boxing, Fox, Premier Boxing Champions

Stacked Lineup of Undercard Attractions Enter the Ring Saturday, December 21 in Premier Boxing Champions Event Headlined by Tony Harrison vs. Jermell Charlo Rematch from Toyota Arena in Ontario, California

December 20, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

**Featuring Andre Dirrell & 2016 Lithuanian Olympian Eimantas Stanionis in Separate Bouts & More!**

**ONTARIO, Calif.** (December 17, 2019) – A jam-packed lineup of undercard attractions will give fans excitement from beginning to end on Saturday, December 21 as part of the Premier Boxing Champions event headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between WBC Super Welterweight Champion **Tony Harrison** and former champion **Jermell Charlo** all from Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.

The Harrison vs. Charlo rematch serves as the main event of FOX PBC Fight night beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Preceding the fights on FOX, FS1 PBC Fight Night will feature a tripleheader of action beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and headlined by top middleweight contender **Hugo Centeno Jr.** battling **Juan Macías Montiel**.

Non-televised undercard attractions will feature **Andre Dirrell** in a 10-round super middleweight bout against the Dominican Republic’s **Juan Ubaldo Cabrera** and2016 Lithuanian Olympian **Eimantas Stanionis** in a welterweight fight against the Dominican Republic’s **Julio César Sanchez.**

The action will also see Detroit prospect **Anthony Flagg** (4-0, 3 KOs) battling Tyler, Texas-native **Jamarcus Warren** (2-1-1, 1 KO) in a six-round super middleweight affair, Dallas heavyweight **Adrian Taylor** (10-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round fight against Tijuana, Mexico’s **German Pérez** (11-6-3, 3 KOs) and Russian prospect **Petr Khamukov** (4-0, 1 KO) taking on Massachusetts native **Maceo Crowder** (2-3, 1 KO) in a six-round middleweight bout.

Bantamweight **José Balderas** (8-0, 2 KOs), the brother of Karlos Balderas, will battle in a six round match.

Rounding out the lineup is undefeated super lightweight prospect **Justin Cardona** in a four-round fight against Liberia’s **Archie Weah**, Glendale, California’s **Yovani Rodarte** battling Mexico’s **Eduardo Reyes** in a six-round lightweight affair and unbeaten Oak Hills, California native **Jerry Pérez** in a six-round featherweight affair against New Jersey’s **Tyrone Luckey**.

An accomplished veteran contender in the 168-pound division, Dirrell (33-2-1, 24 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time since March 2018, when he lost his interim super middleweight title in a slugfest against Jose Uzcategui. The Flint, Michigan native and brother of two-time champion Anthony, Dirrell won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and lost narrow decisions in world title fights against Carl Froch and James DeGale. He will be opposed by Cabrera (24-2, 16 KOs), who fights out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and was unbeaten in his first 24 pro fights.

A native of Lithuania who now live and trains in the U.S., Stanionis (9-0, 6 KOs) is one of the most promising fighters to come out of the 2016 Olympic games. The 25-year-old has picked up two victories so far this year and will look to close out the year against the 26-year-old Sanchez(11-2, 6 KOs), who was born in the Dominican Republic but now fights out of New York.

boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

UNDEFEATED WELTERWEIGHT SENSATION JARON ENNIS RETURNS TO FACE HARD-HITTING BAKHTIYAR EYUBOV FRIDAY, JANUARY 10 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

December 20, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

***Ennis-Eyubov Announced As Co-Main Event To Claressa Shields vs. Ivana Habazin On SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION^® From Ocean Casino Resort In Atlantic City***

NEW YORK – December 17, 2019 – Undefeated welterweight sensation Jaron Ennis will make his 2020 debut against hard-hitting Bakhtiyar Eyubov on Friday, January 10 live on SHOWTIME from Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.

The 22-year-old Ennis (24-0, 22 KOs) will take on Kazakhstan’s Eyubov (14-1-1, 12 KOs) just an hour away from his hometown of Philadelphia in the 10-round co-main event of a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Two women’s blockbusters will bookend the welterweight bout. Claressa Shields (9-0, 2 KOs) will take on Ivana Habazin (20-3, 7 KOs) for the WBC and WBO 154-pound World Championships in a long-anticipated main event. In the telecast opener, WBA Super Middleweight Champion Alicia Napoleon Espinosa (12-1, 7 KOs) meets IBF Champion Elin Cederroos (7-0, 4 KOs) in a 168-pound world title unification.

