Category Archives: boxing

THE FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. FOUNDATION PRESENTS THE “FIGHT 4 FITNESS” 5K RUN/2K WALK, KIDS FUN RUN & COMMUNITY DAY   SATURDAY, APRIL 19 AT SUNSET PARK IN LAS VEGAS

 

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 16, 2015) The Floyd Mayweather Jr. Foundation (FMJF) is proud to present the Fight 4 Fitness 5K Run/2K Walk, Kids Fun Run and Community Day taking place Saturday, April 19 at Sunset Park in Las Vegas.

 

The 5K Run/2K Walk and Kids Fun Run (one half mile run for kids 12 and under) starts at 8 a.m. and is followed by an awards ceremony honoring all of the participants. The Community Day event immediately following the awards ceremony will include food, music, games, raffled prizes and health and fitness exhibitors offering their services to enhance your fitness goals.

 

“My foundation genuinely cares about the Las Vegas community, and we are continuing our pledge to serve with great events like this,” said Mayweather. “Staying fit and active is so important. We hope this event encourages people of all ages to work towards getting in shape and living a healthy lifestyle.”

 

The mission of Fight 4 Fitness is to form community alliances where awareness and empowerment serve as the nucleus for an improved quality of life. From children to adults, everyone is welcome to join the “fight” in reversing health trends that are adversely affecting our quality of life. Fight 4 Fitness is a movement toward good health through the possibilities of change that can enhance one’s own life and the lives of those around them. Participating in the Fight 4 Fitness event can be the catalyst needed to create a vigorous, happy, and healthy Las Vegas community. This unique experience invites all members of the community to run/walk independently or with friends, family, and coworkers.

 

The full schedule of events is listed below:

  • 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.5K Run/2K Walk & Kids Fun Run
  • 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.Awards Ceremony
  • 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.Community Day

Registration for any and all events is underway and can be completed at www.runsignup.com/Fight4Fitness. Full registration dates and fees are listed below*:

  • Jan 30th – March 2nd$35 5K/$30 2K/$15 KIDS FUN RUN
  • March 3rd – March 16th – $40 5K/$35 2K/$15 KIDS FUN RUN
  • March 17th March 30th $45 5K/$40 2K/$15 KIDS FUN RUN
  • April 1st – April 12th$50 5K/$45 2K/$20 KIDS FUN RUN
  • Same Day Registration – $60 5K/$45 2K/ $20 KIDS FUN RUN

* Clark County School District: First 100 students can register for free. All students and faculty can register for $20 until March 1st. The aggregate of $3 from each registration for the event will be divided and donated to 10 designated CCSD schools that have demonstrated need for support in the following areas: athletic programs, physical education and educational field trips.

 

For more information follow on Twitter @FloydMayweather and @TFMJ become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FloydMayweather and www.Facebook.com/TFMJF follow on Instagram at Instagram.com/FloydMayweather and Instagram.com/TFMJF and add on Shots: Floyd Mayweather and TFMJF.

FIGHT NETWORK BOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Feb. 16-22, 2015)

Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for boxing, mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

 

Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

 

Monday, Feb. 16

 

11:00 p.m. ETInterBox Classics: Diaconu vs. Newton – Featuring Adrian Diaconu’s pro debut vs. Mark Newton from Mar. 2, 2001 in Montreal.

Tuesday, Feb. 17

 

6:00 p.m. ETKOTV Boxing Classics – Reliving memorable boxing fights from the past two decades.

 

8:30 p.m. ETFight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

 

11:00 p.m. ETGFL: Best Battles 4 – Highlights from boxing, as well as MMA and kickboxing, events showcasing memorable knockouts and submissions.

Thursday, Feb. 19

 

1:00 a.m. ETKOTV Boxing Weekly Covering all the latest news in professional boxing, featuring full recent fights and highlights from the sweet science.

 

8:30 p.m. ETFight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

Friday, Feb. 20

 

7:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. ET Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis on the fight game.

Sunday, Feb. 22

 

7:30 p.m. ETUltimate Classic Boxing: Machen vs. Jones – Featuring heavyweight Eddie Machen vs. Doug Jones from Dec. 2, 1961 in Miami Beach.

