AUDIO: Michael Coffie Talks to the media after Knockout over Darmani Rock
Caleb Plant made another case for a major fight as he won an easy 12-round unanimous decision over former champion Caleb Plant to retain the IBF Super Middleweight title at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Plant dominated with his jab and working hooks behind it. Plant went up and down by landing body and head shots with Truax getting in an occasional right hand. Those were very few and very far between as Plant outlanded Truax 179-47.
In round four, Truax began to leak blood from his nose.
Plant, 167.6 lbs of Las Vegas won by shutout scores of 120-108 scores and is now 21-0. Truax, 167.8 lbs of Saint Michael, MN is 31-5-2.
“I felt great. I dominated every round. I hardly got touched. He wasn’t giving me much either,’’ Plant said. “I felt like, early on, he was just looking to survive and move away. Then a third of the way into the fight, I hurt my hand. It’s kind of swollen. I felt something similar before. I’ve got to sit down and get it checked out but we’ll see. I don’t think it will hinder any upcoming fights.
“A champion can adjust to anything. It’s about staying focused, staying disciplined and sticking to the game plan. Maybe the injury hindered me here and there but I felt I used it well – I got a dominant victory, a shutout on all three cards.”
“I wanted the stoppage. I’m a little disappointed that my hand got hurt early in the fight. But I feel like I put on a good performance,’’ Plant said. “I feel like I’m the best super middleweight champion in the world. I want to become the first undisputed super middleweight champion. I’m ready for whoever, whenever. You line ‘em up and I’ll knock ‘em down.”
“I’m a little disappointed. I wanted to put pressure on him and make it a dogfight, but he was elusive. He was able to escape out the back door. I wasn’t able to put a glove on him,” Truax said. “I knew he was going to be quick, but he was a little more elusive than I expected. It wasn’t a fast paced fight and credit to him for that. I wanted it to be a fast paced fight and put pressure on him, but he controlled the pace and he was very elusive.
“I was never buzzed or hurt. I felt like my conditioning was very good the whole fight. He just jabbed the heck out of me. I’m going to go home and talk to my family and see what the next step is. I still feel like I have something to offer the game.”
Coffie Starches Rock in 3
In a battle of undefeated heavyweights, Michael Coffie took out Darmani Rock in round three of a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout.
Coffie landed a crushing left uppercut to send Rock down early in round three. Later in the round, it was a left hook that put Rock down and out at 59 seconds.
Coffie, 270.2 lbs of Brooklyn is 12-0 with nine knockouts. Rock, 261 lbs of Philadelphia is 17-1.
“He had quick hands we knew that, but timing beats speed,” Coffie said. “They said he shuffles his feet and drops his hands. They told me to wait for him to shuffle his feet and then drop that left hand on him.”
“I don’t want to sound like I’m jumping the gun or anything like that or downplaying the need for experience. But I don’t think I’m that far off. I think I have power, movement, and I think just my style of fighting that can really contend with anybody.”
Joey Spencer remained undefeated with a 1st round stoppage over Isiah Seldon in a middleweight bout.
In round one, Spencer dropped Seldon with a hard right. Upon the fight being resumed, Seldon was deducted two points for hitting behind the head. Seconds later, Spencer dropped Seldon with a hard right and the fight was stopped at 2:15
Spencer, 158 lbs of Union City, MI is 12-0 with nine knockouts. Spencer, 156.6 lbs of Somers Point, NJ is 14-4-1.
“I just knew that I was going to put hands on him, and that’s how I was going to retaliate. I definitely put in the back of my mind that maybe I’d punish him a little further if I would have gotten a chance. But I didn’t. The ref stopped him, and that’s the way it ended,’’ Spencer said. “My man strength is coming. I’m only 20. I turn 21 in March. I’m getting stronger and stronger. I’m getting a lot more confident because people aren’t able to take my punches in the same way.”
Barthelemy Decisions Rivera
Former world champion Rances Barthelemy won a 10-round unanimous decision over All Rivera in a super lightweight bout.
In round two, Rivera was cut on his right eyelid from an accidental headbutt. In round three, Rivera was cut around his left eye.
Barthelemy landed 179 of 548 punches; Rivera was 62 of 367.
Barthelemy, 142.8 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 97-93, 99-91 and 100-90 and is now 28-1-1. Rivera, 143.2 lbs of Santa Rosa City, PHL is 21-5.
