Los Angeles, CA (January 3, 2022) – One of boxing’s newest promotional outfits, Shapiro Sports had a breakout month as a handful of it’s world-class boxer’s put on dynamic performances.
On December 11th, Marlon Tapales (35-3, 18 KOs) won the IBF Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California .
Tapales scored an explosive 2nd round stoppage of tough Japanese title challenger Hiroaki Teshigawara (22-2). With the win, Tapales of the Philippines is now in position to become the mandatory challenger for IBF/WBA world champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
On Christmas day, highly touted Cuban prospect Yoelvis “La Joya” Gomez (5-0 5 KO’s) made an emphatic American debut with an emphatic 1st round stoppage over former Top Rank Bubble darling, Clay Collard. The bout was seen on a telecast that was viewed by 2.3 million viewers on FOX.
Gomez, the son of former Cuban Olympic Gold Medalist Jose Gomez, destroyed Clay Collard (9-5-3) in 1 round. Collard is known to many boxing fans for upsetting three previous undefeated prospects. Collard had never been stopped before at 154 lbs, and was expected to give the undefeated Gomez a tough test, the impressive Gomez landed thudding power shots that hurt Collard repeatedly and forced the fight to be stopped in the opening frame.
This past Saturday night in Hollywood, Florida, Shapiro Sports undefeated heavyweight prospects faced off as Cuban’s, Lenier Pero & Geovany Bruzon, matched up in an entertaining slugfest that saw Pero pound out a very competitive eight-round unanimous decision against his countryman Bruzon.
The fight was televised live on the FOX Prelims to the Luis Ortiz – Charles Martin Pay-Per-View Card.
“This is by far the best group of fighters that I have worked with in my eight years in boxing. All of these fighters had statement performances that will position themselves to capitalize on great opportunities in 2022 and the future. Marlon Tapales came off of a two-year layoff to make a world class Japanese fighter look very ordinary, and position himself for the world title in early 2022. Yoelvis Gomez stole the Christmas Day show like the Grinch, and he became a name to watch for many boxing fans. Llastly, Lenier Pero and Geovany Bruzon both showed that they will be major players in the heavyweight division for years to come. 2022 will be a great year for all of my fighters,” said Shane Shapiro, CEO of Shapiro Sports.
Shapiro Sports co-promotes Gomez, Pero and Bruzon with Warriors Boxing and Boxing Major League.
Tapales is co-promoted with Viva Promotions and MP Promotions. In addition to Tapales, Gomez, Pero and Bruzon, Shapiro Sports promotes or co-promotes: featherweight Jhack Tepora (23-1, 17 KOs), super lightweight Abram Martinez (9-0-1, 7 KOs), middleweight Landry Kore (11-1-1, 6 KOs), lightweight Fradimil Macayo (15-1, 13 KOs), super lightweight Joniker Tovar (20-0-1, 15 KOs), and bantamweight Dervin Rodriguez (8-0-1, 8 KOs).
St. Petersburg, FL (January 3, 2022) – Undefeated middleweight Connor “The Kid” Coyle is back in the US and preparing for a big 2022.
A perfect 14-0 as a pro, Coyle trains under Florida Boxing Hall of Famer Jim McLaughlin in St. Petersburg but was in his native Northern Ireland the last two years due to Covid restrictions. Although he trained and ran regularly back home, a return stateside was necessary to get him to the next level.
“It feels great to be back with my team in St Petersburg,” said Coyle, who is married and has a daughter. “I’ve been training alongside Yamaguchi Falcao who is a world class talent and works extremely hard. We’re going to push each other throughout camp. Being away from home and strictly focused on boxing is what gets me into beast mode!”
Coyle’s 2022 begins February 19 against ultra-tough Guido Nicolas Pitto in an eight round contest. Originally from Argentina but living in Spain, Pitto’s 27-9-2 with 8 wins by KO. He’s defeated world rated contender Jack Culcay (14-0) and Reda Zam Zam (27-1) while also battling Magomed Madiev (11-0) to a draw. Coyle will be the eighth unbeaten foe Pitto’s faced.
Coyle and Pitto will square off at Memorial Hall in Melrose, MA. With Boston only 10 miles south and New York a few hours down the road, Coyle’s expecting a big turnout to kickoff what he believes will be the most important year of his career.
“I’m excited to be fighting in the Boston area where there’s a large Irish population. I have a lot of fans that already purchased tickets and a bus of supporters will be making the trip up from New York City. The plan is to go out and give them a great performance.”
Coyle’s promoter, Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions, is also pleased to have his highly-regarded fighter back in the US and shares the same vision for 2022.
“Connor is ready to make a big splash this year. He’s getting great work in the gym with Yamaguchi and helping him get ready because he’s also fighting February 19th in Melrose. Once Connor takes care of Pitto, who is a very tough fighter, it’ll be onto bigger and better things. “The Kid” has star potential and is ready to show the world he’s a legitimate world class fighter.”
