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Salita Promotions is pleased to announce they will donate five charitable meals for each general admission and ten charitable meals for every VIP ticket purchased for their upcoming “Detroit Brawl” event to Forgotten Harvest, one of the nation’s largest food rescue organizations.
Scheduled for Saturday, July 16, at the historic Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit, the next “Detroit Brawl” will feature WBO #5, IBF #5, and WBC #7 Mexican heavyweight contender Andy “The Destroyer from Mexicali” Ruiz (27-0, 18 KOs) in the 10-round main event.
Sponsored by Greektown Casino and Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar, tickets for “Detroit Brawl” will be priced at VIP $123, Box Seats $100, Ringside $93, Reserved $63 and $38, and Balcony $28, and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets and Tickmaster.com.
Based in Oak Park, Michigan, Forgotten Harvest was formed in 1990 to relieve hunger and prevent food waste throughout the metro Detroit area. Forgotten Harvest “rescued” over 40 million pounds of food last year by collecting surplus prepared and perishable food from over 800 locations, including grocery stores, fruit and vegetable markets, restaurants, caterers, dairies, farmers, wholesale food distributors and other Health Department-approved sources.
This donated food, which would otherwise go to waste, is delivered free of-charge to 280 emergency food providers in the metro Detroit area. Forgotten Harvest has been ranked as a four-star charity by Charity Navigator for nine consecutive years.
Also featured in the “Detroit Brawl” will be Detroit prospects Demetrius Banks (7-0, 4 KOs) in a cruiserweight six-rounder; middleweight Dorell Van Horn Jr (9-0, 6 KOs) in a six-rounder; and bantamweight Jarico O’Quinn (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-rounder. Super bantamweight Zach Shamoun (3-0-1, 3 KOs) of Royal Oak, Michigan and cruiserweight Clarence Dubose (3-0, 3 KOs) of Eastpointe, Michigan, will appear in separate four-rounders, while welterweights Giorgi Gelashvili (4-0, 2 KOs) Brooklyn via Georgia and Serdar Hadurbadyev (2-0, 2 KOs) of Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan, appear in other six-round bouts. Making his long-awaited junior middleweight four-round pro debut that night will be “Southpaw Prince” Gheith Karim, a three-time national amateur champion from Dearborn, Michigan
Learn more about Forgotten Harvest and how to help drive hunger from our community at www.forgottenharvest.org.
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Your downtown playground, Greektown Casino Hotel is consistently voted Detroit’s Best Casino. Located right in the hub of the historic Greektown district it’s impossible to be any closer to the action. No matter what you want to play, Greektown Casino Hotel has your non-stop gaming action. From the newest slots and table games to live poker, Greektown Casino Hotel has 100,000 square feet of exciting, action-packed choices and so many thrilling ways to win!
Greektown Casino Hotel features a 30-story hotel with 400 stunning guestrooms and suites devoted to your comfort. And for your culinary needs, you can savor eclectic cuisine at one of their outstanding restaurants: Prism, Bistro 555 and The Market District.
For your special event or corporate gathering, Greektown Casino Hotel offers impeccable service in addition to a variety of exceptional spaces to help make your event an unforgettable experience.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar offers patrons an old-school sports and whiskey bar in Downtown Detroit’s Eastern Market district. Thomas Magee’s prides itself on providing every sport, every game, and every fight, plus great beer and whiskey!
For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visitwww.salitapromotions.com. The Greektown Casino Hotel is located at 555 E Lafayette Street in Detroit. For more information, visit them online atgreektowncasino.com. Twitter: @GreektownCasino.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar is located at 1408 E Fisher Service Drive in Detroit. For more information, call 313-263-4342 or visit their official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/
On fight night, doors open at 6:30 pm and the fights begin at 7:15 pm. |
Tag Archives: boxing
SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATIONCELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY WITH FOUR-FIGHT TELECAST ON FRIDAY, JULY 22, LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
World-Ranked Adam Lopez Risks Perfect Record Against
Roman Reynoso In Main Event Live at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Tickets on Sale At Foxwoods Resort Casino
NEW YORK (June 29, 2016) – The popular, prospect-orientated boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation celebrates its 15th anniversary with a quadrupleheader on Friday, July 22, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.
