Tag Archives: boxing

JERMELL CHARLO OUTPOINTS VANES MARTIROSYAN ON A SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® DOUBLEHEADER

 

WELTERWEIGHT CHAMP KELL BROOK OBLITERATES JO JO DAN

TO RETAIN TITLE ON SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL®  

Watch The Replay Of The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Doubleheader

Tomorrow/Sunday at 9 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME,

Tuesday, March 31, at 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHO EXTREME

 

Click HERE For Charlo vs. Martirosyan & Gonzalez vs. Russell Jr. Photos

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

 

Click HERE For Brook vs. Dan Photos

Photo Credit: Lawrence Lustig

 

LAS VEGAS (March 28, 2015) – After coming close to world championship glory in 2014,

Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs), a former United States amateur standout, delivered on his promise in impressive fashion Saturday night, knocking out defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez (57-9, 48 KOs), of Mexico City, in the fourth round in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader promoted by DiBella Entertainment at The Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort.

 

In the co-feature on SHOWTIME®, undefeated Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (26-0, 11 KOs) of Houston, won a close, unanimous 10-round decision over Vanes Martirosyan(35-2-1, 21 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., in a clash of top-five ranked super welterweights. There were no knockdowns in a bout scored 97-93 and 96-94 twice.

 

The talented and quick-fisted southpaw Russell, who stood and exchanged with Gonzalez, utilized his overall speed to dominate. He dropped the veteran three times, once in the third and twice in the fourth before referee Tony Weeks waved off the fight 37 seconds into the round (to watch the knockout click HERE).

 

“This is the kind of performance I always expect but don’t always get,’’ said Russell, who lost a close 12-round decision to Vasyl Lomachenko in his initial attempt at the 126-pound crown last June 21 on SHOWTIME. “If people only knew how hard we worked for this, the time we put in the gym, the mental and physical things we work on and put ourselves through every day.

 

“There are always obstacles to overcome but for this fight I was 100 percent. This win is for all the people who have been with me from the beginning.’’

 

Russell’s strategy was to eliminate Gonzalez’ vaunted left hook, and he executed the plan to near perfection.

 

“We were never in this to turn it into a track meet,’’ Russell said. “We were going to stand right in the pocket. We know what Gonzalez likes to do, and that’s throw the wide left hook. I tried to bait him into throwing it and he did.

 

“Honestly, I don’t think he recovered from the first knockdown.’’

 

Gonzalez, a two-time WBC featherweight world champion – and a veteran of 16 world championship fights – won the title for the first time in April 2011 and made four successful title defenses before losing it in September 2012. He regained the title on a shocking first-round knockout over Abner Mares in August 2013 on SHOWTIME, and had made two more successful title defenses before falling to Russell.

 

Gonzalez offered no excuses before quickly exiting the ring.

 

“I’m OK,’’ he said. “I did not expect this kind of fight at all. We expected him to run around the ring with me chasing. But he didn’t.’’

 

In the co-feature, Charlo silenced critics of his resume by defeating his toughest opponent to date.

He was surprised at the way his match with Martirosyan played out. “I definitely expected a much rougher fight,’’ he said. “This was easy compared to what I thought we were in for.

“I fought smart and when I was told to pick it up, I knew what time it was so I did. I’m absolutely ready for a shot at a world title.’’

Martirosyan, who was cut over the left eye from an accidental headbutt in the eighth round, was visibly disappointed with the result.

“I positively feel 100 percent that I won that fight,’’ he said. “I was the aggressor and forced the action. All he did was run. I landed the cleaner punches. I definitely felt I won the last round.

“I was stunned by the headbutt [that resulted in the bout being halted while he and the ringside physician discussed the cut]. Sure my left eye bothered me after that and it was blurry. But that’s no excuse.

“I felt I was hurting him. He never hurt me once. I really don’t understand this decision.’’

Earlier Saturday, on SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL, undefeated IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (34-0, 23 KOs) overwhelmed mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan (34-3, 18 KOs), dropping the Romanian-based Canadian four times before the one-sided beatdown was wisely halted after the fourth round at Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, England.

 

Brook, of Sheffield, was making the first defense of the welterweight title he took from previously undefeated Shawn Porter last August on SHOWTIME and fighting for the first time since suffering a serious injury when he was stabbed in the thigh during a holiday on the island of Tenerife last September.

 

The exciting welterweight showed no ill effects from the layoff in an emotional return to the ring, registering two knockdowns in the second round, and two more in the fourth, with the final knockdown coming at the closing bell. Dan suffered the first knockout defeat of his career (to watch the knockout click HERE).

 

“I’m back, baby!” said Brook, whose devastating performance against the usually durable Dan electrified the hometown fans while paving the way for a major showdown in the future.

 

“It was truly amazing to walk out in front of all my fans. I didn’t think I would ever walk again, much less  box again. Here I am filling arenas. I can’t put into words how much it means to be back and defending a world title. It means everything to me.

