Christina Hammer Battles Tori Nelson in Co-Feature
Umar Salamov Takes On Brian Howard In Opening Bout
Friday, June 22 Live On SHOWTIME®
“When somebody says that they’re going to beat me, it angers me. I get mad and I punch the bag until it falls.” – Claressa Shields
Click HERE for Photos from Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME
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WORCESTER, Mass. (June 20, 2018) — This past Father’s Day was considerably different for three-time, two-division world champion “El Gallo” Jose Antonio Rivera and his pro-debuting son, A.J. Rivera, because they will be “Making History,” presented by Rivera Promotions Entertainment and Granite Chin Promotions, August 17 at The Palladium.
Rivera and his son, respectively, are the promoter and matchmaker for Rivera Promotions Entertainment (RPE), which will co-promote “Making History” with Granite Chin Promotions (GCP).
“We are excited to be teaming up with GCP for this historic boxing event,” Jose commented. “We have had the pleasure of working with Chris (Traietti) and Chuck (Shearns) in the past. We are grateful that they are able to work with us again to make sure we put together a great boxing event.”
The Riveras will become the first world-champion father-son combination to fight on a pro show that is promoted by their company. More significantly, A.J. will become the first pro boxer to be born with Spina Bifida.
Now 45 years old, Rivera is making his second comeback, but this time it’s solely to fight on the same card as his son. Due to a variety of reasons, “El Gallo” retired from the ring in 2008, but he came back in 2011 for two fights, both victories, before hanging up his gloves again.
In 1997, Rivera captured the International Boxing Organization (IBO) World welterweight title, stopping Gilberto Flores in the second round. Six years later, he traveled to Germany to take on undefeated, hometown favorite Michel Trabant (38-0) for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) World Welterweight Championship, in which Rivera won a 12-round decision and the belt.
Two fights later, in front of nearly 10,000 hometown fans in Worcester, Rivera won a 12-round unanimous decision over defending champion Alejandro Garcia (25-1) for the WBA World super welterweight title.
“I am boxing at 45 years old because of this great opportunity that has arisen for my son and I,” Jose explained. “Boxing on the same card with my son is going to be exciting and, even more so, because we will be a part of history! I am fortunate to be healthy, physically, and I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for not having any brain issues from my prior years of boxing. I’ve lost 20 pounds, so far, and need to lose 12 more to make the 160-pound weight class.
“I am not sure how the night of the fight is going to go. I play it in my head over and over about how I would like it to go, but in the end, I’m confident we will both be ready for tough fights because of the hard work we’re both putting in at the gym.
“Fan response has been good, positive and supportive of what we both are doing and attempting to accomplish. To look back at the day I was told my son was going to be born with Spina Bifida, preparing myself mentally for the worse, and now 25 years later here we are close to fulfilling his childhood dream. It’s amazing! I feel blessed to share this moment with my son. I am also happy that we can do this in front of our family, friends & fans in our City of Worcester, where my son was born, and I was raised since I moved there when I was 16.”
On Aug. 17, Rivera will face battle-tested middleweight Ryan “Dangerous” Davis (24-19, 9 KOs), fighting out of East Saint Louis, Illinois, in the eight-round main event. Davis has been in with the iron, including six-time, two division world champion Zab Judah, former International Boxing Federation (IBF) world champion Ishe Smith, two-time world title challenger and 2004 US Olympian Vances Martirosyan, world title challenger Jonathan Reid, reigning International Boxing Association (IBA) world junior middleweight champion Mark DeLuca, plus other notables such as Rob Brant, Mikael Zewski, Carlos Bojorquez and Dominik Britsch.
Twenty-five-year-old A.J. will fight an opponent to be determined in a four-round welterweight match. He is a graduate of Johnson & Wales with a major in sports management, who has quickly become one of the most respected matchmakers in New England.
A.J. grew-up in a gym, watching his father train, and he also fought as an amateur boxer. “I’ve always wanted to fight as a pro and what better way than to make my pro debut on the same card headlined by my pops,” Rivera said. “This is a one and done, I’m not going to box as a career and, hopefully I will leave the ring on August 17th and retire undefeated. I plan to make matchmaking a career. I can stay in the sport I’ve always loved and matchmake for our company and for other promoters.
