Banner Promotions signs Welterweight Cornelius Whitlock‏

Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions is pleased to announce the signing of Welterweight Cornelius Whitlock to a promotional contract.  Whitlock will make his Banner Promotions debut on March 29^th as part of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights undercard at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Whitlock of Landover, Maryland has a record of 1-0-1 with his victory coming by vicious knockout of former amateur standout Shakur Jackson in the third round on January 31^st in Staten Island, New York.The twenty-nine year old Whitlock turned pro on December 19th, 2012 with a draw with Mikkel Lespierre in Lespierre’s hometown of New York.

Whitlock competed in over 30 amateur fights and won Golden Gloves titles and in the world championships.Whitlock has a slick and elusive style with quick hands and footwork and he displayed his explosive power in the win over Jackson.“I am happy to sign with Banner Promotions”, said Whitlock. “This is the first time someone has been behind me in my career so this is pretty big.” Whitlock is trained by Malcolm Lowery and sees big things for his pupil.

“He is a great kid, fights hard and is a gym rat”, said Lowery.

“He has a lot of tools as he is a very slick boxer-puncher with great punching power in both hands.”

“We are very excited about this signing”, said Banner Promotions CEO Arthur Pelullo.

“We got to see Cornelius in person and we came away very impressed after he stopped Jackson and we know he has talent to become a terrific fighter.”

♔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 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

New York MMA Bill Passes Another Senate Committee, Still Stalled in State Assembly By Peter Lampasona

New York MMA Bill Passes Another Senate Committee, Still Stalled in State Assembly

Yesterday afternoon, the New York State Senate committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business voted to approve bill S 1707A, which would sanction and regulate professional mixed martial arts in the state of New York. This vote referred the bill to the Finance Committee, placing it just a few short steps from the Senate floor. As with the past three years, the bill that would bring MMA to the empire state is expected to pass by a landslide in the Senate.

However, in the Assembly, the sister bill still flounders its first committee; Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development, having yet to be placed on the agenda for a vote. The Assembly committee was previously chaired by MMA bill sponsor Steve Englebright. This year, stewardship over the chair was handed to Assemblywoman Margaret Markey.

The Assembly MMA bill, A 4146A, was referred to Assemblywoman Markey’s committee on January 4. The Fight Nerd.com has contacted the Assemblywoman’s office on each instance of a successful referral of the bill in the Senate for information on if Markey had any intention of placing the bill on the committee’s agenda in the near future. Assemblywoman Markey’s office is yet to issue any official reply to the queery.

Last year, in spite of the massive victory for the bill in the State Senate and unprecedented support in the Assembly, sanctioned MMA was killed in New York by the refusal of Assemblyman Herman Farrell to put the bill on the agenda of the Ways and Means Committee that he chairs. Since then, the willingness of Assembly committee chairs to allow the bill to be voted on has been a major concern among the supporters of mixed martial arts.

In order for professional MMA to be sanctioned via legislative process, both bills in the Senate and the Assembly must pass. While a simultaneous lawsuit against the New York State Attorney General by UFC owners Zuffa Entertainment and various local members of the MMA community is fighting the legality of the current ban on the sport in New York State, even the fastest litigation could take years to yield any results.

♔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 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.