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Mike Hilton Leads a Terrific Slate of Boxers as Part of Silver Bow’s CHAMPBOX 2 Card on Friday, April 3rd at The Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton, NJ.

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Undefeated Fighters Omar Salem, Khalid Twaiti, Jokub Sowirko, Eljihah Morales, Glenwood Latimer, Ry’Shine Collins & Sean Bullock in action 


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Trenton, NJ (March 10, 2020) – A plethora of undefeated fighters will put their perfect record on the line at CHAMPBOX 2 which is promoted by SilverBow on Friday night,  April 3rd  at The Cure Insurance Arena in  Trenton, New Jersey.


Headlining the card will be undefeated cruiserweight Mike Hilton.


Hilton, who headlined CHAMPBOX 1 with a six-round unanimous decision over Baldimir Hernandez, will be back to thrill his hometown fans on April 3rd.


Hilton, a former National Golden Gloves champion. has a record of 10-0 with seven knockouts, and was a National Golden Gloves champion.


“I’m looking forward to putting on a show for my city,” said Hilton.



Also on the card in a six-round bouts will be undefeated light heavyweight Omar Salem (9-0, 4 KOs) of Brooklyn,


New York; As well as super bantamweight Kalid Tawiti (6-0, 3 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York by way of Yemen.


“Brooklyn drip with pure gold swag   I’m the future April 3rd I will be in my bag,” said Tawiti.



Seeing action in four-round bouts will be:


Cruiserweight Jakub Sowirko (2-0, 1 KO) of Trenton.  Sowirko who thrilled the fans with his win at CHAMPBOX1, has a great following with the Polish community in Trenton.


“I’m here to put on a show and that’s what I’ll do,” said Sowirko.



Super welterweight Elijah Morales (4-0, 1 KO) of Trenton by way of Puerto Rico.


“I want to thank SilverBow for exposing the beautiful capital city of Trenton.  I am fighting in the arena where I went to see Disney on Ice as a child.  I am literally  up the street where it’s been a viewed as a negative area, and we want to change that.  We will have a lot of support as I have been raised here.  Trenton is in my DNA.  We don’t see race or anything like that, we see community,” said Morales


Middleweight Glenwood Latimer (1-0) of Philadelphia; 


Two-Time Golden Gloves champion super bantamweight Ry’shine Collins (3-0, 2 KOs).


“I’m more ready than ever to perform on Champbox2. I’ll give the fans what they deserve on April 3rd,” said Collins.



Cruiserweight Sean Bullock (1-0) of Trenton and pro debuting super featherweightJonibek Khotamov of Brooklyn.


Tickets for this special evening of boxing are $25, $39, $59, $79   $99. Tickets or on sale now and can be purchased at www.cureinsurancearena.com or by calling 1-800-298-4200.


The card is a pro-am that will begin at 6 PM with the doors opening at 5 PM.

The event is being sponsored by Flash Tech IT and CyberSecuirty since 1992. www.flashtech.com 


TO FOLLOW SILVER BOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA:


     
boxing

Undefeated WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Davíd Benavidez Defends Title In Homecoming Fight Against Former Title Challenger Roamer Alexis Angulo

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Live on SHOWTIME® Saturday, April 18 In A Premier Boxing Champions Event From Arizona Federal Theatre in Phoenix

Plus! Rising Lightweight Contender Michel Rivera Faces Mexico’s Marcos Villasana Jr. In WBC Title Eliminator & Interim WBA Super Lightweight Titlist Alberto Puello Takes on Two-Division World Champion Rances Barthelemy

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PHOENIX – March 9, 2020 – Undefeated WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Davíd “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez will defend his title on Saturday, April 18 in his hometown of Phoenix, Ariz. against former world title challenger Roamer Alexis Angulo, live on SHOWTIME from Arizona Federal Theatre headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.
 
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features rising lightweight prospect Michel Rivera taking on Mexico’s Marcos Villasana Jr. in a WBC Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Interim WBA Super Lightweight titlist Alberto Puello faces two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy in the televised opener.
 
One of the sport’s brightest young stars, Benavidez kicks off his second reign as WBC Super Middleweight Champion by returning to fight in his native Phoenix for the first time since 2015, when he knocked out Ricardo Campillo in just his 10th pro fight.

“On Saturday, April 18, Phoenix’s own super middleweight world champion Davíd Benavidez will return home looking to thrill his hometown fans at Arizona Federal Theatre and further cement his positioning in the 168-pound division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Benavidez can expect a strong challenge from the exciting Roamer Alexis Angulo, which should create an action-packed main event live on SHOWTIME. Two more fights with title implications add to the intrigue, with fast-rising Michel Rivera barreling toward a championship and two-division champion Rances Barthelemy hoping to pry the title away from Alberto Puello.”
 
“From the start of his career, long before he became champion, people have been asking me about Davíd fighting at home,” said Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing. “Now is the perfect time and I’m very happy to help bring this show to Davíd’s hometown. I have no doubt it will not only be a great event; it will also be packed with thousands of fans of ‘El Bandera Roja’ Benavidez.”
 
“SHOWTIME Sports continues its tradition of featuring the brightest young stars in boxing,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Events Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “At just 23 years old, David Benavidez is one of boxing’s most exciting young champions, and he’s facing a dangerous opponent in Roamer Alexis Angulo, who is hungry for another upset victory. In the co-main event, we have yet another boxing prodigy in undefeated 21-year-old rising star Michel Rivera, who is facing his most challenging opponent to date in Marcos Villasana. To round out the card, we will yet another undefeated young rising star in 25-year-old Alberto Puello, who takes on battle-tested veteran Rances Barthelemy.”
 
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com and at Arizona Federal Theatre box office.
 
The 23-year-old Benavidez (22-0, 19 KOs) defends his belt after defeating two-time super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell in September, stopping him in nine rounds. Benavidez is trained by his father José Sr., alongside his brother and former title challenger, José Jr. In 2017, he became the youngest super middleweight champion in boxing history by defeating Ronald Gavril on SHOWTIME at just 20 years old. Benavidez went from a 15-year-old prodigy sparring with Gennady Golovkin and Peter Quillin, to world title contender with a 10-fight knockout streak from 2015 through 2017, including a highlight-reel knockout of Rogelio Medina with a seven-punch combination that earned him his first championship.
 
“I’m very excited to be fighting Angulo on SHOWTIME and in front of my hometown crowd,” said Benavidez. “I haven’t fought in Phoenix in five years. It’s exciting to be back. I expect Angulo to come in ready. I know he just pulled an upset in his last fight and he’s not taking any shortcuts, but neither am I. Angulo has never been stopped, so I want to be the first person to stop him. I feel like I’m more motivated with a hungry fighter like him in front of me, and you will see it in my performance.”
 
Born in El Bordo, Colombia and now fighting out of Miami, Fla., Angulo (26-1, 22 KOs) enters his second world title opportunity on a three-fight winning streak, including two triumphs over previously unbeaten fighters. Angulo stopped Reinaldo Gonzalez in 2018 in his first fight since losing a decision to then-super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez earlier that year. He scored a decision victory this January over Anthony Sims Jr. to put himself in position to again challenge the best in the division. 
 
