Tag Archives: boxing

BOXING’S TOP WOMEN TO HONOR KATHY DUVA WITH “RAGING BABE LUMINARY” AWARD AT RAGING BABE BRUNCH, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 

NEW YORK – May 24, 2016 – The weekend of June 11th, boxing’s most influential women will gather for brunch in the Big Apple for the 7th Raging Babe event of its kind, dubbed New York, New York. Attendees will include promoters, network executives, public relations representatives, referees, fighters and others, and come from diverse backgrounds, cultures and levels of experience. Women who have attended Raging Babe events have networked, forged business and personal relationships and have been inspired by the stories of success and persistence shared by the hundreds of attendees over the past few years. There may be no woman that better personifies a story of success and persistence than Kathy Duva, who will be honored with the Raging Babe Luminary Award at the brunch.

Duva, the CEO of Main Events, and a mother of three, has been involved with boxing for nearly forty years, entering the business while in college with her then boyfriend Dan Duva. The Duvas teamed up to promote some of boxing’s top talent over the years under the Main Events banner, including Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitacker, Arturo Gatti and Fernando Vargas, all while cultivating powerful relationships with HBO and other networks. Kathy continued her husband’s legacy after his passing in 1996, becoming one of the most recognized figures in boxing. Most recently, Duva and Main Events have developed one of boxing’s most avoided superstars in Sergey Kovalev.

“Kathy Duva is the perfect honoree for our first New York City Brunch,” said Raging Babe founder and namesake Michelle Rosado. “Boxing, like the ‘Concrete Jungle,’ has so many hard edges, and can be tough to navigate…but like New York City, it is full of opportunity for the right type of person, and Kathy Duva is that kind of person. She’s a headstrong, smart and persistent woman, who has an uncanny ability to endear people to her while not taking any gruff from anyone. It’s our honor to recognize her at the brunch.”

Past Raging Babe event honorees have included the “First Lady of Boxing” Jackie Kallen, Public Relations ace Kelly Swanson, TV trailblazer Claudia Trejo, heart transplant recipient Kennedy Cunningham,  Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame Chief Operating Officer Michelle Corrales-Lewis, and Golden Boy’s Monica Sears. “It’s a privilege to stand in a room with women of this caliber,” said Rosado. “The Raging Babe Brunch started as a concept…something we might try to do yearly, but it’s become such a powerful and valuable event for attendees, we’re growing and doing more than one event per year. We’re able to do this because of the women of boxing that continue to support the event, and of course, thanks to our event partners.
 
The East Coast is well overdue for a Raging Babe Brunch, and I’m so pleased to be able to work with our partners to bring the event to New York City.”

The Raging Babe Brunch is made possible by the generous support of World Boxing Organization (WBO), War Tape, Box Stats, Boss Case (owned and operated by Raging Babe Livvy Cunningham), World Boxing Council (WBC) and Youth Fighting Forward.

For information on attending or sponsoring this prestigious event, please contactmichelle@ragingbabe.com.

Perrella ready for breakthrough performance June 4

Fort Myers, FL (May 24, 2016) – Welterweight Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella of Fort Myers, FL faces his toughest foe to date when he challenges Washington, DC’s David “Day Day” Grayton Saturday, June 4.
The anticipated ten round match up between unbeaten southpaws takes place at the Bell Centre in Montreal as part of a Premier Boxing Champions card on ESPN.
Both Perrella, 13-0 (12 KO’s), and Grayton, 14-0 (10 KO’s), were heralded amateurs that have been dominant thus far in the paid ranks. As is typically the case when two noteworthy prospects meet, the winner moves a step closer to contention while the fighter who falls short often has to climb back up the mountain.
With Grayton undefeated in his own right and also very hungry to advance his career by emerging victorious, Perrella’s taken his training to new heights. The 27-year-old has traveled throughout the Sunshine State for quality sparring and is strengthening his body by doing regular aquatic training. This has helped him remove weight properly so there won’t be any surprises on the scale. To further assist, Perrella hired a private chef to ensure he’s refueling his body properly.
Overall, Perrella’s team is confident about the match up against Grayton and believes the hard work in the gym is an integral part why Bryant will have his hand raised June 4.
Camp has been great,” said Perrella’s trainer Michael Nowling. “Bryant is treating this camp like we’re preparing for a world title fight. Most importantly, he’s got a calm demeanor and clear head with no distractions whatsoever. He is not nervous about the fight or overly anxious. A lot of guys may feel overwhelmed since this a win in a fight like this likely gets the winner to the next level but not Bryant. He’s been a true professional in the gym since day one and seeing him kick it up a notch further solidifies my confidence that June 4 will be the night he puts the boxing world on notice.”
Tickets are available by going to http://www.evenko.ca/html/tickets/boxe-jun2016/index_en.html and the bout will air at 11 pm ET/8 PM PT.

