Category Archives: boxing

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA

CONTENDERS CLOTHING LAUNCHES FIGHTING FOR FIGHTERS FUND – ALL PROCEEDS TO GO DIRECTLY TO PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS AFFECTED BY THE COVID-19 CRISIS!

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FIGHTERS CAN SIGN UP NOW FOR A DIRECT PAYMENT SENT OUT FIRST WEEK OF MAY ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE NEW’GO THE SOCAL DISTANCE’ FUNDRAISER T-SHIRT& 10% OF SALES AT CONTENDERSCLOTHING.COM TO GO TO FUND
Las Vegas, NV. (April 13, 2020): Contenders Clothing is proud to announce the creation of the Fighting for Fighters Fund, a new program that will put money directly, and immediately, into the hands of professional fighters affected by the current Covid-19 crisis.

With combat sports across the United States being suspended indefinitely, many fighters who earn a living competing professionally are self-employed contractors leaving them out of work and not eligible for state unemployment. While there is money earmarked for contract workers under the Cares Act, funds have been hard to, if not impossible, to access, leaving many working class fighters in dire need of assistance.

“While some well-known apparel companies are donating to large and mostly worldwide health organizations, we’ve yet to see any company directly help fighters,” said Contenders Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Snyder.

“We have been embraced by professional fighters of all levels who have worn our boxer briefs and t-shirts at weigh ins and we truly consider anyone who wears us as part of our family. They’ve had our back and now it’s time to have theirs.”

Funding for Fighting for Fighters will come from the sales of an exclusive, ‘Go The Social Distance’ t-shirt created specifically as a fundraiser for the program. In addition, Contenders Clothing is giving 10% of every single sale throughout the entire month of April at www.contendersclothing.com directly into the fund.

Payments will go out the first week of May and will be divided equally from the overall amount Fighting for Fighters raises between all eligible fighters.

“We’ve come to find that fighters are special people in and out of the ring and not enough people understand their sacrifice. If Fighting for Fighters can literally buy groceries for a fighters’ family for a week or pay a utility bill at a time when they desperately need it, then we will consider it a success.”

If you are an active professional fighter based in the United States whose income has been affected by the Covid-19 crisis please sign up at:
https://contendersclothing.com/pages/contenders-fighting-for-fighters-fund

If you’d like to purchase the Go the Social Distance t-shirt and have all proceeds go to the Fighting for Fighters Fund, please head to:
https://contendersclothing.com/collections/t-shirts/products/go-the-social-distance-tee

ABOUT CONTENDERS CLOTHING
Contenders Clothing’s boxer brief line, which contains the first ever officially licensed Muhammad Ali and Rocky collections, has been a favorite of professional boxers at weigh-ins since launching in 2018. From world champions such as Tyson Fury to up and coming contenders and prospects, Contenders has been at the forefront of the world of boxing apparel. 

Fight Club, Contenders Clothing’s endorsement program, was established in 2019. With a focus on working class and inspirational fighters, Contenders Fight Club has already seen one of it’s athletes, Andrew Cancio, win a world title in a massive upset. In addition to the announcement of current #1 contender and former world champion Jessie Magdaleno joining Contenders Fight Club last month, Contenders is continuing it’s commitment to the boxing industry with plans on announcing several new signees throughout 2020 that represent the future of the sport. 

For more information visit: www.contendersclothing.com
For any further information on Contenders’ Fighting for Fighters Fund – please drop us a line at chris@contendersclothing.com and we will get right back in touch. Thanks in advance for your support and helping spread the word.
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boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

PBC KEEPS PUNCHING OUT BOREDOM!

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PBC Boxers Continue to Engage Fans Through Social Media During Social Distancing

Keith Thurman, Deontay Wilder, Anthony Dirrell, Leo Santa Cruz, Gervonta Davis, Andre Berto & David Benavidez to Appear on PBC Social Media Platforms Next Week


LAS VEGAS (April 10, 2020) – Premier Boxing Champions boxers will roll into another week of taking to social media to engage with fans during social distancing. Each week PBC will present opportunities for fans to hear from boxers as they try to find ways to pass the time.
 
Former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman appears on “Time Out With Ray Flores” live on the PBC Instagram page this Monday, April 13 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
 
Former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and former super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell will appear on the PBC Podcast with hosts Kenneth Bouhairie and Michael Rosenthal. The Podcast will be available on Wednesday, April 15 on the PBC website, iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spreaker and other outlets.
 
