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WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder Sees Anthony Joshua-Dominic Breazeale Fight as 50-50

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Breazeale Challenges Joshua This Saturday, June 25,
On SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL Live on SHOWTIME®
From The O2 in London

                                                                                                                   

NEW YORK (June 22, 2016) – Unbeaten WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder can’t pick a clear winner for this Saturday night’s Anthony Joshua-Dominic Breazeale world title clash.

 

The undefeated IBF Heavyweight World Champion Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) will make the first defense of his title against fellow unbeaten Dominic Breazeale(17-0, 15 KOs) of Upland, Calif., on SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL®from The O2 in London, live on SHOWTIME® at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

 

Just a few hours later in Primetime on CBS (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), Keith “One Time” Thurman will defend his WBA Welterweight World Title against former champ Shawn “Showtime” Porter in a welterweight blockbuster that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

     

Wilder, who will be part of the in-studio SHOWTIME announce team covering the fight from New York City, is torn on who will triumph when Joshua makes the first defense of the world title he landed in April with a devastating second-round KO win over Charles Martin.

 

“I definitely see the fight as a 50-50,” said Wilder. “You’ve got two big heavyweights, and the challenger wants what the champion has, and the champion wants to keep what he has.

“It’s going to be interesting because we’ve seen Breazeale in a lot of wars. He’s almost been taken out by some of the smaller heavyweights. He’s been punched around, but he has always survived.

“We’ve seen Joshua (get) busted up as well, but he has kept his composure, and this fight is in his backyard amongst his people. 

“I don’t put anything past Breazeale because he’s coming in hustlers’ territory. I think that it’ll be a good fight because of Breazeale – I think he really wants it.”

 

Wilder makes the fourth defense of his WBC strap on July 16 against Chris Arreola in his hometown of Alabama. The 30-year-old says that Joshua will feel like a different fighter as he goes into his first fight as world champion – but that there’s now an even bigger target on his back.

 

“Once you’ve got that belt, you feel like ‘I’m the man,’ ” said Wilder. “After the first fight, that’s when you really feel confident. You really feel you’re the man, you’re the champ. You’re the ruler once you’ve had your first defense. 

“For Joshua, this is his first title defense, so he should feel some kind of security about himself and confidence about himself. But he’s going to find out that to continue his career and defend that title, these guys aren’t going to lay down after one punch or after two punches. 

“They’re going to keep taking punches, they’re going to keep getting knocked down and they’re going to keep getting up. This is for a world title. This can bring you out of poverty, you know what I mean? For that reason, these challengers are hungry. That’s one of the things that I had to realize.

“I put myself in their position. When I was a challenger, I was hungry and I already had the mentality that ‘you’re going to really have to kill me or hurt me bad to get me out of this ring.’ So that’s the mentality that these challengers have. 

“It’s going to be interesting when you have a guy with a big heart that really, really wants it  and I think Breazeale really wants it. We’re going to see where his heart is. I can’t say what kind of heart he has, but we’re going to see.”

 

Breazeale is following compatriot Charles Martin into Joshua’s Greenwich home area. “It takes a lot of courage, will and heart to fight in someone’s backyard,” said Wilder. “It takes someone that has confidence in themselves. And not to mention going to someone else’s country, because then the environment has completely changed. It’s a big difference and not a lot of guys are willing to travel outside of their country where they would be uncomfortable. 

“Only a very few that really want to build their legacy, such as myself, will travel and have no problem. I don’t like to worry about judges or nothing. You go do what you have to do. That’s just my philosophy and mentality as a champion now. When you say the Heavyweight Champion of the World, that’s why this is tough, we travel all over the world.”

 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing and @SHOSports, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/ShoSports 

 

Also follow Dominic Breazeale on Twitter @TroubleBoxing, Anthony Joshua@AnthonyJoshua and use hashtag #JoshuaBreazeale to join the conversation.

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Unbeaten IBF World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua, Undefeated, World-Ranked Challenger Dominic Breazeale International Media Conference Call Highlights

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 “That’s what the Americans love. They like knockouts and I won’t let them down” – Anthony Joshua

 

“I can’t wait to get in the ring and shock the world” – Dominic Breazeale

 

Breazeale Challenges Joshua This Saturday, June 25,
On SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL Live on SHOWTIME®
From The O2 in London

                                                                                                                   

NEW YORK (June 20, 2016) – Undefeated IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) will make the first defense of his title against fellow unbeaten Dominic Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) of Upland, Calif., this Saturday, June 25 on SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® from The O2in London, live on SHOWTIME® on at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

 

Just a few hours later in Primetime on CBS (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), Keith “One Time” Thurman will defend his WBA Welterweight World Title against former champ Shawn “Showtime” Porter in a welterweight blockbuster that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

 

Both Joshua and Breazeale participated in an international media conference callon Monday. Also taking part were Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports; Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport and Brittany Goossen-Brown of TGB Promotions introducing Breazeale.

