All posts by FNU47

boxing, Fox, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Light Heavyweight Brawler Ahmed Elbiali Duels Marlos Simões in Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 & FOX Deportes Action Saturday, May 25 from Beau Rivage Resort Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi

May 7, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

***Eimantas Stanionis Forced to Withdraw From Previously Scheduled Bout Due to Hand Injury***

PBC Prelims on FS2 & FOX Deportes to Feature Puerto Rican Olympian Carlos Negron Battling Daniel Martz in Heavyweight Action, Cruiserweight Showdown Between Unbeaten Efe Apochi & Earl Newman & Welterweight Prospect Amon Rashidi Stepping into the Ring – 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

**BILOXI, MS.** (May 6, 2019) – Light heavyweight contender **Ahmed Elbiali** will battle **Marlos Simões** in a 10-round showdown as part of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes action Saturday, May 25 from Beau Rivage Resort Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. Elbiali will replace the previously scheduled bout featuring Eimantas Stanionis, as Stanionis was forced to withdraw because of a hand injury suffered in training.

PBC on FS1 and FOX Deportes begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by former super welterweight champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout returning to the ring to take on former title challenger **Terrell Gausha** in a 10-round super welterweight battle.

PBC Prelims on FS2 and FOX Deportes will begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and be headlined by Puerto Rican Olympian **Carlos Negron** taking on **Daniel Martz** in an eight or 10-round heavyweight match and top prospect **Amon Rashidi** competing in a four or six-round welterweight attraction. Prelims will also feature in the opening bout hard hitting cruiserweights as undefeated **Efe Apochi** steps in against **Earl Newman** for an eight round matchup.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office and through Ticketmaster.

The 28-year-old Elbiali (18-1, 15 KOs) is coming off an exciting third round knockout victory over Allan Green on Jan. 13 on FS1. Elbiali, an Egyptian-American who lives in Miami, Florida, knocked down Green in all three rounds before scoring the victory. It was his second straight victory by knockout – the other coming against Zoltan Sera last June 10 – since losing the first fight of his career against former world champion Jean Pascal in 2017. Simões (13-1-2, 5 KOs) is coming a stoppage victory over Jefferson Luis De Sousa in December. The 30-year-old of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil suffered the only loss of his career against Manuel Ceballos last June.

After representing his native Puerto Rico at the 2008 Olympics, Negron (20-2, 16 KOs) was unbeaten in his first 13 pro fights. Now residing in Miami, the 32-year-old carried a seven-fight winning streak before losing to Dominic Breazeale in December on FOX. He will look to bounce back in his 2019 debut on May 25. Negron will face Clarksburg, West Virginia’s Martz (18-6-1, 15 KOs), who enters this contest the winner of his last two and three of his last four outings. The 28-year-old lost to Luis Ortiz in December 2017 on FS1.

Rashidi (6-0, 4 KOs), who was born in Dallas, Texas and now lives in Desoto, is coming off an exciting TKO victory over Gabriel Gutierrez at AT&T Stadium on March 16. The 26-year-old is unbeaten since turning pro in 2015 and has scored knockouts in three of his last four fights.

An accomplished amateur from Nigeria, Apochi (7-0, 7 KOs) turned pro in the U.S. in 2017 and has racked up knockouts in each fight since. The 31-year-old trains in Houston and scored more four knockouts in 2018 before making his 2019 debut in February and stopping Raymond Ochieng.

A former New York Golden Gloves Champion, Newman (10-1-1, 7 KOs) will look to rebound from a decision loss to Lionell Thompson that came after fighting Paul Parker to a draw on FS1 in 2017. The 27-year-old from Brooklyn was unbeaten in his first 10 pro fights after turning pro in 2014.

