Las Vegas, NV: On July 25, 2015 former light heavyweight world champion, Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) will take on undefeated prospect Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs) as the co-feature to the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast of the Sergey Kovalev vs. Nadjib Mohammedi fight live from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pascal is fresh off his first loss in almost four years and is looking to take on the undefeated Cuban prospect. Below is the scouting report for this exciting match-up:

Category
Jean Pascal
Yuniesky Gonzalez
Age
32
30
Record
29-3-1 (17 KOs)
16-0-0 (12 KOs)
Strength
Pascal possesses good speed and power in both hands; he also has a solid chin and a ton of experience. He has been competing against the division’s top fighters since 2008, which is a list that includes Bernard Hopkins twice and the division’s top light heavyweight, Sergey Kovalev.
Gonzalez has good power and has the ability to distribute punishment throughout his fights. He overwhelms his opponents before finishing them off. He is a very good inside fighter and fights with great confidence too.
Weakness
Pascal has a tendency to tire out late in fights if he does not conserve his energy properly in the earlier rounds. He also tends to get sloppy, which could cause his defense to open up a bit.
Gonzalez lacks adequate experience and has not fought top-level opposition yet. This fight against Pascal will be a major step up in competition and could be a game-changer in his young career.
Experience
Jean will have the advantage here. He has been a part of eight major title fights and holds victories over both Chad Dawson and Lucian Bute. He also currently has more than two-times as many professional bouts (32) as Gonzalez (16).
Gonzalez will be at a disadvantage. He has yet to face any top level opposition, nor has he had even half the amount of professional bouts as Pascal.

Power
Pascal has good power in both hands, especially when he puts his punches together. He has a right hand that can be a game-changer in any fight if he lands it flush.
Yuniesky possesses good power in both hands; he has a left hook that can change the direction of any fight if landed clean.
Speed
Pascal is quick, which becomes more evident in his flurries of punches, which are usually put together when he has his opponent against the ropes and he goes for the finish.
Yuniesky has good hand speed that is put on full display when he finds a weakness in his opponent. He fights very well on the inside, where his punches are fast, short, and crisp.
Endurance
Pascal will have an advantage here as he has gone 12 rounds on eight separate occasions.
Gonzalez’s endurance is still in question, he has yet to go a full 12 rounds and has only gone ten rounds once in his career (in 2012).
Accuracy
Pascal may be at a slight disadvantage in terms of accuracy, he tends to get sloppy at times when unloading flurries of punches.
Gonzalez may have a slight advantage as his accuracy becomes more evident when fighting on the inside. Then he uses his accurate body work in hopes of setting up his left hook upstairs.
Defense
Pascal likes to dictate the pace of the fight, which can mean standing in the center and trading blows. This is a tactic that allows him to take shots and leave openings in his defense that he should avoid.
Yuniesky’s offense might be his best defense. He likes to come forward and walk his opponents down, looking to break them down and finish the fight.
Chin
Pascal has a solid chin and has been in wars with some heavy-handed punchers. However, he was stopped for the first time in his career in his most recent outing against the division’s heaviest hitter, Sergey Kovalev.
Gonzalez’s chin is still yet to be seen; he has finished nine of his 16 fights by the third round. If this fight gets into the later rounds, then his chin may become an issue.
Style
Jean is an aggressive fighter who will not hesitate to stand and trade with anyone if given the opportunity.
Yuniesky is an offensive fighter who likes to move forward at all times; he tries to finish all of his opponents – and finish them early.
Crowd Support
Pascal is a popular name in the sport of boxing, so he will probably have most of the support from the fans in attendance.
Although Yuniesky is an undefeated power puncher, he is still a bit unknown to the boxing world. However, his in-your-face style could win over some of the crowd as he fights Pascal with a very similar and exciting style.
Intangibles
After coming off a tough and hard-fought defeat against the division’s best fighter, Sergey Kovalev, Pascal opted to make a quick turnaround and get right back in the ring. Instead of a tune-up bout, he will test his skills against a young, undefeated power puncher in Yunieski Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has taken a very quiet road to becoming the IBF’s #15 light heavyweight contender. Rather than test his skills against someone deeper in the ranks, he will face a former light heavyweight titleholder, and current top ten ranked light heavyweight, Jean Pascal.
The Match-Up
Is this too big of a stage for Gonzalez to handle in his toughest test to date?
Will Pascal be able to take Gonzalez’s power and speed?
This is the fight where Gonzalez can make a big statement in the light heavyweight division, will he?
Will Pascal be scared to get hit after his last fight with Kovalev?

According to Main Events’ matchmaker Jolene Mizzone who was recently named the NABF Matchmaker of the Year, “If Gonzalez pulls the upset with Pascal he would enter one of the top divisions in boxing as new blood, which would make it very interesting for the entire division. I think any light heavyweight fight that is made is very important in boxing right now because it is a hot division that needs some hungry up-and-coming guys.”

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) will compete in his first mandatory title defense against Nadjib “Irondjib” Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, July 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-feature will include a ten-round light heavyweight match-up between Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) and Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster and all MGM Resorts Properties Ticket Offices. The HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits
Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits

Hey Harold!: Kovalev vs. Mohammedi
Hey Harold!: Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

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Today WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev met with local media and members of the Russian ex-pat community in Las Vegas at the Green Dacha Grill. He also engaged in an arm wrestling demonstration with fellow Russian Kirill Yakovlev and posed for photos with fans. Below are photos from today’s event:

Click Here for Photos – Credit Jim Laurie/Main Events

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) will compete in his first mandatory title defense against Nadjib “Irondjib” Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, July 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-feature will include a ten-round light heavyweight match-up between Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) and Yunieski Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster and all MGM Resorts Properties Ticket Offices. The HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits
Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits

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According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the August 22 WBC Super Middleweight title bout between Badou Jack and George Groves has been postponed from August 22 to possibly September 12.

“It’s not happening on that date,” Showtime spokesman Chris DeBlasio told ESPN.com.

Las Vegas – July 20,2015 – WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) from Russia receives a proclamation from Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow at McCarran Airport Monday July 20,2015 proclaiming Monday as “Sergey Kovalev Day on the Las Vegas Strip and throughout Clark County.”

Kovalev, the undefeated WBO/WBA/IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion makes his long-awaited debut in Southern Nevada on the HBO-televised card promoted by Main Events Saturday, July 25, at Mandalay Bay. Kovalev faces No. 1-ranked contender Nadjib Mohammedi in the 12-round championship bout.

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) will compete in his first mandatory title defense against Nadjib “Irondjib” Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, July 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-feature will include a ten-round light heavyweight match-up between Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) and Yunieski Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster and all MGM Resorts Properties Ticket Offices. The HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits
Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits

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Las Vegas (July 21, 2015) – James “Lights Out” Toney, a 12-time world champion in five different weight classes, has confirmed that he will appear at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the second annual Box Fan Expo, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015. The Box Fan Expo will coincide with Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s last fight and Mexican Independence weekend.

Toney is a former IBF middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight world champion. He has been regarded as one of the greatest defensive fighters of his era and was unbeaten in his first 46 contests bouts. Toney has fought at the elite level for more than three decades and is a sure first ballot Hall of Famer. Toney holds notable wins over Michael Nunn, Reggie Johnson, Mike McCallum, Iran Barkley, Vassiliy Jirov and Evander Holyfield. With over 90 pro fights in his career, not once has he ever been knocked out and no referee has ever had to save him or stop a fight while competing. Toney was also awarded Ring Magazine and Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year 1991 and comeback fighter of the year 2003.