“I was born with Spina Bifida. A layer of skin covered a hole in my back, preventing water from getting in, which would have damaged my system and left me paralyzed, unable to speak and with a shunt in my head to drain fluid. The doctors told my parents that, if I survived, I’d only live to be 19, in a wheelchair and a little autistic. I had surgery the next day and my pops kept hope. As I got older, I played basketball, football, baseball and boxed. I was inactive for seven years when I went away to school and started matchmaking.”
In addition to sacrificing to make weight, instead of having a Father’s Day cookout, he watched what he ate and, of course, workout with his father in the gym to prepare for his pro debut.
“I wasn’t able to celebrate my 25th anniversary on June 2 either,” A.J. added. “I plan to celebrate my birthday and Father’s Day when I step out of the ring on August 17th. Then, I’ll go back to focusing on my craft and become a full-time matchmaker.”
Red-hot Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera (8-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of Hartford, CT, will be showcased in the eight-round co-featured event. Rivera is the reigning UBF All Americans light heavyweight and ABF International cruiserweight champion.
Schedule to fight on the undercard in separate bouts are Worcester junior middleweight Khiary Gray (15-4, 11 KOs), promoted by CES Boxing, Danbury, CT junior welterweight Omar “The Beast” Bordoy, Jr. (6-0, 2 KOs), Springfield, MA welterweight Jose Angel “KO” Ortiz (4-13-1, 1 KO) and pro-debuting featherweight Joshua Orta, Southbridge, MA welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (4-0, 2 KOs), Worcester lightweight Francisco Irizarry (4-0, 2 KOs) and pro-debuting lightweight Eslih Owusu.
Opponents will soon be announced. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $75.00 (ringside) and $45.00 (general admission), are on sale and available to purchase at www.ThePalladium.net or the Palladium box office (general admission only), or by contacting Jose Rivera (elgallojar@gmail.com/508.864.6954), AJ Rivera (anthoneerivera@gmail.com/774.272.2269) or any of the fighters.
Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout 7 p.m. ET.
Event sponsors include Lundgren Hondo, Atty. Maria M. Rivera-Cotto, USANA, Chieftain Liquors and ChrisFIT Xperience.
A portion of the proceeds will go to Spina Bifida Association of Greater New England.
INFORMATION:
Facebook.com: /RiveraPromotionsEntertainment, /GraniteChin Promotions
Twitter: @RiveraPromoEnt @joseriverachamp @KingRivera_, @Granite_Chin
Coyle after capturing the NBA title PHOTO CREDIT – Damon Gonzalez Latin Box Sports
St. Petersburg, FL (June 20, 2017) – Middleweight up and comer Connor “The Kid” Coyle became the NBA Intercontinental middleweight champion by scoring an impressive sixth round stoppage of local rival Danny “El Bebo” Pastrana Saturday, June 16 at The Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL.
The card was promoted by Fire Fist Boxing Promotions in association with Money Round Boxing League.
Fighting in front of a sold out crowd, both men looked to impose their will in the early going. Eventually, Coyle found his range and peppered Pastrana with jabs while using good movement to steer clear of return shots. With the fight under his control, Coyle buzzed Pastrana with a right hand in round six. Moments later, the 28-year-old uncorked a massive right hand that sent his Orlando, FL based foe crashing to the canvas. The game Pastrana beat the 10 count but was clearly out of it, forcing the stoppage at 2:50.
Coyle, who hails from Derry, Northern Ireland but trains out of Tampa, FL, improves to 8-0 with 3 wins by knockout. Pastrana slips to 6-5 (1 KO).
In the co-featured bout of the evening, two-time Olympic medalist Ivan Dychko destroyed former title challenger Mike Marrone of Vero Beach, FL in in less than a round. Originally from Kazakhstan and now fighting out of Kissimmee, FL, Dychko scored three knockdowns before the bout was stopped at 2:19.
The 6’9 Dychko ups his professional ledger to 6-0 with all of his victories by knockout. Marrone is now 21-9 with 15 KO’s.
Grand Rapids, MI featherweight Vincent Jennings scored a shocking six round majority decision over local favorite Jose “Lil Pacquiao” Resendiz of St. Petersburg. In a battle between boxer and brawler, Jennings did all he could to keep the aggressive Resendiz, who also had to overcome a cut, on the outside.
Judge Chris Young’s 57-57 tally was overruled by scorecards of 58-56 from both Efrian Lebron and Mike Ross.
