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Category Archives: boxing
PHILADELPHIA BOXING LEGEND JOE FRAZIER STATUE TO BE UNVEILED AT XFINITY LIVE! ON SEPTEMBER 12
TWEET IT: Philadelphia Boxing Legend Joe Frazier statue to be unveiled at @XFINITYlive on
Sept 12 during free open-to-the public ceremony #JoeFrazierDay
Philadelphia, PA (September 1, 2015) – XFINITY Live! Philadelphia is set to unveil a new 12-foot bronze statue commemorating Joe Frazier, one of the most iconic Philadelphia athletes in history, during a free, open-to-the-public ceremony at XFINITY Live! on Saturday, September 12 at 1 p.m. XFINITY Live! and Joe Hand Promotions were the lead contributors for this memorial.
Statue artist Stephen Layne recreated Frazier in mid-punch, depicting the moment after Frazier landed the punch that knocked down Muhammad Ali in the 15th round, on March 8, 1971. Frazier was the first fighter to defeat Ali.
“I found my inspiration in a photo of Frazier flooring Ali with his powerful left hook,” Layne said. “The moment captured in the sculpture reflects the work ethic of Frazier and the city he called home.”
Frazier won the 1964 Olympic gold medal in Tokyo and later finished with a professional record of 32-4-1, with 27 knockouts. Two of the losses were epic rematches with Ali, including the “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975. Frazier also participated in the first sporting event ever at the Spectrum, on October 17, 1967, winning with a knockout over Tony Doyle.
The City of Philadelphia commissioned Layne as the sculptor of the Joe Frazier Memorial Statue. He began with a 12-foot tall clay model, and upon approval, constructed a silicone mold. He then began the highly skilled bronze foundry work, finishing the over 1,200-pound bronze monument in 14-months. The process was proudly produced, created and constructed in the United States by Stratton Sculpture Studios of Philadelphia.
The new Frazier statue joins five other iconic Philadelphia sports moments, including Philadelphia Flyers’ Gary Dornhoefer’s overtime playoff goal against the Minnesota North Stars in 1973; longtime Flyers’ good luck charm Kate Smith singing her iconic version of God Bless America; 76ers legend Julius Erving taking a signature shot, Flyers’ greats Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent hosting the Stanley Cup commemorating of the team’s 1974 and 1975 championships, and Flyers all-time winningest coach Fred Shero.
XFINITY Live! Philadelphia
XFINITY Live! Philadelphia is a dining and entertainment district centered in the heart of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The one-of-a-kind venue features over a dozen restaurant and entertainment choices, including: Broad Street Bullies Pub, PBR Bar & Grill (Professional Bull Riders), Philly MarketPlace, Victory Beer Hall and the first-ever NBC Sports Arena. XFINITY Live! is a joint partnership between Philadelphia-based Comcast Spectacor and Baltimore-based The Cordish Companies.
MIGUEL COTTO AND CANELO ALVAREZ CLOSE OUT EPIC FOUR-CITY INTERNATIONAL PRESS TOUR
COTTO VS. CANELO WILL TAKE PLACE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 AT MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER IN LAS VEGAS
PRESENTED LIVE BY HBO PAY-PER-VIEW®
Click HERE for Photos
Photo Credit: Tom Hogan Photos/Roc Nation Sports/Golden Boy Promotions
Click HERE for Videos
Video Credit: RingTV Live
BAYAMÓN, PUERTO RICO (Sept. 1, 2015) – Closing out a five-day, four-city international press tour which had already made stops in Los Angeles, Mexico City and New York City, WBC,Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and former Two-Time Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) hosted a press conference on Friday, Aug. 28 in front of a hometown audience in Cotto’s native Puerto Rico. Hundreds of media members and thousands of screaming fans filled Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez to see Cotto and Canelo and their teams despite the area being hit by Tropical Storm Erika the night before.
The press conference audience was thrilled as the fighters made their entrance to an impressive pyrotechnic display. The excitement in the crowd continued as both fighters faced off and spoke about their upcoming 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. In addition, Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, manager and trainer for Canelo Alvarez, serenaded the crowed with an a capella rendition of the favorite Puerto Rican tune “Que Bonito Puerto Rico,” in a show of respect to the fans in the audience.