In the 10-round main event, undefeated top 10-ranked Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (15-0, 7 KOs) of Phoenix faces Roman Ruben Reynoso (18-1-1, 7 KOs) of Argentina in a bantamweight bout. Super middleweights Ronald Ellis (12-0-1, 10 KOs) of Lynn., Mass., and Julius Jackson (19-1, 15 KOs) of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, will collide in the eight-round co-feature.
Two eight-rounders will round out the four-fight telecast. O’Shaquie Foster (10-1, 7 KOs), of Orange, Texas, meets Rolando Chinea (12-1-1, 6 KOs), of Lancaster, Penn., in a featherweight scrap and undefeatedKhiary Gray-Pitts (13-0, 10 KOs), of Worcester, Mass., will be opposed by fellow unbeaten Ismael Garcia (10-0, 4 KOs), of Vineland, N.J., by way of Pahokee, Fla., in the super welterweight opener.
Tickets for the GH3 Promotions event are priced at $45, $75 and $150 and can be purchased by phone from the Foxwoods Resort Casino at800.200.2882 or online at www.foxwoods.com.
Since its premiere on July 21, 2001, 67 boxers who’ve appeared onShoBox went on to become world champions; the most recent,Rau’Shee Warren. An additional 75 fighters who appeared on ShoBoxhave fought for a world title.
Testament to the ShoBox mission statement and to the competitiveness of the fights – prospects are matched against their toughest opposition to date – 150 fighters have suffered their first loss on the developmental series.
Lopez, Ellis and Foster fought on GH3’s Feb. 19 ShoBox at Atlantic City. Lopez and Foster triumphed; Ellis boxed a draw.
Adam Lopez vs. Roman Ruben Reynoso: 10-round bantamweight bout
The steadily improving Lopez, now trained by Houston-based Ronnie Shields, will be making his fourth ShoBox start since March 2015. In his first three, he defeated previously unbeaten prospects (combined record: 44-0-2) on each occasion.
Last Feb. 19, the 5-foot-7, 25-year-old Lopez captured a career-best, highly competitive 10-round decision over Mario Muñoz (16-0-1) of Mexico. Lopez survived a nasty cut over his right eye to win by the scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93. In his other fights on ShoBox, Lopez won a (then personal-best) 10-round majority decision over DominicanEliecer Aquino (17-0-1) on July 17, 2015, and by second-round knockout over Pablo Cruz (11-0) on March 13, 2015.
Regarding his upcoming fight against Reynoso, Lopez said, “Everything is good. I’m starting to turn up my sparring. I have switched trainers to Ronnie Shields in Houston. I see a lot of improvement since my last fight.
“Reynoso is a good fighter from Argentina. He is in Canada now, so I am sure he is getting good sparring there. He is kind of wild, but guys like that are hard to fight because you don’t know where the punches are coming from, but we will be prepared for anything.”
Born in Phoenix and raised in Los Angeles, Lopez moved to San Antonio at 15. He went 125-23 in the amateurs and won six national championships before turning pro at 21 in February 2012.
The 25-year-old Reynoso brings a 10-fight winning streak into his United States and ShoBox debut. A five-year pro, the South American lightweight champion fought his initial 18 fights in Buenos Aires before winning his last fight and lone start this year on a decision over Cristian Arrazola last May 20 in Canada. Reynoso’s lone defeat came in his fourth fight.
“Everything is going well in training camp,’’ Reynoso said. “We know that Lopez is tall for 122 pounds and he has good hand speed. He has a good name and we will try to learn more in the next few weeks.
“This is a big opportunity for us and we will do our best. This is a big fight and we know we have to win. With a win, we would hope to get a world title opportunity.’’
Ronald Ellis vs. Julius Jackson: Eight-round middleweight bout
Ellis gets an immediate opportunity to regain his winning ways after taking a sizeable jump up in class and boxing an eight-round draw with hard-hitting Jerry Odom in his Feb. 19 ShoBox debut. A spirited, close contest throughout was scored 78-74 for Ellis and 76-76 apiece. The draw snapped a four-fight-knockout streak for Ellis, who’s won all 10 of his knockouts inside two rounds (eight in the first) since turning pro in 2011.
“This is going to be another coming out party for me,’’ the 5-foot-11, 25-year-old Ellis said. “The last fight was a draw. I had some problems with my hand, but I’m back and this is a step for me. Hopefully he comes to fight. I hope he brings it 100 percent because I am bringing 200 percent.
