boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

UNBEATEN REYMART GABALLO SCORES CONTROVERSIAL SPLIT-DECISION VICTORY OVER FORMER WORLD CHAMPION EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ IN SHOWTIME® MAIN EVENT SATURDAY NIGHT

December 20, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

**Jaron Ennis vs. Chris van Heerden Declared No Decision After Accidental Headbutt; Gary Antonio Russell Scores Technical Decision Victory Over Juan Carlos Payano**

**Click** **HERE** **for Photos from Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME**
*(Photos will be uploaded shortly)*

**UNCASVILLE, Conn.** – December 20, 2020 – Undefeated bantamweight **Reymart Gaballo** scored a controversial split-decision victory over former world champion **Emmanuel Rodriguez** in the main event of Saturday night’s *SHOWTIMEBOXING: SPECIAL EDITION* from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions. With the victory, Gaballo picked up the vacant interim WBC Bantamweight Title.

Saturday’s headliner in the last SHOWTIME BOXING event of 2020 was competitive from the opening bell. In only three of the twelve rounds were Rodriguez and Gaballo separated by more than three landed punches. Overall, Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs) threw 148 more punches than Rodriguez (19-2, 12 KOs), but still managed to connect on 16 fewer power punches. The punches of the 28-year-old Rodriguez seemed to be cleaner, as he wobbled the Filipino Gaballo on more than one occasion. However, two of the judges favored Gaballo’s aggression over Rodriguez’s ring generalship.

SHOWTIME’s unofficial scorer Steve Farhood scored the fight 118-110 in favor of Rodriguez and SHOWTIME analyst and former world champion Raul Marquez was dismayed by the judges’ decision.

“There’s no way Gaballo could have won that fight,” said Marquez. “In the worst-case scenario, you could have maybe given him three rounds. I gave him no rounds.”

“I am very happy and blessed to win this belt,” said the 24-year-old Gaballo. “I was always moving forward and controlling the pace, so I thought it was a close fight that either of us could have won.

“I’m waiting for my team to tell me what they have planned for me next. I’m going to keep training hard so I’m always ready for the opportunity when it comes.”

“It was a good fight, but he only won about two or three rounds,” said Rodriguez. “There were two punches from me for every punch he landed. He knows he lost. Everyone knows we won. My team told me to go out and keep boxing him in the late rounds. We knew he needed a knockout in the twelfth round. That was his only chance to win.”

In the co-main event, Philadelphia’s undefeated welterweight sensation **Jaron Ennis** (26-0, 24 KOs) saw his impressive 16-fight knockout streak come to a disappointing end after an accidental headbutt in the first round caused a brutal cut to the forehead of his opponent, **Chris van Heerden** (28-2-1, 12 KOs). Watch the clash of heads HERE: https://twitter.com/ShowtimeBoxing/status/1340495823474442240

With only two minutes and thirty-nine seconds inside the ring to showcase his skills, Ennis was still able to flash glimpses of his championship potential as he landed 22 of 57 punches, 19 of them power shots as he appeared destined to stop the South African van Heerden and keep his KO streak alive before the clash of heads.

“Before the headbutt I had already cut him and I felt strong,” said a disappointed Ennis. “I knew he was ready to go. I feel like I’m getting better and better. Now I’ll just get back in the gym. As you could see from the first round, I was handling him easily. I feel like everyone is still sleeping on me, but I’m ready for anyone. Bring on the big names.”

In the telecast opener, bantamweight contender **Gary Antonio Russell** (18-0, 12 KOs) kept his unblemished record intact with a technical decision victory over former world champion **Juan Carlos Payano** (21-5, 9 KOs). After an accidental headbutt caused a bad cut to the left brow of Payano, referee David Fields stopped the fight after the sixth round at the advice of the ringside physician. The fight went to the scorecards, where Russell led on all three cards (58-56, 59-55, 59-55).

