Tag Archives: Danny Aquino

boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN RESULTS   GABRIEL BRACERO KNOCKS OUT DANNY O’CONNOR IN 41 SECONDS

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 JONATHAN GUZMAN MAKES IT 20-FOR-20
 
RYAN KIELCZWESKI DECISIONS VAZQUEZ IN WAR
 
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Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
LOWELL, Mass. (October, 10 2015) – Brooklyn welterweight Gabriel “Tito” Bracero(24-2, 5 KOs) came into hostile territory and knocked out hometown favorite Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-3, 10 KOs) only 41 seconds into the first round, headlining tonight’s loaded Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBCSN card at historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts.
Bracero, who handed O’Connor his first pro loss four years ago, used an overhand right that O’Connor, fighting out of nearby Framingham (MA) did not see coming.  O’Connor was out cold before he hit the mat.
“I worked on that punch for six weeks,” Bracero said after the fight.  “In my last fight, I fought a southpaw and made some mistakes.  I specifically worked on that punch because Danny’s a southpaw. I slipped to the side and threw the right.  This was the first time I went away to camp, away from my family.
“I’m just so humbled and grateful. I knew coming in here that all the pressure was on him (O’Connor); the crowd would try to take the beast out of me and put me on the defense.
Everything is going to work out (regarding his next fight).  I’ll let Tommy Gallagher andLou DiBella take care of my next fight.  I’m ready to go right back in the gym.”
O’Connor was taken by ambulance to the nearby Lowell General Hospital for observation.
Hometown hero “Irish” Micky Ward and National Hockey League Hall-of-Famer NBCSN analyst “Sugar” Ray Leonard returned to the same building in which he captured a National Golden Gloves Tournament title in 1973.
Undefeated Dominican super bantamweight KO artist Jonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (20-0, 20 KOs), fighting out of nearby Lawrence (MA), made it a perfect 20 fights, 20 KO wins via a ninth-round stoppage of a game Danny Aquino (17-3, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.
Guzman dropped Aquino, a Mexican native fighting out of Connecticut, in the second round.  The badly hurt Aquino, however, lasted until the ninth round when Guzman ended the show with a brutal left hook.  Aquino, another New England Golden Gloves champion who won his title in this very building, had never been stopped as a professional.
 
Quincy (MA) featherweight Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (24-1, 7 KOs), who won two New England Golden Gloves championships at Lowell Memorial Auditorium, won a 10-round, hard fought decision over Brooklyn’s Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-2, 13 KOs).
Kielczweski out boxed Vazquez in the first four rounds, but Vasquez came charging back and opened a cut over Kielczweski’s right eye in the eighth and rocked the local fighter in the final 30 seconds of the fight  The judges had Kielczweski winning the entertaining fight by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94.
FIGHTER QUOTES
GABRIEL BRACERO:
“God bless Danny O’Connor. He’s a champion. Just because he lost here today, I still tip my hat off to him. It takes a real champion to come in here and do what he does. I wish him the best.
“It’s an amazing feeling. The truth is, I was a winner before I walked in the ring. This is a dream come true. I have dreamed about this day for a long time. I made some mistakes in my prior fights, but I went back to the drawing board, went to camp, fixed my mistakes and came in here super focused today.
On what he said to O’Connor after the fight…
“My message to Danny was, after my last fight, after my last loss, I was down. I went through a depression. I told him not to let that happen to him. To pick himself back up, to be proud of himself. To go home to his beautiful wife and kids and enjoy life. I didn’t want the same thing to happen to him, that happened to me.”
JONATHAN GUZMAN:
“I proved that I can fight and I can punch. This fight was an example of what I can do.
“From the second round I fought with two hurt hands. It didn’t matter to my hands, I was going to stop him.”
RYAN KIELCZWESKI:
“Before this fight, I knew he could punch. I thought I avoided it for the whole fight, but in the 10th round, he got me. It felt pretty good to get rocked for the first time, just to know what it feels like.”
“I kind of started off slow, but in the middle rounds, I started putting my punches together, throwing four, five, six punches at a time and it was working. But he came back every time and started trading with me.
(On going 10 rounds…)
“It’s all the same. You’re just as tired after a four-round fight as you are after six, eight or 10.  You leave it all till the end of the fight. It all feels the same.
(On getting hurt in the 10th….)
“I didn’t know where my feet were. It was a strange feeling, I had no idea what that felt like. He caught me and I could see straight, but I felt myself going left and right.
“He’s a tough guy.  I really needed that fight.
“We knew he wasn’t much of a volume pincher.  It didn’t surprise us when he came on in the middle rounds.
“The blood wasn’t in my eye. I didn’t know I was cut until the referee came over.
“I like to entertain in the ring.  I don’t need to do this.  I do it because I like to fight and entertain.
“This was my favorite venue to fight in as an amateur.  I fought here 10-15 times as an amateur.”
RAFAEL VAZQUEZ:
“He was a slick fighter, he moved and he had great power. He was in great shape. He’s young, I will be 38 this year. No excuse, I moved up to 126 pounds to face him, I’m 122 pounds.
“I thought I won the last three rounds. Especially the ninth and tenth round. The tenth round was big. He maybe connected ten punches in the whole round. I rocked him. I hurt him. But, we’re fighting in his hometown, and I’m grateful to him for giving me the opportunity.”
Undercard
Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki (12-0, 10 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, kept his undefeated record intact, turning in a workmanlike effort to win an eight-round unanimous decision (78-73 X 3) over Rodney Hernandez (8-3-1, 1 KO).
Irish junior lightweight Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland (31-1, 14 KOs), a 2012 Interim world featherweight title challenger, lived up to is nickname.  The Dubliner dropped toughDavid “El Finito” Martinez (18-7-1, 3 KOs) once on his way to a one-sided fight that ended at 18 seconds of the eighth round when Hyland caught Martinez with a vicious left hook.
Irish middleweight champion Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (22-1, 15 KOs) outclassed light heavyweight veteran David Toribio (21-16, 14 KOs) and ended the fight with a second-round knockout. Former European champion Stephen “The Rock” Ormond (19-2, 10 KOs) dropped former world title challenger Michael “Cold Blood” Clark twice en route to an opening round victory by knockout.
New York lightweight prospect Titus Williams (3-0, 2 KOs) remained unbeaten, stoppingArthur Parker (1-14-2, 1 KO) in the second round, while two-time world title challengerFernando “El Vasco” Saucedo (57-6-3, 10 KOs) registered a second-round technical knockout over lightweight Carlos Fulgencio (19-7-1, 12 KOs) in the opening bout of the evening.
O’Connor vs. Bracero was promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphy’s Boxing.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF HIS FATHER AND TRAINER IRISH CONTENDER PATRICK HYLAND CARRIES A HEAVY HEART AS HE LOOKS TO FIND SOLACE IN THE RING ON SATURDAY NIGHT

