January 8, 2014 -This Saturday January 11, The City of Hollister and Six-Time world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, join forces to help save lives by adding people of all races to the “Be The Match” marrow registry. The event will take place at The Vault located at 452 San Benito St. in Hollister California from 3:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. The goal is to register as many people as possible and raise money in a quest to save the lives of patients with diseases like leukemia, lymphoma or sickle cell anemia.

Robert Guerrero was the 2013 “Ambassador of Hope” for Be The Match, a nonprofit organization that connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant.

“I encourage everyone to come out and join me at this very important event,” said Robert Guerrero. “The procedure to join the marrow registry is very simple, and painless. It will be my life long quest to help as many people join so come on out and help save a life.”

The Ghost will be present from 3:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m. A silent action will also be held to benefit “Be The Match”. For more information on how to be a donor visit www.BeTheMatch.org.

New York, NY (1/8/14) – On Friday, January 31, DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions, will host that week’s edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra from the Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange, NJ. The card, which will be taking place on the much anticipated Super Bowl weekend at MetLife Stadium, will be headlined by highly regarded undefeated light heavyweight contender Blake Caparello (18-0-1, 6KO’s) squaring off against former world title challenger and longtime contender Elvir Muriqi (40-5, 24KO’s) in a 10-round light heavyweight matchup.

In the scintillating co-feature, exciting super bantamweights Luis Rosa (14-0, 6KO’s) and Jorge Diaz (17-2, 10KO’s) meet in an absolute can’t-miss 10-round showdown.

ESPN will begin live coverage at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN.

“I am very excited to be signing with DiBella Entertainment. I have always wanted to fight in the USA and test myself against the world’s best. With DiBella Entertainment as my promoter all this is now possible. I can’t wait to make my US TV debut on ESPN,” proclaimed Caparello.

Caparello continued, “I have sat down with the team and we have taken a good look at Muriqi. He’s a very tough and experienced opponent but these are the type of guys I need to beat if I’m going to make it to the next level. Come fight night the team will have a plan in place that will get us the win.”

“What I know about Caparello is that he’s from Australia, he is a southpaw and is a good fighter. Cararello is undefeated, so a win like this, can put me right back in the mix. I’m glad that Greg Cohen, Vito Mielnickiand Lou DiBella are giving me a chance to fight this kind of fight on TV. I’m excited about it. Fighting an undefeated fighter is like solving a puzzle and I’m looking forward to it,” said Muriqi.

“Caparello is a young gun in the 175 lb. division who has some major wins but hasn’t yet been exposed in the U.S. This is a chance for him to show his skill, on the biggest stage, against a battle tested American veteran. We are excited to be in New Jersey Super Bowl weekend, as the atmosphere should be electric.”

“Fans of ESPN Friday Night Fights have come to expect good action fights and this card certainly promises to deliver on that account,” said Brian Kweder, senior director of programming and acquisitions at ESPN.

The 27-year-old southpaw Caparello, nicknamed “Il Capo” was a perfect 4-0 in 2013 and is coming off his most impressive victory to date, a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Allan Green. Caparello’s career has seen him take a much more aggressive approach in the pro ranks than most prospects. In just his third bout, Caparello was competing in eight-round Australian title fights. The only blemish on his record came back in 2010 when he battled fellow undefeated prospect Shane McConville to a highly controversial 10-round split decision draw for the Australian light heavyweight title in Caparello’s sixth pro fight. Caparello controlled that action against the more experienced and hometown favorite McConville and seemingly won the decision decisively, with one judge scoring the bout a convincing 99-92 in Caparello’s favor. Unfortunately, the other two judges scored the bout 95-94 and 95-95, resulting in the split draw.

Not to be deterred, Caparello was back in action just three months later, winning an impressive eight-round unanimous decision over 12-1 Michael Bolling. In just his 10th professional fight, Caparello picked up the interim OPBF light heavyweight title with a conclusive 12-round unanimous decision over Joseph Kwadjo (20-4) who previously had stopped former world title challenger Jamie Pittman.

Caparello is currently riding a 13-bout winning streak, including handing fellow light heavyweight world-rated contender (WBO #14) Robert Berridge (22-1-1, 18KO’s) the lone loss on his record via 10-round unanimous decision. Caparello is looking to make an immediate splash in the US to throw his name into the exciting light heavyweight mix, when he takes on the dangerous and much more experienced Muriqi. Caparello is currently training in Las Vegas, serving as one of the lead sparring partners for Jean Pascal and has been garnering rave reviews. An impressive victory over Muriqi, who has been featured on US national TV on several occasions, will force the light heavyweight division to take notice of the skilled Australian.

Known as the “Kosovo Kid” and backed by the large Albanian population here on the East Coast, Muriqi has been one of the more popular fighters throughout the tri-state area for many years. Muriqi is currently riding a five-bout winning streak since dropping a decision to then-IBF light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods. Muriqi is best known for his thrilling 12-round majority decision loss to former light heavyweight kingpin Antonio Tarver, a bout that many felt Muriqi won. Muriqi is looking to make another run at a light heavyweight title, but he must first get by the undefeated and fast-rising Caparello.

On paper, the bout between Rosa and Diaz is truly a mouth-watering affair. Once the bell rings to start their super bantamweight showdown, an all-out action war is expected to ensue between undefeated up-and-coming prospect Luis Rosa and hometown favorite and former top-rated contender Jorge Diaz. Rosa and Diaz both know of only one way to fight and that is to come straight ahead from the moment the bell rings.

The Puerto Rican-native Rosa is one of the bright young stars on the DBE roster. At just 22 years of age, Rosa is coming into his own as a fighter. Rosa was a perfect 3-0 in 2013, winning back-to-back-to-back impressive eight-round unanimous decisions. Rosa is looking to make the jump from prospect to world-rated contender and a win over the highly regarded Diaz does just that.

The New Jersey-native Diaz had a stellar amateur career, winning a number of regional titles and tournaments, as well as having success on the National level before turning pro in 2007. Diaz strung together 15 consecutive victories, including a highlight reel, one-punch KO over former Olympic gold medalist Yan Barthelemy. Highly ranked in all four major sanctioning bodies, Diaz took on fellow undefeated contender Teon Kennedy for the USBA belt, ultimately dropping a 12-round majority decision in what turned out to be an all-out war. Diaz bounced back, picking up two consecutive victories, before being stopped in his most recent bout against the highly touted Yenifel Vicente in June of last year. At just 26 years old, youth is still on Diaz’s side, but if he wants to make another run at super bantamweight supremacy, the bout against Rosa is a must-win.

A complete list of bouts, which will feature a number of top prospects and local talent, will be announced shortly.

Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $75 and $40, and can be purchased by calling
1 (888) 612-4191 or by visiting https://tickets.completeticketsolutions.com/BOX/Online/default.asp#

# # #

For more information visit us at www.dbe1.com, follow us at twitter/loudibella or
visit our fan page at facebook/dibellaentertainment

London (8 January) Peter Fury has responded to speculation that Tyson Fury has signed a promotional deal with Frank Warren, confirming that this is not the case.

The uncle and trainer of Tyson has clarified Hennessy Sports’ position, that his 6’9″ nephew continues his long standing and successful relationship with Promoter Mick Hennessy.

“Our Promoter is still Mick Hennessy!! We are currently awaiting the contract in a co promotion with Box Nation. Only then the deal is Done!!” Peter tweeted.

Earlier Mick Hennessy and Hennessy Sports released the following comments:

“These reports are not true, we have had an offer from Box Nation for Tyson to appear on three of their shows, but as yet have not received any contract to look at,” Mick Hennessy said.

“Until something is agreed in writing and signed into, myself, Peter Fury and Tyson are still keeping our options open.

“We were told it would be 48 hours before we even receive any paperwork to look at and we are still awaiting any such communication.”

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS

London (8 January) Mick Hennessy and Hennessy Sports would like to set the record straight following speculation that Tyson Fury has signed a promotional deal with Frank Warren.

The 6’9″ undefeated heavyweight remains with Hennessy Sports contrary to reports and continues his long standing and successful relationship with Promoter Mick Hennessy.

“These reports are not true, we have had a verbal offer from Box Nation for Tyson to appear on three of their shows, but as yet have not received any contract to look at and consider,” Mick Hennessy said.

“Until something is agreed in writing and signed into, myself, Peter Fury and Tyson are still keeping our options open.

“We were told it would be 48 hours before we even receive any paperwork to look at and we are still awaiting any such communication.”

