Tag Archives: Antoine Douglas

boxing, ShoBox

Antoine Douglas takes on Istvan Szili to headline ShoBox on Friday, July 17 at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem

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Plus Derrick Webster – Arif Magomedov; Adam Lopez – Eliecer Aquino & Jerry Odom – Samuel Clarkson on televised quadruple header  
 
Bethlehem, PA (June 12, 2015)–On Friday night, July 17 undefeated Middleweight Antoine “Action” Dougas will headline a televised quadruple header when he takes on fellow undefeated Istvan Szili in a 10-round bout from the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and will be televised on Showtime’s acclaimed ShoBox: The New Generation (10 PM ET)
The show is promoted by GH3 Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, Main Events and King’s Promotions.
In the 10-round co-feature, it will be a battle of undefeated Middleweights as Derrick Webster will fight Arif Magomedov.
In an 8-round Super Bantamweight bout, Adam Lopez will take on fellow undefeated Eliecer Aquino.
Opening the television portion of the card will be Super Middleweight Jerry Odom(13-1, 12 KO’s) who will take on Samuel Clarkson in a bout scheduled for 8-rounds.
Douglas of Burke, Virginia has a record of 17-0-1 with 11 knockouts.  He will be making his second consecutive appearance on ShoBox and fourth overall.  He is coming off a 6th round stoppage over previously undefeated Thomas LaManna on March 13 in Westbury, New York.  Previously he has victories over former world title challenger Luca Messi (37-9-1), Marquis Davis (8-0-2) & Colby Courter (4-0).  He is currently ranked number-14 by the WBA.  He also has a win over spoiler Don Mouton and a draw with highly regarded former world title challenger Michel Soro.  Soro just scored a stirring knockout of Glen Tapia.
Szili (18-0-2, 8 KO’s) of Frenkendorf, Switzerland will be making his American debut.  Szili has been a professional for six years and has fough some good opposition in Europe.  In his last bout, Szili won the UBF Middleweight title with a 6th round stoppage over Mathias Zemski (13-1) on August 30 in Zurich, Switzerland.  Szili also has wins over Jetmir Kuqi (6-0), Dzmitriy Lubachkin (18-2) and Aliaksandr Sushchyts (1-0-1).
Webster of Glassboro, New Jersey has a record of 19-0 with 10 knockouts.  He will be making his national television debut.  The southpaw is coming off a 5th round stoppage over William Johnson on May 29 in Memphis, Tennessee.  Webster has a 22 second knockout over Obodai Sai (23-1).
Magomedov of Chekhov, Russia has a record of 15-0 with 9 knockouts.  He is coming off an impressive 1st round stoppage over the upset specialist Darnell Boone on May 22 in Las Vegas.  Magomedov won the Russian Middleweight title with a 1st round stoppage over Marat Khuzeev.  He added the UBO Intercontinental Middleweight title with a 2nd round stoppage over Thomas Mashali (9-1-1).  He continued to win titles as he won the WBA Fedlatin Middleweight Title with a 3rd round stoppage over previously undefeated A;ex Theran (16-0).  In his next bout, he won the WBA Intercontinental Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Patrick Mendy.  On October 24, 2014, Magomedov added the WBO Youth Middleweight and WBO Asia Pacific Middleweight crowns with a 10-round unanimous decision over Michael Zerafa (15-0).  Magomedov is currently ranked number-10 by the WBC and number-6 by the WBO.
Lopez of San Antonio, Texas has a record of 12-0 with 6 knockouts and is making his 2nd ShoBox appearance. In his first appearance, he scored an explosive 1st round stoppage over previously undefeated Pablo Cruz on March 13 in Westbury, New York. Since then, the 24 year-old Lopez has racked up two wins with the latest being a 6-round unanimous decision over Miguel Tamayo on May 22 in Corona, California.

