STAMFORD, CT – Chordale “The Gift” Booker (22-1, 10 KOs) returns to Mohegan Sun Arena for the 5th time in 6 fights on June 15th, taking on Argentina’s Brian Chavez (14-4, 5 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight contest. 

The bout is CES Boxing’s main event for “Championship Jackpot 2024,” a Father’s Day weekend doubleheader consisting of 11 pro bouts that follow the “Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational,” an amateur showcase featuring many of the best young pugilists in the country.

“Championship Jackpot 2024” tickets are available at CESFights and Ticketmaster beginning at just $72. Don’t miss the chance to see the best professional and amateur fighters live in this special ‘two events for the price of one’ offer.

For Stamford’s Booker, fighting regularly at Mohegan Sun Arena has enabled him to develop a loyal fanbase who have come out in droves to support their hometown hero.

“I think it’s very important to fight at home,” says Booker.  “The fanbase shows that people are interested and care about the performances I put on, and that’s why I try to make sure I always entertain them, give them my best and go for the knockout.  Not that I’m going to be reckless, but letting my hands go instead of going out there to out point the guy, because I have the skills to do that too, but I like taking the risk and going for the knockout. I love that my fans really appreciate that.”

This strategy has led to 3 knockouts in 5 fights in front of a sold-out arena as the 33-year-old inches towards a world title shot.  Not bad for a fighter who is realistic about his punching power. 

“I know I’m not a one punch knockout type of guy,” concedes the humble Booker.  “I don’t have the power of a Tyson, Tank or Wilder.  I’m just not that kind of puncher, so I had to learn more about the craft to become a better fighter, set things up, and deliver the shots that end the fight.”

On June 15th, Chordale Booker makes the move 6 pounds north to the middleweight division, where he has had a handful of fights over his 8-year career.  The move came after Booker missed weight for his WBC USA Super Welterweight title defense on February 3 against Greg Vendetti.  Booker won a wide unanimous decision that night, but he realized that his days as a junior middleweight were over.

“That was honestly a tough fight stylistically,” admits Booker.  “Vendetti’s kind of like an old school fighter in the way he would tip his head over and position himself down low, kind of like a Jack Dempsey.  It made it tough to throw punches exactly where he was going to be, but I figured it out through the rounds and started to place some shots and catch him while he was ducking.”

Where Vendetti was a hardnosed pressure fighter, Booker’s opponent on June 15 will present a different puzzle, as the fleet footed Brian Chavez may force ‘The Gift’ to bring the fight to him.

“I’m going to show that he doesn’t belong in the ring with me,” says a confident Booker.  “From the videos I’ve seen, he’s more of a boxer. He wants to try to move his feet, move his head. I had 137 amateur fights, and he doesn’t look like anything I haven’t seen before. There’s nothing special that stands out to me about him, so I’m going to go in there and do what I want. I’m gonna see what he has, what punches he’s looking for, and after that, I’m gonna take him out.”

In preparation for this fight, the dedicated southpaw drove to Philadelphia several times a week, where he was able to train alongside one of the best fighters in the world in Jaron “Boots” Ennis. 

“I came up with him in the amateurs, and I knew it would be the best work,” says Booker of the experience. “Boots is a top talent.  I have the best lefty in front of me and I’m preparing for the best version of Chavez, so come the 15th, if this guy is not Boots, I should win big.”

A big win will set Booker up for the fights he craves, including a rematch with the only man to defeat him in Austin “Ammo” Williams.

“Every time Ammo fights, I watch,” confesses Booker of Williams, who suffered an 11th round TKO loss to Hamzah Sheeraz on June 1st.  “I definitely want that back as a competitor, not anything malicious towards him as a person.  Hamzah Sheeraz saw all the same things that any other fighter sees about Ammo: he’s mainly an athlete who can punch.  Sometimes that’s not enough, someone figures out that you’re a one trick pony and if they can get past being hurt, you have a problem. I got hurt in my fight against him and I couldn’t get past that. Sheeraz got hurt in their fight and he got past it and he figured, ‘alright, I just got to watch out for his left hand and I’ll be able to wear him down,’ because usually the guys who have power don’t have as much boxing ability.”

With Williams suffering his first defeat, the time may be right to run that fight back.  If not, the Stamford native will pursue a coveted world title shot against any of the middleweight champions.

“I would fight Erislandy Lara, Carlos Adames or Janibek Alimkhanuly,” says Booker when asked which middleweight champion he would target.  “Me and Adames would be an action-packed fight, but I do think Janibek is the toughest opponent out of them and I’m for fighting the best.  For me, it’s not just about winning a championship. I actually want to know if I’m the best or how close to it I am and what I need to do to be the best. I wish more fighters would do that so we could get the fights and the opportunities we want, so there’s no preference on who I would fight.”
While there will be plenty of time to consider that scenario on Sunday morning, Booker first must take care of business against Brian Chavez on the 15th. 

“The June 15 fight will answer some questions about what I can do with a guy I feel like I’m superior to as far as boxing skills,” says Booker.  “I can say all the things that I want about him and any other fighter, but until I get in the ring with them, see what they have and how I win the fight will tell me what I really need to know about them, myself, and what I need to work on.  I’m preparing for the best version of him by putting myself in uncomfortable situations, going into other people’s gyms and trying to box the best guys.  Putting it all on the line, so that when I hang them up one day, I know I did everything I could.”

Booker vs. Chavez takes place on June 15th from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut and live on Swerve Combat TV. Purchase your tickets now at CESFight.com or Ticketmaster.  

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the U.S. regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven – time national award – winner for “Arena of the Year.”  For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

UNCASVILLE, CT – Chordale “The Gift” Booker (22-1, 10 KOs) turned back an inspired challenge from Greg “The Villain” Vendetti (23-6-1, 12 KOs) at Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday night, winning a 10-round decision over the Wakefield native by scores of 99-91 (2) and 98-92.     

The bout served as the main event of “Winter Brawl 2024,” a 10-fight card that featured 3 WBC title fights, 7 supporting bouts and the ‘Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational’ amateur showcase. The card was broadcast live on Swerve Combat TV.

Going into the bout, Booker was irked as Vendetti questioned whether Chordale had the grit and gas tank to win a war of attrition.  Booker swore that he would make a believer of ‘The Villain’ through the course of their 10-round contest, and he delivered on that promise.

Vendetti, a 33-year-old former world title challenger, was eager to pick up the WBC US Super Welterweight title that Booker won at Mohegan Sun Arena last April.  The title could only be won by ‘The Villain’ when Booker missed the super welterweight limit by one pound the day before. 

The volume punching Vendetti began the fight as usual, pressing Booker behind a frenetic pace.  For his part, Booker circled the ring attempting to counter ‘The Villain’ while staying off the ropes. 

