Tag Archives: NBC

boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

King’s Promotions fighters Kent Cruz & Junior Castillo score televised wins in San Antonio

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For Immediate Release
READING, PA (September 6, 2016)–Lightweight Kent Cruz and middleweight Junior Castillo each scored impressive victories this past Saturday night on the televised portion of a Premier Boxing Champions card on NBC Sports Network at Cowboys Dance Hall in San Antonio.
Cruz went to 11-0 with a eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Rickey Edwards, while Castillo got back in the win column with a six round unanimous decision over Josue Ovando.
Cruz was very impressive as he showed an all-around performance by mixing up good boxing skills and power to take Edwards “0” in the battle of undefeated fighters.
Cruz scored a knockdown in round two and hurt Edwards several more times as he featured a solid overhand right to win by scores of 77-74 & 77-73 twice.
The 23 year-old native of St. Louis improved his mark to 11-0 with six knockouts.
Castillo of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic rebounded nicely from his first professional defeat to put in six solid rounds of work in against the 26 fight veteran.

Castillo improved his record to 11-1 with nine knockouts with victory, which came via scores of 60-54 and 58-56.

“It was a good night for our two prospects,” said King’s Promotions CEO Marshall Kauffman.
“Kent was very impressive as he showed a lot of ability against another undefeated fighter.  He is a very young fighter at just 23 years-old and we feel that he has a chance to be a championship level fighter in time.  Junior showed that he could bounce back off of his loss.  He fought a guy who has taken world class and title challengers the distance.  Junior did as well if not better than those guys did and this was just his 12th fight.  We will get him back in a meaningful fight very shortly.”
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Errol Spence Jr. vs. Leonard Bundu Press Luncheon & Coney Island Photo-Op Quotes & Photos 

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Welterweight World Title Eliminator Headlines PBC on NBC Action
Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk
in Brooklyn
 
Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment/
Premier Boxing Champions
 
BROOKLYN (August 18, 2016) – Undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and once-beaten contenderLeonard “The Lion” Bundu went face-to-face for the first time Thursday before they meet in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on NBC this Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
Televised coverage of the welterweight world title eliminator begins at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. PBC on NBCSN begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features exciting featherweight Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero taking on undefeated Derrick Murray plus unbeaten rivals Heather “The Heat” Hardy and Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent in a featherweight matchup.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
Spence Jr. and Bundu spoke to media at Via Della Pace in downtown Manhattan before they visited Coney Island for photo-ops ahead of their Sunday bout in the Brooklyn venue. Here is what the participants had to say Thursday:
ERROL SPENCE JR.
“This has been a long camp. I’m in great shape and I’ve had strong sparring partners throughout. Bundu is a very good fighter. He’s experienced and technically sound, but he can be awkward.
“I’m happy to be back in New York. I think it’s going to be a good fight and I’m looking to put on a spectacular performance.
“We went up the rankings trying to find an opponent. A lot of guys didn’t want to fight me, even in a title eliminator. So I want to thank Bundu for taking the fight.
“I’m not worried about what’s going to happen next. I know what’s next if I take care of my business. If I win I’m guaranteed a chance at the world title. I want the title fight sooner rather than later.
“We try to break down an opponent’s weakness in camp. But we’re also looking at what they do right. We have to capitalize on everything. My trainer will watch the video and talk about what he sees. It’s a lot of communication in the gym.
“I love sparring with younger guys. Preferably amateurs or guys who just turned pro. They have more to prove in a sparring session. They really push me and help make me better.
“My main goal is to win. The only thing I have to do, is win. If the knockout comes, I’ll take it. But I’m not going to force it. He’s a tough and durable fighter. It has to be setup and it has to be calculated.”
LEONARD BUNDU
“Spence Jr. is a good boxer. He’s probably my toughest fight to date. These kind of fights make me more motivated.
“I have nothing to lose. I’m going to give it all I have and I’m very confident in myself. I believe I can be victorious.
“Spence Jr. and Thurman have some similarities but also are completely different fighters. I have studied Spence and I believe I will have an even better chance against Spence Jr..
“I’m always trying new workouts and trying to improve my training. I’m in tremendous shape and I know it will help carry me in the ring.
“I thought my performance was okay against Thurman. There was definitely room to improve and I think I’m an even better fighter now than I was then. I feel like I was 10 years ago. I’m like wine, I’m truly getting better with age.
“I see his weaknesses and I have to take advantage of them. I believe I can put him in trouble with my countering but it all has to come together in the ring.
“I love the challenge. I want to give him his first loss. That’s what I have to do. That’s all that is in my head.”
LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment
“Everyone should come out to Coney Island on Sunday afternoon to see what’s going to be an incredible day and early evening of boxing. The fights start at 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon and is fully covered, so there will be no weather issue. It’s a beautiful new facility with an incredible view.
“This is the first boxing broadcast that will be nationally televised from Coney Island. In my mind we have one of the best young fighters in the world defending his standing against a guy who has had a long and successful career. Both Spence Jr. and Bundu were Olympians and it will be a real test for Errol.
“There’s no question Errol is the favorite while Bundu is the underdog, but he’s been the underdog before. He knows he has to win and that this could be his last chance on a big stage.
“I’ve promoted a lot of fighters throughout the years and there wasn’t a better fighter from the last Olympic class or this one that is better than Errol Spence Jr. In terms of ability, talent and instincts he’s world class. He fights with much more intelligence than his ring age. He’s a master of controlling the ring. When I watch this kid fight I’m always blown away.
“On Sunday Spence Jr. is fighting a real professional and he has a chance to prove something on national television. This is a great forum for him to follow the Olympic Gold medal basketball game. The kind of audience that is going to watch the Gold medal game are the kind of people that we need to bring into boxing. I’m proud to promote this show.”
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Unbeaten Rising Star Errol Spence Jr. Reflects On His 2012 Olympic Experience & Talks 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Ahead of World Title Eliminator Against Italian Contender Leonard Bundu