In non-televised action Ghanaian super middleweight **Habib Ahmed** (26-1-1, 18 KOs) meets Colombia’s **Juan De Angel** (21-10-1, 19 KOs) in an eight round bout, Orlando’sAntonio Tarver, Jr. (5-0, 4 KOs) battles Milwaukee’s **Thomas Hill** (8-2, 1 KO) in an eight round middleweight match and Burlington, North Carolina welterweight **Willie Jones** (7-1, 4 KOs) takes on Garden Grove, California’s **Lucas Santa Maria** (9-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round attraction.

Also in action are undefeated Atlanta light heavyweight **Brandon Glanton** (8-0, 7 KOs) in a six round match and Chicago’s **Shawn Simpson** (9-0, 3 KOs) looking to keep his unbeaten streak alive in a six or eight round bantamweight bout. A duo of undefeated Dallas, Texas boxers battle in separate bouts as **Burley Brooks** (2-0, 2 KOs) fights in a four-round super middleweight match and **Fernando Garcia** (12-0, 7 KOs) fights in an eight-round featherweight bout.

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Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX, FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, ht
tp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports &www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

amateur boxing, boxing, USA Boxing

Troy Isley coming off biggest win, Preparing for 2020 Olympics

May 7, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 6, 2019) – USA Boxing middleweight Troy Isley is coming off the most significant victory of his young career, when he defeated the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Cuba’s Arlen Lopez, at the recent Pan American Games Qualifier in Managua, Nicaragua.

Lopez served as a positive barometer for Isley in terms of his potential 2020 Olympic run. “Beating Lopez is my biggest win so far,” Isley admitted. “He won a gold medal at the last Olympics. I avenged my loss to him in 2017. We almost fought in The Continentals, but he lost in the quarterfinals, and I lost in the semifinals. We could face each other again in July at the Pan American Games.”

In 2017, Isley captured a gold medal at the Elite World Championships, which marked a first for an American elite boxer in six years. He’s progressed year-by-year, taking top honors at the 2012 & 2013 National PAL Championships, 2014 National Junior Olympics, 2016 & 2017 Elite National Championships. So far this year, in addition to winning at the Pan American Games Qualifier, he also took gold at the Strandja Tournament in Bulgaria.

Not too shabby accomplishments for a kid who really didn’t like boxing, especially compared to football, which was his favorite sport growing up.

“When I returned to the gym I trained at, Alexandria (VA) Boxing Club,” USA National Team assistant coach **Kay Koromba** remembered,” they needed help with a young kid, Troy Isley. I had a simple conversation with him. He said he’d come back to the gym if I was there coaching. I didn’t go back for a little while and he didn’t return. I eventually took over the gym when the coach left, and Troy returned.

“Troy is friends with **Keyshawn Dav**is (USA Boxing’s No. 1-rated lightweight). They both live in Virginia (Troy in Alexandria, Keyshawn in Newport) and train with me at the Alexandria Boxing Club, when we aren’t living and training in Colorado Springs. They fought as kids and became good friends. All of the other boxers here look up to them.”

“I was only 8 and at first I really didn’t like boxing,” the now 20-year-old Isley spoke about his introduction to amateur boxing. “I was more interested in team sports like football, but I gave up boxing when I chose to compete in the Box-Offs. I just wanted to be a kid and you can’t play boxing. I went back to the gym and beat up everybody. Coach Kay told my father that he could make me into a national champion, and that gave me a lot of self-esteem.”

A self-described boxer puncher, Isley is an intelligent, well-spoken boxer with eyes on the future, outside of boxing, taking on-line business courses through DeVry University. “I can do it all,” he offered about his boxing style. “I’m working on using more jabs to be a better all-around boxer. The jab sets the offense up. I’m working on my jab because you can win fights with a jab.”

Promoters are lining up to pitch their companies to sign Isley, who has a definitive plan that involves making the 2020 USA Olympic Boxing Team, medal in Japan, and then turn professional.

“The Olympics is only a year away,” Isley noted. “I’m close with Keyshawn and **Shakur**(**Stevenson**, 2016 Olympic silver-medalist and an 11-0 pro prospect). Training with them makes things easier for all of us. We drive each other and train against different styles. I’m always picking up new stuff. We help each other training, sparring, and just talking. We’re always together, either in Alexandria or Colorado Springs. Shakur still goes there for good sparring.