Undefeated Middleweight Caleb Plant returns to the ring June 3 PBC on Spike TV

Photo By Suzanne Teresa / Premier Boxing Champions
(NASHVILLE, TN) May 24, 2016 – Nashville’s unbeaten middleweight prospect,Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (12-0, 9 KOs) is scheduled to return to the ring on June 3, 2016 against Colombia’s Carlos Galvan (12-4-1, 2 KOs).  The scheduled 8-round bout will be televised on the undercard of Barthelemy vs. Bey at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida as Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike TV goes live at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
In his last bout on January, 22 of this year, Plant dominated his opponent, winning by way of a 6th-round TKO.  He’ll look to continue his winning ways on June, 3rd.
“I’m always looking to get better with each fight,” said Caleb Plant. “Every fight brings on a different challenge and I’m ready for any style that comes my way.  Galvan has a lot of knockouts so I have to be aware of his power shots.  I will control the action from the opening bell and make my adjustment as the fight goes on.  If I get him hurt, I’m going for the knockout.”
After turning pro in May of 2014, Caleb has rapidly made his presences felt in the middleweight division by winning all twelve of his bout, nine of which came by way of knockout.  Plant feels grateful about his career as it is headlining in the right direction.
“To be in the position I am this early in my career is a blessing.” Plant continued. “My management team and trainers are doing a fantastic job with everything and I couldn’t be any happier.  I know fighting on television is very important for my fan base, so I want to come out and put on a great show.  This will be my first time fighting on Spike TV and I want to leave a lasting impression.  Expect to see some fireworks.”

Rances Barthelemy & Mickey Bey Ramp Up Training Camp Ahead of Friday, June 3 World Championship Showdown That Headlines Premier Boxing Champions on Spike from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Florida

 
Training Camp Quotes & Photos
 
Click HERE For Photos From Premier Boxing Champions
 
HOLLYWOOD, FL. (May 24, 2016) – Lightweight world champion Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy and former world champion Mickey “The Spirit” Bey are deep into training camp and closing in on their main event battle on Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Friday, June 3 from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Florida
Both fighters have been training in Las Vegas before they head to southern Florida for their world title battle. Barthelemy trains with Ismael Salas at the Salas Boxing Academy while Bey works with his longtime trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. at the Mayweather Boxing Club.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Kings Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and Panther Promotions, are priced at $130, $80, $60 and $35 (additional fees may apply) and are on sale now. All seats are reserved and available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.myhrl.com,www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Doors open at 5:30 pm, with the first fight set to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Here is what the fighters had to say about training camp, their matchup and more:
What advantages do you believe you have because of your training team?
Rances Barthelemy: “To me, Ismael is the best trainer in the world. He was the lead trainer of the Cuban National Team at the time that Cuban amateur boxing was having its most success. He is truly underrated and I do not know why.
“Having gone through different trainers throughout my career, I am glad that I found Salas. We clicked right off the bat, and him being a Cuban and having a successful background both in the Cuban amateur system and in the pros, he’s been able to incorporate the best from both worlds in his training methods. He has also been able to bring out abilities in me that others were not able to and it has made me a completely different fighter.”
Mickey Bey: “Floyd Sr. has been my trainer for about 12 years. We’ve been together since I was a teenager and before I turned pro. He is an old school trainer and he knows the science of boxing.
“Being around the other Mayweather Promotions fighters provides a lot of energy to training because everybody is striving to be the best they can be. Whenever that’s the case it’s always a positive thing because the trainers know that’s what you’re after. Floyd Sr. and Floyd are the reason I moved to Las Vegas. It’s been a blessing to be able to train with him for so long. We gelled from the beginning and I have definitely grown a lot as a fighter.”
What does fighting for this belt mean to you?
RB: “I don’t really focus on this being another title defense. I just focus on it being another fight that I must win impressively so that I can get to the big fights. There is no added pressure from it being a title defense. I just want everyone to see the boxing ability that I have so that I can get the big fights that I want and deserve.”
MB: “Winning back this belt is really important to me. I still feel like it’s mine. He’s just been keeping it warm for me. I had to deal with the injuries but now I don’t have to worry about babying my hand or anything like that.”
What do you think this fight will be like stylistically?
 
