Tampa, FL (July 4, 2018) – Fire Fist Boxing Promotions is pleased to announce the signing of unbeaten welterweight phenom Mark Reyes Jr. to an exclusive promotional contract.

Living and fighting out of Tampa, Reyes started boxing at age six and went on to have a stellar amateur career. The 22-year-old won the 2012 National Junior Olympics, 2013 Police Athletic League (PAL) Nationals and 2014 Ringside National among many other tournaments. Reyes Jr. had his sights set on making the 2016 US Olympic Team but an injury prevented him from competing in the qualifiers.

As a pro, Reyes Jr. is 7-0 with 5 wins by knockout and is a huge ticket draw in the Tampa Bay area. In his most recent bout, he stopped veteran Javier Garcia in less than a round. With outstanding speed, power and athleticism along with a good head on his shoulders, Reyes Jr. looks to have a bright future.

“It’s a real pleasure to have such a quality young man from the Tampa-St. Pete area become part of the Fire Fist Boxing family,” said Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “He’s not only an excellent fighter but a special human being. I’m looking forward to working with Mark and his team.”

Reyes Jr., who received offers from multiple promoters, is happy with his decision.

“I’d like to thank Jody and everybody from Fire Fist for giving me this opportunity. I’m glad that I was able to impress them in my last fight for them to want and sign me. I also want to give a special thanks to my team and all my supporters.”

Reyes Jr’s promotional debut with Fire Fist takes place Saturday, October 6 at The Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL and will be for a title.

For more information on Fire Fist Boxing Promotions, please visit Firefistboxing.net

Plant City, FL (June 26, 2018) – Lightweight William “Baby Face” Silva has an outstanding professional record of 25-1 with 14 wins by knockout. The Plant City, FL based Brazilian won most of his bouts comfortably and has been top 15 rated.

Teofimo Lopez is considered a blue chip prospect though he’s yet to face a stiff challenge as a professional.

The talented 20-year-old represented Honduras at the 2016 Olympics and is 9-0 with 7 wins by knockout. Following a recent ESPN televised first round KO, Lopez received much attention for a victory dance he did honoring the popular game Fortnite.

On July 14, Silva and Lopez square off over ten rounds for the WBC Continental Americas lightweight title. The bout will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 7 p.m. ET from the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, LA. A large crowd is expected.

With just over two weeks until the opening bell sounds, Silva’s sharpening his tools in an intense camp with head trainer Jose Rodriguez at Plant City Boxing Gym. Between extra time in the gym, world class sparring and an added motivation from the public viewing him as an underdog, Silva is confident July 14 will elevate his career, not Lopez’.

“I feel great and our preparations have gone exactly as planned so far,” Silva said following a training session at Plant City Boxing Gym. “Lopez is a good fighter but this is a great opportunity to show that I’m also a top talent. My team and I will be prepared for victory July 14.”

Silva’s promoter, Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing, has seen a significant improvement in his fighter in the last six months and believes that Lopez is in for a surprise.

“I believe some people are probably expecting to see the William Silva they did against Felix Verdejo but they’re in for a major surprise. He’s a totally different fighter now and improvements have been made across the board that I’ve seen firsthand in the gym. If Lopez and his supporters are viewing Silva as a stepping stone with a good record it’s not only motivation for our side but a major mistake on theirs.”

The card is headlined by a battle of unbeatens between New Orleans’ very own Regis Prograis and Argentina’s Juan Jose Velasco for the World Boxing Council (WBC) interim super lightweight title.

Promoted by Top Rank in Association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets from $40 are on sale now at the Lakefront Arena box office, Ticketmaster.com and by calling 1-800-745-8000. Military, student and New Orleans Police Department members can receive discounted seats with a valid ID at the box office.

St. Petersburg, FL (June 20, 2017) – Middleweight up and comer Connor “The Kid” Coyle became the NBA Intercontinental middleweight champion by scoring an impressive sixth round stoppage of local rival Danny “El Bebo” Pastrana Saturday, June 16 at The Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL.

The card was promoted by Fire Fist Boxing Promotions in association with Money Round Boxing League.

Fighting in front of a sold out crowd, both men looked to impose their will in the early going. Eventually, Coyle found his range and peppered Pastrana with jabs while using good movement to steer clear of return shots. With the fight under his control, Coyle buzzed Pastrana with a right hand in round six. Moments later, the 28-year-old uncorked a massive right hand that sent his Orlando, FL based foe crashing to the canvas. The game Pastrana beat the 10 count but was clearly out of it, forcing the stoppage at 2:50.

Coyle, who hails from Derry, Northern Ireland but trains out of Tampa, FL, improves to 8-0 with 3 wins by knockout. Pastrana slips to 6-5 (1 KO).

In the co-featured bout of the evening, two-time Olympic medalist Ivan Dychko destroyed former title challenger Mike Marrone of Vero Beach, FL in in less than a round. Originally from Kazakhstan and now fighting out of Kissimmee, FL, Dychko scored three knockdowns before the bout was stopped at 2:19.

The 6’9 Dychko ups his professional ledger to 6-0 with all of his victories by knockout. Marrone is now 21-9 with 15 KO’s.

Grand Rapids, MI featherweight Vincent Jennings scored a shocking six round majority decision over local favorite Jose “Lil Pacquiao” Resendiz of St. Petersburg. In a battle between boxer and brawler, Jennings did all he could to keep the aggressive Resendiz, who also had to overcome a cut, on the outside.

Judge Chris Young’s 57-57 tally was overruled by scorecards of 58-56 from both Efrian Lebron and Mike Ross.

Jennings is now 6-5-1 with 4 victories by way of KO while Resendiz falls to 5-2.

Welterweight phenom and crowd favorite Mark Reyes Jr., 7-0 (5 KO’s) Demolished Puerto Rican veteran Javier Garcia in 2:25. Representing Tampa, FL, Reyes displayed impressive speed and dynamic power, scoring a knockdown following a vicious combination that left Garcia unable to continue.

“I am pleased with the card,” said Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “We were able to showcase a number of top fighters from the Sunshine State and had a great crowd. Connor looked fantastic and we believe the sky is the limit for him. Mark Reyes Jr. Is a great young talent as well and Ivan Dychko is a force to be reckoned with. I’d like to thank all the fighters and every fans who came out to show their support along with Money Round Boxing League for showing the fight worldwide via their website.

Fire Fist returns to the St. Pete Coliseum Saturday, October 6 and details will be available shortly. For more information, visit Firefistboxing.net or Facebook.com/firefistboxing.

OTHER RESULTS:

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS – Joseph Fernandez (8-3-3, 1 KO – Arcadia, FL) UD6 Larry Yanez (4-10-2, Fort Lauderdale, FL) 60-54, 60-54, 60-54

WELTERWEIGHTS – Leonel Jimenez (5-23-1, 4 KO’s – Eagle Pass, TX) SD6 Ali Tareh (13-14-5, 6 KO’s – St. Petersburg, FL) – 58-56, 59-55, 56-58

BANTAMWEIGHTS – Brian Cannady (3-0, 2 KO’s – Fort Myers, FL) TKO4 Michael Wooten (0-1 – Orlando, FL)

HEAVYWEIGHTS – Rodriguez Cade (2-1, 2 KO’s – Monroe, GA) KO2 Gary Kelly (1-7 – Montgomery, AL)

Tampa, FL (June 13, 2018) – When unbeaten middleweight Connor Coyle entered the paid ranks, he was considered one of Ireland’s prized prospects. The Derry native medaled at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and generated a lot of interest from promoters across the globe.

Coyle ultimately signed with Tampa, FL based Fire Fist Promotions and five of his seven professional bouts took place in the Tampa region. To ensure he’s at his absolute best when entering the squared circle, Coyle treks more than 4000 miles from Ireland to Tampa for training camp.

While his stateside training camps play an integral role in Coyle’s improvement, it comes with major sacrifices.

“The hardest part is having to get up and leave my little girl for each camp,” Coyle said of training in Tampa while his 2-year-old daughter remains in Ireland. “I’ve been doing this since she was born and it’s hard because she doesn’t understand why.”

The 7-0 Coyle’s next challenge comes Saturday, June 16 when he meets rival Danny Pastrana of Orlando, FL in a ten round contest for the NBA Intercontinental middleweight title at the Coliseum in St Petersburg, FL.

Pastrana has a modest 6-4 record with 1 KO but has faced good competition. He’s had a full training camp leading up to June 16 and Coyle’s expecting the confident Pastrana to be at his best.

“I’ve put in a full training camp and the work has been done in the gym. Training so far from home is a struggle with my daughter back in Ireland but it also inspires me. I’ll be ready for whatever Danny Pastrana brings Saturday night and plan to return to Ireland with the NBA championship.”

The card is promoted by Fire Fist Promotions in association with Money Round Boxing. A limited number of tickets are available at www1.ticketmaster.com/event/0D00548D9F1C967E.

Fans can also enjoy the fight live from anywhere in the world starting at 7 pm ET at Moneyroundboxing.com. The telecast will feature commentary by Boxing Hall of Famer Winky Wright.

In the co-featured bout of the evening, two-time Olympic bronze medalist Ivan Dychko, 5-0 (5 KO’s), of Kissimmee, FL by way of Kazakhstan challenges former title contender Mike Marrone, 21-8 (15 KO’s), of Vero Beach, FL. The 6’9 Dychko is regarded by many as a future heavyweight champion.

Welterweight phenom Mark Reyes Jr. squares off against experienced Puerto Rican Javier Garcia, 8-16-1 (3 KO’s) in a six rounder. Living and fighting out of Tampa, Reyes Jr, 6-0 (4 KO’s), was a top amateur and has a huge following. Against Reyes, Garcia’s facing his 12th unbeaten foe.

Featherweight crowd pleaser Jose “Lil Pacquiao” Resendiz, 5-1 (3 KO’s) of St. Petersburg meets Vincent Jennings of Grand Rapids, MI in a six round affair. Resendiz is a favorite in the Sunshine State, fighting a Pacquiao-esque style that puts fans at the edge of their seats. Jennings, 5-5-1 (4 KO’s), fought all across the country and has a decision win over previously unbeaten Dennis Galarza.

The undercard features the career finale of St. Petersburg’s Ali Terah, junior welterweight Joseph Fernandez, heavyweight Rodriguez Cade and bantamweight Rufat Huseynov in separate bouts.

The cruiserweight contest featuring Nicholas Iannuzzi and Vincent Miranda was cancelled due to an injury suffered by Iannuzzi in training.

For more information, visit Firefistboxing.net.

ampa, FL (May 23, 2018) – Fire Fist Boxing Promotions is proud to announce two-time Olympic medalist Ivan Dychko will face former world title challenger Mike Marrone in an eight round heavyweight contest Saturday, June 16 at The Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL.

Born in Kazakhstan and fighting out of Kissimmee, FL, Dychko was among the world’s top amateur boxers.

The 27-year-old captured a bronze medal at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. In addition to his Olympic success, Dychko is a three-time medalist at the World Amateur Champions and medaled twice at the Asian Games. As a pro, the 6’9 Dychko’s 5-0 with all of his victories coming by knockout, 3 of which came in less than a round.