 

Below are highlights of what the principals had to say on the conference call. A full transcript will be available in the coming days.

 

ANTHONY JOSHUA

Thoughts on his preparation for the fight:

“I feel great condition wise, and mentally I’m in a good place.  I’ve never felt so relaxed because I just know I’m capable of doing it.  I’ve trained weeks and years and it’s just about getting it right on the night of the fight.  My tactics and my mind have not let me down so far, so that’s why I don’t want to change anything.

 

“I’m not putting too much pressure on myself.  I’m going to attack the fight the same way I have my last 16 and put on an explosive show. That’s what the Americans love. They like knockouts and I won’t let them down. 

 

“Every fight can be my last fight. As much as I would like to tell you I’m confident and ‘I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that’ I do understand I have to approach this as if it could be my last fight.

 

“I know he can hang around, he doesn’t go down easy.  He’s a big guy, he can eat shots.  The Dominic Breazeale I’m used to watching on YouTube and I’m reading about is the enhanced Dominic Breazeale – the Dominic Breazeale that is 50 percent better because I think he knows he wants to come prove himself on a global stage.  And this is his chance come Saturday, so I need to prepare for the best of Breazeale.”

 

On going from being the hunter as a challenger to being the hunted as a champion:

“I’m not the cream of the crop in the gym.  I’m around guys that are achieving things on the same level so I’m still hunting. I still have that mentality as if I’m a main killer in the jungle.  I haven’t lost that hunger.

 

On potential to fight in the US in the future:

“I just keep on hearing the United States is where it’s happening. And if I come to the U.S., I’m going to shut it down.”

 

Thoughts on Breazeale’s performance against Amir Mansour:

“He’s a tough guy.  He managed to go out there and break Mansour’s jaw and capture a win, which has led him into where he is now. Whichever angels were floating in the ring with him that day have led him to this point, so I’ve got to put an end to his dream.”

 

On winning a piece of the heavyweight championship in just his 16th pro fight:

“It didn’t mean much.  I still have another couple titles I need to get my hands on.  I’m still hunting. There’s still work to be done. So it only ticked one of the boxes on my to-do list.”

 

DOMINIC BREAZEALE

“I’m out here very excited.  I can’t wait to get in the ring June 25 and shock the world, that’s for sure. I’ve been lucky enough to prepare for the biggest fight of my life and I’m really super excited about it.”

 

On why he thinks he was selected for this matchup:

“Honestly, the way I see it is that someone didn’t do their research.  They didn’t look deep enough.  They didn’t find out enough about me and maybe they’re looking at me as just another football player that transitioned into boxing.  And I’m hoping they’re overlooking me. It definitely can be a situation where they’re just watching one fight, especially my last fight. But there’s been a lot of tough ones. If they’re looking at that one situation, I’m glad because that’s to my liking.”

 

On his feelings about fighting overseas:

“The way I’m thinking about it is, June 25, I gain 20,000 fans. I’m in a situation where I’m very confident going into this fight and I know for sure I’m going to put on a great show, come out victorious and go back to the U.S. with 20,000 UK fans.

 

“I definitely believe [Joshua] realizes; he understands that he’s got a big test in front of him.  He’s got a big fighter in front of him.  He’s got a guy that’s going to break him down, test his will and see if he is a true champion. 

 

“I am coming into this fight very confident and I’ve got some things that I know are going to work for me, as well as some things that I plan on exploiting out of Joshua.

 

“I’m blessed to have been picked for this fight and am thankful for this opportunity. The way I look at it, and the way I look at every fight that I go into, is that as long as I do everything that I need to do in the gym as far as sparring, preparation and training, running my miles, sleeping right and eating right – I’ve crossed all of my T’s and dotted all of my I’s.  I’ve got nothing to worry about.  I’ve got nothing to second-guess.  I’ve done everything I’m supposed to and I just can’t wait to shine.”

 

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports

 

“Anthony quickly went from a diamond in the rough to really one of the foremost stars in the UK and Europe, and we are happy to be his partner as he establishes his presence in North America.

 

“We are particularly excited about this bout because we have, pardon the phraseology, two behemoths. There are two skilled boxers, really the epitome of what heavyweight boxing should be – big, strong athletes skilled in their sport, with amateur pedigree, meeting on the afternoon here in the US, evening in the UK to determine who is the best fighter.”