“I am glad to be on ShoBox again. I showed the fans a little bit in my last fight. They can expect the same thing but a little bit more on July 22.’’
Jackson is making his second ShoBox start. In his debut – and initial go in the U.S. – the older brother of John and son of former two-division world champion Julian “The Hawk” Jackson registered two knockdowns en-route to a ninth-round TKO over Jonathan Nelson (19-2, 10 KOs) on Dec. 20, 2014.
Much like Ellis, Jackson is also getting a quick-fix chance to redeem himself and get back on the winning track. But, unlike Ellis, Jackson losthis most recent fight. His perfect record and 19-fight winning streak ended when he lost by second-round TKO to now top-rated super middleweight contender Jose Uzcategui last Oct. 6.
“I’m looking to redeem myself and come out with a win,’’ said the 6-foot-2 Jackson, who turns 29 on Aug. 1. “This is my second ShoBox fight and I’m excited to get back to let the world see my talent. I’m getting better, my training has been good. I expect to be in with another really good fighter. It should be a great fight.’’
A 2008 Olympian for the Virgin Islands and a pro since January 2009, Jackson is fighting for the third time in a row in the U.S.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Rolando Chinea: Eight-round featherweight bout
O’Shaquie (pronounced “oh-SHACK-ee”) Foster is making his third appearance on ShoBox. Last Feb. 19, he began to live up to expectations when he rebounded from a sub-standard performance in his ShoBox debut (an eight-round decision loss to Samuel Teah in November 2015) to register a seventh-round TKO over previously undefeated Lavisas Williams (8-0-1).
Foster, 22, dropped southpaw Williams four times – in the second, third, fourth and seventh rounds. Three of the knockdowns appeared to result from a push, but Williams’ gloves touched the canvas each time so they went into the books as knockdowns. After the final knockdown in the seventh, the fight was stopped at 52 seconds into the round.
“Everything is going good,’’ Foster said. “I’ve been doing a lot of conditioning. I am in the best shape of my life. Chinea has a good jab and I know he will be in a good shape.
“Ever since I moved to Virginia to train, my conditioning, mentality and confidence has gone way up and that was the difference from my first fight to my last fight on ShoBox. On July 22, I will be even that much better.’’
A highly decorated amateur standout, the 5-foot-8½ inch Foster advanced to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials where he lost to unbeaten pro prospect, Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz. Before that, Foster was a 2010 PAL National Champion, a five-time Ringside National Champion and two-time National Junior Golden Gloves Champion.
Chinea, a 5-foot-8, 25-year-old, is making his ShoBox debut. After going pro in November 2011, he went 10-0-1 before losing an eight-round decision to Ismail Muwendo in April 2015. He’s won two straight since, including a six-round decision over previously undefeatedLadarius Miller (then 9-0) in his last fight on Feb. 16.
“I treat every opponent the same,’’ Chinea. “I give everything I got and I leave it all in the ring. I know Foster was a good amateur. I know he can box and I know he has some pop.
“This is the moment I’ve dreamed about since I started boxing at 14. My main goal is to tune out the crowd and win. I want to be a main event fighter on SHOWTIME and this is the first step.’’
Khiary Gray-Pitts vs. Ismael Garcia: Eight-round super welterweight bout
Gray-Pitts, 23, will be boxing on ShoBox for the first time. Ambidextrous with quick hands and feet, Gray-Pitts turned pro in June 2014. He fought three times that year, eight times in 2015 (8-0, 8 KOs, seven in the first, one in the second) and this will be his third fight in 2016.
“I’m very excited,’’ Gray-Pitts said. “Now I get to showcase my skillset to the whole world. It’s something I’ve been waiting for. There’s still more that people haven’t seen yet when it comes to me. Now I get to see what I have the ability to do. I’m able to block [the crowd] out.
“The more pressure there is, the more relaxed I am. I don’t know a lot about my opponent, but it doesn’t matter as long as I go in there and get done what I need to get done.”
The 5-foot-9 Gray-Pitts is coming off a second-round knockout overQuinton Willis last May 13. In his outing before last, the previous Feb. 19, won a 10-round decision over Eduardo Flores.