RB: “I plan on this being a great fight between two great boxers. He has a great amateur and pro background, as do I, and hopefully that makes for a great show.”
MB: “You never really know until you’re in the ring but it’s going to be a fight between two skilled boxers. I have seen some footage but not too much because I don’t really watch much tape. I saw him fight for my vacant belt but I can’t get caught up in that because I’m different than anybody he’s ever fought. I’m a lot more difficult than he probably thinks.”
What skill advantages do you believe you have over your opponent?
RB: “I feel I am the better all-around fighter. I have the reach, height and power over him. I feel he has shown in the past that he can’t take a good punch, so we will see if he can take mine.”
MB: “I bring it all. I can do everything that can be done in the ring. Every single department, period. I do think he’s a good fighter, I give him his props, he’s a two-time world champion, but I don’t think he can do one thing better than me.”
What did you learn from your fight with Denis Shafikov?
RB: “It was a really tough fight and definitely a great learning experience. I made it tougher than it should have been but I had never been in a war like that before and adrenaline kicked in. The blood made me want to dig down and trade with him in the center of the ring and beat him at his own game. It was the first time I had to go down to the trenches and engage in a fight like that but I wanted to do it to show that not all Cubans are boring and only box around.”
What did you learn from your fight with Miguel Vazquez?
MB: “I found out how good I was because I was able to beat a guy that good with one hand. Going into it I already knew I was going to be fighting with one hand since it had been giving me problems. I couldn’t let both hands go, so I had to strategically land more accurate shots. I couldn’t let it become a high volume fight because I knew I wouldn’t be able to respond with both hands. This is my first fight in four or five years with two good hands, so it’s going to be a completely different ball game.”
What does it mean to you to fight in south Florida in front of your Cuban fans?
RB: “That’s my backyard and it’s another advantage for me. It is like being in a free Cuba pretty much and I don’t think I’ll ever feel as comfortable fighting anywhere else with the majority of the people being there to support me. It means the world to me to be able to fight in front of my fans and my closest friends. It’s the closest thing to being able to fight in my country.”
Are you concerned about fighting on the road in front of a crowd that is expected to be for your opponent?
MB: “They can’t get in the ring for him. It’s just going to be me and him. Nobody can get in the ring and help him. It doesn’t add any pressure. I grew up hard, in a rough neighborhood and I’ve been through a lot so I’m numb to any pressure. I’m just ready to get in the ring with him.”
What are your plans after this fight?
RB: “I will be headed straight to the Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C. after the fight to try to obtain a visa so I can finally return to Cuba and visit my family that I have not seen since my defection eight years ago. I thought I would never be able to return but now I will be returning as a two-time world champion with grand dreams of one day headlining the first pro boxing event in Cuba.”
MB: “After this fight I’ll be looking for another big competitive fight. I’m always looking for a challenge. That’s why I’m in this fight.”
Why do you believe you’ll be victorious on June 3?
 