 

Monday, Feb. 23

 

1:00 a.m. ETBest of GYM Boxing: Lucian Bute & Troy Ross early days– Profiling early career bouts from top Canadian boxers Lucian Bute and Troy Ross.

 

Information:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK:  Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

UNDEFEATED RISING STAR TONY HARRISON TAKES ON BATTLE-TESTED VETERAN ANTWONE SMITH ON ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS ON ESPN2, MARCH 6 AT THE MARQUEE BALLROOM AT MGM GRAND IN LAS VEGAS

TELEVISED ACTION ALSO INCLUDES

RISING STAR ERICKSON LUBIN GOING UP AGAINST RAFAEL COBOS

 

PLUS UNDEFEATED PROSPECT IEVGEN KHYTROV TAKES ON AN 

OPPONENT TO BE DETERMINED

 

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 16, 2015) – An action-packed night of fights headlined by undefeated junior middleweight prospect Tony Harrison (19-0, 16 KOs) battling experienced contender Antwone Smith (23-5-1, 12 KOs) comes to the Marquee Ballroom at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Friday, March 6 for a presentation of ESPN FridayNight Fights on ESPN2.

 

Also featured in televised action is rising star Erickson Lubin (9-0, 6 KOs) battling Mexican warrior Rafael Cobos (15-5-5, 3 KOs) and undefeated prospect Ievgen Khytrov (7-0, 7 KOs) against an opponent to be determined.

 

The night of fights is promoted by Warriors Boxing in association with Goossen Promotions and will feature a full night of televised action starting at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on ESPN2.

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale Saturday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. PT. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-300 or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will be available Saturday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. PT at any MGM Resorts International box office or online at www.mgmgrand.com.

 

“It is a dream come true that I get to really display my abilities to the world,” said Harrison. “I want to let the world fall in love with a fighter that they haven’t had a chance to see and I think this is the chance I need. You have to be able to entertain and I think I bring that. Antwone has fought some great contenders and he is tough to stop but my game plan doesn’t change. I’m going to go out there, do my thing, put on a show and knock him out.”

 

“I’ve been out for a while and I feel like this is a great opportunity. It’s like I never left. I’m motivated and ready to go,” said Smith. “I’m coming to fight, I’m ready to go 10 rounds. He hasn’t been that deep. I know I can go the distance so all the questions are on him.”

 

“Warriors Boxing is proud to be able to put on such a great event in Las Vegas at MGM Grand on March 6,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing. “The main event will pit a young up-and-comer against a wily veteran who won’t give an inch. There’s no doubt it’s going to be a great fight.”

 

“This show captures the true essence of what Friday Night Fights represents with three fighters on the verge of stardom in Harrison, Khytrov and Lubin,” said Brian Kweder, ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions. “Fight fans are going to want to tune in to see Tony Harrison.  We’ve been following his progress and we are excited to get a chance to showcase him on national television in a true test against Antwone Smith.”

 

Without a single blemish on his record, the 24-year-old Harrison has caught the eye of many in the fight game with his impressive knockout power. Fighting out of Detroit, he has stopped 16 of his 19 opponents, including nine in the first round. In 2014, Harrison delivered a trio of early stoppages taking down more experienced fighters Grady Brewer, Bronco McKart and Tyrone Brunson. Now, he looks to make it a perfect 20 for 20 onMarch 6 in Las Vegas.

 

An experienced 28-year-old, Smith has been in the ring with some of the biggest and best names in boxing. He also excelled as an amateur, winning the Florida Golden Gloves at 17-years-old. The Miami-native has gone toe-to-toe and owns victories over Jose Luis Castillo and Ronald Cruz and losses to Jermall Charlo, Kermit Cintron and Lanardo Tyner throughout his career. Smith did not fight in 2014, but looks to return in style onMarch 6.