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RETURNS ON THE UNDERCARD OF PBC ON NBCSN AT LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM IN LOWELL, MASS.
LOWELL, Mass. (10/9/15) – On Saturday night, Irish world-rated contender Patrick Hyland (30-1, 14 KOs) faces David Martinez on the undercard of the PBC on NBCSN  event from Lowell, Mass. The fight won’t be shown on television, Hyland views this is the most important fight of his career as he works his way back into world title contention.
The bout on Saturday night will be the first in a career that dates back to his days as a 9-year-old amateur in Ireland where his trainer, father and best friend Patrick Sr. will not be in his corner. Patrick Sr., better known as Paddy, tragically passed away in the spring of this year. Leaving the Irish boxing community shocked.
“I hear his voice in the back of my head every day. Every day. Especially in the gym though when I am training,” said Hyland Jr.
The loss of Hyland’s father came just weeks before Hyland’s wife Lorna gave birth to their first child, Callum, further adding to the significance of this fight.
“I challenged Javier Fortuna for the world championship,” said Hyland. “I won the Irish world title. I have fought at MGM Grand, the O2 Arena and Madison Square Garden. For me though, this is the most important fight of my career. Not only am I fighting for my newborn son, but I am fighting to keep my father’s legacy alive. He made me the man that I am today and the man that I want my son to one day become. Winning a world title was our dream that we had together. He was always pushing me and my brothers to be the absolute best that we can be, and I won’t stop until I get another crack at a world title.”
The bout on Saturday night will be Hyland’s fourth since the lone loss of his career, a highly entertaining 12-round decision for the interim featherweight title against now-reigning super featherweight champion Javier Fortuna.  Following the loss to Fortuna, Hyland was out of action for a year and a half, as he sorted through promotional issues. Hyland signed with DiBella Entertainment in June of 2014 and has since put together three impressive victories. Hyland believes that he will be knocking on the door to challenge for another world title in 2016.
“I have a great team behind me. My manager Brian Peters and promoter Lou DiBella are working hard,” continued Hyland. “As long as I continue to win and do what I need to do, I know they will get me the opportunity to prove myself and show that I am one of the best 126-pounders in the world. 2016 is going to be a big year for me and I fully expect to once again be challenging for a piece of the featherweight crown.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are on sale and priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets, visit www.lowellauditorium.com
# # #
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys, www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxing and www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN FIGHTER MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
BOSTON (October 8, 2015) – Fighters took part in a media workout today at Welch’s Gym in South Boston to kick off fight week for this Saturday night’s Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN card at Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, MA, headlined byDanny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-2, 10 KOs) vs. Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs) with triple-header coverage starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets visit www.lowellauditorium.com
See here what the participants had to say Wednesday:
DANNY O’CONNOR
 