“After almost two years of being out of the ring, it was hard making sure we stuck to the game plan to make sure we didn’t get anxious or desperate,” Barthelemy said. “I felt we controlled the fight from start to finish and that’s exactly what we wanted to do. I’m looking at Alberto Puello next, going after that 140 WBA belt and hoping that sets us up for bigger opportunities before the end of the year.”
Oberlton stops Sharp in 3
Atif Oberlton stopped Nathan Sharp in round three of a scheduled four-round light heavyweight bout.
In round three, Oberlton landed hard body shots until Sharp wilted, and the fight was stopped at 48 seconds.
Oberlton, 177.4 lbs of Philadelphia, was a National Golden Gloves champion, and was making his pro debut. Sharp, 177.6 lbs of Merced, CA is 4-3.
Brandon Lynch and Marcos Hernandez battled to an eight-round draw in a middleweight bout.
Lynch landed 99 of 361 punches; Hernandez was 75 of 525
Lynch won a card 77-75; Hernandez took a card 78-74 and one card was even at 76-76.
Lynch, 158.2 lbs of Los Angeles is 10-1-1. Hernandez, 160 lbs of Fresno, CA is 14-4-2.
LOS ANGELES (January 19, 2021) – Unbeaten IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant will defend his title against former champion Caleb “Golden” Truax in the FOX PBC Fight Night main event and on FOX Deportes Saturday, January 30 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
A rising superstar who first captured his 168-pound world title in January 2019, Plant makes his third world title defense live in primetime once again as he is opposed by the crafty veteran Truax, whose own super middleweight glory came in 2017 when he traveled overseas to dethrone James DeGale for the IBF belt. In the co-feature Michael Coffie and Darmani Rock clash in a 10-round battle of unbeaten heavyweights. Super welterweight sensation Joey Spencer takes on Isiah Seldon in an eight rounder to open the telecast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and Sweethands Promotions, in association with Warriors Boxing, and will take place without fans in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.
“Caleb Plant has established himself as a force in the super middleweight division and will look to further cement his spot atop the weight class on January 30,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “With sublime skills and ferocious tenacity inside the ring, it won’t be long until Plant takes his place with the sport’s pound-for-pound elite. He will have a stiff test in the upset-minded Caleb Truax, who has vast experience against the cream of the crop at 168-pounds, making this a can’t-miss night of primetime boxing on FOX and FOX Deportes.”
The 28-year-old Plant (20-0, 12 KOs) has scored back-to-back stoppage victories on FOX in his two title defenses, beating then undefeated Mike Lee in July 2019 before most recently turning away Germany’s Vincent Feigenbutz in a homecoming event last February in Nashville, Tennessee. The Ashland City native now lives and trains in Las Vegas and captured the title in a 2019 victory over Jose Uzcategui. Plant was the underdog coming into the Uzcategui fight, before turning the tables with two early knockdowns on his way to a unanimous decision. It was an emotional night for Plant, who had dedicated his championship victory to the memory of his late daughter Alia, who suffered from a rare disorder that caused seizures.
Truax, the highest-ranked IBF super middleweight contender, will be Plant’s second consecutive mandatory challenger as Feigenbutz was also the IBF mandatory challenger.
“I want to say I’m grateful to be making my 2021 debut on FOX. On January 30th I’m facing Caleb Truax who is going to be coming with everything he’s got, so I’ll be prepared to go to battle with everything that I got,’’ Plant said. “Everyone knows I’m on a mission to be the first undisputed super middleweight champion in boxing history. With that being said, fans can expect to see me at my absolute best. This fight ends in a knockout.”
Truax (31-4-2, 19 KOs) became a real-life Cinderella Man with his world championship-winning victory in December 2017. Truax was a 50-1 underdog when he traveled to DeGale’s native U.K. and overcame the odds by wresting the title away in one of the year’s biggest upsets. Truax dropped a narrow decision to DeGale in their 2018 rematch. A former college football player fighting out of Saint Michael, Minnesota, Truax has faced an impressive lineup of super middleweights and middleweights throughout his career, including DeGale, Anthony Dirrell, Peter Quillin and Daniel Jacobs.
“I’m hungry and I’m treating this like my last opportunity to win my title back,” Truax said. “I’m going in as the underdog, but I’ve been in that position before and I’ve beaten the odds.”