Garcia, 29, has fought sporadically since turning pro in March 2010, although he’s been more active in the last 14 months. He fought in May and October in 2015 and won his one start this year on a six-round split decision over Carlos Garcia last March 18. Garcia’s initial seven fights took place in Atlantic City, the last three in Philadelphia.
“It is my television debut, and everything we have been working on in my first 10 fights we will put together for this fight,’’ Garcia said. “This is SHOWTIME. Being on ShoBox is a long time coming for me. It’s what I’ve dreamed about since I started boxing. It’s his TV debut as well so I know he will be on top of his game. We will be preparing 100 percent for that and then some.
“I have seen a little of Gray-Pitts on tape. This will be my toughest test, as I will be his toughest test. When you have 13-0 fighting 10-0, it will be a good fight.’’
Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez will serve as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
DOMINICAN KO ARTIST GUZMAN READY FOR FIRST WORLD TITLE SHOT
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KEA BOXING ANNOUNCES SUMMER RETURN!
Jorge Diaz, Danny McDermott, and Godson Noel in Triple Header Main Event!
NJ Boxing Hall of Fame Promoter Andre Kut has announced that KEA Boxing will be returning this summer with “Boxing at the Expo.” This all professional boxing show will be held at The New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison, NJ on Saturday July 30, 2016. This will be the 12th year that Kut will be promoting professional boxing shows in New Jersey since his debut show in June of 2004. Kut was inducted into the NJ Boxing Hall of Fame this past November with Presidential candidate Donald Trump, Micky Ward, and several other boxing dignitaries for his role as a trainer, manager, and promoter in the sport, specifically in New Jersey. Kut says that this will be a “Triple header show featuring all local talent.”
Headlining the show will be New Brunswick’s very own Jorge “King” Diaz. Diaz currently has a record 18 wins with 4 losses is looking to make a comeback after a loss to undefeated featherweight Abraham Lopez last August. Diaz will be looking forward to fighting again in his backyard and home state. Diaz also hopes that this is the start of his climb back into the rankings to have a title shot again as he has fought twice for two different world titles in the past.
The Brick City’s undefeated fighting fireman and Army Veteran Godson “Soldier Boy” Noel will be part of the triple header action. Noel currently holds a record of 6-0 with 4 knockouts and will be fighting for the third time this year after receiving a controversial draw back in March up in Massachusetts. Noel is currently a Newark Fireman and served in the United States Army. He is being labeled as one of New Jersey top rising prospects in the super middleweight division since signing a promotional contract with KEA Boxing back in 2015.
Danny “Little Mac” McDermott will be completing the triple header main event action when he steps back in the ring as a welterweight. Fighting out of North Bergen, McDermott currently holds a record of 12-5. McDermott recently fought in the United Kingdom and the Philippines twice where he also became the current WBC Asian Boxing Council champion. McDermott said he is very excited to fight again so close to home, as this is his first fight back in the states since 2013.
Heavyweight fights are always entertaining and action packed, so this show will also be featuring Jersey City’s Tyrell Wright. Wright, who is also undefeated with 8 wins will continue his dream of making an impact in the heavyweight division. Wright is currently trained and managed by former boxer Bobby Rooney.
Rounding out the card will be Darren “Venom” Goodall fighting out of New Milford. Goodall is currently undefeated with 3 wins in the light heavyweight division and has already fought on the big stage in Madison Square Garden and even the Prudential Center in Newark. Goodall also owns the famous Venom Fitness Boxing and Fitness Center in Wyckoff. His facility has quickly become known as one of the best training facilities for fitness and group classes in Northern New Jersey. Goodall is also known for his lighting quick speed and power.
Andrew “Sweet Pea” Bentley currently 3-2 will also be on the card. His flashy outfits, crown, and even sunglasses for his ring walk are sure to please the crowd as he can back up his flashy behavior with his boxing skills. Bentley is also under the watchful eye of manager and trainer Bobby Rooney with his stable mate Tyrell Wright.
Two former amateur fighters who will be making their professional debut will be Kevin Hernandez and Gerald Javier both fighting out of Bergenfield. As always, in between rounds the Round Card Models will keep the action hot while DJ Edit and DJ EQ spin the latest and hottest music from today. For tickets and more information please visit www.keaboxing.com or call(973) 903-2907 or (973) 222-2273.
