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Tag Archives: Sergio Lopez
“Knockout Night at the D” Undercard Announced
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This Saturday night live on
CBS Sports Network from DLVEC in Las Vegas
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LAS VEGAS (April 12, 2016) – An solid undercard showcasing promising prospects has been announced for this Saturday night’s “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegas and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC), is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.
Canadian welterweight Steve “The Dragon” Claggett (23-3-1, 16 KOs) and former IBO champion Chris “The Heat” Van Heerden (23-1-1, 12 KOs),, fighting out of his native South Africa by way of Santa Monica, California, square off in 12-round main event.
Saturday’s “Knockout Night at the D” event will air (8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET) live on CBS Sports Network from under the neon lights at the DLVEC outdoor venue.
Undefeated California welterweight Neeco “Rooster” Macias (11-0, 4 KOs) faces former Chicago Golden Gloves champion Limberth “Lightning” Ponce, Jr. (10-2, 8 KOs), of Rock Island, Illinois, in the 8-round co-feature.
A Baltimore welterweight, undefeated Malik “Iceman” Hawkins (6-0, 5 KOs), is in the first televised bout in a six-rounder versus New Orleans’ Errol Sidney (6-1-2, 2 KOs). Jones signed Hawkins to a promotional contract after watching the youngster spar impressively, displaying tremendous power.
Also fighting on the undercard in 4-round fights are flashy Las Vegas welterweight Jeremy “J-Flash” Nichols (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Mexican invaderJason Gavino (3-1, 2 KOs), slick Las Vegas featherweight Sal Lopez (2-0) vs. TBA, dangerous Las Vegas junior featherweight Randy Moreno (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Derek Barthemay (0-2), of Eugene, Oregon, and Los Angeles heavyweight Jonathan “Johnnie” Rice (3-1-1, 3 KOs) vs. Antonio Robertson (4-5-1, 2 KOs), of Alexandria, Virginia.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $149.99 VIP ringside, $119.00 ringside, $74.99 seated and $29.99 rear seated, are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com orwww.DLVEC.com. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 6:00 p.m. PT.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media.
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go towww.cbssportsnetwork.com.
TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series.
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvec, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJRFA
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJRFA
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @SDragonClaggett, @TheHeat001 (Van Heerden), @Limbo_1991 (Ponce), @mhawk0_6 (Hawkins), @ej_flash562 (Nichols)
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“The Heat” is on! Chris Van Heeden vs. Steve Claggett Apr. 16 live on CBS Sports Network from DLVEC in Las Vegas
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The 28-year-old Van Heerden moved to Santa Monica two years ago after he wiped out the top South African fighters in his weight class. He has the strong support of actor Frank Grillo, who has appeared in numerous movies, includingWarrior, The Grey, End of Watch, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and The Purge: Anarchy.“The Dragon” to be unleashed April 16th Live on CBS Sports Network from DLVEC in Las Vegas
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 LAS VEGAS (April 5, 2016) – The April 16th10-round main event between Canadian welterweight Steve “The Dragon” Claggett and South Africa-native Chris “The Heat” Van Heerden embodies the “Knockout Night at the D” philosophy in terms of featuring action fighters in evenly matched, entertaining bouts.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegas andDowntown Las Vegas Events Center(DLVEC), is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.
The Apr. 16th “Knockout Night at the D” event will air Saturday night, April 16 (8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET), live on CBS Sports Network from under the neon lights at the DLVEC outdoor venue.
The broadcast team includes Jim “JR” Ross, Sean Wheelock and former world champion Kevin “The Flushing Flash” Kelley. Joe Martinez is the ring announcer.
Claggett vs. Van Heerden is a crossroads fight for both boxers with critical consequences, especially for the winner who will use it as an invaluable springboard for his boxing career.
The 26-year-old Claggett (23-3-1, 16 KOs), who is the reigning Canadian Professional Boxing Council and Canadian welterweight champion, is thrilled to be fighting in Las Vegas for the first time. “It’s a dream come true,” he explained. “I’ve trained in Las Vegas often but now it’s time to show what I can do there in a fight. A win will open many doors for me and could potentially lead to a path that will set up the rest of my boxing life. Needless to say, I am focused and prepared for the opportunity.”