A Marine Corps veteran who picked up boxing after returning from overseas, Coffie (11-0, 8 KOs) quickly impressed in amateur tournaments enough to earn sparring assignments with Deontay Wilder and Adam Kownacki. The 34-year-old was born in the Bronx, but now fights out of Brooklyn. Coffie most recently improved his unbeaten record with a TKO victory over hardnosed veteran Joey Abell on FOX on Nov. 11.
“I think this is going to be a really good fight. We match up with our physical stature both height and weight. It should be a tough and gritty fight for the fans,” Coffie said. “My thought is that Rock is a good fighter. He has never been put in a position where he has had to dig deep. I feel like that I always have had to dig deep because I never had a huge amateur background. Every fight I have had to will myself. A win will be another step closer to fighting the fights that people want to see.’’
The unbeaten Rock (17-0, 12 KOs) is a hard-hitting 24-year-old from Philadelphia who is establishing himself as a force in the heavyweight division as he climbs the ladder into contention. Rock will have to scrape off some ring rust when he steps in against Coffie. He didn’t fight at all last year. His last fight was a stoppage victory over Maurenzo Smith on Oct. 19, 2019.
“The layoff might have a little impact on me, but I don’t think it will be a big problem. I just got to do what I got to do,’’ Rock said. “I don’t really know much about him. I know he looks strong. The main thing I have to do is get the feel back and listen to my corner and my Pop and follow instruction and have fun. I’m glad this is on Jan. 30, because I want to be as busy as possible this year and make up for that year layoff that I had and stay in shape.’’
The 20-year-old Spencer (11-0, 8 KOs) has made fast strides since turning pro in February 2017. The Linden, Michigan native kicked off 2020 in January with a six-round decision victory over Erik Spring and returned with a KO victory over Shawn West in August on FOX. Those two wins built on an impressive four-win 2019.
“I’m super excited to get back in the ring and kickoff 2021 with an explosive performance for my fans,’’ Spencer said. “I’m having an incredible training camp and I’m in the best shape of my life.’’
Seldon (14-3-1, 5 KOs), the son of former heavyweight champion contender Bruce Seldon, got a late start to boxing, turning pro when he was 22 years old in Atlantic City, N.J. under the tutelage of Bill Johnson, the same man who trained his father. The 32-year-old Seldon of Somers Point, N.J. is coming off an impressive second round KO victory over Darryl Bunting last March.
“I am excited for the opportunity. I have seen a lot of film on Spencer. He is a very good fighter with an excellent amateur background,’’ Seldon said. “I can’t wait until January 30th. I have a lot of time to prepare and have had a great training camp with Danny Davis. When this opportunity presented itself, I jumped on it, and I will put on a great performance on January 30th.”
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,
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PHILADELPHIA (October 20, 2019)– -Heavyweight Darmani Rock remained undefeated after Maurenzo Smith retired on his stool after round two of their scheduled eight-round heavyweight bout at The Met Philadelphia.
The bout headlined an eight-bout card that was promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions and Live Nation.
Rock dominated the abbreviated bout by using his quick jab, and in round two started mixing in some hard right hands. Smith never seemed to be in serious trouble but for some reason pulled the plug on the bout following the 2nd frame.
Rock of Philadelphia is now 17-0 with 12 knockouts. Smith of Houston is 21-12-4.
Jeremy Cuevas stopped Rondale Hubbert in round four of their scheduled six-round super lightweight bout.
In round three, Cuevas whacked Hubbert with a huge left that sent him to the canvas. Seconds later, it was a booming left that sent Hubbert down a second time. Hubbert was sent to the deck again in the round with a left to the body.
Cuevas ended thing with another body shot in the 4th frame that put Hubbert down again, and referee Benjy Esteves stopped the bout at 1:46.
Cuevas of Philadelphia is now 12-1 with nine knockouts. Hubbert of Minneapolis, MN is 13-10,
Gadwin Rosa stopped Danny Flores in round two of their scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.
Rosa landed hard head and body shots until referee Eric Dali stopped the fight at 1:10.
Rosa of Ocala, FL is 11-1 with nine knockouts. Flores of Mexico City is 15-18.
Christian Tapia remained perfect by stopping Jorge Santos in round two of a six-round super featherweight contest.
Tapia dropped Santos with a thudding left hook to the body for which Santos could not beat the 10-count at 1:56.
Tapia of Coamo, PR is 10-0 with nine knockouts. Santos of Monterrey, MEX is 7-9.
Benjamin Sinakin stopped Ferris Golden in round three of a scheduled four-round light heavyweight bout.
