New York, NY (January 28, 2020) 2020 International Boxing Hall-of-Fame Inductee Lou DiBella and DiBella Entertainment present the long-running Broadway Boxing series TONIGHT, making its Toronto, Canada debut from Danforth Music Hall, in association with Lee Baxter Promotions. The 113th edition of Broadway Boxing will be live streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, beginning tonight at 9:00pm ET/6:0pm PT. Commentating on the broadcast will be former Women’s Super Middleweight World Champion Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa, noted boxing journalist Corey Erdman, New York Yankees reporter Justin Shackil and Dan Canobbio, of CompuBox.

Headlining the event in a scheduled 10-rounder, Custio Clayton (17-0, 11 KOs), 146.9 lbs., of Montreal, Canada, will defend his WBA NABA Welterweight title against Diego “El Chacarero” Ramirez (21-3, 6 KOs), 146.9 lbs., of Santa Fe, Argentina. The 25-year-old Clayton is coming off a stellar 2019, which included a sixth-round stoppage of former world champion DeMarcus Corley and a 10-round decision against Johan Perez on June 29. Following a five-fight winning streak, the 25-year-old Ramirez looks to bounce back from a hard-fought 10-round decision loss to Maximiliano Veron on November 2, 2019, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Hometown favorite “Mr.” Steve Rolls (19-1, 10 KOs), 168 lbs., will battle Gilberto Pereira dos Santos (16-10, 12 KOs), 167.4 lbs., of Goiania, Goias, Brazil in the co-featured bout. Rolls is returning to battle following his challenge against pound-for-pound great Gennadiy Golovkin on June 8, 2019, at Madison Square Garden, losing the first bout during his nine years as a professional. Victorious in his last two fights, the upset-minded Pereira dos Santos stopped John David Martinez in the sixth round on July 26, 2019, in Miami, FL.

In a special-attraction women’s bout, Amanda Gale (3-0), 122.2 lbs., of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, faces off against Shelly Barnett (4-2-2), 121.8 lbs., of Toronto, Canada, in a scheduled eight-round bout. Gale won all three of her professional bouts in 2019 by four-round unanimous decision. Barnett looks to stop the Gale train, but is coming off of an eight-round split decision loss to Noemi Bosques on September 7, 2019, in Milwaukee, WI. The vacant National Championship Committee Canadian super bantamweight title is on the line but for Barnett only, as Gale weighed in above the limit.

Opening the UFC FIGHT PASS broadcast, in an eight-round middleweight fight, Hurshidbek “Hershey” Normatov (9-0, 3 KOs), 158.2 lbs., of Brooklyn, NY, clashes with Uriel “El Muneco” Hernandez (13-5, 7 KOs), 159 lbs., of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. A native of Uzbekistan where he had a stellar amateur career, the 27-year-old southpaw Normatov hits the ring following an eight-round decision versus Walter Wright on August 29, 2019, at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT.

Toronto favorite Nick Fantauzzi (9-0, 5 KOs), 174 lbs., battles Aaron Crawley (6-3, 1KO), 173 lbs., of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, in an eight-round light heavyweight clash.

Junior welterweights will see action as undefeated prospect Will Madera (14-0-3, 7 KOs), 138.8 lbs., of Albany, NY, clashes with heavy-handed veteran Edgar Ramirez (17-15-1, 14 KOs), 138 lbs., of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, in a scheduled six-rounder.

Rounding out the card in a four-round cruiserweight clash, popular Toronto resident Salar Gholami (3-0, 2 KOs), 199 lbs., hits the ring against Mateusz Kubiszyn (3-2, 2 KOs), 198 lbs., of Rzeszow, Poland.

Now in its 17th year, Broadway Boxing is presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.

Claressa Shields won a 10-round unanimous decision over Ivana Habazin to win unified WBC/WBO Junior Middleweight titles at Ovation Hall inside the Ocean Casino in Atlantic City.

In round six, Shields scored the 1st knockdown in her career by landing a hard right to the body that sent Habazin to a knee.

Shields dominated the action and became a three-division world champion.

Shields, 153 1/2 lbs of Flint, MI won by scores of 100-90, 100-89 and 99-89 and is now 10-0. Habazin, 152 1/2 lbs of Croatia is 20-4.

Super prospect Jaron Ennis lived up to his billing as he stopped Bakhtiyar Eyubov in round four of a scheduled 10-round welterweight bout.

Ennis came out blazing with powerful and rapid combinations that sent Eyubov to the canvas twice in round one. The bout could have been stopped there, but Eyubov was able to get out of the opening frame. he fought tough and tried to land power punches and got through on a couple of occasions, but Ennis was too good and continued to beat on Eyubov.

Mercifully the bout was stopped 34 seconds into round four with Ennis continuing his assault on Eyubov.

Ennis, 145 3/4 lbs of Philadelphia is 25-0 with 23 knockouts. Eyubov, 146 1/4 lbs of Houston is 14-2-1-1.

“We knew he was coming to fight and bring pressure so we mixed it up,” Ennis said.  “He was a good fighter but he wasn’t really that strong.  I was getting hit a little too much but that’s how we did it to get the knockout. 