WBA Super Featherweight Champion Leo Santa Cruz will appear in the “At Home With…” series, hanging out live on the PBC Facebook page on Wednesday, April 15 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. And in a special edition of “At Home With…”, WBA Lightweight Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis will be interviewed by former welterweight champion Andre Berto live on the PBC Instagram page on Friday, April 17 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
 
WBC Super Middleweight Champion David Benavidez will appear on “Going The Distance” on the PBC YouTube page on Thursday, April 16. Benavidez will be breaking down his fight against Anthony Dirrell at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
 
In addition, “PBC Replay” will feature a replay of the full televised card for the first Leo Santa Cruz vs. Abner Mares showdown on the PBC YouTube page on Saturday, April 18 at 8 p.m. E/5 p.m. PT.
 
This week’s schedule is loaded with some of PBC’s top attractions sharing their insights and life during these challenging times. Stay tuned. There’s more to come.
 
boxing, USA Boxing

A remarkable boxing journey like no other 1972 Olympic gold medalist “Sugar” Ray Seales

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(Ray Seales is in the front row, second in from the left)
 


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 9, 2020) — Imagine being the lone boxer from your country to capture an Olympic gold medal, only days after the infamous Munich massacre. Now imagine also having won a remarkable 338 of 350 amateur matches, having fought a trilogy as a professional with “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, being declared legally blind in both eyes (having entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. pickup a six-figure medical bill), regaining sight in one eye, then working as a teacher of autistic students for 17 years.
 
“Sugar” Ray Seales has truly lived a surreal life, to say the least, and he’s still involved in boxing at the age of 67, as a successful coach of amateur boxers in Indianapolis.
 
Born in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Island as one of eight children in a family whose father was a boxer there as a member of the U.S. Army team, Seales started boxing at the age of nine. “I have three brothers and we always beat the crap out of each other,” he spoke about his start in boxing. “Learning how to box, for me, was all about fighting to be the first to eat. I had gotten hit in my left eye playing dodgeball and my uncle, who was stationed at Ft. Lewis (in Tacoma, WA), told my mother there was a special doctor there who could help with my eye. My father was stationed all over and in 1964, when I was 12, my mother moved us to Tacoma, Washington.
 
“I had boxing in my system. I went with my brothers to the Downtown Tacoma Boys Club, which was only one block from our home, and my mother could watch me walk from our house to the gym and back. I was the first from there to win a Golden Gloves title. I wanted to be a winner and finished with 14 (champion) jackets. I couldn’t speak English. I knew Spanish and spoke Spanish and English together. The first word I said in English was box. We used to fight three or four times a day and we built the Tacoma Boxing Club. I went on to have a 338-12 amateur record and I’ve been in boxing ever since.”
 
Seales developed into a champion, taking top honors at the 1971 National AAU and 1972 National Golden Gloves championships. At the age of 19, Seales enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, but his mother made some calls so Ray would be able to compete in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.
 
She succeeded and the rest, as they say, is history. And when he came home from the Olympics, he was told that there was no need for him to report to the U.S. Air Force, because he had done enough in terms of service as the only American boxer to win a gold medal.
 
The 1972 Olympics, however, was overshadowed by the killing of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches, as well as a West German police officer at the Olympic Village by terrorists on Black September.
 
“I had just turned 20,” Seales remembered. “Boxing was heavy when we went there. Some of my family, my coach from Tacoma, and Tacoma teammate (and 2-time U.S. Olympian)Davey Armstrong were in Germany. I didn’t know anything at first. I had to get the attention of my parents to let them know not to go there, because there were terrorists with sub-machine guns in the Olympic Village. I was the only American boxer left to fight.”
 
Seales defeated Bulgarian Angjei Anghhelov, 5-0, in the light welterweight championship to capture an Olympic gold medal, the only member of the U.S. team to do so. His teammates included Armstrong, Duane Bobick, and Olympic bronze medalists Jesse Valdez, Marvin Johnson and Ricardo Carreras.
 
Sugar Ray Seales’s dedication to USA Boxing is second to none,” said Chris Cugliari, USA Boxing Alumni Director. “His pride, patriotism, and devotion to helping our next generation of champions is what makes him such an inspiring figure.”


