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boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

RISING WELTERWEIGHT STAR JARON “BOOTS” ENNIS SCORES SENSATIONAL SIXTH-ROUND KNOCKOUT OVER SERGEY LIPINETS IN SATURDAY’S SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® MAIN EVENT

April 14, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated — Welterweight Prospect Eimantas Stanionis Notches Unanimous Decision Over Thomas Dulorme in WBA Title Eliminator; IBF Junior Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas Defends Title Against Jonathan Rodríguez in Televised Opener SHOWTIME^®*in Premier Boxing Champions Event*

**Click HERE for Photos from Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME**
*(Photos will be uploaded shortly)*

**Click Here to Watch Jaron Ennis’ Sixth-Round Knockout**

**UNCASVILLE, Conn. – April 10, 2021 –** Rising welterweight star **Jaron “Boots” Ennis** aced the toughest test of his professional career with a sensational sixth-round knockout win over former world champion **Sergey Lipinets** in the main event on Saturday night’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, live on SHOWTIME from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The win puts Philadelphia’s Ennis (27-0, 25 KOs) one step closer to his first world title opportunity as he dismantled the former 140-pound world champion over six rounds of their welterweight battle. As he has done often throughout his career, the 23-year-old switched effortlessly between an orthodox and southpaw stance and exhibited tremendous power from both sides. Ennis finished the fight with an eye-popping 53% connect rate on his power punches and out-landed Lipinets 91 to 48.

“I’ll always be hard on myself when I look back at my performance,” said Ennis. “My goal is to keep getting better, sharper, faster and stronger so I can become world champion. As long as I keep fighting top guys, I’m happy. I feel like I will be world champion by the end of this year or beginning of next year. Patience is the key though.”

The 32-year-old Joe Goossen-trained Lipinets (16-2-1, 12 KOs) of Woodland Hills, Calif., showed determination in weathering the onslaught of combinations from Ennis. An uppercut floored the Kazakhstan-born Lipinets and sent him to the canvas for the second time in his professional career in the fourth round. Prior to tonight, Lipinets had only been down in his other professional loss which came at the hands of four-division world champion Mikey Garcia.

“Lipinets has been in there with the best before, so I wasn’t surprised he held up for a while,” added Ennis. “I knew he’d be durable. That’s why I didn’t jump on the gas right away. I just took my time and broke him down.”

In the sixth round, Ennis poured it on Lipinets from all angles as he beautifully assembled combinations. The budding superstar has yet to go past the sixth round in his professional career as he has amassed a remarkable 89% knockout ratio. Ennis was up 49-45 on two scorecards and 50-44 on the final judges’ card prior to the right hook to left uppercut combination that resulted in the fight being stopped at 2:11 of round six. Saturday night marked Ennis’ first time headlining SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

“I think I graduated tonight,” stated Ennis. “It’s on the up and up now. It’s onto bigger and better fights now.”

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, a pair of hard-hitting welterweights went toe-to-toe as **Eimantas Stanionis** (13-0, 9 KOs) beat former world title challengerThomas Dulorme (25-5-1, 16 KOs) via unanimous decision in a WBA Welterweight Title Eliminator. This was the most difficult challenge of the rising 26-year-old’s career as Dulorme took him past the ninth round for the first time. The three ringside judges scored the fight 115-113, 116-112 and 117-111.

“It’s been a dream since I was a kid watching SHOWTIME to be on this stage,” said Stanionis. “I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. I’ve had a long hard journey to get here, but it’s been worth it.”

The two fighters combined for nearly 1,400 punches in their exciting welterweight battle. Stanionis outlanded the 31-year-old Dulorme 232 to 193 and edged his opponent with higher connection percentages across the board. Most notably, Stanionis worked well behind his powerful jab, landing 123 total throughout the 12-round fight.

“Dulorme always threw back at me, even if I hurt him,” stated Stanionis, who is one step closer to becoming Lithuania’s first world champion. “I knew that if I was wild, he could have caught me with a good shot. I have more confidence in myself now because I know I can go 12 rounds with a good fighter. I know how the pressure will hit me now. Anything can happen in this sport, so I made sure I was prepared coming into this fight.”

In the 10^th round, a nasty cut opened above the left eye of Dulorme which was ruled by referee Harvey Dock to have resulted from a punch. The fight came to a fantastic finish as the Lithuanian prospect went for the knockout in the 12^th round but the veteran Dulorme did not subdue to the pressure.

