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THE REAL DEAL BOXING COMES TO ATLANTIC CITY ON JUNE 2ND FOR A SPECIAL HALL OF FAME EDITION

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TOKA KAHN CLARY TO TAKE ON
EMMANUEL DOMINGUEZ
FOR THE NABA FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
EVANDER HOLYFIELD TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE
ATLANTIC CITY BOXING HALL OF FAME ON JUNE 3RD

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ. (May 15, 2018):–The eyes of the boxing world will once again be on Atlantic City when Evander Holyfield’s The Real Deal Boxing makes it’s Atlantic City debut on Saturday, June 2nd at the Adrian Phillips Theater inside Boardwalk Hall as part of the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend.

 

 

 

With Evander Holyfield as the lead inductee in this year’s Hall of Fame class, The Real Deal Boxing, in association with Mis Downing Promotions and the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame, has put together a sensational card featuring world class fighters along with a who’s who of local talent.

 

 

 

Headlining the evening will be The Real Deal Boxing’s top 10 ranked featherweight contender, Toka Kahn Clary (24-1, 17 KOs). The Liberian born southpaw, now based out of Providence, Rhode Island is set to take on Mexico’s Emmanuel Dominguez (22-6-2, 14 KOs) in what promises to be an action-packed high stakes fight for the NABA Featherweight Title.

 

 

 

In preparation for the title shot, Clary is currently on the west coast working with Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach at The Wildcard Boxing Gym in Hollywood.

 

 

 

“This has been a long, hard training camp. I’ve been pushing myself ten times harder than usual with no distractions other than missing my family.”, explains Clary. “All I do out here is concentrate on boxing. I have a great support team, starting with a new addition, Freddie Roach.”

 

 

 

Clary has impressed Roach throughout the past few weeks of training as well.

 

 

 

“So far training camp has been great,” insists Roach, the 7-time winner of BWAA Trainer of the Year award. “I’m continually impressed with Toka’s speed, power and overall skills. The next 3 weeks we will be concentrating on sharpening all the tools and come June 2nd, Team Clary will be ready.”

 

 

 

The undercard features an exciting mix of The Real Deal Boxing prospects and a host of next generation New Jersey and Philadelphia based fighters who are willing to be tested early in their careers.

 

 

 

The Real Deal Boxing’s Rayonta Whitfield (29-2, 15 KOs), who fights out of Augusta, Georgia will challenge former NABO champion and the pride of Cleveland, Ohio, Antonio Nieves (17-2-2, 9 KOs) in an 8 round bout that should see the winner move into contender status in the bantamweight division.

 

 

 

Dagoberto Aguero (13-0, 9 KOs), the undefeated super bantamweight from Florida and one of The Real Deal Boxing’s most promising prospects, will take on the toughest challenge of his career in New Brunswick, New Jersey’s Jorge Diaz (19-5-1, 10 KOs) in an 8 round clash.

 

 

 

The Real Deal Boxing’s undefeated Philadelphia based lightweight prospect, Steven Ortiz (8-0, 3 KOs) will take on Massachusetts’ Zack Ramsey (8-3, 4 KOs) in an 8 round bout.

 

 

 

Atlantic City’s very own, Anthony Young (18-2, 6 KOs) will put his excellent record on the line against the Bronx’s Enver Halili (10-1, 3 KOs) in an 8 round welterweight clash.

 

 

 

In a Philly vs. AC bragging rights battle, Alejandro Jiminez (1-0, 1 KO) will take on Dallas Holden (1-2) in a 4 round featherweight bout.

 

 

 

Promising Philadelphia welterweight and recent The Real Deal Boxing signee, Poindexter Knight (3-0, 2 KOs) will look to maintain his perfect record against an opponent to be named in a 4 round bout.

 

 

 

Brandon Robinson (10-1, 7 KOs) of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, one of the busiest fighters in the game having fought an unbelievable 9 times last year, will appear against an opponent to be named in a 6 round super middleweight bout. Robinson is signed to Marshall Kauffman’s Kings Promotions.