VIDEO PROMO LINK:
Claggett, as well as Van Heerden, are known as high-action fighters, throwing punches in bunches, and something eventually has to give. Van Heerden (23-1-1, 12 KOs), fighting out of Santa Monica (CA), is a former International Boxing Organization (IBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion.
“Van Heerden is a rangy, quick and active fighter,” Claggett said. “I have an action style but, for many years, I was strictly a pressure fighter with a good body shot. Nowadays, though, I have a couple of more tricks up my sleeve. His heart and durability have been shown and is to be respected. This match-up is sure to produce some good exchanges. I expect this to be a high-action fight between two hungry fighters with him coming off a loss (to unbeaten rising star Errol Spence Jr. last September) and me coming off more than one fight falling through. This is a great match up. He is similar to the style of (Konstantin)Ponomarev (who Claggett lost an 8-round decision to last year) with range and movement. And that motivates me!”
 Undefeated Lancaster, California welterweight Neeco “Rooster” Macias (11-0, 4 KOs) meets Limberth “Lightning” Ponce, Jr. (10-2, 8 KOs), of Rock Island, Illinois, in the 8-round co-feature. Unbeaten Baltimore welterweight prospect Malik “Iceman” Hawkins(6-0, 5 KOs) faces Errol Sidney (6-1-2, 2 KOs), of New Orleans, in a 6-round bout to open the television broadcast.
The undercard also features promising Las Vegas-based prospects in four-round bouts: welterweight Jeremy “J Flash” Nichols (2-0, 2 KOs), featherweight Sal Lopez (2-0) and junior featherweight Randy Moreno (1-0, 1 KO).
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $149.99 VIP ringside, $119.00 ringside, $74.99 seated and $29.99 rear seated, are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.DLVEC.com. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 6:00 p.m. PT.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media.
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.
TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series.
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvec, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJRFA
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJRFA
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @SDragonClaggett, @TheHeat001 (Van Heerden), @Limbo_1991 (Ponce), @mhawk0_6 (Hawkins)
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Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions Brings “The Dragon” & “The Heat” to April 16th “Knockout Night at the D” event
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Live on CBS Sports Network from DLVEC in Las Vegas
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LAS VEGAS (March 28, 2016) – the D Las Vegas and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC), along with Neon Star Media, announced today that Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is the licensed promoter of record for the 2016 “Knockout Night at the D” boxing series to be held at the DLVEC.
The Apr. 16th “Knockout Night at the D” event will air Saturday night, April 16 (8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET), live on CBS Sports Network from the DLVEC outdoor venue in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas.
RJJ promises fans in attendance and those watching live on CBS Sports Network will feel the heat of the 10-round main event as “The Dragon,” Steve Claggett, battles “The Heat,” Chris Van Heerden, in a fan-friendly welterweight showdown.
“We are truly passionate about bringing outdoor boxing back to Las Vegas and are excited to work with Roy Jones Jr. to showcase local fighters and give them an amazing platform at ,” said Derek Stevens, Owner and CEO of the D Las Vegas and DLVEC. “We feel this fight series will become a major event in the city’s boxing scene, as it will bring together world-class athletes, local businesses and fans from near and far.”
“Anytime I have the opportunity to showcase my fighters in Las Vegas and put on a show is a win-win for me and Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions,” commented Roy Jones Jr., Co-Founder of RJJ. “Las Vegas has helped make my career what it is today; it feels like home to me. ‘Knockout Night at the D’ is going to be a spectacular night for boxing and the fans. Downtown Las Vegas Event Center is an outstanding venue for boxing fans… there isn’t a bad seat in the house!”
“I’m honored to work with such a reputable venue such as the Downtown Las Vegas Center,” remarked Keith Veltre, CEO / Co-Founder of Roy Jones Jr. Promotions. “This venue is exactly what the boxing community needs to spark the excitement of boxing that ‘Knockout Night at the D’ will deliver. The team has been very accommodating to RJJ and it is a pleasure to work with a class act. We are happy to call the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center home to RJJ.”
