Tag Archives: Jamal James

boxing, Fox, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Jamal James & Chris Colbert Discuss Upcoming Matchups & More

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Courtesy of PremierBoxingChampions.com

 

 

 

Click HERE for Feature on Jamal James

&

Click HERE for Feature on Chris Colbert

 

 

 

PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes Tomorrow, April 13 from The Armory in Minneapolis with Coverage Beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

 

 

 

Ahead of tomorrow’s Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes event taking place at the Armory in Minneapolis, please see below two feature stories, courtesy of PremierBoxingChampions.com, on welterweight contender Jamal James and unbeaten prospect Chris Colbert.

 

 

 

The event is headlined by James stepping into the ring in his hometown to take on Abel Ramos in a 10-round welterweight contest. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features Colbert battling fellow unbeaten Austin Dulay in an eight-round super featherweight bout.

 

 

 

Click HERE for the story on Jamal James and HERE for the story on Colbert:

 

 

 

Jamal James wants to shine bright in homecoming bout against Abel Ramos

 

 

 

The sounds of a boxing gym can be intimidating. There is a rhythmic, cacophony of speed bags, and heavy bags and mitt work going on simultaneously-and all with authoritative whoomps!

 

 

 

It can reach such a pitch that you could barely hear yourself talk. Just imagine being four-year-old Jamal James and the wide-eyed wonderment he had when his mother took him to the Circle of Discipline gym on the south side of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

 

 

The intimidation lasted maybe a second. The next thing the rambunctious James did was mimic the fighters he saw, throwing his tiny hands at the bags, fitting his whole arm into a glove. Twenty-five years later in that same gym, everyone now mimics James.

 

 

 

After a sea of amateur and professional wins, under the guidance of Sankara Frazier, who’s been as much a father as he’s been a trainer, James (22-1, 10 KOs) will be seen by not just the Circle of Discipline gym, but by the city of Minneapolis and the nation when he takes on Abel Ramos (18-2-2, 13 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round welterweight fight on Friday, April 13, at the Minneapolis Armory on a Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes live (9PM ET/6PM PT).

 

 

 

Also featured on the card will be veteran Edner Cherry against Dennis Galarza in a lightweight co-main event, and Austin Dulay taking on Chris Colbert in a matchup of unbeaten super featherweights.

 

 

 

For the 29-year-old James, this will mark the first time in five years that the 6-foot-2 welterweight has fought on his home turf. It’s been a long journey for someone who was once a kid introduced to boxing holding his mother’s hand.

 

 

 

“Jamal took to boxing, almost immediately,” Frazier recalled. “It’s kind of funny, because he had a little temper on him, just like I did when I began. There was one time a kid who was more experience than Jamal got the better of him, and Jamal jumped the boy, took his head gear off and tried to choke the kid.

 

 

 

“We still laugh about it today. But Jamal, at first, was a handful. He would whine and complain about doing certain things, and remember, he was still a kid. I would tell him to cut that whining out and it wasn’t so much for the purpose of learning boxing, but to get Jamal to understand at that age what work ethic and discipline was about. He could hardly hold his arms up when he had the big gloves on. You could see Jamal loved being around boxing.”

 

 

 

James’ goal growing up was to one day be an Olympian. Though what so often happens to other teenaged fighters coming up through the amateur system in the United States, James was discouraged. He needed to grow into his body, too, since he was always tall for his weight class.

 

 

 

“I had a meeting with the whole crew, who I had since they were little kids, when they were teenagers and I told them they could be really good,” Frazier recalled. “I let them know there would one or two of them that would go on and do further things. I told them what would get them there is discipline and focus.

 

 

 

“There were only a few kids that were working on that part of it, and one of them was Jamal. You see with him now. My thing is I don’t talk to my kids or fighting professional, but boxing is something a person has to want to do, and if money comes with it, great. Boxing is a tough game and you need to be disciplined and focused with it.”

 

 

 

James has one pro loss on his record, and it’s to the very talented Yordenis Ugas in August 2016. James was just coming off an impressive win against Wale Omotoso a month earlier.

 

 

 

“The loss against Ugas I take as a good lesson,” said James, whose rangy 6-2 frame makes it tough for any welterweight to get inside his jab. “I thought I was in shape against Ugas, and I was too slow on the trigger and I fought his fight.

 

 

 

“I found out there that you have to prepare fully for any fight you take. I tried to push the envelope a little too hard for that one. My reflexes weren’t there. I’ll say I wasn’t overlooking Ugas, I’ll say I was overly confident for that fight, at that time. I had no losses and I was feeling good about himself.”

 

 

 

Now James is on a great stage-his home. The renovated Minneapolis Armory is a historic venue that hosted nearly 100 cards between 1915-1973, including shows headlined by one of the greatest welterweights ever – Sugar Ray Robinson.

 

 

 

“I know Abel Ramos is a tough fighter, and I know he’ll come and bring it,” James said. “He’s not coming to my backyard just to lay down. I know he’s coming to fight and I embrace that challenge. If I’m going to be a world champion one day, I’m going to have to take on guys like this, and deal with this kind of pressure.

 

 

 

“I’m going to make sure the other guy is going to remember my name. The storm is coming right here at home. I’m opening the door for these guys coming up behind me.”

 

Like the older guys once held the door for him.

 

 

 

Article written by Joseph Santoliquito

 

 

 

Confidence not lacking in Chris Colbert’s arsenal

 

 

 

Doubt, they say, is the privilege of those who’ve lived a long time. At 21, Chris Colbert hasn’t earned that right yet. However, age may do nothing to blunt his hubris.

 

 

 

“In boxing you have to stay focused, stay humble and stay ready. I’m still working on the humble part,” Chris Colbert laughs.

 

 

 

His trash talking may offend some, but it’s hard to stay humble when your talent has you feeling like Cassius Clay in Olympic Village.

 

 

 

“I’m a ‘lights, camera, action guy,” he boasts. “I love the lights, I love the camera, and I’m definitely all about that action.”

 

 

 

Colbert (7-0, 2 KOs) has backed up his bravado so far. The undefeated featherweight prospect will make his television debut on FS1 and FOX Deportes against Austin Dulay at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Friday.