 

 

 

Undefeated Bowie, Maryland native and a member of The Real Deal Boxing roster, Greg Outlaw (4-0, 1 KO) will take on Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey’s Dan Murray (3-1-1) in a 6 round junior welterweight battle.

 

 

 

Rounding out the stacked card will be two fighters making their pro debuts in separate 4 round bouts.

 

 

 

Decorated national amateur champion, super bantamweight, Sacred Downing of Trenton, New Jersey will take on an opponent to be named and super lightweight, Dalyonn Butt of Philadelphia will take on the Bronx’s Samuel Forjue (0-2).

 

 

 

Evander Holyfield himself couldn’t be more excited about The Real Deal Boxing’s AC debut and his induction into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame.

 

 

 

“From my second professional fight to defending the heavyweight championship of the world against George Foreman in one of the biggest fights of the decade, Atlantic City holds a special place in my heart.”, explains the legendary 4 time heavyweight champion now turned promoter.

 

 

 

“With my induction into the Hall of Fame, it felt like this was the ideal time to bring The Real Deal Boxing to Atlantic City. We believe Atlantic City is poised to make a comeback as of one of the premier destinations for professional boxing and The Real Deal Boxing is committed to being a part of that.”

 

 

 

The Real Deal Hall of Fame Special Edition takes place Saturday, June 2nd at the Adrian Phillips Theater inside Boardwalk Hall and is presented in association with Mis Downing Promotions and the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame. Tickets are on sale now and priced at $150, $100, $50 and $35. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and in person at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office. For more information visit www.therealdealboxing.com and www.acbhof.com.

boxing

RUBEN VILLA: ‘I’M PRETTY SURE ME AND SHAKUR STEVENSON WILL FIGHT AGAIN’

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  https://www.ringtv.com/533294-ruben-villa-im-pretty-sure-shakur-stevenson-will-fight/

 

 

 

BY JOSEPH SANTOLIQUITO (RINGTV.COM)

 

 

 

The encouragement wasn’t so subtle, as Ruben Villa IV looked up from his muddy hands and knees, wiping his sweaty brow with his forearm and wondering if the day would ever end. Ruben Villa III, Villa’s father, blurted out, “Do you want to do this for the rest of your life? You better start getting serious about boxing,” or working in sweltering 90-degree heat in the fields would become a fact of life.

 

 

 

Villa, the gifted featherweight southpaw, was around 15 years old, at the time, and boxing was just something to fill the time. Though sweating in the gym certainly beat toiling for his father in the summer, lugging boxes, landscaping in what Villa describes as a “big old yard,” and making deliveries.

 

 

 

“Boxing, to me, was hard at the time and I was too immature to understand the work that you had to put into it to be successful,” said Villa, who will turn 21 next week. “I had to learn sacrifices were needed in order to be successful. Nothing was going to be handed to me. Once my father took me to work that day, I decided, no, I’d rather get paid to beat someone up.”

 

 

 

That next someone for Villa (10-0, 4 knockouts) could be Colombian Marlon Olea (13-2, 12 KOs) in Villa’s first scheduled eight-rounder, from the Salinas Storm House, in Salinas, California, on Saturday night. This is the first time Villa will be fighting at home as a pro, as the main event.

 

 

 

“When I’m sweating and working my ass off at the gym, I think back to the times I worked with my father and I’ll always remember that,” said Villa, the only boy of five children. “I’m not afraid of hard work but there are better ways to get paid. There are worse situations than boxing and boxing for a living can be a hard life too. You’re away from your family for a month and you’re sweating just as hard as when I worked for my father, who has a job in the agriculture business, doing everything from driving a forklift to making deliveries.

