Tag Archives: Detroit

boxing

Top Cruiserweight Prospects Banks and Zubov to Meet in All-Action Co-Main Event at Salita Promotions’ Detroit Brawl on Friday, June 16, at Masonic Temple in Detroit

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The 10-round co-main event has been announced for promoter Dmitriy Salita blockbuster “Detroit Brawl” on Friday, June 16, 2017, at the Masonic Temple in Detroit and it’s sensational.
In a fight destined for Motown’s history books, undefeated Detroit cruiserweight Demetrius Banks (9-0, 4 KOs) will face Detroit via Russia’s Alexey Zubov (14-1, 9 KOs) in a ten-round showdown.
The guaranteed thriller will serve as the chief supporting bout to two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and now Women’s NABF Middleweight Champion, Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (2-0, 1 KO) of Flint, Michigan, taking on Mery Rancier (7-8-3, 5 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for the WBC Silver Super Middleweight Championship in the main event.
Once again sponsored by the Greektown Casino Hotel, tickets for “Detroit Brawl” are priced at VIP $200, Box Seats are $100 and $55, Seating is $40, and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets and Ticketmaster.com.
 
36-year-old Banks had a terrific 2016, beating 5-1 Emilio Salas in May and then, after a tune-up in July, stepping up to heavyweight to hand Craig Lewis (13-1-1) his first defeat as a professional. A stronger puncher than his four career knockouts would indicate, Banks is an exciting fighter who always finds a way to win, often against bigger men.
“I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to fight Zubov,” said Banks. “This is an opportunity to show I can rise to every occasion! Alexey is a tough all-business fighter, who is a very necessary component to my advancement and true arrival in the sport. This mission is much bigger than me. I’m just doing what I was born to do… Fight/inspire ‘Relentless Determination’ is a lifestyle!”
30-year-old Zubov, originally from Magnitogorsk, Russia, relocated to Detroit’s Kronk Gym in 2016, to train with Javan SugarHill Steward, nephew of the late Emanuel Steward. The former heavily decorated amateur says he’s coming in all-new for this important showdown.
“I am feeling good. I have had a great camp so far and I will be ready. I am always in great shape and always ready for a fight. I’ve sparred with him (Banks) a couple times and he’s a good fighter. He’s very good technically. It’ll be a good fight. I am prepared to show a brand-new Alexey for this fight and how much I have improved working with Sugar.”
Promoter Dmitriy Salita says he’s happy to be bringing this sensational fight to his adopted home of Detroit. “A high-level 50/50 fight, where anyone can win. This is the kind of match-up that boxing needs. It truly lives up to what the Detroit Brawl series is all about,” said Salita. “The winner will be recognized as one of the best cruiserweight contenders in the world.”
More fights, opponents and rounds will be announced shortly. On fight night, doors open at 7:00 pm and the fights begin at 8:00 pm.
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For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visit www.salitapromotions.com. Facebook and Twitter: @DetroitBrawl
boxing

Esho Comes from Behind to Stop Abbruzzese In Three Exciting Rounds

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Warrior’s Boxing’s revived “Windy City Fight Night” continued its growth on Saturday night in Chicago, as the largest crowd yet watched a seven-bout card at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
In the thrilling main event, Chicago junior middleweight Achour Esho (13-0, 8 KOs) had to survive a nearly disastrous first round to stop crosstown rival Anthony Abbruzzese (4-6, 3 KOs) in three.
Abbruzzese came out blazing in the first, culminating in a sustained barrage of punches that could have easily led to a stoppage. To Esho’s credit, he survived and walked wearily to his stool.
The fight changed, however, in round two, as a miraculously revived Esho bit down on his mouthpiece and started throwing hard shots. One of them dropped a surprised Abbruzzese, who arose on shaky legs, only to be dropped again before round’s end.
Smelling blood, Esho pounced on Abbruzzese in round three, dropping him again with a left hook and for the final time with a right uppercut. The time was :58.
Esho, now the newly formed ABO Junior Middleweight Champion, took the opportunity of his post-fight interview to call out MMA star Connor McGregor.
Two more Warriors Boxing prospects were in action that night, as undefeated Josh Hernandez (5-0, 4 KOs) of Chicago figured out the puzzle that is Thomas Smith (3-3-1, 2 KOs) of Dallas over six calculating featherweight rounds. Finding it difficult to trap the elusive Smith, Hernandez still did enough to win a clear unanimous decision by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55.
And in another scorching slugfest, Chicago lightweight Jessica McCaskill (3-1, 2 KOs) pounded out an exciting unanimous decision over battle-hardened Puerto Rican Carla Torres (5-4), now fighting out of Cleveland. McCaskill’s advantages in size, strength and power eventually took over the back-and-forth battle. In the end, the scores were 39-37 by all three judges.
In a very impressive “Windy City Fight Night” debut, Chicago bantamweight Shawn Simpson remained undefeated by clearly outclassing Mexico’s Leonardo Reyes (5-12, 2 KOs) over four rounds. The scores were 40-36 twice and 40-35. At this level, Simpson appears to be one to keep an eye on.
Other Results:
Ruben Schobitz (2-0, 1 KO) UD 4 Joel Blair (1-3)
Scores: 40-35 X 3
Cesar Ruiz (3-4, 2 KOs) TKO 1 Martez McGregor (3-1, 3 KOs)
Time: 2:59
Yousif Saleh (2-0), 1 KO) TKO 1 Luis Ramos
Time: 2:16
boxing