“We were just setting him up for power shots.  I just had to calm down, that’s all.  I was too hyped. Once I calmed down and got into my rhythm that was it. 

“He was taking a lot of punishment.  He definitely was a great fighter though.  I appreciate him taking the fight because a lot of guys don’t want to fight me.”

With another dominating performance, Ennis now sets his sights on the upper echelon of one of boxing’s deepest and most exciting divisions.

“We have been wanting all the guys,” Ennis said.  “They keep running.  They can’t run no more.  I’m right here.” 

Ellin Cederroos unified the IBF and WBA Super Middleweight titles with a unanimous decision over Alicia Napoleon Espinonsa.

The two traded power shots throughout the entertaining bout.

In round two, Cedderos dropped Napoleon with a left hook.

In round nine, Napoleon Espinosa was cut around the right eye. Cederroos was bleeding from her nose in the 10th.

The knockdown was the difference as Cederroos, 166 1/2 lbs of Sweden won by scores of 95-94 on all cards. Napoleon Espinosa, 164 lbs of Lyndehurst, NY is 12-2.

“I’m so happy.  I showed that I can box and take a war,” Cederroos said.  “But when I relaxed the punches just came.  It feels so wonderful. Alicia was a great opponent.” 

Napoleon Espinosa was game and hurt the Swedish Cederroos multiple times but she was largely unable to get inside against her taller opponent who consistently landed the bigger punches from a distance. 

“I didn’t think I lost.  I thought that it was fairly close but I thought I was ahead,” Napoleon Espinosa said.  “It is what it is, but I don’t think that I lost this fight. 

“I know she was strong, but I wanted a tough fight.  I know that Elin is an athlete.  I don’t feel that I lost.  I feel like it was close.”

Napoleon Espinosa had been hoping that a win would position her for a 2020 fight with Claressa Shields at middleweight with all four of Shields’ 160-pound titles on the line.  

“Congrats on the fight with Shields because that was what I was looking forward to,” Napoleon Espinosa said.

NEW YORK – December 13, 2019 – A second women’s superfight has been added to the blockbuster Claressa Shields vs. Ivana Habazin event on Friday, January 10, at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J., as WBA Super Middleweight Champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon-Espinosa will face undefeated IBF Champion Elin Cederroos in a 10-round unification live on SHOWTIME.

Napoleon (12-1, 7 KOs), of Lindenhurst, N.Y. and Cederroos (7-0, 4 KOs), of Vasteraas, Sweden, will meet in the opening bout of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in support of the long-awaited showdown between undisputed middleweight world champion Claressa Shields and former champion Ivana Habazin for the vacant WBC and WBO 154-pound world titles.

If Shields and Napoleon win their respective bouts on January 10, they are expected to face off for the undisputed middleweight world championship in 2020 with all four of Shields’ 160-pound titles on the line. 

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

Napoleon became IBF Super Middleweight Champion with a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Femke Hermans in March 2018. The 33-year-old successfully defended her belt with another 10-round decision, this time over Scotland’s Hannah Rankin in August 2018. Napoleon was last seen making the second successful defense of her title by stopping Philadelphia’s Schemelle Baldwin in four impressive rounds in August 2019.

“I’m really excited to be unifying with IBF World Champion Elin Cederroos on SHOWTIME,” said Napoleon. “I’m extremely grateful to my promoter Lou DiBella, manager Brian Cohen, coaches Leon Taylor and Delen Parsley and my husband Roberto Espinosa for being the key ingredients to making this dream come true. I have an amazing team of men that stand strong by my side believing in me, preparing me and working hard to open doors for me to thrive. I’m blessed and prepared to win and put on a memorable performance for all the world to see that night. I’m in tremendous spirits and excited and ready for the night to come. Thank you to everyone, my team, family and fans, for making this opportunity materialize into a dream come true.”

The 34-year-old Cederroos claimed her IBF championship in just her sixth fight with a majority decision over Hermans in March of 2019. Fighting as the underdog in her opponent’s backyard, Cederroos was still able to impress the judges enough to pull off the impressive feat. In her last bout, Cederroos defeated Kenya’s Florence Muthoni in a non-title fight in November 2019 by dominant third-round KO.

“Alicia Napoleon is a great champion and she will be my toughest test, but I am ready,” said Cederroos. “It is an honor for me to make my U.S. debut on such a prestigious card and to do so in a world title unification battle. Alicia and I will put on a great show.”

“January 10 just got even more exciting with the addition of the matchup between two champions in the super middleweight division,” said Dmitriy Salita. “Those attending the fight at Ocean Casino Resort and everyone watching it live on SHOWTIME will see the best fighting the best in this very competitive ‘pick-em’ fight. A great start to boxing in 2020.” 

“Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa is a world champion who has the whole package. She’s athletic, fierce, physically strong and charismatic,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “On January 10, she gets her biggest opportunity to shine against Elin Cederroos, another world champion. This is the biggest stage to date for both Alicia and Elin and I expect them to bring everything they have. One of them will leave the ring as a unified world champion and an elite rival for Claressa Shields. Alicia is confident that her hand will be raised.” 