 

 

 

“You appreciate hard work once you see what you’re doing to keep food on the table. You get a greater appreciation when you do what they do. I used to help my father when I was in my mid-teens a couple of times. I did whatever my father told me to do. It meant doing all of the moving, boxes, wooden pallets and this yard that was always dirty. I helped my dad with deliveries and cleaning that big old yard of his. I never wanted to go back to that.”

 

It made Villa look at boxing differently.

 

 

 

“This fight with Olea is another step for me,” said Villa, whose patience belies his age. “My time will come eventually. I know that. Olea, I know, is a Colombian who is 13-2 and he has 12 knockouts, so he comes pretty heavy-handed. My sparring went well. I had some heavier guys come in and I’m ready to show what I can do.”

 

 

 

Villa is hoping his career continues on an upward trajectory, so he can one day professionally meet 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson, who Villa defeated twice in 2015, as an amateur. The 5-foot-6 Villa, who started boxing when he was five to curb his overly rambunctious behavior, and Stevenson, who is 5-0, with 2 KOs as a pro, are both featherweights.

 

 

 

After Villa beat Stevenson the second time in 2015, Stevenson made the photo of the referee raising Villa’s hand the screensaver on his cell phone. Stevenson got his revenge by beating Villa twice at the Olympic Trials, in December 2015, to earn a spot on the U.S. team for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

 

 

 

“Somewhere down the line, I’m pretty sure me and Stevenson will happen again,” Villa said. “I want to see him again. Once we make a name for ourselves, it will happen. We’ll get that fight in and there is a rivalry between us. I know more people in boxing may know him more than they know me but I don’t care.

 

 

 

“I’ve always had the idea to push through with hard work. I’ll get mine eventually.”

 

 

 

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $75 & $125, and are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900, or online at ThompsonBoxing.com.

 

 

 

All fights will be live streamed on TB Presents: New Blood via Thompson Boxing Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

 

 

 

The livestream starts at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

 

 

 

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. local time with the first bout at approximately 6:00 p.m. The Salinas Storm House is located at 185 Maryal Dr. Salinas, CA 93907.

 

 

 

“New Blood” is presented by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions.

 

 

 

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing

 

 

 

Photo Credit Emily Harney / Banner Promotions

boxing

Undefeated Ruben Villa Makes Homecoming Debut in Salinas, California on Saturday April 14th

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PHILADELPHIA, PENN./ORANGE, Calif. (March 23, 2018)–Heralded featherweight prospect Ruben Villa returns home for the 1st time as a professional as he headlines in the Northern California city of Salinas on Saturday, April 14, from the popular Salinas Storm House.
The show is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.
“Ruben has been coming along great, and on April 14th, he will thrill his hometown fans,” said Banner Promotions President, Arthur Pelullo.  “We are looking forward to this special night for Ruben, for him not only to put on a great performance in his hometown, but to capture his first championship.”
“This show has been in the works for more than a year,” said Alex Camponovo, who as Matchmaker and General Manager of Thompson Boxing. “It’s an excellent show from top-to-bottom featuring talent from all over the Bay Area and surrounding parts. You have Ruben looking to win his first professional title [WBO Youth] in his hometown.”

Villa, 20, will be locked in a battle with fellow prospect Marlon Olea (13-2, 12 KOs) of Colombia in the 8-round “New Blood” main event where the WBO Youth Featherweight Title is up for grabs. Villa, a southpaw, is currently in Riverside, Calif. with trainer Max Garcia preparing for his main event debut.

“I’m excited to headline my first event,” said Villa, who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “I’ve been preparing for this my whole life. It came fast. There’s a lot to be happy about. It’s a title fight, and it will be in front of my hometown fans.”

Villa will certainly receive a challenge from Olea. He holds a unanimous decision loss against WBA World Champion Danny Roman and is known as a pressure fighter with excellent instincts.

“He’s a mover, and he’s quick with his hands,” Villa said. “I’ll be ready for him. We are getting a little bit of everything in this training camp. I’m sparring guys that like to box and guys that are coming in and pressuring.”