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Spence Jr. Vs. Bundu Headlines Premier Boxing Champions on NBC
Sunday, August 21 From Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk
in Brooklyn – 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
 
Click HERE for Spence Jr. Training Camp Photos
from Ryan Greene/Premier Boxing Champions
 
BROOKLYN (August 15, 2016) -Unbeaten rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr.is leaning on his experience as part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team as he nears a world title eliminator on network television and eventually a world title shot.
“People ask if I’m nervous about headlining big fights, but I’ve already fought on the biggest stage you can fight on at the Olympics,” said Spence Jr. “I was fighting in front of the whole world and it got me ready for where I’m at today.”
The 26-year-old will take on once-beaten Italian contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu in a welterweight world title eliminator that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on NBC Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
Televised coverage begins on NBC at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT following the Olympic Men’s Basketball Gold Medal Game. For Spence Jr., it was the experience of being around world class athletes such as the members of the USA Men’s Basketball team that he remembers most vividly about his time in London.
“I’ll never forget meeting all of the athletes that I had grown up watching,” said Spence Jr. “I got to meet Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, the Williams sisters and Usain Bolt. Just being able to talk to them and be around them was amazing. I was an Olympian just like them.
“It was a big moment for me when people like that would recognize me and tell me they were going to come watch me fight. That’s something I’ll always remember.”
While Spence Jr. had the best run of any of the men on the 2012 U.S. team, he came up short of his goal of bringing home a medal for his country. Despite that, Spence Jr. wouldn’t change anything about his 2012 experience.
“I feel like everything happens for a reason,” said Spence Jr. “If I go back and change something, it might change something in my future. So far my future is looking great right now. I’m one of the top fighters in the game and everything that happened in the Olympics led to that.”
Four years removed from his time in the Olympic Village, Spence Jr. is ready to make his mark as a pro, but will still have an eye on the new crop of talent that is currently competing in Rio.
“I would tell the Olympians to stay focused no matter what happens,” said Spence Jr. “Work with what you have there, listen to your coaches and stay 100 percent dedicated. You got this far, so why slack now?
“I wish them the best of luck and I think we definitely have some gold medal hopefuls like Shakur Stevenson and Claressa Shields. They’re going to come home with gold and it’s going to be big for U.S boxing.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Undefeated Rising Star & 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol Spence Jr. Battles Once-Beaten Contender Leonard Bundu in Main Event of Premier Boxing Champions on NBC Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn Televised Fights Begin at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on NBC