Jennings is now 6-5-1 with 4 victories by way of KO while Resendiz falls to 5-2.
Welterweight phenom and crowd favorite Mark Reyes Jr., 7-0 (5 KO’s) Demolished Puerto Rican veteran Javier Garcia in 2:25. Representing Tampa, FL, Reyes displayed impressive speed and dynamic power, scoring a knockdown following a vicious combination that left Garcia unable to continue.
“I am pleased with the card,” said Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “We were able to showcase a number of top fighters from the Sunshine State and had a great crowd. Connor looked fantastic and we believe the sky is the limit for him. Mark Reyes Jr. Is a great young talent as well and Ivan Dychko is a force to be reckoned with. I’d like to thank all the fighters and every fans who came out to show their support along with Money Round Boxing League for showing the fight worldwide via their website.
Fire Fist returns to the St. Pete Coliseum Saturday, October 6 and details will be available shortly. For more information, visit Firefistboxing.net or Facebook.com/firefistboxing.
OTHER RESULTS:
JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS – Joseph Fernandez (8-3-3, 1 KO – Arcadia, FL) UD6 Larry Yanez (4-10-2, Fort Lauderdale, FL) 60-54, 60-54, 60-54
WELTERWEIGHTS – Leonel Jimenez (5-23-1, 4 KO’s – Eagle Pass, TX) SD6 Ali Tareh (13-14-5, 6 KO’s – St. Petersburg, FL) – 58-56, 59-55, 56-58
BANTAMWEIGHTS – Brian Cannady (3-0, 2 KO’s – Fort Myers, FL) TKO4 Michael Wooten (0-1 – Orlando, FL)
HEAVYWEIGHTS – Rodriguez Cade (2-1, 2 KO’s – Monroe, GA) KO2 Gary Kelly (1-7 – Montgomery, AL)
Shields To Fight for World Title in Second Weight Division as She Faces Gabriels for IBF & WBA Women’s Middleweight World Championships Friday, June 22 On SHOWTIME®
Click HERE for Photos from Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME
DETROIT (June 19, 2018) – Unified Women’s Super Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields and unified 154-pound champion Hanna Gabriels spoke to the media at a workout session in Detroit just days before the two clash to decide the IBF & WBA Women’s Middleweight World Championships this Friday on SHOWTIME.
The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/PT and features the No. 1 fighter at 168 pounds facing the No. 1 fighter at 154 pounds as they both attempt to become champions for the first time in the middleweight division. The telecast also features unified women’s middleweight champion Christina Hammer defending her WBC & WBO titles in her U.S. debut against former world champion Tori Nelson. Also, light heavyweight prospects Umar Salamov and Brian Howard will meet in a 10-round matchup that will open the tripleheader from Masonic Temple in Detroit.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are available at Ticketmaster.com or at the Masonic Temple Box Office at (313) 832-7100. VIP tickets are priced at $300, ringside tickets at $125, and remaining tickets at $75, $50 and $35.
Here is what Shields and Gabriels had to say today at the Downtown Boxing Gym in Detroit:
CLARESSA SHIELDS
“It’s been seven weeks of really hard work. A lot of people don’t know and I really don’t like to be open about it, but I got to 183 pounds after my last fight in January and now I’m 160. That’s 23 pounds. I was in camp running and getting ready for the fight and having to focus on weight was very different for me.
“I feel good and ready to go. I’m happy that she made it in safe and all that but now I’m just excited. You all know how I get before fights. The champ is here.
“So much has changed since I first turned pro. In my first fight, I was frustrated against Franchon (Crews Dezurn) during our fight. I was frustrated throughout camp and I really couldn’t handle everything that was going on. Now I know how to handle the media, the workouts, the interviews and still remain disciplined. The fact that I had to lose so much weight this camp only added more discipline.
“It makes me so happy and it just touches my heart to see four female fighters on the main fight poster. I was so happy that they decided to put them on TV. They have put me on before but it’s always been my goal to put other women on so when they decided to put Tori Nelson and Christina Hammer on I was so excited because this has never been done before. Women’s boxing is going somewhere.
“I always knew that it would take me to turn professional for women’s boxing to go to a higher level. That’s why I waited to win a second Gold Medal before I turned professional. To be the one to be the leader is special. I feel like I go out there every fight and give my best and show that I can box better than 90 percent of the men that box. If you have a choice to make a man the main event or me the main event, I always want them to choose me.