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS

Former IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Geale will take on Garth Wood on February 19th in Sydney, Australia according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I’m glad Daniel is fighting as he needs to stay busy,” said Geale’s promoter Gary Shaw.

“Wood is a dangerous and risky fight against a wild puncher,” Geale told ESPN.com. “I have been training hard for my comeback fight. I’m not going to take this fight lightly. We needed a fight to keep active, the opportunity arose, and my management arranged it. It will be an interesting fight with different styles.

“I can’t wait to get back in there and pursue my journey to become a world champion again. I believe the plan is to fight GGG sometime in 2014. It would be ideal to be able to take a title to the table. We will see what happens.”

“Geale wants to fight GGG in April, and I have spoken to HBO about the fight and all they say is that they are interested, but they are exploring other options,” Shaw said. “What can be a better option than Geale, a true 160-pounder and a former world champion who beat [Felix] Sturm [in a unification fight] on German soil? And even though Daniel did not get the decision in [against Barker] he is willing to come back just to fight GGG.

“What I don’t understand is that after the Barker fight, HBO said they wanted Geale back, and now they have gone silent. I know GGG would fight Geale as [Golovkin’s team] asked if we wanted the fight in Monte Carlo, but Geale wants to fight him on HBO.”

“Daniel has been the best fighter to come out of Australia in 20 years with what he has done, going overseas and beating the champions on their turf,” Wood told the (Sydney) Telegraph, referring to Geale’s two title victories in Germany against Sturm in 2012 and Sebastian Sylvester in ’11.

“And even though Murray being canceled was a disappointment, I believe everything happens for a reason and it has led me to this, my biggest fight by far, and deservedly so.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Twenty-year-old light welterweight professional boxer Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed impressed the local boxing community in 2013 with his speed, strength, and boxing pedigree. Born in Washington, D.C., Reed currently trains in Clinton, Maryland, at Dream Team Boxing Gym, which is owned and operated by his father, Michael “Buck” Pinson. Reed went undefeated in 2013, and his pro record currently stands at 6-0, with 4 knockouts.

Mike Reed discussed his first year as a pro boxer. He said, “Last year, I did a great job of dictating the pace in my fights and thought I showed good ring generalship. My training and conditioning allowed me to perform well in my fights, so I definitely want to keep that going. I’m happy that I stayed busy in my first year as a pro. Thank you to both Keystone Boxing and Top Flight Productions for letting me showcase my talents on their boxing cards in 2013. I am working hard to build a solid fan base, and very thankful for the way my supporters have come out to watch me fight.”
Coach Michael Pinson, who serves as Reed’s trainer and manager, was also pleased with the progress made during last year. He said, “2013 was a good year, as we were able to get six bouts to build from. So far, Mike’s fights have all been great learning experiences. Several opponents were tough and came to win. I didn’t want easy fights in his first year as a pro, because you can’t learn from those. Transitioning from an amateur to a professional boxer can be very difficult. Mike handled it well.”
Reed mentioned some of his plans for the upcoming year. “In 2014, I want to continue with the same work ethic that brought me success last year. I will continue to listen to my father and my team, who always have my best interest at heart. It would be great to fight on some nationally televised cards, so that more people can see me fight. I would also like to continue my college education, do more charity work for my community, and continue to improve on being a good person. I’m frequently asked about which weight class I am best suited for. I can make 135 pounds, but I’m also comfortable fighting at 140 pounds. My team will make the right decision on that issue when the time is right.”
Coach Pinson agreed that the team was successful this year, but added, “There is room for improvement in 2014. It is important that Mike learns how to sit down on his punches, move his head more, work from different angles, and use his speed properly. I’d like to see Mike fight eight times this year. If he continues to impress everyone with his performances, he will earn a solid ranking from a major sanctioning organization.”
Mike Reed remains unsigned and returns to the ring on Friday night, January 17, 2014, against Jorge Marquez (Phoenix, AZ/pro record: 4-1-0, w/ 2 KOs). Reed-Marquez is scheduled as a six-round bout, which will headline the Keystone Boxing card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland.

Follow Mike Reed on Twitter at @YesIndeed_Reed or https://twitter.com/YesIndeed_Reed
Follow Mike Reed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mike.y.reed.921

ATLANTIC CITY – Russian light heavyweight prospect Ilshat “The Sheriff” Khusnulgatin, 10-0, 6 KOs, is set to take his next step up the 175-pound ladder when he takes on Larry Pryor, 7-7, 4 KOs, of Frederick, MD, at Resorts International Hotel and Casino on Friday, January 24th in Atlantic City. “The Sheriff” a rangy, six-foot, three and a half-inch, boxer-puncher will make his first start under the Main Events banner as part of a growing light heavyweight stable that includes fellow Russian and WBO World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev.

“The Sheriff” is a product of the legendary Samara Boxing Club in his hometown of Samara, Russia. Beginning in 2011, this exciting battler had his first eight bouts in Russia, before making his US debut with two knockouts in California last year. The Friday, January 24th fight will be the first for Khusnulgatin on the East Coast.

Against Pryor, “The Sheriff” will face a man who won’t be intimidated by his sterling record. Pryor’s last three bouts were against undefeated prospects. In his most recent outing, Pryor defeated Mark Tucker, then 15-0, 7 KOs, by unanimous decision in eight rounds.

Both fighters realize that an impressive win on the 24th could have the potential to open doors in talent-rich light heavyweight division.

Egis Klimas, Kovalev’s manager, said, “The light heavyweight division is one of boxing’s most competitive. I believe Ilshat will be able to continue his winning streak in Atlantic City and shake things up on January 24th. If he can make a good impression and win convincingly it can put him on track for a TV date of his own in the future.”

When asked about the upcoming fight Khusnulgatin said, “I am looking forward to this fight. Preparation is going well, thank God! Earlier in my career I never had the opportunity to participate in such a great night of boxing. When I am in the ring I do everything in my power to give my fans a great show and have a victory. I think everyone will appreciate this on the 24th. I will be very happy to fight on NBC (Sports Network).”

“The Sheriff’s” eight-round bout will be part of the off-TV live undercard on a nationally televised double header that features knockout artist Curtis “Showtime” Stevens, 25-4, 18 KOs, against pressure-puncher Patrick “The Machine” Majewski, 21-2, 12 KOs, in a ten-round middleweight fight, and Thabiso Mchunu, 13-1, 9 KOs, versus Olanrewaju Durodola, 15-1, 14 KOs, in a ten-round cruiserweight contest for the NABF title. These two main bouts will be broadcast on Friday, January 24th’s NBC Sports Network’s Fight Night.

ABOUT FRIDAY, JANUARY 24TH
Friday, January 24th at Resorts Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ features a ten-round middleweight battle between Curtis “Showtime” Stevens and Patrick “The Machine” Majewski in the main event.

The ten-round Cruiserweight co-feature between Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu and Olanrewaju “God’s Power” Durodola, will be for the vacant NABF Cruiserweight Title. Six additional fights are planned. Undercard will be announced shortly.

Doors will open at 7:00 PM ET, First Fight at 8:00 PM ET. The main event and co-feature will be broadcast 10:00 PM ET on NBC Fight Night on NBCSN. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Dibella Entertainment and Showpony Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $75 and $50. They can be purchased at the Resorts International Hotel and Casino Box Office, 800-736-1420; at TicketMaster 800-745-3000 or online (key word: Main Events); and at Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922.

FOLLOW US:
www.mainevents.com

Twitter: @main_events or twitter.com/main_events

Twitter: #FightNight

Facebook:facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing

facebook.com/NBCSports

Home New – Updated Feb 2024

Twitter: @ResortsCasino or https://twitter.com/resortscasino

Fight Venue:
Resorts Casino Hotel – Superstar Theatre
1133 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
1-800-772-9000

Home New – Updated Feb 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C., (Jan. 7, 2014)- Highly regarded undefeated welterweight prospect Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (19-0, 11KOs), from Southeast Washington, D.C., will be making his 2014 and National TV debut when he faces “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon Jr. (10-3-1, 2KOs) in an eight-round bout on Jan. 31 live on ESPN 2 Friday Night Fights from West Orange, N.J.

Hernandez-Harrison, 19, is coming off a stellar 2013 campaign that saw him go 8-0, with four knockouts, and win the WBC Youth Welterweight Championship in just his second full year as a pro. Besides winning his first World Title at Madison Square Garden and selling out the University of the District of Columbia in his 2013 hometown debut, Hernandez-Harrison was named one of the “Top Prospects to Watch in 2014” by Dan Rafael of ESPN, among numerous other accolades and honors.