Vendetti came in behind a low stance in round 2, and Booker took advantage of that with left uppercuts and right hooks to the head.  A left hand in round 3 opened a cut over Vendetti’s right eye.  The Wakefield resident briefly switched stances in round 4, looking to smother ‘The Gift’ and rough him up on the inside.  Booker looked for spots to counter in round 5, and the pugilists took turns teeing off on one another as the bell rang.

The Stamford native began to take control of the bout towards the end of round 7, pot shotting the stocky Vendetti.  True to his word, Booker seemed to be in full control of the pace of the fight by round 8, circling the ring, countering well and blocking most of Vendetti’s offense.  Booker dug to Vendetti’s body in round 9, causing ‘The Villain’ to double over in pain.  Chordale went in for the finish, launching a series of uppercuts to the head and lefts to the body.  The valiant Vendetti withstood the assault, soaking up the punishment and even pressing forward in round 10 as the fighters traded shots until the final bell.  Booker may have left the Mohegan Sun Arena without his coveted title, but he nevertheless proved to Vendetti and his hometown fans that he can not only survive under pressure, but win a war of attrition convincingly.

Ricky de los Santos (12-1, 3 KOs) scored the biggest victory of his 13-fight career in the co-feature, outworking New England rival Nathan Martinez (8-3, 2 KOs) to win the vacant WBC US Silver Super Featherweight championship.  The fight looked to be a 50/50 match up on paper, and the first round went according to script, with Ricky enjoying a reach advantage and Nathan countering well.  De los Santos began establishing his jab in round 2, and the Providence resident took over the contest in round 3 with his jab and occasional left hooks.  The 34-year-old added solid right hands in round 4, with Martinez trying his best to time and counter Ricky as the round came to an end.  De los Santos began breaking Martinez down in round 5, as the New Britain native went down from a questionable low blow and went as far as turning his back to de los Santos in round 6 citing a headbutt.  With his 4 daughters and his wife cheering him on ringside, de los Santos poured on the assault in round 7, outworking Martinez to claim the win.  After 8 rounds, the score cards read 79-73 and 78-74 (2x).  2024 is off to a great start for the 34-year-old, as his son was born in mid-January and he won the WBC title less than a month later.      

Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (16-0, 14 KOs) also picked up the first title of his professional career, winning a shut out 8-round decision over fellow southpaw Dormedes Potes (14-6-1, 10 KOs) for the vacant WBC US Silver Middleweight title.  The colorful Hogan established a body attack in round one before launching a straight left to the head that dropped his Colombian opponent.  The Boston native returned to the body assault in round 3 and dominated the middle rounds behind a stiff jab, effective feints and a balanced attack to the head and body.  A left to the body dropped Potes for a second time in round 7, but the tough Colombian beat the count and launched an uppercut that temporarily halted Hogan’s progress.  After the ringside doctor checked on Potes between rounds, the Colombian fighter came alive, launching his own body attack.  It was short lived, however, as ‘Frank the Tank’ reestablished control, landing long left hands as the bout came to a close.  Scores were 80-70 (3x) for the new champion. 

Lightweight prospect Alejandro “El Abusador” Paulino (16-0, 13 KOs) was extended the distance for the first time in 5 bouts, pounding out an 8-round unanimous decision over tough Texan D’Angelo Keyes (17-4, 11 KOs).  Paulino was sharper throughout the contest, landing hard left hooks and right hands.  ‘El Abusador’ dropped Keyes twice in round 3, first with a right to the head and later with a follow up flurry to the head and body.  Keyes bravely beat the count just as the round came to an end.  The doctor checked in on Keyes between rounds, and the game Texan was allowed to come out for more of the same in rounds 4 and 5.  Keyes enjoyed his best round in the 6th, landing flush right hands to Paulino’s head.  The shots had the 25-year-old in an unfamiliar position, as he was forced to back up for the first time in the fight.  In response, Paulino wisely chose to box in round 7.  A right hand bloodied Paulino’s nose in round 8, but the Dominican-born New Londoner had built up enough of a lead to win the bout comfortably.  Scores were 79-71 (3x) for the undefeated Paulino, who improved to 16-0 (13 KOs) while Keyes fell to 17-4 (11 KOs).         

In a compelling flyweight battle, Hartford’s Angel “Set it Off” Gonzalez outworked and outlasted a tough Christian Robles over 8 scintillating rounds.  The fighters engaged in a war of attrition from the opening bell, with Robles focusing on a body attack and Gonzalez responding to the head.    Gonzalez tipped the scales in his favor in round 6, when a big right hand to the top of the head dropped Robles for an 8-count.  The Wild Card fighter made it to his feet and composed himself, only to be staggered again moments later.  Gonzalez hurt Robles once more with a flurry in round 7, but the Californian was able to weather the storm.  The fighters ended the fight as they started, trading hard shots back and forth until the final bell.  Scores were 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 for Gonzalez, who improved to 13-0 (7 KOs), while Robles dropped to 8-2 (3 KOs).   

“King” Kevin Walsh (11-0, 5 KOs) wasted little time clinching his 11th win, dropping Puerto Rico’s Darrell Rivera (9-3-1, 7 KOs) with a tremendous counter right hand moments into their 6 round lightweight bout for a first-round stoppage.  Referee Ricky Gonzalez immediately waved off the contest as Rivera suffered his second consecutive knockout. 

Port Chester, NY’s Carlos “All In” Vanegas Nunez (7-1, 6 KOs) made a triumphant return to the win column, blitzing Jaden Webb (2-2, 2 KOs) with a ferocious body assault that dropped the Beebe, AR native early in round one.  The follow-up attack continued as soon as Webb beat the count, causing referee Arthur Mercante Jr. to mercifully halt the bout at 2:00 of the opening stanza.

Up and coming Polish prospect Slawomir Bohdziewicz improved to a perfect 3-0 (3 KOs), knocking out Boston’s Bruno Saraiva (0-2) at 1:35 of round 2.  Bohdziewicz came out swinging from the opening seconds of the bout, landing sharp left jabs and clubbing right hands to the roar of the Polish contingent.  The Stamford resident continued the assault in round 2, backing Saraiva to a corner with a one-two combination.  Saraiva fought his way out, but a follow up left to the body dropped him to his knees and he was unable to beat Referee David Fields’ 10-count. 

In the opening bout of the evening, James Maner (5-0, 2 KOs) used his reach and speed advantages to outbox Miguel Torres (2-1, 2 KOs) over 4 rounds in a middleweight bout.  Maner bled from his mouth from a head clash in round 2, but the 29-year-old remained composed under fire, staggering Torres with a counter right hook as the Dorchester native came forward.  Maner lost a point later in the round when he hit Torres after referee Arthur Mercante Jr. told the fighters to break.  Maner closed the fight strong, landing at will during the fourth and final round as his opponent followed him around the ring.  Scores were 39-36 3x for the Providence native. 