RB: “I feel I am levels above Mickey Bey in all aspects of the game. I am comfortable with my training and I plan on returning to Miami with my second world title. The adrenaline of fighting in front of my Cuban people will add fuel to my fire and propel me to victory. I am on a mission to be great and leave an imprint in the sport and Mickey Bey is in the way.”
MB: “I’m a better fighter. It’s that simple.”
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Isiah Seldon ready for 1st headlining appearance this Friday night at the Claridge in Atlantic City 

   
Chuck Mussachio takes on Willis Lockett in Light Heavyweight rematch

  Plus undefeated fighetrs Quian Davis, & Lawrence Newton

Nick Kisner battles Lamont Capers in Cruiserweight attracton

Anthony Burgin to appear in Lightweight bout

The pro debut of former United States amateur sensation LeRoy Davila

For Immediate Release
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (May 23, 2016)–THIS Friday night, May 27th, a big night of boxing will kick off a holiday weekend at The Claridge in Atlantic City as Rising Promotions will present a terrific card of boxing.
In the main event, It will be about New Jersey bragging rights as Isiah Seldon will take on Eddie Edmond in a bout scheduled for six-rounds.
Seldon, who is the son of former WBA Heavyweight champion, Bruce Seldon will be making his 2nd appearance in three months as he is coming off a 6-round on March 19th over Michael Mitchell, has been in the gym to round back into form after 33-month layoff.
“Training camp has been great.  We have been doing a lot of boxing as I been still shaking off some rust from the layoff,” said Seldon.  “To come right back is not a big deal.  I am an athlete and I am always in good shape.  My body feels better when I am active and in the gym.  Even when I wasn’t getting the fights, I was always in the gym.”
In Edmond, he is fighting a fighter from Newark, New Jersey and has similar experience.
“I have seen some video of him.  He comes forward and he throws punches.  That is the kid of fight that I want to be in.  He will come to fight and that should ,make for entertaining fight.”
This will be the 2nd straight fight for Seldon against a fellow foe from the Garden State, but that doesn’t matter to the 27 year-old native of Atlantic City.
“I don’t care where a person is from.  A fight is a fight.  In fact, I actually want to see all the locals make it.  That is unless they are fighting me.  It is always fun fighting in Atlantic City.  I will have a lot of friends there supporting me.”
Seldon credits his return to the ring to Rising Promotions, who will be staging their 3rd show in the past six months.
“I would like to thank Rising Promotions, Thomas LaManna and the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame.  They are all trying to bring boxing back to Atlantic City the way it used to be.  I feel I have an opportunity to become the face of Atlantic City boxing.  I have been working very hard and I feel very good.  To be headlining for the first time feels really good.  Rising Promotions has given me this opportunity to showcase my skills and on Friday, I am going to put on a great performance.”
In a six-round co-feature, one of the most popular fighter’s from the shore area, Light Heavyweight Chuck Mussachio will be back in the ring after a 39-month lay off when he takes on Willis Lockett in a rematch of a bout that that ended in a draw on September 19, 2008.
In an eight-round Cruiserweight bout, Nick Kisner (16-2-1, 6 KO’s) of Baltimore, MD will take on Lamont Capers (5-8-2) of Hawley, PA.

In four round bouts:
In a four round Welterweight bout, Adrian Wilson (0-2) of Atlantic City will take on pro debuting Da’Quan Johnson of Pennsauken, New Jersey
Quian Davis (2-0-1, 1KO) of Mays Landing, NJ will fight Soloman Maye (1-6-1, 1 KO) of New Haven, CT in a Heavyweight out.
Lightweight Anthony Burgin (9-1, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will fight Curtis Morton(4-5-4) of Harlem, NY.
Also on the card will be  the pro debut of Bantamweight Leroy Davila of New Brunswick, New Jersey battling fellow pro debuter Dominic Whitehurst of Chillicothe, OH.
Davila, who had over 60 amateur fights was ranked second in the United States in his weight class.
.
Lawrence Newton (3-0, 3 KO’s) of Florida will take on an opponent to be named
Tickets are $125 for premium, $77 Ringside stage and $52 reserved and are available at www.risingboxingpromotions.com or 609-487-4444
Facebook.com/risingstarboxing
Instagram: @risingpromo
  