USA Boxing Alumni Association
 
Created to champion lifelong, mutually beneficial relationships between USA Boxing and its alumni, –boxers, officials, coaches and boxing fans — The Alumni Association connects generations of champions, inspiring and giving back to USA Boxing’s future boxing champions, in and out of the ring.
 
The USA Boxing Alumni Association is open to anyone who has a love for boxing and would like to stay connected with amateur boxing. Members are granted access to a wide variety of special events hosted by the Alumni Association, including its annual USA Boxing Alumni Association Hall of Fame reception.
 
To join the Alumni Association, simply register at alumni@usaboxing.org for a $40.00 per year membership fee. New members will receive a T-shirt, keychain and e-wallet.
 

Seales turned pro in 1973, winning an 8-round unanimous decision over Gonzalo Rodriguez in Tacoma. “Sugarman” won his first 21 pro fights, until he lost a 10-round decision to 14-0 middleweight prospect and future Hall of Famer Marvin Hagler. Two fights later, Seales fought Hagler in Tacoma to a 10-round draw (99-99, 99-99, 98-96).
 
“Everybody wanted a shot at the Olympic gold medalist,” Seales explained.” I went to Boston and we fought in a TV studio (WNAC). It was freezing in there. I was shivering when I went into the ring, Marvin came out dripping sweat. I knew I was losing after seeing that, but I hung with him and went the distance (10 rounds). I was having management problems and three months later I fought Hagler again, only this time at home in Tacoma. I beat him but it ended in a 10-round draw. He knows I beat him!”
 
Seales completed his trilogy with Hagler, but it was five years later, when Hagler was 42-2-1 and avoided by most of the world’s top middleweights. “I was the USBA (United States Boxing Association) and North American Boxing Federation (NABF) middleweight champion and Hagler needed to win a title to get a world title shot,” Seales noted. “I lost our third fight in the first round, but that’s the only thing shown on television in our three fights. We were two left-handers, but he switched to right-handed, and he caught me with a hook. I got paid and they bought him a world title fight.”    
 
Seales has coached two different amateur teams in Indianapolis during the past 11 years, winning 10 Golden Gloves team championships, and he’s still in charge in Indy of Team IBG.
 
After he retired in 1984 after suffering detached retinas in both eyes, Seales was introduced in Las Vegas to Sammy Davis, Jr. (pictured below), who paid Seales’ $100,000 medical bill for his damaged eyes. Davis had lost his left eye in a 1952 car accident
 
  
 
“I’m a teacher,” Seales concluded. “I see the way that so many boxers want to fight likeFloyd Mayweather. Their head is tilted, they can’t throw a jab. I teach them to have the right foot behind the left (for a right-handed boxer), and to walk in straight, not tilted or peaking. Heel toe, heel toe every time you pivot is your stance.
 
“My advice for the boxers who hope to compete in the 2020 Olympics is to focus on what you’re doing and listen to how to get it done. What I really want to do is to coach the USA Olympic Boxing Team 2024.”

INFORMATION:
www.usaboxing.orgi
Twitter: @USABoxing, @USABoxingAlumni
Instagram: @USABoxing
boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

SHOWTIME SPORTS® TO PRESENT SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS, INCLUDING THREE FIGHT OF THE YEAR WINNERS, BEGINNING APRIL 10 ON SHOWTIME®

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April 10: DIEGO CORRALES vs. JOSE LUIS CASTILLO I & II
April 17: PAULIE AYALA vs. JOHNNY TAPIA I & II
April 24: LUCAS MATTHYSSE vs. JOHN MOLINA, MICKEY BEY vs. JOHN MOLINA

NEW YORK – April 6, 2020 – SHOWTIME Sports will continue to serve boxing fans during the current hiatus from live sports, announcing today SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS with regularly scheduled replays of legendary bouts from the network’s deep archive of world championship boxing. SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS will air on three consecutive Friday nights beginning April 10, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. The telecasts will also be available via the SHOWTIME streaming service and SHOWTIME ANYTIME®.
 
The April slate of SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS will be highlighted by three Fight of the Year winners, which include some of the most heart-pounding and unforgettable fights in boxing history.
 
