American fight fans will see the biggest bout in Canadian boxing history when the action-packed tripleheader WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: JEAN PASCAL VS. LUCIAN BUTE, ELEIDER ALVAREZ VS. THOMAS OOSTHUIZEN AND MIKE PEREZ VS. CARLOS TAKAM is presented SATURDAY, JAN. 18 at 10:15 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from the Bell Centre in Montreal, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, presented in HDTV and in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 19 (8:30 a.m.) and 21 (midnight)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 19 (4:00 p.m.) and 20 (11:00 p.m.)
In the historic main event, the country’s top rivals, Jean Pascal (28-2-1, 17 KOs) and Lucian Bute (31-1-0, 24 KOs), meet in a 12-round, 175-pound spectacle originally slated for May 2013. The 31-year-old Pascal has never backed down from a challenge, confronting American stars Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson with supreme confidence. Bute, 33, has displayed flashes of brilliance as a super middleweight, and will now test his power in the light heavyweight division.
The preceding bout features Montreal’s Eleider Alvarez (13-0-0, 8 KOs) and Thomas Oosthuizen (22-0-2, 13 KOs) of Boksburg, Gauteng, South Africa in a 12-round light heavyweight title clash. The undefeated Alvarez, 29, who has fought his last ten fights at the Bell Centre, will have the backing of fight fans around the country. Returning to HBO after recording a draw against Brandon Gonzales in June, Oosthuizen, 25, is making the transition from super middleweight to the highly competitive 175-pound division.
The evening opens with a battle of highly touted heavyweights, as Mike Perez (20-0, 12 KOs) of Cork, Ireland, takes on Carlos Takam (29-1, 23 KOs) of Noisy-le-Grand, Seine-Saint-Denis, France in a scheduled ten-round bout. Coming off a November win, Perez, 28, seeks to preserve his undefeated record and power-punch his way to a shot at a heavyweight crown. Boasting an impressive 11-fight win streak, including eight by knockout, Takam is making his HBO and Canadian debuts. He is sharp having scored a third round KO win over Jakov Gospic on Dec. 20.
All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.
Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

The New Year starts with good news for fans of world class heavyweight boxing. 2004 Olympic gold medallist Odlanier Solis (20-1) will face Tony Thompson (38-4) on March 22nd in Turkey!

“All contracts are signed, the fight is on”, confirmed promoter Ahmet Oner who is planning to stage the fight in Kusadasi (Turkey). “Solis vs. Thompson is a great fight which I could actually do everywhere because it will gather lots of interest worldwide. I am very happy that all parties accepted and agreed. These are the fights we need to revive the heavyweight division.”

Both Thompson and Solis had their shots at the world championship against the Klitschko brothers. “La Sombra” lost to WBC champion Vitali Klitschko in March 2011 because of a knee injury. Thompson suffered two losses against younger brother and IBF, WBA and WBO titlist Wladimir Klitschko in July 2008 and July 2012. However, Thompson bounced back last year to upset British hope David Price twice to work his way to another world title eliminator which he lost on points to Kubrat Pulev in August 2013. Solis has won three in a row after recovering from his knee injury and managed to win the IBF intercontinental championship.

“This fight could go either way”, says Oner. “Of course, I believe in my fighter Odlanier Solis. I am still convinced that he will be heavyweight champion of the world. However, he has to beat guys like Thompson to get to the world title. I am pretty sure that the winner of this bout will get another shot at a title either later this year or in 2015 the latest.”

A crystal ball is just another glass chin, which is one way of saying New Year predictions have no chance. They’re fun, but they’re also about as likely as Top Rank’s Bob Arum and Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer wishing each other a Happy in any holiday season. More of the feud appears to be the only sure thing. But it also appears to be headed for a new level of acrimony, perhaps even a make-or-break confrontation, over Manny Pacquiao.

There’s potential for a lot of intriguing stories, but Pacquiao’s Top Rank contract figures to be the biggest in 2014. He has one year left on a deal extended in October 2012 through the end of 2014.

Leave it up to some other self-appointed Nostradamus to predict what Pacquiao will do. His loyalty to Bob Arum has been unshakable since 2006 when he spurned a Golden Boy offer, which reportedly included a suitcase stuffed with a $250,000 in cash. But loyalty is about as fragile as that crystal ball. In some ways, Pacquiao is to boxing what Peyton Manning was to the NFL after the Indianapolis Colts released him following a 2011 season on the injured list. The quarterback eventually signed a landmark deal with the Denver Broncos in March, 2012. Pacquiao’s potential free agency could also transform boxing’s landscape, at least for a while.

Pacquiao enters the final year of his Top Rank contract amid questions. He answered some, but not all, in his one-sided decision over Brandon Rios in November at Macao. Speed was still there. He didn’t appear to have any lingering effects from the crushing knockout he suffered against Juan Manuel Marquez in December, 2012. So far, so good, although Rios’ style proved to be the perfect comeback for Pacquiao’s skill set. The true yardstick for whether he is still the fighter of five years ago won’t be determined until — or if — he faces Marquez or Timothy Bradley in a rematch.

On the business side of the ledger, the bigger question is his drawing power. Pay-per-view reports for his victory over Rios put the Home Box Office audience at between 475,000 and 500,000. It’s a good number for anybody not named Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr. More on that later. Arum predicted that the pay-per-view number would take a hit. It did, maybe because it was in China and away from the daily pre-fight media coverage in the United States. Again, maybe.

But Arum’s decision to bring Pacquiao back to the U.S., perhaps in April, doesn’t appear to be a coincidence. Without television’s traditional infrastructure and the daily headlines, the PPV number in Pacquiao’s first U.S. fight in more than a year will be a true test. If the PPV number disappoints, it might be a sign that Pacquiao and Top Rank will go their separate ways. If it’s closer to one million, look for Arum to introduce negotiations for another extension.

Thus far, there’s been no news that one is on the table. Pacquiao and Arum agreed to the additional year about 14 1/2 months before the old deal was set to expire at the end of 2013. When it comes to potential free agency, boxing isn’t any different than the NFL, NBA and major-league baseball. There’s plenty of speculation about any athlete, coach or manager entering the final year of a deal. It indicates uncertainty on both sides.

For all sides, money is the bottom line. For Pacquiao, there’s anecdotal evidence that it’s a potential issue There are reported problems with both the Internal Revenue Service and Filipino tax authorities. Perhaps, the stories are overblown. Perhaps, they’ll be settled before the first page in the new calendar is turned. But the ominous smoke is there.

If in fact Pacquiao needs money, the best way to get the most of it is in a fight against Mayweather. No secret there. There’s renewed speculation in an unsourced story about a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight happening in September. It’s about as believable as any other off-the-wall New Year prediction and as likely as Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. ever making weight. But it’s getting attention, which is a sure sign that it’s still the one fight everybody wants to see. Mayweather, of course, has repeatedly insisted he’ll never fight Pacquiao for as long as he is represented by Arum. Mayweather’s latest attack of Pacquiao via social media appears to be a poorly disguised attempt at badgering the Filipino Congressman into making a move.

In part, Mayweather is an example of how the best boxers can evolve as businessmen. Mayweather is now a promoter, an independent entrepreneur aligned with Golden Boy and under contract to Showtime. A better example is Miguel Cotto, who has avoided the bitter feuds and been able to do business with Top Rank, Golden Boy and any other entity in the promotional swamp. By the way, Cotto is friendly with Pacquiao, who beat him in 2009.

Will Pacquiao follow Cotto’s model? Split with Arum? Follow the money to Mayweather for a 2015 fight? Retire after losing to Bradley or Marquez? A New Year offers answers to 2014’s undisputed Story of the Year.

PROVIDENCE (January 2, 2014) — Big Six Entertainment has announced its 2014 event schedule, featuring six confirmed shows in Massachusetts, three apiece at Club Royale Boston and the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton.

2014 Big Six Entertainment Schedule

Date Start Venue
Saturday, March 15 5 p.m. Club Royale Boston
Saturday, May 3 6 p.m. Irish Cultural Centre
Saturday, June 21 6 p.m. Irish Cultural Centre
Saturday, July 26 5 p.m. Club Royale Boston
Saturday, September 13 6 p.m. Irish Cultural Centre
Saturday, November 22 5 p.m. Club Royale Boston

“During the past two years of operations,” Big Six Entertainment president Artie DePinho said, “Big Six Entertainment established itself as one of the leading boxing promotions companies in New England. We brought competitive, entertaining clubs shows back to New England. Young professional boxers have an opportunity to fight and develop, veterans are able to stay active without signing restrictive promotional contracts, and local boxing fans get to follow their favorite fighters on a regular basis.