“This is all about me fighting the process. Gabriel Bracero beat me but I really beat myself.  Just like training for this fight, we had a baby son.  Two weeks before our first fight, my first son was born and I didn’t know how to separate sport from such life-changing events.  I was 14-0 and fighting on Showtime. We just had a baby boy two weeks before this fight.  I want to prove to myself that I can beat this process.  Bracero is my redemption!
“This fight is me vs. me.  The time was right for this fight.  I was offered this fight five times during the past few years but the time wasn’t right.
“I was a scared little kid with no experience in our first fight.  I couldn’t handle the pressure, I didn’t even know it was there.  Now, I’m a mature man who is a husband and father.  I’m a totally different person.
“This fight could be in my living room.  I’m at peace in the ring doing what I love to do.  It’s great being back in the ring in Lowell, where I won the New England Golden Gloves title and I’m fighting on national TV, but the event is between the four corners and that’s what really counts.”
GABRIEL BRACERO
 
“I’m excited. I’ve trained for this fight like I’ve never fought Danny before.  I beat him but that was four years ago.  I can’t overlook him.  He has obviously made improvements and I did also to get where we are today.
“I’m more experienced. I moved to train in Orlando and get away from distractions.  I hit a few bumps and got incarcerated.  Tommy Gallagher (trainer) saved my lie.  He was there when I went to prison and there when I got out.  I added a new trainer to our corner, Alexander Lopes, but Tommy and my father, Kiro, are still there.  Tommy gives the orders and he likes what Lopez has done with me.
“Tommy Gallagher is my guardian angel.  He believed in me more than I believed in myself.  He had this vision before I did.
“Danny has become a better fighter.  I can’t take anything away from him, but I’m looking forward to putting on a spectacular performance Saturday night.”
JONATHAN GUZMAN
“I’m going to make it 20-for-20, yes!  I’m powerful because I make strong moves.  My left hook is my best punch. I can feel the power through my entire body when I hit somebody right.
“I don’t worry about my opponent or what he’s done in the past.
“Lawrence is my home now.  I will go back to the Dominican Republic in December for the holidays.  I feel like a Bostonian.  This is the sixth fight I’ve trained here for and I love the Boston Red Sox.”
DANNY AQUINO
 
“My last fight propelled me (upset by decision over Ryan Kielczweski).  It made me more confident in myself. My last fight was on ESPN and this one is on NBCSN.
“I don’t know too much about my opponent other than he has power that I’ll be looking out for.  A win over him should put me in the top 10 and that’s why I’m so motivated for this fight.
“I won the New England Golden Gloves championship in Lowell Memorial Auditorium in 2007.
“I train hard and I’m always in good enough shape to beat anybody.”
 
RYAN KIELCZWESKI
 
“I like fighting at home and this is one of my favorite venues.  I won the New England Golden Gloves there twice.
“I’ve trained for this to be the toughest fight of my career.
“(Vasquez) is tough with a lot of power.  He’s going come forward, but I’ll be able to out-box him.
“He’s rated in the top 10 of the world and a win should put me back in the top 10 fighting for a world title within the next year.”
 
RAFAEL VASQUEZ
 
“This is a great opportunity for me.  I think this fight will put me on the map fighting on national TV and showing fans what I’ve got.
“I’m a hungry, small fighter determined to win.  I fight for my wife, Sandra, who has stage-four cancer and my eight-year-old daughter, Kaline, who has autism.  It’s not just me fighting in the ring, it’s the Vasquez family.  With God’s grace, anything is possible.
“Ryan moves a lot. He uses the ring and boxes.  He lost to Aquino and I know he’ll be coming back to prove himself. “
GARY “SPIKE” O’SULLIVAN
 
“Boston is my second home.  I love it here.  The people are so nice and there are good gyms.
“I’m an exciting, entertaining fighter who always comes to fight.
“After I finish off Eubanks, I’ll be the No. 1 contender in the WBA and Golovkin can’t hold me off any longer.
“I watched a few clips of my opponent.  We have identical records.  We both knock people out, so I have to be careful.  I’d like to get in a few rounds, but when I hit people, they fall.”
 
STEPHEN ORMOND
“My first four fights were here in the US.  Boston is like my second home.  The people are so nice.  Boston is a real fight city.  I can’t wait for these people to see me in the ring.
                                                                                                                        
“I saw my opponent fight last year in Boston.  He’s an experienced guy with a lot of fights.  He fought for a world title a long time ago.
“With Ken Casey behind me, an impressive victory will get me a title shot.  I’ll take any of them. I was one fight away, losing a qualifier.  My grandmother passed away the day of my fight.  I’m ready now!”
#          #          #
The Saturday, Oct. 10 edition of Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, features a O’Connor(26-2, 10 KOs) and Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs) rematch in a 10-round welterweight super middleweight showdown, Jonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (19-0, 19 KOs) Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight match up, and Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (23-1, 7 KOs) meets Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout to open the PBC on NBCSAN broadcast at 8:00 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys,www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxingand www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

DANNY O’CONNOR VS. GABRIEL BRACERO II, RYAN KIELCZWESKI VS. RAFAEL VAZQUEZ CONTINUES BOSTON VS. NYC RING RIVALRY

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PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 FROM THE LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM IN LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS
8 P.M. ET/5 P.M. PT
 