For more information about CES and its events, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENAMohegan Sun Arena, one of the busiest sports and entertainment venues in the world today, was awarded the 2024 Newsweek Readers’ Choice award for “Best Casino with Live Entertainment in America“. In 2021, the 10,000-seat Arena also received its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its size in the world from Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena is consistently recognized among the top five venues in the United States, and also in 2021 was named “Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency during the pandemic.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been named the “World’s Best Casino Venue,” by Best of Hartford Magazine, and is a seven-time national award winner for “Arena of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music Awards and G2E Las Vegas. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

UNCASVILLE, CT – Chordale “The Gift” Booker (20-1, 9 KOs) turned in a masterful performance on Saturday night, dropping Nicolas Hernandez (27-7-3, 12 KOs) twice in round 7 for an explosive knockout at 2:41 of the round.  The fight capped an 8-bout CES Boxing card that took place in front of a capacity crowd of 4,235 who showed up to Mohegan Sun Arena early to see the “Jimmy Burchfield Invitational,” a 10-bout amateur showcase that took place before the pro card.  

With the win, Booker retained the WBC US Super Welterweight title that he won at the same venue in April of this year.  It was the third fight of 2023 for ‘The Gift,’ who was sharp from the opening bell.

“This was very satisfying for me,” said Booker moments after the battle of southpaws.  “I had some things I wanted to work on, and I had a tough guy in front of me who didn’t fall from the first shot.  He was coming to win, and that’s what I wanted.”   

Booker took control of the fight in the opening round with sharp right jabs to Hernandez’s head and body.  His game plan was to capitalize off the mistakes of his 39-year-old opponent with stinging counter shots.

“He was reaching with his shots from the beginning, so I wanted to take advantage of that” explained Booker, who threw short, compact counter lefts hands and a sneaky right uppercut in round 2.  “When he would throw his left hand, I would roll and come back with my left hand.”  

The 32-year-old Booker kept Hernandez guessing in round 3, varying his punches and speed.  His Puerto Rican opponent out of Reading, PA seemed lost, getting countered every time he mounted an attack.  

“I was changing up my shots,” explains Booker.  “He was ok standing really close to me, so I started putting my punches together, changing the pace of the shots and occasionally sitting down on my punches.  That’s what got him: I would hit him with a number of punches, then a hard one, then a number of punches again.  He never knew which one would be hard, so it disoriented him.”

‘The Gift’ began delivering a one-sided beating in round 4, stunning Hernandez with a right hook.  The patient and composed Booker couldn’t miss with his counter punches, and it looked like the end was near.       

The ringside doctor checked on Hernandez in between rounds, and this seemed to give the Puerto Rican a sense of urgency.  Hernandez came out swinging in round 5, finally landing a few punches of note, including a solid left to the body that momentarily forced Booker to back up and regroup.  

“I got a little too comfortable in front of him,” admitted Booker.  “He caught me with a good left hand that knocked me off balance.  It was cool though because I heard the crowd get loud.  It created some drama.  I liked that he came to fight because it lit a fire under me.  He started yelling ‘come on!’ and I thought ‘wow, this dude really believes he can win this’”.

The crowd included former world champions Tony Harrison, Vinny Paz, and ‘Bad’ Chad Dawson, as well as current undisputed super featherweight world champion Alycia Baumgardner, an amateur teammate of Booker’s who was invited into the ring just before the bout began.

After a contested round 6, Booker stunned Hernandez at the end of a combination in round 7.  Hernandez fought back valiantly, but Chordale began landing at will.  Just when it seemed like Hernandez could absorb Booker’s power, the Stamford native finally dropped Hernandez with a furious combination punctuated by a left hand.

“The first knockdown was an accumulation of punches,” described Booker.  “Instead of going for a hard shot, I was touching him everywhere he went.  He had nowhere to feel like he was safe.  He kept running into the next shot, and his hands started to come down.  I knew he would get back up once he hit the canvas because it wasn’t a hard shot that got him down, it was an accumulation.”  

The game Hernandez beat the count, but Booker followed up with a leaping right hook that dropped the Puerto Rican in a heap, causing referee Johnny Callas to immediately halt the bout.  The ending was reminiscent of the left hook that ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosely launched to end his bout against Ricardo Mayorga in 2015.  It would’ve made Roy Jones Jr. proud.  

“That’s a shot I work on with my coaches,” explained Booker.  “I try to work on shots that are going to surprise guys.  I threw a lot of straight shots tonight, so I didn’t think he would be prepared for that, and he fell right into it.”

With his 20th win in the bag, Booker would like to remain active and focus on a world title shot in 2024.  

“I want to stay active; it keeps me sharp,” said an elated Booker of his immediate goals. “I love Mohegan – the fans here are so supportive.  Having Tony Harrison and Alycia Baumgardner in attendance meant a lot to me.  I’m knocking on everybody’s door.  I would love to bring a title or a big fight here.  We can do Tim Tszyu, James Metcalf, Brian Mendoza, or even someone who recently lost to those guys.  Whatever I can do to get myself to the next level.”

Hall of famer Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt wins battle of attrition

In the co-feature, Jaime Clampitt continued her successful comeback, nearly shutting out tough Ecuadorian Josefina Vega (9-6, 4 KOs) for a unanimous 8 round decision in a Super Lightweight contest.  Scores were 80-72 (2x) and 78-74 for the 4-time champion.

As promised at the final press conference, the women came to fight, with the shorter Vega looking to flurry while the stronger Clampitt countered with sharp overhand rights.  

“I felt good, really focused,” said Clampitt of her performance.  “We didn’t know what to expect with her because it was really hard to get any film on her, so I didn’t know what I was going to get.  She definitely was in shape.  She came to fight.”

What the Warwick, RI resident got was an all-out brawl in round 3, with the former champion getting the best of the exchanges and Vega beginning to breath heavily in between exchanges.  An emboldened Clampitt began to press the action in round 4, sitting on her right hands and forcing the Quito native to retreat.        

“Early on I landed some flush right hands and I think it set her back a bit,” said Clampitt.  “I was trying to go for the knockout, but she was there to win.  She’s very tough.”

Clampitt began walking Vega down in round 6 behind a steady jab and heavy right hands.  The 39-year-old Vega was game, but it was evident in round 7 that she couldn’t hurt Clampitt.

“I didn’t feel any power, and because of that I should’ve taken a few more chances,” admitted Clampitt.  “I was trying to be safe and work behind my jab and set up body shots.  It was a little difficult because she was shorter than me, but I felt like my right hand was landing really well.”  

Despite being outgunned, Vega engaged Clampitt in another non-stop exchange throughout the 8th and final round.  While the Ecuadorian didn’t have enough firepower to hurt Clampitt, she gave a good accounting of herself, providing the 47-year-old with an opportunity to display her skillset and the tremendous shape she was in.  

“It was a good fight for me to showcase what I was working on,” explained Clampitt.  “Next time I just need to follow through a little bit more and throw more combinations to get the knockout.”

With another win in a hall-of-fame career, the former two division champion improved to 25-6-2 (7) as she closes in on another title shot.       