In the telecast opener, IBF Junior Bantamweight World Champion **Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas** (31-1-2, 22 KOs) successfully defended his title for the ninth time with a unanimous decision victory over **Jonathan Rodríguez** (21-2, 16 KOs) in an action-packed 12-round affair. The victory extends Ancajas’ streak of consecutive title defenses to nine, which marks the most of any current world champion. Fighting out of the Philippines, the 29-year-old controlled the pace of the fight with a consistent dedication to the body, where he landed 131 of his 232 total punches.

“I’m very happy to get the win. I waited a long time for the opportunity to get back in the ring and it’s exciting to win in my first fight on this stage fighting on SHOWTIME,” said Ancajas. “This was my toughest fight so far. It was the hardest of any of my nine defenses and it’s exciting that it was on a big card. I trained hard for this opportunity and it feels great to get the win.”

The title fight featured back-and-forth action with Mexico’s Rodriguez pressuring and baiting the champion to fight him at close distance. At the end of the eighth round, Ancajas finished a flurry of punches with a huge right hand that sent Rodriguez to the canvas for the first time in his career.

“I thought he was going to be stopped because I saw him look at his corner and it didn’t look like he wanted to go on,” continued Ancajas. “But he got up and fought and I respect him for doing that.”

The ringside judges scored the fight 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110 for Ancajas, while unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood tallied the fight at 114-113. Farhood agreed with the three official judges in giving the final three rounds to Rodriguez. Despite dropping the decision, the 25-year-old Rodriguez impressed fight fans with his tremendous determination and high-level skill in his first world title fight and U.S. debut.

“I don’t think it was a just decision,” said Rodriguez. “I thought maybe a split decision, and I would accept it a little more. But we knew coming in that the judges were against us in this fight.”

On Friday night, BELLATOR on SHOWTIME took center stage at Mohegan Sun Arena with the first fight of the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix that saw current heavyweight champion Ryan Bader avenge his 2012 loss to Lyoto Machida with a dominating unanimous decision to move onto the next round. Bader made an appearance on Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast to reflect on his impressive victory.

“It was very sweet [to get revenge]. It was a gauge to see how far I’ve grown, since 2012. And I’ve done a lot, and he’s done a lot. So to go out there and implement my game plan and stick to what we do and go out there and be victorious, it couldn’t be sweeter.”

Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will replay Sunday, April 11 at 9 a.m. ET/PT and Tuesday, April 13 at 10 p.m. ET on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo handled blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. Three Hall of Famers rounded out the telecast team: ringside reporter Jim Gray, boxing historian Steve Farhood as unofficial scorer, and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The executive producer was four-time Emmy® award winner David Dinkins, Jr. The telecast was produced by Raymond Smaltz and directed by Chuck McKean. Former junior middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna served as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).

The event was promoted by TGB Promotions. Ennis vs. Lipinets was promoted in association with D&D Boxing.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

JARON “BOOTS” ENNIS TRAINING CAMP QUOTES AND PHOTOS

April 3, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

***“I’m coming there to take a win home to Philadelphia and look good doing it, by any means,” – Ennis***

**Rising Welterweight Star Ennis Battles Former World Champion Sergey Lipinets Saturday, April 10 Live On SHOWTIME^® in a Premier Boxing Champions Event**

**Click** **HERE** **for Photos from Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME**

**PHILADELPHIA** (April 1, 2021) – Undefeated welterweight **Jaron “Boots” Ennis** will look to cement his status as a rising star in the welterweight division when he takes on rugged former world champion **Sergey Lipinets** in a 12-round battle that headlines action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, April 10 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The 23-year-old Ennis will be facing the toughest competition of his career in Lipinets, as he enters the ring in his first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event. Representing the fighting city of Philadelphia, Ennis has used sublime boxing skills and power in both hands to make his claim as the city’s next great champion.

Ennis put together a 16-fight knockout streak that included becoming the first person to stop Juan Carlos Abreu when he blasted out the longtime challenger in the sixth round in August 2020. Ennis was unable to extend that streak in December 2020, when his fight against Chris van Heerden was declared a no-contest after round one due to a clash of heads causing a severe cut on Van Heerden’s forehead.