 

EDDIE HEARN, President, Matchroom Sport

 

“Over here, the feeling is that it’s going to be quite a routine defense, but Anthony hasn’t trained like that.  He is not expecting that.  He knows the background and roots of Dominic Breazeale. He knows his skill, and he knows how dangerous he can be and he knows how hungry he is as well.  I think you’re going to get a different kind of fight than the Charles Martin fight.  I think you’re going to get a guy that’s not afraid to let his hands go.  He’s not going to wait and the sold out O2 Arena is going to be an electric place to be.”

“SHOWTIME is a deal we are very excited about. To link up with an American broadcaster for us was an obvious move, but it was a move we had to choose carefully. And I think we chose very, very well in SHOWTIME.”

 

BRITTANY GOOSSEN-BROWN, TGB Promotions

 

“Over here in the U.S. we have gotten to see Dominic grow before our eyes. We know he is definitely capable of challenging for the world title. On Saturday we expect him to be victorious and bring that back to America.”

 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing and @SHOSports, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/ShoSports 

 

Also follow Dominic Breazeale on Twitter @TroubleBoxing, Anthony Joshua@AnthonyJoshua and use hashtag #JoshuaBreazeale to join the conversation.

boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

UNDEFEATED SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS JARRETT HURD AND OSCAR MOLINA TO OPEN CBS PRIMETIME BOXING BROADCAST THIS SATURDAY FROM BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN

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Matchup Of 154-Pound Rising Stars Replaces Cuellar vs. Mares Fight As Opener Of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, Presented By
Premier Boxing Champions
This Saturday, June 25, Live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on CBS
BROOKLYN (June 20, 2016) – An intriguing matchup between undefeated super welterweights Jarrett Hurd and Oscar Molina will open this Saturday’s Primetime CBS broadcast from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS broadcast, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, airs live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by a welterweight blockbuster between undefeated champion Keith Thurman and once-beaten former titlist Shawn Porter.
The 10-round showdown between the 25-year-old Hurd (17-0, 11 KOs) and 26-year-old Molina (13-0-10 KOs) is a rare matchup between young undefeated prospects in one of boxing’s hottest divisions.  The winner graduates to contender status in the stacked 154-pound class, a division featuring Erislandy Lara, Jermall and Jermell Charlo, Demetrius Andrade and Julian Williams.
Hurd vs. Molina represents the toughest professional fight for either man.
“The dictionary definition of ‘Swift’ is to happen quickly or promptly,” said Hurd. “So just like my ring name, that’s exactly what you’ll see on Saturday night. I’m so grateful that this fight was made and that the whole world will be able to see my boxing skills on this highly anticipated card.”
“I’m excited for this fight and I’m grateful that it’s even bigger now that it’s on CBS,” said Molina. “I’ve seen Hurd fight.  I know what he does well and what his weaknesses are and I’ll be looking to capitalize on them. It’s important for me to defeat the top guys and this is someone I have to beat to become a world champion one day. I’m excited about fighting in Brooklyn on the big stage, but my focus will be on my trainer’s game plan and coming out victorious.”
Hurd, of Accokeek, Md., just south of Washington, D.C., has an unblemished record since turning professional in 2012.  He is coming off a career-best performance last November with a six-round destruction of previously undefeated Frank Galarza on ShoBox: The New Generation.  Hurd, who has never been down or cut as a professional, will be facing his third consecutive unbeaten opponent.
Molina, of Norwalk, Calif., just east of Los Angeles, was a 2012 Mexican Olympian.  He tore through his opposition after turning professional in 2013, registering knockouts in 10 of his 14 fights.  Molina, who has also never been down, is coming off a 10-round draw with fellow unbeaten highly regarded prospect Dominque Dolton last September.  He returns to the ring this Saturday against another undefeated opponent as he looks to make a statement in the 154-pound division.
# # #
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $49 and are on sale now. Tickets 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. Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP.  PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP,  @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebookat www.Facebook.com/SHOSports,www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.
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Results from the International Master’s World Championships last Saturday

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Thanks to a nice turn out from around the World, we crowned eleven Champions at the 2016 International Master’s World Championships.
Forty-four boxers from around the World registered for the tournament.
The boxers represented Canada, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Alabama, Connecticut, California and New York.
All our bouts were sanctioned by USABoxingMetro.
The winners were:
Bo Bowen from Bienville Boxing Club of Mississippi
Mike Carpenter from Unattached Birmingham AL
Tony Kettlewell from Extreme Boxing Gym of Australia
Robert Belvedere from Dewiths Boxing Studio of Canada
Chris Lembo from Gleason’s Gym
Mark Doherty from FAF Gym of Holbrook , MA
Guy Shafer from Brunswick Boxing Club of NJ
Denver Anderson from Bienville Boxing Club of Mississippi
Curdel “Doc” Hoskins from Champ’s Boxing
Pete Holman from Mendez Boxing Club
Steffen Ruchholtz from Gleason’s/KS Gym of Germany
Support Gleason’s Heather Hardy and
Buy Tickets for her Show.
 