“We’re grateful for having two great homes in Massachusetts: Club Royale in Boston’s popular downtown theater district and outdoors under a large tent, located halfway between two boxing hot-beds like Boston and Providence, at the Irish Cultural Centre. Our attendance increased show-by-show and we are confident that trend will continue in 2014. Young and old alike seem to appreciate our early start times at both venues.

“In our first event of the year (Mar. 15), we will be capitalizing on St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The main event will showcase a 10-round bout for an Irish junior middleweight title when Lee Murtagh squares off against Michael McLaughlin. Big Six Entertainment would like to thank the Massachusetts Athletic Commission for its cooperation, professionalism and our licensing approval. We are also in discussions to promote shows at other venues throughout New England to expand our fan-base for continued growth in 2014.”

Ossie “The Ghanaian Gladiator” Duran (11-1, 8 KOs) says he’s well prepared to face hometown hero Caleb “Golden” Truax (23-1, 4 KOs) of Minnesota, on ESPN Friday Night Fights this Friday, January 3, 2014, at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and fans watching that night should be ready for an upset.

Presented by Iron Mike Productions, Seconds Out Promotions and Warriors Boxing, Duran’s 10-round middleweight bout against Truax will serve as the main supporting bout and televised co-feature on the new year’s first installment of ESPN Friday Night Fights, headlined by a 12-round main event for the IBF Junior Lightweight Championship between champion Argenis Mendez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York via San Juan, Dominican Republic and #1-ranked undefeated challenger Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs) from Miami, via Cuba.

Tickets for Friday Night Fights go on sale Friday, November 22, at 12 noon and will be priced at $35, $65, $100, $150 and $250. They will be available at Target Center’s Box Office, online at AXS.com or by calling 888.9.AXS.TIX (888.929.7849).

“He’s beaten a couple of good guys,” says Duran of Truax. “I watched him fight on tape and he’s a good fighter, but I’ve been around so long, I’m ready for anyone.”

36-year-old Duran accepted the fight against Truax on two weeks’ notice after original opponent Derek Ennis pulled out. “I’m always in the gym training and working. I train some guys too, so I’m always ready to go. I can’t wait for Friday, you know? I can’t wait to jump in the ring and do what I got to do.”

Duran was born in Accra, Ghana and began his pro career nearly 18 years ago as a lightweight. He has won several regional titles along the way including the Ghanaian lightweight, World Boxing Federation Pan-European welterweight, World Boxing Federation European Welterweight, Commonwealth welterweight, Commonwealth light middleweight, and United States Boxing Association Atlantic Coast Region middleweight titles.

“It’s a short notice but it’s going to be an upset,” continued Duran. “That’s why I have been training so hard: for a chance like this. Beating this guy will put me back where I want to be. I just have to go grab it.”

###

On fight night, doors open at 6 pm, first bell is at 7 pm. ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will begin at 9 p.m. ET live on ESPN2, WatchESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

ESPN Deportes – which will re-brand its coverage as Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) with some telecasts on Saturdays – will air the bouts on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 9 p.m.

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), who will fill-in ringside for Tessitore during the season opener,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 Combates
on 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 Iron Mike Productions (IMP)

Previously known as Acquinity Sports, Iron Mike Productions is a full-service boxing promotion company co-founded and led by CEO Garry Jonas. In partnership with Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, IMP is committed to changing traditional boxing promotion by advocating for its fighters’ successes, inside the ring and out, throughout their professional careers and into retirement.

About Warriors Boxing

Launched in 2003, Warriors Boxing operates under a simple philosophy-bring the best boxers in the world to fight fans, match them in competitive bouts, and in doing so help re-establish the sport of boxing for a new generation.

With a series of successful Pay-Per-View shows and packed houses to its credit, the Warriors business model is working wonders in a sport that was sorely in need of the innovation and energy that the company brings to the table.

When it comes down to it though, a promotional company is only as good as the fighters and fights it promotes. Warriors Boxing has delivered on all fronts, with outstanding bouts such as Lara-Molina, Cayo-Peterson, Abraham-Miranda I and II, Miranda-Pavlik, Miranda-Green, Ibragimov-Briggs, Ibragimov-Klitschko, Urango-Hatton, Urango-Bailey, Cayo-Maidana and Ibragimov-Holyfield.

For more information on Warriors Boxing, visit their website at www.WarriorsBoxing.com.

About Seconds Out Promotions

When retired professional boxer Tony Grygelko found himself unable to stay out of the gym, he realized that his passion for the sport was something he couldn’t deny. At age 29, Grygelko formed Seconds Out Promotions.

By utilizing the vast boxing knowledge of world-class trainer Ron Lyke, Grygelko and Seconds Out Promotions found instant success.

Through determination, integrity and hard work, Seconds Out Promotions strives to become a leading fight promotional company in the world, by giving young fighters the ability to showcase their talents to a worldwide audience, along with offering our fans the highest quality programming available.

Seconds Out Promotions was created to bring the very best fights to all fans and participants worldwide. Seconds Out Promotions is committed to the recruitment and development of the best and brightest young fighters to help achieve our mission. Seconds Out Promotions continues to expand its web and television presence, and is establishing itself as one of the fastest-rising fight promotions in the world.

For more information on Seconds Out Promotions, visit their website at: www.SoBoxing.comor their Twitter: @soboxing.

For additional information go online at www.IronMikeProductions.com or www.SoBoxing.comorwww.WarriorsBoxing.com.

Mike Tyson Web Site – miketyson.com

Facebook: facebook.com/miketyson, facebook.com/SecondsOutPromotions

Twitter: @MikeTyson @IronMikeProd @soboxing @TargetcenterMN

NUTLEY, NJ (JANUARY 2, 2014)–Recently the Team Elite Heat Amateur team placed a staggering 12 participants that will compete at the Eastern Regional Tournament this weekend (January 3rd and January 4th) in Elmer, New York.

The team is coached by Wali Moses, Robinson Velez, Dwight Flemming and Robert Griffin will have the following fighters taking part in the tournament.

Victor Ordonez 10-11 year olds–70lbs.
Zahir Salaam–10-11 year olds–75 lbs.
Vito Mielnicki–10-11 year olds–80 lbs
Dwyke Flemming–10-11 year olds–85 lbs
Zyad Hassan–10 -11 year olds–95 lbs
Malik Nelson–12-13 year olds–85 lbs
Rajon Chance–12-13 year olds–90 lbs
Oscar Lopez–12-13 year olds–106 lbs
Steven Ramirez–12-13 year olds–119 lbs
Luis Morales–14-15 year olds–106 lbs
John Bauza–14-15 year olds–139 lbs
Mauhdu Salaam–14-15 year olds–147 lbs

Mielnicki is a 2 time Jr. Golden Gloves champion, Silver Gloves champion

Chance is a Golden Gloves champion

Mauhdu Salaam is a Silver Gloves national champion

Bauza is a National Silver Gloves runner up

Nelson is a Silver Gloves National Champion

The team will then travel to Independence, Missouri for the Silver Glove National Tournament that will take place from January 29th to February 1st.

The team when then face the best amateurs in Washington, D,C. February 7th.

February 28th, Team Elite Heat will travel to Ontario, Canada and compete in the Ontario Games.

It will be a big 2014 for the Team Elite Heat amateur program

OTTAWA, Canada (January 2, 2014) – On his mission to become the first Haitian-born heavyweight champion of the world, World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver champion Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (23-1, 20 KOs) still doesn’t know exactly when and where he will be fighting for the vacant WBC heavyweight world title.

After patiently waiting 2 ½ years as the mandatory challenger, though, the 34-year-old Stiverne understands that he will be in his first world title fight sometime during the first-quarter of 2014 – date, place and network to be determined – in a rematch with Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs).

Once Vitali Klitschko finally announced his retirement, the WBC mandated a title fight between its top two rated heavyweights, No. 1 Stiverne and No. 2 Arreola, ordering their respective promoters, Don King Productions and Goossen-Tutor Promotions, to begin negotiations. Stiverne-Arreola will go to a WBC purse bid in Mexico if an agreement is not reached by the January 17.

Stiverne knocked out Ray Austin on June 25, 2011 in the 10th round of their WBC heavyweight title eliminator to capture the WBC Silver championship. Last April in another WBC heavyweight title eliminator, Stiverne successfully defended his Silver belt, winning an impressive 12-round unanimous decision (118-109, 117-110, 117-10) over Arreola, breaking Arreola’s nose and dropping him in the third round. Also, three purse bids for Stiverne to challenge Klitschko were postponed during Stiverne’s arduous journey to his dream of fighting for the world title.

