Reynaldo Ojeda (R) out-boxed veteran for impressive decision

HARTFORD, Conn. (May 15, 2015) — Undefeated Puerto Rican lightweight Reynaldo Ojeda (16-0, 9 KOs) impressively introduced himself to American boxing fans in tonight’s ESPN Friday Night Fights main event, presented by 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Universal Promotions, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

The 26-year-old Ojeda took advantage of his decisive height and reach advantage in his U.S. pro debut, out-boxing the diminutive (5′ 2″), all-action Meza-Clay throughout a very entertaining fight. Meza-Clay continually walked down Ojeda, who used his quickness, superior movement and boxing ability to register a convincing victory by 12-round unanimous decision.

“I’m a top prospect at 135 now; I’m going to be giving them all grades now,” commented Ojeda, a teacher in Puerto Rico. “The plan was to box Monty because he’s such an aggressive fighter.”

Meza-Clay was hampered in the later rounds by a serious cut over his right eye. Ojeda wisely attacked the wound, pumping a series of stiff jabs and left hooks.   “I got confident when his cut opened up,” Ojeda admitted. “What’s next for me is up to my promoter and manager, but I’m available to fight any 135-pounder in the world.”

Luis Rosa (R) finished off Jonathan Perez

Connecticut favorite Luis “KO King” Rosa (20-0, 10 KOs), of New Haven, made a statement in the co-feature against Colombian featherweight Jonathan “Popeye” Perez (33-11, 27 KOs). Rosa was the aggressor from the opening bell through the end of the fight against a dangerous opponent, firing an array of effective combinations to the head and body, often switching from an orthodox stance to southpaw.

Rosa was penalized a point in the fourth round for hitting his downed opponent. From that point on, though, he never let up. He pounded Perez, caught him on the ropes, and unleashed an unanswered barrage of punches until referee Michael Ortega ended the fight in the fifth round.

Rosa is world ranked by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC), respectively, at No. 15 and No. 16.

“I said it was going to be explosive and we made it that way,” Rosa said after the fight. “I made a statement that I’m coming after all of the top 122-pounders. I’m a future champ in the making.”

Ivan Golub (R) finishes off outclassed Henry Beckford

In the ESPN2 opening fight, 5-time Ukraine National amateur champion Ivan “The Volk” Golub, fighting out of Brooklyn, improved to 13-0 with his eighth career knockout coming against late replacement Henry Beckford (2-2, 1 KO). Class prevailed as rising middleweight star Golub worked fellow southpaw Beckford’s body, dropped him in the fifth with a body shot, and referee Ortega moved in to call off the fight.

The Foster brothers from New Haven were both victorious. Light heavyweight Charles Foster (8-0, 4 KOs) remained undefeated with a sensational knockout of Joe Gardner (11-8-1, 1 KO) only 62-seconds into the first round, while his younger brother, junior lightweight William Foster (2-0, 1 KO) stoppedGilvan Santos (0-2) in the opening round.

Bronx middleweight Chris “Golden” Galeano (8-0) remained unbeaten, boxing his way to a unanimous sixth-round decision over Yosmani Abreau (4-9-2), of Las Vegas.

Decorated Kazakh amateur boxer Dauren Yeleussinov (2-0, 2 KOs), now fighting out of Brooklyn, wore down Louisiana super middleweight Jay “JD” Williams (3-7), winning by way of a sixth-round technical knockout as referee Danny Sciavone halted the action.

Waterbury, CT junior welterweight Jair Ramos (3-2-2, 2 KOs) and Harlem’s Curtis Morton (3-5-2) fought to a four-round majority draw.

In the walk-out bout, Puerto Rican lightweight Alberto Candeleria (5-2-1, 4 KOs) was too much for Brooklyn’s Ian James (3-12-1, 1 KO), as referee Ortega waved off the fight in the first round for a technical knockout.

All pictures by Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment

Complete results below:

HARTFORD, Conn. (May 14, 2015) — The official weigh-in was held today for tomorrow night’s ESPNFriday Night Fights, presented by 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Universal Promotions, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

Live coverage will begin at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider. In addition, ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

Below find fighter weights and pictures by Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment.

(L-R) Reynaldo Ojeda & Monte Meza-Clay

Main Event – Lightweights (10) – ESPN2

REYNALDO OJEDA (16-0, 9 KOs), San Juan, Puerto Rico 135 LBS.

MONTE MEZA-CLAY (36-4, 22 KOs), Rankin, PA 134 LBS.

(L-R) Luis Rosa & Jonathan Perez

Co-Feature – Featherweights (8) – ESPN2

LUIS “KO King” ROSA (19-0, 9 KOs), New Haven, CT 123 ½ LBS.

JONATHAN “Popeye” PEREZ (33-10, 17 KOs), Barranquilla, Colombia 123 LBS.

Junior Welterweights (4) – ESPN2 Swing Bout

JAIR RAMOS (3-2-1, 2 KOs), Waterbury, CT   139 LBS.

CURTIS MORTON (3-4-2), Harlem, NY 139 LBS.