The event is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with T-REX BOXING PROMOTIONS. The Napoleon-Espinosa vs Cederroos fight is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment.

In Eyubov, Ennis will take on his toughest test to date as he looks to continue his rapid ascension in one boxing’s deepest divisions. The switch-hitter has scored 14 consecutive knockouts as has his level opposition has steadily increased since turning professional in 2016. He returned from a nine-month layoff in August of 2019 with a first round TKO of Franklin Mamani and followed that up with a third round TKO of Demian Fernandez on October 5. Against Fernandez, the come-forward and aggressive Ennis landed 43 percent of his power shots as he switched from orthodox to southpaw in a clinical performance in the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION.

Widely regarded as one of the top prospects in boxing, Ennis had two emphatic knockout victories on *ShoBox: The New Generation* in 2018. The Philadelphia native, who owns 10 first round knockouts and has yet to be pushed past the sixth round, was a standout amateur who won the 2015 National Golden Gloves was ranked as the No. 1 amateur at 141 pounds before turning pro.

“I’m coming to make another statement to the welterweight division and the world,” said Ennis. “I’m going to let them know that I’m here and that 2020 will be my year. I’m the future of this division and January 10 is the next step in proving that.”

The 33-year-old Eyubov, from Aktobe, Kazakhstan and currently based in Brooklyn, N.Y., is known for his relentlessly aggressive fighting style. Quickly making a name for himself in the welterweight division, Eyubov tore through his first ten professional opponents, knocking them all out within the first three rounds including a third-round stoppage of Jared Robinson on *ShoBox* in 2016. Eyubov also owns impressive wins over Nicholas Givan (21-2-1) and Karim Mayfield (21-5-1) but is winless in his last two outings, including a majority draw with Jose Luis Rodriguez and a unanimous decision loss to undefeated Brian Ceballo. With just 16 professional fights to his name since moving on from the amateur ranks in 2012, Eyubov is eager to turn heads with a career-defining win over the highly regarded Ennis.

“On January 10, Jaron Ennis is going to be in the hardest fight of his life,” Eyubov said. “He has never faced anyone with my strength, skills and will to win. Bakha Bullet will shoot to do damage in Atlantic City and hand Ennis his first loss.”

“The Ennis vs. Eyubov fight is a classic crossroads fight and a must-win for both fighters,” said Eyubov promoter Dmitriy Salita. “It’s a big test for Ennis, who is a slick, skilled boxer, and a potentially career-changing opportunity for the aggressive, powerful and formerly world-rated contender in Eyubov. We expect fireworks on January 10^th.

The previously announced WBA Super Lightweight World Title Eliminator between Shohjahon Ergashev and Keith Hunter has been postponed after Hunter injured his right hand during training. A new date and opponent for Ergashev will be announced in the coming days.

An industry leading production team and announce crew will deliver all the sights, sounds and drama from Atlantic City. Veteran broadcaster Brian Custer will host the telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo will call the action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi at ringside. Three Hall of Famers round out the SHOWTIME announce team – Emmy® award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The Executive Producer of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION is David Dinkins, Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing. The telecast will be available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programing (SAP) with Alejandro Luna and former world champion Raul Marquez calling the action.

boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

Two-Division World Champion Danny García Takes on Hard-Hitting Ivan Redkach in WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator Live on SHOWTIME® Saturday, January 25 in Premier Boxing Champions Event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn

December 20, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

Former Super Welterweight Unified Champion Jarrett Hurd Returns to the Ring in Co-Feature

Undefeated Sensation Stephen Fulton Battles Arnold Khegai in Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator in SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® Action Beginning at

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Tickets on Sale Now!