Before the injury, Russell and Payano were engaged in a scrappy brawl that saw multiple exchanges of power punches. In the closing seconds of the sixth, and ultimately final round, Russell caught Payano with a counter-shot that hurt Payano. Russell landed 86 of 243 punches while Payano landed just 58 of 268 punches. Russell flashed excellent body work throughout the fight, out landing Payano 40 to 17 on body shots.

In SHOWTIME BOXING Prelims action that streamed live on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page, highly regarded 21-year-old prospect Brandun Lee (21-0, 19 KOs) extended his knockout streak to 13 with a third-round stoppage of Dakota Linger (12-5-2, 8 KOs) and Benjamin Whitaker (15-4, 3 KOs) scored a majority decision victory (76-76, 77-75, 79-73) over previously unbeaten prospect Zsolt Daranyi (15-1, 14 KOs).

Saturday’s *SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION* telecast will replay on Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

An industry leading production team and announce crew delivered all the sights, sounds and drama from Mohegan Sun Arena. Veteran broadcaster Brian Custer hosted the telecast. Versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo called the action ringside alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez providing expert analysis. Two Hall of Famers rounded out the SHOWTIME telecast team – unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The telecast was available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) with former world champion Raul Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna calling the action. The Executive Producer was David Dinkins, Jr., the Producer was Ray Smaltz and the Director was Chuck McKean.

The event was promoted by TGB Promotions. Rodríguez vs. Gaballo was promoted in association with Warriors Boxing and Fresh Productions. Ennis vs. Van Heerden was promoted in association with D&D Boxing.

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LOGAN PAUL JOINS BRENDAN SCHAUB’S FOOD TRUCK DIARIES TO DISCUSS UPCOMING FLOYD MAYWEATHER BOUT AND POTENTIAL FIGHT AGAINST HIS BROTHER JAKE

December 20, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

“I think it’s inevitable,” – Logan Paul on potential fight against his brother, Jake

Watch Full FOOD TRUCK DIARIES Interview HERE

WHAT: YouTube sensation turned professional boxer Logan Paul joins this week’s FOOD TRUCK DIARIES, a segment under SHOWTIME Sports’ digital talk show and podcast series BELOW THE BELT WITH BRENDAN SCHAUB to preview his highly touted February 2021 boxing exhibition against all-time great Floyd Mayweather.

Paul details to Schaub how the Mayweather bout came to fruition, explains where his love and passion for boxing came from and speculates on a potential clash with his brother and fellow pro boxer Jake Paul, who scored a viral sensation over former NBA star Nate Robinson last month.

Following are excerpts from the episode:

On how the fight with Floyd Mayweather came about…

Paul – “I signed [the contract] and then after just months and months going back and forth, figuring out dates – we had three different dates – and how to announce it and just the strategy behind it. It finally came to fruition and this event that supersedes everything I’ve ever done in my life, finally solidified.”

On his boxing skills and last fight against KSI…

Paul – “I think we surprise a lot of people. It’s what I’ve done my whole life. I’ve just exceeded expectations and I don’t think there’s anything online that’s representative of how good I am or the level at which I’m operating at this point in my life when it comes to boxing. I think my last fight wasn’t indicative in the slightest. I remember after it happened, bro, the bell rang at the sixth round and I had half a tank left…Something just didn’t click that day…A year later, after an ‘L’, you secure a fight with the biggest fighter on the planet. It never really felt like a loss.”

On the rules of the Mayweather bout…

Paul – “I don’t think there’s a weight as of now. If they make me drop weight I’ll be pissed. I’ll make a thing about it. I’ll f***ing complain about it and sh*t. That’s the thing, right? The greatest boxer of all time faces the young behemoth. I’m going in there and I’m towering over this dude and that’s what makes it exciting. It’s David vs. Goliath.”

On a potential fight with his brother, Jake…

Paul – “My dad does not want us to do that. If you want my opinion, I think it’s inevitable. I think Jake and I in two to four years’ time are going to be beating the sh*t out of each other in a ring and I think it’ll be one of the most historical sporting events to take place ever.”