Born and raised in Vero Beach, FL, Marrone started his career 18-0. In 2011, Marrone move down in weight to challenge Guillermo Jones for the WBA cruiserweight title but was stopped in the sixth round. Having faced world champions and contenders in Jones, Shannon Briggs, Chazz Witherspoon, DaVarryl Williamson, Francesco Pianeta and Charles Martin, Marrone, 21-8 (15 KO’s), is by far Dychko’s most experienced foe.

“When I got the call about adding Dychko-Marrone to the card I was over the moon,” said Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “Ivan has all the tools to be a future heavyweight champion and had an incredible amateur career. Mike’s fought for the world title and faced many of the best plus he’s a fan favorite in Florida. Both men have something to prove in this fight and the fans are in for a real treat.”

This special evening of boxing is headlined by a ten round NBA middleweight championship showdown between unbeaten Connor Coyle, an Ireland-based Tampa transplant, against bitter rival Danny “El Bebo” Pastrana of Orlando, FL.

The co-main event pits popular Tampa native Nicholas Iannuzzi (19-4) against Vincent Miranda (17-2) in an eight round cruiserweight affair. Iannuzzi returned from a 3 ½ year layoff in March to knockout Lemarcus Tucker in three rounds. Miranda, who fights out of Atlanta, GA and is originally from Puerto Rico, has wins over former title challengers David Telesco and Brian Barbosa.

Unbeaten welterweight standout Ramal Amanov, undefeated phenom Mark Reyes Jr., 126 pound powerhouse Jose “Lil Pacquiao” Resendez, Ali Tareh, Joseph Fernandez and Rodriguez Cade will all fight in separate undercard bouts.

Tickets are on sale now at https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/0D00548D9F1C967E. Fire Fist Boxing Promotions is also offering a special discount for all military members, active or retired, and their families. For details on the military discount, please email Matt@Knockoutpublicity.com.

Plant City, FL (May 5, 2018) – Unbeaten WBC #13 rated middleweight Yamaguchi Falcao is sick and tired of being avoided.

A Bronze Medalist at the 2012 Olympics representing his native Brazil, Falcao was in Canada last December helping David Lemieux prepare for his fight against WBO 160 pound champion Billy Joe Saunders. Falcao was made aware that middleweight Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan would serve as the televised co-feature for Lemieux-Saunders December 16 in Canada.

Upon hearing the news, Falcao and his team immediately offered to fight the more experienced O’Sullivan. The Irishman’s team reportedly did not want to face a southpaw and elected to fight Antoine Douglas. Frustrated but not deterred, Falcao kept training and hoped to face a fighter like O’Sullivan in the near future.

On May 4, O’Sullivan was again slated as the co-feature for a televised card, this time on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.
Hoping the second time would be a charm, Team Falcao made it clear they’d do whatever it took for the opportunity.
Unfortunately, O’Sullivan elected to face Berlin Abreu, a blown up welterweight that hadn’t fought in 18 months.

To make matters worse, all but once of Abreu’s victories came in the Dominican Republic against opponents with a combined 15-266 record. O’Sullivan stopped his overmatched foe in three rounds. Multiple media outlets covering the fight reported it as a disappointing mismatch while noting O’Sullivan needs to face better opposition.

With a professional record of 28-2, O’Sullivan’s rated 5th by the WBO, 6th by the WBA and 11th by the WBC.

Falcao, 15-0 (7 KO’s), believes he’s the superior boxer but hasn’t had the same chances as O’Sullivan and he’s literally willing to fight for the opportunity.

“Spike’s had a lot of favorable opportunities but when he has the chance to take on a tough challenge, he avoids it,” Falcao said from his training camp in Florida. “I twice tried to face him with no questions asked. Both times he refused to face me. I am ranked in the top 15 and you consider yourself a top fighter – why not face me? I’m ready to show the world that I’m an elite middleweight by challenging other top rated 160 pound fighters. My question to you Spike is why did you twice avoid the challenge for easier opponents? I want you to stop running from me – man up and fight me!”

Jody Caliguire, advisor for Team Falcao, has felt the same frustrations as his fighter and none of it has to do with their unwillingness.

“We’re ready for anybody on any platform. Yama has never turned down an opportunity and we’re always putting our name out there. Aside from Spike, we offered to face Demetrius Andrade, Gennady Golovkin, Jason Quigley and Danny Jacobs among others. None of those fights happened. We don’t need to have our record built up – we’re ready to face the best right now!”

Tampa, FL (May 3, 2018) – Dynamic welterweight prospect Mark Reyes Jr. will face veteran Javier Garcia in a six round special attraction bout Saturday, June 16 at The Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL.

Fighting out of Tampa, Reyes Jr. is 6-0 with 4 wins by knockout. The popular 22-year-old possesses explosive athleticism and dynamic punching power, most recently dispatching Larry Yanez inside of three rounds. A top amateur prior to his pro career, Reyes Jr’s camp believes the sky’s the limit.

A 25 fight veteran, the Gurabo, Puerto Rico native faced a number of quality opponents. Garcia, 8-16-1 (5 KO’s), battled 11 unbeaten foes including title contenders Jose Gonzalez and Emmanuel de Jesus, Harold Calderon and Derrick Cuevas among others.

Having fought all of his bouts in the Tampa Bay area, Reyes Jr. expects another strong showing June 16.

“Every fight I look forward to showcasing my talent and hard work. June 16 is another chance to do so and I hope to impress new fans at the St. Pete Coliseum.”

Fire Fist Boxing has put together a solid card, headlined by an NBA Intercontinental middleweight showdown between unbeaten Ireland-based Tampa transplant Connor Coyle and rival Danny Pastrana of Orlando, FL.

The co-feature is an important 8 round matchup between cruiserweights Nicholas Iannuzzi (19-4) and Vincent Miranda (17-2). Featherweight phenom Jose “Lil Pacquiao” Resendez, Ricky “Cowboy” Tomlinson, Ali Tareh, Joseph Fernandez, Rodriguez Cade and Kendrick Thomas are all scheduled to appear in separate bouts.

“This card continues to get better and better,” said Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “We’ve got an awesome event scheduled for June 16 loaded with quality fighters. Mark Reyes Jr. is a talented fighter with a great fan base. I advise everybody to come out June 16 because you’ll get to see a number of quality fighters from difference backgrounds giving it their all”.

Tickets are on sale now at https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/0D00548D9F1C967E.

St. Petersburg, FL (April 26, 2018) – Featherweight Jose “Lil’ Pacquiao” Resendiz will face Vincent Jennings in a six round contest as part of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions’ June 16 card at The Coliseum in St. Petersburg.

Tickets are on sale now at https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/0D00548D9F1C967E.

With a physical and stylistic resemblance to boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, Resendiz built a strong fan base and rewards supporters with an all-action style. Originally from Mexico but now fighting out of St. Petersburg, Resendiz is 5-1 with 3 knockouts. He owns impressive wins over Mohamed El Marcouchi (2-0) and Raul Chirino (7-1), mercifully stopping the latter in a brilliant performance.

His lone defeat came under extremely seedy circumstances and many argue he should’ve won by disqualification. In that contest, Resendiz badly hurt unbeaten Joshua Pagan with a body shot in the final minute of the bout and looked for the knockout. A fan literally jumped onto the ring apron and took a swing at Resendiz’ head, forcing the referee to stop the fight and restore order. This also allowed Pagan unexpected time to recover and he ultimately claimed a split decision victory.

Hailing from Grand Rapids, MI, Jennings is 5-5-1 with 4 KO’s. The 33-year-old has been matched extremely tough, facing four consecutive unbeaten opponents in their backyard. Jennings dropped multiple controversial decisions and has a win over contender Dennis Galarza.

“I’m very excited to have Jose on the card,” said Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “He really does fight a lot like Manny Pacquiao and fans love that style but he’ll have his hands full with a very gritty opponent in Vincent Jennings who has already shown his willingness to fight anybody, anywhere at any time.”

This excellent evening of boxing features eight bouts, headlined by an exciting 10 round NBA middleweight showdown between 7-0 Irish sensation Connor “The Kid” Coyle and Orlando, FL’s Danny Pastrana. Tampa cruiserweight Nicholas “Showstopper” Iannuzzi, 19-4 (11 KO’s), meets Puerto Rican Vincent Miranda, 17-2 (9 KO’s), in the eight round co-feature.

Crowd favorites Ricky “Cowboy” Tomlinson, Ali Tarah, Joseph Fernandez, Kendrick Thomas and Rodriguez Cade will all appear in
separate undercard bouts.

All fights are pending Florida State Athletic Commission approval.

For more information on Fire Fist Boxing Promotions, go to Firefistboxing.net or Facebook.com/firefistboxing.

St. Petersburg, FL (April 15, 2018) – Fire Fist Boxing Promotions will take over The Coliseum in St.
Petersburg when they present a seven fight card Saturday, June 16.

This exciting evening is headlined by unbeaten middleweight Connor “The Kid” Coyle as he looks to capture his first championship when he meets Danny “El Bebo” Pastrana for the NBA Middleweight title.

Tickets are on sale now at https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/0D00548D9F1C967E.

One of Ireland’s top amateurs, Coyle captured a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. As a pro, the 27-year-old has a perfect 7-0 ledger with 2 wins by knockout. Representing his native Derry, Northern Ireland and his adopted hometown of Tampa, FL, Coyle’s two most recent victories came against previously unbeaten foes in Calvin Metcalf (6-0) and Joshua Maxwell (2-0).

Fighting out of Orlando, FL, Pastrana is 6-4 with 1 KO. Pastrana has wins over two previously unbeaten foes and lost a close decision against future world title contender Wilky Campfort. On June 16, Pastrana looks to upset the applecart by conquering Coyle.

Coyle-Pastrana is scheduled for ten rounds.

“We’ve had a great local response to this scheduled main event,” said Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “Danny came to our last fight card and we did two face-offs with Connor. There is definitely a lot of pride at stake and I have no question this will be an action-packed fight. Both men have strong crowd support and are coming into the fight with plenty of confidence but only one will go home as the new NBA champion.”

In the highly-anticipated eight round co-feature, popular cruiserweight Nicholas “The Showstopper” Iannuzzi, 19-4 (11 KO’s) of Tampa meets Georgia-based Puerto Rican Vincent Miranda. Out of the ring for close to four years to help care for his special needs child, Iannuzzi made his emotional return March 3 and scored a dramatic third round knockout of Lemarcus Tucker. Miranda, 17-2 (9 KO’s), has a win over former NABO and USBA champion Brian Barbosa.

Exciting featherweight Ricky “Cowboy” Tomlinson of Thonotosassa, FL goes for his second straight victory when he challenges Washington DC’s Jordan “The Kidd” Peters in a six rounder. Tomlinson, 6-3-2 (2 KO’s), looked good in his last bout, a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten Ernest Hall.

Junior middleweight Ali Tarah of St. Petersburg looks to end his career with a victory in his six round fight against West Palm Beach, FL’s Jose Cortes. A veteran of 31 professional fights, Tareh owns a gym and promotes fights under the Pahlavan Promotions banner.

In other bouts, Joseph Fernandez will face an opponent to be announced in a junior welterweight matchup, heavyweight Rodriguez Cade faces Nathaniel Copeland in a four rounder and junior lightweight Kendrick Thomas looks to win his pro debut when he squares off in a four round tilt with Patrick Gutierrez.

All bouts are pending Florida State Athletic Commission approval.

For more information on Fire Fist, visit Firefistboxing.net or Facebook.com/Firefistboxing.