Heather “The Heat” Hardy
Heather “The Heat” Hardy 16-0 will be on the Barclays Center ShowJune 25th in Brooklyn.
The Main Events are Keith Thurman vs Shawn Porter for the WBA Welterweight World Title and Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar vs Abner Mares for the WBA Featherweight World Title
Heather will be in her sixteenth Pro fight. She is always the most exciting fight on the card.
Tickets are available at Gleason’s Gym or can be purchased online atwww.HeatherTheHeatHardy.net
Floor seats
$500
$399
First tier
$249
 $99
Second Tier
 $49
Master’s Tournament 2016
Master’s Tournament 2016
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

Sugar Ray Leonard & Thomas Hearns, Two Hall of Fame Welterweight Champions, Weigh-In on the Keith Thurman-Shawn Porter 147-Pound Championship Battle at Barclays Center on Saturday, June 25 Live on CBS

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“The winner of Thurman-Porter will immediately move into the
welterweight penthouse.”  – Leonard
“I know that Porter and Thurman both have the ability to get each other out of there. It’s going to be a matter of who gets to who first.” –Hearns
NEW YORK (JUNE 20, 2016) – Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns might be uniquely qualified to talk about what WBA welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman and “Showtime” Shawn Porter are thinking and feeling heading into their battle that pits two men against each other who are in their primes in a highly charged battle for supremacy in the talent-laden welterweight division.
The highly anticipated showdown headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® on CBS presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) with televised coverage starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Leonard had a record of 30-1 with 21 KOs and held the WBC welterweight title when he took on Hearns, who was 32-0 with 30 KOs and held the WBA title, in a 15-round title unification match in Las Vegas on September 16, 1981. The match was billed as “The Showdown” and had a worldwide television audience of 300 million.
The fight was a pitched back-and-forth battle, but Hearns appeared to be in control having won rounds nine through 12 on all three judges’ scorecards. It was between rounds 12 and 13 that Leonard’s trainer, the late Angelo Dundee, famously screamed at Leonard: “You’re blowing it now, son! You’re blowing it!”
Leonard, with his left eye badly swollen, turned the tide in the 14th round by staggering Hearns with an overhand right and then pinning Hearns on the ropes and unleashing a barrage of punches, which prompted referee Davey Pearl to stop the fight, giving Leonard the victory and making him the undisputed welterweight champion and king of the division. At the time of the stoppage Hearns was leading on all three scorecards – 124-122, 125-122 and 125-121.
“It was the toughest fight of my life. It took every ounce of will and strength to beat Tommy Hearns. I couldn’t have taken that many of those in my career,” Leonard said. “The Tommy Hearns fight was the one that propelled me to the penthouse.”
Leonard felt like the victory over Hearns launched him into superstardom. He believes the same thing awaits the winner of Thurman-Porter.
Hearns on the fight: “I wanted to show my world my boxing ability. They knew I could knock people out, but they didn’t know that I could box very well.”
Both Leonard and Hearns said they are anxiously awaiting the match between Thurman and Porter because they believe it will hold just as much drama as their match 35 years ago.
“Yeah, you can make the comparison,” Leonard said. “Both guys are at the top of the welterweight division. The only thing that’s different is that me and Tommy were so well known by sports fans. We were on TV a lot, and that’s what built our names and gave people the chance to see us so much. And that’s what they’re doing now with the PBC and the shows being on network TV. This could be a fight like ours. Who knows? But I do know that the fans are waiting on this fight.”
HOW DO YOU PREPARE TO FACE THE BEST MAN IN YOUR DIVISION?
 
HEARNS: “It’s always hard to get prepared for someone like that because you think about what the outcome is going to be and what are your chances of winning the fight. I never thought about losing, but I thought about what my chances were.
I knew if I went out and boxed the way I knew I could box, I would beat Ray. Just the thought of fighting Ray brought a lot of questions to my mind. Some I had answers to and some I didn’t have. Most other guys I knew I could go out there and knock them out.”
WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THIS MATCHUP?
LEONARD: “Just the heart of Keith and Shawn. Both of these guys have heart and both have that will. That composure. You can’t teach composure. It’s something that you either have or you don’t. You can’t learn that. That deep, deep composure when your left eye is closed and your liver is busted and you got to get up on the canvas.”
HEARNS: “I know Thurman and Porter have the ability to get each other out of there. It’s going to be a matter of who gets to who first. I’m definitely watching. I hope to be there in person.”
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE MENTAL ASPECT OF THIS MATCH?
 
