By Norm Frauenheim-

Mike Tyson wants to fight four-rounders. So, does Evander Holyfield.  I’ll let you figure out where that leads. The public imagination is capable of just about any fantasy these days. There’s not much else to do.

The imagination is an escape, a refuge from the tragedy of a pandemic that kills those we love, those we admire and those we wish we had known. There are no baseball standings. No NBA box scores. No opening bell. There’s only the obit page. It’s endless, columns of names, some celebrity and some anonymous, yet all gone.

There’s been a lot of talk about business-as-usual this week. That would be nice. Something to hope for. Pray for. But, for now, it’s another fantasy, just like Tyson-Holyfield 3. The obit page says that intensive care and funeral homes will be doing most of the nation’s business for a while.  

Jimmy Glenn’s name is on that page today. Glenn, 89, died early Thursday after a long battle with coronavirus. He was an amateur boxer, trainer, a cut man, manager and bartender. It was his bar, Jimmy’s Corner near New York’s Times Square, that has become a defining piece of real estate for a sport that has seen it all.

Glenn had seen it all. Or at least most of it. He used to talk about fighting former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson as an amateur. Patterson won.

“But I went the distance,’’ Glenn told The Sweet Science in 2005.

He could have been a contender, too.

For 50 years, his bar became a gathering place for the contender in all of us.

The walls are covered with the posters and memorabilia that decorate scarred gyms everywhere. History fills the place like a shot glass. Tourists step in to gawk. Fight fans gather to debate or celebrate what they’ve just seen at Madison Square Garden. Writers are there to drink in the history and any other potent spirit.

Like so much else about boxing, the place is a mix of fact and fable. Among all of the photos, there’s one of Muhammad Ali, overlooking the bar. Then there’s a still from Raging Bull, the classic film starring Robert De Niro in his role as Jake LaMotta. The movie’s closing scene was filmed at Jimmy’s Corner.

Jimmy is gone.

His Corner is still there, a heartbeat for a sport and world in desperate need of one.

This Tuesday, April 7, will be a night of heavyweight legends on ESPN2 when the network airs a special programming lineup featuring classic heavyweight fights. The seven-hour encore presentation will showcase some of the greatest heavyweight bouts of all time, including Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier III, Mike Tyson vs Buster Douglas and Evander Holyfield vs George Foreman.

The action will begin at 7 p.m. ET with back-to-back presentations of three of Ali’s most memorable battles – Ali vs Foreman, Ali-Frazier III and Ali vs Leon Spinks II.  

At 10:30 p.m. ET, fans will be treated to a special replay of four legendary Tyson bouts, including Tyson vs Trevor Berbick, Tyson vs Larry Holmes, Tyson vs Michael Spinks and Tyson vs Douglas.   

The action will conclude at 1 a.m. ET with the 1991 thriller between Holyfield and Foreman.  

Ali-Foreman: Ali was a 4-to-1 underdog against Foreman, who entered the fight at 40-0 with 37 KOs and two title defenses under his belt. The historic fight, dubbed “The Rumble in the Jungle,” became iconic after Ali employed the “rope-a-dope” tactic to tire out and ultimately stop Foreman in eight rounds.  

Ali-Frazier III: Ali had defended his title three times since upsetting Foreman, and the “Thrilla in Manila” turned out to be the most brutal fight of Ali’s career. Ali and Frazier split their first two matchups, and the two went to war outdoors under the sweltering Manila sun. After 14 rounds, Frazier’s trainer, Eddie Futch, stopped the fight. Neither man was ever the same, and the greatest rivalry in boxing history had reached its conclusion.  

Ali-Spinks II: Seven months after being upset by the 1976 Olympic gold medalist, Ali got revenge, won a 15-round unanimous decision and became the first man to win the heavyweight world title three times.  

Tyson-Berbick: The beginning of a legend. Tyson knocked out Berbick in two rounds to become the youngest man (20 years old) to win a heavyweight world title.  

Tyson-Holmes: In a matchup of youth versus experience, Tyson needed only four rounds to knock out Holmes, who entered the fight having not fought in nearly two years. Holmes held the world heavyweight title from 1978-1985, made 20 successful title defenses and is considered to be among the greatest heavyweights who ever lived.  

Tyson-Spinks: Tyson earned lineal heavyweight champion status with his 91-second destruction over Spinks, who first defeated Larry Holmes in 1985 to win the recognized heavyweight title. Spinks edged Holmes in their 1986 rematch and defended the lineal title twice more over the next two-plus years before running into Tyson.  

Tyson-Douglas: Perhaps the greatest upset in boxing history, Douglas, a 42-to-1 underdog, knocked out Tyson in 10 rounds at the Tokyo Dome. Tyson had made nine title defenses before Douglas shocked the world.  

Holyfield-Foreman: Holyfield knocked out Douglas to win the heavyweight title and chose Foreman, 42 years old and four years into his comeback, for his first world title defense. Holyfield won a unanimous decision, but Foreman pushed the younger man for 12 rounds. “The Battle of the Ages” was a heavyweight title showdown for the ages.  

ESPN+ also features a library of hundreds of the greatest fights in boxing history streaming on demand, as well as more recent Top Rank on ESPN fight cards for replay. Among them are legendary heavyweight showdowns like Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III, Ali vs. George Foreman, Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn, Mike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes, Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney, Max Baer vs. James J. Braddock, Ali vs. Sonny Liston I & II, Fury-Wilder II and many more.  

Michael Hunter is on the cusp of huge fights in the Heavyweight division, and in the latest episode of ‘Born Fighter’, Hunter opens up on all things from how spirituality helps him fight and the relationship with his fighting Father.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH ‘BORN FIGHTER’ WITH MICHAEL HUNTER ON MATCHROOM BOXING’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Hunter (18-1 12 KOs) put on a fine performance in New York last Friday, putting down unbeaten Sergey Kuzmin in the fifth round en route to a comprehensive points win to take the Russian’s WBA Intercontinental strap.

Hunter has raced into contention for major fights and title shots with his run of wins over Martin Bakole, Alexander Ustinov, Fabio Maldanado and Kuzmin, and will be targeting more big-name victims at the end of the year.

‘The Bounty’ sat down with Lauren Gardner ahead of his clash with Kuzmin for the second episode of the second series of ‘Born Fighter’, and along with fascinating insights on spirituality, meditation, yoga and nutrition, the 31 year old opened up on his relationship with his Father, Mike ‘The Bounty’ Hunter, the former NABF champion who passed away in 2006, just as Hunter was starting out in the amateurs.

Hunter speaks fondly of spending hours watching his Father spar the likes of Mike Tyson and Razor Ruddock, and the self-confessed ‘Daddy’s boy’ talks of his admiration for his Father and how his death affected his life and career.

“He was awesome,” said Hunter. “He was always laughing, the life of the party. I was a Daddy’s boy for sure. I was always right by his pocket, I wanted to be wherever he was at, I think that was one of the major reasons that I got into boxing because I wanted to be just like him. Watching his every move, how he portrayed himself in and out of the ring, I would throw fits if I couldn’t go to the gym or he would leave me to go there and I knew where he was going.

“I was always in the gym with him watching him spar all different Heavyweights, it was normal for me, but looking back it was Mike Tyson, Razor Ruddock, all these famous and great fighters but it was just to see my Dad. It was a blessing. In the amateurs I was asked about my Dad, boxing and my earliest memories. I felt like my life was normal but i said one of my early memories was dad sparring Mike and everyone listening had their jaws dropping, I guess I didn’t see it at the time that it’s not normal, but now I am older with my own pro career, I can see it a little better.

“I was more into watching my Dad and the way he moved, he was a slick boxer. I didn’t pay too much attention to the guys he was sparring but when I was 12 or 13 I do remember meeting Mike and even though it wasn’t the first time I met him I was thinking: ‘This is Mike Tyson, this is cool!’ I was about the same height as him at this point, he wasn’t too much taller than me and I was like ‘I’m taller than Mike Tyson!’, but when he shook my hand it was so hard I could completely understand that this was a grown man, a different type of strength.

“I was infatuated by my Father’s career and how smooth and calm he was in and out of the ring, and how much he was on his craft. It was always fun, he was always alive, he never seemed nervous when it came to fighting and I think that’s what really caught me but I didn’t really get into thinking I was going to box until he passed.

“I grew up pretty fast after he passed, I didn’t cry for a couple of years, I kept it in. It was not my time to cry, it was time to grow up and change, be the man. I grew up at that moment. I jumped into it, it wasn’t my time to be in sorrow, I had a job to do for my Mom and my brothers and sisters, it was a turning point for me to make money and box for a living. I had only one amateur fight before he passed, he was meant to come to my second fight but he didn’t make it.

“Things in life can happen abruptly and you have to be prepared. It made me walk a certain path. I always wanted to do what was right anyway and that touched me in a deep way and made me cry with my chin up in a way.”

Hunter is the second fighter featured on season two of ‘Born Fighter’ following Devin Haney as the second series focuses on the American stable at Matchroom Boxing USA after 11 episodes from the British and Irish stable featuring Katie Taylor, Luke Campbell, Dillian Whyte, Joshua Buatsi and more.

The series will be presented by Lauren Gardner, a familiar face to sports fans in America as the host of DAZN’s nightly live baseball program “ChangeUp” as well as a contributing reporter for DAZN’s boxing coverage. The Colorado native has worked with CBS Sports, AT&T SportsNet, Fox Sports Ohio, MTV2, MLB/NHL Network and ESPN, where she covered NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, College Football, College Basketball and two Super Bowls. The American series of ‘Born Fighter’ will also appear on DAZN 24 hours after premiering on Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel.

