★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience©®™

Thursday, June 13, 2013

No Holds Barred: King Mo On His June 19 Bellator Fight

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Bellator MMA fighter "King" Mo Lawal (http://www.twitter.com/KingMoFH).

He will be returning to action Wednesday, June 19, in the semifinals of Bellator MMA's four-man light heavyweight tournament, facing MMA veteran Seth Petruzelli. This fight will headline this card, which takes place at the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, and will be televised live in the U.S. on Spike TV.

This will be the first fight for "King" Mo following his upset loss to Emanuel Newton on February 21, 2013, in the Bellator Season 8 light heavyweight tournament semifinals. In that fight, he lost by first-round KO after Newton landed a spinning backfist.

We spoke with "King" Mo Monday by phone about his June 19 fight and the lessons of his last fight.

In this interview, he admitted, "I got caught" by Newton's spinning backfist. And, he said, in preparing for the June 19 fight with Petruzelli, "I had to make some adjustments."

But he added, "I'm not going to change much," noting that his wrestling, grappling, sparring, boxing, and kickboxing are all "on point."

He already weighs 210, just five pounds over the MMA light heavyweight limit, and said, "I'm always in shape. I'm ready to go."

He also discussed his training with Olympic gold medalist wrestler and current Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson, and noted boxing trainer Jeff Mayweather, along with numerous active fighters. We also discussed the first-round TKO upset win in boxing this past Saturday by Adonis Stevenson over Chad Dawson to capture the WBC light heavyweight belt.

In addition, "King" Mo is signed to perform in the TNA pro wrestling organization, which also airs on Spike TV. We discussed his training for that, how it compares to the other training he is doing, and what real catch wrestling moves he is learning there. And we discussed Quinton "Rampage" Jackson also signing with both Bellator and TNA, the continuing turmoil in international wrestling and some of his experiences there, and more.

♔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.

WBA Welterweight World Champion Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi and Two-Division World Champion Adrien "The Problem" Broner

FACTS:

Malignaggi vs. Broner, a 12-round fight for Malignaggi's WBA Welterweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, June 22, 2013 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and R & R Promotions, supported by Golden Boy Promotions' sponsors Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^®beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). In the co-featured bouts, Johnathon Banks will look to repeat his 2012 upset win over Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell as he defends his NABO and WBC International Heavyweight titles in a 12-round fight presented in association with K2 Promotions and number one rated WBC super middleweight contender Sakio Bika faces number four rated WBC super middleweight contender Marco Antonio Periban in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Super Middle weight World Championship. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Undefeated Lightweight Prospect Mel Crossty Returns To Action June 14

Undefeated Lightweight Prospect Mel Crossty Returns To Action June 14
Next month from his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, undefeated lightweight up-and-coming prospect Mel “Black Diamond” Crossty (5-0-1, 1 KO) will return to action following a near 16-month layoff as he seeks his sixth consecutive win as a professional.
Having turned pro in 2008, Crossty stayed consistent within the squared circle, defeating the opponents he needed to, keeping his unblemished record intact.
His career hit a speed bump in 2009 when he encountered managerial issues, and was unable to get a fight. But rather than becoming complacent with his training he stayed diligent and awaited his opportunity to lace up the leather again and go to work.
Recently signing with Starpower Boxing out of Cincinnati— a full spectrum boxing managerial company—Crossty is anxious to return to action June 14.
“Come June 14 I’m looking to be very impressive, which I know I will be,” said Crossty. “I am ready to get back in there and do what I know how to do. At the end of the day it is about getting that victory, and I’m ready to get it done.”
At 27-years-old Crossty has already has the chance to spar with world champions and contenders, including Adrien Broner, Devon Alexander and Sharif Bogere, to name a few, and most recently has been training in Las Vegas with Floyd Mayweather Sr. in preparation of his upcoming bout.
Crossty has the fast hands and the determination to reemerge onto the boxing scene and make an impact within the lightweight division, and his road to working towards the hardware will commence June 14.
“My training has been going great,” Crossty continued. “I have been getting great work, and been giving those guys great work as well. I really feel that right now, I am ready to match someone will my skill level. I believe that going forward in six or seven fights I will be able to compete with any of the top fighters. Right now it’s about going out there and feeling comfortable in the ring.”
Now teamed up with Starpower Boxing, Mel Crossty has a promising future ahead of him as long as he can execute inside the ring as he has done through the early part of his pro career. A soft-spoken, class act in and out of the ring who wants nothing more than to fight and pursue his dream of going to war for a world title one day, Crossty is anxious to pick up where he left off last April.
“Now being with Starpower Boxing, we are taking it straight up,” said Crossty. “I am one of the first fighters on Starpower, and we are ready to take it to the next level. We are going to make my name big and the Starpower name big. Getting to the top is what we are set on, and that’s what we plan on doing.”
Also on the card is Starpower’s welterweight William “Action” Jackson (10-1-1, 5 KO). Jackson is a quick and powerful welterweight who stayed busy inside the ring until 2011 when he ran into his own promotional problems. During his run he took down up-and-coming undefeated prospects, and at 24-years-old is bringing both experience and maturity into the ring June 14 when he looks to get back to his winning ways and put on a show in front of his Ohio fan base.
Starpower Boxing was established Michael Grace in 2013 to give boxers a stable managerial company to be fight under with the fighters’ best intentions in mind.