HEARNS: “I know what it’s like to go against somebody that people don’t think you can beat. You have to prepare for that. It’s a mental stage that you go through, how you prepare your mind. If you can control your mind and tell your body what you’re going to do, then you can do it. You can’t worry about how good the other guy can punch. Just stay out of the way. Keep on laying that stick on him and he won’t be able to punch you.”
WHAT WAS YOUR MENTALITY GOING INTO THE MATCH AGAINST LEONARD?
 
HEARNS: “I didn’t come to go 12 or 15 rounds. I came to whip your butt and go home. I had no desire to go 15 rounds. I trained for it, but I was never going 15 rounds.”
WHAT WAS YOUR MENTALITY GOING INTO THE MATCH AGAINST HEARNS?
LEONARD: “I felt that I could beat anyone. My brother Roger didn’t think I could beat Tommy. He didn’t tell me that until it was over. In training camp I used to box Roger and he would land a lot of right hands. He figured if Tommy’s right hand landed on me it would be over. My brother didn’t have much confidence in me.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $49 and are on sale now. Tickets 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.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Light Heavyweight Contender Joe Smith Jr. Shocks Hometown Favorite Andrzej Fonfara with First Round Stoppage On Premier Boxing Champions on NBC from UIC Pavilion in Chicago

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Rau’shee Warren Wins Bantamweight World Championship with Majority Decision Over 
Juan Carlos Payano in Exciting Rematch
 
Rising Star Erickson Lubin Blasts Mexico’s Daniel Sandoval On His Way to Third Round Stoppage Victory & Maciej Sulecki Stops Hugo Centeno In Final Round To Win Battle of Unbeaten Middleweights
 
Welterweight Prospect Alex Martin Remains Undefeated With Split-Decision Victory Over 
Juan Carlos Abreu In Live PBC on NBCSN Action
 
Click HERE for Photos from Leonard Wilson Jr. & Nabeel Ahmad/
Premier Boxing Champions
 
Highlights Available HERE Via PBC Youtube Page
 
CHICAGO (June 18, 2016) – Hard-hitting light heavyweight contender Joe Smith Jr. (22-1, 18 KOs) delivered a shocking upset with a first round stoppage of crowd favorite Andrzej Fonfara (28-4, 16 KOs) Saturday night in the main event ofPremier Boxing Champions on NBC from UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
It was a short night for the heavily favored Fonfara, who was rocked by a roundhouse right from Smith Jr. that immediately sent the Polish fighter to the canvas. Fonfara stumbled to his feet, but never regained his composure.
Smith Jr. sensed his moment and attacked, connecting with a cross-hook combo that put Fonfara back on the ground. Fonfara was able to get to his feet, but was too shaky to continue, forcing referee Hector Afu to stop the fight at 2:32 into the first round.
The opening bout of the night saw Rau’shee Warren (14-1, 4 KOs) earn a bantamweight world championship as he defeated Juan Carlos Payano (17-1, 8 KOs) in a rematch of their August 2015 world title bout.
The three-time Olympian Warren became the first member of the 2012 U.S. team to earn a world title when he was awarded the majority decision over the two-time Dominican Olympian Payano.
Payano was the aggressor throughout the night, as he threw 882 punches to Warren’s 514. While Payano out-landed Warren 162 to 160, it was the new world champion who threw cleaner punches all night on his way to a 31 percent connect rate to Payano’s 18 percent rate.
The southpaws went toe-to-toe again for much of the night, but it was Warren who had more success catching the champion as he lunged in. Payano picked up the aggressiveness as the fight went on, as he battled through a rib injury suffered in the early rounds.
In round 11, Warren was able to seriously stagger Payano early on and won the round on all three judges’ scorecards. In round 12 he had more success early in the round as he opened up a cut under Payano’s right eye. In the end, the judges scored the bout 115-113 for Warren twice and 114-114.
Further televised action on NBC featured rising star Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (15-0, 11 KOs) earn a third-round stoppage of Mexico’s Daniel Sandoval (38-4, 34 KOs) in their super welterweight contest.
The Orlando-born fighter looked to cement his status as a contender as he picked apart Sandoval over most of the first three rounds before delivering a fantastic flurry that ended the fight. It was a combination of hooks and a strong straight right hand that staggered Sandoval.
Referee Danny Nelson quickly jumped in and called a halt to the bout at 2:36 into the third round. The punch stats told a similar tale as Lubin connected on 80 of his 161 punches thrown while Sandoval only landed 43 of 203 punches.
In the final televised bout on NBC, Polish middleweight Maciej Sulecki (23-0, 8 KOs) defeated Hugo Centeno Jr. (24-1, 12 KOs) by 10th round stoppage in their battle of previously unbeaten fighters.
Sulecki controlled much of the action throughout the fight, using a strong jab that eventually opened up a cut over Centeno’s right eye in the ninth round. Sulecki was the better conditioned fighter, as he consistently beat Centeno to the punch, following up on his jab with strong power punches. His biggest advantage came in the power punching department as he landed 127 to Centeno’s 47.
In the final round, Sulecki connected with a powerful straight right hand that dropped Centeno to the canvas. While Centeno was able to get to his feet, he was deemed unable to continue by referee Danny Nelson, who halted the bout 1:06 into the final round.
In live action on NBCSN, Chicago prospect Alex Martin (13-0, 5 KOs) remained undefeated with a split decision victory over Juan Carlos Abreu (19-3-1, 18 KOs) in their eight-round welterweight bout. Martin controlled much of the action with his jab and clean punching, but it was Abreu who scored a late knockdown in the final round with a straight right hand.
Abreu’s aggressive style made it a competitive fight as one judge scored it 76-75 for Abreu, but he was overruled by scores of 78-74 and 77-74 for Martin.
Here is what the fighters had to Saturday night:
JOE SMITH JR.
“There’s no feeling like this. I’m happy to take this victory back home to New York to all my fans.
“I’ll talk to my promoter but I’m hoping for another big fight to get myself to a world title.
“Now everybody knows who I am. This is the best thing that could have happened.
“Once I started hitting him and pushing him back he fell away and left himself open for the right hand.
“I thought this would be more of a fight, but I took him out early and it feels great.
“He was punching and I knew he leaves himself open. I was just looking for the punch and it landed.”
ANDRZEJ FONFARA
“He is a heavy puncher. He hit me with a great punch. It happens.
“I threw some good punches, but I got too comfortable. I didn’t see the punch coming. That made it a great punch.
“I’m disappointed because I thought I would win the fight but it is boxing. I will rest and get back in the ring. I’ll get back to work.”