New York, September 12, 2019

Star Boxing is bringing heavyweight boxing back to the historical Catskills in Saturday nights “CATSKILLS CLASH II,” featuring heavyweight title contender, CARLOS TAKAM (36-5-1 28KO’s) as he takes on CRAIG LEWIS (14-3-1 7KO’s) in a 10-round bout.

Some of the greatest heavyweights of all time played a major role in the prominence of boxing in the Catskills. Names like, Mike Tyson, Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali have all left a clear impact in the majestic New York region’s affinity for boxing. Calling the Hudson Valley village home, Iron Mike Tyson’s famous rise to stardom began under the watchful eye of legend Cus D’Amato at the Cus D’Amato Boxing Club, in Catskill, New York

With a direct link to boxing, the Catskills played a major role in boxing as arguably the greatest training area for boxers dating back to the 20th century. It was not uncommon for multiple high-profile boxers to be training in hotels in the Catskills at the same time.Other greats from Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali to Larry Holmes, Joey Archer and Emile Griffith, to Roberto Duran and Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, have all called Sullivan County and the Catskills their temporary homes while training for fights, and for most of the 20th century, very few places in the world could claim a greater link as a professional boxing training camp mecca.

Carlos Takam is well respected in the heavyweight division as someone who comes ready to fight and is not afraid to trade punches. Having fought some of the best heavyweights in the world, like Anthony Joshua, Dereck Chisora, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin, Takam has proven he will fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. Making his US debut in the Catskills is fitting for the Cameroon born French heavyweight, where so many greats came before him. Opposing Takam, is Detroit’s Craig Lewis, a tough heavyweight with a granite chin and will.

With the Takam-Lewis heavyweight bout set to headline Saturday nights highly anticipated night of fights at Resorts World Catskills, great boxing action, and specifically thrilling heavyweight boxing, lives on in the Catskills.

BROOKLYN (May 8, 2019) – When WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder defends his title against mandatory challenger Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale on Saturday, May 18, he will not only seek to continue his run as the only American heavyweight champion, but also cement himself into the historic company of heavyweight legends that came before him.

In an event taking place live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, Wilder will attempt to defend his WBC title for the ninth time since first capturing the belt in January 2015. Wilder’s triumph marked the return of heavyweight prizefighting in America and the end of an eight-year drought without an American heavyweight world champion, the longest in the history of the sport.

“There has been a long line of great American heavyweight champions who represented our country with pride, strength and honor in the ring,” said Wilder. “I take the responsibility very seriously to pick up where they left off and continue to show every young fighter who looks up to me, that they one day can be the heavyweight champion of the world.

“I’m a champion of the world, but I represent for the entire country and everyone in it,” said Wilder. “I’ve fought challengers from all around the world, knowing in my mind how important it was to keep this title in the U.S.

If successful on May 18, Wilder will become just the 10th fighter in the more than 135-year history of heavyweight boxing to make nine or more consecutive successful heavyweight title defenses. Wilder would join an impressive list of Hall of Famers who dominated the sport during their reign – Tommy Burns, Joe Louis, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko and future Hall of Famer Wladimir Klitschko. *Note: number of title defenses listed below

“Fighters like Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and more have paved the way for me,” said Wilder. “Now I’m going to take what they started and make sure that the heavyweight world championship stays in America for a long time.”

Wilder’s successes in the ring have seen him skyrocket toward the kind of recognition that heavyweight champions have garnered throughout history. In 2018 he was ranked 34 on ESPN’s “World Fame 100” list, the top spot of any boxer in the world.

“Being the heavyweight champion and holding that title on the American sports landscape is a huge deal,” said Wilder. “There was a time where that person was as well-known as the president. I’m going to keep leaving a path of destruction inside the ring, so that everyone knows I am the one name and one face of the heavyweight division.”

List of fighters with nine consecutive heavyweight title defenses (listed chronologically):
1.) Tommy Burns (11)
2.) Joe Louis (25)
3.) Joe Frazier (nine)
4.) Muhammad Ali (nine in first run, 10 in second reign)
5.) Larry Holmes (20)
6.) Mike Tyson (nine in first run)
7.) Lennox Lewis (nine in second run)
8.) Vitali Klitschko (11 in second run)
9.) Wladimir Klitschko (18 in second run)

# # #

ABOUT WILDER VS. BREAZEALE
Wilder vs. Breazeale is headlined by Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder defending his WBC title against top contender Dominic Breazeale Saturday, May 18 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features
WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. defending his title against former world champion Kiko Martínez, plus unbeaten super lightweight contender
Juan Heráldez squaring-off against former world champion Argenis Méndez in a 10-round attraction.

Tickets for this BombZquad event can be purchased at ticketmaster.comand barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP. The Heraldez vs. Mendez fight is co-promoted with Mayweather Promotions.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,
www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing
and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.

By Norm Frauneheim-

“Everybody has a plan until you get hit.”

— Mike Tyson

A sensible quote from a dysfunctional life in a violent business has become a modern mantra. Philosophers and politicians, preachers and phonies, are using the line from a heavyweight champ who knows how much chaos one punch can spawn. Everybody is quoting Tyson these days. Who knew?

Saturday, Tyson’s scarred wisdom will be as relevant as ever in a place that helped create it when Oscar Valdez Jr. returns to the ring for the first time since suffering a broken jaw.

Valdez faces 2016 Italian Olympian Carmine Tommasone at the Dallas Cowboys training center in Frisco, Tex., (ESPN/10 p.m. ET)) in his first bout since an almost frightening display of courage, guts and blood in a decision over Scott Quigg on a rainy night in Southern California last March. If it wasn’t Fight of The Year, it was year’s bloodiest.

Memories of the dramatic 12 rounds are Valdez’ misshapen jaw and a puddle of blood amid all the puddles of rain. Valdez’ blood collected on the canvas in front of his stool and it stayed there, seemingly undiluted by persistent showers at an outdoor ring in Carson, Calif. For six-plus rounds, he fought with a mouthpiece that could not be withdrawn for fear of further fractures.

It was stark and unforgettable. Defining, too. It said everything about Valdez’ character. But it said something else. As defining it was, it was also a reason for him to redefine his future. It’s not as if he’s starting over Saturday night on a card featuring a light-heavyweight rematch of Eleider Alvarez’ August upset of Sergey Kovalev. Valdez still has the WBO’s featherweight title. He’s still unbeaten (24-0, 19 KOs).

But he is fighting for a way to ensure he has a long career. He wants more defining moments beyond that dramatic night against a heavier Quigg.

That brings us back to Tyson’s increasingly-familiar quote. Valdez, a Mexican Olympian who began boxing as a schoolboy in Tucson, resumes his career against Tommasone (19-0, 5 KOs) with a new trainer — Canelo Alvarez cornerman Eddy Reynoso instead of Manny Robles — and an adjusted plan.

Newfound defense is its cornerstone.

For Valdez, it is as much a mindset as it is a tactical adjustment. It’s not as if he doesn’t know the fundamentals. Two-time Olympians know the basics. They know their way around the ring. The dilemma is in Valdez’ instincts. He loves to brawl and fans love him for it.

That instinct became dangerously evident against Miguel Marriaga in April 2017 in Carson, Calif. That’s when Valdez — comfortably ahead on the scorecards — invited Marriaga to step forward and into a give-and-take, head-rocking exchange over the last couple of rounds. The crowd went wild. Valdez survived and won on the cards. His Top Rank promoters were as relieved as they were happy.

Things got more dangerous five months later in front of a hometown crowd in Tucson against Genesis Servania, an unknown and then unbeaten Filipino. Servania knocked down Valdez in a wild fourth-round. Valdez, a survivor as much as he is a brawler, paid back Servania with a knockdown of his own in the tenth. Again, Valdez won on the cards, but not without mounting questions.

Then, there was Quigg. The broken jaw, subsequent surgery and months of rehab dictated that it was time to change.

“The injury opened my eyes in a lot of ways,’’ Valdez told Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times in a well-done story from the Mexican featherweight’s training camp in San Diego. https://www.latimes.com/sports/boxing/la-sp-oscar-valdez-20190130-story.html

“I need to learn from my mistakes, and listen to the people who know. If I was somewhat disciplined before, I have to become more disciplined, because I know now that my next fight could be my last. It’s made me become more cautious, more disciplined, more prepared, so that doesn’t happen again.”

An early answer is awaiting impact. Valdez has been hit on the surgically-repaired jaw repeatedly in sparring and at least once, according to Pugmire’s story, while playing softball. Thomas Valdez, Oscar’s cousin and a Tucson lightweight, said he sparred with him before Thomas beat Luis Coria at Casino Del Sol in November. His cousin’s jaw, Thomas said then, has healed. Oscar Valdez is better than ever, he said.

But sparring doesn’t include punches thrown in the heat of battle. There are questions about whether Tommasone, who is fighting for the first time in the U.S., has enough power to do any damage. Five stoppages in 19 bouts indicate he doesn’t.

Saturday’s bout, perhaps, is the first step in a longer process, one Valdez hopes will lead to a chance at unifying the featherweight title.

But it will provide the first hint at whether Valdez’ plan can withstand the hit that Tyson says will always land.

Attachments area

A short, but murderous puncher, fighting behind a squat, peekaboo style, light heavyweight Alvin “Iron Majik” Varmall Jr. enjoys the comparisons people make between himself and former heavyweight champion “Iron” Mike Tyson.

“I always appreciate the comparison,” said Varmall, “I added ‘Iron’ to my old nickname ‘Majik’ because Mike Tyson is one of my favorite fighters and, by the grace of God, I ended up training at Cus D’Amato’s KO Boxing Gym in Catskill, New York, the same gym that Tyson did, and learning his style in its purest form.”