Friday, April 10:
Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo I – 2005 Consensus Fight of the Year (also featuring the Round of the Year and later named Fight of the Decade)
Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo II
Friday, April 17:
Paulie Ayala vs. Johnny Tapia I – 1999 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year (Ayala earned Fighter of the Year honors)
Paulie Ayala vs. Johnny Tapia II
Friday, April 24:
Lucas Matthysse vs. John Molina – 2014 Consensus Fight of the Year
Mickey Bey vs. John Molina
 
During each SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS telecast, Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell, the network’s versatile combat sports analysts, will host a live companion episode of their digital talk show MORNING KOMBAT on the Morning Kombat YouTube Channel. Thomas and Campbell will watch the SHOWTIME replay and react to the fights in real time, feature special guest interviews with principal participants from the bouts (fighters, trainers, referees and promoters) and take questions from fans while the bouts replay on the network.
 
“The greatest fight I’ve ever covered,” said Al Bernstein, the International Boxing Hall of Fame analyst. In a career that spans more than 40 years, including calling Hagler-Hearns, Bowe-Holyfield I and the Vazquez-Marquez trilogy, Bernstein says the first Corrales-Castillo war was the best. “This was Hagler-Hearns times three because it lasted so much longer. It was fought at a such an extraordinary skill level and to me that is what made it so special.”
 
The fights scheduled to air in April include:
 
Corrales-Castillo I (May 7, 2005, Corrales TKO 10) – After nine intense, back-and-forth rounds in a WBC and WBO lightweight unification bout, Corrales accomplishes the unthinkable, miraculously regrouping from two knockdowns in the 10th to stop Castillo and etch his name in boxing lore. After managing to beat the count (and losing a point for spitting the mouthpiece), Corrales got Castillo on the ropes and connected with a huge right hand. Corrales continued to unload on a defenseless Castillo, forcing referee Tony Weeks to halt the blazing action.
 
Corrales-Castillo II (October 8, 2005, Castillo KO 4) – Castillo, who did not make the 135-pound weight limit, making the contest a non-title bout, avenges an earlier loss to the WBC and WBO Lightweight World Champion Corrales with a one-punch, fourth-round knockout. Castillo consistently outworks Corrales and lands the harder punches in a more one-sided bout than their first affair. Castillo staggers his opponent with a right hand in the third round that sends him stumbling backward across the ring. He then scores a finishing knockdown with a left hook in the fourth that puts Corrales flat on his back.
 
Ayala-Tapia I (June 26, 1999, Ayala W 12) – In some of the fiercest two-way action in the history of Las Vegas boxing, southpaw Ayala hands Tapia his first professional loss in 49 fights and captures the WBA Bantamweight Title by the scores of 115-114 and 116-113 twice. As the boxers were being announced, Tapia walked across the ring and shoved Ayala, causing a momentary skirmish.
 
Ayala-Tapia II (October 7, 2000, Ayala W 12) – In a rematch of 1999’s Fight of the Year, the action between the heated rivals does not disappoint. However, the outcome is the same as their first meeting, with Ayala winning via controversial unanimous decision. Mayhem ensues as the decision is announced and an incensed Tapia is ushered from the ring by security.
 
Matthysse-Molina (April 26, 2014, Matthysse KO 11) – Fighting in the night’s co-main event, Matthysse steals the show with a spectacular 11th-round knockout over Molina in 2014’s Fight of the Year. The Argentine, then ranked No. 1 in the world at 140 pounds, is hurt in the first and dropped in the second and fifth rounds. But Matthysse comes back with knockdowns in the eighth, 10th and 11th rounds to turn back a determined bid by Molina.
 
Bey-Molina (July 19, 2013, Molina KO 10) – In one of ShoBox: The New Generation’s most unforgettable rounds, Molina comes back from the brink of certain defeat to dramatically knockout then-unbeaten Mickey Bey. Heading into the 10th and final round, Molina was trailing on the three judges’ scorecards by 90-81, 89-82 and 88-83.
 
New customers who sign up on SHOWTIME.com and the SHOWTIME app before May 3 can take advantage of a recently announced 30-day free trial for the SHOWTIME streaming service, available on SHOWTIME.com and the SHOWTIME app on all supported devices.
 
boxing, kickboxing, women's boxing

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH 10 TIME WORLD KICKBOXING CHAMPION CAITLIN FORAN AHEAD OF HER PRO BOXING DEBUT

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With this pandemic lockdown in full force virtually world-wide, many fights have been already been cancelled, from the biggest, such as Anthony Joshua versus Kubrat Pulev, right through to many small hall events.