The press conference stop in Bayamón, Puerto Rico capped a busy week for Teams Cotto and Canelo. By the end of the week, Cotto and Canelo visited four cities in two countries, spanning four time zones, traveling 9,500 miles and encountering thousands of screaming fans in five days. Wherever they went, fans and the media were a buzz about the anticipated showdown between Cotto and Canelo, with many making early predictions that the Nov. 21 middleweight championship will be crowned ‘Fight of the Year.’
Both fighters are now heading off to their respective training camps in Los Angeles at Wild Card Gym for Miguel Cotto and San Diego, Calif. for Canelo Alvarez to prepare for their epic showdown on Nov. 21.
Below are photo highlights from the four-city international Cotto vs. Canelo press tour. For the complete Cotto vs. Canelo press tour image gallery, click HERE.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ON AUG. 24:
ABOVE: WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (second from left) and former WBC & WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (right) pose on August 24, 2015 in Los Angeles after the press conference to kick off their four-city international press tour.
“The world is talking about this fight. The rich history between Mexico and Puerto Rico makes this truly exciting,” Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya on Aug. 24 in Los Angeles.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO ON AUG. 25:
ABOVE: WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (left) and former WBC & WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (right) pose on August 25, 2015 in Mexico City at a press conference to announce their world title fight on November 21, 2015 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.
“I am very grateful that I am always welcomed here in Mexico and shown great respect. The support of Mexicans is unmatched. It is an honor to fight Miguel Cotto,” saidformer Two-Time Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez on Aug. 25 in Mexico City.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK ON AUG. 26:
ABOVE: WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (left) and former WBC & WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (right) face off at the start of their New York City press conference to promote their upcoming HBO Pay Per View fight on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas.
“This is a match-up of epic proportions, can’t-miss action styles and passionate fans bases, as is evident by the crowd here today,” said Roc Nation President and Chief of Branding and Strategy Michael Yormark on Aug. 26 in New York City.
BAYAMÓN, PUERTO RICO ON AUG. 28:
ABOVE: WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (center left) and former WBC & WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (center right) pose on August 28, 2015 in Bayamón, Puerto Rico at a press conference to announce their November 21, 2015 world championship fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.
“I’m going to get this victory for all Puerto Ricans around the world,” said WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto on Aug. 28 in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
With seven world titles between them, impressive resumes and high levels of popularity in their home countries, Cotto vs. Canelo is shaping up to be the biggest fight in boxing this year and the biggest fight in the history of the famed Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry.
Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra; Mexico, Live it to Believe it!; O’Reilly Auto Parts and Tequila Cazadores. The Cotto vs. Canelo press tour was sponsored by JetSmarter. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.
Click HERE to access the Cotto vs. Canelo electronic press kit using password “CottovsCanelo”.
For more information, visit www.rocnation.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mx www.hbo.com/boxing andwww.mandalaybay.com; follow on Twitter at @RocNation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @RealMiguelCotto, @Canelo, @HBOBoxing, and @MandalayBay; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/RealMiguelACotto, www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxingand www.facebook.com/MandalayBay; and follow on Instagram @rocnation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @realmiguelacotto, @Canelo, @HBOboxing and @MandalayBay. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.
ROMAN MARTINEZ AND JONATHAN OQUENDO PUERTO RICO MEDIA DAY QUOTES & PHOTOS
Click HERE To Download Photos & Video
Credit: Angel Vazquez/PR Best Boxing Promotions
DORADO, PR (Sept. 1, 2015) – WBO Junior Lightweight Champion Roman “Rocky” Martinez (29-2-2, 17 KOs) and WBO/IBF featherweight world-ranked Jonathan “Polvo” Oquendo (25-4, 16 KOs) worked out for the press in Puerto Rico on Monday, Aug, 31 in advance of their SHOWTIME PPV® fights against former world champions Orlando “Siri” Salido (42-13-2, 29 KOs) and Jhonny Gonzalez (58-9, 49 KOs), respectively. The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas highlighted by HIGH STAKES: Floyd Mayweather vs. Andre Berto.
Martinez and Oquendo worked before the media at the Dorado Municipal Gym in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Both fighters completed a full training session with their respective trainers Raul Torres and Dennis Pantojas.