Trained by his father Bozy Ennis, Ennis shared his thoughts on training camp, Lipinets and more below:

***On headlining his first Showtime Championship Boxing card:***

“It has made my schedule a little crazier. Being in the main event on SHOWTIME brings more attention, but I like it. I like being in the spotlight. I like to shine, so it’s nothing new to me. Now it’s fight time. I am locked in and ready to rock and roll.”

***On training camp***:

“We always do four-minute rounds in camp. I’ve been doing that since I was a baby. That’s another reason why I don’t sit down when I fight, because I am so used to the four-minute rounds. The three-minute rounds go by real fast on fight night. One thing we added this camp was the underwater treadmill work.”

***On his final preparations:***

“The week before the fight, we are winding it down and sharpening up. It’s been a great training camp. I have been getting better and better each and every day, and I can’t wait to perform next Saturday.”

***On facing his first former world champion:***

“He’s a good fighter, but it doesn’t mean anything to me. It’s just another day in the office. He’s a regular person just like anyone else.”

***On Sergey calling him a ‘typical Philly fighter’:***

“I guess he knows I’m tough, gritty and I’m ready to rumble. I’m coming there to take a win home to Philadelphia and look good doing it, by any means.”

***On his knockout power***:

“I don’t think I have my man strength yet. I feel it will be one or two more years until I fully have my man strength. The crazy part is, I feel like in a fight, I still haven’t thrown a real power shot and really sat down on a punch yet. Everything I’ve been knocking guys out with has been all natural strength.”

***On how he views his knockout streak***:

“Some people might look at a knockout on April 10 as the 17^th consecutive knockout, some might view it as the start of a new knockout streak. For me, I don’t really care as long as I come out victorious. That’s all that matters to me. I’m not looking for a knockout but I’m going to take it if it comes.”

# # #

***ABOUT ENNIS VS. LIPINETS***
Ennis vs. Lipinets will see rising welterweight star **Jaron “Boots” Ennis** face former world champion **Sergey Lipinets** in a 12-round showdown headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, April 10 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, a pair of hard-hitting welterweights square off as **Eimantas Stanionis** takes on former world title challenger **Thomas Dulorme** in a 12-round WBA Welterweight Title Eliminator. The telecast opener features IBF Junior Bantamweight World Champion **Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas** defending his title against **Jonathan Rodríguez** in a 12-round bout.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Ennis vs. Lipinets is promoted in association with D&D Boxing.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

boxing

TOMMY SANTIAGO LOOKS FOR MULTI-SPORT SUCCESS AND A KIDNEY FOR DAD

February 28, 2020 FNU47 Leave a comment

*Football standout to make pro debut on March 27 while his family’s story remains unfinished*

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Tommy Santiago, a standout high school football star and accomplished amateur boxer, will enter the ring for his first pro fight on March 27 at 2300 Arena, and his dad will be in his corner.

To spectators, it’s another father-son team, made slightly more interesting because Tommy is the second Santiago son to turn pro. Brother Milton, Jr., is an undefeated lightweight.

That Milton Sr., can walk up the steps and wave the towel for his son belies the real story — one about a father who died and was brought back to life less than a year ago, who is waiting for a life-altering call. It’s a story about a mother who pulls double-duty to provide for her family and care for her husband. It’s about the son, a prodigal football talent, who sacrificed his spot at a top football high school to help keep his family afloat, and now is embarking on a professional boxing career. It’s a story about their past and current struggles, and the grit, determination and faith that has seen them through a slow, grinding, water torture-style drip of pain and adversity.

A few years ago, the Santiago family had outgrown their two-bedroom home. With three teenage boys–Milton Jr., Tommy and young Nicco–they packed their home and moved into a fixer-upper in the suburbs. Milton, Sr., was a talented painter who had worked for some of the most prestigious home builders in Philadelphia.

Mom Brenda worked at a kitchen gadget manufacturing company for 20 years, where she climbed the ladder, wearing various hats and helping to provide a comfortable life for her family.

It was not long after their 2017 move that Milton Sr., began noticing he wasn’t himself. Over the next few years his health would deteriorate. Once a husky, active painter and boxing coach, he shriveled away. After bouncing from doctor to hospital, he received a dual diagnosis of kidney failure and an infection that had spread to his bones. Brenda went from being a working mom to a working mom and caregiver, waking up Milton, Jr., to help carry his dad to the car at 5:30 in each morning. She’d drive him to dialysis before work, and then take an early lunch each day to get him home.