Aquino of Higuey, Dominican Republic has a record of 17-0-1 with 11 knockouts. The 8 year veteran has racked up some titles in his undefeated resume. He won the Dominican Reoublic Super Flyweight championship in just 6th fight. He captured the WBA Fedecaribe Super Flyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Juan Guzman (18-3). He later won the WBC FECARBOX Super Flyweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over former world title challenger Omar Soto. Aquino is coming off a 3rd round stoppage over previously undefeated Rayci Rosa (5-0) on September 27, 2014 in La Romana, Dominican Republic.
Odom of Bowie, Maryland has a record of 13-1 with 12 knockouts.  The 22 year-old is making his 2nd consecutive ShoBox appearance and 3rd overall.  In his last bout, he avenged his only blemish when he stopped Andrew Hernandez in one round.  That fight took place on March 13 in Westbury, New York.  The bout was a rematch of their controversial fight that took place on January 9 when Odom was disqualified.  In Odom’s previous ShoBox appearance, he scored an exciting 7th round stoppage over Villier Quinonez (8-0) on July 25, 2014 in Verona, New York.
Clarkson of Cedar Hill, Texas has a record of 14-3 with 8 knockouts.  He has won four in a row.  In his last outing, Clarkson scored a 6th round stoppage over Jay Williams on April 3 in Irving, Texas.  Clarkson scored the biggest win of his career on February 20 when he won an 8-round split decision over former world title challenger Cedric Agnew (27-1).  The 24 year-old Clarkson has quality wins over Izaac Cardona (9-1).  Chad Trahan (7-0), Kenneth McNeil (3-0) and Thomas Falowo (6-0).
“This is a stacked show and when you look at the combined record it is 125-4-4 with 75 knockouts.  I want to thank Showtime and especially Gordon Hall for recognizing the talent in our company. I also would like to thank the Sands for hosting this event.  We have made tremendous strides in the last year.  We at GH3 Promotions will continue to our upward trajectory as we will be working with the bigger companies in the business like Main Events and Greg Cohen Promotions.  Working hand and hand with them can only help one another in the future.  I am looking to showcase all of my top prospects on this card in putting them in competitive bouts,” said GH3 Promotions Vito Mielnicki.
“I want to thank Dennis Porter and Ronald Sims who have everything in place in camp with our stable in Virginia.  They keep our guys hungry and working hard. With GH3 Promotions and Kay Koroma, we are very happy with the way we are moving our fighters strategically.  We are looking for bigger and better things.”
A loaded undercard will feature some of the best prospects on the East Coast.
Lavarn Harvell (14-1, 7 KO’s) of Atlantic City will take part in a 6-round Light Heavyweight bout.
In 4-round bouts:
Rickey Nuno (1-0) of Bethlehem, PA will take on Tim Kunkel of Pennsylvania in a Jr. Middleweight bout.
Seeing action against opponents to be named will be Super Middleweight Christopher Brooker (3-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia; Lightweight Samuel Teah (5-1, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia and Super Bantamweight Manny Folly (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia.
Ticket Information will be announced shortly.
boxing, ShoBox

Derrick Webster Confident of Victory Heading into July 17 ShoBox Battle with Arif Magomedov

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 Undefeated southpaw Derrick “Take It to The Bank” Webster is not your typical fighter. He’s not your typical anything, really. But with his enormous size, fast, powerful hands and wealth of athletic ability, he just might be something special.

Actor, model, business owner, singer, basketball player, college graduate and a 6′ 4″ natural at the sweet science, Glassboro, New Jersey‘s Webster (19-0, 10KOs) now finds himself on the verge of possibly career-defining opportunity, as he will face also undefeated and highly touted Arif “Mayhem” Magomedov (15-0, 9 KOs) in a ShoBox quadrupleheader,  scheduled for July 17 at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

 

“It’s just another day at the office for me,” said a confident Webster of facing Magomedov. “I’m used to the bright lights. He (Magomedov) is just a straight forward fighter with no defense. If you stand in front of him, or any fighter really, it can be a dangerous night, but the one important thing I know about him is that he’s about to take a loss because he’s fighting Derrick “Take It To The Bank” Webster, the best southpaw around.”

 

Webster came late to boxing, not starting until age 24 when a gym opened up across the street from his house. He only had 40 amateur fights (38-2) and says the decision to forego a lengthy unpaid career and turn pro immediately came from an unlikely source.

 

“It was (former heavyweight champion and all-time great) Larry Holmes that sat me down and told me I already had the goods to make a name for myself and not to wait to turn pro. He was commentating a tournament I was fighting in, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where I had four fights in the tournament and had four first-round knockouts. He told me a lot of guys ruin their careers and waste a lot time waiting for the Olympics, so I turned pro.”

 

Gifted athletically and intellectually, Webster was a quarterback in high school and played power forward for two seasons for the University of Maryland in basketball while earning a bachelor’s degree Juvenile Criminal Justice. Outside the ring he now owns home-remodeling and construction businesses, among his many business ventures.

 

While he may not have had much of an amateur background, Webster credits a couple factors for his ring success. First, he’s spent considerable time in training camps, serving as a sparring partner to many of boxing’s elite for the last six years including Roy Jones, Jr., Andre Ward, Jean Pascal, Bernard Hopkins, Amir Khan, Andre Dirrell and on and on. And second, the fact that his size and left-handed stance have made him a nightmare for opponents to face.

 

“I learned by sparring with the best in the business instead of in the amateur ring and now I’m unpredictable. I even surprise myself. I’m a hell of a boxer, and most guys my height can’t move like I can. My speed is amazing and I have power. I look at like this: I’ve been pro since 2009 and I’ve seldom known who I ‘m fighting because nobody wants to fight a 6’ 4″ southpaw. Most of my career I’ve gone in not knowing who I’m fighting until I got to the ring. That forced me to prepare for boxers and unorthodox guys and pressure guys and heavy-handed guys at the same time and made me an all-around fighter. I won’t say I’m the next Floyd Mayweather, but I want people someday to say they’re the next Derrick Webster. I want to be the best southpaw of this generation.”

 

Webster’s co-promoter, Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions (along with Vito Mielnicki of GH3 Promotions), says many of the questions about Webster’s potential will be answered against Magomedov.