Hernandez-Harrison also was named the “2013 Prospect of the Year” by Boxing Along the Beltway, BoxingPulse.com, RoundByRoundBoxing.com, and StandingEightCount.com; additionally,he won the fan voting for the Go Fight Live, GFL.tv, “2013 Fighter of the Year” and the “Knockout of the Year” (for his fifth-round KO of Eddie Soto).

“The recognition from the different writers and the fans are wonderful, and I truly appreciate it,” Hernandez-Harrison said. “But I know that I need to continue my hard work in the gym, watching film and otherwise doing everything I can to continue developing as a professional. Nobody can rest on their accolades as a professional athlete, and I am focused on improving in every facet of my game.”

Former two-time heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon Sr. certainly understands what a win over a fighter of Hernandez-Harrison’s notoriety will do for his son’s career.

“We are looking forward to this fight with Dusty,” Witherspoon Sr. said. “It’s long overdue for my son to have an opportunity like this and a win over a fighter like Dusty on ESPN is the first step on the road to a championship.”

“We respect Dusty, but it is Tim Jr.’s time,” said Steve Witherspoon, the fighter’s uncle and co-trainer. “He’s going to knock Dusty out; The Witherspoons are coming, and we are wreaking havoc!”

Hernandez-Harrison’s father and trainer, Buddy Harrison, believes 2014 will be a crucial year in his son’s in-ring development.

“From this fight forward everyone will be gunning for Dusty,” Harrison said. “During our year end recap Jeff (Fried) told us that every fight will be tougher than the last and we are preparing accordingly. Dusty is training like this is a world title fight and it will show on January 31st.”

And Hernandez-Harrison recognizes that Witherspoon is a worthy challenge.

“Not only is he the son of a former heavyweight champion; he’s from Philly so I know he’s going to be tough,” Hernandez-Harrison said. “He’s slick, skillful and has tremendous experience in his corner, so we know what we have to do, and it starts and ends with my hard work in the gym.”

Hernandez-Harrison has a close-knit professional team that includes Buddy and their promoter, Jeff Fried of All-In Entertainment. Fried believes January 31, is a continuation of their diverse plan for Dusty to develop as an elite level boxer.

“Exposure for a young athlete, including outside of their comfort zone, is invaluable as he gains the experience necessary to reach his goals. Whether we have Dusty as the main event in our hometown (Washington, D.C.) or the first bout in a city where he is not yet fully known, it is all part of the growth process,” added Fried. “Dusty’s uncanny grounded self-accountability and training work ethic will serve him very well throughout this journey.”

The scheduled eight-round Hernandez-Harrison vs. Witherspoon, Jr. bout is part of the “Super Brawl” card presented by GH3 Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment at the Richard J. Cody Arena in West Orange, NJ. For Tickets priced at $150 VIP Ringside, $100 Ringside, $75 Floor Seating and $40 General Admission please call 888-612-4191 or visit GCPBoxing.com.

Tacoma, WA (January 7th, 2014) – Less than a year after making his comeback to boxing, Zahir Raheem (34-4-0, 21 KOs) will make his return to National TV this Friday when he takes on Bayan Jargal (17-4-3, 11 KOs) in the co-televised feature of Battle at the Boat 94 presented by ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA. Headlining the six bout card will be Juan Antonio Rodriguez (25-4-0, 23 KOs) taking on Dominican fighter, Yenifel Vicente (25-1-2, 17 KOs), in an eight round super featherweight bout.

A limited amount of tickets are still available for Battle at the Boat 94, scheduled for Friday, January 10th, and can be purchased at the Emerald Queen Casino box office and online through Ticketmaster. Prices start at $35. Fans are encouraged to arrive at the showroom early as the televised features will start at 6 PM. Doors open at 5 PM.

Since making his first appearance with Halquist Productions last March, Raheem has rolled through the opponents put in front of him going 3-0 with three knockouts; none of them lasting longer than four rounds. On Friday, Raheem will attempt to preserve the momentum in his scheduled ten round bout with Jargal, who most recently was setback on a Friday Night Fights card against Chris Howard. Training out of his “King Raheem’s Boxing and Cross Training Gym” in his current hometown of Stone Mountain, Georgia, Raheem is ready to prove that he belongs among the elite in boxing’s super lightweight division.

“We’re really excited to feature Zahir back on a national stage,” said promoter, Brian Halquist. “When he steps into the ring Friday night, he’ll let his gloves do all the talking.”

Since joining the Halquist Productions team a year ago, Raheem has seen his stock rise to be currently ranked #3 in the NABA, #4 in the NABO, and #7 in the USBA. A solid victory in front of a live national audience this Friday could set up a very appealing 2014 for the Philadelphia native whose fans all around the world believe he has what it takes to become a world champion.

The main event of the night figures to be a crowd pleaser with the hard hitting Juan Antonio Rodriguez matched up with the very aggressive Yenifel Vicente who replaced Arash Usmanee earlier this week after Usmanee sustained an ankle injury while sparring over the weekend. Rodriguez had a very successful 2013 going 3-0 with three knockouts while Vicente also went undefeated in 2013 with two early stoppage victories while winning the WBC FECARBOX super bantamweight title in June against Jorge Diaz.

A press conference open to the media will take place on Thursday at 5 PM prior to the fighter weigh ins at the Emerald Queen Hotel and Casino in Fife.

# # #

About Halquist Productions
Promoter, Brian Halquist started Halquist Productions in 1989 when he promoted up and coming heavyweight boxing contender, Joe “The Boss” Hipp. In 1997, the Emerald Queen Casino and Brian Halquist Productions started the popular northwest boxing series, “The Battle at the Boat,” bringing boxing back to the Pacific Northwest. Halquist Productions is the Northwest’s premier fight promotional company and has promoted events on Showtime, HBO and ESPN and also a co-produced Showtime’s historic boxing event in St. Lucia, West Indies. The Battle at the Boat continues to be the longest running boxing series out of any casino in the United States.

NEW YORK (January 7, 2014) Chris Algieri (“The Pride of Huntington”) returns to action on Friday, FEBRUARY 14 challenging world ranked Baltimore native Emanuel “The Tranzformer” Taylor in the ten round junior welterweight main event live on ESPN Friday Night Fights at The Paramount in Huntington, New York. Joe DeGuardia, President and Founder of Star Boxing announced that tickets go on sale this Friday 10:00 am.

“This is an excellent nationally televised matchup of young, hungry junior welterweights with a lot to gain” said DeGuardia. “Chris has made The Paramount his home with his electrifying hometown performances. This will be his eighth fight in the venue, all wins and all sellouts. I strongly encourage fans to purchase tickets in advance to ensure entry on fight night.”

“Emanuel had two terrific knockout wins earlier this year; over Raymond Serrano at The Paramount and also over top contender Victor Cayo both of which were nationally telecast.”

” These are two of the very best junior welterweights in boxing with almost identical records and we’re thrilled that ESPN will broadcast the fight,” continued DeGuardia. “It’s a perfect compliment to our acclaimed “Rockin Fights” series which has sold out each of its previous eleven events.”

“This is just the kind of fight I’ve wanted, against another top prospect with national exposure,” said Algieri. “I was at Taylor’s win over Raymond Serrano last January and I’m very aware of how tough he is.”

“There’s already a great buzz about this fight and The Paramount as always will be packed and full of great boxing fans.”

Emanuel Taylor was also excited about the fight. “I’m ready to continue my path to a world title,” said the confident Taylor. “Chris Algieri is a very good fighter but I plan on showing the ESPN audience why I’m the best junior welterweight in the boxing.”

Both Algieri and Taylor are coming off their best year yet. Sporting an unblemished record of 18-0 with eight knockouts, Algieri is coming off a three-win 2013 campaign highlighted by a thrilling ten round decision over heralded New Jersey prospect Jose Peralta on FEBRUARY 23 and telecast on NBC Sports Network as well as a win over veteran world title contender Mike Arnaoutis in the fall.

Although starting his training camp on Long Island, the pre-med student will head to Las Vegas for world class sparring in preparation for the fight. He has previously trained at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Oxnard, California, and expects to continue sparring with numerous top fighters as he has done recently, including newly crowned welterweight world champion Marcos Maidana.

Baltimore’s Taylor made his name in the rough and tumble Maryland gyms while establishing himself as one of the premier regional amateur boxers in recent times with a record of 186-26 while winning numerous national and regional tournaments.