Claggett (23-3-1, 16 KOs), 26, is the reigning Canadian Professional Boxing Council and Canadian welterweight champion. As an amateur in Calgary, he captured four Alberta Championships and three Golden Gloves titles, all prior to his 18th birthday. South African-native Van Heerden (23-1-1, 12 KOs), fighting out of Santa Monica (CA), is a former International Boxing Organization (IBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion. (Van Heerden is pictured to the left.)
The 8-round co-feature matches undefeated Lancaster, California Neeco “Rooster” Macias (11-0, 4 KOs) against Limberth Ponce, Jr. (10-2, 8 KOs), of Rock Island, Illinois. Unbeaten Baltimore welterweight prospect Malik Hawkins (6-0, 5 KOs) is scheduled to fight an opponent to be determined in a 4-round bout.
The remainder of the undercard features promising Las Vegas-based prospects in four-round bouts: welterweight Jeremy “J Flash” Nichols (2-0, 2 KOs), junior featherweight Sal Perez (2-0) and bantamweight Sergio Lopez (2-3, 1 KO). Nichols (pictured to the left) gained invaluable experience as a sparring partner for Floyd Mayweather, Jr. for his mega-fight versus Manny Pacquiao.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $149.99 VIP ringside, $119.00 ringside, $74.99 seated and $29.99 rear seated, are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com orwww.DLVEC.com. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 6:30 p.m. PT.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media.
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go towww.cbssportsnetwork.com.
TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series.
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvec, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, RoyJonesJRFA
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @SDragonClaggett, @TheHeat001 (Van Heerden), @Limbo_1991 (Ponce)
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Undefeated prospect Toka Kahn-Clary Returns to ring this Saturday night vs. Gabino Cota in Studio City, California
CRANSTON, RI(February 8, 2016) – Rising super featherweight star Toka “T-Nice” Kahn-Clary(17-0, 11 KOs) returns to action this Saturday night against Mexican opponent Gabino “Flash” Cota (18-5-1, 16 KOs) at Sportsman Lodge in Studio City, California. A decorated American amateur boxer (131-11 record), his career highlighted by a gold-medal performance at the 2010 National Golden Gloves Tournament, Kahn-Clary is a native of Liberia who passed on a shot to make the 2016 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, turning pro three years ago.
Kahn-Clary’s impressive second-round stoppage of Sergio “Cuatito” Lopez (19-10-1, 13 KOs) last November was supposed to lead him graduating to a 10-round fighter. His promoter Top Rank’s show this Saturday, headlined by Alex Saucedo vs. Clarence Booth, doesn’t have a single 10-round fight, in favor of three 8-rounders including Kahn-Clary vs. Cota.
“That really doesn’t matter to me,” Kahn-Clary said. “I trained to beat this guy, not how many rounds. I’m a lot better fighter than I was a year ago. I’m a lot more relaxed in the ring. I think more as I’m moving in the ring, adjusting a lot better, and my combinations are coming out a lot better.”
A former WBC FECOMBOX and Mexican featherweight champion, Cota is a dangerous opponent who has knocked out 16 of the 18 fighters he’s defeated as a professional.
“Cota may have lost four of his last six but they were all title fights or on television against name opponents,” Kahn-Clary’s head trainer Peter Manfredo, Sr. noted. “He has some pop, throws a zillion punches and just keeps coming forward. This is a good step up for Toka.
“Toka is ready for this fight. He’s had a lot of good sparring. Toka is aggressive, well-conditioned, a good defensive fighter who can crack. There wasn’t a 10-round fight available on this card but we wanted this fight. Toka’s still only 23 so there’s no reason to rush things.”
Cota is battle tested having fought world title challengerJonathan Oquendo, Puerto Rican Olympian Orlando Cruzand Russian champion Andrey Klimov.