“I want to keep going,” said Clampitt.  “I’m 47, but I don’t feel like I’m 47.  I feel healthy and strong, and I have the passion for it.  I have the right people behind me, so I want to see where I can take it.”  

Other Action

Undefeated Super Featherweight Alejandro Paulino blitzed his Argentine opponent Julian Aristule in one round.  CES Boxing’s newest signing showed why he was one of the most sought-after prospects in New England, dropping Aristule with a left hook moments into the bout.  The 53-fight veteran beat the count but was greeted by an all-out assault punctuated by a big concussive right hand that dropped him for the count at 1:54 of the round.  New London’s Paulino improved to 15-0 (13) with the win, while Aristule dropped to 35-18-1 (18).

New Bedford, MA’s Wilson Mascarenhas (8-1, 3 KOs) continued his assault on the jr. welterweight division, impressively breaking down and stopping Anthony Mora (2-1, 1 KO) in round 3 of a scheduled 6 round bout.  After a feel-out first round, Wilson landed a short hook, right hand combination in round 2 and began to tee off on a hurt Mora, who was covering up and looking to survive the storm.  There was a long break in between rounds as the ringside physician checked out Mora, but ‘Ill Will’ went for the kill as soon as the action resumed.  New Britain’s Mora seemed to be fighting off instinct but was outgunned and taking a lot of punishment as the round came to an end.  The ringside physician had seen enough in between rounds, advising referee Johnny Callas to stop the bout.  Wilson is now 2-0 since returning from a horrific stabbing he suffered in March 2022.  

Anthony “ATV” Velasquez (13-0-1, 12 KOs) made quick work of Argentina’s Mario Bustos (7-10, 3 KOs), launching a hellacious body attack punctuated by left hooks that dropped Bustos twice for a knockout at 1:48 of the very first stanza.  With the win, the junior middleweight out of Springfield, MA bounced back from a disappointing draw in his April bout at Mohegan Sun Arena.   

Mike “The Savage” Kimbel improved to 3-0 (2), winning a shutout unanimous decision over Brockton, MA’s Stephen Davis (1-1, 1 KO) in a 4 round super lightweight bout.  Kimbel, who is trained by former light heavyweight champion ‘Bad’ Chad Dawson, was too strong for the game Davis.  The Waterbury, CT native won the first two rounds with sharper punches.  Davis countered effectively in round 3, but the stalking Kimbel staggered him near the end of the round with a heavy left hook, right hand combination.  Davis stuck to his jab in round 4, but ‘The Savage’ stunned him with a left hook that caused Davis to retreat with Kimbel in hot pursuit as the bout came to an end.  Scores were 40-36 (3x).   

In a welterweight bout, Jeffrey Gonzalez (4-0, 2 KOs) knocked out Hartford native Joe Wilson Jr. (3-6) at 1:54 of round 3.  Gonzalez dropped Wilson twice in round 1 with crushing right hands.  “Jabbing Joe” survived the assault, but it was evident that Gonzalez was hurting Wilson with every clean shot that he landed.  The East Haven native caught Wilson with a sneaky right uppercut in round 2 that dropped Wilson for a third time. Despite being completely outgunned, Wilson fought back valiantly in round 3, but Gonzalez landed a counter right hand near the end of the round that caused Joe’s glove to touch the canvas.  Rather than allowing Wilson to take anymore punishment, Referee Harvey Dock wisely stopped the bout.  

In the opening pro bout of the evening, Slawomir Bohdziewicz improved to 2-0 (2) with an impressive knockout of Gabriel Costa (2-5).  The Polish prospect continuously caught the Woburn, MA resident in round 1, first with left hooks and later with right hands as Costa moved straight back.  Costa pressured the Stamford resident in round 2, looking to disrupt Bohdziewicz by switching from orthodox to southpaw and even spinning after missing a punch.  The Polish prospect was unnerved, however, going to the body before launching a series of stinging uppercuts that dropped Costa hard.  Referee Harvey Dock reached a count of 10 with Costa on his knees at 2:40 of round 2.  
Follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the U.S. regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven – time national award – winner for “Arena of the Year.”  For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

Chordale “The Gift” Booker (19-1, 8 KOs) realizes that he’s at a pivotal moment in his career.  The 32-year-old is in the final stages of preparation to defend his WBC US Super Welterweight title for the first time against Nicolas Hernandez (27-6-3, 12 KOs).  The bout serves as the main event of a massive pro and amateur card taking place on August 12 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.  

It’ll be the third fight of 2023 for the Stamford native, who appreciates the activity CES Boxing is providing him after fighting only once a year in 2020, 2021 and 2022.  

“I haven’t fought this many times since 2018,” explains Booker.  “Activity goes a long way for a fighter like me because I build on whatever I did in my last fight.  In training camp, we build on whatever went well and work on whatever didn’t go well that I need to improve on.”

A lot has improved for Booker, who is looking to make it 3 wins in a row after a disappointing knockout loss to Austin “Ammo” Williams in 2022.  Looking back on that fight, Chordale realizes that he took the opportunity at a higher weight class for the money and exposure that a big fight at Madison Square Garden would bring.  What he hadn’t considered was how inactivity could impact his performance on fight night.

“I was off for a while before that fight,” reflects Booker of the only loss on his record.  “I tore my Achilles and then COVID happened, and I rushed things.  Instead of taking on guys that I could beat to get my rhythm back, I wanted to jump right in there and fight guys at the same level as when I left, but I was no longer at that level – I needed to build back to where I was before.”  

That experience may have been a blessing in disguise, as it marked a turning point for Booker, who knew that he had cut some corners leading up to that fight and needed to dedicate himself more fully to the sport to reach his potential.

“The biggest thing I learned was to take things more seriously,” says the affable boxer.  “Eating the right things to make sure I regained my weight properly after I weigh-in and taking the time to really perfect my craft.”

Moving back down to 154, his natural weight class, Booker also began studying the greats.  He picked up on the nuances of the sport: the blending of offense and defense by Julio Cesar Chavez, how Larry Holmes controlled distance with his jab, and how ultra-disciplined fighters such as Bernard Hopkins and Marvin Hagler prepared for fights and capitalized on their opponent’s mistakes.

“I’ve been watching a lot of tape, studying various fighters and watching tapes of myself to see where I could’ve thrown more shots in between the other person’s punches,” explains Booker.  “Where I was letting guys off the hook, I’m no longer going to do that, because I won’t let guys who shouldn’t be in the ring with me for 8, 10 rounds last.  I’m going to get them out of there.  I want there to be a clear separation between me and someone who shouldn’t be in there with me.”

This is precisely what Booker did in his last fight, a four-round demolition of Daniel Aduku to win the WBC US Super Welterweight title.  Aduku was tough early on, but Booker broke him down with a patient body attack until he found an opening: a right jab followed by a straight left that stunned Aduku and forced him to hold.  Booker then spun his opponent and surprised him with a razor-sharp left to the chin that caused the Ghanian to crumble to the ropes for the count.