New to Villa for this fight has been the abundance of ticket requests from local boxing fans. The former two-time Golden Gloves Champion has already sold 400 tickets, yet the requests keep pouring in.

“To be honest, I’m not sure how it’s going to feel to fight in my hometown,” Villa said. “I tend to tune out all the white noise and just box. I’m sure there will be some moments when I recognize the crowd. I have to enjoy it, but keep my poise.”

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $75, & $125, and are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900, or online at ThompsonBoxing.com.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. local time with the first bout at approximately 6:00 p.m. The Salinas Storm House is located at 185 Maryal Dr. Salinas, CA 93907.

All fights will be live streamed on TB Presents: New Blood via Thompson Boxing Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

The livestream starts at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing .
boxing

Michael Dutchover Dominates in Main Event Debut

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PHILADELPHIA, PENN./ORANGE, Calif. (March 19, 2018)–Junior lightweight Michael Dutchover (8-0, 5 KOs) delivered an impressive performance in his main event debut Saturday night from the Doubletree Hotel in Orange, Calif.

Dutchover, 20, thoroughly out boxed and outmaneuvered solid prospect Ricardo Lopez(7-2-2, 6 KOs) to the tune of a one-side, unanimous decision win (scores: 59-55 all around).
“I felt like I controlled the entire fight from beginning to end,” remarked Dutchover, who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “He tried to come on late in the fight, but it was too late for him. I had already figured him out.” 
Indeed, Dutchover put his stamp on the fight from the outset. The first three rounds consisted of the Texas native firing shots from a variety of angles. Lopez, who is based in Tijuana, Mex., tried to get back in the game in the fourth and fifth rounds, but Dutchover used his counter punching ability to stymie the attack.
Prior to the fight, Dutchover promised to show off a more polished skill set after recently working as the chief sparring partner to world champion Oscar Valdez. He certainly looked like the high-end prospect that many predicted he would become once his impressive amateur run came to a close.
“I wanted to be smart out there,” said Dutchover after the fight. “You can’t overwhelm everyone with natural ability. At some point you’re going to have to think your way out of a tough situation. I think I showed off my ring IQ tonight [Saturday].”
For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.
Photos By Carlos Baeza / Thompson Boxing
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Middleweight Cem Kilic remains undefeated with 2nd round stoppage

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Beverly Hills, Calif. (March. 12, 2018) – Middleweight Cem Kilic remained perfect with a 2nd round stoppage over veteran Taronze Washington in Hinckley, Minnesota this past Friday.
The native of Los Angles via Frankfurt, Germany put Washington down with a hard body shot, and the bout was stopped to raise Kilic’s mark to 10-0 with six knockouts. 
“I am 10-0 now, and I cant ell you how excited I am to get the early knockout in front of my adopted American fans,” said Kilic.  “Taronze was a tough opponent, but I trained too hard for this fight not to get the early knockout.  2018 is my year, and I am putting the middleweight division on notice.  I trust my manager to get the opportunity to showcase my talent to the entire world.”
Kilic is managed by No Limit Mindset LLC, and CEO Shane Shapiro is extremely confident in the direct that his fighter is heading.
“Friday was a big step for Cem Kilic.  He demonstrated that at age 23 against a very tought opponent, who had fought three world champions (Andre Berto, Alfredo Angulo and Austin Trout) as well as a plethora of big name contenders, that Cem was able to take him out in 2 rounds.  I am very pleased and excited to announce a MAJOR mover very shortly.”
Kilic is promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions.
boxing

Heralded Prospect Ruben Villa Remains Undefeated with Unanimous Decision this Past Friday Night in Ontario, California

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PHILADELPHIA, PENN./ORANGE, Calif. (Feb. 19, 2017)- Heralded prospect Ruben Villa (10-0, 4 KOs) of Salinas, Calif. made it ten straight wins to start his career by outpointing veteran Juan Sandoval (15-18, 5 KOs) of Mexico. Scores: 59-55, 60-54 twice.
The bout was the co-feature this past Friday night at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California.