 

At just 19-years-old, Lubin is looking to continue his climb up the professional ranks on March 6 as he attempts to stay undefeated. Having already fought all over the U.S., Lubin will be making his Las Vegas debut when he hits the ring on ESPN2. Most recently, the Orlando, Fla. native wiped out Michael Finney in a unanimous decision victory on Feb. 6 in Biloxi, Miss.

 

Born in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, Cobos has been a professional since 2006 fighting exclusively in Mexico before his U.S. debut in Sept. 2014. While he lost a decision that night to Josesito Lopez, Cobos had won three fights in a row leading up to that and hadn’t lost since 2010. Now he looks to get back to his winning ways on March 6 in Las Vegas.

 

A 2012 Ukranian Olympian, Khytrov was an accomplished amateur who won a gold medal at the 2007 European Junior Championships. Born in Kryvy Rih, Ukraine but fighting out of Brooklyn, the 26-year-old has won all eight of his professional fights by knockout and looks to keep that streak going on March 6.

 

For more information visit www.warriorsboxing.com and www.goossenpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @IAmBoxing, @WarriorsBoxingProm, @ESPNFNF and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/warriorsboxingpromotions, www.facebook.com/GoossenBoxing andwww.facebook.com/espn.fnf

Adams, Gasparyan, Thompson and Skorokhod advance in Boxcino Jr. Middlweight tournament

 
UNCASVILLE, CONN (February 15, 2015)Brandon Adams, Vito Gasparyan,John Thompson and Stanyslav Skorokhod all won their quarterfinal match-ups at the Mohegan Sun and advanced to the semi-final round of the Boxcino 2015 jr. middleweight tournament.
All Boxcino bouts were scheduled for 6-rounds.
The tournament is promoted by exclusively by Banner Promotions and shown on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.
This card was promoted by Banner Promotions in association with Jimmy Burchfield’s CES Boxing.
Adams, who was a Boxcino 2014 middleweight tournament runner up,scored a 5th round stoppage over Alex Perez in what was an entertaining  slug fest.
The fight saw both guys fight inside and land some thudding shots.  It was Adams speed inside that proved to be the difference as it looked he landed the more authoritative blows and was slowly breaking down Perez.
In round five, Adams landed a booming right that sent Perez to the canvas.  Perez got to his knees before the bout was stopped at 2:47 of round five.
Adams, 155 lbs of Los Angeles is now 16-1 with 11 knockouts.  Perez, 152 1/2 lbs of Newark, NJ is 18-2.
“Alex was very tough.  I appreciate the fight that he brought and it made me step up my game,” said Adams.
“In the end, I loaded up my shots.  I showed that I have the speed and I established the jab.  I had a lot of fun in there.  I am looking forward to the next fight.  I am going, maybe I will take Monday off and I will be back in the gym.”
Vito Gasparyan scored a 6-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Simeon Hardy.
Gasparyan was more active and outworked Hardy and forced the battle on the inside against the taller Hardy, where Gasparyan was able to get the better of the exchanges.
Gasparyan, 155 lbs from Glendale, CA won by scores of 60-54, 59-55 and 58-56 and is now 15-3-5.  Hardy, 154 1/4 lbs of Brooklyn is now 13-1.
“It was a good fight.  I proved that I belong at this level,” said Gasparyan.
“I am now looking forward to the next fight.  I am going to work hard and take one step at a time.  I felt good and confident in there.  I am dedicating this victory to my trainer Justin Fortune who couldn’t be here after just beating an illness.”
Late replacement John Thompson boxed his way to a 6-round unanimous decision over Ricardo Pinell.
Thompson used his height and reach to keep Pinell at bay.  Thompson was effective with quick combinations that never let Pinell get on track.
Thompson, 154 1/4 lbs of Newark, NJ won by scores of 60-54 on cards and is now 16-1.  Pinell, 154 lbs of San Francisco, CA is now 10-2-1.
“I outboxed him for the most part.  I was able to know a little about him and I went off what I saw on youtube,” said Thompson.
“I saw he had a few bad habits.  Now that I have time to prepare it will be a lot better.  I know I have a lot to work on.  I will take one week off and I will be back in the gym.”
Syanyslav Skorokhod scored a 4th round stoppage over Michael Moore in a battle of previously undefeated fighters.
In round two, Skorokhod started to find the range with power shots with both hands.  Towards the end of the round, Skorokhod landed a hard right that backed Moore up to the corner. In round three, Skorohod dropped Moore with a perfect right hand.
In round four, Skorohod dropped Moore once again with a hard right.  Morre got up only to eat a flurry of punches and the bout was stopped at 1:03 round four.
Skorohod, 153 3/4 lbs of Los Angeles is now 9-0 with 7 knockouts.  Moore, 154 3/4 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 13-1.
“I am glad that I won.  My next fight will be even better,”said a victorious Skorokhod.
“I was prepared for a southpaw and I knew the pressure would be the difference.  Once I applied the pressure, I saw he could not do anything.  I can prepare for any kind of the style being that I train with some of the best fighters at Wild Card Gym.”