 

“Derrick Webster could be a star in the making. He certainly has all the talent and the tools he needs to compete on the world stage,” explained Cohen. “There comes a time in every prospect’s career where he faces an opponent who brings out his best. This may be that fight for Derrick Webster and we’re confident after he gets the victory, he’ll be on everyone’s lips as an emerging fighter to watch.”

 

Webster vs. Magomedov will be staged by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions. The ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader telecast will also feature GCP/GH3 fighters Antoine Douglas (17-0-1, 11 KOs) vs. Istvan Szili (18-0-2, 8 KOs), as well as Jerry Odom (13-1, 12 KOs) and Adam Lopez (12-0, 6 KOs) against opponents that are TBA currently.
boxing

Kay Koroma: The Backbone of GH3 Promotions

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Nutley, NJ(March 26, 2015)— On March 13, Vito Mielnicki’s GH3 Promotions had a stellar night as three of the promotional company’s top fighters, undefeated middleweight Antoine Douglas, super middleweight Jerry Odom and undefeated super bantamweight Adam Lopez all scored knockout victories on ShoBox: The New Generation in Westbury, New York.
That night was a by-product of lots of hard work put in by Mielnicki and his building stable.
One man that made it all possible was Kay Koroma.
Koroma is a boxing man from the Washington, D.C. area who Mielnicki credits as being a visionary for his company.
“I started my company, GH3 Promotions when I signed Antoine Douglas & John Thompson in Atlantic City. Kay is Antoine’s adviser and from that point on we got to talking and setting a plan in motion on how to build a company of great young fighters.  Because of our relationship, he helped with us signing Jerry Odom,” said Mielnicki.
Between Douglas and Thompson, they fought eighteen times in the first year under the GH3 Promotional banner.
“I believed in him and we have respect for one another and trusted each other.  He is gifted and driven like myself.”
“Our vision was to build a stable of thoroughbred fighters with great amateur pedigrees”
Mielnicki and Koroma are now taking the next step in developing the fighters from prospects to world champions.
“Kay is building a camp in Northern Virginia.  It will give our fighters a great foundation with housing and all the needs for a fighter to have the best preperation for a fight.  This will be a complete camp atmosphere.”
Besides being Douglas adviser, Koroma is training John Thompson for his April 10bout with undefeated Stanyslav Skorokhod that will be a semifinal bout in the Boxcino 2015 jr. middleweight tournament in Bethlehem, PA that will be shown on ESPN 2.
“Kay doesn’t seek the limelight or credit but he has been a great partner with GH3.  Because of his vision we are working with top amateurs Shakur Stevenson, Kavon Roberson, Troy Isley and Danny Gonzalez & Hans Perez. These are the next generation and with Kay’s help, they will be able to go to camp and hopefully it will give them the best opportunities to become Olympians.  Kay is going to be the next top trainer in the business.  He is a quiet before the storm. We have deep connections in the amateur ranks all around the country.”
“We have a top amateur and pro stable and we are getting ready to sign some new top talent and we will be able to feature them on the CBS Sports Network series that we have partnered with Greg Cohen Promotions on.  We think we have the outlet like nobody else to showcase our talent and move the fighters at the pace that we have moved Antoine, Jerry and John Thompson.  They fight often and it shows in their performances.”
Mielnicki believes that this is the year that his fighters will go from prospects to contenders and his younger prospects become stars of the future.
“2015 will be a big breakout year for us.  I want to thank Kay, Dennis Porter and Ronald Simms from the Alexandria, Virginia boxing gym for believing in our young company that is growing at a fast pace.”
Oscar Bonilla will make his GH3 debut on April 2 in Connecticut; John Thompson returns April 10 in the Boxcino 2015 jr. middleweight tournament on ESPN 2; Adam Lopez returns to the ring on April 17 as part of a CBS Sports Network card and expect Antoine Douglas and Jerry Odom to return in May.
GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Jr. Middleweight John Thompson, Jr., undefeated Welterweight Jerrell Harris,undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad, undefeated lightweight Oscar Bonilla and Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell to the GH3 Promotions stable.
boxing

GCP’s Barroso Scores Impressive KO! Night of Knockouts a Huge Success for GCP and Partners

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Promoter Greg Cohen is sending his congratulations out to still-unbeaten southpaw Ismael “El Tigre” Barroso, and a host of others, after his highly successful and totally sold-out quadrupleheader of exciting ShoBox: The New Generation-televised knockoutson Friday night at The Space at Westbury in Westbury, New York.

 

Barroso (17-0-2, 16 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, made his American television debut and picked up the NABO and NABA Lightweight Championships with an impressive TKO over gutty New Yorker Issouf Kinda (17-3, 7 KOs).

 

After five rounds of absorbing Barroso’s power, including a fifth-round one-punch knockdown, Kinda developed problems with his vision and the fight was stopped just three seconds in to the sixth round. Barroso’s eye-opening victory, however, was not without a price, as he suffered nasty cuts above his right eye and below his left eye from accidental heabutts.

 

“Barroso has power like (former middleweight champion) Julian Jackson. He hits guys and they go,” said a happy Cohen, post-fight. “People want to see fighters like that. Steve Farhood from Showtime said Ismael is ‘one of boxing’s best-kept secrets.’ The secret is now out. My guy is an animal!”