Villa, 20, capitalized on his southpaw stance by landing a strong jab and countering with a right hook that routinely found its mark. Sandoval often looked confused and never managed to find any angles against the busier Villa.
“I just tried to keep the pressure on him from start to finish,” said Villa, who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “I think he fought a cautious fight, but I was still able to land a lot of punches in every round.”
Villa was most impressive in the fourth and fifth rounds when he delivered numerous sets of combinations that stunned the taller Sandoval. While Villa kept his unbeaten streak alive on Friday night, another, less recognizable streak ended. In his previous unanimous decision wins, Villa had won every round on every scorecard. On Friday night, one judge failed to give Villa all six rounds (59-55).
“That streak was bound to end sooner or later,” Villa said. “I’ll have to start another one.”
“Once again Ruben had a terrific outing on Friday night,” said Banner Promotions President, Artie Pelullo.
“Ruben continues his progression and development, and we are extremely pleased at where he is at.  2018 is going to be a big year for Ruben, as we will see him fight for some regional titles in the next 12-18 months.”
“Ruben looked impressive yet again against a veteran opponent,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing. “Ruben is developing and maturing quicker than we anticipated. He’ll be back in the ring very soon.”
For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.
boxing

Top Prospect Ruben Villa (9-0, 4 KOs) in Action TONIGHT!! in Ontario, CA

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Philadelphia, Penn./ORANGE, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2018) – Rising featherweight talent Ruben Villa (9-0, 4 KOs) of Salinas, Calif. faced some fight week uncertainty after his initial opponent, Ruben Tamayo, fell in and was replaced by Juan Sandoval (7-20-1, 4 KOs) of San Bernardino, Calif. late Wednesday.

The “Path to Glory” co-feature between Villa and Sandoval is set for 6-rounds and originates from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. Tonight.

Villa, a former two-time Golden Gloves winner, gave his take on tonight’s last minute match up, his early dominance on the scorecards, and what its like sparring against heavier competition.

Your main sparring partners for this training camp were Joel Diaz, Jr. and Andy Vences. Both fight at a heavier weight class than you (135-140 lbs.). What kind of advantage will that give you on Friday night?

“It’s a tremendous advantage. My trainer, Max Garcia, wanted me to spar bigger, longer guys with respectable records. Both Joel and Andy have hit the 20-fight mark and are highly skilled. I went four-minute rounds with them to make sure I was prepared for Tamayo. They gave me excellent work.”

Is there anything specific that you dialed in on for this training camp?

“I’m trying to use more angles so I can attack in different ways. Also, trying to mix up my movements so I don’t telegraph what I’m trying to do.”

Your opponent, Juan Sandoval, was added at the last minute. How does this affect your preparation?

“It’s boxing. This type of stuff happens all the time especially when you’re first starting out. I’m not too worried. I put in an excellent training camp and I’m prepared for everything.”

Of your five wins that have resulted in unanimous decision victories, you’ve managed to win every round on every scorecard. Did you expect that kind of dominance early on?

“Staying in the gym pays dividends, but at the same time you should see that type of dominance in a prospect. The ability to impose your will boosts your confidence. I see every round of every fight going my way. It’s not arrogance, it’s confidence and you need that belief otherwise you’re in trouble.”