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

Mashantucket, CT (8/30/19) – On Thursday night, DiBella Entertainment returned to the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, with another action-packed installment of its popular Broadway Boxing series, presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House, and Gagliardi Insurance. The event was streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports.

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

In the main event, Toka Kahn Clary, 128 lbs., born in Monrovia, Liberia, and now living in Providence, RI, battled Irvin Gonzalez, 127 lbs., of Worcester, MA, in a thrilling 10-round contest with the vacant WBA NABA US super featherweight title at stake. The fierce battle featured exciting exchanges, shifts in momentum and, ultimately, a clear winner. Trained by Freddie Roach, southpaw Kahn Clary began pumping his jab, looking to plant his straight left on the body and head. Early on, Gonzalez threw flurries of punches, but Kahn Clary’s straights were finding their target and bloodied his nose in the second stanza. To his credit, Gonzalez was not discouraged by Kahn Clary’s success and fired back with fervor whenever he could. The bout turned into a slugfest in the fifth with Kahn Clary and Gonzalez trading blistering shots. Kahn Clary’s straight left counter was his best weapon, but Gonzalez always had a response, often in combination. By round seven, the two adversaries were standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Kahn Clary digging to the body and Gonzalez throwing his straight right. A short right hook briefly shook Gonzalez in the eighth and his nose was bleeding profusely by the ninth, but he continued his offensive attempts, despite being outworked. In the final frame, Kahn Clary had Gonzalez trapped in a neutral corner and threw everything he could to score a knockout. Gonzalez looked exhausted but refused to give up, doing his best to retaliate with heavy shots until the bell sounded. The judges tallied 99-91 twice, and 98-92, all for Kahn Clary via unanimous decision to improve his record to 27-2 (18 KOs). Kahn Clary indicated after his victory that he will likely now compete in the super featherweight division. Though Gonzalez, 12-2 (9 KOs), lost for the second time in a row, his brave effort helped to redeem him following a disastrous outing in May that resulted in a TKO defeat.

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

World champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon-Espinosa, 161 lbs., of Lindenhurst, NY, defended her WBA super middleweight title for the second time in impressive fashion, stopping Schemelle Baldwin, 163 lbs., of Newark, DE, inside four rounds in the co-main event. Napoleon boxed on her toes at the outset, jabbing and throwing in combination when in front of Baldwin. By the end of round one, Napoleon was targeting the midsection. Baldwin attempted to land countershots when she felt there was an opening. The champion’s intelligent use of angles allowed her to land precise uppercuts and thudding body shots. Napoleon began to apply pressure, forcing Baldwin to be stationary and not move as much as she had earlier. Near the end of round three, the tough Baldwin absorbed an extended barrage of punches against the ropes without throwing much in return. In the fourth, Napoleon continued her attack, pinning Baldwin back up against the ropes and unloading her arsenal. By the midway point of the round, the referee felt that Baldwin had taken too many heavy blows and halted the action at the 1:30 mark. Napoleon, now 12-1 (7 KOs), captured her world title in March 2018, via 10-round unanimous decision against the previously unbeaten Femke Hermans. She then made her first defense last August, earning another 10-round unanimous points win against Hannah Rankin. Baldwin, a four-time Golden Gloves champion, is now 3-1-1 (2 KOs) as a pro.

Going the eight-round distance for the first time in his career, southpaw Hurshidbek “Hershey” Normatov, 152 lbs., of Andijan, Uzbekistan, now based in Brooklyn, NY, captured the WBA NABA US super welterweight title via unanimous decision versus Walter Wright, 154 lbs., of Seattle, WA. Normatov fired stiff jabs whenever Wright stepped inside and began to throw punches in bunches as the rounds wore on. Wright’s primary plan of attack was to attempt counters with looping shots around Normatov’s tight guard. However, Normatov’s straighter punches and higher work rate did more damage. The scores were 80-72 twice, and 79-73, all for Normatov, now 9-0 (3 KOs). Wright returns to the Emerald City with a 17-7 (8 KOs) record. As an amateur, Normatov accumulated a 190-40 record and won the European Amateur National Championships in 2014.

Former world champion Kali Reis, 142 lbs., of Providence, RI, punished an outgunned but game Patricia Juarez, 142 lbs., of Denver, CO, for six entertaining rounds to earn a unanimous decision win with three tallies of 60-54. Reis would throw in combination whenever Juarez tried to close the gap. If Juarez did manage to get inside and clinch, Reis used her free hand to land dizzying uppercuts up the middle. Now 16-7-1 (5 KOs), Reis won the WBC women’s middleweight world title in 2016 and has gone the distance with several prominent female fighters, including Christina Hammer twice, Hanna Gabriels, and Cecilia Braekhus. Juarez suffered her second defeat, leaving the ring at 4-2. The Reis-Juarez contest was promoted in association with Star Boxing.