Bantamweight James Gordon Smith Ready to Deliver Another Thriller in Co-Main Event of Detroit Brawl on Sunday, January 22 in Detroit

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Detroit bantamweight action hero James Gordon Smith (11-0, 6 KOs) knows what boxing fans in Detroit have come to expect from him… and he doesn’t mind one bit.
“People want to see you exciting in there; we are in the hurt business,” said Smith. “They don’t want to pay to see a guy running the whole fight. It’s not exciting that way. I fight the way fans love. You make more money that way.”
The thrill-a-minute Smith will face Kiskunfelegyhaza, Hungary’s Szilveszter Ajtai (10-3-1, 5 KOs) in the co-main event of promoter Dmitriy Salita’s special Sunday edition of his “Detroit Brawl” series on January 22, 2017, at Masonic Temple in Detroit.
Once again sponsored by the Greektown Casino Hotel, tickets for “Detroit Brawl” are priced at VIP $123, Box Seats are $80 and $60, Seating is $80, $60, $40, and $20. They are available at all Ticketmaster outlets and Ticketmaster.com
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“I like to fight. All that boxing and trying to look pretty. It’s not for me. I’d rather get in there and go to war. It’s more exciting.”
26-year-old Smith was 110-9 as an amateur and won four national championships and two silvers and a bronze in the National Golden Gloves.
“Once I turned 21, I started realizing my fighting style was more of a pro style. I was handling guys and then they were saying I was losing on points. That’s when I realized amateur boxing wasn’t for me anymore. I talked to my coaches, Keith Jackson and Theotrice Chambers, and they told me it was time.”
Smith, who is hopeful of making his national television debut in the near future, says he’s been fine tuning his style, while leaving all the thrills in place.
“We’ve been working on defense and not getting hit as much and on putting punches together. I’ll be trying to average 100 to120 punches a round. I would love to fight on ShoBox this year. Dmitriy Salita is looking for a date for me in mid-March. I just want to fight on TV. With my style and the way I fight, all it would take is for fans to see me fight one time and they’ll see what I can do. All I need is the right opponent. It’ll be beautiful. It will be like Micky Ward against Gatti.”
Smith also says he’s not worried about competing in his first eight-round fight.
“It’s a good fight for my first eight-rounder. He’s a good fighter. I’ve seen him a couple times. He looked decent on YouTube. He’s got good hand speed. When he’s in shape, he lets his hands go and has good boxing skills, but I’m always in great shape, so I don’t really worry about the rounds. I get in as good of shape as you can be in and then I throw punches the whole fight, no matter how many rounds. Plus, it’s very exciting to fight in front of my friends and family. It gives me the extra motivation to work even harder. You never want to look bad at home.”
In the night’s eight-round main event, Detroit’s perennial welterweight gate keeper and fan favorite Lanardo “Pain Server” Tyner (30-10-2, 19 KOs) will face Nagykanizsa, Hungary’s Istvan Dernanecz (10-4, 7 KOs).
In one of the main supporting bouts, cruiserweight Alexey Zubov (13-1, 8 KOs), from Magnitogorsk, Russia, will face Budapest, Hungary’s Andras Csomor (18-14-1, 14 KOs).
Also seeing action will be former cruiserweight world title challenger “Hurricane” Junior Wright (15-2-1, 12 KOs) from Evanston, Illinois, making his heavyweight debut against Detroit’s Damon McCreary (15-6, 11 KOs) in a six-rounder.
In a bantamweight six-rounder, undefeated bantamweight Ja’Rico “Great Lakes King” O’Quinn (4-0, 3 KOs) will take on Chicago’s Angel Carvajal (2-5).
In a super lightweight four, Detroit’s rejuvenated “Lightning” Larry Ventus (7-11-1, 3 KOs) will face Florida’s iron-jawed Jesus Lule (9-20-1, 1 KO).
Popular and undefeated super welterweight Ardreal Holmes (4-0, 2 KOs) of Flint, Michigan, is scheduled to fight Macon, Georgia’s Bryan Goldsby (3-1).
Undefeated Alabama super featherweight Dwayne Zeigler (5-0-1, 5 KOs) will face Aaron Hollis (3-3, 2 KOs) of Cincinnati in a four-round super featherweight fight.
Kronk welterweight Jacob Bonas (2-0-1, 1 KO), Toledo super middleweight DeAndre Ware (8-0, 6 KOs) and undefeated Detroit heavyweight Marcus Carter (1-0, 1 KO) will face opponents that are yet to be announced.
On fight night, doors open at 4:00 pm and the fights begin at 5:00 pm. The Masonic Temple is located at 500 Temple Street in Detroit.
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For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visit www.salitapromotions.com. Facebook and Twitter: @DetroitBrawl
boxing