Monday, June 10, 2013

UFC 161: Evans vs. Henderson; Light Heavyweight, Rashad Evans, vs. Dan Henderson taking place Saturday, June 15, 2013, at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg

UFC 161 fight card: Henderson vs. Evans

UFC 161: Evans vs. Henderson; Light Heavyweight, Rashad Evans, vs. Dan Henderson taking place Saturday, June 15, 2013, at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg

Main Card

Evans vs Henderson

Nelson vs Miocic

Jimmo vs Pokrajac

Davis vs Sexton

Barry vs Jordan

Prelims

Shields vs Woodley

Stout vs Krause

Pierson vs Robertson

Delorme vs Figueroa

Clarke vs Maguire

Jabouin vs Pague

HBO Boxing After Dark: Mikey Garcia vs. Juan Manuel Lopez"Juanma" Lopez Saturday, June 15, at the American Airlines Center

Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion MIKEY GARCIA will make his first title defense, against former two-division world champion JUAN MANUEL "Juanma" LOPEZ, Saturday, June 15, at the American Airlines Center (2500 Victory Ave., Dallas, TX 75219). The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark, beginning at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT. This will be the first time HBO has televised a boxing event from the American Airlines Center.

Making their Dallas debut, Garcia and Lopez boast a combined record of 64-2 (56 KOs) -- a winning percentage of 97% and a victory by knockout ratio of 87.5%.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with PR Best Boxing, Foreman Boys Promotions

GLORY 9 New York; Glory 9 international kickboxing in NYC. This will be the best kickboxing event ever assembled in the US. We will be featuring Tyrone Spong and other international stars competing in an 8 man tournament, super fights, plus an exciting under card featuring local fighters Don't Miss this opportunity to see this extraordinary event in New York City. Event Details: Date: June 22nd Hammertstein Ballroom 311 W 34th St, New York Doors open at 5:00pm, Prelims begin at 6:00pm and main event starts at 8:00pm

Lou Neglia Presents Glory 9 International Kickboxing in NYC

This will be the best kickboxing event ever assembled in the US. We will be featuring Tyrone Spong and other international stars competing in an 8 man tournament, super fights, plus an exciting under card featuring local fighters. Don't Miss this opportunity to see this extraordinary event in New York City.

Event Details:
Date: June 22nd
Hammertstein Ballroom
311 W 34th St, New York
Doors open at 5:00pm, Prelims begin at 6:00pm and main event starts at 8:00pm

All Triple Header Contestants Confident of Win on Friday, June 14th NBCSN Fight Night‏

NO LACK OF CONFIDENCE

FOR TRIPLE HEADER CONTESTANTS

ON FRIDAY, JUNE 14TH

NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT CARD

Bryant Jennings vs. Andrey Fedosov

Sergey Kovalev vs. Cornelius White

Ronald Cruz vs. Ray Narh

The next edition of NBC Sports Network's Fight Night features a dynamite triple header of boxing action on Friday, June 14th, at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA. Each and every combatant in the three nationally televised feature bouts is fully convinced that he will come out victorious. The telecast will begin at 8PM ET. We know this is impossible but all six fighters talk a pretty convincing game.

Philly heavyweight Bryant Jennings, 16-0, 8 KOs, is never short on confidence. His tear through the IBF rankings last year turned "BY BY" from unknown prospect to bona fide contender in 12 months. He sees his 10-round main event meeting with Russian Andrey Fedosov, 24-2, 19 KOs, as another chance to prove what he can do.

