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KEY WEST, Fla (September 6, 2015) -Boxing manager Si Stern, president of SHS Boxing Management, passed away at the age of 81 this past Monday due to complications from a heart attack.
Stern managed three-time, two-division Randall “The Knock Out King” Bailey, veteran heavyweight Sherman “Tank” Williams, Marcus “Arillius” Upshaw and former Cuban Olympian Robert Alfonso.
A very successful businessman, Williams explained that Stern also had a law degree and studied at one point to be a rabbi. Si recently returned from Romania, where he supported Williams at his fight, on Sunday, Aug. 30 and he suffered a heart attack the following day at home in Key West. He was air lifted to a hospital in Miami, where he remained for a week before he succumbed.
Bailey and Stern’s partner, Dave Johnson, along with Stern’s son, Gary, and daughter, Cynthia, were bedside in the hospital with Si for several days until the end. “I spoke to Si on Sunday night (August 30) and got a call the next day saying he had been admitted to the hospital,” Bailey explained. “He suffered a massive heart attack. Things were up and down all week until last weekend.
 Randall Bailey (L) with Si Stern (holding belt) and his son, Gary Stern, shown here after Bailey knocked out Mike Jones in 2012 for the IBF welterweight title
“Si was a great guy and a good friend. As a manager, he always fought for his boxers. If nobody else cared, Si cared; if they couldn’t do it, Si would do it. I was with him nearly 10 years and nobody was throwing money our way. It was hard for us. I only made enough money in a few fights, like when I won the world title, where he took any money. If Si had your back, he’d go to war with you.
“He’d drive up from Key West to Miami to see me but, instead of staying overnight, he’d drive back. He’d call me call me 10 times while he drove home. He was so happy to get me a promotional contract (AK Promotions in Korea) and was really looking forward to my fight October 4th in Korea. I’m dedicating that fight to Si and we’ll be doing something special.”
 L-R: Si Stern & Sherman “Tank” Williams shown here in Romania
Williams was managed by Stern for the past 11 years and they had a special relationship. They had dinner together in Romania and flew back to the U.S., arriving Sunday, August 30.
“Si was much more than my manager,” Williams offered. “He was a good friend, a confident I could always rely on for advice, in and out of boxing. Si was an all-around good man. We had many deep discussion about politics and religion, me being a Christian and Si a Jew, especially spending so many days together in Romania.
“We all lost a good man in Si Stern. I was proud to be represented by Si. He wasn’t in boxing for the money. He was an important part of my life. He was always there for me and all of his fighters. Si never took a short cut or spared money. Si Stern was the best manager I ever had.”
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Tag Archives: Marcus Upshaw
Perennial gatekeeper Marcus Upshaw Opens gate to new chapter
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MIAMI (August 19, 2015) – Perennial middleweight/super middleweight gatekeeper Marcus Upshaw finally opened the gate to the next chapter of his career last Saturday, knocking out previously undefeated Turkish prospect Bugra Oener at Wynwood Stadium in Miami, to capture the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) interim Mediterranean super middleweight title.
The 35-year-old Upshaw (18-4-4, 9 KOs) fought in his home state for the first time in 2 ½ years. He was on a seek-and-destroy mission against reigning WBC Youth super middleweight champion Oener (9-1, 3 KOs).
Upshaw admitted considering retirement after his previous fight, in which he dropped Las Vegas hometown favorite Lanell Bellows (12-1-1) three times yet lost an eight-round decision.
“I’ve been the gatekeeper for so long but I finally opened the gate,” Upshaw said. “This fight felt awesome, especially after my long, long journey. I was stressed out after my last fight. I beat myself up and felt there was no reason for me to continue my boxing career. I felt used and was ready to quit, but I was convinced to give it one more shot. I was ready to put my life on the line, going for it and not worrying about getting hit or hurt.
“I knew that I had to finish this time. My opponent was related to one of the promoters and, along with my history, I knew that I had to keep going to finish the job. I knew I had to knock him out and I trained hard to do just that. I’ve put the past behind me. The problem was always me. This fight was fun. I stepped into the devil’s playground and that brought out the ugly in me to get the job done.”