 

“It was hard there holding it together. But this is where I belong. The leg feels fine. The leg feels as good as the other leg. There is no problem with the leg.

 

“If you’re watching Amir Khan, then get in here with me. I know you’re delicate around the whiskers. I’ll take you out.’’

 

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader will re-air this week as follows:

 

DAY                                                                            CHANNEL

Tomorrow, Sunday, March 29, 9 a.m. ET/PT            SHOWTIME

Monday, March 30, 10 p.m. ET/PT                            SHOWTIME EXTREME

 

Saturday’s two-fight telecast will be available at SHOWTIME ON DEMAND beginning tomorrow, Sunday, March 29.

 

Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME telecast, with Mauro Ranallo calling the action, Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggi commentating and Jim Gray reporting. In the Spanish simulcast, Alejandro Luna called the blow-by-blow and former world champion Raul Marquez served as color commentator. The executive producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING was David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

 

# # #

 

“Gonzalez vs. Russell Jr.”, was a 12-round world championship bout for Gonzalez’s WBC Featherweight World Title and was promoted by DiBella Entertainment. In the co-feature, Jermell Charlo took on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The event took place at The Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The event aired on SHOWTIME.

 

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH WASHINGTON D.C. BOXER  GARY RUSSELL, JR. PRIOR TO HIS FIGHT WITH JHONNY GONZALEZTOMORROW ON SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®


 

Gary Russell Jr. discusses his family’s boxing background, his father’s role in his corner, and his motivation following his first professional defeat to Vasyl Lomachenko. Russell steps in the ring for the WBC Featherweight World Title against defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez tomorrow,Saturday, March 28 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME ®.

http://s.sho.com/1xCFbic

 

 

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(Photo Credit: SHOWTIME)

 

# # #

 

“Gonzalez vs. Russell Jr.”, a 12-round world championship bout for Gonzalez’s WBC Featherweight World Title, is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. In the co-feature, Jermell Charlo takes on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The event will take place at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50, and $25, plus applicable fees are on sale. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by clicking HERE. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

 

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

SHOWTIME SPORTS® TO CHRONICLE THE MOST ANTICIPATED EVENT OF THE YEAR WITH “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO”

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Four-Part Documentary Series To Include The Network’s Distinctive And Award-Winning “Epilogue” Episode; Series Premieres Saturday, April 18, Only On SHOWTIME®

 

cid:image002.jpg@01D0688B.2BE560A0

(Photo Credit: SHOWTIME)

NEW YORK (March 27, 2015) – SHOWTIME Sports® offers viewers exclusive access to Floyd “Money” Mayweather and the most anticipated event of the year with “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO,” an intimate four-part documentary series chronicling the life of the perennial pound-for-pound champion as he navigates his collision course with Manny PacquiaoEpisode 1 premieres on Saturday, April 18 immediately following the liveSHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader featuring Mexican superstar Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

 

INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO delivers a unique perspective of the compelling and popular Mayweather in the weeks leading up to the biggest prizefight of this generation.  In the fourth installment, Epilogue, SHOWTIME Sports focuses the distinct and Sports Emmy Award-winning spotlight on the unpredictable drama of fight week, takes viewers inside the ropes on fight night, and into the mind of the fighter in the aftermath of the bout.

 

“SHOWTIME has set itself apart with its coverage of the biggest fights in boxing and our viewers have come to expect the unique access we provide,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.  “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO will not only welcome viewers into Mayweather’s camp before the fight, but also give viewers a window into those dramatic and often poignant moments immediately before and after this historic fight.”

 

SHOWTIME cameras are entrenched in Mayweather’s camp in the shadow of the bright lights of Las Vegas.  This unparalleled access allows INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO to peel back the curtain on Mayweather’s opulent public persona while revealing the unrelenting pursuit of perfection that propels the undefeated, undisputed champion.

 

From the red carpet spectacle of the kickoff press conference in Los Angeles and the rigors of training camp to the intensity of the weigh-in and the calm dressing room after the final bell, INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO offers an inside-out look at an event that has no rival.

 

Forty-seven fighters have stepped into the ring with Mayweather and all 47 have come away empty.  With complete access to Mayweather and the vast entourage that surrounds and supports him, viewers of INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO come to understand what makes “Money” tick.

 

INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO episodes premiere on SHOWTIME with multiple encore presentations, including the cable television premiere on CBS SPORTS NETWORK.  All episodes of the series will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and online at SHO.com/Sports.