 

The brutal victory over Kinda will surely restore Barroso to the lofty heights in the world ratings he once enjoyed. He was formerly rated #5 in the world before visa problems stalled his career. But back on track now and working with GCP, the sky seems to be the limit for this South American with granite fists.

 

“We want a ranked fighter next,” continued Cohen, “with the goal being a world championship fight and an eventual all-Venezuela showdown with (WBC Lightweight Champion) Jorge Linares.”

 

Cohen also wishes to congratulate his partners, GH3 Promotions President Vito Mielnicki, whose fighters Antoine Douglas, Jerry Odom and Adam Lopez who recorded impressive Knock Outs in televised action.

 

“GCP and GH3 both had great nights. I’m very happy my promotional partner Vito’s fighters were victorious and they all looked sensational. I also want to thank David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions for their tremendous work in making this event such a success. David Schuster continues to deliver like no one else in this sport.  My warmest regards to all the terrific sponsors for their support: Foxwoods Resort Casino, Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Wager Contracting, Baxter, Smith & Shapiro, Red Roof Plus, Brookside Painting and Maxim Group. And lastly I want to thank the fans who showed up and packed into the theatre down to the last standing-room-only ticket. Without you none of this would be possible. Thank you.”
boxing, ShoBox, Showtime Boxing

DOUGLAS, BARROSO, ODOM & LOPEZ SCORE KNOCKOUTS IN SHOBOX QUADRUPLEHEADER FROM WESTBURY, N.Y.

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NIGHT OF KNOCKOUTS

 

Watch The Replay On SHOWTIME EXTEME® Monday, March 16 At 10 p.m. ET/PT

 

Click HERE To Download Photos

Credit Rosie Cohe/SHOWTIME®

 

WESTBURY, N.Y. (March. 14, 2015) – Talented unbeaten middleweight Antoine Douglas made an impressive 2015 debut thoroughly outboxing previously unbeaten Thomas LaManna before finishing him by TKO at 2:44 of the sixth-round in the main event of a night of knockouts on ShoBox: The New Generation Friday from The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.

 

Douglas (17-0-1, 10 KOs), of Washington, D.C., controlled the bout from the opening bell and was the more active and accurate fighter, throwing 127 total punches to LaManna’s 73. LaManna (16-1, 7 KOs), of Millville, N.J., was tough and tried to counter, but wasn’t experienced enough to land anything meaningful against the skilled Washingtonian. Douglas employed a diverse and ferocious attack of uppercuts, hooks and jabs knocking LaManna down twice before scoring the knockout in an exciting win.

 

“I put the work in at the gym and that made it easy. It took me longer than I thought it would, but I got the job done,” said Douglas. “I thought I hurt him early in the fight now and then. I just wanted to keep the ball rolling from here.”

 

“He’s a good fighter, fast and strong. He’s everything I thought he would be. It was a learning experience for me,” said LaManna. “He caught me with a good shot. The first knockdown wasn‘t a knockdown. The last one, I was off balance, but he caught me with a good shot. He was the better man tonight.”

 

“The last time Douglas fought on ShoBox, it was a very unsatisfying fight because he was held to a draw and he faded late. This time, he took control the first 30 seconds of the first round, won every round, and then, just as you thought that the only thing that he needed to do was put an exclamation point on the performance, that’s what he did by scoring three knockdowns in the sixth,” said Boxing Historian and SHOWTIME Analyst Steve Farhood. “Douglas took down a fighter that had never been down before. This was a very impressive performance that reestablished him as a top 160-pound American prospect.”

 

In the co-feature of a thrilling quadrupleheader, unbeaten southpaw Ismael “El Tigre” Barroso (17-0-2, 16 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, scored his 13th consecutive victory earning the NABO Lightweight Title with a TKO over determined Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-3, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y. The stoppage happened just three seconds deep in the sixth after Kinda appeared to have problems with his vision.

 

Barroso dominated from the early rounds despite a nasty cut above his right eye in the third and another below his left eye in the fourth, both from accidental heabutts from Kinda.

 

“I fight better when I’m worried. I had to get worried I would lose so I knew I had to fight my best,” said Barroso. “The cuts bothered me a little but I had a job to do. I thank God everything went well once I started to fight the way I fight.”

 

Kinda was rushed to the hospital with a possible orbital fracture. This is the second time he has experienced vision problems in his last three fights.

 

Skilled Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (13-1, 1 NC, 12 KOs), of Washington D.C., avenged his lone loss with a first-round TKO against formerly unbeaten Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-1-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch.

 

Odom delivered his 12th knockout in 13 fights at 2:47 of the first by throwing solid jabs and strong connecting power shots. Hernandez attempted to counterpunch, but he was quickly finished by the talented Odom.

 

“I told you he couldn’t beat me. He caught me at a bad moment in the first fight,” said Odom. “I did it like my idol Roy Jones did it. After I hit him, I saw him smile, so I knew I hurt him. I did to him this time what I was on the way to doing in the first fight.”

 

Although it was clear that Hernandez was hurt, he challenged the referee call.