Tommy enrolled at Archbishop Wood High School, a private, Catholic school in Warminster, PA, known for its elite football program; tuition was $9,000 per year. He was a star running back, scoring 20 touchdowns and gaining nearly 1700 yards as a Junior. His younger brother, a standout basketball player, also attended Archbishop Wood.

Wheelchair bound and unable to walk, Milton Sr., was embarrassed to go to his sons’ games. Brenda had to help him get to the bathroom and clean him. Milton Jr., put his career on hold to help care for his father. It was a dark time for the family; bills were piling up as Milton Sr., got sicker.

“I was embarrassed,” Milton, Sr., said of that time. “I was depressed and I kept wondering why this is happening to me and my family.”

Last May, Milton, Sr., went in for a procedure to biopsy a growth in his lungs. When the doctor came out of the operating room and asked Brenda if she would join him in a consult room, she knew something had gone wrong. Milton, Sr., had stopped breathing for nearly two minutes during the procedure and had to be resuscitated. The doctor warned that there may be permanent brain damage.

It was an earth-shattering moment for the family.

“It was the worst moment of my life,” recalled Tommy. “When I walked in and saw my dad in the ICU, knowing he might never be the same, I just started crying. I couldn’t handle it.”

After two days in a medically induced coma, Milton, Sr., began to recover. Doctors finally found the right combination of antibiotics to begin to cure the infection that had decimated his body. Effects from the procedure continued to affect his daily life. Excruciating headaches at all hours and short term memory loss became the new normal.

After Tommy’s record-breaking Junior year, and after seeing the stress that his mother was under, Tommy made a decision. He chose to transfer to William Tennent High School–also in Warminster–cutting his family’s tuition bill in half, but virtually guaranteeing that the college offers he and his parents had dreamed of would never come.

“My mom told me she would find a way, but I didn’t want her to stress,” said Tommy.

Brenda is pained when she speaks of Tommy’s departure from Wood: “Tommy is very strong, and he’s taken a lot for the family. It’s a burden I have on me because I want to be able to give them everything. Milton’s dream was for Tommy to go to Wood – it devastated Tommy and us when he had to transfer.”

As he recovered, Milton, Sr., learned to walk again. Milton, Jr., still administers his father’s dialysis five times per week for six hours and they wait to be added to the kidney donor list. Boxes of equipment line the walls of their home, and the improvements they’d planned on making to their home remain on hold.

“Milton doesn’t want us to be his donor,” said Brenda. “I’m the breadwinner and I can’t afford to be off work. Milton doesn’t want the kids to compromise their athletic careers. And after what happened when he went under in May, there’s a lot of fear. So we wait.”

Her voice breaks when she talks about the day they find a donor for her husband, but she doesn’t mention how it would take the pressure off of her: “The day that it happens, I’ll be ecstatic. He just wants to live a normal life. He wants to be able to do normal things – work, provide for his family. I will be so thankful to God that he answered our prayers.”

“It would mean the world to my family to find a donor,” said Tommy. “Everything he’s been through, the dialysis four hours per day, three days a week… it’s not easy. My mom stays up late to take care of him and gets up early the next day to go to work. She never gives up.”

The example that Milton Sr., and Brenda have set – one of sacrifice, mental strength, and unbelievable love and commitment to each other and their family has been ingrained in their sons.

“Seeing all they’ve been through has been hard, but it makes me want to go harder,” said Tommy. “I just want to be able to bring my family to the next level.”

He has aspirations of being an NFL player and professional boxer, concurrently. “I have received an offer from Villanova,” Tommy said. “I’ve applied at Temple and Penn State and plan to walk on to their football teams if I’m accepted.”

But first, another fight is on the horizon. A four-round, light-heavyweight contest with Angel Vasquez, of Springfield, MA, on March 27.

“Tommy told me that the reason he likes football and boxing is that he has a hatred inside, a frustration and resentment at everything our family has been through,” said Brenda. “I feel for the kid that’s going to fight Tommy. He’s training hard, and really wants it. He really wants to go out there and do things – He wants to help the family.”

When Tommy Santiago walks out to the ring on March 27, he walks with the burden of his family’s troubles, but with his father by his side. When the bell rings, he’ll hear only his father’s voice from his corner, and a new chapter begins in the complicated and painful story of the unbreakable Santiago family.