Shumenov stops Wright in 10th round of WBA cruiserweight world title fight

LAS VEGAS (May 21, 2016) – World Boxing Association (WBA) “regular” cruiserweight world champion Beibut Shumenov (17-2, 10 KOs) stopped No. 11-rated Junior “Hurricane” Wright (15-2-1, 12 KOs) in the 10th round tonight at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
Shumenov, a former WBA light heavyweight world champion, is first two-division world champion from a Soviet-bloc country.  The native of Kazakhstan, fighting out of Las Vegas, also earned the right to challenge unified WBA Super/ International Boxing Federation (IBF) cruiserweight world champion Denis Lebedev (29-2, 22 KOs) within 120 days, as mandated by the WBA.
Team Shumenov celebrates
Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page atwww.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

Hernandez shocks Magomedov John Vera stops Joey Ruelas Teenage sensation Devin Haney shines

(all pictures by Manny Murillo / RJJ Boxing Promotions
LAS VEGAS (May 21, 2016) – Determined Phoenix middleweight Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez shocked heavy favorite Arif “The Pedator” Magomedov in tonight’s main event on the “Knockout Night at the D” card, which aired live on CBS Sports Network from under the neon lights at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC) outdoor venue.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegasand DLVEC, is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.  Tonight’s event was promoted in association with Main Events and Shamo Boxing Promotions.
Before a sold-out crowd, Hernandez (12-4-1, 4 KOs) pounded world-rated middleweight Magomedov (17-1, 10 KOs), winning a unanimous 10-round decision (100-89 twice, 98-91) for the vacant USNBC middleweight title.  Hernandez hurt Magomedov in the third and seventh rounds, finally dropping the tough Russian (WBA #2, WB) #3, WBA #5 and IBF #14) in the 10th.
“This fight changes everything for me,” Hernandez proclaimed.  “He’s very good and deserves all of the accolades he’s received but I now have my head on straight and I’m focused.  My jab was very important tonight.  He’s very strong but I wanted to fight him inside because I knew he couldn’t take it from me.  I was very prepared.  I think I may have broken my ankle in the fourth round but I kept going.  I wanted to finish him, get the knockout, but he’s a very tough fighter.  He has heart and showed why he has all of those accolades.”
Four weeks ago, Hernandez was preparing to fight as a cruiserweight.  He lost 40 pounds to make weight for this middleweight fight in what turned out to be one of the biggest upsets of the year.

 (L-R) — Arif Magomedov & Andrew Hernandez
Southpaw super welterweights John “The Phenom” Vera (14-0, 9 KOs), of Fort Worth, and Phoenix’ Joey “Boxer” Ruelas (10-2-1, 4 KOs) went toe-to-toe from the opening bell and they never let up in the co-feature.  Vera exploded in the round of this firestorm, battering the game Ruelas around, until referee Jay Nady halted the action in the sixth round.  Vera remained undefeated and retained his NABA-USA title.
“I knew eventually he’d put his hands down and I’d catch him,” Vera explained.  “I thank him for the opportunity to fight.  He’s helluva fighter, I give him that, but I know I’m a warrior.  I took some shots but gave ’em, too. I broke him down and just kept throwing those lefts.”
(L-R) – John Vera & Joey Ruelas
In the TV opener, boxing prodigy Devin “The Dream” Haney (6-0, 4 KOs) made history as the 17-year-old – a junior in high school – became the youngest American professional boxer to fight on national television. The Floyd Mayweather, Sr.-trained Haney, fighting out of Las Vegas in front of his rapidly growing fan-base, showcased his vast skills against previously undefeated Mexican invader Jairo “El Leon” Vargas (Fernandez), unloading 14 unanswered punches for a 4th round technical knockout victoryNady stopped the fight without counting when a badly hurt Vargas (4-1, 3 KOs) hit the deck hard.
“I happy that I put on a good performance for my fans,” Haney commented after the fight.  “My team put together the strategy to use my jab and breakdown his body.  I picked up my combinations did what I was told to do.”
   (L-R) — Devin Haney & Jairo Vargas
In a battle of Texas junior welterweights, Tony Lopez (11-1, 4 KOs) dropped previously unbeaten Jerren “Hardknocks” Cochran (11-1-1, 4 KOs) twice with lefts in the opening round and finished him off in the second, knocking him out cold with a punishing right.
“Two mores seconds and I would have finished him off in the first,” Lopez remarked.  “My corner told me that, after the lefts, come back with a right. They gave me the game plan and I executed.”
(L-R) Tony Lopez & Jerren Cochran
In the opening bout, Las Vegas favorite Jeremy “J-Flash” Nichols (4-0, 2 KOs) dominated Puerto Rican welterweight Julio “El Indio” Santos (2-3, 1 KO) on his way to a win by unanimous 4-round decision.
“I know I could have done a little better, throwing more combinations and jab,” Nichols said.  “He came in trying but he couldn’t fight.  I sent him back to Puerto Rico with a loss.”
(L-R) Jeremy Nichols & Julio Santos
“Knockout Night at the D” returns to the DLVEC Friday night, June 10, on CBS Sports Network.  USNBC lightweight champion Demond “Body Shot” Brock (11-3-1, 4 KOs) defends his title against former USNBC 135-pound title holder Chuy “Hurrican” Gutierrez in the 10-round main event.
 