 It may seem strange that a life-long Floridian like Upshaw is the interim WBC Mediterranean super middleweight champion, but he proudly displays his second title belt (see accompanying picture with Upshaw and manager Si Stern), to go along with the Florida State middleweight strap he won in 2009, when he knocked out another unbeaten prospect at the time, Ahsandi Gibbs (10-0). Equally strange were the cheers he heard from the crowd that serenaded him with chants of “USA, USA” as he entered the ring with Florida promoter Dave Johnson waving an American flag as he led the team walk to Upshaw’s corner.“For a change I was fighting in my backyard and hearing fans shout, ‘USA, USA’ motivated me a lot,” Upshaw noted. “They had my back. I was honored and it got me extra psyched for the fight. I knew had to prove myself. I’m really a middleweight but I took this fight at super middleweight because it was a good opportunity for me.”
Upshaw has always been known for his toughness, going the distance, albeit in losses, with champions, contenders and prospects such as Mario Antonio Rubio,David Lemieux, Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez, Edwin Rodriguez, Patrick Majewski and Tarvis Simms.
“I’m very happy for Marcus after all he’s been through,” Upshaw’s longtime managerSi Stern (SHS Boxing Management) added. “Marcus was a different fighter in the ring this time….like he was a completely different guy,” “Marcus had been mistreated by people in the early part of his career who threw him in against guys weighing up to 175 pounds, fighting them on late notice in their backyards, and a lot of his losses were to world champions.
“Marcus has always had the power he showed against Oner, but he wasn’t taught how to properly use his power until he started working with (head trainer) Orlando(Cuellar). Marcus is very, very strong and he’s never been in a bad fight. He’s lost some fights he should have won, but that’s all behind him now. Coming off this fight, I believe we can get him to fight for a regional title, and then we’ll go from there”
INFORMATION:
Twitter @MarcusUpshaw or @MarcusArilliusUpshaw
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Sherman Williams & Marcus Upshaw Back in action this month
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SHS BOXING MANAGEMENT 
Williams will be fighting in his eighth different country against Hammer, the former World Boxing Organization (WBO) European heavyweight champion. “I’m a Bahamian warrior,” Williams explained why he fights so many opponents in their backyard. “By nature, in the Caribbean, we are known as pirates. I’ve traveled all my life. We have no borders, only waters to cross. Wherever I fight, I feel like it’s my hometown of Nassau. This is the sixth different fight for me this year but the only one that’s really happening. The others fell apart for one reason or another. I’m going to take advantage of this opportunity. I’ll face adversity fighting in Romania for the first time but I’m going there with the intention of belting him from pillar to post. I’m going to take him out. I’m bringing my Conch punch (big overhand right), which is synonymous with the Bahamas, and people everywhere love it.”
Upshaw’s most recent fight resulted in a disappointing loss, by way of a controversial eight-round decision, last June to hometown favorite Lanell Bellows (12-1-1) in Las Vegas. “I dominated that fight and still lost,” Upshaw commented. “I’m looking at boxing differently since my fight in Las Vegas. I was robbed but learned that I can’t let up until my opponent is knocked out. I can’t afford to go the distance in this fight (vs. Oener).”FIREWORKS BETWEEN ADRIEN BRONER & SHAWN PORTER AT PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBC FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE
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PROMOTER FLOYD MAYWEATHER AND PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS FIGHTER MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS
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FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND FIGHTS REPRESENT SPIRIT OF HOLIDAY
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Marcus Upshaw Still chasing his dream Takes on Lanell Bellows this Sunday in his Las Vegas debut
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MIAMI (June 17, 2015) – Modern-day road warrior Marcus “Arillius” Upshaw (17-13-4, 8 KOs) is still chasing his boxing dream. The next installment of his unusual story is this Sunday against hometown favorite Lanell “KO” Bellows (17-1-1, 7 KOs) at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“I’m chasing the dream but, at the same time, the dream is chasing me,” Upshaw said. “My mind is finally right and now I have a great trainer (Orlando Cuellar) who has my back. It just wasn’t my time before but this is it. I’ve fought all over but this is my first time fighting in Las Vegas. It’s about time! I’ve always wanted to fight in Vegas. I’m going to be fighting in front of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and coming away with a victory.”
A native Floridian who was born in Jacksonville and trains in Miami, the 34-year-old Upshaw is 2-1-2 in his last five bouts. In his last 11 fights, Upshaw has fought twice in Mexico, Washington D.C., Minnesota and the Dominican Republic, as well as once in Texas, Canada, and Connecticut. In almost every case he fought either a hometown fighter and/or a boxer handled by the show’s promoter.