BELOW THE BELT explores the intersection of combat sports and pop culture through the eyes of former fighter, comedian and red carpet host Brendan Schaub. The program discusses the latest news in combat sports and pop culture, with Schaub delivering candid thoughts in his unique and unfiltered style. Below the Belt features interviews with the biggest names in combat sports and entertainment, road trips, fight camp visits, sketches, animation and pop-culture spoofs.

boxing

Undefeated lightweight prospect Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz No longer best kept secret after Tyson-Jones, Jr. PPV show performance

December 20, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

WORCESTER, Mass. (December 14, 2020) – Prior to his sensational performance on the recent Mike Tyson-Roy Jones, Jr. pay-per-view event, undefeated lightweight prospect Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz was boxing’s best kept secret. No more, though, as Ortiz firmly established himself as a rising star in front of countless fans among the 1.6 million PPV buys.

Ortiz flew from Boston to Los Angeles on Thanksgiving. He was driven to his hotel, where he immediately saw Jones, checked his weight, and walked to Staples Center. “I was comfortable from the start,” said the young fighter who was fighting for the first time as a professional outside of New England. “I was there to get the job done. I was on a mission. I walk to see the Staples Center and that was cool. I later took my run around the Staples Center and there were a lot of statues. It was beautiful. It was cool seeing the Lakers locker-room.”

The 24-year-old Ortiz (14-0, 8 KOs), the reigning World Boxing Youth World champion, knocked out Sulaiman Segawa (13-3-1, 4 KOs) with a bruising body attack, hurting his opponent in the sixth round, and closing the show in spectacular fashion in the seventh for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) USNBC (U.S) Silver lightweight title. Segawa had never been stopped before as a professional.

Ortiz displayed his overall arsenal: stiff jab, lightning quick hands and feet, switching back and forth effortlessly from orthodox to southpaw stances, punishing hooks up and down, and the most lethal body shots seen from a New Englander since “Irish” Micky Ward.

“I was calm and cool before the fight,” Ortiz added. “I like to go into a fight, mentally, like it was a sparring session and I always do good. I started out in an orthodox stance, established my jab and used it a lot. I think I should have used it more and could have beaten him with it. I listened to my coach (Rocky Gonzalez) and he told me when to switch. Body punching is the No. 1 thing with Rocky. I may not have shown it nearly as much in other fights, but he drills that into me all the time. In the sixth round, he told me to go more to the body, not looking to catch him, and in the seventh I really hurt him to the body.

“Segawa was definitely tough. He had beaten a lot of guys, including a few he upset. Every fight is a stepping-stone and I’m my worst critic. I felt that I could have knocked him out in the second round, but I didn’t want to go off the game plan

Ortiz set-up Segawa from the opening bell, broke him down, and finished the show in grand style as Seqawa was hurt and trapped on the ropes, drawing kudos from highly respected people in the industry such as “Sugar” Ray Leonard, Teddy Atlas, and others. Ortiz’ fanbase grew exponentially as boxing fans rushed to sign up to follow Jamaine during and after his breakout fight.

“Once people saw me perform and my style,” Ortiz continued, “they liked me. I could have shown more and thrown more combinations. I really needed to fight in front of the world. I got 5,500 new Instagram flowers that night. I guess, I’m no longer the best kept secret in boxing.”

“Our main goal is to win a world title,” Gonzalez commented. “This was fun and a great opportunity, but the motivation to be world champion is stronger. He dealt with this fight as just another fight, and he followed our game plan.

“His body shots set up the ending. I’m always telling him about Micky Ward’s body shots. You know, boxing is a dance, a salsa. Boxers need to dance; I don’t think they should just be orthodox. They all need to fight the other way and when Jamaine switched stances in the third, he never let up. I’ve trained him hard. I’m always on him and what better way to shut me up than ending it like he did on pay per view? It was a drop the microphone moment!”

Ortiz is promoted by Jimmy Burchfield (Classic Entertainment and Sports) and advised by Richard Shappy and Eddie Imondi.