 

“I don’t know how the referee sleeps at night. He made a huge mistake,” said Hernández. “I was dominating. As soon as he landed a punch, they stopped the fight. I want a third fight. The world saw and will demand a rubber match.”

 

In the opening bout of the telecast, San Antonio’s Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (10-0, 5 KOs) kept his record unblemished by delivering a second-round TKO at 1:42 with a strong left hook over fellow countryman Pablo “El Zankudo Letal” Cruz (11-1, 3 KOs) in a battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

“I hurt my left hand in the first round, but I knocked him out with the same punch a round later. I’m looking forward to fighting on SHOWTIME again,” said Lopez.

 

# # #

 

The event was promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association withDavid Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions and sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

boxing, ShoBox, Showtime Boxing

Meet Tonight’s ShoBox Fighters

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Quadrupleheader Tonight LIVE on SHOWTIME® At 10 p.m. ET/PT
From The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.
Westbury, NY (March 13, 2015)–Below are video interviews with the fighters that will compete in tonight’s ShoBox: The New Generation card that will feature four big fights beginning at 10 PM ET/PT.  (Note–Andrew Hernandez was unavailable for interview).
In the 10-round main event, undefeated middleweight’s Antoine Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KO’s) battles Thomas LaManna (16-0, 7 KO’s); The NABA & NABO Lightweight titles will be on the line when Isamel Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KO’s) takes on Issouf Kinda (17-2, 7 KO’s) in a bout scheduled for ten rounds.
 In eight-round bouts, super middleweight Jerry Odom (12-1, 11 KO’s) looks to avenge his only defeat when he battles Andrew Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 KO) and rounding out the card will be undefeated super bantamweights Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KO’s) taking on Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KO’s)
Antoine Douglas 031215
Antoine Douglas 031215
Thomas LaManna 031215
Thomas LaManna 031215
Ismael Barroso 031215
Ismael Barroso 031215
Issouf Kinda 031215
Issouf Kinda 031215
Jerry Odom 031215
Jerry Odom 031215
Adam Lopez 031215
Adam Lopez 031215
Pablo Cruz 031215
Pablo Cruz 031215
Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Jr. Middleweight John Thompson, Featherweight Jorge Diaz, undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad, Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell and undefeated Welterweight Jerrell Harris.
boxing, Showtime Boxing

ANTOINE DOUGLAS vs. THOMAS LAMANNA SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION FINAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Quadrupleheader Tonight LIVE on SHOWTIME® At 10 p.m. ET/PT

From The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.

  Photos by: Rosie Cohe/SHOWTIME

 

WESTBURY, N.Y. (March. 12, 2015) – Undefeated welterweight Antoine Douglas tipped the scale at 159¾ pounds and fellow unbeaten Thomas LaManna measured 157¾ pounds during Thursday’s official weigh-in for tonight’s ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader.

 

At just 23 years old, Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KOs) is one of boxing’s fastest-rising prospects. The aggressive and exciting Washington, D.C., native will make his 2015 debut against LaManna (16-0, 7 KOs) in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.

 

In the co-feature, unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, will shoot for his 13th consecutive victory when he faces Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a 10-round scrap for the NABO Lightweight Title. Barroso weighed 134 pounds, Kinda 133½ pounds.

 

In an eight-round featured bout, once-beaten Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will try and avenge his lone loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch. Odom weighed 168 pounds, Hernandez 167¾ pounds.

 

In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights. Lopez tipped scale at 121½ pounds, Cruz weighed 120¾ pounds.

 

Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

 

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

 

Here’s what the fighters had to say before Thursday’s weigh-in:

 

Antoine Douglas:

“The key is that I learn from my past experiences. Everything is a lesson. It’s only considered a loss if you don’t learn from it.

“I’m a disciplined fighter so once I enter the ring, the switch is on. That’s my comfort zone.

“If you look at my story, you see I’ve been through adversity all my life. Being in the ring is just another step for something I’m fighting for. I have people to fight for, burdens to get off my shoulder, my life is a fight.  Once I step in the ring, it’s go time, I handle all my business there.

“I know what I worked on and what I prepared myself to do, so I don’t go in the ring expecting anything. If you go in expecting something, you may end up on the other side of that expectation, so I just do what I came to do, fight hard and win. If you go in expecting things, you’re going on a one-way path.

“Any man you get in the ring with, no matter how big or small, has the capability to do damage.  I take on every fight with the same intensity and thought process; I can’t worry about anything else.”

Thomas LaManna:

“People try to underestimate me based on my appearance but once they get hit, it’s another story. I know Douglas is taking me seriously since he knows me from the amateurs. It’s in his best interest to take me seriously.

“I know I’m good at what I do, and that’s boxing. During my first fights, if I got hit, everything went out the window and I was ready to rumble. My new trainer helped me control my mental strength while really using my reach, but the key is to stick to the game plan.

“This opportunity to fight on SHOWTIME was too good to pass up. I want everyone to see that I’m the real deal. The press has said a lot of positive things about me and I want to live up to that. The risk and reward factor about this fight is getting out and being seen. I know what I can do but not everyone has seen it yet.