About KEA Boxing Promotions:
KEA Boxing Promotions began as KEA Boxing Management, Inc. and has been in existence since 1992, but with Kut’s decision to transform KEA Boxing Management into a Promotions company, he decided to become increasingly proactive with his vision to bring thrilling and affordable events to fans practically in their backyards. In recent years KEA has exceeded all expectations as its garnered widespread notice and recognition.
We look forward to seeing you at the fights!
Edner Cherry Tops Lydell Rhodes with Unanimous Decision in Main Event of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 & BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.
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MIKEY GARCIA RETURNS ON SATURDAY, JULY 30 FOR STACKED NIGHT OF BOXING ON SHOWTIME® AND SHOWTIME EXTREME®FROM BARCLAYS CENTER PRESENTED BY PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
Leo Santa Cruz Defends WBA Featherweight Championship vs. Carl Frampton
Two-Division Champ Mikey Garcia Returns Against Former Champion Elio Rojas
Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko Meet in IBF 154-Pound Eliminator
SHOWTIME BOXING ON SHOWTIME EXTREME® – 7 p.m. ET/PT
Brooklyn Welterweights Paulie Malignaggi and Gabriel Bracero Square Off
Ivan Redkach Faces Tevin Farmer in Lightweight Bout
Tickets On Sale Now
BROOKLYN (June 28, 2016)—Undefeated former two-division world champion Mikey Garcia will return to the ring after a two-and-a-half-year layoff on Saturday, July 30 on an exciting night of boxing on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME EXTREME that is one of the strongest cards ever assembled at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Garcia, who won world titles at featherweight and super featherweight, will fight former world champion Elio Rojas in a 10-round bout in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature of the Leo Santa Cruz vs. Carl Frampton event presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).
In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, once-beaten 154-pound contenders Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko will meet in a 12-round IBF Junior Middleweight Eliminator. Harrison and Rabchenko will square off for the No. 2 mandatory challenger spot to IBF titlist Jermall Charlo, who successfully defended his crown on May 21, and undefeated contender Julian Williams, who earned the No. 1 mandatory position on March 5, both on SHOWTIME. Harrison vs. Rabchenko is the sixth matchup in 2016 between top 154-pound fighters, a lineup showcasing three world title fights and three title elimination matches in one of boxing’s deepest divisions.
The combined record of the six fighters on the SHOWTIME telecast is an impressive 162-4-1 with 113 knockouts.
An all-Brooklyn showdown between welterweight technicians Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and Gabriel “Tito” Bracero highlights the undercard action on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME. The 10-round bout is a matchup between a former two-division world champion, Malignaggi, and a fellow Brooklyn native, Bracero, coming off the biggest win of his career when he knocked out Danny O’Connor last October.
A 10-round clash between once-beaten lightweight Ivan Redkach and streaking Tevin Farmer, a winner of 14 straight, will open the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast live at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
The July 30 event at Barclays Center comes on the heels of last Saturday’s potential Fight of the Year thriller between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, a back-and-forth slugfest that generated the top grossing live gate and second-highest attended boxing event in venue history.
“This is the strongest card from top to bottom that I have promoted at Barclays Center,” said DiBella Entertainment President Lou DiBella. “Every single fight is significant and competitive, and this is a great follow up from the tremendous success that boxing had with Thurman-Porter this past weekend.”
“This will be our 19th boxing event, but from top to bottom it’s arguably our best card yet,” said Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Brett Yormark. “We are excited to welcome undefeated Santa Cruz and Frampton to Brooklyn for the first time, a fight that could rival Barclays Center’s epic Thurman-Porter bout for Fight of the Year. It’s also a pleasure to welcome Brooklyn’s own Paulie Malignaggi back to Barclays Center for the fifth time and to host the return of Mikey Garcia after a two and a half year hiatus. July 30 is going to be another big night for BROOKLYN BOXING.”
“We are excited to be part of Mikey Garcia’s return to the ring. Before the layoff, he was a two-division world champion and considered one of the top boxers in the world. We know he is determined to reclaim his place among the elite,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “SHOWTIME has distinguished itself by delivering the most compelling matchups and the most important events in boxing all year long. There is no other network as committed to the sport, and the July 30 event, from top-to-bottom, is a prime example.”
MIKEY GARCIA vs. ELIO ROJAS
“I expect to pick up right where I left off,” Garcia told SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray last Saturday on CBS. “I was a world champion, I was undefeated, and I still am. I didn’t leave because I was injured. I think I’ll come back even better. I’m hungrier now than I was before.