"I really don't know much about him, I just how much I put into this and know what I can bear and that he's no threat at all," Jennings said. "I also know that he don't work as hard as me, he may think he wants it more (than me) but he has no idea how bad I want this. I live this 24/7, 365! He's not ready for B. Y.! I am confident of a win come June 14th."

But Fedosov isn't impressed.

"Boxing is something I've done my entire life. I was born and bred to do this, and I am happy to come back to America to showcase my talents," Fedosov said. "There is nothing that makes me think I won't win this fight. I would not have taken this fight if I was not confident that I can beat Bryant Jennings."

In the 12-round co-main event, undefeated Russian light heavyweight KO sensation Sergey Kovalev, 20-0, 18 KOs, is certain he has the goods to defeat his rugged opponent, Cornelius "Da Beast" White, 21-1, 16 KOs.

"I will win because I am dedicated to this fight, I have a big desire to win, and I am hungry," said Kovalev. "I do not know much about White, but this is not unusual for me. My job is to train as hard as I can. I have every confidence that I have all the tools I need to beat White."

Thus far, Kovalev has had more than enough to turn back every foe willing to step into the ring with him. His recent knockouts have moved him up the 175-pound rankings and impressed just about everyone who watched. However, Houston's Cornelius White thinks a fight with Kovalev is exactly what he needs.

"It is a great opportunity for me to show the world that I am an elite fighter," White said. "This is the next step I need to get me closer to a world title. To fight a strong, undefeated fighter (like Kovalev) says a lot about me. I'll fight anybody. This fight will put my name out there. This will change my life!"

The winner of Kovalev-White becomes the voluntary IBF mandatory challenger for Bernard Hopkins' light heavyweight title.

In a welterweight 10-rounder, Bethlehem's Ronald Cruz, 17-1, 12 KOs, looks to bounce back from his first pro defeat against battle-tested banger Ray Narh, 25-2, 21 KOs, and Cruz is convinced he can do it.

"Number one, I know I have the skills and capabilities to beat anyone," Cruz said. "Number two, I'm eager to fight for a world title, and Narh is in my way. Added to all this, I have to prove that I'm a lot better fighter than I was in my last fight."

However, Narh has made his bones by visiting hometowns and defeating local stars. He sees Cruz as just another opportunity to do what he does best.

"Gonna win this match because I got more experience and his style suits me perfectly," Narh said. "I'll teach him the art of boxing. The harder he comes, the harder he will fall."

There can only be one winner in each of the three fights, so it will be interesting to see who gets the last word.

ABOUT FRIDAY, JUNE 14

The Jennnings-Fedosov, Kovalev-White and Cruz-Narh fights top a seven-bout card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

HARRY JOE YORGEY TO REMATCH JULIUS KENNEDY ON SATURDAY JUNE 15TH AT THE VALLEY FORGE CASINO AND RESORT PLUS TEVIN FARMER VERSUS VICTOR VASQUEZ IN A PHILADELPHIA LIGHTWEIGHT SHOWDOWN ON A TERRIFIC 10 BOUT CARD

On Saturday night June 15^th, Marshall Kauffman’s Kings Boxing Promotions will present a great night of boxing at the Valley Forge Casino and Resort that will be headlined by an intriguing rematch featuring local favorite Harry Joe Yorgey ans Julius Kennedy in Jr. Middleweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds.

On March 15^th, Yorgey and Kennedy battled to a disputed six round split decision for which Yorgey’s hands were raised in victory. Many in the crowd disagreed and the two will mix it up in the rematch.

Yorgey of Bridgeport, PA has a record of 26-2-1 with 12 knockouts and is looking to get back into title contention.

Yorgey was undefeated in his first twenty three bouts (22-0-1) with big wins over Ronnie Warrior Jr. (11-0-1); Jason LeHoullier (21-0-1) & Ronald Hearns (21-0) before losing to heralded Alfredo Angulo. Yorgey got back with three consecutive victories before being stopped in eight to undefeated Jermell Charlo on January 26^th in Las Vegas. His last bout was the aforementioned draw with Kennedy.

Kennedy of Windsor Mill, Maryland has a record of 7-5-1 with three knockouts.

The thirty-three year old has quality wins over Inka Laley (3-0-1) & Aaron Pryor Jr. (12-1) as well as a draw with Jesse Nicklow (20-2-2). In his last bout, Kennedy dropped a six round unanimous decision to undefeated Alantez Fox on January 12^th.