Tickets for the February 19 card are on sale now by going to Tinyurl.com/4TMZAWXE. The card will also be broadcast on Throwdownsports.com. More information is available by calling 978-745-4007 or going to ReyesBoxingClub.com.
Fans can reach Coyle on Instagram @Connor_The_Kid_Coyle or Twitter @cjcoyle07. For more information on Fire Fist Boxing Promotions, visit Firefistboxing.net.
QUINCY, Mass. (January 3, 2022) – Granite Chin Promotions has announced its first event of 2022, “Showcase,” scheduled on Saturday night, February 26th, at Sheraton Hotel in Framingham, Massachusetts.
“Showcase” will mark Granite Chin’s first event in Massachusetts in more than 2 years, as well as being only the second professional boxing show ever in Framingham, which is located 23 miles west of Boston.
“I am excited to be coming back to Massachusetts,” Granite Chin president Chris Traietti said. “Between changes occurring with the commission, then COVID, I just felt like it was a good time to step away for a bit, head up to New Hampshire and let things sort of settle in Massachusetts. Now that things are sort of back to normal, I feel like the time is right to bring our great club-show boxing back to Massachusetts. This card is going to be highly competitive from top to bottom. I have the roster now where I can both develop fighters and put on high quality local shows. 2020 was about making good relationships with other promoters and matchmakers; 2021 about developing a quality roster and keeping guys busy during a pandemic. 2022 is going to be geared towards becoming the face of quality local boxing shows and getting Granite Chin fighters on high-level, world-class cards all across the country.”
The 8-round main event will pit local favorite Nelson “Chino” Perez (5-0, 2 KOs) against New Jersey veteran super lightweight Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (15-16-4, 11 KOs).
Perez is a native of Puerto Rico who lives in Marlboro (MA), which borders Framingham. A past New England Golden Gloves champion as an amateur, Perez is coming off a dominating 4-round unanimous decision victory (40-34 X 3) December 4th against Raymundo Rios Cardies on a DAZN card in Manchester, New Hampshire. Perez will be fighting in his first scheduled 8-round bout.
Luckey, fighting out of Manahawkin, NJ, is the reigning ABF USA Mid-American Super Lightweight Champion. The dangerous Luckey has been a gatekeeper of lightweight up to welterweight divisions having fought top prospects such as Mike Ohan, Jr. Jamaine Ortiz, Tyler Tomlin, and Frank Martin. Luckey has recent back-to-back victories against previously unbeaten Eduardo Aquilar.
Hot welterweight prospect Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (7-0, 5 KOs), of Holyoke (MA), faces Alfred “Keenan” Raymond (1-0) in the 6-round co-featured event.
Denzel, the latest member of the “Fightin’ Whitley family,” is trained by his father and uncle, respectively, Derrick and Darrin, who were respected pro fighters in New England.
Fighting out of Warwick, Rhode Island, the 31-year-old Raymond made his pro debut this past November 13th, upsetting previously undefeated Julien Baptiste (3-0) by way of a 4-round split decision.
Additional bouts will be announced soon. Card subject to change.
Tickets will soon be available for purchase at www.TicketRiver.com (Search: SHOWCASE). Ticket prices are $50.00 (General Seating), $75.00 (Ringside), and $1,000.00 for a table of 10.
Doors open at 7:00 pm. ET with the first bout at 7:00 p.m. ET.
43rd pro fight Dec. 18 vs. Yunieski Gonzalez on DAZN LAS VEGAS (December 6, 2021) – As he marches towards a special boxing milestone, former World Boxing Organization Super Middleweight World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs), now an undefeated world light heavyweight contender, will be fighting Yunieski “The Monster” Gonzalez on December 18th for his 43rd consecutive victory.
Ramirez vs. Gonzalez headlines a DAZN-streamed card, presented by Ramirez’ promoter Golden Boy Promotions, in a 12-round WBA Light Heavyweight Title Eliminator from San Antonio (TX) with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger for World Boxing Association Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (18-0, 11 KOs), assuming the Kyrgyzstan-native gets past Umar Salamov (26-1, 19 KOs) on Dec. 11th in Russia.
The 30-year-old Ramirez is fighting for membership in the exclusive 50-Club, winning his first 50 professional fights without a loss or draw. Ramirez’ idol and fellow Mexican, Julio Cesar Chavez, holds the record in that category by winning his first 87, his first blemish coming in 1993 in a 12-round majority draw with the great Pernell Whitaker in their WBC World welterweight title fight. _________________________________________________________________
BOXING’S 50-0 CLUB
1. Julio “J.C. Cesar Chavez 87 (13 KOs) 1980-1993 México 2. Willie “Wil ‘O The Wisp” Pep 62 (23 KOs) 1940-1943 USA 3. Wanheng Menayothin 54 (18 KOs) 2009-2019 Thailand 4. Carlos “Canas” Zarate 52 (51 KOs) 1970-1978 México 5. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. 50 (27 KOs) 1996-2017 USA ____________________________________________________________________________
“The 50-0 Club is a very exclusive list I’m proud to be working toward,” Ramirez said. “All fighters go through ups and downs and understand the blood, sweat and tears to achieve anything in this sport. I feel very blessed and fortunate to be in the position I’m in today and I will never stop giving it my all in the sport. Hopefully, when I’m finished, I can leave a legacy in the sport that I can be proud of.”
