Tag Archives: boxing

Unbeaten Gibbs to meet Perry May 21 at Firelake Casino in OK

May 21 Fight Poster.jpg
For Immediate Release
Oklahoma City, OK (April 6, 2016) – Bo “Hands of War” Gibbs Jr. looks to take another step in the right direction when he defends his Oklahoma State middleweight championship against experienced Abel “Truth Serum” Perry Saturday, May 21 at the Firelake Arena in Shawnee, OK.
The card is promoted by HD Boxing and tickets can be purchased on Firelakearena.com and HDBoxing.net or by calling 405-273-1637.
Living and fighting out of Carney, OK, Gibbs Jr. is 15-0 with 7 victories by knockout. As an amateur, he excelled locally en route to competing in the US National Championships and National Golden Gloves tournament. On January 9, he outpointed veteran Delray Raines over ten rounds at the Firelake Arena to capture the Oklahoma State title. At 24 years old, Gibbs Jr. is progressing nicely in the paid ranks and is aiming to become a player at 160 pounds in the near future.
A pro for more than ten years, Perry is one of Gibbs’ craftiest foes to date. He’s faced the likes of Jonathan Gonzalez, James De La Rosa, Grady Brewer and Cecil McCalla. In 2007 he scored a career best win, shutting out previously unbeaten Skylar Thompson (11-0) in Washington State. Perry also owns a victory over Kevin Rooney protégé Jay Krupp. Born in Alaska and based in Arkansas, Perry has a solid 18-8 record and is well regarded in the Sooner State.
Abel’s fought ten times in Oklahoma and the fans here know that he can really fight,” said Bobby Dobbs of HD Boxing. “He is definitely better than his record indicates since he’s not one to turn down opportunities against quality opposition. Bo told me that he wants to continue facing better opponents every time out but Abel believes Bo’s bit off more than he can chew here. I’m really looking forward to this one!”
Shawnee junior middleweight Dennis Knifechief meets fellow Oklahoman Jesse Comer of Norman in a six round rematch. In August 2015, Knifechief and Comer put on one of the most exciting bouts in recent memory, which Knifechief taking a split decision. Both fighters are confident there will be no doubt as to who the victor is this time around.
Welterweight Martin Morales, 3-1 (2 KO’s), goes for his fourth straight win when he faces an opponent to be named in a four round contest.
Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
For more information and updates, please visit HDBoxing.net

Boxers needed for Gleason’s Gym Amateur Boxing Show Saturday Evening, April 16th

Boxers are needed for our next amateur show on Saturday April 16th. It is only 10 days away.
Anybody with an up to date boxing book can participate.
Men, Women, Juniors, Seniors and Masters.
Join us on, Saturday evening the 16th of April and enjoy the excitement of amateur boxing at the grass roots level.
The weigh-in for this show will begin at 4:00PM and the first bout will begin at 6:00PM.
All our bouts are sanctioned by USABoxingMetro. All boxers must have their boxing book with them in order to participate.
The ticket price is $20 per person. Children 6 and under are not charged. All gym members and registered amateurs with their books in hand pay $15 per person.
P.S. If you can’t make it but still want to see the fights, they’ll be streaming at
Gleason’s Gym website: www.gleasonsgym.net

 

SHOWTIME SPORTS® CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF 30 YEARS OF SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® WITH THROWBACK THURSDAY “FIGHTS OF THE YEAR” IN APRIL

FIGHTS OF THE YEAR

 April 7: JORGE CASTRO vs. JOHN DAVID JACKSON I (1994)

April 14: LUCAS MATTHYSEE vs. JOHN MOLINA JR. (2014)

April 21: DIEGO CORRALES vs. JOSE LUIS CASTILLO I (2005)

April 28: PAULIE AYALA vs. JOHNNY TAPIA I (1999)

 

Click HERE To Watch The Round Of The Year (9th) From 1994’s Fight Of The Year – JORGE CASTRO vs. JOHN DAVID JACKSON I:http://s.sho.com/1SyzVjH

NEW YORK (April 6, 2016) – SHOWTIME Sports® presents its latest installment of a year-long salute commemorating 30 years of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® with “Fights of the Year” in April on SHO EXTREME®.

