UNCASVILLE, CT – Chordale “The Gift” Booker (22-1, 10 KOs) turned back an inspired challenge from Greg “The Villain” Vendetti (23-6-1, 12 KOs) at Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday night, winning a 10-round decision over the Wakefield native by scores of 99-91 (2) and 98-92.     

The bout served as the main event of “Winter Brawl 2024,” a 10-fight card that featured 3 WBC title fights, 7 supporting bouts and the ‘Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational’ amateur showcase. The card was broadcast live on Swerve Combat TV.

Going into the bout, Booker was irked as Vendetti questioned whether Chordale had the grit and gas tank to win a war of attrition.  Booker swore that he would make a believer of ‘The Villain’ through the course of their 10-round contest, and he delivered on that promise.

Vendetti, a 33-year-old former world title challenger, was eager to pick up the WBC US Super Welterweight title that Booker won at Mohegan Sun Arena last April.  The title could only be won by ‘The Villain’ when Booker missed the super welterweight limit by one pound the day before. 

The volume punching Vendetti began the fight as usual, pressing Booker behind a frenetic pace.  For his part, Booker circled the ring attempting to counter ‘The Villain’ while staying off the ropes. 

Vendetti came in behind a low stance in round 2, and Booker took advantage of that with left uppercuts and right hooks to the head.  A left hand in round 3 opened a cut over Vendetti’s right eye.  The Wakefield resident briefly switched stances in round 4, looking to smother ‘The Gift’ and rough him up on the inside.  Booker looked for spots to counter in round 5, and the pugilists took turns teeing off on one another as the bell rang.

The Stamford native began to take control of the bout towards the end of round 7, pot shotting the stocky Vendetti.  True to his word, Booker seemed to be in full control of the pace of the fight by round 8, circling the ring, countering well and blocking most of Vendetti’s offense.  Booker dug to Vendetti’s body in round 9, causing ‘The Villain’ to double over in pain.  Chordale went in for the finish, launching a series of uppercuts to the head and lefts to the body.  The valiant Vendetti withstood the assault, soaking up the punishment and even pressing forward in round 10 as the fighters traded shots until the final bell.  Booker may have left the Mohegan Sun Arena without his coveted title, but he nevertheless proved to Vendetti and his hometown fans that he can not only survive under pressure, but win a war of attrition convincingly.

Ricky de los Santos (12-1, 3 KOs) scored the biggest victory of his 13-fight career in the co-feature, outworking New England rival Nathan Martinez (8-3, 2 KOs) to win the vacant WBC US Silver Super Featherweight championship.  The fight looked to be a 50/50 match up on paper, and the first round went according to script, with Ricky enjoying a reach advantage and Nathan countering well.  De los Santos began establishing his jab in round 2, and the Providence resident took over the contest in round 3 with his jab and occasional left hooks.  The 34-year-old added solid right hands in round 4, with Martinez trying his best to time and counter Ricky as the round came to an end.  De los Santos began breaking Martinez down in round 5, as the New Britain native went down from a questionable low blow and went as far as turning his back to de los Santos in round 6 citing a headbutt.  With his 4 daughters and his wife cheering him on ringside, de los Santos poured on the assault in round 7, outworking Martinez to claim the win.  After 8 rounds, the score cards read 79-73 and 78-74 (2x).  2024 is off to a great start for the 34-year-old, as his son was born in mid-January and he won the WBC title less than a month later.      

Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (16-0, 14 KOs) also picked up the first title of his professional career, winning a shut out 8-round decision over fellow southpaw Dormedes Potes (14-6-1, 10 KOs) for the vacant WBC US Silver Middleweight title.  The colorful Hogan established a body attack in round one before launching a straight left to the head that dropped his Colombian opponent.  The Boston native returned to the body assault in round 3 and dominated the middle rounds behind a stiff jab, effective feints and a balanced attack to the head and body.  A left to the body dropped Potes for a second time in round 7, but the tough Colombian beat the count and launched an uppercut that temporarily halted Hogan’s progress.  After the ringside doctor checked on Potes between rounds, the Colombian fighter came alive, launching his own body attack.  It was short lived, however, as ‘Frank the Tank’ reestablished control, landing long left hands as the bout came to a close.  Scores were 80-70 (3x) for the new champion. 