Ed Williams, Nephew of Former World Champion Duane Thomas, Will Appear on Salita Promotions’ ‘Detroit Brawl’

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As a kid, watching his uncle, former WBC World Super Welterweight Champion Duane Thomas fight on TV, Detroit’s Ed Williams used to dream of becoming a boxer.
That’s where he and his mother disagreed.
“I always wanted to box,” laughs Williams, “but my mother wouldn’t let me fight until I was older. My uncle even came and tried to sneak me to the gym a few times, but my mom would never let me. She just wouldn’t let me train.”
When Williams turned 17, he was finally able to box and made the most of it, going 57-9 as an amateur and winning two State Championships, the Ringside Nationals and two Detroit Golden Gloves before turning professional in 2007.
Williams won his first two fights before leaving boxing to obtain a B.Sc degree in Industrial Engineering at Eastern Michigan University. But after working in the field a few years, Williams felt the pull once again that he’d felt since childhood.
He wanted to be a boxer, full-time and give it a shot.
Now 27 years old, and 12-1-1, 4 KOs as a Kronk Gym super welterweight, Williams will make his next ring appearing by once again appearing on a Salita Promotions “Detroit Brawl” event, this one on Saturday, November 12, at the Masonic Temple against an opponent that will be announced shortly.
“It feels great to fight in Detroit,” he said. “You get support from friends and family and I’m even growing a new fan base.
Sponsored by Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar, tickets for “Detroit Brawl” will be priced at VIP $123, Box Seats $100, Ringside $93, $63, $38, and $28 and available at all Ticketmaster outlets andTicketmaster.com.
“My goal in boxing,” said Williams, “is to become the second guy in my family to win a world title. Right now, I want to have the right fights to have that opportunity. I’ve been progressing and having challenging fights and getting good opportunities, so things are going well.”
Williams is, admittedly, not your typical fighter.
“I have a boxing style that is awkward. It’s not a traditional style at all. I fight with an off-beat tempo that throws you off. And I’m tall and long, so I box you and use my jab and then I set up shots.”
While Williams says he has no regrets with his decision to pursue fighting, someone in the family does have a few…
“My mom now says she wishes she would have let me do it sooner. But I understand. She didn’t want me to get hurt and was just being protective. Now she’s my biggest fan.”
More fights, opponents and rounds will be announced shortly. On fight night, doors open at 5:00 pm and the fights begin at 6:00 pm.
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Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar offers patrons an old-school sports and whiskey bar in Downtown Detroit’s Eastern Market district. Thomas Magee’s prides itself on providing every sport, every game, and every fight, plus great beer and whiskey!
For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visitwww.salitapromotions.com.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar is located at 1408 E Fisher Service Drive in Detroit. For more information, call 313-263-4342 or visit their official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ThomasMageesSportingHouseWhiskeyBar
boxing

Three of Detroit’s Best Prospects Will Appear on Salita Promotions’ ‘Detroit Brawl’ on Saturday, November 12, at the Masonic Temple in Detroit