Whilst clearly the lockdown is affecting everyone involved in our beloved sport, it made me think of those that had been preparing for their professional boxing debut, such as today’s victim, sorry guest, Caitlin Foran, who was due to debut in Orkney on the 25th April.


Caitlin is a ten time Kickboxing World Champion, quite an accomplishment for someone that is still just 19 years of age, let’s face it to achieve such a high status in any sport at such a young age is quite an accomplishment and without doubt her extensive combat sports experience is going to benefit her when this pandemic is over and she makes her pro debut.


I actually had the pleasure of meeting Caitlin back in March at an event in Barrow-in-Furness, where she was supporting Paul Peers when he challenged, and beat, Nicaraguan Milton Arauz for the Professional Boxing Council (PBC) International title, and always intended to cover her pro debut, but with that put back until later in the year due to the current situation decided instead to arrange an interview with her.


Enough of my waffle, let’s get to know this amazing teen star a little better.




(GDC) Hello Caitlin, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for us. My first question is I understand you are a multi-World Champion Kick Boxer, can you please tell our readers a little about your Kick Boxing career?




(CF) So I started kickboxing in 2008 at the age of eight, at the time I was juggling kickboxing with lots of other sports and activities but over time my attention just stuck with kickboxing and it became my life.


I certainly wasn’t one of these people that had a talent for the sport. I wasn’t flexible, I had no confidence, but the one thing I did have that has carried me through to this day is determination.


Living on an island we weren’t able to get to as many competitions as other clubs on the mainland could which meant we knew we had to really put in the extra effort to make up for the lack of experience.


Also coming from a large family where my mother was a single parent to 5 children meant I rarely was able to get away to compete and didn’t really start competing properly until I got my black belt in 2011.


I then started competing usually once a month with the first big one being the WKA Scottish championships in Glasgow where I won 2x golds, that was my first big confidence booster and I went on to compete more often winning more Scottish titles as well as British and European.


I then got invited to my first world championships in 2013 in Italy where I came away with a bronze medal.


I always preferred points fighting when I was competing, which is a more karate style, ‘start stop’ style of fighting, but at my second World championships in Prague in 2014, there was a woman without a fight for her ring Continuous section so I was asked if I would take the fight.


I’ve never been one to turn down a fight so I took the fight and ended up winning it as well as two others so I came away with my first three World titles and new love for ring fighting.


From 2014 to 2017 I went on to win seven more World titles in various countries.


By 2016/17 my kickboxing career was really taking off and I was looking at turning professional sometime soon, however at the end of 2017 my coach Ryan Reffell sadly passed which put an end to my kickboxing career.


(GDC) What influenced you to switch from Kick Boxing to Professional Boxing?


(CF) As I mentioned previously, I have never been a naturally flexible person so in kickboxing my legs were predominantly used for powerful body single kicks.


While I was still training with Ryan as part of Nemesis Kickboxing, at the end of 2015 we decided I was getting better with my hands and started thinking about switching to boxing.


This lead Ryan to start boxing classes on a Monday night as well as the kickboxing classes through the week.


I was offered my first fight that September with 4 days notice for the UKBC featherweight international title. I went on to win the fight and defended it in a rematch that December.


2017 was when I really started to focus more on boxing and less on kickboxing and had two more fights, with the last fight in my unlicensed career being a Five Nations title fight in April 2017 which brought my record to 4-0-0.


I thought my boxing career had ended then, until Paul Peers moved to Orkney in 2018 and got in touch via Facebook which then kickstarted my training again as he showed great interest in my boxing and was a massive help in getting my love for the sport back and showed that he believed in me which made me more confident in myself and got myself back to training properly again ahead of signing my professional contract in January this year.


(GDC) You were due to be undertaking your professional boxing debut in Orkney on the 25th April, obviously this is being rescheduled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, so firstly how have your preparations been going?


(CF) Yes, it was devastating when all this started but I am making sure to keep as active as I can with daily running and home exercises making use of the little space I do have at home.


(GDC) Has the Government ordered lockdown had an effect on your preparations?


(CF) Prior to lockdown we were getting sparring in at least once or twice a week at the club and had started our partnership with Lee Mcallister at Assassin’s boxing in Aberdeen in order to mix Orkney Boxing Clubs fighters with theirs for some sparring at weekends.


We only managed this once so far with weather being bad and boats not certain to run but were planning more in the lead up to the show.


