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Tag Archives: James Lester
NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS ANNOUNCES THE RESULTS FROM LEWISTON
Lewiston, Maine (June 18, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF) held the fight promotion’s latest event, “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND” on Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The event featured a full slate of professional boxing, amateur mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional MMA bouts. Nearly 2,000 packed the hallowed halls where Muhammad Ali once defended the heavyweight championship of the world against Sonny Liston. A special video tribute was presented honoring Ali prior to the beginning of the event.
For the second time since April, Brandon Berry (11-2-1) and James Lester(11-9-1) went the distance. This time, unlike the last bout which was scored a draw, there was a winner. Lester is travelling back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan the new Northeast Junior Welterweight Boxing Champion after winning a unanimous decision.
Alex Walker (1-1) and Nicole Burgess (0-1) kept alive the tradition of women’s fights stealing the show at NEF events. The two athletes battled back and forth in what can only be described as a “thriller” before a deafening crowd. Walker picked up the first win of her MMA career via an armbar submission in the third round.
Fans who missed the event, or who were at the Colisée and want to relive it, can watch the archived copy of the show by signing up for a FloPRO account at www.FloCombat.com.
The results from Lewiston, Maine:
PROFESSIONAL BOXING
James Lester def. Brandon Berry via unanimous decision
Russell Lamour def. Roberto Valenzuela via KO, round 1
Vinnie Carita def. Francisco Mireles via KO, round 2
Casey Kramlich def. Zenon Herrera via TKO, round 3
Steve Collins, Jr. def. Jose Humberto Corral via unanimous decision
PROFESSIONAL MMA
Jesse Erickson def. Amos Collins via KO, round 1
Brandon Bushaw def. Matt Denning via Kimura, round 3
AMATEUR MMA
Dustin Veinott def. Ryan Burgess via triangle choke, round 2
Mike Bezanson def. Shawn Bang via KO, round 1
Derek Daley def. Johel Stephenson via TKO, round 1
Justin Witham def. Conner Murphy via rear-naked choke, round 3
Skyler Bang def. Eddie DeRoche via rear-naked choke, round 1
Steve Bang, Jr. def. Dom Cofone via guillotine, round 1
Alex Walker def. Nicole Burgess via armbar, round 3
Dr. Steve Bang def. Stacy Lupo via TKO, round 3
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 25: HEROES & VILLAINS,” takes place on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the event.
For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
NEF WILL TAKE FIGHT FANS TO THE PROMISED LAND THIS FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND
Lewiston, Maine (June 3, 2016) – It will be a celebration of all things Americana when New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée on Saturday, June 18, 2016. The wildly popular fight promotion will once again give fans a full night of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing action.
In the main event of the boxing portion of the fight card, Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (11-1-1) will defend the Northeast Junior Welterweight Title against challenger James “The Motor City Bad Boy” Lester (10-9-1). The two fought to a draw on the judges’ scorecards this past April in Lewiston. They agreed to rematch with Berry’s title on the line. This time, however, there will be an odd number of rounds (seven to be exact) to make the chances of another draw very slim.
Also on the boxing portion of the card, former USA New England Middleweight Champion Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour (13-2) and Casey “The Buzzsaw” Kramlich (4-0-1) from the Portland Boxing Club in Portland, Maine will both make their respective NEF Boxing debuts.
The professional MMA portion of the card will see Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-5) return to the cage after his third unsuccessful attempt at capturing the lightweight title this past April. Erickson will have his work cut out for him in the form of the always tough Amos Collins (4-5) at a catchweight of 161-pounds.
Erickson’s teammate, Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (3-2), will also see action on the professional MMA card when he meets Brandon Bushaw (1-2) in a featherweight bout.
The amateur MMA card will be headlined by a flyweight title rematch as Ryan Burgess (2-0) defends against the former champion, and the athlete he took the title from, Dustin Veinott (4-4). Veinott’s loss to Burgess last fall via split decision put a stop to his four-fight win streak.
Also on the amateur card will be 46 year-old Dr. Steve Bang, Sr. (1-1), a bariatric surgeon from Auburn, Maine. In an unplanned homage to Father’s Day, he will be joined on the fight card by his sons Steve Bang, Jr. (3-5),Shawn Bang (1-1), Skyler Bang (0-0) and foster son Conner Murphy (1-0).