Lightweight prospect Alejandro “El Abusador” Paulino (16-0, 13 KOs) was extended the distance for the first time in 5 bouts, pounding out an 8-round unanimous decision over tough Texan D’Angelo Keyes (17-4, 11 KOs).  Paulino was sharper throughout the contest, landing hard left hooks and right hands.  ‘El Abusador’ dropped Keyes twice in round 3, first with a right to the head and later with a follow up flurry to the head and body.  Keyes bravely beat the count just as the round came to an end.  The doctor checked in on Keyes between rounds, and the game Texan was allowed to come out for more of the same in rounds 4 and 5.  Keyes enjoyed his best round in the 6th, landing flush right hands to Paulino’s head.  The shots had the 25-year-old in an unfamiliar position, as he was forced to back up for the first time in the fight.  In response, Paulino wisely chose to box in round 7.  A right hand bloodied Paulino’s nose in round 8, but the Dominican-born New Londoner had built up enough of a lead to win the bout comfortably.  Scores were 79-71 (3x) for the undefeated Paulino, who improved to 16-0 (13 KOs) while Keyes fell to 17-4 (11 KOs).         

In a compelling flyweight battle, Hartford’s Angel “Set it Off” Gonzalez outworked and outlasted a tough Christian Robles over 8 scintillating rounds.  The fighters engaged in a war of attrition from the opening bell, with Robles focusing on a body attack and Gonzalez responding to the head.    Gonzalez tipped the scales in his favor in round 6, when a big right hand to the top of the head dropped Robles for an 8-count.  The Wild Card fighter made it to his feet and composed himself, only to be staggered again moments later.  Gonzalez hurt Robles once more with a flurry in round 7, but the Californian was able to weather the storm.  The fighters ended the fight as they started, trading hard shots back and forth until the final bell.  Scores were 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 for Gonzalez, who improved to 13-0 (7 KOs), while Robles dropped to 8-2 (3 KOs).   

“King” Kevin Walsh (11-0, 5 KOs) wasted little time clinching his 11th win, dropping Puerto Rico’s Darrell Rivera (9-3-1, 7 KOs) with a tremendous counter right hand moments into their 6 round lightweight bout for a first-round stoppage.  Referee Ricky Gonzalez immediately waved off the contest as Rivera suffered his second consecutive knockout. 

Port Chester, NY’s Carlos “All In” Vanegas Nunez (7-1, 6 KOs) made a triumphant return to the win column, blitzing Jaden Webb (2-2, 2 KOs) with a ferocious body assault that dropped the Beebe, AR native early in round one.  The follow-up attack continued as soon as Webb beat the count, causing referee Arthur Mercante Jr. to mercifully halt the bout at 2:00 of the opening stanza.

Up and coming Polish prospect Slawomir Bohdziewicz improved to a perfect 3-0 (3 KOs), knocking out Boston’s Bruno Saraiva (0-2) at 1:35 of round 2.  Bohdziewicz came out swinging from the opening seconds of the bout, landing sharp left jabs and clubbing right hands to the roar of the Polish contingent.  The Stamford resident continued the assault in round 2, backing Saraiva to a corner with a one-two combination.  Saraiva fought his way out, but a follow up left to the body dropped him to his knees and he was unable to beat Referee David Fields’ 10-count. 

In the opening bout of the evening, James Maner (5-0, 2 KOs) used his reach and speed advantages to outbox Miguel Torres (2-1, 2 KOs) over 4 rounds in a middleweight bout.  Maner bled from his mouth from a head clash in round 2, but the 29-year-old remained composed under fire, staggering Torres with a counter right hook as the Dorchester native came forward.  Maner lost a point later in the round when he hit Torres after referee Arthur Mercante Jr. told the fighters to break.  Maner closed the fight strong, landing at will during the fourth and final round as his opponent followed him around the ring.  Scores were 39-36 3x for the Providence native. 

For more information about CES and its events, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENAMohegan Sun Arena, one of the busiest sports and entertainment venues in the world today, was awarded the 2024 Newsweek Readers’ Choice award for “Best Casino with Live Entertainment in America“. In 2021, the 10,000-seat Arena also received its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its size in the world from Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena is consistently recognized among the top five venues in the United States, and also in 2021 was named “Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency during the pandemic.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been named the “World’s Best Casino Venue,” by Best of Hartford Magazine, and is a seven-time national award winner for “Arena of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music Awards and G2E Las Vegas. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

LOS ANGELES (August 28, 2020) – Mexico’s Vladimir Hernandez will step in to face hard-hitting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo in a 10-round super middleweight contest that serves as the co-main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, August 29 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Caleb Truax was originally scheduled to face Angulo, but was forced to withdraw due to effects of dehydration.