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Three of Detroit’s brightest prospects, all bantamweights, will appear in separate bouts on Salita Promotions’ latest “Detroit Brawl” event on Saturday, November 12, at the Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit.
A “thrill a minute” type slugger with a heavy punch and a giant heart, undefeated 26-year-old James Gordon Smith (10-0, 6 KOs) is never in a bad fight. Before turning pro, Smith won numerous national amateur tournaments and has been talked about in Detroit boxing circles for a long time as a potential future champion.
Once again sponsored by Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar, tickets for “Detroit Brawl” will be priced at VIP $123, Box Seats $100, Ringside $93, $63, $38, and $28 and available at all Ticketmaster outlets and Tickmaster.com.
Smith has already electrified a Detroit Brawl audience, winning a unanimous six-round decision over Mexico’s tough Pablo Cupul last May. True to his fan-friendly form, Smith’s victory over Cupul proved to be a “Fight of the Year” candidate.
The power-punching Detroiter will be looking to take a step up to world contender status soon and will be hoping to showcase his talents one more time for his hometown fans.
“James Gordon Smith is one of the most exciting fighters from Detroit right now,” said Kronk Gym’s Javan “Sugar” Hill, one of Detroit’s best-known and most respected trainers. “It’s always a rumble when he fights and that’s because he is like the fighters of the good old days. He’s always looking to get a knockout and his when you see him fight you will see what I am talking about!”
Also on showcase that night will be 21-year-old bantamweight Jarico “Great Lakes King” O’Quinn (3-0, 2 KOs) of Detroit, who was one of most sought-after amateur prospects in the country before turning professional last year.
With blazing-fast hands and effortless combination punching, O’Quinn has begun building a reputation as “one to watch,” among young prospects in the sport. He will already be having his third fight under the Salita Promotions banner after signing last July.
O’Quinn started boxing at age 14 and went on to rack up 130 wins against 18 losses as an amateur, winning countless national tournaments including the USA Nationals as the number-one-ranked bantamweight in the country. He also travelled extensively with Team USA to fight internationally in places like Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the Ukraine.
Rounding out the trio is exciting 22-year-old fan favorite Zach Shamoun, of Royal Oak, Michigan.
Shamoun, who started boxing at age nine, was also an amateur standout. In his 160 amateur fights, he won the Junior Golden Gloves in 2008 and went on to take 14 state and nine regional titles, while losing just nine fights.
A thinking man’s slugger, the quick-fisted Shamoun can stay very relaxed and in control under fire. He has excellent ring generalship and likes to stay two steps ahead of his opponents.
More fights, opponents and rounds will be announced shortly. On fight night, doors open at 5:00 pm and the fights begin at 6:00 pm.
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Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar offers patrons an old-school sports and whiskey bar in Downtown Detroit’s Eastern Market district. Thomas Magee’s prides itself on providing every sport, every game, and every fight, plus great beer and whiskey!
For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visitwww.salitapromotions.com.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar is located at 1408 E Fisher Service Drive in Detroit. For more information, call 313-263-4342 or visit their official Facebook page:www.facebook.com/ThomasMageesSportingHouseWhiskeyBar
boxing

Cruiserweight Emilio Salas Ready to Represent New York vs. Detroit in ‘Detroit Brawl’ Main Event this Saturday

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After getting knocked out a minute and a half into his professional boxing debut, cruiserweight Emilio Salas had to be wondering if a career change was in order.
But Salas shook off the embarrassment, and when he and now-fiancé Krystal Velez moved to Yonkers, New York, and he hooked up with trainer Jose Guzman, fortunes began to change.
Salas (5-1-1, 3 KOs) hasn’t lost a fight since and is now appearing in his first main event, a six-round cruiserweight main event against Detroit’s Demetrius Banks (6-0, 4 KOs) on Saturday May 14, in Banks’ backyard of the Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit.
The pair will be headlining promoter Dmitriy Salita’s “Detroit Brawl” event that also features a six-round co-main event between undefeated bantamweight James Gordon Smith (9-0, 6 KOs) and Mexico’s Pablo Cupul (8-19, 5 KOs).
Tickets for “Detroit Brawl” are on sale now and are priced at $28, $38, $63, $93, $100 and $123. They are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or by visiting the Masonic Temple box office.
“I have gotten a lot better with the trainers over here and I’ve had a lot more success,” admitted Salas. “I’m a southpaw with fast hands and I move around well and I punch hard with both hands. But one of my biggest things I have is heart. You have to want to fight and have heart and I do.”
Although he says he doesn’t know much about Banks, Salas says it’s ok because he prefers to figure an opponent out in the ring. “Normally once I get in there, I can tell what a fighter’s weaknesses are. He’s undefeated and I’ll be fighting in his hometown, but the people I have fought have almost all been undefeated and I’ve beaten them, so this is nothing different and I am not scared to fight him in Detroit. Most of my fights are in my opponent’s backyard. I really don’t know what to expect. I’m training hard for it and I hope for the best.”
Salas’s nickname in the ring is “El Jibaro,” which is slang for a country hick. “They call me that because I was born and raised in area of Puerto Rico where there is lots of forest and not many houses and people are sort of poor. It means I’m from the jungle. I like to do real Puerto Rican things like working with animals and riding horses. I love Puerto Rico and I dedicate all my; fights to my family and to the people of Puerto Rico. My goal is to win a world title so that I can take it back to my hometown in PR and show that my first fight wasn’t the last one. I want to show them that whatever you want to do in life you can make it happen if you work hard enough.”
Salas caught promoter Dmitriy Salita’s eye early last year, fighting to a draw against one of Salita’s fighters, Ytalo Perea, a former Olympian.
“Emilio is very naturally talented,” said Salita. “He only had about 20 amateur fights and seven as a pro and he’s already a very good fighter. If he continues to develop and improve, he will soon become a force in the division.”
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Also featured that night will be Russian cruiserweight Alexey Zubov (10-1, 6 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first career loss by taking on the capable Ernest Reyna (8-3, 4 KOs) of Corpus Christi, Texas, in a six-rounder. And in four-round welterweight bout between undefeated fighters, Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan’s Serdar Hudayberdiyev (1-0, 1 KO) will face Marco Russell (1-0-1) of Henderson, Nevada.
In a six-round super middleweight scrap, Detroit’s super middleweight James Ballard (6-0, 3 KOs) will face Chicago’s Edgar Perez (6-18, 3 KOs); Detroit middleweight Darrell Van Horn (8-0, 5 KOs) will go against Torreon, Mexico’s Francisco Reza (13-17, 10 KOs) in a four-rounder; East Pointe, Michigan, cruiserweight Clarence Dubose (2-0, 2 KOs) will battle pro debuting Jovan Blakely of Detroit in a four-round battle; and Brooklyn via Georgia super lightweight Giorgi Gelashvili (3-0, 2 KOs) will face Jackson, Michigan’s Alfred Hall (4-11-2, 2 KOs) in a four-round bout.
Fight card subject to change.
Salita is also proud to announce that Detroit’s premier casino has once-again agreed to sponsor, along with some new local businesses including Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar and its proprietor, Erik Olson.
Your downtown playground, Greektown Casino Hotel is consistently voted Detroit’s Best Casino. Located right in the hub of the historic Greektown district it’s impossible to be any closer to the action. No matter what you want to play, Greektown Casino Hotel has your non-stop gaming action. From the newest slots and table games to live poker, Greektown Casino Hotel has 100,000 square feet of exciting, action-packed choices and so many thrilling ways to win!
Greektown Casino Hotel features a 30-story hotel with 400 stunning guestrooms and suites devoted to your comfort. And for your culinary needs, you can savor eclectic cuisine at one of their outstanding restaurants: Prism, Bistro 555 and The Market District.
For your special event or corporate gathering, Greektown Casino Hotel offers impeccable service in addition to a variety of exceptional spaces to help make your event an unforgettable experience.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar offers patrons an old-school sports and whiskey bar in Downtown Detroit’s Eastern Market district. Thomas Magee’s prides itself on providing every sport, every game, and every fight, plus great beer and whiskey!
For event information, visit themasonic.com  and  SalitaPromotions.com  
On fight night, doors open at 6:30.
 