OFFICIAL RESULTS
(Winner listed first)
MAIN EVENT – MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Andrew Hernandez (12-4-1, 3 KOs), Phoenix, Arizona
WDEC10 (100-89, 100-89, 98-91)
Arif Magomedov (17-1, 10 KOs), Chekhov, Russia
(Hernandez won vacant USNBC middleweight title)
CO-FEATURE – SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS
John “The Phenom” Vera (14-0, 9 KOs), Champion, Fort Worth, Texas
WTKO6 (1:17)
Joey “Boxer” Ruelas (10-2-1, 4 KOs), Challenger, Phoenix, Arizona
(Vera won or retained USNBC super welterweight title)
JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHTS
Tony Lopez (11-1, 4 KOs), Dallas, TX
WKO2 (0:22)
Jerren Cochran (11-1-1, 4 KOs), Houston, TX
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Devin Haney (6-0, 4 KOs), Las Vegas, Nevada
WTKO4 (1:34)
Jairo Fernandez (4-1, 3 KOs), Veracruz, Mexico
WELTERWEIGHTS
Jeremy Nichols (4-0, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, Nevada
WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 39-37)
Julio Santos (2-3, 1 KO), Ponce, Puerto Rico
 
 
“Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media
TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series
Idea Design Studio is the main sponsor
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvec, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJRFA
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJRFA
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @johnverajr, @joey_ruelas, @jerrencochran, @jflashgang (Nichols), @Realdevinhaney

CHARLO BROTHERS MAKE BOXING HISTORY

JERMALL AND JERMELL BECOME FIRST TWINS TO HOLD WORLD TITLES SIMULTANEOUSLY IN SAME WEIGHT CLASS; ERISLANDY LARA RETAINS WBA 154-POUND CHAMPIONSHIP WITH UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN OVER VANES MARTIROSYAN SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME®

 

Jermall Charlo Retains IBF Junior Middleweight Belt With 12-Round Decision Over Austin Trout, Jermell Charlo Wins WBC Super Welterweight Crown With

Eighth-Round Knockout Over John Jackson at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

 

Catch The Replay Monday, May 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME®

 

Click HERE To Download Photos; Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

 

Click HERE To Download Photos; Stephanie Trapp/Mayweather Promotions

 

LAS VEGAS (May 21, 2016) – On a night Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara successfully defended his WBA Super Welterweight Championship with a hard-fought 12-round unanimous decision over Vanes “The Nightmare” Martirosyan, undefeated brothers Jermall and Jermell Charlo, of Houston, became the first twins in boxing history to hold world titles in the same weight class.

 

Jermall Charlo (24-0, 18 KOs) retained his IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship with a unanimous 12-round decision over former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout (30-3, 17 KOs) of Las Cruces, N.M., in the second of three world title fights on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

 

In the opening bout of the three fight telecast, Jermell Charlo (28-0, 13 KOs) earned the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World Championship by rallying from five points down to register an eighth-round knockout over John “Da Rock” Jackson (20-3, 15 KOs), of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands (Video highlights: http://s.sho.com/1VeFFVq).

 

Lara outpointed Martirosyan in the main event by the scores of 116-111 twice and 115-112. There were no knockdowns. Martirosyan had a point deducted for a low blow in the 11th in a rematch of a May 2012 fight that ended in a technical draw.

