Reynaldo Ojeda (R) out-boxed veteran for impressive decision

HARTFORD, Conn. (Tej zaum 15, 2015) — Undefeated Puerto Rican lightweight Reynaldo Ojeda (16-0, 9 Kos) impressively introduced himself to American boxing fans in hmo no lub ESPN Friday Hmo ntuj Fights ntsiab kev tshwm sim, presented by 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions thiab DiBella Lom ze, nyob rau hauv lub koom haum nrog Universal Promotions, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

The 26-year-old Ojeda took advantage of his decisive height and reach advantage in his U.S. rau debut, out-boxing the diminutive (5′ 2″), all-action Meza-Clay throughout a very entertaining fight. Meza-Clay continually walked down Ojeda, who used his quickness, superior movement and boxing ability to register a convincing victory by 12-round unanimous decision.

“I’m a top prospect at 135 tam sim no; I’m going to be giving them all grades now,” commented Ojeda, a teacher in Puerto Rico. “The plan was to box Monty because he’s such an aggressive fighter.”

Meza-Clay was hampered in the later rounds by a serious cut over his right eye. Ojeda wisely attacked the wound, pumping a series of stiff jabs and left hooks. “I got confident when his cut opened up,” Ojeda admitted. “What’s next for me is up to my promoter and manager, but I’m available to fight any 135-pounder in the world.”

Luis Rosa (R) finished off Jonathan Perez

Connecticut favorite Luis “KO King” Rosa (20-0, 10 Kos), New Haven, made a statement in the co-feature against Colombian featherweight Jonathan “Popeye” Perez (33-11, 27 Kos). Rosa was the aggressor from the opening bell through the end of the fight against a dangerous opponent, firing an array of effective combinations to the head and body, often switching from an orthodox stance to southpaw.

Rosa was penalized a point in the fourth round for hitting his downed opponent. From that point on, tab sis yog, he never let up. He pounded Perez, caught him on the ropes, and unleashed an unanswered barrage of punches until referee Michael Ortega ended the fight in the fifth round.

Rosa is world ranked by the World Boxing Association (WBA) thiab lub ntiaj teb no Boxing Council (Qhov), feem, at No. 15 thiab tsis. 16.

“I said it was going to be explosive and we made it that way,” Rosa said after the fight. “I made a statement that I’m coming after all of the top 122-pounders. I’m a future champ in the making.”

Ivan Golub (R) finishes off outclassed Henry Beckford

In the ESPN2 opening fight, 5-time Ukraine National amateur champion John “The Volk” Golub, sib ntaus sib tua tawm ntawm Brooklyn, kho kom 13-0 with his eighth career knockout coming against late replacement Henry Beckford (2-2, 1 KO). Class prevailed as rising middleweight star Golub worked fellow southpaw Beckford’s body, dropped him in the fifth with a body shot, and referee Ortega moved in to call off the fight.

The Foster brothers from New Haven were both victorious. Light heavyweight Charles Foster (8-0, 4 Kos) remained undefeated with a sensational knockout of Joe Gardner (11-8-1, 1 KO) only 62-seconds into the first round, while his younger brother, junior lightweight William Foster (2-0, 1 KO) nresGilvan Santos (0-2) nyob rau hauv lub qhib puag ncig.

Bronx middleweight Chris “Golden” Galeano (8-0) tseem unbeaten, boxing his way to a unanimous sixth-round decision over Yosmani Abreau (4-9-2), ntawm Las Vegas.

Decorated Kazakh amateur boxer Dauren Yeleussinov (2-0, 2 Kos), now fighting out of Brooklyn, wore down Louisiana super middleweight Jay “JD” Williams (3-7), winning by way of a sixth-round technical knockout as referee Danny Sciavone halted the action.

Waterbury, CT junior welterweight Jair Ramos (3-2-2, 2 Kos) and Harlem’s Curtis Morton (3-5-2) fought to a four-round majority draw.

In the walk-out bout, Puerto Rican lightweight Alberto Candeleria (5-2-1, 4 Kos) was too much for Brooklyn’s Ian James (3-12-1, 1 KO), as referee Ortega waved off the fight in the first round for a technical knockout.