TOMMY FURY WITHDRAWS; JAKE PAUL TO FACE TYRON WOODLEY IN REMATCH ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18
Paul-Woodley II “Leave No Doubt” To Take Place At AMALIE Arena in Tampa, Fla., Live on SHOWTIME PPV®
NEW YORK – December 6, 2021 – International superstar Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will face former MMA world champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley in a rematch of their August clash won by Paul. Paul vs. Woodley II titled “Leave No Doubt” will be the main event on SHOWTIME PPV, live from AMALIE Arena in Tampa, Fla., on Saturday, December 18 (9p ET/6p PT).
Woodley steps in to replace professional boxer and reality TV star Tommy Fury, who withdrew from the event due to a medical issue that impacted his training camp. Paul vs. Woodley II is a professional cruiserweight bout scheduled for 8-rounds at a contract weight of 192 pounds.
“When my team woke me up on Friday to tell me Tommy was pulling out, I told them I’m ready to fight anyone on December 18,” said Paul, who is 4-0 as a pro boxer with three knockouts. “Troy, Trey, Trevor, Travis. I don’t give a damn who it is. So, as I predicted Tommy Fumbles and Tyron is there to pick it up, stepping in, and contractually he is getting an extra $500,000 if he knocks me out. First time I outboxed him. This time I’m gonna punish him and leave no doubt.”
On August 29, in front of a sold-out crowd of 16,000 fans at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, Paul registered a split decision over Woodley. The former UFC champion was Paul’s toughest opponent to date and the first fighter to take boxing’s newest star the distance. The judges scored the fight 77-75 for Paul, 77-75 for Woodley and 78-74 for Paul.
In his post-fight comments, Woodley said he thought he won the fight.
“I didn’t expect him to eat my punches like that. But the fact that one judge only gave me two rounds is insane. Forget that Tommy Fury fight. Let’s run that back,” said Woodley after the fight.
“The ropes held him up when I hit him,” Woodley continued. “I could have had that knockdown. I landed power punches and he missed shots all night.”
Fighting out of St. Louis, Mo., Woodley (19-7-1 MMA record) has a storied career in combat sports. He became UFC champion in July 2016, defeating Robbie Lawler in the first round, and went on to defend his title successfully four times. Before competing in the UFC, Woodley fought in the Strikeforce MMA promotion on SHOWTIME and compiled an 8-1 record from 2009 through 2012. Widely considered one of the most dangerous punchers in UFC history, Woodley earned 14 of his 19 wins by way of TKO or submission. He made his boxing debut in August, dropping a close decision to Paul.
As previously announced, the December 18 SHOWTIME PPV event will feature three additional professional boxing matches. In the co-main event, seven-division world champion and current unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano will face 135-pound titleholder Miriam Gutiérrez. Three-time NBA All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Deron Williams will take on legendary San Francisco 49ers running back, the No. 3 all-time leading rusher, Frank Gore in a four-round heavyweight bout, the professional boxing debut for both men. In the telecast opener, undefeated IBF and WBO top-3 ranked junior welterweight contender Liam Paro of Australia will face fellow unbeaten top-10 ranked 140-pound Puerto Rican prospect Yomar Alamo in a 10-round junior welterweight showdown.
#PaulWoodley is produced and presented by Most Valuable Promotions and SHOWTIME Sports® and promoted in association with Tony and Bryce Holden of Holden Productions. The pay-per-view telecast begins live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV.
This event is the second live sporting event co-produced by Most Valuable Promotions. Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian created MVP on the premise that content is king, and fighters are the creators of the content in martial arts. Paul and Bidarian will be executive producers of the event.
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For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @TWooodley and @ShowtimeBoxing, on Instagram via @JakePaul, @Twooodley and @ShowtimeBoxing, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.
Sebastian Fundora Outpoints Sergio Garcia in Co-Main Event; Carlos Adames Defeats Sergiy Derevyanchenko in an Exciting Fight, and Eduardo Ramirez Dominates Miguel Marriaga in SHOWTIME PPV Undercard Action Click HERE for Photos from Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Click HERE for Photos from Sean Michael Ham / Mayweather Promotions
LOS ANGELES (December 5, 2021) –Boxing superstar and five-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis put his boxing skills on display, winning a rousing 12-round round unanimous decision over the relentless Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz to retain his WBA Lightweight World Title in front of a star-studded, sellout crowd of 15,850 at STAPLES Center live on SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Scorecards read 116-112 and two scores of 115-113, all for Davis.