#####

Philly Special kicks off at 7:30 in the evening on Friday, March 27. Tickets priced at $50, $75 and $125 are on sale now, and can be purchased by visiting 2300arena.com or by calling 267-273-0945.

boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

UNDEFEATED WELTERWEIGHT SENSATION JARON ENNIS RETURNS TO FACE HARD-HITTING BAKHTIYAR EYUBOV FRIDAY, JANUARY 10 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

December 20, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

***Ennis-Eyubov Announced As Co-Main Event To Claressa Shields vs. Ivana Habazin On SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION^® From Ocean Casino Resort In Atlantic City***

NEW YORK – December 17, 2019 – Undefeated welterweight sensation Jaron Ennis will make his 2020 debut against hard-hitting Bakhtiyar Eyubov on Friday, January 10 live on SHOWTIME from Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.

The 22-year-old Ennis (24-0, 22 KOs) will take on Kazakhstan’s Eyubov (14-1-1, 12 KOs) just an hour away from his hometown of Philadelphia in the 10-round co-main event of a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Two women’s blockbusters will bookend the welterweight bout. Claressa Shields (9-0, 2 KOs) will take on Ivana Habazin (20-3, 7 KOs) for the WBC and WBO 154-pound World Championships in a long-anticipated main event. In the telecast opener, WBA Super Middleweight Champion Alicia Napoleon Espinosa (12-1, 7 KOs) meets IBF Champion Elin Cederroos (7-0, 4 KOs) in a 168-pound world title unification.

The event is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with T-REX BOXING PROMOTIONS. The Napoleon-Espinosa vs Cederroos fight is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment.

In Eyubov, Ennis will take on his toughest test to date as he looks to continue his rapid ascension in one boxing’s deepest divisions. The switch-hitter has scored 14 consecutive knockouts as has his level opposition has steadily increased since turning professional in 2016. He returned from a nine-month layoff in August of 2019 with a first round TKO of Franklin Mamani and followed that up with a third round TKO of Demian Fernandez on October 5. Against Fernandez, the come-forward and aggressive Ennis landed 43 percent of his power shots as he switched from orthodox to southpaw in a clinical performance in the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION.

Widely regarded as one of the top prospects in boxing, Ennis had two emphatic knockout victories on *ShoBox: The New Generation* in 2018. The Philadelphia native, who owns 10 first round knockouts and has yet to be pushed past the sixth round, was a standout amateur who won the 2015 National Golden Gloves was ranked as the No. 1 amateur at 141 pounds before turning pro.

“I’m coming to make another statement to the welterweight division and the world,” said Ennis. “I’m going to let them know that I’m here and that 2020 will be my year. I’m the future of this division and January 10 is the next step in proving that.”

The 33-year-old Eyubov, from Aktobe, Kazakhstan and currently based in Brooklyn, N.Y., is known for his relentlessly aggressive fighting style. Quickly making a name for himself in the welterweight division, Eyubov tore through his first ten professional opponents, knocking them all out within the first three rounds including a third-round stoppage of Jared Robinson on *ShoBox* in 2016. Eyubov also owns impressive wins over Nicholas Givan (21-2-1) and Karim Mayfield (21-5-1) but is winless in his last two outings, including a majority draw with Jose Luis Rodriguez and a unanimous decision loss to undefeated Brian Ceballo. With just 16 professional fights to his name since moving on from the amateur ranks in 2012, Eyubov is eager to turn heads with a career-defining win over the highly regarded Ennis.

“On January 10, Jaron Ennis is going to be in the hardest fight of his life,” Eyubov said. “He has never faced anyone with my strength, skills and will to win. Bakha Bullet will shoot to do damage in Atlantic City and hand Ennis his first loss.”

“The Ennis vs. Eyubov fight is a classic crossroads fight and a must-win for both fighters,” said Eyubov promoter Dmitriy Salita. “It’s a big test for Ennis, who is a slick, skilled boxer, and a potentially career-changing opportunity for the aggressive, powerful and formerly world-rated contender in Eyubov. We expect fireworks on January 10^th.

The previously announced WBA Super Lightweight World Title Eliminator between Shohjahon Ergashev and Keith Hunter has been postponed after Hunter injured his right hand during training. A new date and opponent for Ergashev will be announced in the coming days.