Toney will share a booth with the ABA (American Boxing Association) and have photos, gloves and merchandise for his fans to enjoy and purchase.

Toney joins Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez , “Showtime” Shawn Porter, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, “Terrible” Terry Norris, Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor, “El Feroz” Fernando Vargas, Ruslan “Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov and Mia St.John among early commitments to this year’s Box Fan Expo.

This unique fan experience event, which allowed fans to meet and greet boxing legends, past and current champions and other celebrities of the sport, debuted last September. This year the Expo will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and once again, allow fans a chance to collect autographs, take photos and purchase merchandise and memorabilia.

Exhibitors such as boxing gear, apparel, broadcasting media and other brand companies who wish to participate will have a chance to showcase their products to fans and the whole boxing industry.

Last year’s inaugural Box Fan Expo featured some of the most popular fighters and boxing celebrities in recent history. Fans were treated to visits with Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr, Martinez, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Mikey Garcia,Toney, Riddick Bowe, Leon Spinks Terry Norris, Porter, Chris Byrd, Jesse James Leija ,Lamon Brewster, Ray Mercer, Earnie Shavers, St-John, Erislandy Lara, Quillin, Jean Pascal and Austin Trout. Also appearing were current WBC Champion Deontay Wilder, the charismatic Vinny Pazienza, Paul Williams, noted commentator Al Bernstein and trainer Roger Mayweather of Mayweather Promotions.

The roster of attendees for this year’s Box Fan Expo will be announced throughout the next several weeks leading up to the event.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at: http://www.boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

View the official promo video of Box Fan Expo here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/video-2/

View Promo Flyer here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/promo-flyer/

View Photos Gallery 2014 here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/photos/

For anyone in the boxing industry or brand companies who wish to be involved and reserve a booth as an exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Box Fan Expo at:

U.S.A telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

More information on the Box Fan Expo is available at: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

To watch James Toney video about Box Fan Expo go to: http://goo.gl/S8HTDk

You can follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com/BoxFanExpo and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

LUCAS “BIG DADDY” BROWNE believes a fight between Deontay Wilder and Chris Arreola would be bad for heavyweight boxing.

Browne is set to face Argentina’s Gonzalo Basile in Melbourne next month and will turn his attention to his mandatory shot at WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev afterwards.

But he’s hopeful of getting Wilder in the ring before the end of the year and feels it will be a barnburner with potentially two belts on the line.

Wilder is expected to defend his WBC crown against fellow American Chris Arreola in the winter. Browne, however, believes the match-up would do little for the Alabama –native’s reputation and he should instead give fans the fight they really want to see.

“Nobody wants to watch Wilder v Arreola,” Lucas said. “Even if they were giving tickets away, hardly anyone would turn up.

“Wilder is the first American heavyweight champion in years and what people really want to see is him real fights rather than ones against out of shape club fighters like Molina or people who are over the hill like Arreola.

“I mean, Arreola struggled to get a draw with an unknown who looked like a blown-up cruiserweight this past weekend, and now he’s supposed to be next in line for a world title.

“Al Haymon has promised to give fans the best fights and he’d be letting the public down if he gave them weak-chinned Wilder and a guy who doesn’t even look like he takes training seriously.

“I’m mandatory for the WBA title so I’d like a unification after I’ve beaten Chagaev and I hope Wilder will step up to the plate. In fact, I’ll fight him now if wants.”

While the target remains a showdown with Chagaev, Hatton Promotions and Lucas’s management team are willing to speak with the advisor of the WBC to make the fight happen.

LAS VEGAS (July 21, 2015) – Former World Champion Rico Ramos (24-4, 12 KOs) takes on hard-hitting Claudio Marrero (18-1, 13 KOs) in a featherweight battle on Saturday, July 25 at the Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The bout is part of a full night action headlined by a 12-round cruiserweight showdown between Beibut Shumenov (15-2, 10 KOs) and B.J. Flores (31-1-1, 20 KOs). Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with a 10-round contest between undefeated cruiserweights Jordan Shimmell (19-0, 16 KOs) and Isiah Thomas (14-0, 6 KOs).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions are priced at $100.50, $75.50, $50.50, and $20.50, plus applicable fees and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Pearl Box Office at 702-994-3200 or Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Undefeated prospects will faces tough tests Saturday as knockout artist Andrew “The Beast” Tabiti (10-0, 10 KOs) faces Roberto Santos (12-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round cruiserweight bout, 2012 U.S. Olympian Michael Hunter (8-0, 5 KOs) battles Michael Bissett (9-7, 7 KOs)in 10-rounds of heavyweight action and Ladarius “Memphis” Miller (7-0, 1 KO)rounds out the action in a six-round super lightweight contest against Sean Gee (2-0).

A decorated amateur out of Carson, California, Ramos won a super bantamweight world title in 2011 by knocking out Akifumi Shimoda. The 28-year-old owns victories over previously unbeaten fighters Efrain Esquivias and Carlos Ivan Velasquez. He most recently took home a unanimous decision victory over Juan Ruiz in Dec. 2014.

After winning a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games, in addition to several other amateur accolades, the Dominican Republic’s Marrero won the first 14 outings of his pro career. At 26-years-old, he brings a four-fight win streak into this matchup on July 25, including his most recent victory over Orlando Rizo in February.

A 2012 U.S. Olympian who won U.S. Amateur Championships in 2009 and 2007, the 26-year-old Hunter has begun to make a name for himself in the professional ranks since turning pro in 2013. After winning four times in 2014, the Van Nuys, California-native won a unanimous decision over Avery Gibson in February to start 2015 and followed that up by stopping Deon Elam in June. He takes on the 31-year-old Bissett of Biloxi, Mississippi.

Coming off of a thrilling one-punch knockout over Thomas Hanshaw in June, the 25-year-old Tabiti looks to keep his knockout ratio perfect when he returns on July 25. The Chicago-born cruiserweight now fighting out of Las Vegas will face the most experienced fighter of his career when he battles the 26-year-old Mexican Santos.

A slick fighter out of Memphis but fighting out of Las Vegas, Miller is unbeaten since turning pro in 2014. The 21-year-old most recently took home a unanimous decision over Marquis Taylor in April and will return to take on the 27-year-old Portland, Oregon born Gee.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.mayweatherpromotions.com and www.TGBPromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Beibut_Shumenov, @BJFloresBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, @NBCSports, and @PearlAtPalms and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions and www.facebook.com/NBCSports

NEW YORK (July 21, 2015) – Premier Boxing Champions Series (PBC) fighters Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs and Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin added red carpet excitement to last night’s New York City red carpet premiere of boxing movie Southpaw. The fighters walked the red carpet alongside the movie’s stars including Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams and 50 Cent before attending the screening.

Jacobs and Quillin posed for photos with actor Mack Wilds, “Orange is the New Black” star Selenis Leyva and fellow boxing champion Victor Ortiz, who appears in the movie. The fighters, who both call Brooklyn home, also had a chance to catch up with boxing aficionado and Brooklyn-native, actress Rosie Perez.

Jacobs (29-1, 26 KOs) will put his middleweight world title on the line August 1 when he takes on Sergio Mora live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in the second installment of PBC on ESPN.

“I had such an amazing time at the Southpaw premiere” said Jacobs “I’m so happy I was able to take my son Nate with me to walk the red carpet, have our picture taken and enjoy a great movie about boxing.”