 

 

 

Some will watch hoping the cocksure kid gets knocked off. But Colbert is already a winner, no matter what happens going forward. His isn’t a story of one who did it the right way. It’s a tale of one who did it his way.

 

 

 

Colbert was born and raised in the harsh Flatbush area of Brooklyn. He, his mother, and nine siblings lived together under an ever-changing roof that included two stints in the local shelter.

 

 

 

“My family really wasn’t that close,” Colbert says. “I was the middle child, the independent one. So, I was always by myself, going out and being in the streets alone.”

 

 

 

Colbert was a good student growing up. But by the time he finished middle school, he was spending most of his time on corners, where his diminutive size made him an easy mark.

 

 

 

“I didn’t run from those fights,” he recalls. “I guess in a way, I took out my frustrations on others through street fighting. But that’s where it ended. I never got arrested or caught up with drugs and stuff. I knew what came after that and no matter what, I always believed my future would be bright.”

 

 

 

Colbert got his first taste of boxing at age 13, when he became hooked on the build-up for the Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley fight.

 

 

 

“I saw how much money Floyd makes fighting and I told myself, ‘I fight in the streets every day. Why don’t I get paid for it?'”

 

 

 

The universe agreed. Shortly after, Colbert got into an argument with a friend. The friend suggested they settle it in the ring at Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Gym. Atlas is a Brooklyn landmark, a mentoring center for neighborhood children started by retired New York police officer Pat Russo and former boxing trainer Teddy Atlas.

 

 

 

“I knew I was home soon as I walked in,” Colbert says. “I kept looking around, seeing the culture there, and I remembered watching Mayweather at the gym. I walked up to a coach and said, ‘I’m going to be the best fighter you got in this gym.’ He thought I was joking. I came every day for three years straight.

 

 

 

“Once I started going to the gym, my life was all about boxing. I used to go to school and I wasn’t focused, not doing the work. But I told the teachers, ‘I’m good. I’m going to be a boxer.’ They all told me that I wasn’t going to make it.”

 

 

 

Colbert would meet future trainer and father-figure Aureliano Sosa at Atlas. It was Sosa who christened him “Lil’ B-Hop.”

 

 

 

“They called me that because they said I fought like Bernard Hopkins; the way he taunts people and all that stuff,” Colbert says. “Then one day I’m at a press conference and someone shouted my nickname. Hopkins turned around thinking they were calling him. That’s how we met. We’ve been close ever since.”

 

 

 

Hopkins advises his namesake, sharing insights on the game and warning him of the pitfalls ahead. “Lil B-Hop” immersed himself in boxing, studying Mayweather, Pernell Whitaker and Andre Ward to incorporate parts of their style into his own. Colbert possesses fast hands and feet, and is comfortable fighting either orthodox or southpaw. He’s registered only two stoppages but believes that will change once he acquires “grown man strength.”

 

 

 

However, Colbert’s newfound love didn’t alter fortunes at home. Just as the U.S. Nationals were about to begin, he and his family were evicted.

 

 

 

“I was really going through it,” he says. “Like damn, I never wanted people to know my business. That’s how I am with everything. I always kept things to myself. Being in the shelter again, trying to get ready to compete in a fight was one of the hardest things I had to go through.”

 

 

 

Colbert went on to win that 2015 Nationals championship. He became the No. 3-ranked fighter nationally at 114 pounds and No. 1 at 123, earning an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics.

 

 

 

But “the politics of the game” and perhaps the allure of making money convinced him to turn pro at 18. It appears he made the right decision. Last November, he fought in his first eight-rounder, outpointing Titus Williams in a battle of undefeated Big Apple prospects.

 

 

 

On paper, Dulay is the toughest opponent of his career. Following an amateur career that included over 120 wins, the Tennessee native is 11-0 with 8 KOs as a pro.

 

 

 

“These aren’t fights they’re giving me,” Colbert says. “This is what I’m asking for. A lot of these world champions came up taking the easy route. They’ll be 27-0 and haven’t fought an undefeated fighter. I’m only 7-0 and I’m up to my third undefeated fighter. And I plan to keep wiping them out.”

 

 

 

Along with this early crossroads fight, his long-time girlfriend is pregnant with his first child, a son. Colbert’s approaching both the fight and parenting with the same confidence that got him to this point.

 

 

 

“After I turned pro, I said to my teachers, ‘I told y’all.’ Right now, I’m doing this to better myself, better my community and to give my son the kind of life I didn’t have. I’m just waiting on my turn to shine. You could hate it or love it, but no matter what, stay tuned.”

 

 

 

Article written by Kenneth Bouhairie

 

 

 

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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

 

 

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comhttp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com.

Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @WarriorsBoxProm, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, andwww.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

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Super-Sized Super Welterweight, Sebastian Fundora, Relaxed and Confident Going Into Action This Friday Against Also Undefeated KO Artist Veshawn Owens

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It takes a big man to go into another undefeated fighter’s hometown and take him down, but as the biggest super welterweight in boxing history, Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora is more than up to the task.

 

 

 

 

The 6-foot-6 Fundora (8-0, 4 KOs) will face Minnesota-based KO artist Veshawn Owens (9-0, 9 KOs) this Friday, April 13, in an eight-round showdown at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The pair will meet on the undercard of the Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes event featuring hometown welterweight Jamal James taking on Abel Ramos (9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT)

 

 

 

 

Presented by Warriors Boxing and TGB Promotions, the event will also see rugged veteran Edner Cherry battling rising lightweight Dennis Galarza in a 10-round bout and Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert clashing in an eight-round match between unbeaten super featherweight prospects. Also appearing on the card is sensational 17-year-old 154-pound prospect Joey Spencer (1-0, 1 KO), a former No. 1 ranked amateur and nine-time national champion.

 

 

 

 

Tickets for the live event, which is, are on sale now and are available by visiting www.ArmoryMN.com.

 

 

 

 

“I’ve fought in other people’s backyards and I’ve already beaten undefeated fighters too, so I’m used to this,” said Fundora, a confident 20-year-old southpaw from Coachella, California. “I don’t know much about Owens, but it feels great being able to fight tougher opponents. People are now able to view my full capabilities, instead of knocking guys out in the first round and it doesn’t mean as much.”