Plant City, FL (April 2, 2018) – Rising star and WBC #13 rated middleweight Yamaguchi Falcao scored a one-sided eight round decision over tough veteran Richar Gutierrez Saturday, March 31 at the Marina Bay SportsPlex in Quincy, MA.

Fighting in front of a national audience on ESPN2, the bout got off to a strange start when Gutierrez was incorrectly credited with a knockdown in the opening seconds after stepping on Falcao’s foot then landing a punch. The 2012 Olympic medalist immediately got back on his feet and made Gutierrez pay the price from bell to bell.

Falcao dominated the fight with hard jabs and crisp straight lefts, scoring a knockdown in the closing moments of the fifth. The game Gutierrez attempted to throw Falcao off by regularly clinching and using roughhouse tactics but was unsuccessful.

Scores were 79-73, 78-72 and 78-71.

Falcao is now 15-0 with 7 KO’s and Gutierrez falls to 30-18-2 (19 KO’s).

“Gutierrez was an experienced and sometimes dirty fighter,” said Falcao, who fights out of Plant City, FL and proudly represents his native Brazil. “I had a job to do and went out there and did it. I’d like to thank my team who did a great job of getting me ready for this fight and helped me bring the victory home.”

Falcao, who has been turned down by a number of notable middleweights, is eager as ever to get his shot at another top 160 pound fighter.

“I believe when I’m at my best I can compete with anybody in the division. I want the opportunity to fight for a world title and show everybody who I am.”

Details for Falcao’s next fight will be available shortly.

Nashville, TN (March 19, 2018) – Rising prospect Sena “African Assassin” Agbeko put another victory in the books following a thoroughly dominant six round unanimous decision victory over veteran Lawrence Blakey Saturday, March 17 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville.

The Agbeko-Blakey matchup headlined a seven fight card promoted by Tri-Star Boxing.

Backed by a large group of fans, Agbeko took his time in the early going against his larger but defensively-minded southpaw foe. After getting into a rhythm, the Nashville transplant took over with a solid jab and crisp straight rights. Agbeko maintained his pace through the final bell while Blakey offered very little offensively.

Scores were 60-54 twice and 59-55. Agbeko is now 21-1 with 18 KO’s. Blakey returns home to Pennsylvania 5-9-2 (2 KO’s).

Exciting junior flyweight Edwin Reyes won a thrilling 10 round split decision over Mexican veteran Armando Vasquez. Reyes, a Nashville transplant by way of Guatemala, threw a tremendous amount of punches while Vasquez found some success countering his aggressive foe. Ultimately, Reyes was the stronger and more consistent fighter.

Scores were 99-91, 97-93 Reyes and a surprising 96-94 for Vasquez.

Reyes improves to 8-3-2 with 5 KO’s while Vasquez slides to 25-21-1 (6 KO’s).

In undercard action, welterweight Luis Galarza returned to the ring and decisioned durable Matt Murphy. Following the bout, Galarza donated his purse to LifePoint Church. Locals Chuckie Driver, Maidel Sando and Yolexcy Leiva all earned victories as well.

“This show exceeded my expectations,” said Matt Young. “The Vols were in the NCAA tournament and St. Patrick’s Day always has people going to a number of different places in the area so I’m overjoyed with the fact that we had a strong crowd. I’d also like to commend Luis Galarza for donating his purse to help LifePoint Church. We’re growing with every show and I hope to see everybody next time.”

Tri-Star is currently working on a summer card. Details will be available shortly.

Plant City, FL (March 16, 2018) – World rated middleweight Yamaguchi Falcao returns to the ring Saturday, March 31 against rugged Colombian Richard “La Lamina” Gutierrez in an eight round contest at the Marina Bay Sportsplex in Quincy, MA.

Born and raised in Brazil but now fighting out of Plant City, FL under head trainer Jose Rodriguez, Falcao captured a Bronze Meadal at the London Olympics in 2012. The 30-year-old standout has been flawless thus far as a pro, compiling a 14-0 record with 7 victories by knockout. On May 5, 2017, Falcao impressively outpointed previously unbeaten Morgan Fitch (18-0-1) over ten rounds. Currently rated #13 by the World Boxing Council, Falcao meets one of the craftiest veterans in the 160 pound division.

A Miami based Colombian, Gutierrez is a 51 fight veteran. He’s faced a number of top fighters including Joshua Clottey, Alredo Angulo, Luis Carlos Abregu, Zaurbek Baysangurov, Yudel Johnson, Jonathan Gonzalez, Vanes Martirosyan and Gilberto Ramirez among others. At 30-17-2 with 19 KO’s, Gutierrez has only been stopped three times and is a former WBC Latino titlist. In his most recent bout, he held unbeaten Marcos Osorio to a draw in his native Puerto Rico.

“Gutierrez is a very tough, experienced, crafty and game fighter,” said Jody Calaguire of Team Falcao. “Yama has been looking great in camp and is ready to win impressively.”

The 31st also marks Falcao’s first fight in Massachusetts, which has one of the largest Brazilian populations in the United States. While nothing is quite like fighting at home, Falcao’s hoping the Brazilian community comes out in large numbers to support him.

“The Brazilian people are extremely important to me. I have fought six times in Brazil and my Olympic Bronze was for everybody in the country. Knowing there’s many Brazilians in the Boston area where the fight is taking place further inspires me to put on a great performance. I hope to see many Brazilian flags and meet new supporters on the 31st.”

The card is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Murphy’s Boxing and will air on ESPN2. Tickets are available at Murphysboxing.com.

Nashville, TN (March 13, 2018) – Light heavyweight knockout king Sena “African Assassin” Agbeko will headline Tri-Star Boxing’s special edition of “Fight at the Fairgrounds” when he battles Lawrence Blakey Saturday, March 17 at the Fairground Sports Arena in Nashville, TN.

Tickets can be purchased by going to tristarboxing.com/tickets and doors open at 6 pm. The card is brought to you in association with Blue Chair Bay Rum.

Hailing from Ghana and fighting out of Nashville, Agbeko’s impressive professional ledger reads 20-1 with 18 victories by knockout. The 26-year-old has become a local favorite and Saturday marks his third fight in the Music City. He most recently defeated veteran Anthony Bowman via 2ndround stoppage in January.

Standing across the ring will be Pennsylvania’s Lawrence Blakey. A tough luck fighter with a 5-8-2 record and two wins by KO, Blakey’s been victimized by questionable judging. His last four defeats came via split or majority decision and he’s faced six unbeaten foes. In November 2017, Blakey outpointed Joe Paintiff (12-3) via unanimous decision.

The Agbeko-Blakey fight is scheduled for six rounds.

Exciting junior flyweight Edwin Reyes of Nashville by way of Guatemala faces Mexico’s 56 fight veteran Armando “Chiquita” Vazquez in the 10 round co-feature. The pair previously met in 2017, with Reyes capturing an exciting decision victory. This time around Reyes, 7-3-2 (5 KO’s), aims for a knockout to erase any doubts that he’s the superior fighter.

The undercard will see the return of Antioch, TN’s Luis “El Taino” Galarza in a four round contest. Fighting for the first time in nearly two years, Galarza has an excellent 21-4 record with 15 of his victories by knockout. He’s shared the ring with world champions Kell Brook and Austin Trout but his proudest moment in boxing will come Saturday evening when he donates 100% of his fight purse to LifePoint Church.

Matt Young of Tri-Star Boxing said “This is our second straight St Patricks’ Day card. The turnout in 2017 was amazing and we’re looking to break the numbers this time around. We’ve got an incredible knockout artist in Agbeko along with one of the most exciting fighters out there in Edwin Reyes plus a number of competitive fights featured on the undercard. Luis Galarza is also making his return for a truly special purpose. I’m looking forward to seeing our loyal fans and some new faces on Saturday evening.”

For more information, visit tristarboxing.com.

Tampa, FL (March 7, 2018) – Welterweight up and comer Mark Reyes will face veteran Larry Yanez in the main event of Fight Night Promotions’ “Friday Night Fights” Friday, March 9 at the Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Center in Tampa, FL.

Tickets are available by calling 813-532-5243. Doors open at 6 pm and the opening bell is at 7.

Living and fighting out of Tampa, Reyes started boxing at the age of 6, becoming a multi-time National Champion. His dream was to represent the US in the 2016 Olympics but his path to Rio was derailed by an injury. As a pro, the talented Reyes has a perfect 5-0 record with 3 wins by knockout and many industry insiders consider the 21-year-old to be one of Florida’s blue chip prospects.

Originally from Cuba and now residing in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Yanez is a fearless fighter who never turns down a challenge. He’s faced the likes of Gary Antuanne Russell, Samuel Teah, Rickey Edwards, Ivan Najera and Yoelvis Gamboa. In Novemebr 2012, Yanez upset previously unbeaten Jairo Martinez via unanimous decision.

The Reyes-Yanez fight is slated for 6 rounds.

In the co-main event , Female bantamweight sensation Jasmine “The Animal” Artega of Tampa risks her 4-0 record in a four rounder against iron-chinned Louisianan Ivanna Coleman. Artega’s won all of her bouts by knockout, three coming in the first round and she’s quickly built a reputation as a dynamic puncher with championship potential. A veteran of 9 fights, all but one of Coleman’s opponents were unbeaten and she’s never been stopped.

Cruiserweight Ramon Nicholas, 10-2 (6 KO’s) looks to continue his impressive run when he battles Jimmy “Mad Boxer” Owensby, 5-7 (2 KO’s) of Louisiana in a six round contest. Born in Cuba but now living in Miami, FL, Nicolas holds impressive victories over renowned spoiler Darnell Boone and former world title challenger Marcus Oliveira. A standout in the World Series of Boxing, both of his Nicholas’ setbacks came via disqualification. Owensby is also riding a wave of confidence, handing 5-0 Richard Brown his first defeat last July.

Junior lightweight Iron Alvarez, 1-0 (1 KO), of Winter Haven, FL meets Alabama’s Jamarkus Harmon, 0-2, in a four rounder. Locals Juan Avila, Ramon De La Paz and Michael Ream will also appear in undercard action.

“There was a lot that went into making this card happen including a last minute venue change,” said William Hunter of Fight Night Promotions. “We’re pleased to be showcasing who we believe are two of Florida’s best up and comers in Mark Reyes and Jasmine Artega. Ramon Nicholas is also a great talent who has never truly been defeated. I hope to see everybody at the Fairgrounds Friday evening.”

Clearwater, FL (March 5, 2018) – Lightweight standout William “Babyface” Silva masterfully outclassed ultra-tough Arkansas based Guatemalan Rogelio “El Loco” Casarez to become the NBA World and IBO Continental lightweight champion Saturday, March 3 at Banquet Masters in Clearwater, FL.

Headlining a six bout card promoted by Fire Fist Boxing Promotions that was broadcast live across the world on Fite.tv, Silva was in control throughout the contest.

The Plant City, FL based Brazilian dictated the pace, peppering Casarez with jabs, straight rights, uppercuts and body punches. Casarez, who made multiple attempts to turn the match into a slugfest, repeatedly found himself on the end of Silva’s crisp punches. Casarez bled heavily from a cut that literally soaked the ring canvas but displayed tremendous heart and a remarkable chin.

All three judges scored the bout 100-90.

“I knew that Casarez was a tough opponent but I knew what I had to do to dictate this fight,” Silva said after his victory. “I’m pleased with my performance and want to fight the big boys at 135!”