BROOKLYN (December 16, 2019) – Two-division world champion Danny “Swift’’ García returns to the ring to take on hard-hitting slugger Ivan “El Terrible’’ Redkach in a 12-round WBC welterweight title eliminator Saturday, January 25 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

In the co-feature, former unified 154-pound champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd will return to battle all-action Francisco “Chia” Santana in a 10-round super welterweight contest, plus sensational super bantamweight Stephen “Cool Boy Steph’’ Fulton will face undefeatedArnold Khegai in a 12-round WBO Super Bantamweight title eliminator to open SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING action at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

García’s blend of power and sublime boxing skills has made him one of the most popular boxers of the last decade and secured him as a box-office fixture at Barclays Center, where he holds the record for the largest crowd for a boxing event. He set the benchmark when 16,533 attended his welterweight title unification match against Keith Thurman on March 4, 2017 in a bout that aired in primetime on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS. The fight against Redkach will be Garcia’s eighth appearance at Barclays Center.

“Barclays Center fan-favorite Danny García is back in Brooklyn as he continues his quest for the top spot in the welterweight division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Danny has been in the biggest fights at Barclays Center and on January 25 there are sure to be fireworks when hard-hitting Ivan Redkach looks for a career-defining win. Redkach has upset the odds before and there’s no doubt he’ll leave it all in the ring with this opportunity to move closer to a world title fight. Combined with a former unified champion known for action fights in Jarrett Hurd, plus a rising star in Stephen Fulton, this card is loaded with intrigue from top to bottom.”

“Danny García and Jarrett Hurd are two of the biggest stars in the sport because they have consistently taken on the toughest challenges and they are always in all-action, exciting fights,” said Stephen Espinoza, President Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “On January 25, both men are fighting to maintain their place at the top of two of boxing’s deepest divisions in important, must-win fights. Add in two undefeated, promising contenders in the opener and we have the recipe for an explosive night of fights on SHOWTIME.”

“We’re thrilled to host our first boxing event of 2020 by welcoming Danny García back for his eighth fight at Barclays Center and have Jarrett Hurd return to the arena where he’s had some memorable victories,” said Keith Sheldon, EVP of Programming and Development for BSE Global. “Danny specifically has built an enthusiastic fan base in the borough, becoming one of the most popular fighters in our arena, and we can’t wait to see his supporters out in full force as he steps back into our ring against Ivan Redkach.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased atticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP. The Fulton vs. Khegai bout is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.

García (35-2, 21 KOs) is the latest in a long line of great boxers from Philadelphia who have made their mark on the sport. His run through the super lightweight division and two-year reign as a unified champion is one of the most impressive in modern history as he defeated a string of champions, including Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt, Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Zab Judah and Lucas Matthysse.

After dominating the super lightweight division, the 31-year-old García moved up to welterweight where he won the vacant WBC title with a unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero in 2016. He lost a split decision to Thurman in a unification match in 2017 and dropped a narrow unanimous decision to Shawn Porter for the WBC title in 2018. García and many pundits thought he won both those matches. In his last fight, García scored a spectacular knockout victory over Adrian Granados on April 20 to get back into position to regain the welterweight crown.

“I’m very excited to be headlining another SHOWTIME card and to go back to Barclays Center, my home away from home,” said García. “I can’t wait to step in the ring in Brooklyn and give fans the Danny García show. I watched a few of Redkach’s recent fights and he had a great knockout win over two-time champion Devon Alexander. So, I know he’s a tough fighter and competitor who I expect to bring the best out of me, and he’s someone who deserves this opportunity. But January 25 is tax season, so I’m going to have to tax him and pay him with a reality check.”

Redkach (23-4-1, 18 KOs) has his sights set on winning a welterweight title and will face the toughest challenge of his career when he steps in against Garcia. The 33-year-old Redkach, who was born in Shostka, Ukraine and now lives in Los Angeles, is accustomed to stern tests. He started boxing as an amateur in Ukraine where he had over 300 fights. When he turned professional he traveled to Mexico to train and develop the “Mexican Style’’ – a style that emphasis standing in the pocket and throwing hard shots to the body.

Things started out slowly for Redkach, but soon he began to hold his own in Mexico and prevailed, earning the nickname “El Terrible’’ from his training partners. Redkach won 14 of his first 18 professional fights by stoppage and has won three in a row, including most recently knocking out former world champion Devon Alexander in June.