“I’m very motivated by this great opportunity to fight for the world title again,” said Angulo. “Benavidez is a talented world champion who is clearly one of the best super middleweights in the world. This is going to be a great fight for the fans because of the style I bring to the ring. My Mexican style of fighting will be too much for Benavidez and I will have my hand raised on April 18.”
 
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and now living in Miami, the 21-year-old Rivera (18-0, 12 KOs) made his U.S. debut on ShoBox in June of 2019 by scoring an impressive unanimous decision victory against then-unbeaten Rene Tellez Giron, who would go on to upset Karlos Balderas in his next fight. The explosive rising star then followed up by stopping Jose Luis Gallegos in September and scoring a vicious 10th-round TKO against Fidel Maldonado Jr. in February of 2020.
 
Villasana (25-6, 14 KOs) is the son of former featherweight champion Marcos Villasana, and fights out of Acapulco, Mexico. The 28-year-old will make his U.S. debut on April 18 riding a 10-fight winning streak that includes five knockouts. He most recently picked up two victories in 2019, defeating then-unbeaten Roman Villa in April before knocking out Javier Franco in August.
 
Representing his home of San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, Puello (17-0, 9 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on April 18 when he faces Barthelemy. The 25-year-old has fought professionally since 2015, defeating a slew of regional contenders and prospects. His most recent fight saw him defeat 2012 Olympian and then-unbeaten Jonathan Alonso by 12-round decision to capture his interim 140-pound title.
 
A decorated Cuban amateur who hails from a boxing family, Barthelemy (27-1-1, 14 KOs) is moving back to super lightweight after fighting former champion Robert Easter Jr. to a draw in their April 2019 lightweight title fight. The 33-year-old now trains in Las Vegas and has won titles in two weight classes, defeating Argenis Mendez for a 130-pound crown in 2014 and Denis Shafikov for a 135-pound belt in 2015. Barthelemy will look to work his way toward a second world title shot at 140 pounds, which could make him the first three-division champion from Cuba.
 
Veteran broadcaster Brian Custer will serve as telecast host with versatile combat sportscaster Mauro Ranallo calling the action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi. Rounding out the telecast team are Emmy® award-winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.  David Dinkins Jr. serves as Executive Producer with Ray Smaltz producing and Bob Dunphy directing. 
 
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For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing
boxing, USA Boxing

One of the best all-time…. 1988 Olympic silver medalist Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 9, 2020) – By any standards, U.S. Olympian and former unified World heavyweight champion Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe is inarguably one of the all-time greatest boxers, amateur and professional.

Born and raised in the infamous Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York, which also produced fellow World heavyweight championsMike Tyson and Shannon Briggs, Bowe started boxing at 13 in the Bedford-Stuyvesant Boxing Association Gym.

“I wanted to do everything Muhammad Ali did,” Bowe explained why he got into boxing.  “He was my idol.  I wanted to join the Marines, but I fell in love with boxing and stayed with it.  I forgot about the Marines.”

Bowe developed his craft and became an outstanding boxer, compiling a 104-18 amateur record, highlighted by his controversial silver-medal winning performance at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.

A four-time New York Golden Gloves champion, Bowe also captured top honors at the 1986 Junior World Championships, along with a bronze medal at the 1987 Pan American Games, despite fighting in his final match with a fractured hand he hid from his coaches.

Bowe had a rivalry with Robert Salters, with whom he split four matches, but he defeated Salters, 3-2, in the U.S. Box-Offs to qualify for the 1988 USA Boxing Olympic Team.  His Olympic teammates included Roy Jones, Jr., Ray Mercer, Kennedy McKinney andAndrew Maynard.

Controversary surrounded his Olympic championship fight against future World heavyweight champion, Canadian super heavyweight Lennox Lewis, who returned home with the Olympic gold medal.  During his fight with Lewis, Bowe was deducted a point for a “ghost” head butt that never happened, and the referee gave Bowe a pair of disputed standing-eight counts, the last of which resulted in the stoppage of the fight in Lewis’ favor.

“That fight never should have been stopped,” Bowe commented.  “I’m still happy about winning a silver medal.  I still have it.  And then I turned pro.  My mother had 13 kids and I wanted to make my mother happy.  I wanted to buy her a house.  That’s what inspired me to box.”    

“Bowe’s success as an amateur and professional has made him a household name amongst USA Boxing Alumni,” said Chris Cugliari, USA Boxing Alumni Association Director.  “His combination of power and skill, along with his legendary battles with other USA Boxing Alumni at the pro ranks, establishes him as one of the greatest fighters that USA Boxing has ever produced.”  

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.

With legendary trainer Eddie Futch in his corner, Bowe became the first truly unified World heavyweight champion, winning the title belt for all four recognized major sanctioning bodies: WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.

Bowe retired with an amazing 43-1 (33 KOs) pro record.  He had a 5-1 (4 KOs) mark in world title fights, 7-1 (5 KOs) versus past world heavyweight champions such as Evander Holyfield (twice), Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tubbs, Bruce Seldon, Michael Dokes andHerbie Hyde.

Bowe later avenged his lone pro loss to Holyfield, winning two of three fights with the “Real Deal.”

“I’m very happy with my pro career,” Bowe added.  “I beat Holyfield two times and I think it should have been three.  I’m not a sore loser, but I was the World heavyweight champion.  How did he win that fight? The challenger needs to take the belt from the champion, and he didn’t do that.  I thought I won by a point, at worst, maybe it should have been a draw, but I shouldn’t have lost the fight.  I did become the first to ever knockout Holyfield.  My pro career wasn’t too bad.  I kept working hard and became two-time World heavyweight champion.”

Now 51 and living in Maryland, Bowe has some advice for the American boxers trying to qualify for the 2020 Team USA Boxing Olympic Team.

“Just don’t think about it,” stressed Bowe, sounding like a Nike commercial.  “Just do it! It worked for me. I showed up and didn’t think about it.  And always finish strong.”

Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015, left his mark in amateur and pro boxing.  Nobody can ever take that away from the big guy from Brownsville.

INFORMATION:

www.usaboxing.orgi

Twitter: @USABoxing, @USABoxingAlumni

Instagram: @USABoxing

Facebook: /USABoxing

ABOUT USA BOXING:  The mission of USA Boxing shall be to enable United States’ athletes and coaches to achieve sustained competitive excellence, develop character, support the sport of boxing, and promote and grow Olympic style boxing in the United States.  The responsibility of USA Boxing is not only to produce Olympic gold, but also oversee and govern every aspect of amateur boxing in the United States. 

boxing, Fox, Premier Boxing Champions

ROBERT HELENIUS SCORES FOURTH-ROUND STOPPAGE OF ADAM KOWNACKI IN FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT MAIN EVENT SATURDAY NIGHT FROM BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN

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Heavyweight Sensation Efe Ajagba Delivers TKO Victory Over Razvan Cojanu in Co-Main Event & Rising Heavyweight Frank Sanchez Earns Unanimous Decision Over Joey Dawejko

Click HERE for Photos from Sean Michael Ham/
Premier Boxing Champions
(Photos to be added shortly)

Click HERE for Photos from Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions
(Photos to be added shortly)

BROOKLYN (March 7, 2020) – Robert Helenius (30-3, 19 KOs)scored an upset victory over previously unbeaten Adam Kownacki (20-1, 15 KOs) by stopping him in the fourth round of a WBA Heavyweight Title Eliminator headlining FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday night from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
 
“I want to thank everyone who gave me this opportunity,” said Helenius. “Kownacki is a tough fighter. I worked hard in training camp and it paid off.”
 