 

 

 

 

With a heavyweight’s reach and height, Fundora is massive for a 154-lb fighter… a natural gift he works on in the gym to its full advantage.

 

 

 

 

“We trained hard and worked a lot on distance and a lot more power and strength for this fight. I’m not just the biggest, I’m also stronger than anybody else. We started training for this in January. After my last fight, in Argentina, I took a week off and then started working on conditioning in Big Bear. It’s been a great camp.”

 

 

 

 

Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, says “The Towering Inferno” is more than a “gimmick fighter.”

 

 

 

 

“He’s for real,” said Lewkowicz. “He’s already beaten some good fighters. How he puts all that size and strength into 154 lbs., I do not know, but Fundora is too big for anyone at this weight. You have to get inside on him and it’s just too far to go because he’s punishing you for every inch you try to take.”

 

 

 

 

“I’m more than happy with the way things are going,” continued Fundora. “A victory in this fight would be a good stepping stone to hopefully fight for a regional belt next. I will have a lot of opportunities after I win.”

boxing, Fox, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 Kicks Off 2018 Season With Three-Hour Action Packed Extravaganza From The Armory in Minneapolis on Friday, April 13

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Welterweight Contender Jamal James Returns to Hometown to Battle Abel Ramos in Welterweight Clash

 

 

 

Rugged Veteran Edner Cherry Takes on Dennis Galarza

In Lightweight Showdown in Co-Main Event

 

 

 

Plus! Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert Square-Off in Matchup of Unbeaten Super Featherweights & Sensational

Prospects Sebastian Fundora & Joey Spencer In

Action in Separate Matches

 

 

 

MINNEAPOLIS (April 10, 2018) – Premier Boxing Champions kicks off the 2018 season on FS1 and FOX Deportes on Friday, April 13 with five action-packed bouts on a three-hour televised show from the Armory in Minneapolis, featuring welterweight contender Jamal James battling Abel Ramos in a 10-round main event in front of his hometown crowd.

 

 

 

In the co-main event, rugged veteran Edner Cherry clashes with rising lightweight Dennis Galarza in a 10-round bout and unbeaten super featherweights Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert square off in an eight-round match.

 

 

 

Plus, exciting 6-foot-6 super welterweight Sebastian “Towering Inferno” Fundora(8-0, 4 KOs) will take on Veshawn Owens (9-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-round match of unbeaten prospects. Sensational 18-year-old, 154-pound prospect Joey Spencer (1-0, 1 KO), a former No. 1 ranked amateur and nine-time national champion, battles Ousmane Sylla (1-2, 1 KOs) in a four round match. The televised action starts at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

 

 

 

The event marks the return of boxing to the Minneapolis Armory, a historic venue that hosted nearly 100 cards between 1915 and 1973, including a show headlined by all-time great Sugar Ray Robinson in 1942.

 

 

 

“This show is the perfect example of what Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes is all about – boxers at various stages of their career, each with something to prove in all action matches,” said Tim Smith, Vice President of Communications for Haymon Boxing. “The stakes are raised for Jamal James because he’s fighting in front of his hometown crowd and yo get in title the mix at 147 pounds and Abel Ramos wants to spoil all of that.

 

 

 

“Veteran Edner Cherry, who has tangled with Paulie Malignaggi and Timothy Bradley, and Dennis Galarza are both looking fighting to get into title contention. And it’s rare for unbeaten prospects like Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert to clash this soon in their careers. It all promises to be an exciting night of boxing on a night when the sports calendar isn’t crowded.”

 

 

 

James (22-1, 10 KOs) is coming off the biggest victory of his career – a knockout over tough veteran Diego Chaves on Dec. 15. The 29-year-old James joined unified 147-pound champion Keith Thurman as the only boxer to have knocked out the durable Argentine. It was James second straight victory since suffering the only loss of his career – a unanimous decision defeat to Yordenis Ugas on Aug. 12, 2016. James hasn’t fought in his hometown of Minneapolis since he scored a unanimous decision over Mohammed Kayongo in 2013.

 

 

 

Ramos (18-2-2, 13 KOs) will complete his move to the welterweight division by taking on James after making his welterweight debut with a stoppage of Emmanuel Robles last July. The 26-year-old out of Arizona has won three of his last four fights and his only pro defeats have come at the hands of top 140-pound contenders Regis Prograis and Ivan Baranchyk.

 

 

 

Cherry (36-7-2, 19 KOs) has defeated once-beaten contenders Haskell Rhodes and Omar Douglas since losing a split decision to Jose Pedraza in a 130-pound world title match in 2015. The 35-year-old Cherry of Wauchula, Florida has previously challenged Tim Bradley and Paulie Malignaggi during his career that included a 10-fight win streak after the Bradley bout.

 

 

 

Galarza (16-2, 9 KOs), an outstanding amateur boxer, is stepping up in competition with this matchup against the more experienced Cherry. The 25-year-old Galarza, who’s from Brooklyn but trains in Orlando, has won three straight fights since losing a split decision to Cesar Alan Valenzuela on Sept. 16, 2016.

 

 

 

Dulay (11-0, 8 KOs) was busy last year, fighting four times with only one fight going the distance. The 22-year-old southpaw from Nashville, Tennessee most recently scored a TKO victory over Carlos Padilla last August.

 

 

 

Colbert (7-0, 2 KOs) has one of the most decorated amateur careers in New York City as he fights out of the renowned Atlas Cops and Kids Gym in Brooklyn. The 21-year-old is noted for his blazing hand and foot speed and he enters this fight coming off a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten Titus Williams last November.

 

 

 

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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

 

 

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comhttp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com.

Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @WarriorsBoxProm, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

boxing, Fox, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Showdown Between Unbeaten Super Welterweights Sebastian Fundora & Veshawn Owens Highlights Undercard Action Friday, April 13 from the Armory in Minneapolis

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 Exciting Night of Action Features Veteran Contender Haskell Rhodes Plus, a Lineup of Rising Local Talent

 

 

 

MINNEAPOLIS (April 5, 2018) – A showdown between unbeaten super welterweights highlights undercard action on Friday, April 13 as Sebastian Fundora (8-0, 4 KOs) meets Minnesota’s Veshawn Owens (9-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-round bout from the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

 

 

The event is headlined by welterweight contender Jamal James fighting in his hometown against Abel Ramos in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes. The telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT and will see rugged veteran Edner Cherry battling rising lightweight Dennis Galarza in a 10-round bout and Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert clashing in an eight-round match between unbeaten super featherweight prospects. Also appearing on the card is sensational 17-year-old 154-pound prospect Joey Spencer (1-0, 1 KO), a former No. 1 ranked amateur and nine-time national champion.

 

 

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and are available by visiting www.ArmoryMN.com.

 

 

 

The action continues with veteran contender Haskell Rhodes returning to action to take on Wisconsin’s Mikey Fowler in a six-round lightweight showdown.

 

 

 

Also entering the ring on April 13 are a trio of unbeaten Minneapolis-natives as Marlin Sims faces Trevor Marmon in a four-round lightweight bout, Celso Ramirez battles Brandon Baue in a four-round super welterweight contest and Giezwa Pierre Hobbs takes on Raymond Chaco for a four-round super featherweight duel. The action concludes with Coon Rapids, Minnesota’s Uriel Lara in a four-round super welterweight fight against Thomas Amaro.

 

 

 

The 6-foot-6 Fundora, known as “The Towering Inferno”, is unbeaten since turning pro in 2016 and picked up seven victories during a busy 2017 campaign. The 20-year-old fights out of Coachella, California and will make his 2018 debut against the Minneapolis-native Owens. The 26-year-old Owens picked up four victories by stoppage in 2018.

 

 

 

A multi-sport athlete who has competed in both boxing and mixed martial arts professionally, Oklahoma City’s Rhodes (25-2-1, 12 KOs) bounced back from decision losses to former champion Sergey Lipinets and Edner Cherry to defeat Lenwood Dozier and most recently stop Jonathan Nelson. The 30-year-old Rhodes was unbeaten in his first 23 pro fights and will look to make it three in a row when he faces the 25-year-old Fowler out of Milwaukee.

 

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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

 

 

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comhttp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com.

Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @WarriorsBoxProm, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

boxing, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Jamal James Returns to Hometown to Battle Abel Ramos in Welterweight Clash Headlining Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 & FOX Deportes from the Armory in Minneapolis on Friday, April 13

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Rugged Veteran Edner Cherry Takes on Dennis Galarza
In Lightweight Showdown in Co-Main Event
 
Plus! Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert Square-Off in Matchup of Unbeaten Super Featherweights
 
Tickets on Sale Friday, March 16!
MINNEAPOLIS (March 14, 2018) – Welterweight contender Jamal James will get a chance to fight in front of his hometown crowd when he takes on Abel Ramos in a 10-round welterweight battle that headlines a huge night of action on Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes Friday, April 13 from the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In the co-main event, rugged veteran Edner Cherry battles rising lightweight Dennis Galarza in a 10-round bout. The action continues with Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert clashing in an eight-round match between unbeaten super featherweight prospects that kicks off the broadcast at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Also appearing on the card is sensational 17-year-old 154-pound prospect Joey Spencer (1-0, 1 KO), a former No. 1 ranked amateur and nine-time national champion.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing and TGB Promotions, go on sale Friday, March 16 and will be available by visiting www.ArmoryMN.com.
The April 13 event marks the return of boxing to the Minneapolis Armory, a historic venue that hosted nearly 100 cards between 1915 and 1973, including a show headlined by all-time great Sugar Ray Robinson in 1942.
“Warriors Boxing is thrilled that PBC, FS1 and FOX Deportes are bringing professional boxing back to Minneapolis on Friday, April 13,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing. “There couldn’t be a more fitting venue than the newly renovated, historic Minnesota Armory in downtown Minneapolis. The Armory has a rich boxing tradition and has not hosted a boxing event for 45 years. It will be a great night for the highly acclaimed PBC on FS1 and FOX Deportes series in this beautiful and historic building.”
“Jamal James has staked his position as a rising contender in the welterweight division and has the kind of fan-friendly style that fits perfectly in the talent-rich 147-pound class,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Ramos doesn’t back down and will certainly test Jamal in front of his hometown crowd. Dennis Galarza will face his own challenge when he goes up against the tough veteran Edner Cherry and it’s a rare treat to see two young unbeaten prospects like Dulay and Colbert squaring off this early in their careers. All the fights have a significant bearing on the future of the boxers involved and that will work out well for the fans.”
James (22-1, 10 KOs) is coming off the biggest victory of his career – a knockout over tough veteran Diego Chaves on Dec. 15. The 29-year-old James joined unified 147-pound champion Keith Thurman as the only boxer to have knocked out the durable Argentine. It was James second straight victory since suffering the only loss of his career – a unanimous decision defeat to Yordenis Ugas on Aug. 12, 2016. James hasn’t fought in his hometown of Minneapolis since he scored a unanimous decision over Mohammed Kayongo in 2013.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to compete on this platform and to show the nation and the world that Minnesota has great fighters and an enthusiastic fan base for boxing,” said James. “Abel Ramos is a tough guy who will come to fight, but coming off the big win over Chaves, I’m in a position in my career where I’m trying to reach that world championship level. I have to continue to demonstrate the ability to perform under pressure in difficult fights. I know he’s coming to pull off an upset, but that’s not happening.”
Ramos (18-2-2, 13 KOs) will complete his move to the welterweight division by taking on James after making his welterweight debut with a stoppage of Emmanuel Robles last July. The 26-year-old out of Arizona has won three of his last four fights and his only pro defeats have come at the hands of top 140-pound contenders Regis Prograis and Ivan Baranchyk.
“I’m a real Mexican warrior and I never back down from a fight,” said Ramos. “I’m not worried about going into Jamal James hometown and fighting him there. I’m going to disappoint Jamal and all his fans in Minneapolis, because I’m coming to win.”
 