“We wish Caleb the best and hope to see him back in the ring soon, but it is fortunate that we have backups in place because of COVID-19,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Under normal circumstances you wouldn’t have a backup on standby. But because of COVID-19, we have someone who has been training, has been tested and is in the bubble and ready to go.”

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara facing Greg Vendetti in a 12-round showdown. The broadcast will also feature unbeaten super lightweight Abram Martinez squaring off against 2016 Venezuelan Olympian Luis Arcon in a special bonus feature.

Angulo (26-7, 21 KOs) enters this fight after winning an action-packed battle against former champion Peter Quillin last September, under the tutelage of highly regarded trainer Abel Sanchez. The Mexicali, Mexico native, who now lives in Coachella, California, has been in with some of the sport’s top boxers and sluggers during a career that has seen him in numerous exciting bouts against the likes of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Erislandy Lara, amongst others.

The 31-year-old Hernandez (11-4, 6 KOs) was born in Ciudad Lerdo, Durango, Mexico and now lives and trains out of Denver, Colorado. Hernandez’s last six bouts have come in the U.S., including an upset over previously unbeaten Daniel Valdivia, that he followed up by defeating Valdivia in their rematch. Most recently, Hernandez scored a decision victory over Aaron Coley in July to bounce back after two defeats.

Born in Dallas and now fighting out of Las Vegas, Martínez (8-0, 6 KOs) made his pro debut in the U.S. in 2016 by stopping Phillip Percy in round two. The 24-year-old returned to fight in the states in his last outing, when he knocked out the previously unbeaten Jose Rodriguez in the third round of their November 2019 clash.

The 28-year-old Arcón (10-0, 10 KOs) will look to keep his perfect knockout streak intact when he steps into the ring on Saturday night for his 2020 debut. Born in San Juan de Los Morros, Venezuela, and now fighting out of Coachella, California, Arcón added five knockout victories to his record in 2019, most recently stopping Jasond Prado in December.

Preceding the action on FOX, FS1 PBC Fight Night will be headlined by super welterweight contenders Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna and Brian Mendoza battling in a 10-round attraction.

The FS1 telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and also features prospect Justin Pauldo in an eight-round super lightweight showdown against Josec Ruiz, plus unbeaten prospect Jose Valenzuela facing Zack Kuhn in a lightweight bout.

Pauldo (13-1, 7 KOs) returns to make his 2020 debut after a 2019 campaign that saw him score first round knockouts over Federico Jesus Malespina and Tyrone Luckey. The 25-year-old from Orlando had previously earned a career best victory in winning his first eight-round fight via a unanimous decision over then unbeaten Joshua Zuniga in 2018.

A native of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Ruiz (21-3-3, 14 KOs) now fights out of Miami since making his U.S. debut there in March 2019. The 26-year-old has fought in the U.S. for his last five bouts, including most recently losing a decision against unbeaten Gabriel Flores, Jr. in June. Prior to that fight, Ruiz had been on a seven-fight winning streak dating back to 2016.

Valenzuela (5-0, 2 KOs) returns to the ring for his 2020 debut after picking up three victories in 2019, including most recently defeating Charles Clark in September. The 21-year-old was born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico but now lives and trains in Seattle, Washington alongside unbeaten star David Benavidez.

The 29-year-old Kuhn (10-5-1, 5 KOs) steps into the ring after his most recent outing saw him knockout Donny Miller in round three of their December 2019 contest. Fighting out of Charleston, West Virginia, Kuhn has fought professionally since 2010.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.

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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, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LAS VEGAS (August 27, 2020) – WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara shared his insights from training camp and discussed his upcoming battle against Greg Vendetti that headlines FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, August 29 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Once the longest-reigning titleholder in the stacked 154-pound division, Lara returns to the ring after capturing the WBA title last August on FOX with a TKO victory over Ramon Alvarez.

Here is what Lara had to say about his matchup this Saturday and more, from training camp in Las Vegas:

On his recent training camp with coach Ismael Salas:
“Coach Salas and I have been working harmoniously together in Las Vegas, where I’ve been getting great sparring with top level guys. There are a lot of good fighters in Las Vegas that bring a lot of experience to my sparring sessions. My timing is right on point and I’m going to be very sharp in this fight.”

On making his 2020 ring return on FOX:
“It’s been way to long for me to be out of the ring. Now that it’s finally coming to that point where I’ll be fighting, I’m extremely excited. FOX is the most viewed television network in boxing, and I’m honored to be fighting on their network once again. The fan support that I get after fighting on FOX is incredible. Everyone should be tuning in because I’m going to put on a great show for everyone watching.”