Brooklyn’s Kownacki was fighting for the 10th time at Barclays Center in front of his hometown crowd, but was unable to keep the taller Helenius off of him after being hurt early in the fourth. A clean Helenius right hook hurt Kownacki, before a left hook put Kownacki down.
 
“I knew that I hit him hard and I knew I just had to continue,” said Helenius. “I knew he was still hurt after that punch. 
 
“Kownacki just kept coming and coming. He’s a good fighter I have to give it to him. My strength is to punch back when people come at me. It was a good fight and a tremendous opportunity for me to be here.”
 
While Kownacki outpaced Helenius landing 84 punches to 49 according to CompuBox, it was Helenius’ 12 power punches landed in round four that made the difference. Helenius kept up the relentless attack, consistently hurting Kownacki and pushing him around the ring until referee David Fields waived off the fight 1:08 into the round.
 
“It wasn’t my night,” said Kownacki. “It’s boxing. It’s a tough sport and things just didn’t go my way tonight. It was a learning experience and I’m going to go back to the drawing board and get back to work.
 
“He hit me with a good shot. I knew what was going on, but I’m just upset with myself. It is what it is.”
 
Watch fight highlights here and here.
 
In the co-main event, heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba (13-0, 11 KOs) delivered a ninth-round stoppage of Razvan Cojanu (17-7, 9 KOs), knocking him down twice en route to the victory.
 
Ajagba showed the prolific power that has made him a highly-regarded heavyweight nearing a jump from prospect to contender. Cojanu came to fight and had success at various points in the action, landing hooks on Ajagba and slowing down his attack in the early rounds.
 
In round eight Ajagba’s offensive arsenal began to break through, as Cojanu’s left eye started to swell before eventually closing. Late in round eight, Ajagba connected on a powerful straight right hand that forced Cojanu to take a knee. Watch the knockdown here.
 
“Ronnie told me to attack the body behind the jab,” said Ajagba. “It was very effective and it started to slow him down. When he got close to me, I knew to throw more and punish him. 
 
“Cojanu has a lot of experience. When I threw my jab, he used his right hand to block my vision, so I couldn’t throw as many combinations as I wanted. It was a good challenge.”
 
While Cojanu was able to make it through the round, Ajagba continued to press forward in round nine, punishing Cojanu with power shots. On the night, Ajagba out landed Cojanu in power shots by a 176 to 81 margin. A flurry by Ajagba late in the round forced Cojanu down again, and prompted referee Ron Lipton to halt the bout 2:46 into the round. Watch the stoppage here. Additional highlights can be viewed here.
 
“It’s up to my team who we fight next, but I want hard fights,” said Ajagba. “My team has a plan and we’ll keep following it.”
 
In the televised opener, rising heavyweight Frank Sanchez (15-0, 11 KOs) scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Joey Dawejko (20-8-4, 11 KOs) to remain unbeaten.
 
“I was well prepared and I thought I fought very well tonight,” said Sanchez. “I dominated the fight. I showed good footwork and movement and did exactly what we worked on. I expected a lot of pressure, but with my boxing ability, there was no way he was going to catch me.”
 
The Cuban fighter dominated with his movement, rarely being flustered by Dawejko’s attack as he bounded around the ring and avoided the incoming Philadelphia native. Sanchez was also superior in punch output and accuracy, out throwing Dawejko 352 to 242 and out landing him by a 116 to 46 margin.
 
“I knew he was going to fight on the outside and he stayed on the outside,” said Dawejko. “Not much to say, he just did what he had to do. He was scared that’s why he was running around. He kept jumping back and staying away, so I guess he made it easy on the judges.”
 
Sanchez was able to punch open a cut on Dawejko’s right eye in round five, which he continued to batter throughout the remainder of the fight with jabs and right hands. After 10 rounds, all three judges saw the bout in favor of Sanchez, with scores of 100-90 twice and 98-92.
 
“I didn’t want to fight Dawejko’s fight, and he realized that and it frustrated him,” said Sanchez. “He might have thought he’s faced guys like me, but there’s no other heavyweight like me.”
 
Watch fight highlights here,  here and here.

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boxing

World heavyweight contender Lou Savarese to be inducted into New York State Boxing HOF

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Class of 2020 Induction Dinner on Sunday, April 19

NEW YORK (March 5, 2020) – World heavyweight title challenger and two-time New York Golden Gloves champion Lou Savarese (46-7, 38 KOs) is living the dream, as they say, preparing for his upcoming induction into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF). 

As one of the 28-member Class of 2020, the popular Savarese will be formally inducted at the ninth annual NYSBHOF induction dinner, Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), April 19, at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.
 
“I have nothing but the upmost respect and admiration for this year’s Hall of Fame honoree, Lou Savarese,” NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy said. “I couldn’t be happier for this man who has given boxing his all, in and out of the ring. His friends and family know that this honor is well deserved.”
 
Savarese was a local favorite, born in the Bronx and from Greenwood Lake, who was a two-time New England Golden Gloves champion having fought at the famed Madison Square Garden.
 
“This is truly amazing,” Savarese spoke about being inducted into the NYSBHOF. “I’m a New York boxing historian, going back to the 1920’s of New York boxing history. It’s so nice to have fought in the best place, New York, the epicenter of boxing.
 
Savarese turned pro April 30, 1989, knocking out James Smith in the fourth round of their fight in Houston. Savarese went on to win his first won his first 36 pro fights, highlighted by his 36th by a seventh-round technical knockout victory of Buster Mathis, Jr. for the vacant United States Boxing Association (USBA) heavyweight title. It also set up a high profile 1997 showdown with George Foreman in Atlantic City, when Savarese lost a 12-round split decision (114-113, 112-115, 110-118) for the vacant World Boxing Union (WBU) championship.
 
Savarese says his opening-round knockout of former world heavyweight champion James “Buster” Douglas in 1998 for the International Boxing Association World heavyweight title is his greatest accomplishment in the ring.
 
“I was a big underdog in the Douglas fight,” Savarese remembered. “He had a good jab. That’s No. 1f or me. Winning my first New York Golden Gloves title (1985 when he stoppedJonathan Hill in the finals) in front of my fans, family and friends was my amateur highlight.”
 
In addition to the aforementioned IBA World, Savarese also won the WBO Inter-Continental, and IBA Continental championships.
 
Beside former world champions Douglas and Witherspoon, as well as Mathis Jr., Savarese also defeated world-class heavyweights such as David Bostice, Lance Whitaker and Leo Nolan.
“This is special. I know most of the guys going in and it’s an honor to be amongst them. I fought six world champions (Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Foreman, Witherspoon, Douglas, and Riddick Bowe in the amateurs. Max Kellerman (fellow NYSBHOF Class of 2020 inductee) once said I’m from the old-school of boxing. That’s good, I love that.”
 