Currently the only pro fighter training out of the famed gym, Varmall (15-0-1, 12 KOs), originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, will take on New Haven, Connecticut’s Charles Foster (15-0, 8 KOs) this Friday, May 11 in an eight-round featured attraction of a ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader, live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT from 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

In the 10-round main event Louisiana’s Mason Menard (33-2, 24 KOs) takes on undefeated Devin “The Dream” Haney (18-0, 12 KOs) of Las Vegas for the USBA Lightweight Championship. In the 10-round co-feature, super bantamweight prospects Josh “Don’t Blink” Greer (16-1-1, 8 KOs) and Glenn Dezurn (9-1-1, 6 KOs) will meet and in the opening televised fight, super bantamweight Arnold Khegai (11-0-1, 8 KOs) will face Adam Lopez (16-2-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-round bout.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions, Hard Hitting Promotions & Devin Haney Promotions, are priced at $125 for VIP, $70 for ringside and $50 for general admission and are available at the 2300 Arena Box office or online at www.HardHittingPromotions.com.

The 26-year-old Varmall says he’s been emulating the all-time-great Tyson from his earliest days in boxing.

“The Cus D’Amato style, I guess you could say, is my foundation. From the beginning of my career as an amateur, my first trainer, Rodney Jenkins, he started me out with the peekaboo style and it works the best for me. I ended up having 21 fights with 19 KOs and won the USA Nationals at heavyweight.”

Varmall says he’s in perfect shape and ready to begin carving out his own prize fighting legacy.

“I’m absolutely ready for this opportunity. I’ve waited a long time for it and it’s finally here. I trained the hardest I’ve ever trained and did a lot of things different for this camp. I’m definitely ready to showcase my talents and abilities. To say I’m not nervous, I’d be lying, but it’s about controlling that feeling. That’s what we learn at the Cus D’Amato Gym, how to control our feelings and use that as something to catapult us, instead of hindering us. After it’s all said and done, everyone can say what they want about my performance because I always come to bring my very best.”

Varmall says he realized early in his career that his punching power was well above average by sparring with a full-size heavyweight veteran in Louisiana.

“I was sparring with this guy, “Big” Fred Kassi. He’s from New Orleans. You know how big Fred is. One time, before sparring, he came to the corner and he said, ‘Majik, let me check your gloves. I just want to make sure we’re playing fair.’ After that, my trainer said, ‘see? I told you, you punch hard!”

At the end of the day, Varmall says, he’s not out to match the great Tyson in achievement or legend. He’d rather carve out his own place.

“At the end of the day Mike Tyson was Mike yson and Alvin Varmall Jr. is Alvin Varmall Jr. Even though we both have the foundation of the same style, I do it in the way that is most comfortable for me. That’s what Mike did too. That’s what’s going to help me reach my full potential.”

About Greg Cohen Promotions

One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen first made promotional headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney.

Cohen currently promotes undefeated WBO NABO Heavyweight Champion a top contender Jarrell Miller, top-rated middleweight contender Robert Brant, and former WBO NABO Lightweight Champion and world-rated contender Mason Menard, among many others.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including CBS Sports Network, HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.

For more information, visit gcpboxing.com. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GCPBoxing. Twitter: @GCPBoxing.

Sandy Row native Lewis Crocker has just one thing on his mind when he dips between the ring ropes. Committing carnage!

‘People pay to watch me smash someone, and that’s what I try to deliver. I’m never comfortable winning on points,’ disclosed the 20 year old Frank Warren promoted welterweight who hoovered up seven All-Ireland junior titles plus a European schoolboy bronze medal during a stellar 90-7 amateur career.

‘As a boxing fan myself, I love to witness knockouts, raw guys who attempt to take their opponent’s head off. So that’s what I intend to bring myself. I’m everything I’d want to see in a boxer.

‘For me, the highlight of my amateur career was a couple of brutal knockouts. I stopped a lot as a youngster even with the head guards on but it wasn’t until I put my opponent to sleep for several minutes over in Poland when I was about 15 that I realised I had proper knockout power. That shocked me a bit.

‘A few years after, I put another guy out cold in just 13 seconds – including the count – over in Spain. I believe only Mike Tyson holds a quicker recorded knockout!’

‘It’s not about being aggressive and gung-ho. You need to be smart. Every day I try to learn new things at the gym.

‘And it’s nothing to do with having big muscular arms. It’s just genetics; being able to rotate the legs, hips and torque, in synch. The left hook is the real danger but I can bang ‘em out with either hand.’

Yet the one they call ‘The Croc’ concedes he isn’t even the most fearsome fighter in his family.

He explains: ‘My sister Alanna (Audley-Murphy), who’s 10 years my senior, was involved in Ireland’s first ever female boxing match. She then won bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and is still boxing in the British Army today. I was always scared of her, everybody was. Others might threaten older brothers to fight their battles, I’d threaten my big sister!’

Having already left a trail of prostrate bodies at his feet as an amateur, the 5ft 11in former World Junior rep promises to inflict even worse damage in the less sanitised professional sphere. Hapless Hungarian Ferenc Jarko was rubbed out in just 67 seconds on Crocker’s paid bow at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall in mid March.

‘When I first slipped those wee 8oz gloves on I thought: ‘Wow! I can cause damage with these!’ The moment I landed, I knew I’d hurt Jarko badly,’ states the Ray Ginley coached Belfast man who returns to the scene of that mugging this Saturday for his second pro gig against Bulgaria’s Radoslav Mitev. BoxNation screen live.

‘I was a bit worried when they put the oxygen mask on him. You don’t want to permanently damage an opponent but, at the end of the day, it’s a fight. They train to hurt me too, remember.

‘Sandy Row was a renowned rough neighbourhood but I was always an easy going kid who avoided confrontation. However, as soon as the gloves go on, I’m in the zone!’

NEW YORK (Aug. 4, 2016) – In continuation of the 30th anniversary year of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, the network will feature four of its most memorable “UPSETS”. For the past three decades SHOWTIME Sports® has been home to countless upsets—some of the most shocking each year. Whether it be SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING or, for the last 15 years, ShoBox: The New Generation, fighters often face their biggest challenges, their most fierce opponents, live on SHOWTIME.

It started in 1986 when Iran Barkley knocked out heavily favored Thomas Hearns and continued through this past weekend when Carl Frampton edged the favored featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz by decision in thrilling Fight of the Year candidate. To date, some 151 fighters have suffered their initial loss on ShoBox since the series premiere in July 2001.

Below is the schedule of SHOWTIME EXTREME premieres for the month of August:

· Thursday, Aug. 4: Josesito Lopez vs. Victor Ortiz

· Thursday, Aug. 11: Marcos Maidana vs. Adrien Broner – Ring Magazine 2013 Upset of the Year

· Thursday, Aug. 18: Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson I – Ring Magazine 1996 Fight of the Year and Upset of The Year; Holyfield was named The Fighter of the Year by The Ring and Boxing Writers Association of America

· Thursday, Aug. 25: Austin Trout vs. Miguel Cotto

These unforgettable battles will air on “Throwback Thursdays” on SHOWTIME EXTREME (10 p.m. ET/PT) throughout the month of August and will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service. Each fight will be wrapped with context and commentary from SHOWTIME Sports host Brian Custer.

“Throwback Thursday” Tidbits

Lopez vs. Ortiz – June 23, 2012 – Staples Center, Los Angeles, Calif.

Former welterweight world champion Ortiz was set to fight Canelo Alvarez in September. All he needed to do was to win his upcoming match. After two fights with Andre Berto earlier in the year fell through, Ortiz took on the relatively unknown and inexperienced Lopez. Stepping up in weight and competing for the first time as a welter, Lopez became the “Riverside Rocky” as he shocked the boxing world by breaking Ortiz’s jaw and winning by TKO.

Lopez rallied to triumph despite swelling to his left eye from the end of the sixth round on. After nine rounds, he was trailing on all three scorecards (88-83, 87-84 and 86-85). But in the ninth of what had been a back-and-forth, seesaw, tough battle, Lopez connected late with a punch to Ortiz’s jaw that broke it on impact. Moments later, the skirmish was stopped when Ortiz said he could not continue because of a broken jaw. Lopez landed a fight against Canelo. The unbelievable upset remains the biggest victory of Lopez’s career.

Maidana vs. Broner – Dec. 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

The unbeaten Broner, a 5-1 favorite to retain his WBA Welterweight World Title on his first defense, was instead dealt his first defeat.

A poised yet aggressive Maidana, the target of heavy trash talk all week, overpowered and dominated the brash Broner from the outset while putting him down for the first time in his career. In a surprisingly one-sided performance, Maidana scored knockdowns in the second and eighth and won a 12-round unanimous decision by the scores of 119-109, 116-109 and 115-111. While tying Maidana up after going down in the eighth, Broner absorbed what appeared to be an intentional headbutt. Broner’s reaction: He over-dramatized the effect of it, falling to the canvas in a heap and rolling over in agony. Maidana more than doubled Broner’s punch output, out-throwing him, 964-400.

After the decision was announced, Broner exited the ring hastily without being interviewed by SHOWTIME or congratulating Maidana. Fans booed at Broner as he made his way back to the dressing room. The victory propelled Maidana into two consecutive fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Holyfield vs. Tyson I – Nov. 9, 1996, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nev.

In one of the most legendary and monumental bombshells in history, Holyfield, who opened as a 25-1 underdog, bullied the bully and stopped Tyson on a TKO at 0:37 of the 11th round to capture the WBA Heavyweight World Title.