Because of the uncertainty in boxing due to the pandemic, Ortiz’ 2021 schedule is unknown, but he isn’t boxing’s best kept secret anymore, “The Technician” is a bonafide rising star.

boxing

Undefeated Lester Martinez captures WBC Latino super middleweight title

December 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

RJJ Boxing

OFFICIAL RESULTS

SAN CARLOS, Mexico (December 10, 2020) – Rising star Lester Martinez kept his perfect record intact last night, stopping Uriel “Big Bang” Gonzalez (18-7-1, 14 KOs) at the end of the opening round, in the main event on an RJJ Boxing card at Maninaterra Hotel & Spa Event Center in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico.

The final 2020 installment of RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®, presented by Roy Jones, Jr. Boxing Promotions and De La O Promotions, will be held this evening at the same venue.

All the action was streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS^®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, as will tonight’s RJJ Boxing starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

The 25-year-old Martinez extended his perfect pro record to 7-0, all ending in stoppages, and the heavy-handed Guatemalan captured the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Latino super middleweight championship. Martinez ripped Gonzalez from the opening bell, dropping him late in the opening round, and even though Gonzalez beat the count, the referee had seen enough, and he halted the action.

In the co-featured event, Mexican featherweight Eddy “Dinamita” Valencia (16-5-6, 5 KOs) defeated Pablo “The Lethal Mosquito” Cruz (20-3, 6 KOs), of Houston, by way of an 8-round unanimous decision.

Six-time Mexican National amateur champion, featherweight Alan “Cachoro” Solis (12-0-1, 7 KOs), remained unbeaten by knocking out Abelardo “Bolillo” Sanchez (7-2-2, 4 KOs) in the seventh round.

Former Cuban amateur star Ariel Perez “La Maquina” De La Torre (4-0, 4 KOs), fighting out of Guatemala, pounded Mexican super bantamweight from start to finish, which came in the sixth round by technical knockout.

Complete results below:

MAIN EVENT – VACANT WBC LATINO SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Lester Martinez (7-0, 7 KOs), Guatemala City, Guatemala

WTKO1 (3:00)

Uriel Gonzalez (18-7-1, 14 KOs), Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México

(Martinez won WBC Latino super middleweight title)

CO-FEATURE – FEATHERWEIGHTS

Eddy Valencia (16-5-6, 5 KOs), Culiacán, Sinaloa, México

WDEC8 (79-73, 78-74, 77-75)

Pablo Cruz (20-3, 6 KOs), Houston, Texas, USA

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Alan Solis (12-0-1, 7 KOs), Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México

WTKO7

Abelardo Sanchez (7-2-2, 4 KOs), Los Mochis, México

SUPER BANTAMWEIGHTS

Ariel Perez De La Torre (4-0, 4 KOs), Camagüey, Cuba by way of Guatemala

WTKO6

Isaac Buitimea (9-7, 4 KOs), Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México

INFORMATION:

Websites: http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com, www.ufcfightpass.com

Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre

Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial

Instagram: @iKONFightingFederation, @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing. RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years. Creating exhilarating content for UFC Fight Pass, CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.

Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable: NABF super flyweight champion, WBC #15, WBA #14 and IBF #7 Jade “Hurricane” Bornea (15-0, 10 KOs), two-time world title challenger WBO #11 bantamweight “Mighty” Aston Palicte (26-4-1, 22 KOs), former NABA welterweight champion Kendo ‘Tremendo” Castaneda (17-2, 8 KOs), former Interim World middleweight title challenger John “The Phenom” Vera (19-1 (1 KO), NABF, WBC FECARBOX & WBC U.S. welterweight champion, WBC #14 and Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (22-0, 17 KOs), undefeated middleweight prospect Connor “Kid” Coyle (12-0, 5 KOs), undefeated super middleweight prospect Juan “Just Business” Barajas (11-0, 7 KOs), and former WBC World Youth heavyweight Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-2-1, 16 KOs).

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS^®: UFC FIGHT PASS^® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.