 

Born one minute apart, the identical twins celebrated their 26th birthday this past Thursday, May 19. Jermall is one minute older than Jermell.

 

Jermall Charlo stuck to his game plan and fought behind his jab, throwing 292 jabs and connecting at an 18 percent clip.  It was a balanced attack from both fighters, but the power and accuracy from the physically bigger Charlo was a difference.

 

“It wasn’t a struggle, it was a great experience,” said Charlo after his second successful title defense. “I want to thank God for allowing me and my twin brother to see this day.  History.

 

“Austin is a hell of a fighter.  He’s a beast. This was my first time going 12, but it didn’t matter because I knew I was in shape.

 

“My game plan was to execute with the jab.  I knew he was going to try to stop me, but that didn’t happen. There’s no way you can tame a lion.

 

“It felt good because I knew my brother would get the job done.  We belong on this level.  We need these titles to get the big fights and we’re going to keep these titles to keep rising.

 

“I changed my mind — we’re going to stay right here (at 154). Making 154 pounds wasn’t as bad as everyone made it out to be.”

 

“Hat’s off to Jermall Charlo.  He fought a hell of a fight,” Austin Trout said. “I felt like I did enough to win.  They won’t give me a close decision, so it’s time to start taking these cats out.  But I can’t make excuses.  I fought my ass off, Charlo fought his ass off and hats off to him.

 

“I’m going to live to fight another day.  You’re going to see me back.  We’re warriors out here.’’

 

Two minutes into the eighth round, Jermell Charlo, trailing 69-64 on the three judges’ scorecards, landed a perfect counter right hand to Jackson’s left eye. As Jackson dropped his guard to insure his mouthpiece was in place, Jermell connected with two more right hands that sent Jackson falling forward into his corner.  Defenseless and seemingly out on his feet, referee Tony Weeks stepped in immediately and stopped it at 0:51.

 

“It’s history,” said Jermell, who entered the match as the WBC No. 1 contender and became the 66th ShoBox: The New Generation fighter to capture a world title.

 

“We did it. A lot of fighters don’t come out of Houston and we did it.  I’m waiting for my brother next. We’ve been boxing for all of these years and it had to happen.

 

“I was behind.  He was boxing, he was moving around a lot.  That was unexpected of him.  I thought he was going to come out to brawl.  I had to make an adjustment and I did.

 

“When he started slowing down, I was able to catch him with a shot.  I knew that if he could have continued he could have come back so I had to hit him.”

 

While both were selective with their punches, throwing just 427 combined shots through eight and a half rounds, Jermell was the more accurate fighter.  The new WBC champ landed 23 percent of his total punches, including 34 percent of his power shots against Jackson.

“It was a journey to get here,” said Jackson, the WBC’s No. 2 contender going in and son of former world champion Julian “The Hawk” Jackson.

 

“I feel like I was ahead and I came up short.  He caught me with a punch and I was trying to fix my mouthpiece.  Then he hit me and I was out.  It hit me in the eye, but my mouthpiece was coming out.  I was trying to push in my mouthpiece back in and he hit me.  I knew where I was.  It dazed me, but I wasn’t knocked out.

 

“It’s boxing.  It was a great fight.  I felt I was winning the fight, I got caught and that was it.

 

“I dedicated the fight to my dad and I hope I didn’t let him down.  I fell short.  You win some and you lose some.”

 

Said the elder Jackson: “I’m proud. It took a lot for us to get this far.  I know my people are proud.  We are strong people and we are coming back.”

 

SHOWTIME’s Steve Farhood called the Lara vs. Martirosyan rematch “a typical Lara fight.”

 

“As usual Lara’s style is extremely difficult for the judges to score,” Farhood said. “He’s so selective with his punches, yet he lands such a high percentage of them. And to make it even more difficult, a lot of Martirosyan’s body punches were blocked. The judges agreed on seven of the 12 rounds. It clearly was a close fight and what got Lara over the top was the 10-8 score in round 11.

 

“We benefit from the use of replay. Watching the punch that brought the deduction on replay, I believe that it wasn’t a low blow.