Adams will meet Gasparyan while Skorokhod will fight Thompson on April 3 in Corona, California.

In undercard action:

In what was a rock em -sock em affair, Jimmy Williams was able to pound his way to a 4th-round stoppage over Eddie Caminero in a scheduled 6-round Middleweight bout.
It looked like it would be a short and easy night for Williams as he repeatedly hurt Caminero in the first round to the point were Caminero was staggering all over the ring on several occasions.  Caminero was able to gather himself and make the fight a two way brawl with each guy holding on at different points of the fight.
Williams steadied himself enough to land a perfect left hook that sent Caminero to the deck at 32-seconds of round four.
Williams, 156 1/4 lbs of Hartford, CT is now 9-0-1 with 5 knockouts.  Caminero, 157 1/4 lbs of Lawrenceville, MA is 7-9.

Khiary Gray-Pitts battered and bloodied the nose of Rodrigo Almeida in the first round and the bout was halted in the corner following the opening frame of their scheduled 4-round Light Heavyweight bout.
Gray-Pitts landed thudding shots that had Almeida on the defensive from the outset.  Almeida’s nose was bloody and face was bruised up after just three minutes of action and could not continue after the first frame.
Gray-Pitts, 164 1/4 lbs of Worcester, MA is now 5-0 with 3 knockouts.  Almeida, 172 1/2 lbs of Woburn, MA is 1-2.
In the opening bout of the evening, Oscar Bonilla and Angel Martinez battled a 4-round draw in a Lightweight bout.
Bonilla won a card 39-37 while two cards were even at 38-38.
Bonilla, 133 lbs of New Haven, CT is 3-0-2.  Martinez, 132 1/4 lbs of Austin, TX is 5-1-1.
In the walkout bout Ray Oliveira Jr. scored a stoppage after round two of a scheduled 4-round Lightweight bout over Ralph Johnson.
Oliveira is now 3-0 with 2 knockouts.  Johnson is 1-4

Photo by Shane Sims / Banner Promotions

The four quarterfinal heavyweight division bouts will be televised live on ESPN’sFriday Night Fights Next FridayFebruary 20, from Turning Stone Resort Casinoin Verona, NY.
Last year’s Boxcino winner in the middleweight division, Willie Monroe Jr., has become a bona fide contender thanks to his victories in Boxcino 2014. He is currently world-rated No. 3 by the WBA, No. 7 by the WBO and No. 10 by the World Boxing Council (WBC). Boxcino 2014 lightweight champion Petr Petrov is currently world-rated No. 2 by the WBA and No. 7 by the WBO

Happy to make Artie Pelullo, or any of the fighters available to you by phone. The pairings for each division, fighter bios (don’t worry they’re brief) and all the participants’ Fight Fax records are available upon request.

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Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Also in 2013, Mohegan Sun won “Casino of The Year” in 2 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Trey Lippe-Morrison Headlines March 7 at Buffalo Run Casino!

Miami, OK (February 13, 2015) – Unbeaten heavyweight knockout artist Trey Lippe-Morrison returns Saturday, March 7 at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, OK when he headlines the “Four State Franchise” fight card.