An industry leading production team and announce crew will deliver all the sights, sounds and drama from Atlantic City. Veteran broadcaster Brian Custer will host the telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo will call the action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi at ringside. Three Hall of Famers round out the SHOWTIME announce team – Emmy® award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The Executive Producer of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION is David Dinkins, Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing. The telecast will be available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programing (SAP) with Alejandro Luna and former world champion Raul Marquez calling the action.

boxing, FIGHTNIGHT LIVE

FIGHTNIGHT LIVE SEASON III OPENS WITH FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS ON FACEBOOK, LIVE FROM PHILADELPHIA

October 29, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

Interactive, FREE Facebook series now over 8.2 million views partners with Kings Promotions to showcase 10 Philly bouts.Online: https://www.facebook.com/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE/

NEW YORK (Oct. 23, 2019) – Officially launching its third season and now at more than 8.2 million views, FIGHTNIGHT LIVE Powered by Everlast heads back to “The Fighting City of Philadelphia” on Friday, Oct. 25, for a ten-bout Kings Promotion’s card, live from 2300 Arena. The interactive, FREE Facebook series recently announced five upcoming fight dates before the calendar turns to 2020 – it all begins with this Philly evening of fisticuffs on Friday.

“We’re thrilled that fight fans, promoters, corporate sponsors and the fighters themselves have such affection for FIGHTNIGHT LIVE as we head into Season III,” said Mark Fratto, Principal and Director of Business Development, Linacre Media. “Friday’s card is filled with Philly Warriors and 2300 Arena is always a hot venue, even as the weather turns cool. We look forward to some of our favorites like Brandon Robinson and Damon Allen Jr., and are excited to give undefeated Internet sensation Avril Mathie her first big boxing showcase.”

Friday’s main event will see super middleweight Robinson (13-2, 9 KOs) of Upper Darby, Pa., challenge upset-minded Martez McGregor (8-2, 6 KOs) of Maywood, Ill. Two Philly-Favorites will see action in separate six-round junior welterweight bouts as Naim Nelson (13-4, 1 KO) takes on Roy McGill (6-3, 3 KOs) of Harrisburg and Allen Jr. (15-1-1, 5 KOs) faces Dieumerci Nzau (11-9, 8 KOs) of Silver Spring, Md. Mathie (3-0, 2 KOs) meets veteran Karen Dulin (3-20-1, 1 KO) in a four round bantamweight battle, and locals like Rasheen Brown (4-0, 1 KO),James Martin (4-1) and Angel Rivera (4-1, 3 KOs) look to thrill in front of the hometown crowd.

“This evenly-matched card leads off a doubleheader weekend for King’s Promotions, and we’re looking forward to competitive matchups to set the tone in Philadelphia. Robinson and McGregor should be a fantastic fight as everyone knows what Robinson brings to the table, and McGregor just fought a war with Cem Kilic who is ranked No. 5 in the world,” said Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions. “We are extremely excited to be working with FIGHTNIGHT LIVE and their team of professionals once again to showcase our fights and fighters.”

Now in its third season, FIGHTNIGHT LIVE Powered by Everlast is the fan-friendly Facebook platform that – among other aspects – prides itself on the real-time conversations held between fight commentators and the viewing audience. FIGHTNIGHT LIVE has showcased more than 685 fighters and 19 promotions during 43 live event broadcasts from 21 different cities since May 2017, and in doing so, the interactive platform has generated the loyal interest of fight fans from across the United States and around the globe, including significant audiences in Mexico, the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, and even fans in South America, Asia and Australia.