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BROOKLYN (July 19, 2016) – Undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (20-0, 17 KOs) is set to take on once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu (33-1-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight world title eliminator that headlines Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
The action on NBC begins at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT following coverage of the Olympic Men’s Basketball Gold Medal Game. The 2012 U.S. Olympian Spence Jr. will look to move one step closer to becoming the second member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team to win a world title after Rau’shee Warren won a bantamweight championship in June.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35. Presale tickets are available now with public on-sale beginning tomorrow at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
“This is another great opportunity for me to gain exposure on NBC,” said Spence Jr. “A lot of people will be watching because of the Olympics that may not have known my name before. As an Olympian, headlining a major event four years after my Olympic run is exciting. Bundu is an older fighter, but he’s tough and has a lot of experience. He fought well against Keith Thurman. Thurman outboxed him but couldn’t knock him out. I think I can make a big statement in the division if I can stop him, as I did with Chris Algieri.”
“I am going to use my experience to my advantage on August 21,” said Bundu. “When I fought Thurman I ended up being overcautious, but that will not be the case this time. I know it’s now or never for me and I won’t let this chance slip away. Spence will come forward but that will work to my advantage because I love fighting on the inside. I’m going to show Spence a few things that he hasn’t seen before.”
The brand new Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk builds on the rich history of the sweet science in the Brooklyn neighborhood. Several heavyweight title fights took place on Coney Island at the turn of the 20th century, including James J. Jeffries’ heavyweight world title knock out of Bob Fitzsimmons in the 11th round on June 9, 1899. Jeffries would then defend the title two more times on Coney Island with a points victory over Tom Sharkey and a knockout in the 23rd round against James J. Corbett. Lightweight great Joe Gans and former middleweight champion “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey also boxed in Coney Island.
“It is exciting to have rising star Errol Spence headlining the inaugural boxing event held on August 21 at the new Ford Amphitheater at the historic Coney Island Boardwalk,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Spence is one of the most gifted young fighters in all of boxing and is on track to be a world champion. He will face off against Leonard Bundu, in a final elimination bout, to become the mandatory for the IBF welterweight title, currently held by Kell Brook.”
An Olympian who boasted a highly decorated amateur career, the 26-year-old Spence Jr.is coming off a dominating performance in which he stopped former world champion Chris Algieri in the fifth-round in a PBC on NBC main event.  Spence Jr. is widely regarded as a future star in the sport and was dominant in his previous NBC appearances when he stopped Phil Lo Greco in the third round in June. His impressive 2015 also included TKO victories over Chris van Heerden, Samuel Vargas and Alejandro Barrera, culminating with him being named ESPN’s Prospect of the Year. Now, he looks to secure himself a world title shot.
Originally from Sierra Leone but fighting out of Toscana, Italy, Bundu represented Italy at the 2000 Olympic games where he defeated eventual world champion Daniel Geale. A former European welterweight champion, he owns victories over Frankie Gavin, Lee Purdy and Ismael El Massoudi in addition to going the distance in defeat against Keith Thurman. Bundu comes into this bout with victories over Pablo Munguia and Jussi Koivula in his last two bouts.
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
 
mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS FINALIZED WITH SIX PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS
FINALIZED WITH SIX PRELIMINARY BOUTS

LIVE NBCSN TELECAST OF
FOUR-FIGHT MAIN CARD NOW BEGINS AT
11:30 P.M ET ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2

Matt Church replaces injured Gil Guardado against
Steve Kozola in 160-pound preliminary contest

Rex Harris vs. Clinton Williams in middleweight bout
LAS VEGAS (March 30, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has finalized the lineup for the WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks, world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) doubleheader event, with the addition of a sixth preliminary card bout – a middleweight (185 pounds) matchup between Clinton Williams (7-3, 1 NC) and Rex “T-Rex” Harris (8-2) – at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, live on NBCSN at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.

