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All posts by FNU47
MIDDLEWEIGHT FIGHT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13 HAS A HISTORY
Lewiston, Maine (April 20, 2015) – When Crowsneck Boutin (0-0) makes his professional debut on June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, it will be just days shy of the three-year anniversary of his amateur debut in the very same building. On that warm, late-spring evening in 2012, a crowd of more than 3,000 had assembled to witness the Maine debut of former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (31-10) at New England Fights’ (NEF) third mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event. Earlier that night, on the amateur portion card, Boutin was in action against Brent “Frosty” Dillingham (1-1). Dillingham won via technical knockout (TKO) in the first round. That was not the end of the action, however, as Boutin and Dillingham exchanged in a heated post-fight confrontation, having to be separated by officials.
The bad blood has continued over the course of the past three years, with occasional barbs being hurled by both sides on social media. Boutin’s opponent on June 13 will be none other than Dillingham’s coach at MMA Athletix, “The Junkyard Dog” Ryan Cowette (2-2). When he met Dillingham, Boutin was an independent fighter with no formal training in the martial arts. In the months that followed, Boutin would join the Choi Institute of Portland, Maine and transform himself into a prolific striker. Boutin is clear that the fighter who will step in the cage on June 13 opposite Cowette is not the same undisciplined street fighter who lost to Dillingham three years ago.
“As an amateur with zero days in a gym, I debuted against MMA Athletix,” recalled Boutin of his amateur debut. “Fast forward three years later, three years straight at the Choi Institute. Here is your throat back, thanks for the loan.”
Not only is Cowette the head of MMA Athletix, but he is also the founder and pastor of Victory Church in Bath, Maine. Having suffered a major disappointment when his opponent backed out of their scheduled bout during fight week of “NEF XVII” earlier this month, Cowette is optimistic in regards to the June 13 fight with Boutin.
“This should be a great fight for the fans,” said Cowette. “We both show up to fight and put on a show. I’m looking to push forward in the 185-pound division. Crowsneck will be a good test. I’m thankful for the opportunities NEF gives me.”
NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America” will originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on June 13, 2015. Tickets for “NEF XVIII” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
Mendon Twin Drive-In to show UFC 186 this Saturday night
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Hogan Outworks Brunson on CBS Sports Network Night of Boxing
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MATTHYSSE DEFEATS PROVODNIKOV BY MAJORITY DECISION IN A THRILLER BATTLE AT TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO IN VERONA NEW YORK
‘FIGHT OF THE YEAR’
ANDRZEJ FONFARA STOPS JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR., WINS BY 9TH-ROUND TKO AT STUBHUB CENTER
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Will Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Live up to the Hype?
Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. (47-0, 26 KOs) and Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) are set to clash on May 2nd, 2015 in one of the most hyped fights in boxing history. This fight is so huge they are even planning to sell tickets to the weigh-in due to crowd control issues. The proceeds will not be going to the promoters or the boxers, though. It all goes to charity. Still, this is a first for the state of Nevada, which traditionally requires that all weigh-ins be free of charge for fans to attend.
The level of anticipation surrounding this fight had a long time to build up. For the better part of the last decade, these two pound-for-pound juggernauts could not make this fight happen for one ridiculous reason after another. As someone who personally attended some of Mayweather’s public workouts in Vegas, I can attest to the fact that the undefeated welterweight champion repeatedly and relentlessly cited Pacquiao’s refusal to undergo Olympic style blood testing when asked about the attempts being made to get this fight signed over five years ago.
Mayweather even came up with a little rap lyric to express the issue in simple terms:
“If you wanna fight the best, you gotta take the test,” he belted out during a sit-up session at one of those open workouts.
Pacquiao changed his tune on the testing and overcame the biggest hurdle of all when he met personally with Mayweather and agreed that he would be the “B” side and should therefore get a smaller split of the purse. As the video above outlines, Mayweather was then able to dominate the negotiation process.
Although pundits still say this fight will be the biggest in the history of the sport, the question must be asked if this pairing is happening too late in the careers of both fighters for it to be as exciting as some experts predict it will be.
It was always clear to me this fight would happen, but it became obvious that the longer it took to sign the contracts, the better Floyd’s chances of winning would be. Still, Floyd did admit in 2012 that the real reason he didn’t want to fight Pacquiao was due to health concerns. He denied being scared, calling himself “smart” for thinking about his family and his health first. Still, he insisted that the main reason his health would be at risk in that fight was if Pacquiao was really doing steroids, as Mayweather alleged and ended up being sued over. The two settled out of court and the fight is now imminent, so some fans think it’s all water under the bridge. Others are just plain aggravated that we had to wait this long for this bout to come to fruition.
Boxing Legend Marvin Hagler even commented recently that Mayweather waited until Pacquiao aged a little more before signing to fight him. Hagler compared Mayweather’s tactics to Sugar Ray Leonard waiting until Hagler became a little “soft” himself before they signed their fight contract. That bout turned out to be hugely controversial and left Hagler extremely bitter about the sport that made him famous.
So, the May-Pac fight will happen, and Mayweather is the obvious favorite. To learn more about the gambling side of this story, check out Boxing betting at William Hill site. The biggest payoff for any lucky bettor will be a successful bet on Pacquiao, but it’s easy to wonder if Pacquiao really is too old to win this time out. After all, there are tons of concerns with Manny’s calf muscles seizing up, and he reportedly uses a healing cream that costs thousands of dollars per bottle to address the problem.
Mayweather (38) is actually the older fighter, but the 36-year-old Manny’s fought 17 more bouts in the pro ranks and will likely be the most active puncher “Money” ever faced. Mayweather’s normally spectacular and overwhelming defensive prowess just might be tested.
This fight may not be worth every penny you spend on tickets or the Pay-Per-View feed, but the fact that it is finally happening is still special. It will still be a fight boxing fans everywhere around the world can enjoy and appreciate. It’s ultimately up to the fighters to prove they are both up to the task of making sure this fight lives up to expectations. Chances are, Floyd will do his best to leave the MGM Grand with an uneventful decision win. Let’s just hope Pacquiao has enough left in the tank to make sure this is the most competitive fight Mayweather’s ever been in. It may not be the most opportune time for this fight to happen, but it’s a lot better to get it late than never.
RESULTS FROM MOHEGAN SUN
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INSIDE MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO | Episode 1
Enjoy this free preview of Inside Mayweather vs. Pacquiao:
Weights from Valley Forge, PA
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