On his upcoming matchup with Greg Vendetti:
“Just like everyone that I step in the ring with, they all come to dethrone me, and Vendetti will be no different. He’s coming into this fight with nothing to lose and that can be a dangerous situation, because he’s going to be in the best shape of his life. I’m not looking past him and if I get him hurt at any time in the fight, I’m going for the finish. I will end this fight early if I see blood.”

On what a win could lead to for his next fight:
“A victory puts me in line to fight the Charlo vs. Rosario winner, if that’s the direction my team wants to go. The goal for me is to unify the titles and become the undisputed champion of the 154-pound division. My body feels good and I feel I’m still the best fighter at super welterweight. Saturday night is another chance for me to show why.”

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ABOUT LARA VS. VENDETTI
Lara vs. Vendetti will see WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara battling Greg Vendetti in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes, Saturday, August 29 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo battling former world champion Caleb “Golden” Truax in an IBF Super Middleweight Title Eliminator. All programming can be live streamed in English and Spanish on the new FOX Sports app. FOX Deportes offers delayed coverage of all FOX and FS1 programming beginning at 10:00 PM ET.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles. Angulo vs. Truax is promoted in association with Warriors Boxing.

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, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LOS ANGELES (August 26, 2020) – WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara and veteran contender Greg Vendetti previewed their world title bout on an international media conference call Wednesday, before they headline FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes, this Saturday, August 29 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

The call also featured hard-hitting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and former world champion Caleb “Golden” Truax discussing their IBF Super Middleweight Title Eliminator that serves as the co-main event of the broadcast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. All programming can be live streamed in English and Spanish on the new FOX Sports app. FOX Deportes offers delayed coverage of all FOX and FS1 programming beginning at 10:00 PM ET.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles. Angulo vs. Truax is promoted in association with Warriors Boxing.

Here is what the conference call participants had to say Wednesday:

ERISLANDY LARA

“I feel better than ever. I’ve been training hard and working well heading into this fight. I feel stronger than I did a couple of years ago and I’m totally ready for this fight on Saturday.

“The difference people have seen in my last few fights isn’t about my fighting style or even about trying pleasing the fans. I just do what is needed inside of the ring. I have to see what each fight requires me to do. If it pleases the fans, then that’s great. But I’m always focused on doing what I have to do in each situation during each fight.

“I’m not focused on my legacy yet. There is a lot to accomplish still and I want to bolster my standing as one of the best Cuban fighters in history with more important wins.

“I still feel like I can have a lot of success in the rest of my career, so I haven’t set any time frame for when I’ll be done boxing. But once I feel the difference in my training and when the young fighters are really getting the best of me, then it will be something to consider. But it’s not on my mind.

“I really haven’t seen Vendetti at all. I don’t like to watch video of my future opponents. For me, the style will become clear in the first round once we start throwing punches in the ring.

“I firmly believe that I can be the undisputed best fighter in this division. Most of the other champions haven’t faced me yet. We’ll see how it plays out, but I believe that I can come out on top against anybody at any time in a very competitive division.

“I never lost any confidence. Regardless of any circumstances after the Canelo fight or the Jarrett Hurd fight, I always believe in my abilities in the ring. That belief is still very strong. I’m willing and able to fight anyone in the division at any time.

“I want everyone to know that I’m in great shape, I’m feeling outstanding and ready to put on a show Saturday night.”

GREG VENDETTI

“I think we’ve done all we can to prepare for this fight. Every box is checked. I’m in a position to do my best and I’m excited and confident for this opportunity

My trainer has been saying for years that I have a good style to face Lara and once I got the call, I took it as a real sign. I’m really motivated to show everyone what I can do and put on my best performance.

“I look at it like this is just another human like me that I’m facing. He’s made of skin and bones and I’m sure he has his doubts about himself. Maybe about his age and about if I can get to him. I don’t get intimidated by anything in the ring. I’m just really excited to test myself against one of the best fighters of this generation.

“I just have to prepare the best and I can and perform the best I can. I can’t control anything else. Could this be my only title shot? Maybe, but thinking about that won’t change anything in the ring. I just have to give myself the best shot to win.

“It will be a little strange without fans. If anything I think it will help me. It allows me to focus better. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have, the crowd can make you more aggressive than you want to be and influence the judges. If anything, it will help me, but it is what it is.

“I’ve approached this fight like I’m getting the best version of Lara that’s ever existed. I’m not taking him lightly at all. But if you look at his performances as of late, it’s not the same Lara you saw against Angulo and Canelo years ago. The agility is not there as much. It almost seems like he’s doing just enough to try to win these fights and not really going the extra mile to dominate.