 

The fourth round of a 12-month tribute will be highlighted by four of the most rousing and unforgettable fights in boxing history:

  • Jorge Castro vs. John David Jackson I – 1994 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year (Round 9 earned Round of the Year honors)
  • Paulie Ayala vs. Johnny Tapia I – 1999 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year (Ayala earned Fighter of the Year honors)
  • Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo I – 2005 Consensus Fight of the Year (Round 10 earned Round of the Year honors)
  • Lucas Matthysse vs. John Molina Jr. – 2014 Boxing Writers Association of America Fight of the Year.

 

The four celebrated battles will air on “Throwback Thursdays” all month at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHO EXTREME and are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service.  Each fight will be wrapped with brief context and commentary from SHOWTIME Sports ring announcer and International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Lennon Jr.

 

Below is the schedule of SHOWTIME EXTREME premieres for the month of April:

  • Thursday, April 7: Jorge Castro vs. John David Jackson I
  • Thursday, April 14: Lucas Matthysse vs. John Molina Jr.
  • Thursday, April 21: Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo I
  • Thursday, April 28: Paulie Ayala vs. Johnny Tapia I

 

Castro-Jackson I (Dec. 10, 1994, Castro KO 9) –Castro, thoroughly battered, bloodied and losing by a wide margin, rallies from the absolute brink of defeat to score three knockdowns in the ninth round to overcome Jackson in one of the most dramatic turnarounds ever.

 

Ayala-Tapia I (June 26, 1999, Ayala W 12) – In some of the fiercest two-way action in the history of Las Vegas boxing, southpaw Ayala hands Tapia his first professional loss in 49 fights and captures the WBA bantamweight title by the scores of 115-114 and 116-113 twice. Game On: As the boxers were being announced, Tapia walked across the ring and shoved Ayala causing a momentary skirmish.

 

Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo I (May 7, 2005, Corrales TKO 10) — After nine intense, back-and-forth rounds, Corrales accomplishes the unthinkable, miraculously regrouping from two knockdowns in the 10th to stop Castillo in the same round (2:06) and etch his spot in boxing lore. After managing to beat the count (and lose a point for excessive spitting out of the mouthpiece), Corrales got Castillo on the ropes and connected with a huge right hand. He continued to unload and Castillo got nailed with a bundle of vicious punches. Moments later, the ref stopped it.

 

Lucas Matthysse-John Molina Jr. (April 26, 2014, Matthysse KO 11) — Abloody slugfest, in which both fighters were knocked down multiple times,became an instant classic.  Matthysse who went down in the second and fifth rounds, came back with a late-fight onslaught to wear down and drop Molina in the eighth, 10th and 11th rounds.  The tremendous brawl was as brutal as it was exciting and more compelling to witness than anyone could have imagined.

 

# # #

 

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel, and offers Smithsonian Earththrough SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

 

Eric Hunter in London, Ready to Take Selby’s IBF Featherweight Title This Saturday

 

Upcoming world title challenger Eric “The Outlaw’ Hunter is in London and feeling more motivated now than ever to take the title away from Welsh champion Lee Selby.
A proud Philadelphia fighter, Hunter (21-3, 11 KOs) will face Selby (22-1, 8 KOs) in a 12-round battle this Saturday, April 9, for Selby’s IBF World Featherweight Championship at The O2 in London. The bout will serve as the featured fight before undefeated IBF Heavyweight World Champion Charles Martin defends his belt against fellow unbeaten Anthony Joshua. Extensive highlights of Hunter vs. Selby will be shown on SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL®, prior to live coverage of Martin-Joshua (LIVE on SHOWTIME® at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT).
“I wasn’t invited to the open workout yesterday,” said Hunter. “They had an open workout for Selby and didn’t have one for me. I’m kind of irritated about that. It’s not even fair to the fans, you know? I’m sure that a lot of fans wanted to see who their man is fighting. I have no choice but to use it as fuel for even more motivation.”
The 29-year-old Hunter, in Europe for the first time, says he doesn’t mind travelling to win this championship. In fact, despite being an underdog via the odds makers, Hunter says his victory won’t be an upset. “I won’t call it an upset when I win. I’m the better fighter. And it doesn’t bother me to come here. All the great ones had to do it. I want to be great, so I have to do this. As long as they don’t cheat me with the judges, I’m ok.”
Hunter says his victory will be the culmination of his lifelong dream. “It would mean everything. It would right my wrongs. All those who doubted me. All my failures and letdowns on the way here. It will turn all my negatives into positives.”