Cherry (36-7-2, 19 KOs) has defeated once-beaten contenders Haskell Rhodes and Omar Douglas since losing a split decision to Jose Pedraza in a 130-pound world title match in 2015. The 35-year-old Cherry of Wauchula, Florida has previously challenged Tim Bradley and Paulie Malignaggi during his career that included a 10-fight win streak after the Bradley bout.
“Dennis Galarza is a great, young fighter who is on the rise, coming to win and looking to become a world champion, but he is in for a real fight,” said Cherry. “I’m not taking this fight lightly, I’m getting ready, and I’m ready to go all out on April 13. After this, I hope I’ll get my third opportunity at a world title. I took the Lydell Rhodes, Omar Douglas and Jose Pedraza fights because I’m a warrior who wants the opportunity to fight the best, and, ultimately, to fight for a world title. The Pedraza fight didn’t go my way on the scorecards, but the whole world knows the true outcome of that fight. I went back to work and I’m ready to prove it again.”
Galarza (16-2, 9 KOs), an outstanding amateur boxer, is stepping up in competition with this matchup against the more experienced Cherry. The 25-year-old Galarza, who’s from Brooklyn but trains in Orlando, has won three straight fights since losing a split decision to Cesar Alan Valenzuela on Sept. 16, 2016.
“My eyes have been on Edner as a friend and as a fan since I was young, but this is business and I’m going to be ready,” said Galarza. “Edner is a true warrior who never lets up and a crafty veteran who has fought a lot of great competition. The Pedraza fight I thought he possibly did win. A lot of people duck Edner Cherry because he beat top guys in Rhodes and Douglas his past two fights, plus he can punch with power. People think Edner’s going to break me down, but I took the fight that nobody wants to take. I believe in my talents and I’m ready to make my mark. This fight will demonstrate the type of fighter that I am.”
 
It is rare to see a match between two young prospects on the rise this early in their careers, but Dulay and Colbert are both eager for that challenge. Dulay (11-0, 8 KOs) was busy last year, fighting four times with only one fight going the distance. The 22-year-old southpaw from Nashville, Tennessee most recently scored a TKO victory over Carlos Padilla last August.
Colbert (7-0, 2 KOs) has one of the most decorated amateur careers in New York City as he fights out of the renowned Atlas Cops and Kids Gym in Brooklyn. The 21-year-old is noted for his blazing hand and foot speed and he enters this fight coming off a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten Titus Williams last November.
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @WarriorsBoxProm, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Former Welterweight World Champion Jessie Vargas Drops Aaron Herrera on His Way to Unanimous Decision Victory in the Main Event of a Special Friday Night Edition of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 &BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes from Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, Calif.

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Jamal James Delivers Vicious Body Shot for
Third Round Knockout of Diego Chaves
 
John Molina Jr. Rises from Knockdown to Stop Ivan Redkach In
Round Four of Super Lightweight Slugfest
&
Wale Omotoso Wins by Unanimous Decision Over 
Freddy Hernandez
 
Click HERE for Photos from Peter Young/
Premier Boxing Champions – (Photos to be added shortly)
 
LANCASTER, CA. (December 16, 2017) – Former welterweight world championJessie Vargas (28-2, 10 KOs) returned to drop and defeat Aaron Herrera (24-8-1, 15 KOs)by unanimous decision in the main event of a special Friday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes from Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, California.
“I’m very happy to be back after a long layoff,” said Vargas. “It was a long time off and I felt the ring rust. I stayed patient and tried to stick to my distance. The inconsistencies affected me more than I thought it would and Herrera kept pushing the fight.
“I was setting him up and waiting for him to punch before attacking him. I expect more in my next performance and I’m disappointed I didn’t finish him, but a win is a win. We’ll get back to the drawing board. I showed I have the power with the knockdown, I just have to finish it off next time.”
Vargas was effective early and often, landing a strong lead left hook to the head of Herrera at the end of round one before controlling the second round with series of combinations. Herrera slowly increased his output as the fight went on, but was never able to slow down the attack of Vargas.
Midway through round six, Vargas sent Herrera to the canvas with a left hook that initially stunned him and a combination that put him down. Herrera rose to the canvas but continued to be picked apart by the skilled and composed Vargas.
“I felt relaxed in the ring,” said Vargas. “I was trying finish him with the hook. His head movement threw me off and kept him in the fight. We have to keep improving and look better in the next fight.”
After 10 rounds, Vargas earned a unanimous decision by the score of 100-89 three times in his first fight in 13 months as he seeks another title in the welterweight division.
“I’m ready for anyone,” said Vargas. “I’m going to start preparing tomorrow for anyone. I’m looking forward to facing Keith Thurman, the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Lamont Peterson winner, or Danny Garcia. I’m back and I’m ready to stay busy and get back in the ring as soon as possible to reach my goals.”
The co-main event saw once-beaten welterweight Jamal James (22-1, 10 KOs) earn a third-round knockout over veteran contender Diego Chaves (26-3-1, 22 KOs) with a sensational left hook to the body that gave James the most impressive victory of his career to date.
James used his jab and significant height advantage from the outset in an attempt to set up combinations, while Chaves looked to attack the body and close the distance. Both fighters traded attacks early, but it was James who broke through first with a barrage in the third round.
After stunning Chaves with a right hand, James went on the attack as his opponent stopped throwing punches. He took full advantage of the opportunity by perfectly placing the left hook to the body that sent Chaves down and eventually counted out by referee Tom Taylor.
In an action-packed super lightweight showdown, John Molina Jr. (30-7, 24 KOs) delivered a fourth round stoppage of Ivan Redkach (20-3-1, 16 KOs) after both men hit the canvas in the first three rounds.
“It was a great fight,” said Molina. “I was a little rusty, but it’s not an excuse, Redkach was a really tough guy. We got the job done and never gave up. A fight is a fight, it’s not over until it’s over.”
Both men came out looking to throw power punches from the start, and it was Redkach who struck first, pinning Molina in the corner in round two before dropping him with a combination. Molina was able to drastically change the tide of the fight in round three fight a perfect right hand that landed flush as Redkach was already off balance and sent him to the canvas.
Redkach was able to survive the round, but Molina connected again in round four with a right hand that stunned Redkach and a clubbing left hook that put him down again. This knockdown prompted referee Eddie Hernandez to wave off the bout 1:27 into the fourth round, giving Molina a big victory with his family watching ringside.
“You always dig deep with your family watching,” said Molina. “You never want to lose in front of your family. I’m always going to fight until the very end. I had a tough opponent in front of me but I did what I had to to get the victory.”
The opening bout of the telecast saw Wale Omotoso (27-3, 21 KOs) score a unanimous decision victory over Freddy Hernandez (34-9, 22 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight contest.
Hernandez had success early in the fight, hitting Omotoso with counter left hands consistently and using his range effectively. As the fight wore on Omotoso increased his pressure and broke through in round eight with a straight right hand that stunned Hernandez.
Omotoso was unable to score a knockdown, but had success throughout the final three rounds on his way to earning the decision by scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 100-90.
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, andwww.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes was sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina and promoted by TGB Promotions.
boxing, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Rising Prospects Enter the Ring as 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas & 2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist Misael Rodriguez Compete in Separate Bouts on Friday, December 15 from Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, Calif.