“I wanted to knock him out,” says Booker, who fought Aduku in April at Mohegan Sun Arena.  “I told my coaches ‘I don’t want this to go the distance.’ I’m going to take more risks to get him out of there because I want to show the fans that I’m an exciting guy and I want people to want to come out and see me hurt these guys and get to the next level.  This was different from when I fought Angel Hernandez.  I felt good in that fight, but I didn’t take a lot of risks.  I just wanted to get back to winning.”

Booker looks to keep the knockout streak alive against Nicolas Hernandez, a gritty Puerto Rican southpaw out of Reading, Pennsylvania who will pressure ‘The Gift’ with activity and volume punching.  Booker is betting that Hernandez will be there to be countered, and he plans to make  him pay for his mistakes.

“Hernandez doesn’t seem to be too much of a puncher, he’s more of a combination puncher,” assesses Booker.  “He’s kind of off balance when he goes for his power shots, so I’ll be looking to counter.  I’m going to take advantage of that.  I’m going to take advantage of him.”

The loss to Williams behind him, Booker is confident that if he keeps turning in impressive performances in his home state of Connecticut, he will become a star attraction in the Northeast.  

“Fighting in my home state regularly is something I’ve always wanted,” emphasizes Booker, who will be fighting at Mohegan Sun Arena for the third consecutive time in 2023.  “It was cool fighting at the Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden because it’s where the greats have fought, but there’s nothing like fighting at home.  I was recently at a WNBA game at Mohegan Sun Arena, and I was looking around and was amazed that I get to fight here on a regular basis.  It’s one of the best arenas and casinos in the United States, period.  I feel honored that I keep doing it over and over and get to become a star in this area, and I just want everybody to know who I am and support me because I really believe that I’m going to be one of the top guys and a world champion soon.”      

Chordale, who is also active in the community via his “Go the Distance” Foundation, wants to inspire and demonstrate that suffering a setback does not define a career or one’s life.  

“I’m rebounding from my only loss at 160 and coming back down to 154,” explains Booker.  “I’m showing people that just because you have one loss in the sport, it doesn’t mean that you’re done.  You can still become a champion and continue to grow.  I want the fans to come out and enjoy my fight, because I’ve really been working hard.  I’m going to put on a masterclass as the main event.  It’s my first main event ever.  I want a lot of people there supporting me as I knock this guy out.”

Tickets for “Summer Heat 2023” are priced at $46, $66, $140 and $165.  They are quickly selling out, so fans are encouraged to buy them at CESfights.com, Ticketmaster or at the Mohegan Sun box office.  A single ticket is valid for both the pro card and “Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational” amateur showcase. Doors open at 4pm, with the first amateur bout starting at 4:30pm and the pro card beginning at 6:30pm.

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the U.S. regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven – time national award – winner for “Arena of the Year.”  For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

Uncasville, CT – Elijah Pierce established himself as a legitimate contender in the super bantamweight division Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in what was undoubtedly the biggest win of his career.

Headlining CES Boxing’s Championship Jackpot card on Spectation Sports, Pierce struck gold with a unanimous decision win over former world-title contender Tramaine Williams in the 10-round main event to capture the vacant WBC Silver Super Bantamweight Championship – a title Pierce held last October until he was stripped by the WBC for failing to defend the crown.

This time, Pierce (17-2) figures to be more active as he attempts to parlay last night’s win into a major opportunity in the 122-pound weight class. Williams (20-2), the 30-year-old New Haven, CT, native and hometown hero in last night’s main event, heads back to the drawing board after what turned out to be a nightmarish weekend in and out the find; Williams missed weight on Friday and was subsequently denied the opportunity for the belt, then got overwhelmed in the middle rounds Saturday, leading to just the second loss of his pro career.

Pierce, the Oklahoma City native who’s promoted by ex-fighter Tony Jeter, fell behind early on the scorecards as Williams used his speed and aggressiveness to swipe the first three rounds. Then Pierce’s size and strength took over. At 5-foot-8, Pierce is a much bigger super bantamweight than most of his peers. Williams, by comparison, is only 5-4, and that difference in height made the difference in the middle rounds once Pierce developed his rhythm. The taller, stronger Pierce – he entered the fight with 14 knockout wins in 18 pro bouts – simply walked down Williams rounds 4, 5, 6, and 7, backing Williams against the ropes and unloading with effective two- and three-punch combinations.

Williams rebounded nicely toward the end of round 8, but couldn’t build on the momentum over the final two rounds. Pierce was simply too strong and too dominant down the stretch.

In the co-main event, Stamford, CT, super welterweight Chordale Booker (19-1, 8 KOs) brought home the vacant WBC USNBC title with a fourth-round knockout win over Ghana native Daniel Aduku (15-3-1), knocking Aduku face-first through the ropes with a stiff left hand that prompted referee Johnny Callas to stop the bout. After suffering his first career loss in April of 2022, Booker has now won back-to-back fights and earned his first title in last night’s co-feature

Also at Championship Jackpot, Springfield, MA, super welter Anthony Velazquez (12-0-1) fought to a majority draw with Rashid Stevens (6-1-2) of Gardena, CA, and Texan Dominique Griffin (5-3-2) scored a unanimous decision upset win over previously-unbeaten super bantamweight Carlos Venagas Nunez (6-1) of Port Chester, NY, who was making his CES debut.

Fast-rising super lightweight prospect Mike Kimbel (2-0, 2 KOs) of Waterbury, CT, continued to tear through the region, knocking out Pawtucket, RI, native Dahvon Shelton (1-2) with a hard overhand right in the first round of their scheduled four-round bout. Kimbel is now 3-0 in 2023, including a win in mixed martial arts at CES 72 in March.

Welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman (5-1, 2 KOs) of Columbia, CT, won her fifth consecutive fight via first-round knockout when Sarah Click (1-4-1) of Bourne, MA, was unable to continue due to a leg injury and Poland’s Slawomir Bohdziewicz (1-0, 1 KO), who now lives and trains in Stamford, won his pro debut with a second-round knockout win over debut Max Weslei Da Silva (0-1).

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.

Mohegan Sun Arena is one of the busiest Arenas in the United States and is ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the United States regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the award-winning venue has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven-time national award winner for “Casino of the Year – Arena” by the Academy of Country Music. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit MoheganSun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call th

Uncasville, CT – Coming off his first career loss after 17 successful bouts, Chordale Booker could’ve done what a lot of fighters do these days. He could’ve pointed fingers. He could’ve made excuses. He could’ve cleaned house internally and found a new team.

Instead, Booker looked in the mirror and decided any necessary changes to whatever routine, tradition, or game plan that didn’t work would start with him. So the Chordale Booker you see Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in his long-awaited return to the ring isn’t necessarily a “new-look” Booker. It’s the same Chordale Booker with the same team and a new chip on his shoulder.