“The Dragon” to be unleashed April 16th    Live on CBS Sports Network from DLVEC in Las Vegas 

 

LAS VEGAS (April 5, 2016) – The April 16th10-round main event between Canadian welterweight Steve “The Dragon” Claggett and South Africa-native Chris “The Heat” Van Heerden embodies the “Knockout Night at the D” philosophy in terms of featuring  action fighters in evenly matched, entertaining bouts.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegas andDowntown Las Vegas Events Center(DLVEC), is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.
The Apr. 16th “Knockout Night at the D” event will air Saturday night, April 16 (8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET), live on CBS Sports Network from under the neon lights at the DLVEC outdoor venue.
The broadcast team includes Jim “JR” Ross, Sean Wheelock and former world champion Kevin “The Flushing Flash” Kelley. Joe Martinez is the ring announcer.
Claggett vs. Van Heerden is a crossroads fight for both boxers with critical consequences, especially for the winner who will use it as an invaluable springboard for his boxing career.
The 26-year-old Claggett (23-3-1, 16 KOs), who is the reigning Canadian Professional Boxing Council and Canadian welterweight champion, is thrilled to be fighting in Las Vegas for the first time.  “It’s a dream come true,” he explained.  “I’ve trained in Las Vegas often but now it’s time to show what I can do there in a fight.  A win will open many doors for me and could potentially lead to a path that will set up the rest of my boxing life.  Needless to say, I am focused and prepared for the opportunity.”
VIDEO PROMO LINK:
Claggett, as well as Van Heerden, are known as high-action fighters, throwing punches in bunches, and something eventually has to give.  Van Heerden (23-1-1, 12 KOs), fighting out of Santa Monica (CA), is a former International Boxing Organization (IBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion.
“Van Heerden is a rangy, quick and active fighter,” Claggett said.  “I have an action style but, for many years, I was strictly a pressure fighter with a good body shot.  Nowadays, though, I have a couple of more tricks up my sleeve.  His heart and durability have been shown and is to be respected.  This match-up is sure to produce some good exchanges.  I expect this to be a high-action fight between two hungry fighters with him coming off a loss (to unbeaten rising star Errol Spence Jr. last September) and me coming off more than one fight falling through.  This is a great match up.  He is similar to the style of (Konstantin)Ponomarev (who Claggett lost an 8-round decision to last year) with range and movement.  And that motivates me!”
Undefeated Lancaster, California welterweight Neeco “Rooster” Macias (11-0, 4 KOs) meets Limberth “Lightning” Ponce, Jr. (10-2, 8 KOs), of Rock Island, Illinois, in the 8-round co-feature.  Unbeaten Baltimore welterweight prospect Malik “Iceman” Hawkins(6-0, 5 KOs) faces Errol Sidney (6-1-2, 2 KOs), of New Orleans, in a 6-round bout to open the television broadcast.
The undercard also features promising Las Vegas-based prospects in four-round bouts: welterweight Jeremy “J Flash” Nichols (2-0, 2 KOs), featherweight Sal Lopez (2-0) and junior featherweight Randy Moreno (1-0, 1 KO).
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $149.99 VIP ringside, $119.00 ringside, $74.99 seated and $29.99 rear seated, are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.DLVEC.com.  Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 6:00 p.m. PT.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media.
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.
TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series.
 