Compiling a record of 17-1-0 with 12 knockouts over his four years as a professional, Taylor will return to The Paramount, site of his dominant SHOWTIME televised performance over Raymond Serrano on JANUARY 25, which ended in a devastating sixth round stoppage victory by Taylor. Taylor followed that win with another upset TKO win (8th round) over top rated Victor Cayo in the main event on ESPN in Atlantic City.

Taylor is currently world ranked #4 by the International Boxing Federation.

The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue in Huntington, New York, 11743. Doors on the night of the event will open at 7:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:30 p.m.

Sales to the general public begin Friday at 10:00 am and are priced at $200, $150, $100, $60 and $50 for “ESPN Friday Night Fights/Rockin Fights 12”. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000). Tickets are also available by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or on their website www.starboxing.com and through The Paramount Box Office, (631) 673-7300.

ABOUT ESPN FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS
ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will begin at 9 p.m. ET live on ESPN2,

Watch ESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.
ESPN Deportes will re-brand its coverage as Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) with some telecasts on Saturdays.

ESPN2 Commentators/Studio:

Blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore and ringside analyst Teddy Atlas will return to describe the action for ESPN2. Both are recipients of the prestigious Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism presented by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA): Atlas (2001), Tessitore (2010). Studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), will return for his second season providing all the latest boxing news and highlights. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn), who last year became the series’ first-ever on-site reporter, will contribute to Friday Night Fights in English, and Noche de Combates (Fight Night) in Spanish.

ESPN Deportes Commentators/Studio:

Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combateson both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez will join Trejos and González in studio throughout the season, with Osuna providing reports and interviews.

ABOUT STAR BOXING ®
Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. The company has produced some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star Boxing continues to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star Boxing is proud that is has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook at Star Boxing.

ABOUT THE PARAMOUNT:
Opened September 30, 2011 this 1,555-capacity live entertainment venue, located in downtown Huntington, Long Island, New York, features; concerts, comedy, boxing, community and other special events in a club/theater setting. With over 30,000 Facebook fans, The Paramount was recently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as the #24 highest attended club-venue worldwide (January-June 2013). A Ticketmaster venue, booked by Live Nation, TheParamount hosts nearly 200 events per year and in less than two years since its inception, has quickly established itself as the premier music venue onLong Island, NY. Some artists who have recently taken the Paramount stage include; Billy Joel, Pitbull, Don Henley, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, ZZ Top, Counting Crows, Primus, Matchbox 20, The Blues Brothers, Limp Bizkit, & many, many, more.

ABOUT THE FOX HOLLOW:
Nestled upon 8 private acres of Long Island’s north shore is the Fox Hollow, which features a state of the art event venue, fine dining restaurant and an all-suite luxury boutique hotel. Owned & operated by the Scotto Brothers, their Above & Beyond philosophy in providing each & every guest with superior services and amenities is paramount. Visit the Fox Hollow online at www.TheFoxHollow.com & www.TheInnAtFoxHollow.com

ABOUT CAMELOT LIMOUSINE:
Official Sponsor of the Paramount Boxing Series, Camelot Limos is a family owned and operated business located in Nassau County, with over 25 years of professional experience; serving satisfied clientele since 1984. The owners of Camelot Specialty Limos are very active in the business and play a major role in the company’s day-to-day operations. Camelot Specialty Limos, Inc. is an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau. www.camelotlimo.com

ABOUT WBAB 102.3:
WBAB 102.3 is the home of Long Island’s Classic Rock anchored by their Long Island Rock ‘N’ Roll Morning Show with Roger and JP. For more information or to listen online, visit their website at
www.wbab.com and follow them on Facebook.com/1023wbab and on Twitter @1023wbab.

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (Jan. 7, 2014) – Following a rib injury suffered in training, former three-division world champion Abner Mares has been forced to withdraw from his Saturday, Feb. 15 rematch with WBC Featherweight Champion Jhonny Gonzalez, causing a postponement of the entire SHOWTIME® televised event at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

A new date for the rematch will be announced once Mares is cleared to resume training.

“I’d like to apologize to all of my fans, Golden Boy Promotions and Jhonny Gonzalez,” said Mares. “I was looking forward to getting back into the ring with Jhonny to avenge my loss, and once I recover from this injury, I’ll be back in the gym and ready for this rematch as soon as possible.”

“I’m disappointed of course, but I know that these things happen in boxing, and I wish Abner a speedy recovery,” said Gonzalez. “We both know that we’ll meet again and when we do, we’ll give the fans a fight to remember.”

“It’s never a good thing when injuries like this occur, and I know Abner tried to fight through it, but it’s best that we postpone this event and reschedule it so that both fighters are at their best on fight night,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “The fighters’ safety is always paramount and both Abner and Jhonny understand this completely.”

Refunds may be obtained at the point of the original purchase.

Monte Carlo (January 7, 2014) Golden Gloves’ Rodney Berman has reacted furiously to former world champion Nathan Cleverly’s abrupt withdrawal from his February 1 fight against Junior Makabu in an international 10-rounder on the Monte-Carlo Boxing Bonanza card.

Berman was reacting to reports, corroborated by Frank Warren, that Cleverly had injured himself – for the second time – ahead of his cruiserweight debut against the big-hitting African.

“I knew he’d pull out,” fumed Berman. “He’s not a true champion, I always felt that. Whatever excuse Cleverly is making, I know he hasn’t been injured. He pulled out because he realised he had no chance against Makabu. Everyone said that when the fight was signed and it obviously dawned on him.

“I always suspected he was molly-coddled. Frank Warren clearly shot his bolt by doing the deal and now has to accommodate his fighter wanting out.”

Berman was unfazed by the development, saying he would secure a replacement for Makabu, who will be seeking his 16th win in 17 fights.

The tournament is topped by boxing’s fastest rising superstar, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, who will defend his WBA and IBO middleweight belts against former world title challenger Osumanu Adama.

Also featured are top-ranked Martin Murray (25-1-1, 11 KOs) of the UK and third-ranked Jarrod Fletcher (17-1, 10 KOs).

PHILADELPHIA (JANUARY 7, 2014)–Mark Cipparone’s Club 1957 Management is proud to announce the signing of former world title challenger Teon “The Technician” Kennedy to a management contract.

Kennedy of Philadelphia has a record of 19-2-2 with 7 knockouts.

The 27 year old won his first 13 bouts which included an explosive 2nd round stoppage over the undefeated Thomas Snow.

Kennedy went on to win the USBA Super Bantamweight title with a 10th round stoppage over Francisco Rodriguez. He defended the the title with a 12 round unanimous decision over Jose Angel Beranza. Kennedy added the NABA title with a 10th round stoppage over Alex Beccera.

Kennedy scored his best win when he dropped previously undefeated Jorge Diaz (15-0) two times and won a thrilling 12 round unanimous decision on March 26, 2011 as part of the Yuriorkis Gamboa – Jorge Solis undercard in Atlantic City.

After suffering his 1st pro defeat to Alejandro Lopez (21-2), Kennedy had a draw with Christopher Martin (23-1-2) that headlined an ESPN Friday Night Fights card.

Teon Kennedy signs the contract as Mark Cipparone looks on

Kennedy then challenged the highly respected Guillermo Rigondeaux for the WBA Super Bantamweight crown on June 9, 2012 as part of the Manny Pacquiao – Timothy Bradley Pay Per View undercard.

Although Kennedy came up short, he showed heart by continuing to get off the canvas until the bout was stopped in 5th round.

Since that defeat, Kennedy has fought very well as he moved up to Jr. Lightweight and has scored wins over Carlos Vinan and in his last bout when he fought through a broken jaw but still was able to win a 10 round unanimous decision over Joselito Collado (13-2) on August 24, 2013 in Atlantic City.

“I decided to sign with Mark after what I have seen what he has done with his other fighters”, said Kennedy.

“He takes good care of his fighters and I don’t mean with money. He gives great advice about life and he has already provided me with a good strength and conditioning program.”

“I feel I need two more fights and I will be in a good spot. I know that Mark and my promoter Russell Peltz are on the same page and have a good plan going forward.”, finished Kennedy.

“We are very happy to have Teon in the fold and part of our team”, said Cipparone.

“He is a proven fighter who is just a couple fights removed from fighting for a world championship. He is a great talent and we look forward to getting him back to that title fight and we have the confidence that he will be a world champion.”