Quillin (31-0-1, 22 KOs) will get back in the ring September 6 as part of PBC on CBS.

“From a fighter’s perspective, I thought the movie was really well done,” said Quillin “The story made me reflect on my own boxing career, securing my financial future. It also reminded me of the importance and value of true love and having the right people around you.”

Premier Boxing Champions launched in January 2015 with a commitment to bringing great boxing back to network television. The series currently airs on NBC, NBCSN, CBS, ESPN, Spike and Bounce TV.

Please visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and follow Premier Boxing Champions on Facebook and Twitter. Click HERE for the full PBC schedule and follow #FreeBoxing4All to monitor fan conversation.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Tuesday, July 21, 2015) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions will be returning to action this Friday night at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple, bringing some familiar faces and upcoming stars to the stage. Among the combatants is lightweight Scott “Bang Bang” Burrell (9-2, 6 KOs), who will meet 12-bout veteran Moris Rodriguez in a six-round encounter.

“This training camp has been great,” Burrell stated. “In June, my brother (Dean, his twin) got married, so I had a lot of family here, but I stayed in the gym. Cat (trainer Leon Taylor) is really pushing me, and we have had a really good camp. I’ve learned some new things, and I’ve really pushed myself to the limit. The last three weeks, Joan Guzman joined our training camp, and he’s been helping me out a lot as well. It’s been a special camp, and I’ve had good sparring as well. I’ve pushed myself to the limit with the help of Cat and Guzman, and I feel great, man.”

A winner of six of his last seven fights, Burrell enters Friday night with the opportunity to increase his win total to double digits.

“I was hoping to get my 10th win earlier this year, but circumstances happened. You know how the game goes sometimes,” he remarked. “I’ve been waiting for this. Double digits in a good mark, and I want to push through to that number in style this fight. When you first turn pro, you imagine about getting to your 10th win, and it feels good to be on the verge of achieving that. I just want to get this 10th win in style.”

This contest marks the second consecutive bout for Burrell on an Uprising Promotions card, and he plans to prove why he was quickly invited back on Friday night.

“Expect me to be in great condition, physically and mentally,” he predicted. “We have been completely committed to the victory. As always, I am going to give my absolute best effort, and I am going to come away with the win. Hopefully a knockout, but coming away with the victory is the main thing. Expect to see me in top form and doing whatever I have to do to make this win and this knockout happen.”

Scheduled to headline Friday night’s show is a featherweight scrap between two aggressive fighters, with Dominican fighter Yenifel Vicente (26-3, 18 KOs) facing Manuel de los Reyes Herrera (21-16-1, 15 KOs) of Colombia. With 33 knockouts between the duo, sparks will certainly fly in this bout.

One fighter who no one will want to miss on this card is the New York debut of cruiserweight Alvin Varmall, Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), a power-punching Louisiana native who has seen just two of his six professional victims make it to the second round. All six of his pro bouts have ended via knockout, so fans will want to make sure they are in their seats when the opening bell rings to start a scheduled contest opposite Lamont Capers.

Another key participant on the card is hard-hitting Queens native Joseph Williams (6-0, 5 KOs), who welcomes southpaw Michael Wilmer to New York in light heavyweight action. Also, New York native Jeff Laguree (1-0, 1 KO) will fight in front of his home crowd for the first time when he battles 28-bout veteran David Johnson of Los Angeles in a heavyweight tilt.

Also on the card is a middleweight contest between Akil Auguste (7-1, 6 KOs) and 16-fight veteran Justin Williams, while welterweight Julian Sosa (1-0-1) will face Jose Sanchez and flyweight Timmy Ramos (1-0, 1 KO) will battle Leonel Garcia. Also returning for his second straight appearance on an Uprising Promotions card will be Villi Bello (2-1), a converted mixed martial artist who will square off against Francisco Cruz.

Three significant professional debuts are on tap for Friday night, with must-see pro entrances by middleweight Nikita Miroshnichenko (facing Sean Nurse), welterweight Carlos Adams (facing Jeff Souffrant) and junior middleweight Matthew Armstrong (facing Anton Williamson).

The Brooklyn Masonic Temple is located at 317 Clermont Ave #4 in Brooklyn. The intimate setting ensures that there is not a bad seat in the house, and tickets are priced at $60 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating. There is also a table option with dinner, beer/wine and seating with a celebrity fighter. For pricing on those tables, call (516) 451-6773.

This show, titled Ring of Fire, will continue the initiative of Uprising Promotions to KO Autism, with proceeds from the night getting donated to The School For Language and Communication Development (SLCD) in Glen Cove, New York. This card is being sponsored by Charlie’s Auto Collision in Long Island City, Sleep Inn, Ronson Frank Fitness and Resolution Sports. Doors open at 6:30 PM with the first bout taking place at 7:00 PM.

For more information on Uprising Promotions and to keep up with all of our latest news, make sure to check out www.UprisingPromotions.com and follow us on social media: @UprisingNYC

Macao, China (July 21, 2015) This past Saturday in Macao, China, #1 ranked lightweight contender Denis Shafikov improved to 36-1-1 (20KO’s) with a third round knockout of Roy Mukhlis, 27-5-3 (21KO’s) at the Cotai Arena in Macao, China.

Dropping Mukhlis in the second, Shafikov earned the victory from a barrage of punches resulting in referee Katsuhiko Nakamura stopping the bout at the 1:14 mark of the stanza.

Full fight video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws7fG_vrZJA

“I felt terrific from the start, I was too strong for him and my body punches hurt him,” said Shafikov. “I’m glad to get the win and I look forward to fighting for the world title in my next fight.”

“I’m getting better in each camp with my trainer Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California.”

The International Boxing Federation (‘IBF’) stripped titlist Mickey Bey of its lightweight title after he twice refused to face Shafikov over the last three months.

Bey initially agreed to defend his title on April 30 and again this past Saturday, however Shafikov will now follow the instructions of the IBF to face junior lightweight titlist Rances Barthelemy for the vacant title.

“We will immediately start on Denis’s world title fight with Barthelemy,” said Leo Khorolinsky, manager of Shafikov. “Mickey Bey wasted our time this year with his unprofessional conduct, he never wanted to face Denis in a fight that he knew he couldn’t win.”

“We’re very happy that Denis’ promoter Top Rank was able to have him fight on this card and we look forward to working with them and Ural Boxing Promotions on the world title fight against Barthelemy. We feel Denis is the best lightweight in the world and look forward to giving him the opportunity to prove that.”

ABOUT URAL BOXING PROMOTIONS
Owned by Eugene Vaynshteyn and based in Ural, Russia, included among the world-class professional boxers in the Ural Boxing Promotions’ stable are cruiserweight Murat Gassiev, welterweight Konstantin Ponomarev, junior welterweight Anton Novikov and lightweight Denis Shafikov.

MIAMI (July 21, 2015) – Five-time world champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (31-6, 22 KOs) honestly believes that he is destined to become the oldest world heavyweight champion in boxing history.

Before he gets a world title shot against fellow 1996 Olympian Wladimir Klitschko, the universally recognized world heavyweight champion, Tarver realizes that he has to get past former two-time IBF champion Steve “USS” Cunningham (28-7, 13 KOs) in their 12-round heavyweight showdown August 14 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

WBA #9 Tarver vs. IBF #6/WBC #14 Cunningham is the main event on a Premier Boxing Champions series show airing live on Spike TV, the same network Tarver serves as its boxing color commentator.