“There’s always mutual respect between me and my opponents. I’m thankful for them because I can’t do this by myself. I thank Hanna for stepping up and it’s mutual respect until Friday. I start getting really mean on Thursday,Friday is the fight and then after that we can exchange numbers and be friends.
“I expect her to use her gifts. She’s really good on her legs and she’s strong up top. I think she lacks in speed so I expect her to try to counter me and try to force me to make mistakes with her movement. I think she underrates my power.
“I never said that I wanted to get more knockouts. I’m perfectly fine being 5-0 with two knockouts. At the end of the day, I’m fine with that. The longer I’m in the ring boxing, the better. The more they get to see me on TV, that’s fine. Of course I would love to get the big knockout but look how disappointed Errol Spence Jr. was to get such a quick knockout of Ocampo. That didn’t please his fans. If the knockout comes, it comes.
“This will be my toughest fight. She’s the most skilled and has the most experience. She’s a three-time world champion. I’ve fought former world champions but she’s a three-time world champion to date. The girl that beat her, Hanna avenged that loss. I’m looking forward to her coming out and putting 100 percent in and I hope for us to have a great fight.
“I’m always confident going into fights. I’m not leaving the ring without having two new belts.”
HANNA GABRIELS
“I think that this is a time right now where women can have this type of platform. Claressa is a great champion and I have faced great women’s champions. I think it’s a great time for boxing fans to enjoy a quality fight. She’s a champion. I’m a champion. This will be a great matchup.
“You are going to see a very technical and aggressive fighter. That’s the only way that you can fight Claressa because she’s so aggressive herself and so tough, you can’t go in the ring passive against her. You have to put your life on the line in there and that’s what I’m planning to do.
“I feel honored to be on such a great card. This is a great opportunity and I just hope everybody sees this the way that I do. We trained hard. In my case, I wanted to bring the very best out of myself so the fans could leave the arena feeling great. This is what boxing is all about. Bringing entertainment and emotions that most other sports don’t bring to people.
“This fight means a lot to me. Every person that I love is going through a hard time right now, including my family. I just want to lead by example and show everybody that all odds are nothing. You can still fight the battle with as many resources or as little resources as you have. I’m dedicating this fight to all my loved ones because I promise there will be better times for us.
“When I was five years old I was sexually abused so my teenage years were tough. Sports always took me away from that. When I got an injury and I had to stop competing in track, I thought my life was over. For the next five or six years, I was very destructive and felt like I didn’t have a purpose. When I turned 24, I started a different passage and learned that everything that happened to me just made me the person I am today.
“We don’t really focus on anybody’s weaknesses because we believe if you’re a good professional and you are dedicating your life to this, you are supposed to get better at your weaknesses. So we focus on her strengths and I think we have a great plan. They say that she’s been underestimating me a lot but I think it’s part of her game and part of what she does.
“I think her strengths are pretty obvious. She has great feet. I don’t know if she punches hard but she’s very explosive. She must have a lot of power and she’s very defensive. She keeps her distance and she’s so big and I’m so small that we will have to risk a lot of things. Her confidence is one of her biggest strengths.
“This will probably be my toughest fight so far. I never had an amateur career, I had just one fight. Claressa has fought 80-something times so my schooling has been in the professional environment and I have had to learn in the process. Every fight has been a hard fight because I have to solve problems and I think she is definitely the toughest opponent because she’s so tall and so fast. She must walk around normally at 185 pounds and I’m not as big so we were a little worried at the beginning at how we would reach her body but we finally were able to figure that out in training and I’m confident that my game is going to surprise her a lot.
“Hopefully we can bring a surprise and people will get to see me and let everybody know that there are more great boxers out there that aren’t getting the same exposure or marketing that Claressa is getting. I don’t feel disrespected, I see this is an opportunity to show what I’ve been working on. Let them plan. Maybe those plans will fall.
“It’s going to be a great fight. She’s coming for the victory and I’m coming for the victory as well. She’s in for a big surprise.”
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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.
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Get your tickets to JUNE 30th, #SLUGFESTattheSUN live from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Tickets start at JUST $30.
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MEDIA:
SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
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INFO:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN”: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
After eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, “THE BEAST” Joe Smith Jr.returns in a big way, at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and defeating the legend Bernard Hopkins on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on landing in the win column in his first bout of 2018.