Kennedy is promoted by Peltz Boxing and is trained by Wade and Randy Hinnant.

Last year former WBC cruiserweight champion Juan Carlos Gomez successfully returned to his old weight division at 200 lbs. after campaigning at heavyweight for more than 10 years. Now “The Black Panther” is eyeing another world title shot for 2014. “I would love to fight against Marco Huck because I think he is the best cruiserweight in the world right now – at least until I beat him”, states Gomez.

Because Huck is set to defend his WBO championship against Firat Arslan on January 25 in Stuttgart, Gomez is now calling out fellow Cuban defector and IBF titlist Yoan Pablo Hernandez. “I heard that Hernandez is looking for an opponent”, says Gomez. “His search is over. I’m right here. The ‘Black Panther’ is hungry for gold. It’s Showtime!”

A possible match-up between Gomez and Hernandez good be very intriguing indeed. Born in Cuba, both men learned the “Sweet Sciene” on the Caribbean Island – arguably one of the best boxing schools in the world – before defecting to Germany. They are both southpaws who undoubtedly know how to fight and punch.

To prepare for another shot at the world title Gomez reunited with his former coach Fritz Sdunek in Hamburg, Germany. Sdunek trained Gomez when he became WBC world champion in 1998 and successfully defended his title ten times before moving up to heavyweight in 2001.

“I feel like Fritz was the missing piece for me to get back to greatness”, says Gomez. “I’m in excellent shape and feel great but I have been lacking an excellent coach for the last years. Fritz is the best trainer I have had since turning pro. He’s a genius. I am sure that I will be world champion again with him in my corner.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com. Yenifel Vicente will fight Jose Angel Rodriguez this Friday night on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.

Rodriguez was originally supposed to fight 130-pound contender Arash Usmanee in the 10-round main event at the Emerald Queen Hotel & Casino in Tacoma, Wash. However, Usmanee suffered an ankle injury and withdrew from the fight on Sunday, leaving promoter Greg Cohen and the network scrambling for a replacement opponent.

It is a new year and 15rounds.com has a new official round card girl adorning the top of its homepage in the lovely Ndia Sky.

Ms. Sky made her round card debut at “Showdown at the Fairgrounds” last July 20th at the Placer County Fair & Events Center in Roseville, California. Having made just as indelible of an impression on the fight crowd as some of the fighters on the card, Ms. Sky was brought back by the promoters for “Showdown at the Fairgrounds II” last October.

“Being a round card girl gets my adrenaline going,” says Ms. Sky. “I love the atmosphere at a boxing event. I like to see the excitement in the individuals in the crowd as I walk the ring, holding the card.”

Now counting a rapidly increasing number of boxing fans among the nearly 1,500 followers of her Facebook page and nearly 8,000 followers on Instagram, Ms. Sky hopes to one day show fans what round it is at a major network or pay-per-view boxing event.

“I like using my energy to hype the crowd,” explains Ms. Sky. “I also enjoy taking photographs with the fans before and after the events. There is nothing like being front row at a fight.”

For booking or more information, follow Ndia Sky on Facebook at Facebook.com/ndiasky or on Instagram at Instagram.com/ndiasky

Photos by Jason Pachura

Arash Usmanee injured his ankle and will not be able to fight Juan Antonio Rodriguez this Friday night as part of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Jr. welterweight Zahir Raheem (34-3, 21 KOs) squaring off with Bayan Jargal (17-4-3, 11 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round bout is the co-feature.

There is a chance that undefeated Heavyweight Lateef Kayode could see action in a new man event bout.

VENICE, CA (January 6, 2014) Boxing’s fastest rising superstar, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin has been honored with numerous year-end awards capping an extraordinary year of achievement for the WBA and IBO Middleweight World Champion, which saw four knockout performances in the ring and tremendous growth in his TV ratings.

Among the many awards honoring his 2013 calendar were USA Today’s “Fighter of the Year” and Yahoo Sports’ “Knockout of the Year” from his dominant stoppage over former world champion Nobuhiro Ishida on MARCH 30 in Monte Carlo.

ESPN.com honored Golovkin by naming two of his four knockouts among their top five “Knockouts of the Year” for the Ishida stoppage and a spectacular body shot stoppage over Matthew Macklin on JUNE 29.

Additionally, Jim Lampley speaking on HBO’s The Fight Game named Golovkin the “Fighter of the Year” alluding to his burgeoning rise in the sporting world along with his rapidly rising fan base as outlined by his soaring TV ratings on the network.

Golokvin was also named “Fighter of the Year” in two fan polls for RingTv.com and World Boxing News further proving his popularity with boxing fans.

“What were seeing with Gennady is truly unique,” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions. “From his first HBO bout in the United States in September of 2012, his TV ratings have continued to rise dramatically with media and fan interest increasing with every appearance.”

“With a substantial increase in TV ratings with each fight, Gennady truly was the breakout star of 2013 not only in the United States but internationally as well.”

The televised audience of 1,411,000 for Golovkin’s knockout of Stevens brought it to third place for 2013 in the year’s ratings for a cable boxing telecast.

Continued Loeffler, “We look forward to Gennady’s return to action on FEBRUARY 1 and another outstanding year as he continues to pursue the biggest challenges.”

Golovkin will kick off his 2014 schedule with his tenth title defense against top rated challenger Osumanu Adama, who has never been stopped, in his return to Monte Carlo on FEBRUARY 1. “GGG” has stopped fifteen opponents in a row and his knockout ratio (89.29%) ranks as the highest among all active world champions and the highest in the history of the middleweight division.

Over the last decade, K2 Promotions has promoted the most heavyweight championship title bouts of any promoter worldwide. K2 Promotions is one of Boxing’s most respected promoters showcasing boxing’s biggest events in the US and Europe at many of the world’s premier venues.

The Managing Director of K2 Promotions is Tom Loeffler.

Las Vegas, Nevada – In what could prove to be her toughest challenge yet, UFC® women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey (8-0, fighting out of Venice, Calif.) squares off against undefeated wrestling sensation Sara McMann (7-0, fighting out of Gaffney, SC) in a battle of Olympic medalists at UFC® 170 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, Feb. 22. A bronze medal winner in Judo at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Rousey recently defeated her bitter rival Miesha Tate at UFC 168 to retain the women’s bantamweight belt and remain the divison’s only champion. Now she takes on McMann, who comes in as the most decorated wrestler in the weight class, having also earned Olympic silver at the 2004 games in Athens in free-style wrestling.

In addition to the Rousey-McMann tilt, (No. 3) Rashad Evans (19-3, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla.), a former light heavyweight champion, battles the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier (13-0, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) in his debut at the 205-pound weight class. Evans comes into the bout sporting consecutive wins over Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen while Cormier is looking to keep his unblemished professional record and make a statement in his new division.

The card also features Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace (No. 6) Demian Maia (18-5, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) matching up against Canadian prodigy and Georges-St. Pierre training partner (no. 4) Rory MacDonald (15-2, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) in a battle of Top 10-ranked welterweights.

Other bouts for UFC 170 include:
Sixth-ranked lightweight star Rafael Dos Anjos (20-6) vs. heavy-handed 15th-ranked contender Rustam Khabilov (17-1).
170-pound veterans Mike Pyle (25-9) vs. TJ Waldburger (16-8).
Brazil’s fourth-ranked Rafael Assuncao (17-2) vs. Francisco Rivera (10-2) in a bantamweight showdown.
Australia’s Robert Whittaker (11-3) challenges South Carolina’s Stephen Thompson (8-1) in a welterweight duel.
Third-ranked women’s bantamweight Alexis Davis (15-5) vs. (No. 5) Jessica Eye (11-1) in a pivotal bout between title contenders.

Tickets for UFC®170: ROUSEY vs. MCMANN, presented by BUD LIGHT®, go on sale Friday, Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $450, $325, $200, $150, $90 and $50. Tickets will be available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Jan. 9 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC®170: ROUSEY vs. MCMANN will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High -Definition.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto, Beijing, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 35 live events annually. The UFC is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world with events distributed residentially throughout North American cable and satellite providers including iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group for live events and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 including the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries, to 821 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter (@UFC). UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with more than 2.7 million followers on Twitter. UFC businesses also include over 100 UFC GYM® locations, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, UFC FIT™, an in-home fitness and nutrition program, UFC 360, the internationally distributed magazine, a videogame franchise with EA, DVDs and Blu-rays, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, branded apparel and Topps Trading Cards. For more information visit UFC.com.

