IBF JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION LAMONT "HAVOC" PETERSON DEFENDS HIS TITLE AGAINST MANDATORY CHALLENGER DIERRY JEAN ON SATURDAY, JAN. 25, 2014, LIVE ON SHOWTIME® FROM THE DC ARMORY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. CO-MAIN EVENT TO FEATURE MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN BETWEEN JERMELL "IRON MAN" CHARLO AND GABRIEL "KING" ROSADO

World-class championship boxing returns to the nation's capital on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, when hometown hero IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont "Havoc" Peterson defends his 140-pound crown against Montreal's unbeaten Dierry Jean as part of a live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast)- event at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. In the co-main event, Middleweight Jermell "Iron Man" Charlo risks his undefeated record against Two-Time World Title Challenger Gabriel "King" Rosado.

"This is the perfect way for me to kick off 2014, with a great fight against a tough opponent in my hometown," said Peterson. "Fights like these bring out the best in me and I'm going to give my fans a performance to remember on Jan. 25."

"Peterson has been in the ring with many good fighters, but he hasn't been in the ring with me," said Jean. "I've worked hard for this for a long time. I have already started training camp and I'm in great shape. I just want to bring that belt home to Quebec, where it belongs."

"I've waited for a big fight like this against a top-level opponent and now I've got it," said Charlo. "Rosado is a rugged, tough fighter and with a win over him, I'll be making a statement to the boxing world that I'm ready for even bigger and better things."

"I wanted another world title shot after my fight with Peter Quillin, but with that rematch not happening right now, I want to stay busy and keep sharp until my time comes," said Rosado. "Charlo's got talent, but he's not ready to face someone with as much experience as I have. I am ready to go after my recent fight with Quillin."

"2013 was a great year for boxing on SHOWTIME, and this doubleheader shows that we're ready to deliver even more exciting fights in 2014," said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. "Lamont Peterson is a fan favorite in Washington, D.C., and I give him credit for risking his belt against a tough, unbeaten fighter in Dierry Jean. As for the co-main event, Gabriel Rosado always comes to fight and he's going to put Jermell Charlo to the test on Jan. 25."

"Coming off a record-breaking 2013, we are taking significant momentum into the new year," said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. "Boxing's passionate fan base has called for the world's top fighters to take on the biggest challenges. Lamont Peterson returns to the ring and immediately takes a difficult main event match up against a hungry power puncher in Dierry Jean.  And Jermell Charlo is a rising star taking a sizable step up against the battle-tested Gabriel Rosado.  January 25 will be a night you don't want to miss."

IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Lamont "Havoc" Peterson (31-2-1, 16 KO's) will begin 2014 determined to defeat Dierry Jean and then continue on to battle his peers at the top of the 140-pound weight class. With his two most recent victories coming over Amir Khan and Kendall Holt, the 29-year-old has proven that he is one of the elite in the sport today, and in his first fight since a May 2013 loss to Lucas Matthysse, Peterson is hungry for a return to the win column and respectability.

A native of Haiti who moved with his family to Montreal, Quebec, Canada as a child, Dierry Jean (25-0, 17 KO's) has proudly represented his adopted home country, winning a national amateur championship before turning pro in 2006. Since then, his professional record has been perfect, and after winning the NABF title in 2012 with a win over Lanardo Tyner in May 2013, Jean defeated Cleotis Pendarvis in the IBF title eliminator to become Peterson's mandatory challenger.

At just 23-years old, former amateur star Jermell "Iron Man" Charlo (22-0, 11 KO's) has made plenty of waves in the junior middleweight division over the last few years, dazzling with his mix of speed and power as he mowed down opponent after opponent. In 2013, he triumphed three times, defeating Harry Joe Yorgey (KO 8), Demetrius Hopkins (W 12), and Jose Angel Rodriguez (TKO 10).

A Philadelphia fighter in the truest sense, "King" Gabriel Rosado (21-7, 13 KO's) is always willing to dig deep and battle it out in the trenches in search of victory. A veteran of nearly eight years in the pro game, the 27-year-old Rosado impressed with his gutsy efforts in recent middleweight title fights against Gennady Golovkin and Peter Quillin. On Jan. 25, he returns to 154 pounds, eager to prove that he's worthy of another world title opportunity.