“I love the fact you have two 23-year-old young undefeated fighters getting in the ring. As a boxing fan, I think that makes for a great fight. I’m fortunate to be a part of a card with two legit young fighters. We’re both where we’re at for a reason.

“I believe in my shots and power. Any shot I throw, I believe in it. My skills, talent and hard work are what brought me here.”

Ismael Barroso:

“I want the U.S. fans to think of me as a great fighter who comes to go to war. I come to knock people out.

“In Cuba in 2001, I sparred someone on the Cuban National Team and laid him out cold.. As I kept training, I developed more power.

I’m in great shape. I trained for four months for this fight and I’m ready. I could go 12 rounds if I had to.

“He [Kinda] is just another fighter. This fight is mine. I will knock him out or get a decision. We took this guy because nobody wants to fight him. He [Kinda] has never been knocked out, but look at who he has fought.”

Issouf Kinda

“I have never been knocked down. I have never been hurt. And I don’t think that’s going to change now.

“This guy has never fought anybody like me. He thinks he can knock everybody out, but I’m not just another guy. I’m tougher than everybody he has ever fought. He’s not going to knock me down.

“I know how to fight a southpaw. I’m experienced. I can box. He better be ready.

“I’m going to show him he is fighting a man. If he punches me, I’m going to punch him back.”

Jerry Odom:

“I don’t think he wants to fight me. He’s just doing it because he has to. I’m not going to say I regret what I did to Hernandez in our first fight because I was just trying to get the win, so I went for the kill.

“Before I even saw fighting on TV or even started boxing, I knew how to fight. Where I come from, I was used to adversity so my instinct was to fight no matter what.

“When I changed trainers, it was for the better. We had a mutual understanding so there were no hard feelings. Instead of going to train in different places, my workouts feel more professional. I get everything I need in one session. I’ve been able to break down my old habits in order to show my real talent.”

Andrew Hernandez:

“He fought dirty the first time around. He hit me with a blow and I took a knee and while I was down, he punched me again.

“He’s definitely overrated. He’s fought a lot of tomato cans. I’m going to expose him. I’m sharper and better than him in all aspects, no question.

“I took the rematch because that’s not the victory I wanted. I wanted a knockout. I’ll get it this time around. I’m going for it with all I have.

“I heard some people questioning my punching power. I boxed Odom with an injured hand and I outboxed him. I’m healthy and in great shape now. I’m going to knock him out. You better be watching.”

Adam Lopez:

“Cruz is my countryman. I’ve seen him fight. I even sparred with him a while back and I can say with certainty that I outboxed him.

“This is the first time I’m going eight rounds, but I’m not concerned about it. I trained very well. I’m in the best shape I have ever been.

“Fighting on this card is a great opportunity for me. I’ve been under the radar most of my career, but now I have the opportunity to be on SHOWTIME, national television. I feel so blessed.”

Pablo Cruz

“It took me over nine years to get here. I worked hard, really hard and I’m not going to let this opportunity slip away.

“This is a huge fight for me, perhaps the biggest one of my career. I will go at him with everything I got.

“I’m not taking him lightly. I respect him as a fighter, but I’m hungry. I’m very hungry and I’ll do what it takes to get the job done. Tomorrow is my time and I’ll shine.”

 

 

Weights from Boxing at
The Space at Westbury in New York

ShoBox weigh in 031215
3-13-15 ShoBox weigh in video

 

Antoine Douglas 159.8 – Thomas LaManna 157.8
Ismael Barroso 134 – Isoouf Kinda 133.6 (NABA & NABO Lightweight Championships)
Jerry Odom 168 – Andrew Hernandez 167.8
Adam Lopez 121.4 – Pablo Cruz 120.8
Tommy Rainone 151- Allen Litzau 151
Patty Alcivar 112.8 – Peggy Maerz 111.4
Dave Meloni 130 – Ricard Bonds 133
Rich Neves 156 – Joshua Marks 151.2

TV: ShoBox: The New Generation (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast)

 

Tickets: Priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission and available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425. 

 

Sponsors: Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

 

Promoters: GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions.


###

 

About Greg Cohen Promotions

 

One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen made headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman (50-8-2, 41 KOs); and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney (74-7-3, 45 KOs).

Current world-rated contenders in the GCP roster include Arash Usmanee, universally recognized as a top-10 super featherweight; former WBA International Middleweight Champion and world-rated middleweight contender Jarrod Fletcher; top-rated featherweight Joel Brunker; cruiserweight Lateef Kayode; Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis, and WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Rising Welterweight sensation Cecil McCalla.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.
boxing, Showtime Boxing, Uncategorized

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna: Undefeated yet looking for respect in ShoBox: The New Generation bout against Antoine Douglas

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Battle of undefeated Middleweights Highlights March 13 card in Westbury, N.Y
LIVE on SHOWTIME® This Friday, March 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

For Immediate Release

Millville, New Jersey (March 10, 2015)—On Friday night, March 13 at the Space in Westbury, N.Y.,  undefeated middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (16-0, 7 KO’s) will step up in class and try to silence any critics when he takes on fellow undefeated Middleweight Antoine “Action” Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KO’s). The quadrupleheader ShoBox: The New Generation will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The bout will headline a ShoBox: The New Generation card beginning at 10 PM ET