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 6, 2014) – Justin Gaethje (10-0) will face one of MMA’s top prospects in Rich Patishnock (6-1) for the World Series of Fighting’s inaugural lightweight title in the Jan. 18 event titled “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock,” which takes place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

The co-main event features hard-hitting light-heavyweights Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (15-4) and Mike “MAK” Kyle (20-10-1) meeting in a bout that has been postponed twice due to injuries. The highly anticipated fight, now almost a year in the making, is sure to produce an absolute explosion in the decagon.

“Injuries are an unavoidable aspect of MMA,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo. “I am very proud of my team here at WSOF for finding a very worthy opponent in Rich Patishnock to fight against Justin Gaethje for the title. I know that both of these guys have very crowd-pleasing fighting styles, and I can’t wait to see what happens when that cage door shuts.”

The 25-year-old Gaethje is a member of Colorado’s Grudge Training Center and has already earned World Series of Fighting wins over Dan Lauzon, Brian Cobb and Cavalcante. Fighting professionally since 2011, Gaethje is undefeated in his first 10 career fights, and nine of those have ended via stoppage, including eight by knockout.

Patishnock, a 26-year-old fighting out of Whippany, NJ has made a name for himself in his first two WSOF appearances by defeating two men with the name that is most synonymous with MMA: Gracie. Patishnock defeated Igor Gracie at WSOF 2, and followed that up with a victory over his brother, Gregor Gracie at WSOF 5.

Patishnock’s original opponent, Luis “Baboon” Palomino (21-9) will now face a tough challenge in MMA veteran Jorge “Macaco” Patino (35-14-2-1).

“Macaco,” a Brazilian MMA practitioner, began fighting professionally in 1995 and has had several historic fights including his victory over Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, and two epic battles with recently signed WSOF fighter Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons. The 40-year-old Patino has won both the lightweight and welterweight titles with the Legacy FC promotion, a lightweight title with Predator FC, and fought for UFC welterweight championship against one of the sports legends in Pat Milletich.

The 33-year-old Palomino was born in Peru but now resides in Miami. A black belt in both capoeira and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Palomino is a force on the feet and the floor. A former Championship Fighting Alliance featherweight champion, Palomino recently moved up to lightweight and fell just short in a bid for the promotion’s lightweight title. Palomino also fought five times for Bellator MMA, including a slot on the promotion’s very first show.

Tickets for “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock,” start at just $29, and are on sale at Ticketmaster.com. The bout tops a five-fight card that airs live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The fights will also be broadcast on Brazilian television network, Esporte Interativo. A six-fight undercard, which will stream live at www.WSOF.com, will be announced shortly.
With the addition to the card, World Series of Fighting 8 now includes:

Justin Gaethje vs. Rich Patishnock for inaugural lightweight title
Anthony Johnson vs. Mike Kyle
Jessica Aguilar vs. Alida Gray for inaugural womens strawweight title
Cody Bollinger vs. Tyson Nam
Luis Palomino vs. Jorge Patino

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering an incredible, action-packed entertainment experience for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the globe. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

About NBC Sports Network
NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

About Hard Rock Live
Hard Rock Live, a spectacular state-of-the-art facility, further expands the ultimate entertainment experience at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. This 5,500-seat indoor arena has attracted more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 2005, and has regularly hosted South Florida’s greatest variety of musical acts such as Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Marc Anthony, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Tim McGraw and Carlos Santana; top comedians including Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Kathy Griffin and George Lopez; as well as major sporting events and events of major sports stars, from UFCmatches to charity galas for Jason Taylor, Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade andmore. For additional information, please visit www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com or www.myhrl.com, facebook.com/MyHRL and twitter.com/hard_rock_live.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino invites you to PLAYHARD! Play, stay, dine, and shop at South Florida’s ultimate entertainment destination. Over 90 tables offer Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold ’em Bonus Poker, Casino War and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Additionally, over 2,500 slots include the Native-American Casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room, are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player’s Club members also have access to the exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and VIP Chef’s Table show kitchen. The Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock hosts various games and tournaments of Limit and No Limit Texas Hold ’em, 7-Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. Located inside the casino is Hard Rock Cafe -Hollywood, part of Hard Rock’s 138 globally recognized rock ‘n’ roll restaurants. The Green Lodging Certified by the State of Florida, AAA Four Diamond-rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 40,000 square feet of meeting room space, Rock Spa, award-winning restaurants, high-energy nightclubs, lounges and bars, boutique retail shops, the 350-seat Paradise Live theater and the 5,500-seat Hard Rock Live concert arena. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com, facebook.com/seminolehardrockhollywood, twitter.com/SHRHollywood, instagram.com/semhardrockhollywood and youtube.com/semhardrockhollywood.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Light Heavyweight Thomas Oosthuizen is injured and will not fight Eleider Alvarez and was also dropped by his promoted Rodney Berman.

“He’s done,” Berman said. “He’s had so many chances and blown every one. Golden Gloves is the promoter of champions, of men of credibility, good standing and dignity. Tommy has let us all down. Fighters are meant to be role models, but he’s fallen very short.”

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 6, 2014) – World Series of Fighting has been honored with six nominations in the latest edition of the Fighters Only World MMA Awards.

World Series of Fighting was one of five organizations nominated for “Best Promotion,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo was named in the “Leading Man” category, lightweight contender Nick Newell was nominated for “Breakthrough Fighter of the Year,” Josh Burkman’s choke-out of Jon Fitch was nominated for “Submission of the Year,” World Series of Fighting broadcaster Bas Rutten was named in the “Personality of the Year” category and Kat Kelley was named in the “Ringcard Girl of the Year” grouping.

The sixth-annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards honor achievements from Oct. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2013. Winners are determined by fan voting and will be announced on Feb. 7 during a ceremony at The Venetian and Palazzo Resort, Hotel & Casinos in Las Vegas.

Fans can cast their votes at www.worldmmaawards.com.

World Series of Fighting hosted its first event in November 2012. The promotion has since hosted 10 total events, including eight that aired on NBCSN and another two that took place in Nicaragua under the World Series of Fighting Central American banner. Along the way, the promotion crowned two champions and also announced the official launch of World Series of Fighting Canada, World Series of Fighting Japan and World Series of Fighting Brazil.

The promotion’s next event is scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock” sees Justin Gaethje meet Rich Patishnock for the promotion’s inaugural lightweight belt, while Jessica Aguilar faces Alida Gray for World Series of Fighting’s inaugural women’s strawweight title.

About WSOF
World Series of Fighting is a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering an incredible, action-packed entertainment experience for fight fans by producing the best possible matchups between elite fighters from around the globe. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

PHILADELPHIA (JANUARY 5, 2013)–Mark Cipparone was born and raised in South Philadelphia and credits much of his success
to having a balance of street and academics that he would not trade for the world. Having survived that journey is something that he calls his sixth sense.

As a child you could often find Mark around his father Rocco’s Auto body shop and by the time he was sixteen years of age, he could professionally refinish an automotive at the highest industry standards.

While working there as a young man, the seed got planted into his future and Mark knew the collision was what he wanted to do.

“I knew from day one that I would be involved and eventually own the business,” said Cipparone. “I worked very hard on all facets of the business starting with sweeping the floor…graduating to repairing the vehicles, greeting the customers, all the way up the ladder. Eventually I ran the auto body shop and opened my own mechanic shop in the same building.”

At the age of 36, Cipparone purchased the business and building from his father Rocco and never looked back.

“I bought the business…I did not want it handed to me. I am glad that I had the skin in the game as it made me better than I could ever imagine.”

“My dad did a great job and I certainly learned valuable lessons from him that I still use everyday, but I always knew deep down that I could take it to another level.”

In the 12 years since, the now 48 year-old Cipparone has expanded his company Rocco’s Collison Centers from one local auto body shop to 5 of the most successful collision centers in the Philadelphia / New Jersey area. The state of the art operation repairs in excess of 200 collisions weekly and boasts a corporate office on the grounds of his Blackwood, New Jersey location.

Cipparone entered into boxing when a young man who he employed for more than a decade introduced him to his brother that was a Lightweight who needed some direction in his career.

With that, Cipparone started to help and eventually manage Tevin Farmer.

Farmer was known around the boxing circles as a tough fighter but had a modest record of 7-4-1 with three of those losses coming to undefeated fighters.

“I got involved with Tevin just to help him out. His brother has worked for me and when I met Tevin, I learned what a great kid he is and I knew he has the ability. He just needed somebody behind him that could guide him to realize his dreams.”

