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HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION DEONTAY WILDER COMES TO PRIMETIME NBC AS HE FACES FRENCHMAN JOHANN DUHAUPAS AS PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS COMES TO LEGACY ARENA IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH LIVE AT 8:30 P.M. ET/5:30 P.M. PT
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Baltimore Boxing to host Olympic Qualifiers September 8-11!
Baltimore, MD (August 20, 2015) – Jake Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions in association with USA Boxing and Under Armor will host the Eastern Regional Olympic Trials Women’s Qualifiers September 8-11 at the beautiful Baltimore Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, MD.
Dubbed as “Pathway to Glory”, the event will feature hundreds of women from various states vying to get one step closer to their dream of representing the United States during the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Local notables include Baltimore’s very own Franchon Crews and Red Lion PA’s Brittany Inkrote.
The opening rounds of “Pathway to Glory” take place on 8th and 9th, with the semi finals and finals slated for the Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th respectively. Doors open at 6:30 and the first fight begins at 8:15 pm sharp all four days. Complementary tickets for the opening rounds are available on Baltimoreboxing.com. Individual tickets for the semi finals starting at $15 and finals from $25 can also be purchased at Baltimoreboxing.com or by calling 410-375-9175. VIP tables, including complementary hors dourves and the best seats in the house, are available for the finals from $350. The Baltimore Harbor Hotel is located at 101 W Fayette St.
As part of this special multi-day event, Baltimore Boxing is proudly teaming up to help multiple organizations raise funds and awareness for their cause.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, The House of Ruth will be recognized by Baltimore Boxing in association with the Olympic Qualifiers. One of the nation’s leading intimate partner violence centers, The House of Ruth helps thousands of battered women and children find safety and security. Thursday’s organization of honor is the American Breast Cancer Foundation. Established in 1997, the American Breast Cancer Foundation (ABCF) provides financial assistance for breast cancer screening and diagnostic tests for uninsured or underprivileged individuals. In October 2011, Baltimore Boxing donated a percentage of their proceeds from a fight card to the ABCF. Friday evening’s group will be the South Atlantic Amateur Boxing Association, which oversees all amateur boxing in the state of Maryland.
“This is the most excited I’ve ever been for a boxing event and I’ve been around the sport most of my life,” said Smith, a former prizefighter who has promoted hundreds of shows in addition to training boxers at the Baltimore Boxing Club. “These four days will be memorable for the State of Maryland and City of Baltimore. Fans will not only have the opportunity to see four straight days of action but they may very well be watching the next Olympic gold medalist. If you’re in or near Baltimore, make sure to come out and see history!”
For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com or USABoxing.com.
M-1 Challenge 61 pushed back to Sept. 19 and moved to Russia Sultanakhmedov returns vs. Brito
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The 31-year-old Sultanakhmedov (18-5-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), fighting out of Tula, Russia, captured the vacant M-1 Global middleweight title March 25, 2011, stopping his American challenger Tyson Jeffries in the second round at M-1 Challenge 24.
WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING SIGNS LIGHTWEIGHT HEAVY HITTERS JASON HIGH AND MIKE RICCI TO EXCLUSIVE PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENTS
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EXCITING WELTERWEIGHT CONTENDER SAMMY VASQUEZ RETURNS TO HIS HOMETOWN TO TAKE ON JOSE LOPEZ AS PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONSON FOX SPORTS 1 COMES TO THE CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA CONVOCATION CENTER IN CALIFORNIA, PA. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 AT 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT
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PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF EWERTON TEIXEIRA COMPLETES THE MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS,’ WHEN HE FACES VINICIUS QUEIROZ
THREE ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY CONTESTS FEATURING PROSPECTS WITH A COMBINED RECORD OF 19-1
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 19, 2015) — A heavyweight tilt featuring feared striker Ewerton Teixeira (3-0) taking on Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas onSeptember 25.
Two lightweight tilts will also emanate from The Lone Star State, when Jose Flores (3-0) meets Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0) and Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) faces Jared Chaffe (4-1). A third preliminary bout features two undefeated welterweight prospects who also share a record of 3-0, when Bryce Mejia takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan.