This is what the fighters had to say during Monday’s workout:
Román “Rocky” Martínez
“I’m preparing for a big fight on September 12. Everyone saw that the first fight against Salido was a true ‘War.’ This time around, I’m planning to give my fans the same type of fight. I predict a non-stop action slugfest.
“My team and I are working and have been working really hard in training camp. I believe that we are doing everything that needs to be done. I’m in the best shape of my career and I’m planning to win once again, either by knockout or decision, but I’ll win.
“We have worked more on side-to-side and in-and-out movement. If I see him hurt early I’m going to finish him.”
Raul Torres, Martinez’s Trainer
“Rocky is a 100 percent prepared for [Orlando] Salido. I have no doubt that we will emerge victorious once again.
“[Orlando] Salido is a fighter that likes to go forward. He stands in front of you and he goes at it. He’s tough, but we are tougher. We are ready.”
Jonathan Oquendo
“This is very important fight for me. This is my opportunity to put myself in the world title landscape. I’m not going to let this opportunity slip away from me.
“Jhonny Gonzalez is a veteran of 60 fights, so you can’t take him lightly. Preparation is key.
“This will be the first fight at 130 pounds for me and I can say that the training camp has been very good, better than expected.
“I’m feeling strong. I think this is a good weight for me, I’m comfortable because I don’t have to lose much weight and can train better.”
Dennis Pantojas, Oquendo’s trainer
“We have had a very good training camp. Jonathan [Oquendo] has not had any problems and he’s right on weight that we want.
“I see Jonathan [Oquendo] more focused and stronger than ever. We are not only hitting the gym, we are also swimming a lot and that has helped him lots. “
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Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions LLC., are priced at $1,500, $1,000, $750, $500, $300 and $150 and are on sale now. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per household for all ticket prices except the $150 ticket category, which is limited to four (4) per household. To charge by phone or with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase atwww.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
“HIGH STAKES: Mayweather vs. Berto,” a 12-round welterweight world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBC and WBA 147-pound titles, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions LLC. The event will take place Saturday, September 12 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will be televised by SHOWTIME PPV. The undercard features aWBO Junior Lightweight World Championship fight, which is a rematch between Roman Martinez and Orlando Salido, which is promoted in association with PR Best Boxing. Also featured on the PPV telecast will be a WBC Super Middleweight title bout between Badou Jack and George Groves, which is promoted in association with Team Sauerland. The opening PPV bout pits former world champion Jhonny Gonzalez against Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo in a 10-round junior lightweight bout.
Let’s Hear It For The Girls – Marston, Smith & Ball Celebrate Historic Victories
On Saturday night, London promoters Mark Lyons and Billy James-Elliott presented the first British event to feature three female professional boxing bouts, however to achieve this historic first for Women’s Boxing, the pioneering duo, whose event was sanctioned by the Malta Boxing Commission, had to overcame an unbelievable level of interference, from another boxing organization and their fellow EBU members.
Rather than dwell on the politics, everyone involved in the staging of this historic event should be congratulated, none more so than the female boxers that took part.
Former Team GB athlete (Shot Putt, Hammer Throw and Discus), Peckham’s Shaunagh Brown made her professional debut against fellow debutant Ireland’s Xena Ball.
Brown had a major disadvantage, she’s the sole Female boxer worldwide that competes in the Cruiserweight division, by having to fight in the Heavyweight division against an opponent some fifty pounds heavier than herself.
That aside the bout was a cracker, the plucky Londoner didn’t appear to be fazed at all about the weight discrepancy, in fact early on it was her taking the fight to Ireland’s Ball.
Ball, a classy young boxer with excellent ringcraft was as savvy as they come, content to let the Londoner come forward, before stepping forward with very, very quick double handed flurries to force Brown back towards the ropes throughout the bout.
Brown was struggling with the size difference between her and her opponent, unable to push Ball off relied on her excellent boxing skills to box her way out of danger.
After four rounds of virtual non-stop action, referee Lee Murtagh scored the bout in favour of Ireland’s Xena Ball 40-36, the correct verdict without doubt, but really doesn’t reflect the quality of Brown’s excellent against the odds performance.
Unbeaten Lightweight Sam Smith from Leeds, Yorkshire was next in action, who after no less than seven changes of opponents in the lead up to fight night, faced a debuting Alina Lisova from Riga in Latvia.