With the victory, Silva improves to 25-1 with 14 KO’s. Casarez slides to 13-7 (5 KO’s).

Middleweight Antonio “T2” Tarver Jr. impressively overcame a 22 month layoff to down 14 fight veteran Carlos Dixon. Born and raised in Orlando, FL and now fighting out of Tampa, FL, Tarver Jr. quickly took control. After dominating the opening round, Tarver hurt Dixon in the second stanza and teed off until the bout was mercifully stopped.

With the victory, Tarver Jr. improves to 5-0 with 4 of those wins coming by knockout.

Popular cruiserweight Nick “The Showstopped” Iannuzzi of Tampa scored a highlight-reel third round knockout over Arkansas’ Lemarcus “Frieght Train” Tucker. Fighting for the first time in 3 ½ years, Iannuzzi looked to get reacclimated in the squared circle. Moments before the bell sounded to end round one, Iannuzzi dropped Tucker with a hard straight right hand.

In the third, Iannuzzi decked Tucker with another right. The game Tucker made it back to his feet but was in bad shape. Knowing a knockout was imminent, Iannuzzi put Tucker down for good with a massive right hand, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Iannuzzi improves to 19-4 (11 KO’s) as Tucker falls to 5-4-1 (3 KO’s).

Featherweight Ricky “Cowboy” Tomlinson of Thonotasassa, FL handed Baltimore, MD native Ernest “Lightning Bug” Hall his first defeat in an entertaining four round contest. With a huge group of supporters cheering him on, Tomlinson worked at a fast pace and was the busier fighter. Both fighters connected with clean shots in this action-packed bout but Tomlinson’s consistency earned him the victory by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37.

Tomlinson ups his record to 6-3-1 with 2 knockouts and Hall slips to 3-1 (1 KO).

In other bouts, Macon, GA’s Rodriguez Cade, 1-1 (1 KO), knocked out Miami, FL’s Joseph White, 0-2-2, in the closing seconds of a four round bout and junior middleweight Ozodbek Aripov of Fort Myers, FL improved to 2-0 after shutting out ultra-game Savanah, GA native Chaklit Ali Redwood, 0-3 over four rounds.

“It was a great evening of boxing and I’d like to thank all the fans who came out or watched on Fite.Tv,” said Jody Caliguire, CEO of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “We had knockouts, great action and all around quality boxing. Fire Fist Boxing is just getting started and our plan is to feature top local and international talent.

Fire Fist’s next card takes place Saturday, June 16 at the St. Petersburg Coliseum and will be headlined by a showdown between Connor Coyle and Danny Pastrana for the NBA Intercontinental middleweight title.

For the latest updates, visit Firefistboxing.net or Facebook.com/firefistboxing.

Plant City, FL (March 1, 2018) – Many in the boxing world best remember Brazilian lightweight William Silva for his gutsy 2016 performance against Felix Verdejo. In the HBO televised bout, Silva showed tremendous heart and toughness but was outpointed over ten rounds in front of a sold out pro-Verdejo crowd.

“I didn’t have the right team or training camp at the time,” said Silva, who entered the Verdejo bout 23-0.

Since relocating to Florida from Arizona, Silva linked up with Jose Rodriguez at the Plant City Boxing Gym and inked a promotional agreement with Tampa-based Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. In November 2017, he returned to the ring after a year and a half layoff to outpoint Ariel Vasquez. Thus far, everything has paid off and Silva’s currently in top form.

“He’s been training at a fantastic pace, said Rodriguez. “His balance and power are extraordinary – he’s ready to fight!”

On Saturday, March 3, Silva faces tough Rogelio Casarez in the 10 round main event of a Fire Fist Boxing card at Banquet Masters in Clearwater, FL. Silva-Casarez is for the NBA World and IBO Continental lightweight championships. Casarez, who has a deceiving 13-6 record, faced excellent opposition including Jamel Herring and multi-division title contender Cesar Seda, who he took the distance last August.

“I don’t know much about him besides that he’s a tough lefty that comes at you,” Silva said of his opponent.

Even with limited information about the man he’ll swap punches with Saturday evening, Silva’s confident he’ll defeat his Arkansas-based foe before setting his sights on the 135 pound division’s elite.

“(With a victory) I hope to get ranked and fight the top fighters at 135. This is my time to make it happen because I’ve got the right people behind me that believe in my career.”

The card starts at 7 pm and also features 7 other bouts including local standouts Nicholas Iannuzzi, Antonio Tarver Jr., Joseph Fernandez, Ricky Tomlinson and Ozodek Aripov.

Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com and tables can be purchased by calling 813-734-2461. Fans can also watch the eight bout card live anywhere in the world for just $9.99 by going to https://www.fite.tv/watch/lightweight-battle/2mzhw/.

Tampa, FL (February 18, 2018) – Lightweight contender William “Baby Face” Silva returns to the ring Saturday, March 3 to face rugged Rogelio Casarez at Banquet Master in Clearwater, FL.

The eight-bout card is promoted by Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and tables can be purchased by calling 813-734-2461. Fans can also watch the card live for only $9.99 at Fite.tv/watch/lightweight-battle/2mzhw/. The first bout is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Hailing from Sao Paolo, Brazil but residing in Florida, Silva has an excellent 24-1 professional record with 14 of those victories by knockout. The former WBO Latino Lightweight titlist fought highly-touted Felix Verdejo on HBO in 2016 but came up short in a gutsy performance. Silva is looking to get back into the limelight but must first pass a tough test on the 3rd.

Known by his moniker “El Loco,” Casarez has proven his willingness to fight anybody, anytime, anywhere. The Arkansas native, who is 13-6 with 5 KO’s, fought 2012 Olympian Jamel Herring, undefeated Louis Cruz and two-division world title challenger Cesar Seda. In 2016, Casarez traveled all the way to China to capture the NABF and IBU 130 pound titles by outpointing previously unbeaten Ronnakit Boontree over twelve rounds.

The Silva-Casarez showdown is slated for ten rounds and is for the NBA World and IBO Continental 135 pound titles.

Popular Tampa cruiserweight Nicholas “The Showstopper” Iannuzzi returns to the squared circle for the first time in nearly four years to face Lemarcus Tucker of Arkansas in a six rounder. Known for his larger than life Personality, Iannuzzi has a solid 18-4 record with 10 KO’s. Tucker, 5-3-1 (3 KO’s), had all nine of his professional fights during Iannuzzi’s hiatus and looks for a second consecutive victory.

Ricky “Cowboy” Tomlinson of Thonotasassa, FL meets unbeaten Ernest Hall of Baltimore, MD in a four round featherweight contest. Tomlinson, 5-3-2 (3 KO’s) is a big local draw and fought his entire career in the Sunshine State.

Middleweight prospect Antonio Tarver Jr. of Orlando, FL looks to run his record to 5-0 when he meets Dallas, TX based veteran Carlos Dixon in a four round contest. Tarver Jr. is the son of former unified champion Antonio Tarver.

“We at Fire Fist Boxing are looking forward to an explosive night of boxing with championship bouts and a great undercard,” said Promoter Jody Caliguire. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the boxing fans for another great evening filled with international and local talent.”

In other undercard bouts, Joseph Fernandez meets Thomas Amaro in a six rounder, heavyweight Jordan Sanders challenges Rodriguez Cade over four rounds, Ozodbek Aripov faces Chaklit Ali Redwood in a four round junior middleweight tilt and Rufat Huseynov battles Emilio Rivera.

For more information, go to Firefirstboxing.net or Facebook.com/Firefistboxing.

Fort Myers, FL (November 30, 2017) – Welterweight Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella returns to the ring against Alex “Chi Town Heat” Martin Friday, December 8 at Hialeah Park in Miami, FL.

The Perrella-Martin showdown is scheduled for 10 rounds and airs on FS1 at 9 PM ET as part of Premier Boxing Champions’ “PBC on FS1” series. The bout proceeds a light heavyweight matchup between former world champion Jean Pascal and unbeaten Ahmed Elbiali.

Fighting for the first time since a disappointing setback against Yordenis Ugas in September 2016, Perrella’s an outstanding 14-1 with 13 wins by knockout. The Fort Myers native has impressive stoppage victories over David Grayton (14-0), Ramon Ayala (25-5-1), Abraham Alvarez (20-8-1) and Patrick Boozer (11-3). A self-described gym rat, the 28-year-old has spent the last year fine-tuning his skills while also allowing a lingering injury to heal.

Living and fighting out of Chicago, IL, Martin is 13-2 as a pro and has 5 victories via knockout. In 2016, he scored a career best win by outpointing Juan Carlos Abreu (19-2-1) over eight rounds. Prior to entering the paid ranks, Martin was one of America’s top amateur boxers, winning the 2012 National Golden Gloves, 3 Chicago Golden Gloves titles and captured a silver medal at the 2011 National Golden Gloves. Martin is coming off consecutive slugfests with Miguel Cruz where he came up short both times, but a win over Perrella would put him back in the picture.

“Alex Martin is a talented fighter but like myself, is coming off a defeat,” said Perrella. “I’m expecting him to be at his best because this is an important fight for both of us. Training is great so far and we’ve traveled throughout Florida to work with some awesome fighters. I will be fully prepared for December 8 and plan to show everybody that my last fight was a fluke.”

Fans can interact with Perrella on Instagram @bryantperrella or Facebook.com/teamperrella.

Nashville, TN (November 7, 2017) – Junior flyweight sensation Edwin Reyes looks for his fourth straight victory when he challenges Santos “Titos” Vasquez in the eight round main event of Tri-Star Boxing’s “Fights at the Fairgrounds” Friday, December 8 at the Fairgrounds Sports Arena in Nashville.

Living and fighting out of Nashville by way of Guatemala, Reyes owns a solid 7-2-2 record with five KO’s. On September 15, Reyes outpointed ultra-experienced Armando Vasquez over eight rounds. Locals have fully adopted Reyes, who will be fighting for a sixth time in the Music City.
Representing Reno, NV, the hard-hitting Vasquez is 4-2-1 with three wins by knockout. A win over Reyes would run Vasquez’ unbeaten streak to five fights.
The co-featured bout of the evening pits Nashville-based knockout artist Sena “African Assassin” Agbeko against durable veteran Juan Carlos Rojas of Mexico in a six rounds super middleweight showdown.
Agbeko, who came to Nashville by way of Ghana, owns an outstanding 19-1 professional ledger with 17 KO’s. In his last bout, Agbeko dominated veteran Brad Austin over six rounds. Since his lone setback in 2014, Agbeko’s made tremendous improvements and hopes to become a contender in the near future.
Rojas has shared the ring with many notable fighters including former world champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage along with contenders Brian Vera, Nathanial Gallimore, Terell Gausha, Domonique Dolton and Caleb Plant among others.
Cruiserweight standout Mike Wilson travels from his native Oregon to face an opponent TBD in a six round contest. A two-time US National Champion as an amateur, Wilson’s 18-0 with 8 KO’s as a pro and is working his way up the ranks.
“I’m glad to have two of our favorite local fighters headlining again,” said Matt Young, founder of Tri-Star Boxing Promotions. “Reyes gives fans their monies worth every time and Sena’s produced some great knockouts. Fans are also in for a treat with Mike Wilson. He was one of America’s top amateurs and is unbeaten in the pros so a big fight is definitely in his future.”
Light heavyweight Roy King, 10-1-1 (5 KO’s) of Johnson City, TN meets 34 fight veteran Marcus Brooks of Fort Benning, GA in a six round light heavyweight showdown while debuting light heavyweight Maidel Sando squares off with Memphis, TN’s Darius Shorter. Eduardo Aguiar, 1-0, will do battle with Memphis native Adam Young and debuting Demarcus “Chuckie” Driver enters the paid ranks against 10 fight vet Nicholas Rodriguez of Kentucky.
Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
“Nashville is becoming an excellent fight town,” stated Young. “The crowds have grown with every show and more boxers are contacting me about fighting on Tri-Star cards. I look forward to another exciting evening of action that will showcase some very good talent on December 8.”
Contact: Matt Yanofsky (Tristar Boxing) – 551-206-0578 or @kopublicity

October 10, 2017 (Biloxi, MS) – Rite Hook Promotions has run a successful string of professional boxing shows in the Biloxi area, most recently July 29 at the Climb Event Center in nearby Gulfport. Rite Hook CEO William Hunter opened doors for local fighters and multiple boxers signed under the Rite Hook Promotions banner through his fight cards along with various relationships he has with promoters across the US.