After losing to Yorgey, Kennedy was stopped by DeCarlo Perez in five rounds on April 19^th.

In the eight round co-feature, it will be a Lightweight Philadelphia turf war between Tevin Farmer and Victor Vasquez

Farmer of Philadelphia has a record of 10-4-1 with 1 knockout and is riding a three bout winning streak.

Farmer has quality wins over Tim Witherspoon Jr. and Tyrone Luckey and has won six of his last seven with his only blemish losing to hot prospect Jose Pedraza when he took a fight on SHO BOX on just a few days’ notice. Farmer is coming off a four round unanimous decision over Jesus Bayron on April 26.

Vasquez of Philadelphia has a record of 16-7-1 with seven knockouts and is always in action packed fights.

Vasquez has quality wins over Thomas McCuiston (1-0), Tyric Robinson (9-4-1) and Angel Rios (9-5). The “Blood and Guts” Warrior of Philadelphia has been in many memorable scraps. He is coming off a six round unanimous decision over Esteban Rodriguez on January 26^th at Harrahs Philadelphia.

Frankie De Alba (7-1-2, 3 KO’s) of Bayamon, PR will take on Jamell Tyson (3-9-2, 1 KO) of Rochester, NY in a six round Lightweight bout.

In a six round Cruiserweight bout, Jeremey Stauffer of Reading, PA (7-2-2, 6 KO’s) takes on returning Kamarah Pasley (5-6, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA

Todd Unthank-May (6-0, 2 KO’s) will see action in a six round Light Heavyweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Jovantae Starks (6-0, 5 KO’s) of Minneapolis, MN will take part in a six round Jr. Middleweight bout against an opponent to be named.

In a four round Lightweight bout, Travis Thompson (4-9-2, 3 KO’s) of Pottstown, PA will take on an opponent to be named.

Also in a four round Lightweight bout, Damon Allen (1-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named.

In a four round Featherweight bout it will be a battle of pro debuter’s as Tony DuBose will take on John Portillo.

Khalib Whitmore of Philadelphia will make his pro debut against Brian Donahue (2-4-1) of Philadelphia in a four round Light Heavyweight bout

June 14th: FNF Presents the first NYC FULL RULE Amateur Muay Thai event!‏

Friday, June 14th

@ The Broad Street Ballroom

(41 Broad Street, NYC)

Doors open @ 7pm

Two of the hardest hitting middle weights scheduled for a head on collision Friday June 14th! This Main Event Features Deshawn Robinson against Villi Bello!

Robinson is known for his super-human punching power whileBello has earned a reputation as one of the toughest competitors for his "never back down" in the ring.

Additional matches include Stephan Smarth against Randy Fortier for the
first ever amateur Full Rules Muay Thai fight in New York!

The undercard for this event will feature

Kate Allen vs. Prairie Rugilo

Dave Aykarian vs. Ulbino Guzman

Will Watson vs. Johnny Bianco

and many more!

UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT SENSATION ANTOINE “ACTION” DOUGLAS TO TAKE ON IBAHIEM KING ON JUNE 14TH AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN ARENA IN WEST ORANGE, NJ Douglas looks to shine on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights undercard

On Friday night, June 14^th, a special night of boxing will take place as Greg Cohen Promotions and GH3 Promotions will present ESPN’s Friday Night Fight’s at the South Mountain Arena in West Orange, New Jersey.

One of the featured fights on the undercard will pit rising and undefeated Middleweight prospect Antoine “Action” Douglas taking on his most experienced rival in Ibahiem King in a bout scheduled for six rounds.

Douglas of Washington, D.C. has shot out to a perfect mark of 7-0 with five knockouts and this will already be his sixth fight of 2013.

Douglas has been stepping up the competition with each fight and has already appeared on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights two times in 2013.

“I am always ready to fight, no matter how experienced he is or what his record is. I have the same mindset”, said Douglas.

“I have been working and sparring with southpaws. I am faster and stronger”

Douglas is not worried that King has 19 professional fights.

“I am faster, I have more skills and with my amateur background, I look at myself as being the more experienced fighter”

King of West Palm Beach, Florida has a record of 11-8 with two knockouts and is by far the most experienced for the twenty year-old Douglas.

This will be the seventh undefeated fighter that King will have faced which includes top prospects Abraham Han, Edwin Rodriguez, J’Leon Love and Delen Parsley. King is coming off a 3^rd round stoppage over Anthony McManaway on February 16^th.