“Pressure is the name of the game. I have to be active. I can’t run in and get blasted, but I’m going to try to push the pace as best I can and be as smart as I can. I’m predicting an exciting fight, at least on my end.”

ALFREDO ANGULO

“First thing’s first, I have to focus on Saturday night. Whatever comes next, including a possible fight for the world title, it will only happen if I win. This will be an interesting fight and a great challenge for me.

“Abel Sanchez really has a fountain of youth. I feel rejuvenated and I think the clock has been turned back. My only focus is on working hard and giving the fans a great fight.

“The biggest key for me is my confidence and the input that Abel gives me each and every day. That’s the most important thing that has changed. All the advice that he’s able to give me is so valuable.

“I also get a lot of motivation from the other fighters in the gym with me because they have the same ambition as me. We push each other to get to new heights. It’s not competitive as far as who gets a fight next. But it’s about making each other better.

“Truax is a great boxer and he’s aggressive. He comes and tries to get you out of there. It’s going to be a great matchup and we’re going to give the fans a great fight.

“I’m ready for Saturday night and I can’t wait. It’s going to be a great night for the fans and I’m planning on stealing the show.”

CALEB TRUAX

“The last year and a half was tough for me. I had the cut against Quillin and the Achilles injury. It took about eight or nine months for it to feel back to normal. But I’ve been training on it since January and I’m ready to roll.

“I had a little bit of ring rust in my last fight and it was great to knock it off. Most people thought I dominated, so I don’t know how it ended up so close on the cards, but I got the win and got the rounds in that I wanted. We’re moving forward and ready to put on a show against a higher level of competition in Alfredo Angulo.

“It wasn’t a surprise to me that he won against Peter Quillin. He backed up Quillin and pushed him around the whole night and did what he had to do.

“The Achilles was the first major injury I had in my career, but I’m fortunate to be in the spot that I’m in now. I’m number three in the IBF and I just need to make the most of it against Angulo. At this stage in my career, you have to approach every fight like it’s a must-win and a last chance opportunity.

“I used to be more of a counter puncher who tried to sit back and box, but when I fought Jermain Taylor, it was my first big fight against a top level opponent. I sat back too long and tried to counter. After that fight I reinvented my style and now I consider myself an aggressive counter puncher.

“I think my style matches up pretty well with Angulo. I like when I don’t have to go searching for someone, I haven’t fought someone who wants to come forward in a while.

“Whoever wins could get that opportunity against Caleb Plant, which you have to acknowledge, but none of that happens without going through Angulo first. So I have to take care of what’s in front of me Saturday.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“The 154 pound-division is stacked with talent right now. There are some big 154-pound fights on the horizon for Erislandy Lara, but first he has to get past the tough Greg Vendetti. Vendetti is legitimate and he’s going to try to test Lara all night, because he knows he’s getting in there against one of the best.

“I’m also looking forward to the always-exciting Alfredo Angulo going up against the former champion Caleb Truax in a super middleweight title eliminator that will put the winner in prime position for a title fight.”

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ABOUT LARA VS. VENDETTI
Lara vs. Vendetti will see WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara battling Greg Vendetti in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes, Saturday, August 29 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo battling former world champion Caleb “Golden” Truax in an IBF Super Middleweight Title Eliminator. All programming can be live streamed in English and Spanish on the new FOX Sports app. FOX Deportes offers delayed coverage of all FOX and FS1 programming beginning at 10:00 PM ET.

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, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Boston, Massachusetts (July 12th, 2019):

In the first ever ticketed event at Encore Boston Harbor, the brand new 2.6 billion dollar resort casino located on Boston’s waterfront, a sold out crowd of 2,300 fans watched hometown hero, Greg Vendetti (22-3-1, 12 KOs) score a shutout unanimous decision over Newark, New Jersey’s Michael Anderson (17-3-1, 12 KOs) to capture the IBA Junior Middleweight World Championship.

Entering the ring to “The Imperial March” aka Darth Vader’s theme song, Vendetti took a cue from the Sith Lord and began a non stop pressure onslaught that Anderson had no answer for at any point in the 12 round fight.

‘The Villain’ continually backed Anderson to the ropes and unleashed a steady torrent of combinations averaging close to 100 punches per round. Vendetti never slowed down, putting on a near flawless performance that saw a bloody and swollen Anderson hold on desperately throughout the fight.

Vendetti’s performance was so dominant that one judge gave him two 10-8 rounds despite no knockdowns in the fight for a final scorecard tally of 120-108 x2 and 120-106.