The atmosphere in the arena was electric, with scores of current and former NBA stars in attendance, including Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Kawhi Leonard, Dwight Howard, Kenny Smith, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce among others.
Accompanied by superstar rapper Lil Durk, Davis entered the ring in Laker purple and gold; tassels along his trunks with the late Kobe Bryant’s number “8” and “24” on each side. Cruz celebrated his Mexican heritage with a mariachi band behind him as he strode toward the ring.
There was no feeling-out process in the first. Cruz charged at the defending champion, pinning him against the ropes and wailing away.
“That’s my style. ‘Pitbull’ is always going to be on the attack,” said Cruz. “I think we retained rhythm from the start to the end.”
Davis found his rhythm in the second and third, circling the ring and walking Cruz into shots. In the fourth, Cruz concentrated his attack on the body, pounding Davis’ ribs.
The 27-year-old Baltimore native turned on the power in the fourth, alternating between the right hook and left cross behind his southpaw stance. More punishing blows came from Davis during the fifth.
“He’s a shorter fighter, so I was throwing down on the top of his head,” said Davis. “I hit him with my knuckle and messed it up. I hurt my hand in the sixth round. No matter if the opponent is taller or shorter, I’ve got to get through it. He’s a warrior. Even though he didn’t win, a star was born tonight.”
“It was right around the fifth round I saw that his hand wasn’t working correctly,” Cruz observed.
Davis boxed beautifully in the middle rounds, firing quick shots and pivoting away from the return fire. A right hook in the eighth briefly buzzed Cruz and brought the audience to their feet. But just when it appeared as if the fight was slipping away, Cruz fought fire with fire, landing a flush uppercut seconds before the bell.
The 23-year-old Mexican picked up the pace in the latter rounds, keeping Davis on his toes and pounding away. Davis held his own, fighting back on even terms until the fight’s end.
Naturally, Cruz believed he deserved the victory.
“Viva Mexico. I have nothing to say, the fans are speaking on who won this fight,” he said.
Following a successful title defense, Davis said he’s ready for all comers.
“L.A., we did it for Kobe,” said Davis. “At the beginning of the fight, he came on strong. I felt as the fight was going, he was breaking down. But I hurt my hand, so I wasn’t able to get him out of there.
“Whatever the best opportunity is for me, I’ll do it. All of them guys are easy work. I’m the top dog.”
In the co-main event, Sebastian “Towering Inferno” Fundora moved closer to a world title shot with a 12-round unanimous decision over the previously-unbeaten Sergio Garcia in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator.
Final scores read 118-110, 117-111 and 115-113.
Fundora established control quickly in the first, snapping Spain’s Garcia’s head back with a booming left. The two traded evenly through the early rounds. Garcia had his moments, including a sharp overhand right in the fifth that drew blood from Fundora’s nose.
The 23-year-old Fundora found his range in the sixth, pumping the jab and using his 6-foot-5 frame and 80-inch reach to keep Garcia at bay.
“I was using my distance a lot more. I wanted to display something different than what I’m used to,” said Fundora. “Height was definitely a difference in this fight.”
Garcia struggled to land during the second half of the bout, save for a couple moments in the 12th when the two combatants stood toe-to-toe.
“Maybe things could have been different if I had been more aggressive from the beginning,” said Garcia. “I shouldn’t have let myself get carried away by what he was doing.”
Fundora believes he’s ready for a world title shot.
“We just beat the No. 2 in the WBC, so we have No.1, and we have the champion,” said Fundora. “Whoever they give us next, we’re ready for.”
In a thrilling back and forth, Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) overcame a stiff challenge from former world title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) to win a 10-round majority decision in their WBC Middleweight World Title Eliminator.
Both combatants had their moments, but facing the toughest opponent of his career, the 27-year-old Adames shined. One judge scored the middleweight bout even at 95-95, while the other two scored it for Adames by scores of 96-94 and 97-93.
“This means a lot for me in my career and this is a big accomplishment winning against a fighter of his caliber,” said Adames, who was born in the Dominican Republic and fights out of Washington Heights in New York City.
“I am aggressive and speedy by nature, so I came in ready to do my thing. He started slow, wanting to see what would happen, and simply had the wrong game plan. He got a bit tired as the fight went on, took a lot of hard shots from me and it was evident that I caused him a lot of damage.”
“I expect my opponent to fight the same style. It was nothing special for me, just a quality fight,” said Derevyanchenko.
“He stayed southpaw, that was the difference in the fight. I don’t know what I’ll do next. I need a little bit of rest and then I will go back to the gym because I love boxing and I love the show.”
“This gives me an opportunity to move on,” said Adames. “I dominate at both 154 and 160, so wherever they give me the opportunity to fight for a championship is where I’ll go.”