• Rite Hook Promotions’ Javonn “Pinkie” Barnes agreed to fight welterweight contender Karim Mayfield October 21 in his hometown of San Francisco, CA. The undefeated Barnes, who is from Atlanta, was in training camp preparing for the opportunity and Mayfield stirred the pot by trash talking on Barnes’ social media pages. To the surprise of Barnes and Hunter, a contact never came and Mayfield is instead fighting Miguel Dumas of Mexico.

Hunter believes that the 5’11 Barnes’ size was a concern forvMayfield. The last foe Mayfield, 5’7, faced 5’11 or taller was back in 2008. Although the Mayfield fight is off the table, Barnes will continue to receive world class sparring when he joins Regis Prograis’ training camp to help him prepare for his upcoming bout against Viktor Postol. Hunter is negotiating to get Barnes on the undercard.

• Mike “Concrete” Bissett came up short in his August 25 challenge for the NABF heavyweight championship against hard-hitting Laron Mitchell. Bissett, a natural cruiserweight who has a reputation for taking on all comers, entered the fight with an injury and a 30-plus pound weight disadvantage. A throwback fighter, Bissett looks to get back on track in the near future.

• Hunter is partnering with a group headed by Florida Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Pete Fernandez to start a promotional firm called Fight Night Promotions. The company is hosting their first show Friday, November 10 at the Bryan Glaser Family JCC in Tampa, FL. Like Hunter’s vision with Rite Hook, Fight Night Promotions will help build and promote local talent. Fighters currently scheduled to appear on the 10th include female sensation Jazmine Artiga, who Hunter believes is a superstar in the making, and Ivan Franco. More information on the card will be announced shortly.

Nashville, TN (September 11, 2017) – Junior flyweight Edwin Reyes will face his most experienced foe to date when he battles spoiler Armando “Chiquita” Vazquez in an eight round contest Friday, September 15 as part of “State Fair Boxing Showdown 2” from the Fairgrounds Sports Arena in Nashville.

The card is presented by Tri Star Boxing in association with Blue Chair Bay Rum and tickets can be purchased by going to tristarboxing.com/tickets.

Originally from Guatemala, Reyes is 6-2-2 with five of those victories by knockout. His exciting style immediately made him a fan favorite in his hometown of Nashville, where he’s 4-0 with three KO’s.

Living and fighting out of Mexicali, Mexico, Vazquez has a record of 25-18-1 (6 KO’s). A pro for 12 years, Vazquez faced world champions Donnie Nietes and Brian Viloria along with nine undefeated fighters. He conquered three of the then unbeaten foes (5-0 Jose Luis Alvarado, 2-0-1 Pablo Cruz Ortega and 10-0-1 Ricardo Armenta) while also besting 10-1 Juan Carlos Hernandez.

Headlining the card is fellow Nashville transplant Sena “African Assassin” Agbeko versus Johnson City, TN’s Brad Austin in a six rounder for the Tennessee Light Heavyweight championship. Originally from Ghana, Agbeko has an impressive 18-1 ledger and 17 wins by knockout. With close to 40 bouts under his belt, Austin’s fought many top opponents including Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, Yunieski Gonzalez, Ismayl Sillah, Isiah Thomas and Edwin Rodriguez.

In a battle for the Tennessee State Welterweight crown, DeMarcus Rogers and Dedrick Bell will battle it out over six rounds. A native of Chattanooga, Rogers has 11 wins against only three defeats with four wins by KO. The Memphis bred Bell’s a veteran of 48 fights and virtually all of his losses came against world class opposition.

Middleweight rising star Winfred “Hot Boy” Harris Jr. travels from his boxing-crazed hometown of Detroit, MI to meet Tennessee based Cuban Yolexcy Leiva in a six round affair. Harris, 14-0 (8 KO’s), is only 22-years-old and coming off a career best win against highly regarded Lanardo Tyner. Having faced a number of quality fighters, Leiva owns a deceptive record of 5-6 with four knockouts. In 2012, he knocked out previously undefeated Benny Costantino (7-0) and is confident he’ll upset Harris.

Rounding out the card is debuting junior welterweight Eduardo Aguiar fighting Augusta, GA’s William Ware in a four rounder.

“We’ve had a few changes but I’m still very pleased with how this card looks heading into Friday,” said Tri Star Boxing’s Matt Young, who is also a firefighter in nearby Murfreesboro, TN. “Our plan is to keep building Nashville’s interest in local boxing and the best way to do that is showcasing talented fighters from the area. The Tennessee State Fair is a huge event and Tri Star Boxing’s goal is to provide affordable entertainment while creating new fans for the sweet science.”

Nashville, TN (August 30, 2017) – Fight night returns to Nashville when Tri Star Boxing presents “State Fair Boxing Showdown 2” Friday, September 15.

The six-fight card is in association with Blue Chair Bay Rum and takes place at the State Fairgrounds Sports Arena, located at 500 Wedgewood Lane in Nashville. Tickets from $25 can be purchased at tristarboxing.com/tickets.

In the six round main event, Nashville based Ghanaian Sena “African Assassin” Agbeko meets Johnson City, TN’s Brad Austin for the Tennessee Light Heavyweight championship. The heavy-handed Agbeko has an excellent 18-1 record with 17 wins by knockout and looks for a fourth straight victory since his lone setback. A veteran of 37 fights, Austin’s faced many tough opponents including Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, Yunieski Gonzalez, Ismayl Sillah, Isiah Thomas and Edwin Rodriguez among others.

Junior flyweight knockout king Edwin Reyes, 6-2 (5 KO’s), faces a foe to be announced in the eight round co-feature. Originally from Guatemala and now residing in Nashville, six of Reyes’ last seven bouts have taken place in the Volunteer State.

DeMarcus Rogers and Dedrick Bell will square off in a six rounder for the Tennessee State Welterweight Championship. Chattanooga’s Rogers owns a solid 11-3-1 professional ledger with four victories by KO but will have his hands full with his Memphis based foe. Bell’s deceptive ledger is 18-29-1 (9 KO’s) but the majority of his defeats came against championship level fighters.

22-year-old middleweight Winfred Harris Jr. of Detroit, MI looks to run his record to 15-0 when he battles Tennessee based Cuban Yolexcy Leiva over six rounds. On June 23, Harris took a quantum leap in competition and impressively outpointed notoriously tough Lanardo Tyner. Leiva, 5-6 (4 KO’s), is expected to give Harris all he can handle having previously faced quality foes in Marcus Willis, Frank Galarza, Boyd Melson, Thomas Lamanna and Kanat Islam.

Additional undercard bouts include debuting light heavyweight Maidel Sando versus Justin Brown (0-1), and 140 pounder Eduardo Aguiar fighting for the first time against William Ware (2-5).

“It’s great to come back to Nashville,” said Tri Star Boxing’s Matt Young. “The city’s interest boxing has grown tremendously during the last few years. We’ve got a diverse and talented group of fighters on the card and it’s a great forum for them as well. The State Fair is a major event and we’re expecting a huge crowd on September 15.”

Baltimore, MD (June 23, 2017) – Baltimore Pro Boxing will pay tribute to the late Murray “Bushwacker” Smith Sr. when they return to Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD Thursday, July 13th for an exciting pro-am fight card.

$45 general admission, $65 ringside, $100 individual VIP seats and a limited number of $1,000 VIP tables of 10 are on sale now at Baltimoreboxing.com or by calling 410-375-9175. All VIP ticketholders can enjoy food and drinks prior to the first fight. Doors open at 6:30 and the opening bell will sound at 8:30.

The father of Baltimore Boxing Owner Jake Smith, Murray Smith Sr. was a lifelong fixture in Baltimore and promoted various events. He passed away in 2013 after battling melanoma. Baltimore Boxing will honor him during the evening.

Headlining will be Jesse “The Beast” Nicklow against Sherman Artis in an eight round super middleweight contest.

Living and fighting out of Baltimore, Nicklow has an outstanding 26-8-3 record with 8 wins by knockout and is unbeaten in his home state of Maryland. He’s also traveled to face many of the world’s best including former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Ryota Murata and top ranked Sergiy Derevyanchenko among others. In January, Nicklow impressively outpointed previously unbeaten Chauncey Fields.

A Severn, MD native, Artis enters the bout riding a wave of confidence. On March 30, Artis knocked down previously unbeaten local favorite Steve Wheeler en route to a unanimous decision victory. Artis’ team is confident their fighter will defeat Nicklow then move onto bigger and better things.

Fast rising middleweight “Dangerous” Donald Wallace looks to rebound from a controversial draw in May but will have another tough task at hand when he meets Statesville, NC’s Shane Peterson. Wallace, 2-0-1 (1 KO), has received great praise locally for his development and Baltimore Boxing has high hopes for the 23-year-old. Peterson, 2-1 (2 KO’s), is fresh off a vicious first round stoppage of 4-0 Stephon Morris June 17 in Baltimore.

Wallace-Peterson is scheduled for four rounds.

Bantamweight standout Alexandru Marin is slated to see action in an eight round affair. Originally from Iasi, Romania and residing in Bethesda, MD, Marin is 13-0 with 9 KO’s. In June 2016, Marin scored a career best victory, knocking out once-beaten Johnny Determan in three rounds to capture the IBO International title.

Glenarden, MD junior welterweight Dravontay Speed Rawls, 8-0-1 (6 KO’s) will appear in a six round bout against iron-chinned fight veteran Matt Murphy of St. Louis, MO.

Baltimore Junior lightweight Ernest Hall, 2-0 (1 KO) is stepping up to his first six rounder and will do so against an opponent to be named.

The card will also have amateur bouts including local standouts Brian “Bam Bam” Haenschlager, Clayton Frazier and Deshawn “Soulsnatcher” Chase. For more information, visit Baltimoreboxing.com.

Baltimore, MD (April 27, 2017) – Baltimore Boxing returns Friday, May 12 to Michael’s Eighth Ave in Glen Burnie, MD for “Mayday Mayday,” a talent rich card featuring top local, national and international talents.

Tickets from $50 are on sale by going to Baltimoreboxing.com or calling 410-375-9175.

Boxing great Vinny Paz, the subject of critically acclaimed Bleed for This, is attending as a special guest of Baltimore Boxing Promotions and will be available to meet and greet all VIP ticket holders.