Additionally, a broken nose has forced Gil Guardado to withdraw from his scheduled lightweight (155 pounds) matchup with undefeated Steve Kozola (6-0), who will now face Matt “The Sleeper” Church (3-1) in a 160-pound catchweight affair, and Jeff Roman (1-2-1) will square off with Zach Bunnell (0-0) in a welterweight (170 pounds) preliminary card contest.

The 5-foot-11, 32-year-old Williams is looking to rebound from a narrow, split decision defeat at the hands of Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun at WSOF26 on December 18, 2015.

One fight prior to the loss, Williams submitted Jared Hatch with a shoulder choke in the third round (4:10) of their matchup on November 14, 2015.

The 6-foot, 33-year-old Harris of West Pittston, Pa. is riding a four-fight win streak.  In his last start, Harris, who has earned 7 of his 8 career victories by way of (T)KO or submission, edged out a split decision over Justin Torrey at WSOF24 on October 17, 2015.

Church of Las Vegas will attempt to notch his fourth consecutive win, after threestraight finishes, the last of which came on March 4 when he submitted Pat DeFranco with a leglock in the first round (2:55) of their matchup.

Tickets for WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks are available for purchase online at WSOF.com and AXS.com.

Doors at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open for the event at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 5 p.m.

In the main event, reigning World Series of Fighting middleweight champion David Branch (17-3), the league’s first-ever, two-division title holder, will put his coveted crown on the line against top contender Clifford Starks (13-2).

In the co-main event, superstar Jon Fitch (27-7-1, 1 NC) will battle recent World Series of Fighting one-night, eight-man tournament runner-up Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) with the vacant World Series of Fighting welterweight championship at stake.

Elsewhere on the four-fight, live NBCSN telecast, submission expert Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes (13-7) will square off with Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun(9-4) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest, while World Series of Fighting newcomer and knockout artist Abu “Gladiator” Azaitar (11-1-1) will lock horns with Danny “Dee1” Davis, Jr. (11-10-1) at welterweight.

MAIN CARD (Live on NBCSN)

World Series of Fighting Middleweight Championship Main Event:
David Branch (Champion) vs. Clifford Starks (Challenger)

World Series of Fighting Vacant Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Jon Fitch (Challenger) vs. Joao Zeferino (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight:  Vinny Magalhaes vs. Jake Heun
Welterweight: Abu Azaitar vs. Danny Davis, Jr.

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on WSOF.com)

Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Matt Frincu
Middleweight: Rex Harris vs. Clinton Williams
Catchweight (160 pounds): Steve Kozola vs. Matt Church
Flyweight: Carlos Garcia vs. Jason Pacheco
Bantamweight: Adam Acquaviva vs. Andres Ponce
Welterweight: Jeff Roman vs. Zach Bunnell
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

MARIO BARRIOS RETURNS APRIL 16 AT BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN

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Rising UNDEFEATED Prospect Mario Barrios & Top 140-Pound Contender Luca Giacon Highlight Undercard Action On Saturday, April 16 From Barclays Center In Brooklyn
Stacked Card Features Local Talent Including
Heather Hardy, Chris Colbert & Earl Newman & International Stars Lukasz Maciec & Dardan Zenunaj
BROOKLYN (March 29, 2016) – Undefeated prospect Mario Barrios (14-0, 8 KOs) and top super lightweight contender Luca “Black Mamba” Giacon (27-1, 23 KOs) compete in separate bouts that highlight undercard action on Saturday, April 16 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The April 16 event features a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC tripleheader headlined by undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr.taking on former world champion Chris Algieri. Televised coverage begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT and will see cruiserweight world champion Krzysztof Glowacki defending his title against former cruiserweight champion Steve “U.S.S. Cunningham and undefeated 2012 U.S. Olympian “Sir” Marcus Browne battling fellow unbeaten Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic.
Barrios makes his east coast debut in an eight-round super featherweight bout while Giacon looks to put the 140-pound division on notice when he competes in an eight-round affair.
A trio of exciting fighters representing Brooklyn will enter the ring as undefeated star Heather “The Heat” Hardy (15-0, 3 KOs) competes in an eight-round junior featherweight bout while Golden Gloves champions Chris Colbert (4-0, 2 KOs) andEarl Newman (8-0, 6 KOs) compete in a four-round featherweight bout and an eight-round cruiserweight bout respectively.
International action will heat up the ring at Barclays Center as 26-year-old Polish contender Lukasz Maciec (22-3-1, 5 KOs) fights in an eight-round super welterweight bout, 28-year-old Belgian Dardan Zenunaj (11-1, 9 KOs) fights in an eight-round junior lightweight affair and 22-year-old Russian Radzhab Butaev (1-0, 1 KO), fighting out of Brooklyn, in a six-round super welterweight fight against South Carolina’s TyKeem Sadler (6-1, 4 KOs)
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Star Boxing, start at $25, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting  www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
A tall featherweight at more than six feet, the 20-year-old Barrios picked up seven victories in a jam-packed 2015 in which he stopped five opponents inside the distance, including an uppercut left hook combo that ended the night of Manuel Vides in December. The San Antonio-native turned pro in 2013 and is on the fast track towards a world title shot as he makes his 2016 debut.
A winner of six-straight fights, Giacon is coming off of a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Steve Jamoye in October 2015 that put him in the top contender status in the division. The 27-year-old has fought in Spain, Panama and Italy throughout a pro career that dates back to 2007 and will be making his U.S. debut on April 16.
A popular Brooklyn fighter who competed in Barclays Center’s first-ever professional female boxing match, Hardy has become a staple at the arena since. On April 16, she will be making her sixth appearance at Barclays Center. A little over two years after her pro debut, Hardy won an international title belt in the super bantamweight division in October 2014 and followed it up in 2015 with a victory over Renata Domsodi and two over Noemi Bosques.
Fighting out of Lublin, Poland, Maciec will be making his second start in the U.S. and his first in the Polish-heavy borough of Brooklyn. The 26-year-old owns victories over veteran contenders Lanardo Tyner, Laszlo Fazekas and previously unbeaten Sasun Karapetyan.
Originally from Kosovo but fighting out of Belgium, Zenunaj made his U.S. debut in December 2015 and stopped Bryant Cruz in the seventh round to announce his presence stateside. The 28-year-old has won 10 fights in a row including eight in a row by knockout.
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP.  PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @ChrisAlgieri, @USSCunningham, @Marcus_Browne, @LouDiBella, @StarBoxing,@NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING COMES OUT SWINGING IN 2016

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Strong TV Ratings, Record Web Traffic and New Sponsorships
Highlight Formidable Start to the New Year

LAS VEGAS (February 17, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) came out of the gates swinging to begin the new year and its fourth year of operation, generating impressive NBCSN television viewership figures for its first live event of 2016, as well as record levels of traffic and engagement on its web platform and a pair of new sponsor partners.

The live NBCSN telecast of WSOF27: Firmino vs. Fodor, which took place at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. on Saturday, Jan. 23, generated an average viewership of 213,000, and peaked at 245,000, up 13% from NBCSN’s World Series of Fighting 2015 average.  An immediate replay of the event that began atmidnight, garnered another 111,000 viewers.

The number of unique visits to the league’s website skyrocketed by 515 percent between December and January, while World Series of Fighting secured two new sponsor partners in Talk2Legends and 1800 Tequila.

“It has been a tremendous start to a very promising year, and this is just the beginning,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.  “With a full schedule of world championship live events; a new, athlete-focused web TV series that we will be rolling out; and a host of other opportunities we are exploring with potential partners, it’s going to be an exciting year for World Series of Fighting and MMA fans.

“We are off to a great start, and we have a lot more in store for fans, with a new live event nearly every month this year,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.  “We made some strong additions to our fighter roster last year, and fans can expect to see some more top level talent join our ranks in 2016.”

“We are looking forward to continued growth of the league and delivering our audience another year of exciting world championship MMA action,” said Gary Quinn, NBC Sports Group’s vice president of programming.

WSOF.com engagement soared by 400 percent between December and January, and the number of user sessions increased by 480 percent over the same time period.  World Series of Fighting’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) all achieved their highest reach and levels of engagement since the

The partnerships with Talk2Legends and 1800 Tequila kicked off during WSOF27 last month.  Utilizing the Talk2Legends video chat app, World Series of Fighting offered fans unprecedented, one-on-one access to both its athletic and NBCSN on-air talent, including Chael Sonnen, Bas Rutten, Jon Fitch and reigning, undefeated world lightweight (155 pounds) champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje.