All pictures by Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment

Sau kom tiav tau rau hauv qab no:

HARTFORD, Conn. (Tej zaum 14, 2015) — The official weigh-in was held today for tag kis hmo ESPNFriday Hmo ntuj Fights, presented by 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions thiab DiBella Lom ze, nyob rau hauv lub koom haum nrog Universal Promotions, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

Live coverage will begin at 9 p.m. THIAB on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, ntsiav tshuaj, Amazon Hluav Taws TV thiab hluav taws TV Nrua, Kua TV, Chromecast, Xyoo, Xbox 360 thiab Xbox Ib ntawm ib tug koom tes video mob. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, ESPN’ Hmo ntuj Fights will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

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

(L-R) Reynaldo Ojeda & Monte Meza-Clay

Main tshwm sim – Lightweights (10) – ESPN2

REYNALDO OJEDA (16-0, 9 Kos), San Juan, Puerto Rico 135 LBS.

MONTE MEZA-CLAY (36-4, 22 Kos), Rankin, PA 134 LBS.

(L-R) Luis Rosa & Jonathan Perez

Co-Feature – Featherweights (8) – ESPN2

Luis “KO King” ROSA (19-0, 9 Kos), New Haven, I 123 ½ LBS.

JONATHAN “Popeye” PEREZ (33-10, 17 Kos), Barranquilla, Colombia 123 LBS.

Junior Welterweights (4) – ESPN2 Swing Bout

JAIR RAMOS (3-2-1, 2 Kos), Waterbury, I 139 LBS.

CURTIS MORTON (3-4-2), Harlem, NY 139 LBS.

Middleweights (6)

Ivan GOLUB (7-0, 5 Kos), Brooklyn, NY by way of Ukraine Tag kis

KOSTYANTYN “Kostya” ROVENSKYY (18-1-2, 5 Kos), Luiv, Ukraine Tag kis

Light Heavyweights (6)

CHARLES FOSTER (7-0, 3 Kos), New Haven, Connecticut 174 LBS.

JOE GARDNER (11-7-1, 1 KO), Woonsocket, RI 174 LBS.

Junior Welterweights (4)

ALBERTO CANDELERIA (4-2-1, 3 Kos), Miami, FL by way of Puerto Rico 136 LBS.

IAN JAMES (3-11-1, 1 KO), Brooklyn, NY 136 LBS.

Middleweights (6)

CHRIS GALEANO (7-0), Bronx, NY 157 LBS.

YOSMANI ABREAU (4-8-2), Las Vegas, NV 157 LBS.

Junior Lightweights (4)

WILLIAM FOSTER III (1-0), New Haven, I 129 LBS.

GALVAN SANTOS (0-1), Woburn, MA 130 LBS.

Super Middleweights (6)

DAUREN YELEUSSINOV (1-0, 1 KO), Brooklyn, NY by way of Kazakhstan 164 LBS.

JAY “JD” WILLIAMS (3-6), West Monroe, LA 165 ½ LBS.

THAUM: Friday, Tej zaum 15, 2015

QHOV TWG: Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford

Pab txhawb: SMS Promotions thiab DiBella Lom ze, in association with Universal

Promotions

TV: ESPN Friday Night Fights pib thaum 9:00 p.m. THIAB

Daim pib: $100, $65 thiab $35 (ntxiv uas siv se). Tickets can be purchased by

calling 1 (860) 728-2624 los yog 1 (203) 627-7472.

NTAUB NTAWV: www.dbe1.com los yog www.espn.com/boxing

DOORS OPEN: 6:30 p.m. THIAB FIRST BOUT: 7:30 p.m. THIAB

HARTFORD (Tej zaum 11, 2015) – Rising junior featherweight star Luis “KO King” Rosa (19-0, 9 Kos) plans to graduate from top prospect to legitimate contender no hnub Friday (Tej zaum 15) rau ESPN FridayHmo ntuj Fights, presented by 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions thiab DiBella Lom ze, nyob rau hauv lub koom haum nrog Universal Promotions, close to his New Haven home at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

A native of Puerto Rico, the 24-year-old Rosa takes on Colombian veteran Jonathan “Popeye” Perez (33-10, 17 Kos) in the 8-round ESPN2 co-feature.