 

Ø  Episode 1 premieres Saturday, April 18 on SHOWTIME, immediately following SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Chavez vs. Fonfara (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

Ø  Episode 2 premieres Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

Ø  Episode 3 premieres Wednesday, April 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

Ø  Epilogue premieres Saturday, May 9 on SHOWTIME

 

#  #  #

 

About Showtime Networks Inc.:

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNELXTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

WBC PURSE BID FOR STEVENSON/KOVALEV  APRIL 17th IN MEXICO CITY

MONTREAL (March 27, 2015) – The concretization of the The Ring, WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO light heavyweight unification fight between Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev has taken another important step. The World Boxing Council (WBC) has ordered a purse bid to take place April 17 in order to determine the promoter of this major event.

 

Initially requested by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) to insure the required time to prepare for a major event like this super fight, the WBC agreed to host the purse bid on Apr. 17 in Mexico.

 

The winner of this purse bid will have an advantage over the other promoter in terms of determining the date, place and television network for the light heavyweight showdown. Each group will split the bid equally on a 50-50 basis.

 

Before the Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) vs. Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) rumble can happen, though, both fighters must win their next bout. Stevenson, the Haitian-born Quebecer, has to successfully defend his WBC and The Ring crowns April 4 in Quebec City against Cameroon native Sakio Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs), while Kovalev has 90 days to execute a mandatory defense of his IBF belt against Frenchman Nadjib Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) at a place to be determined.

 

Stevenson’s promoter, GYM president Yvon Michel, is excited by the possibility of promoting what could be the biggest light heavyweight brawl of all-time. “We went ahead because Adonis and his team (adviser Al Haymon and head trainer Jevan Sugar Hill) wanted this awesome fight to happen,” Michel explained. “My boxer (Stevenson) wants to give his fans, not only from Quebec but from around the entire world, the fight they really want.

 

“Adonis was unfairly accused of ducking Kovalev last summer but his ultimate goal has always been to prove he is the King of the Light Heavyweights.”

Everybody talks to me about Sergey Kovalev,” WBC, The Ring and lineal world light heavyweight champion Stevenson added. “I am fully focussed on Sakio Bika right now, but I really want to unify the titles. I am the king of my division and ready to prove it.”

The 37-year-old southpaw, fully confident of winning all the major world title belts, also noted, “In fact, the two titles (WBA and IBF) that Bernard Hopkins lost to Kovalev were supposed to be mine, but Hopkins ran away to HBO rather than fight me.”  

 

With the help of the WBC

 

Sanctioning bodies rarely allow champions of other organizations to be part in its rankings. In this case, however, the WBC made an exception and stated that, at its 52th annual convention last December in Las Vegas, the Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal bout winner would be the mandatory challenger for Stevenson’s title.

 

The importance and magnitude of a fight with all the titles of a single division at stake influenced the WBC Board of Governors to make that decision.

 

“That was an excellent strategy by Kathy Duva (president of Main Events and Kovalev’s promoter),” Michel commented. “Adonis is now obligated to face Kovalev in a unification bout, guaranteeing a simple process without long, unnecessary bargaining. Our champion won’t back down, the countdown has just started.”

Unprecedented Demand for Matthysse vs. Provodnikov’s HBO Boxing After Dark® Event Results in Turning Stone Resort Casino Releasing Final Block of Tickets

The April 18 “fight of the year” candidate at New York’s premier boxing venue is near complete sellout with the final tickets being released today

 

Oneida Nation Homelands (March 27, 2015) – When the Saturday, April 18 fight between Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov at Turning Stone Resort Casino was announced, the boxing world erupted – and ticket sales mimicked the enthusiasm.  Due to the unprecedented demand to see this sure-fire “Fight of the Year” candidate, ringside seats sold out in only 15 minutes – and the entire event is now near sellout with Turning Stone releasing the last group of tickets.  Limited $35 and $25 seats are still available for this epic fight.

 

Former World Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov, two of boxing’s hardest punchers, will take the stage on April 18at Turning Stone Resort in a 12-round junior welterweight showdown which will be televised as part of a split site doubleheader live on HBO Boxing After Dark®.  The clash of these two fearsome fighters will generate what is sure to be an all-action battle to remember.

 

The host of this legendary event, the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino, continues to be nationally recognized as a leading venue for blockbuster boxing matches.  In fact, boxing legend Mike Tyson selected Turning Stone Resort as the venue for his world debut as a promoter, Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali made her boxing debut at Turning Stone, and many boxing hall-of-famers have promoted fight cards or fought at the resort in recent years, and now Turning Stone has landed a “Fight of the Year” contender over arenas in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami.  The April 18 fight will mark Turning Stone’s 15th televised boxing event in less than two years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout nationally-televised fights.

 

A truly stunning 3,400 acre destination resort, Turning Stone Resort also offers four award-winning hotels, an eclectic mix of more than 20 fine- and casual-dining restaurants, world-class amenities, including two luxury spas, five professional-level golf courses, an indoor tennis and golf dome, vast entertainment options, multiple nightlife venues and a 120,000 square foot Vegas-style gaming floor.  Turning Stone Resort recently received several prestigious awards, including three AAA Four Diamond awards, accolades granted to less than four percent of AAA’s approved properties, distinguishing Turning Stone as the only resort in the entire Northeast with three Four Diamond venues at one property.