“I would like to thank the fans, SHOWTIME and the Montiel family for supporting me. Marriaga was a tough opponent, but I managed to dominate,” said Ramirez. “I had a varied fighting style and kept him on his toes the whole time.”
Ramirez dominated after scoring the knockdown, punishing Marriaga from then on with an assortment of shots to the head and body. Final punch stats had Ramirez landing 280 of 762 (36.7%) total punches to Marriaga’s 159 out of 689 (21.3%).
“Now I’m going to relax with my family and enjoy the holidays,” said Ramirez. “Then hopefully 2022 will come with a title shot for me.”
Tonight’s blockbuster pay-per-view event will re-air on SHOWTIME this Saturday, December 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The delayed telecast of Davis vs. Cruz will open the telecast featuring WBC Bantamweight World Champion and future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire as he will defend his title against undefeated top contender and fellow Filipino countryman Reymart Gaballo headlining in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Tennis Stadium in Carson.
Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME PPV telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo handled blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. Three Hall of Famers rounded out the SHOWTIME telecast team – Emmy® award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial scorer Steve Farhood, and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The executive producer was four-time Emmy® award winner David Dinkins, Jr. The telecast was directed by Bob Dunphy. Former junior middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna served as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).
C-Sergio Pettis (22-5) defeated Kyoji Horiguchi (29-4) via KO (spinning backfist) at 3:24 of round four Sergio Pettis:“I came out here and got beaten up for four rounds. When it happened, I was just like, ‘Man I am losing this fight. I’ve got to do something spectacular.’ It (the decisive punch that ended the fight) came at the right time.” “I needed to face some adversity, and tonight Horiguchi gave me all of that. It was hard trying to time his rhythm, trying to get his movement down.” “My coaches always tell me, ‘If you open up, you could be one of the best in the world.’ That what I’m pushing for.” #9-Jeremy Kennedy (17-3, 1 NC) defeated #4-Emmanuel Sanchez (20-7) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jeremy Kennedy:“I can’t seem to find it. My coaches got mad at me in my last fight. I’ve got an atomic bomb. That’s what my coach said. It’s a 100-mile (per hour) fastball. I’ve got to use it. Last fight, I didn’t. I wanted to try and mix it up, change my style. I was competitive, but I had to get back to my roots.” “I would have liked to have mixed it up a bit more, but (Emmanuel) Sanchez is in your face the whole time. It was hard to dictate that calculated range. He just came right at me.” “I put a lot of pressure on myself. I had a close friend pass away. He was in my corner for my last few fights. I didn’t want to go home with a loss. I didn’t want to take any extra chance. I wanted to win every single exchange. I wanted to win every second, every moment of this fight. I didn’t care what that looked like. I had to get the ‘w.’ “ “Next time, I am going to get back to having fun and find that happy medium. This one is for Boom. I had to get my hand raised at all costs. I wasn’t coming out of this without a win.” #7-Josh Hill (21-4) defeated Jared Scoggins (10-2) via KO (punch) at :56 of round two Josh Hill:“This one was about timing. We knew the first round would be hard to get that timing down. He (Jared Scoggins) was very jumpy, in and out. That (punch that ended the fight) was right on the button.” “I belong there (in the Bellator MMA World Grand Prix). I know this division is stacked, so I understand (why he wasn’t included). I want in. If there are any injuries or pull outs, I’m your man.” “I saw him (Scoggins) go down and knew he was out. There was no point to keep going.” “He (Scoggins) is very traditional, karate-esque. My coach and I worked on timing quite a bit. I knew the first round might be a little tricky. I landed a punch in the first, but it wasn’t on the money. The one in the second (that ended the fight) was.”
#5-Johnny Eblen (10-0) defeated Collin Huckbody (10-4) via TKO (punches) at 1:11 of round one
Johnny Eblen:“I wanted to send that dude (Huckbody) to the metaverse. Sadly, I could not do that tonight. I was I could have put on a better show, but it is what it is.” “John Salter, I signed a bout agreement to fight you in Florida, but you [expletive withheld] out. I don’t know if you got hurt, or you [expletive withheld] out. But I want to see you in this [expletive withheld] cage, John. Let’s gear up and let’s get after it.” PRELIMINARY CARD: Alexander Shabliy (21-3) defeated Bobby King (10-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Kai Kamaka III (9-4-1) defeated John de Jesus (14-10) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Levan Chokheli (10-1, 1 NC) defeated Vinicius de Jesus (9-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) Justin Montalvo (4-0) defeated Jacob Bohn (10-8) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28) Mike Hamel (8-5) defeated Killys Mota (12-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) Spike Carlyle (13-3) defeated Dan Moret (15-7) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:58 of round three Kyle Crutchmer (8-1) defeated #10-Oliver Enkamp (10-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
LOS ANGELES – It was officially announced at tonight’s BELLATOR 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi event that next year’s prestigious BELLATOR World Grand Prix will take place in the promotion’s incredibly stacked bantamweight division. The winner of tonight’s 135-Pound World Championship fight between Sergio Pettis and Kyoji Horiguchi will defend their title next year in the Bantamweight World Grand Prix featuring a gauntlet of the eight best athletes the weight class has to offer.