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvec, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJRFA
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJRFA
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @SDragonClaggett, @TheHeat001 (Van Heerden), @Limbo_1991 (Ponce), @mhawk0_6 (Hawkins)

BERNARDO AND MENARD READY FOR THEIR CROSSROADS BATTLE ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION, LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (April 5, 2016) – Dominican lightweight Eudy “AK47” Bernardo and his opponent, Louisiana’s Mason “Rock Hard Mighty” Menard are nearing the peak of their training for their Friday, April 15, showdown on ShoBox: The New Generation.
The eight-round Bernardo vs. Menard fight will serve as the co-main event on a quadrupleheader on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
In the April 15, 10-round main event, IBF No. 10-ranked bantamweight Nikolay Potapov (14-0, 6 KOs), of Podolsk, Russia, will take on Stephon Young (14-0-2, 6 KOs), of St. Louis, Mo.. In the other televised bouts, Russian cruiserweight Alexey Zubov (10-0, 6 KOs) will face Constantin Bejenaru (10-0, 4 KOs, WSB: 0-1-1) of Mandilesti, Moldova, over eight rounds; and in the eight-round junior welterweight telecast opener, Kazakhstan’s Bakhtiyar “Bakha Bullet” Eyubov (10-0, 10 KOs), of Brooklyn, takes on also undefeated Courtney Jackson (8-0, 6 KOs) of Homestead, Fla.
Tickets for the event presented by Salita Promotions in association with AASHA Record Breakers are currently on sale and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, by calling 877.833.SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster.com. They are priced at $60 for ringside seats, $35 and $25.
The 29-year-old Bernardo (21-0, 15 KOs) of Santo Domingo, is hard at work at Hank’s Gym in Houston, with his trainer, former IBF World Middleweight Champion Frank Tate.
“I’m in great shape. I feel strong,” said Bernardo via translator. “I’ve learned so much from Frank Tate and I’m proud to be working with him. He’s a great trainer. I’m learning to throw better combinations and I’ve improved my defense, my jab, and my foot movement since we teamed up.”
Bernardo says he still doesn’t know much about opponent Menard, but isn’t worried about it. “I watched a few of his fights on YouTube, but I’m training for anything that comes my way. Everything is going to go great for me that night. It’s my ring that night and I will have my way. I will win.”
This is opportunity is a long-time coming for the 29-year-old and he says he plans on making the most of it. “I’m very excited about fighting on ShoBox and I look forward to putting on a show.  I’ve been waiting for long time for this opportunity and want to thank Dmitriy Salita for making it happen.”
The 27-year-old Menard (30-1-0, 22 KOs), from Rayne, La., is rated No. 15 by the WBA at 135 pounds.  He’s training at Red Lerille’s Health & Racquet Club in Lafayette with trainer and former fighter “Bad” Chad Broussard.
“I’ve learned how to be a better person in and out of the ring from Chad,” said Menard. “I’ve been with him for nine years. I’ve learned how to put punches together better and sit on my shots more. I’ve learned how to cut angles. I’ve learned so much from Chad.”
Menard says despite the usual aches and pain experienced in camp he is 100 percent and training is going well. The only adjustments he’s made is to bring in taller sparring partners.
“This is huge for me,” he continued. “This is the ‘get up or lay down’ type of fight. If I get up, then the sky is the limit. If I fall, then maybe it’s time to look for a job. I’m going to get in there and do what I have to do. Hopefully I get the KO, but if it goes to the scorecards, I just want the win. No matter which way it goes.”
Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer isGordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
# # #
About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series,ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBoxphilosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 65 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.
About Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

5th annual New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2016 inducted in festive ceremony 