Now 54, Savarese lives in Houston, Texas, where he runs Savarese Promotions, as well as two gyms, in which he trains white-collar boxers. “It’s going to be fun seeing family and friends from back since I first started in boxing,” Savarese concluded. “A ton of people are coming (to the induction dinner), including some from Houston. I turned pro there in 1990, moved back to New York between 2000-2008, and have lived in Houston since then.”
 
But Lou Savarese will always embody what it is to be a New York boxer.
 
Other living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF include three-time World light heavyweight title challenger Jorge Ahumada (42-8-2, 22 KOs), of Woodside, Queens by way of Argentina; (1975-78) WBC super featherweight World Champion Alfredo “El Salsero” Escalera (53-14-3, 31 KOs), of New York City by way of Puerto Rico; WBC super featherweight World title challenger Freddie “The Pitbull” Liberatore (20-4-1, 11 KOs), of Bayside, Queens; WBC middleweight World Champion and four-time New York Golden Gloves winner Dennis “The Magician” Milton (16-5-1, 5 KOs), of Bronx; and WBA super middleweight title World title challenger Merqui “El Corombo” Sosa (34-9-2, 27 KOs), of Brooklyn by way of the Dominican Republic.
 
Posthumous participants being inducted are Brooklyn welterweight Soldier Bartfield (51-29-8, 33 KOs), who fought a reported 55 world champions; Bronx middleweight Steve Belloise (95-13-3, 59 KOs); NYSAC and World lightweight champion (1925) Jimmy Goodrich (85-34-21 (12 KOs), of Buffalo; World heavyweight title challenger Tami Mauriello (82-13-1, 60 KOs), of Bronx; WBA light middleweight World champion (1982-83) and four-consecutive New York Golden Gloves titlist Davey “Sensational” Moore (18-5, 14 KOs), of Bronx; and World lightweight champion Freddie “The Welsh Wizard” Welch(74-5-7, 34 KOs), of New York City by way of Wales.
 
Living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are Oneida judge Don Ackerman, Wantah, Long Island journalist/producer Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Buffalo manager Rick Glaser, Rockaway Beach journalist Jack Hirsch, Bronx boxing broadcaster Max Kellerman, Ardsley ringside physician/NY Medical Director Dr. William Lathan, Orangeburg judge Julie Lederman, Hyde Park referee Ron Lipton, and Staten Island/Catskill trainer Kevin Rooney.
 
Posthumous non-participant inductees are Brooklyn’s Ring Magazine editor Lester Bromberg, New York City sportswriter Dan Daniel, Brooklyn’s Gleason’s Gym founderBobby Gleason, Sunnyside, Queens boxing writer Flash Gordan, Manhattan journalistA.J. Liebling, Long Island City’s NYSBHOF co-founder Tony Mazzarella and New York City manager Dan Morgan.
 
Each attending inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his or her induction into the NYSBHOF.
 
The 2020 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members:Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Ron McNair, Jim Monteverde and Neil Terens.
 
All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers or during the prime of their respective career.
 
Tickets are priced at $150.00 per adult and $60.00 for children (under 16) and includes a complete brunch and cocktail hour upon entry, starting at 12:30 p.m. ET, as well as a full course dinner (prime rib, fish or poultry) and open bar throughout the day. Tickets are available to purchase by contacting NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304 ordepcomish@aol.com. Ads for the NYSBHOF program are available: half-page $100.00, full page $200.00 front and back inside covers are $400.00 each, and $500.00 for back cover. Mail checks and ads by the April 6 deadline to Bob Duffy, 1112 Whitewood Landing, Massapequa Park, NY 11762. Checks should be payable to NY Stare Boxing Hall of Fame, call Duffy to charge on a credit card.


NEW YORK STATE BOXING HALL OF FAME

CLASS of 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve Acunto, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Nat Fleischer, Bill Gallo and Arthur Mercante, Sr.
 
CLASS of 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard and Don Dunphy.

CLASS OF 2014: Floyd Patterson, Tracy Harris Patterson, Billy Backus, Kevin Kelley, Juan LaPorte, Gerry Cooney, Mustafa Hamsho, Howard Davis, Jr., Lou Ambers, Jack Britton, Terry McGovern, Teddy Atlas, Lou DiBella, Steve Farhood, Gene Moore, Angelo Prospero, Whitey Bimstein, Cus D’Amato, William Muldoon and Tom O’Rourke.
 
CLASS OF 2015: Saoul Mamby, Joey Giamba, Johnny Persol, Harold Weston, Lonnie Bradley, Paul Berlenbach, Billy Graham, Frankie Genaro, Bob Miller, Tommy Ryan, Jimmy Slattery, Bob Duffy, Mike Katz, Tommy Gallagher, Bruce Silverglade, Charley Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon and Al Weill.
 
CLASS OF 2016: Aaron Davis, Charles Murray, Vilomar Fernandez, Edwin Viruet, Hector “Macho” Camacho, Rocky Graziano, Rocky Kansas, Joe Lynch, Joe Miceli, Ed Brophy, Joe DeGuardia, Randy Gordon, Dennis Rappaport, Howie Albert, Freddie Brown, Howard Cosell, Ruby Goldstein and Jimmy Jacobs.
 
CLASS OF 2017: Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes, Doug Dewitt, “The Bronx Bomber” Alex Ramos, Dick Tiger, Jose Torres, “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey, Don Majeski, Ron Katz, Stan Hoffman, Bobby Bartels, Hank Kaplan, Al Gavin, Arthur Donovan and Dan Parker.
 
CLASS OF 2018: Lou “Honey Boy” Del Valle, Jake Rodriguez, Terrence Alli, “Baby” Joe Mesi, Kid Chocolate, James J. “Gentleman Jim” Corbett, Jack McAuliffe, Billy Costello, Melio Bettina Ralph “Tiger” Jones, Charley Norkus, Dave Anderson, Pete Brodsky, Herb Goldman, Bobby Goodman, Melvina Lathan, Ron Scott Stevens, Johnnie Addie, Johnny Bos, Murray Goodman, Bert Randolph Sugar and Sam Taub.
 
CLASS OF 2019: Wilfredo Benitez, Dick DiVeronica, Rogelio Tuur, Davey Vasquez, Michael Olajide, Monte Barrett, Jimmy Carter, Al “Bummy” Davis, Marty Servo, Roland LaStarza, Paddy DeMarco, Sid Terris, Leach “The Fighting Dentist” Cross, Don King, John McKaie, Steve Albert, Arthur Mercante, Jr., Bob Jackson, Dewey Fragetta, Johnny LoBianco, Wayne Kelly, Harry Hill, Jimmy Cannon, and Joe Dwyer.
 
 
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boxing, Fox, Premier Boxing Champions

ADAM KOWNACKI VS. ROBERT HELENIUS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Night of Heavyweights Headlined by Undefeated Polish Star & Brooklyn Native Adam Kownacki Taking on Robert Helenius in WBA Heavyweight Title Eliminator This Saturday, March 7 in FOX PBC Fight Night Action & On FOX Deportes from Barclays Center
 in Brooklyn

Click HERE for Photos from Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions

BROOKLYN (March 5, 2020) – Undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki and Robert Helenius went face to face Thursday at the final press conference before they meet in a WBA Heavyweight title eliminator headlining FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, March 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
 
Also squaring off at the press conference were heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba andRazvan Cojanu, who battle in the co-main event, plus rising heavyweight Frank Sanchezand Joey Dawejko, who open the night of heavyweight action at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
 
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase now at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
 
Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from the Tillary Hotel in Brooklyn:
 
ADAM KOWNACKI
 
“I love fighting here in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. It’s almost half my career that I’ve fought in that ring, so it’s definitely my second home.
 