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

Heavyweight prospect Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw, 251 lbs., of Saint Louis, MO, patiently stalked southpaw Willie Jake Jr., 233 lbs., of Indianapolis, IN, and looked to capitalize any time his adversary made a mistake. While Jake did land some leather, nothing he threw seemed to bother his taller rival. Shaw decked Jake in each of the first three rounds then forced a stoppage in the fourth frame. In round two, Shaw hurt Jake with a right to the body then pounded away until the Indianapolis resident had fallen through the ropes for a knockdown call. In the third, Shaw had Jake trapped near the red corner and a combination felled him again. A chopping right to the top of the head stunned Jake in the fourth and a series of left hooks badly hurt him, persuading the referee to intervene for the TKO at the 0:56 mark. Shaw upped his resume to 12-0 (9 KOs), while Jake, now 8-3-1 (2 KOs), suffered his second consecutive defeat this year.

Jacob Marrero, 127, of Bridgeport, CT, made quick work of the debuting Juan Ibarra, 127, from Willow Springs, NC, needing just 126 seconds to secure a TKO victory. Shortly after the opening bell, a straight left from Marrero hurt Ibarra then another one dropped him. Though Ibarra arose, Marrero went for the finish and landed two powerful right hooks to deck his foe once more prompting the referee to end the contest. The win improved Marrero’s record to 4-0 (3 KOs). Compiling an amateur record of 58-9, Marrero was a 2016 New England Golden Gloves Champion, a five-time Connecticut Silver Gloves Champion and a five-time Connecticut Junior Olympics Champion.

Helen Joseph, 118 lbs., born in Nigeria but now based out of New Haven, CT, dominated Martina Horgasz, 118 lbs., of Budapest, Hungary, en route to a six-round shutout victory with three identical scorecards of 60-53. The win upped Joseph’s record to 17-3-2 (10 KOs), while Horgasz fell to 5-4 (4 KOs). Joseph, a two-time former world title challenger, briefly held the IBF Inter-Continental featherweight belt in 2013 and has not lost since 2015.

Nelson Perez, 135 lbs., of Marlboro, MA, improved to 2-0 (2 KOs) with a second-round TKO versus Devon Grant, 140 lbs., of The Bronx, NY, now 0-2. The stoppage came at the 2:04 mark of the frame. As an amateur, Nelson won the 2018 New England Golden Gloves Championship and won first place at the Rocky Marciano Championship and Connecticut Championship tournaments that year as well.

New York, NY (August 27, 2019) Former Women’s World Champion Kali “KO Mequinonoag” Reis (15-7-1, 5 KOs), of Providence, RI, will return to battle this Thursday night, August 29, against Patricia Juarez, of Denver, CO, in a welterweight clash featured on DiBella Entertainment’s stacked Broadway Boxing card from Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT. The event will be live streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports,starting at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT. Reis vs. Juarez will be one of three women’s bouts presented on the 109th installment of the long-running Broadway Boxing series.

In a 10-round women’s world championship bout, Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon-Espinosa (11-1, 6 KOs), of Lindenhurst, NY, will defend her WBA Super Middleweight World Title against undefeated contender Schemelle Baldwin (3-0-1, 2 KOs), of Newark, DE.

Additionally, in a six-round super bantamweight clash, popular New Haven, CT, native and former world title challenger Helen “Iron Lady” Joseph (15-3-2, 10 KOs) battles Martina Horgasz (5-3, 4 KOs), of Budapest, Hungary.

“DiBella Entertainment and UFC Fight Pass have continually shown support for women’s boxing and will feature three exciting women’s bouts on this Thursday night’s Broadway Boxing card, from Foxwoods Resort Casino,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “In the co-main event, world champion Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa will defend her title for the second time against Schemelle Baldwin and former world champion Kali Reis, of nearby Providence, RI, will continue her comeback following her competitive battle against Cecilia Braekhus last year. Also on the card, hard-hitting former world title challenger Helen Joseph will remain active, getting back into the ring for the second time this month.”

Reis fought in a high-profile women’s bout in May 2018 challenging undisputed women’s welterweight world champion Cecilia Braekhus in Carson, CA. Despite dropping the champion for the first time in her illustrious career, Reis would lose a hard-fought 10-round decision. The championship contest was the first women’s boxing bout telecast by HBO Boxing in its 45-year history. Remarkably, the fight averaged 904,000 viewers, the second highest rating by the network for boxing last year.

Reis initially made her mark in women’s boxing traveling to New Zealand in 2016, where she won the vacant WBC Women’s Middleweight Title via 10-round decision versus Maricela Cornejo. In her last start, Reis scored a sixth-round knockout of Szilvia Szabados on October 18, 2018. Victorious in the first four bouts of her professional career, Denver’s Juarez (4-1) will look to bounce back into the win column following a 10-round decision loss to undefeated Selina Barrios on September 22, 2018, in Corpus Christi, TX.

Napoleon-Espinosa will be defending her world title that she captured on March 3, 2018, with a 10-round decision against previously undefeated Femke Hermans in front of her legion of fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. She followed that with a 10-round world title defense against Hannah Rankin on August 4, 2018, at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, in Uniondale, NY. The popular Napoleon-Espinosa kicked off 2019 with a second-round knockout of Eva Bajic on April 10, in New York City.