In the twelve round main event, it will be a twelve round Bantamweight battle of undefeated fighters as Jundy Maraon (15-0-1) of the Philippines takes on Juan Carlos Payano (13-0, 7 KO’s) of the Dominican Republic.

Doors open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:30.

The Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain is located at 560 Northfield Avenue in West Orange, New Jersey.

Usmanee vs. Hovhannisyan and Ortiz vs. Kaufmann Top Stacked Night of World-Class Boxing at Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain

Usmanee vs. Hovhannisyan and Ortiz vs. Kaufmann Top Stacked Night of World-Class Boxing at Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain

On Friday, June 14, Vito Mielnicki of GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions (CGP), in association with First Round Promotions, will proudly present an exciting night of world-class professional boxing, live from the Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain in West Orange, New Jersey and broadcast worldwide on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

In the 10-round main event, IBF #14-rated featherweight Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs) of Montreal, Canada (via Afghanistan) will face once-beaten contender Art “Lionheart” Hovhannisyan (15-1-2, 8 KOs) of Glendale, California (via Armenia).

And in the exciting 10-round heavyweight co-feature, WBA #2-rated Luis “El Mercedez” Ortiz (19-0, 16 KOs) of Miami, Florida (via Cuba), will take on WBA #11-rated Travis “The Truth” Kaufmann (24-1, 18 KOs) of Reading, Pennsylvania in a WBA Heavyweight Elimination Bout with the winner positioning himself for a title shot.

31-year-old Usmanee has already won the NABA and WBC Continental Americas Championships as a professional. As an amateur he was a five-time National Canadian Champion. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Usmanee and his family moved to Alberta, Canada, when he was three years old. He now resides in Montreal. Usmanee’s only career defeat was a highly controversial 12-round decision to fellow contender Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy on January 4 of this year.

As an amateur, 31-year-old Hovhannisyan gained extensive international experience and was a four-time Armenian National Champion, going 163-12. He moved to the United States in 2007. He is coming off the only loss of his promising career, a very close decision to Alejandro Perez last February. Hovhannisyan has served a sparring partner for former pound-for-pound #1 Manny Pacquiao.

34-year-old southpaw Ortiz was an accomplished amateur, finishing with a record of 343-19. He was a long-time member of the Cuban National Team and competed internationally. Ortiz won the Cuban National “Playa Giron” in 2006 and won the Pan-American Championships, took silver at the World Cup (Team Competition) in Russia, was a quarter-finalist at the world championships and won several medals at the Cuban Championships. As a professional, he has already held the WBO Latino, WBA Fedelatin and WBC FECARBOX Heavyweight Titles.

27-year-old Kauffman is the World Boxing Federation Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion and a former Number-One Ranked American Amateur Heavyweight. He received a full scholarship to Northern Michigan University for boxing, but elected to focus on fighting professionally. Kauffman’s promising career has been hampered by injuries in the past, but he has picked up his activity rate since signing with GCP.

“I am extremely happy to bring ESPN to my hometown of West Orange,” said co-promoter Greg Cohen, CEO of Greg Cohen Promotions. “Vito and I are committed to bringing world-class boxing events to New Jersey and this spectacular event is a testament to that. It will truly be a great night for boxing in my home state.”

“We also have a number of local hot prospects on the undercard,” said Vito Mielnicki of GH3 Promotions. “This show will be an important showcase for the four televised fighters as each will be looking to line up world-title shots in the immediate future with a victory. But it will also shine a light on the up-and-coming young fighters about to make waves on the world scene. I am very proud to be a part of such an amazing night of boxing.”

Undercard match-ups will be announced soon.

JORGE “KING” DIAZ TAKES ON YENIFEL VICENTE AS CO-FEATURE ON ESPN’S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS ON JUNE 14TH IN WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY‏

On Friday night June 14^th, once-beaten Featherweight contender, Jorge “King” Diaz returns to the ring and the national stage as he will take place In the ten round co-featured when he takes on Yenifel Vicente at the South Mountain Arena in West Orange, NJ.

The Diaz – Vicente fight will be part of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights and is promoted by GH3 Promotions, Pound for Pound Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions.

Diaz of New Brunswick, New Jersey has a record of 17-1 with ten knockouts and the New Brunswick, New Jersey native sees this as an incredible opportunity to put himself back in prime position in the Featherweight division.