(GDC) When the lockdown ends and the new date is announced, your opponent is stated to be Carly Mackenzie, do you know much about her?


(CF) I was originally due to fight Carly Mackenzie however my opponent recently changed to Professional Boxing Council (PBC) International Silver Champion Jamie Bates Wallis. I don’t know a great deal about Jamie to be honest but from what I’ve seen she is a strong orthodox boxer with a strong offence and sharp defence.


I took the fight knowing it would be a challenge especially being my first fight back in 3 years.
She’s proved to be a champion so in order for me to become a champion I must beat champions.


(GDC) Moving away from your career to date, who is your favourite boxer, male or female, and why?


(CF) My favourite boxer to date has got to be Katie Taylor. She has played a massive part in getting Women’s boxing to where it is today and is a real inspiration to any athlete out there as she has shown that any obstacle can be overcome if you really want something.


(GDC) In the same vein, which is your all time favourite fight, and why?


(CF) It is so hard to choose a favourite fight but one has to be Katie Taylor’s most recent fight against Christina Linardatou as she continued her winning record and added WBO Super-Lightweight world title to her ever growing list of achievements. Usually Taylor would be getting stuck into the fight, firing shot after shot. However she kept to the outside this time boxing smart and not wasting energy.


(GDC) Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, finally is there anyone you would like to mention with regard to your upcoming debut?


(CF) I would like to give thanks to my sponsor, Gary Sutherland at GSRI, Steven Logie at Strength 101 for keeping me in shape and Paul Peers for everything he has done over the last year and a half to get my confidence back up and reignite my love for boxing. I would also like to give a shout out to all of my old teammates at Nemesis kickboxing Academy and Nemesis Boxing Gym without them I wouldn’t be where I am today.
boxing, Ring 8

New York State Boxing HOF & Ring 8 establish fund to assist boxers and boxing personnel in New York

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NEW YORK (April 1, 2020) – The New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) and Ring 8 jointly announced today a partnership to establish a COVID-19 fund to assist New York and New Jersey boxers and boxing personnel who are in financial need during the coronavirus pandemic.

Any boxing personnel (boxers, trainers, cut-men, etc.) who are independent contractors and live in New York or New Jersey may apply for monetary assistance by filling out a request form posted at www.NYBoxingHOF.org and  www.Ring8tv,com, or request a form at fightpublicist@gmail.com to be directly emailed.

All applicants must be licensed (NYSAC, NJSAC or USA Boxing) and forms must be submitted  to NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy by email (depcomish@aol.com) or call him (1.516.313.2304) with the required information.

“Gyms are closed, and boxing has been suspended indefinitely,” NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy said. “Most boxing trainers, cut-men and other boxing personnel are independent contractors, so they do not have any income right now during this pandemic.  They have families to support, rent to pay, food to put on the table, and other critical expenses.  We want to help them by establishing this fund. We’re not in the position to give each applicant a large stipend,  but we are able to provide a small payment to temporarily help them a little bit.  We’re committed to doing this for the month of April, at the very least, and then we’ll will revisit extending payments until boxing returns, as long as there is money available in this fund.  It’s the right thing to do!”

“Ring 8 is furthering our goals to assist boxers and boxing people in New York during this crisis,” Ring 8 president Charlie Norkus, Jr. added.  “It has been our mission since the very beginning.  We are pleased to join the New York Boxing Hall of Fame in this endeavor.”

boxing, Fight Network

Boxing Manager Adrian Clark Joins Fight Network

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World’s Leading Combat Sports Channel Will Be Launching New Boxing Programming and Relaunching Its Mobile App to Support Growth on New Platforms 




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


TORONTO | NEW YORK – Fight Network, a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment and the world’s premier combat sports network, announced today that author, producer and boxing manager Adrian Clark has joined the organization as a consultant to develop original programming and strategic partnerships with a focus on professional and amateur boxing content, as well as supporting social media and community growth across Fight Network’s digital and social platforms.
Clark has managed various clients, including Jerry Belmontes, James De La Rosa, Willie Monroe Jr. and Frank Galarza. Clark has also worked closely with Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller and current world welterweight champion Errol Spence. He was a certified agent for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) from 2012 to 2014. Clark was honored by Forbes in their “30 Under 30” for 2016 in sports. Clark has also published several books, including ‘i’ A Guide for Young Entrepreneurs,Protect Yourself at All Times: A Guide for Professional Boxers, Boxing = Life and Dark Horse.