Villa is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

All fights will be live streamed on TB Presents: Path to Glory via our Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

The livestream starts at 8:00 p.m. PT / 11:00 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bout at approximately 8:00 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N. Vineyard Ave. in Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at 909-937-0900.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing .
Photo by Carlos Baeza / Thompson Boxing
boxing

Hernandez Returns to the Ring This Friday

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Photo Credit: Team Hernandez
RIVERSIDE, CA (December 13, 2017) – Middleweight prospect, Marcos “Madman” Hernandez (10-1, 2 KOs), makes his way back to the ring this Friday, December 15th, against Oscar Mora (7-4, 6 KOs).  The 6-round bout will take place at the Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, CA, on the Vargas vs. Herrera card.
Hernandez, who is coming off an impressive victory against previously unbeaten prospect, Kevin Newman II (7-1-1, 3 KOs), is wrapping up the final days of training camp with coach Henry Ramirez.
“I had a great training camp going into this fight.” said Marcos Hernandez. “I’m very grateful to be fighting one more time before the end of the 2017.  Since my lone loss earlier this year, I’ve really stepped up my game in all aspects.  Training with Henry Ramierz has been a big boost to my career.  I’m going to be well prepared for anything Mora brings to the ring.  The move to middleweight has been good and I’m feeling a lot stronger.  Fans can expect me to throw a lot of punching in this fight.  It’s time to shine.”
boxing

UNBEATEN FEATHERWEIGHT PROSPECT EFREN “CHICO” LOPEZ RETURNS TO THE RING THIS FRIDAY IN LANCASTER, CA

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Photo by Team Lopez
FRESNO, CA (December 12, 2017) – Amateur standout, featherweight Efren “Chico” Lopez (1-0, 1 KO), from Fresno, CA, will step in the ring for the second time this year.  The 4-round bout will take place on the Vargas vs. Herrera card at the Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, CA, this Friday December 15, 2017.  Lopez will square off against Tyler Marshall.
Lopez age 21, who was an Olympic hopeful with over 200 fights as an amateur, has a tremendous pedigree.  He made his pro debut in July of 2016.  During the last year he was able to get his (A.S.) degree in phycology and communications.  He’s trained by Ruben Guerrero Sr., but will be guided by former world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, for this fight.  The Ghost will be making his head cornerman debut.
“I’m ready to get back in the ring and pick up where I left off,” said Efren Lopez. “I’ve been training with Ruben and Robert Guerrero in Gilroy for the last few months, and things are going great.  I’m learning a lot and I’ll be ready for my fight this Friday.”
“Chico is looking more and more like a polished pro with every training session,” said Robert Guerrero. “Unfortunately, my dad suffered an injury and won’t be able to work his corner this fight.  I’ll be guiding Efren for this bout, along with my brother Eric.  He’s ready to go.”
#  #  #
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA STARTS 2018 WITH 1-2-3 PUNCH!

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LFA 30 MAIN EVENT:
“CURTIOUS”
CURTIS MILLENDER
vs.
“THE PHOENIX”
NICK BARNES
WELTERWEIGHT WAR
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12th LIVE on AXS TV
COSTA MESA HALL AT OC FAIR GROUNDS
COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA
TICKETS ON SALE 12-11-17 AT CAGETIX.COM
LFA 31 MAIN EVENT:
“THE WOLFMAN”
BOBBY MOFFETT
vs.
KNOCKOUT SENSATION
THANH LE
INTERIM FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
FRIDAY, JANUARY 19th LIVE on AXS TV
COMERICA THEATRE
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
 TICKETS ON SALE 12-11-17 AT COMERICATHEATRE.COM
LFA 32 CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER:
“ALL IN”
BRENDAN ALLEN
vs.
“FLUFFY”
ANTHONY HERNANDEZ
MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
+
“SUPERMAN”
RYAN SPANN
vs.
“THE SPARTAN”
ALEX NICHOLSON
LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
FRIDAY, JANUARY 26th LIVE on AXS TV
GOLDEN NUGGET HOTEL & CASINO
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT TICKETMASTER.COM

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced the promotion will kick off 2018 with a 1-2-3 punch in January with a trio of star-studded shows in California, Arizona, and Louisiana.