 

This excellent night of boxing is promoted by Holden Productions and tickets starting at $30 are available by calling 918-542-9400 or going to Buffalorun.com.

 

The son of late heavyweight great Tommy “The Duke” Morrison, Lippe-Morrison is a perfect 6-0 with all six wins coming by knockout. Like his father, Lippe-Morrison is a huge draw with devastating punching power. The 25-year-old Tulsa, OK native scored five consecutive first round knockouts and his journey in the squared circle has been chronicled by various media outlets.

 

“Trey is 6-0 and I’m trying to find opponents that can give him some rounds,” said promoter Tony Holden. “He’s blowing out opponents in the first round and he’s a huge puncher. He really reminds me of his father, who I promoted, and I think Trey’s the real deal!”

 

Lippe-Morrison’s opponent will be named shortly.

 

In the co-featured bout of the evening, popular heavyweight slugger Kenzie Witt of Bartlesville, OKputs his unbeaten record on the line against an opponent to be named. Witt, 3-0 (3 KO’s), is a son of the aforementioned Morrison and Lippe-Morrison’s half brother.

 

Undefeated Jesse “Left Hook” Cook, 14-0 (9 KO’s), will appear on the card in a six round junior middleweight bout. The Seneca, MO based Cook will meet an opponent TBA. Welterweight Jarrett Rouse of Bartlesville, OK is also scheduled to appear in a four round contest.

 

“For March 7th, I’ve put together a card of talented fighters from the Four State area,” said Holden. “I call these guys Four State Franchise. The team is Lippy-Morrison, Witt, Rouse and the Cook Brothers. I have done shows at Buffalo Run Casino for many years and every time this group is on the card, tickets sell out in less than 48 hours. This is the best reaction I’ve got from a crowd in my 25 years of promoting.”

 

Additional bouts and opponents will be announced shortly.

 

GH3 Promotions signs undefeated Welterweight Jerrell Harris

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nutley, NJ(February 13, 2015)-GH3 Promotions is pleased to announce the signing of Jerrell Harris to an exclusive promotional contract.
Harris of Washington, DC. is an undefeated Welterweight who sports a perfect mark of 4-0 with 4 knockouts.
The 20 year-old said upon signing, “It feels great to sign with GH3 and I look forward to a bright future.”

“The number-one factor on me signing with GH3 is that they keep their fighters busy.”

Before turning professional, Harris had am amateur career that consisted of 100 bouts in which he won the World Jr. Olymoics, PAL and Ringside tournaments.  Harris also competed against and won against the Irish National team and the Mayors Cup in Washington.
“I have an all around style.  I can box and I can bang.  It all depends on the opponent.  I am kind of an old school type of fighter and I look up to the likes of Wilfredo Benitez & Thomas Hearns.”
“I want to fight as often as I can and I am ready for a big 2015.  I have been sitting on the shelf for nearly a year.  I think after a couple of tune up fights, I will be ready for the next stage of my career.”
Harris got interested in boxing after his brothers boxed.  Jerrell started at the age of 11.
“My uncle has been the guy who has been by me the whole time.  His name is Gregory Burton but everyone knows him as “B-Bop”.  He has been my biggest motivator since day one.  When anyone has negative things to say, he is the one their and makes me push forward and stay strong.”
“Jerrell has a chance to be a special fighter,”said GH3 Promotions President, Vito Mielnicki.
“He had a great amateur career and he fits in with all of the quality fighters that we have signed from the Beltway are like Antoine Douglas, Jerry Odom and Glenn Dezurn.”

Harris will be making his GH3 debut on Friday, March 13 at the Space in Westbury, NY.

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Featherweight Glenn Dezurn Jr., undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Jr. Middleweight John Thompson, Jr. Lightweight Wanzell Ellison, Featherweight Jorge Diaz, undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad and Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell to the GH3 Promotions stable.