“I just have to get one fight in. This first fight with Elio (Rojas) will be somewhere between 135 and 140 pounds, but I want to fight at 135 and win a title there. I want to win a title there and keep going after champion after champion. Now that all that (uncertainty) is behind me I look forward to the next stage of my career. This next stage of my career will be what people remember me for.”
“Mikey Garcia is a great fighter,” Rojas said. “I want to thank him for this opportunity. We are both former WBC World Champions and I expect a great fight. However, all of the talk surrounding this fight has been about Mikey’s comeback and his future plans. I am no tune-up. This is also about me coming back and fighting again. He may be looking past me, but I am fully focused on him and securing the victory. I will do whatever I have to do to win, so I can move on and regain my world championship.”
Garcia (34-0, 28 KOs), of Ventura, Calif., is 28-years-old and in the prime of his career. Once considered one of the top young boxers pound-for-pound in the world, he will make his first ring appearance since he retained the WBO 130-pound title with a 12-round unanimous decision overJuan Carlos Burgos on Jan. 25, 2014. Garcia, the brother of renowned trainer Robert Garcia, has been victorious by knockout in 10 of his last 12 fights and holds impressive victories overRoman “Rocky” Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez, Orlando Salido and Bernabe Concepcion.
Rojas (24-2, 14 KOs), of San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, won the WBC featherweight world championship in 2009 with a 12-round unanimous decision over defending titleholder Takahiro Ao in Japan. The 33-year-old successfully defended the title against Guty Espadas Jr. in 2010, before losing the belt via unanimous decision to Jhonny Gonzalez in April 2012. Since the loss to Gonzalez, Rojas moved up to lightweight, where he defeated Robert Osiobe in August 2014.
TONY HARRISON vs. SERGEY RABCHENKO:
“I’m thrilled to return to the ring on this big stage for my first fight in Brooklyn, and I’m ready to put on a show,” said Harrison. “Fighting for a world title is my dream and I know that I have a challenge in front of me. I’m working hard in camp to get another knockout and to make my mark on the division.”
“This is the start of realizing my dream,” Rabchenko said. “America is the Mecca of boxing so it is a huge privilege for me to be asked to fight there. American fans like to see knockouts and I like to knock people out so I think they will like what they see. I think I can build a fan base there. I am hungrier than ever. I have not seen much of Harrison, but I am ready for anyone. People say he is a very good fighter with good power. I’m not worried. I have good power as well and I think I will have too much for him.”
At just 25-years-old, Harrison (23-1, 19 KOs) has showed tremendous promise. He manufactured a 10-fight knockout streak from 2013 to 2015 and proved he could recover from a loss when he dominated Cecil McCalla for 10 rounds in October 2015 and stopped Fernando Guerrero in impressive fashion in March.
Fighting out of Belaraus, Rabchenko (27-1, 20 KOs) is looking to put himself squarely into world title contention when he makes his U.S. debut on July 30. The 30-year-old is coming off stoppage victories over Walter Calvo in May 2015 and Miguel Aguilar in February.
SHOWTIME EXTREME:
PAULIE MALIGNAGGI vs. GABRIEL BRACERO:
“I feel truly blessed to have yet another opportunity to fight in Brooklyn,” Malignaggi said. “I have known Tito a long time and I know he always comes to fight. We will give the Brooklyn fans a great appetizer before the terrific main event later that night in Barclays Center.”
“I’m looking to make a statement by winning this fight,” said Bracero. “Paulie and I have been friends since the amateurs and I’m thankful to have this opportunity, but he’s had his run. Now it’s time for me to have mine. This fight is going to change my life.”
A former world champion at 140 and 147-pounds, the 35-year-old Malignaggi (35-7, 7 KOs) will return to the ring to fight at Barclays Center for the fifth time. He has faced a slew of big names throughout his career and has been victorious over the likes of Zab Judah, Vyacheslav Senchenko and Pablo Cesar Cano. Born and raised in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, “The Magic Man” was victorious twice fighting in his birth country of Italy last year after unsuccessfully challenging unbeaten Danny Garcia in August.