“I believe that good things happen to those who wait,” Stiverne said sounding more like a philosopher than world heavyweight title challenger. “I also believe that one of my best qualities is to be patient for things that I want and care about in life, especially if I’m putting in work at 110-percent.

“I am not disappointed that I won’t be fighting Klitschko. All I care about right now is to get my hands on that green belt and to be the first Haitian heavyweight champion of the world. I have the best team in boxing to take care of this matter. It is not my concern about where or when. My job is to be ready when the time and date comes.”

“Although we’ve been patiently waiting,” Stiverne’s manager Camille Estephan (Eye Of The Tiger Management) noted, “we have not been sitting idle. Bermane has been hard at work, perfecting his skills and abilities, and his time waiting has been an investment. We will show that the sacrifice in efforts during that time has, without doubt, produced the best heavyweight in the world. Bermane is eager to show that in his upcoming performance.”

Stiverne, who lives in Montreal and trains in Las Vegas, isn’t looking at his fight with Arreola as a rematch. “As far as I’m concerned,” Stiverne explained, “this will be the first time I fight him. My performance will be impeccable and very painful. I will knock his ass out!”

For further information visit www.eottm.com, or follow on Twitter @eottmvd and @BermaneStiverne.

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 1, 2014) – 2013 was an incredible year for the World Series of Fighting, complete with exciting world-class fights, championship belts, and expansion into international territories such as Canada, Japan and Brazil. If you missed any of the action, you can relive some of WSOF’s finest moments on Saturday, January 4 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT when NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) airs “Unstoppable: Best of World Series of Fighting.”

The two-hour special looking back at the promotions first seven fights is produced by Tupelo-Honey Raycom in association with WSOF Productions and will be hosted by MMA legend Bas Rutten and Todd Harris, airing immediately following the Notre Dame-Boston College hockey game.

In addition to the fight highlights, fans will see exclusive interviews with World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo and superstars Steve Carl, Georgie Karakhanyan, Justin Gaethje, Nick Newell, Marlon Moraes, Anthony Johnson and David Branch. The special also features future stars such as Rich Patishnock, who is stepping up to fight Justin Gaethje for the inaugural WSOF lightweight title on Jan. 18, and a look at Florida’s famed Blackzillian fight team.

Some of the fights we look back on with “Unstoppable: Best of World Series of Fighting” include:

WSOF 1
Anthony Johnson vs. DJ Linderman
Marlon Moraes vs. Miguel Torres
Andrei Arlovski vs. Devin Cole
WSOF 2
Andrei Arlovski vs. Anthony Johnson
Marlon Moraes vs. Tyson Nam
Josh Burkman vs. Aaron Simpson
WSOF 3
Justin Gaethje vs. Brian Cobb
Steve Carl vs. Tyson Steel
Dan Lauzon vs. John Gunderson
Josh Burkman vs. Jon Fitch
WSOF 4
Ray Sefo vs. Dave Huckaba
Nick Newell vs. Keon Caldwell
Marlon Moraes vs. Brandon Hempleman
Tyrone Spong vs. Angel Deanda
WSOF 5
David Branch vs. Danillo Villefort
Waylon Lowe vs. Georgi Karakhanyan
Andrei Arlovski vs. Mike Kyle
WSOF 6
Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Lauzon
Marlon Moraes vs. Carson Beebee
Josh Burkman vs. Steve Carl
WSOF 7
Nick Newell vs. Sabah Fadai
Jesse Taylor vs. Elvis Mutapcic
Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Lance Palmer

World Series of Fighting will start on next years highlight reel at “WSOF 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock” which takes place Jan. 18, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. and airs live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT following a 6-fight undercard which streams live at www.WSOF.com.

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.

LAS VEGAS (Dec. 31, 2013) – The Las Vegas-based World Series of Fighting promotion continues to keep an eye on the future, and the organization is happy to announce the signing of four talented new names to its roster.

The group includes women’s contenders Ashlee Evans-Smith and Emi Fujino, as well as two male counterparts in welterweight Tyler Stinson and light heavyweight Teddy Holder.

All four have signed exclusive, multi-fight deals with World Series of Fighting.

“While our global growth has really been a big story in recent months, I think the real key to our future success is bringing exciting fighters to our promotion,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. “These four athletes all fit that description, and I look forward to watching each of them step into the World Series of Fighting decagon for the first time.”

Evans-Smith (2-0) is best known for her recent win over transgender fighter Fallon Fox, a win that earned her the Championship Fighting Alliance women’s featherweight tournament title. She’ll now drop down to 135 pounds to compete for World Series of Fighting.

“I’m extremely excited to be working with World Series of Fighting,” Evans-Smith said. “I’ve only heard great things from other fighters and coaches about the promotion, and I think it’s the perfect home for me in this next step of my career.

“A lot of exciting and entertaining fights will happen in 2014. World Series of Fighting, NBCSN and I are going to be making waves, for sure.”

Fujino (13-7) will soon celebrate her 10-year anniversary in the sport, with all 20 of her pro fights taking place in her native Japan. She went 2-1 in 2013, including a pair of submission wins.

“It’s always been my dream to fight overseas, so I was extremely happy to be able to sign with such a big promotion like World Series of Fighting,” Fujino said. “This is a big chance for me because so many fans are going to watch my fights.

“I believe women’s MMA is going to be better and bigger, so I am glad to be a part of sending those messages to MMA fans across the world.”

Competing professionally since 2006. Stinson (25-9) is a Bellator MMA and Strikeforce veteran. He currently owns a two-fight winning streak that includes back-to-back first-round finishes of Rob Kimmons and Zac Kelley. He currently trains alongside World Series of Fighting lightweight title contender Justin Gaethje at Colorado’s Grudge Training Center.

“We had a few offers from different promotions, but World Series of Fighting seemed to make the most sense for me,” Stinson said. “Justin Gaethje is my teammate and my roommate, and he seems to be taken care of really well by the organization. I think it would be really cool to have both of the belts (welterweight and lightweight) at our house by the end of the year.”

Fighting out of Tennessee, Holder (8-1) has been competing professionally since 2008. He took a near-three-year break from competition between 2009 and 2012 but has since returned with a vengeance, racking up six wins in less than 24 months.

Holder is currently riding a seven-fight winning streak, and he’s never fought past the opening round of a bout.

“My dad always used to say, ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,’ so I don’t plan on changing my aggressive style,” Holder said. “I’ll be in your face and looking for finishes.

“I just plan on continuing to get better and adding more tools to my belt, so to speak. As a fan of MMA, I love to see knockouts and finishes. I like watching really aggressive fighters come in, bring it, and let it all hang out. So win lose or draw, when I step in the World Series of Fighting cage, it’s gonna be exciting.”

World Series of Fighting’s next fight card takes place Jan. 18 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., and features two championship matchups on the NBCSN-broadcast event.

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.

Former Mexican amateur standout Jesus Cantua made a successful professional debut on Friday, December 20, knocking out Victor Ortiz (0-2) in the first round at the Salon Del Ayuntamiento in his hometown of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.

After dropping his foe with a right cross moments into the fight, the 20-year-old lightweight prospect finished him off with a perfectly placed left hook to the body for the ten count.

Cantua, who has won silver and bronze medals at Nationals in Mexico, is trained by Jose Santos Moreno, who also handles WBO featherweight champion Orlando Salido. Salido was at ringside for the fight in support of his close friend.

Cantua is also a student at University of Sonora, where he studies business management.

“I’m very happy to have made my pro debut,” said Cantua. “I wanted to wait until I had my degree but the opportunity came to fight here at home so it was too good to pass on.”

Cantua will return to the ring in February in Nogales against an opponent to be named later.

Former two division world champion Abner Mares injured a rib during sparring and his February 15th rematch with the man who took his Featherweight title Jhonny Gonzalez will have to be postponed according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I got a call from directly Abner [on Monday afternoon] and he said that he suffered a rib injury last week in sparring and that he tried to see if he could shake it off but he had to go and see the doctor and that the doctor told him he should not have any contact for several weeks,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. “So that necessitates that we move the date of the fight and it will not happen on Feb. 15.”

Schaefer said that Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez informed Gonzalez’s team of the situation. Schaefer said he also informed Showtime Sports chief Stephen Espinoza.

“I will be working next week with Stephen to see what we want to do,” Schaefer said. “I need to talk to venues and coordinate with Showtime to find a different date. Abner wants this fight and so does Jhonny, so it’s just a matter of finding a different date that works.”

Frank Espinoza, Mares’ manager — and no relations to Showtime’s Espinoza — said Mares was in training camp in Mexico City when he suffered the injury.