In an age where fighters don’t want to be tested until a premium network comes calling, LaManna gives Douglas credit for stepping for this major opportunity.
“I think whoever wins or loses, we should gain a lot of respect that two young and undefeated fighters are taking a risk.  In boxing, when an opportunity presents itself, you can’t say no,” said LaManna
The 23 year-old LaManna is ready for this fight as he knows that a big effort will make him more than just a local attraction.
“It’s now because I have been a professional for four years and sixteen fights and I just felt with my team to take this necessary risk to see where I am at.”
LaManna also feels that he doesn’t think that Douglas has been through a hard fight and on March 13 that will all change.
“I disagree with the notion that he has fought great competition and I haven’t.  The only time he has had to bite down and grind it out, he was only able to get a draw.  Not to take anything away from him, I have had to bite down and I have won fights.”
“I know it’s his promoter’s show but in no way do I look at myself as the B-side in the fight.”
LaManna continues on to discuss that if you look behind the number’s, Douglas strength of schedule is not all that it looks to be on paper.
“He has fought two undefeated guys.  One of them was from the Midwest and the other did not beat anybody of note.  On paper it may look better and maybe because of the way I look or my body type, people come in thinking that they will beat me.  I can’t say that for all of his opponents.  I also have not faced many guys on short notice.  Just about all my opponents have had full training camps to face me.”
“I am going to say this that the professional ranks are different then the amateurs.  I bring a lot more to the table then his other adversaries.  Just like him, I am undefeated and I do not know how to lose.  On March 13, I will do everything to keep it that way.  I am not in awe of anybody and I consider this another day at the office.”
“I would like to thank my dad who also is my manager as well as my co-promoters Russell Peltz and Peltz Boxing as well as Vincent Ponte and Gulfstream Promotions.”
 Vinny LaManna, Thomas’ Father and Manager  believes, “One thing about Thomas is that all of his opponents have had ample time to train.  They have all come to win. Come March 13, the hard work and the ring experience will pay off.”
Thomas LaManna 022115
Thomas LaManna 022115
 In the co-feature, unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, will shoot for his 13th consecutive victory when he faces Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a ten-round scrap for the NABO Lightweight Title. In an eight-round featured bout, once-beaten Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will try and avenge his lone loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch. In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.
boxing, Showtime Boxing

 Q&A WITH TOP PROSPECT ANTOINE DOUGLAS AS HE PREPARES TO FACE FELLOW UNBEATEN THOMAS LAMANNA THIS FRIDAY ON SHOWTIME®

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ShoBox: The New Generation LIVE on SHOWTIME
This Friday, March 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT From Westbury, N.Y.

Photo Credit:  Stephanie Trapp / SHOWTIME
For Immediate Release

WESTBURY, N.Y. (March 9, 2015) – Undefeated middleweight Antoine Douglas(16-0-1, 10 KOs) is one of boxing’s fastest-rising prospects. Just 23 years old, the aggressive and exciting Washington, D.C., native will make his 2015 debut thisFriday, March 13 against fellow unbeaten Thomas LaManna (16-0, 7 KOs) in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Douglas, who is 1-0-1 in two ShoBox appearances, is looking to prove that he’s earned the moniker “Action” when he faces an opponent who – like himself – has never lost or touched the canvas. More importantly, he’s aiming to continue to erase any doubt about his future as a contender at 160 pounds. Douglas has won two in a row since boxing a hard-fought 10-round majority draw with former world title challengerMichel Soro (23-1-1 going in) last July 25 on ShoBox.

Here’s what Douglas had to say as he prepares for a breakout 2015:

How would you say your career is going?
“My career is going great so far. I am very satisfied with the pace of my career. I’m right where we want to be and in position for a big year.”

Neither one of you has been knocked down as a professional. Do you expect that to change on March 13?
“I really don’t expect anything going into a fight. I just want to put on a great show and put on a great fight. Give it my all.”

You’ve faced the tougher opposition as a pro. How do you stay focused and not look past an opponent?
“This is the sport of boxing and one punch can change any fight. Any fighter has the capability of hurting me so I don’t overlook anyone. LaManna is undefeated. He’s never lost, so I can’t look past him. Anything can happen in there.”

What do you know about LaManna and what kind of fight do you expect?
“I know that he’s tall and has a long reach. I really don’t know what to expect. I know that he tends to lock up to try to stay in a defensive position. I need to take advantage of that by going on the offensive.”

After what you’ve overcome as a youngster, do you consider yourself a survivor? Did boxing save you?
“I wouldn’t consider myself just a survivor. I would consider myself a fighter. I had a lot to fight for in my youth. Boxing helped me get through my issues. It provided me with instruction and discipline. Around the age of 14 I really took control of my life and became a man. I felt like I needed to treat myself as a man.

“When I was in a foster home at 14, my two guardians split up and I was in a position where I needed to make a decision to choose which path to go down. I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today if I didn’t make the decision I made. There weren’t people around me to point me in the right direction, I was on my own. If there were people that were supportive of me, I wasn’t expecting it. I was in the position that I was making the decision solely for myself.”