In addition to both Pettis and Horiguchi, the Bantamweight World Grand Prix is set to feature former divisional champion Juan Archuleta, No. 2 ranked-Raufeon Stots, No. 3 ranked-Patchy Mix, No. 4 ranked-Magomed Magomedov, No. 5 ranked-Leandro Higo, and No. 6 ranked-James Gallagher, who will all vie for the right to be named the next BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion and take home a grand prize of one-million-dollars.
First-round matchups and additional details such as dates, locations and tournament alternates will be revealed soon.
All tournament bouts will be five-round contests and will be telecast in the United States exclusively on SHOWTIME.
Former BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion Kyoji Horiguchi enters tonight’s contest unranked due to inactivity within the promotion. Official BELLATOR Rankings will be updated and distributed on Monday, Dec. 6.
Champion – Sergio Pettis (21-5):
Fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc., Sergio Pettis captured the BELLATOR bantamweight crown in May 2021 by outpointing former champion Juan Archuleta in a fast-paced contest at BELLATOR 258. During a nearly six-year, 14-fight UFC stint, the Roufusport-product competed in both the flyweight and bantamweight classes, collecting nine victories and a pair of “Fight of the Night” honors against Alex Caceres and Matt Hobar in 2014. Prior to his UFC tenure, Pettis, the younger brother of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, earned world titles in Resurrection Fighting Alliance’s flyweight division and North American Fighting Championship’s 135-pound class. Following a trio of impressive triumphs over some of the division’s elite, BELLATOR’s bantamweight champion is set to protect his belt and an unblemished 3-0 promotional mark entering the tournament.
Former BELLATOR Bantamweight Champion – Kyoji Horiguchi (29-3):
Hailing from Takasaki, Japan, the 31-year-old Kyoji Horiguchi is the reigning RIZIN bantamweight champion who notoriously became a simultaneous, two-promotion champion in 2019 after taking down and upsetting then-BELLATOR champion Darrion Caldwell at Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, an injury would force Horiguchi to relinquish his BELLATOR title in 2019, and he now looks to reclaim his belt in a main event clash with current champion Sergio Pettis at BELLATOR 272. While with RIZIN, the American Top Team-product amassed an impressive 10-1 promotional mark, highlighted by eight finishes and five first-round knockouts. Additionally, more than half of Horiguchi’s career victories have come via knockout. Now, after reclaiming his RIZIN bantamweight strap and avenging only his third loss in 32 outings with a highlight-reel, opening-round knockout over Kai Asakura on New Year’s Eve 2020, the Japanese sensation fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla., aims to get his hands back on BELLATOR’s title
No. 1 Ranked Bantamweight – Juan Archuleta (25-3):
With the Bantamweight World Grand Prix set, former BELLATOR World Champion and No. 1-ranked Juan Archuleta sees a clear path toward regaining the 135-pound crown. Armed with 25 professional victories, including 12 by way of K.O. or submission, the “Spaniard” has no issues stopping opponents inside the BELLATOR cage. The former four-division King of the Cage world champion, who holds victories over Patchy Mix, Henry Corrales, and Ricky Bandejas, strives to keep that trend going throughout the Grand Prix.
No. 2 Ranked Bantamweight – Raufeon Stots (17-1):
Considered one of the world’s best 135-pound fighters, Raufeon “Supa” Stots has been in the title conversation since his 2019 BELLATOR debut. Currently riding a nine-fight winning streak, the No. 2-ranked bantamweight has defeated some of BELLATOR’s finest, including Magomed Magomedov and Josh Hill, by smothering opponents with top-tier grappling ability. Sporting a near-perfect 17-1 record, the Roufusport product and two-time NCAA Division II Champion now has an opportunity to compete for a long-awaited crown.
No. 3 Ranked Bantamweight – Patchy Mix (15-1):
Set to make his sixth promotional appearance under the BELLATOR umbrella, the pride of Angola, N.Y., has collected two-first round submission victories while compiling a 4-1 record with the Scott Coker-led promotion. The 28-year-old Buffalo, N.Y. native looks to build off his most recent win at BELLATOR 270 over James Gallagher in his opponent’s hometown of Dublin, Ireland, last month. Prior to his time with BELLATOR, Mix dominated the competition while on the regional scene by collecting nine of his 15 professional victories, including five first-round finishes. Now, the submission specialist will face the toughest challenge of his career, a shot at the tournament’s $1 million prize and BELLATOR’s 135-pound strap.