RAU’SHEE WARREN
“This feels great. It’s unbelievable. Payano came to put on a great fight but I came out victorious. It was a good fight. If he wants the rematch, we can do it again.
“I was comfortable that I had won the decision. He came to fight and he stayed active. My corner just told me I had to answer back.
“We wanted to make him miss and make him pay. I definitely made him miss a lot. He was just staying busy. I bobbed and weaved. I pressed him enough to where I could take over. Barry Hunter told me I had to take the last round and I got him cut.
“My corner just kept telling me to work. I knew I was in control but I just had to step on the pedal at the right time.
“I want to take it to another level. A third fight could be really big. I want Warren-Payano 3 in Cincinnati. If not I’ll go after all the other champions.”
JUAN CARLOS PAYANO
“I wasn’t able to completely follow my game plan. At moments I was able to do what we trained for, but not enough. I hurt my rib early in the first two rounds and it made it difficult to grab and breathe. I take nothing away from him.
“I was courteous enough to offer the rematch right away and I hope that I get reciprocated the same way.
“Rau’shee was pretty much the same as last time. I fought his pace and I didn’t follow my plan. I wasn’t able to do what I wanted to do and he was able to prevail. I think I gave the fight away and Rau’shee won the fight.”
ERICKSON LUBIN
“I felt great. He’s a veteran so I wanted to take my time and get him out of there by chipping away. I saw that he was hurt with a hook. I saw that it cut him and I wanted to rush him. A flurry of punches and the ref stopped it.
“I’m looking at going higher in the rankings. My team knows I’ll fight everybody. They have to stop me from fighting people cause I’ll say yes to anyone. I just want a title and I’ll do anything to get there.
“I’m still working. I feel great right now. I’m excited to get back in the gym. I didn’t hurt anything. I just want to keep going from here.
“I will fight anybody. I’m not a ‘turkey,’ I’m a ‘pilgrim.’ Everybody is on my radar.”
DANIEL SANDOVAL
“He threw a good combination and I stopped throwing punches, so the referee did what he had to do.
“The referee had the best vantage point and I agree with his decision. Lubin was the better fighter tonight.”
MACIEJ SULECKI
“It was a milestone fight for me. This could give me a chance to fight for the middleweight world title.
“I’ve always thought of myself as a technical fighter. I just needed a small adjustment to move the technique to power. That is exactly what happened when I moved to America.
“This is unbelievable. It’s hard to put into words. Fighting on the biggest stage in American television is amazing.
“I knew from the beginning that I was going to dominate. I needed a couple of rounds to get my timing. Once I got my timing, I knew that I was physically and mentally better than this guy.
“I want to fight Daniel Jacobs. I think that would be a great fight.”
HUGO CENTENO JR.
“I had trouble making weight. I don’t want to make excuses. He did what he had to do, but I felt like I couldn’t do what I wanted to do.
“I felt sluggish by the fourth round. The fatigue set in hard. I wanted to finish the fight. I work hard for it. It is what it is, but I can’t wait to get back in the ring again.”
follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Andrzej_Fonfara, @JC_Payano, @RausheeWarren, @EricksonHammerL, @WarriorsBoxProm, @StarBoxing and @NBCSports and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing,www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo, www.Facebook.com/StarBoxing andwww.Facebook.com/NBCSports. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on NBC and NBCSN was sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina and promoted by Warriors Boxing and Star Boxing
Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS ANNOUNCES THE RESULTS FROM LEWISTON