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
 
LOWELL, Mass. (October 6, 2015) – The great Boston vs. New York City sports rivalry continues Saturday, October 10 in the ring on national television with northeast bragging rights on the line as Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBCSN comes to historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts.
The Boston home team sends out welterweight Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-2, 10 KOs) and featherweight Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (23-1, 7 KOs), respectively, against Brooklyn invaders Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs) and Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-1, 13 KOs).
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are on sale and priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes.  Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets, visit www.lowellauditorium.com.
O’Connorwill be seeking revenge for 2011 loss to Braceroin the 10-round main event, while Kielczweski faces the toughest test of his career versus Vasquez in their 10-round bout to open the NBCSN broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
In the other scheduled televised fight, undefeated Dominican super bantamweight KO artistJonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (19-0, 19 KOs), fighting out of nearby Lawrence (MA), takes on Connecticut’s upset-minded Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.
Boston vs. New York is a classic matchup that has dominated sports headlines in the northeast for years as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox waged countless wars while the New England Patriots faced the New York Giants in two Super Bowls and continued their longtime rivalry with the New York Jets. The rich tradition of this rivalry has also spilled into the ring as many top fighters from each region have faced-off over the years.
The first significant Boston vs. NYC fight goes back to 1927 at Yankee Stadium, when Jack Dempsey stopped Jack “The Boston Gob” Sharkey in the seventh round of their heavyweight title eliminator to challenge world champion Gene Tunney.  Controversy surrounded this fight as Sharkey, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, fought his boxing idol, Dempsey, who along with Babe Ruth ruled Manhattan during America’s Golden Age of Sports in the 1920s.  Sharkey out-boxed Dempsey for six rounds until, complaining to the referee about Dempsey’s low punches, he was knocked out cold with a picture-perfect left hook.
Another legendary heavyweight champion from the Boston area, Rocky Marciano, wouldn’t have retired with his famous 49-0 record if one round or another were scored differently against Bronx favorite Roland LaStarza in 1950.  Marciano took a questionable 10-round decision from LaStarza at Madison Square Garden. Three years later at the Polo Grounds, Marciano successfully defended his world title, knocking out LaStarza in the 11thround of their 1953 Fight of the Year.
A pair of Hall of Fame heavyweights from Brooklyn, Floyd Patterson and “Iron” Mike Tyson, respectively, knocked out Boston’s Tom McNeeley and his son, Peter McNeeley.  McNeeley dropped Patterson once but he hit the deck 11 times before finally succumbing in the fourth round of their 1961 title fight in Toronto.  His son, Peter, lost by first-round disqualification to Tyson who was fighting for the first since being released from prison.
A fireman from Boston with brittle hands, Paul Pender, twice defeated arguably the consensus Greatest of All-time, Harlem’s “Sugar” Ray Robinson, not once but twice by 15-round split decisions in 1960 world middleweight title fights at the Boston Garden.
“Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, a transplanted New Jersey fighter who lived in Marciano’s hometown of Brockton, Mass., felt ripped off when he was given a draw in his first world title fight against Brooklyn’s defending champion Vito Antuofermo in Las Vegas. Two years later in 1981, Hagler captured the coveted crown at the Boston Garden as Antuofermo retired after four rounds.
Even Lowell’s “Irish” Micky Ward had a New York City rival in Brooklyn’s Zab Judah, who he dropped a hard-fought 12-round decision to in 1998.  For many years Judah said Ward was the toughest opponent he ever fought.
More recently, Irish Olympian Kevin McBride, fighting out of the Dorchester section of Boston, ended Tyson’s career in 2005 with a sixth-round TKO victory that left the boxing world in shock, and Boston heavyweight John Ruiz – the only Latino heavyweight champion of the world – won a 2008 fight in Mexico against Harlem’s Jameel McCline by 12-round decision in a world title eliminator.
On October 10, O’Connor, Bracero, Kielczweski and Vazquez will have their opportunity to not only represent their hometowns, but to etch themselves into the annals of the rivalry.
# # #
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports,www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys,www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxingandwww.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

SUGAR RAY LEONARD RETURNS TO LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM 42 YEARS AFTER WINNING NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES TITLE THERE

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DANNY O’CONNOR VS. GABRIEL BRACERO REMATCH HEADLINES
PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN
SATURDAY, OCT. 10 FROM IN LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS
 
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
(Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions)
 