After capturing belts in different organizations, Dagestani phenom Magomed Magomedov hopes to add to his collection by taking home BELLATOR gold. Amassing an impressive 18-2 career record with 12 via finish, “Tiger” has made a swift impact on the BELLATOR 135-pound division since his December 2020 promotional debut by climbing to No. 4 in the rankings. Possessing both a blistering pace and superior grappling, Magomedov has the potential to be a nightmare matchup for anyone in the BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix.
No. 5 Ranked Bantamweight – Leandro Higo (21-5):
After dropping in weight to 135-pounds, Leandro Higo has been on a tear by winning three consecutive fights and putting the entire bantamweight division on notice. Under the tutelage of the famed Pitbull Brothers camp, the Brazilian is coming off a hard-fought, split-decision victory over former Bantamweight World Champion Darrion Caldwellat BELLATOR 259 in May 2021. As 12 of Higo’s 21 pro victories have come by submission, the entire bracket knows that the No. 5-ranked bantamweight will not be an easy out.
No. 6 Ranked Bantamweight – James Gallagher (11-2):
Hailing from Strabane, Ireland, one of MMA’s brightest young fighters strives to notch his 12th career victory in a tournament stacked with 135-pound talent. Following a finish over Anthony Taylor at BELLATOR 169 in December 2016 and a pair of first-round submissions the following year, “The Strabanimal” has tallied four victories over his past six contests, including three first-round finishes and a highlight reel 35-second win at BELLATOR 227. Poised for the biggest test of his young career, the former SBG Ireland-product aims to shed the shadow of former training partner, Conor McGregor, and add to his own legacy with a shot at BELLATOR bantamweight gold.
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
Here is my review of the Rocky vs Drago movie plus a photo with the movie poster. Guess who walked out with it!
So I went to see the Rocky vs Drago Director’s Cut film last night.
Here are 2 spoilers that shouldn’t be spoilers. Apollo still dies and Rocky still wins.
So the movie had approximately 40 minutes of new footage. It also kept approximately the same run time so with 40 minutes of new footage, there is nearly 40 minutes of omitted footage.
Now for some spoilers. If you don’t want anything spoiled, I suggest you stop reading here.
There were two shots that I really hoped would have been edited out for this film but somehow still made it in. I’ll get to them later.
So I’ll breakdown some of the changes/additions/omissions and give my thoughts.
1) New opening. Usually, it starts with the ROCKY title scrolling across the bottom to one of the series signature songs. Then it breaks into the last round of the previous movie. This movie starts with various clips from Rocky 3 including Rocky’s loss to Clubber Lang, Apollo talking him out of retiring, and the climatic fight scene. It completely omits the Rocky and Apollo sparring session. I was not a fan of the new opening. I am used to the normal movie openings that last 2-3 minutes and set the stage for the new installment. I wasn’t a fan of the song they used “Sweetest Victory” which is on the Rocky IV soundtrack but never used in the original.
2) No robot. While this was seen as a cross between corny and creepy (Paulie’s girlfriend?), the omission of the robot, likely due to licensing agreements, meant that many scenes with Paulie or Rocky Jr had to be cut including Paulie’s birthday scene.
3) The new Drago introduction press conference explains that they tried to arrange a fight with Rocky. I thought that was good but they cut out Drago’s wife comparing him to Popeye eating spinach. In fact, a lot of Brigitte Nielsen’s dialogue was cut. Could it be because of her “rocky” relationship with Stallone?
4) The reasoning for Apollo to take the fight was improved. Yes, he still shows up out of nowhere and part of the table scene had to be cut (no robot, remember) but they talked about how Rocky ignored the challenge and Apollo feeling the need to take it.
5) I thought the omission of the whole pre-fight dressing room scene with Rocky and Apollo was a mistake. Not only does it cut one of my favorite lines “I didn’t say anything about snails, I said Nails N-N-Nails” but it shows Apollo’s overconfidence and Rocky’s trepidation. The only part of the original dressing room scene that is preposterous is where Rocky was trying to convince Apollo to postpone. Seriously, who postpones 5 minutes before they are scheduled to walk to the ring?
6) The Creed-Drago fight was greatly improved. Except for the one shot they left in from the original where Apollo is clearly not wearing gloves. They missed that edit the first time. How did they miss it again? The fight was extended and Apollo got up after an early knockdown and kept trying to fight back.
7) Apollo’s funeral was extended and improved with his father-figure Duke giving a speech and Rocky giving a more emotional speech.
8) The scene with the boxing commission not sanctioning the fight between Rocky and Drago was included as it was shown in the original 1985 trailer but cut from that movie.
9) The scene of Rocky talking to his son before leaving was extended and improved.
10) The training montages were slightly changed and some edits to the scenes in Russia.
11) The final fight was still enjoyable. There were some added elements to it.
12) Two of the better movie speeches were changed to voiceovers. Apollo in the dressing room telling Rocky he would understand when it was over was changed to voiceover in Rocky’s head. The epic speech to Adrian where he said Drago would have to kill him to beat him was also changed to an inner-monologue voiceover. I definitely think that was a mistake because it takes the charm away from seeing the facial expressions of Apollo and Rocky respectively as they said those lines.