Sinakin battered Golden in the 3rd frame until the fight was stopped at 1:43.
Sinakin of Philadelphia is 5-0 with three knockouts. Golden of Findley, Ohio is 1-1.
In an action filled round, Jan Carlos Rivera stopped Ricardo Escaeda in their four-round welterweight bout.
After a furious exchange to begin the bout, Rivera floored Escaeda with a thunderous left hand.. Moments later, it was a crushing left to the head that sent Escaeda down on his back, and the fight was stopped at 1:43.
Rivera of Philadelphia is 4-0 with four knockouts. Escaeda of Monterrey, Mexico 4-17-1.
Alejandro Jimenez remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Jerrod Minor in a bantamweight fight.
Jimenez of New Hope, PA won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice, and is now 5-0-1. Minor of Philadelphia is 1-8-2.
Saleem Kelly remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Jordan Rosario in a welterweight contest.
Kelly, 148 3/4 lbs of Cliffwood, NJ won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Rosario, 146 3/4 lbs of Jersey City, NJ is 3-10.
Photos by Deborah Carbone
PHILADELPHIA (October 9, 2019)–Hostilities between Philadelphia has been prominent for years on the gridiron and more recently in the Hockey rink, and on Saturday night, October 19th add boxing to the rivalry as Undefeated Heavyweight Darmani Rock will headline in an eight-round bout against Maurenzo Smith the 3rd installment of The Met Boxing Series on at The Met Philadelphia.
The show is promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions and Live Nation.
The card, which will have several Philadelphia vs. Dallas matchups will fall on the weekend where The professional sports teams of each city will also meet in football and Hockey.
Rock of North Philadelphia, who is promoted by Roc Nation Sports, has a record of 16-0 with 11 knockouts.
The 23 year-old will be making his 3rd start of 2019 and his 6th appearance in his hometown. Included in his 16 victories is a 1st round stoppage over Carlos Cotto (8-1-1). Rock is coming off a 2nd round stoppage over Raymond Ocheng on June 14th in Jacksonville, Florida.
Smith who is originally from Houston, but for the past five-years has called Dallas home, has a record of 21-11-4 with 14 knockouts.
Smith has wins over Robbie McClimans (3-0), Ty Cobb (16-4) and Donald Caples (21-5-1). Smith has also fought world champions Andy Ruiz, Shannon Briggs & Charles Martin.
Smith is coming off a 1st round stoppage over Marvin Hunt in June 15th in Forrest City, Arkansas.
Appearing in an eight-round super middleweight bout will be Derrick Webster (28-2, 14 KOs) of Glassboro, New Jersey taking in Francisco Javier Castro (28-11, 23 KOs) of El Paso, Texas
In six-round bouts
Jeremy Cuevas (11-1, 8 KOs) of Philadelphia battles Rondale Hubbert (13-9-2, 8 KOs) of Fargo, ND in a super lightweight bout.
Gadwin Rosa (10-1, 8 KOs) of Ocala, FL fights Danny Flores (15-17-1, 8 KO) of Mexico City n a super featherweight contest
Christian Tapia (9-0, 8 KOs) of of Camden, New Jersey via Coaamo, PR takes on Jorge Luis Santos Guzman (7-8-1, 2 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico in super featherweight fight.
in Four-round bouts:
Benny Sinkain (4-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Ferris Golden (1-0) of Findley, OH in a battle of undefeated light heavyweights.
Jan Carlos Rivera (3-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia will take on Ricardo Escajeda (4-16-1, 2 KOs) of Monterrey,Mexico in a welterweight fight.
Tahmir Smalls (1-0,1 KO) appears in a welterweight bout.
Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now at www.TheMetPhilly.com or 1-800-745-3000. VIP Premium packages which include box seats, beer and cocktails, food options, private space, access to the Citi Grande Salle and other amenities are also available at 610-784-5438.
The Philly vs. Dallas Night of Live Boxing is the third in an ongoing series at The Met Philadelphia produced by Live Nation Philadelphia in association with Hard Hitting Promotions. The Met Philadelphia once held regular boxing events from 1939 until 1954. Now, newly restored, The Met Philadelphia is again hosting live boxing events.
In addition to the Philadelphia and Dallas football teams competing on Sunday, October 20; the Philadelphia and Dallas hockey teams will tangle in Philadelphia on Saturday, October 19.