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Lewiston, Maine (June 18, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF) held the fight promotion’s latest event, “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND” on Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event featured a full slate of professional boxing, amateur mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional MMA bouts.  Nearly 2,000 packed the hallowed halls where Muhammad Ali once defended the heavyweight championship of the world against Sonny Liston.  A special video tribute was presented honoring Ali prior to the beginning of the event.

 

For the second time since April, Brandon Berry (11-2-1) and James Lester(11-9-1) went the distance.  This time, unlike the last bout which was scored a draw, there was a winner.  Lester is travelling back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan the new Northeast Junior Welterweight Boxing Champion after winning a unanimous decision.

 

Alex Walker (1-1) and Nicole Burgess (0-1) kept alive the tradition of women’s fights stealing the show at NEF events.  The two athletes battled back and forth in what can only be described as a “thriller” before a deafening crowd.  Walker picked up the first win of her MMA career via an armbar submission in the third round.

 

Fans who missed the event, or who were at the Colisée and want to relive it, can watch the archived copy of the show by signing up for a FloPRO account at  www.FloCombat.com.

 

The  results from Lewiston, Maine:

 

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

James Lester def. Brandon Berry via unanimous decision

Russell Lamour def. Roberto Valenzuela via KO, round 1

Vinnie Carita def. Francisco Mireles via KO, round 2

Casey Kramlich def. Zenon Herrera via TKO, round 3

Steve Collins, Jr. def. Jose Humberto Corral via unanimous decision

PROFESSIONAL MMA

 

Jesse Erickson def. Amos Collins via KO, round 1

Brandon Bushaw def. Matt Denning via Kimura, round 3

 

AMATEUR MMA

 

Dustin Veinott def. Ryan Burgess via triangle choke, round 2

Mike Bezanson def. Shawn Bang via KO, round 1

Derek Daley def. Johel Stephenson via TKO, round 1

Justin Witham def. Conner Murphy via rear-naked choke, round 3

Skyler Bang def. Eddie DeRoche via rear-naked choke, round 1

Steve Bang, Jr. def. Dom Cofone via guillotine, round 1

Alex Walker def. Nicole Burgess via armbar, round 3

Dr. Steve Bang def. Stacy Lupo via TKO, round 3

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 25: HEROES & VILLAINS,” takes place on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets 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.  Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the event.

 

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.

boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT STATEMENT REGARDING CUELLAR VS. MARES

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New York, NY (6/17/16) – Regrettably, due to a medical issue that renders former three-division world champion Abner Mares presently unable to fight in New York State, the Cuellar vs. Mares fight has been cancelled and will be replaced on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, Presented by Premier Boxing Champions, telecast next Saturday, June 25. Abner’s condition is in no way life-threatening, nor was it revealed in a blood or urine test; there was no use of any drugs, including PEDs or other banned substances.

 

In honoring Abner’s right to medical confidentiality, no further information will be released on this situation unless he chooses.

 

An announcement will be forthcoming with respect to the replacement bout that will open the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, Presented by Premier Boxing Champions, broadcast.

boxing

Salita Promotions’ ‘Detroit Brawl’ Returns on Saturday, July 16, at Masonic Temple

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On Saturday, July 16, at the historic Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit, Salita Promotions will host another installment of their fan-favorite boxing series “Detroit Brawl.”
Salita Promotions chief Dmitriy Salita says the next installment will be held, like all the previous ones, at the Masonic because of the “vintage Detroit” feel the classic venue creates.
Once again sponsored by Greektown Casino and Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar, tickets for “Detroit Brawl” will be priced at VIP $123, Balcony $100, Ringside $93, $63, $38, and $28 and available at all Ticketmaster outlets and Tickmaster.com.
“The last Detroit Brawl produced several unforgettable fights and this one will build on that momentum,” said Dmitriy Salita. “We are putting the fights together right now, making sure we have all the elements of another classic Detroit Brawl in place. We also make sure we only host the types of fighters who will give back to their community by volunteering their time. Spending time to give back to the community has become as much of a Detroit Brawl tradition as the all-action fights themselves. I’m excited to be putting on another great event for the wonderful boxing fans in this city.”
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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/ThomasMageesSportingHouseWhiskeyBar

On fight night, doors open at 6:30 pm and the fights begin at 7:15 pm.
amateur mixed martial arts, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

BURGESS SIBLINGS READY TO BATTLE AT NEF 24

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Lewiston, Maine (June 16, 2016) – As the only girl in a rough-and-tumble household with three older brothers in Mexico, Maine, Nicole Burgess learned how to fight for pride, for respect, sometimes even just for fun.

