boxing

2020 Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame Announcement Ceremony Photos

March 15, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

*Photos by Anthony Saldana / NVBHOF*

**LAS VEGAS, NV (March 10, 2020)** – The **Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame** announced its 2020 class of inductees today at the **Fernando Vargas Fighting Foundation** in Las Vegas. Inductees in attendance were, 2-Time World Champion **Fernando Vargas**, 2-Time World Champion, **Bones Adams,** WBC Lightweight Champion, **Devin Haney**, who was voted Fighter of the Year, Prospect of the Year, **Rolando Romero**, and **Saalim Gonzales**, father of Amateur Fighter of the Year, **Rahim Gonzales.** The group was introduced by NVBHOF founder, Rich Morrata, and President **Michelle Corrales**.

The 8th Annual Induction Weekend takes place at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 7th & 8th, 2020. For more information please visitwww.nvbhof.com

**The 2020 Induction Class includes**

***Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas (26-5, 22 KO’s)***
***Clarence “Bones” Adams (44-7-4, 20 KOs)***
***Andre “SOG” Ward (32-0, 16 KOs)***
***James “Lights Out” Toney (77-10-3, 47 KOs)***
***Miguel Cotto (41-6, 33 KOs)***
***Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson (44-5-1, 28 KOs)***
***Julian “The Hawk” Jackson (55-6, 49 KOs)***
***Azumah “The Professor” Nelson (39-6-2, 28 KOs)***
***Danny “Little Red” Lopez (42-6, 39 KOs)***
***Jose Luis Castillo (66-13-1, 57 KOs)***

**Non-Boxer Inductees includes**

***Carlos Padilla***
***Lorenzo Fertitta***
***Sammy Macias***
***Jose Sulaiman***

**2019 Fighter of the Year**
**Devin Haney (24-0, 14 KO’s)**

**2019 Prospect of the Year**
**Rolando “Rolly” Romero (11-0, 10 KOs)**

**2019 Amateur of the Year**
**Rahim Gonzales**

***For more information about the event and Sponsorship Opportunities, Please Contact:***

Chief Executive Officer Michelle Corrales-Lewis

***Phone:*** 702-3-NVBHOF (702-368-2463) ***Email:*** michelle@nvbhof.com

mixed martial arts, MMA

AARON LACEY RETURNING TO THE CAGE AT NEF 43 IN ORONO, MAINE

March 15, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Orono, Maine (March 11, 2020) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine’s flagship Orono campus. The event, titled “NEF 43: Rampage,” will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2020, with a bell-time of 7 pm EDT. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional featherweight bout to the card. Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (6-2) is scheduled to meet “Yours Truly” Chris Herd (2-3) at a fight weight of 145 pounds.

It will have been 19 months since the last time Aaron Lacey stepped in the NEF cage as a competitor. Lacey defeated veteran Jon Lemke (7-9) in the main event of “NEF 35” in September 2018. He has not fought since due to an injury suffered later that fall. A former NEF Amateur Featherweight Champion, Lacey started his professional career a perfect 4-0 before going 2-2 in his last four bouts. He will look to make his comeback a successful one on April 18. Lacey represents Young’s MMA based in nearby Bangor, Maine.

“I’m so super excited to be getting back into my happy place,” exclaimed Aaron Lacey. “Matt (Peterson, NEF co-owner and matchmaker) worked really hard to get me a fight on this card, and I am beyond grateful! April 18^th ‘Relentless’ returns!”

Lacey’s opponent, Chris Herd, will make the 1,000-mile trip from his home in Wilmington, North Carolina for the fight. Herd had a stellar amateur career, going 5-0 with four knockouts and one submission and capturing a regional championship along the way. Both of his wins as a professional have been first-round finishes with one a technical knockout and the other a submission. Herd currently represents Brunson’s MMA & Fitness based in Wilmington, North Carolina.

“No man can touch me without my permission,” said Herd when reached for comment. “This fight will go where I want it, and I will finish it at will.”

New England Fights’ next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 43: Rampage,” will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2020, at the Collins Center for the Arts at UMaine Orono. Tickets are on sale now at www.CollinsCenterfortheArts.com.

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Bare Knuckle Boxing

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to Utilize Real Time Scoring at BKFC 11 in Wichita, Kansas this Saturday, March 14

March 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March 10, 2020

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) will utilize the revolutionary new Real Time Scoring, as offered by the Kansas Athletic Commission, at BKFC 11: Hernandez vs. Wilson, this Saturday, March 14, at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. In doing so, BKFC will become the second promotion ever in Kansas, and the first bare knuckle promotion to employ the system which immediately allows fighters, their corners, and fans to know the judges’ round by round scores.