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FACTS:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN” is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. The event takes place Saturday, June 30th at Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, CT.
Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series is the a premier professional boxing experience in Connecticut. Live from the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena, “SLUGFEST at the SUN” has seen some of the best and brightest in boxing. This includes, two-time world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade and world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez, amongst many others.
Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Joe DeGuardia, has consistently given the boxing fans of Connecticut, world class fights, right in their own backyard. “SLUGFEST at the SUN” also gives the north east’s rising boxing stars an avenue to world title contention. From world title fights, to world class boxing skill, Mohegan Sun has seen it all, delivered by Star Boxing.
The “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series offers an affordable, fan friendly action packed, entertaining night out, that is guaranteed to have you on your feet from the opening bell.
On June 30th, Star Boxing plans to start your summer off right, with yet another thrilling “SLUGFEST at the SUN.”
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PREVIOUS RELEASES
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TICKETS:
Tickets for the live event start at $30 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com by clicking HERE or by going to www.StarBoxing.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
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In Theaters Wednesday, November 21st
Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby,
Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad, Dolph Lundgren
Writer: Sylvester Stallone
Producers: Sylvester Stallone, Kevin King-Templeton, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Irwin Winkler
Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, Guy Riedel
Distributor: MGM, Warner Bros. Pictures
Official site: http://creedthemovie.
Danny Roman Defends WBA Super Bantamweight World Championship In SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Co-Feature;
Catch The Encore Presentation Monday At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME®
Click HERE for Photos; Credit Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
Click HERE for Photos; Credit Ryan Hafey/PBC
FRISCO, TEXAS (June 16, 2018) – Errol Spence Jr. defended his IBF Welterweight World Championship with a first-round knockout of previously undefeated mandatory challenger Carlos Ocampo in a homecoming fight Saturday on SHOWTIME at Ford Center at The Star. VIDEO: https://s.sho.com/2HTG4Zv
A sellout crowd of more than 12,600 fans packed Ford Center at The Star in Frisco to witness Spence’s first homecoming defense as champion and his first fight in Dallas since 2015. The consensus top-5 pound-for-pound fighter did not disappoint, pounding the body from the opening bell with his trademark body attack and superb ring generalship.
Spence, who was making his second defense as a 147-pound champion, floored Ocampo with a brutal 1-2 body shot combo, the second punch landing flush on the challenger’s side and instantly flooring him as the opening round concluded. Ocampo (22-1, 13 KOs) crippled over in pain while on the canvas, was unable to beat the count and remained on the floor for more than two minutes while Spence celebrated his victory.
“I was a little disappointed. I wanted to give the crowd their money’s worth,” Spence said. “I wanted him to sustain a bit and give him some punishment, but the body shot got him and I dropped him.”
It was the ninth time Spence (24-0, 21 KOs) has floored an opponent with a body shot in his 24 professional fights.
“I knew if I hit him again he would probably drop,” Spence said. “That was my game plan. I’m the body snatcher. If he reacts weirdly, I just keep going to the body and I keep breaking him down.”
After the fight, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones joined Spence in the ring to congratulate him on the victory.
“This moment is a dream,” Spence said. “I wanted to play for the Dallas Cowboys and now I’m fighting in front of the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones. Thank you to the whole Dallas Cowboys organization.
“We’ll definitely be back after I unify some titles. We’ll make this an annual thing where I fight here.”
Jones was thrilled with what was the first boxing event inside the Ford Center at The Star, the centerpiece of the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and practice facility.
“This room was full of Dallas Cowboys football players supporting you,” Jones said. “They share your passion. I saw a guy in this ring who knew what he wanted. When you knock a guy out by hitting him once on the side of his back, you’re bad to the bone.
“I love his awareness. He had a plan from the beginning. He is exceptionally gifted. He has family that is behind him and our family, the Cowboys, want to be behind him as well.”
After the fight, SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last Sunday, asked Spence what he would like to do next.
“I want to fight the best,” Spence promised. “Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter are fighting each other (for the WBC title) and I definitely want to make that a unifying fight. We both have the same management, we both fight on SHOWTIME. Why not make that happen? I definitely want that fight whenever it’s available.”
In the televised co-feature, Danny Roman defended his WBA Super Bantamweight World Championship with a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Moises Flores in a 12-round fight that was scored 116-112, 118-110, 120-108.