The “NEF 24” fight card (subject to change):
PROFESSIONAL BOXING
140*TITLE Brandon Berry (11-1-1)(c) vs James Lester (10-9-1)
HWT Vinnie Carita (11-1-1) vs Francisco Mireles (17-10)
190 Steve Collins, Jr. (7-0-1) vs Jose Humberto Corral (19-21)
160 Russell Lamour (13-2) vs Roberto Valenzuela (69-71-2)
154 Casey Kramlich (4-0-1) vs Zenon Herrera (0-1)
PROFESSIONAL MMA
250 Michael Hansen (4-4) vs Robert Laroski (1-1)
170 CJ Ewer (1-0) vs Phil Rowe (1-2)
161 Jesse Erickson (6-5) vs Amos Collins (4-5)
145 Matt Denning (3-2) vs Brandon Bushaw (1-2)
AMATEUR MMA
125*TITLE Ryan Burgess (2-0)(c) vs Dustin Veinott (4-4)
170 Shawn Bang (1-1) vs Mike Bezanson (1-0)
155 Steve Bang Sr. (1-1) vs Stacy Lupo (0-0)
155 Derek Daley (0-0) vs Johel Stephenson (0-0)
155 Steve Bang, Jr. (3-5) vs Dominic Cofone (6-5)
145 Skyler Bang (0-0) Eddie DeRoche (0-0)
125 Conner Murphy (1-0) vs Justin Witham (1-4)
115 Alex Walker (0-1) vs Nicole Burgess (0-0)
NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.” Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.
For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
NO MORE DRAWS; THERE MUST BE A WINNER IN NORTHEAST TITLE FIGHT
Lewiston, Maine (May 25, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine onJune 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.” The fight promotion will put on another full night of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) cagefights and pro boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF executives announced the headline fight for the boxing portion of the fight card. West Forks, Maine’s own Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (11-1-1) will put the Northeast Junior Welterweight Title on the line in a rematch against Detroit, Michigan’s James “The Motor City Bad Boy” Lester (10-9-1).
Berry and Lester met earlier this spring at “NEF 22” in Lewiston. The six-round bout was ruled a majority draw on the judges’ scorecards. This time around, however, NEF executives had a trick up their sleeves – add a seventh round to all but guarantee a winner.
Berry won the Northeast Junior Welterweight Title in October 2014 in Lewiston against West Virginia Toughman Champion Eric Palmer (4-3-3). He has been the kingpin of the 140-pound division in the Northeast ever since. The draw against Lester halted a three-fight win streak Berry had been on since returning from a shoulder injury last year.
“I think the main difference in a rematch between me and James will be more action,” Berry predicted. “We both know what we bring to the table, we both enjoy pleasing the crowd, and we both want to win. I think those are some key ingredients to a great matchup. I have a lot of respect for James , his boxing ability, and what he brings to the table. I was impressed with his speed, his all around toughness, and his ring generalship. I’m excited to headline another card in Lewiston, and can’t wait for the crowd to enjoy my fight, along with a few other boxing matches that include some talented Maine boxers. I hope that we can draw a big crowd and have a quality night of fights. See you all on the 18th!”
“I’m most definitely looking forward to fighting in Maine again,” said Lester, a former top-ranked national amateur boxer. “The fans there are awesome. I even gained a few fans from my last fight who’s been messaging me on a regular like a young guy by the name of Hunter Moore who messages me every week making sure I’m training hard for the rematch.”
Lester is a product of the world-famous Kronk Gym in Detroit where Thomas “Hitman” Hearns (61-5-1, 48 KOs), Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs), Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KOs) and Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs), among others, have prepared for world title bouts under legendary trainer, the late Emanuel Steward. “The only thing that will be different this time is I will be in better condition. That was my only downfall last time. This time I’ll be able to box and stay on my toes for the tough pressure that Brandon brings.”
NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.” Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.
For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
NEW CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT NEF 22 IN LEWISTON
Lewiston, Maine (April 23, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, held its most recent event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. More than 3,000 fight fans were on hand for the event, making it one of the largest crowds ever to witness an NEF event.
On the boxing portion of the card, Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (11-1-1) fought to a majority draw in a six-round contest with James Lester (10-9-1). Many of Berry’s supporters in attendance felt that he won the fight, but two of the judges had it even on the scorecards.
The headliner of the amateur MMA card saw Caleb Hall (7-3) captured the vacant amateur featherweight title with a second-round submission of Erik Nelson (2-3). On the professional side of the MMA card, Devin Powell (6-1) took home the lightweight championship by defeating Jesse Erickson (6-5) in the first round via technical knockout.