“I know my purpose will set me apart from some great champions,” Tarver remarked. “I am supposed to be world heavyweight champion. I don’t know how but I will be world heavyweight champion. I truly believe that it is my destiny. Cunningham can’t stop me and neither can (Deontay) Wilder; he can’t learn enough to beat me. I’ll knock him out and get the one guy I really want to fight, Klitschko. When I beat him it’ll be the greatest story in boxing history. All the disbelievers will have to believe in ‘Magic Man!’

“Three years ago, I was buried six-feet under but they forgot to put dirt on me. Champions have to have resolve. I could have quit a lot of times. My resolve will make me world champion once again. No fighter has ever struggled like me and overcoming those struggles will make me world champion again.”

The ever popular Tarver realizes that, at 46, he isn’t the same fighter he as was in his early to mid-thirties, especially during a four-year, nine-fight murderous stretch between 2002-2006. As one of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters, he shocked nearly invincible Roy Jones, Jr. in two of three fights, split a pair with Glen Johnson, defeated Montell Griffin, Eric Harding and Reggie Johnson, and lost to Bernard Hopkins.

“I know I’m getting older because the calendar flips over once a year,” Tarver said, “but I don’t look at it as me getting old. I’m not saying I don’t wake up in pain during training camp without minor injuries, but nothing can stop me.

“It’s not an accident that I still have my speed and quickness. I am better today in many respects because I’m smarter from all of my experience.”

Known as one of the greatest defensive fighters ever, Tarver is fighting for his legacy and rightful place in the Hall of Fame after he finally retires. And now comes news that he will become a grandfather in September. “When I do decide to retire,” Tarver concluded, “I’ll hand the torch to my son, (undefeated middleweight prospect), Antonio Tarver, Jr.”

Not only does Antonio Tarver believe he’s destined to become the oldest world heavyweight champion, he will become the first to do so as a grandfather.

www.OfficialAntonioTarver.com

@MagicMan5XChamp

LONDON (21 JULY) Reigning British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell one day hopes to win a version of the world middleweight title, but knows such plans will go up in smoke should he lose his Lonsdale belt to Damon Jones on July 25 at Derby Arena.

Still, the talented 24-year-old is allowing himself to dream big and is encouraged by the upcoming WBO world middleweight title fight between Ireland’s Andy Lee and England’s Billy Joe Saunders.

“I’m really looking forward to the fight,” said Blackwell. “They’re both middleweights and they could both be future opponents for me.

“Billy Joe is the better technical boxer. He’s a lot busier. But I think Andy Lee is the one who holds the genuine power and he’s shown that in his last couple of fights. He can be getting outboxed for periods in a fight and then he lands that one punch and it changes the course of the fight completely.

“Billy Joe is going to have to be 12-round fit for this one. I know he can stay switched on and smooth for five or six rounds, but then he can get ragged and make the occasional silly mistake as the fight progresses. If he does that with Andy Lee, he’ll be made to pay. Andy Lee hits hard enough to knock him out.

“I think Billy Joe will win on points or Andy Lee will win by knockout.”

Blackwell concedes he’s still a little way off competing for world titles, but knows that his position as British middleweight champion could prove important in a division chock-full of world-class Brits.

“The whole middleweight division is booming at the moment and there’s a ton of British interest at world-level,” he said. “It’s the division to be in right now. There’s some cracking fights to be made and Andy Lee vs. Billy Joe Saunders is just one of them.

“Further down the line I’d love to get a shot at that WBO title – or any world title – but, at the minute, I’ve still got a lot to learn and I’m still young and progressing. It’s definitely something I want in the future, though.

“When I watch Lee and Saunders fight in September, I’ll definitely be thinking, that could be me fighting either of these for the WBO title one day. It’s mental how quickly things change in boxing. This time last year I hadn’t even signed with Mick Hennessy and now I’m British middleweight champion and headlining a bill on Channel 5. Imagine where I’ll be this time next year.

“I’ve got to focus on Damon Jones for now and get that fight over and done with. Then I can sit down and watch Lee and Saunders do their thing and imagine one day fighting for the world title.”

*** Tickets for Blackwell vs. Jones can be purchased from the Derby Arena Box Office on 01332 255800 or by visiting www.derbylive.co.uk ***

*** Blackwell vs. Jones will be televised live on Channel 5 on July 25 (10pm), while the supporting undercard will be televised live earlier in the evening on Spike (8pm) ***

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Manuel Rey Rojas is set to fight Chris Singleton for the vacant Universal Boxing Organization Latino Lightweight title on Saturday August 8, 2015 at the Waco Convention Center in Waco, Texas.

Fighting out of Dallas Texas, Rojas turned professional in 2011 and racked up nine straight victories before hitting a rough patch in 2014, losing twice in a row on points to Alexis Del Bosque (4-2) in Forth Worth and Casey Ramos (18-0) in San Antonio.

However, the Ramos bout proved that he is capable of competing against top opponents, he bounced back with two inside-the-distance victories this year, taking his record to 11-2 (4 KOs) and lining up the championship bout against Singleton.

Chris Singleton, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, entered the paid ranks late at 26 years old in 2010, and won his first twelve fights before coming up short against tough Georgian contender Levan Ghvamichava (11-1-1) last year.

He has since won three of his last four, and is coming off a victory over Chris Gray in June. He will step into what will also be his first title fight at 15-2 (7 KOs).

The Rojas vs. Singleton UBO Latino title fight will headline a show promoted by Jesse Rodriguez Promotions and Cavalry Knockout.

CONTACT: Mack Roberts, UBO USA Commissioner, Email: ubo1usa@gmail.com

More info on: www.uboboxing.com

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ORANGE, Calif. (July 20, 2015) – Rising super bantamweight talent Danny Roman (14-2-1, 5 KOs) stars in Thompson Boxing Promotions’ “Locked n’ Loaded” 10-round main event against the battle tested Daniel Ortega (27-9-1, 15 KOs) this Friday, July 24, from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Roman, who is from the Southern California suburb of Garden Grove, will try to get his hands on the vacant NABA Super Bantamweight Title.

Winner of seven straight, Roman has been dismantling opponents with his savvy boxing skills. He’s already won three times this year, with the wins coming against well-respected veterans Chris Martin (May), Giovanni Caro (April), and Miguel Tamayo (March).

Perhaps the most impressive of those victories came against the San Diego-based Martin. The landslide points victory solidified Roman’s reputation as a young force in the hyper-competitive super bantamweight division.

“A lot of people were wondering why we would take a chance against such an experienced boxer in Martin,” said the 25-year-old Los Angeles native. “But we weren’t worried at all. I need fights like these for people to see what I can do.”

Ortega, Friday’s opponent, follows the same narrative of Roman’s previous three fights – seasoned veteran with knockout ability. If Roman hopes to continue his win streak that dates back to last year, he’ll have to carefully study Ortega in the opening rounds. The 10-round fight is also the first of Roman’s career.

“Ortega has a lot of experience so I’m sure he’s going to show me different looks,” Roman said. “It’s up to me to figure him out quickly and make some damage.”

In the co-feature, Isaac Zarate (11-1-1, 1 KO), another talented super bantamweight from the Los Angeles area, takes on Jesus Serrano (7-2-2, 5 KOs) of Mexico in an 8-round fight. Zarate has won four straight and is just starting to come into his own as a boxer.