Since Cipparone officially became Farmer’s manager, Farmer has taken off and won 7 fights in a row which includes wins over previously undefeated Camilo Perez & a stoppage win over tough as nails Carlos Vinan.

Ï saw something in Tevin and I knew he could be a champion. He just needed someone to believe in him. Tevin has a house right across the street from my office and we just recently added a private boxing gym. He is comfortable and focused. Tevin is 7-0 with us and at just 23 years old, his best boxing is still ahead of him.”

With the success of Farmer, Cipparone has gone all in with boxing management as he signed former amateur standout and currant undefeated Flyweight Miguel Cartagena as well as former U.S. Olympic alternate in Featherweight Eric Hunter.

With those three in the fold, Cipparone branded his boxing business Club 1957 Management.

“Each of these boxers has different needs which I can provide and put them in the best position to succeed”, continued Cipparone.

“I am not in this to just throw money around. I am a businessman and I am only looking to sign quality fighters that I can feel can be world champions. So far I have three kids that are in my area but if the opportunity presents itself, I am looking to sign fighters from everywhere. I have assembled a great team around me and so far the results speak for them self. We are just not resting on Tevin, Miguel and Eric. I am on the brink of announcing two more signings and one of those fighters just recently fought for a world championship.”

Editor’s note: For part 1, please click here.

The seven-day stretch in mid October that began the Saturday Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley decisioned Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez found contrasting studies of how pain is treated, how humiliation is considered, and how vulnerability is concealed or exploited otherwise. Bradley, capable as any prizefighter of emoting when asked a fair question, showed no vulnerability to Marquez, striking instead an uncharacteristically arrogant mien, one intended to disarm boxing’s apex predator. And it worked insofar as Marquez found nary an opening, geometrical, physical or psychological – nary a fissure in Bradley’s expressive countenance, a dark and intense face on a head he self-deprecatingly calls too large (when not driving it in opponents’ chins or foreheads).

Ruslan Provodnikov and Mike Alvarado both admitted, in a wondrous for rare bit of prefight candor, they were afraid of being badly hurt or killed in a prizefight, the sort of concession Bradley might make privately but Marquez was and ever will be incapable of making – for reasons cultural, traditional and perhaps biological. After Provodnikov laid waste to Alvarado, though, one almost wondered if the Russian possessed actually a fraction the empathy of his prefight demeanor, if he didn’t, at least for a 48-minute stretch a couple times each year, cease seeing men set across from him as fellow sons/brothers/fathers/friends and merely sides of beef that, curiously enough, could be made to emit whimpering sounds when knuckled just right.

*

The seven-day stretch in mid October that began the Saturday Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley decisioned Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez showed that if one puts away his prejudices and looks often and close enough at art of any kind, from its finest manifestations in Rembrandt or Velazquez to its fallenest manifestations in pornography like Stagliano’s, he finds wonderment and originality, he finds better men than himself treating troubles like his own, and he finds, desperately and essentially, a form of solace.

If Andy Warhol and Fernando Botero had little in common, they had an uncommon sense of color, even for visual artists, to unite them along art’s rocky sort of continuum, and it was a sense of color Warhol quite possibly permitted Botero to use some years later, for as much as the Colombian credits his influences to Pablo Picasso it remains true that Picasso, intellectual always before beautiful and cynical always and always, appears less in the vibrancy of Botero’s paintings than does Pittsburgh’s father of fashion art.

If DAM’s shape was ostentatious, finally, its structure comprised none of the conspicuous consuming that is modern America’s specialty; it was Libeskind’s proper recognition that while largeness of scale assures no greatness, architectural greatness often does desire awesomeness.

*

The seven-day stretch in mid October that began the Saturday Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley decisioned Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez brought a celebratory air for Provodnikov and Bradley, men who made an incredible spectacle with one another seven months before, bringing them finally the victories both deserved, and with those victories a codification of their status in prizefighting’s impassioned, subjective, weird, hyperbolic ratings, an ongoing appeal to orderliness that proves man must have hierarchy even when he hasn’t an inkling why.

The clarity of Colorado’s air sets its vistas in a visual space that might better be called hyper-definition than high-definition, akin to the early HDTVs with whites that blitzed viewers and induced aching brains if not temporary blindness, and when one exits the western mouth of Eisenhower Tunnel, a blossoming of sun-reflected snowy whiteness after 1 1/2 miles of gray darkness, he wonders aloud if this mightn’t be the sole place in the world a visual experience of such arresting magnitude can happen.

Mike Alvarado, the Coloradoan who lost on his stool against Ruslan Provodnikov that Saturday night in an unlikely suburb north-northwest of Denver, wore open and suppurating facial lacerations to camp for his March rematch with Brandon Rios, lacerations courtesy of a mishap with his flesh and shards of a glass bottle and at least one other man’s rage, and reminded those who followed his career how unlikely a happy ending will be for “Mile High.” A reminder that came once more, two hours after the main event in Broomfield, when I returned to Ramada Denver Midtown, a recently re-acquired and -signaged property, luxurious 30 years and gaggles of property managers ago, where the frontdesk attendant, young, pretty, edgy, pierced – Denverstyle – told me: “Alvarado? I know Mike! My friends partied with him.”

*

The seven-day stretch in mid October that began the Saturday Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley decisioned Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez made Marquez once more threaten retirement, once more price his way out a lucrative rematch with Manny Pacquiao, once more remind his adorers genius is divisive, not unifying or transferable, and a force that renders a man like Marquez many more times admirable than likable, a man to observe and delight-in but never invite for a beer.

Timothy Bradley ended 2013 finally esteemed like a man with his resume should, regardless of what bigotry aficionados routinely show volume punchers. Ruslan Provodnikov appeared in a California ring across from Bradley in March a wholly unknown entity and finished October as the third piece of a triumvirate of former-Soviet fighters now used to scare disobedient young boxers before bedtime: “GGG”, “Krusher”, “Siberian Rocky”.

Mike Alvarado, finally, found what solace might be had from an adoring hometown, a prudent choice, and a vindicating fulfillment of what natural gifts oddsmakers long had him tragically wasting.

And I had the great good fortune of more time spent within our craft’s fraternity, both in Nevada and Colorado, a fraternity that, at its best, is a mutual-admiration society.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

Jorge Lara remained undefeated with a 10 round majority decision over Jairo Hernandez in a Super Bantamweight fight.

Scores were 97-96, 96-94 and 95-95 for Lara who is now 25-0-1. Hernandez is now 10-5.

Horacio Garcia scored a 2nd round stoppage over Cesar Saucedo in a Light Fkyweight bout.

Garcia dropped Saucedo in both round’s one and two and the fight was stopped.

Garcia is now 24-0 with 16 knockouts. Saucedo is now 3-2.

Rances Barthelemy won the IBF Jr. Lightweight title with a controversial 2nd round stoppage over Argenis Mendez at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN

In round one, Barthelemy buckled Mendez with a hard left that he followed up with a flurry along the ropes. In round two, Barthelemy landed three hard left hooks that sent Mendez to the canvas. Mendez got to his feet and ate a vicious three punch combination that sent Mendez plummeting to the canvas. The deciding blows seemed to come after the bell but the ruling stood as a knockout victory at 2:59 for Barthelemy.

Barthelemy, 129 lbs of Cuba is now 20-0 with 13 knockouts. Mendez, 128 1/2 lbs of Dominican Republic is 21-3-1.

Duran and Caleb Truax battled to a ten round draw in a Super Middleweight bout.

Duran landed more punches as he worked the jab that bloodied the nose in Truax as early as round four. Truax best punching was done by the right hand and the uppercut.

Duram landed 121 of 447 punches as compared to 106 of 678 for Truax.

All three judges scored the fight 95-95.

Duran, 161 1/2 lbs of Paterson, NJ is now 28-11-3. Truax, 163 lbs of Osio, MN is now 23-1-2.

Erickson Lubin scored a one round destruction over Luis Santiago in a scheduled four round Welterweight bout.

Lubin landed a body punch that sent Santiago down for the ten count at 1:01 of round one.

Lubin, 147 lbs is now 2-0 with 2 knockouts. Santiago is 0-1.

avontae Starks scored a knockdown en route to a six round split decision over Limberth Ponce in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Starks dropped Ponce in round two and coasted to the victory by scores of 57-56 for Ponce and two cards read 57-56 for Starks

Starks, 154 lbs of Minneapolis, is now 8-0. Ponce, 154 1/2 lbs is now 6-1.