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Plus! Once-Beaten Prospect Marcos Hernandez
Faces Mexico’s Oscar Mora in Undercard Attraction
 
LANCASTER, CA. (December 13, 2017) – A stacked night of action will feature 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas and 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist Misael Rodriguez entering the ringing in separate undercard matchups this Friday, December 15 from Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, California.
The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by former welterweight champion Jessie Vargas taking on hard-hitting veteran Aaron Herrera in a 10-round showdown. Televised coverage on FS1 and FOX Deportes begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features a welterweight matchup between rugged veteran Diego Chaves and rising contender Jamal James, plus a super lightweight bout betweenJohn Molina Jr. and Ivan Redkach. The telecast begins with exciting welterweight Wale Omotoso (26-3, 21 KOs) facing Freddy Hernandez (34-8, 22 KOs) in a 10-round contest.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, begin at $30 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit the Pioneer Event Center’s website:www.uavpec.com. The first 300 fans who bring a toy to donate to the Holiday Toy Drive will receive a free t-shirt and five dollars off of general admission tickets. The Holiday Toy Drive will benefit the Inner Circle Foster Care & Adoption Service in Palmdale, Calif.
Balderas (2-0, 2 KO) will enter the ring for a lightweight fight against Mexico’s Carlo Flores (4-7-1, 3 KOs) while Rodriguez (5-0, 3 KOs) takes on Cuba’s Yunier Calzada(6-2-1, 1 KO) in a six round super middleweight contest.
Additional undercard action will see once-beaten prospect Marcos Hernandez (10-1, 2 KOs) taking on Oscar Mora (7-4, 6 KOs) in an eight round junior middleweight affair.
Rounding out the night of fights are a trio of prospects as unbeaten Alejandro Guerrero meets Phillip Percy in a four-round super featherweight contest, while undefeated Efren Lopez battles Tyler Marshall in a four-round junior welterweight bout and once-beaten Luis Coria faces Leonardo Torres in a junior lightweight matchup.
Fighting out of Santa Maria, California, the 21-year-old Balderas is the son of Mexican parents who immigrated to the United States to give their children a better life. Balderas had an impressive amateur career that included a 2014 Youth National Championship, four National PAL championships and an impressive run in the World Series of Boxing. His amateur career culminated in a trip to the 2016 Olympic Games where he represented the U.S. and defeated fighters from Kazakhstan and Japan before a decision loss in the quarterfinals. He made his pro debut back in April, forcing Michael Thomas to retire after one round and followed that up with a first round stoppage of Eder Fajardo in July.
At last year’s Rio games, the 23-year-old Rodriguez overcame incredible odds to win the first Olympic boxing medal for Mexico since Christian Bejerano in 2000. The Chihuahua native and his teammates had to resort to begging on public buses and streets in Mexico to raise money to compete in international boxing tournaments. He completed his road to the medal stand by defeating Egypt’s Hosam Bakr Abdin to clinch a medal in the middleweight division. Rodriguez mad his pro debut in April with a dominant decision victory over Brian True and has continued his winning ways with more victories so far in 2017.
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, andwww.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Former World Champion Jessie Vargas Returns To Take On Aaron Herrera in Welterweight Clash on Special Friday Night Edition of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 & BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes December 15 from Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, Calif.

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Plus! Rugged Veteran Diego Chaves Battles Welterweight Contender Jamal James in Co-Main Event Showdown
 
Also in Action! Super Lightweights John Molina Jr. & Ivan Redkach Square-Off & Featherweights Stephen Fulton and Adam Lopez Meet In A Battle of Unbeaten Featherweight Prospects
 
Tickets On Sale Now!
 