Sometimes such sibling rivalries are a challenge and burden. In Nicole’s case, however, the arrangement furnished three built-in fans and best friends. And the closest bond of all naturally formed with the family’s youngest boy, Ryan, exactly one year and three days older than his sister.

“We were born pretty much back-to-back,” said Ryan Burgess, the pride becoming perceptible in his voice. “She’s always been tough. She’s really strong, just very athletic.”

Ryan, 22, has backed up his three high school championships as a wrestler with a pair of impressive mixed martial arts wins and the New England Fights amateur flyweight title.

Not to be outdone, multi-sport athlete Nicole, 21, finished fourth against primarily male competition in the state wrestling meet her sophomore, junior and senior years of high school. She has carved out a successful college field hockey career at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire.

Similarly accomplished, so close in age, rarely seen apart from one another in childhood, Ryan and Nicole’s athletic and life stories remain intertwined as young adults. Nicole will follow her brother into the NEF cage on Saturday, June 18, making her debut against Alex Walker (0-1) in a 115-pound women’s bout at “NEF 24: Promised Land.”

Anybody who grew up with a brother or a sister probably can imagine the good-natured ribbing that has taken place in training camp.

“He thinks I’m probably going to want to throw up,” Nicole said with a laugh.

Ryan, who will defend his strap on the same card against Dustin Veinott in a rematch of their split-decision title tilt from November 2015, knows there is no substitute for experience in the cage.

Although he was one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the history of his proud community, Ryan discovered in his first two cage confrontations that the variety of skills and size of the crowd at an MMA event demanded a quantum leap.

“You don’t know what to expect,” he said. “Before my debut, I had never been in a fight in my life. I thought I had, but I really hadn’t. I told myself ‘It’s just another wrestling match,’ but it’s not.”

Burgess stuck with what he knew best and ground out a unanimous decision over Justin Witham in June 2015.

He was introduced as an independent. His studies at Kennebec Valley Community College interfered with his training schedule, and Burgess’ coaches at Berserkers MMA didn’t want him representing the stable until he spent a full cycle under their watchful eyes.

The same night, he scouted out Veinott’s win over Norman “Sleepy” Fox and felt that he compared favorably to both fighters. He proved it in a championship setting five months later, albeit by an on-paper verdict that most cage-side observers felt could have gone either way.

After struggling to find an opponent worthy for the title shot in his weight class, Burgess was eager to extend Veinott (4-4) a second chance.

“I’ve already been in the cage 18 minutes, which is more fight time than a lot of guys who’ve been in four of five fights can say they’ve had,” Ryan said. “I’m completely confident now with the venue, the fans. The only person I hear now is my coach.”

He doesn’t even hear Nicole, although little sister was so enamored with the environment as a spectator that she couldn’t wait to resume her own combat sports career.

“I always watched UFC and stuff like that,” she said. “I actually started boxing before Ryan even got into it.”

Nicole donned the gloves in high school after giving up softball. In sixth grade, she made a similar transition from basketball to wrestling after waiting for a ride home, watching one of Ryan’s grueling mat practices and deciding that it looked fun.

“It was weird at first. I didn’t want to touch the guys,” Nicole said. “Then you heard things like, ‘Oh, it’s just a girl.’ Often times the guys would be stronger, but I had good technique.”

Walker brings experience, in the form of a loss to Randi Beth Boyington, and a tough stand-up game.

Speaking with the typical subtlety of a big brother, Ryan said that Nicole “should be OK as long as she doesn’t get kicked in the head.”

He quickly noted that she has the poise and talent to enjoy a successful debut if she can shake off the requisite whirlwind of emotions.

“As long as she can put together everything she’s learned. You have to overcome the nerves and the adrenaline dump,” Ryan said. “I remember that from my debut. It stunk.”

Nicole said she would like to end the fight early but predicted that it probably will go the distance.

Her brother aims for his first stoppage and forecasts that his improved striking will catch Veinott and everyone else by surprise.

“Up until now, I was focused on school, just graduating in May, and trying to get my career started,” Ryan said. “I was working 40 hours a week for free as an internship and working 20 more hours on the weekend trying to make ends meet. Dustin is going to see a completely different fighter this time.”

The opening bell on June 18 is set for 7 p.m. The current docket includes five pro boxing fights, four pro MMA bouts and eight amateur MMA skirmishes. Tickets for “NEF 24: Promised Land” start at $25 and are available atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.

For more information on the events 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.