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Tag Archives: Las Vegas
Demond Brock’s arduous trip leads to Nationally televised fight vs. NABA US Lightweight champ Reynaldo Blanco
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TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS
KOVALEV-WARD “POUND FOR POUND”
SET FOR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19
AT T-MOBILE ARENA IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
PRESENTED LIVE BY HBO PAY-PER-VIEW®
Click HERE for Photos
Photo Credit: Khristopher Sandifer/Roc Nation Sports
OAKLAND, CA (November 1, 2016) – On Monday, October 31, 2016, Two-Time World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) participated in a media workout in Hayward, California ahead of his pound-for-pound showdown against WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs). Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” takes place Saturday, Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Ward put on a full workout session for the media in attendance, consisting of a series of shadow boxing, heavy bag, double end bag, speed bag and then stretching. Also on hand were youths from Camp Sweeney, Alameda County Probation Department’s residential facility in San Leandro, whom Ward spent time speaking with following the workout.
Below is what Ward had to say during the media workout:
ANDRE WARD, Two-Time World Champion:
“I feel that this fight with Kovalev is 50-50. That’s how I approach all of my big fights. I don’t go into the fight thinking, ‘I’ve got a clear-cut advantage here’ or ‘I’ve got to run through this guy.’ Personally, for me, I can’t roll like that. I’ve got to keep myself honest, stay on my grind, keep my head down and force myself to keep working. I truly believe Kovalev is everything they say he is, and I’m everything that I’ve shown over the years.
“There are always different game plans, nuances, different things you’re working on but I respect every fight that I fight. I don’t get caught up in the whole puncher thing, anybody can get you out of there if you get hit right. I don’t think I’d be sitting here in this position right now if I hadn’t had these highs and lows. We’ve got to find a way to get it done, and we’re going to find a way to get it done. I don’t care what he’s got in his gloves, who he’s knocked out or what he’s done. My job is to get my hand raised, and that’s what we’re focused on.
“I have days where I do some type of cardio in the morning – sprints, distant running – then go back to training camp to get some rest and eat. Then we come to the gym and spar and hit the heavy bag. It’s a monotonous process when you’re in training camp, and that’s pretty much every day. Of course we take days off to rest the body and be smart, but it’s really the same thing every day. As you get closer, you start to pull back a little bit so you don’t over train. That’s normally the week of the fight, so up until the Saturday before the fight, you’re full steam ahead. 100 miles an hour.
“Typically, Virgil and I will go through our process together. He watches a lot more film than I do. He’s up until 3:00 a.m.or 4:00 a.m. watching film. As I’ve gotten older, I watch less film. I don’t need to see 10 fights to see tendencies and certain things. I know what I need to see. I may go back and watch a round here and there, but I try and leave room for my instincts. I’m very instinctual. You’ve got to be able to think on the fly thinking on the highest level. I leave room for that. It’s not a checklist you go down. You can’t get into a ring thinking like that. I just believe that who I am and what I have is enough, and that’s what I’m standing on.
“Having young guys like Shakur Stevenson around, it starts to make me feel old because I used to be that guy at Roy Jones’s camp, Floyd Mayweather’s camp, hanging around Bernard Hopkins. You see yourself in them. It’s a little weird, because you’re like, ‘man, now I’m the OG.’ But it’s also a beautiful thing because we need more of that. We need champions and top contenders and just fighters in general to open up the door and allow the young guys on the way to be shown how it’s done.
“I’m honored for Claressa Shields to say that I am her idol. I admire her story, what she’s come from, and think that she’s amazing in the ring. She’s the real deal. I watch her, I pick up things from her. For her to have two Gold medals is amazing. For her to make her pro debut on this fight card is a beautiful, beautiful thing. I think it’s a perfect situation.
“It’s a beautiful thing to be fighting in Vegas. I’m excited. What better time than now in this stage in my career. I’m just excited to continue to prepare so I can do my part to give the fans their money’s worth, those that pay to be there and those paying to watch it. That’s what I’m focused on, and I’m extremely happy to be a part of it. T-Mobile is a new arena, and a new chapter, and to be a part of it is a beautiful thing.”
Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Corona Extra, Zappos and JetLux. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.