 

Matthysse vs. Provodnikov is a 12-round junior welterweight bout presented byBanner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico, Live it To Believe It! and Khortytsa Vodka. Doors are currently scheduled to open at 6:00 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the HBO Boxing After Dark®  telecast will being at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Limited seats are still available by calling the Turning Stone Resort Box Office at 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster. 

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.comwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing,@BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @ TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions,www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort  and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @ bannerboxing, @ turningstone and @ruslanprovod.

LAMONT PETERSON WORKS OUT FOR WASHINGTON D.C. MEDIA AHEAD OF  HIS APRIL 11 PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBC BOUT AT BARCLAYS CENTER


 

Click HERE To Download Photos

Photo Credit: Rouse Photography Group

 

Washington D.C. (March 26, 2015) – A little more than two weeks in advance of his highly anticipated bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs) hosted media at the Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Washington, D.C. Lamont, his brother Anthony and Lamont’s trainer, Barry Hunter, took some time out of their training schedule to discuss Lamont’s Premier Boxing Champions showdown against Danny “Swift” Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) on April 11.

 

Below please find notable quotes from the event, which was attended by print, broadcast and online media outlets from around the region:

 

Lamont Peterson, Super Lightweight World Champion

 

“The plan might be to just go out there and fight him. Regardless of how I choose to fight, I feel like I can win. I do have quicker feet, but I can use them to do other things too. I can go forward. I don’t always have to be going backwards. I will stick to the game plan, but we don’t know what the game plan is right now.

 

“My mentality always shows in the ring, especially in the late rounds. You ask a lot of your body in that ring and a lot of times it goes to what it knows. So your personality definitely comes out, and I think that’s where I shine more than other fighters. The later rounds are when I normally take over the fight. A lot of the time I wish we could go more rounds.

 

“The fans wanted to see this fight so I wanted to make sure that it happened. I never really call out names or talk about who I want next. I leave it up to the fans and to the media because there are lots of fights that the fans want to see that never happen. At the end of the day, I’m fighting for the fans and the media so why not fight who they want me to fight?

 

“I’m just looking to take the things I do well and execute, and then I’m looking to take away the things Garcia does well and force him to do the things he doesn’t do well more often. I don’t look at any one previous fight of his and think ours is going to go that way.

 

“I’m a better fighter. He’s definitely a counter-puncher and we’re looking to make sure that we don’t get countered the way some others have been.

 

“There have been ups and downs in the camp. Sometimes it’s time to pull back and relax, but sometimes it’s time to work hard. Overall I feel great. A lot of people say this, but this has been my best training camp ever and I’m happy where I’m at right now. I’m ready to fight.

 

“This is the biggest fight for me. After this there’s nothing left to do in the weight class. I’d like to move up after this next fight.”

 

Barry Hunter, Peterson’s Trainer

 

“Lamont is a very versatile fighter. He’s been in the ring hundreds of times. He can box. He can fight both inside and outside. He can strategize, but he can also be very aggressive.

 

“Danny is a solid fighter. He doesn’t do one or two things great, but he does a lot of things well. There are some things though that we’ve seen in him that we think we can exploit and we’re going to go out there with the intent to do so. Overall I think Lamont is a better fighter.

 

“There’s only a few big names left at 140, everyone else has moved up to 147. So Lamont’s way of thinking was that the only way this fight made sense at 140 was if he could face Danny Garcia. This was more about giving the fans what they want to see. This is going to give fans a great free fight again on national TV.

 

“NBC is a true sports network. They have NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and the only sport that was missing was boxing. Boxing used to be on every network and they had legendary fights with legendary fighters. It wasn’t always about a belt either. Then things changed, but this gives us a chance to bring boxing back to the true fans.”

 

Anthony Peterson

 

“I’m not nervous about watching this fight. I’m just going to sit back and watch. Lamont’s so ready.

 

“Danny is an extraordinary fighter. It’s in his DNA, but Lamont is so focused I’m confident he’s going to win.

 

“Lamont learned to fight protecting me on the streets.”

 

# # #

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $300, $200, $150, $100, $80 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.comwww.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

 

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com www.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.BarclaysCenter.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @DannySwift, @KingPete26, @KidChocolate, @AndyLeeBoxing, @RealLuisCollazo, @NBCSports and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports and www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BKBoxing.

STACKED UNDERCARD COMES TO BARCLAYS CENTER ON SATURDAY, APRIL 11 AS PART OF SUPER NIGHT OF FIGHTS

 

DOMINICAN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST FELIX DIAZ TAKES ON BROOKLYN’S GABRIEL BRACERO

 

BROOKLYN’S LUIS COLLAZO RETURNS TO THE RING

 

U.S. OLYMPIANS MARCUS BROWNE AND ERROL SPENCE JR.