Holyfield, a built-up cruiserweight not known for power, utilized his reach advantage and superior strength to engage Tyson and fight him on his terms. The action was intense and non-stop; Holyfield applied constant pressure and kept in close to nullify Tyson’s power (left hook). Tyson landed hard shots, but only one at a time, and Holyfield took them all. As the bout wore on, Tyson wore down. With 20 seconds remaining in the 10th, Holyfield chilled Tyson with a right hand to the chin. A barrage of powerful combinations to the head and body sent Tyson staggering backward into the ropes. Tyson, out on his feet and defenseless, was saved by the bell. Thirty-seven seconds into the 11th, Holyfield landed a big right that left Tyson staggering again. Moments later, the referee stopped the fight. Holyfield was ahead by 100-93 and 96-92 twice.

A fight that was aired on SHOWTIME PPV® was supposed to be a mere formality for Tyson: he’d won eight straight since bowing to Buster Douglas in Japan and Holyfield was thought to be “washed-up” after three lackluster performances in a row. It was the third time Holyfield attained a heavyweight title; he was the first one to do so since Muhammad Ali. The Holyfield-Tyson rematch took place seven months later (June 28, 1997).

Trout vs. Cotto – Dec. 1, 2012, Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.

Cotto, a Puerto Rican hero and three-division world champion, was deemed unbeatable in New York where he was 9-0—7-0 at Madison Square Garden. He had a fight slated with Canelo Alvarez next. Seven months after dropping a competitive decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr., all Cotto had to do was hook Trout, throw him back to sea and then, gear up for the deepest waters. It was that simple, but it didn’t go as planned. Trout won a controversial 12-round unanimous decision. He boxed beautifully to successfully defend his WBA Super Welterweight Title for the fifth time (119-109 and 117-111 twice).

With the majority of his passionate fans cheering and waving Puerto Rican flags, Cotto came on strongly in the middle rounds, trapping Trout on the ropes and keeping him there. He had his greatest success in the closing seconds of the 10th when he backed Trout into a corner and dazed him with a flurry of punches. The big crowd erupted. But southpaw Trout silenced them by cranking up the pressure and roughing up Cotto the last two rounds. Cotto was bidding for a fifth world title. Trout got the shot at Canelo.

# # #

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

By Norm Frauenheim

The birthday was a long shot. Few guessed it would ever happen. Mike Tyson is 50. Buster Douglas probably faced smaller odds when, as a 42-to-1 underdog, he beat Tyson more than a quarter of a century ago.

Tyson’s milestone, instead of an early headstone, came and went Thursday amid some headlines, but none of the deafening craziness that defined him for so long.

That’s an upset. Tyson’s biggest victory, too.

In doing a cover story on Tyson for The Ring in 2014, he told me: “Let’s be men about this. Be honest. You didn’t think we’d be talking to each other like we are right now. Did you? Come on now, be real. You thought I’d be dead, right? Hey, I thought I’d be dead.’’

Tyson survived — survived prison, drugs, booze, outrage from the infamous bite he took out of Evander Holyfield’s ear and all the rest – because he learned how to deal with the personal demons, who once outnumbered the crowd in his entourage. How did he do it? He grew up.

It sounds simple enough. But it wasn’t, especially for a kid from the streets of Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood who won the world heavyweight title faster than anyone in the fabled division’s history. He was 20, which is another way of saying he just wasn’t ready for worldwide attention and unprecedented money.

“There ain’t no future in my past,’’ he told me in 2014.
He began to figure to figure that out after the past landed him at rock bottom. He was virtually finished as a fighter when he arrived in Phoenix in the fall of 1998, searching for a way to resurrect his career after the infamous Bite Fight disqualification at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand in 1997. He was in Arizona for counseling and to train at an old gym that the city was about to demolish.

Central Boxing was scheduled for the wrecking ball when Tyson decided he wanted to train there in beat-up building without air-conditioning. There’s AC there, now. But Tyson liked it for the hot box it was. Within its old walls, temps could hit 130 degrees during summer days in the Arizona desert.

Tyson saved the gym. It’s still there, near the state capitol and with AC. But nothing could save his career, which Holyfield effectively ended by stripping him of the intimidation that defeated so many frightened opponents before opening bell. After moving to Phoenix, he fought 10 times, winning five, losing three and getting no-contest in two. But he scared no one any more, other than himself.

It was that period in Tyson’s life when he used talk, often ad nauseam, about what a waste it had been. Again and again, he said he was sick and tired of boxing. He knew he didn’t want to be in the ring anymore, but he was because of a tax bill and other financial responsibilities.

When I first met him as a reporter for The Arizona Republic newspaper, I was cautious, fearful perhaps that he’d go off on a rant and take a piece of my ear. I’d stop at Central and he’d look through me as if he had never seen me. Then, there were times he welcomed me like an old boyhood friend. He just wanted to talk and he would, almost non-stop.

After one workout, I told him I had to leave. He followed me out into the mid-summer heat and to my truck. I opened the door and Tyson dropped his heavy right hand on my left elbow. I felt a hint of the power that frightened the heavyweight division for so long.

With one quick yank, he could have pulled my arm right out of its shoulder socket. I froze. Tyson talked. I listened.

It was then I realized Tyson was mostly afraid of himself, especially when he knew he was finished as a fighter. What was next for somebody who knew nothing else? He talked then, and continued to talk for another couple of years, as though he was trying to exorcise the demons. I was skeptical that he ever could. But he did, confronting tragedy when a 4-year-old daughter, Exodus, died in an accident on treadmill in Phoenix in 2009.

The tragedy helped forge the man. He would be back in Phoenix to visit ailing Muhammad Ali before Ali’s death on June 3. A week later, Tyson was a pallbearer for Ali’s funeral in Louisville.

Tyson was there to honor Ali. It was a sad moment, a reason to grieve, yet also fitting in terms of a heavyweight history full of champions, each different and yet each linked by what they did and how they did it.

Happy Birthday, champ.

NEW YORK (June 1, 2016) – Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will be honored during the month of June as SHOWTIME Sports airs 10 of “Iron Mike’s” most memorable fights in continuation of its year-long celebration of 30 years of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®.

The sixth round of a 12-month tribute to SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® will be highlighted by 10 of Tyson’s most memorable victories – over Donovan “Razor” Ruddock (twice), Peter McNeeley, Frank Bruno II, Bruce Seldon, Frans Botha, Julius Francis, Lou Savarese, Brian Nielsen and Clifford Etienne.

The fights will air on “Throwback Thursday” during the month of June at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME® and are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service.

In celebration of Iron Mike’s 50th birthday on Thursday, June 30, all 10 of the bouts will air during a “Throwback Thursday” marathon beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Below is the schedule of SHOWTIME EXTREME premieres for the month of June:

· Thursday, June 2: Tyson vs. Donovan “Razor” Ruddock I and II

· Thursday, June 9: Tyson vs. Peter McNeeley, Tyson vs. Frank Bruno II, Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon

· Thursday, June 16: Tyson vs. Frans Botha, Tyson vs. Julius Francis, Tyson vs. Lou Savarese

· Thursday, June 23: Tyson vs. Brian Nielsen, Tyson vs. Clifford Etienne

· Thursday, June 30 (Tyson’s 50th Birthday): All 10 fights will be showcased.

The hard-hitting Tyson in his prime was one fighter that boxing fans didn’t dare miss. Even while he racked up all those devastating knockouts, fans seldom complained about a brief fight.

Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles at 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days old. By winning three world heavyweight championships in four fights, Tyson became the first prizefighter to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, and the only heavyweight to successively unify them.

On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

# # #

About Showtime Networks:

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Nearly twelve years have come and gone since Andre Ward won America’s last Olympic gold medal in boxing, yet there’s a sense he’s still unknown among casual fans who know all about Floyd Mayweather Jr., know a little about Manny Pacquiao and remember Mike Tyson.

Mayweather sells cash and controversy. Pacquiao sells a naïve smile, his role as a man-of-the-Filipino people and some controversy of his own lately with comments about same-sex marriage. Tyson sold fear.

For them, it has been a business model, a way to unlock the pay-per-view vault. Through design or just dumb luck, they figured out how to achieve the kind of celebrity that makes them more than a boxer and puts them on a list a lot more valuable than any rating. Dollar-for-dollar or pound-for-pound? Any bets on where Ward would rather be ranked? Forbes or The Ring?

But he’s never been on Forbes’ annual list of the highest earning athletes, despite his pound-for-pound credentials, mostly because he’s never been a pay-per-view headliner.

Perhaps, that’s because of inactivity brought on by injuries and a promotional lawsuit, or stubborn pride, or just his unerring competency over a couple decades. He hasn’t lost a fight since he was 12 years old. Mistakes attract attention, especially these days, and Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) just doesn’t make many on either side of the ropes. He’s hard to know. Harder to beat.

Now 32 and the clock ticking on his prime, he embarks on a stage of his career defined by a last chance to become the pay-per-view star that everyone thought he would be after he stepped off the medal stand at the Athens Games.

It begins Saturday in hometown Oakland on HBO (9:45 pm ET/PT) in his debut at light-heavyweight against former Cuban amateur Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs), whose record and size suggests his welcome to 175 pounds could be a tough one.

“We did not pick him because he’s a soft touch,’’ Ward said at a media workout. “We picked him because he was going to get me ready and show me what this weight class is all about. If you look at my career, there’s a place for tune-ups, which I haven’t had a lot of. You want to fight the best and if you aren’t fighting the best, you want to fight the No. 1 contender. That’s what we’re doing.’’

What Ward is doing is testing his readiness for Sergey Kovalev, the feared holder of most of the light-heavyweight belts and a Russian fighting to get his own foothold in America’s PPV market. Kovalev, who is expected to be ringside at Oracle Arena, and Ward have an agreement to fight, perhaps in November and presumably on HBO’s pay-per-view.