Follow the conversation using #KovalevWard. FOLLOW US:
| www.kovalboxer.com | @KrusherKovalev | @SergeyKovalev_Official | /thekrusher | /kovalboxer |
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“Knockout Night at the D” returns Friday, Nov. 18 Blanco vs. Brock, Cruz vs. Gonzalez
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Live on CBS Sports Network
From the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center
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Reynaldo Blanco vs. Demond Brock (R) headlines the Nov. 18th
“Knockout Night at the D” on CBS Sports Network
(photo by Manny “Mitts” Murillo / Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions)
LAS VEGAS (October 27, 2016) – “Knockout Night at the D” returns Friday night, November 18, airing live (9 p.m. PT / 12 a.m. ET) on CBS Sports Network from inside the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center tent, located in the heart of the downtown Las Vegas casino district, one block away from the world famous Fremont Street (200 S. 3rd St.).
North American Boxing Association (NABA) United States lightweight champion Reynaldo Blanco (13-2, 7 KOs) makes his first title defense against challenger Demond “Body Shot” Brock (12-3, 4 KOs) in the 10-round main event.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegas and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.
Hall of Fame announcers Jim “J.R.” Ross and Al Bernstein will call the action from ringside, along with roving reporter Sean Wheelock, on CBS Sports Network.
The 29-year-old Blanco, fighting out of the Dominican Republic by way of Puerto Rico, captured his NABA US title belt this past January, taking an 8-round unanimous decision from previously unbeaten Angel Luis Ocasio (8-0-2). In his last fight in July, Blanco stopped another undefeated challenger, 14-0 Mario Beltre, in the second round for the Dominican Republic lightweight championship.
New Orleans-native Brock, who learned how to box serving a 15-year prison sentence, defeated Chuy Gutierrez (14-0-1) in the June 10th “Knockout Night at the D” show to retain his World Boxing Council (WBC) United States lightweight title in his first title defense. Brock, 35, originally captured his title belt in 2015, by way of an 8-round unanimous decision over Oscar Valenzuela (9-1-1).
In the 8-round co-feature, Puerto Rican junior middleweight Daniel “El Duro” Cruz(11-1, 10 KOs) takes on former Mexico welterweight champion Norberto Gonzalez(22-8, 13 KOs).
Cruz, who has knocked out 10 of his 11 victims, is the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) Latino junior middleweight champion having captured that vacant title in his last fight (July 17, 2015), stopping Aaron Garcia (14-3-1) in the second round in Florida.
Always dangerous Gonzalez is a proven upset specialist with victories against 30-3 Javier Francisco Maciel (DEC8), 20-1 Michael Oliveira (DEC10), 18-2 Antonio Arras (DEC10), and 22-3-1 Joel Juarez (DEC6).
In the television opener, rising junior lightweight Randy Moreno (6-0, 5 KOs) faces Mexican veteran Daniel Perales (7-5-1, 4 KOs) in a scheduled 6-round bout. Fighting once again at home in Las Vegas, Moreno will be in his first 6-rounder, as well as on national television for the first time. The gifted 20-year-old is coming off explosive back-to-back knockouts of Fabian Alaniz and Gaige Ireland in a pair of “Knockout Night at the D” events in September.
“The hottest series in boxing returns November 18th with another great event,” said Keith Veltre, CEO / Co-Founder of Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions. “Once again, the main event and co-feature are pick ’em fights. ‘Knockout Night at the D’ fights are known for its competitiveness and entertainment value. And we remain committed to showcasing local prospects like Randy Moreno, who will be fighting on national television for the first time. Fans in attendance as well as those watching on CBS Sports Network will be into these match-ups from the opening bell.”
Keeping with its goal to showcase young talent based in Las Vegas, junior flyweight Marina “Rocky” Ramirez (2-0), and pro-debuting cruiserweight Jason Beauchampare slated to be fighting in separate 4-round bouts.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $1,000.00 VIP booth (includes 15 admissions), $50.00 VIP ringside, $25.00 and $15.00 general admission, are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.DLVEC.com. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 7:00 p.m. PT.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and Neon Star Media.