Topping this outstanding evening of action is a ten round cruiserweight title showdown between NABA champion “Slick” Nick Kisner of Baltimore and former champion Alex Guerrero.

Fighting out of Baltimore, Kisner has an impressive 19-3-1 professional ledger with 6 KO’s. Kisner won his last three bouts including the NABA title winning effort where he traveled to Ohio to outpoint local favorite Brian Holstein. Never afraid of a challenge, the 26-year-old Kisner defeated 8-1 Lamont Singletary March 30 at Michaels Eighth and will have a tough task come May 12.

Representing Salisbury, MD and originally from the Dominican Republic, Guerrero will look to regain the title he captured via 8th round stoppage of Anthony Ferrante in 2014. At 12-1-1 with 6 KO’s, Guerrero lost his last fight but will enter the ring looking not only to win back his title but to prove he’s worthy of fighting the cruiserweight division’s elite.

In just his third professional fight “Dangerous” Donald Wallace looks to capture the vacant East Coast Middleweight Championship when he faces Devin Butcher in an eight round battle of Baltimoreans. On January 13, Wallace, 2-0 (1 KO), won a six round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Tahir Thomas. Prior to his pro career, he generated local buzz by impressing in tournaments as a newcomer to the sport. Butcher is 6-1 with 3 wins by knockout and is coming off a decision victory over Eric Govan.

2012 Dominican Olympian Wellington Romero will face an opponent to be named in a special attraction welterweight contest. Now fighting out of Newburgh, NY, Romero’s 12-0-1 with 6 victories by knockout. He is promoted by Roc Nation Sports.

Welterweight Matthew “Boogieman” Bowling, 4-0 (4 KO’s), and heavyweight Colby Madison, 4-0 (3 KO’s), will both face opponents to be named in four rounders.

“This is an excellent card from top to bottom,” said Jake Smith. “Fans will get to witness two evenly matched title fights, four undefeated fighters and a former Olympian under one roof. May 12 is going to be a great evening of boxing at Michaels Eighth.”

Miami, OK (April 11, 2017) – Undefeated heavyweight sensation Trey Lippe-Morrison has withdrawn from his June 9 bout after suffering a broken hand in training.

The power punching Lippe-Morrison is 13-0 with all of his wins by knockout, 12 of which came inside of two rounds. On September, 23 2016, he demolished previously unbeaten Ed Latimore in less than one round on Showtime and did so in front of a standing room only crowd at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, OK.

A member of Holden Productions’ “Four State Franchise,” Lippe-Morrison was scheduled to appear on a special edition ShoBox card June 9 in Verona, NY as part of Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend.

Lippe-Morrison had surgery on Friday, April 7 and will be out of the ring for approximately 3 months.

“This is a minor setback,” said the legendary Freddie Roach, Lippe-Morrison’s head trainer. “This kid not only has talent but he’s an extremely hard worker. He was back in the gym two days after surgery.”

Tony Holden, Lippe-Morrison’s promoter, is already working on his return bout.

“I spoke with ShoBox’s Gordon Hall and he was confident that Trey will be back on the series by the end of the year. I’m pushing to have a ShoBox card with Trey and Ivan Baranchyk together in Miami, OK or Joplin, MO this fall.”

Contact: Matt Yanofsky (Holden Productions Publicist) – 551-206-0578 or @kopublicity

Miami, OK (April 5, 2017) – World-ranked junior lightweight Billel “Babyface” Dib and former WBC Youth titlist Yuandale “Money Shot” Evans will square off in an important ten round bout Friday, April 21 at the Buffalo Run Casino In Miami, OK.

Promoted by Holden Productions and DiBella Entertainment, the card also features the highly-anticipated pro debut of 2016 US Olympian Charles Conwell. Tickets are on sale now at the Buffalo Run Box Office or by logging onto Stubwire.com/event/fourstatefranchiseboxing/buffaloruncasino/miami/14694.

Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Dib has an outstanding 21-1 record with 10 victories by knockout. Currently ranked #7 by the WBO and #13 by the WBA, Dib impressed in his debut at the Buffalo Run Casino last December, outpointing Colombian contender Carlos Padilla over eight rounds. A victory on the 21st will move him closer to fighting for a world title.

Living and fighting out of Cleveland, OH, Evans is 18-1 with 14 KO’s. He has eight first round knockouts and captured the WBC Youth title via fifth round KO of Ruslan Berchuk in his native Russia. Defeating the highly-regarded Dib would put Evans in the picture at 130 pounds.

Middleweight Charles Conwell fights for the first time as a pro against an opponent to be named in the four round co-feature. The 19-year-old represented the United States in Rio at the 2016 US Olympics and is now a member of Holden Productions’ “Four State Franchise” team. Named Ohio’s Amateur Athlete of the Year for his remarkable 2016, Conwell has a fan-friendly style that is expected to quickly make him a crowd favorite.

“We are pleased not only for Charles Conwell’s pro debut but also to have a quality main event between two very good fighters,” said Tony Holden. “Charles is already generating buzz locally and the fans are eager to see him in action.”

Kenzie Witt-Morrison of Tulsa, OK looks to avenge a prior draw against Oklahoma City native Aaron Chavers, 7-2-1 (3 KO’s), in six round heavyweight rematch. The son of late heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison and half brother of fellow “Four State Franchise” member Trey Lippe-Morrison, Witt-Morrison is 10-0-2 and has 9 victories by knockout.

Undefeated welterweight Jarrett “The Legacy” Rouse of Bartlesville, OK will face an opponent to be named. Representing the “Four State Franchise,” Rouse is a multi-sport standout, compiling a 10-0-1 record with 4 KO’s in the ring along with a 3-0 professional record as a mixed martial artist. In December 2016, he scored a career best victory by outpointing once-beaten Shadi Shawareb.

Dillon “White Lightning” Cook was also scheduled to appear but had to withdraw due to an elbow injury.

Opponents and additional bouts will be announced shortly.

Nashville, TN (March 16, 2017) – On paper, lightweight Austin “The Dream” Dulay’s record is parallel to many up and coming fighters.

The Henderson, TN native is 8-0 with 6 knockouts, five of which came in the opening round. He’s been matched properly as he continues to gain experience in the paid ranks. What sets the skillful Dulay apart from other prospects from the south however is his success as an amateur and time spent in the gym with some of boxing’s best trainers and fighters.

As an amateur, Dulay won more than 120 fights, losing just 13 times. He was a two-time Regional Golden Gloves champion, former Regional Boxer of the Year and captured a silver medal at the Junior Olympics. More recently, Dulay got tremendous experience during a six month stint in California where he trained at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy.

During that time, he sparred with then featherweight champion Jesus Cuellar, current pound for pound star Mikey Garcia and lightweight contender Ivan Redkach. He also worked out with Virgil Hunter while on the west coast. He considers his time with Garcia and Hunter, both Trainer of the Year winners, invaluable.

On Friday evening, Dulay looks to run his record to 9-0 when he meets hard-nosed Cincinnati, OH based veteran Micah Branch in a six round contest. The fight headlines Tri-Star Boxing’s “St Paddy’s Day Fight at the Fairgrounds” at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Sports Arena in Nashville, TN.

Branch has never been knocked out and faced a plethora of quality fighters, making each of them work for a victory. A knockout over Branch would be nice however the ultimate goal is for Dulay to separate himself from other up and comers by showcasing his all-around skills.

“I have no doubt that Austin is a very good prospect,” said Matt Young, CEO of Tri-Star Boxing. “While it is true that some fighters build their records for an extended period of time because they haven’t developed their skills, Austin’s got a great amateur pedigree. He sparred with multiple world champions and took instruction from two of the best boxing trainers on the planet. I believe once the fans see him fight any stigmas attached to being a boxer based in the south go out the window.”

The Dulay-Branch fight tops a six bout card beginning at 7 pm. Tickets from $25 are on sale now by going to tristarboxing.com/tickets.

Baltimore, MD (March 9, 2017) – Jake “The Snake” Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions is back in action Thursday, March 30 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD with an exciting pro-am card stacked with local standouts.

Ticket are on sale by calling 410-375-9175 or going to Baltimoreboxing.com. Doors open at 6:30 and the first bell will sound at 8.

Headlining the card is NABA champion “Slick” Nick Kisner against Lamont “The Problem” Singleton. Living and fighting out of Baltimore, Kisner has a solid 18-3 professional ledger with six wins by knockout. In his most recent bout, Kisner outboxed hometown favorite Brian Holstein to capture the aforementioned NABA belt. Prior to his pro career, Kisner was one of the best amateurs in the country, winning various championships.

Hailing from Dover, Delaware, Singleton owns an impressive 8-1 record and has six knockouts. Fresh off a first round knockout in February, Singleton is confident he’ll earn his biggest victory to date against Kisner.

The non-title bout is scheduled for 8 rounds.

Middleweight prospect “Dangerous” Donald Wallace looks to raise his record to 3-0 when he squares off with Barry Trotter in four round all-Maryland showdown. Wallace of Baltimore is fresh off an exciting six round decision victory over previously unbeaten Tahir Thomas in September. Fighting out of Columbia, Trotter’s 2-2 and has a win over 3-0 Tracey Brewer.

Welterweight phenom Joey “Bazooka Joe” Veazey of Baltimore meets durable Washington DC Lamont White in a four rounder. The popular Veazey, who called out UFC star and boxing hopeful Conor McGregor, turned pro last October with a decision win. A seven fight veteran, White’s faced 5 unbeaten opponents and has never been stopped.

Steve “Show Stealer” Wheeler returns to the squared circle for the first time in 6 ½ years to face an opponent to be named in a four round cruiserweight contest. Wheeler, 6-0 (5 KO’s), is a massive ticket draw and looks to continue where he left off.

The amateur portion of the card will feature former East Coast heavyweight titlist Brian “Bam Bam” Haneschlager of the Baltimore Boxing Gym. Haenschlager, a heavy handed fighter, is expected to turn pro in the near future.

“Michaels Eighth has been a magical place for Baltimore Boxing,” said Jake Smith. “We have the best and most loyal fan base in the region. The best way to show them our appreciation is by putting on quality fighters. The main event is a ShoBox type fight between two boxers who have plans of fighting bigger bouts in the near future. We’ve packed the house so make sure to get your tickets early.”

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com.

Miami, OK (March 8, 2017) – 2016 US Olympian Charles Conwell is the newest member of Holden Productions’ wildly popular Four State Franchise.

A recent signee of Holden Productions and DiBella Entertainment, the Cleveland, OH native joins Trey Lippe-Morrison, Ivan Baranchyk, Dillon Cook, Jesse Cook and Jarrett Rouse as a member of the team. A middleweight in the amateurs who has his sights set on working his way down to the welterweight division, Conwell’s known as an heavy-handed action fighter. The Four State Franchise, which regularly fights at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, OK in front of standing room only crowds, helped bring hope to a city currently facing economic struggles.

Conwell was introduced earlier today during an emotional press conference at the Buffalo Run which saw his father, Charles Sr., cry tears of joy. An honor student in high school who won 11 national champions as an amateur boxer, Conwell was named Ohio’s 2016 Amateur Athlete of the Year. He plans to become an adopted son among the locals like his aforementioned stablemate Baranchyk, who he’s seen fight at the Buffalo Run on ShoBox.