“He said that his ribs were very sore and when I reached out to talk to Richard [on Monday], he said there is nothing that we can do as far as rescheduling the fight until next week, after the holiday, when the Showtime people are back in the office,” Espinoza said. “Of course, Abner is disappointed. He was ready to go in and win the world title again.

“This is boxing and accidents happen in sparring. Unfortunately, he got hurt. So now we will wait and talk to Golden Boy about a new date.”

PHILADELPHIA (DECEMBER 30, 2013)–This past March 16th at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, WBO Welterweight Champion Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov waged a memorable battle that saw Bradley barely hold on to his title by winning a razor- thin unanimous decision.

Provodnikov, knocked Bradley down with just seconds remaining in the bout and Bradley was rocked and badly hurt several more times in the bout that saw many ebbs and flows throughout the thrilling contest.

Even though the “Siberian Rocky” came up a bit short in the scorecards, he became a star that night because of his terrific performance

As 2013 draws to a close, many in the boxing community are giving the bout the accolades it deserves by naming it the “2013 Fight of the Year.”

Kevin Iole of Yahoo.com; secondsout.com; fighthype.com; sportsmedia101.com; Robert Morales; Chris Mannix of Sportsillustrated.com; Boxingnews24.com; ringtv.com & USA Today are just a few of the many outlets that has given the fight it’s highest accolade.

There are still outlets such as espn.com and the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America that will surely follow suit and add to the recognition of the great fight.

Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO’s) would go on to capture the WBO jr. welterweight championship with a 10th – round stoppage over Mike Alvarado on October 19th, in Alvarado’s hometown of Broomfield, Colorado.

“This was a great fight and we are ecstatic that the world got to see what we already knew: That Ruslan is a world championship fighter and his win over Mike Alvarado proved that,” said Banner Promotions CEO Artie Pelullo.

“I would like to thank all of the media that recognized this sensational fight. Ruslan has become must see television. He has many memorable nights in store for years to come.”

PHILADELPHIA (DECEMBER 30, 2013)–On Friday night, January 31st, Joey Eye Boxing Promotions will present a great night of championship boxing at Harrahs Philadelphia.

In the main event, it will be a battle of two of the most popular fighters in the Philadelphia area as Tony “Boom Boom” Ferrante takes on Anthony Caputo Smith in a ten round battle for the Pennsylvania state Cruiserweight championship.

Ferrante of Philadelphia has a record of 12-4 with 7 knockouts and at age 29, he has a lot to prove.

He won his first nine bouts which included a 5th round stoppage over Anthony Pietrantonio (6-1).

After suffering his 1st two defeats to Chuck Mussachio (15-1-2) and Ronson Frank (15-0. Ferrante went on to score three consecutive stoppages before dropping fights to former world title challenger Omar Sheika and Dhafir Smith.

In his last bout, Ferrante knocked out previously undefeated Isa Akberbayev (10-0) in the 10th round of their January 19, 2013 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Unfortunately that bout was controversially changed to a no-contest.

This will be Ferrante’s 5th appearance at Harrahs

Caputo Smith of Kennett Square, PA has a record of 14-2 with 10 knockouts.

Caputo won his first 13 bouts while building up a large fan base in the Philadelphia / Delaware area. After suffering his 1st defeat, Caputo won the Pennsylvania State Light heavyweight championship with a 10 round majority decision over Dhafir Smith on May 4, 2013.

That win facilitated a high profile fight that saw Caputo get stopped in 3 rounds against undefeated Seanie Monaghan (18-0) on October 12, 2013 as part of the Timothy Bradley – Juan Manuel Marquez televised Pay Per View undercard in Las Vegas.

In the exciting eight round co-feature, currant Pennsylvania Lightweight champion and undefeated Naim “The Dream” Nelson will take on battle tested Christian Steele in a non-title bout.

Nelson of Philadelphia has a record of 10-0 with 1 knockout.

The 23 year old Nelson has quality victories over Korey Sloane (1-0); Esteban Rodriguez (5-1-1).

On September 14, 2012, Nelson had to get off the canvas to come back and win the Pennsylvania Lightweight title with a thrilling ten round unanimous decision over Victor Vasquez. Since that fight, Nelson has 8 round unanimous decision wins over Osnel Charles and Georgi Kevlishvili.

Steele of Philadelphia has a record of 4-7-1 with 1 knockout.

He has faced 7 undefeated fighters and has had good recent success.

The 25 year-old turned pro in 2011 and has been in the ring with top prospects Jared Robinson (7-0); Anthony Young (4-0); Jose Peralta (9-1-1); Michal Chudecki (5-0) Tyrone Crawley Jr. (3-0) and Rickey Edwards (2-0)

Steele has a draw with undefeated Bobby Hornsby (8-0) big wins over Juan Rodriguez (4-1-1) and undefeated Lonnie Jackson (3-0-1) on December 21st, 2013 in Broomall, PA.

In a six round bout undefeated Super Featherweight Anthony Burgin (5-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will see action against an opponent to be named.

In four round bouts:

Anthony Prescott (2-2-1, 1 KO) of Cherry Hill, NJ battles Jose Javier Calderon (4-3-1, 4 KO’s) of Puerto Rico in a Welterweight bout.

Robert Irizarry (0-1) of New Jersey will take on Arthur Parker (1-9-1, 1 KO) of Lancaster, PA in a Featherweight bout.

Fred Jenkins Jr. (6-1, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take part in a Middleweight bout against an opponent to be named.

More bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets are now on sale for $100 (VIP); $75 (Ringside) and $50 (General Admission) and can be purchased at the Harrahs Philadelphia Gift Shop; By calling Joey Eye (267-304-9399); David
Feldman (610-291-0806); 800-480-8020 or on http://www.webtix.net/

London (30 December) Hughie Lewis Fury is “not hanging around” and is “upping his game” in 2014.

The 19-year-old heavyweight prospect has had a busy first nine months as a professional and is aiming at “all the top domestic fighters” next year, says his father and trainer Peter Fury.

“His first year as a professional is up at the end of March and already he’s had 12 fights, won all 12 with seven knockouts and next year we’ll be looking at all the top domestic fighters,” Peter said.

“Hughie’s not hanging around, he’s upping his game next year and he’s upping his game with the class of opponents as well.”

Hughie, who turned 19 in September, is the first British fighter to win a Gold Medal at the AIBA World Youth Boxing Championships at super heavyweight.

Since his professional debut in March, Hughie is already being tipped to beat Mike Tyson’s famous record of becoming the youngest fighter to win a world heavyweight title and Peter believes he can achieve whatever he puts his mind to in the sport.

“This is the kid to follow in world boxing because there is no other heavyweight like him on the planet,” Peter said.

”I’m not saying that because he’s my son, I’m saying that because of the sheer ability and boxing brain that he’s got.

“He’s maturing as he’s growing, he’s got a cast iron chin, power, the sky is the limit.

“We are leaving no stone unturned with Hughie, we know what he’s got to work on, we know he’s still improving and he’s got a lot to learn.

“He knows exactly where he is and exactly what he needs to do, so we’re very much looking forward to the new year.”

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Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, wraps up a hectic 2013 Cage Warriors schedule with a live New Year’s Eve broadcast of Cage Warriors 63 from The Helix in Dublin, Ireland, this Tuesday, December 31, at 4 p.m. ET.

In the dual main events, Cage Warriors lightweight champion Stevie Ray will make the first defense of his belt against Ivan Buchinger, while Jim Alers puts his featherweight title up for grabs against Graham Turner.

Ray (14-4) captured the title after emerging victorious from CWFC’s four-man lightweight tournament at Cage Warriors 60 in London earlier this month, courtesy of wins over Jason Ball and Sean Carter.

“I’m very excited to be defending my belt on New Year’s Eve at what looks set to be the biggest Cage Warriors event of the year,” said Ray, who has taken 11 of his 14 wins inside the distance.

“I wanted Buchinger next as he should have been in the tournament final, so I want to show everybody that the result would have been the same anyway. I respect him but the belt will be coming back to Scotland with me.”

Buchinger (24-4) had been due to meet Ray in that Cage Warriors 60 tournament decider but was forced to withdraw after sustaining a rib injury during his semi-final triumph over Mick Sinclair.

The 27-year-old Slovak returns to Dublin on New Year’s Eve following a 3-0 streak this year, as he rebounded impressively from his loss to Conor McGregor on the same date at The Helix in 2012.

Buchinger said: “I’m glad to be getting the shot at the belt that I earned at Cage Warriors 60 and I’m looking forward to coming back to Dublin to try to make amends for my last fight there.

“Steven Ray is a deserving champion but I am determined to take that belt from him on New Year’s Eve. I’m very excited about the opportunity.”