LOWELL, Mass. (October 1, 2015) – Forty-two years after he captured his first National Golden Gloves Tournament title at Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Hall-of-Famer Sugar Ray Leonard returns Saturday, October 10 to the same historic building as a television analyst for Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBCSN, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, airing live from Lowell, Massachusetts.
PBC on NBCSN is headlined by a 10-round rematch between Framingham (MA) welterweight Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-2, 10 KOs), who is fighting to avenge his 2011 loss to Brooklyn welterweight Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs). O’Connor and Leonard are two of only four people to ever win the National Golden Gloves and National Amateur Championship in the same year. O’Connor collected both accolades in 2008.
Leonard captured top honors in the lightweight division (132 pounds) of the 1973 National Golden Gloves Tournament, outpointing Hilmer Kenty in the championship final at Lowell Memorial Auditorium. Leonard won the National Golden Gloves Tournament at light welterweight title the following year, while seven years later Kenty became the first professional world champion from Emanuel Steward‘s soon-to-become legendary Kronk Gym in Detroit.
“One of the most precious moments of my career happened in Lowell, Massachusetts,” Leonard recently said about his aforementioned experience.  “It was priceless.”
In addition to Leonard and Kenty, five other future world champions – Marvin Hagler,Aaron Pryor, Art Frias, Leon and Michael Spinks – competed in the 1973 National Golden Gloves Tournament.  Leonard, Hagler, Pryor and Michael Spinks are International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees.
Leonard has another tie to Lowell, the fourth-largest city in Massachusetts.  In 1978, he won a 10-round decision over Dicky Eklund at Hynes Auditorium in Boston. Eklund was the head trainer of his half-brother, “The Pride of Lowell” and three-time “Fight of the Year” participant “Irish” Micky Ward, who celebrates his 50th birthday this coming October 4.
Also featured on the PBC on NBCSN telecast is undefeated super bantamweight rising star Jonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (19-0, 19 KOs), a Dominican Republic native who now lives in nearby Lawrence (MA), takes on upset specialist Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs), of Meriden (CT), in the 10-round co-feature.
The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will showcase Quincy, Mass. featherweight prospect Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (23-1, 7 KOs) against Brooklyn’s Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
Lowell Memorial Auditorium, which also hosted the 1995 National Golden Gloves Tournament, represents a homecoming for O’Connor and Kielczweski, who both won New England Golden Gloves Tournament titles there.
Tickets are on sale and priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes.  Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets visit www.lowellauditorium.com.
# # #
For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports,www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys,www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxingandwww.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

IRISH INVASION COMING TO LOWELL! GARY “SPIKE” O’SULLIVAN, STEPHEN ORMOND & PATRICK HYLAND FEATURED IN UNDERCARD ACTION, SATURDAY OCTOBER 10 FROM THE LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM

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DANNY O’CONNOR FACES GABRIEL BRACERO IN REMATCH
HEADLINING PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN
8 P.M. ET/5 P.M. PT
 
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
 
LOWELL, Mass. (September 25, 2015) – An Irish invasion is coming to Lowell, MA onSaturday, October 10 as Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (21-1, 14 KOs), Stephen “The Rock” Ormond (18-2, 9 KOs) and Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland enter the ring and provide colorful support for the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBCSN card, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, from historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium.
At the same venue in which he became a New England Golden Gloves amateur champion, wildly popular welterweight Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-2, 10 KOs), will be out to avenge his 2011 loss to Brooklyn welterweight Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs) in the 10-round main event.
The 10-round co-feature showcases undefeated super bantamweight knockout specialist Jonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (19-0, 19 KOs), a Dominican Republic native now living in nearby Lawrence MA, facing New England upset specialist Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs), of Meriden, CT.
Opening the NBCSN broadcast, starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, will be Quincy, Mass. rising prospect Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (23-1, 7 KOs), who twice captured a New England Golden Gloves title at Lowell Memorial Auditorium, against Brooklyn’s Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout.
Tickets are on sale and priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes.  Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets, visit www.lowellauditorium.com.
Irish middleweight champion O’Sullivan returns to the United States once again, where he has a perfect 5-0 (3 KOs) record.  The charismatic, top 10 world rated brawler, in the truest Irish sense, has a growing fan-base throughout New England, as well as back home in Cork, Ireland.  O’Sullivan, whose only pro loss was two years ago by controversial 12-round decision to current world title challenger
Billy Joe Saunders, takes on 29-year-old Colombian invader Francisco “Volcan” Cordero(31-4, 22 KOs) in a potentially explosive 10-round match.
A Former European champion, Ormond, from Dublin, will be fighting in the U.S. for the first time in nearly six years, against local favorite Agustine “Ruthless” Mauras (6-1-3, 3KOs), from Lawrence, MA, in a lightweight showdown.
The former world title challenger” Hyland (30-1, 14 KOs), also fighting out of Dublin, is slated for an eight-round lightweight bout.
Also competing on the undercard is unbeaten 26-year-old Polish heavyweight prospectAdam Kownacki (11-0, 10 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, in an eight-round bout. The 6′ 3″, 250-pound Kownacki is a two-time New York Golden Gloves champion.
Super featherweight prospect Titus Williams (2-0, 1 KO) will enter the ring in a four round bout. The 26-year-old won a gold medal at the 2013 New York Golden Gloves tournament.
 