13) The moment before the final round when Drago’s manager ran from his balcony seat with the Kremlin to berate Drago in his corner. I was hoping that if any scene was cut, it would be that one. I would rather there be a scene of Paulie marrying the robot and announcing she was pregnant than this scene. I hated it in 1985 (when I was 9 years old) and I hate it now. There is 60 seconds between rounds of a boxing match. This man ran from the balcony, through the crowd, got to Drago’s corner, and berated him in less than one minute. Drago, for having endured 14 punishing rounds, is able to stand up and lift him with one arm before dropping him off the apron. Talk about taking some serious liberties.
14) The fight end. You get used to the way a Rocky fight ends. He scores the big knockdown, his opponent struggles to get up, and ultimately falls back down as the count reaches 10. This one, Drago goes down, makes a move to get back up, a falls flat. The referee stops with no count at all. I also hated Rocky’s leap at the end. In the original, he was lifted in the air as he stood there exhausted by triumphant. This one looks like he is able to do a leaping swan dive into a pool.
15) The speech is different. He couldn’t reference his kid because showing him would show the robot. I was glad in a way they cut the scenes of the kids watching the fight. It always posed some serious questions to me. If Rocky, Adrian, and Paulie were all in Russia, who was watching the 9 year old kid? The robot? Who is going to let an unsupervised 9 year old watch a fight where there is a fear that his father could be killed? The part of the speech that was comical was Rocky’s talk about change. He mentioned his friend (Apollo) couldn’t change and now he’s dead. Wow. Way to perk up the crowd there, Rock!
Overall it was enjoyable. The changed scenes and alternate takes threw off the cadence so you were in truth watching a new movie. There were a lot of scenes in this film that I prefer to the original (the extended Creed-Drago fight, the extended funeral, Rocky meeting with the commission). There were some scenes that I think should have been kept (Rocky and Apollo in the dressing room, Mrs. Drago talking about her husband, etc). There were a few things that I definitely prefer the original, most notably the superior intro scrolling logo/final round of previous movie scene.
So in my conclusion, there needs to be a Director’s Cut of the Director’s Cut and combine the best of the original and the best of the new version.
We can call this one “Rocky IV Take III: The Tornado Cut”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (November 30, 2021) – New England Fights (NEF) returns with its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 46: Decade of Dominance,” on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at Aura in Portland, Maine. The event will commemorate NEF’s ten-year anniversary. The leading regional promotion launched on February 11, 2012. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional featherweight bout to the fight card. Former NEF Amateur Featherweight Champion Nathaniel Grimard (0-0) is scheduled to take on Anthony Vasta (0-0) at a fight weight of 145-pounds.
Nathaniel Grimard made his NEF MMA debut in September 2019 at “NEF 40: School of Hard Knocks.” That night, Grimard submitted Justin Kangas (0-3) via armbar in the first round. During the pandemic lockdown, Grimard competed twice in Florida and improved his record to 3-0. His unbeaten record positioned Grimard to challenge for the then vacant NEF Featherweight Championship. In August, Grimard stopped Brandon Maillet-Fevens (3-2) in the second round at “NEF 44: Back in Black” to become the 145-pound titleholder. Grimard got right back in the cage at “NEF 45: Uprising” to defend his strap against Billy Wilson (7-1) from the famed Jackson Wink MMA camp in New Mexico. Grimard lost a laborious five-round decision that made Wilson the new champion. Now, Grimard hits the reset switch as he plans to turn professional against NEF newcomer, Anthony Vasta. Grimard represents Nostos MMA of Somersworth, New Hampshire where he trains under UFC and Bellator veteran, and former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion, Devin Powell (10-5).
“I can’t imagine a better way to start my pro career than on NEF’s 10th anniversary card,” Grimard stated. “I have big goals for myself and I’m ready to take on anybody in my way. I have nothing but respect for Vasta and his martial arts skills, but I have never been more focused.”
Anthony Vasta will also be making his professional debut at NEF 46. Vasta and Grimard made their respective MMA amateur debuts within a couple of months of each other. Vasta and Grimard share another common tie, as both competed on the same card in Florida during the pandemic. Vasta has a 1-1 amateur record and trains at Defensive Edge Martial Arts Academy in Wakefield, Massachusetts.
“Being able to make my professional debut against another rising New England fighter that I respect is exciting,” Vasta stated. “It’s time to take the next step in my career, put my skills to the test, and seize the opportunity. My style is really unorthodox and hard to prepare for. I plan to go out there and put on a dominant performance against another tough prospect of this division.”
“NEF 46: Decade of Dominance” takes place on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at Aura in Portland, Maine. The event will commemorate NEF’s ten-year anniversary. Doors open at 6 pm with first fight at 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.Ticketmaster.com.