“I like fighting guys that come to me like Cota,” Kahn-Clary remarked. “It makes my job easier. I can setup my punches and fights against guys like this aren’t as much as a chess match. I’ll be landing hard shots and fans like that better than a chess match.”
Follow Kahn-Clary on Twitter and Instagram @TokaKahnClary, or friend him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/tokakahn.
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Undefeated prospect Toka Kahn-Clary Graduates to 10-round fighter
-all pictures courtesy of Mikey Williams / Top Rank-
CRANSTON, RI (November 25, 2015) – After his impressive second-round stoppage of Sergio “Cuatito” Lopez (19-10-1, 13 KOs) last Friday night at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, undefeated blue-chip featherweight prospect Toka “T-Nice” Kahn-Clary (17-0, 11 KOs) has officially graduated from an eight to ten-round fighter.
“”My performance was good,” Kahn-Clary looked back on his knockout of Lopez. “I didn’t do anything to make it a difficult fight. I was a little concerned that my opponent came in overweight (128 lbs. contract weight but Lopez weighed 132.2 lbs.), but I didn’t think too much of it. I really wanted to go four or five rounds for some more experience, but I put him down in the second round with a right hook, and took him out. (Lopez was unable to answer the bell for the third round.)
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| (L-R) Toka Kahn-Clary and referee Jay Nady |
“I’m definitely ready for 10-rounders. (Head trainer) Peter (Manfredo, Sr.) always has me doing a lot of conditioning work. We sparred a lot of rounds for eight-round fights, so I’ve been ready for 10-round fights. I won’t be fighting again until next year, but I’ll be back in the gym next Monday.”
A decorated American amateur who had a 131-11 record, highlighted by a gold-medal performance at the 2010 National Golden Gloves Tournament, Kahn-Clary passed on a shot to make the 2016 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, turning pro three years ago.
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| (L-R) – Head trainer Peter Manfredo, Sr. & Toka Kahn-Clary |
“I think Toka made a big statement and so did Top Rank (Kahn-Clary’s promoter),” Manfredo added. “They’re so high on him that they want to put him in a big fight. I told them to give us a 10-round fight first, maybe in January or February, and then we can talk about him fighting a top guy. There’s no rush; he’s only 23.
“Toka’s really maturing. He still doesn’t have ‘man strength’ but he’s getting there. He always works hard. He spars hard with bigger guys. He doesn’t just beat up a sparring partner, he beats up the gym, three or four fighters a session. And most of the time he’s sparring bigger guys and using big gloves.”
Born in Liberia, the 23-year-old Kahn-Clary is a rising star with lofty expectations. “I want to compete at the top level,” he explained. “Next year, I will keep working hard and hopefully fight some decent named opponents. I’m not ready for the top guys in my division, not yet, but I’ll be there in another year.”
Follow Kahn-Clary on Twitter and Instagram @TokaKahnClary, or friend him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/tokakahn.
Undefeated blue-chip prospect Toka Kahn-Clary Liberia native making name in America
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To fight Sergio Lopez this Saturday in Las Vegas
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(all pictures by Jeny Luna Hernandez-Watson)
PROVIDENCE (November 16, 2015) — Undefeated featherweight prospect Toka “T-Nice” Kahn-Clary (16-0, 10 KOs) may be the best, relatively “unknown” prizefighter in the country, at least outside of New England.
A decorated American amateur who had a 131-11 record, highlighted by a gold-medal performance at the 2010 National Golden Gloves Tournament, Kahn-Clary returns to the ring this Saturday night (Nov. 20) at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas against Mexican opponent Sergio “Cuatito” Lopez (19-9-1, 13 KOs) in what is supposed to be Kahn-Clary’s last scheduled eight-round bout before he graduates to 10-rounders.
“He’s a tough Mexican fighter who can box a little on the outside,” Kahn-Clary spoke about his next opponent, “but he comes forward, too. He’s experienced and has been in with a lot of good opponents.”
Lopez is a serious test for any prospect. His last three fights include a loss to 18-0 Alejandro Luna (KO4) this past August, 10-round split draw with 24-7-1 Joksan Hernandez, and a stunning fifth-round technical knockout of 16-0 Victor Betancourt.