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN from Garden Grove, Calif. on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with WSOF28: Moraes vs. Barajas.  Headlining the four-bout telecast will be a world bantamweight (135 pounds) championship showdown between reigning kingpin Marlon Moraes (15-4-1), who will risk his title against fast-rising star, Joseph Barajas (12-1).

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries.  WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Heavyweight contender Travis Kauffman chimes in on  controversial decision with Chris Arreola

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Reading, PA (December 14, 2015) -This past Saturday night at the AT & T Center  in San Anonio, Heavyweight Travis Kauffman (30-2, 22 KO’s) and former two-time world title challenger Chris Arreola engaged in a action packed bout that saw Arreola get a dubious split decision by scores 114-113 twice for Arreola and 114-113 for Kauffman.
Most accounts of the fight had Kauffman getting the decision, which included PBC ringside scorer Steve Farhood.
Kauffman of Reading, PA. pushed the action and landed the more telling blows, which included a knockdown in round three from a jab-right hand combination.  The fight validated Kauffman as a player in the division, but he wasn’t satisfied with just a good performance.     
“I feel good.  I thought I did enough to win the fight.  I had it 8-4 or 7-5 in my favor plus the knockdown,” said Kauffman after viewing the fight.
“I dominated from rounds three to nine.  I took off ten and eleven as I thought that I was secure with my lead.  I dominated the twelfth round and after a three-punch combination, Chris went falling back and it looked like his glove touched the canvas.  No matter what, I thought I won the twelfth round.  I backed him up the entire fight.  I dominated him at his own game.”
Kauffman believes that he won over the crowd and those in attendance thought that he deserved the nod as well.
“The crowd booed me as I came into the ring and cheered me when I left.  I won them over and I won over the boxing public.”
With the performance, Kauffman should be in line for another significant fight in the first quarter of 2016.
“I spoke to my manager, Al Haymon and he said that bigger things are going to happen for me.  Weather it is a rematch or someone else, I am ready for that.  I showed that I am a force in the division.  I worked for so long for this fight, so I am just going to take a week off and enjoy my kids and I will be right back in the gym.  I am looking to be back sometime between February and April.”
“I appreciate all the fans.  The ones that have been with me before the fight one the ones that became fans on Saturday.”
Said Kauffman’s father Marshall Kauffman, “I am very proud of Travis and what he did in the fight  Just look at each of them and you could tell who took the beating in the fight.  The worst case scenario, the fight it was 6-6 but Travis scored the knockdown that should have gave him the fight.  I believe he will get another opportunity.  He showed what he is capable of doing.”

Photos by Joe Tarlecky –Team Kauffman
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OMAR FIGUEROA DEFEATS ANTONIO DEMARCO IN PRIMETIME SLUGFEST ON PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBC FROM THE AT&T CENTER IN SAN ANTONIO

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CHRIS ARREOLA RECOVERS FROM EARLY KNOCKDOWN TO TAKE HOME  SPLIT-DECISION OVER TRAVIS KAUFFMAN IN HEAVYWEIGHT BRAWL
 
VICTOR ORTIZ, TERRELL GAUSHA & MARIO BARRIOS PICK UP VICTORIES IN PBC ON NBCSN ACTION
Click HERE For Photos From Suzanne Teresa/Premier Boxing Champions
 