Smith, who in her previous bout beat championship experienced Zsofia Bedo to secure the International Masters Lightweight title, literally outclassed Lisova, tearing the debuting Latvian girl apart and stopping her in just one minute and ten seconds of the first round.
The final female bout of the night see Woolwich, London’s British #1 ranked (Both Super Bantamweight and Pound-For-Pound) and reigning MBC International Super Bantamweight Champion Marianne Marston, in a non-championship six rounder.
As with Sam Smith, Marianne had many changes of opponent, nine in her case pulled out, in the build up and eventually faced Riga, Latvia’s Jekaterina Lecko, who in June fought Germany’s Alice Melina Kummer for the German Lightweight title.
Lecko paraded down the catwalk like she was a model, whilst Marston, an actual former model, made her entrance very much in fight mode, smashing her gloves together as acknowledgment to the cheers of support from the huge female contingent in attendance.
The difference between the two was even more noticeable when Marianne removed her sponsor laden T-Shirt to show her seriously ripped physique.
Marston went straight on the offensive, forcing Lecko to rely on throwing out her jab in a vein effort to prevent the Londoner getting within range, Marston not only got in range but once there she began giving the Latvian a boxing lesson she’s unlikely to forget in a while.
Changing tactics Lecko resorted to running away as such, however Marston’s ringcraft is of such a level that she was able to close down and cut off any escape route, before backing the Latvian on to the ropes with a vicious double handed attack, the result was devastating for Lecko who was sent to the canvas with just five seconds remaining of the first round.
Marston started the second in similar vein to the first, taking the fight to Lecko, who now began throwing huge right hands in an attempt to keep Marston at bay.
With this tactic failing, due to Marston’s superior movement, Lecko reverted to going walk about, which suited the Londoner, who once again was able to cut off the ring and corral the Latvian against the ropes and begin another double handed assault, all Lecko could do was cover up and hope that Marston would punch herself out, she didn’t and after what seemed an age, it wasn’t but it seemed that way, referee Ken Curtis stepped in and waved off the bout to save Lecko from a guaranteed knockout, on the one minute and fifty second mark of the second round.
Following the event Promoter Mark Lyons spoke briefly about the three Women’s bouts.
“Firstly I would like to thank all the boxers that took part intonight’s show and I mean all of them, OK I accept that some of the opponents were not close to the level of our boxers, but that was not any of the fighters fault.
I can’t thank Xena, Jekaterina and Alina enough for saving the female bouts, these girls all stepped in at the last minute after a ridiculous number of pulls outs due to threats from another organisation.
That aside these girls came and saved the show and we did manage to make history, we are the first to have three female bouts on a UK pro boxing event.
Personally I think Shaunagh’s fight against Xena was the stand out bout, not just because it went the distance but because it was a fantastic fight, even though it had to be fought at Heavyweight as there are no other Cruiserweights in the world.
I felt sorry for Sam, Alina was way too inexperienced for someone of her skills, the same with Jekaterina, she just wasn’t close to the class of fighter Marianne should be fighting.
The real difference is our girls really are professionals in every way, they prepare for competition in exactly the same way as the male boxers.
Look at Marianne, I doubt there are many male boxers that have such a honed body, that girl has an eight pack, she trains every single day and spars some seriously talented male boxers to prepare and it shows.
I am proud to have these girls fight on our events and can’t wait for the next, their support was fantastic, never have I seen so many female spectators at a boxing match before.
Roll on October 23rd I promise there will be more female bouts on that show too.”
FIGHT NETWORK BOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2015)
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(U.S. only schedule. For full Canadian schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com from your region.)
Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for boxing, mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.
Below find highlights of this week’s programming:
Monday, Aug. 31
7:30 p.m. ET – Fight New Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
9:00 p.m. ET – Vacant WBC Silver Female Title: Jeffrey vs. Garbatt – Featuring Ronica Jeffrey vs. Lindsay Garbatt for the vacant WBC Silver female super featherweight title from Aug. 31, 2012 in Dover, Delaware.
Monday, Sept. 1
12:00 p.m. ET — Vacant WBC Silver Female Title: Jeffrey vs. Garbatt – Featuring Ronica Jeffrey vs. Lindsay Garbatt for the vacant WBC Silver female super featherweight title from Aug. 31, 2012 in Dover, Delaware.