LANCASTER, CA. – (November 17, 2017) – Former welterweight champion Jessie Vargas returns to the ring to take on hard-hitting veteran Aaron Herrera in the 10-round main event of a special Friday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes December 15 from Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, California with televised coverage starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Promoted by TGB Promotions, the show will also feature a 10-round welterweight showdown between rugged veteran Diego Chaves and rising contender Jamal James in the co-main event. Additional televised action will see hard hitters John Molina Jr. and Ivan Redkach squaring off in 10-rounds of super lightweight action and unbeaten featherweight prospects Stephen Fulton (11-0, 5 KOs) and Adam Lopez (8-0, 3 KOs) battling in an eight-round match.
“This is one of those high energy shows that promises action from top to bottom. Jesse Vargas is one of the toughest welterweights in the sport. He always comes to fight and doesn’t disappoint,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “His match against Herrera should provide the kind of action and entertainment that his fans have come to expect from him. Jamal James is stepping up to another level and will be tested by Diego Chaves, a rugged veteran who has been in against some of the best in the division. And you know that Molina and Redkach are going to trade shots. It promises to be entertaining for the fans at Pioneer Event Center and those tuned in on FS1 and FOX Deportes.”
Tickets for the live event begin at $30 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit the Pioneer Event Center’s website: www.uavpec.com.
Vargas (27-2, 10 KOs) is returning to the ring for the first time in 13 monthsafter dropping a 12-round decision in a welterweight title defense against Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 5, 2016. The 28-year-old Vargas, who was born in Los Angeles and now lives in Las Vegas, won the welterweight title with a technical knockout victory over Sadam Ali on March 5, 2016. His only other loss came against former welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and he owns victories over the likes of Antonio DeMarco, Josesito Lopez, Aron Martinez and Wale Omotoso.
“Every fighter is dangerous and if I give Herrera the chance, he’ll knock my head off,” said Vargas. “But I come into every fight with bad intentions and I’m in a position where I know exactly what it takes to get where I want to go. I have a lot of opportunities ahead of me, but first, I have to show the fans that I’m back and look exciting while doing that. Herrera is going to give me his best, but I feel that I have the speed, the experience and the game plan to overcome anything he brings to the table.”
Herrera (33-7-1, 22 KOs) has already fought four times in 2017 including his most recent outing, a stoppage of Israel Toala in July. The 28-year-old from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico lost to Brandon Rios via knockout on June 11 in a FS1 and FOX Deportes main event at Pioneer Events Center, where he will face Vargas.
“I’m going against a really good fighter, but he doesn’t punch very hard,” said Herrera. “I will go bombs away from the first round. He can’t hurt me. I’m confident I will win this fight. This is a great opportunity for me. I’ve got to start faster than I did against Brandon Rios and I can’t take anything for granted. The fans will get a great fight and definitely be winners on fight night.”
Chaves (26-2-1, 22 KOs) is a tough veteran who has faced some of this generation’s best welterweights, including current unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman. The 31-year-old from Buenos Aires, Argentina, has won three straight fights since battling to a draw against former welterweight champion Timothy Bradley in 2014 including his most recent triumph, a knockout victory over Jean Carlos Prada on June 17.
James (21-1, 9 KOs) is on the comeback trail after suffering the first loss of his career to Yordenis Ugas via unanimous decision on Aug. 12, 2016. The 29-year-old James of Minneapolis, Minnesota bounced back from that loss with a unanimous decision victory over Jo Jo Dan on July 15. James has fought on FS1 and FOX Deportes his last four times in the ring and has recorded three wins in that stretch.  Chaves represents a major challenge for James in his attempt to climb the welterweight ladder as he looks to add another name to his list of victories that includes Wale Omotoso, Javier Molina and Juan Carlo Abreu.
Redkach (20-3-1, 16 KOs) and Molina (29-7, 23 KOs) are both coming off losses and will look to go through each other to regain top contender status. The 31-year-old Redkach, who was born in Ukraine and now lives in Los Angeles, is coming off a split decision loss in a FS1 and FOX Deportes main event to Argenis Mendez in his last fight on May 2. Molina, 34, had one of the best performance of his career in June 2016 when he defeated Ruslan Provodnikov by unanimous decision. The Covina, Calif. native earned a shot at Terrence Crawford in December that saw him lose by TKO in the eighth round.
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, Fox, Premier Boxing Champions

Welterweight Jamal James Earns Unanimous Decision Over Former Title Challenger Jo Jo Dan in Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 & FOX Deportes Action Saturday Night from NYCB LIVE’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island

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Unbeaten Prospect Brandon Figueroa Remains Undefeated with Unanimous Decision Victory over Fatiou Fassinou
 
Click HERE for Photos from Ryan Greene/Premier Boxing Champions
(Photos to be added shortly)
 
Click HERE for Photos from Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
LONG ISLAND, NY (July 16, 2017) – Once-beaten Jamal James (21-1, 9 KOs) scored a unanimous decision victory over former title challenger Jo Jo Dan (36-5, 19 KOs) inPremier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes actionSaturday night from thenewly-renovated NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Standing 6’2″, James was intent on using his length to move around Dan and deliver jabs and power punches off of it it. He had success snapping the head back of Dan throughout the early rounds and built up a lead on the scorecards.
“My range was working perfectly,” said James. “I knew he was going to be tough and he was a little tougher than I thought.”
Dan got himself back into the fight after focusing on the body throughout the early rounds and was able to break through James’ guard to land effectively. The southpaw temporarily rocked James late in the sixth round and was able to pick up some momentum for the following rounds.
“I was catching him with nice clean shots, but he kept coming,” said James. “I knew he was going to keep coming forward. He started moving his head and made me miss a couple times. I was trying to avoid a big shot but he did get me with some body shots.”
However, James was able to stick to his game plan and had success over the final couple of rounds while fighting Dan in the trenches. After 10 rounds of welterweight action, the judges scored the bout 99-91-, 98-92 and 97-93 all for James.
Fighting on the undercard of his older brother Omar, Brandon Figueroa (13-0, 8 KOs) used high volume punching to dominate Fatiou Fassinou (28-7-3, 15 KOs) on his way to a unanimous decision victory in their junior featherweight contest.
“I knew that he was a flashy fighter that was going to have a lot of speed and movement,” said Figueroa. “I tried to attack the body. He was a really tough opponent. He took all my best body shots.”
Figueroa had no problem trying to stand and trade with Fassinou as his superior speed and length allowed him to consistently land first. Fassinou’s awkward style included switching stances almost nonstop throughout the bout, and made it tough for Figueroa to sit down and deliver knockout blows.
“This was my first fight back in a while and I was happy to get the rust off,” said James. “Now I’m going to get back to work. I want to get at least one or two more fights this year and then really explode next year and set myself up to be a top contender.”
As the fight went on, Fassinou slowed down enough to where Figueroa was able to trap him in the corner and deliver powerful blows throughout the last two rounds. Fassinou ended the night on his feet but all three judges gave the bout to Figueroa by scores of 79-73 and 78-74 twice.
“I wanted to break him down,” said Figueroa. “He took my punches well. I think he won a round or two. I needed to catch my breath and I was hoping to stop him late. Either way, I got the win and I’m happy.”
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FS1, @FOXDeportes @LouDiBella, @NYCBLive and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsportsand www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment,www.Facebook.com/NYCBLive. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina and was promoted by DiBella Entertainment. BROOKLYN BOXING on Long Island is an extension of BSE’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ brand. For more information, visit brooklynboxingshop.com.
boxing, Fox, Premier Boxing Champions