SAN ANTONIO (December 13, 2015) – Undefeated Omar “Panterita” Figueroa (26-0-1, 18 KOs) won an intense slugfest over former world champion Antonio DeMarco(31-6-1, 23 KOs) in primetime Saturday night on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) onNBC from the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
Figueroa earned the unanimous decision in an action-packed battle that saw the south Texas-native throw over 1000 punches across 12 rounds. Figueroa dominated the first six rounds of the fight, throwing numerous combinations and taking minimal damage from his opponent.
The Mexican veteran DeMarco saved his best for the second half of the fight and was able to frequently land clean power punches against the offensive-minded Figueroa. In the 11th-round, DeMarco staggered Figueroa with a series of headshots and appeared to have him in serious trouble. Figueroa recovered enough to survive the round and win the final stanza in the eyes of all three judges.
Combined the fighters threw 1160 power punches against just 519 jabs. Figueroa landed 48 percent of his power shots while DeMarco connected on 45 percent of his. The 1092 to 587 punch output advantage for Figueroa could have proved to be the difference as he out-landed his opponent 414 to 225.
The final judges’ scores were 116-112 and 115-113 twice.
In the co-featured event, Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (37-4-1, 31 KOs) earned a split-decision victory over Travis “My Time” Kauffman (30-2, 22 KOs) in a 12-round heavyweight showdown that lived up to the pre-fight trash talk between the former sparring partners.
Arreola started out strong, winning the first two rounds on all three judges’ scorecards. In the third round, Kauffman delivered a sensational combination to the head and body that put Arreola on the mat.
The knockdown slowed Arreola down as Kauffman won five rounds between rounds three and nine while displaying excellent footwork and body punching. After a low blow by Kauffman in round nine, Arreola took several minutes to recover before the referee continued the action. The extra time appeared to give Arreola a second wind as he finished strong and closed the fight with an impressive performance in the last three rounds.
The split decision was about as narrow as it could be with two judges’ scoring the bout 114-113 for Arreola and the other judge with the same score for Kauffman. Arreola out-landed Kauffman 216-206 in total punches and connected on 57 percent of his power shots.
Headlining the NBCSN telecast prior, former world champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (31-5-2, 24 KOs) returned from a yearlong layoff to stop Gilberto Sanchez-Leon (31-15-2, 13 KOs) in the eighth round of their welterweight bout.
Ortiz was coming back from a broken wrist suffered at the end of his last bout in December 2014 and was able to land 50 percent of his power punches. The stoppage came at 2:57 into the eighth round in a bout scheduled for 10.
San Antonio-native Mario Barrios (14-0, 8 KOs) impressed in front of his hometown fans on his way to stopping Manuel Vides (18-5, 11 KOs) 31 seconds into the sixth round. Barrios showed lethal accuracy, landing 54 percent of his power punches and 46 percent of his total punches.
In NBCSN action that followed the primetime broadcast, 2012 U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha (17-0, 8 KOs) kept his perfect record intact, defeating Said El Harrak (12-4-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight fight. Gausha recorded a knockdown in the second round and cruised to a 100-89 decision according to all three judges.
OMAR FIGUEROA
“These are the kind of fights I love to be in. A little rougher than I would have liked and my face shows it. It was a good fight. I wish I had done better but I always do the best I can.
“My determination is what helped me win this fight. I’m not going to lose a fight. I don’t have that in me. I’ve had every injury. I could have a missing arm but I’m still going to find a way to win the fight.
“It was a great atmosphere. I could hear the fans cheering me on and it’s a great feeling. I know the people here were backing me up and I just wanted to give it my all.
“It was all heart and guts out there. That’s what I rely on when all else fails. We do our best to come out with the victory.
“I want to fight in the 140-pound weight class. Some things happened that were out of our control and we just wanted to put on a show for the fans. My body is getting bigger but I want to do some things at 140-pounds before I move up. We’re doing our best, we’re learning how to do things right. We’re in the learning process.
“My hands feel really good. They look like hands. Which is nice. My face looks like a face, just a beat up face.
“Antonio gave me a lot of respect after the fight and he told me that ‘family is the most important thing.’ We all sacrifice in training camp and we’re just so grateful that we get to fight.
“I have no quit in me. I’ve fought with injuries and adversity. It’s just not in me to quit.”
ANTONIO DEMARCO
“I thought I got a draw out of the fight, but he’s here in his home state, with his home crowd, and I respect the decision.
“He was just too big. No excuses, but I know that was why he was able to last the full fight with me.
“He was just pushing me forward, pushing me forward and using his body weight, but he never hurt me at any time.”
CHRIS ARREOLA
“I wasn’t hurt from the knockdown, it was more of a flash knockdown.”
“I pulled it out in the championship rounds. I was in great shape and that was the difference in my winning.
“I had to show him a little different look tonight and not just bull rush him. He came to me, which made it easier for me. Conditioning was the deciding factor tonight.”
“Yes, I would give Travis Kauffman a rematch. Any time, we can do it again.
“I have to earn a world title fight and have to win convincingly. If I fight Deontay Wilder, I have to be in great shape.
“I’m going to take a little vacation with the family then I plan on being back in the gym right after New Years.”
TRAVIS KAUFFMAN
“I’m not the only one that thought I won the fight, the entire crowd thought I won the fight. I fought a great fight. I came here to win. I’m not a slouch, I’m a fighter. I’ve been doing this my entire life.
“I didn’t get the victory that I deserved tonight, but I was able to win over the crowd and I won over America.
“The crowd came in cheering for Chris. They left cheering for me.”
VICTOR ORTIZ
“He was a really tough fighter. He got some good shots in. I don’t like making excuses. In three years, I’ve only fought twice. There was a lot of rust. But I’m just happy to get back in the ring.
“I feel no pain whatsoever. I’m happy for that and ready to move forward.
“My past is in my past. I want to go for it. Any of the top welterweights, I want them.
“This camp was incredible. Not just Joel Diaz, but the whole team has been with me 24/7 and they’ve been awesome. It’s a great asset to have these kind of people in my corner.
“In the past, I always found myself jumping the gun. These coaches have helped me slow down. This is definitely a step forward.
“I’m my own worst critic. There’s a lot to improve on. My reflexes were good but my timing was off. Probably due to inactivity. I’m so thankful for this opportunity and I have a whole new chance to reach my goals.”
MARIO BARRIOS
“I’m just happy to have been able to put on a great show for my family and friends. Right now I’m feeling great. I couldn’t be any more excited.
“We start with a game plan that revolves around working off our jab and picking our shots. He tended to work up the middle and that’s how we found openings.
“At any point I was ready to sit there and brawl with him, but that wasn’t the plan for this fight. The plan was to be smarter and that’s what we did.
“My height and size is something we always work on and use to our advantage.”
TERRELL GAUSHA
 