“Fighting for a shot at the title is truly motivating. I know this is a big fight for Robert as well and he’s trained hard, but my title opportunity is right around the corner. I could have waited, but I decided to take on this big test. I’m going to show off why I’m ready to fight for the title soon.
 
“It’s truly amazing to see the Polish fans on fight night. I was an Andrew Golota fan and Tomasz Adamek after that. Now I’m trying to be the next motivation for young Polish kids. I want to show them that they can make it. I kept making the right decisions and now I’m right there so close to a title shot. Robert is in my way and I have to beat him to get where I want.
 
“I love hearing the fans yelling on fight night and that definitely gives me extra energy and motivation to fight in the later rounds.
 
“I’m looking for a spectacular knockout. I want to show why I’m one of the best heavyweights in the world. I have to take care of business.
 
“It’s truly amazing to have fans all over the world come to share this night with me. It’s an honor to have this following. It’s breathtaking really. I’d tell them to continue on this journey with toward becoming heavyweight world champion.
 
“This is a very friendly press conference, there’s a lot of respect between these fighters. I can tell that everyone is ready to put on a great show for the fans on Saturday.”
 
ROBERT HELENIUS
 
“I have an opportunity to make a great fight Saturday and that’s what I trained for. I’m ready and I had a great training camp. I can’t wait to get into the ring.
 
“This fight we came two weeks earlier to the U.S. My body has gotten used to the difference. Plus, the sparring in Alabama at Deontay Wilder’s gym really helped get me ready.
 
“We’re doing everything right and training has been great. We’ve sparred so many rounds, I feel very sharp and ready to get into the ring against Kownacki.
 
“I have a lot of fans in Europe and that support is why I can even do this and compete on this level. Everything has been so perfect coming into training camp. It makes me feel more confident than I have in many years.
 
“I trained for years with a broken hand and have had injuries in the past. But the last two years I’ve been healthy and with the same trainer and I feel physically as good as I ever have.”
 
EFE AJAGBA
 
“I’m excited to be on this great show full of heavyweights. I’m looking forward to Saturday night. I thank my opponent for taking this challenge. He’s a good fighter and we’re looking forward to give you a great fight.
 
“In the Iago Kiladze fight I had him hurt and tried to finish him, but I went too wild and left my guard down. That’s why he landed a shot and knocked me down. I felt okay when I got up and I came back and finished him off.
 
“It’s up to Cojanu how the fight goes. We’ll find out if he can take my punch or not on Saturday. We’ll see in the ring if he’s got a hard chin.
 
“Cojanu has a lot of good experience against good fighters. He’s going to try to box me, but if he can’t take my power, then I’ll be able to win the fight by knockout. If he can take it, I will be ready to win a decision.”

RAZVAN COJANU
 
“Efe is a fighter I respect a lot. He’s a great prospect. But I’m ready for him. I feel very confident in myself. I had a great six-week training camp. Everyone who supported me, I’m going to make them proud on Saturday.
 
“For this fight I got the chance to work with Henry Tillman and it’s made a huge difference in my game. I know the coach can’t fight for me, but I believe in his plan and his judgement. He knows how I can beat Efe Ajagba and Saturday night you’re going to see me shock the world.
 
“People think Efe has already won the fight, but I feel good. There’s no pressure on my shoulders. I have nothing to lose. I believe in karma and I believe it’s my time for my moment to come this Saturday.
 
“I’m very happy to be fighting on FOX for the first time. Best of luck to all of the fighters to come through healthy and give the fans a great performance all night.”
 
FRANK SANCHEZ
 
“I’m very excited for this great opportunity to fight on this big PBC card. Saturday is going to be a great fight and you can expect a great performance from me.
 
“I wish Joey luck on Saturday, but not too much luck. I’m going to demonstrate that I’m one of the best heavyweights in the world.
 
“He’s not knocking out anybody. With my defense and movement, he’s not going to be able to hurt me. I have everything I need to dominate this fight.
 
“No one he’s ever fought is like me. He’s going to be shocked when I deliver a tremendous knockout on Saturday night. I’ll see you in the ring on Saturday.”
 
JOEY DAWEJKO
 
“I want to thank everyone who helped me get this opportunity. I have an opportunity to be great again. I know a little about Frank Sanchez. I know they’re moving him fast, but I think they took the wrong fight. They should have waited a couple more fights for me and I’m going to prove it.
 
“I am in great shape and I had a great camp with my trainer Justin Fortune. I can’t wait to get in there and give everyone a great fight.
 
“Experience will play a big part in this fight. I had a great amateur career and I’ve fought all around the world. I’ve sparred with every champion right now and it’s all going to help.
 
“Frank is a good fighter, but he’s not ready for me. He’s going to try to box me, but I’m going to be too much. I’m predicting a knockout. He’s going to be in for a big shock. He doesn’t have anything I haven’t already seen before.”
 
KEITH SHELDON, EVP of Programming & Development for BSE Global

“As we all know, BROOKLYN BOXING is at its best when he we have heavyweights in the ring and this card has no shortage of them.
 
“Adam, you built your career at Barclays Center and we’re thrilled to see you headline for the second time. With nine wins there, it’s safe to say Barclays Center is your second home. We’re excited for you to put on a show for your hometown fans.
 
“Barclays Center continues to show to the world our steadfast commitment to the sport. This is our second PBC fight this year and the third in the last four months. This further demonstrates our commitment to our boxing program and the sport in general.
 
“Our partnership with PBC consistently brings great fights to our market and Saturday night is no exception. I’d also like to thank FOX. At Barclays Center we pride ourselves on being in the big event business, and there’s nothing bigger than a primetime heavyweight fight on FOX.”


#          #          #
 
ABOUT KOWNACKI VS. HELENIUS
Kownacki vs. Helenius will see undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki look to thrill his hometown crowd when he takes on Robert Heleniusin a 12-round WBA Heavyweight Title eliminator in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, March 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
 
FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba facing former title challenger Razvan Cojanu in the 10-round co-main event and rising heavyweight Frank Sánchez stepping in to face Philadelphia’s Joey Dawejko in the 10-round televised opener.
 
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
 
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, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports andwww.facebook.com/foxdeportes. 
 
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Sam Clarkson Jr. Squares off Against Israel Duffus for Ring Of Hope’s “Night To Fight” on March 7 in Irving TX

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IRVINE, TX (March 4, 2020) – Fort Worth born-and-bred boxer Sam Clarkson Jr. was highly motivated by the wrong forces growing up. He was heading down dangerous Dallas roads, ones that could potentially not only derail his life, but spoil his boxing talents as well.


Before the Cedar HIll native found the sweet science at the age of 17, he was already going in and out of jail. 


Reflecting on his regressions today, Clarkson Jr. is not proud of his decisions, but he doesn’t regret them either because it made him the stronger. 