Alers (11-1), who’ll be searching for his seventh consecutive Cage Warriors victory, was crowned CWFC featherweight kingpin back in April when he submitted Joni Salovaara in the fourth round of the Cage Warriors 53 main event in Glasgow to clinch a title that had been vacated by Conor McGregor.

A 26-year-old native of Florida, Alers impressively overcame Martin Svensson by unanimous decision in his debut title defence at Cage Warriors 59 in Cardiff earlier this month.

Having taken all 10 of his previous victories inside the distance – eight via submission – Alers also holds notable wins over Matteus Lahdesmaki, Marcio Cesar and Freddy Assuncao.

“I’m excited go give the Cage Warriors fans the matchup they wanted to see,” said Alers. “I want to fight the best fighters in my division and I feel Graham Turner is the top guy at the moment.”

“Turner is a great guy, I like him a lot, but I’m not going to let that get in the way of me beating him up a bit and keeping my belt wrapped around my waist.”

Turner (23-7), a 25-year-old Scotsman with a kickboxing background, holds a 5-1 record under the Cage Warriors banner and – with the exception of Alers – currently holds more CWFC wins than any other featherweight.

A member of Scotland’s renowned Dinky Ninjas camp, Turner has dropped just two losses in his last 17 outings – to the UFC’s Akira Corassani and top CWFC featherweight Matteus Lahdesmaki.

Since the defeat to Lahdesmaki in February 2012, Turner has rebounded in emphatic fashion, with five straight wins, the most recent of which came at the expense of the previously unbeaten Nad Narimani at Cage Warriors 56 in London this past July.

Turner counts 16 stoppage wins on his record – 14 via (T)KO – and has seen off the likes of Ashleigh Grimshaw, Olivier Pastor and Nathan Beer since making his professional debut in 2005.

He said: “This is going to be a very tough fight; I’m pretty sure it’ll be my hardest to date. I’m excited about the challenge and I feel very honoured to be given this opportunity by Cage Warriors.

“I’d love to get my hands on the Cage Warriors world title. I have the utmost respect for Jim as a fighter and I can’t wait for this challenge. I’m also really looking forward to my first visit to Ireland.”

In another anticipated featured contest, John Maguire will take on home favorite Philip Mulpeter in a 161-pound catch-weight bout.

A two-time winner in the UFC, Maguire (18-6) is currently fifth in the UK’s lightweight rankings and is confident of making a successful start to his spell with Cage Warriors.

“Being the Cage Warriors champion is now my aim and this is the first step on the way to that,” said the 30-year-old Englishman. “Philip Mulpeter, you called down thunder; well now you’ve got it.”

Mulpeter (6-3), like Maguire, sees his future in the 155lbs division having previously competed at welterweight. The 24-year-old was quick to offer Maguire his CWFC debut via Twitter after the signing of the UFC veteran was announced last week, and Cage Warriors officials have duly obliged.

A native of Laois in Ireland, Mulpeter began his move to lightweight with a very impressive second-round TKO of Warren Kee at Cage Warriors 56 in London this past July.

Mulpeter said: “I can’t wait to get back in the cage. My last fight was a good win over a tough opponent but I’m looking to improve again. I’m looking forward to getting another win, especially in my capital city.”

In other marquee matchups, Irishman Paul Redmond (8-3) meets Poland’s Mateusz Teodorczuk (10-2) in a welterweight bout, Ireland’s top female star Aisling Daly (13-5) returns from a year-long hiatus for a strawweight encounter with Venezuelan Muay Thai specialist Karla Benitez (11-5-1) and Englishman Sean Carter (7-1) will be keen to get back to winning ways when he goes up against Irishman Myles Price (7-4).

Undercard bouts include Kieran Davern vs. John Redmond, Amanda English vs. Slavka Vitaly, Chris Boujard vs. Sean Tobin, Kevin Booth vs. Rob Leybourne, Gavin Kelly vs. Dylan Sheehan and Mick Brennan vs. Kieran O’Brien.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

Tomasz “Goral” Adamek: “My dream has always to be the heavyweight champion. In 2014 I will do everything I can to make that happen.”

Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba: “I’ve got a feeling that 2014 is going to be the year of success for me. God blessed me with the amazing team I have. I wanna say thanks to my manager Jodi Solomon, trainer Buddy McGirt, my promoter Main Events, my family and all my supporters who stood by me and believed in me. In 2013 I went through a loss, that threw me a lot but it made me strong and very well prepared for the future. This year I’m looking forward to big things; being at the top of my division; becoming a world champion again; and working towards being the best I can possibly be.”

Steve “USS” Cunningham: “I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions, but I’m looking for 2014 to be a stellar year for my heavyweight career.”

Karl “Dynamite” Dargan: “I will fight as often as I can. I want to get up in the rankings so I can fight for a world title.”

Anatoliy “The Gladiator” Dudchenko: “My New Year’s resolution is to put more effort towards making my dreams a reality. Because miracles do happen and dreams can come true!”

Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov: “In the coming year I want to fight as many times possible. I want to get into the highest rankings and get closer, or even actually get a championship fight by the end of year 2014.”

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev: “My goal in 2014 is to fight a minimum of 4 times and to fight one of the other champions, like IBF, WBC or WBA. I want to have another belt by the end of the coming year.”

Ilshat “The Sheriff” Khusnulgatin: “The end of 2013 was successful for me. I signed a contract with a good team. I intend to improve the quality of my boxing. In the coming year my goal is to improve and enhance my position in the rankings.”

Thabiso Mchunu: “My resolution is simple, I resolve to get the WBC belt!”

Curtis “Showtime” Stevens: “My resolution for 2014 is to stop thinking so much in the ring and take these middleweights out of here.”

Lionell “Lonnie B” Thompson: “My resolutions are to stay in shape and dominate my opponents so I can be on the road to become light heavyweight champion of the world.”

Check out the Main Events mashup of the best hits and knockouts of the year! You can cut and paste this link to watch the video also:

2014 will start off with a bang on Friday, January 24th when Curtis Stevens returns to NBCSN Fight Night against piston-fisted Patrick Majewski in the main event. The card will be held at Resorts Casino Hotel – Superstar Theatre in Atlantic City.

Tickets are priced $75 and $50. They can be purchased at the Resorts International Hotel and Casino Box Office, 800-736-1420 and 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

ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will return for its 17th season Friday, Jan. 3, at 9 p.m. live on ESPN2, WatchESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ with a 12-round IBF title bout between Junior Lightweight titlist Argenis Méndez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) and undefeated Rances Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs). The 10-round co-feature will pit up and coming Middleweight contender Caleb Truax (23-1, 4 KOs) against Ossie Duran (27-11-2, 10 KOs). ESPN Deportes – which will re-brand its coverage as Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) – will air the bouts at 10:30 p.m.

Blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore and ringside analyst Teddy Atlas will return to describe the action for ESPN2. Studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), who will fill-in ringside for Tessitore during the season opener, will return for his second season providing all the latest boxing news and highlights. Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on 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. 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 in Spanish. Read more on ESPN Media Zone.
Date
Time (ET)
Main Event
Networks
Fri, Jan 3
9 p.m.
Argenis Méndez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) vs. Rances Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs)
12-rounds, IBF Junior Lightweight Title
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+,
WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 10
9 p.m.
Arash Usmanee (20-1-1, 10 KOs) vs. Juan Antonio Rodríguez (25-4, 23 KOs)
10-rounds, Junior Lightweights
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 24
9 p.m.
Javier Molina (14-1, 6 KOs) vs. Kendall Holt (28-6, 16 KOs)
10-rounds, Junior Welterweights
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 31
9 p.m.
Zsolt Erdei (33-1, 18 KOs) vs. Elvir Muriqi (40-5, 24 KOs)
10-rounds, Light Heavyweights
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

LAS VEGAS, (Dec. 30, 2013) – World Series of Fighting heavyweight Derrick Mehmen provided one of the most memorable knockouts of the year with his stunning finish of Rolles Gracie, and the “Caveman” was awarded a 2013 Bazzie Award for his effort.

Mehmen’s one-punch knockout of Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Rolles Gracie, who was 8-1 entering the fight, was named the “KO Punch of the Year” at this past weekend’s Bazzie Awards, presented by Kenny Rice and MMA legend Bas Rutten on AXS TV’s weekly MMA news series “Inside MMA.”

“Thank you ‘Inside MMA’ for ‘KO Punch of the Year,'” Mehmen said on the show. “I’d also like to thank my management team, KO Dynasty, American Top Team and Hard Drive Mixed Martial Arts and all my training partners and family and especially all the fans for tuning in and watching my ‘KO Punch of the Year. Look for me in 2014.”