Argentine veteran Fernando “El Vasco” Saucedo (56-6-3, 9 KOs), a former South American champion, will compete in an eight-round bout. The 33-year-old is a former world title challenger who will be looking for his fourth victory of 2015.
# # #
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports,www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys,www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxingandwww.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
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DANNY O’CONNOR FACES GABRIEL BRACERO IN REMATCH ON  PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 FROM THE LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM IN LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS 8 P.M. ET/5 P.M. PT

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Plus! Unbeaten Jonathan Guzman Takes On The Exciting Danny Aquino & Featherweights Ryan Kielczweski & Rafael Vasquez Collide
 
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
 
LOWELL, MA. (September 11, 2015) – Popular Massachusetts’ welterweight Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-2, 10 KOs) takes on Brooklyn’s Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs), in a 10-round rematch of their 2011 bout won by Bracero, as the main event of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBCSN Saturday, October 10 from the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts with televised coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The evening’s co-main event will feature undefeated super featherweight knockout artist Jonathan Guzman (19-0, 19 KOs) battling exciting brawler Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs) in a 10-round bout and rising local prospect Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (23-1, 7 KOs) takes on the exciting Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-1, 13 KOs) in a featherweight bout.
“I’m excited to be fighting at a building with great boxing history such as the Lowell Memorial Auditorium,” said O’Connor. “I won the Golden Gloves there and I can’t wait to fight there again. I’m also excited to avenge my first loss against Gabriel Bracero. I’m so ready for this!”
“This is a huge fight for me and my career,” said Bracero. “I only have one thought in my mind and that’s victory. Danny is a tough opponent and on a winning streak right now. The best ‘Tito’ Bracero will be there October 10. I beat Danny before and I plan to do so again, in his backyard, even more convincingly. My best days are still ahead of me and you will see that come October 10.”
“I’m excited for the October 10th PBC on NBC Sports Net from the Lowell Memorial Auditorium,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “All three TV fights are super competitive matchups with the outcomes in doubt. In the main event, Boston’s Danny O’Connor will rematch with Brooklyn’s Gabriel Bracero in an attempt to avenge a close decision loss. Undefeated junior featherweight puncher Jonathan Guzman will try to keep his record perfect against dangerous contender Danny Aquino. The opening bout features another 50/50-type matchup as Quincy’s Ryan ‘The Polish Prince’ Kielczweski faces hard-punching, world-ranked Rafael Vazquez from Brooklyn.”
The city of Lowell is one rich in boxing history and is the hometown of Massachusetts legend and three-time Fight of the Year participant “Irish” Micky Ward. “It is an honor to have this fight happen in my hometown,” said Ward. “Danny O’Connor is so ready for this opportunity. He is focused like I’ve never seen him before.”
Part of Lowell’s deep boxing history are the future Hall of Famers who have fought in the city as amateurs, including Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson &Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
“Bringing a big fight to Lowell is incredible,” said Ken Casey, Founder of Murphys Boxing, “Lowell is such a great fight town and it is Micky Ward’s hometown. For Danny O’Connor to have the chance to avenge his first loss in his own backyard with all his fans cheering him on is going to be a site to see.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets visit www.lowellauditorium.com
A National Golden Gloves champion who has fought as a pro since 2008, O’Connorgets a chance to avenge his defeat to Bracero when they square off October 10. The 30-year-old is coming off of three straight knockout victories over Michael Clark, Andrew Farmer and Chris Gilbert. Fighting out of Framingham, Massachusetts, O’Connor is looking to impress in a fight on his home turf.
Bracero has won nine of his 11 fights since defeating O’Connor in 2011 and hopes to see a repeat of that performance on October 10. Fighting out of Brooklyn, the 34-year-old owns victories over Dmitry Salita, Pavel Miranda and Jermaine White. He will be going into unfriendly territory for his first pro fight in Massachusetts.
Owner of a perfect knockout percentage, Guzman looks to build off of his last three fights, all knockouts coming in the New England region. Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the 26-year-old fighting out of Lawrence, Massachusetts faces the toughest challenge of his career and will look to make his mark as a 122-pound contender.
The 25-year-old Aquino made his mark with a hard fought victory over the previously undefeated Kielczweski in April and returns to New England in hopes of taking down another unbeaten prospect. Born in Mexico, Aquino fights out of Meriden Connecticut and owns victories over Jhon Alberto Molina and Coy Evans and will hope to make it three wins in a row on October 10.
A runner-up in the 2008 National Golden Glove tournament, the 25-year-old Kielczweski has become a staple fighting in his home state of Massachusetts. Born and raised in Quincy, he bounced back from his first defeat to deliver a first round knockout over Anthony Napunyi in May. Another tough challenge awaits “The Polish Prince” as he looks to prove his world title worth.
Brooklyn’s Vazquez has kept a busy schedule in 2015 and will return for his fifth fight this year when he challenges Kielczweski. While the 37-year-old Vazquez is ranked highly in the world rankings at number seven and is seeking a world title opportunity, fame and glory are not his top priorities. With an autistic daughter and a wife diagnosed with cervical cancer, Vazquez fights for his family. Getting a late start to boxing, Vazquez, who lost both of his parents at an early age and endured a stint in prison as a wayward youth, turned pro in September 2010. He has since donated portions of his purses to autism research, while also holding fundraisers to help raise awareness.
# # #
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @DiBellaEnt, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports,www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys,www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxingandwww.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
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RESULTS FROM MOHEGAN SUN

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Undefeated junior middleweight  
Tony Harrison rolls to 21st win

 

Aquino shocks Kielczweski,

Farmer wins 11th straight fight

Tony Harrison (L) was too much for Pablo Munguia

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (April 17, 2015) – Undefeated junior middleweight Tony Harrison rolled to his 21st straight victory in tonight’s ESPN Friday Night Fights main event, presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with New Legend Boxing, at Mohegan Sun Arena.