Peterson vs. Jean, a 12-round fight for Peterson's IBF Junior Welterweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and supported by Golden Boy Promotions' sponsors Corona and AT&T. The live SHOWTIME telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). In the co-featured bout, Jermell Charlo defends his USBA Junior Middleweight Championship in a 12-round fight against Gabriel Rosado. Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/LAMONT-PETERSON-DEFENDS-HIS-TITLE-AGAINST-MANDATORY-CHALLENGER-DIERRY-JEAN-ON-SATURDAY--JAN--25--2014---LIVE-ON-SHOWTIME--FROM-T.html?soid=1102055440350&aid=Kf6_0XPMlZs

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights! and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, All photos other than those specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Impress Photo-Studios♔ and KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment Sports and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Blog-Online Publication all rights reserved.

DIERRY JEAN AND MOOKIE PENDARVIS FIGHT FOR TOP SPOT IN IBF JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION

Dierry Jean 139.6 lbs. vs. Cleotis Pendarvis 139.8 lbs.

John Thompson 153.8 lbs. vs. Giovany Rodriguez 155.8 lbs.

Ahmad Cheiko 150.4 lbs. vs. Shad Howard 148.2 lbs.

Cecil McCalla 146.6 lbs. vs. Abel Perry 148.6 lbs.

Antoine Douglas 158.8 lbs. vs. Coy Witt 158.6 lbs.

Chris Plaitis 137.8 lbs. vs. Octavio Garay (NA)

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 All photos other than those specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Impress Photo-Studios♔ and KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Blog-Online Publication all rights reserved.

World-Ranked Contenders Jean & Pendarvis Battle For IBF 140-Pound Top Spot Friday on ShoBox on SHOWTIME‏

Dierry Jean & Cleotis Pendarvis are on weight & ready to put on a good show tomorrow (Friday) at 11p ET/PT!

WHO’S NO. 1? WORLD-RANKED CONTENDERS

DIERRY JEAN AND MOOKIE PENDARVIS FIGHT FOR
TOP SPOT IN IBF JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION;

CLASH OF UNBEATEN MIDDLEWEIGHTS IN CO-FEATURE

In what will be a hard-fought, high-stakes matchup for the No. 1 spot in the IBF’s 140-pound division, undefeated Dierry “Dougy Style” Jean (24-0, 16 KOs), of Quebec, Canada, will face southpaw Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis (17-3-1, 6 KOs), of Los Angeles, Calif., in the 10-round main event this Friday, May 10, on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME^® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). Jean and Pendarvis are ranked No. 3 and No. 7, respectively, in the IBF.

Unbeaten middleweights John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson (11-0, 4 KOs) of Newark, N.J., and  left-hander Geovanni “Tarantula” Rodriguez (8-0, 5 KOs), of San Juan, Puerto Rico, clash in the eight-round co-feature from Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla. This will be the toughest fight for both of them.

All four boxers will be making their ShoBox debuts; more importantly all of them will have an opportunity to make a name for themselves. Due to the significance of the fight and the exposure they’ll be getting on SHOWTIME, this is especially true for the main events.

“The main event is a little bit different because it features two prospects who are fighting for a guaranteed shot at the IBF world title,’’ said ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood. “Dierry Jean is undefeated but untested at the highest level. Pendarvis has three losses, but has more impressive wins than Jean does.

“This is a good style matchup; Jean is a fast-handed counter-puncher, Pendarvis an awkward boxer- puncher. I’m looking forward to it.’’

As for the co-feature, Farhood said, “This is a typical ShoBox contest featuring two undefeated prospects. We don’t know how good they are, but we’re going to find out on Friday night.’’

The 5-foot-7, 31-year-old Jean, who was born in Haiti, will be making his second start in the United States. All his other fights took place in Canada, 23 of them in Montreal. His lone U.S. outing came in January 2008 in Hollywood, Fla. In his most recent fight, he registered two knockdowns en route to retaining his NABF title with a second-round TKO over Juan Rivera on Feb. 16 in Gatineau, Canada.