Fighting out of Philadelphia, PA, Baldwin, a four-time Golden Gloves champion, was victorious in her first three professional bouts, with two by knockout. In her most recent start, she battled to a split decision draw against Kayla Williams on March 30, in Hockessin, DE.

A native of Nigeria, Joseph is undefeated over her last five bouts capped by a six-round decision victory versus Edina Kiss earlier this month on August 3. She challenged Jennifer Han in September 2015 for the vacant IBF Women’s Featherweight Title, losing a close 10-round decision. The 20-year-old Martina Horgasz is coming off of a six-round decision loss to undefeated prospect Rosalina Rodriguez on April 25.

Headlining the Broadway Boxing August 29 event, New England fighters Toka Kahn “T Nice” Clary (26-2, 18 KOs), a native of Liberia, now fighting out of Providence, RI, and Irvin Gonzalez (12-1, 9 KOs), of Worcester, MA, will battle in scheduled 10-round bout for the vacant WBA NABA US super featherweight title. Victorious in seven of his last eight starts, the 27-year-old Clary returns to action following a fifth-round knockout of Carlos Manuel Reyes on May 17, also at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Prior to the Reyes stoppage, Clary lost a hotly contested 12-round unanimous decision to world ranked and undefeated contender Kid Galahad on October 20, 2018, in Boston, MA. Unbeaten through his first 12 pro fights, the 23-year-old Gonzalez is determined to bounce back into the win column following his only loss to Elijah Pierce on May 17.

In the heavyweight division, Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw (11-0, 8 KOs), of St. Louis, MO, and Willie “Snake” Jake Jr. (8-2-1, 2 KOs), of Indianapolis, IN,will clash in an eight-round bout. On March 3, 2019, the heavy-handed Shaw knocked out Donovan Dennis in the third round in Columbus, OH. The upset-minded Jake Jr. will be looking to rebound following a loss to undefeated prospect Frank Sanchez Faure on January 11, in Shreveport, LA.

Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Hurshidbek “Hershey” Normatov (8-0, 3 KOs), a native of Andijan, Uzbekistan, faces tough veteran Walter “2 Guns” Wright (17-6-0, 8 KOs), of Seattle, WA, in a scheduled eight-rounder with the vacant WBA NABA US 154-pound title at stake. A resident of Brooklyn, NY, the southpaw Normatov cruised to victory in his most recent bout, earning a six-round unanimous decision versus Calvin Metcalf on April 10, in New York, NY. On June 23, 2018, Wright scored the biggest win of his professional career, winning a 12-round decision against previously undefeated Mark DeLuca, in Gilford, NH.

In the junior welterweight division, Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (11-0, 9 KOs), of Lawrence, MA, battles Rondale Hubbert (13-9-2, 8 KOs), of Minneapolis, MN, in a six-round bout. Fighting for the third time in 2019, the 24-year-old Sosa hits the ring following a first-round knockout of Benjamin Borteye on May 17.

Local junior lightweight prospect Jacob Marrero (3-0, 2 KOs), of Bridgeport, CT, will be featured in a four-round bout against the pro-debuting Juan Ibarra, of Willow Springs, NC.

Rounding out the card in a four-round junior welterweight contest, Nelson Perez (1-0, 1 KO), of Marlboro, MA, battles Devon Grant (0-1), of The Bronx, NY.

Priced at $125, $75 and $45, advance tickets for Broadway Boxing can be purchased online through the Foxwoods Box Office HERE, in person or by calling 800-200-2882. The venue is located at 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT 06338. Doors will open to the Fox Theater at 6:30pm with the first fight scheduled for 7:30pm.The UFC FIGHT PASS® stream starts at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT with Justin Shackil, a New York Yankees Digital Host, boxing commentator Corey Erdman and former lightweight contender Brian Adams calling the action. Broadway Boxing is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.

New York, NY (August 5, 2019) On Thursday, August 29, DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series will return to Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, with a loaded card headlined by Toka Kahn Clary taking on Irvin Gonzalez in a 10-round super featherweight contest. WBA women’s super middleweight world champion Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa will also defend her title in the co-feature. The event will be live streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Broadway Boxing is presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.

Tickets for the Broadway Boxing event, presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are priced at $125, $75 and $45, and can be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-200-2882, or visiting the Foxwoods box office. Foxwoods Resort Casino is located at 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, Connecticut 06338. Doors will open to the Fox Theater at 6:30 p.m., with the first fight scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“Broadway Boxing returns to Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, on Thursday, August 29, with a loaded card streamed live on UFC Fight Pass,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “The main event will feature a terrific New England matchup of super featherweights Toka Kahn Clary and Irvin Gonzalez. The card will also illustrate DiBella Entertainment’s commitment to showcasing women’s boxing, with world champion Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa defending her title in the co-feature and top female contenders Kali Reis and Helen Joseph competing as well. The undercard will have a great mix of contenders and prospects, including unbeaten heavyweight Stephan Shaw, Hershey Normatov continuing his rise in the junior middleweight division and amateur star Fazliddin Meliboev, from Uzbekistan, making his pro debut.”