Another Brooklyn-native, Bracero (24-2, 5 KOs) comes off of a sensational one-punch knockout of rival Danny O’Connor in their rematch last October. The 35-year-old owns victories over Dmitry Salita and Pavel Miranda in addition to his first triumph over the previously unbeaten O’Connor in 2011.
IVAN REDKACH vs. TEVIN FARMER:
“I am extremely happy to be back in the ring on a big show in New York,” Redkach said. “There are so many Ukrainian fans in New York and I am thrilled to have their support and will put on a great show for them. I want to thank Leo Santa Cruz and his team for having me in their camp as we both prepare ourselves to put on tremendous performances come July 30.”
“I couldn’t be more excited about this fight,” Farmer said. “This is my Barclays Center debut and it is going to be a spectacular performance. I have called out anyone and everyone in the 130- pound division to no avail, so now I’m moving up to 135 to take on Redkach, one of the most feared punchers in the division. Redkach is an aggressive guy and I know he is coming to fight, but there is no way I leave that ring without my hand being raised. This is a fight where I can and I will make a major statement. I’m willing to fight whoever they put in front of me to inch closer to a world title opportunity and July 30 is another step in that direction. I tip my hat off to Redkach for giving me this fight, but this is my time to shine.”
Born in Ukraine but fighting out of Los Angeles, Redkach (19-1-1, 15 KOs) began boxing at the age of six and has put together an impressive career since turning pro in 2009. The 30-year-old owns victories over Tony Luis, Sergey Gulyakevich and Yakubu Amidu. Most recently, Redkach knocked out Erick Daniel Martinez in October 2015 and fought to a draw with Luis Cruz in April.
Representing the fighting city of Philadelphia, Farmer (24-1-1, 5 KOs) has won 14 bouts in a row since losing to unbeaten world champion Jose Pedraza in 2012. The 25-year-old has come on strong in recent years, upsetting previously unbeaten fighters such as Emmanuel Gonzalez, Angel Luna and Camilo Perez. Farmer dominated veteran Gamaliel Diaz in March and will make his Barclays Center debut on July 30.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions, start at $38 and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD AND POWER-PUNCHING COLOMBIAN ALEXANDER BRAND SET FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 SHOWDOWN AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO®
NEW YORK, NY (June 28, 2016) – Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce that Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) will return to the ring onSaturday, August 6, to continue his conquest of the light heavyweight division when he takes on power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) at Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, California. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.
Ward and Brand were slated to face each other last November on the pay-per-view undercard of Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez, but a leg injury forced Ward to withdraw from participation in the event.
Tickets priced at $300, $120, $90, $60 and $30, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Tuesday, June 28 at 5:00 p.m. PT and will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.
Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, the motion picture HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms) and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 years.
“We can get it on, right now,” said Ward. “August 6th, I will be ready, so come out to Oracle Arena or tune in live on HBO. Don’t miss it.”
“It will be a great honor to face Andre Ward on August 6 and better yet in his own backyard,” said Brand. “Fighting somebody with such an illustrious career, facing a guy that perhaps hasn’t lost a round in his entire life, is even more thrilling. We were set to face each other last November, but he was forced to pull out of the fight with an injury. Now the time has come to fight him and I can’t wait to derail his future plans. I’ll work hard to spoil them.”
“Andre Ward’s quest to become the best light heavyweight on the planet and boxing’s number one pound-for-pound fighter continues on August 6,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Boxing Roc Nation Sports. “Alexander Brand has been waiting for this fight since last year and we have no doubt he is going to enter the ring hungry for a huge victory. There’s a lot on the line in this fight for Andre who knows he can’t look past Brand towards a much discussed clash with Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev.”
“Undefeated for the last two decades, technically brilliant and the last American man to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, Andre Ward is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world,” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. “On August 6th, Andre continues his move up in weight to campaign in the 175-pound division against challenger Alexander Brand in front a hometown crowd at the Oracle.”
Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his warrior’s instinct inside it, 32 year-old Andre Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, culminating in a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold in the past
decade, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. He turned professional on December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO. He has gone on to rack up 27 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process. After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a new chapter in his storied boxing career. The Bay Area product returned to the ring on June 20, 2015 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland, California and scored a ninth-round knockout over Paul Smith, continuing his unbeaten streak which dates back to when he was a 12-year-old amateur. In his most recent fight on March 26, 2016, Ward made his highly publicized 175-pound debut against Cuba’s undefeated and IBF number one rated light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera in front of frenzied crowd at Oracle Arena that including luminaries such as Michael B. Jordan, Stephen Curry, Marshawn Lynch and Draymond Green. Ward expertly managed the fight and began to unravel his opponent in the third round when he caught Barrera with a counter left hook, dropping him to the canvas. The rest was a routine victory for Ward, who scored a dominating dispatch of Barrera by way of unanimous decision after 12 rounds. Ward looks forward to a formidable challenge in Brand who is now the only obstacle in the way of his anticipated showdown against Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev in the fall.