ALSO IN ACTION

 

PLUS! THE EXCITING VIKTOR POSTOL AND UNDEFEATED PROSPECTS PRICHARD COLON AND HEATHER HARDY TO ENTER THE RING

 

BROOKLYN (March 26, 2015) – Superstars of the present and future will be well represented on Saturday, April 11 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn as a full undercard of Olympians, prospects and future stars hit the ring looking to impress the Brooklyn crowd.

 

The exciting undercard features Olympic Gold Medalist for the Dominican Republic Felix Diaz battling Brooklyn-born Gabriel “Tito” Bracero in a 10-round super lightweight contest. Plus, the return of Brooklyn’s own Luis Collazo, who will compete in welterweight action.

 

Also fighting at Barclays Center are a pair of 2012 U.S. Olympians, as undefeated prospect “Sir” Marcus Browne takes on the experienced Aaron Pryor Jr. and Browne’s Olympic teammate Errol Spence Jr. makes his Brooklyn debut against once-beaten Samuel Vargas.

 

Additionally on the stacked undercard is the highly regarded Viktor Postol, plus undefeated prospect Prichard “Digget” Colon battles Jonathan Batista and undefeated prospect Heather “The Heat” Hardy” takes on Renata Domsodi in a super bantamweight bout.

 

“It’s an honor for me to be fighting in New York for the first time and at Barclays Center. I know the Dominican fans are going to come out in full force to support me,” said Diaz. “Bracero is a tough fighter, but I have world championship dreams and he is standing in my way.”

 

“This is a dream come true for me,” said Bracero. “I live in Sunset Park, right down the block from Barclays Center and I am grateful for this opportunity to fight in front of my hometown fans. I’ve been through hell in life, but I’ve never given up on my dream. If you believe in yourself, anything is possible. This is my destiny and I am ready.”

 

“I’m very excited to be fighting at Barclays Center again. I’ve experienced some of the most incredible moments of my career there,” said Collazo. “This will be my fourth fight at Barclays Center and I plan on giving my hometown fans a lot to be excited about on April 11.”

 

“I’m happy and excited to fight at Barclays Center for the eighth time,” said Browne. “My friends and family are going to come out and support me like they always do, but I am even more excited to be on a card with so many guys I consider great fighters and my friends like Kid Chocolate and Lamont Peterson.”

 

“Fighting at Barclays Center for the first time is a great opportunity and I plan on making the most of it,” said Spence Jr. “I’m going to work hard in camp to put on a great show for the fans in Brooklyn.”

 

“I was born and raised in Brooklyn and it is an honor to be invited back to fight in my hometown at Barclays Center,” said Hardy. “I’m looking forward to putting on a great show for the fans on April 11.”

 

“I’m very excited about this card and all the locals on the undercard. Collazo is a great fighter and one that the fans love to watch,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment, promoter of the event. “Felix Diaz versus Gabriel Bracero is a New York showdown, with a Dominican Olympic gold medalist from the Bronx facing a “Nuyorican” from Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Also, the first Brooklyn appearance of 2012 Olympian Errol Spence will be a real treat for the fans. Add rising stars like Staten Island’s Marcus Browne and Brooklyn’s own Heather Hardy, the first lady of DBE and you have the makings of an electric, nonstop night of action.”

“The heart of boxing at Barclays Center is the great local boxers that fight in our ring,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center. “Our April 11 card not only delivers major primetime matchups, but gives many of my favorite fighters, including Luis Collazo and Marcus Browne, the opportunity to showcase their skills in their hometown. This is going to be an exciting night for Brooklyn Boxing.”

 

This exciting roster of undercard bouts will complement the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC primetime main event bouts featuring undefeated superstar Danny “Swift” Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) facing Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs) and the middleweight championship bout between “Irish” Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) and undefeated Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs). The second installment of PBC on NBC begins at 8:30 p.m. ET.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $300, $200, $150, $100, $80 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now.Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

 

A two-time Olympian representing the Dominican Republic, Diaz (16-0, 8 KOs) won a gold medal at his second Olympic games in 2008 in Beijing. Now fighting out of the Bronx, the 31-year-old looks to remain undefeated when he takes on Bracero on April 11. This fight will mark his first time fighting in New York and he no doubt wants to impress the fans in his adopted home city.

 

The Brooklyn-born Bracero (23-1, 4 KOs) has worked his way to becoming a contender in the junior welterweight division. His only loss came in 2012 to DeMarcus Corley, but he has rebounded to win his last five fights, including his most recent victory over former title contender Dmitriy Salita. Now, he prepares to make another statement against Felix Diaz in his Barclays Center debut.

 

One of Brooklyn’s most respected fighters today, Collazo (35-6, 18 KOs) will be aiming to get back on track when he enters the ring on April 11. In May of 2015 Collazo faced Amir Khan in a hard fought 12-round unanimous decision loss, snapping a four-fight win streak. Never having suffered consecutive losses, the gritty Collazo believes that his hometown crowd will give him the boost he needs to get a win.