ATLANTIC CITY – When the popular nationally televised live boxing series Fight Night returns for its Friday, January 24th season opener on NBC Sports Network, the co-feature bout will be an intriguing clash for the NABF championship belt between two African cruiserweights. South African Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu, 14-1, 10 KOs, meets Olanrewaju “God’s Power” Durodola, 15-1, 14 KOs, of West Africa, in a 10-round fight at Resorts International Hotel and Casino, on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Durodola stepped in when Garrett Wilson was forced to pull out of the bout due to an injury. The fight is the main supporting bout of a card headlined by the 10-round middleweight encounter between Curtis Stevens and Patrick Majewski.

Thabiso Mchunu, of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, burst onto the US boxing scene in August with a surprising one-sided points victory over proven contender Eddie Chambers of Philadelphia. It was Mchunu’s first fight in America, and he pulled the major upset on the same Fight Night series, before a shocked US TV audience.

The victory sent a message to the rest of the cruiserweight division that Mchunu was the latest title threat in the 200-pound class. The 6-year pro had posted many other victories, but this one was heard around the globe. He takes his next step toward a title shot on January 24th, against another tough African fighter.

The little-known Olanrewaju Durodola hails from Lagos, Nigeria, but now fights out of Kansas City, KS. He’s packed in 16 fights, all in the US, since turning pro in 2011, and will look to make his name in the sport, by fashioning his own upset introduction against Mchunu. His big opportunity comes after Mchunu’s original opponent, Philadelphian Garrett Wilson, was forced out of the high-profile fight due to injury.

“I want to thank NBC, Dibella Entertainment and Main Events for giving me this opportunity to win the NABF title and to put myself in position for a world title.” said Durodola. “The NABF title has been held by so many fighters who have become world champions and I will not let Mchunu get in the way of my goals.”

Durodola added, “I respect Mchunu as an elite boxer but he has not faced anyone with the skills and power I will bring on January 24th.”

All but one of Durodola’s wins have come by knockout, and like Mchunu, has only lost one bout in his entire career. On paper, these two punchers look quite similar, but physically there are differences. At 6′ 2″ tall, Durodola will tower over Mchunu, just 5′ 8″. However, Mchunu, world ranked #4 (WBC), #8 (WBO), #10 (IBF), and #15 (WBA), clearly proved that size was not a factor against the 6′ 1″ Chambers. Plus at 25 years of age, Mchunu is 5 years younger than Durodola.
The 10-round fight should be interesting, with both fighters eager to impress fans and establish their reputation as the best rising star in the cruiserweight division.

Six additional fights are planned to be added to the Friday night card which is promoted by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Showpony Promotions and Dibella Entertainment.

Tickets are priced $75 and $50. They can be purchased at: Resorts International Hotel and Casino Box Office; 800-736-1420; at TicketMaster, Click here to connect to TicketMaster or cut and paste this link: http://www.ticketmaster.com/main-events-boxing-and-peltz-boxing-atlantic-city-new-jersey-01-24-2014/event/02004B8BF6BBA488?artistid=1940738&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=33&tm_link=artist_msg-0_02004B8BF6BBA488; and at Peltz Boxing 215-765-0922.

BETHLEHEM, PA (JANUARY 3, 2014)–On Saturday night January 25th, King’s Boxing Promotions & XFE presents a great night of boxing at the Sands in Bethlehem, that will feature the WBA number-nine ranked Heavyweight in the world Travis Kauffman taking on once beaten Vincent Thompson in the ten round main event.

Kauffman of Reading, PA has a record of 27-1 with 20 knockouts.

He has risen to Number-nine by the WBA.

He won is his first 18 bouts with wins over William Shahan (7-1) and Malachy Farrell (16-1) before his only blemish to Tony Grano.

Kauffman is riding an nine bout winning streak with wins over Chris Koval (24-6) and his last bout when he stopped Jason Barnett in one round on November 30th in Reading, PA.

In that bout, Kauffman dropped Barnett three times with the final two coming on hard body shots.

Kauffman is promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions.

Thompson of Federal Way, Washington has a record of 13-1 with two knockouts.

The thirty year-old southpaw won his first thirteen bouts with wins over Freddie Miller (1-0-1); Enrique Lobatos (1-0-1); Charles Ellis (6-0-1) & Jonta Willis (8-1-1).

In his last bout, Thompson suffered the first blemish on his record when he dropped a six round unanimous decision to Charles Martin (9-0-1) on September 21st in Shelton, Washington.

In the eight round co-feature, rising Jr. Lightweight Frankie De Alba will take on Chazz McDowell.

De Alba of Reading, PA has a record of 10-1-2 with four wins coming via stoppage.

He has not been defeated since his pro debut and is riding an eight fight win streak.

During the streak he has wins over undefeated fighters Andrew Bentley & Benjamin Burgos.

In his bout, De Alba stole the show with an exciting four knockdown performance as he stopped the tough Osnel Charles in four round on November 30, 2013 in Readin, PA.

McDowell of Yonkers, NY has a record of 6-3-1 with one coming by knockout.

McDowell turned pro in 2010 and won his first five bouts. He has been stepping up the competition as he faced Emanuel Gonzalez (10-0), Joseph Perez (9-1) and in McDowell’s last bout he was able to battle to a six round draw with Amos Cowart (7-0) on August 14th in New York.

In an eight round Bantamweight bout, undefeated Miguel Cartagena (10-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on Felipe Rivas (15-15-2, 9 KO’s) of Nogales, Snoroa, Mexico.

Travis Thompson (5-11-3, 3 KO’s) of York, PA will battle Sammy Quinones (4-2, 1 KO) of York, PA in a Lightweight bout scheduled for six rounds.

In four round bouts:

Robert Ramos (1-1, 1 KO) of Palm Bay, FL will fight Gerald Smith (3-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a Lightweight bout.

Khalib Whitmore (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be announced in a Light Heavyweight bout

Angel Concepcion (5-0) of Newark, NJ will fight Raymere Palmer (0-1-1) of Allentown, PA in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Christian Molina of Allentown, PA will make his pro debut against Bernel Ayres (0-3) of Harlem, NY in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Tickets for this outstanding evening are priced at $200, $125, $75 and $50 (tickets will be $5 more at the door) and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com and www.kingsboxing.com

1st bout is 7:15 with the doors opening at 6:15

On Friday, January 24th, 2014, popular middleweight contender “Comanche Boy” George Tahdooahnippah (31-1-2) returns to action in downtown Oklahoma City, OK at the Chevrolet Events Center in Bricktown.

The January 24th fight is a glimpse of things to come for Comanche Boy, who plans an eventful year in 2014. “I’m anxious to get back in the ring and
love fighting in Oklahoma City Bricktown. Oklahoma City is my second home
and no better place to be in Oklahoma than Bricktown,” Tahdooahnippah said.
“I want to reassure to my fans that this is the beginning of the best to
come for Comanche Boy!” An opponent will be announced soon. For ticket
information visit: hdboxing.net

ABOUT STAR BOXING:

Star Boxing, Inc. has been in operation since1992. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on twitter.com/starboxing and Facebook.com/starboxing

SHERMAN OAKS (Jan. 3) – On Friday, December 20, 2013, undefeated 2012 Mexican Olympian Oscar Molina had labrum surgery on his left shoulder performed by Neal S. ElAttrache, M.D. at Kerlan Jobe Surgery Center in Los Angeles, CA.

Molina (8-0, 7 KOs), who has to be considered one of the “top prospects” of the year in 2013 with eight victories, and seven of those wins ending by knockout, will now take the next few months in 2014 to rehabilitate his shoulder in preparing to take his next step-up in the professional ranks upon his return. With co-promoters Goossen Tutor Promotions and Promociones del Pueblo splitting the bouts evenly; four in the U.S. and four in Mexico, Molina has been on a busy schedule with five of his bouts broadcast on Televisa, one on ESPN, and he capped off the year with HBO showing clips of his fight in November on the undercard of the Andre Ward-Edwin Rodriguez bout.

Dr. ElAttrache, the team physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers and a consultant to the Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Rams, LA Lakers, LA Kings and the PGA Tour, noted the surgery was successful and Molina should be able to return to the ring within the next four months.

Oscar’s twin brother and 2008 U.S. Olympian, Javier, makes his ESPN main event debut on January 24, 2014 when he takes on his stiffest challenge in former world champion Kendall Holt at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA, where Oscar will work his brother’s corner.