleyRios game

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NEW YORK (December 3, 2015, 2015) – A single game points record was set by the winner of the recent $2000 Throwdown Fanatasy Boxing Game as Ernesto Lopez(“Ring_King24”) racked up 474.5 total fantasy points to capture the $400.00 winner’s check.
“The reason why I play Throwdown Fantasy is because I am a hardcore boxing fan and I actually boxed as an amateur,” Lopez said.  “Plus, what’s better than getting paid for doing something I love and follow 24/7.  ThrowdownFantasy.com is the best!  I am on it all of the time and my wife thinks I’m addicted.  Hey, it’s paying off.”
Here’s a close look at Lopez’ winning team:

 

Lopez built his winning team around three solid favorites in Tim Bradley, Edwin Rodriguez ($5800) and Vasyl Lomachenko ($5800).  This trio cost him a total of $16,400 in camp money with only $8600 remaining for him to spend on his final two fighters.  The helping hand was provided by Karim Guerfi ($4300), the third cheapest fighter and decisive underdog versus Alejandro Gonzalez, Jr.  Jarrett Hurd was Lopez’ final pick.
By being the only player to pick five winners, Lopez was able to compile his 474.5 record-setting points.  The rest of the top 10 finishers were only able to select four winners in this game and that proved to be the difference.
Throwdown Fantasy’s all-time winningest player, “Yuggy,” shared second-place with 436.4 points for a $130.00 prize.  However, he entered his team three times to win almost as much as the game winner, $390.00.  The beauty of Throwdown Fantasy is that players may enter a contest as many times as he or she chooses, improving the chances of winning money.

 

By being the only player to pick five winners, Lopez was able to compile his 474.5 record-setting points.  The rest of the top 10 finishers were only able to select four winners in this game and that proved to be the difference.
Throwdown Fantasy’s all-time winningest player, “Yuggy,” shared second-place with 436.4 points for a $130.00 prize.  However, he entered his team three times to win almost as much as the game winner, $390.00.  The beauty of Throwdown Fantasy is that players may enter a contest as many times as he or she chooses, improving the chances of winning money.
There are three easy ways to play Throwdown Fantasy : 1. Select five fighters from the game group, using the $25,000 salary cap (see above); 2. Then track scoring in real time, earning points for wins, knockouts and CompuBox statistics (see example chart below); 3. Scoring the most points wins. Most games last a full week and each has multiple winners.
Fighters receive points based upon how they perform, rewarding each style of boxing. CompuBox fight statistics are available for research to aid in making selections.atwww.ThrowdownFantasy.com.
New players who sign up now receive FREE entry into Throwdown Fantasy Boxing’s monthly Freeroll game.  Throwdown Fantasy also provides a $250 free roll that players may enter using Throwdown Points (3 free entire upon registration) and $25.00 free game. Signing up and playing is free. People have the opportunity to register and play for free and then move onto paid games.
INFORMATION:
Twitter:  @Throwdownfan
Instagram: @throwdownfantasyboxing
boxing, HBO Boxing

BRYANT JENNINGS and LUIS ORTIZ QUOTES FROM TODAY’S INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL

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JENNINGS AND ORTIZ WILL CLASH ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 AT TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO IN VERONA, NEW YORK AND TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO AFTER DARK®
 
Click HERE for an MP3 of This Call
 
LOS ANGELES (Dec. 3, 2015) – Former world title contender Bryant “By-By” Jennings(19-1, 10 KOs) and recently crowned WBA Interim Heavyweight belt holder Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (23-0, 20 KOs) held an international media conference call today to discuss their upcoming anticipated 12-round championship title fight on Dec. 19. The event will take place at Turning Stone Resort Casino, in Verona, New York and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark.
 
