Tag Archives: Manchester

Darleys Perez defends WBA Lightweight title against Anthony Crolla in a rematch on Saturday, November 21, LIVE on AWE

Ordered by the WBA – One of the most anticipated rematches of the Year
San Diego, CA – October,6 2015 – On Saturday afternoon, November 21, Darleys Perez will defend the WBA Lightweight title in a rematch against Anthony Crolla in a bout that can be seen live and exclusively in the United States on AWE- A Wealth of Entertainment
 
The bout will take place at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.
There’s a saying in boxing that if a title challenger ends the night with a draw, it means he beat the champ. For boxing fans of Anthony Crolla, the saying is more than true. Here’s the history on Crolla v. Perez I and why Crolla Perez II is a must watch rematch.
On July 18, 2015, boxing fan favorite Anthony Crolla made an emotional return into the ring to fight Darleys Perez for the WBA World title. Seven months prior, Crolla suffered a fractured skull, not in the ring, but at the hands of a burglar using a concrete slab as a weapon. Crolla risked his life to help a neighbor who was being burglarized.

Some thought Crolla was lucky to be alive, much less return to the ring to fight again. All leading to a very emotional evening in July as Crolla challenged Perez for the WBA World Title. Yet another devastating blow was coming. After twelve rounds of world-class boxing, Crolla finished the night with an extremely controversial draw. Boxing fans thought Crolla won the fight, before a two point deduction was taken against Perez for low blows. Crolla’s outraged home crowd fans were stunned and left the arena in silence. Amir Khan, the fast-handed UK fighter expected to fight Manny Pacquiao in early 2016, tweeted “What a joke!” characterizing the decision of Crolla fans worldwide.

Perez and Crolla will return to the scene of the first bout, in front of a raucous crowd at the Manchester Arena.

Perez of San Pedro de Uraba, Colombia has a record of 32-1-1 with 20 knockouts.
He won his first 28 bouts, which included wins over Samir Torres (10-2-1), Patricio Antonio Pedrero (20-1-1), Ramesis Gil (6-0-4), Oscar Meza (22-4) & Bahodir Mamadjonov (11-0).
He challenged then undefeated Yuriorkis Gamboa for the WBA Interim Lightweight title on June 8, 2013 in Montreal.  Perez came up just short, but two bouts later he defeated Argenis Lopez (19-0) to win that same title on June 28, 2014 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The 32 year-old Perez made two defenses of the interim crown by defeating Jaider Parra (23-1-1) and Jonathan Maicelo (21-1) being being elevated to the WBA Lightweight champion.
Crolla of Machester, England has a record of 29-4-3 with 11 knockouts.
He turned professional on October 14, 2006 with a win over Abdul Rashid (1-0).
The 28 year-old has amassed wins over 4-time world title challenger Michael Brodie (36-3-1), Andy Morris (19-3), John Watson (13-1), Willie Limond (34-3), Syephen Jennings (5-1-1), Kieran Farrell (14-0), former Jr. Welterweight world champion Gavis Rees (37-2-1), Stephen Foster (31-4-1) & Former world title challenger John Murray (33-2)
The start time and a full undercard will be announced shortly.
Boxing fans can enjoy this amazing card on AWE available on AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD, Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD, and numerous regional cable providers across the nation. Please check www.awetv.com for boxing updates.

John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson arrives in Manchester, England for October 10th WBO Junior Middleweight world title fight with Liam Smith

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Manchester, England (October 1, 2015)–WBO number-five ranked junior middleweight contender & Boxcino 2015 champion, John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson arrived Thursday morning in Manchester, England in advance of his October 10th WBO junior middleweight world title clash with Liam Smith that will take place at the Manchester Arena.
Thompson of Newark, New Jersey, is promoted by GH3 Promotions and Banner Promotions, is excited for the opportunity to become world champion.
“I am glad to be here, but I have a job to do and on October 10.  That night I will become world champion.”
Photo Credit:  Marc Abrams

GH3 Promotions developing into a promotional powerhouse

New Jersey based promotion to have 1st world title bout in October plus fighter’s to appear on national television

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nutley, NJ (September 21, 2015) – in just three years, Vito Mielnicki’s GH3 Promotions has become one of the top promoters in the United States.

In the next month, Mielnicki will see the fruits of his hard work as he will have his first fighter compete in a world title bout when WBO number-five ranked John Thompson (17-1, 6 KO’s) takes on Liam Smith on October 10 for the vacant WBO Jr. Middleweight title in Manchester, England.

“It is only fitting that it is John that gets the first opportunity because he was the first fighter I signed and I am ecstatic for him to be getting the chance at the world title,”said Mielnicki. “Camp is going terrific down in Virginia and John is eagerly waiting for October 10.”

Thompson will not be the only fighter under the GH3 banner to be seen in high profile bouts.