Non-profit organization Ring Of Hope was created in 2010 to help kids like Clarkson Jr. in the greater Dallas area escape trouble. Over the last decade, Ring Of Hope has transformed communities and changed the lives of the youth by educating, empowering and engaging students through the fundamentals of boxing.


Clarkson Jr. is proof of the promise that Ring Of Hope presents. He embodies the organization’s mission , and now, Clarkson Jr. (22-5, 15 KOs) will headline Ring Of Hope’s ninth annual “Night To Fight” on Saturday, March 7 when he takes on the Freddie Roach-trained Israel Duffus (19-6, 16 KOs) at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas. 


“It’s truly a huge blessing to headline Ring of Hope’s event,” said Clarkson Jr. “It’s great to see how Ring of Hope opens its doors to everyone and people of all different backgrounds. I want to become a part of a movement to show kids who may have troubled backgrounds that boxing accepts you no matter who you are.”


The light heavyweight Clarkson is a nine-year veteran who’s defeated the likes of Cedric Agnew and also challenged Dmitry Bivol and Jesse Hart in the past. 


Before the 29-year-old southpaw appeared multiple times under the bright lights of Showtime television, he racked up an amateur record of 89-9 and won the National Pals in 2009 and the Ringside silver medal in 2010. Clarkson is also a two-time Texas Golden Gloves champion.


“I was a firecracker always up for a fight,” said Clarkson Jr. “I turned a negative into a positive. When I got introduced to boxing, it was mine, and I have stayed out of trouble for the last 13 years. Boxing has changed my life. For kids who are like me when I was growing up, if you have the right passion, there are no limitations to who you can become.”


Clarkson Jr. has frequented Ring of Hope gyms ever since its inception, whether it be for sparring, reconnecting with coaches and old friends or simply speaking and guiding children.


“A lot of the kids at Ring of Hope look up to me because I am a professional boxer. It feels great to motivate them,” said Clarkson Jr. “Ring of Hope is a great platform to help kids escape the streets. I take my hat off to them.


“I’ve returned to my comfort zone with spirituality. I’ve been reading the Bible a lot more and believe that God will set-up everything for me as a family man and a provider. I’ve fallen short a lot in the past, but ever since I’ve refocused my career, everything is falling back into place. I’m excited, and I can’t wait to put on a great show. Everyone will be pleased to see my skills. I’ll be coming to make a statement. I’m coming with a chip on my shoulder and I’m looking to dominate.”


Clarkson Jr. will attempt to conquer the Panamanian pugilist Duffus, a 27-year-old who’s been training with the Hall of Fame coach Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles ever since he permanently moved to the United States in 2014. 


“The last few years have been rough for me. I split with my wife, and we have two very young children. The last thing on my mind in the middle of the storm was boxing,” said Duffus. “My personal issues were affecting me, but I’m doing better now, and I’m focused on putting my career back on track.”


Duffus was riding an eight-fight winning from 2017 and 2018 before his problems outside of the ring took over. He lost his next two fights by unanimous decision. Finally in a better place, he’s looking to bounce back versus Clarkson Jr.


“Freddie has a lot of confidence in me and my talent,” said Duffus, who also has an amateur record of 98-10. “He tells me exactly what I need to do to take advantage of my opponent, and that’s what I plan on doing March 7.”


Also to be featured in separate bouts are welterweights Jessy Martinez (14-0, 9 KOs) and Brandyn Lynch (10-1, 8 KOs), cruiserweight Robin Safar (10-0, 7 KOs) and heavyweight Patrick Mailata (4-0, 2 KOs), Austin-based super lightweight Robert Kevin Garcia (6-0, 5 KOs) and the Corpus Christi-based lightweight John Rincon (4-0, 2 KOs).


Night To Fight will be available live on Integrated Sports Pay Per View on cable, satellite and digital pay-per-view via iN Demand, Vubiquity, DIRECTV and DISH in the United States, Shaw PPV in Canada and worldwide via the FITE.TV app and website.


Hall of Fame Showtime TV broadcaster Al Bernstein, former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi and LA Times and Boxing Scene journalist and writerManouk Akopyan will call the action from ringside.


# # #


Limited tickets and VIP dinner tables can be obtained through a sponsorship to Ring of Hope. For more information, go to www.ringofhope.com. 


The Toyota Music Factory is located at 300 West Las Colinas Boulevard in Irving, Texas. 


For more information on sponsorships, volunteering or to enroll a child in a Ring of Hope program, please email info@ringofhope.com. To provide a safe place for youth in the Dallas Fort Worth area to participate in after school boxing programs, click here to donate. 


For up to date information, news and developments, visit www.RingOfHope.com, and follow along online on the following Ring of Hope platforms—Instagram, Facebook andYouTube.



 Night To Fight 2020 promo video

🥊 Highlights from previous Ring of Hope Night To Fight events



 Photos from 2019 Night To Fight, which took place Feb. 28 at the Frontiers Of Flight Museum in Dallas. The fight card featured undefeated prospects, former US Olympians and the likes of Hall of Famer fighter Thomas Hearn and The First Lady of Boxing Jackie Kallen in attendance.


ABOUT RING OF HOPE: Founded in 2010 by Steve Bolos, Ring of Hope is a non-profit organization that seeks to educate, empower and engage the youth through the fundamentals of boxing. With two gym locations—the South Dallas Club and the Colony Club—Ring of Hope emphasises on leadership development, fitness programs and community outreach while teaching the discipline of boxing. The locations also provide a safe place for youth in the Dallas Fort Worth area to participate in after school boxing programs. Through the sweet science, Ring of Hope’s coaches and volunteers empower youth to become more committed to health, fitness and wellness while also inspiring them to become more engaged in their community.
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Decorated U.S. amateur boxer Angel Gonzalez, Jr. to make pro debut on “Fight Night In Framingham” card

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Fighting Life charity event,

 March 20th at Sheraton Hotel

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (March 4, 2020) – The long-awaited professional debut of decorated amateur Angel Gonzalez, Jr. will take place Friday night, March 20, on the “Fight Night In Framingham” card, presented by Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP), at Sheraton Framingham Hotel in Framingham, Massachusetts.

“Fight Night In Framingham”, the first pro boxing event ever in Framingham, is being held for the benefit of Fighting Life, an after-school youth boxing and academic empowerment program, available 100-percent free of charge, to students beginning in elementary school through high school education. 

Gonzalez hasn’t fought in three years, since he moved from his native Hartford, CT to Florida.  “It took me a while to settle in after I moved to Florida,” Gonzalez explained.  “I’ve been going to a gym and now I’m on track and coming back to turn pro.  I have the talent for bigger and better things.”

The 26-year-olldf super flyweight had a 45-6 amateur record, highlighted by three New England Golden Gloves, two Ringside National and 2014 National PAL championships. 

The problem for Gonzalez, though, is finding appropriate opponents, especially where he was a standout amateur.  Right now, he’s still without a signed opponent, largely because there are so few 115-pound boxers in America outside of California and the Southwest. “Most super flyweights are from Mexico, Japan, or other foreign countries,” Gonzalez said.  “It doesn’t matter to me who I fight.  I can slug or box, depending on my opponent.  If he’s taller, I’ll fight on the inside; if shorter, I’ll box from the outside. I’ll adjust to my opponent. My best punch is my right.  It’s solid and deadly.”