Clark launched his Protect Yourself at All Times initiative in February 2016, including a book, podcast and video blog. Everlast Worldwide, the world’s leading manufacturer, marketer and licensor of boxing, MMA and fitness equipment, partnered with Clark in 2018 to launch the first-ever Protect Yourself at All Timessymposium, an educational tool for fighters and their families whose purpose is to educate and inform professional boxers on the nature of business in boxing. Clark will be developing the concept into a television series for Fight Network in addition to other original programming for the network.

“I look forward to working with Fight Network on enhancing the depth of its boxing coverage,” said Clark. “Working closely alongside my network of industry contacts and the FN Studios original production team, we will develop new programming to put the spotlight on the sweet science and topics that are often overshadowed in mainstream coverage. With its recent resurgence in mainstream popularity, this as an opportune time to bring Fight Network subscribers unprecedented coverage of their favorite boxing stars, both inside the ring and behind the scenes.”

“The rise in popularity of boxing in recent years cannot be understated,” said Ariel Shnerer, newly appointed GM of Fight Network. “With more ways to consume fights than ever before and new stars being born, the sport has experienced tremendous growth on a global scale. We look forward to collaborating with Adrian on new programming initiatives and sponsorship opportunities as we put a renewed focus on our coverage of the sport, not only through our weekly news shows and live fights, but by developing original productions that bring our viewers closer to the fights and fighters they love, as well educational programming about the business of boxing.”

For more information, visit www.fightnetwork.com.
boxing, women's boxing

To Fight Against Quarantine Inactivity, Salita Promotions Announces New YouTube Series ‘Train Like a Boxer’

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CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SERIES DEBUT FEATURING HISTORY-MAKING FEMALE WORLD CHAMPION CLARESSA SHIELDS

Salita Promotions, boxing’s leading promotions company, announced today the launch of their new YouTube series “Train Like a Boxer,” featuring Company Founder Dmitriy Salita and Olympic Gold Medalist and multi-weight world champion Claressa Shields, as well as other premier fighters under the Salita banner including Otto Wallin, Shohjahon Ergashev and Kolbeinn Kristinsson.

Starting with a new webisode this Wednesday, April 1, 2020, on the Salita Promotions and Claressa Shields YouTube channels, “Train Like a Boxer” will seek to motivate people to remain active during quarantine by providing fitness advice and boxing-related routines perfectly suited for individuals with minimal equipment and limited space to exercise.

Before becoming boxing’s newest promotional powerhouse with an impressive stable of world champions, top contenders and blazing new prospects, Dmitriy Salita spent years training in some of the most recognized gyms in the sport’s history as a New York State Golden Gloves champion and professional top contender.

“During this worldwide Corona crisis, this series will help boxing fans with their physical and mental state by engaging with our fighters in these fun and healthy activities,” said Salita. “A boxer’s workout is perfect for these tough times because it is done in the isolation of training camp. Our fighters want to give back and connect with fans worldwide during this ‘isolation training camp’ period and soon together we are all going to enjoy the great victory of overcoming Covid 19.”

Three-division and current WBC and WBO Super Welterweight world champion Shields, who saw her bid to become the first boxer in the four-belt era to be crowned an undisputed world champion in two weight divisions against also unbeaten IBF Super Welterweight Champion Marie-Eve Dicaire officially postponed last week, says she hopes these videos help everyone stay physically and mentally fit during these trying times.

“With all that the world is going through right now, I want to help people in any way I can to feel better while staying at home until this pandemic is over,” said Shields. “These videos — even 20 to 40 minutes a day — can help. Let’s stay strong together!”

Check the Salita Promotions and Claressa Shields YouTube channels often for new episodes!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SERIES DEBUT FEATURING HISTORY-MAKING FEMALE WORLD CHAMPION CLARESSA SHIELDS

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SHOWTIME SPORTS® TO RE-AIR HISTORIC ISRAEL VAZQUEZ vs. RAFAEL MARQUEZ TRILOGY SATURDAY, MARCH 28 ON SHOWTIME®

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Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

 

Watch the 2007 Round of the Year HERE

 

NEW YORK – March 26, 2020 – SHOWTIME Sports will delve into its rich archive of historic boxing events to re-air the epic Israel Vázquez vs. Rafael Márquez trilogy this Saturday, March 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. The telecasts will also be available via the SHOWTIME streaming service and SHOWTIME ANYTIME®.  