6:00 p.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.
8:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
Wednesday, Sept. 2
7:00 a.m., 1 p.m. ET & 10:00 p.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.
7:30 p.m. ET — Fight New Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
Thursday, Sept. 3
1 a.m. ET & 5:30 p.m. ET – KOTV Boxing Weekly – Covering all the latest news in professional boxing, featuring full recent fights and highlights from the sweet science.
8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
10:00 p.m. ET – Golden Boy LIVE: De La Hoya vs. Ruiz (CANADA ONLY) – Diego De La Hoya battles Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz for the WBC Youth featherweight title on LA FIGHT CLUB live from Los Angeles, Calif.
Friday, Sept. 4
12:30 p.m. ET — KOTV Boxing Weekly – Covering all the latest news in professional boxing, featuring full recent fights and highlights from the sweet science.
Saturday, Sept. 5
12:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
4:00 a.m. ET — KOTV Boxing Weekly – Covering all the latest news in professional boxing, featuring full recent fights and highlights from the sweet science.
Sunday, Sept. 6
2:30 a.m. ET& 7:00 p.m. ET — KOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.
8:00 p.m. ET – Ultimate Classic Boxing: Bassey vs. Costa – Featuring Hogan “Kid” Bassey vs. Carmelo Costa from Oct. 31, 1958.
INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram @fightnet
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| ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK: Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland, and Suddenlink Communications in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina.. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. |
JAMIE MCDONNELL & TOMOKI KAMEDA SHARE THOUGHTS ON MAY SLUGFEST AND UPCOMING REMATCH
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TOP NORTHEAST PROSPECTS SHOWCASED ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 AT FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO IN MASHANTUCKET, CONNECTICUT
 PETER QUILLIN TAKES ON MICHAEL ZERAFA
IN FEATURED PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBC BOUT
AT 4 P.M. ET/1 P.M. PT
Action Begins Inside the Arena at 1 p.m. ET!
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MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (August 31, 2015) – Some of the top prospects from the Northeast including undefeated super featherweight Bryant “Pee Wee” Cruz (15-0, 8 KOs) will be showcased on a stacked undercard Saturday, September 12 live from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT with the first bout beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
The September 12 Premier Boxing Champions on NBC card is headlined by undefeated middleweight star Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (31-0-1, 22 KOs) taking on Michael “Pretty Boy” Zerafa (17-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout with world title implications on the line for former world champion Quillin. Super welterweight world champion Cornelius “K-9” Bundrage (34-5, 19 KOs) will defend his title against undefeated rising star Jermall Charlo (21-0, 16 KOs) in the co-main event. Live coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on NBC.
As part of the previously announced featured undercard bouts, two of the most promising prospects in boxing will put their undefeated records on the line as 2012 U.S. Olympian and highly-touted light heavyweight “Sir” Marcus Browne (15-0, 11 KOs), takes on former world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-7-1, 12 KOs), and undefeated middleweight Hugo “The Boss” Centeno (22-0, 12 KOs) meets Poland’s Lukas Maciec (22-2-1, 5 KOs).
The Browne or Centeno fight could end up as a swing bout for the NBC broadcast pending the outcome of the two scheduled televised bouts.
Fighting on the non-televised portion of the undercard are top prospects representing New England, New York and Washington D.C.
The Undefeated super featherweight Cruz, fighting out of Port Chester, NY, puts his perfect record on the line in an eight-round bout.
Popular New York City super featherweight Gary Stark Jr. (24-3, 8 KOs) will be gunning for his second straight win of his comeback bid against former African champion Anthony Napunyi (15-15, 6 KOs) in a six-round match.
Washington D.C. super featherweight Antonio Russell (3-0, 2 KOs), the younger brother of reigning world super featherweight champion and 2008 U.S. Olympian Gary Russell, Jr., will compete in a six-round bout while undefeated super bantamweight world champion Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent (14-0, 1 KO) squares off against former Youth champion Brittany “Pretty Girl” Cruz (10-6-2, 2 KOs) in an eight-round non-title fight.