During the course of his nine-year professional career, he’s also fought in Mississippi, Illinois, California, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, South Carolina and North Carolina. Only 11 of his 34 fights have been in Florida, the majority of those during the early part of his career. If draws and split and/or close decision losses in opponents’ backyards are generally considered “wins” in boxing, Upshaw’s record could very well be a much different 25-5.
It’s surprising that his first in Las Vegas will be this Sunday, against an opponent who is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, which is co-promoting the Premier Boxing Champions on CBS card with TBG Promotions, and advised by powerful Al Haymonwhose company, Haymon Boxing, presents the PBC series.
In addition to the aforementioned stacked deck against him, Upshaw is a natural middleweight who, once again, will be fighting a super middleweight. “I don’t care about that stuff as long as the fight makes sense,” Upshaw explained. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken it. I’m a middleweight who has fought a few times at 168 pounds and did well against Aaron Pryor Jr. (controversial 8-round draw), Vladine Biosse (WTKO8) and Durrell Richardson (WDEC6). I will be the toughest opponent Bellows has ever faced. He lost to an 8-9-2 guy and had a draw with an opponent who had a 5-6-1 record. He’s never fought anybody close to the caliber of fighters I’ve been in with. I’m a middleweight and even though he fights in a higher weight class, I’ll be the stronger, better fighter. Pressure, pressure, pressure is the game plan for this fight. I’m not going to let the judges rob me again. This is an awesome opportunity for me, plus, I’m fighting in Las Vegas for the first time!”
Upshaw’s signature win, thus far, was in 2010 when he traveled to Quebec City and upset 21-1-1 local hero Renan St. Juste by way of a 10-round decision, elevating Marcus in world middleweight rankings to IBF #6, WBO #9 and WBC #11.
Upshaw has displayed his potential, talents and guts by going the complete distance in rounds, albeit in losses, with the likes of Mario Antonio Rubio, David Lemieux,Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez, Edwin Rodriguez, Patrick Majewski and Tarvis Simms.
“Marcus has a very deceiving record,” noted Cuellar who will be in Upshaw’s corner for only the second fight. “His record is better than it looks on paper. Check some of the guys he’s been the distance or fought draws with. His opponent is untested but that doesn’t mean he won’t come through. Sometimes fighters are protected by their handlers but step up in fights against better competition. Fighters are sometimes like a box of chocolates, you don’t know what you’re going to get until you open it and take a bite.
“Marcus is like a cat up against the wall. His opponent doesn’t know what he’s really capable of doing in the ring. Marcus is ready to flip the script, turn the table on this hometown guy. I told him that this guy is in his way of making good money, so it’s time for him to take control and be the boss. Marcos should win this fight inside the ropes but, because he’s fighting the hometown favorite on his promoter’s show, Marcus needs to take out the judges with a knockout, or very convincing performance so that they can’t take a win away from him.”
Upshaw has always had, standing 6′ 4″, a size advantage to go with his rich athletic bloodlines; his uncle, the late Gene Upshaw, was an NFL Hall of Fame offensive guard for the Oakland Raiders. Now, it’s time for him to go all in and cash out big-time in his first Las Vegas fight, registering a career-defining triumph to set him up for a major showdown in the not too distant future.
INFORMATION:
Twitter @MarcusUpshaw or @MarcusArilliusUpshaw
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SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CONTENDER J’LEON LOVE BATTLES JASON ESCALERA AND UNDEFEATED LYDELL RHODES TAKES ON JARED ROBINSON ON SUNDAY, JUNE 21 AT THE MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA
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Marcus Upshaw Still has a lot of fight left
| MIAMI (March 12, 2015) – During the course of his nine-year pro boxing career, veteran middleweight Marcus “Arillius” Upshaw (17-13-4, 1 NC, 8 KOs) has been called a spoiler, gatekeeper, professional opponent, journeyman and road warrior.
Upshaw has been all of the above, granted, but more than anything he’s been an honest fighter willing to take on anybody, anytime. He’s fought all comers from world champions to top contenders and promising prospects.
All he wants now, though, is a fight against a world-class opponent, hoping a victory could propel him into an often dreamed about world title fight.