The 28-year-old Mehmen made his World Series of Fighting debut in September at World Series of Fighting 5, where he leveled Gracie with a massive right hand. The power of the blow spun Gracie around before he fell face-first into the canvas in a shocking scene.

Mehmen (16-5) returns to action on Jan. 18, where he meets Scott “The Bear” Barrett (13-3) at “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Gonzalez,” which takes place at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The evening’s main card airs on NBCSN following preliminary bouts that stream on World Series of Fighting’s official website, WSOF.com.

Additionally, World Series of Fighting partner Pancrase, a Tokyo-based promotion with 20 years of experience, was also honored at the 2013 Bazzie Awards.

Takuya Eizumi’s slick rolling armbar finish of Teppei Masuda was named the 2013 Bazzie Awards’ “Submission of the Year.” The matchup took place at July’s “Pancrase 250: 2013 Neo-Blood Tournament Finals” event.

World Series of Fighting Japan is set to host its debut event in early 2014.

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.

WBO Lightweight champion Ricky Burns will defend his title against top contender Terrence Crawford on March 1st in Glasgow, Scotland according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I hope Burns is ready to walk to hell and back,” Crawford said. “I’m going to fight with all my heart. I have the determination and the skill to win the world title and bring it home.”

Added Top Rank’s Bob Arum, Crawford’s promoter, “We believe Terence Crawford is ready to win the title and take it home to Omaha.”

“I have a point to prove [against Crawford]. I’ve had two bad performances. We’ve made a few changes and some adjustments,” Burns said. “We’re going to be doing things differently, and fingers crossed that we see a new Ricky Burns on March 1. As soon as the jaw injury happened against Beltran I went into survival mode. Everybody knew that something was wrong, even if they didn’t know exactly what it was.

“When the final bell went, I wasn’t caring about the decision. I just knew that I had done damage. The first couple of months after the operation were a nightmare. They told me to watch what I was eating and I could hardly open my mouth. I couldn’t speak.”

Although many will pick the younger, faster, fresher Crawford to win, Burns, who will be making his fifth title defense, is confident.

“Everybody is writing me off again with Terence but that doesn’t bother me,” said Burns, 30, a former junior lightweight titlist. “I like being the underdog and I can’t wait to get back out there again in front of another great Glasgow crowd.”

“This is a must-win fight for Ricky and perhaps the toughest of his incredible career,” said Matchroom Promotions Eddie Hearn. “Ricky is more determined than I’ve ever seen him, and to have that frame after the injury that he suffered during the Beltran fight is testament to the type of character and fighter he is.

“Crawford is hot property in the States but we managed to bring him here, out of his comfort zone. And right now Ricky needs the people of Scotland behind him more than ever. March 1 will be a special night at the SECC, the latest chapter of the remarkable Ricky Burns story.”

The seven-day stretch in mid October that began the Saturday Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley decisioned Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez in Thomas & Mack Center ended with a more brutal stoppage victory over “Mile High” Mike Alvarado at 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colo., a GPS-defying suburb of Denver, than even sadists anticipated, and transformed Ruslan “Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov into prizefighting’s looniest bogeyman, the sound of whose punches still carry for those at ringside that night an especially unforgettable brand of acoustic menace.

The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art in Las Vegas featured a display of American pop-star Andy Warhol’s finest Western-themed works, including a pair of Dolly Parton portraits excellent as they are obscure, and Denver Art Museum proved itself an architectural marvel more even than anticipated.

Desert Storm, Dinamita, Siberian Rocky, Mile High, BGFA and DAM – they made Oct. 12-Oct. 19 my favorite week of 2013.

Fightweek has changed for boxing writers, changed dramatically and with dramatic rapidity, from the celebratory sort of thing that began on Monday afternoons and included free room and board at the host casino, to a pay-it-yourself model. It is but one more unpleasant turn for a profession whose best days will not return, though with one ancillary benefit: When a writer is compensated only for what words he produces within an arena, his time is his own when he is without the arena.

Saturday in Las Vegas began with a long-awaited lunch at Wynn’s Botero – a restaurant named after Colombia’s foremost living artist – continued to Bellagio’s Warhol display, crescendoed with three judges’ deciding for Timothy Bradley and concluded with another wonderful postfight meal among mentors and friends.

Friday in Denver began among the confounding angles of Polish architect Daniel Libeskind’s masterwork, DAM’s Frederic C. Hamilton Building, and continued to an overcrowded downtown weighin, where Mike Alvarado’s scale struggles afforded an hour with boxing’s best matchmaker, Bruce Trampler, and matchmaking’s greatest character, Jim Smith, anticipating fantastically a Saturday morning drive westward and Provodnikov’s Saturday night triumph.

*

The seven-day stretch in mid October that began the Saturday Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley decisioned Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez provided a resilient sort of joy, a kind Bradley might appreciate, joy by way of resilience, followed by the shocking clarity of Colorado light, pristinely dry for being ever cold, and an overwhelming form of violence no prizefighter recognizes as his own till he becomes its prey.

Before Juan Manuel Marquez stormed to his dressing room yet again while boxing’s malcontent knowers filled online forums with certainty, there came an unusual occurrence to ringside in Las Vegas: Silence among writers between the closing bell and reading of scorecards. Some had opinions of who’d won the 12-round contest, but none had anything like television’s certainty.

As Saturday became Sunday, I sat in Zoozacrackers, Wynn’s deli, across from Thomas Hauser and beside Norm Frauenheim, and I gratefully marveled, as I try often to do, at what an unpredictable but absurdly wonderful – and absurd and wonderful – thing is life.

Promoter Bob Arum, too, was surprised by the way Nevada’s judges found for Bradley in a fight that saw more ineffective aggressiveness and inactivity than expected, but like many others he had a job to do between the overstuffed walls of Diego’s Mexican Food & Cantina the following Friday, promoting alongside Banner Promotions’ Art Pelullo at a weighin the fire marshal closed a half hour before Alvarado missed weight by a pound and Provodnikov struck his signature bellowing-most-muscular pose, and Arum’s job hardly comprised an expression of grief for the surly Mexican who flattened Top Rank’s 2013 revenue projections with a single right hand in Las Vegas 11 months before.

Saturday’s main event began with a look of acute squeamishness and pain, an actual wince, from Mike Alvarado, an aptly tatted and troubled representative of Denver’s rugged and weird interior, and ended with Alvarado, many times more intelligent and athletically gifted than his detractors or rap sheet know, broken on his stool and making an unexpected and prudent decision not to defend his 140-pound title from Provodnikov in their match’s championship rounds.

*

The seven-day stretch in mid October that began the Saturday Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley decisioned Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez marked a vindication for both Bradley and Provodnikov, the Russian who lost a fight-of-the-year decision to Bradley in March while likely reducing Bradley’s future lucidity and life expectancy and proving the Californian as spirited and well-conditioned an athlete as this era will know. Bradley, a man unfairly and ceaselessly maligned for collecting a decision win over Manny Pacquiao 16 months before, received the benefit of most every doubt against Marquez, immobilized by what upper-body musculature absurdly topped Marquez’s 144 1/2-pound physique, surprising Marquez with elusiveness and a counter left hook in their final 15 seconds of belligerence, once that sent Marquez stumbling backwards and Bradley’s gloves prematurely and unadvisedly high in the air.

Enamored as he was of a stalactite-like shape for his titanium-plated edifice at DAM, Daniel Libeskind, one fears, followed contemporary architecture’s tendency to see contemporary art as clutter, detritus detracting from what answers architecture provides light’s riddle – composed of particles or waves? – and made an exhibition hall too exhibitionist to exhibit anything but its own enchantingly crinkled cants.

One needn’t travel 50 miles west of Denver to see vistas unique in all the world, and these vistas begin with Idaho Springs, Colo., a spot placed first on a list of recommended Centennial State destinations by the matchmaker placed first on lists compiled by his peers, and so I went to behold the Rockies and their majestic clarity.

I had watched Mike Alvarado for 7 1/2 years by the time he got brutalized by Ruslan Provodnikov, first covering Alvarado’s own brutalization of Maximo Cuevas in the light of a searing Tucson sun as it set over the empty parking lot of Club Envy in 2006, but not until I saw Alvarado reduced to a frightened target did I realize how much affection I’d developed for him.

And how much I fear news will come of his tragic end before this decade is out.

***

Editor’s note: Part 2 will be posted next Monday.