A solid amateur before turning pro at the age of 26 in December 2006, Jean is an excellent boxer who likes to work the body. His two most significant victories came in back-to-back fights in 2012, a dominant TKO 11 over Ivan Cano on Oct. 26 and a lopsided 12-round decision over Lanardo Tyner on May 19.

“Except for the one week I took off after my last fight, I’ve been in the gym training for this fight,’’ Jean said. “I've been sparring with a few left-handed fighters.  I don't like fighting lefthanders, but I'm pretty comfortable with them. I’ve fought two or three of them as a pro. My first fight was against a lefthander.

“Pendarvis is a pretty good fighter. He's quick, but he makes many mistakes. I'll make him pay for every mistake he makes.’’

Jean has lived in Canada since he left Haiti with his brother, aunt and grandparents when he was 10. His parents had died three years earlier. He didn’t take boxing seriously until he was 18. “Before that, I played basketball, soccer and did martial arts,’’ said Jean, who speaks French, English and Creole.

Regarding his nickname, Jean said, "I got it from another boxer, Matthew Jerman, who liked the way I fought and said I fought like him. So he gave me ‘Dougy Style’’ because I can do everything in the ring. I can move forward and put pressure on you, I can move away and box and I can just brawl.’’

Pendarvis is a 5-foot-7, 26-year-old, eight-year pro who has won six consecutive fights and 12 of his last 14 dating to December 2006. Both defeats came on points in tight fights; one on an eight-round majority decision to then-unbeaten Mauricio Herrera (12-0) in October 2009 and the other on an eight-round split nod to veteran Terrance Cauthen in June 2010.

A resident of Long Beach, Calif., Pendarvis won the USBA junior welterweight title two outings ago and retained it in his last start with a sixth-round TKO over Michael Clark on Dec. 21, 2012. Mookie scored two knockdowns in the third, rocked Clark several times and eventually wore him down with body punches.

A top amateur before turning pro in October 2004, Pendarvis is primed to take advantage of the biggest opportunity of his pro career.

“I’m ready,’’ he said. “This is my chance and I will go out and perform. It's going to be entertainment, and the world will know who I am. I stay in the gym. I've been preparing for this fight for almost two months.

“To be honest, they've been disrespecting me with some of the articles they've been putting out. So I don't really think much of Jean or his team. I just want to go out, prove myself and do what I've got to do.

“I will beat him. I know I'm going to beat him. That's what I do – go out and upset fighters. I get stronger and better every day. I'm just ready for war. That's all I think about every day, going to war. I want to say thanks to SHOWTIME for giving me the opportunity to showcase my talents and to let the world see me.

Mookie won his toughest fight long ago. “I was born in Inglewood, Calif., and I have three brothers and one sister,’’ he said. “My mom has been paralyzed since a car accident in 2010. I’ve been through a lot. I went through the foster-care system. I experienced the streets. It was rough, but it made me who I am today.

“I just want to send a message out to all the kids that are out there looking for something to do with their lives in the belief that there’s no tomorrow. All I want to say to them is that there is a tomorrow, that there’s always a brighter day. You just have to work hard and stay focused.’’

Doug Fischer, the editor at RingTV.com (Ring Magazine online) has known Mookie for years and has always been impressed with his talent.

“I used to watch him train when he was still a kid at the Broadway gym in the Watts area where he grew up,’’ Fischer said. “Besides having the best name in boxing -- Cleotis ‘Mookie’ Pendarvis – he has always had a lot of natural talent. “He was a good amateur, and made it to the Western Olympic Trials in 2004.

“Mookie's problem in the pro ranks was that he never had a real promoter behind him, thus he always lacked consistency. However, he has been a part of many world-class training camps and has helped top fighters such as Shane Mosley, Amir Khan and Antonio Margarito get ready for explosive southpaws such as Zab Judah and Manny Pacquiao.

“Now that he has a solid management team behind, he's finally strung some wins together and has remained in training for more than a year. I think this consistency along with his natural ability makes him a threat in the 140-pound division. I think he will beat Dierry Jean on Friday.’’

Thompson is a 6-foot-1, 24-year-old who is trained by former world champion Buddy McGirt and trains out of McGirt’s new gym in Nutley, N.J. A bronze medalist at the 2007 National Golden Gloves Championships, Thompson scored several impressive victories during an accomplished 111-fight amateur career, including two over 2008/2012 Mexican Olympian Oscar Molina and Detroit prospect Domonique Dolton.