Diaz has prepared very hard and sees Vicente as the perfect opponent to look good against.

“The training has been up to par. I see him as a tough opponent who likes to come forward and doesn’t mind exchanging fire”, said Diaz

“This is a great opportunity to showcase what I have been working on”

Diaz will look to win back some of the critics and fans who may have jumped off the bandwagon after March 26, 2011 thrilling defeat to future world title challenger Teon Kennedy in Atlantic City.

“This is a second title fight to me. This is America, the home of the free and land of the second chance. This is a second chance for me to get to where I have to get to”

Diaz likes his chances against the tough fighter from the Dominican Republic, who boasts a record of 24-1-2 with 16 knockouts.

“1-2-3, The bell goes ding, out comes the guy from across the ring. As I knock him off his feet, the crowd goes crazy for the King”, finished up the poetic Diaz

Sunday, June 9, 2013

"KNOCKOUT KINGS II, Andre Berto vs. Jesus Soto Karass a 12-round welterweight main event, takes place Saturday, July 27 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas

"KNOCKOUT KINGS II," featuring Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto facing tough Mexican veteran contender Jesus Soto Karass in a 12-round welterweight main event, takes place Saturday, July 27 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija & Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the 12-round co-featured attractions, Weslaco, Texas' undefeated rising star Omar Figueroa Jr. squares off against Tokyo's Nihito Arakawa for the vacant WBC Interim Lightweight World Championship in a fight promoted in association with Teiken Promotions and unbeaten knockout artist Keith Thurman and fellow power-puncher Diego Gabriel Chaves battle for Chaves' WBA Interim Welterweight World Championship in a fight promoted in association with KO International. The tripleheader will be broadcast live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will be available in Spanish via second audio programming (SAP).

ANDRE BERTO, Former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion

"I'm looking forward to this challenge on July 27. As you can see, it's an exciting undercard with my man Keith Thurman and my man Omar Figueroa.

"I've been through some ups and downs. I feel that I have made some of the right changes that I needed to get focused.

"I have a new team and I'm dedicated to win another world title.

"I let the big show get away from me twice, once against Victor Ortiz and once against Robert Guerrero. I'm coming to San Antonio focused.

"It's going to be a hell of a show. Make sure you buy your tickets or tune in on SHOWTIME because there's nothing stopping me. I'm ready.

"You can have all the power in the world, but if you don't know technique or don't have a strategy, then you've got nothing. I've made changes in my game plan and I'm going to fight smarter.

"Soto Karass is a good fighter. I've seen his fights. There's nothing too spectacular about him, but he does have that tough Mexican fighting style."

JESUS SOTO KARASS, Veteran Welterweight Contender

"I have a great test ahead of me. I have followed Andre Berto's career very closely. When he was a world champion, I was hoping I was going to get to fight him someday.

"I wasn't ready for him then, but now that I got offered the fight, I know I'm ready.

"This is a very important fight for me and I know I'm ready. I'm going to give it everything I've got to prove all of the doubters wrong.

"I decided that this year is the year I'm going to become a world champion.

"San Antonio is one of the best places for boxing. With these ticket prices, I'm hoping the arena is going to be full of Mexicans and Mexican Americans.

"The name of this fight is 'Knockout Kings II' for a reason and I'm going to try to make sure it lives up to its name."

OMAR FIGUEROA JR., Undefeated Texas Rising Star

"This fight is called 'Knockout Kings II' for a reason. I always go out there looking for the knockout. This is a great fight card for the fans. This is what boxing needs.

"It especially means a lot for my home state of Texas. This is perfect for me. All of my friends, family and fans can come up and see me fight.

"I'm at a loss for words when I think about fighting for my first world title here in Texas. I pictured myself being in this position because as a fighter, you have to see it in order to achieve it. This is what we've wanted and what we've been working so hard for.

"July 27, you'll see fireworks in the ring.

"San Antonio is the perfect place for a card like this. I can't describe what it was like being at the Canelo vs. Trout fight. Hearing 40,000 people cheer was incredible. I'm so grateful for this opportunity and proud to be a part of this fight card."

KEITH THURMAN, Undefeated Top Rated Welterweight Contender

"The last time I was in Texas was when I was competing as an amateur in the 2008 Olympic Trials.

"I don't know if there is another fighter out there that's hungrier than me. They've been feeding me, but I'm still starving I have a long time left in this game and I don't know when I'm going to get enough of it.