NYSBHOF Class of 2015
Boxers
World welterweight champion (’90-91) Aaron “Superman” Davis,                                                 Bronx
World junior welterweight champion (’93-94) Charles “The Natural” Murray                                 Buffalo
Two-time world lightweight title challenger Vilomar Fernandez                                                      Bronx
World lightweight title challenger Edwin Viruet.                                                               New York City
(Deceased)
4-time, 3-division world champion Hector “Macho” Camacho                                        Spanish Harlem
World middleweight champion (1952) Rocky Graziano                                                             Brooklyn
World lightweight (’25-26) titlist Rocky Kansas                                                                           Buffalo
2-time world bantamweight titleholder Joe Lynch                                                                      Brooklyn
“Uncrowned welterweight champion” Joe Miceli                                                                         Buffalo
Non-Participants
International Boxing Hall of Fame executive director Ed Brophy                                             Canastota
Promoter Joe DeGuardia                                                                                                            Bronx
Commissioner/media personality Randy Gordon                                                                       Melville
Promoter/manager Dennis Rappaport                                                                                      Queens
(Deceased)
Manager Howie Albert                                                                                                               Bronx
Trainer/cutman Freddie Brown                                                                                            Manhattan
New York City television commentator Howard Cosell                                                    New York City
Boxer/referee Ruby Goldstein                                                                                             Manhattan
Manager Jimmy Jacobs
NYSBHOF Class of 2016 (L-R):  Seated – Vilomar Fernandez, Dennis Rappaport, Randy Gordon and Ed Brophy; Standing:  Aaron Davis and Joe DeGuardia
-All pictures by Peter Frutkoff-
NEW YORK (April 5, 2016) – More than 300 people packed Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, NY this past Sunday for the fifth annual New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) induction dinner.
Each inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his induction into the NYSBHOF.  Plaques are on display at the New York State Athletic Commission.
The 2016 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members:  Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Don Majeski, Henry Hascup, Ron McNair, Angelo Prospero and Neil Terens.
All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years in order to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers or during the prime of their respective career.
(L-R) – NYSBHOF/Ring 8 president Bob Duffy, Don Majeski, Ed Brophy and Jill Diamond (WBC)
 
Ed Brophy:  “I’d like to thank the committee of the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame and Ring 8, a wonderful group that sponsors the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.  I’m so proud to have been born in New York, in the small town of Canastota, where boxing is in our blood.  I’m thrilled to be honored today.  My name is attached to the International Boxing Hall of Fame as director, but so many different people help out.  I only accept this honor on their behalf.  Boxing is the greatest sport.  Congratulations to all of the inductees.  This is the greatest day of my life.”
  (L-R) – Ron McNair, Aaron Davis and Bob Duffy
 
Aaron Davis:  Thanks, Ring 8.  Boxing is a hard sport.  It was much harder in the gym.  I saw Gerry Cooney, Iran Barkley and Roberto Duran and wanted to do what those guys did and it made me a fighter I was.  I’d like to thank my father and Billy Giles, who was my trainer. I’d also like to thank Joe DeGuardia, who managed me later in my career, and thanks to everybody who supported me.”
 
(L-R) — Bob Duffy, Dennis Rappaport and family
 
Dennis Rappaport:  “It seems like yesterday when a six or seven year old living in Brooklyn watched a fight between Jake LaMotta and Jim Hairston.  This young man was mesmerized.  The next month he watchedSugar Ray Robinson knockout Rocky Graziano and that was the start of a love affair that’s lasted 63 years.  Boxing, at its best, is poetry in motion.  It’s Shapespeare, Picasso, Rembrandt.  But it can also be crude.  I started in boxing managing three fighters:  Ronnie Harris, Gerry Cooney and Howard Davis. Jr.  Because of the creative marketing of our fighters, one reporter called me and my partner, Mike Jones, ‘The Gold Dust Twins’ but then the media starting calling us, ‘The Wacko Twins.’ I preferred ‘The Gold Dust Twins.”

(L-R – Jack Hirsch, Joe DeGuardia and Bob Duffy
Joe DeGuardia:  It’s a real pleasure, honor and privilege to be inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.  Like many of you here, I live and bleed boxing, which has been a big part of my life.  Four months ago, I received the (Ring 8 at its Holiday awards dinner) Promoter of the Year award.  I said then that we are truly a family of boxing; it’s a real brotherhood.  I also talked about how boxing tied into lire.  In that room – not with us now – was my father who passed away three weeks ago.  Because of him, I developed this love of boxing that I’ve carried in life: work hard to do the best you can in life.  I’m truly honored to be inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.  In honor of my father and everybody else who loves this sport.  I accept on behalf of my father who, I know, is watching us now.”
(L-R) – Charles Murray and Bob Duffy
 
Charles Murray:  “They called me, ‘The Natural.’  I appreciate this, being honored for my contributions to boxing.  Thank you very much.”
  (L-R) – Steve Farhood, Vilomar Fernandez and Bob Duffy
 