It’s a projected fight that has fans more interested in combinations than celebrity drooling in anticipation. With the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin possibility looking as if it will be placed in a Mayweather-Pacquiao-like delay because of Canelo’s continuing insistence on a 155-pound catch-weight, Ward-Kovalev is the biggest fight out there.

The question is just how big it could be. Hints at an answer will be in how Ward does against Barrera, whose promoter, Main Events, also promotes Kovalev. Ward’s singular brilliance has been absent from the ring’s stage, in part because of injuries that are surely causing some sleepless nights at HBO, Main Events and his own promoter, Roc Nation.

He fought and beat Carl Froch at 168 pounds in 2011 with a hand that was broken in two places during sparring. Surgery on his right shoulder forced the cancellation of a planned bout with Kelly Pavlik in 2013. A knee injury forced him off the PPV card featuring Canelo’s victory over Miguel Cotto on Nov. 21.

His history of injuries and his introduction to 175 pounds against someone with 12 stoppages in 17 fights add up to a reason for concern. The guess here is that his command of the ring and versatile skillset will be too much for the tough Barrera. Ward wins.

But he needs to do more than just that. He needs to emerge unscathed and able to fight on in a way that will remind fans of where he has been.

And where he is going.

New York, NY (February 17, 2016) – MSG Networks (NYSE: MSGN) continues the special 20-part television event “The Garden’s Defining Moments” presented by SAP with “Marciano defeats Louis.” “The Garden’s Defining Moments: Marciano defeats Louis,” narrated by Ben Stiller, premieres Thursday, February 18 at 11:00 pm on MSG Network, following MSG’s telecast of Rangers \ Maple Leafs. Interview subjects include Mike Tyson, Joe Louis Barrow Jr., Ed O’Neil, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and more.

Marciano, a young undefeated fighter from Brockton, Massachusetts stepped into Madison Square Garden’s famed ring to take on the “Brown Bomber” for the heavyweight championship of the world in a fight that would go down as one of the most memorable moments in Garden history. Louis was a fading star, and Marciano represented the future of the heavyweight division. Marciano landed a left hook followed by an overhand right in the 8th round that sent Louis crumbling through the ropes and brought the fight to a dramatic end. Marciano wept in Louis’ dressing room after the fight; he had just knocked out his hero.

Quotes:

Mike Tyson on Joe Louis:
“Joe Louis took super stardom to another level. He was really the first super star fighter besides Jack Dempsey. He was one of the first African-American guys that could be marketed nationwide and everyone loved him.”

Mike Tyson on Madison Square Garden:
“You know when you had fought at Madison Square Garden you had made it. You had to be an exciting fighter, it was just like show business you wanted the people to say ‘when am I going to see that fighter again?’”

Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini on Joe Louis:
“A lot of guys didn’t want to fight him, they kept the title away from him as much as they could. Finally they couldn’t deny him and they had to give him a shot against James Braddock.”

Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini on Rocky Marciano after the fight:
“Many people have said that Rocky had cried after. He was crying in the ring and was crying in his dressing room and he cried that night. Because he knocked out his idol, Joe Louis, but again that is part of the boxing game.”

Sugar Ray Leonard on Madison Square Garden:
“When a fighter gets a chance, an opportunity, to fight at Madison Square Garden people know that you are on a journey. They know that you are the hot prospect, a contender, and maybe one day, a champ.”

George Foreman on Rocky Marciano:
“With Marciano, you’d get ready, the bell would ring and the punches would not stop until the bell would ring.”

Joe Louis Barrow Jr. (Son of Joe Louis) on Joe Louis:
“The fact that he defended his title some twenty-five times and held the title for twelve years was a mark of Joe Louis.”

Joe Louis Barrow Jr. on the fight:
“It was his final fight for sure, but it was the ending of a career in such a way that was sad.”

About MSG Networks Inc.
MSG Networks Inc. is an industry leader with two award-winning regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network (MSG) and MSG+, as well as the live streaming and video on demand platform, MSG GO. The networks are home to nine professional sports teams, delivering live games of the New York Knicks; New York Rangers; New York Liberty; New York Islanders; New Jersey Devils; Buffalo Sabres; Major League Soccer’s Red Bulls and the Westchester Knicks, and exclusive non-game coverage of the New York Giants. Each year, the networks collectively telecast approximately 700 live sporting events – which also include college football and college basketball from top conferences – along with a full schedule of critically-acclaimed original programming. The gold standard for regional broadcasting, MSG Networks has won 129 New York Emmy Awards over the past eight years. More information is available at www.msgnetworks.com.

NEW YORK (Jan. 28, 2016) – SHOWTIME Sports® is commemorating 30 years of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING with a year-long celebration that will highlight the biggest, most memorable and exciting SHOWTIME fights spanning four decades.

The network’s flagship sports series, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, was born on March 10, 1986 when “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler defeated John “The Beast” Mugabi by spectacular 11th-round knockout. Since then, the series has distinguished itself as the premium television destination for boxing’s brightest stars and countless significant events in the storied history of the sweet science.

In celebration, SHOWTIME will go deep into its archive to reprise classic fights, grouping them together by a common theme each month. A new fight, each one wrapped with brief context and commentary from one of the network’s boxing experts, replays every “Throwback Thursday” night on SHOWTIME EXTREME throughout 2016. While Thursday night is the viewer’s destination for the initial replay of the classics, all the bouts for that month are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service. Plus, on the last Saturday of the month, a programming block including all of that month’s classics will air concurrently on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

The month of January has been dedicated to Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield and his Hall of Fame career. Thus far, SHOWTIME has presented a compilation from Holyfield’s cruiserweight career, plus Holyfield vs. Michael Dokes and Holyfield vs. Buster Douglas in entirety with both extraordinary Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson bouts airing tonight at (10 p.m. ET/PT, SHO EXTREME).

Each month’s live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event will include a segment in support of the 30th anniversary retrospective. Segments will include a vintage feature or a special guest which will connect the greats of the past to the modern era and that night’s main event.

Digital support each month will include short form, high-impact video components—complete rounds, highlights, exclusive interviews with the biggest stars and historic perspective from the personalities that color the rich history of boxing on SHOWTIME. Examples of the short-form content for January’s celebration of Holyfield are as follows:

Exclusive Interviews: “Evander Holyfield Reflections” is a series of digital shorts cut from a recent interview. Watch this clip as Holyfield remembers his 1997 rematch with Mike Tyson: http://s.sho.com/1nPcElI

Full Rounds: Tyson vs. Holyfield 1 | Round 11: http://s.sho.com/1nL4w5K

Bonus Features: Holyfield vs. Tyson 2: http://s.sho.com/23ttJ5g

Social Content: Douglas vs. Holyfield | Collision Course: http://s.sho.com/1nPwIEC

For much more, visit SHOWTIME Sports Channel on YouTube and SHOWTIME Boxing on Facebook or @ShoSports on Twitter.

Coming in February, SHOWTIME will celebrate its greatest “Rivalries.” Classic bouts for the month include Johnny Tapia vs. Paulie Ayala I and II, as well as the incredible trilogy between super bantamweight champions Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez. (A programming alert with precise dates and times is forthcoming.)

Other themes to be assigned to the months that follow include “Mike Tyson,” “Fights of the Year,” “Julio Cesar Chavez,” “Puerto Rican Stars,” “Upsets,” and “Floyd Mayweather.”

The celebratory campaign culminates at year’s end with a fans’ vote for the greatest knockouts in SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING history.

# # #

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – January 20, 2016 – One of the most iconic athletes of all time is coming to EA SPORTS™ UFC® 2. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that Mike Tyson will make his mixed martial arts debut as an unlockable fighter when the game comes out starting March 15, 2016. Fans who pre-order EA SPORTS UFC 2 will get instant day-one access to Tyson, and all players can unlock him by progressing in the game and making it to the Hall of Fame in Career Mode. The former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world packs the strongest punching power of any fighter in the game and will fight across two different weight classes: light heavyweight and heavyweight. For a first look at the former champ in EA SPORTS UFC 2, watch the Mike Tyson reveal video.

“When you think about the most devastating fighters of all time, Mike Tyson is either around, or at the top of everyone’s list. It’s fun to think that if MMA was as popular back when he was competing as it is today, you might have seen Tyson put on four ounce gloves and step into the Octagon®,” said Creative Director Brian Hayes. “This is one of those great ‘what ifs’ that we get to create when making a game like EA SPORTS UFC 2.”

Two versions of Tyson are coming to the game: “Iron” Mike Tyson based on his climb to stardom and string of invincible fights in the eighties; and “Legacy” Mike Tyson, developed with the end of his illustrious career in mind. Fans who pre-order the standard edition of EA SPORTS UFC 2 will get day-one access to “Iron” Mike Tyson. Those who opt for the Deluxe Edition will receive both “Iron” Mike as well as “Legacy” Mike Tyson. Both versions are available to unlock by progressing in the game.

“As a huge fan, I’m honored to be part of EA SPORTS and explore the world of mixed martial arts,” said Mike Tyson. “I follow UFC very closely and it’s going to be very cool to see how I would stack up against these amazing MMA athletes.”

EA SPORTS UFC 2 takes the franchise’s stunning character likeness and animation to another level, adds an all-new Knockout Physics System and authentic gameplay features, and introduces the biggest ever roster of real-world fighters in a MMA game who will step back into the Octagon on Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Full feature and mode details can be found at http://easports.com/ufc/features.

Fans excited to step into the Octagon® can pre-order EA SPORTS UFC 2 and get day-one access to three legendary fighters: UFC Hall of Famer and three-time King of Pancrase, Bas Rutten; Japanese MMA legend, “The Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba; and Mike Tyson.* The deluxe edition of the game also includes up to $60 of UFC Ultimate Team™ Premium Packs**. For pre-order information, visit http://easports.com/UFC/buy.