The Metropolitan Opera House held regular boxing events from 1939 until 1954. Now, newly restored, The Met Philadelphia will again hold live boxing events.
Originally built in 1908 by opera impresario Oscar Hammerstein, the iconic venue recently completed a massive $56 million restoration that combines spectacular live entertainment with remarkable food and drink options to create an unparalleled guest experience. The venue’s transformation is the crown jewel of North Broad Street’s renaissance.
PHILADELPHIA (April 5, 2019)–Undefeated welterweight Malik Hawkins will headline the 2nd Met Philadelphia Boxing Series, when he takes on battle-tested Fabian Lyimo the eight-round main event on Friday, April 26th at The Met Philadelphia.
The massive show is promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions and Live Nation.
Hawkins of Baltimore, Maryland has a record of 14-0 with nine knockouts.
The 23 year-old has been a professional for five years, and has amassed wins over Cody Peterson (1-0), Errol Sidney (6-1-2), Carlos Soto (13-0-2), Raymond Serrano (24-4) and his last bout when he won a eight-round unanimous decision over Gledwin Ortiz on February 23rd at The Met Philadelphia.
Lyimo of Tanzania has a record of 23-9-2 with 15 knockouts. The 36 year-old is a 12 year-professional, has wins over three undefeated opponents. In his last bout, Lyimo went eight-rounds before dropping a unanimous decision to Ismael Garcia on March 30th in Hockessin, Delaware.
In the previously announced eight-round co-feature, -An intriguing eight-round junior welterweight contest between Branden Pizarro and Tre’Sean Wiggins.
Two titles will be on the line as Pizarro will defend his NBA Intercontinental title, while Wiggins will defend his newly-won Pennsylvania State Title.
Pizarro of Philadelphia has a record of 14-1 with seven knockouts. The 19 year-old, is a three-year professional, and is riding a six fight winning streak. Pizarro win the NBA Intercontinental title on November 16, 2018 with a unanimous decision over Jerome Rodriguez. Pizarro is coming off a 1st round stoppage over Zack Ramsey on February 23rd at The Met.
Wiggins of Newbergh, New York has a record of 11-4-1 with six knockouts. The 28 year-old Wiggins is a nine-year professional, and is not afraid to take on top competition.
Wiggins has a 1st round knockout of former world champion Jason Sosa. Wiggins has a win over Naim Nelson. In his last bout, Wiggins won the Pennsylvania State title with an eight-round unanimous decision over Samuel Teah (15-2) on February 23rd at The MET.
Also in an eight-round bout, Gadwin Rosa (10-0, 8 KOs) will fight Sulaiman Segawa in a super featherweight bout.(11-2, 4 KOs).
Rosa of Ocala, Florida is 25 years-old and has a win over Jonathan Irizarry (3-0). In his last outing, Rosa took care of Jorge Luis Santos Guzman in two rounds on February 23rd at The Met.
Segwa of Silver Spring, Maryland has a record of 11-2 with four knockouts. The 27 year-old has a knack of defeating undefeated foes as he has already defeated Ali Kasango (3-0), Djiby Diagne (3-0), Brian Gallegos (6-0), and Hector Lopez Jr. (10-0-1). Segwa also defeated Alejandro Salinas (9-1).
Two other eight-round bouts are on the bill.
Undefeated heavyweight Darmani Rock (14-0, 9 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Mike Bissett (15-11-1, 9 KOs) of Tampa, Florida.
In six-round bouts:
Christian Tapia (8-0, 7 KOs) of Coamo, PR fights Raul Chirino (13-10-1, 8 KOs) of Miami, Florida in a lightweight contest.
Miguel Cartagena (15-5-1, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named in a flyweight bout.
In four-round bouts:
Benny Sinakin (3-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia battles Patrick Pierre (3-6, 1 KO) of New Orleans in a light heavyweight clash.
Josue Rosa (1-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia fights Lucky Holt (0-3) of Hannibal, Missouri in a bantamweight bout.
Thyler Williams of Philadelphia (1-0, 1 KO) will take on an opponent to be named in a welterweight contest.
Malik Warren of Philadelphia will make his pro debut against an opponent to be named in a lightweight fight.
TICKETS are $100, $75, $50 & $25 and can be purchased at TheMetPhilly.com or Please call 1-800-745-3000 to order your tickets by phone.
PHILADELPHIA–Victor Ruiz stunned a sold out 2300 Arena crowd with one perfect left hand as he stopped hometown favorite Christian Carto in round two of their scheduled eight-round bantamweight fight.