The champion Roman (24-2-1, 9 KOs) was the faster and sharper fighter from the opening bell. Roman, who was making the second defense of his 122-pound belt, pounded the body repeatedly over 12 rounds, connecting on a staggering 50 percent of his body shots. Flores (25-1, 17 KOs), who failed to make weight for the title fight and was unable to win the belt, tired in the latter half of the fight and was largely a stationary target for Roman for 12 rounds.
Both fighters threw more than 1,000 punches, yet it was Roman who was the more effective boxer, connecting on an impressive 42 percent of his power shots.
“I was trying to box him. We tried to do a smart fight,” Roman said. “We tried to take him out, but unfortunately we couldn’t.
“I would like to unify. I would like to challenge any of the champions. I’d love to face Rey Vargas or Isaac Dogboe. I don’t mind going back to Japan either.”
“I know I messed up in training,” Flores said. “I didn’t make the weight, but I still wanted to perform and give it everything I have.
“We both hit each other a lot. I hit (Roman) with some good shots, I just couldn’t finish him. I was probably around 60 percent energy-wise. From the fifth round on I had to just fight with pure heart.
“(Roman) put on a great show for the fans, and that’s what makes me feel great. That’s all I wanted was to put on a good fight.”
In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, Javier Fortuna suffered an injury while falling through the ropes due to an accidental push in the fourth round and his 140-pound matchup with Adrian Granados was ruled a No Decision.
Granados (18-6-2, 11 KOs) and Fortuna (33-2-1, 23 KOs) both came out swinging from the opening bell. In a wild fourth round, Fortuna was deducted two points, first for punching to the back of the head, and second for holding. After the second point deduction, the former 130-pound champion Fortuna aggressively moved forward and unloaded a series of shots.
Moments later, Granados and Fortuna were clinching along the ropes near Granados’ corner when Fortuna fell backward through the ropes, whipping his neck as he fell back. Complaining of pain and lack of movement, Fortuna was stabilized with a neck brace and removed from the ring on a stretcher in what was later described as a precautionary measure.
At the time of the stoppage, Grandos was leading on all three of the judges’ scorecards.
“I didn’t push him. I think he fell with his own,” Granados said. “I think he was looking for an excuse on his way out. We were both battling, but I knew he could feel I was getting stronger. He caught me with a shot and it just turned me up.
“First and foremost I just want to pray that he’s OK. Let’s do the rematch. I’ve been dying for a fight at 140.”
Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will re-air on Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available via SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and SHOWTIME ANYTIME.
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About The Star
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and practice facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco and Frisco ISD, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; The Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine set to open in 2018; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options as part of the Entertainment District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com.
For more information visit www.sho.com/sports , www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.thestarinfrisco.com. Follow us on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @ErrolSpenceJr, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @TheStarinFrisco and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/thestarfrisco. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
HARTFORD, Conn. (June 17, 2018) – Rising Hartford folk hero Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera kept his pro record perfect (8-0) intact, knocking out his tough opponent, Jaime “Zarco” Solorio (12-4-2, 9 KOs), in the eighth round to capture the vacant ABF Continental cruiserweight title, last night (Saturday) in the main event on the “Fight Night at The Capital” pro boxing card, at Xfinity Centre in Hartford.
The reigning UBF All Americas light heavyweight champion, Rivera (8-0, 7 KOs) is arguably the hardest pound-for-pound puncher in New England, if not the entire Northeast. After breaking his last opponent’s ankle with the force of his power, the incredibly popular Hartford fighter
Boxing trainer Tony Blanco and his Hartford Boxing Center gym partner, Michael Tran, recently teamed with Rivera to form Hartford Boxing Promotions, which was promoting its first pro boxing event, “Fight Night at The Capital.”
“I’m excited to have promoted our first show here in Hartford and I hope other promoters will follow,” Blanco commented. “I’m happy for all of the fighters. This was our first but not last show. We’re bringing boxing back to Hartford.
“I’m also excited about Sharrad’s pro debut (Collier), who is like a son to me, and Richie, my brother and partner. Everything I do is for them, that’s who I work for them.”
The durable Solorio had only been knocked out once in 17 pro fights going into the ring against Rivera, who has knock out six of his seven victims.