Vilomar Fernandez:  “It wasn’t easy fighting guys like Roberto Duran and Alexis Arguello.  They were the best in the world.  I’m thankful for the opportunities to fight them, I’m honored today.”
  (L-R) – Henry Hascup, Randy Gordon, Melvina Lathan, Bob Duffy and Gerry Cooney
Randy Gordon:  “Thank you, everyone.  This amazing event we have every year, I never expected this would happen.  My career was born out of the aches of one of boxing’s biggest scandals, the US Championships on ABC, promoted by Don King, and Ring Magazine produced the ratings for the tournament.  It turned out the ratings and some of the records were padded and it just about knocked Ring Magazine out of business. Bert Randolph Sugar hired me to be its Editor In Chief.  Working together, we brought Ring Magazine back from the dead.  I burst into tears when Jack Hirsch called to tell me I was being inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.  This is an absolute dream.  Anybody who has ever or will ever be inducted into any hall of fame, nobody can possibly enjoy this more than me.  I love boxing with every ounce of my body.  My wife and family drive me back into boxing.  This is the greatest honor.  I can’t get enough of boxing.  I’m truly the luckiest man ever placed on this planet.”
 (L-R) – Ed Brophy, Don Majeski, Jack Hirsch and Joe DeGuardia
NYSAC Executive Director Dave Berlin and Harold Lederman
 
(L-R) – Joe DeGuardia and NYSBHOF/Ring 8 president Bob Duffy
 
CLASS of 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve Acunto, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Nat Fleischer, Bill Gallo and Arthur Mercante, Sr.
CLASS of 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum,  Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano,  Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard and Don Dunphy.
 
CLASS OF 2014:  Floyd Patterson, Tracy Harris Patterson, Billy Backus, Kevin Kelley, Juan LaPorte, Gerry Cooney, Mustafa Hamsho, Howard Davis, Jr., Lou Ambers, Jack Britton, Terry McGovern, Teddy Atlas, Lou DiBella, Steve Farhood, Gene Moore, Angelo Prospero, Whitey Bimstein, Cus D’Amato, William Muldoon and Tom O’Rourke.
CLASS OF 2015: Saoul Mamby, Joey Giambra, Johnny Persol, Harold Weston, Lonnie Bradley, Paul Berlenbach, Billy Graham, Frankie Genaro, Bob Miller, Tommy Ryan, Jimmy Slattery, Bob Duffy, Mike Katz, Tommy Gallagher, Bruce Silverglade, Charley Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon and Al Weill.

Badou Jack vs. Lucian Bute Press Conference Quotes & Photos

 
Jack vs. Bute & James DeGale vs. Rogelio Medina Doubleheader of World Title Fights Live on SHOWTIME® On Saturday, April 30
 From the DC Armory in Washington, D.C.
 
Click HERE For Photos From
Stephanie Trapp/Mayweather Promotions
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 4, 2016) – WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack and former world champion Lucian Bute hosted a media roundtable on Friday night to discuss their championship showdown taking place Saturday, April 30 from the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. and live on SHOWTIME.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with IBF Super Middleweight World Champion James DeGale defending his title against top contender and Mexican brawler Rogelio Medina.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Interbox in association with Matchroom Boxing, are priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit www.ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster locations, or call (800) 745-3000.
The fighters were joined by Mayweather Promotions’ Floyd Mayweather and Leonard Ellerbe, Interbox’s Pierre Duc and SHOWTIME’s Stephen Espinoza as they spoke to the media about the exciting doubleheader taking place in the nation’s capital.
Here is what the participants had to say Friday:
 