“I’m not the type of fighter that when they lose, they throw out the whole ship. That ship got me to 17-0,” said Booker, who faces middleweight Angel Hernandez in an eight-round bout Saturday on the undercard of CES Boxing’s Winter Brawl.

“We’re going to sit down, reassess what happened, and get back to it. I talk to my team like men. We’re going to come back stronger and better, and that road begins this weekend.”

Tickets for Winter Brawl are available online at CESFights.com, MoheganSun.com, or at the Mohegan Sun box office. The event is headlined by heavyweight “The Sicilian Nightmare” Juiseppe Cusumano (21-4, 19 KOs) facing “The Hungarian Hammer” Istvan Bernath (10-1, 8 KOs) in the 10-round main event in addition to Worcester, MA, featherweight Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (15-3, 11 KOs) battling Dominican Dannis Aguero Arias (19-2, 16 KOs) in an eight-round bout for the vacant WBC Silver 126-pound title.

The setback Booker (17-1, 7 KOs) is referring to is his April 30 first-round knockout loss to Austin Williams at Madison Square Garden, a wild anomaly on an unblemished record that began more than six years ago when he turned pro in 2016.

As a late bloomer, the Stamford, CT, southpaw has never fallen into the trap of taking bad career advice from those in the industry who don’t have best interests in mind. He started boxing at the age of 19 and turned pro at 24. So while 31 may be considered past the prime years for most fighters, Booker “absolutely” feels he’s in his prime, hence why he’s in no need to rush the process, even coming off a loss in April.

“My prime will hit different,” said Booker, who is managed by Paul Guarino of PG Sports. “I don’t care what anyone says about my age. It’s probably why I don’t get the same opportunities some of the young guys get, but I don’t have to be on the same path as everyone else.

“This is my own race. I’m not trying to compete with anyone but myself.”

When looking back at the fight against Williams, Booker admits he wasn’t in the right head space, perhaps pulled in different directions by distractions outside the right – life’s obligations that fans often forget professional athletes still have to deal with despite their place in the limelight.

At the same time, Booker also admits his meteoric rise to the top of the 160-pound division gave him some false illusions, the idea that he could “cut corners” from time to time and still succeed. He learned otherwise in April, and it might be the lesson he needed to turn the corner.

“I took it personal. That’s exactly what I did,” Booker said. “I don’t like losing. I don’t train this hard and give up everything I’ve got just to lose and be mediocre. I’ve spent some time taking the sport for granted. I’ve got a lot of talent and because of that I don’t do everything I’m supposed to.

“Not anymore. Every lesson we learn in life is because we’ve gotten too comfortable. I’m ready to move on to something bigger.”

The journey back to the top begins Saturday. Booker has a chip on his shoulder, plenty to fight for, and many prime years left as he begins the next chapter. Fighting in front of his hometown fans will be the icing on the cake.

“I’ve never fought at Mohegan, so I’ve very excited,” he said. “Nothing brings the best out of me like fighting in front of my friends and family. They’re excited to come out for this one. I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am with the support I’ve been getting since we announced this fight. It’s been very motivating and I’m anxious to get back in that ring come Saturday.”

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.

Mohegan Sun Arena is one of the busiest Arenas in the United States and is ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the United States regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the award-winning venue has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven-time national award winner for “Casino of the Year – Arena” by the Academy of Country Music. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit MoheganSun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

Uncasville, CT – With a new year comes fireworks, and CES Boxing is ready to light up the sky with an epic showcase next month at one of the world’s premier entertainment venues.

CES Boxing’s 2023 season opener, Winter Brawl, is scheduled for Saturday, January 21 at Mohegan Sun Arena and features a stacked lineup headlined by hard-hitting heavyweight “The Sicilian Nightmare” Juiseppe Cusumano facing “The Hungarian Hammer” Istvan Bernath in the 10-round main event.

Tickets are available online at CESFights.com, MoheganSun.com, or at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office.

Fresh off his knockout win over Dennis Ventura four months ago at Mohegan, Cusumano (21-4, 19 KOs) returns to face the 6-foot-4 Bernath (10-1, 8 KOs), a two-time silver medalist at the European Union Amateur Boxing Championships who was born in Budapest and now fights out of Miami.

The 10-round Cusumano-Bernath showdown is one of 11 fights at Winter Brawl, which also features the long-awaited return of Stamford, CT, light middleweight Chordale Booker (17-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round showcase against 37-fight veteran Angel Hernandez (17-17-3, 11 KOs)plus a highly-anticipated six-round interstate battle between Michael Valentin (7-1-1, 1 KO) of Providence, RI and the undefeated Kevin Walsh (6-0, 4 KOs) of Brockton, MA.

Returning from a 13-month layoff, Worcester, MA, featherweight Irvin Gonzalez (15-3, 11 KOs) steps back into the ring in an eight-round bout against the dangerous Headley Scott (18-1, 12 KOs) of Jonesboro, GA, and super featherweight Alejandro Paulino (11-0, 9 KOs), one of the region’s fastest-rising prospects, puts his undefeated record on the line in a six-round bout against Ryizeemmion Ford (8-3, 6 KOs).

As an added bonus, the undercard also features a four-round cruiserweight bout between rising MMA star John Gotti III (1-0) of Oyster Bay, NY, and Alex Citrowske (1-1-1, 1 KO) of Saint Cloud, MN. A standout with CES Boxing’s sister division, CES MMA, Gotti boxes for the second time in three months after making his pro debut in October. In another potential showstopper, undefeated welterweight Josniel Castro (9-0, 7 KOs), a Boca Raton, FL, native who’s fought his entire pro career in New England from Massachusetts to New Hampshire, faces one of his toughest tests to date in a six-round showdown against Quebec native and Boston resident Mitch Louis Charles (6-3-2, 3 KOs).

Winter Brawl also marks the return of female welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman (3-1, 1 KO), who faces New Jersey’s Michaele Nogue (2-2) in a four-round bout, and Worcester super middleweight Kendrick Ball Jr. (19-1-2, 12 KOs) in a six-round bout against Argentinian and 22-fight vet Victor Hugo Exner.

In preliminary action, Brockton heavyweight Chad Leoncello (1-0-1, 1 KO), fresh off his first career victory in November, faces Boston’s Wallace Nass Silva (0-4) in a four-round bout and MMA standout Mike Kimbelof Watertown, CT, makes his professional boxing debut against Robert Banks (0-1) of Monroeville, NY, also in a four-round bout.

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.

Mohegan Sun Arena is one of the busiest Arenas in the United States and is ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the United States regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the award-winning venue has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven-time national award winner for “Casino of the Year – Arena” by the Academy of Country Music. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit MoheganSun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

In a fight that exceeded huge expectations Katie Taylor won a 10-round split decision in front of a raucous and sold-out 19, 187 at Madison Square Garden.