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvEventsCenter, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @bodyshot brock and @_randymoreno
RIVAL BOXING GEAR & EQUIPMENT is the official apparel and gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series. www.rivalboxing.com, @rivalboxinggear
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MAURICE HOOKER VS. DARLEYS PEREZ JOIN KOVALEV-WARD “POUND FOR POUND” TELEVISED UNDERCARD
TITLE FIGHT SET FOR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19
AT T-MOBILE ARENA IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
PRESENTED LIVE BY HBO PAY-PER-VIEW®
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (October 14, 2016) – Rising Dallas, Texas boxing star and NABO Junior Welterweight Champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (21-0-2, 16 KOs) will defend his NABA junior welterweight title against Darleys Perez (33-2-1, 21 KOs) in a ten-round bout on the televised undercard of Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” on Saturday, Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
In his last appearance on August 6, Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker captivated the crowd at Oracle Arena as the co-feature of Andre Ward vs. Alexander Brand. Hooker wasted no time outperforming Washington D.C.’s Tyrone Barnett, landing a flurry of punches before scoring a technical knockout at the 2:17 mark of the opening round to retain his NABO junior welterweight title. Hooker looks ahead to his next challenge, former WBA World Lightweight Champion Darleys Perez. Perez is coming off a May 20 knockout victory over fellow Colombian Ubadel Soto, an impressive bounce back following a tough title defense loss to Anthony Crolla, the previous year. The veteran fighter, who resides and trains full-time in the U.S., will step up a weight class to meet Hooker.
“I want to thank my team at Maple Avenue Boxing Gym, Roc Nation Sports and HBO for giving me the opportunity to show the world a ‘Mighty Mo’ performance on the undercard of the ‘Fight of the Year’,” said Hooker. “For my part, I promise to put on a show for the fans in Las Vegas and the Pay-Per-View audience at home. No one punches like me. It’s going to be lights out.”
Hooker added, “I will be dedicating this fight to Aaron Pyror, who passed away, earlier this week. I can’t think of a better way to honor ‘The Hawk’s’ legacy than with a big win. I look to be a world-class junior welterweight champion like him.”
“This is my chance get back into the limelight. I have fought all over the world and facing Maurice Hooker in Las Vegas on November 19 is perhaps my last chance to show that I have a lot left inside the ring and I plan to take full advantage of it because losing is not an option,” said Perez. “I will move up to the 140-pound division and I will be ready to challenge this young lion who has never fought a guy like me before. There will be fireworks in Las Vegas and I plan to go home a winner.”
“Not only is Kovalev-Ward the most anticipated fight in recent boxing history, with the addition of Hooker-Perez to the televised undercard – Nov. 19 is an evening that international sports fans simply cannot afford to miss,” said Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy Michael R. Yormark. “From our very first day in boxing, Roc Nation Sports has committed to making great fights and creating scintillating global events, and we are thrilled to work with Main Events to add this incredible matchup to the undercard, as ‘Mighty Mo’ Hooker puts his undefeated record on the line against the very talented Colombian Darleys Perez.”
“HBO is the pinnacle of pugilistic entertainment. We are very proud to have Maurice Hooker make both his Las Vegas and HBO Pay-Per-View debut on November 19,” said Arnie Verbeek, Hooker’s manager. “We have worked extremely hard to get to this point in his career and are thankful to Roc Nation Sports for believing in Maurice Hooker’s talent.”
Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (21-0-2, 16 KOs) was born and raised in Oak Cliff, Texas, where he found a boxing home at Maple Avenue Boxing Gym by way of an outreach program for at-risk youths. His natural talent was soon noticed resulting in him competing as an amateur, during which time he participated in over 100 fights, compiling a record of 97 wins and only seven losses, with 67 victories coming by way of knockout. Hooker turned professional on April 29, 2011, taking on the vastly more experienced Tyrone Chatman at the Orpheum Theater in St. Louis. After four rounds, the judges saw the fight 40-36, 37-39 and 38-38, calling the fight a split draw. Undeterred, in his next fight on June 24, 2014, Hooker scored his first professional win, knocking out Wilbert Mitchell in the first round. Eleven wins (eight by knockout) later, he took on undefeated Abel Ramos on January 17, 2014 in a bout that was featured on ShoBox from the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. After eight close, hard-fought rounds, the judges saw the fight a draw. Four consecutive knockout victories would follow before he took on fellow undefeated prospect Eduardo Galindo on June 26, 2015 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas for the vacant NABO junior welterweight title. “Mighty Mo” did not disappoint his legion of hometown fans who saw him capture the title with a sixth round technical knockout victory. On October 17, 2015, Hooker successfully defended his title at Madison Square Garden in New York City against his toughest opponent to date in Ghislain Maduma. The 10-round decision win came on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux and was featured on the event’s “freeview” as well as streamed online around the world. “Mighty Mo” made his debut under the Roc Nation Sports banner on the undercard of Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera, this past March at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, where he annihilated opponent Wilfrido “La Roca” Buelvas of Columbia in the first round of a 10-round junior welterweight bout by way of technical knockout. Hooker returned to Oracle Arena on August 6 as the co-feature on the Ward-Brand undercard, defeating Tyrone Barnett of Washington, D.C., to remain the NABO Junior Welterweight Champion. Hooker is ready to step up to the challenge on November 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas when he faces former WBA World Lightweight Champion Darleys Perez.