The up-and-coming, well-conditioned youngster has been kept busy since going pro in June 2011. He fought three times that year, seven times in 2012 and once so far in 2013 (TKO 5 over Blake Grayson on Feb. 9). He actually had two fights scheduled after Grayson but both fell though.

“I’ve been working with Buddy going on a year now, and it is the best thing that ever happened to me,’’ Thompson said. “Buddy brings a lot of things to the table. He just opened up a new gym in Nutley. I started working with him after my fight in June last year. The December fight was my first with him.

“I'm a boxer. I'm very fast, so I use my speed to my advantage. Some people are fast or strong. Me being fast and having the smarts and the ability to adapt to people has helped me a lot. I'm just ready to fight, and am very excited to be fighting Friday on ShoBox.’’

Offers McGirt: “This kid has a lot of talent; he’s progressing all the time. We’re just adding some polish to what’s already there. He has a lot of confidence and he thinks he’s good, but he really doesn’t know how good he can be. But that will come; he’ll find himself. It’s been really great working with him and his father. No problems at all.’’

Thompson, whose father, John Thompson III, started training him when he was four and will be in his corner on Friday, works part-time at the Newark Liberty Airport in the baggage department. He’s also an accomplished artist/painter and has an art business. Little wonder he pictures himself as a future champion.

Rodriguez is a 24-year-old, 5-feet-11 southpaw who’s making his 2013 debut. Like Thompson, he was also an outstanding amateur, winning silver medals at both the 2009 Jose “Cheo” Aponte Tournament and the 2007 Puerto Rican National Championships. He made his pro debut in October 2009.

While he hasn’t been as busy as Thompson – this is Rodriguez’ first start in eight months, and he only fought twice in 2012 and one time in 2011, the latest in the line of promising, Puerto Rican prospects is fit, determined and confident of a victory on Friday.

“I've been preparing very hard for this fight and I'm ready to make a good impression,’’ said Thompson, who recorded a fifth-round TKO over Daniel Rodriguez (no relation) last Sept. 12. “I’ve trained almost two months, at two different gyms. I know absolutely nothing about the guy I'm fighting.

“I'm an aggressive southpaw, a strong, hard puncher. You’ll see what I can do on Friday.’’

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 All photos other than those specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Impress Photo-Studios♔ and KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Blog-Online Publication all rights reserved.

JOHN “APOLLO KIDD” THOMPSON READY FOR NATIONAL TELEVISION DEBUT THIS FRIDAY NIGHT ON SHO BOX PLUS ANTOINE DOUGLAS TO SEE ACTION ON UNDERCARD

This Friday night at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma undefeated Jr. Middleweight John “Apollo Kid” Thompson and undefeated Middleweight Antoine “Action” Douglas will be back in action in separate fights.

In the main event, undefeated Dierry Jean (24-0, 16 KO’s) will take on Cleotis Pendarvis in an IBF Jr. Welterweight Elimination bout.

Thompson and Douglas are promoted by Vito Mielnicki’s GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions.

Thompson (11-0, 4 KO’s) of Newark, NJ will take on fellow unbeaten Giovany Rodriguez of Puerto Rico in the eight round televised co-feature.

“All I know he is a southpaw and ranked number two in Puerto Rico”, said Thompson.

“I finally get to showcase my talent for television.  This is a great opportunity”.

“I am very confident this win will boost my rankings and open up new doors”.

As for Douglas, he will take part in a scheduled six round bout against Coy Witt.

Douglas (6-0, 4 KO’s) of Washington, DC is one of the top Middleweight prospects in the United States.

“Camp has been great.  I feel strong, fast and my weight is good”

Douglas doesn’t know much about Whitt but he feels that he will have a big performance on Friday.

“I have only seen one piece of footage on him and based on that, a knockout is the plan”

This will already be Douglas’ fifth fight of 2013.

“My team is doing their job and my only worry is boxing.  After this win I will be back to fight on June 15^th.

Thompson and Douglas are managed by William Mielnicki.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 All photos other than those specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Impress Photo-Studios♔ and KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Blog-Online Publication all rights reserved.