EA SPORTS UFC 2 is developed in Burnaby, British Columbia by EA Canada, and will be available on March 15 in North America and March 17 worldwide on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. EA Access*** members can play the full game before it’s released for a limited time and get 10% off the digital version of the game on Xbox One. Fans should keep an eye on the website, as well as the EA SPORTS UFC Facebook and Twitter pages to make sure they’re always up-to-date on the latest and greatest news.

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through videogames, including Madden NFL football, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, Rory McIlroy PGA TOUR® golf, SSX™ and EA SPORTS UFC®.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

* Internet connection and EA Account required. Must be 13+ to create an account. Offer restrictions apply. Please see www.easports.com/ufc/game-and-offer-disclaimers for details.

**ADDED VALUE CALCULATED BASED ON AN UFC ULTIMATE TEAM PACK PRICE OF $2.00 AT GAME LAUNCH. PRICES MAY CHANGE. Offer restrictions apply. Please see www.easports.com/ufc/game-and-offer-disclaimers for details.

***CONDITIONS, LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS APPLY. SEE EA.COM/EAACCESS/TERMS AND EA.COM/EAACCESS FOR DETAILS.

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 300 million registered players around the world. In fiscal year 2015, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.5 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Dragon Age™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, Ultimate Team, SSX, The Sims, Dragon Age, Plants vs. Zombies and Battlefield are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. and its subsidiaries. Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Octagon Girls®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, Octagon® and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and affiliated entities in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC or other respective owners. Any use of the preceding copyrighted program, trademarks, trade dress, or other intellectual property owned by Zuffa, LLC is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Zuffa. All rights are hereby expressly reserved. John Madden, NFL, NHL, NBA, PGA TOUR and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. Xbox is a trademark of the Microsoft group of companies. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo and Singapore, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 150 countries and territories to more than one billion TV households worldwide in 21 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

In 1990 Evander Holyfield was the mandatory contender for the Heavyweight Title then held by Mike Tyson. Though Tyson’s title defense was overdue, Tyson was permitted to engage in an optional title defense with James Buster Douglas. As we all know, Douglas won by knockout.

Thereafter all hell broke loose. Don King, at the time Douglas’ promoter, and one of the ratings organizations wanted a rematch, avoiding Holyfield. The other organizations were prepared to follow their rules and directed that the Holyfield mandatory take place.

Litigation ensued. Holyfield prevailed and fought James Buster Douglas. Holyfield’s career turned out to be legendary.

Now, 25 years later there is the identical scenario. Vyacheslav Glazkov won a title elimination bout to become the mandatory contender for the title then held by Wladimir Klitschko. There is a well-established rotation system among the ratings organizations when there is a unified champion. When Klitschko fought Tyson Fury it was after Klitschko’s mandatory with Glazkov would have otherwise been due (it was due in August). Following the rotation system, Glazkov stood aside and without any protest watched the Klitschko/Fury bout be scheduled, then postponed, and then rescheduled – all during the period when it would otherwise be his turn to fight the mandatory for the heavyweight title. He stood aside because of the rotation system, which made it the turn of the WBA/WBO to enforce their mandatories. However, everyone knew going into the Klitschko/Fury fight that it was Glazkov’s turn next.

A word on the rotation system. Again, we go back to Evander Holyfield. After Evander Holyfield defeated James Buster Douglas, he was the Unified Heavyweight Champion of the World. A squabble erupted with the different ratings organizations demanding that he engage in different bouts. We were forced to go to Court and the Court enforced an equitable remedy, to wit, the rotation system under which the ratings organizations would rotate the mandatories for unified champions. This enhanced the likelihood of fighters maintaining unified championships rather than allowing them to be stripped due to simultaneous mandatory obligations, something which had occurred too often in earlier years. This rotation system is crucial to enhancing the ability of unified champions to keep their titles.

Of course, a title holder can always voluntarily give up a title. That is the Champion’s choice. However, there is nothing at all unfair about the rotational system or the mandatory system.

No one utilized the rotational system more effectively than Wladimir Klitschko. There is no criticism of this – it was his right.

But everyone involved knew that Glazkov had waited in line for his mandatory to be due. Everybody knew that the rules of the ratings organizations disfavored rematches and generally prohibited them when a mandatory was due.

Again, it was a voluntary choice for Klitschko and Fury to contract for a rematch. Main Events contacted the Fury camp, it was told that Fury could not negotiate because of the rematch clause. Subject to the rules, they had every right to do so even if it meant giving up a title. However, that voluntary choice was one that was made by the camps of Messrs. Klitschko and Fury. There should be absolutely no surprise or anguish that the rules, which are well-established, protect not only the Champion who is protected from being torn from a title by conflicting mandatories, but also the mandatory challenger who is forced to wait due to the rotation because the mandatory challenger is assured that his turn will, in fact, come.

*Note* Patrick English, Esq. litigated the cases referenced above.

The next documentary from ESPN Films’ Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series will be “Chasing Tyson,” premiering on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Directed by the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Steven Cantor, the film examines why so many years went by before Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson finally met in the ring.

Holyfield was a journeyman boxer who had earned respect with victorious bouts against greats like Buster Douglas, Riddick Bowe and George Foreman. He won the heavyweight championship belt four times. But it was Mike Tyson’s outsized personality and ferocious punches that cast a commanding shadow over boxing in the 1980s and ’90s. Even when “Iron Mike” was in prison, the heavyweight division belonged to him. Meanwhile, Holyfield endured years of delay while waiting for the opportunity to take down Tyson.

Though Holyfield dramatically lost and recaptured the heavyweight crown, and then lost it again, even he understood that his career would ultimately be defined by how he stood up to Tyson – if he ever got his chance. By the time of their much-hyped and oft-delayed heavyweight title bout in November of 1996, Holyfield was 34 years old and considered past his prime. Four years younger, Tyson was heavily favored to be standing over another meek and easily vanquished opponent at the end. Instead, the world got not one, but two of the sport’s most memorable fights – for very different reasons.

Additional information, including film clips and director statements and bios, are available at espn.com/30for30. Follow 30 for 30 on Facebook (facebook.com/espn30for30) and Twitter (@30for30). 30 for 30 is presented by Volkswagen. Fans can join the conversation on social media using #ChasingTyson.

About ESPN Films
Created in March 2008, ESPN Films produces high-quality documentary films showcasing some of the most compelling stories in sports. In October 2009, ESPN Films launched the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 film series. Additional projects from ESPN Films include the decorated series 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX and SEC Storied among others.

-30-

The next documentary from ESPN Films’ Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series will be “Chasing Tyson,” premiering on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Directed by the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Steven Cantor, the film examines why so many years went by before Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson finally met in the ring.

Holyfield was a journeyman boxer who had earned respect with victorious bouts against greats like Buster Douglas, Riddick Bowe and George Foreman. He won the heavyweight championship belt four times. But it was Mike Tyson’s outsized personality and ferocious punches that cast a commanding shadow over boxing in the 1980s and ’90s. Even when “Iron Mike” was in prison, the heavyweight division belonged to him. Meanwhile, Holyfield endured years of delay while waiting for the opportunity to take down Tyson.

Though Holyfield dramatically lost and recaptured the heavyweight crown, and then lost it again, even he understood that his career would ultimately be defined by how he stood up to Tyson – if he ever got his chance. By the time of their much-hyped and oft-delayed heavyweight title bout in November of 1996, Holyfield was 34 years old and considered past his prime. Four years younger, Tyson was heavily favored to be standing over another meek and easily vanquished opponent at the end. Instead, the world got not one, but two of the sport’s most memorable fights – for very different reasons.

Additional information, including film clips and director statements and bios, are available at espn.com/30for30. Follow 30 for 30 on Facebook (facebook.com/espn30for30) and Twitter (@30for30). 30 for 30 is presented by Volkswagen. Fans can join the conversation on social media using #ChasingTyson.

About ESPN Films
Created in March 2008, ESPN Films produces high-quality documentary films showcasing some of the most compelling stories in sports. In October 2009, ESPN Films launched the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 film series. Additional projects from ESPN Films include the decorated series 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX and SEC Storied among others.

World-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. rarely swaps the squared circle of the MGM Grand or Madison Square Garden for a Danish ring but when he does you can guarantee it is for something special.

His last appearances were for two of the biggest bouts in Danish boxing history: Mikkel Kessler vs. Carl Froch in Herning as part of the Super Six World Boxing Classic in April 2010, and of course Brian Nielsen’s heavyweight showdown with ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson in Copenhagen in October 2001.

Six years after his last appearance, the man with the iconic ‘Its Show Time!’ catchphrase, returns to the Danish capital on December 12 for the massive ‘Bad Blood’ battle between Patrick Nielsen and Rudy Markussen, a fight being built as the biggest between two Danish fighters in recent memory.

“It’s been a great year for boxing and it’s great to be back calling such an event in Copenhagen,’’ said Lennon Jr. ‘’I know both fighters well and it seems like one of those classic grudge fights with everything at stake. A win for either man can propel them to a World title challenge in 2016. I’m expecting a red-hot atmosphere in a sold out Brondby Hallen on December 12.’’

Lennon Jr., who called the Las Vegas mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio in May, will be flying in to grace the weigh-in on Friday, December 11. Even the man who has witnessed countless events around the world admits this will be an interesting stare-down between Denmark’s two top fighters. ‘’There is a real intensity to this fight and this is something I definitely don’t want to miss,’’ says the Californian.