“Shakur tells us a lot about his experiences in the Olympics and now as a pro. Me and Keyshawn have always talked about being together on the USA Boxing Olympic Team. We keep working hard and staying focused. It’s been our dream.”

Dreams do come true but, first, Isley is preparing for the Pan-Am Games and, possibly, his rubber match with the defending Olympic gold-medalist, Lopez.

**INFORMATION:**
www.usaboxing.org
Twitter: @USABoxing
Instagram: @USABoxing
Facebook: /USABoxing

559 Fights, Amateur MMA, Grappling, mixed martial arts, MMA

McCottrell and Gomez battle for featherweight supremacy at 559 Fights

May 7, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

SELMA, CALIF. – Two of the hottest young featherweight prospects in California will square off Saturday, May 18th in Fresno at the Rainbow Ballroom with 559 Fights gold on the line.

Coalinga 145-pound mixed martial artist Enoch McCottrell puts his 3-0 record on the line against Bakersfield’s Vince Gomez (3-0) in the main event of 559 Fights 72.

“I can’t think of two hotter fighters in the Valley right now,” 559 Fights president Jeremy Luchau said. “Both have an exciting style, like to finish fights and were easy choices to fight for our vacant title.”

In the co-main event, 559 Fights women’s Bantamweight champ Maritza Sanchez (5-6) puts her title on the line against Oakland’s Lindsay Scaturro (1-1).

Also featured on the card is a California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Light Heavyweight State Title fight between Ceres’ Gregory Morales (4-1) and Lancaster’s Chadricc Kindle (3-2).

“We have a lot of great fights on the top of this card. Everyone has enjoyed watching Maritza’s rise in MMA and it’s great to have both Gregory Morales and Chadricc back to fight for us as well,” Luchau said.

In total 17 bouts will be contested, including three grappling super fights. “This is a loaded fight card, with 14 MMA and 3 grappling bouts,” Luchau said. “It’s been a real pleasure getting back to our roots and working with all the schools
in the Valley for both grappling and MMA bouts.”

Also, back in action is Arroyo Grande middleweight Isaiah Hughes (5-1) who takes on Ridgecrest’s Joseph Gaceta and Merced middleweight Jaime Llamas- Trevino (1-0) takes on Kerman’s David Marquez (0-2).

“Hughes has been a long-time fan-favorite at 559 Fights, as well as Gaceta. I’m really looking forward to seeing them get back in the cage,” Luchau said. “Also, Llamas-Trevino is someone to keep an eye on”

In other bouts; Del Rey strawweight Angelic Pimentel makes her debut against Sacrament’s Oksana Ball (0-0), Sacramento middleweight Daniel Zaragoza (2-2) fights Bakersfield’s Adrian Silva (1-1-1), Wasco welterweight Troy Butler (3-2) takes on San Jose’s Aaron Armijo (2-0-1), Merced bantamweight Michael Gomez (0-2) battles Porterville’s Liovardo Garfias (1-0), Clovis lightweight Xavier Moreno (2-0) fights Kerman’s Hipolito Leon (1-3), Grover Beach featherweight Marvin Garcia (1-0) takes on Tracy’s Pedro Juarez (1-1), Fresno welterweight David Chacon (1-0) fights Los Angeles’ Eric Rush (0-0), Paso Robles, lightweight Jeremy Covert makes his debut against Bakersfield’s Denny Stout (0-0), and Fresno heavyweight Larry Gonzales fights Kettleman City’s Juan Espinoza (0-0).

In grappling bouts; Adan Lozano of Parlier will meet up with Madera’s Kyle Mask, Parlier’s Alexzander Alvarado will grapple Madera’s Jorge Melchor and Selma’s Damian Gomez faces Porterville’s Brandon Cohea.

For more information visit www.559fights.com

boxing