Teixeira versus Queiroz completes the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 8 p.m. CT. The three previously confirmed fights feature Joe Warren (12-4) taking on L.C. Davis (23-6) in the bantamweight headlining attraction, while the Bellator 143 co-main event will pit Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) against top middleweight Kendall Grove (21-15) and Henry Corrales (12-1) battling Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2). Additional preliminary bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place a half an hour later.
A black belt in Kyokushin karate, the 33-year-old Teixeira has been racking up titles in striking competitions for more than a decade. Teixeira reached the pinnacle of standup fighting in 2008, when he earned that year’s K-1 World Grand Prix in Fukuoka title and then fought his way to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final’s championship bout. Teixeira turned his attention to MMA in 2012, and has remained undefeated through his first three professional contests in the sport and is now ready to try his hand at MMA’s highest level.
Queiroz will be making his fourth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner when he enters the cage on September 25. A veteran of Ultimate Fighting Championship, “Spartan” has never allowed one of his seven professional victories to reach the judges’ scorecards. The Team Nogueira standout was slated to compete against Cheick Kongo at “Bellator 106: Chandler vs. Alvarez 2” but an injury derailed the tilt. After an inactive 2014, the 31-year-old will look to change the tide in 2015.
Further down the preliminary bouts, Jose Flores will make his Bellator MMA debut and look to keep his undefeated record intact in the process. The 27-year-old has finished all three of his fights on the regional circuit via submission. He will be going up against Gonzalez, who shares a perfect record through his first three professional bouts. Both fighters fight out of McAllen, TX, just a short drive from the State Farm Arena.
Another pair of talented local prospects will look to wow the home crowd when Guilherme Farias da Costa aims to stay unbeaten against Jared Chaffe, who most recently suffered the first loss of his professional career after the doctor stopped his fight due to a severe cut.
In another fight that will see someone’s undefeated record come to an end, San Diego’s Bryce Mejia will meet Abdul Razak Alhassan, who trains out of Arlington, TX.
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
Perennial gatekeeper Marcus Upshaw Opens gate to new chapter
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MIAMI (August 19, 2015) – Perennial middleweight/super middleweight gatekeeper Marcus Upshaw finally opened the gate to the next chapter of his career last Saturday, knocking out previously undefeated Turkish prospect Bugra Oener at Wynwood Stadium in Miami, to capture the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) interim Mediterranean super middleweight title.
The 35-year-old Upshaw (18-4-4, 9 KOs) fought in his home state for the first time in 2 ½ years. He was on a seek-and-destroy mission against reigning WBC Youth super middleweight champion Oener (9-1, 3 KOs).
Upshaw admitted considering retirement after his previous fight, in which he dropped Las Vegas hometown favorite Lanell Bellows (12-1-1) three times yet lost an eight-round decision.
“I’ve been the gatekeeper for so long but I finally opened the gate,” Upshaw said. “This fight felt awesome, especially after my long, long journey. I was stressed out after my last fight. I beat myself up and felt there was no reason for me to continue my boxing career. I felt used and was ready to quit, but I was convinced to give it one more shot. I was ready to put my life on the line, going for it and not worrying about getting hit or hurt.
“I knew that I had to finish this time. My opponent was related to one of the promoters and, along with my history, I knew that I had to keep going to finish the job. I knew I had to knock him out and I trained hard to do just that. I’ve put the past behind me. The problem was always me. This fight was fun. I stepped into the devil’s playground and that brought out the ugly in me to get the job done.”
 It may seem strange that a life-long Floridian like Upshaw is the interim WBC Mediterranean super middleweight champion, but he proudly displays his second title belt (see accompanying picture with Upshaw and manager Si Stern), to go along with the Florida State middleweight strap he won in 2009, when he knocked out another unbeaten prospect at the time, Ahsandi Gibbs (10-0). Equally strange were the cheers he heard from the crowd that serenaded him with chants of “USA, USA” as he entered the ring with Florida promoter Dave Johnson waving an American flag as he led the team walk to Upshaw’s corner.“For a change I was fighting in my backyard and hearing fans shout, ‘USA, USA’ motivated me a lot,” Upshaw noted. “They had my back. I was honored and it got me extra psyched for the fight. I knew had to prove myself. I’m really a middleweight but I took this fight at super middleweight because it was a good opportunity for me.”