“BKFC 11” will be broadcast across the United States and Canada, exclusively on pay-per-view (9 pm ET/6 pm PT) through MultiVision Media, Inc., on all major television distribution outlets for $29.99. It will also be available to BKFC’s international broadcast partners worldwide and via stream to all in-home and out-of-home connected devices through FITE.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased online atwww.selectaseat.com, by phone at 855-733-SEAT (7328) and in-person at the Select-A-Seat Box Office at INTRUST Bank Arena.

“I was very intrigued when I learned that the Kansas Athletic Commission was going to start offering on March 1 all fight promoters with events in their state the option of using Real Time Scoring, but I wanted to see it in use first before I made a decision about BKFC 11,” said BKFC founder and president David Feldman. “After seeing it executed flawlessly by the Kansas Commission at last Friday’s Invicta MMA event, coupled with the overwhelmingly positive response following that show from fighters and fight fans, I knew that this was absolutely the right way to go for BKFC.”

Real Time Scoring, also known as open scoring, is currently offered exclusively in North America by the Kansas Athletic Commission. Variations of this system have been used by the World Boxing Council and in Glory Kickboxing.

“After partnering with Shannon Knapp and Invicta Fighting Championships to utilize Real Time Scoring last Friday, we received nothing but positive feedback from the fighters and their camps,” said Kansas Athletic Commission Executive Director Adam Roorbach. “While absolutely not mandatory, Real Time Scoring is available to all fight promoters and promotions in the State of Kansas. We are proud to be hosting BKFC 11, and look forward to having them utilize this system.”

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT ADDED TO NEF 43 CARD IN ORONO, MAINE

March 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Orono, Maine (March 10, 2020) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine’s flagship Orono campus. The event, titled “NEF 43: Rampage,” will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2020, with a bell-time of 7 pm EDT. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional featherweight bout to the card. Carl Langston (0-5) is scheduled to meet Aaron “Short Fuse” Hughes (0-0) at a fight weight of 145 pounds.

Carl Langston comes into the fight looking for the first win that has eluded him thus far in his professional career. Last month, Langston took on Jacob Deppmeyer (1-0) in Portland, Maine at “NEF 42,” losing via first-round technical knockout. It was his first fight back with the promotion since losing his pro debut in April 2018. Langston, a lifelong practitioner of Taekwondo, currently represents Young’s MMA based in nearby Bangor, Maine.

“It’s been hard getting fights altogether, but even more so in my home state,” noted Langston. “So, with this last lost I didn’t think I was going to get another fight for a bit. I got in my own head and said I wanted to stop fighting for a bit, but when I got the call three weeks after the loss, I couldn’t say no. This is something I need, back-to-back fights. I just have to show up like I show up in the gym and I’ll get my hand raised without a doubt.”

Aaron Hughes will make both his professional and promotional debuts with NEF. He has had a very active amateur career since his debut in 2015, putting together a record of 4-6 while competing on fight cards in his home state of Massachusetts. Hughes represents Regiment Training Center of Fall River, Massachusetts where he trains alongside the likes of current UFC star and former NEF Professional Cruiserweight Champion Yorgan De Castro (6-0).

“I’m really excited to take the trip to Maine to make my professional debut,” said Hughes when reached for comment. “My opponent is skilled, but I’m coming to put on a show, and he’s just a man in the way of my dreams to the UFC. Thank you to NEF for having me out.”

About New England Fights

boxing, ShoBox, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

SHOBOX ALUMNI TIMOTHY BRADLEY JR., DEVIN HANEY AND JARON ENNIS RAVE ABOUT RISING PROSPECT BRANDUN LEE AHEAD OF HIS SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION MAIN EVENT THIS FRIDAY

March 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

***DAY IN CAMP: Brandun Lee Is Now Available: Click*** ***HERE*** ***To Watch***

NEW YORK – March 10, 2020 – Rising 140-pound knockout artist Brandun Lee has a growing reputation within the sport of boxing and can count three accomplished and decorated pros among those who believe he is destined for the very top. Former two-division champion Timothy Bradley, Jr., lightweight champion in recess Devin Haney, and top welterweight prospect Jaron Ennis have seen Lee up close and believe he will soon be a household name among boxing fans.

The undefeated super lightweight Lee (18-0, 16 KOs), who was the subject of the latest installment of SHOWTIME Sports’ *DAY IN CAMP* digital video franchise, will headline his first ShoBox: The New Generation when he takes on Camilo Prieto (15-2, 10 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight bout on Friday, March 13 live on SHOWTIME
(10 ET/PT) from the Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minn.