For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visit www.salitapromotions.com. The Greektown Casino Hotel is located at 555 E Lafayette Street in Detroit. For more information, visit them online at greektowncasino.com. Twitter: @GreektownCasino.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar is located at 1408 E Fisher Service Drive in Detroit. For more information, call 313-263-4342 or visit their official Facebook page:
boxing

SALITA AND LOCAL FIGHTERS TO JOIN CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION FORGOTTEN HARVEST TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO DETROIT’S UNDERPRIVILEGED

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On the morning of Tuesday, May 10, promoter Dmitriy Salita will continue his mission to mix the revival of Detroit boxing with a strong social conscience.
From 9-12 am, Salita and several fighters from his upcoming “Detroit Brawl” event, will help the Forgotten Harvest organization pass out food to deserving families at New Bethel Baptist Church, located at 8430 C L Franklin Drive (aka Linwood St) in Detroit.
The group of local fighters joining Salita includes main event participant Demetrius Banks, co-main event fighter James Gordon Smith, as well as James Ballard and Darrell Van Horn.
Scheduled for Saturday, May 14, at the Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit, “Detroit Brawl” will feature Banks (6-0, 4 KOs) in the six-round cruiserweight main event against Bronx-based cruiserweight Emilio Salas (5-1-1, 3 KOs), as well as Smith (9-0, 6 KOs) in the six-round co-main event against Mexico’s Pablo Cupul (8-19, 5 KOs). Ballard (6-0, 3 KOs) will face Chicago’s Edgar Perez (6-18, 3 KOs) in a six-round super middleweight scrap, while middleweight Van Horn (8-0, 5 KOs) will go against Torreon, Mexico’s Francisco Reza (13-17, 10 KOs) in a four-rounder.
Tickets for “Detroit Brawl” are on sale now and are priced at $28, $38, $63, $93, $100 and $123. They are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or by visiting the Masonic Temple box office.
Forgotten Harvest is dedicated to relieving hunger in metro Detroit and preventing nutritious food waste. Established in 1990, Forgotten Harvest now has 280 recipient agencies in its network, including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless and domestic shelters, children’s homes, senior centers and group homes.
Servicing Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, Forgotten Harvest’s small and dedicated professional staff cover 2,000-square miles per day, bringing relief to 800 locations.
In other “Detroit Brawl” action, Lansing junior middleweight Antonio Urista (7-1, 2 KOs) will face Greenwood, Indiana’s Pablo Sanchez (7-1, 5 KOs) in a four-round bout. Russian cruiserweight Alexey Zubov (10-1, 6 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first career loss by taking on the capable Ernest Reyna (8-3, 4 KOs) of Corpus Christi, Texas, in a six-rounder. And in four-round welterweight bout between undefeated fighters, Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan’s Serdar Hudayberdiyev (1-0, 1 KO) will face Marco Russell (1-0-1) of Henderson, Nevada. East Pointe, Michigan, cruiserweight Clarence Dubose (2-0, 2 KOs) will battle fellow Michigander Karinn Davis (2-6, 2 KOs) of Jackson in a four-round battle; and Brooklyn via Georgia super lightweight Giorgi Gelashvili (3-0, 2 KOs) will face Jackson, Michigan’s Alfred Hall (4-11-2, 2 KOs) in a four-round bout.