The bout was billed as the best female fight of all-time, it delivered and then some. The two came out on even terms, with Taylor boxing just a hair better to take a slight early lead.

Serrano hurt Taylor badly in both rounds five and six with hard combinations. Taylor wanted to stand toe-to-toe with Serrano and paid dearly for it. Taylor seemed wobbly and unsettled as she stood in her corner between rounds five and six. Taylor was able stem the tide and start scoring from distance with quick combinations. Several times down the stretch, the two best female fighters on the world electrified The Garden Crowd by exchanging in the midst of furious flurries. The two did that until the very bell in this sure-fire Fight of the Year contender.

Taylor landed 147 of 575 punches; Serrano was 175 of 624.

Taylor of Bray, IRE took two cards by scores of 97-93 and 96-93. Serrano of Brooklyn, NY won a card by 96-94.

Taylor is now 21-0. Serrano is 42-2-1.

“What a fighter Amanda Serrano is – I think we are both great fighters,” said Taylor. “Look what we have just done, selling out Madison Square Garden, the biggest venue in boxing history. 
 
“Both of us have broken so many barriers in her careers. It feels great to be in this position really! Amazing fight. What a night!
 
“I knew exactly how deep I had to dig in this fight. I knew going into it that I was going to be in the trenches at some stage. She’s a phenomenal fighter and a great, great person. 
 
“I was listening to my trainer and I’m so grateful for Ross. Thank you for everything. You’re such a humble guy but you’re the best in the world.”

Smith Batters, Stops Vargas in 10

In a battle of former world champions, Liam Smith stopped Jessie Vargas in round 10 of their 12-round junior middleweight clash.

The fight was close through four rounds, with several even exchanges occurring between the two fighters. The naturally bigger Smith began to take over and started beating up Vargas. With each successive round, Vargas looked more tired, which opened for more powerful shots to land by Smith. Finally in round 10, Smith landed a big left hook that set off an unanswered flurry that forced referee Steve Willis to stop the bout at 41 seconds.

Smith of Liverpool, UK is 31-3-1 with 18 knockouts. Vargas of Las Vegas falls to 29-4-2.

Crews-Dezurn Decisions Cederroos to win Undisputed Super Middleweight Crown

Franchon Crews-Dezurn won the Undisputed Super Middleweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Elin Cederroos.

It was an action packed fight that saw Crews-Dezurn land a lot of overhand shots that forced the nose of Cederroos to bleed as early as round four.

Crews-Dezurn landed 171 of 439 punches; Cederroos was 108 of 511.

Crews-Dezurn of Baltimore, MD won by scores of 99-91 and 97-93 and is now 8-1. Cederroos of Sweden is 8-1.

Yafai Stops Cartagena After 2

2021 Olympic Gold Medal winner, Galal Yafai stopped Miguel Cartagena after round two of their scheduled 10-round flyweight bout.

Yafai dominated Cartagena all over the ring for both rounds until the fight was stopped.

Yafai of Birmingham, ENG is 2-0 with two knockouts. Cartagena of Philadelphia i 17-7-1.

NEW YORK–Austin Williams destroyed Chordale Booker in the opening round of the 10-round middleweight bout.

Williams hurt Booker and the pounded away on him with Booker sitting on the ropes for a scored knockdown. Booker was deemed unable to continue at 2:25.

Williams of Houston, TX is 11-0 with nine knockouts. Booker of Stamford, CT is 17-1.

Reshat Mati remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Joe Eli Hernandez in a super lightweight bout.

Mati, 143.8 lbs of Staten Island, NY won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 12-0. Hernandez, Matarnoros, MEX is 12-2.

Australian Olympian Skye Nicolson remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Shanecqua Paisley Davis in a featherweight bout.

In round six, Nicolson capped off the victory by dropping Davis with a straight left.

Nicolson, 125.6 lbs of Yatala, AUS won by scores of 60-53 on all cards and is now 3-0. Davis, 125.2 lbs of Houston is 3-2.

Khalil Coe remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over William Langston in a light heavyweight bout.

Coe, 174. lbs of Jersey City, NJ won by scores of 60-54, 59-55 and 58-56 and is now 3-0-1. Langston, 173 lbs of Kenosha, WI is 6-3.

HARTFORD, Conn. (September 22) – In a homecoming like no other, rising middleweight prospect Chordale Booker finally gets the long-awaited opportunity to fight in front of his hometown fans in the Nutmeg State.

Having established a successful run as one of boxing’s preeminent road warriors, the Stamford-born Booker (16-0, 7 KOs) makes his Connecticut debut Friday night in the co-main event of CES Boxing live on UFC FIGHT PASS® from the Connecticut Convention Center. Booker faces tough veteran Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) of Yucatan, Mexico in an eight-round bout.

The preliminary card begins at 6:30 pm ET with the live FIGHT PASS stream kicking off at 7, featuring play-by play from Michael Parente alongside color commentators “Sucra” Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host and veteran ringside correspondent Madelyn Grimaldi. Tickets are available at CESFights.com.

For Booker, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime to feel the warmth of a hometown arena and the cheers of a supportive fan base for the first time as a professional, a well-deserved experience for the 30-year-old southpaw after spending his entire career fighting in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and even Biloxi, Mississippi.

A late bloomer by boxing standards, Booker escaped a trouble past as a teenager and took up boxing at age of 18 as a form of “physical therapy,” allowing him to escape the demons that nearly sent him behind bars and refocus his energy on something more productive. He began training under the guidance of Connecticut native and former pro Ahmad Mickens, who remains in his corner to this day.

What started out as a hobby to keep him off the streets quickly became Booker’s passion. Booker relocated to Brooklyn to build his boxing career – and stay closer to his mother’s side of the family – and eventually launched a successful amateur career, one in which he finished 111-19 and earned a trip to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in addition to the following achievements:

2015 Elite National Champion
2015 Golden Gloves Champion
2015 Sugar Ray Robinson Most Outstanding Boxer
2015 Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame Amateur Boxer of The Year
2015 Fairfield County Sports Person of The Year
2014 USA Elite Men’s Silver Medalist
2013 USA Elite Men’s Bronze Medalist
2013 Northeast Regional Champion

Truthfully, there are too many accoladed to name. When Booker turned pro in 2016, the success continued; he raced out to an 8-0 start within two years and kept plugging away both in and out of the ring. He was the subject of a documentary that appeared at the New York Short Film Festival; he launched his own charity, the “Go The Distance Foundation” to help break down the barriers between at-risk youth and the police; and even began modeling in 2018 at the New York Fashion Week runway show for designer ACID NYC.

All the work outside the ring only made him stronger; he soon caught the attention of major networks, debuting on Showtime in 2017 with a win over unbeaten Malcolm McAllister.Since then, he’s become a stable on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) telecasts, defeated Ve Shawn Owens (9-1), Juan De Angel (21-9-1), Wale Omotoso (27-3), and most recently Sanny Duversonne (11-1-2) to keep his perfect record intact. An Achilles injury, and subsequent surgery, set him back in 2019, but the time off due to the COVID-19 pandemic also gave him the chance to recover without missing any major opportunities.