Also fighting on the undercard in a four-round matchup is Elmont, NY super featherweight Titus Williams (1-0), a 2013 New York Golden Gloves champion, taking on Benjamin Burgos (2-12-1), and a four-round featherweight bout featuring Timmy Ramos (1-0, 1 KO) of Framingham, MA.
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LEO SANTA CRUZ WINS BATTLE OF LOS ANGELES OVER ABNER MARES IN MEMORABLE SHOWDOWN ON PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN FROM STAPLES CENTER
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UNDEFEATED TREVOR BRYAN WINS HEAVYWEIGHT SLUGFEST OVER GAME, HARD-TRYING DERRIC ROSSY IN MAIN EVENT OF SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION TRIPLEHEADER
TEMPERATURE’S RISING IN LAS VEGAS:
‘The Dream’ Improves to 16-0 with Unanimous Decision in Great Fight,
DeCarlo Perez Outpoints Previously Unbeaten Juan Ubaldo Cabrera,
Heavyweight Joey Dawejko Scores Opening-Round Knockout over Natu Visinia
Catch Replay Monday, Aug. 31, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHO EXTREME®
Click HERE To Download Photos
Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
LAS VEGAS (Aug. 29, 2015) – On a hot summer August night, in a specially-constructed ring outside the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC) across from the D Las Vegas,Trevor “The Dream” Bryan remained unbeaten and passed the toughest test of his career with a crowd-pleasing, hard-fought 10-round unanimous decision over Derric Rossy in the main event of a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader live on SHOWTIME®.
Bryan (16-0, 11 KOs), of Albany, N.Y., dropped the vastly more experienced Rossy (30-10, 14 KOs), of Medford, N.Y., with a flurry of punches 30 seconds into the fight en route to winning one of the most exciting heavyweight fights of the year by the scores of 98-91 twice and 97-92. Round 3 of the slugfest could be a candidate for Round of the Year.
In Friday’s co-feature, middleweight DeCarlo “3-Mendo” Perez (15-3-1, 5 KOs), of Atlantic City, upset previously undefeated Juan Ubaldo Cabrera (23-1, 16 KOs) of the Dominican Republic on a unanimous 10-round decision. Perez, who took the fight on a week’s notice, beat the two-time Dominican Republic Olympian by the scores of 98-91 twice and 97-92 in a match that featured steady two-way action for the most part. Cabrera became the 134th boxer to suffer his initial defeat on ShoBox.
In the opening bout of the telecast, heavyweight Joey Dawejko (15-4-2, 7 KOs), of Philadelphia, registered an impressive 1:15, first-round knockout over Samoa’s Natu Visinia(11-2, 9 KOs) of Tacoma, Wash., in a scheduled eight-round scrap.
“We saw two drastically different types of heavyweight fights tonight,’’ said boxing historian and ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood. “One quick bang-out — where Joey Dawejko made a lot of fans. I think people would like to see him again, I’d like to see him again. And the second fight, Trevor Bryan, he didn’t get the stoppage but he also gained a lot of fans. He’s a fighter that most fans have not seen, and tonight he was introduced on the big stage in a very successful way.
“Derric Rossy showed such resistance and that made the win sweeter for Bryan, who had never fought anybody resembling the class of Rossy. It was a physical fight with a lot of good exchanges. Trevor Bryan stamped himself as a young American heavyweight to watch.
“[Juan Ubaldo] Cabrera was a disappointment. It looked like he was going to be the classier, busier fighter for three rounds, but [DeCarlo] Perez took over. And to fight as effectively as Perez did on one-week notice against a fighter that was 23-0, is impressive. It’s the biggest win by far on Perez’s career.‘’
Hall of Fame promotor Don King was ecstatic afterward. “It was great to see heavyweight boxing back to what it is supposed to be — you are hanging on the edge of your seat with every punch,’’ he said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen, but Trevor Bryan pulled through. He’s only 16-0 but he broke through the door to greatness. That’s the big thing. Now we have to look for him to get a heavyweight championship fight as he goes along.
“So it was a terrific fight and as a matter of fact it was a terrific night of fights and that’s what it’s all about. People ask me ‘when is the next one?’ people shouting in their seats and tingling. And we did it for the women — fighting for women’s rights — the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. Oh man I am so excited. This is what it’s supposed to be.’’