 

Harrison (21-0, 18 KOs), fighting out of Detroit, dropped Pablo Munguia (20-7, 11 KOs) at the end of the second round with a powerful punch. Munguia was examined between rounds by the ring doctor. Referee Arthur Mercante needed only 11 seconds into the next round to determine that the Mexican was unable to be competitive, awarding Harrison a victory by technical knockout.

 

“I’m looking for whoever Al Haymon puts me in with,” 24-year-old Harrison remarked. “I’m from Detroit. I’ve never said ‘no’ to an opponent I was offered, which says a lot about me. We have a lot of heart in Detroit. I’m ready for a big fight. I got him with a step-back overhand right. I wish they had let it go a little longer. I wanted to finish him, but the bell went off.”

 
Danny Aquino (L) and Ryan Kielczweski put on a real show

 

Connecticut fan favorite, Mexican-born Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs), upset previously undefeated Massachusetts featherweight Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (22-1, 6 KOs) by way of an eight-round split decision in an entertaining co-feature event for New England bragging rights. The aggressive-fighting Aquino kept coming forward throughout the fight, as Kielczweski effectively counter-punched. Neither fighter was remotely hurt in the action-packed clash of gifted boxers.

 

Aquino defeated Kielczweski the one time they fought in the amateurs. “Because of his record,” Aquino commented, “this was the biggest win of my career. It was extra special winning my first ESPN fight, too. I think my aggressiveness was the difference. He was moving around and I had to keep putting pressure on him to make it my fight, not his fight. I hope this fight will give me opportunities and I’ll take the best.”

 

“It was definitely a tough fight,” Kielczweski noted. “Making weight definitely took a lot out of me. I think I boxed well, landed the harder shots and blocked most of his. I guess the judges likes his aggression, but I thought I won the fight.”

 
Tevin Farmer (R) won his 11th fight in a row

In the opening televised bout, Philadelphia junior lightweight Tevin “American Idol” Farmer (19-4-1, 4 KOs) won his 11th straight fight, winning a unanimous eight-round decision over previously unbeaten Angel “El Gato” Luna (10-1-1, 6 KOs), of Brooklyn, in a very competitive fight.

 

“I feel great,” Farmer said after the fight. “That’s exactly what I wanted to show. I wanted to show a lot of different dimensions. TV wants guys who can punch and box, the total package, and I showed that tonight. I feel that I’m ready for a top 10 contender and showed tonight that I belong among the best.”

 

Ghanaian southpaw Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen (19-0-1, 12 KOs), fighting out of New York City, overcame a flash knockdown at the end of round six to knock out a gamePaul Gonsalves (7-7-1, 3 KOs) in the following round. Allen connected with a straight left hand punch that landed flush on the Cape Cod light heavyweight’s chin.

 

Unbeaten middleweight Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (15-0-1, 5 KOs), fighting out of Maryland, outclassed Dominican invader Franklin Gonzalez (16-14, 10 KOs) on his way to a second-round technical knockout, trapping his opponent against the ropes and unloaded a barrage of unanswered punches until referee Harvey Dock halted the action.

 

Exciting Houston welterweight Regis “Rougarou” Prograis ran his record to 14-0 (12 KOs), stopping Abraham “Swift” Alvarez (19-8-1, 9 KOs) at the 1:28 mark of the opening round. The promising southpaw prospect put his Mexican opponent down with a viscous, straight left to the body.

 

Former U. of New Haven basketball star Cassius Chaney (1-0, 1 KO) had a successful professional debut, pounding Perry Filkins (0-2) until referee Danny Sciavone stopped the fight 41 seconds into the second round.

 

Unbeaten Florida lightweight Amos “2 Smooth” Cowart used a body attack to stop previously unbeaten Anthony Burgin (8-1, 1 KO), of Philadelphia, in the fifth round.

 

Pictures by Ed Diller / DiBella Entertainment

 

 

COMPLETE RESULTS

(winner listed first each fight)

 

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Cassius Chaney (1-0, 1 KO), Philadelphia, PA                               

WTKO2 (0:31)

Perry Filkins (0-2), Hooksett, NH

 

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Lennox Allen (19-0-1, 11 KOs), New York, NY

WTKO7 (1:45)

Paul Gonsalves (7-7-1, 3 KOs). Harwich, MA

 

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Alantez Fox (15-0-1, 5 KOs) Forestville, MD

WTKO2 (2:39)

Franklin Gonzalez (16-14, 10 KOs), Santo Domingo, D.R.