Since May 2017, the numbers on the 43-show FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series have shown promise and potential for the platform with an average of191,199 views per event and more than 8.2 million total views for the franchise. From Sept. to Aug. 2019, 25 FIGHTNIGHT LIVE Season II showsreached more than 6.5 million fans and averaged more than 263,000 views.
The Sept. 2018 “Kings Boxing Tuesday Night Fights” (594,447) from the Sands in Bethlehem, the June 2019 “CES Comeback at Foxwoods” (428,887), the Dec. 2018 “Queens and Kings of Queens Card” (379,758) in New York, the Nov. 2018 “Hard Hitting Showtime Collaboration” (372,662), the Dec. 2018 “Roy Jones Jr. Texas Throwdown” (318,886), the Oct. 2018 “Hard Hitting Philly Special” (297,545), the May 2019 “Murphys Open MGM Springfield” (296,078), the Oct. 2018 hour-long Bareknuckle “Freeview” (292,253), the Aug. 2019 “Murphys Boxing Encore” (260,188), the Nov. 2018 “Titans In The Capital” (256,871) and the March 2019 Murphys Boxing “St. Patrick’s Day Clash” (252,065) all logged 250,000 or more views, and collectively the 43-show series has seen a total of more than 8,221,593 views across all devices.
In addition to the raw viewership numbers, the fully-interactive, fan-friendly productions have seen exactly 490,000 collective live post engagements (more than 11,300 per show), including more than 375,000 “likes” or “loves,” almost 68,000 comments and more than 23,000 shares.
The Sept. 2018 “Kings Boxing Tuesday Night Fights” from the Sands in Bethlehem set a new bar with 594,447 views. The Sept. 2017 DiBella card saw more than 40,000 viewer interactions including almost 39,000 “likes” or “loves” and the March 17, 2018, Murphy’s “St. Patrick’s Day Clash” set a new high-water mark for shares with 2,182.
The FIGHTNIGHT LIVE page on Facebook has more than 90,000 fans and more than 100,000 followers.

Created and produced by Linacre Media out of New York City, the FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series features professional announcers, multiple camera angles, television graphics, replays and behind-the-scenes access and interviews. The streamed shows are available globally wherever Facebook is available. The initiative not only enables fans from around the world to tune in, but also gives up-and-coming fighters a global platform to showcase their abilities, gives promoters an accessible “broadcast” solution and gives sponsors the ability to reach a mass audience via branded content. Additional FIGHTNIGHT LIVE Fall and Winter 2019 dates will be officially announced in the coming weeks.

FIGHTNIGHT LIVE is available online at: https://www.facebook.com/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE/ Follow all the action via social media at FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE on Facebook, @FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE on Instagram and @FIGHTNIGHTLIVE_ on Twitter, or by using the hashtag #FIGHTNIGHTLIVE. For the latest Linacre Media events and broadcast schedule, follow @LinacreMedia across all social platforms or use the tags #LinacreMediaEvents or #LinacreMediaOnTV. About Everlast Worldwide Inc.The preeminent brand in boxing since 1910, Everlast is the world’s leading manufacturer, marketer and licensor of boxing, MMA and fitness equipment. From legendary champions Jack Dempsey and Sugar Ray Robinson to current superstars Deontay Wilder and Dustin Poirier, Everlast is the brand of choice for generations of world champion professional athletes. Built on a brand heritage of strength, dedication, individuality and authenticity, Everlast is a necessary part of the lives of countless champions. Based in Manhattan, Everlast’s products are sold across more than 75 countries and 6 continents. For more information, visitwww.everlast.com.

boxing

PELTZ BOXING: A LIFE-LONG LOVE STORY; J Russell Peltz Celebrates Half Century in Boxing

September 19, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

boxing

RAGING BABE PRESENTS: PELTZ BOXING 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OCTOBER 4 AT 2300 ARENA

August 29, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

*Philadelphia’s boxing community to come together*
*To mark “The Boy Wonder’s” 50-year milestone*

PHILADELPHIA, PA–J Russell Peltz was 22 years old when he promoted his first boxing card 50 years ago at the legendary Blue Horizon. On Oct. 4, Peltz will celebrate half a century as a boxing promoter with a card at the 2300 Arena that will reflect his reputation for promoting Philly vs. Philly, no-quarters-given bouts.

The eight-fight card, promoted by Raging Babe, will feature junior welterweight Victor Padilla, of Berlin, NJ, by way of Vieques, Puerto Rico, in the main event. Padilla, who is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, is undefeated in five fights, all by way of knockout, and is considered by Peltz and others to be a future world champion. Peltz will serve as matchmaker for the event.

It has been nearly 20 years since Peltz received the Long and Meritorious Service award from the Boxing Writers Association of America and Philadelphia Sportswriters Association, followed in 2004 by his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. While others might have considered retirement, Peltz has gone on to promote more than 150 additional events, bringing his total number of promoted shows to nearly 1,000. He has promoted or co-promoted more than 40 world championship fights.

After starting his career as sports editor of the Temple News–the daily student newspaper at Temple University–and then on the sports copy desk at the Evening and Sunday Bulletin, Peltz traded in his typewriter for the roller coaster that is professional boxing. He was dubbed “The Boy Wonder,” when he sold out the 1,346-seat Blue Horizon in his first event on Sept. 30, 1969, a night that featured a middleweight main event between Bennie Briscoe, of Philadelphia, and Tito Marshall, of Panama. The standing-room-only crowd was 1,606.