On fight night, doors open at 6:30 pm and the first fight is at 7:15 pm. The Masonic Temple is located at 500 Temple Street in Detroit. All bouts subject to change.

 
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Salita is also proud to announce that Detroit’s premier casino has once-again agreed to sponsor, along with some new local businesses including Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar and its proprietor, Erik Olson.
Your downtown playground, Greektown Casino Hotel is consistently voted Detroit’s Best Casino. Located right in the hub of the historic Greektown district it’s impossible to be any closer to the action. No matter what you want to play, Greektown Casino Hotel has your non-stop gaming action. From the newest slots and table games to live poker, Greektown Casino Hotel has 100,000 square feet of exciting, action-packed choices and so many thrilling ways to win!
Greektown Casino Hotel features a 30-story hotel with 400 stunning guestrooms and suites devoted to your comfort. And for your culinary needs, you can savor eclectic cuisine at one of their outstanding restaurants: Prism, Bistro 555 and The Market District.
For your special event or corporate gathering, Greektown Casino Hotel offers impeccable service in addition to a variety of exceptional spaces to help make your event an unforgettable experience.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar offers patrons an old-school sports and whiskey bar in Downtown Detroit’s Eastern Market district. Thomas Magee’s prides itself on providing every sport, every game, and every fight, plus great beer and whiskey!
For event information, visit themasonic.com and SalitaPromotions.com. On fight night, doors open at 6:30.
For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visitwww.salitapromotions.com. The Greektown Casino Hotel is located at 555 E Lafayette Street in Detroit. For more information, visit them online atgreektowncasino.com. Twitter: @GreektownCasino.

Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar is located at 1408 E Fisher Service Drive in Detroit. For more information, call 313-263-4342 or visit their official Facebook
page: www.facebook.com/ThomasMageesSportingHouseWhiskeyBar
boxing

FIGHTING OUT OF KRONK GYM, BANKS SEES SOUTHPAW OPPONENT SALAS AS NOTHING NEW

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Given the number of world-class southpaws he’s been in with at the world-famous Kronk Gym in Detroit, undefeated Motown-based cruiserweight Demetrius Banks (6-0, 4 KOs) says he’s not at all concerned about facing Puerto Rican New Yorker Emilio Salas (5-1-1, 3 KOs).
The pair will meet on Saturday, May 14, at the Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit, in the six-round main event of Salita Promotions’ “Detroit Brawl,” event. In the six-round co-main event Detroit’s undefeated bantamweight James Gordon Smith (9-0, 6 KOs) and Mexico’s Pablo Cupul (8-19, 5 KOs).
Tickets for “Detroit Brawl” are on sale now and are priced at $28, $38, $63, $93, $100 and $123. They are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or by visiting the Masonic Temple box office.
“Because my experience, fighting a southpaw is not much of an adjustment,” said Banks during a break in training. “Being at Kronk, I’ve boxed world-class southpaws like (former WBO Middleweight Champion) Andy Lee and (current WBC Light Heavyweight Champion) Adonis Stevenson to name a few. It’s not a big deal for me. I fought so many southpaws, in the beginning of my career, it was more difficult to box a right hander.”
Banks, a former football star and a committed mentor to Detroit’s youth, says that despite it being his first main event, he’s not feeling any extra pressure. “The way I look at it, it’s just another day. I don’t let the situation overwhelm me. I guess after the fight is over I’ll exhale and soak it all in. As of right now I’m ready to go to war. It doesn’t bother me what order we fight in.”
Of opponent Salas, Banks says he’s not expecting any surprises.
“I didn’t’ need to see much of him to know what I’m getting. I probably watched part of a round and he’s what I would expect. I saw things in him I can exploit. I also know he’s on a five-fight win streak. He’s 6′ 3″ tall, out of the Bronx and he’s a southpaw. I guess he’s coming to win, but I can’t let this guy take food off my plate.”
Banks says he’s aware that at age 35, there is no time to waste and he is working hard at Kronk with head coach Javan Hill and assistant trainer Richard Phillips, knowing that this fight is critical if he is to ever rise to contender status.
“This fight presents a big opportunity for me, especially with Dmitriy doing so many big things in boxing. If I win this fight, it gives me the opportunity to sign with him. I feel like I need to hurry. Because of my age, I have a smaller window of opportunity and I understand it. This is an opportunity for me to step it up and get things going.”
So how does he see things going against Salas?
“I definitely see a fight in my mind before it happens. I always visualize them beforehand. I see the things I don’t want to happen, the things that can’t happen and things I want to do. He’s going to come out and try to show he’s tough and come to fight and win. He’s not me though. He’s not fleet-footed or as slick as me. I’ll trick him and touch him to his body. That will give me a lot of target. I will break him down from the body up.
On the Detroit Brawl undercard, Lansing junior middleweight Antonio Urista (7-1, 2 KOs) will face Greenwood, Indiana’s Pablo Sanchez (7-1, 5 KOs) in a four-round bout. In addition, Russian cruiserweight Alexey Zubov (10-1, 6 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first career loss by taking on the capable Ernest Reyna (8-3, 4 KOs) of Corpus Christi, Texas, in a six-rounder. And in four-round welterweight bout between undefeated fighters, Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan’s Serdar Hudayberdiyev (1-0, 1 KO) will face Marco Russell (1-0-1) of Henderson, Nevada.
In a six-round super middleweight scrap, Detroit’s super middleweight James Ballard (6-0, 3 KOs) will face Chicago’s Edgar Perez (6-18, 3 KOs); Detroit middleweight Darrell Van Horn (8-0, 5 KOs) will go against Torreon, Mexico’s Francisco Reza (13-17, 10 KOs) in a four-rounder; East Pointe, Michigan, cruiserweight Clarence Dubose (2-0, 2 KOs) will battle fellow Michigander Karinn Davis (2-6, 2 KOs) of Jackson in a four-round battle; and Brooklyn via Georgia super lightweight Giorgi Gelashvili (3-0, 2 KOs) will face Jackson, Michigan’s Alfred Hall (4-11-2, 2 KOs) in a four-round bout.
On fight night, doors open at 6:30 pm and the first fight is at 7:15 pm. The Masonic Temple is located at 500 Temple Street in Detroit. All bouts subject to change.
 