The full results from Lewiston, Maine:
PROFESSIONAL BOXING
Brandon Berry fought James Lester to a majority draw
PROFESSIONAL MMA
Devin Powell def. Jesse Erickson via TKO, round 1 (Powell wins lightweight title)
Mike Hansen def. Jesse Baughman via arm triangle, round 1
Josh Harvey def. Matt Denning via triangle choke, round 1
Tollison Lewis def. Zenon Herrera via armbar, round 1
Aaron Lacey def. Derek Shorey via D’Arce Choke, round 1
AMATEUR MMA
Glenn Kasabian def. Matt Marshall via TKO, round 1
Tom Burgess def. Alex Payson via KO, round 2
Ryan Daley def. Jake Denham via TKO, round 2
Bryce Bamford def. Joe Krech via TKO, round 1
Caleb Hall def. Erik Nelson via D’arce Choke, round 2 (Hall wins featherweight title)
Nick Gulliver def. Dave Smith via TKO, round 1
Cory Trial def. Angelo Rizzitello via split decision
Ras Hylton def. Matt Glover via KO, round 2
Angela Young def. Hannah Sparrell via unanimous decision
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Tickets are on sale now atwww.NewEnglandFights.com.
NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: THE PROMISED LAND.” Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.
For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
ALL ROADS LEAD TO MONUMENTAL FIGHT CARD IN LEWISTON
Lewiston, Maine (March 31, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the full fight card for the event. The fight card is scheduled to feature three professional boxing matches, six professional MMA bouts, and twelve exciting amateur MMA contests.
On the professional boxing side of the card, Northeast Junior Welterweight Champion, and the pride of West Forks, Maine, Brandon “The Cannon” Berry(11-1, 7 KOs) returns to the ring for a six-rounder with Detroit, Michigan’s James Lester (10-9, 4 KOs). Berry, one of the most popular boxers to ever come out of Maine, will look for his fourth consecutive victory since returning from a shoulder injury last year.
That will prove easier said than done with Lester standing in the opposite corner. Lester is a product of the world-famous Kronk Gym in Detroit where world champions like Thomas “Hitman” Hearns (61-5-1, 48 KOs), Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs), Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KOs) and Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) have trained under the late Emmanuel Steward. Lester was ranked number-two nationally as an amateur. He presents a dangerous threat to Berry, one that could very well play the role of “spoiler” to “The Cannon” and his legion of fans.
After a bloody war of a professional boxing debut at “NEF 21” last month, NEF MMA regular Crowsneck Boutin (0-0-1) will once again step into the boxing ring, this time facing Brandon Montella (3-0, 2 KOs). Montella, now a resident of Massachusetts, grew up in Maine and served in the United States Marine Corps.
Headlining the professional MMA portion of the fight card will be Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-4) and Devin Powell (5-1) in a lightweight contest. Both fighters are currently on a three-fight win streak.
“I try to focus on what is right in front of me,” said Erickson during a recent interview on The MMA Report Podcast. “I never looked past my opponents but I like to think what the reward is going to be when I beat this guy.”
Neither athlete can afford to overlook the other, but a win for either could very well mean a call from one of the national promotions. Erickson has been there before with Bellator. Powell is an all-around talent with some slick finishes to his credit.
“This is the type of MMA fight we absolutely love,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “You have two guys who match up so well. They’ve both been racking up the wins. They’ve faced some of the same opponents. They’re both solid on the mat and on their feet. I expect this to be yet another crazy, wild NEF MMA main event!”
“Crazy” and “wild” do not even begin to describe the grudge that has developed between Josh “Hook On” Harvey (0-0) and Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (2-1). The bitter rivals will meet at a fight weight of 150-pounds at “NEF 22” in an MMA bout. The bout will be Harvey’s professional debut after a stellar 5-1 amateur career that saw him capture the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Title, as well as the northeast regions number-one ranking. The well-publicized personal issues between Harvey and Denning will be settled in the cage on April 23rd.
The professional portion of the MMA card will also feature the pro debut of Harvey’s Young’s MMA teammate Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (0-0) as he takes on veteran “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (3-5) in a featherweight bout. Lacey vacated the NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Title in order to turn professional.
That title will not stay vacant very long as Caleb Hall (6-3) and Erik Nelson (2-2) face off to determine a new champion at the top of the amateur MMA card. Hall is coming off a first-round submission win at “NEF XX” last fall, while Nelson recently picked up a unanimous decision victory at “NEF 21.”
The amateur MMA card will also feature a women’s fight between Angela Young(0-1) and “Hollywood” Hannah Sparrell (1-0). Young and Sparrell made their respective debuts last year at “NEF XIX.”