***

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

LOS ANGELES (December 29, 2013) – Undefeated Ukrainian lightweight prospect Ivan “The Terrible” Redkach (15-0, 13 KOs) will continue to follow his American dream on January 17, in Memphis as he makes his U.S. network debut in the 10-round main event against Canadian Tony “The Lightning” Luis (17-1-1, 7 KOs) on ShoBox: The New Generation.

Redkach, who lives in Los Angeles, gained invaluable experience working there with world champions Brian Viloria and the late Edwin Valero. Currently rated No. 13 by the World Boxing Council (WBC), the ferocious 27-year-old Redkach has knocked out 13 of his 15 professional opponents. The lethal southpaw had a 260-40 amateur record and he was a 2008 Ukraine Olympic Team alternate.

“This opportunity is what I have worked so hard for since I was eight years old,” Redkach said from his training camp in LA with head trainer Mario Morales. “National exposure in the U.S. is why I uprooted my life and moved here. So many world champions started out fighting on ShoBox and now it’s my turn.”

Luis was a standout Canadian amateur who was a seven-time Provincial and three-time National silver Mittens champion. Styles make fights and the 25-year-old Luis is a consummate boxer, as opposed to the power-punching Redkach, to combine for a potential 2014 standout fight.

“Luis has an excellent amateur background,” noted Redkach, who is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. “He has great speed and is a pure boxer. This fight will be a great test for me. Based on what I’ve seen of him on tape, I believe he’ll dance around the ring with me being a predator; make no mistake, I will catch him!”

Redkach is carrying on a rich Ukrainian boxing history, starting with world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and continuing with contemporary Ukrainian world-class fighters such as cruiserweight Dmytro Kucher, middleweight Max Bursak, junior welterweight Viktor Postol, and featherweight Vasyl Lomachenko.

Redkach’s manager, Elite Management president Larry Army, is high on his newest signee. “There comes a time in every manager’s career when he finds out what he really has in a fighter,” Army added. “I know Ivan is a tremendous fighter with awesome power. On January 17th, the boxing world will know what I already do – Ivan Redkach will be a world champion.”

ABOUT ELITE MANAGEMENT: Found in 2008 by Atty. Larry Army in Massachusetts, Elite Management is a full-service boxing management firm focused on branding professional boxers. Elite Management is a proven expert in responsibly reviewing contracts, developing talent through effective matchmaking, gaining positive press, and attracting sponsorship and endorsement opportunities for athletes. Mr. Army is highly respected for successfully building a fighter’s team: researching, interviewing and securing the right trainer, strength-and-nutrition coach, nutritionist and cut-man. He is also known for organizing training camps for high-profile fights, as well as obtaining paid sparring partners.

Zuffa, LLC, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship®, released the following statement regarding Anderson Silva’s injury.

“Following Saturday evening’s UFC 168 main event, former champion Anderson Silva was taken to a local Las Vegas hospital where he underwent surgery to repair a broken left leg. The successful surgery, performed by Dr. Steven Sanders, the UFC’s Orthopedic Surgeon, inserted an intramedullary rod into Anderson’s left tibia. The broken fibula was stabilized and does not require a separate surgery. Anderson will remain in the hospital for a short while, but no additional surgery is scheduled at this time. Recovery time for such injuries may vary between three and six months.

“Anderson is deeply touched by the outpouring of support from his fans and the entire MMA community. There has been no immediate decision about his future, and he would kindly ask for privacy at this time as he deals with his injury and prepares to return home to recover.”

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization announces the launch of UFC Fight Pass™, the new digital subscription service which is a must-have for mixed martial arts fans.

Unveiled today with a two-month free trial, UFC Fight Pass delivers a minimum of 10 exclusive live events per year, exclusive live prelims, newly created and exclusive content in addition to unprecedented on-demand access to parent company Zuffa’s vast mixed martial arts video library.

UFC president Dana White said: “We’re very excited to announce this unique subscription service for our great fans. As the demand for live UFC events around the world continues to increase, we’ve responded by planning more big shows in international markets in local primetime. In 2014, there are going to be more international events than ever before – but we wanted to make sure that fans around the world could see these fights too.

“The UFC has always been ahead of the game when it comes to new media and new technology. We are putting together some sick cards in international markets and with UFC Fight Pass fans never have to miss a single UFC event, no matter where in the world the fights are taking place.”

Three international UFC Fight Night events have already been confirmed for UFC Fight Pass: UFC Fight Night: SAFFIEDINE vs. LIM on January 4, UFC London 2014: GUSTAFSSON vs. MANUWA on March 8 and a third international fight card in March. All cards feature top-10 ranked fighters competing in highly significant bouts.

UFC Fight Pass will also be the exclusive place to watch live Fight Pass Prelims™, the opening contests on major UFC Pay-Per-Views and televised cards.

In addition to more than nine exclusively live fights per month, UFC Fight Pass will also offer unparalleled on-demand access to the biggest MMA fight library in the world.

White said: “Zuffa has the biggest fight library on the planet, and with a UFC Fight Pass subscription, fans will get access to thousands of fights from the entire history of the sport. This is what fans have always wanted – we are giving them the keys to the candy store. Subscribers will be able to watch, on demand, the greatest fights and greatest fighters in the entire history of this sport. And I mean everything, from Royce Gracie, Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell and Anderson Silva, to Frank Shamrock, Wanderlei Silva, Kazushi Sakuraba and Fedor Emelianenko.”

Subscribers will be able to access hundreds of hours of content from the archive which includes two decades of UFC fights and the video libraries of other MMA organizations including PRIDE FC, PRIDE Bushido, Strikeforce, EliteXC, the World Fighting Alliance, Affliction Entertainment and World Extreme Cagefighting. See attached FAQ sheet for further details.

Additionally, there will be newly-created content for the service including regular behind-the-scenes reports, fighter diaries, UFC Upfront, UFC By the Numbers, UFC Fight Camp Insider and training tips. Plus, there will be exclusive content including the hotly-anticipated upcoming The Ultimate Fighter: Brasil season featuring bitter rivals Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen and future international editions of The Ultimate Fighter will be available exclusively on the UFC Fight Pass service.

“If you are a fight fan, UFC Fight Pass is for you,” White added.

UFC Fight Pass will initially launch in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, with a $9.99 price point per month in all four markets. Content will vary according to local television blackout rules.

A free two month trial starts now through February 28, 2014 providing access to live fights including the UFC’s first ever event in Singapore, UFC Fight Night: SAFFIEDINE vs. LIM, and UFC Fight Pass Prelims.

All bouts live and subject to change. Visit UFC.com and UFC.tv for more information.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Beijing and Singapore, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2011, the UFC burst onto the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, to nearly 882 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 President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with over 2.7 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV® offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new video game franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club® affinity program, UFC Fan Expo®, branded apparel, trading cards and more.

DUBAI (Dec. 27) – Boxing superstar Amir ‘King’ Khan and former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon ‘The Cannon’ Briggs will be the honoured guests for the official grand opening of Dubai’s most outstanding fitness, boxing and MMA facility – EMD Fitness.

The centre of excellence, located in Sunset Mall, is the brainchild of the UAE’s leading professional boxer Eisa Al Dah and will host the former unified light-welterweight world champion, Khan, and heavyweight hitman, Briggs, at 6pm local time on Monday December 30th.

EMD Fitness offers the very best in training and workout services, and is spread across 15,000 square feet, providing a panoramic glass view of Dubai’s stunning Jumeirah Beach.

Al Dah has a great relationship with both Khan and Briggs, and the visit of boxing royalty to the Middle East region offers the chance to help familiarise locals with some of the fight games top names.

Khan has enjoyed an illustrious career in the sport having made his mark at just 17 years of age when he captured an Olympic silver medal for Great Britain in 2004, as his country’s sole representative.

He has gone on to succeed at the highest levels as a professional having won the WBA light-welterweight world title against Andriy Kotelnik in 2009, before unifying the tough 140 pound division with a scintillating knockout performance against Zab Judah to claim the IBF world title.

Likewise, Brooklyn native Briggs stamped his mark after winning the WBO heavyweight championship when he stopped the durable Siarhei Liakhovich in the 12th round in 2006.

Eisa Al Dah, said: “It’s great to have these two superstars of boxing visit our excellent new facilities. We firmly believe that EMD Fitness is already Dubai’s premier venue for boxing, MMA and general fitness training. The staff, services and equipment at our disposal is immense and second to none. The fact we are able to attract leading names such as Amir Khan, who I have a tremendous relationship with, goes to show that we have so much to offer. I’m sure Amir and Shannon will be left very impressed with the facilities and our overall philosophy at EMD Fitness.”