Weights from Mohegan Sun (Boxcino Jr. Middleweight Quarterfinals)



John Thompson replaces Cleotis Pendarvis in Boxcino Tournament 

Boxcino Quarterfinals

Ricardo Pinell 154 – John Thompson 154 1/4

Stanyslav Skorokhod 153 3/4 – Michael Moore 154 3/4

Brandon Adams 155 – Alex Perez 152 1/2

Vito Gasparyan 155 – Simeon Hardy 154 1/4

Thompson replaces Cleotis Pendarvis who could not make weight

Eddie Caminero 157 1/4 – Jimmy Williams 156 1/4
Khiary Gray-Pitts 164 1/4 – Rodrigo Almeida 172 1/2
Angel Martinez 132 1/4 – Oscar Bonilla 133

Photos by Shane Sims / Banner Promotions
Promoter:  Banner Promotions in association with Jimmy Burchfield’s CES Boxing
Venue:  Mohegan Sun:
Television: ESPN 2 (9PM)
1st Bell: 7:45 PM
Future contenders step into the national spotlight when the popular single-elimination boxing tournament, Boxcino 2015, makes its season debut, This Friday! February 13, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. Televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, (9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on ESPN2), the four quarterfinal junior middleweight division bouts will produce four winners who will then take a giant leap toward making it to the championship final round and its ultimate prize, the vacant NABA and NABO titles AND a Top-10 world rating by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Promoted by Banner Promotions and Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES), remaining tickets to the February 13 edition of Boxcino 2015, priced at $125, $65, $40 and $30, including facility fee, can be purchased via www.ticketmaster,com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets or in person at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.

The Official Weigh-In will take place on Thursday, February 12, in the Mohegan Sun’s Cabaret Theatre, beginning at 5 p.m. On Fight Night, Doors will open at 7 p.m. with the first bout beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The four quarterfinal heavyweight division bouts will be televised live on ESPN’sFriday Night Fights Next Friday! February 20, from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

Boxcino 2015 has been a great platform for the next generation of boxing champions and stars. The quarterfinal bouts will be six rounds, the semifinal bouts will be eight rounds and the championship bouts will be 10 rounds. This short piece from ESPN’s “Making The Rounds” will detail this week’s battles. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12302492

Last year’s Boxcino winner in the middleweight division, Willie Monroe Jr., has become a bona fide contender thanks to his victories in Boxcino 2014. He is currently world-rated No. 3 by the WBA, No. 7 by the WBO and No. 10 by the World Boxing Council (WBC). Boxcino 2014 lightweight champion Petr Petrov is currently world-rated No. 2 by the WBA and No. 7 by the WBO

Happy to make Artie Pelullo, or any of the fighters available to you by phone. The pairings for each division, fighter bios (don’t worry they’re brief) and all the participants’ Fight Fax records are available upon request.

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Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Also in 2013, Mohegan Sun won “Casino of The Year” in 2 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

MEDZHID BEKTEMIROV SIGNS CO-PROMOTIONAL CONTRACT WITH GARY SHAW AND LOU SAVARESE

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 12, 2015)Gary Shaw Productions and Savarese Promotions are thrilled to announce their union to promote one of the most talented up and coming prospects in the light heavyweight division, Medzhid Bektemirov (14-0, 11 KOs).  A devastating puncher with power in both hands, Bektemirov also possesses speed and quickness, making him one of the most talked about fighters in Russia.

 

Born in Makhachkala, Russia, Bektemirov, now resides in the USA, where he trains with Ronnie Shields at the “PLEX” in Stafford, Texas.  A hard worker who practically lives in the gym, Medzhid eats, sleeps and breathes boxing.

 

“I’m telling you right now, Medzhid Bektemirov is one of the most talented fighters I’ve seen in a while,” said Gary Shaw. “He has the rare combination of speed and power.  I’m talking destructive power coming from both hands.  His hooks are deadly and his fast feet are amazing.  I’m going to go out on a limb and say Bektemirov could be the next great fighter to come out of Russia.  I have the greatest amount of respect for Gennady Golovkin and Sergey Kovalev, both are great champions.   Golovkin is a very special fighter and if Bektemirov can reach his level, then we’ll have something special as well.  I believe Bektemirov will be looking to face Kovalev in the not so distant future.”