“*DAY IN CAMP: Brandun Lee,”* a 15-minute special video feature, captures Lee’s family-first mentality, emphasis on the importance of education and hunger for success inside the ring. Viewers are taken through a typical day during Lee’s training camp, which includes sparring, college coursework, cooking, a grueling nighttime workout and a FaceTime call with friend and fellow *ShoBox* fighter Jaron Ennis. Available for viewing HERE:https://youtu.be/Ow04RVwkpx8

“Brandun is a beast,” said Ennis, who has fought on SHOWTIME in four of his last five fights. “He’s a phenomenal fighter and he’s going to put on a show Friday night. I think he’ll be able to show boxing fans all his skills. He’s a monster. Him being a calm and relaxed fighter sets him apart. He’s really smart as well and has great ring IQ, but you can’t forget about his power because he has the ability to end fights early.”

Bradley and Haney, who are among the list of the 81 fighters who have appeared on *ShoBox* and advanced to garner world titles, have both sparred with Lee and are amazed by the bright prospect’s talent.

Bradley, who appeared on *ShoBox* four times between 2006-08, including a split-decision over Junior Witter to win the WBC Super Lightweight Championship, recalls sparring with a 14-year-old Lee ahead of Bradley’s fight with Juan Manuel Marquez for the WBO Welterweight Title in 2013. Bradley’s trainer, Joel Diaz, wanted to replicate Marquez’s counterpunching ability and believed Lee’s hand speed and counterpunching were credible.

“Lee and I sparred four complete rounds and, boy, was I impressed with his ring IQ, speed, timing and movement,” said Bradley. “For a young man with no pro experience, he was able to hold his own. Brandun is from my area so I follow him from afar and I really admire his game. He’s undefeated and that’s not surprising at all. I believe Lee has the goods to become a world champion and at this point he is still gaining experience and momentum towards his dream.

“There are still questions that need to be answered by Lee. How will he respond if he is ever knocked down? How will he do against someone just like himself; someone undefeated, stern and just as hungry? It’s going to be fun to watch him as he continues his journey. He has the skill to rise to the top but we all know it takes more than just skills. He’s on the right course and I back him 110 percent.”

Haney, who headlined on the prospect development series on three different occasions, went on to win a world title at the age of 20 and believes Lee has the potential to move up the ranks quite quickly as well.

“If you haven’t heard of Brandun Lee, you will very soon,” said Haney, now 21 years old. “He has the talent and power to make some real noise in the welterweight division. I sparred him before and trust me, he’s a real dog. I’m looking forward to watching on March 13 and I expect my guy to put on a hell of a performance on *ShoBox: The New Generation*.”

Lee has also sparred with Oxnard, Calif.’s Mikey Garcia, who has fought on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING six times, and Mauricio Herrera, who lost a close decision to then-unified champion Danny Garcia on SHOWTIME in 2014.

Friday’s four-fight *ShoBox* telecast includes five boxers who have yet to taste defeat with a total record of 107 wins to just four defeats and two draws. In the co-featured bout, undefeated Brian Norman Jr. (16-0, 14 KOs) puts his perfect record on the line as he takes on Flavio Rodriguez (9-1-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight matchup. Undefeated Alejandro Guerrero (11-0, 9 KOs) meets Jose Angulo (12-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight scrap while yet another unbeaten fighter Aram Avagyan (9-0-1, 4 KOs) takes on fellow undefeated Dagoberto Aguero (17-0, 11 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight fight.

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with D&D Boxing and Rapacz Boxing, are priced at $75 Ringside, $50 Reserved, $25 General Admission, and $62.50 Table Seating (two-ticket minimum), and are on sale now at ticketmaster.com or the Grand Casino Hinckley Box Office.

# # #

For more information visit **www.sho.com/sports** follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at **www.Facebook.com/SHOSports**

boxing

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.

March 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

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

**TICKETS ON SALE NOW**

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:

charity, mixed martial arts

CONOR MCGREGOR’S PROPER No. TWELVE IRISH WHISKEY TO DONATE $1.3 MILLION TO FIRST RESPONDERS: $1 Million to Tunnel to Towers Foundation in America

March 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

IRELAND, March 10, 2020 – Eire Born Spirits, the parent company of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, and the founding team of multiple weight MMA champion Conor McGregor, Audie Attar and business entrepreneur Ken Austin are pleased to announce that Proper No. Twelve will be donating $1.3 million dollars to first responder organizations around the world.