Below is what the fighters and their teams had to say on today’s conference call:
 
BRYANT “BY-BY” JENNINGS, Former Heavyweight World Title Contender:
“This is Ortiz’s first real fight as a professional. You will see no other person in boxing that comes close to my stature.
“The training has been different but not difficult. You are building a machine. Once the person puts the wheels and gears on, they are done. Then you polish it and put it up for display. That’s where I am at in my career now. We are going to show you that this training addition has worked.
“He has a long amateur career, I have a long professional career. Your deep experience as an amateur doesn’t mean you will have a successful professional career. This guy (Ortiz) hasn’t seen a real fighter like me yet. He has steroid use. Why would he need to do that? He has to make himself believe that he knows what to do; he has to prove it on December 19. But I am going to shut him down that day, that’s my plan.
“We are going to bring a good fight. We are going to put on a show and either one of us, win, lose or draw, will show the fans what we can do. We are going to shift the focus on the heavyweight division to us.
“He’s confident but a little too confident. He doesn’t understand what he is up against. He has never faced an opponent like me. He has to humble himself because it is going to be an embarrassment. What I do is, I make sure I am well trained and prepared to knock him out, 100 percent. The fans will love my 100 percent. I am standing my ground. I will have him crying in the ring. It is going to be real difficult for him to get over this. I’m going to fight and give my all.”
LUIS “THE REAL KING KONG” ORTIZ, WBA Interim Heavyweight World Champion:
 
“Thank you to the Golden Boy Promotions team, HBO and everyone who has supported me and given me a chance to prove myself and what I deserve.
“The people will know who is coming for the number one spot. I didn’t come here from Cuba to sit here and do nothing. I am coming for the belt; I am coming to become the heavyweight world champion.
“Every fight is important but this is the most important fight of my career so far. I am prepared to stop Jennings. I am a boxer-puncher and will knock him out.
“Of course I have what it takes to beat competitors like Fury and Wilder. With training and determination, I believe that I will be unstoppable.
“I’m ready and able to do what I have to do. I want to bring the belts back to the United States and become the unified heavyweight world champion.
“Me and Klitschko are nothing alike; I hit much harder than him.”
GARY SHAW, CEO of Gary Shaw Productions:
 
“I was in the camp yesterday. Jennings and Jackson have a good relationship. They are clicking as trainer and boxer.
“Jennings doesn’t talk smack; whatever he is going to do, he will do in the ring onDecember 19.
“The winner of this fight will be recognized as the number one in the boxing industry.
“For this fight, we are doing drug testing. VADA will do the testing. There is no problem on either end with the testing.”
 
ERIC GOMEZ, Senior Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions:
 
“The heavyweight division in boxing is heating up and this upcoming fight on December 19is one of the reasons why that is.
“This is going to be a great fight on December 19 at Turning Stone Resort Casino, a wonderful destination for boxing, and on HBO Boxing After Dark, the best network for boxing.”
HERMAN CAICEDO, Trainer to Luis Ortiz:
 
“We have been working very hard the last year and a half to prepare for this step-up fight. We are going to show the world why we call Luiz Ortiz ‘The Real King Kong.’
“His job is to fight; this is what he does for a living. Whoever is coming for him, to take his money, he is going to take them down.”
 
Jennings vs. Ortiz is a 12-round heavyweight bout fight for the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins live at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.
Host of the event, the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for blockbuster boxing matches. The December 19 fight will mark Turning Stone Resort Casino’s 16th nationally televised boxing event in less than two years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout televised fights.  Located in Upstate New York, the four-season destination resort offers world-class entertainment and gaming, award-winning accommodations, a diverse mix of restaurants, luxury spas and several nightlife options.
Professional media requesting credentials for the December 19 fight must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at (315) 366.9291 orkelly.abdo@turningstone.com.
Tickets for the Dec. 19 HBO Boxing After Dark and HBO Latino Boxing event start at $25, $35 and $60 for ringside seats plus applicable fees and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.grayshawproductions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com.  Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @GaryShawBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.facebook.com/Gary-Shaw-Productions-134758615997/,www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort. Visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @turningstone.

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