Limited tickets for Bad Blood: Patrick Nielsen vs. Rudy Markussen are available online via billetlugen.dk or by calling (+45) 75 263 267. The fight will be shown live and exclusive on Pay-Per-View in Denmark on Viasat and Viaplay. More information on how to access the fight will be released shortly.

LAS VEGAS, NV. — Superstar heavyweight LENNOX LEWIS, the last undisputed heavyweight champion and who won an Olympic gold medal with a victory over Riddick Bowe and scored professional victories over boxing legends such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Vitali Klitschko, confirmed Wednesday that he will return to Las Vegas this weekend to attend the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame’s third annual induction gala at Caesars Palace on Saturday, August 8.

Lewis is the latest in a gaggle of stars who have announced they’ll attend the popular gala induction ceremony. In addition to Lewis the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame has confirmed that Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Felix Trinidad, Marco Antonio Barrera, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and Roger Mayweather will also attend the high-profile event as the newest members of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

Lewis, who was 41-2-1 with 32 knockouts and had a win over every man he ever faced in the ring, is one of the headliners of the NVBHOF’s 2015 class of inductees, chosen in the non-Nevada boxer category.

Lewis avenged the only two losses of his career, stopping both Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman after losing to them earlier.

Lewis was a classic boxer with a powerful punch. He’s probably best known for his 2002 win over Tyson, where he won every round before stopping him in the eighth round.

He held all, or a version of, the heavyweight title from 1993 until 1994 and then again from 1997 through the end of his career in 2003

Lewis had great success in Nevada and avenged both of his losses in Las Vegas. He was 8-0 in his Nevada career and won fights at both Caesars Palace and Caesars Tahoe.

In the latter part of his fighting career, Lewis joined HBO Sports as an expert analyst and was a familiar figure at ringside for many of the biggest bouts of the late 20th and early 21st century in Las Vegas.

The Hall was founded by noted boxing broadcaster Rich Marotta. Its chief operating officer is Michelle Corrales-Lewis, whose late husband, Diego Corrales, was an inaugural inductee into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. For more information, phone 702-3-NVBHOF, or 702-368-2463.

Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), in association with Global Legacy Boxing (GLB) and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), made an official announcement this week, along with Lennox Lewis, that Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson will defend his titles against Tommy “Kryptonite” Karpency on Sept. 11 at Toronto’ Ricoh Coliseum in “The Revival: “KO in TO”.

The upcoming World Championship title fight card will also see Canadian Heavyweight Champ Dillon “Big Country” Carman defend his title against legendary Donovan “Razor” Ruddock.

Global Legacy President Les Woods s, :”I am so pleased to see The Champ, Lennox Lewis, recognized by the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. It’s a privilege and honor to call him my friend and to be a partner teamed with him in Toronto to promote Boxing in Canada.”

LAS VEGAS, NV (August 6, 2015) — The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame will unveil its internet radio station, iNVBH, as part of its Induction week festivities at Caesars Palace. The broadcasts will begin Today! at 3:00 p.m. ET / Noon PT and culminate with a live stream of the Induction Ceremony Saturday night. A variety of hosts will man the microphones during the week ranging from sportscasting professionals to boxers themselves. The station is powered by the Interactive radio-connective company RadioFlag, a rising tech giant.

Boxing legends Floyd Mayweather Jr., Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Marco Antonio Barrera, Roger Mayweather and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad have confirmed their attendance to the popular charity event.

Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame President Rich Marotta said, “This is a cutting edge move for the NVBHOF, to put it in even greater contact with boxing fans. It is not just for this week. iNVBH is now a permanent radio home where we can provide information, features, interviews and broadcast live events.”

To listen to the new Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame internet radio station, simply download the RadioFlag app for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone, register and search our call letters iNVBH. You can also tune in via www.RadioFlag.com.

RadioFlag was founded in 2007 by Anthony Roman. From a simple early premise of combining radio and social media, it has evolved into a company re-inventing radio for a new generation of listeners around the world.

“Our social radio web and mobile app connects listeners with radio hosts and DJ’s, music artists and content creators of all types, onto a single platform,” said Roman. “This way listeners can share and discover content not found on traditional radio, such as the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.”

The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame is a 501-c-3, non-profit organization. Ticket purchases and donations are tax-deductible. Remaining tickets for Saturday night’s Induction Ceremony and Dinner can be purchased on-line at: the Hall’s website: www.nvbhof.com.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (July 31, 2015) — Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson became the latest mega-star to announce that he will attend the third annual Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame’s induction gala, which will take place in eight days, Next Saturday! August 8, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Tyson, a member of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2013, will present “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, for induction.

Tyson joins legends Floyd Mayweather Jr., Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Marco Antonio Barrera, Roger Mayweather and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad who will attend the popular charity event.

Remaining Tickets for the August 8 induction ceremony are $300, $175 and $75 and are fully tax deductible as the NVBHOF is an IRS 501 (c)3 charity. They can be purchased online at the Hall’s website, nvbhof.com.

A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, as well, Tyson was the biggest star of his era. He was 50-6 with 44 knockouts and is renowned as one of the most feared fighters ever.

He is the youngest man ever to win the heavyweight title and had two stints as heavyweight champion.

He attended the second annual event in 2014 to present his long-time rival, Evander Holyfield, for induction.

“We are thrilled to have Mike join us for the third consecutive year,” said Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame president/CEO Rich Marotta. “It’s a big treat for all of the boxing fans who plan to attend the induction gala. Mike’s addition just continues the dizzying array of stars who plan to attend in person to show support for our event.”

The Hall was founded in 2013 by Marotta, a noted boxing broadcaster. Its chief operating officer is Michelle Corrales-Lewis, whose late husband, Diego Corrales, was an inaugural inductee into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 15th, 2015) – The heart of boxing in the northeast used to beat the loudest in Philadelphia, where ring warriors such as Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier and Bernard Hopkins are rightfully considered among the all-time greats, not to mention New York, the home of legendary champions Rocky Graziano, Mike Tyson and “Sugar” Ray Robinson, among others.

Just 200 miles north, away from the constant clamor and commotion of the urban lifestyle, tucked along the beautiful shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean, there’s a new bounding pulse making noise on the surface of boxing’s vast landscape, its rhythmic throbbing too loud and too prominent to ignore.

With three of New England’s top professionals entering the prime of their careers and new talent developing under the watchful eye of longtime promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has reestablished its footing as the region’s No. 1 promotion.

CES’ top prospects, Jimmy Williams of New Haven, Conn.; Khiary Gray-Pitts of Worcester, Mass.; and Nick DeLomba of Cranston, R.I., enter the summer of 2015 a combined 23-0-1 with 11 knockouts. Unmatched in its eye for talent and volume of crowd-pleasing events, CES has also signed amateur standout Julio Perez of Massachusetts to a promotional agreement while putting the finishing touches its 2016 schedule, which will feature 11 shows.

CES Boxing returns to Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., on July 17th for the second installment of its 2015 Twin River Fight Series, which also includes events Sept. 4th and Nov. 13th.

“We’ve been at this a long, long time and no one knows this area or has their finger on the pulse of boxing in the northeast the way CES does,” Burchfield said. “We’re in the business of making champions and I fully believe our young crop of talent will develop into the elite fighters you will one day see on every major network.

“The sky’s the limit, not only for the fighters under the promotional guidance of CES Boxing, but for our company itself as we continue to bring our loyal fans the best this sport has to offer.”

The most established of CES’ young guns, Williams (9-0-1, 5 KOs) is coming off his most impressive win to date, a fourth-round knockout over tough veteran Eddie Caminero in February, a stoppage so picturesque it landed a spot later that night among ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 highlights.

“That was a good fight for me. It showed my fans what I’m made of,” said Williams, a former college football standout in Connecticut now fighting in the junior middleweight division at 154 pounds. “I can do it all. Boxer, slugger, whatever it takes to win a fight.”

With five consecutive wins under his belt since his lone blemish (a draw against Greg Jackson in 2013), Williams is preparing to return to the ring this summer as he continues his quest toward cracking the 154-pound world ratings while eventually challenging for – and winning – a world title.

“That’s the goal, but I’m taking it one fight at a time,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep focusing and keep winning. There’s a lot of great talent here in New England, a lot of good, young fighters trying to make a name for themselves.”

Among them is DeLomba (7-0, 1 KO), the 25-year-old welterweight protégé of Gary Balletto who has finally found stability both in and outside of the ring.

Having endured turmoil within his camp during the early stages of his professional career, DeLomba has formed an unbreakable bond with his new trainer, Victor Fagnant. His newfound dedication and focus has shown in the ring, where DeLomba earned his first career knockout in April, pummeling Connecticut vet Joe Wilson Jr. in a third-round stoppage.

“I worked on sitting down on my punches and getting the maximum amount of leverage on each punch,” explained DeLomba.

“I feel like now that we’ve got a complete team, everything is starting to fall into place. I’ve got the right people backing me. Everything from cutting weight to personal training to boxing with Coach Vic, everything is falling into place. I’m a much more complete fighter.”

With wins over four New England welterweights already on his resume, DeLomba will return to the ring July 17th at Twin River to put his unbeaten record on the line.

“New England is definitely on the rise. Boxing, period, is on the rise,” DeLomba said. “We’ve got a lot of great fighters. I’ve fought a ton of them, both with and against them. There’s a lot of talent out here and a lot of great things to come for each and every one of us.”

Arguably the most electrifying prospect in New England, Gray-Pitts (7-0, 5 KOs) has kept the beat going with five knockout wins since making his professional debut in June of 2014. Having fought an unprecedented seven times within the last 11 months, Gray-Pitts boasts an impressive streak of four consecutive first-round knockouts fighting in the junior middleweight division.