The Stoneham, Massachusetts native was his usual blunt self in his post fight interview to the delight of the chanting crowd.

“I just love to fight.”, said the new IBA Junior Middleweight Champion who is considering a move down to welterweight.

Whether it’s in the main event of a sold out ballroom for a title or whether I’m alone in a room with another man and two rusty machetes. It’s all the same to me. It’s a fight. I’m ready to die in there and that’s what makes the difference.”

“This was probably one of Vendetti’s best performances. Look at the scorecards. 120-106 is something you don’t see too often.”, said Murphys Boxing founder and Vendetti’s promoter, Ken Casey.

“He’s just relentless. He’s constantly coming forward. Then he’s the type of kid that when he’s done throwing punches in bunches, he gets on the mic and says all the right things. He’s really turning into a star in the area. Sold out venue. Main event. Fighting 12 rounds. Doesn’t phase him at all. The better the competition is, the more rounds he goes, the more pressure he’s under, the better he seems to be. We’re looking to get him back in the ring as soon as possible.”
In the 6 round junior welterweight co-main event Venezuelan Olympian and recent Murphys Boxing signee, Luis Arcon Diaz (8-0, 8 KOs) dominated Argentina’s Mario Lozano (18-4-1, 9 KOs) before scoring a brutal knockout in third round. In what was supposed to Diaz’s toughest fight to date, the 27 year old’s speed and power overwhelmed his opponent from the get go finally stopping him with a face first on the canvas highlight reel knockout.

Dublin’s Lawrence Fryers (11-1, 4 KOs), who was set to face Ray Moylette in a highly anticipated all Irish junior welterweight showdown until visa issues earlier this week left Moylette unable to enter the United States, suffered a major scare in the first round before stopping last minute replacement Bryan Abraham (6-34-1, 6 KOs) by second knockout. Seconds into the fight Abraham caught Fryers with a massive overhand right sending him to the canvas. Fryers beat the count on shaky legs and Abraham charged in and dropped Fryers to his knees for a second knockdown. The heavy handed veteran tried to finish off the New York based Irishman but somehow he survived the onslaught. Clearing his head between rounds, Fryers roared out of the corner at the start of the second and fired off a straight right that badly hurt Abraham who froze and slumped over the ropes, causing the referee to wave off the contest to the roar of the sold out crowd.

In a surprising upset, Carlos Hernandez (4-3-1, 2 KOs) handed local favorite Mike Ohan Jr. (9-1, 5 KOs) his first loss by way of majority decision with scores of 57-57, 58-56 and 59-55. In an incredibly close contest that could have went either way, Hernandez didn’t let the partisan crowd or Ohan Jr.’s undefeated record intimidate him and the Connecticut welterweight fought a gutsy toe to toe performance that earned him a razor thin victory in the 6 round welterweight bout.

Boston based amateur standout, James Perella (4-0, 3 KOs) went the distance for the first time in his young career winning a shutout unanimous decision over crafty MMA veteran, Bryan Goldsby (5-12) with identical scores of 40-35 x3. The popular young welterweight is off to a fast and furious start having 4 fights in only 4 months and against the elusive Goldsby got in some much needed rounds of professional experience.

Soft spoken South Boston favorite, Joe Farina (7-1, 4 KOs) continued his busy 2019 in ring campaign picking up his third win of the year over the near 25 year veteran Jose Angel Ortiz (5-14-1, 2 KOs) with a 4 round unanimous decision in the welterweight division with scores of 39-36 x2 and 40-35. Farina kept Ortiz on the ropes for virtually the entire fight and dropped Ortiz once in the third round.

Opening up the event, Belgium’s Antoine Vanackere (11-1, 6 KOs) made his American debut a successful one, dropping and stopping the always game Mexican veteran, Francisco Medel (13-20, 8 KOs) in the third round of a scheduled 6 round junior welterweight bout.

The phenomenal turn out of 2,300 people, with hundreds more turned away at the door, was enough for Murphys Boxing and Encore Boston Harbor to announce at the end of the night an immediate return event on August 23rd.

“It was a very special night.”, explained Casey after the show.

“To be the first ever ticketed event at a brand new resort casino that hasn’t even been open for month and to sell the place out with a local fighter in the main event, was an amazing experience and a historic night. We want to keep the momentum going and we’ll be back next month with another stacked card. We’re thankful to everyone who supported the event tonight. Boston is truly becoming one of the hotbeds of boxing in the United States and with Encore, Murphys Boxing now has the perfect venue to showcase that.”