BADOU JACK
“I’ll be ready for this fight. Bute is a very tough opponent. I have to bring my ‘A’ game to win. Much respect to him, but he’s not leaving with my belt. Absolutely not. You can expect a very tough fight.
“Bute is a much, much tougher opponent that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but I’m ready for him.
“Bute’s fight against DeGale was one of the best fights last year. That’s the only reason he got this shot. He lost, but he looked good. It was a great fight. April 30 will be another great fight. And another loss for Bute.”
LUCIAN BUTE
“This is a great opportunity for me to fight again for a title. I feel good, I started camp six weeks ago. Most importantly, I’m very healthy. Psychologically, I’m looking forward to becoming a world champion on April 30.
“I respect Badou Jack. He is a great champion, a great fighter, but on April 30, I will become a world champion again. I’m looking forward to it.
“I will be the new champion. I am very confident. I expect it to be a very tough fight, but I am coming here to win.
“I have a new team. They are changing some things in my work. My confidence is 100 percent. I’m working every day very tough and I am confident that everything will be great for April 30.”
FLOYD MAYWEATHER, President of Mayweather Promotions
“This fight is about the best facing the best. I’ve seen Bute fight numerous times and he’s a very exciting and explosive fighter. Every time he goes out there and performs he gives 100 percent.
“Mayweather Promotions is about giving people the best and most exciting fights.
“I commend Badou Jack for the way that he carries himself. He is a true gentlemen and that is what this sport is all about. He’s going to continue to make a name for himself in this sport.”
PIERRE DUC, VP of Interbox
“We’re very thrilled about this fight. For those of you who have not been exposed to Lucian Bute before, he’s a great fighter. He’s been working extremely hard over the course of the last 6-12 months getting ready for a moment like this.
“Bute has a very long history of fighting great fights and championship wars. Lucian will be ready for this.
“Training camp is going astonishingly well. Lucian is usually more of a gentleman, so he will say he wants to do the best that he can, but I’m telling you that Lucian is going to be walking away with this belt. It’s going to be a fantastic and very exciting evening. Lucian will pull the upset on April 30.”
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive VP & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports
“The one comment I will make about this event, other than to point out it features four of the best fighters in the division, is that it was quite possibly the easiest event to make out of all the events we made this spring and summer. That’s a credit to the promoters and especially a credit to all four fighters.
“We didn’t just make two fights here. We’ve got the winners of these fights fighting later in the year in a unification match. To be able to make two fights very quickly and to get everyone on board with fighting the winners in a unification match with no mess, no politics, no arguments and no hesitation is an accomplishment.
“These are four real fighters here and they were not afraid of a challenge, they didn’t hesitate at all. This is what the sport of boxing is all about. I personally can’t wait for April 30th and for a unification later in the year.”
 
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For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.comand www.SHO.com/Sports and follow on Twitter at: @BadouJack, @ButeLucian, @JamesDeGale1, @PorkyMedina @MayweatherPromo, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions and www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland Fighting For Irish Boxing History

Russell-Hyland, Pedraza-Smith Twin World Title Fights
Saturday, April 16 Live On SHOWTIME®
 
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (April 4, 2016) – Always tough Patrick “Punisher” Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs) will be fighting for Irish boxing history Saturday, April 16 as he challenges WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) in the 12-round main event, airing live on SHOWTIME from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast kicks off at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT with undefeated IBF Super Lightweight World Champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs), of Cidra, Puerto Rico, defending against mandatory challenger Stephen “Swifty” Smith (23-1, 13 KOs), fighting out of the United Kingdom.
Hyland is on the verge of joining a pair of exclusive Irish boxing clubs. The 32-year-old from Dublin is attempting to become the first Irishman to be world featherweight champion in 30 years, since Hall-of-Famer Barry “The Clones Cyclone” McGuigan, in addition to being only the second Irishman – Wayne “The Pocket Rocket” McCullough stands alone right now– to ever wear the coveted green WBC world title belt.
McGuigan (32-3, 28 KOs), fighting out of Clones, captured the WBA Featherweight Title in 1985, taking a 12-round decision from Eusebio Pedroza, and he successfully defended his crown twice against Bernard Taylor and Danilio Cabrera before losing by decision to Steve Cruz in 1986.
The only other Ireland-born world featherweight titlist was Dave Sullivan (27-12-7, 18 KOs), who was born in Knocknanaff, County Cork, Ireland, but fought professionally out of Boston, Mass. In 1898, Sullivan stopped Solly Smith in the fifth round to become world featherweight champion.
Belfast, Northern Ireland-product McCullough (27-7, 18 KOs), who was the WBC Bantamweight Champion in 1995-97, is the lone Irishman to ever be WBC World Champion in any weight class.
“Just to be fighting for this title is an honor for me and to challenge a great champion in Gary Russell, Jr. is also an honor,” Hyland said from his training camp at Celtic Warrior Gym in Dublin. “To join great Irish boxing names is a dream come true for me. It will also mean the world to me to win this belt for my and family and, most importantly, for my (late) dad, for all the hard work he put into me and my two brothers since I was eight years old.  To look up and say, ‘Dad, we did it,’ will be the best feeling in the world.”
Hyland has fought 10 times in the United States, including a 12-round loss to interim WBA featherweight champion Javier Fortuna in 2012.  Hyland lived in Marlboro, New York for a few years when he was promoted by a company headed by then reality television star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi.
“I love fighting in the United States,” Hyland added. “There’s always a great atmosphere at fights there and the US is the real home of boxing.  Snooki Boxing didn’t work out as planned, but they did a great job getting me the WBA title shot which was a great achievement in their first year in boxing. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out after that fight, but I do have great respect for them. I met friends for life from Marlboro who I consider family and they’ll be at my fight as always.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $150, $90 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.foxwoods.com or by visiting the Foxwoods’ Box Office. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. The Pedraza vs. Smith bout is promoted in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.
For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