New England super featherweights Toka “T Nice” Kahn Clary (26-2, 18 KOs), of Providence, RI, and Irvin Gonzalez (12-1, 9 KOs), of Worcester, MA, will clash in the 10-round main event. Victorious in seven of his last eight starts, the 27-year-old Clary, a native of Liberia, returns following a fifth-round knockout of Carlos Manuel Reyes on May 17, also at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Prior to the Reyes stoppage, Clary lost a hotly contested 12-round unanimous decision to world ranked and undefeated contender Kid Galahad on October 20, 2018, in Boston, MA. Unbeaten through his first 12 fights as a professional, the 23-year-old Gonzalez is looking to rebound from his only loss to Elijah Pierce on May 17.

In a 10-round women’s world championship bout, Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon-Espinosa (11-1, 6 KOs), of Lindenhurst, NY, will defend her WBA super middleweight world title against undefeated contender Shemelle Baldwin (3-0-1, 2 KOs), of Newark, DE. Napoleon-Espinosa will be making the second defense of her world title that she captured on March 3, 2018, with a 10-round decision versus previously undefeated Femke Hermans in front of her legion of fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. She followed that with a 10-round world title defense against Hannah Rankin on August 4, 2018, at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY. Napoleon-Espinosa began 2019 with a second-round knockout of Eva Bajic on April 10, in New York City. Before turning pro in November 2017, Baldwin was a Washington D.C. Golden Gloves champion, a three-time Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion, and a 2015 Olympic Trials semi-finalist.

Undefeated heavyweight Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw (11-0, 8 KOs), of St. Louis, MO, will square off against southpaw Johnnie Langston (7-1, 3 KOs), of Sarasota, FL, in an eight-round contest. The 6’4″ Shaw is determined to keep up the momentum from his last two impressive knockout victories against Aaron Chavers last October and Donovan Dennis in March. Following a stellar amateur career that included 2013 PAL and USA National Championships titles, Shaw turned professional in December 2013. Langston will seek to return to the win column following a majority decision loss to Lyubomyr Pinchuk in July.

Fazliddin Meliboev, a 22-year-old from Kokand, Uzbekistan, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., will make his pro debut in a six-round bout. The southpaw Meliboev was an amateur star who was an Uzbekistan National champion in 2015. He won silver medals at the 2017 Great Silk Way Tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the 2016 Chinggis Khan Cup in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Youth Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all three of his bouts.

Southpaw junior middleweight prospect Hurshidbek “Hershey” Normatov (8-0, 3 KOs), of Andijan, Uzbekistan, and now based in Brooklyn, NY, will compete in his first eight-rounder. He has defeated two previously unbeaten prospects in Alexis Gaytan and Nicklaus Flaz and, in his last fight, decisioned 9-1-1 Calvin Metcalf on April 10. As an amateur, Normatov accumulated a 190-40 record and won the European Amateur National Championships in 2014.

Former WBC middleweight world champion Kali “KO Mequinonoag” Reis (15-7-1, 5 KOs), of Providence, RI, and Helen “Iron Lady” Joseph (16-3-2, 10 KOs), of New Haven, CT, a former IBF Inter-Continental featherweight titlist, will compete in separate six-round bouts. Last May, Reis clashed with undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus in the first women’s bout telecast on HBO, losing a hard-fought 10-rounder in Carson, CA. Reis has returned with two wins in a row, most recently scoring a sixth-round stoppage of Szilvia Szabados on October 19, 2018, in Washington, D.C. On August 3, Joseph dropped then decisioned Hungarian Edina Kiss over six rounds in Brooklyn, NY.

Popular welterweight prospect Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (11-0, 9 KOs), of Lawrence, MA, will see action in a scheduled six-rounder. The 24-year-old Sosa has scored four knockouts in a row following his decision victory against previously unbeaten prospect Khiry Todd last year. Sosa was a 2014 New England Golden Gloves champion and turned pro in July 2016 following an 18-2 amateur career.

Two local newcomers will be featured with Puerto Rican lightweight Nelson “Chino” Perez (1-0, 1KO), of Marlboro, MA, and Bridgeport, CT, super featherweight Jacob Marrero (3-0, 2 KOs) each boxing in four-round bouts. Compiling an amateur record of 58-9, Marrero was a 2016 New England Golden Gloves Champion, a five-time Connecticut Silver Gloves Champion and a five-time Connecticut Junior Olympics Champion.

NEW YORK CITY — Ivan “The Volk” Golub retained his WBC USNBC Welterweight Title, scoring a wide ten round unanimous decision against Manuel Alejandro Reyes (11-5-1, 5KO) in the main event of a DiBella Entertainment Broadway Boxing card from midtown Manhattan’s SONY Hall.

It wasn’t necessarily easy work for the southpaw Golub, but the Ukrainian controlled the action from bell to bell. Golub, who now lives and fights out of Brooklyn, got off to a quick start, immediately banging away at Reyes’ body. Reyes’ gained a bit of momentum the ensuing round when a short right opened up a cut over Golub’s right eye — a cut that would produce blood until the final bell.

In the third, however, the 30 year old Ukranian turned the tide for good, gaining confidence after landing a crisp one-two that stunted Reyes’ ever-forward momentum. In the fourth Golub landed a huge straight left that was set up by a pawing jab. By the time the fifth round rolled around, Golub found a rhythm, timing the southpaw Reyes as he made his way in, peppering him with punches before the California-native could fire off shots of his own.