UPCOMING MURPHYS BOXING EVENTS

8/17 – SPRINGFIELD, MA. – MGM SPRINGFIELD
8/23 – BOSTON, MA. – ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR
9/7 – MARSHFIELD, MA. – SOUTH SHORE SHAMROCK FEST

ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING

Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 5 short years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. 2018 was a breakout year for Murphys Boxing as they took their first fighter to a world title. Along with the promotion’s first champion, several Murphys Boxing fighters secured world title opportunities and nationally televised fights in 2018. Murphys Boxing closed out their banner year by co-promoting the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Demetrius Andrade and Walter Kautondokwa in front of over 10,000 fans at the TD Garden, the legendary home of the Boston Celtics, which was broadcast internationally on DAZN. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features world ranked contenders like Mark DeLuca, Abraham Nova, Charles Foster, Greg Vendetti, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and prospects like Niall Kennedy, Carlos Gongora, William Foster III, Mike Ohan Jr., Luis Arcon Diaz and more!

For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com

To speak with any of the fighters on our roster or to request credentials to any upcoming events – drop us a line at info@murphysboxing.com and we will hook it up.

Follow Murphys Boxing on Social Media!

Greg Vendetti 150 (21-3-1, 12 KOs) vs. Michael Anderson 148.6 (17-2-1, 12 KOs)12 Rounds- IBA World Jr. Middleweight ChampionshipLuis Arcon Diaz 140 vs. Mario Lozano 145.86 RoundsMike Ohan Jr. 146 vs. Carlos Hernandez 146.46 RoundsLawrence Fryers 147.2 vs. Bryan Abraham 148.26 RoundsJames Perella 149 vs. Bryan Goldsby 1494 Rounds

Joe Farina 152.2 vs. Jose Angel Ortiz 152.24 Rounds

Antoine Vanackere 140.2 vs. Francisco Medel 142.36 Rounds Jr.

Murphys Boxing presents ‘Vendetti vs. Anderson’, Encore Boston Harbor’s first ticketed event this Friday, July 12th in Everett, Massachusetts at Encore Boston Harbor. Doors open at 7pm. Limited tickets remain at www.murphysboxing.com. Watch the first 3 fights online for free at 7:30 p.m. E.T. on www.facebook.com/dropkickmurphys then head towww.ufc.tv/page/fightpass at 9:00 p.m. E.T. to start your 7-day free trial and watch the main card.  ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 5 short years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. 2018 was a breakout year for Murphys Boxing as they took their first fighter to a world title. Along with the promotion’s first champion, several Murphys Boxing fighters secured world title opportunities and nationally televised fights in 2018. Murphys Boxing closed out their banner year by co-promoting the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Demetrius Andrade and Walter Kautondokwa in front of over 10,000 fans at the TD Garden, the legendary home of the Boston Celtics, which was broadcast internationally on DAZN. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features world ranked contenders like Mark DeLuca, Abraham Nova, Charles Foster, Greg Vendetti, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and prospects like Niall Kennedy, Carlos Gongora, William Foster III, Luis Arcon Diaz, Mike Ohan Jr., Ray Moylette and more! For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information visit: www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass ABOUT ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR Encore Boston Harbor is a $2.6 billion Five Star global destination gaming resort featuring 671 hotel rooms with sweeping views of the Boston skyline and Boston Harbor, an ultra-premium spa, specialty retail, 15 dining and lounge venues and a state-of-the-art ballroom and meeting spaces. It is the largest private, single-phase development in the history of the Commonwealth. Situated on the waterfront along the Mystic River and connected to Boston Harbor, Encore Boston Harbor will open up the Everett shoreline to the public for the first time in more than a century. The resort has created a six-acre park along the water which will feature pedestrian and bicycle paths that provide access to the waterfront, an events lawn, picnic and public viewing areas. Ornate floral displays, public art, retail and dining experiences will overlook the Encore Harborwalk. Encore Boston Harbor encourages guests to visit the resort via public transportation, and have introduced new, high-quality services to make that easy. These services will extend throughout the region and run day and night – providing excellent travel options for guests coming from Greater Boston, Eastern Massachusetts, or out of state. For more information visit: www.encorebostonharbor.com To speak with any of the fighters on our roster for coverage – drop us a line at info@murphysboxing.comand we will hook it up! Follow Murphys Boxing on Social Media!

BOSTON, MA – Murphys Boxing will return to UFC FIGHT PASS^®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, for their debut event in a partnership with Encore Boston Harbor on Friday, July 12th. The event will stream live and exclusively on FIGHT PASS beginning at 9:00 PM E.T. / 6:00 PM P.T.