 

As he approaches his record eighth appearance at Barclays Center, the 2012 U.S. OlympianBrowne (13-0, 10 KOs) is becoming synonymous with boxing’s newest Mecca. Unbeaten as a professional, with five knockouts in Barclays Center ring, the Staten Island native has shown how much he loves fighting in his backyard. Browne faces the 36-year-old Pryor Jr.(19-7, 12 KOs) from Cincinnati in a light heavyweight bout.

 

A 2012 U.S. Olympian who had a highly decorated amateur career, Spence Jr. (15-0, 12 KOs) from Desoto, Texas, is looking to remain undefeated and continue to make a name for himself in the sport. The 25-year-old will battle Columbian-born Vargas (20-1, 10 KOs) fighting out of Ontario, Canada.

 

A 31-year-old out of Kiev, Ukraine Postol (26-0, 11 KOs) has made a name for himself as one of the most feared men in the super lightweight division. Having only fought twice in the USA before, April 11 is a great opportunity for Postol to make a statement on American soil. After a thrilling victory over Selcuk Aydin in May 2014, Postol is primed for a big 2015.

 

Fighting out of Puerto Rico, the fast-rising Colon (13-0, 10 KOs) makes his second appearance at Barclays Center on April 11 after dominating Lenwood Dozier in Brooklyn en route to a six-round decision in August 2014. The 22-year-old will face the 30-year-oldBatista (14-5, 7 KOs) out of the Dominican Republic in super welterweight action.

 

Already the winner of the first-ever professional female boxing match at Barclays Center,Hardy (12-0, 2 KOs) returns on April 11 looking to keep her perfect record intact. Her previous victory at Barclays Center came in June 2014 when she won a split decision over Jackie Trivilino. Most recently, she won a dominant unanimous decision against Elizabeth Anderson in December 2014. She looks to keep that momentum going on April 11 when she faces the Renata Domsodi (12-6, 5 KO’s) out of Budapest, Hungary in a super bantamweight contest.

 

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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com www.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.BarclaysCenter.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @DannySwift, @KingPete26, @KidChocolate, @AndyLeeBoxing, @RealLuisCollazo, @NBCSports and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports and www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BKBoxing.

Lion Heart’s Zimbabwe Boxing Project Suffers Yet Another Roadblock

New York, NY, March 26, 2015-Lion Heart Boxing Productions’ gallant effort to resuscitate professional boxing in Zimbabwe may have been dealt a fatal blow.  The Zimbabwe Boxing Board’s unexplained failure to act on a request by the company for permission to stage a boxing tournament in Harare may be the final straw that broke the camel’s back on the company’s “Zim Project.

 

In December of 2014, Lion Heart’s Board of Directors met and resolved to have one final go  developing Boxing in Zimbabwe by exploring the possibility of promoting a quarterly boxing series in Harare starting in April 2015.  As a result, the company decided to send its CFO, Edward Mendy, to Zimbabwe tasked with only one objective-investigate the feasibility of hosting a boxing tournament in Harare to be held on April 16 or April 23, 2015 in conjunction with Zim’s 35th Independence Day celebration, or other date as feasible.  Ancillary to same, Mendy was tasked with the following: (1) confirm a date, (2) secure a venue, (3) book Zim boxers to feature in the Main  Event, and/or co-main event, and  (4) secure board permission to host the event.

 

The Main Event of the proposed May 2015 inaugural event was slated to feature Former Two Time British Champion and Two Time Commonwealth Champion Danny Williams  (46-18) taking on Bulawayo’s own Thamsanqa Dube (12-3), a former WBA Pan-African Champion.  In the Co-Main Event, Namibian and former World Champion Harry Simon (30-0) was selected to take on an opponent to be announced.  The Undercard was to be highlighted by a special feature bout–WBC Africa Welterweight Charles Manyuchi  (15-2) was to defend his title on home soil for the first time ever or just do a rating fight (subject to the approval of his Zambian Promoter Chris Malunga and his partners).  Manyuchi is currently the most internationally recognized Zimbabwean Boxer and has been plying his trade in neighboring Zambia since 2012 for lack of options at home.  The event would have been broadcasted live on ZTV and streamed live worldwide on the Internet.  Further, the event would have been rebroadcasted on a delayed basis via regional sports channels in the USA, which reach over 165 Million American cable homes (over 100 Million unique homes) using Lion Heart Boxing Productions’ established contractual relationships.   Additionally, the event was slated to be syndicated regionally and in other markets, worldwide as feasible.