If draws, split and/or close decision losses, especially if resulting from fights in an opponent’s backyard, are generally considered “wins” in boxing, Upshaw’s record could be a much different 27-8 today and the 34-year-old Floridian would have been fighting in major fights on major cable networks.
Upshaw’s official record is a direct result of him taking fights as a late replacement, on the road in hostile and biased markets, against protected fighters and sons of famous boxers, occasionally in a higher weight class than his natural 160-pound division.
His most recent fight last week in Dallas ended in typical fashion, as Upshaw fought to an eight-round draw (76-74, 74-76, 75-75) with hometown favorite Anthony Mack(12-1-1), in which Upshaw hurt his opponent several times, winning seven rounds according to his new head trainer, Orlando Cuellar, longtime manager Si Stern, and just about every person in attendance.
“The boxing world is crazy,” Upshaw said. “I’ve now had draws in back-to-back fights (the other against Aaron Pryor Jr.). I won’t let it get to me, though. I guess it says a lot about me that I can go into a fighter’s backyard, after training hard, and come out with a draw in fights that really should have been wins. Now, I know I have to get knockouts to win and that was my intention going into the last fight because I fought a Texas guy in Texas. I wobbled him three different times and won every round but one.”
The height of Upshaw’s career was in 2010 when he traveled to Quebec City and shocked 21-1-1 local hero Renan St. Juste, winning a 10-round decision to elevate Upshaw in world middleweight rankings (IBF #6, WBO #9 and WBC #11). Prior to the St. Juste fight, Upshaw derailed the career of the then 19-1 James McGirt, son of famed world champion/elite trainer James “Buddy” McGirt, with a controversial 10-round majority draw. Two fights later, he stopped 10-0 prospect Ashandi Gibbs (10-0) in the fourth-round for the Florida State middleweight championship.
Upshaw has displayed his vast talents by going the complete distance in rounds, albeit in losses, with the likes of Mario Antonio Rubio, David Lemieux, Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez, Edwin Rodriguez, Patrick Majewski and Tarvis Simms. The latter opponent was another prime example of the injustice Upshaw has faced too many times. Simms was 24-0-1 in 2009 when he fought Upshaw at Mohegan Sun, which is a short drive from his home in nearby Norwalk. Simms won an eight-round split decision (77-74 X 2, 75-76).
Cuellar, best known for guiding the original road warrior,Glen Johnson, to a world title, added, “Marcus has always been in tough, he’s another road warrior, fighting more experienced, protected fighters including some who were super middleweights. He came close to putting this last guy away a few different times. He won seven of eight rounds and the ref even took a point away, without a warning, when Marcus’ poorly fitting mouthpiece fell out. It certainly didn’t happen because he was in trouble.
“We only had five weeks working together. We want Marcus to use his 6′ 3 ½” height to his advantage. He has to fight at a distance, using his reach from the outside. He can control a fight with a double jab, followed by a right, just like he did against Mack. I was impressed by the way he trained in the gym and even more now I’ve been with him in a fight. I think he can give anybody trouble if he fights on the outside. He gets in top shape, fights smart, and now we can plan a strategy in advance because we know each other. He has to knockout opponents to win. I train my fighters to drop and stop, which is what Marcus will be doing.”
Upshaw believes Cuellar is the missing link he’s needed to get back to the top. “I’ve already learned a lot from Orlando,” Upshaw explained, “but most of all I’ve learned that I can do anything in the ring. He doesn’t just tell a fighter to do this or that; Orlando gives a fighter the tools, the armor to go into battle, to be your best. He is like an old-school trainer. The hard part with him is training, not the fight. He’s put life into my career.
“I’ve been in with the best and also learned from those fights. My problem has not being focused the entire fight. I know I’m faster and stronger than my opponent, but I get bored sometimes and stop throwing punches. I don’t know why I do that but it’s been my mindset. Orlando has taught me that I need to stay focused and alert throughout an entire fight.”
With his size and rich athletic bloodlines – his uncle, the late Gene Upshaw, was an NFL Hall of Fame offensive guard for the Oakland Raiders – Upshaw clearly hasn’t reached his full potential, at least not yet.
“I am delighted Marcus is now training with Orlando,” manager Stern remarked. “Marcus is tall, strong and smart in the ring. I have great hope for him in the immediate future.”
INFORMATION:
www.facebook.com/pages/Marcus-
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