“Lopez is a gamer,” Kahn-Clary’s head trainer Peter Manfredo, Sr. added. He’s tough but our plan is for Toka to take him apart and eventually take him out. Toka’s not far away from a really big fight, maybe 8-10 months. We were offered a big fight but, we need one 10-round fight first, and he get that fight early next year.”
Kahn-Clary, fighting out of Providence, is coming off his most notable victory as a professional last June, in which he stepped up in class to take on 33-11 Jonathan Perez, the former Colombian super bantamweight and World Boxing Council (WBC) champion. Kahn-Clary stopped Perez in the sixth round of their fight on a card headlined by Timothy Bradley‘s interim world welterweight title win over Jessie Vargas at StubHub Center in Carson, California.
The 23-year-old, who was born Toka Kahn, will never face obstacles in the ring more difficult to overcome than his early life experiences. Now a blue-chip prospect, he was born in Liberia and came to America with his younger sister to join their father when he was only six. He lived in Philadelphia only one year before his father was killed in a shooting. Toka’s arduous journey continued as he and his sister moved to Providence, where they lived with foster parents who, frankly, didn’t care what happened to them.
All signs pointed to Toka getting in trouble on the Providence streets as a youngster, particularly at times, when he was homeless. Fortunately, though, a friend brought him to Manfredo’s Gym in Pawtuckert, RI. Boxing truly saved his life. Manfredo, USA Boxing New England president Jim Perella and the couple that eventually adopted him, Andrea Watson and Ron Clary, dramatically changed his life.
Kahn-Clary signed a promotional contract with Top Rank, which, along with manager Mike Criscio and Manfredo, have moved Kahn-Clary at a steady, upward pace. Kahn-Clary, incidentally, will be fighting for the third time this year, after having five last year.
 “Top Rank has done a good job keeping me busy,” southpaw Kahn-Clary commented. “I know that it takes time to climb the ladder and I still need to improve a few things. I need to beat a top fighter to get into the world rankings. I’ll be ready when I get that call.“I’m ready right now for a 10 or 12 round fight. I’ve done a lot of sparring to help me get ready to step up. I’m excited about fighting 10 and 12 round fights because it’ll be a test for me and I love to be test. The top guys in my division are the (Gary) Russell, (Vasyl) Lomachenkoand (Leo) Santa Cruz. I have the skills and heart to compete with them.”
Quality sparring in New England is at a premium, especially for a smaller-weight fighter such as Kahn-Clary, who has gained invaluable experience sparring with WBA super featherweightJavier Fortuna (29-0-1, 21 KOs), three-time US Olympian Rau’shee Warren and his fellow New England and friend, New Haven’s Luis “KO King” Rosa (21-0, 10 KOs).
“Peter (Manfredo) and me travel to Worcester (MA) and Connecticut to get good work,” the gifted boxer-puncher Toka-Kahn explained. “It’s been a great help for me. I’ve gotten a lot of valuable experience in there with fighters like Fortuna and Warren. I’ve seen their ring generalship, their movement, and I’ve learned from them. They’re smart. I’ve learned from them, even try to copy them. It’s not just about sparring, which is a learning experience. If you don’t learn from sparring, all you’ll ever be is a sparring partner.”
Manfredo has been around and he realizes that his prize student, Kahn-Clary, will need to go away to training camp for good sparring when he starts fighting 10-rounders. “I’m good friends with Freddie Roach and we’ll go out to California and train at the Wild Card Gym,” Manfredo concluded. “I’m very happy with the way Toka’s been moved. I have faith in Brad Goodman, who is one of the best, if not the best matchmaker in the world. They’ve moved Toka along at a good pace. They know what they’re doing.”
Meanwhile, Toka Kahn-Clary plans to make his name in boxing next year. First, though, he has to get past Lopez this Saturday night to keep his momentum going.
Follow Kahn-Clary on Twitter and Instagram @TokaKahnClary, or friend him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/tokakahn.
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