The first was a feeling-out round, but Rivera picked up the pace in the second, landing several hard shots on his game Mexican opponent. The highly entertaining Rivera cruised through the third through fifth, picking his spots better, but it was bombs away in the sixth as Rivera landed a right that sent Solorio to the deck. Solorio was penalized a point in the sixth for unsportsmanlike conduct.
In the seventh round, Solorio appeared to be fighting to survive, frequently holding and clinching, but he came forward in spurts as Rivera started loading up for a knockout that finally came in the eighth round. Rivera had never fought more than four rounds, but he was determined to ward off his opponent’s wrestling, landing a right-left-right uppercut combination to close the show with only 30 seconds left in the contest.
“I want to thank everybody for being here and bringing our community together in one house,” Rivera said. “Happy Father’s Day. I dedicated this fight to my father who I love so much. I told everybody that he was going down in three, but Solorio was tough. I took him in deep water and I’m strong to the finish because I eat my spinach…..toot, toot!”
In an intra-Connecticut clash of junior welterweights, Danbury’s undefeated Omar “The Beast” Bordoy, Jr. (6-0, 2 KOs) knocked out Alexander “El Bravo” Picot (2-6-1), of Hartford, with only one second left in the sixth and final round of co-featured event.
Bordoy was hampered by a cut over his right eye, suffered during the second round from an unintentional headbutt, who was fighting in his first scheduled six-rounder. He pivoted and threw a short, straight right that rocked Picot, dropping him forward on the mat as referee Shada Murdaugh immediately waved off the count, calling the doctor into the ring.
A star was born in a professional debut as two-time New England Golden Gloves champion “The Special One” Sharad Collier (1-0, 1 KO, fighting at home in Hartford, displayed his vast arsenal of skills, knocking out Antonio Castillo, Jr. (1-1) in round one.
The 21-year-old Collier showed the poise of a veteran and surprising power, especially considering he fought two full divisions higher than his natural weight class, due to his opponent weighing in as a junior middleweight. Collier decked Castillo early and finished him off with a barrage of unanswered punches until referee Danny Sciavone halted the action.
“Everything went the way I had planned,” Collier said after the bout. “Before the fight, I knew I was going to win, because I felt so good. People were asking me before the fight how I was feeling and, to be honest, I was a lot more nervous as an amateur.”
New Haven, CT lightweight Anuel Rosa (1-0, 1 KO) turned in an explosive pro debut, blasting an overwhelmed Roger Blankenship (1-3) around the ring until the referee Murdaugh stopped the action at the 49-second mark of the opening round. The 21-year-old Rosa dedicated the fight to his cousin, the late Luis “KO King” Rosa (23-1, 11 KOs), who tragically died last January in a car accident at the age of 26.
New Britain, CT featherweight Nathan Martinez (1-0) had another very impressive pro debut, pitching a complete shutout (40-35) on all three judges’ scorecards against Henry Garcia (0-2), despite it being an action-packed bout from start to finish. Martinez used lethal body shots, dropping Garcia with a left hook to the liver, and crisp combinations.
Complete results below:
MAIN EVENT – VACANT ABF CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Richard Rivera (8-0, 7 KOs), Hartford, CT
WTKO8 (2:30)
Jaime Solorio (12-4-2, 9 KOs), San Quinton, Mexico
CO-FEATURE – JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS
Omar Bordoy, Jr. (6-0, 2 KOs), Danbury, CT
WTKO6 (2:59)
Alexander Picot (2-6-1), Hartford, CT by way of Puerto Rico
SPECIAL JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT ATTRACTION
Sharad Collier (1-0, 1 KO), Hartford, CT
WTKO1 (2:20)
Antonio Castillo, Jr. (1-1), Canton, OH
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Anuel Rosa (1-0, 1 KO), New Haven. CT
WTKO1 (0:49)
Roger Blankenship (1-4), Cleveland, OH
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Nathan Martinez (1-0, 0 KO), New Britain, CT
WDEC4 (40-35, 40-35, 40-35)
Henry Garcia (1-1), New Bedford, MA
INFORMATION;
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Tom, Tony and Rich discuss the week in combat sports, recap a stacked UFC 225 card (and CM Punk’s failure to launch his MMA career), and go over the results of a wild weekend for boxing. We begin by highlighting two high profile mentions of death in the UFC Octagon. Dana White and Tyron Woodley are both in the news this week for raising the topic. Listen to the full broadcast below:
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(L-R): A.J. and Jose Antonio Rivera