“I feel like I’m getting better with each fight,” he said. “Each win is a step in the right direction.”

His success has struck fear in the hearts of New England’s fellow junior middleweights and earned Gray-Pitts a reputation as one of the most feared – and avoided – fighters in the region.

“I dealt with that in the amateurs, too,” Gray-Pitts said. “When I started getting knockouts fight after fight, no one in New England wanted to fight me. I fought tournaments in New York and even went to Washington just to get fights.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes since my first fight,” he continued. “I’m throwing more punches and putting more behind each punch. I just want to stay active, stay busy and keep my record up.”

The signing of Perez, an amateur vet born in Puerto Rico and raised in Marlboro as a teenager, is one of many additions CES plans to announce in the near future, in addition to its complete 2016 schedule. A former Southern New England Golden Gloves champion, Perez will make his professional debut this summer.

For more information on CES Boxing and its upcoming schedule, visit www.cesboxing.com, follow @CESBoxing on Twitter and Instagram and join the official CES Boxing fan page on Facebook.

By Norm Frauenheim-

A week-long celebration of the 25-year anniversary of Buster Douglas’ upset of Mike Tyson is a revealing look at where boxing has been and where it is, or perhaps isn’t these days. Nostalgia is a good thing. It’s a personal attachment to dramatic moments in a rich history that the UFC will never have.

But nostalgia is also a refuge and I suspect that’s why there’s been so much of it in the days before Wednesday’s anniversary of a stunner that rivals hockey’s Miracle on Ice and New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath’s upset of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.

Douglas-Tyson comes with that inevitable question: Where were you? Anywhere is better than the ongoing uncertainty of the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. talks. A trip into the past is as good an escape as any.

For the record, I was in Miami at a silly Slam Dunk Contest that precedes the NBA All-Star Game. I didn’t see a single dunk and I’m sure my newspaper story reflected that. Douglas-Tyson was a pretty good escape on the night it happened, too.

There have been other great upsets, of course. Other fights are remembered with that defining, where-were-you question. My late dad would always tell me about Joe Louis’ first-round knockout of Germany’s Max Schmeling in a 1938 rematch of Schmeling’s 1936 victory. He was in the barracks, in basic training for a much bigger fight.

Louis-Schmeling was the fight that captured the collective imagination of my dad’s generation. It represented his attachment to boxing. For my generation, it’s been Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier and increasingly, Ali-George Foreman. The 40-year anniversary of Ali’s upset of Foreman in Zaire on Oct. 30, 1974 was celebrated just a few months ago in a wave of nostalgia that, by the way, was also an early escape from a resumption of the Pacquiao-Mayweather talk.

For younger generations, it’s Douglas-Tyson. Douglas’ upset, a 10th stoppage in Tokyo, was so unscripted — so unthinkable — that has become unforgettable. There’s a great anecdote this week in an Associated Press story about Douglas. Legendary AP boxing writer Ed Schuyler landed in Tokyo and was asked at customs how long he would be working in Japan.

“About 90 seconds,’’ Schuyler said.

Schuyler summed it up as only he could. Tyson was the most feared fighter since Sonny Liston. Over time, the magnitude of Douglas’ upset has multiplied simply because Douglas never did anything else. Douglas’ triumph on the night of Feb. 11, 1990 stands alone. In his next fight, he surrendered to Evander Holyfield in a bout that was preceded by reports that Douglas had pizza delivered to him while he sat in a sauna trying to sweat off excess pounds.

Then, it began to look as if Douglas’ victory was an aberration. Tyson was as feared as ever. Even after three-and-a-half years of lousy food and no sparring during three-plus years in prison, Tyson scared the fight out of just about anyone who dared step in the ring with him. Everybody, that is, but Holyfield.

On this list of great upsets over the last 25 years, Holyfield’s 11th-round TKO of Tyson in 1996 before their Infamous Bite Fight in 1997 ranks as a close second to Douglas-Tyson. It was thought that Holyfield was shot. There was even fear for his life.

He had suffered a reported heart condition in a 1994 loss to Michael Moorer. He opened as a 25-to-1 underdog at some of the Las Vegas books. Holyfield wasn’t as big a long shot as Douglas, whose fight with Tyson was off the board at every book but The Mirage. But the opening odds added up to the same conclusion: No chance.

Holyfield did what Douglas had done before him. He didn’t let Tyson bully him. Douglas showed Holyfield that Tyson couldn’t think through adversity. The rest is history, which is a lot more interesting than anything we’ve heard – or not heard – in the here and now.

By Bart Barry–

SAN ANTONIO – This column was supposed to be about a live theatrical performance by Mike Tyson, a review of sorts from ringside by a writer who lives above the historic Majestic Theatre, downtown, and attends most Broadway-musical productions that visit. “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” was scheduled for Saturday night in the Lila Cockrell Theatre, a 2,000-seat venue attached to this city’s large and expanding convention center. A boxing-trainer friend would stop by, and we would amble 10 minutes along the River Walk to the edge of HemisFair Park, home of the Tower of the Americas and the 1968 World’s Fair.

Instead, Thursday night brought an announcement there would be no Mike Tyson. Sluggish ticket sales were cited. It’s no wonder. There aren’t five of us in this city who write regularly about the sport, and few of us knew about Tyson’s performance till Monday evening at Cowboys Dancehall, where Leija-Battah Promotions presented a main event that would prove Rocky Juarez’s last – and yes, these things share a thread.

Between Monday’s card, which Tyson did not attend, and Saturday’s scheduled performance, the excellent and deservedly celebrated musical “Chicago” began a six-show run at Majestic, with the uniquely talented Mexican actress Bianca Marroquin shining in the role of Roxie Hart. To watch Marroquin act and sing and dance, and somehow project subtle gestures hundreds of feet – and this, along with the live nature of stage acting, is what makes it a craft of such greater depth and refinement than anything that happens on a movie set’s 41st take before the tightly cropped frame of an HD camera – was to be blessed with an entirely too-infrequent reminder about talent: It is inarguable.

If ever you find yourself preceding an assertion of some artist’s talent with the words “really” or “actually” you should treat those adverbs as alarms: You don’t mean what you’re about to say, you are not convinced, and you hope to argue your way into a faith in that artist’s talent while stiffening that hope into a conviction by way of others’ affirmation.

On a stage filled with touring professionals, most in the same costume, Marroquin was the figure one’s eyes immediately found, often without seeking her. The foundation of her stage presence – and this is what acting shares with all other arts – happened in the layers with which she entertained. This is something that transcends mere range, which is a flat spectrum that delineates how many distinct characters an actor can portray; Marroquin’s presence was created by the number of emotions she portrayed at the very same time. Much of that is excellent writing, even more of it is a character, Roxie Hart, about to celebrate her 40th year of performance – and what richness the geology of creativity produces in a character subjected to time and pressure by talented actors’ interpretations of her – but the execution of a transcendent performance, finally, belongs to the stage actor alone, an artist talented and textured enough to invent pleasant surprises between scripted lines.

These notes about talent and texture and transcendence refer directly backwards to Houstonian Rocky Juarez, who announced his retirement immediately after losing lopsidedly Monday night on the northeastern outskirts of this city. It is rare, anymore, almost miraculous, unfortunately, that a prizefighter, or any professional athlete, can summarize his career coherently, but Rocky did it over the PA system, Monday, closing a short goodbye speech thusly:

“I had a great run. And I tried, I tried. I love you guys. Thank you.”

“And I tried, I tried” – those words capture perfectly the often-frustrating arc of Juarez’s run as a world-title challenger. In 2005, Juarez lost a very close decision to Humberto Soto for an interim world title. Nine months later, he beat an underprepared Marco Antonio Barrera, only to hear a questionable draw decision announced, only to see it later changed by the California State Athletic Commission to a split-decision for Barrera. Four months after that, Juarez was undressed by Barrera in their rematch. Fourteen months later, Juarez went to Tucson to challenge the master Juan Manuel Marquez for the title Marquez took from Barrera, and Marquez beat him soundly. Fifteen months after that, Juarez drew with Chris John before losing another rematch decision seven months later. A three-year losing streak ensued until Golden Boy Promotions brought Juarez to this city late in 2012 to lose to Antonio Escalante – but Juarez ruined Escalante in eight rounds.

Juarez did not quite have talent enough for a transcendent performance; his silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games played as his career’s metaphor well as his farewell address captured his profoundly honest efforts as a prizefighter.

Mike Tyson had transcendent talent and only partially squandered it with the many poor choices he made during his adolescence, prizefighting career and retirement. His cancellation of a performance in San Antonio will not be tallied among these – it’s doubtful Tyson even knew he was supposed to be in Texas last week – but it will work as a tidy reminder how ephemeral comebacks in boxing are.

In 2013, HBO put the full might of its marketing programs behind Tyson’s next comeback, stage performer, and boxing writers dutifully wrote ad copy for “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” in time for HBO’s presentation of director Spike Lee’s cinematic adaptation of Tyson’s soliloquy. Tyson, too, was a boxing promoter, we learned, and bringing his charismatic self wrapped in a feelgood bow to that enterprise.

Now it is 2015, and Mike Tyson just cancelled a show because the public has lost interest.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

PHOENIX — Phoenix lightweight Victor Castro (12-0, 6 KOs) is scheduled Saturday night for a six-round main event against Robert Rodriquez (7-4, 3 KOs) of Greeley, Colo., at Celebrity Theatre on an Iron Boy Promotions card.

Castro is trained by retired junior-featherweight legend Israel Vazquez.

The card is scheduled for 14 bouts. First bell is 6 p.m. (MST).

Iron Boy will resume its partnership with Top Rank on Dec. 20 for a Unimas-televised card, also at Celebrity Theatre.