Getting serious here – your mother was in and out of your life growing up. What keeps you so loyal to her after everything that you’ve been through?
“I understand the fact that everyone goes through things in their life. It’s easy to tell them what they should do. It takes a lot to put your pride aside to be considerate of what people are going through. Too many people put themselves first over others. I took a step back and realized that everything happens for a reason and look how I turned out today. My mother and I have a great relationship now because I was understanding of her situation and didn’t take anything she did intentionally or think that it was directed towards me.”

What did you learn from your last ShoBox fight versus Soro)?. Do you view it as a positive or negative?
“I view the fight with Soro as a positive. In that fight I got down in weight, the smallest I have been in a while. I was at 155 instead of my usual weight of 160. Shedding the pounds really had a big impact on the fight and I realized I am a middleweight and feel comfortable at 160.”

That the Soro fight was called a majority draw — was that a disappointment for you? How did you learn from that?
“It was a great disappointment for me to get a draw, but we know now not to go any smaller than 160. That’s the main thing we learned in that fight. There is such a thing as being too disciplined. People noticed how skinny I was for that fight, but being a disciplined fighter I was determined to make weight. A lot of opponents wouldn’t have taken that fight but it was an opportunity that I wanted to take advantage of. I thought it was a good decision at the time, but I learned a valuable lesson.”

You knocked a guy’s tooth out in your first ShoBox fight (Jan. 17, 2014, versus Marquis Davis) and your mom stole the show in your last appearance. What do you have in store for viewers on March 13?
“I mean, I’m just planning for a great fight. That’s all I can guarantee. I’m not one for superstitions [Friday The 13th]. I can just guarantee it will be a great fight.”

What is your biggest strength? Are you looking for the knockout or do you believe you can go 10 rounds and get the victory that way?
“I believe I can bang for 10 rounds, but that all depends on the opponent. Some guys are strong enough who can go the full 10 rounds. I go in and try to inflict the most amount of damage from the opening bell.

“My biggest strength is my will and determination. There’s never a moment where I want to give up. Even if I get hurt in the ring, I won’t succumb to the fighter. Those are the thoughts that go through my head.”

Jerry Odom is also on this card and you both are from the DC area. You have stated that you two are like roommates. What does it mean to have him on the card with you?
“It means a lot for me. We come from similar humble beginnings and for us to be on the same card is historic for us. We both carry the same common goal and we have a lot that we are fighting for. Being able to do this on such a big stage on SHOWTIME and prove all the naysayers wrong means the world to us. It makes it that much more worth it and fulfilling for us, especially if we both get the victory.”

Your prediction?
“I predict a victory. I have trained and worked very hard for this and am ready to put on a show.”

In the co-feature, unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, will shoot for his 13th consecutive victory when he faces Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a 10-round scrap for the NABO Lightweight Title. In an eight-round featured bout, once-beaten Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will try and avenge his lone loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch. In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

Advance tickets for the event promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions,are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425.

The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.
boxing

Rainone Tops Untelevised Undercard This Friday at The Space at Westbury in Westbury, New York

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Local favorite Tommy “Razor” Rainone will face Saint Paul, Minnesota, veteran Allen Litzau (14-8, 7 KOs) in a six-round welterweight battle to headline the undercard for this Friday, March 13‘s exciting night of televised boxing from The Space at Westbury in Westbury, New York.

Rainone vs. Litzau will be the featured untelevised undercard bout in support of the live four-fight broadcast of ShoBox: The New Generation (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) featuring a 10-round middleweight main event between Washington, D.C.’s Undefeated middleweight Antoine Douglas (16-0-1, 10 KOs) and fellow unbeaten Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (16-0, 7 KOs) of Millville, New Jersey, for the WBA-FEDELATIN Middleweight Championship, as well as The SHOWTIME debut of unbeaten southpaw Ismael Barroso (16-0-2, 15 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, taking on Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-2, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y., in a 10-round battle for the NABO Lightweight Championship.

In other televised action, Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (12-1, 1 NC, 11 KOs), of Washington D.C., will attempt to avenge his only career loss when he takes on undefeated Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-0-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Arizona, in an eight-round super middleweight rematch. In the opening bout, Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs), of San Antonio, and Houston’s Pablo Cruz (11-0, 3 KOs) clash in an eight-round battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

Tickets for the event, promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, are priced at $150, $125, and $60 for general admission and available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, thespacewestbury.com, The Space at Westbury Box Office at 516.283.5566 or by calling the GCP Office at 212.851.6425. The event is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

In other undercard action, Patricia Alcivar (7-3, 3 KOs) of Queens, New York, will face British Columbia, Canada’s Peggy Maerz (2-6-1) in a women’s six-round flyweight battle; New York’s Rich Neves (8-1-1, 4 KOs) will battle San Diego, California’s Joshua Marks (8-5-1, 8 KOs) in a six-round super welterweight bout; and opening the action will be Dave Meloni (1-1, 1 KO) will face Richard Bonds (0-2) of Newburgh, New York, in a four-round super featherweight bout.