“I’m very motivated to take a massive step in my career and get closer to becoming world champion against a strong and accomplished fighter like Danny García,” said Redkach. “I have been to a lot of Danny’s fights and now I get the chance to test myself against him. I am training very hard so that I am the best that I have ever been on January 25. I’m going to shock the boxing world just like I did against Devon Alexander. I’ve never been this hungry before and I’m confident I will win this fight.”

The former WBA and IBF champion at 154-pounds, Hurd (23-1, 16 KOs) returns to action for the first time since losing his belts via decision against Julian Williams in one of 2019’s best fights. The 29-year-old from Accokeek, Maryland captured his first title by stopping current WBC titlist Tony Harrison in 2017 and then added the WBA belt by defeating Erislandy Lara in 2018’s consensus Fight of the Year. Hurd earned his title opportunity by going on a run of knocking off unbeaten fighters including Frank Galarza and Oscar Molina, and also owns a successful title defense against Austin Trout at Barclays Center in 2017.

“Just because I fell back, doesn’t mean I fell off,” said Hurd. “I’m back and excited to fight at Barclays Center for the third time. I’m bringing the storm back on January and I’m going to make a statement everyone is going to see. You’re not going to want to miss this fight and the best Jarrett Hurd anyone’s seen.”

Santana (25-7-1, 12 KOs) has taken on the toughest challenges at 154 and 147 pounds and has made his name with an all-action action style throughout a long career as a contender. The 33-year-old will look to bounce back from a close decision loss to Abel Ramos in March, in a fight where Santana dropped Ramos in the second round. Prior to the setback against Ramos, the Santa Barbara, California native was coming off of a victory over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in April 2018. Santana has faced former champions Jermell Charlo and Sadam Ali while also owning a six-round draw against Julian Williams in 2011.

“This is a great opportunity for me against a fighter like Jarrett Hurd,” said Santana. “When you get an opportunity like this, it’s hard to turn it down. My job is to rise to the occasion and have the best moment of my career on fight night. This is my Super Bowl. When I last fought at 154-pounds, I was basically self-trained. Now I have my coach Joseph Janik training me and I really think he’s the missing piece of the puzzle for me. I’m going to go in there and leave it all in the ring January 25.”

The 25-year-old Fulton (17-0, 8 KOs) has made a rapid rise through the super bantamweight ranks with superb boxing skills, befitting a slick fighter from Philadelphia. Lately Fulton has shown flashes of power that have caught his opponents off guard. In his last fight he stopped Isaac Avelar with a body shot to end their fight in the fifth round on August 24.

Fighting out of Odessa, Ukraine and training for this fight in Los Angeles, Khegai (16-0-1, 10 KOs) will make his third start in the U.S. on January 25, after a successful U.S. debut in in May 2018 when he defeated Adam Lopez on the prospect developmental series ShoBox: The New Generation. The 27-year-old has already been victorious twice in 2019, stopping Haidari Mchanjo in March and most recently winning a unanimous decision over Vladimir Tikhonov in August on ShoBox.

# # #

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

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

SURGING WELTERWEIGHTS WILL MEET AT NEF 42 IN PORTLAND

December 20, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (December 16, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction,” on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur welterweight fight to the card. Mike “Boogaloo” Bezanson (4-0) is scheduled to face Greg Ishihara (2-1) at a fight weight of 170 pounds.

Undefeated Mike Bezanson returned to NEF this past September after more than a three-year absence from cage competition. Bezanson, known for his flashy striking style and showmanship during fights, handed Jason Landry (2-1) his first loss at “NEF 40” in Orono, Maine. It took Bezanson only 41-seconds to pick up the technical knockout victory. He went on to capture a title in New Hampshire with a fourth-round knockout just weeks later. Bezanson has finished all four of his previous opponents with his striking prowess. He represents Team Kaze based in Lancaster, New Hampshire.

“In 2020, I have to do some belt shopping—the one I currently hold is getting lonely and needs some friends,” said Bezanson. “I’ll make sure the tickets are worth buying!”

Since losing his debut to Jordan Norman (2-1) last April, Greg Ishihara has been on a roll, winning his last two MMA bouts in the NEF cage and a Muay Thai Kickboxing fight in Vermont. Last month, Ishihara picked up his most recent win against Dylan Williams (0-3) with a knee to the body just over a minute into the first round at “NEF 41” in Portland. Ishihara represents Recon Fitness based in Westbrook, Maine.