“I’m very happy with my performance but I still have a lot of improvements to make in the gym.”
“I caught him with some good body shots and that was the difference.
“We don’t target anyone, but I’m ready for someone in the top 10. I’d like to fight again in February if possible.”
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PBC on NBC and NBCSN was promoted by Leija Battah Promotions in association with TGB Promotions
For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LeijaBattahPR, , @OmarFigueroaJr, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/NBCSports. Highlights available atwww.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

MARIO BARRIOS SCORES SPECTACULAR KNOCKOUT

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SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 12, 2015) – Rising star and super-featherweight sensation, Mario Barrios (14-0, 8 KOs), remained undefeated with a spectacular sixth round knockout over Manuel Vides (18-5, 11 KOs).  The bout, which was televised as part of the PBC on NBCSN took place at the AT&T Center in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas.
From the opening round, Barrios established his presence in the ring as he landed numerous power shots, mostly to the body and head.  A powerful right uppercut followed by a monstrous left hook sent Vides crashing to the canvas head first, ending the bout at the 2:29 mark of round six.
“I felt strong going into the ring tonight,” said Mario Barrios. “We had a great training camp and I got a lot of good sparring to get me prepared for this fight.  I got into a good rhythm early and kept my foot on the pedal.  I had him hurt early but he was a very tough opponent and pushed me to the later rounds.  By coach Bob Santos told me to start throwing more uppercuts and that’s when I landed that big shot in the sixth round.  I followed the right uppercut with a left hook and got him out of there.”
With the win, Barrios, who’s been on fast track, recorded his seventh victory of 2015.  He’s very pleased to be staying active as he ascends to the top of the super-featherweight division.”
“I want to thank PBC and NBC for this opportunity.” Barrios continued. “To be part of the PBC series is a dream come true.  My goal is to continue winning and become a PBC superstar.  I also want to thank my team for all their hard work.  I’m very happy with my performance and I couldn’t have done it without them.  I’m looking forward to another busy year in 2016.”