Golub, who was fighting for the fifth time in Manhattan, continued to control the fight in the mid-to-late rounds, as well, as Reyes was unable to solve his Ukrainian counterpart.

At the end of ten, all three judges scored the contest for Golub, 99-91 and 100-90×2.

The result makes it three wins in a row for Golub since suffering his only career defeat at the hands of Jamontay Clark in 2017.

For Reyes, the result makes it two losses in a row. Prior to tonight, he suffered a UD loss against Mykal Fox in 2017.

Bakhodir Jalolov Blasts Out Brendan Barrett In One

Former 2016 Uzbekistani Olympian Bakhodir Jalolov (6-0, 6KO) destroyed fellow heavyweight Brendan Barrett (7-3-2, 5KO), stopping him in the first of a scheduled six rounds, winning the NABF Junior Heavyweight Championship in the process. From the opening bell, the 6’7” southpaw Jalolov had his way with 5’10” Barrett, who took the fight on short notice. About midway through the opening round, the 24 year-old Jalolov landed a crisp jab that immediately drew blood from Barrett’s nose and sent him retreating to a neutral corner where he took a knee. The 37 year-old Barrett managed to get back to his feet, but probably wished he’d been counted out. Smelling blood in the water, Jalolov, who now lives and fights out of Brooklyn, NY, connected with a missile of a straight left that exploded on Barrett’s chin and collapsed him to the canvas, this time for good. Referee Earl Brown reached a count of three before waving off the contest at the 2:45 mark of the first round.

Alicia Napoleon Pleases Hometown Crowd With TKO2 Over Eva Bajic

Lindenhurst, NY native Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (11-1, 6KO) delighted the hometown crowd and dismantled fellow super welterweight Hungary’s Eva Bajic (14-17, 9KO), dropping her twice en route to a TKO2 victory. Napoleon, 33, simply outclassed Bajic. Working behind a sharp jab, Napoleon landed at will and in the opening moments of the second round landed a left-right combination that sent Bajic to the mat. The 34 year-old Hungarian, who has now lost six fights in a row and eight of her last nine, beat the ensuing count, but didn’t last much longer. Napoleon followed up and landed an overhand right that returned Bajic to the mat, prompting the ringside physician to step on the ring apron and advise the referee to stop the contest. The official time of the stoppage came at the 1:04 mark of the second round. Napoleon has now won four in a row since suffering his lone career defeat against Tori Nelson in 2015.

Hurshidbek Normatov Shuts Out Calvin Metcalf In 6 Round Bout

Uzbekistan’s Hurshidbek Normatov (8-0, 3KO) shutout (60-53×3) fellow middleweight Calvin Metcalf (9-2-1, 2KO) in a six round contest. Normatov, a 26 year-old southpaw who fights and trains out of Brooklyn, NY, used his jab to keep Metcalf at distance. Once the jab was established, Normatov began to pepper in short right hooks, connecting and dropping Metcalf with a perfectly thrown one in round 3. To his credit, the stubborn 24-year old Metcalf hung tough and refused to let Normatov earn a win by stoppage. At the end of six, all three judges scored it 60-53 for the Uzbekistani.

Brian Ceballo Makes Easy Work Of Ricardo Garcia, Stops Him In 2

Former five-time New York Golden Gloves Champion Brian Ceballo (8-0, 4KO) had an easy night at the office, dominating and stopping fellow welterweight Ricardo Garcia (14-6-1, 9KO) inside two of a scheduled six rounds. Midway through the second Ceballo, who lives and fights out of the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, connected with a straight right that landed on Garcia’s chin and collapsed him to the mat. The Dominican-born Reading, PA transplant, Garcia, beat referee Earl Brown’s ten count, but never fully recovered. Ceballo, 25, immediately followed up and sealed the deal with a huge left hook that backed Garcia to the ropes, prompting Brown to jump in and call a halt to the bout at the 2:33 mark of the third round.

Khalid Twaiti Stays Perfect With TKO3 Over Jeno Tonte

Super bantamweight Khalid Twaiti (5-0, 3KO) needed less than three of a scheduled four rounds to up his perfect record and record a TKO win against Hungary’s Jeno Tonte (9-7, 8KO). Twaiti, a 23 year-old Yemeni-American from Brooklyn, forced the action and overwhelmed Tonte, who had no answer for Twaiti’s volume or power. After a flurry of punches that landed without obstruction, the referee in charge stopped the contest at the 1:13 mark of the third round.

Joseph Williams Returns From Two-Year Layoff, UDs Jose Mario Flores

Far Rockaway, Queen’s Joseph “Mack” Williams (13-0, 8KO) outslugged and shutout (60-54×3) fellow cruiserweight Jose Mario Flores (8-2-2, 4KO) in a six round contest, kicking off a seven-fight Broadway Boxing card from midtown Manhattan’s SONY Hall, presented by DiBella Entertainment. The night will culminate when once-beaten Ivan Golub (15-1, 12KO) squares off against California-native Manuel Alejandro Reyes (11-4-1, 5KO) in a ten round welterweight scrap.