Ruiz landed a perfect left hand that sent the back of Carto’s head thumping off the canvas. Carto’s leg momentarily quivered and the bout was immediately halted at 1:56.
Carto was removed from the arena on a stretcher.
Ruiz, 115.5 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 23-10-1 with 16 knockouts. Carto, 118.6 lbs of Philadelphia is 17-1.
Marcel Rivers won a six-round unanimous decision over Derrick Whitley in a battle of undefeated welterweights.
Rivers, 144.7 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 58-56 on all cards and is now 7-0. Whitley, 148.3 lbs of Springfield, MA is 4-1-1.
Alejandro Jimenez and Edgar Cortes battled to a six-round split draw in a bantamweight contest.
Each fighter took a card a card 58-56 while a 3rd card read even at 57-57.
Jimenez, 119.2 lbs of New Hope, PA is 4-0-1. Cortes, 119.5 lbs of Vineland, NJ is 6-4-1.
Darmani Rock stopped Steven Lyons in round four of their scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.
In round four, Rock opened up with a hard combination to the body that sent Lyons to the canvas in the corner. Lyons sat in the corner until referee Benjy Esteves reached the ten-count at 1:20.
Rock, 273.3 lbs of Philadelphia is 14-0 with nine knockouts. Lyons, 209.7 lbs of Houma, LA is 5-4.
Sonny Conto made a successful pro debut by stopping Jimmie Levins in the 1st round of their scheduled four round haveyweight bout.
Conto seemed to drop Levins four-times in thr opening frame, but for some reason they were all ruled slips. Levins was limping around the ring and upon the 4th time on the canvas, the fight was stopped due to injury at 2:19.
Conto, 215.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 1-0 with one knockout. Levins, 219.2 lbs of Buffalo, NY is 0-5.
Gerardo Martinez won a four-round majority decision over Osnel Charles in a junior welterweight bout.
In round two, Martinez began to bleed from his nose.
Martinez, 136.7 lbs of Coatsviille, PA won by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38 and is now 4-1. Charles, 140.3 lbof Atlantic City is 12-19-1.
Jonathan Torres won a four-round unanimous decision over Dallas Holden in a bantamweight bout.
Torres, 118.5 lbs of Bethlehem, PA won by shutout scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 2-0. Holden, 119.6 lbs of Atlantic City 1-4.
Philadelphia, PA (October 2, 2018) – This Saturday night, undefeated lightweight prospect Jeremy Cuevas is looking to make a statement by knocking out veteran Jerome Rodriguez in the six-round co-feature bout at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
The eight-bout card is promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions.
In the eight-round main event, undefeated heavyweight Darmani Rock (12-0, 7 KOs) of Philadelphia takes Pedro Julio Rodriguez of Miami, Florida, via Cuba in an eight-round bout.
Cuevas of Philadelphia is on the cusp of higher profile fights, but he 1st must get by the tough southpaw, Rodriguez from Allentown, PA.
“My training was great. My weight is great. I got awesome sparring with (IBF Junior Lightweight World champion) Tevin Farmer, (Undefeated prospect) Joseph Adorno, and some other good southpaws,” said Cuevas.
In Rodriguez he is facing a 19-fight veteran, who has faced 10 undefeated opponents, which includes wins over world-ranked Avery Sparrow and then-undefeated puncher Tre’shawn Wiggins.
“Rodriguez is a tough fighter. He has been in there, and has defeated good fighters. The challenge for me is not to beat him, but stopping him. My objective is to knock him out cold.”
Cuevas is now starting to get recognized on some prospect lists, and those acclaims are very motivating to the 22 year-old.
“This is a dream come true. I have been blessed to be with the right team of people. That has helped me to start to get noticed. People fear me because I am a slick southpaw that can punch.”
With bigger fights and names on the horizon, Cuevas is just taking one fight at a time, as he knows his time will be coming in the near future.
“I want the top guys, but my coach tells me that there is no rush. I am just 22 years-old, and, I am going to take my time. This should be my last six-round fight, and my next fight should be an eight-rounder.”
Cuevas wants to follow in the footsteps of Farmer and Danny Garcia to become the next world champion from the historic fight town of Philadelphia.
“I look up to those guys, and being from Philadelphia, you have a standard. This city has such a rich history of boxing, that is has given me a pathway to become a world champion.”