On October 23, Light Heavyweight, Lavarn Harvell (15-1, 10 KO’s) of Atlantic City will be taking on Samuel Clarkson as part of the televised ShoBox: The New Generation card.

Harvell has joined Thompson in Virginia for training camp.

On November 6, GH3 Promotions will stage a ShoBox card that will feature the popular and undefeated Middleweight WBA number-9 ranked Antoine Douglas (18-0-1, 12 KO’s) taking WBA number-12 ranked Les Sherrington (35-7, 19 KO’s) for the WBA Intercontinental title.

The fight will mark the fifth ShoBox appearance for Douglas, who is also ranked number-10 by the WBO, and number-15 by the IBF

Douglas is currently training in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

With a win over Sherrington, Douglas will be inching closer to a world title opportunity.

On the same ShoBox card, GH3 Promotions prospects O’Shanique Foster and Keenan Smith will make their national television debuts.

Foster (7-0, 4 KO’s) of Orange, Texas will take on Samuel Teah (7-1, 2 KO’s) in a Lightweight battle while Smith (8-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia battles Benjamin Whitaker (10-1, 2 KO’s) in a Welterweight clash.

Fighting off-tv that night will be undefeated Super Bantamweight, Adam Lopez (13-0, 6 KO’s) of San Antonio, Texas.

Lopez is currently ranked number-10 by the WBA on the strength of two exciting wins on ShoBox in 2015.

GH3 Promotions is closing the final quarter of 2015 very strong as it looks towards 2016 for all of it’s established talent to be fighting for regional belts that will move them up the rankings and in position for world title opportunities.

“I am very proud of what we have accomplished in a very short time. This could not have been done without people like Kay Koroma. Kay has helped us lock down all of the top talent in the country. He has deep roots behind the scenes. In the past year, Kay and I have added Ricardo Rizzo as an adviser to our company. Ricardo has over 40 years of experience in the industry and has been a great sounding board for advice to GH3 Promotions,” said Mielnicki.

Going forward, GH3 Promotions has resigned undefeated Bantamweight Glenn Dezurn Jr. (6-0, 4 KO’s) of Baltimore, Maryland

GH3 Promotions will be moving it’s operations as it is on the verge of closing in on a building in Belleville, New Jersey which will house both it’s offices and a state of the art gym for it’s local amateurs and professionals to work out.

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight Champion John Thompson, Jr., undefeated Welterweight’s Jerrell Harris & Keenan Smith,undefeated Super lightweight Bienvenido Diaz, Heavyweight Natu Visinia, Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell, Jr. Lightweight O’Shanique Foster & Super Middleweight Andrew Hernandez to the GH3 Promotions stable.

Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight champion, John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson to fight Liam Smith for vacant WBO Jr. Middleweight title on October 10 in Manchester, England


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Philadelphia, PA (August 24, 2015) – Boxcino 2015 champion John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson has signed to face undefeated Liam Smith for the vacant WBO world Jr. Middleweight title on October 10th in  Manchester, England.

Thompson joins Willie Monroe Jr. as the 2nd Boxcino champion to fight for a world title in a five month span.
Thompson (17-1, 6 KO’s) of Newark, New Jersey will participating in his first world title bout.
Thompson is co-promoted by Vito Mielnicki’s GH3 Promotions and Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions.
Thompson gained the opportunity on the strength of winning the Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight tournament with wins over Ricardo Pinell (10-1-1), Stanyslav Skorkhod (9-0) and a 2nd round stoppage over Brandon Adams (17-1).
“I am excited.  These doors keep opening, and I just walk through them and close them.  I have to do my job.  I am going into this fight making sure that I am in tip-top shape.  For me, the Boxcino tournament was a great opportunity to be established.  It is a strong platform to show my talents.  I fought very tough competition, and I knew from the beginning that’s how you get prepared for these types of fights,” said Thompson.
“I am very proud of John.  He was a last minute replacement in Boxcino.  He went on to win to the tournament in style by scoring a spectacular knockout over the heavily favored Brandon Adams.  When the opportunity came about to fight Liam Smith for the title, John jumped all over it and said make it happen.  John is a real fighter and understands when these types of opportunities come up, they are few are far between, and he jumped at the opportunity to fight for the WBO Jr. Middleweight world championship,” said Arthur Pelullo of Banner Promotions
Said Vito Mielnicki, President of GH3 Promotions, “John was the first fighter I signed at GH3 Promotions.  He always has taken the tough fights as you look at his history.  I feel he is by far the more dominant fighter in this fight, and he will show his talent on October 10.  It won’t matter that he his going into Smith’s Backyard, John will put on a great performance.”
The bout is promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, in association with Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions and Vito Mielnicki’s GH3 Promotions.
The Smith – Thompson bout will join the WBO Middleweight title fight between Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders, as well as Terry Flanagan defending his WBO Lightweight title against Diego Magdaleno, which wil make up a championship triple-header on October 10th from Manchester, England.