Follow Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker on Twitter @mightmohooker, Instagram @mauricemightymohooker and Facebook: www.facebook.com/mauricemightymohooker/.
Darleys Perez (33-2-1, 21 KOs) is a celebrated Colombian boxer hailing from San Pedro de Uraba. As an amateur, with a record of 82 wins and 7 losses, he captured the lightweight boxing gold medal at the 2006 South American games in Buenos Aries, Argentina, and was a contender at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, China. Perez made his professional debut on February 14, 2009, by way of knockout over fellow countryman Edwin Ortiz. 27 consecutive victories followed, earning Perez a shot at the interim WBA World lightweight title against undefeated Yuriorkis Gamboa at the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada on June 8, 2013. In a closely-fought contest that went the distance, Gamboa prevailed, handing Perez his first career loss. A year later, Perez received a second chance at the interim WBA World lightweight title, successfully scoring a unanimous decision over Argenis Lopez at the Sheraton Hotel in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Perez was promoted to full titleholder status when the WBA stripped Richar Abril of the belt for twice failing to make title defenses. In the first of back-to-back defenses of the WBA World lightweight title on July 18, 2015, Perez topped hometown challenger Anthony Crolla with a majority decision draw at the Manchester Arena in the United Kingdom. In the rematch on November 21, 2015, again at Manchester Arena, Perez was taken down for the count in the fifth round by a single body shot. Undeterred by his second loss, Perez returned to the ring on May 20, 2016, scoring with a big second-round knockout over Ubadel Soto. Perez looks to continue his upward streak as he moves up a weight class to take on Maurice Hooker for the NABO junior welterweight title on November 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Rosneft and Corona Extra. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Follow the conversation using #KovalevWard.
FOLLOW US:
| www.kovalboxer.com | @KrusherKovalev | @SergeyKovalev_Official | /thekrusher | /kovalboxer |
| www.andresogward.com | @AndreWard | @AndreSogWard | /AndreSogWard | |
| www.mainevents.com | @Main_Events | @Main_Events | /MainEventsBoxiNg | /MEBoxingSeries |
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| www.mgmgrand.com | @MGMGrand | @MGMGrand | /MGMGrand | |
| www.t-mobilearena.com | @TMobileArena | @TMobileArena | /TMobileArena |
MGM Resorts’ Odds-maker Jay Rood Weighs in on Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward ‘Pound For Pound’
Saturday, November 19, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
Presented Live By HBO Pay-Per-View®
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (October 11, 2016): As WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) and former Two-Time World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) prepare for their epic “Pound For Pound” showdown scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, fans, media, experts and odds-makers around the world are split on who will be the favorite to win this virtually even-money battle.
And with good reason. Both Kovalev and Ward are undefeated and in their prime, making for a rare and exciting boxing match-up and a testament to the moxie of the boxers and the promoters.
Jay Rood, Vice President of Race & Sports for MGM Resorts International, provides his expert analysis of this exciting match-up:
“I really believe this could end up being a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate. Usually fighters in good form don’t meet up.”
Because of that, this fight opened close, has remained so and, most likely, will close so.
“It’s not very often that a fight in Las Vegas that’s this significant is this close in terms of odds,” says Rood. “Ward opened at -145 and he now is at -150. I don’t believe it will change much from here.”
The fact that Ward is the slight favorite is because, in part, the public, especially those bettors who consider themselves as experts or ‘sharps,’ tend to go with the boxer over the puncher.
But while Ward is considered the boxer and Kovalev the puncher, both are versatile, in keeping with the tremendous skill each possess. In other words, Ward, the perceived boxer, has power, and Kovalev, the perceived puncher, can box.