The full “NEF 22” fight card (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):
PROFESSIONAL BOXING
175 Crowsneck Boutin 0-0-1 (Choi) vs Brandon Montella 3-0 (The Way)
140 Brandon Berry 11-1 (West Forks) vs James Lester 10-9 (Kronk)
140 Josh Parker 0-2-1 (Ruthless) vs Evincii Dixon 7-13-1 (Lancaster)
PROFESSIONAL MMA
205 Mike Hansen 3-3 (Berserkers) vs Jesse Baughman 0-1 (Link)
170 Jarod Lawton 4-2 (Lawton/NEU) vs Aaron Aschendorf 2-2 (ABCC)
155 Devin Powell 5-1 (Nostos) vs Jesse Erickson 6-4 (CMBJJ)
150 Josh Harvey 0-0 (Young’s) vs Matt Denning 2-1 (CMBJJ)
155 Zenon Herrera 0-3 (Independent) vs Tollison Lewis 0-5 (CMBJJ)
145 Aaron Lacey 0-0 (Young’s) vs Derek Shorey 3-5 (Shatterproof)
AMATEUR MMA
145 *TITLE Caleb Hall 6-3 (Choi) vs Erik Nelson 2-2 (CMBJJ)
265 Dave Smith 2-1 (Berserkers) vs Nick Gulliver 2-0 (First Class)
265 Matt Glover 1-0 (Berserkers) vs Ras Hylton 1-0 (First Class)
265 Joe Krech 0-1 (Berserkers) vs Bryce Bamford 1-0 (First Class)
185 Anthony Spires 0-1 (Independent) vs Mike Williams 1-1 (CMBJJ)
170 John Hansen 0-0 (Berserkers) vs Alex Payson 1-0 (First Class)
155 Ken Dunn 0-3 (W. ME Budo Arts) vs Frank Johanson 0-1 (CMBJJ)
150 Cory Trial 1-2 (Ruthless) vs Jeremy Tyler 4-3 (Team Irish)
145 Johnny Crafts 4-0 (NEU) vs Taylor Costantino 2-1 (Team Irish PTC)
145 Glenn Kasabian 0-0 (Choi) vs Matt Marshall 2-5 (MMA Athletix)
140 Angela Young 0-1 (Young’s) vs Hannah Sparrell 1-0 (First Class)
125 Jake Denham 1-0 (Lawton BJJ) vs Ryan Daley 0-2 (Team Irish)
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
BOXING HEADLINER ANNOUNCED FOR NEF 22
Lewiston, Maine (February 22, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 22, 2016at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the main event of the boxing portion of the “NEF 22” fight card. Northeast Junior Welterweight Champion Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (11-1, 7 KOs) will take on James Lester (10-9, 4 KOs) in a non-title, six-round bout at 140-pounds.
Berry, the pride of small-town West Forks, Maine, has shined since returning from a shoulder injury last year. He has won his last three in a row, including a technical knockout (TKO) stoppage of Tollison Lewis (2-1, 1 KO) earlier this month in Lewiston. The upcoming fight with Lester will see Berry return to his native 140-pound junior welterweight division for the first time since his injury. All three of his recent wins have come in the heavier welterweight and super welterweight divisions.
“April 23rd will be a big turning point in my boxing career,” said Berry when reached for comment. “This will be my fourth time headlining NEF’s boxing portion of the event, and I want to thank Nick (DiSalvo, NEF promoter), Matt (Peterson, NEF matchmaker) and Pete (Czymbor, NEF Director of Boxing Operations) for the opportunity. I asked for a challenge and to make it back down to my regular fight weight of 140-pounds, and that’s what I’m getting with Detroit’s James Lester. I think the crowd will be very happy and impressed with the talent level James brings. This is a big test for me and I hope that with nine weeks to prepare it’s a test that I can pass. He brings so much to the table that can give me problems in the ring, so me showing up anything less than 100% will be unacceptable.
“I know that Tommy (Duquette), Ed (LaVache), Luke (Yetten) and the rest of Boston Boxing will push me to the limit and bring me into the ring prepared. James Lester has been around and fought some very good fighters. He had an amazing amateur career, and has spent years training at one of the most legendary boxing facility’s in the world, the Kronk Gym. Who doesn’t want to see this fight? See you all April 23rd, and as always thank you all so much for the amazing support. The tickets sales are unreal.”
As Berry noted, James Lester is a product of the world-famous Kronk Gym of Detroit, Michigan. It was there he honed his craft alongside world champions like Thomas “Hitman” Hearns (61-5-1, 48 KOs), Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs), Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KOs) and Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs), to name a few, under legendary trainer Emanuel Steward. As an amateur, Lester was ranked nationally at number-two. He competed against the likes of future Olympian Andre Dirrell (24-2, 16 KOs) and future WBC Super Middleweight Champion Anthony Dirrell (28-1-1, 22 KOs) while in the amateur ranks. The bout with Berry will mark the second time Lester has ventured to New England in his professional career. He competed on a card in Worcester, Massachusetts in 2011. Lester looks forward to making his return to the region.
“Fighting Brandon will be exciting, and I’m ready for anything he has to bring,” said Lester. “Fighting in New England was awesome a few years ago against Ryan Kielczewski (24-1, 7 KOs). I met some real good people there and can’t wait to come put on a show for them again.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.