“I’ve offered this fight to guys with 5 to 10 fights and after consideration,” promoter Chuck Shearns explained, “they have declined to fight Angel.  These lower weight classes can be hard enough to match, never mind against Angel.  What you find is that these smaller guys need to step up their competition earlier than other weight classes, because it’s simply a smaller pool of fighters.  We will see what Angel has very early in his career.”

Two unbeaten pro “graduates” of the Fighting Life Boxing Program, super featherweights Timmy Ramos (5-0-2, 5 KOs) and Nelson “Chino” Perez (2-0, 2 KOs), will be in action, respectively,  in the main event and co-featured event. 

Ramos, fighting out of Framingham, was a two-time New England Golden Gloves champion as an amateur. He is in the 6-round, main event against super  Carlos Marrero, III (2-3-1), of Bridgeport, Connecticut. 

Perez, who comes from nearby Marlboro, MA, is another New England Golden Gloves champion, who will be fighting Indianapolis lightweight DeWayne Wisdom (7-52-2, 3 KOs) in the 6-round. co-featured event. Perez faces

Boston heavyweight Tracey Johnson (4-7-6), whose brother is past Olympian and reigning WBO super middleweight championDemetrius Andrade, faces Larry “Hitman” Pryor (11-22-5, 5 KOs) in a 6-round bout.

Albania-born super middleweight Kastriot “Slaughterhouse” Xhema, fighting out of Greenwich, CT, makes his pro boxing debut against Framingham favorite, Brazilian-born Saul “The Spider” Almeida (0-10-3, 20-11 in MMA) in a 4-round battle of mixed-martial-arts fighters.  

Revere, MA super middleweight Jarel “Sandman” Pemberton (3-0, 1 KO), also a past New England Golden Gloves champion, faces Leandro Silva (2-3, 2 KOs) in a 4-rounder.

Also fighting on the undercard in 4-round matches, is Southbridge, MA welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (6-1, 3 KOs) vs.Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (9-12-4, 7 KOs),  Worcester, MA super featherweight Ranse Andino (1-1) vs. Henry Garcia (0-5-1), of New Bedford, MA.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets prices are $75,.00 ringside (rows 1-3), $60.00 (seated), $45.00 standing room, and VIP tables (of 10) for $1000.00 and may be purchased HERE, at UpperKuts gym, or from any of the local fighters on the card.   

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, first fight at 7 p.m. ET.

Street Light Ventures is the presenting sponsor.  Other sponsors include Bernardi Auto Group, East Coast Herbalist, Tecate, Ashwood Advisors LLC and A Affordable Insurance.

INFORMATION:  

Facebook.com/ShearnsBoxingPromotions

Twitter: @ShearnsBoxing, @UpperKutsBoxing, @sheratonframingham

Instagram: @ShearnsBoxingPromotions, @Upperkuts_boxing_club, @sheratonframingham

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TOMMY SANTIAGO LOOKS FOR MULTI-SPORT SUCCESS AND A KIDNEY FOR DAD

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Football standout to make pro debut on March 27 while his family’s story remains unfinished

 PHILADELPHIA, PA — Tommy Santiago, a standout high school football star and accomplished amateur boxer, will enter the ring for his first pro fight on March 27 at 2300 Arena, and his dad will be in his corner.  
 
To spectators, it’s another father-son team, made slightly more interesting because Tommy is the second Santiago son to turn pro.  Brother Milton, Jr., is an undefeated lightweight.  
 
That Milton Sr., can walk up the steps and wave the towel for his son belies the real story — one about a father who died and was brought back to life less than a year ago, who is waiting for a life-altering call.  It’s a story about a mother who pulls double-duty to provide for her family and care for her husband. It’s about the son, a prodigal football talent, who sacrificed his spot at a top football high school to help keep his family afloat, and now is embarking on a professional boxing career.  It’s a story about their past and current struggles, and the grit, determination and faith that has seen them through a slow, grinding, water torture-style drip of pain and adversity.
 
A few years ago, the Santiago family had outgrown their two-bedroom home.  With three teenage boys–Milton Jr., Tommy and young Nicco–they packed their home and moved into a fixer-upper in the suburbs.  Milton, Sr., was a talented painter who had worked for some of the most prestigious home builders in Philadelphia.   
 
Mom Brenda worked at a kitchen gadget manufacturing company for 20 years, where she climbed the ladder, wearing various hats and helping to provide a comfortable life for her family. 
 
It was not long after their 2017 move that Milton Sr., began noticing he wasn’t himself.  Over the next few years his health would deteriorate. Once a husky, active painter and boxing coach, he shriveled away.  After bouncing from doctor to hospital, he received a dual diagnosis of kidney failure and an infection that had spread to his bones. Brenda went from being a working mom to a working mom and caregiver, waking up Milton, Jr., to help carry his dad to the car at 5:30 in each morning.  She’d drive him to dialysis before work, and then take an early lunch each day to get him home.  
 
Tommy enrolled at Archbishop Wood High School, a private, Catholic school in Warminster, PA, known for its elite football program; tuition was $9,000 per year. He was a star running back, scoring 20 touchdowns and gaining nearly 1700 yards as a Junior. His younger brother, a standout basketball player, also attended Archbishop Wood. 
 
Wheelchair bound and unable to walk, Milton Sr., was embarrassed to go to his sons’ games. Brenda had to help him get to the bathroom and clean him.  Milton Jr., put his career on hold to help care for his father. It was a dark time for the family; bills were piling up as Milton Sr., got sicker.
 
“I was embarrassed,” Milton, Sr., said of that time. “I was depressed and I kept wondering why this is happening to me and my family.” 
 
Last May, Milton, Sr., went in for a procedure to biopsy a growth in his lungs.  When the doctor came out of the operating room and asked Brenda if she would join him in a consult room, she knew something had gone wrong.  Milton, Sr., had stopped breathing for nearly two minutes during the procedure and had to be resuscitated. The doctor warned that there may be permanent brain damage. 
 
It was an earth-shattering moment for the family. 
 
“It was the worst moment of my life,” recalled Tommy.  “When I walked in and saw my dad in the ICU, knowing he might never be the same, I just started crying. I couldn’t handle it.” 
 
After two days in a medically induced coma, Milton, Sr., began to recover. Doctors finally found the right combination of antibiotics to begin to cure the infection that had decimated his body. Effects from the procedure continued to affect his daily life. Excruciating headaches at all hours and short term memory loss became the new normal. 
 
After Tommy’s record-breaking Junior year, and after seeing the stress that his mother was under, Tommy made a decision. He chose to transfer to William Tennent High School–also in Warminster–cutting his family’s tuition bill in half, but virtually guaranteeing that the college offers he and his parents had dreamed of would never come. 
 
“My mom told me she would find a way, but I didn’t want her to stress,” said Tommy.  
 
Brenda is pained when she speaks of Tommy’s departure from Wood: “Tommy is very strong, and he’s taken a lot for the family.  It’s a burden I have on me because I want to be able to give them everything. Milton’s dream was for Tommy to go to Wood – it devastated Tommy and us when he had to transfer.”
 
As he recovered, Milton, Sr., learned to walk again. Milton, Jr., still administers his father’s dialysis five times per week for six hours and they wait to be added to the kidney donor list.  Boxes of equipment line the walls of their home, and the improvements they’d planned on making to their home remain on hold.
 