Cuevas has fought all but one of his fights in Philadelphia, and this has given him the opportunity to start and grow a sizable fan-base that will root for their hometown fighter.
“It means the world to me to fight at home. Every fighter is not lucky enough to build themselves up at home, so it’s great that I have fans, and soon it will be time to expand my following outside of Philadelphia. I am ready to go on Saturday, and I am coming to put a hurting on my opponent.”
Cuevas, who is promoted by Hard Hitting promotions can be followed on Instagram at jeremy_King_Cuevas and on Facebook at Jeremy Cuevas
Branden Pizarro (11-1, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia will take on 30 fight-veteran Justin Johnson of Pittsburgh in a six-round junior welterweight fight.
Gadwin Rosa (7-0, 6 KOs) of Ocala, Florida takes on David Berna (16-5, 15 KOs) of Budapest Hungary in a super featherweight bout.
In four-round bouts:
Christian Tapia (5-0, 4 KOs) of Coamo, Puerto Rico fights Hector Marengo (7-13-4, 4 KOs) of Arecibo, Puerto Rico in a lightweight bout.
Marcos Suarez (5-0-1,1 KO) of Bronx, New York battles Israel Suarez (4-6-2, 1 KO) of Luquillo, Puerto Rico in a lightweight bout.
Benny Sinakin of Philadelphia makes his pro debut against Alexander Lara in a light heavyweight bout.
Marcel Rivers (6-0, 4 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named in a welterweight bout.
Tickets available now! $50 GA , $70 Premium, $125 VIP +fees
Purchase Tickets online at hardhittingpromotions.com ; 2300arena.com or by calling 267.758.2173 as well as the 2300 Arena Box Office.
Doors 6PM – First bout 7PM
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THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND WEIGH IN WILL TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5TH AT 5 PM AT THE SHERATON SUITES PHILADELPHIA AIRPORT, LOCATED AT 4101 B ISLAND AVENUE, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19153
Philadelphia, PA (October 1, 2018) – A terrific night of action is rounding into place as Hard Hitting Promotions presents an eight-bout card THIS Saturday, October 6th at The 2300 Arena.
In the main event, undefeated heavyweight Darmani Rock (12-0, 7 KOs) of Philadelphia takes Pedro Julio Rodriguez of Miami, Florida, via Cuba in an eight-round bout.
Rock of Philadelphia, who was the number-one amateur heavyweight in the United States and former Youth Amateur champion, has a record of 12-0 with seven knockouts.
The 22 year-old Rock is a two-year professional who has a 1st round stoppage over Carlos Cotto (8-1-1) on his resume. Rock is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Marquis Valentine on July 20th in Sloan, Iowa.
This will be Rock’s 3rd appearance in Philadelphia.
Rodriguez has an impressive mark of 23-5 with 19 knockouts.
The 32 year-old Rodriguez is a n eight-year professional, who has defeated four undefeated fighters. Rodriguez holds a win over Andy Perez, who was 19-2 at the time.
Rodriguez is coming off a loss to Andrey Afonin on May 19th.
In the six-round co-feature, Jeremy Cuevas (10-0, 8 KOs) of Philadelphia will fight Jerome Rodriguez (7-9-3, 2 KOs) of Allentown, PA in a lightweight contest.
Branden Pizarro (11-1, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia will take on 24 fight-veteran Justin Johnson of Pittsburgh in a six-round junior welterweight fight.
Gadwin Rosa (7-0, 6 KOs) of Ocala, Florida takes on David Berna (16-5, 15 KOs) of Budapest Hungary in a super featherweight bout.
In four-round bouts:
Christian Tapia (5-0, 4 KOs) of Coamo, Puerto Rico fights Hector Marengo (7-13-4, 4 KOs) of Arecibo, Puerto Rico in a lightweight bout.
Marcos Suarez (5-0-1,1 KO) of Bronx, New York battles Israel Suarez (4-6-2, 1 KO) of Luquillo, Puerto Rico in a lightweight bout.
Benny Sinakin of Philadelphia makes his pro debut against Alexander Lara in a light heavyweight bout.
Marcel Rivers (6-0, 4 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named in a welterweight bout.
Tickets available now! $50 GA , $70 Premium, $125 VIP +fees
Purchase Tickets online at hardhittingpromotions.com ; 2300arena.com or by calling 267.758.2173 as well as the 2300 Arena Box Office.
Doors 6PM – First bout 7PM
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