“NEF has always treated me well,” noted Ishihara. “It means a lot to me – to be able to compete here in Maine. The NEF staff is always professional making for a great experience. I look forward to competing inside the NEF cage in 2020. I’m excited for this upcoming fight with Mike. He’s flashy and his movement is impressive. This fight will give me the opportunity to display the full range of my skill set. I’m diligent in my preparation and I take pride in my work and performance. My goal is to hold the NEF title at 170-pounds and defend it.”

New England Fights’ next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction,” will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.PortTix.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.

boxing

Who will be the true king of heavyweights? Wilder and Fury will decide in 2020

December 15, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

Despite rumors surrounding it for years, professional boxing is still alive, and it’s still far in front of MMA judged by public interest and the prize money. One of the reasons for that are heavyweights, especially Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and a bit less Anthony Joshua who just avenged the only loss of his career. Still, there is no doubt that Wilder and Fury are the cream of the crop, and their fight in 2020 will decide who is the king of the most popular division.

We won’t have to wait much for the dream match, as the contract is signed for February 22nd, as the fight will take in Las Vegas, probably in MGM grand where Fury made his impressive American debut, destroying Tom Schwartz in June 2019. Wilder also loves the place, since he became a champion there, defeating Bermane Stiverne and he recently defended the title against Ortiz. But what makes their second bout as exciting as RPG Sex Games, is that no one is a clear favorite.

The thing is Wilder and Fury are extremely different fighters. Fury is in the best shape of his career recently, and when it comes to boxing skills, he is far ahead of Wilder. As demonstrated by their first meeting, Fury is not a one-trick pony as he knows how to change pace and attack his opponent with both hands and in different ways. He can punch, but he is far from being impatient. He is the reason why no one believes that his match against the American will end early. Even on his bad day, Fury can withstand almost anything and knows how to overturn the match. As for the Wilder, he is a whole different story. He started boxing very late, and during his career, he was doubted even by experts that claimed he is a contender at best. There is no doubt about it – Wilder is the one with the ultimate power. Give him a chance to land a solid punch, and that is probably it for the night. That alone is what made him come out of the match with Fury undefeated, rocking him twice. But, Fury is the first opponent that was able to get up after such devastating shots, even though that took away his victory.

It’s hard to predict the winner as it’s much easier to make a list of excellent Android Sex Games. What we can predict is that this fight will highly unlikely be finished in early rounds, as it is highly unlikely that Wilder will win if he doesn’t drop Fury a few times. Judged by that, Fury looks like an early favorite in this one, but when you have a strong puncher like Wilder, it’s almost impossible not to let him land a single devastating punch in all 12 rounds. If you are neutral and want to see a good fight, this is the one you don’t want to miss!

boxing

DAVIES ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES JAMES KIRKLAND CO-PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH WARRIORS BOXING

December 15, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

**San Antonio, Texas** – **Davies Entertainment** is proud to announce that knockout artist **James Kirkland** (34-2, 30 KO) has signed a two year, six fight co-promotional deal with Warriors Boxing (who have worked on previous fight cards with the likes of PBC, Top Rank, Golden Boy, Etc) . After a four year layoff, Kirkland returned to the ring in August of 2019 and has won his first two fights convincingly by way of knockout.

Kirkland has been one of boxing’s most explosive fighters with his sights set on lining up a huge fight with major contenders in 2020 and gradually working his way back into world title contention. This deal will provide the vicious southpaw the opportunity of achieving that and more.

“My only goal has been to get back on top and with this kind of team surrounding me I feel like it’s only a matter of time before it happens,” said Kirkland.

Kirkland will be in attendance at tonight’s Terrence Crawford fight in New York.

boxing

NUTMEG POWER PREVAILS CONNECTICUT PROSPECTS RICHIE RIVERA & ANTHONY LAUREANO REMAIN UNDEFEATED

December 15, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

“NEW ENGLAND EXPLOSION” OFFICIAL RESULTS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (December 13, 2019) — Rising Connecticut stars RICHIE “POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN” RIVERA and“ACTION“ ANTHONY LAUREANO both remained undefeated with impressive performance tonight on a solid “New England Explosion” card in front of an enthusiastic crowd at MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“New England Explosion,” presented by JOE DEGUARDIA’S STAR BOXING, sponsored by MGM Springfield, aired live in a first for New England Sports Network (NESN), and streamed worldwide (excluding N.E.) on www.FITE.TV.