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Salita is also proud to announce that Detroit’s premier casino has once-again agreed to sponsor, along with some new local businesses including Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar and its proprietor, Erik Olson.
Your downtown playground, Greektown Casino Hotel is consistently voted Detroit’s Best Casino. Located right in the hub of the historic Greektown district it’s impossible to be any closer to the action. No matter what you want to play, Greektown Casino Hotel has your non-stop gaming action. From the newest slots and table games to live poker, Greektown Casino Hotel has 100,000 square feet of exciting, action-packed choices and so many thrilling ways to win!
Greektown Casino Hotel features a 30-story hotel with 400 stunning guestrooms and suites devoted to your comfort. And for your culinary needs, you can savor eclectic cuisine at one of their outstanding restaurants: Prism, Bistro 555 and The Market District.
For your special event or corporate gathering, Greektown Casino Hotel offers impeccable service in addition to a variety of exceptional spaces to help make your event an unforgettable experience.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar offers patrons an old-school sports and whiskey bar in Downtown Detroit’s Eastern Market district. Thomas Magee’s prides itself on providing every sport, every game, and every fight, plus great beer and whiskey!
For event information, visit themasonic.com and SalitaPromotions.com. On fight night, doors open at 6:30.
For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visitwww.salitapromotions.com. The Greektown Casino Hotel is located at 555 E Lafayette Street in Detroit. For more information, visit them online atgreektowncasino.com. Twitter: @GreektownCasino.

Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar is located at 1408 E Fisher Service Drive in Detroit. For more information, call 313-263-4342 or visit their official Facebook
page: www.facebook.com/ThomasMageesSportingHouseWhiskeyBar
boxing

FEATURED FIGHTS, ALL PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED FOR SALITA PROMOTIONS’ LATEST DETROIT BRAWL AT MASONIC TEMPLE DOWNTOWN