Headlining the inaugural event at the newly opened $2.6 billion resort will be the pride ofStoneham, Massachusetts, Greg Vendetti (21-3-1, 12 KOs), who will take on New Jersey-based contender, Michael Anderson (17-2-1, 12 KOs), for the vacant IBA Junior Middleweight World Championship.

‘The Villain’, one of the most popular boxers in the Murphys stable, looked outstanding in an exciting unanimous decision victory over fellow world ranked contender, Alan Zavala, this past March. Prior to that, Vendetti upset world title challenger, Yoshihiro Kamegai before challenging for the WBA Interim World Junior Middleweight title against Michel Soro in France.

“To fight for a title in front of my family, friends, and fans at Encore’s first-ever event and also for subscribers of UFC FIGHT PASS, is a real honor,” said Vendetti.

As for Vendetti’s opponent, he is once again facing a tough challenge and would have it no other way.

“When I fought Zavala in my last fight, a lot of people thought I should have taken an easier opponent coming off a loss but I just didn’t see the value of fighting someone I’m going to steamroll. It’s no fun on my end. I don’t get better. The fans don’t pay to see that. I want to win the IBA title and then beat three or four fighters of this caliber to move up in the world rankings and land another big fight. Anderson is a slick boxer who is coming up to Boston to win. I’m anticipating another hard fought victory that the fans at Encore are going to love watching.”

The rest of the four-bout UFC Fight Pass broadcast will feature co-main events with four junior welterweights who will risk their records in two high-stakes showdowns that will send the winners into prospect status, as well as another Massachusetts-based fighter from the Murphys stable who is starting to turn heads.

In an all Irish battle, Murphys Boxing’s Ray Moylette (11-1, 4 KOs), who hails from Islandeady, will take on Dublin’s Larry Fryers (10-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight bout.

‘Sugar Ray’ will be making his 2019 debut in his first fight since his only loss, a controversial split decision in his home country in December. Fryers, who now lives and trains in New York, is on a four-fight win streak and will be shipping his massive fan base up to Boston for what should make for an electric atmosphere.

Then someone’s ‘0’ must go when Murphys Boxing’s own Luis Arcon Diaz (7-0, 7 KOs) takes on Ballybrack, Ireland’s Niall O’Connor (5-0, 4 KOs) in what should be an action packed six-round junior welterweight bout between two big punchers.

Diaz, a native of Venezuela who represented his home country in the 2016 Olympics, has displayed fearsome power with all of his wins coming by way of knockout within four rounds or less. Meanwhile O’Connor is currently riding afour-fight KO streak including dropping Poland’s usually durable veteran, Krzysztof Rogowski, multiple times in their fight this past December.

Kicking off the UFC Fight Pass live stream will be Holbrook, Massachusetts’ Mike Ohan Jr. (9-0, 5 KOs), who will face Bridgeport, Connecticut’s Carlos Hernandez (3-3-1, 2 KOs) in a 6 round welterweight bout.

Signing with Murphys Boxing last year, Ohan outpointed crafty veteran Shaka Moore in his toughest contest to date this past March and is now looking to hit the 10-0 mark against the always game Hernandez.

“To have Greg fight for a title is the perfect main event for our first event at Encore and our second UFC Fight Pass broadcast. A Vendetti fight leaves the customers satisfied every time. He’s a real blood and guts throwback fighter with a huge local following. I can’t wait for this fight.”, said Ken Casey, Murphy’s Boxing founder and promoter.

The first four undercard bouts will stream live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dropkickmurphys. The main card will stream live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS. To start your 7-day free UFC FIGHT PASS trial, please visit: https://www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass.

Tickets are on sale now and available at www.murphysboxing.com

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS^®

UFC FIGHT PASS^® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

For more information visit: www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass

ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING

Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 5 short years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. 2018 was a breakout year for Murphys Boxing as they took their first fighter to a world title. Along with the promotion’s first champion, several Murphys Boxing fighters secured world title opportunities and nationally televised fights in 2018. Murphys Boxing closed out their banner year by co-promoting the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Demetrius Andrade and Walter Kautondokwa in front of over 10,000 fans at the TD Garden, the legendary home of the Boston Celtics, which was broadcast internationally on DAZN. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features world ranked contenders like Mark DeLuca, Charles Foster, Abraham Nova, Greg Vendetti, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and undefeated prospects like Niall Kennedy, Carlos Gongora, William Foster III and more.

For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com