During Proper No. Twelve’s launch in late 2018, founder McGregor and his partners pledged that the whiskey company would donate $5 for every case of Proper No. Twelve sold until donations reached $1 million annually to first responder organizations around the world. Thanks to the tremendous love and support for the brand as well as the high-quality liquid, Proper No. Twelve has become a bartender and consumer favourite, setting sales records for the industry. Proper No. Twelve has sold approximately 200,000 9-liter cases in America and, based on the $5 per case donation the company will donate $1 million dollars in the United States.

The company is proud to announce it has selected the New York-headquartered **Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation** to receive this $1 million donation for the United States. The donation will go towards paying off the mortgages for families of law enforcement officers and firefighters across the country, who were killed in the line of duty and left behind young children. Tunnel to Towers has a score of 100 for Accountability & Transparency on Charity Navigator. Additional donations will be announced in March and April for first responder organizations in Ireland, Canada, the UK, Australia, Russia, Poland and South Africa.

Conor McGregor stated, “I am so grateful to the hardworking team at Proper No. Twelve, our distributors, retailers and pub owners along with the millions of whiskey fans that have embraced the brand generating record sales. These sales enable us to make our first significant donation to such deserving families. First responders around the world are the true-life heroes. They are the ones running into emergency situations. This has been a dream of ours since we started the business. Ken, Audie and I had bold ideas for the brand, and sales have surpassed all of our projections! We are so proud to partner with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to honour these proper heroes. The foundation’s goal is to ensure stability and security for these families facing sudden tragic loss. I hope to inspire my fans and all Proper Twelve drinkers to join me and support this worthwhile cause.”

In addition to the donation to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, McGregor has recorded PSAs (public service announcements) to encourage others to donate $11 per month to the foundation. These spots, one of which can be viewed here, will air throughout the United States on television.

Ken Austin, co-founder of Proper No. Twelve said, “When we began the vetting process on where to give, we saw the fundraising commercials that Tunnel to Towers was playing on TV. My wife grew up in The Rockaways in Queens, New York. Many first responders live in that area and many lost their lives on 9-11, just as Stephen Siller did. Conor said let’s donate the million dollars to Tunnel to Towers, but we need to do more. And through the TV spots with Conor, the hope is that many will donate and we can help raise many millions for the foundation and these families.”

“We are overjoyed to receive the donation from Conor McGregor and his team,” said Tunnel to Towers Foundation Chairman and CEO Frank Siller. “We did not solicit their support – they approached us and have been nothing but generous, dedicated partners. Conor’s commitment to first responder families can serve as a role model for others. We are extremely grateful, and I know which whiskey we will be drinking this Paddy’s Day and beyond.”

**# # #**

Link to PSA is below.

https://drive.google.com/file/
d/1PsjouVK1-RNkeUtW5qQtpkfwKB6DtgvC/view

**About the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation**
The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s mission is to honor the sacrifice of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. To date, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has spent over $250 million to honor and support our first responders and veterans and their families. For more about the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, please visit tunnel2towers.org.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation (EIN: 02-0554654) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more about the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, please visit tunnel2towers.org. You can request a copy of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s most recently filed financial report from the Charities Bureau Registry on the New York Attorney General’s website (www.charitiesnys.com) or by contacting: Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306; or New York State Attorney General Department of Law, Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005. Information on New York charitable organizations can be found on the New York Attorney General’s website (www.charitiesnys.com) or by contacting (212) 416-8401.

**About Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey**

Numerous Irish whiskey makers sought McGregor’s endorsement over the years, but as a true born and bred Irishman, he did not want to simply endorse an Irish whiskey. Inspired by his pride for Ireland and his love of Irish whiskey, McGregor wanted to create his own whiskey that would match his high standards and make his country proud. McGregor, his manager Audie Attar and entrepreneur Ken Austin developed the brand under the project name “Notorious” through which came the foundation of what was to eventually become Proper No. Twelve. It became a longer and more complicated project than originally expected, so McGregor turned to a distillery with a proven history of quality whiskey making. He met David Elder, esteemed master distiller, previously of Guinness, and together they took painstaking measures to bring the whiskey to fruition. “We created close to one hundred blends and ultimately selected what we knew was the one and only proper whiskey blend. We took the time to develop an incredible whiskey, and I’m excited to share it with the world,” said McGregor. Visit www.properwhiskey.com and follow on Instagram and twitter @properwhiskey.

boxing

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

March 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

***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

**Tickets on Sale Now!**

**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 10^th 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 10^th-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

March 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

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.

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, Paramount Network

FULL FIGHT CARD AND BROADCAST DETAILS FOR THIS FRIDAY’S BELLATOR 241: PITBULL VS. CARVALHO EVENT AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA – LIVE ON DAZN

March 10, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

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

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