The 6-foot-4 Bryan, who turned 26 on Aug. 23, went 10 rounds for the first time. A pro since November 2011, he had registered 10 of his 11 knockouts victories in three rounds or less.
“I think I showed to people that I like to fight and that I will fight,’’ Bryan said. “The heavyweight division is weak. Guys don’t like to throw a lot of punches. Being this was my first time on television, I think I had more anxiety than anything, but overall I was very happy with my performance.
“Rossy is a very durable, experienced guy. For him to hang in like he did says a lot. I know I definitely hurt him a few times but I didn’t follow up with the right punches. I didn’t place my punches like I should have after he was hurt. I know I need to relax more and listen to my corner.
“I was a little surprised that he didn’t box and move more but this was a hard-fought fight and a good fight for the fans.’’
Rossy pushed Bryan in many of the rounds, making for ferocious exchanges that had the crowd on their feet. The 35-year-old gamer has been on the wrong end of many close decisions in the past, but he had no qualms with the verdict this time.
“Bryan is definitely a good fighter, talented and he hits hard,’’ said Rossy, who has been in with some of the best in the division. “But after the knockdown, I was fighting on all heart. It wasn’t my plan to stand and slug and make it a war, but once I got dropped my strategy went out the window.
“This was an extremely hard fight, but that early knockdown was the whole difference for me. I’m OK but this was an exhausting 10-round fight.’’
Despite having little time to prepare, Perez, 24, won his fourth in a row and is 9-1 in his last 10 fights. “The heat [close to100 degrees] was no factor, I’ve been training in a gym that has more humidity than this,’’ he said. “The tough part was not knowing anything about my opponent; we saw no film so I had to adjust on the fly.
“I knew I’d be getting stronger as the fight went on. To keep throwing punches and dishing out punishment, that’s my style.
“This should open up a lot of doors for me. What I did tonight was prove what intense work ethic, pushing and fighting through all the odds, can do. I am very happy and already am looking forward to my next fight.
Cabrera, 36, whose pro career has sputtered due to long stretches of inactivity, had a point deducted in the seventh for hitting behind the head. Afterward, he offered no excuses. “I just got outhustled,’’ he said. He didn’t punch that hard. I was never hurt. I just didn’t throw enough. I felt fine until I got tired in the 10th round.’’
The 5-foot-10 Dawejko, despite giving away five inches in height and being outweighed by 37¾ pounds, came out firing and hurt and staggered Visinia with an overhand right to the side of the head. He followed up with a flurry of punches to the head and body. After Visinia was given a standing eight-count, Dawejko landed eight unanswered punches before the referee stepped in and stopped it.
“I thought I would knock him out but not that fast,’’ said Dawejko, who outlanded the Samoan 18-1, 16 of them power shots. “Natu’s a tough guy. My plan was to tire him out and take him out in the fourth or fifth.
“This win does everything for my career. It basically eliminated the loss in my last fight to Amir Mansour [that snapped Dawejko’s six-fight winning streak]. “This shows I’m back. They have to mention me now when they’re talking heavyweights.’’
Going in, Visinia was regarded as perhaps the most promising up-and-coming Samoan heavyweight since former longtime contender David Tua.
“This is very disappointing,’’ Visinia said. “I just waited too long to get started with the jab and got caught with a good one. That happens in boxing but I’m going to keep working. I don’t want the boxing world or boxing gods to turn their backs on me now. This was a bump in the road. I’ll be back.’’
Aired during the telecast was an exclusive taped interview with Floyd Mayweather and Jim Gray and a live interview with WBC Super Middleweight Champion Badou Jack and Farhood.Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) will put his undefeated record and WBC and WBA Welterweight World Championships on the line against power-punching, two-time welterweight world champion Andre Berto (30-3, 23 KOs) and Jack (19-1-1, 12 KOs) will make his first defense against mandatory challenger “Saint” George Groves (21-2, 16 KOs) on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME PPV®. The four-fight pay-per-view telecast starts at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The ShoBox tripleheader will re-air this week as follows:
DAY CHANNEL
Monday, Aug. 31, 10:30 p.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME Extreme
Friday’s three-fight telecast will be available at SHOWTIME ON DEMAND beginning today, Saturday, Aug. 29.
Barry Tompkins called the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer was Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.