Bogota, Colombia native Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) turned professional at the relatively late age of 32 following a long and accomplished amateur career that saw him tally over 400 wins. He burst on to the professional scene in 2009, scoring knockout wins in his first 12 fights and winning 15 of his first 17 bouts inside the distance. His first and only professional setback came via an eight-round split decision loss to current WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack in a 2012 fight that many ringside observers thought Brand had won. Since that fight, Brand has passed every ring test with flying colors, notching eight consecutive victories. In his last bout, Brand faced the sternest test of his career since the Jack fight when he fought a favored, undefeated and highly touted light heavyweight Medzhid Bektemirov on December 5, 2015 at Osceola Heritage Center in Kissimmee, Florida. Brand weathered an early Bektemirov blitz, including recovering from a first round knockdown, and notched a 10-round split decision victory by the scores of 98-91, 98-91 and 94-95. The 39 year-old Brand, who has held several regional title including the WBC Latino Super Middleweight and the WBC Silver Interim Super Middleweight Championships, will be looking to pull off another upset on August 6 and thrust himself into light heavyweight title contention.
Follow the conversation using #WardBrand.
For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.
For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
DAVID “EL BANDERA ROJA” BENAVIDEZ “I got my eye on all the champions at super-middleweight”
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DiBella Entertainment signs Conn. Teenage Prospect Mykey Williams
NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 28, 2016) – DiBella Entertainment has announced the signing of E. Hartford, Connecticut 18-year-old welterweight prospect Mykquan “Mykey” Williams (1-0, 1 KO) to an exclusive promotional contract.
Williams, who is currently finishing his junior year at A.I. Prince Technical School in Hartford, was a decorated amateur boxer with a 45-13 amateur record, highlighted by three gold-medal performances at the Ringside World Championships, in addition to winning the PAL Tournament and Silver Gloves Championships.
“I am thrilled to sign such a hungry, young prospect like Mykey Williams,” said Lou DiBella. “Williams is an accomplished amateur and Jackie Kallen certainly has an eye for spotting great talent. He already has a growing fan base in the New England area and I am confident that he will quickly develop into a rising prospect.”
“Signing with DiBella was the best move for me,” Williams commented. “I’m excited to be fighting under the DiBella banner now. He’s a great promoter who will help me get to the world-class level in this sport. I’m just happy that the ball is finally rolling!”
Williams has already overcome tremendous obstacles during his young life, including the shooting murder of his father when Mykey was only one week old, and then his house burned down 10 years later.
Paul Cichon, a 2014 Conn. Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, has trained Williams since he was seven. “If anybody had a reason to go the wrong way, it was Mykey,” Cichon added. “But he’s a great kid who is a hard worker and is always happy with a positive attitude. He’s a boxer who can punch and when he sets up his opponent, watch out, because he’s in big trouble. Mykey is a great finisher who moves well and has good defense. He’s a left-hander who goes to the body to breakdown his opponent. Mykey’s slick and hard to hit, but he’s also unique because he’s a naturally gifted athlete who could have excelled at any sport he chose.”
Although Williams made his successful professional debut on April 16th at Foxwoods Resorts Casino in a card promoted by DiBella Entertainment, he will make his DiBella Entertainment debut this Thursday night (June 30) at Foxwoods in a four-round bout.
“I haven’t been this excited about a fighter since I signed James Toney in 1989,” famed boxing manager Jackie Kallen exclaimed. “Mykey Williams is the real deal. His future is unlimited and we are thrilled to partner up with DiBella Entertainment to make it all happen.”
For more information, visit www.DBE1.com, follow on Twitter @LouDiBella and @MarvelousMyke or become a fan on Facebook www.Facebook.com/
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RAGING BABE BRUNCH NEW YORK, NEW YORK A SUCCESS, DUVA HONORED
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