 

The fierce Mexican rivals squared off in three consecutive award-winning fights which aired live on SHOWTIME in 2007 and 2008 before meeting for a fourth and final time in 2010. The first three bouts were all contested with the WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship on the line.

 

Described by the network’s Hall of Fame analyst Steve Farhood as, “an explosion of artistic brutality,” Vázquez-Márquez I was a unanimous selection for 2007 Fight of the Year and left the fans and fighters clamouring for a rematch. The two warriors delivered yet again in their second meeting just five months later in another bloody slugfest that produced a Round of the Year winner and a result that demanded a rubber match. Vázquez-Márquez III, contested just 363 days from their first meeting, was the only match in the rivalry to go the distance and was named the 2008 Fight of the Year.

 

During Saturday night’s re-airing of the trilogy, combat sports analysts Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell will host a live episode of the duo’s popular digital talk show, MORNING KOMBAT WITH LUKE THOMAS AND BRIAN CAMPBELL on the Morning Kombat YouTube Channel. Thomas and Campbell will watch and react to the fights in real time and conduct a Q&A session with fans.

 

The Vazquez-Marquez series was called by the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® announce team, all four members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame: host and play-by-play from Steve Albert, popular ringside analyst Al Bernstein, Emmy Award winning reporter Jim Gray and world renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.

 

“We all knew the first fight would be great, and it more than lived up to expectations,” said Bernstein, who called all four fights. “The second fight was exciting, and when fight three came, I didn’t think they could top Nos. 1 and 2, but they did just that. It’s one of the top five fights I’ve ever announced or seen. The ebb and flow was tremendous, and you almost felt it didn’t matter who ended up getting the decision because they both had been so great. I can’t admire two boxers more than these two men.”

 

Fans new to SHOWTIME® who sign up through the recently announced 30-day free trial before May 3 can watch these fights, the network’s original series, documentaries, specials and movies online via the SHOWTIME streaming service on SHOWTIME.com or the SHOWTIME app, available on all supported devices.

 

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SHOWTIME BOXING WITH ERIC RASKIN AND KIERAN MULVANEY PODCAST FEATURES INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN ESPINOZA

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Raskin and Mulvaney Examine The State of Boxing And What May Lie Ahead

Listen to SHOWTIME BOXING HERE

WHAT: This week’s installment of SHOWTIME BOXING WITH ERIC RASKIN AND KIERAN MULVANEY podcast features an interview with Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. In the new episode, veteran boxing reporters Raskin and Mulvaney discuss a wide-range of topics with Espinoza, including the current state of boxing and what may lie ahead for the network’s boxing programming once the current hiatus comes to an end. For the full interview, click on the following link: https://s.sho.com/3bkvFp1.

Below are excerpts from the interview with Espinoza:

On SHOWTIME Sports’ interim content plan…

Espinoza – “It is therapeutic to look forward to and make plans for things that are more reflective of normal life for us, absolutely. Our goal is to fill that gap with a lot of the stuff we have. We have a deep library of documentaries and we are definitely surfacing a lot more of the archive both ON DEMAND and we will look at it on linear more regularly.”

On what lies ahead when boxing resumes…

Espinoza – “It’s going to be a wild ride. There’s a lot to be made up. There are a lot of fighters that need fights to happen, and I think we could be in for a pretty interesting period of time where there’s a lot of activity in a relatively short window … I think we’re going to see an action-packed, jam-packed schedule whenever we return, whether it’s in three, six or nine months – and we may see people taking a different tact on taking fights.”

On what fight you wish you could go back in time to attend live …

Espinoza – “Chavez vs. Haugen on February 20,1993 for the WBC Light Welterweight Title at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City… It wasn’t a great fight or great opponent but it’s my pick because of the legendary status that fight has within Showtime’s hallways. There were 132,000 people in attendance, you had Chavez taking the presidential helicopter to events [and] you had Don King getting robbed on his way from the airport to the hotel as soon he got into town. There were so many things around the atmosphere. It was one of those legendary events I would’ve loved to be at for the atmosphere.”

The weekly SHOWTIME BOXING podcast features Raskin and Mulvaney diving deep into the boxing and SHOWTIME boxing events. New episodes are release in all major podcast platforms every Monday, including Radio.com.