The main event of LFA 30 will feature the long-awaited clash between southern California kingpins and top LFA welterweights “Curtious” Curtis Millender and Nick “The Phoenix” Barnes. LFA 30 – Millender vs. Barnes takes place Friday, January 12th at Costa Mesa Hall at  OC Fair Grounds in Costa Mesa, California.
The following week, LFA heads to Arizona with a fierce interim featherweight title fight in the Valley of the Sun. In the main event, former RFA title challenger and BJJ black belt Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett battles knockout sensation Thanh Le for the LFA interim featherweight title. LFA 31 – Moffett vs. Le takes place Friday, January 19th at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.
LFA caps the month of January with a pair of title fights in southern Louisiana. In the main event, former LFA title challenger Brendan “All In” Allen faces top undefeated prospect Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez for the vacant LFA middleweight title. In the co-headliner, red-hot Ryan “Superman” Spann will lock horns with UFC vet Alex “The Spartan” Nicholson for the inaugural LFA light-heavyweight title. LFA 32 – Allen vs. Hernandez takes place Friday, January 26th at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The entire main card of all three of these events will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“I’m excited to kick off 2018 with three straight weeks of LFA action across the country”, stated Soares. “Curtis Millender and Nick Barnes are coming off big wins in LFA headliners and will meet in the main event of LFA 30 in southern California on January 12th. The following week, we head to Arizona with top contenders Bobby Moffett and Thanh Le meeting for the interim featherweight title in the main event LFA 31. We finish the month with two title fights at LFA 32 in southern Louisiana. Brendan Allen faces Anthony Hernandez for the vacant middleweight title in the main event and Ryan Spann will take on Alex Nicholson for the inaugural light-heavyweight title in the co-headliner.”
Millender (13-3) returns home to the building where he fought and won his first seven fights. The Orange County juggernaut is looking to build off a perfect 2017 where he won three fights, including back-to-back LFA headliners. His most recent win came via highlight reel Head Kick KO in the main event of LFA 24. Millender will meet Barnes (12-2) in a long-awaited showdown between two of southern California’s finest. The welterweight stars started their careers in the southern California regional circuit, moved on to Bellator, and will finally meet in the main event of LFA 30. Barnes, like Millender, is coming off an impressive win in an LFA headliner.
The main event of LFA 31 is a fight that casual fans and MMA purists alike are salivating over. It pits a rugged and accomplished BJJ black belt in Moffett (10-2) against one of the most dynamic strikers in all of MMA in Le (7-1) with the LFA interim featherweight title on the line. On paper, this is a textbook grappler vs. striker bout at its highest form. However, both men bring so much more to the table than what their respective martial arts backgrounds represent. Moffett, who trains out of The MMA Lab, has shown a willingness to throw down with anyone, while Le trains with BJJ wunderkind and UFC star Ryan Hall in northern Virginia.
LFA will conclude its busy month of January with a pair of title tilts in southern Louisiana. LFA standout and Louisiana native Allen (8-2) will get a second shot at LFA gold after going five rounds with current UFC star Eryk Anders for the inaugural LFA middleweight title in June. Allen quickly rebounded six weeks later with a submission win in the co-main event of LFA 18. He will face another highly-touted undefeated prospect for the title. This time it comes in the form of the northern California destroyer Hernandez (5-0). The man known as “Fluffy” has finished everyone he has faced inside the first round.
The co-main event of LFA 32 will crown the inaugural LFA light-heavyweight champion. Spann (12-5) is a former Legacy FC title challenger that will look to capture LFA gold in front of his home crowd. “Superman” is riding considerable momentum heading into this fight after dispatching a pair of top contenders in the first round of his last two bouts at LFA 23 and LFA 27. He will face Nicholson (10-4) who has been a man on fire since his four-fight run with the UFC ended in May. The Florida native has been a tour de force since then as he looks to make his way back. In the past two months, “The Spartan” has knocked out three quality opponents in grand total of 3 minutes and 28 seconds.
In September 2016, Legacy FC and RFA officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. Legacy FC and RFA have launched the careers of over 150 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.