 

“Lara did what Lara does. Martirosyan fought about as well as he could. The difference was Lara’s accuracy and ring generalship. I think Martirosyan’s competitiveness made it a good fight.”

 

Lara, 33, was making his fourth title defense. “This is normal,” said Lara who landed 60 percent of the 160-plus power punches. “This is boxing, not baseball.  Low blows and headbutts happen. I’m a very intelligent fighter and at no point did I feel this fight was going to be lost.

 

“My mother and kids are still there so it would be a great privilege to go fight in my native Cuba.  Everything is possible in this world.  I didn’t think I’d be champion of the world and here I am.

 

“I want to tell Team Vanes thank you for giving me the rematch.  I’m ready to fight anybody.  I’d like to fight Canelo.

 

“The Charlo brothers are my teammates and having three of us going back as champions is a great thing.”

 

Martirosyan, the aggressor throughout, disputed the decision.

 

“I was chasing him all night,” he said. “I put on the pressure. I thought I did enough to win. That was not a low blow.  Replays show the trunks were high.

 

“I never ducked anyone.  No one wanted to fight Lara.  I stepped up and fought him again.  I’ll fight anyone.”

 

Undefeated IBF No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger Julian “J Rock” Williams (22-0-1, 14 KOs), was interviewed between fights by SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s BrianCuster. Williams, of Philadelphia, has been calling out the Charlo Twins.

 

“I can’t get the fights I deserve,” Williams said. “But I’ve got a good team. I have Al Haymon and he got me the mandatory for the winner of Charlo-Trout. Guys know it’s a rough fight if they step in with me.  And they know 99 percent of the time they will lose.

 

“Jermall Charlo is an undefeated champion. I’m undefeated. That’s what boxing is all about – two young, hungry champions going at it in their primes. So, I am interested in fighting Jermall Charlo.”

 

On Charlo saying he’s sick of reading your tweets and he’d like to shut you up…

 

“Well, he doesn’t have to wait much longer so he doesn’t have any choice now,” Williams said. “I’m the mandatory and if he wins, we are going to fight next.”

 

Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME telecast, with Mauro Ranallo calling the action, Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggicommentating and Jim Gray reporting. In the Spanish simulcast, Alejandro Luna called the blow-by-blow and former world champion Raul Marquez served as color commentator. The executive producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING was David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

 

# # #

 

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com and www.mayweatherpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LaraBoxing, @VanesBoxing, @FutureOfBoxing, @NoDoubtTrout, @TwinCharlo, @MayweatherPromo and @Swanson_Comm, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxingand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions

 

Holden Productions Looks to Add to Four State Franchise; On Worldwide Search

Miami, OK (May 21, 2016) – Promoter Tony Holden is searching the globe for prospects he believes can develop into world champions.
Currently, Holden’s company Holden Productions promotes five local boxers known as the “Four State Franchise” and they routinely sell out the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, OK. The members of the “Four State Franchise” are unbeaten heavyweights Trey Lippe-Morrison and his step brother Kenzie Witt along with undefeated junior middleweight Jarrett Rouse and the Cook Brothers Dillon and Jesse.
Holden also promoted a number of big name fighters in the past including former heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison, boxing legends Naseem Hamed and Johnny Tapia, top contender Joe Mesi and world title challengers Allen Green and Zahir Raheem.
With many changes taking place in the boxing business and great local support for his fighters in the Sooner State, Holden’s expanding his horizons. Ultimately, his goal is to find the right fighter or fighters to compliment the “Four State Franchise” while also making them crowd attractions.
There are so many great fighters out there, many in places where people aren’t looking,” said Holden. “When I co-promoted the Showtime card here in March, we had two very talented Russian fighters on our card. Both fighters look like future world champions but still have gone a bit under the radar from a recognition standpoint. One of those fighters, Ivan Baranchyk, is somebody I believe would be a perfect fit.”
Ultimately, Holden is confident in his ability to scout talent and believes he’ll find the right boxers for his stable.
I’ve had all kinds of people reach out to me from trainers to managers and other promoters. I’m currently reviewing the fighters presented to me, carefully scouting each of them and putting together a list of fighters I plan to meet with. We will definitely be making some significant moves in the very near future.”