“I’ve been improving with every fight,” said Zarate, a southpaw. “I like to start fast and give the fans at the Doubletree a great performance.”

Other action on the card includes an 8-round fight between welterweights Hector Serrano (18-3, 6 KOs) and Miguel Zuniga (13-6, 8 KOs).

Featherweight Jose Haro (9-1-1, 6 KOs) looks for a win against Jair Quintero (4-5-2) (6-rounds). Also, local lightweight Erick Ituarte (10-1-1, 2 KOs) finds himself in his own 6-round fight with Pedro Lopez (4-1, 1 KO).

Opening the “Locked n’ Loaded” show are flyweights Javier Lapizco (7-1, 2 KOs) and Luis Almendarez (3-3).

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, find us on Google+ and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

PHOENIX – July 18, 2015 – The story of The Underdog is a familiar one in boxing. Stories of hard luck, bad decisions and redemption prevail among picturesque pre-fight television montages. Mikayla Nebel’s story was never going to be an “Underdog” story, despite its familiar beginnings.

Never having known her father, Mikayla was raised by her mother, who remarried when Mikayla was four. Shortly after marrying, she had two daughters, Nebel’s half sisters. As her mother focused more and more of her attention on her younger children and new husband, Nebel grew up with the realization that she was likely going to be navigating life on her own. This revelation was the catalyst that brought Nebel to a boxing gym for the first time when she was 16 years old. “I wasn’t going to be a victim of my circumstances,” said the articulate young fighter. “If I was going to be on my own, I was going to know how to protect myself.” Nebel had worked at a local grocery store since she was 14, and began using the fruits of her labor to purchase boxing lessons at Sweet Science Boxing in Columbus, Ohio.

What began as simply an effort to take control of her own destiny became a life pursuit. “Every day I’d become more and more engulfed in my training, in my desire to learn more,” said Nebel. After only seven amateur fights, all of which she won, Nebel made her professional debut in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, the hometown of her opponent. She lost a unanimous decision that was shrouded in controversy, and so began a rocky start to her professional career, losing several controversial decisions in the hometowns of her foes.

After having managed her own career, fighting anyone who was put in front of her, Nebel was at a crossroads. Without excuses, and with a tenacity that would become a hallmark of her persona, she packed up and moved across country to the mecca of boxing, Las Vegas. Alone in in the city at only 21 years old, she sought out Mayweather Boxing Club with the intention of getting in front of someone who could get her career on the right path. It was there she connected with Roger Mayweather, uncle and trainer of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. “From the first day we worked together, I knew I’d made the right decision,” said Nebel of the chemistry with Mayweather. “Every day I’d walk into the gym, and he’d make a beeline to me and ask if I was ready to work. He’d call out the other fighters in the gym, and say ‘She’s got more talent and technique than any of you.’”

In October, 2014, in Washington DC, Nebel secured her first victory in her first fight after joining the Mayweather Gym, validating what had been a tough and bold decision to make the cross-country move. It was during this fight that she caught the eye of Paul Sargenti, CEO of SAFE Security, who would become Nebel’s advisor. “I had the plate, the fork, the knife, the A1 sauce. I was just missing the steak,” said Nebel. “The steak” was a guide to navigate the tough political waters of boxing. Sargenti helped Nebel connect with Arizona-based Iron Boy Promotions who signed a promotional contract with Nebel.

Scheduled to fight on Iron Boy 23, July 25th at Celebrity Theatre, Nebel plans to donate a portion of her purse to Paw Placement Animal Rescue. Her promoter, Iron Boy Promotions, plans to match her donation. “Rescuing dogs is a huge passion of mine, particularly pit bulls.” She has two red nosed pit bulls of her own that she rescued, along with a rat terrier mix that she found and adopted. She spends her free time volunteering at the Animal Foundation in Las Vegas. “There is a huge breed misconception. These animals are raised to be aggressive, and when something goes wrong, they blame the animal instead of the person caring for it.” The passion in her voice is palpable. “I don’t have a car, and when I’m out riding my bike to the gym, I’ll come across a dog, and I have to stop and help. I’ll track down the owners, call animal control, or foster them until I can help them find a good home. I can’t help it.”

It doesn’t take much to see the parallels between rescuing pit bulls and Nebel’s own life. What might have been a predictable outcome was thwarted by determination and the addition of guidance and support. In Nebel’s case, the guidance and support of Mayweather, Sargenti and Iron Boy Promotions, and in the pit bulls’ case, the guidance and support of Nebel herself and others like her.

Nebel’s bright smile and innocent face belie a hard edge, fraught from being abandoned by her father, shut out by her mother, and betrayed by a sport that sometimes values connections over hard work and talent. Nebel has prevailed…not as an underdog, but as the master of her own destiny, navigating the ebbs and flows of her life and boxing career with confidence and maturity. This Saturday, Nebel will demonstrate to Arizona fans her will and desire to leave it all in the ring for the fans and for the sport she considers her destiny.

Nebel fights July 25th at Iron Boy 23 at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. Tickets are priced $30, 50 and 65 and are available at www.ironboyboxing.com or at the Celebrity Theatre Box Office.

Lucas Matthysse will take on Viktor Postol for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight title on October 3 in Carson, California and will be televised by HBO, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“There’s a deal in place, and we have the arena reserved. It’s going to be a great fight,” Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya told ESPN.com after cutting a deal with Top Rank, which co-promotes Postol with Ukraine’s Elite Promotions. “The way I see it, any Lucas Matthysse fight … always calls for action. We’ve seen him in wars. We don’t know much about Postol. The United States hasn’t seen him in wars, but come Oct. 3, people are going to know Postol and know he is a strong fighter.”

“It’s a really interesting fight, style-wise,” said Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti, who negotiated the deal with Golden Boy’s Eric Gomez. “You have a long, tall, strong fighter in Postol, who would give any 140-pounder problems. And Matthysse is clearly one of the top 140-pounders in the world. Just because Postol isn’t well known doesn’t mean he isn’t one of the top 140-pounders as well.”

The fight will headline an HBO-televised doubleheader, although De La Hoya said he is still in the process of finalizing the deal with the network.

“We’re working through it, but it will get done,” De La Hoya said.

De La Hoya said the co-feature will be another junior welterweight bout, this one matching hot prospect Antonio Orozco and veteran contender Humberto Soto, a former junior lightweight and lightweight world titleholder.

“It was a great knockout and it shows you that Postol has the ability to do that, and Matthysse isn’t the hardest guy in the world to hit, so it should be interesting,” Moretti said.

Added De La Hoya, “It calls for an entertaining fight, a fight with a lot of action. This is the perfect fight at the perfect venue. Matthysse is exciting. He’s a power puncher. So it should be a dangerous fight for both guys, which is what Golden Boy is all about.

“I know Postol is a strong fighter, but at the same time, he has that long reach and that long jab, which makes him dangerous. It’s going to be up to Matthysse to break him down, figure him out and make the fight work in his favor.”

De La Hoya said Soto’s knee is healed and that he will be prepared for Orozco.

“He’s had a couple of bad-luck situations recently, but he’s motivated and ready to go,” De La Hoya said. “We feel Orozco is ready for this kind of fight. We feel this is the perfect step for him. It’s dangerous fight for both guys, but it’s a great fight for the fans.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, undefeated former Olympic Gold Medal winner Anthony Joshua will take on Gary Cornish on September 12 in London in a battle of undefeated Heavyweights for the Commonwealth title.