"I'm looking forward to this fight. My opponent is a young hungry fighter with a record of 22 and 0 with 18 knockouts and I am 20 and 0 with 18 knockouts. You know this is going to be a fight.

"If you're a boxing fan and you're from around here, then you have to be here unless you've got a family emergency.

"Come support the undercard that has a lot of local fighters and local talent.

"I don't expect this fight to go more than two rounds. If the fight goes more than two rounds, find me and I will give you a refund."

ERIC GOMEZ, Vice President and Matchmaker of Golden Boy Promotions

"We've been around for a little over a decade and we've done great events and I don't think we've had a partner like Leija and Battah Promotions. They're committed to boxing and committed to Texas and they're doing an amazing job.

"Don't blink when Keith Thurman fights, because you might miss something big.

"Everyone has been looking for the next great fighter in Texas, the next great champion from the state and I think we've found him in Omar Figueroa.

"In boxing, there are great events and then there are great fights. Last month at the Alamodome, there was a great event. This main event is a great fight. Styles make fights and both of these guys really come to fight. They're going to come to fight hard because that's what they know how to do.

"This is little bit of a crossroads fight for both Berto and Soto Karass. The winner is going to go on to bigger and better things and whoever loses is going to have to take a hard look at their career."

JESSE JAMES LEIJA, Former Two-Time World Champion & Texas Boxing Legend

"We have a strong undercard with great local talent from San Antonio. We see great things happening for these guys in the future.

"We're excited to have Omar Figueroa back again, but maybe he will give us two rounds this time.

"I'm a huge fan of Andre Berto and of Jesus Soto Karass. I'm also a huge fan of the sport of boxing and Mike [Battah] and I have worked really hard with Golden Boy Promotions to bring the best events to San Antonio.

"We want to fill the AT&T Center with 18,000 people and I think that's doable.

"We're bringing great fights, big names and we hope everyone comes out and supports boxing in San Antonio."

MIKE BATTAH, President of Leija and Battah Promotions

"We are growing this fight business and it's growing in a fast way. San Antonio is going to be the hub of boxing and we're really excited about that."

AALAN MARTINEZ TO FACE CHARLIE SERRANO FOR VACANT WBO LATINO FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE :

On Friday, July 12th Mexican lightweight Aalan Martinez (14-2-1, 10 KOs) will get an opportunity to redeem his last loss in a significant manner when he steps into the ring with featherweight Charlie Serrano

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Champion Marcos "El Chino" Maidana, top rated welterweight contender Josesito Lopez and top rated super welterweight contenders Alfredo "El Perro" Angulo and Erislandy Lara will face off

Maidana vs. Lopez, a 12-round fight for Maidana's WBA Intercontinental Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona. The tripleheader will take place on Saturday, June 8 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Maidana vs. Lopez is presented in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions. Also featured will be a 12-round super welterweight showdown between all-action warrior Alfredo "El Perro" Angulo and top rated super welterweight contender Erislandy Lara and a 12-round fight between veteran Demetrius Hopkins and unbeaten phenom Jermell Charlo for Hopkins' USBA Junior Middleweight Championship and Charlo's WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Championship. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

♔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.

Hitz Boxing returns Saturday, June 8 to the Horseshoe Casino and in the main event, "Fast" Fres Oquendo vs. Derric Rossy

THE MAIN EVENT:
WBA Latin American Heavyweight Champion “Fast” Fres Oqendo (35-7, 23 KOs) will defend his title as well as vie for the vacant NABA Heavyweight belt against Derric Rossy (28-6, 14 KOs) during the 10 round main event at “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” on Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 PM at the The Venue inside of Hammond, Indiana’s Horseshoe Casino. Dynamic super middleweight Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez (10-0, 7 KOs) and equally exciting lightweight Frankie “Time Bomb” Scalise (6-1, 6 KO’s) are the co-features for the evening.