Heavy-handed Rivera (now 16-0, 12 KOs) took his power up to the cruiserweight division against “MIGHTY” JOE JONES (now 11-2, 8 KOs), who unexplainably kept his hands very low, as “Popeye” pounded him to the head and body in the main event. Rivera hit Jones with everything but the kitchen sink, in what looked like batting practice at times, although “Popeye” failed to register a stoppage for only the third time in 16 pro fights. .

It was a rough, physical fight that got chippy early with both fighters exchanging trash talk and showboating. Rivera, who hails from Hartford, pressed the action throughout the fight against a defensive Jones, who switched to a peep-a-boo style in the later rounds.

“I’m strong to the finish because I eat my spinach….toot, toot! My coach kept telling me to relax but, honestly, I was putting on a show. More or less, I was acting,” Rivera talked about the roughhousing. “He was tough. My team said to box. The plan wasn’t to go for a knockout. I threw some big shots just to let him know.

“I’m so happy to have had my seventh fight this year. I’ve been active and I’m undefeated. I try to put on a show for the fans and be a role model.”

In the co-main event, Laureano (now 13-0, 4 KOs), a 2016 New England Golden Gloves champion from nearby East Hartford, CT., defeated Texas super lightweight ANGEL “AZTEC WARRIOR” HERNANDEZ (17-14-2, 11 KOs) in a toe-to-toe battle from the opening . This TV-friendly fight could have been fought in a proverbial phone booth. Laureano, as usual, was relentless in his attack, systematically breaking down his opponent with strong body work of his own, as well as seemingly landing uppercuts and left hooks at will.

Laureano took control in the second and never let up against a game Hernandez, who, like Laureano, never stopped throwing punches. Eventually, Laureano won an 8-round unanimous decision in a wildly entertaining, highly competitive clash.

“It was beautiful,” Laureano commented. “I like wars, my trainers don’t. I let my emotions take over. It was a beautiful fight, though, all action and the people loved it. But I fought his fight. I did adapt and showed some of my boxing ability at some points.

“He’s experienced and came in confident. He kept coming; he’s tough. This will build me into a better fighter. I did a lot of good things. The goal is to learn from every fight, I will, and we’ll go back to the drawing board.”

Danbury, CT super lightweight OMAR “THE BEAST” BORDOY (now 10-1, 3 KOs) opened the NESN broadcast with a masterful display of boxing, winning all eight rounds on each of the three judges’ scorecards for an 8-round unanimous decision against late replacement DIEUMERCI ”ELEPHANT MAN” NZAU (now 11-11, 8 KOs).

Bordoy effectively and consistently beat Nzau to the punch, moved well inside the ropes, and never put himself in dire straits. “It felt good,” Bordoy said after the fight. “The game plan was to out-box him, use my job, and not take any unnecessary chances. I followed the game plan and came out with an easy victory.

“I knew he had some power and he caught me with a good punch early. I watched some tape of him and listened to my trainers. I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible.”

In a battle of welterweight southpaws, hometown favorite DERRICK “BAD BOY” WHITLEY II (6-1-1) suffered a cut over his right eye from an accidental headbutt by JERMAINE CORLEY (3-8, 1 KO) during the second round. The ringside physician halted the action after two rounds and the fight, by rule, was a “no decision.”

In the opening bout of the evening, Hartford welterweight prospect JEFFREY TORRES (now 6-0, 4 KOs) kept his undefeated record intact, pitching a shutout for a 6-round unanimous decision over Brockton, MA journeyman ANTONIO CHAVES FERNANDEZ (now 9-40-4, 3 KOs). Torres out-boxed Fernandez, who was buzzed several times, from start to finish.