 

In only his 12th bout, Bektemirov captured the WBC United States (USNBC) light heavyweight title with a dominating performance against Randy Griffin (25-4-3, 13 KOs), winning a lopsided twelve-round unanimous decision.   Having gone twelve rounds in a professional bout already, Medzhid Bektemirov, has proven he can go the distance if need be.

 

“In 2015 Medzhid Bektemirov will make his presence known to everyone in the light-heavyweight division.”Lou Savarese stated. “This kid reminds me of Mike Tyson with his heavy hands and tremendous speed.  I’ve been in the ring with Tyson and I’m confident when I say Bektemirov reminds me a lot like Mike.  Gary and I are going to put tremendous amount promoting Medzhid.  He will become a household name very soon and we are gunning for that world title.”

 

“I feel very blessed to be promoted by Gary Shaw and Lou Savarese who have been in boxing for many years,” Medzhid Bektemirov said. “I’ve come a long way from Russia to pursue my dream of becoming a champion.  I love to fight and I get great enjoyment when I knockout my opponent.  In every bout, I’m always going to be looking to end the fight early.  The fans want to see knockouts and that is my specialty.”

THREE-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ABNER MARES TO FIGHT ON BLOCKBUSTER CARD IN “PBC ON NBC” DEBUT LIVE IN PRIMETIME ON SATURDAY, MARCH 7

Mares To Face Arturo Santos Reyes From The MGM Grand Garden Arena In Las Vegas

 

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 12, 2015) – Former three-division world champion Abner Mares (28-1-1, 15 KOs) returns to the ring to face 2008 Mexican Olympian Arturo Santos Reyes (18-4, 5 KOs) on Saturday, March 7 live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in the primetime debut of the Premier Boxing Champions series on NBC and NBCSN.

 

The fight is part of the blockbuster card promoted by Goossen Promotions featuring Keith Thurman vs. Robert Guerrero and Adrien Broner vs. John Molina, Jr. that will air live on NBC (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT).

 

The Mares-Reyes bout will be televised live on Saturday, March 7, on the NBC show (8:30 – 11 p.m. ET) or on the NBCSN telecast (11 p.m. ET).

 

Marv Albert will call the fights in primetime on NBC alongside analyst “Sugar” Ray Leonard, the six-time world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist. Al Michaels will host.

 

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to fight in Las Vegas on March 7,” said Mares. “This is a fantastic card that is great for me and great for the sport of boxing.  I look forward to putting on a show for the fans and winning impressively.”

 

“It’s a big honor to get this fight against Abner Mares and to be fighting at MGM Grand in Las Vegas,” said Reyes. “Mares is a great fighter. I know what he brings to the table. But I’m going to give it my all on March 7 and shock the boxing world.”

 

The 29-year-old Mares looks to stay at the top of the featherweight division when he steps into the ring on March 7. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of Downey, Calif., Mares first tasted world championship gold in 2011 when he beat Joseph Agbeko to win the bantamweight world title. He continued his rise up the pound-for-pound list with wins over Anselmo Moreno and Daniel Ponce De Leon to win world titles at super bantamweight and featherweight respectively. He suffered his only defeat in a shocking loss to Jhonny Gonzalez but has rebounded nicely with back-to-back wins and now looks to return to the top of the sport.

 

An accomplished amateur from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Reyes makes his U.S. debut on March 7 with a chance to immediately make a name for himself stateside.  The 29-year-old was a silver medalist at the Junior World Championships in 2004 and he would go on to represent his country at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Reyes turned pro in 2009 and racked up victories in his first five outings. Fighting almost exclusively in Mexico, he defeated Khabir Suleymanov in 2012 for the super bantamweight title. Most recently Reyes went on the road and lost to Simpiwe Vetyeka in his native South Africa for the vacant international featherweight title. He returns to the ring looking to make an immediate impact in his U.S. debut.

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now.  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,  www.nbcsports.com/boxing and www.goossenpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @KeithFThurmanJr, @GhostBoxing, @AdrienBroner, @JohnMolinaJr135, @abnermares, @NBCSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/NBCSports.