Amir Khan, said: “I’m looking forward to my visit to Dubai for the official opening of EMD Fitness. It’s an area of the world I love. I have always wanted to try and do my part to help boxing grow in this region because I believe there is so much potential in Dubai and the Middle East. Boxing is a great sport which helps to teach discipline, keep people of the street and just help with general fitness. I can’t wait to see and test the facilities at EMD Fitness because I have heard many good things about it. I’m forward to seeing Eisa, his team and all the fans – it’s going to be a great experience.”

WHO: Amir Khan and Shannon Briggs

WHEN: 6pm GST on Monday December 30th

WHERE: Jumeirah 3, Level 2 Sun Set Mall, Jumeirah Road, Dubai, U.A.E., P.O.Box 183241 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

London / Johannesburg / Monte Carlo (December 24, 2013) – Former WBO light-heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly has replaced Pawel Kolodziej as an opponent for big-hitting cruiserweight Junior Makabu on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin’s championship fight at the Monte Carlo Boxing Bonanza on February 1, 2014.

The tournament is presented by Africa’s promotional giant, Golden Gloves of South Africa.

Cleverly (26-1, 12 KOs) stepped in after Kolodziej had second thoughts about facing the brutal puncher from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The pair will meet in a 10-round non-title bout.

“I’m very happy about the change,” enthused Berman. “Cleverly is a bigger name by far and has been in with outstanding boxers. The UK has a great heritage of producing top cruiserweights and Cleverly is another in this long line. I expect the fight against Makabu will be explosive.”

Makabu (15-0, 14 KOs) is arguably the most devastating puncher in the cruiserweight division with all but one of his wins having come by knockout.

Having recently surrendered his WBO title, Cleverly has decided to campaign at cruiserweight where he anticipates more success after an outstanding reign in which he ran up 26 straight wins.

A former European, British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion, the Welshman cleaned up in Britain before capturing the interim WBO title against Nabjib Mohammedi in 2010. He then beat Aleksy Kuziemski for the WBO title outright in his next fight, in 2011.

Four successful title defences followed, the best of them a stoppage defeat of Shawn Hawk in Los Angeles in 2012.

In Cleverly’s most recent fight, he lost in four rounds to undefeated Sergey Kovalev in Cardiff, Wales in August, prompting his move up a division where he meets thedangerous Makabu.

Cleverly is excited to get the opportunity to regain a world title and end the year as world champion after losing his WBO crown.

Chris Weidman 184 vs. Anderson Silva 185
(for middleweight title)
Ronda Rousey 135 vs. Miesha Tate 135
(for women’s bantamweight title)
Josh Barnett 252 vs. Travis Browne 242
Jim Miller 156 vs. Fabricio Camoes 156
Diego Brandao 153 vs. Dustin Poirier 146
Estevan Payan 145.5 vs. Robert Peralta 145.5
Jim Miller vs. Fabricio Camoes
William Macario 171 vs. Bobby Voelker 171
Siyar Bahadurzada 171 vs. John Howard 171
Dennis Siver 145 vs. Manvel Gamburyan 146
Gleison Tibau 156 vs. Michael Johnson 156
Uriah Hall 185 vs. Chris Leben 185.5

Brandao 7 pounds over

David Price (15-2, 13 KOs) will make his ring return against Evengy Orlov (14-12-1, 10 KOs) on January 25 at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Germany.

The British heavyweight joins an action packed card that also features the much anticipated rematch between WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco Huck (36-2-1, 25 KOs) and Firat Arslan (33-6-2, 21 KOs).

The show will be available to watch on BoxNation in the UK and ARD in Germany. Tickets are available via eventim.de, easyticket.de and davidprice.co.uk. Special hotel and ticket packages are available by contacting info@spagsports.com.

A look-back at 2013 with a nomination, one for every month in the calendar:

Fight of the Year: Timothy Bradley’s decision over Ruslan Provodnikov. In an era when memories last about as long as a tweet, a Fight of the Year is often about timing. To wit: If it happened late in the year, it gets votes becauseit’s still remembered. In part, that tells you how good Bradley-Provodnikov was. Nothing that followed the March classic could surpass it.

Good Guy Award: Bradley. A fractured business could learn from him. He was a target for the social-media cowards who attacked him in the wake of a controversial decision over Manny Pacquiao. It would have been easy to wallow in bitterness. But he didn’t. Bradley emerged as a winner, with two narrow decisions in the ring and a unanimous one out of it.

Statesman of the Year: Vitali Klitschko. The retired heavyweight champion is the courageous face of the opposition party in the Ukraine .

Smartest Guy In The Room: Paulie Malignaggi. Media critic and Showtime analyst, Malignaggi exposed Adrien Broner as flawed in losing a split decision. Marcos Maidana finished the job on Dec. 14, in a dominant decision over Broner, the Upset of the Year.

Three Reasons Not To Believe The Headlines: Broner, Canelo Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. All three were shown to be over-rated, over-hyped and — in Chavez’ case — over-fed. Floyd Mayweather Jr. made Canelo look like Robert Guerrero. Here’s hoping Chavez got a Jenny Craig gift card for Christmas. He never made weight for Bryan Vera. Never intended to. Then, he got an early Christmas in September with a gift-wrapped decision over Vera.

Promoter of the Year: Mayweather. He’s grown into the role. The annoying trash-talk has subsided. He’s transformed himself into a singular pay-per-view franchise. He managed to land a Showtime contract worth a potential $250 million, or the reported price that Amazon owner Jeff Bezos paid for The Washington Post. Mayweather, also a contender for Businessman of the Year, is smart to stay out of the troubled media business. Then again, he already owns Showtime.

Matchmaker of the Year: Canelo was marketed as a threat, but Mayweather knew better. He’s a great judge of talent and danger. To wit Antonio Margarito: Mayweather was smart to never have fought him. It can be argued that the beginning of a Pacquiao decline started with the brutal blows he sustained in beating Margarito in 2010. For all of those pound-for-pound lists, a good guide is a list of those Mayweather won’t fight.

Craziest Quote of the Year: There are always a lot of contenders for this one. In 2013, however, the over-the-top prize belongs to Angel Garcia, one of boxing’s crazy dads who deserves serious Trainer of the Year consideration for his work with son Danny. Before his son beat Argentina junior-welterweight Lucas Matthysse in one of the year’s biggest upsets, Angel Garcia went patriotic: “Everybody wants to have their Argentine flags out, but they forget where they live. We represent the USA. Danny is an American fighter. Background is Puerto Rican and I’m Puerto Rican. They say the American fighters can’t fight. The USA gets no props. The same country that sends the welfare check to you. You get that check and sign it, don’t you? Then, you want to be an Americanito.”

Rest In Peace: Ken Norton, Emile Griffith, Tommy Morrison and Jake Matlala. Norton, a former heavyweight champ who had the style to beat Muhammad Ali, died on Sept. 18. He was 70. Ex-welterweight and middleweight champ Emile Griffith, remembered for a 1961 fight in which Benny Paret died after questioning Griffith’s sexuality, passed on July 23. He was 75, Ex-heavyweight champ Morrison, who denied he had the HIV virus, died on Sept 1. Ex-flyweight champ Matlala, one of Nelson Mandela’s favorite fighters and best known for upsetting Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal, died on Dec. 7. He was 51.

Tragedy of the Year: Frankie Leal. The junior-featherweight died on Oct. 23 at a San Diego hospital, three days after he was knocked out in Cabo San Lucas. He was 26. It was a death that could have been avoided. Leal was a tragedy waiting to happen. He was hospitalized in March 2012 when he was carried out of the ring on a stretcher after Evgeny Gradovich knocked him out in San Antonio.

Move of the Year: China. Top Rank’s Bob Arum has placed a big bet on Macao, the gambling district near Hong Kong. Will it work? Hard to say. As an emerging market, China has no rivals. But whether that market includes boxing is still a great unknown. A sign of that uncertainty was raised when Arum announced that Pacquiao’s next fight would be back in Las Vegas after mixed signals in the reported pay-per-view of audience of about 500,000 for his victory in Macao over Brandon Rios in late November. There’s a lot of potential money in China, but boxing’s proven bucks and reliable infra-structure are still in Vegas.

Trend of the Year: Fighters from the post Soviet Union. They weren’t going to China. Instead, they were moving into the U.S. market. Their collective face is already this corner’s choice for Fighter of the Year. Gennady Golovkin’s emergence, proven by a reported audience of 1.41 million for his last appearance on Home Box Office, is evidence that fighters from Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and Siberia can make it in the U.S. Look for an even bigger impact in 2014 from several, including Siberian welterweight Provodnikov, Russian light-heavyweight Sergey Kovalev, and featherweight Vasyl Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medalist.