Headlining the card will be undefeated Puerto Rican lightweight Reynaldo Ojeda (16-0, 9 Kos) against longtime contender Monty Meza av nplaum (36-4, 22 Kos) nyob rau hauv lub 10-round ntsiab kev tshwm sim.

Live coverage will begin at 9 p.m. THIAB on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, ntsiav tshuaj, Amazon Hluav Taws TV thiab hluav taws TV Nrua, Kua TV, Chromecast, Xyoo, Xbox 360 thiab Xbox Ib ntawm ib tug koom tes video mob. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, ESPN’ Hmo ntuj Fights will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

The popular Rosa, who is world rated at No. 15 los ntawm lub ntiaj teb Boxing Association (WBA) thiab tsis. 16 los ntawm lub ntiaj teb Boxing Council (Qhov), has prepared for a breakout performance in front of a large ESPN Friday Night Fights viewing audience.

“Qhov no yog ib tug lossis loj kev sib ntaus rau kuv,” Rosa said. “It’s great fighting on ESPN and I’m going to show the nation what I’m all about. I’m prepared to put on an explosive show. I feel that I’m close to getting a title shot. I want to fight world-class opponents and I plan to prove I’m ready on Friday hmo ntuj.

“It’s always great fighting in my home state and I’m sure I’ll have a lot of fans there. Nyob rau ntawm lub kawg ntawm lub hnub, tab sis yog, I’m going to get the job done and it doesn’t matter where the fight would be held.”

Perez, 28, a professional fighter since 2005, tau yeej 14 ntawm nws lub xeem 15 xaus. The battle-tested Colombian has fought the likes of world champions Cristian Mijares, Hlob Abner mares, Jose Lopez, Martin Castillo, Eric Ortiz thiab Raul Martinez, as well a world title challenger Jesus Jimenez.

“Perez is a veteran with 44 pro sib ntaus,” said Rosa about Perez. “He’s fought a lot of world-class guys and champions. I know he’s coming to fight. He’s going to come forward and he wants to bang. He’s strong, I’m stronger. I’m faster, heev, and the better all-around fighter. I’ll be ready for whatever he brings.”

Live coverage will begin at 9 p.m. THIAB on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, ntsiav tshuaj, Amazon Hluav Taws TV thiab hluav taws TV Nrua, Kua TV, Chromecast, Xyoo, Xbox 360 thiab Xbox Ib ntawm ib tug koom tes video mob. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, ESPN’ Hmo ntuj Fights will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

Fighting on the undercard are a pair of promising foreign boxers who are now living in the United States, as well as several New England and New York City favorites.

Undefeated Ukrainian middleweight Ivan Golub (7-0, 5 Kos), sib ntaus sib tua tawm ntawm Brooklyn, meets fellow Ukrainian Kostyantyn Rovenskyy (18-1-2, 5 Kos) nyob rau hauv ib tug rau-round sib ntau sib tw. Kazakh super middleweightDauren Yeleussinov (1-0), also living in Brooklyn, raws li Jay “JD” Williams (3-6), of Louisiana, in a scheduled six-rounder.

Also slated to fight in six-round bouts on the undercard are unbeaten New Haven light heavyweightCharles Foster (7-0, 3 Kos) facing Woonsocket, RI, tus nrog sib ntaus Joe Gardner (11-7-1, 1 KO) and undefeated Bronx middleweight Chris Galeano (7-0) taking on Las Vegas’ upset-minded Yosmani Abreu (4-8-2).

Three four-round matches are also on tap with Waterbury, I, junior welterweight Jair Ramos (3-2-1, 2 Kos) vs. Harlem lub Curtis Morton (3-4-2), Miami lightweight Alberto Candeleria (4-2-1, 3 Kos) vs. Brooklyn lub Ian James (3-11-1, 1 KO), and New Haven junior lightweight William Foster III (1-0) vs. TBA.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $100, $65 thiab $35 (ntxiv uas siv se). Tickets can be purchased by calling 1 (860) 728-2624 los yog 1 (203) 627-7472. Qhov rooj qhib rau ntawm 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m. THIAB.