 

In furtherance of the company’s Zimbabwe ambitions, Mendy left New York for Harare on February 26, 2015 on exploratory mission.  He was received warmly by Zimbabweans of walks of life and spent a very enjoyable and productive ten days in Zimbabwe, visiting various cities and meeting with people.  Lion Heart was able to achieve all of the stated goals except the last one, secure ZBB support for the proposed event, even though the first meeting scheduled on Mendy’s agenda was the Board. Unfortunately, not only did the Zimbabwe Boxing Board not provide the requisite nod, it would not even convene an official meeting of the Board to receive Mendy or table Lion Heart’s plans. To date, and three weeks later, Lion Heart has not received any correspondence from the Board on its application to host an event in May.  The only information it has received relative to the event is from media reports, to the effect that the Board needs more time to deliberate.

 

Due to the ZBB’s non-responsiveness, Lion Heart regrettably has decided to put its Zim Project on hold indefinitely.  Says Lion Heart Event Coodinator Sporty Smith, “We have no choice but to put our Zim Project on hold since the ZBB has failed to afford us the smallest of professional courtesy.  We can understand a Board’s refusal to sanction an event it does not like it.  A failure by a Board to reply, meet deadlines it proposed and otherwise fail to communcate, however, is unheard of.  Not only was the board frosty in its welcome of Edward Mendy, it would not even convene a meeting of the board even though advance arrangements were made with it.  Further, the Board would not even give us the courtesy of a response despite numerous follow-up inquiries.  What is most shocking about the whole thing, the ZBB’s action (or inactions), is that it is not like the ZBB has sanctioned any real boxing events in its current term, a three-year term that expires in December, or have any boxing events scheduled on its calendar. Neither are any promoters other than Lion Heart knocking on the Board’s doors or trying to promote boxing events in Zimbabwe. Thus, we are truly perplexed given the extremely warm welcome and unabashed enthusiasm our project otherwise received from boxers, trainers, other members of the boxing community, the media, tourism and other government officials as well as ordinary Zimbabweans.  Basically we have a Boxing Board that has seen no boxing events in its current term, yet it is not acting on the only real boxing event tabled before it, and a proposed major tournament with internationally recognized start at that.”

 

Lion Heart’s efforts to help develop the sport of Boxing in Zimbabwe, the “Zim Project,” has spanned over a decade.  In addition to sponsoring various tournaments in Zimbabwe over the last decade, Lion Heart Boxing Productions and its owners have attempted to help advance the careers of numerous Zimbabwean boxers, including then undefeated Thamsanqa Dube and Ishmael Kuckocha, by sponsoring them to further their training and careers in the USA.   However, despite what it believes to be its best efforts, Lion Heart Boxing Productions has had very limited success with its Zim Project and has little or nothing to show for its Herculean efforts to help progress Boxing in Zimbabwe.

 

Boxing tournaments in Zimbabwe that Lion Heart sponsored did not achieve the desired financial results. Further, various local promoters and Zimbabwean partners (other than Gilbert Munetsi) that Lion Heart Boxing Productions had contracted with over the years had turned out to be unreliable and unproductive.  Many of local promoters and partners promised much and delivered little.  Further, the Zimbabwe Boxing Board would not approve the signing of any of the fighters that Lion Heart had interest in the 2000’s.  Most recently, Lion Heart agreed to help a small local promoter, Delta Force Promotions, with an event he planned by securing the event’s purse money and depositing same with the Boxing Board.  The local Promoter, however, was unable to organize the event to the Board’s satisfaction.  After that experience, Lion Heart finally resolved in 2014 to give up on its Zim Project.  However, Lion Heart was convinced by Chit Town based writer and former ZBB Board Member Gilbert Munetsi to persist in its Zim endeavors and keep on working on the Zim Project.

 

Says company CFO Edward Mendy, “To be honest, equal credit for our perseverance on the Zim Project should go to Gilbert Munetsi and I.   But for our continued pleading and my obstinacy in the face of adversity, Lion Heart would have long terminated its foray into Zimbabwe Boxing.”

 

Added Mendy, “After over ten years of working without success on our Zim Project, our lack of success in trying to sign various Zim boxers to bring to the USA in 2004-2005, the fiasco with Cox Chigwana in 2013 and our more recent unsuccessful efforts to help Clyde Musonda and his Delta Boxing Productions get their event of the grounds in 2013-14, we simply have to face the reality Zimbabwe may not be for us.  Our trials and tribulations in Zimbabwe are well-documented, covered in great part by the Zim media and well-known to members of the current Board.  While I am not one to give up easily, I learnt a long time ago that there is really no sound business reason for force a promotion in a jurisdiction with an unfriendly board.  This is very unfortunate considering the scale of the proposed May event, its potential to jumpstart Boxing in Zimbabwe and serve as a vehicle for sustainable Sports Tourism, the enthusiasm of other stakeholders and the great amount of work already put in the Zim Project.”

 

About Lion Heart Boxing Promotions (the Promoter)

Lion Heart Boxing Productions is global Boxing Promoter and Sports Entertainment Company based in the U.S. The company was set up in 2001 for the sole purpose of providing top quality events with highest entertainment value and has promoted boxing events on four continents. The Company quickly earned a reputation as a producer of high quality fights and is well respected for its fair treatment of fighters and commitment to fighters’ rights.