“The public is perceiving this fight, right or wrong, as ‘Boxer vs. Puncher,’” added Rood. “Usually the boxer draws the ‘sharp’ action. Most of the ‘sharp’ money will be on the boxer.”
However, the general betting public appears to be trending toward Kovalev.
According to Rood, “Kovalev will draw good action, otherwise this number would need to be closer to -200 to balance the fight (betting action). I don’t think it will be that one-sided. I think the crowd going to the fight will be 60 percent on Kovalev.”
Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Titles, takes place Saturday, Nov. 19, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. “Pound for Pound” is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Rosneft and Corona Extra.
Follow the conversation using #KovalevWard. FOLLOW US:
| www.kovalboxer.com | @KrusherKovalev | @SergeyKovalev_Official | /thekrusher | /kovalboxer |
| www.andresogward.com | @AndreWard | @AndreSogWard | /AndreSogWard | |
| www.mainevents.com | @Main_Events | @Main_Events | /MainEventsBoxing | /MEBoxingSeries |
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| www.mgmgrand.com | @MGMGrand | @MGMGrand | /MGMGrand | |
| www.t-mobilearena.com | @TMobileArena | @TMobileArena | /TMobileArena |
Stephon Young wins WBA NABA title with decision over Tony Lopez Jr.
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Late replacement Erik “El Trump” Ruiz upsets Hanzel Martinez for WBC International super bantamweight title
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Young decisions Lopes, Vera stops Zizic
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
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-all pictures by Manny “Mitts” Murillo / Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions-
Erik Ruiz celebrates his upset victory
LAS VEGAS (September 30, 2016) — Late replacement Erik “El Trumpo” Ruiz upset Hanzel Martinez in tonight’s “Knockout Night at the D” main event in front of another sold-out crowd at the outdoor Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegas and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions. Hall Of Fame announcers Jim “J.R.” Ross and Al Bernstein called the action from ringside with Sean Wheelock on CBS Sports Network in North America and internationally via ESPN. Ruiz (16-5-1, 6 KOs) replaced Emmanuel Quartey, who was unable to secure a visa, and he was rewarded with a 10-round majority decision victory over fellow Mexican fighter Hanzel Martinez (23-3, 19 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) International super bantamweight title. “El Trumpo,” fighting out of Oxnard, California, put on a clinic, avoiding the lunging Martinez, who was frustrated throughout the fight by Ruiz’ slickness. Martiniz lunged, Ruiz countered and then he slightly moved to the side, avoiding any potential. Defensively, Ruiz was far superior, keeping Martinez off balance through out the majority of rounds.
Ruiz (R) controlled most of the action in the main event
“I feel great,” Ruiz exclaimed. “I took this last minute fight but I was ready for it. Hanzel is a tough fighter. He has guts. I didn’t think he’d to the full 10 rounds. This is an opportunity that will open a lot of doors for me. He knew he was coming to fight and I as ready for him.” In a good technical fight with a lot of give-and-take action from start to finish, unbeatenStephon “Showstopper” Young (15-0-3, 6 KOs) defeated Tony Lopez, Jr. (11-2, 4 KOs) in a battle of gritty southpaws. Fighting out of St. Louis, Young’s quickness prevailed over Lopes’ toughness, as both fighters put on a show for the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) bantamweight title in the co-feature. Young won a 10-round majority decision.
(L) Young’s quickness was the difference
“It was a hard fight,” Young commented. “My coach said, if you wan it, go get him. And I did. I knew what I was coming to get. People want to see me fight in this division.” In the television opener, NABA USA super welterweight champion John “The Phenom” Vera (15-0, 10 KOs) made another strong statement under the neon lights, stopping challenger Milorad “Micko” Zizic (12-2, 7 KOs) in the second round. Making his second title defense, Vera, a southpaw, served notice to all super welterweights, dropping Zizic twice and then staggering him again before referee Kenny Baylesscalled an end to the fight. Vera Vera decked Zizic twice
“I came out here to put on a show,” Vera said after the fight. “I dropped him (first) with a left-right. The second knockdown I feinted and hit him with a hard right jab. I then turned right-handed because I knew my right was working. I knew I had him.” Las Vegas junior lightweight Randy Moreno cruised to his fifth win without a loss, unloading an unanswered barrage of punches on Fabian “El Suavecito” Alanez (1-1) until referee Jay Nady halted the fight in the second round.