New York, NY (March 20, 2019) Celebrating its 16th year, DiBella Entertainment’s acclaimed Broadway Boxing series returns to Manhattan on Wednesday, April 10, at Sony Hall in Times Square. Ukrainian welterweight contender Ivan “The Volk” Golub (15-1, 12 KOs) will headline the event taking on Karim Mayfield (21-5-1, 11 KOs), in defense of his WBC USNBC title, scheduled for 10 rounds.

Tickets for BROADWAY BOXING, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are currently on sale and start at $55 for Standing Room Only, with $100 stage seating, and $125 for Ringside. VIP Tables are available for $200 per seat and Ringside Tables for $125 per seat. Tickets are available for purchase by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577 and online through Ticketmaster HERE. Sony Hall is located at 235 West 46th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue), New York, NY 10036. Doors will open on the night of the event at 7:00 PM with the first bell at 7:15 PM. For more information on Sony Hall, please visit their website (www.SonyHall.com).

“I’m thrilled to bring Broadway Boxing back to New York City and to debut the series at Sony Hall in Times Square,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “On Wednesday, April 10, hard-hitting Ukrainian welterweight contender Ivan Golub will take on highly skilled veteran Karim Mayfield in defense of his WBC USNBC title. The stacked undercard includes Long Island’s world champion Alicia Napoleon, the Big Uzbek, heavyweight giant, Bakhodir Jalolov, as well as renowned amateur, junior middleweight brawler Hurshidbek Normatov and rising Brooklyn prospect Khalid Twaiti. We also welcome Brooklyn’s former amateur standout Brian Ceballo, promoted by Tom Loeffler, to Broadway Boxing.”

Fast-rising welterweight star Ivan Golub, of Brooklyn, NY, is co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., and managed by David McWater’s Split-T Management. He captured the WBC USNBC welterweight title in his last fight via outstanding 10-round shutout decision victory against Lanardo Tyner on August 18, 2018. Golub was a highly accomplished amateur, accumulating a 270-32 record. He became a five-time Ukrainian National champion, won bronze medals at the Junior World Championships in 2006 and at the World Championships in 2009. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all five of his bouts.

WBA Super Middleweight Women’s World Champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (10-1, 5 KOs) will make her highly anticipated return to the ring in an eight-round non-title bout. A native of Lindenhurst, NY, Napoleon won her world title with a 10-round unanimous decision versus Femke Hermans on March 3, 2018, at Barclays Center. Making her first defense on August 4, 2018, the charismatic Napoleon defeated Hannah Rankin by 10-round decision. The Veteran Boxers Association honored Napoleon as the 2018 “New York State Female Fighter of the Year” at their annual Holiday Awards Dinner. Before her August 2014 pro debut, Napoleon competed as an amateur for nine years, winning 11 National titles, including two New York Golden Gloves championships and a National Golden Gloves title.

Standing at 6’7″, former Olympian Bakhodir “The Big Uzbek” Jalolov (5-0, 5 KOs) is a heavyweight giant from Uzbekistan, now training out of Los Angeles, CA, and will see action in a six-round tilt. He is coming off of a second-round stoppage against Willie Harvey, on March 15, in California. Born in Sariosiyo, Uzbekistan, Jalolov was a highly accomplished amateur, compiling a record of 84-13. A four-time National champion from 2013 to 2016 and the #1 ranked amateur in the world before his pro debut, Jalolov represented his homeland at the 2016 Olympic Games and had the distinguished honor of being the country’s flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremonies. As an amateur, Jalolov won gold medals at the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships in 2017, World Cup Tournament, Liventsev Memorial Tournament, Great Silk Way Tournament, and Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament in 2015, and at the World Cup of Petroleum Countries Tournament in 2014. During his amateur career, Jalolov also focused on his education, earning a Master’s Degree in Sports Science.

Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Hurshidbek Normatov (7-0, 3 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, will battle in a scheduled six-rounder. A native of Uzbekistan, the 26-year-old southpaw, managed by David McWater’s Split-T Management, is coming off of a thrilling sixth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Alexis Gaytan on July 21, 2018, at Foxwoods Resort Casino. As an amateur, Normatov won the 2014 European National Championships and accumulated a 190-40 record.

In the super bantamweight division, Brooklyn’s Khalid “Pure Gold” Twaiti (4-0, 2 KOs) will compete in a four-round bout. Fighting for the first time in 2019, Twaiti is coming off of a four-round unanimous decision against Carlos Noe Ramirez on September 29, 2018, in his home borough. He turned pro in February 2017, after compiling a 74-15 amateur record.

Welterweight prospect Brian Ceballo (7-0, 3 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, promoted by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions and managed by David McWater’s Split-T Management, will fight in a six-rounder. Ceballo was a stellar amateur, compiling a 206-13 record while becoming a five-time New York Golden Gloves champion. He turned pro last March and is coming off of a six-round unanimous decision victory against Randy Fuentes, at the Avalon, in Hollywood, CA.

Additional information on this exciting card will be announced shortly.