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Detroit, MI (April 26, 2016) – The featured fights and undercard fighters have been announced for Salita Promotions’ latest old-school night of boxing entitled “Detroit Brawl” onSaturday, May 14, at the Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit.
In the night’s six-round cruiserweight main event, Detroit’s Demetrius Banks (6-0, 4 KOs) will take on Bronx-based Puerto Rican cruiserweight Emilio Salas (5-1-1, 3 KOs) and in the six-round co-main event, undefeated bantamweight James Gordon Smith (9-0, 6 KOs) will face California via Mexico’s Pablo Cupul (8-19, 5 KOs).
Tickets for “Detroit Brawl” are on sale now and are priced at $28, $38, $63, $93, $100 and $123. They are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or by visiting the Masonic Temple box office.
Scheduled to appear on the undercard are a variety of up-and-coming prospects from Michigan and around the world, including Detroit’s super middleweight James Ballard (6-0, 3 KOs), super middleweight Darrell Van Horn (8-0, 5 KOs), East Pointe cruiserweight Clarence Dubose (2-0, 2 KOs), Lansing junior middleweight Antonio Urista (7-1, 2 KOs), Russian cruiserweight Alexey Zubov (10-1, 6 KOs), Brooklyn via Georgia super lightweight Giorgi Gelashvili (3-0, 2 KOs), Turkmenistan’s former Asian Games Amateur Champion, Serdar Hudayberdiyev (1-0, 1 KO) and comebacking Warren, Michigan, super lightweight Luigi Gjokaj (2-2, 2 KOs).
Ballard is scheduled for six rounds. All other fights will be four-rounders. Opponents will be announced shortly.
Promoter Dmitriy Salita says he’s happy to be able to offer a consistent boxing series to Detroit fans, allowing them to follow the progress of local fighters, as well as fighters from abroad.
“We are back with another Detroit Brawl and I’m very excited,” said Salita. “This series is a tremendous success and this one will be the best yet. We have another great assortment of local and international prospects, many of them facing each other in an iconic venue in Detroit. It’s going to be another old-school boxing show and I’m proud to be putting it on for the great fans of Detroit. It was my goal for this series to be about making Detroit the city where young fighters can progress in their careers in competitive match-ups.”
On fight night, doors open at 6:30 pm and the first fight is at 7:15 pm. The Masonic Temple is located at 500 Temple Street in Detroit. All bouts subject to change.
###
Salita is also proud to announce that Detroit’s premier casino has once-again agreed to sponsor, along with some new local businesses including Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar and its proprietor, Erik Olson.
Your downtown playground, Greektown Casino Hotel is consistently voted Detroit’s Best Casino. Located right in the hub of the historic Greektown district it’s impossible to be any closer to the action. No matter what you want to play, Greektown Casino Hotel has your non-stop gaming action. From the newest slots and table games to live poker, Greektown Casino Hotel has 100,000 square feet of exciting, action-packed choices and so many thrilling ways to win!
Greektown Casino Hotel features a 30-story hotel with 400 stunning guestrooms and suites devoted to your comfort. And for your culinary needs, you can savor eclectic cuisine at one of their outstanding restaurants: Prism, Bistro 555 and The Market District.
For your special event or corporate gathering, Greektown Casino Hotel offers impeccable service in addition to a variety of exceptional spaces to help make your event an unforgettable experience.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar offers patrons an old-school sports and whiskey bar in Downtown Detroit’s Eastern Market district. Thomas Magee’s prides itself on providing every sport, every game, and every fight, plus great beer and whiskey!
For event information, visit themasonic.com and SalitaPromotions.com. On fight night, doors open at 6:30.
For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visitwww.salitapromotions.com. The Greektown Casino Hotel is located at 555 E Lafayette Street in Detroit. For more information, visit them online at greektowncasino.com. Twitter: @GreektownCasino.
Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar is located at 1408 E Fisher Service Drive in Detroit. For more information, call 313-263-4342 or visit their official Facebook page:www.facebook.com/ThomasMageesSportingHouseWhiskeyBar
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About

Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.
boxing

Salita Promotions Wins Big! Detroit Brawl a Motor City Success on Saturday Night

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Detroit Brawl Banner
Promoter Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions wishes to thank the multitude of fans and everyone involved in the great success of his debut “Detroit Brawl” show in Detroit last Saturday, February 6.
Held at the beautiful Masonic Temple Downtown, the well-attended “Detroit Brawl” featured a night of entertaining fights with an old-school Detroit feel. Even Detroit greats Thomas Hearns and Hilmer Kenty were in attendance.
“I was very happy with the entire event,” said Salita. “The fans came out, the fighters fought hard and in that classic venue, it felt like a boxing show from days gone by. I wish to thank everyone from Kronk and especially Javan Hill, as well as Dennis Turner and the staff at the Masonic for all their help. And to the Detroit boxing community in general, who helped get the word out on the show and helped make it such a success.”
Salita, who says this was the first of a series of regular shows, says he won’t rest on the success of the first event for long.
“We are looking at doing the second Detroit Brawl in early spring,” he said. “It is so apparent that this city loves its boxing and I’m proud to be bringing it to them.”
Dates and venue “Detroit Brawl 2” will be announced in the near future.
Results from the inaugural Detroit Brawl
Detroit Brawl Results
Dimash Niyazov (9-0-3, 4 KOs) W6 (UD) James Lester (10-10, 4 KOs)
Scores: 58-55, 58-55, 59-54.
James Gordon Smith (9-0, 6 KOs) KO2 Antwan Robertson (10-15-1, 5 KOs)
Time: 2:21.
Eudy “AK47” Bernardo (21-0, 15 KOs) KO 2 Ben Odamattey (16-13-3, 9 KOs)
Time: 1:18.
Edward Williams (11-1-1, 4 KOs) W6 (UD) Angel Figueroa (4-3-1)
Scores: 60-54, 59-55, 60-54.
James Ballard (6-0, 3 KOs) TKO3 Nathan Bedwell (5-16, 2 KOs)
Time: 1:39.
Emilio Salas (5-1-1, 3 KOs) KO2 Karinn Davis (2-6, 2 KOs
Time: 2:16.
Serdar Hudayberdiyev TKO4 Kevin Shacks (0-2)
Time: 1:33
Kane Heron (3-0, 2 KOs) TKO1 Brian Otey (0-2)
Time: 1:33