Upshaw has always been known for his toughness, going the distance, albeit in losses, with champions, contenders and prospects such as Mario Antonio Rubio,David Lemieux, Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez, Edwin Rodriguez, Patrick Majewski and Tarvis Simms.
“I’m very happy for Marcus after all he’s been through,” Upshaw’s longtime managerSi Stern (SHS Boxing Management) added. “Marcus was a different fighter in the ring this time….like he was a completely different guy,” “Marcus had been mistreated by people in the early part of his career who threw him in against guys weighing up to 175 pounds, fighting them on late notice in their backyards, and a lot of his losses were to world champions.
“Marcus has always had the power he showed against Oner, but he wasn’t taught how to properly use his power until he started working with (head trainer) Orlando(Cuellar). Marcus is very, very strong and he’s never been in a bad fight. He’s lost some fights he should have won, but that’s all behind him now. Coming off this fight, I believe we can get him to fight for a regional title, and then we’ll go from there”
INFORMATION:
Twitter @MarcusUpshaw or @MarcusArilliusUpshaw
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Fight Network Presents RFA 29: USA vs. Brazil LIVE this Friday, Aug. 21 at 10 p.m. ET
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DEXTER GETS SECOND CHANCE TO WIN GOLD IN A NEW WEIGHT CLASS
Lewiston, Maine (August 19, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. That night, Team Irish’s Ricky Dexter (3-1) is scheduled to meet CJ Ewer (3-2) in an NEF MMA Amateur Welterweight Title eliminator. Recently, Dexter was the guest on the NEF Podcast hosted by NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.
A veteran of the United States Navy, Dexter joined Marcus Davis’s Team Irish gym after moving home to Bangor, Maine at the conclusion of his military service. Eventually, Dexter took over the fitness program at the gym, now known as “207 Athletes.” Dexter touched on his progression from joining the gym to becoming a trainer.
“I wanted to keep working out and keep in good shape,” said Dexter of his return home to Maine from military service. “I figured I’d go work out with the guys at Team Irish. I started doing their workout regimen. I dabbled a little bit with MMA training. Slowly I got more into it over time. It was a good workout. As time went on, I got better at it. I got more addicted with the more I learned, with Marcus’s knowledge, I got addicted to it. He hired me to run his fitness class. After that, I figured I’d take a fight. I was in pretty good shape.”
Earlier this year, Dexter engaged in a grueling slugfest with Cory Trial (1-1) at “NEF XVI.” It was just Dexter’s second fight in the MMA cage. The bout ended in a knockout victory for Dexter. The highlight-reel knockout will, no doubt, be in the running for a nomination for “KO of the Year” at the “NEF 2015 Year-End Awards.”
“The first round I pretty much remember,” recalled Dexter. “The second round I kind of went into a trance. I don’t really remember much of it, just from watching the video. When you get to that point your training takes over. You kind of black out and, before you know it, you’re getting your hand raised.”
In all, Dexter finished his first three amateur bouts on his way to getting a shot at the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Championship at “NEF XVIII” this past June against Josh Harvey (4-1). Dexter would lose the bout by first-round submission. At “NEF XIX” on September 12, Dexter will have a chance to avenge that loss when he meets Havey’s Young’s MMA teammate CJ Ewer in a bout that will be a title eliminator for the NEF MMA Amateur Welterweight Championship.
“He’s a really good wrestler, a big guy,” Dexter said of Ewer. “He looks like he’s pretty skilled. He comes from a respected school in Young’s. We all know what he’s gonna do, and we all know what I have to do.”
You can listen to the entire NEF Podcast interview atwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/
For more information on the Team Irish Fitness Academy, please visit their website www.TeamIrishMMA.com. You can also follow “207 Athletes” on Facebook to learn more about Ricky Dexter’s training program.
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” takes place onSaturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.