 

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Tony Harrison (21-0, 18 KOs), Detroit, MI                               

WTKO3 (0:11)

Pablo Munguia (20-7, 11 KOs), Distrito Federal, Mexico

 

WELTERWEIGHTS

Regis Prograis (14-0, 12 KOs), Houston, TX

WYKO1 (1:28)

Abraham Alvarez (19-8-1, 9 KOs), Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico

 

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Amos Cowart (11-0-1, 9 KOs), Groveland, FL

WKO5 (1:28)

Anthony Burgin (8-1, 1 KO), Philadelphia, PA

 

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS

Tevin Farmer (19-4-1, 4 KOs), Philadelphia, PA                               

WDEC8 (87-82, 87-82, 79-73)

Angel Luna (10-1-1, 6 KOs), Brooklyn, NY

 

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs), Meriden, CT

WDEC8 (78-74, 78-74, 74-78)

Ryan Kielczweski (22-1, 6 KOs), Quincy, MA
boxing, ESPN Friday Night Fights

WEIGHTS FROM MOHEGAN SUN  

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UNCASVILLE, Conn. (April 16, 2015) — The official weight-in was held today for tomorrow night’s ESPN Friday Night Fights Triple-Header, presented by DiBella Entertainment, in Mohegan Sun Arena.

Live coverage of tomorrow’s ESPN Friday Night Fights tripleheader from Mohegan Sun Arena begins at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider. ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates will also carry the three fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

The telecast opens with Tevin “American Idol” Farmer taking on Angel “El Gato” Luna in a scheduled 8-round contest in the junior lightweight division.

Farmer vs. Luna will be followed by an 8-round featherweight showdown matching undefeated Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski against Danny Aquino.

The main event pits undefeated junior middleweight prospect Tony Harrison against Pablo “Supurlturero” Munguia in a 10-round title bout.

Below find fighter weights and pictures by Ed Diller / DiBella Entertainment.

(L-R) Tony Harrison & Pablo Munguia

 

Main Event – Junior Middleweights (10) – ESPN2

TONY HARRISON (20-0, 17 KOs), Detroit, MI 154 ½ LBS.

PABLO “Supurlturero” MUNGUIA (20-6, 11 KOs), Distrito Federal, Mexico 153 LBS.

 

(L-R) Ryan Kielczewski & Danny Aquino

 

Co-Feature – Featherweights (8) – ESPN2

RYAN “The Polish Prince” KIELCZWESKI (22-0, 6 KOs), Quincy, MA 123 ½ LBS.

DANNY AQUINO (16-2, 10 KOs), Meriden, CT 123 ½ LBS.

 

(L-R) Tevin Farmer & Angel Luna

 

Junior Lightweights (8) – ESPN2

TEVIN “American Idol” FARMER (18-4-1, 4 KOs), Philadelphia, PA 130 LBS.

ANGEL “El Gato” LUNA (10-0-1, 6 KOs), Brooklyn, NY 128 ¼ LBS.

 

Light Heavyweights (8)

LENNOX “2 Sharpe” ALLEN (18-0-1, 11 KOs), New York, NY 169 LBS.

PAUL GONSALVES (7-6-1, 3 KOs). Harwich, MA 170 LBS.

 

Middleweights (8)

ALANTEZ “SlyAza” FOX (14-0-1, 4 KOs) Forestville, MD 158 ¼ LBS.

FRANKLIN GONZALEZ (16-13, 10 KOs), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 161 ¼ LBS.

 

Welterweights (6)

REGIS PROGRAIS (13-0, 11 KOs), Houston, TX 143 ½ LBS.

ABRAHAM “The Swift” ALVAREZ (19-7-1, 9 KOs), Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico 142 LBS.

 

Lightweights (6)

AMOS “2 Smooth” COWART (10-0-1, 8 KOs), Groveland, FL 134 ½ LBS.

ANTHONY BURGIN (8-1, 1 KO), Philadelphia, PA 134 LBS.

 

Heavyweights (4)

CASSIUS CHANEY (pro debut), Philadelphia, PA 245 ¼ LBS.

PERRY FILKINS (0-1), Hooksett, NH (weigh in tomorrow)

 

WHEN:             Friday, April 17, 2015

WHERE:           Mohegan Sun Arena

 

PROMOTER:   DiBella Entertainment in association with New Legend Boxing

 

TELEVISION:   ESPN2 starting at 10:00 p.m. ET

 

TICKETS:         $100.00, $70.00 and $30.00 (subject to additional fees) on sale and available to purchase at the Mohegan Sun Box Office, by visiting www.mohegansun.com, or calling Ticketmaster at1-800-745-3000

 

INFORMATION: www.dbe1.com, www.espn.com/boxing, or www.mohegansun.com

DOORS OPEN: 6:30 p.m. ET,    FIRST BOUT: 7:30 p.m. ET