Middleweights (6)

IVAN GOLUB (7-0, 5 KOs), Brooklyn, NY by way of Ukraine   TOMORROW

KOSTYANTYN “Kostya” ROVENSKYY (18-1-2, 5 KOs), Luiv, Ukraine TOMORROW

Light Heavyweights (6)

CHARLES FOSTER (7-0, 3 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut   174 LBS.

JOE GARDNER (11-7-1, 1 KO), Woonsocket, RI   174 LBS.

Junior Welterweights (4)

ALBERTO CANDELERIA (4-2-1, 3 KOs), Miami, FL by way of Puerto Rico 136 LBS.

IAN JAMES (3-11-1, 1 KO), Brooklyn, NY 136 LBS.

Middleweights (6)

CHRIS GALEANO (7-0), Bronx, NY 157 LBS.

YOSMANI ABREAU (4-8-2), Las Vegas, NV 157 LBS.

Junior Lightweights (4)

WILLIAM FOSTER III (1-0), New Haven, CT 129 LBS.

GALVAN SANTOS (0-1), Woburn, MA 130 LBS.

Super Middleweights (6)

DAUREN YELEUSSINOV (1-0, 1 KO), Brooklyn, NY by way of Kazakhstan 164 LBS.

JAY “JD” WILLIAMS (3-6), West Monroe, LA   165 ½ LBS.

WHEN:           Friday, May 15, 2015

WHERE:         Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford

PROMOTER: SMS Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Universal

                       Promotions

TV:                  ESPN Friday Night Fights starting at 9:00 p.m. ET

TICKETS:      $100, $65 and $35 (plus applicable taxes). Tickets can be purchased by

calling 1 (860) 728-2624 or 1 (203) 627-7472.

INFORMATION: www.dbe1.com or www.espn.com/boxing

DOORS OPEN: 6:30 p.m. ET                      FIRST BOUT: 7:30 p.m. ET

HARTFORD (May 11, 2015) – Rising junior featherweight star Luis “KO King” Rosa (19-0, 9 KOs) plans to graduate from top prospect to legitimate contender this Friday (May 15) on ESPN FridayNight Fights, presented by 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Universal Promotions, close to his New Haven home at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

A native of Puerto Rico, the 24-year-old Rosa takes on Colombian veteran Jonathan “Popeye” Perez (33-10, 17 KOs) in the 8-round ESPN2 co-feature.

Headlining the card will be undefeated Puerto Rican lightweight Reynaldo Ojeda (16-0, 9 KOs) against longtime contender Monty Meza Clay (36-4, 22 KOs) in the 10-round main event.

Live coverage will begin at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider. In addition, ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

The popular Rosa, who is world rated at No. 15 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and No. 16 by the World Boxing Council (WBC), has prepared for a breakout performance in front of a large ESPN Friday Night Fights viewing audience.

“This is a huge fight for me,” Rosa said. “It’s great fighting on ESPN and I’m going to show the nation what I’m all about. I’m prepared to put on an explosive show. I feel that I’m close to getting a title shot. I want to fight world-class opponents and I plan to prove I’m ready on Friday night.

“It’s always great fighting in my home state and I’m sure I’ll have a lot of fans there. At the end of the day, though, I’m going to get the job done and it doesn’t matter where the fight would be held.”

Perez, 28, a professional fighter since 2005, has won 14 of his last 15 bouts. The battle-tested Colombian has fought the likes of world champions Cristian Mijares, Abner Mares, Jose Lopez, Martin Castillo, Eric Ortiz and Raul Martinez, as well a world title challenger Jesus Jimenez.

“Perez is a veteran with 44 pro fights,” said Rosa about Perez. “He’s fought a lot of world-class guys and champions. I know he’s coming to fight. He’s going to come forward and he wants to bang. He’s strong, I’m stronger. I’m faster, too, and the better all-around fighter. I’ll be ready for whatever he brings.”

Live coverage will begin at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider. In addition, ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

Fighting on the undercard are a pair of promising foreign boxers who are now living in the United States, as well as several New England and New York City favorites.

Undefeated Ukrainian middleweight Ivan Golub (7-0, 5 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, meets fellow Ukrainian Kostyantyn Rovenskyy (18-1-2, 5 KOs) in a six-round bout. Kazakh super middleweightDauren Yeleussinov (1-0), also living in Brooklyn, meets Jay “JD” Williams (3-6), of Louisiana, in a scheduled six-rounder.

Also slated to fight in six-round bouts on the undercard are unbeaten New Haven light heavyweightCharles Foster (7-0, 3 KOs) facing Woonsocket, RI, opponent Joe Gardner (11-7-1, 1 KO) and undefeated Bronx middleweight Chris Galeano (7-0) taking on Las Vegas’ upset-minded Yosmani Abreu (4-8-2).

Three four-round matches are also on tap with Waterbury, CT, junior welterweight Jair Ramos (3-2-1, 2 KOs) vs. Harlem’s Curtis Morton (3-4-2), Miami lightweight Alberto Candeleria (4-2-1, 3 KOs) vs. Brooklyn’s Ian James (3-11-1, 1 KO), and New Haven junior lightweight William Foster III (1-0) vs. TBA.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $100, $65 and $35 (plus applicable taxes). Tickets can be purchased by calling 1 (860) 728-2624 or 1 (203) 627-7472. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.