“There’s no turning back now,” Joshua said. “I thought I would need three years to learn and make mistakes, so I am ahead of schedule. Gary won’t just talk a good game like Kevin Johnson. He’s undefeated and will bring it on the night because he’s got confidence of an unbeaten fighter and he’ll bring the best out of me, and I’ll do the same for him.

“The date has given me a chance to recover my body from May 30 and have a nice long camp for Sept. 12, so I expect to be at my explosive best on the night. Gary brings the Scottish crowd, who are unbelievable, and I hope they travel down as it’s going to be a great night.”

Said Hearn: “It’s two unbeaten heavyweights, and an Englishman versus Scotsman, so this is going to be a great build-up.

“As Anthony said, Gary won’t just talk about fighting and run. Gary believes that this is a 50-50 fight, and I expect him to approach the night accordingly, and he’s going to bring passionate fans down with him.”

“I’m very hungry for this fight,” Cornish said. “We’ve both beaten what has been put in front of us, no more, no less. My KO record is building because I’ve found my power now and I know I will cause him more problems than everyone else he’s boxed, combined. We’re a step up in class for each other. I know that I am the underdog, but I would not be here if I didn’t believe I could beat him and beat him convincingly.

“If I wanted to fight him for the money, I would wait until next year when I would be 26-0 and the fight might be for more than one belt. I am ready now and I’ll prove it on Sept. 12. I know what I have to do. I am not looking forward to the camp because I know how hard I have to work to be ready for this fight, but I will put that work in and more because that’s the only way I know how to train

“I could’ve found Gary 20 more wins no problem, but he wanted this fight and he’s so excited,” said Tommy Gilmour, Cornish’s promoter. “Gary has been accused sometimes of fighting patsies but it’s never been the case. Because the way he goes about his job, he has made them look ordinary.

“Yes, it would be an upset, but Gary has never lost. He doesn’t know what it feels like to lose, and he doesn’t want to. If Anthony doesn’t KO Gary inside one or two rounds then people will ask questions of him. All the pressure is on him, but don’t underestimate Gary.”

Winter Park, Florida (July 20, 2015) – Payano vs. Warren: Premier Boxing Champions – The Next Round on Bounce TV debuts Sunday, August 2 at 9:00 p.m. ET on Bounce TVfrom the state-of-the-art performance venue, Full Sail Live, on the campus of Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida with tickets going on sale Monday, July 20.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing and Sampson Boxing, are on sale and priced at $50 for reserved seating and $25 for general admission and can be purchased by calling Warriors Boxing at (954) 985-1155 or by visiting warriorsboxing.com. Tickets can also be purchased through Ticket Force by calling (877) 840-0457 or by clicking HERE.

The main event of the evening will be a 12-round Bantamweight World Championship fight between Juan Carlos “Baby Pacquiao”Payano (16-0, 8 KOs) and Rau’shee “Nuke” Warren (13-0, 4 KOs). Both fighters are Olympians – Payano for the Dominican Republic and Cincinnati southpaw Warren, a three-time Olympian for the United States. Each fighter brings an undefeated record to the battle for the title.

The co-feature is a two-fight tournament in the junior middleweight division: A 10-round match where Olympic Silver medalist Yudel Jhonson (17-1, 9 KOs) takes on the knockout machine Jorge Cota (24-1, 22 KOs), plus 10-rounds of Olympian John Jackson (19-2, 15 KOs) battling Dennis Laurente (49-5, 30 KOs). The winners of the two bouts will face-off on a date to be announced soon.

PBC – The Next Round will be a monthly series on Bounce TV and will showcase the sport’s future stars and potential champions. Bounce TV is the nation’s first-ever over-the-air broadcast television network designed for African-American (AA) audiences and is seen free on the digital broadcast signals of local television stations and corresponding cable carriage. Bounce TV has become the fastest-growing AA network on television and the #2 most watched. The network is available in more than 85 million homes across 90 markets, 90% of African American television homes — including all of the top AA television markets — and three quarters of the total television homes in the United States. Bounce TV features a programming mix of original and off-network series, theatrical motion pictures, specials, live sports and more.

# # #

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@BounceTV, @JC_Payano, @RauSheeWarren, @WarriorsBoxingProm @Fullsail and @Swanson_Comm and follow the conversation using #PBConBounce, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/BounceTV, www.Facebook.com/fullsailuniversity and www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo.

Nutley, NJ (July 20, 2015) – This past Friday night at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, Jerry Odom (13-2, 12 KO’s) was stopped in three rounds by Samuel Clarkson (15-3, 9 KO’s) in what was supposed to be a fight contested in the Super Middleweight division.

Odom of Washington, DC did his part to meet his contractual obligation and made the 168 pound contracted weight. Unfortunately Clarkson checked in over 4 pounds higher at 172.8

At the morning- after weigh in, Clarkson was only supposed to be 10 pounds over the contracted weight and could not come in over 180 but once again was overweight at 184.6 pounds. Odom was 173 pounds.

When they stepped on the unoffical scale just a few hours before the fight, Odom was 175.8 while Clarkson 189.7.

Knowing that the fight was to be on national television as part of ShoBox: The New Generation, GH3 Promotions President Vito Melnicki, while taking nothing away from the results wants the world to know that he made a bad business decision and shoulders the blame on himself for letting Odom go through with the contest.

“I should have cut the fight at the weigh in but I let my fighter make the final decision and Jerry wanted to fight. I thought about it but wanted to give Jerry the opportunity to showcase that he is one of the best Super Middleweights out there,” Said Mielnicki.

“I still believe in Jerry as much if not more then I did before the fight. He showed that he wont back down from anybody. He was in there with a Cruiserweight and against my better judgement, I let the fight happen. I signed options with Clarkson and I am looking to do the rematch on television at the proper weight of 168 pounds. If he knew that he would be coming in so over the weight limit, being professional he could have come to us and we could have worked it out so Jerry did not have sweat off the final pounds for the last two days before the weigh in. That was his way of giving himself a better chance to win the fight. Look at some the pre fight pictures and interviews, Jerry was as dried out and drained as he could have got, yet Clarkson looked fresh as a daisy. We will look to have a rematch on television in the next four months.”

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight Champion John Thompson, Jr., undefeated Welterweight Jerrell Harris,undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad, lightweight Oscar Bonilla, Heavyweight Natu Visinia, Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell and Jr. Lightweight O’Shanique Foster to the GH3 Promotions stable.

LAS VEGAS (July 20, 2015) – Nearly one year ago, former World Boxing Association (WBA) Light Heavyweight World champion Beibut Shumenov (15-2, 10 KOs) made two critical decisions that are now paying dividends as the 2004 Kazakhstan Olympian prepares for this Saturday night’s (July 25) showdown with B.J. Flores (31-1-1, 20 KOs) at The Palms in Shumenov’s adopted home of Las Vegas.

First, after struggling to lose weight in order to make the 175-pound light heavyweight limit, which often left Shumenov weakened during his fights, he decided to move up one weight class to fight as a cruiserweight. Then, after self-training himself for three fights, Shumenov started working with highly-regarded Cuban head trainer Ismael Salas, who also trains World Boxing Council (WBC) World Lightweight Champion Jorge Linares. He has also handled present and past world champions such as Guillermo Rigondeaux, Yuriokis Gamboa, Danny Green, and Jesse Vargas.