“Becoming a member of the Four State Franchise and getting the fans in my corner means everything to me,” said Conwell. “It motivates me to train harder and give the fans great fights. (Holden and DiBella being able to make me a member of) The Four State Franchise is something that helped me make my decision (on who’d promote me as a professional) and I look forward to becoming a fan favorite in Miami, OK.

Holden, a promoter for more than 20 years, considers Conwell one of his most exciting signees and envisions a bright future for his newest prospect.

“It’s not every day you get to sign a fighter who was not only a US Olympian but has the kind of style the crowd here loves. I’m looking forward to Charles’ progression and Lou DiBella and I will move him the right way. There’s no doubt in our minds that he’ll fit in perfectly with the Four State Franchise and become a local favorite in no time.”

Conwell’s pro debut is scheduled for April 21 at the Buffalo Run, where he’ll face an opponent in a four round middleweight contest.

Tickets are on sale now at the Buffalo Run Box Office or by logging onto stubwire.com.

Nashville, TN (March 8, 2017) – Professional Boxing returns to the Music City when Tri-Star Boxing presents “St Paddy’s Day Fights at the Fairgrounds” Friday, March 17 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Sports Arena in Nashville, TN.

The eight bout card features four unbeaten fighters and tickets from $25 are on sale now by going to Tristarboxing.com/tickets. Doors open at 6 pm and the first fight is at 7.

Headlining this exciting evening of action is a six round super featherweight bout between Hendersonville, TN’s Austin “The Dream” Dulay and iron-chinned Micah Branch of Cincinnati, OH. A multi-time champion as an amateur, the 21-year-old Dulay is a perfect 8-0 with 6 wins by knockout and is building a reputation as a solid prospect.

A 21 fight veteran, Branch has never been stopped and fought a number of unbeaten foes including Mel Crossty, Nate Green, Titus Williams, Brandon Williams, Dimash Niyazov and Derrick Murray.

The co-feature pits Nashville-based Guatemalan Edwin Reyes against Lockhart, TX’s Richard Hernandez in an eight round junior flyweight contest. The heavy-handed Reyes is 5-2-2 and all of his wins are by way of knockout. Hernandez, 4-8-1, looks for his third straight victory and is fighting for the first time in Tennessee.

Super middleweight knockout artist Sena Agbeko, 15-1 (15 KO’s), returns from a 3 year layoff to challenge tough veteran Timothy Hall. Originally from Ghana but now living in Nashville, Agbeko was featured as part of ESPN’s Boxcino Tournament in 2014. During his time away from the ring, Agbeko’s sparred with a number of notable fighters while also making himself a name locally by working as a trainer.

The Atlanta, GA based Hall’s gone the distance with a number of quality fighters including former world champion Jeff Lacy, Juan Ubaldo Cabrera, Morgan Fitch, Immanuwel Aleem and 2008 Olympian Lenin Castillo among others.

The talent-laden undercard also features unbeatens Jovann Barnes, Winfred Harris and Mohamed Adam, cruiserweight spoiler Mike Bissett and heavyweight Rodricka Ray all in separate bouts.

“We’re happy to be in Nashville and showcase a number of very good prospects,” said Tri-Star Founder Matt Young. “Nashville’s one of America’s fastest growing cities and a fun place where people can enjoy themselves without spending a fortune. We had a great crowd last time out and tickets have been moving quickly for the 17th.”

For more information, visit Tristarboxing.com or Facebook.com/Tristarboxing.

Miami, OK (February 14, 2017) – On Friday, February 10, boxing fans were treated to a fight of the year candidate between junior welterweights Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk of Brooklyn, NY and Arizona’s Abel Ramos. The bout took place at the Buffalo Run Casino in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation. It was a significant fight for both combatants, with Baranchyk looking to move further up the ladder while Ramos hoped to become a player at 140 pounds by taking out his highly regarded foe.

When the matchup was announced, Baranchyk and Ramos were expected to put on an entertaining fight. What ultimately transpired however far exceeded expectations.

For ten rounds, Baranchyk and Ramos had the capacity crowd on their feet cheering on the incredible action. Both men hit the canvas and were badly hurt at different points of the fight, trading punches at a frenetic pace. They bled, brawled and left everything in the ring in a fight that was among the greatest in ShoBox’s 17 year history.

Scores were 99-91, 97-92 and 97-93 for Baranchyk, who is 14-0 with 10 knockouts. Ramos, whose stock went up tremendously in defeat, is 17-2-2 (12 KO’s).

The CompuBox stats were similar to the first showdown between Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward. Baranchyk and Ramos combined to land 664 total punches and 482 power shots. Gatti-Ward I saw a total of 618 connects with 521 being power punches.

“I believe this has to be the best fight in ShoBox history,” exclaimed Baranchyk’s promoter Tony Holden, who promotes him along with DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. “Ivan is a natural crowd pleaser. He has the biggest heart in boxing and incredible conditioning. Like we saw many times from the late, great Arturo Gatti, Ivan was hurt, bloodied and took a lot of punches but his will powered him to victory. I believe he could become the next Arturo Gatti but there’s still work to do.”

Lou DiBella, who promoted the aforementioned Ward, believes Baranchyk is boxing’s newest action star.

“We got stats from CompuBox and they were almost identical to Gatti-Ward 1 and Corrales-Castillo 1, two of the greatest fights in boxing history. Baranchyk and Ramos put on a fight for the ages and I think the comparison to Gatti-Ward is a good one. Ivan’s offensive mindedness and willingness to take and give punishment is reminiscent of Arturo Gatti. He’s already shown he can get a crowd behind him and that was proven by how quickly the fans in Miami, OK adopted him as if he were one of their own. I really think he can become the Belarusian Gatti.”

Miami, OK (February 7, 2017) – When junior welterweight powerhouse Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk first entered a boxing gym at age 12 in his native Belarus, he quickly learned why boxing is known as the loneliest sport.

“The man who ran the gym I went to was supposed to be the trainer but he had a drinking problem,” Baranchyk recalled. “Instead of teaching us the sport of boxing, he just opened the gym door each day and left us without steady guidance.”

Baranchyk learned much of the sweet science on his own and didn’t have a stable trainer throughout his amateur career. Amazingly, he won the 2009 World Junior Championships and defeated future two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba in the process. After continuing to excel as an amateur, the word quickly got out about the Belarusian buzzsaw.

He had offers from promoters across the globe to turn pro and elected to sign with Fight Promotions Inc. Baranchyk relocated to Brooklyn, NY after turning pro in June 2014. Nine victories later, he was matched with fellow unbeaten Nicholas Givhan of Michigan on ShoBox: The New Generation at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, OK. A transplanted New Yorker who fought most of his professional bouts at that point in the Big Apple, Baranchyk never heard of Oklahoma and wasn’t sure what the environment would be like.

On paper, the bout was viewed as a tossup and Givhan had more professional experience. Both fighters weren’t known to locals but it took less than half a minute to change that. Just 21 seconds after the opening bell, Baranchyk flattened Givhan with a vicious left hook that was one of 2016’s best knockouts. The standing room only crowd at the Buffalo Run was amazed and wanted to see him fight there again.

Three months later, Baranchyk granted their wish when he made his second straight ShoBox appearance, taking apart previously undefeated Eliseo Cruz Sesma inside of three rounds. The all-action Baranchyk had the crowd on their feet throughout the contest chanting “Beast, Beast, Beast” until the stoppage.

Shortly thereafter, Baranchyk signed with Tony Holden Productions, who promotes Baranchyk alongside DiBella Entertainment and the aforementioned Fight Promotions Inc. He’s since won two more bouts at the Buffalo Run, raising his professional record to 13-0 with 10 knockouts while capturing the USBA and WBC USNBC titles in the process.

“I feel very comfortable with the fans out there,” said Baranchyk. “I felt the energy at the Buffalo Run instantly and I’m grateful that the fans have been so supportive of me.”

Holden has been promoting fights for more than two decades and had many crowd attractions, most notably former champions Tommy Morrison and Johnny Tapia. He thought he’d seen it all. This was until a fighter with a background far different from the majority of his fans became an adopted son in the 14,000 person city of Miami, OK.

“He’s truly special to the fans at the Buffalo Run Casino and residents of Miami to the point where they’ve adopted him as if he were a lifelong local,” Holden said of Baranchyk, who is a member of Holden Productions’ Four State Franchise. “His style is entertaining and all boxing fans like action fighters. It’s amazing because when Ivan first fought here in March 2016 he was virtually unknown and now he’s a house fighter.”

Baranchyk will have a tough task when he faces Arizona’s Abel Ramos at the Buffalo Run Friday February, 10 in the ten round main event of a ShoBox tripleheader. Ramos, 17-1-2 (12 KO’s), has multiple wins over unbeaten fighters including a fifth round stoppage of 13-0 Dario Ferman last May. He’s faced quality opposition and is expected to be Baranchyk’s biggest test to date.

To ensure he’s at his best, the IBF #7 ranked Baranchyk trained in Los Angeles at Wildcard Boxing Club alongside new trainer Edward Kravtsov. With a solid training camp in the books, Baranchyk is prepared to deliver a solid performance Friday evening.

“This was a great camp and Wildcard is an awesome environment. It was something I needed to prepare for a good tough opponent in Abel Ramos. I’m fully prepared to entertain my fans at the Buffalo Run Casino. If everything goes as planned and I emerge victorious, I trust my team to get me to the next level.”

The ShoBox tripleheader airs at 10:05 pm ET and tickets are available at the Buffalo Run Box Office or by going to stubwire.com/event/shoboxthenewgeneration/buffaloruncasino/miami/14075.

Miami, OK (January 29, 2017) – Holden Productions, DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. return to the Buffalo Run Casino for an outstanding evening of boxing Friday, February 10 in Miami, OK.

The card is highlighted by a quadrupleheader airing live on Showtime at 10:05 PM ET as part of the ShoBox: The New Generation series and features eight fighters with a combined record of 100-6-4 and 76 wins by knockout.

Headlining is a 10 round showdown between USBA and WBC USNBC junior welterweight titlist Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk and Abel Ramos.

A perfect 13-0 with 10 knockouts, Baranchyk fought on ShoBox last September, shutting out previously unbeaten Zhimin Wang. Residing in Brooklyn, NY by way of Russia, The IBF #7 ranked Baranchyk became the Buffalo Run Casino’s adopted son and is a member of Holden Productions’ “Four State Franchise.” He is promoted by Holden, DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc.

Fighting out of Arizona, Ramos has an impressive 17-1-2 professional ledger and 12 victories by KO. In May 2016, Ramos needed less than 5 rounds to stop undefeated Dario Ferman and he owns impressive victories over Carlos Villa (4-0) and Roberto Ramirez (13-1). The 25-year-old Ramos also has draws against Levan Ghvamichava (9-0-1) and Maurice Hooker (12-0-1).

Trey Lippe-Morrison looks to continue working his way up in the heavyweight division when he squares off with Daniel “The Mountain” Martz.

Trained by Freddie Roach out of the Wildcard Boxing Club in Los Angeles, CA, Lippe-Morrison’s 13-0 with all of his wins coming by way of knockout. The Vinita, OK native stopped 9 of his 13 foes in less than a round, with only one of his opponents making it out of the second stanza. The son of Tommy Morrison, Lippe-Morrison received major attention when he stopped 13-0 Ed Latimore in less than a round on ShoBox and is a member of the “Four State Franchise.”