 

Lion Heart Boxing Productions has had as one of its pillars for corporate responsibility a special interest in helping to develop the sport of boxing in Africa. This interest led it to promote boxing in Zimbabwe and a half a dozen African countries, all with varying degrees of success.

 

Contact Information

For more information about Lion Heart Boxing Productions, Ltd., Thursday Night Fights @ Yas Island, or the Thursday Night Fights series, please call Edward B.  Mendy, Chief Financial Officer, at +973-650-9721 or write to him atebmendy@gmail.com or 11 Eric Drive, Kinnelon, NJ 07405.

JHONNY GONZALEZ VS. GARY RUSSELL JR. MARCH 28 UNDERCARD FEATURES TOP CONTENDERS AND FUTURE STARS

 

LAS VEGAS (March 26, 2015) – The excellent night of fights featuring WBC Featherweight World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs)defending his title against highly regarded contender Gary Russell Jr. (25-1, 14 KOs) and top 154-pound contenders Jermell Charlo (25-0, 11 KOs) and Vanes Martirosyan (35-1-1, 21 KOs) squaring offwill be supplemented by a full night of undercard fights featuring first class fighters in tough matchups.

 

Get there early and don’t miss a minute of the action as doors at The Pearl at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort open at 2 p.m. PT with the first fight start just minutes later.

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50, and $25, plus applicable

fees are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000or by clicking HERE. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

 

Gonzalez vs. Russell and Charlo vs. Martirosyan airs live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

 

The exciting undercard features Jermell’s brother, Jermall Charlo (20-0, 16 KOs),looking to keep his undefeated record intact against the powerful Michael Finney (12-2-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round super welterweight bout.

 

Also in action is J’Leon Love (18-1, 10 KOs), who returns to the ring after suffering his first loss and will look to get back in the win column against exciting veteran Scott Sigmon (24-6-1, 13 KOs) in 10 rounds of super middleweight action.

 

Another exciting undefeated fighter, Ronald Gavril (11-0, 9 KOs), will compete in an 8-round super middleweight bout.

 

Former world-title challenger Cesar Seda (26-2, 17 KOs)makes his 2015 debut when he squares off against the young and rugged Cesar Juarez (15-3, 13 KOs) in a bantamweight bout scheduled for 8 rounds.

 

In more undercard action, undefeated prospect Thomas Hill (2-0) will look to keep his perfect professional record against Jeremiah Page (2-1, 2 KOs) in a 4-round super welterweight bout.

 

Rounding out the night is a battle of experienced super lightweights between Levan Ghvamichava (13-1-1, 10 KOs) and Derrick Findley (21-14-1, 13 KOs) competing in a 6-round bout.

 

Highly regarded and undefeated,the 24-year-old Jermall Charlo is primed for a world title opportunity along with his brother. He remained undefeated in 2014 with dominant victories over Hector Munoz, Norberto Gonzalez and Lenny Bottai. The Houston-native will take on the 23-year-old Finney out of Opelka, Alabama, looking to impress once again.

 

A top contender who was on the brink of a world title fight before suffering his first defeat, the 27-year-old Love is eager to get back in the ring and back in the win column on March 28. Before his defeat, Love put on an impressive boxing display on his way to a unanimous decision over Marco Antonio Periban in May 2014. He takes on a 28-year-old battle-tested brawler in Bedford, Virginia’s Sigmon who has been in with top fighters including Kelly Pavlik throughout his career.

 

Another fighter born outside the U.S. but now fighting out of Las Vegas, Romanian-bornGavril is a knockout artist with an undefeated record to match. The 28-year-old will try for his fifth straight knockout in a row.

 

A longtime contender fighting out of Puerto Rico, Seda finally got his first world title shot in Dec. 2013 but lost a unanimous decision to Leo Santa Cruz. He bounced back with a victory over Alex Rangel in 2014 and now the 29-year-old takes on a young brawler in the 23-year-old Juarez out of Mexico City.

 

An undefeated prospect who made his pro debut in Aug. 2014, the 20-year-old Hill will look to continue running through opponents on March 28. The Milwaukee-native faces the 21-year-old Page out of Wichita, Kansas.

 

The first fight of the night is sure to bring fireworks as two experienced fighters battle it out in the super lightweight division. Originally out of Poti, Georgia but now fighting out of Hayward, Calif., Ghvamichava is looking to get his third victory in a row. The 29-year-old will have a battle-tested fighter standing in his way in the 30-year-old Findley out of Chicago.

 

Gonzalez vs. Russell takes place at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). In the co-main event, Jermell Charlo takes on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

 

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog athttp://theboxingblog.sho.com.

Kay Koroma: The Backbone of GH3 Promotions

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.