With Salas in his corner for the first time, Shumenov made his cruiserweight debut last December at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in which Bobby Thomas, Jr. (14-2, 9 KOs) retired after the fifth round when he could no longer take an old-fashioned beating.

These two aforementioned critical decisions have already positioned WBA No. 1-ranked Shumenov to fight WBA No. 3-rated Flores for the interim WBA cruiserweight title, headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event to air live on NBCSN.

Shumenov is a physical specimen, impressively cut with bulging muscles. However, as he aged, the constant wear and tear associated with making weight – it’s much more difficult to lose muscle than fat – simply became too much for him to overcome. When he first came to the United States eight years ago, ironically, he thought about fighting as a heavyweight or cruiserweight, but he ultimately decided to fight as a light heavyweight. He went on to set the world light heavyweight record for fewest career fights, 10, needed to become world light heavyweight champion

“Since moving up to cruiserweight,” Shumenov said, “I have had no problems making weight. No stress at all! All I think about now is how I can be a better fighter. I really enjoy being a cruiserweight and I have only positive energy at the gym.”

Salas agrees that Shumenov is comfortable and effective fighting as a world-class cruiserweight. “Beibut has adapted very well to fighting in the cruiserweight class,” Salas noted. “It is due to his healthy way of working hard and eating well. He doesn’t struggle anymore to make weight. Plus, he still has good mobility and power punching ability.”

The connection between Shumenov and Salas was immediate, largely due to a similar boxing program Shumenov learned in Kazakhstan, Salas in Cuba, which focus on fundamentals.

“Ismael is the coach I dreamed of finding,” Shumenov remarked. “We have a lot of similarities in our boxing school background. We had chemistry right away, from the first day of training. I also have two assistant coaches, Jeff Grmoja and Rodney Crisler, and we all discuss and share our boxing knowledge as a team to help me become a better fighter. We now all think as one.”

Salas agrees with Shumenov about their instant connection, adding: “It is true that we come from very similar training systems. We’ve added a professional approach to training, stressing the fundamentals of boxing skills. Add Beibut’s mental strength and all his hard work to be prepared in the ring to adjust, in approximately 10 months, and we have a new team that works so well together.”

On paper, Flores may have an experience advantage over Shumenov – 33 pro fights to 17 – but Shumenov has faced a much higher quality of opposition having fought in eight (6-2) world title fights. In his 17 pro fights, Shumenov has fought five world champions and five world title challengers. Flores lost to the only world champion he’s fought, then-IBO cruiserweight Danny Green.

“We’re prepared to face anything BJ Flores will bring, so I believe it’ll be an exciting, competitive fight between two experienced fighters,” Salas concluded. “The first few rounds may be a like a master chess game.”

Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

LONDON (20 JULY) Leeds’ Damon Jones claims he will win the British middleweight title this Saturday (July 25) at Derby Arena in memory of his late father, Gareth, who sadly passed away last October.

The unbeaten challenger faces champion Nick Blackwell in what will be his first title fight and, despite a difficult last nine months, believes he has come to terms with his tragic loss and is more than ready to lift the Lonsdale belt.

“Mentally, I’m in the best place I’ve ever been,” said Jones, 13-0 (3 KOs). “I had a lot going on before my last fight (a technical decision win over Grant Cunningham in February). My father passed away in October and I wasn’t really in a good place, let alone in a good frame of mind to box. But I feel like I’m back in the right frame of mind and I couldn’t feel better, mentally, ahead of this fight with Blackwell.”

For a while Jones, 22, wondered whether he’d ever be able to box again. It certainly would never be the same again – not without his father by his side.

“My dad was a big inspiration in my life,” he said. “He was the person who got me into boxing. He never missed any of my fights. He’d travel up and down the country to take me to fights as an amateur and he continued to follow me and support me in the pros. He was the guy who was behind me 100% – a really supportive parent.”

Jones’ father had a terminal illness and, within a month of being diagnosed, tragically passed away.

“He went from a fifteen stone man to a seven stone man within the space of a month,” said Jones. “It was horrible to see.

“It was tough at the time – and it took some getting over – but now I’m doing it all for him. I’m boxing for him and I’ll be winning the British title on July 25 for him.

“I’ve had so much going on in the last year, and have had to overcome so much, there’s just no way I’m losing to Nick Blackwell. I’ve put everything into this fight and I’m not going home without that British title.

“My dad knows how much it means to me and he’ll be watching down with a lot of pride, I’m sure.”

*** Tickets for Blackwell vs. Jones can be purchased from the Derby Arena Box Office on 01332 255800 or by visiting www.derbylive.co.uk ***

*** Blackwell vs. Jones will be televised live on Channel 5 on July 25 (10pm), while the supporting undercard will be televised live earlier in the evening (8pm) on Spike ***

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS
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By Bart Barry-

Last week British super middleweight Carl “The Cobra” Froch announced his retirement, ending an unusually fine contemporary prizefighting career on an unusually high note. Froch’s final instant in a prizefight was his best – spearchiseling George Groves in a full Wembley Stadium on May 31, 2014 – and if Froch needed 14 months to be certain that was so, it’s altogether forgivable.

We like best the athletes to whom we relate best, superficially, profoundly, however – those men who exhibit qualities we like in ourselves but more so. To love Froch, one didn’t have to be an arrogant bastard reveling in expressions of masculinity, no. But it sure did help.

My favorite moment of Carl Froch’s career came not in a fight but a chat with fellow Brit George Groves, whom Froch stopped twice, and came in the leadup to their aforementioned, and in Froch’s case aforereiterated and aforereiterated, rematch. It wasn’t any one word or phrase or look or gesture, the second half of their chat was rich with too many, but rather the way Froch looked inside at himself, a posture he adopts often – for no one is as enchanted by the thought of Carl Froch as Carl Froch – and followed a process like: Perhaps this guy does know something about me that eludes me, maybe I am not everything I believe I am. No, wait, what could I believe – not imagine, but actually believe – I am that I am not? I stand by my belief, I am as I say I am, and I’ll hear no more dissent.

Froch bent where Groves was rigid, Froch examined himself from Groves’ seat, considered himself in an unfamiliar light, then invested his conclusion – he’s wrong about me, and I’m right – with even greater force. Then Froch imposed himself on George Groves, and before 80,000 of his countrymen, a lamplike number summoning its genie no matter how often Froch rubs it, Froch struck Groves with the best punch of his career, reducing Groves from petulant rival to beginner origami.

In an instant Froch had a chance to end his career at its highest moment, something nearly no boxer has done in our sport’s deep history, and one feared he mighn’t – that what he calls the “fighting machine” he makes himself into might cause a sloppy thing with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., ever a sloppy thing, or a decision loss to Gennady Golovkin (if Golovkin could take Froch’s power in the later rounds, something Golovkin’s resume does nothing to assure). Instead, Froch looked inside at himself once more, projecting the relentlessness and brutality and boredom and doubt of a championship-caliber training camp, and realized there was little in life he desired less than another experience like that.

Boxing has so very few happy endings it should fill aficionados with gratitude much as any other emotion th’t Froch left our sport with wealth and wits, accomplishment and vindication.

The third time I saw Froch fight, his painfully forgettable tilt with PBC prototype Andre Dirrell – 10 parts athlete for every one part fighter – I wrote, “(Froch) really wants to fight even if he often seems not to know how.” That desire to fight, to lower his head and swim forward winging wide punches at a rate proportionate to his fatigue, was what made Froch unique, in large part because it actually worked.