In more recent years, he’s taken Michelle Rosado (aka Raging Babe) under his wing, mentoring her and showing her the ins and outs of the boxing business with his unique brand of tough love.

“I can think of no one better to promote my 50th Anniversary Celebration,” said Peltz. “I have been able to sit in the passenger seat the last couple years while Michelle drove and I’m excited to share this special event with her.

“It seems like yesterday I was sitting outside the Blue Horizon in North Philly, selling tickets out of my car for my first card after the box office closed for the day. From there to the old Arena in West Philly, then to The Spectrum in South Philly, it’s been quite a ride. Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Europe, South America, the Orient–I cannot believe it’s been half a century.”

Rosado: “It’s an honor to put on this card with and for Russell’s 50th. He has been an incredible mentor and friend, and I think I have looked forward to this celebration of his legacy even more than he has.”

Tickets to “Peltz Boxing 50th Anniversary Celebration” are priced $50, $70 and $90. They can be purchased online at www.2300arena.com or by calling 215-758-2173 and/or 215-765-0922. Doors open at 6:30 pm and first bout is at 7:30 pm.

boxing, Olympics, USA Boxing

Atif Oberlton representing City of Brotherly Love all the way to the World Championships

August 28, 2019 FNU47 Leave a comment

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (August 22, 2019) – There’s a new rising force on the international boxing scene and his name is Atif Oberlton, a light heavyweight from Philadelphia, who is on a mission to make a name for himself in boxing.

Oberlton will be competing at the Elite Men’s World Championships, September 7-21, in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Lacking confidence is not an issue for the 21-year-old boxer who claims, “It’s very important for me to do well and win at the Worlds, because I know for a fact that, in my heart, I’m the best fighter in the world. Also, I’m new on the international scene, so it’s time for me to give a piece of what they’ve been missing.”

Oberlton started boxing at the age of nine, although he didn’t start competing until he was 14, because he was the only boy in his family, and his father wanted him to learn how to defend himself. Like so many of his teammates, he fell in love with boxing.

In the last five years, Oberlton has captured gold medals at the 2018 and 2016 National Golden Gloves Tournament, 2018 Eastern Elite Qualifier and 2014 National Junior Olympics. He also was a victor in the USA vs. Netherlands Dual.

“My greatest accomplishment so far is making Team USA and being where I’m at, because for years and years I was denied, and here I am today in the top spot where I belong. I’m a top-spot fighter, so I deserve it, and I put down top-notch work, too”

Overlton has taken advantage of training in Colorado Springs at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, where he has shown improvement from day one, honing his skills to become a complete boxer.

“Conditioning plays a big part in my improvement; also seeing different styles, and getting top work has elevated me,” he spoke about training as a Team USA member. “I always break new barriers on the road to greatness and this (The Worlds) is another one I’m looking to smash through.”

In addition to representing his country, Oberlton is a proud Philly fighter continuing the long, rich boxing tradition in the City of Brotherly Love, which has produced the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Mathew Saad Muhammad, Bennie Briscoe, Joey Giardello, Mike Rossman,James Shuler, Eugene Hart and so many more great fighters over the years.

“My city is known for its great boxing history and I wear ‘The City of Philadelphia’ on my back,” Oberlton added. “In a few more years down the line, I see myself leading the next wave of Philly boxers. In fact, I feel like I am the wave, right now, as we speak. Everyone’s watching me. I will do them all proud, from both the old and young generations.

“I haven’t been to Russia and I’m looking forward to going there. It’s always good to see the world. I always like to go back where I’m from and try to convince others to see the world, because it’s much bigger than our neighborhood.”

Oberlton is like a chameleon in the ring, constantly changing and adjusting to his opponent. “I consider my style like water,” he concluded. “It’s wavy because I adjust to win, and I can beat any style. I can outsmart anybody, fighting mind over matter. Boxing is 80-percent mental, 20-percent physical, and I have it all.

“My short-term goal is to win gold at The Worlds and everything else leading to the Olympics. And winning no less than gold at the Olympics. My long-term goal is to be the greatest fighter to ever walk the universe.”

Confidence is definitely not a problem for Atif Oberlton.

INFORMATION:

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Twitter: @USABoxing

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