The fighting pride of Clarksburg, WV, Martz looks for his fifth win over an undefeated foe. Martz, 15-4 (12 KO’s), most notably handed Alexis Santos his first defeat, sending the then 13-0 Santos to the canvas in the opening round. He’s also shared the ring with newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Ivan against a very good opponent and give Daniel Martz a lot of credit for taking the fight against Trey,” said Tony Holden. “We had serious difficulties finding an opponent for Trey. Both fighters should be in position to advance their careers with a victory.”

Somebody’s 0 must go when 2008 Dominican Olympian Lenin Castillo, 15-0-1 (10 KO’s), and Queens, NY’s Joseph “Mack” Williams, 10-0 (7 KO’s), meet in an eight round light heavyweight scrap. Castillo or Williams, both 28, could become a player in 175 pound decision with a victory.

Rounding out the televised portion of the card will be the US debut of Spain’s Jon Fernandez. At 10-0 with 8 victories by knockout, Fernandez won the WBC Youth title in his last fight and looks to capture the attention of American fight fans when he challenges 7-1 Michigan native Ernesto Garza. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds in the super featherweight division.

Castillo, Williams and Fernandez are promoted by DiBella Entertainment.

“With an all-action main event between Baranchyk and Ramos, the American debut of Jon Fernandez, a battle of two unbeaten light heavyweights and the return of Trey Lippe-Morrison, this card represents what ShoBox is all about,” said Lou DiBella. ShoBox is a great series and I’d like to congratulate Showtime’s Gordon Hall for winning the Taub Award for the outstanding job he’s done running the program.”

In the untelevised portion of the undercard, heavyweight Kenzie Witt, 9-0-2 (8 KO’s), and welterweight Jarrett Rouse, 10-0-1 (4 KO’s), will face opponents to be named.

Tickets can be purchased by logging onto Stubwire.com/event/shoboxthenewgeneration/buffaloruncasino/miami/14075.

New York, NY (January 17, 2017) – Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson may be the only fighter in boxing history not in the sport for financial gain and even came out of retirement for one final match to raise funds for others.

A multi-time champion as an amateur that defeated future pro standouts Keith Thurman, Charles Hatley, and Deandre Latimore, Melson had a different vision of what boxing would do. The 2003 West Point graduate and Army Reserve Officer used boxing as a vehicle and a voice for causes close to his heart throughout his 18 fight career, donating 100% of the money he earned in the ring.

Overall, Melson helped raise $400,000 between his boxing purses and charity galas. The majority of the funds was for Team Fight to Walk, a 501(C)3 which raises funds and awareness for a clinical trial focused on to curing Chronic Spinal Cord Injuries. He also donated one of his purses to a childhood friend that had a son battling brain cancer and another to Big Vision, which helps people battle drug addictions among young adults.

Fighting for causes was his ultimate passion, but the literal fights were often very difficult. Melson spent the first few years of his professional boxing career traveling from his New York City residence to New Jersey where he worked for Johnson&Johnson as a medical device sales rep. When he was preparing for a fight, he’d run on his lunch break, train in the evening after working a full day and often run again in the middle of the night to help cut weight. At the same time, Melson served in the U.S. Army Reserve, having military duties one weekend a month and two weeks a year.

In addition, Melson would teach fitness classes at Equinox Fitness to earn extra money and regularly traveled to public schools providing motivational speeches to students for free. The exhausting schedule was hard for Melson, who suffered multiple injuries including a stretched brachial plexus which temporarily paralyzed his right arm during his fight against Donald Ward, multiple tears in his left rotator cuff, kidney stones due to dehydration and a fracture in his left orbital bone. Still, he made weight for every fight in his career and finished 15-2-1 with 4 wins by knockout, winning the WBC USNBC junior middleweight title against Mike Ruiz in May 2015.

Melson believed his championship winning performance would be his last bout as lingering injuries from boxing still bothered him and a laundry list of other commitments occupied much of his time. He came out of his unofficial retirement for one final match last November against Courtney Pennington. Melson’s fight financially assisted the aforementioned Big Vision, an organization which he works very closely with that has a mission of helping young adults battling drug addictions return to sobriety. Unfortunately, Melson took extreme measures to cut 30 pounds in 8 weeks and entered the ring devoid of energy, losing via 7th round stoppage.

Following the fight, Melson officially announced his retirement and plans to run for U.S. Congress in 2018. Promoter Lou DiBella, who promoted most of Melson’s fights including his career finale, said to the crowd at the Foxwoods Casino “I’ve never promoted a better man than Boyd Melson.”

Overall, Melson is satisfied with his boxing career and is greatly appreciative for the incredible support from the boxing community.

“When I turned pro, I had no idea how far or long professional boxing would take me. This is a brutal sport not just physically but mentally as well. There were many days where I wanted to stop fighting for a number of reasons, but it was on those days that I had to always remind myself that I needed to fight to help others. The causes I fought for and continue to fight for outside of the ring are as important as anything in my life. Through boxing, I made many great friends and am incredibly thankful for that. I also appreciate everybody that donated to Team Fight to Walk or Big Vision as well as all the media that helped raise awareness for these great causes by covering my career.”

With the gloves hung up, Melson’s focused on running for United States Congress, advancing his career in the US Army Reserve, assisting others in need and continuing his growing career as a public and motivational speaker.

“I fell on my sword in order to compete in this last fight. The weight loss took the fight from my body, so I used every bit of strength in my mind to give whatever I had. I had one purpose for this last fight, and that was to raise awareness and money to help combat the heroin epidemic in Staten Island. I took a beating for this mission and I hope my example demonstrated the need to risk everything, even your body, when you believe it will help the lives of others suffering. Boxing has created a future that has continued to allow me to serve mankind now that I have left the ring as a competitor. I am on the board for the charities Boxer Inc., Stop Soldier Suicide, Team Fight To Walk, and hopefully Big Vision sometime soon. I was recently asked to join the 501c3 titled “The In Bed and Chair Recovery Foundation” so that I can serve on their board. They have a patented multi-faceted exercise apparatus which is meant for anyone who is confined to a wheelchair or a bed. They’ve asked me to help raise money through donations so that they can provide their unit, free of charge to groups of people in need such as disabled veterans and children battling cancer. There is a lot of pressure I continue to put on myself through various commitments and organizations I’m involved with, but this is what makes my world go round as I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I continue to have more opportunities presented to me so that I can positively reach children through my words. Although I have only fought once in order to help create a larger awareness regarding the heroin epidemic in Staten Island, my mission for this cause has only begun. My goal is to begin offering my time to host free boxing clinics on the Island at Rustam’s Boxing Gym as well as one of Teddy Atlas’s boxing gyms. These clinics will be meant for heroin addicts, and the aim is to knockout heroin on Staten Island. My hope is to help Staten Island’s heroin addicts fall in love with boxing and have that as a vehicle to help overcome the addiction. These human beings are sick but they’re are not criminals. Sometimes people who are sick are not able to be healed on their own and when that happens it is upon us as human beings to come together to help heal them.”

Melson is currently on military orders at Fort Meade, Maryland for 9 weeks in total. He is in school there being trained for his new duty as a Public Affairs Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Upon completing training in March, Melson will be looked at in April for a much welcomed promotion to the rank of Major. When he is finished, Melson looks to take his political aspirations to the next level.

If elected, Melson’s mission will involve helping many aspects of human beings’ daily lives with a focus on battling bullying, sickness and disease, poor health care for veterans, veteran suicide, heroin addiction, racism, hunger and unemployment.

“Every part of my journey these past 6 years as a professional boxer has led me to my decision to run for U.S. Congress in 2018. I hope to make my official announcement some time in 2017. Various celebrities and generals have given me their words that they will stand by my side in the public during this run. I am tired of being the human being always asking for help and never being the one asked for help. My mission is to bring the type of fight I brought every fight into the ring and implement it while serving the people as an elected official. I’m confident I can be very effective in using my abilities to help improve the lives of human beings that I am responsible to and for. Most importantly, I need to inspire the hearts and minds of those necessary to help get me elected.”

Melson is also proud to announce that the cause that brought him to boxing, Team Fight To Walk, should have FDA Approval to conduct the clinical trial here in the United States by this Fall. Melson, along with Christan Zaccagnino and publicist Matt Yanofsky have raised $400,000 to help conduct this clinical trial. The trial will consist of 27 Spinal Cord Injured human beings in total. It will divide the 27 into three groups of nine treated between the University of Newark Hospital in New Jersey along with Mount Sinai and Long Island Jewish Hospitals in New York.

The study presented to the FDA was published in May of 2016 in the Medical Journal “Cell Transplantation,” with its results being heavily investigated by American physicians. All reviewing physicians agreed with the results, a requirement in order to be published. This exact study conducted in China resulted in 15 out of 20 Spinal Cord Injured patients, as a group paralyzed an average of 7 years, now able to walk at least 10 meters with the help of a walker. The results also showed that 12 out of these same 20 had their bladder and bowel functions restored. Melson, Zaccagnino and the rest of Team Fight to Walk believe this is the beginning of our long awaited cure for Spinal Cord Injuries in the United States.

Fans can keep up with the latest on Boyd and contact him via Twitter @Boydmelson, Facebook at Boyd Melson, and Instagram @BoydMelson

FloSports announced today the launch of its “FloBoxing Fight Series,” a high-level boxing series that will feature many of the top fighters, prospects and promotions in boxing beginning Jan. 20 from Grand Casino in Hinckley, MN, airing live on the FloBoxing.tv platform.

One of boxing’s top prospects–and the World Boxing Association’s #3-ranked middleweight in the world–Robert “Bravo” Brant (21-0, 14 knockouts) headlines the first event, defending his WBA-NABA middleweight title against Mount Clemens, Michigan’s Alexis Hloros (18-5) in a 10-round bout.

“I am extremely excited to be a part of such a groundbreaking series on such an amazing platform,” said Brant, who was named one of ESPN’s 2016 Prospects of the Year. “I was a subscriber to FloSports far before I ever knew I would one day be featured on the Flo Fight Series. I am not going to disappoint my hometown fans at Grand Casino Hinckley or the many fans who will be tuned in live on FloBoxing.”

FloBoxing-Brant-Hloros

Brant’s promoter, Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions, said, “It is truly incredible to have Rob Brant defend his NABA Middleweight Title on the first installment of FloBoxing Fight Series. High-quality championship match ups being featured on OTT streaming is unquestionably the future of the sport, and I believe FloSports is going to be the leader of this platform. We are very excited and humbled to play a role in bringing this event to the FloSports audience.”

The loaded undercard of the first FloBoxing Fight Series event will include top national prospects Duarn Vue, Skendar Halili, Adrian Taylor, Delorien Caraway and Deontae Wislon.

The commentary team for Jan. 20 will feature Mike Letourneau, national boxing writer Steve Kim and former heavyweight champion of the world Hasim “The Rock” Rahman. The eight-bout card will begin streaming on FloBoxing.tv at 7:30 p.m. CST.

How to Watch FloBoxing Fight Series: Brant vs. Hloros

On TV: Now Available on Roku & Apple TV 4
STREAMING: Available only on FloBoxing. Sign up today for $20 monthly or $150 yearly. Yearly FloPRO access gets you premium content and events from ALL FloSports sites, including FloCombat, FloWrestling, and FloGrappling.