Men who have never fought, who’ve not clenched their hands in fists and punched men square in the face, often beseech others in a fight to race forward with lunatic aggression, consequences to the wind. For reasons psychology understands well as biology, though, a man in a fair fight is more frightened of having his reputation harmed than his person; embarrassment concerns him more than pain. Only fighters who’ve planned to race forward wildly, and prepared themselves for the feat, can turn the trick in hot blood. All the rest of us stall, our frustration steering us towards paralysis, to a point where we approach targethood and view another man’s aggression, another man’s attempt at our unconsciousness, that is, favorably, almost thankfully – like Oscar De La Hoya silently beseeching Manny Pacquiao to knock him out because such an end would be multiples more honorable than quitting in full consciousness like De La Hoya did in his final instant as a prizefighter.

Froch was one man who did what the inexperienced ask every prizefighter to do: No matter how tired he was, Froch pressed forward wildly, not hopelessly, in a bid to take confrontations wholly out of the organized athletic realm and into something more primal. Subsequently, even Froch’s losses ended nobly. Review his 11th round with Andre Ward, when the eventual winner of the Super Six tournament – on a once-excellent network that no longer fears embarrassment – and one of this generation’s great fighters, Ward, desperately clinches, his mouth wide open, his knees softened. The final three minutes of Froch’s only other career loss, when he got decisioned narrowly in 2010 by Mikkel Kessler during the same Super Six, a loss Froch avenged just as narrowly in 2013, are a symphony of blood and violence and will, both men leaking from deep cuts over their eyes, neither man appearing to care who gets rendered unconscious so long as someone does.

During the 3 1/2-year prime of his prizefighting career, Froch went 7-2 (2 KOs) against Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson, Andre Ward and Lucian Bute. No man with Carl Froch’s talent did more great fighting, no contemporary prizefighter, in other words, wrung more from his natural ability. The Nottinghamshire Cobra will be missed sorely.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

EL PASO, TX (July 19, 2015) – In his first 8-round bout, undefeated Super-Featherweight sensation, Mario Barrios (10-0, 5 KOs), cruised to a sound victory against Arturo Esquivel (9-3, 2 KOs), to record his tenth win. The impressive conquest took place this past Saturday at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas on the PBC on CBS event, headlined by Carl Frampton vs. Alejandro Gonzalez Jr.

Using his tremendous height and reach advantage, Barrios controlled the action with a long jab and precise combinations. Esquivel, who was the naturally bigger man, wasn’t able to land any clean punches on Barrios, who won every round. Scorecards read 80-72 across the board.

“Going eight rounds for the first time was a great learning experience for me.” said Mario Barrios, who is managed by Al Haymon. “I was able to pace myself throughout the entire fight and never got tired. I could have gone four more rounds if this was a twelve round fight. Esquivel is a very tough fighter and I’m glad we both came out healthy. I’ll be ready to get back in the ring as soon as Haymon has another date for me. I’m very thankful for all the opportunities Haymon Boxing has given me.”

Nonito Donaire scored an easy 2 round stoppage over Anthony Settoul in a scheduled 10-round Super Bantamweight bout at the Cotai Arena at the Venetian in Macao, China.

Donaire dropped Settoul in round one with a right hand. In round two, Donaire dumped Settoul with a left hook. When Settoul got to his feet he was unsteady and the fight was stopped at 1:41 of round two.

Donaire, 123 lbs of General Santos City, Philippines is now 35-3 with 23 knockouts. Settoul, 123 kbs of Calirmont, FRA is 20-4..

2012 U.S. Olympian Jose Ramirez remained perfect by stopping Ryushi Yoshida after three rounds of their scheduled 8-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Ramirez, 141 lbs of Avneal, CA is 15-0 with 12 knockouts. Yoshida, 141 lbs of Japan si 26-8.

Kuok Kun Ng scored a 4th round stoppage over Phompetch Twins Gym in a scheduled six round Welterweight bout.

In round four, NG dropped Twin with a right hand. Secinds later he finished it by depositing Gym on the floor from a perfect left uppercut at the fight was stopped at 2:02 of round four.

NG, 146 lbs of Macao, CHN is now 8-0 with 4 knockouts. Gym, 146 lbs of Bangkok, THA is 6-4.

Rex Tso scored a 4th round stoppage over Khunkhiri Wor Wisa Routh in a scheduled 8-round Bantamweight bout.

Tso put sustained punishment on Wisaruth in the final round and the fight was stopped at 2:55 of round four.

Tso, 116 lbs of Hong Kong, CHN is 17-0 with 10 knockouts. Wisaruth, 119 lbs of Bangkok, THA is 21-12-1.

ORANGE, Calif. (July 18, 2015) – In a bout that perhaps should not have ended the way that it did, WBA Lightweight Champion Darleys Perez (32-1-1, 20 KOs) retained his world title with a draw against Anthony Crolla (29-4-3, 11 KOs) at the Manchester Arena in England on Saturday night.

The Colombian-born Perez, who was fighting in Crolla’s hometown, had one judge score the fight in his favor (114-113), while another had it for Crolla (116-111). The third judge had it even at 113-113.

Perez, however, was deducted one point on two separate occasions for low blows. If not for the deductions, Perez would have won a majority decision.

“It’s unfortunate that the fight ended in a draw, but sometimes that happens in boxing,” said Perez, who is co-promoted by Thompson Boxing Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions. “I’m going to regroup from this and come back stronger and more determined.”

“We believe Darleys Perez put on an outstanding performance,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing Promotions. “He connected with his jab frequently and had his left hook working all night. The draw isn’t a fantastic result, but he keeps the world championship.”

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, find us on Google+ and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

PROVIDENCE (July 18, 2015) – The long awaited ring return for undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (21-0, 14 KOs) has, unfortunately, hit another roadblock as Anthony “The Man” Mundine (47-7, 27 KOs) has reneged on an agreement to challenge Andrade next month in his native Australia.

“We agreed to terms with Mundine’s promoter but have heard nothing back since then,” 27-year-old Andrade explained. “Mundine calls out (Floyd) Mayweather but he won’t take a legitimate WBO World title fight at 154 pounds in his own country? Same old story, I guess. Everybody wants something until they have a chance to really get it.”

“Anthony Mundine’s team had one of those careful-what-you-wish-for moments,” Andrade’s manager Ed Farris noted, “in which Demetrius accepted all of their requested terms, including Demetrius putting up his WBO belt to fight Mundine on his own home turf. After previously agreeing to fight Andrade, Mundine’s team has now had a change of heart, and they apparently are looking to fight a lesser opponent.”

Andrade hasn’t fought since he destroyed WBO No. 1 mandatory contender Brian Rose (25-1-1) in seven rounds on June 14, 2014. Unable to lure either Mayweather or Miquel Cotto into a mega-fight, nor WBO No. 1 contender Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, or even a unification with WBA champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara, 2008 U.S. Olympian Andrade believed that he finally had a title defense locked in for next month against former two-time super middleweight world champion Mundine.

“I don’t understand,” a frustrated Andrade added. “We offered this guy a chance to win the championship of the world in his home country and he looked for a way out instead? What kind of fighter is he? Any real fighter would do anything for that kind of an opportunity.”

Follow Demetrius Andrade on Twitter @AndradeATeam or @BooBooBoxing.