Chad Dawson defends his WBC Light-HeavyWeight Title against Adonis Stevenson

ESPN Friday Night Fights: IBF Intercontinental Lightweight Title: John Molina vs Andrey Klimov June 7th - Sherman Oaks, CA

Friday, May 31, 2013

Melissa Hernandez vs. Jelena Mrdjenovich for the third time in their prof. careers, May 31st

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

YOSHIHIRO KAMEGAI VS. JOHAN PEREZ AND GERALD WASHINGTON VS. SHERMAN WILLIAMS WILL AIR ON SHOWTIME EXTREME® ON SATURDAY, JUNE 8 FROM THE HOME DEPOT CENTER IN CARSON, CALIF. MARCOS MAIDANA VS. JOSESITO UNDERCARD ALSO FEATURES TOP SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TALENT JOSEPH DIAZ JR., RONNY RIOS, JAMIE KAVANAGH, MANUEL AVILA AND EDGAR VALERO

A full undercard of action is expected on Saturday, June 8 when a roster of top local talent and international contenders step into the ring at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. to lead up to the highly anticipated SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® tripleheader headlined by the WBA Intercontinental Welterweight title bout between Marcos "El Chino" Maidanaand "The Riverside Rocky" Josesito Lopez.

A clash between welterweight contenders and a showdown of heavyweight power hitters will be on tap for SHOWTIME EXTREME^® viewers when unbeaten Japanese standout Yoshihiro Kamegai faces Venezuela's former World Champion Johan Perez in a ten-round bout. Also on SHOWTIME EXTREME, undefeated heavyweight prospect Gerald Washington meets Sherman "Tank" Williams in an eight round battle. With time permitting, 2012 United States Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. will see action on SHOWTIME EXTREME^® against an opponent to be determined. Also in action on the undercard will be some of California's top pugilists including Luis Ramos, Ronny Rios,Jamie Kavanagh, Manuel Avila and Edgar Valero.

After engaging in a hard fought draw against Jorge Silva in Sacramento last October that impressed stateside fight fans, Sapporo, Japan's Yoshihiro Kamegai (22-0-1, 19 KO's) will return to the United States to battle Venezuelan Johan Perez. A punishing puncher with both hands, Kamegai most recently knocked out Jose Alberto Leal in two rounds on February 2. With 19 of his 22 wins coming by way of knockouts, it's a safe bet that he'll look to end his fight on June 8 early as well.

A former WBA Interim Super Lightweight World Champion from Caracas, Venezuela, Johan "El Terrible" Perez (16-1-1, 12 KO's) bounced back from the lone loss of his career against Pablo Cesar Cano last July with a gritty 10 round win over former World Champion Steve Forbes on January 12. With his sites set on a title shot at 147 pounds, he hopes to make his case with a big win over Kamegai.

With the search for boxing's next great American heavyweight always ongoing, fans may not need to look any further than Los Angeles, home to highly touted prospect Gerald Washington (7-0, 5 KO's). Squaring off again Williams in his toughest test to date , the United States Navy veteran and former USC football player Washington hopes to keep his perfect record intact on June 8.

Unbeaten in 11 of his last 13 bouts dating back to 2005, Sherman "Tank" Williams (35-12-2, 19 KO's) is a vet of the sweet science who shows opponents that life begins at 40. A native of the Bahamas, who now makes his home in Florida, the latest chapter in Williams' 16-year career lands him in Carson, California for a pivotal bout against the unbeaten Washington.

In a fight that will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME time permitting, 2012 United States OlympianJoseph "Jo Jo" Diaz Jr. (4-0, 2 KO's) of South El Monte, California will face an opponent to be named in a four or six-round junior featherweight contest. Diaz, who impressed fans and boxing insiders for years as an amateur, turned pro in December of last year and has shown no growing pains while transitioning to the pro game. Fresh off of a third round technical knockout win over Eric Gotay on May 3, Diaz is ready for battle once again.

Unbeaten in 20 pro bouts, 23-year-old Ronny Rios (20-0, 9 KO's) has been steadily climbing up the world ratings, most recently defeating former World Champion Rico Ramos for the NABF featherweight title. On June 8, Santa Ana's Rios collides with Sonora, Mexico southpaw Leonilo "Veneno" Miranda (32-5, 30 KO's) in a 10-round junior lightweight bout.

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Jamie "The Nuisance" Kavanagh (13-0-1, 5 KO's) has become a popular attraction in his adopted hometown of Hollywood, California. He will risk his undefeated record on June 8 against Tijuana veteran Sergio "Sirenito" Perez (27-14, 18 KO's) in an eight-round lightweight match.

Also in action will be Fairfield, California's Manuel "Tino" Avila (11-0, 4 KO's) facing off against St. Louis' Jamal Parram (6-7-1, 4 KO's) an eight-round junior featherweight contest and Edgar Valero(2-0, 2 KO's) of Los Angeles who will meet fellow Angelino David Reyes (2-3-1) in a four-round bantamweight bout.

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