Moreno is a rising young star to watch
Popular Las Vegas welterweight Jeremy “J-Flash” Nichols improved to 7-0 with a totally in control 4-round decision over Marquis “The Hawk” Hawthorn (4-5, 1 KO).
Nichols kept rollin’
Las Vegas’ 18-year-old bantamweight Max “The Baby Faced Assassin” Ornelas (5-0, 2 KOs) remained unbeaten, winning a a 4-round unanimous technical decision overMulapi Enjani (2-3-2, 1 KO). Ornelas hurt Enjani near the end of the fourth round. Enajani hurt his knee and he was unable to continue, resulting in a technical decision
18-year-old Max Ornelas (L) improved to 5-0
Las Vegas junior lightweight Sal Lopez (4-0, 0 KOs) pitched a shutout, winning all four rounds on the judges’ scorecards, over previously undefeated Kenneth “Scrappy” Taylor (2-1, 2 KOs).
(R) Lopez pitched a shutout
OFFICIAL RESULTS
SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS
John Vera (15-0, 10 KOs), Champion, Fort Worth, TX
WTKO2 (2:15)
Milorad Zizic (12-2, 6 KOs), Challenger, Las Vegas, NV
(Vera retained WBA-NABA super welterweight title)
WELTERWEIGHTS
Jeremy Nichols (7-0, KOs), Las Vegas, NV
WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)
Marquis Hawthorn (4-5, 1 KO), Waco, TX.
JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS
Randy Moreno (5-0, 4 KOs), Las Vegas, NV
WTKO2 (0:21)
Fabian Alaniz (1-1, 0 KOs), Laredo, TX
Sal Lopez (4-0, 0 KOs), Las Vegas, NV
WDEC (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)
Kenneth Taylor (2-1, 2 KOs), Tyler, TX
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHTS
Erik Ruiz (16-5-1, 6 KOs), Oxnard, CA
WDEC10 (98-92, 97-93, 95-95)
Hanzel Martinez (23-3, 19 KOs), Tijuana, Mexico.
(Ruiz won WBC International bantamweight title)
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Stephon Young (15-0-3, 6 KOs), Saint Louis, MO
WDEC (97-93, 96-94, 95-95)
Tony Lopez, Jr. (11-2, 4 KOs), Fort Worth, TX
(Young won WBA-NABA Bantamweight title)
Max Ornelas (5-0, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, NV
WTDEC4 (40-36, 40-36 40-36)
Mulapi Enjani (2-3-2, 1 KO), San Diego, CA
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvEventsCenter, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @teamtonylopez, @hanzel2111, @stephonyoung, @johnverajr, @mickozizic, @jflashgang, @_RandyMoreno
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
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OFFICIAL WEIGHTS & PICTURES For “Knockout Night at the D”
Promoter Roy Jones Jr.
-all pictures by Manny “Mitts” Murillo / Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions
(fighter on right is listed first each fight, promoter Roy Jones Jr. in the middle)
VACANT WBA INTERNATIONAL SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10)
Hanzel Martinez (23-2, 19 KOs), Tijuana, Mexico 122 lbs.
Erik Ruiz (15-5-1, 6 KOs), Oxnard, CA 121 lbs.
VACANT WBA-NABA BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10)
Tony Lopez, Jr. (11-1, 4 KOs), Fort Worth, TX 118 lbs.
Stephon Young (14-0-3, 6 KOs), Saint Louis, MO 117 bs.
WBA-NABA USA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMIONSHIP (8)
John Vera (14-0, 9 KOs), Champion, Fort Worth, TX 154 lbs.
Milorad Zizic (12-1, 6 KOs), Challenger, Las Vegas, NV 153 ½ lb.
JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)
Randy Moreno (4-0, 3 KOs), Las Vegas, NV 134 lbs.
Fabian Alaniz (1-0, 0 KOs), Laredo, TX 134 ½ lbs.
WELTERWEIGHTS (4)
Jeremy Nichols (6-0, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, NV 147 ½ lbs.
Marquis Hawthorn (4-4, 1 KO), Waco, TX 146 lbs.
BANTAMWEIGHTS (4)
Max Ornelas (4-0, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, NV 118 lbs.
Mulapi Enjani (2-2-2, 1 KO), San Diego, CA 116 ½ lbs.
JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)
Sal Lopez (3-0, 0 KOs), Las Vegas, NV 131 lbs.
Kenneth Taylor (2-0, 2 KOs), Tyler, TX 129 lbs.
WHAT: “Knockout Night at the D” professional boxing
WHEN: Friday, September 30, 2016
WHERE: Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC)
PROMOTER: Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions
TELEVISION: Live on CBS Sports Network, internationally via ESPN (digital delay check local listings)
BROADCASTERS: Jim “J.R.” Ross, Al Bernstein & Sean Wheelock
RING ANNOUNCER: Jeff Huston
DOORS OPEN: 5:00 p.m. PT
FIRST BOUT: 6:00 p.m. PT
FIRST TV BOUT: 8:00 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET
OTHER: “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvEventsCenter, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
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Erik Ruiz replaces Emmanuel Quartey vs Hanzel Martinez in Friday Night’s “Knockout Night at the D” main event
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LIMITED TICKETS STILL ON SALE
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LAS VEGAS (September 27, 2016) – Veteran super bantamweight Erik Ruiz has replaced Ghanaian boxer Emmanuel Quartey, who was unable to secure a visa to enter the United States, in this Friday night’s 10-round main event versus Hanzel “Rude Boy” Martinez, headlining a strong “Knockout Night at the D” card, for the vacant World Boxing Association International super bantamweight title.
Airing live (11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT) on CBS Sports Network and internationally viaESPN (digital delay check local listings), “Knockout Night at the D” will be held outdoors under the neon lights at Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegas and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.
Hall of Fame announcers Jim “J.R.” Ross and Al Bernstein will call all of the action from ringside with Sean Wheelock handling fighter interviews on CBS Sports Network and in English for ESPN internationally.
Martinez (23-2, 19 KOs), a former WBC United States bantamweight champion, fights out of Tijuana, Mexico. Ruiz (15-5-1, 6 KOs) is coming off an impressive 10-round draw with 30-1 Horacio Garcia this past May in as Vegas. He has a notable win over previously unbeaten (11-0-2) Roy Tapia also extended top prospects such as Jessie Magdaleno,Alexis Santiago and Manuel Avila the distance.
“We knew there were some issues with Quartey’s visa situation,” promoter Keith Veltresaid, “so we had Erik Ruiz on hold. It’s unfortunate but things like this happen in boxing and we’re fortunate to have such a quality opponent like Erik as a late replacement. In fact, he’s fought much tougher opponents than Quartey. Hanzel has 18 knockouts in his 23 wins, but Ruiz has never been stopped as a professional. We’re confident that the main event will be equally competitive and that fans will enjoy another great night of ‘Knockout Night at the D” boxing.”
In the 10-round co-feature event, Tony Lopez, Jr. (11-1, 4 KOs) takes on Stephon “Showstopper” Young (14-0-3, 6 KOs) for the vacant WBA North American Boxing Association (NABA) bantamweight title.
In the third title fight of the night, undefeated WBA-NABA USA super welterweight champion John “The Phenom” Vera (14-0, 9 KOs) makes his second title defense against Milorad “Micko” Zizic (12-1, 6 KOs) in an 8-round bout opening the televised segment of the card.
Also fighting on the undercard in 4-round bouts are Las Vegas welterweight Jeremy “J-Flash” Nichols (5-0, 2 KOs) vs. Marquis Hawthorn (4-4, 1 KO), Las Vegas’ 18-year-old bantamweight Max “Baby Face” Ornelas (4-0, 2 KOs) vs. Mulapi “The African Mexican” Enjani (2-2-2, 1 KO), Las Vegas junior lightweight Sal Lopez (3-0) vs.Kenneth Taylor (2-0, 2 KOs), and Las Vegas junior lightweight Randy Moreno (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Fabian Alaniz (1-0, 0 KOs).
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $99.99 VIP ringside, $49.99 ringside, $24.99 and $14.99 general admission (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 the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and Neon Star Media.
This “Knockout Night at the D” event licensed to ESPN will be available to watch in 61 additional countries and territories in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico & Brazil) Caribbean, Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands),United Kingdom, Canada and India
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvEventsCenter, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @teamtonylopez, @hanzel2111, @stephonyoung, @johnverajr, @mickozizic, @jflashgang, @_RandyMoreno
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
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