Unbeaten Omar Figueroa Drops Former Champion Robert Guerrero Five Times On His Way to Third-Round TKO in the Main Event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes Saturday Night from NYCB LIVE’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island

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Unbeaten Omar Figueroa Drops Former Champion Robert Guerrero Five Times On His Way to Third-Round TKO in the Main Event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes Saturday Night from NYCB LIVE’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island
 
Unbeaten Marcus Browne Scores Dominant Second-Round Stoppage of Previously Undefeated Seanie Monaghan in Light Heavyweight Battle
&
Adam Kownacki Remains Unbeaten With Fourth-Round TKO Over Artur Szpilka in Matchup of Polish Heavyweights
 
Click HERE for Photos from Ryan Greene/Premier Boxing Champions
 
Click HERE for Photos from Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
LONG ISLAND, NY (July 15, 2017) – Unbeaten Omar Figueroa (27-0-1, 19 KOs) returned to the ring in emphatic fashion with a third-round stoppage of former champion Robert Guerrero (33-6-1, 18 KOs) in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX andFOX Deportes Saturday night from the newly-renovated NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The show was the first major boxing event to take place at the Coliseum in 31 years.
The former world champion Figueroa returned to the ring after a 19-month layoff and hardly missed a beat, as he sent Guerrero to the canvas five times over the three rounds and became the first fighter to ever stop Guerrero.
“We knew that it was going to be tough to accomplish but I had obviously trained to get the knockout,” said Figueroa.” With my hands finally being healthy, we knew that it was actually possible.
After winning the first round on all three judges’ scorecards, Guerrero continued to fight Figueroa from the inside and attempted to punish him with power shots. However, it was Figueroa who landed the first decisive blow of the fight, a scorching left uppercut that sent Guerrero immediately to the floor.
“I haven’t fought this way in a long time because I didn’t have the power in my hands,” said Figueroa. “I’ll always find a way to come out on top though.”
Figueroa continued to attack, putting Guerrero down for a second time with a body shot and once more with a glancing shot right before the end of the round. Guerrero looked to blitz Figueroa to start the third round and immediately had Figueroa cornered.
“After the first knockdown I knew that the instinct would kick-in for him and he’d go all out,” said Figueroa. “I thought it was going to be over after the first knockdown of the second round but the ref let it keep going.
“I’ve been working since January so I’m going to take some time off,” continued Figueroa. “Then I’m going to get back into camp to get back to 140-pounds. I want to be back in the ring by the end of the year.”
The unbeaten fighter was able to turn the tide quickly however, putting Guerrero down twice more with strong flurries before referee Ron Lipton waved off the bout 1:34 into the round. After the bout, Guerrero was taken to Nassau University Medical Center for precautionary reasons.
Unbeaten 2012 U.S. Olympian Marcus Browne (20-0, 15 KOs) continued to solidify his status as a world title contender with an electrifying stoppage of previously undefeatedSeanie Monaghan (28-1, 17 KOs) in the second-round of their light heavyweight battle.
Despite fighting in front of a friendly crowd in his native Long Island, Monaghan struggled from the start as a blistering left hand from Browne sent him to the canvas early in the first round. Monaghan was quickly in survival mode and was aided when referee Steve Willis halted the bout after deeming that Browne had connected with an accidental low blow while looking to finish his opponent.
“”I could tell that I hurt him, but I didn’t want to rush and walk into anything,” said Browne. “I just took my time and allowed everything to fall into place.”
“It was an honor for me to represent Long Island,” said Monaghan. “I knew that it was a big task tonight. Marcus is even faster than in sparring. I’ll be alright though, I’m happy that if I had to lose, it was to a guy the quality of Marcus Browne.”
Monaghan was able to recover and eventually make it through the round, but Browne put his foot on the gas pedal to begin round two. Browne was able to trap Monaghan against the ropes and delivered a crushing series of body blows and chopping shots that caused Monaghan to hunch over. The onslaught eventually forced the referee to call a halt to the bout 40 seconds into the round.
“I’m honored and blessed to be a part of this event and I just want to move upwards and onward from here,” said Browne. “I want a date with Adonis Stevenson next. It’s amazing to have this kind of exposure on FOX and FOX Deportes. I loved the opportunity to make new fans tonight.”
“Marcus has always been a fast starter,” said Monaghan. “He always comes out very fast. I thought I was ready for the speed, but he is very skilled. I think he’s going to go a long way.”
In front of a large contingent of his hometown fans, Adam Kownacki (16-0, 13 KOs) put on an impressive performance against his best opposition to date by scoring a fourth-round TKO of former title challenger Artur Szpilka (20-3, 15 KOs) in their heavyweight showdown.
“I always knew that I had him,” said Kownacki. “From the first shot I hit him in the body, I knew he didn’t have enough. My pressure was too much.”
The fight began with both men looking to impose their styles as Szpilka attempted to establish his jab and evade his opponent, while Kownacki tried to trap Szpilka in a corner where he could tee-off with power punches.
Despite his left eye swelling up after two rounds, Kownacki was able to take the first bit of momentum by connecting late in round three with a series of power shots that appeared to at least shake Szpilka up.
As the fourth round began Kownacki wasted no time, landing a big punch that caused blood to start pouring out of the nose of Szpilka. While the former title challenger tried to keep his distance, the heavier Kownacki was able to land a series of power punches that put Szpilka on the canvas.
“I have a great trainer and a great team that has gotten me into great shape,” said Kownacki. “I have to give them all of the credit. Whatever he was doing, I was ready for.”
While Szpilka was able to get to his feet, Kownacki continued to keep the pressure on as another series of power punches, led by a strong right hand, sent Szpilka into a heap and forced referee Artur Mercante to stop the bout 1:37 into the round. Kownacki landed 42 percent of his power punches in the decisive fourth round.
“It took Deontay Wilder and Bryant Jennings a lot longer to get him out of there,” said Kownacki. “But I still have things that I’m going to go back and fix. Once I improve those aspects of my game I think that a lot of people are going to know me.”
“He hit me once with a good shot and after that I just never recovered,” said Szpilka. “I think it was a left hook. I’m going to rest now. This was not how I wanted this to go and I’m very disappointed.”
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