Brazilian light heavyweight LEANDRO “BUSCAPE” SILVA (2-3, 1 KO) ruined the homecoming for local fighter ANGEL ‘ THE BLACK RICAN” VAZQUEZ (0-2) In the walk-out bout, Silva trapped Vazquez on the ropes in the fourth round. Vazquez suffered a standing eight count, but the referee halted the action, and awarded Silva a win by technical knockout.

Complete results and more pictures below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

CRUISERWEIGHTS

Richie Rivera (16-0, 12 KOs), Hartford, CT

WDEC8 (80-72, 80-72, 80-72)

Joe Jones (11-2, 8 KOs), Leesburg, VA

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 4 ROUNDS

Leandro Silva (2-3, 1 KO), Woburn, MA

WTKO4 (2:00)

Angel Vazquez (0-2), Springfield, MA

WELTERWEIGHTS

Derrick Whitley II (6-1-1), Springfield, MA

NO DECISION (2)

Jermaine Corley (3-8, 1 KO), Mt. Vernon, NY

Jeffrey Torres (6-0, 4 KOs), Hartford, CT

WDEC6 (60-54, 60-54, 60-54)

Antonio Chaves Fernandez (9-40-4, 3 KOs), Brockton, MA

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS

Anthony Laureano (13-0, 4 KOs), East Hartford, CT

WDEC8 (79-74, 79-74, 77-76)

Angel Hernandez (17-14-2, 11 KOs), McAllen, TX

Omar Bordoy (10-1, 3 KOs), Danbury, CT

WDEC8 (80-72, 80-72, 80-72)

Dieumerci Nzau (11-11, 8 KOs), Silver Spring, MD

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

CALEB AUSTIN AND DILLON HENRY TO MEET IN FLYWEIGHT MATCHUP AT NEF 42

December 15, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (December 13, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction,” on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur flyweight fight to the card. Caleb “Dr. Feelgood” Austin(3-0) will meet Dillon Henry (0-3) at a fight weight of 125 pounds.

Undefeated Caleb Austin returned to NEF this past fall after more than two years. It took Austin just over a minute to pound out a victory over Cory Richards (0-1) at “NEF 40” in September. In November, Austin went into the second round with Ryan Fogg (0-1) before picking up another technical knockout win. With current amateur flyweight champion Nate Boucher (6-3) turning pro at “NEF 42,” Austin will be considered one of the top contenders to the vacant strap should he get past Henry.

Success in athletics is nothing new to Caleb Austin. He put together an impressive record of 208-11 wrestling for Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine and won state titles at 126 pounds his junior and senior years. The Lewiston Sun Journal named Austin the “Wrestler of the Year” in 2017. After graduation, Austin continued wrestling while attending the University of Southern Maine. He currently represents Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) of Lewiston, Maine.

“The amount of support that I’ve received since September when I made my return to the MMA cage has been humbling,” said Austin. “I’m in the gym and running every single day with February on my mind. Going 2-0 this fall season was great, but I’ve got bigger things in front of me for 2020. I will win the NEF Flyweight Championship next year and Dillon Henry is just the next obstacle in front of me on my way toward that goal. I want to win more quickly and more cleanly every time I get in the cage. It’s an honor every time I get to fight in front of the NEF fans—and I can’t wait to do it again at the Merrill Auditorium on February 8th.”

Dillon Henry comes to the cage on February 8 looking for the first win of his amateur career. Henry debuted last February against the aforementioned Nate Boucher who already had six fights under his belt at the time. This past September Henry competed against Stephen Desjardins who came into that bout as a seven-fight veteran. Henry was getting the upper hand against Desjardins until he dislocated his own shoulder throwing a punch in the first round. He currently represents First Class MMA of Brunswick, Maine.

“I was going say a lot, but life can take unexpected turns and you start fighting for new reasons,” said Henry. “I look forward to February 8th, enough said.”

“A fighter is more than his record and Dillon Henry is a great example of that,” noted NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “Dillon is always taking tough fights with the goal of getting better as an amateur so that he can eventually make his mark as a pro. Caleb is his next challenge and I’m certain that Dillon will bring the fight and make this a fun one for us as fans. Caleb came in quickly made an impact over the fall season. Can he continue his undefeated streak to start off a new year and a new decade? We’ll find out February 8th.”

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