“Milton doesn’t want us to be his donor,” said Brenda. “I’m the breadwinner and I can’t afford to be off work.  Milton doesn’t want the kids to compromise their athletic careers. And after what happened when he went under in May, there’s a lot of fear. So we wait.”
 
Her voice breaks when she talks about the day they find a donor for her husband, but she doesn’t mention how it would take the pressure off of her:  “The day that it happens, I’ll be ecstatic. He just wants to live a normal life. He wants to be able to do normal things – work, provide for his family.  I will be so thankful to God that he answered our prayers.”
 
“It would mean the world to my family to find a donor,” said Tommy.  “Everything he’s been through, the dialysis four hours per day, three days a week… it’s not easy.  My mom stays up late to take care of him and gets up early the next day to go to work. She never gives up.”
 
The example that Milton Sr., and Brenda have set – one of sacrifice, mental strength, and unbelievable love and commitment to each other and their family has been ingrained in their sons.  
 
“Seeing all they’ve been through has been hard, but it makes me want to go harder,” said Tommy. “I just want to be able to bring my family to the next level.”
 
He has aspirations of being an NFL player and professional boxer, concurrently. “I have received an offer from Villanova,” Tommy said.  “I’ve applied at Temple and Penn State and plan to walk on to their football teams if I’m accepted.” 
 
But first, another fight is on the horizon.  A four-round, light-heavyweight contest with Angel Vasquez, of Springfield, MA, on March 27.
 
“Tommy told me that the reason he likes football and boxing is that he has a hatred inside, a frustration and resentment at everything our family has been through,” said Brenda.  “I feel for the kid that’s going to fight Tommy. He’s training hard, and really wants it. He really wants to go out there and do things – He wants to help the family.” 
 
When Tommy Santiago walks out to the ring on March 27, he walks with the burden of his family’s troubles, but with his father by his side.  When the bell rings, he’ll hear only his father’s voice from his corner, and a new chapter begins in the complicated and painful story of the unbreakable Santiago family.
 
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Philly Special kicks off at 7:30 in the evening on Friday, March 27.  Tickets priced at $50, $75 and $125 are on sale now, and can be purchased by visiting 2300arena.com or by calling 267-273-0945. 
boxing

Son of Sandman Jarel Pemberton added to “Fight Night In Framingham” card

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Fighting Life charity event,

 March 20th at Sheraton Hotel

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (February27, 2020) – The son of Sandman, Jarel “Sandman” Pemberton, returns to the ring for the first time in nearly two years on the “Fight Night In Framingham” card, presented by Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP), March 20, at Sheraton Framingham Hotel in Framingham, Massachusetts.

“Fight Night In Framingham”, the first pro boxing event ever in Framingham, is being held for the benefit of Fighting Life, an after-school youth boxing and academic empowerment program, available 100-percent free of charge, to students beginning in elementary school through high school education. 

The 28-year-old super middleweight Pemberton (3-0, 1 KO), fighting out of Revere, MA, is the son of one of New England’s all-time favorite boxers, Scott Pemberton (29-5-1, 24 KOs), the former NABF and IBU World super middleweight champion.  Pemberton was a blood-and-guts, highly entertaining type fighter best remembered for a pair of Fight of the Year candidates versus Omar Sheika.

Scott named his son, Jarel, after Superman’s father, but he never forced him into boxing.  “Me boxing had a lot to do with him,” Jarel said, “but he never pushed me into boxing.  I did go to a lot of his fights when I was young. 

“Dad saw a Superman movie and named me Jarel after Superman’s father.  I think it’s a great name, it kind of shaped my life because I’m a real comic-book nerd today.”

Jarel played football and basketball at Dartmouth (MA) High, where two of his teammates went on to play in the National Football League, Jordan Todman and close friend Arthur Lynch.  Jarel joined the U.S. Marines and he did two tours in Afghanistan as a machine gunner.  He didn’t start boxing until after he was honorably discharged, turning pro at 27.

“I wish I started boxing when I was a kid,” he added, “but I didn’t box until after I got out of the military.  People tell me I hit hard; I do have natural power.”

Pemberton, who is on the permanent reserve list to become a Revere Firefighter, is ready to get back in the ring on a regular basis, especially after being out of the ring nearly two years.

“I’m back in boxing for the long run,” he admitted.  I’d like to fight a few times in the next few months.  I’m getting in top shape for this fight and that’s a lot better than getting beat up in training by (22-0, 14 KOs welterweight from Lynn, MA) Rashidi Ellis.  I’m bigger than him but he’s so fast.”

Pemberton is matched against veteran Texas fighter Larry “Slomoshun” Smith (10-43-1, 7 KOs) in a 4-round bout.

Two unbeaten pro “graduates” of the Fighting Life Boxing Program, super featherweights Timmy Ramos (5-0-2, 5 KOs) and Nelson “Chino” Perez (2-0, 2 KOs), are fighting in the main event and co-feature, respectively. 

Ramos, fighting out of Framingham, was a two-time New England Golden Gloves champion as an amateur. He is in the 6-round, main event against super  Carlos Marrero, III (2-3-1), of Bridgeport, Connecticut. 

Perez, who comes from nearby Marlboro, is another New England Golden Gloves champion. He faces an opponent to be determined in the 6-round co-featured event. Perez faces Indianapolis lightweight DeWayne Wisdom (7-52-2, 3 KOs).

Boston heavyweight Tracey Johnson (4-7-6), whose brother is past Olympian and reigning WBO super middleweight championDemetrius Andrade, faces Larry “Hitman” Pryor (11-22-5, 5 KOs) in a 6-round bout.

A pair of quality MMA fighters, Albania-born super middleweight Kastriot “Slaughterhouse” Xhema, fighting out of Greenwich, CT, makes his pro boxing debut against Framingham favorite, Brazilian-born Saul “The Spider” Almeida (0-10-3, 20-11 in MMA) in a 4-rounder.  

Also fighting on the undercard, all in 4-round bouts, is Southbridge, MA welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (6-1, 3 KOs) vs.Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (9-12-4, 7 KOs),  Worcester, MA super featherweight Ranse Andino (1-1) vs. Henry Garcia (0-5-1), of New Bedford, MA, and pro-debuting Hartford, CT super flyweight Angel Gonzalez, Jr. vs. Steve Lopez (1-4) of Philadelphia. Gonzalez is a decorated amateur boxer who is a three-time New England Golden Gloves, two-time Ringside National and 2014 National PAL champion

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets prices are $75,.00 ringside (rows 1-3), $60.00 (seated), $45.00 standing room, and VIP tables (of 10) for $1000.00 and may be purchased HERE, at UpperKuts gym, or from any of the local fighters on the card.   

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, first fight at 7 p.m. ET.

Street Light Ventures is the presenting sponsor.  Other sponsors include Bernardi Auto Group, East Coast Herbalist, Tecate, Ashwood Advisors LLC and A Affordable Insurance.

INFORMATION:  

Facebook.com/ShearnsBoxingPromotions

Twitter: @ShearnsBoxing, @UpperKutsBoxing, @sheratonframingham

Instagram: @ShearnsBoxingPromotions, @Upperkuts_boxing_club, @sheratonframingham