Fight Report: Churcher KOs Horvath To Secure WBF title as Herbert Shines In Wales

Lee Churcher pulled out a sensational against the odds victory over Hungarian Balazs Horvath on Saturday night to secure the World Boxing Foundation Intercontinental Middleweight title, at the Pill Millennium Centre in his hometown of Newport.

 

Churcher, who was World ranked some two hundred plus places lower than Horvath, dominated the bout right from the off. Working behind a good solid jab, the Newport lad enthralled the local fans with some slick combinations, to both body and head, so much so that the more experienced Hungarian soon had to result to holding tactics whenever Churcher was in close range.

 

The canny Welshman was having none of it though and just patiently waited for any opportunity that came his way to punish Horvath with vicious body shots.

 

By midway through the first round Churcher’s confidence really began to grow, after badly shaking Horvath with the aforementioned body shots, so it came as no surprise to anyone when shortly after Churcher sent Horvath to the deck.

 

Horvath recovered but once again resorted to holding tactics to frustrate Churcher through to the end of the round.

 

More of the same in round two more or less, except Churcher really started to get into a flow, catching Horvath with more vicious body shots, the Hungarian tried to cover up, before again trying to grab hold of the Welshman, Churcher is canny though and worked behind the jab again before letting rip with yet another huge right hand to send Horvath down for the second time.

 

The Hungarian made the count and immediately on the restart Churcher went back on the attack, but the Hungarian tried to stifle the Welshman’s attacks by attempting to grab hold again, Churcher though used this to his advantage and let rip with a huge body shot to send the Hungarian back down to the canvas.

 

Clearly in distress, Horvath made an initial attempt to get back to his feet before settling to be just up on one knee, the pain showing on the Hungarian’s face clear for all to see as he attempted to unsuccessfully beat the count.

 

Whilst it may not have been a classic, nothing, but nothing can take away from Lee Churcher the artistry of his craft and tactics throughout and of course claiming the third Championship accolade of his career, the World Boxing Foundation Intercontinental Middleweight Championship, to add to his British Masters and BBBofC Welsh Area Title.

 

Main support for the Churcher-Horvath Championship bout, featured a four round Super Welterweight bout between Nottingham duo Carwyn Herbert and Matt Scriven.

 

What a cracking fight, both combatants going at it hammer and tongs in close combat for the full three minutes of each and every round.

 

After the full four rounds of non-stop action referee Chris Kelly scored the bout 40-36 to the youngster Carwyn Herbert, however that doesn’t really express the closeness of each round or the full on intent of either competitor throughout.

 

Supporting the two pro bouts were six Wales versus England exhibition bouts, supervision courtesy of Wales Boxing. Whilst I’m not going to cover these because they were not pro, have to say the final two bouts of the six were excellent and really could have featured on any pro card and nobody would have known the difference.

 

Have to say plaudits must go to co-promoters Dave Murphy (Acourtier Events) and Steven Fisher (Lights Out Promotions) for digging deep into their pockets to bring both the MBC and the WBF Championship to Wales for the first time, even if it meant there wasn’t enough money in the kitty to justify a full pro show, hopefully the Welsh fans will get behind Lee Churcher so his first defense of the WBF title can also be in Newport or nearby.