With 16 wins under his belt, the only thing missing has been a fight back in his home state on a worldwide platform, which is where CES Boxing and FIGHT PASS come into play. Booker will get the chance to showcase his talents in front of a new audience on Friday and continue to prove there’s always a second chance at life for those with the drive and commitment to succeed. The Homecoming King finally makes his long-awaited return.

Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, visit ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.

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CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC Fight Pass, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combat sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

Opened in 2005, the Connecticut Convention Center is the Northeast’s most ideal location for trade shows, conventions, business meetings or any occasion demanding a dramatic riverfront setting. Overlooking the Connecticut River, the Center is situated in the heart of downtown Hartford’s Front Street District – a rapidly expanding entertainment hub teeming with new restaurants, bistros and entertainment venues. Limitlessly functional and endlessly customizable, the 540,000 square foot Connecticut Convention Center is the largest convention facility between New York and Boston. The Center combines ample meeting space – including 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000 square foot ballroom and 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – with visually stunning touches, creating the ideal backdrop for any event.

Eimantas Stanionis remained undefeated with a 9th round stoppage over Justin DeLoach at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

In round nine, Stanionis dropped DeLoach with a right hand Seconds later, it was a flurry that sent DeLoach down for a second time. Stanionis finished the deal with a hard combination on a hurt DeLoach and the bout was stopped at 2:53.

Stanionis, 147 lbs of Lithuania is 11-0 with eight knockouts. DeLoach, 146.6 lbs of Augusta, GA is 19-5.

Cruz stops Castillo in 2

Kent Cruz stopped Erik Castillo in round two of a scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout.

Castillo seemed hurt and the corner stopped the bout at 2:59.

Cruz, 139.6 lbs of Saint Louis, MO is 16-0-1 with 10 knockouts. Castillo, 145 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 9-3.

Booker Decisions Duversonne

Chordale Booker won a close eight-round split decision over Sonny Duversonne in a junior middleweight bout.

In round four, Booker began to bleed from his nose.

Booker landed 132 of 411 punches; Duversonne was 131 of 491.

Booker, 154.6 lbs of Stamford, CT won by scores of 77-75 twice while Duversonne took a card 77-75.

Booker is now 16-0. Duversonne, 154.6 lbs of Miami, FL is 11-2-2.

LOS ANGELES (October 14, 2020) – Undefeated rising welterweight and 2016 Lithuanian Olympian Eimantas Stanionis will battle Justin DeLoach in the 10-round main event of FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Wednesday, November 4 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

The telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated super welterweight Chordale Booker taking on hard-hitting Skender Halili in the eight-round co-main event.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.

“This is set up to be another great night of evenly-matched action fights live on FS1 and FOX Deportes,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Eimantas Stanionis is one of the elite rising welterweights in the sport, and he will get a chance to prove it against a surging Justin DeLoach, who scored an explosive victory against another unbeaten prospect in August. The highly-skilled Chordale Booker will also have an opportunity to continue his rise up the rankings, when he takes on the powerful Skender Halili in the co-main event.”

A native of Lithuania who now lives and trains in the U.S., Stanionis (10-0, 7 KOs) is one of the most promising fighters to come out of the 2016 Olympic games and has continued to impress in the pro ranks. The 26-year-old will step up again in competition for the first time since a hand injury in May 2019 when he goes against DeLoach. Stanionis picked up three victories in 2019, beating Samuel Figueroa in March, before showing he had recovered from the hand injury by stopping Julio Cesar Sanchez and Evincii Dixon.

DeLoach (19-4, 10 KOs) bounced back from a 2019 loss to then unbeaten Terrel Williams in August by knocking out then undefeated Livan Navarro in the first round on FS1. The 26-year-old put together an impressive run in 2017, defeating three-straight unbeaten fighters in Dillon Cook, Junior Castillo and Domonique Dolton, before knocking out Christopher Pearson in 2017. The Augusta, Georgia native suffered defeats against former unified champion Jeison Rosario in 2018 and Nathaniel Gallimore in 2017, before rebounding to beat Michael Ogundo in November 2018.

The 29-year-old Booker (15-0, 7 KOs) scored the most impressive victory of his career in his previous bout, dominating tough veteran contender Wale Omotoso in FS1 action on his way to a unanimous decision. The Stamford, Connecticut native is unbeaten since turning pro in 2016 following a strong amateur career. He also owns victories over then unbeaten Malcolm McCallister and then once-beaten VeShawn Owens.

Born in Klina, Kosovo, Halili (16-2, 13 KOs) grew up in and fights out of the Bronx as he returns to the ring for the first time since a 2018 triumph over previously unbeaten Jamie Walker. The 30-year-old won 13 of his first 14 pro fights, with all of his victories coming stoppage. He has won three of his last four contests heading into his ring return November 4.

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Chordale Booker won an 10-round unanimous decision over Wale Omotoso in a junior middleweight bout.

Booker, 154 lbs of Stamford, CT won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 15-0. Omotoso, 153 lbs of Lagos, NIG is 27-4.

Ahmed Elbiali stopped Marlos Simoes in round two of a scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout.

Elbiali dropped Simoes with a hard right hand in the 2nd frame, and Simoes could not beat the count at 1:12.

Elbiali, 176 lbs of Cairo, EGY is 19-1 with 16 knockouts. Simoes, 174.2 lbs of Brazil is 13-2-2.

Efe Apochi stopped Earl Newman in round seven in a scheduled eight-round cruiserweight war

In round two, Apochi hammered Newman with several shots that rocked Newman all over the ring. Apochi hurt Newman several times over the next few rounds. Each time when it looked like the referee would stop the bout, Newman would come back and land some hard power shots of his own.

In round seven, Apochi landed a hard right hand that rocked and dropped Newman and the fight was stopped at 2:12.

Apochi, 198 lbs of Nigeria is 8-0 with all wins coming early. Newman, 202.1 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 10-2-1.

Amon Rashidi kept his perfect knockout streak intact with a final round stoppage in his four-round junior middleweight bout with Juan Jesus Garces.

In the final round, Rashidi landed a shot on the side of the head that sent Garces down for the count at 2:12.

Rashidi, 149.6 lbs of Dallas, TX is 7-0 with seven knockouts. Garces, 153 lbs of Mexico is 19-25.

Habib Ahmed won a eight-round unanimous decision over Juan De Angel in a middleweight bout.

Ahmed, 159.6 lbs of Accra, GHA won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 27-1-1. De Angel, 162 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 23-11-1.

Shawn Simpson remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Sergio Quiroz in a bantamweight bout.

Simpson, 118 lbs of Chicago won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 10-0. Quiroz, 117.8 lbs of Los Angeles is 6-2.

BILOXI, MS. (April 11, 2019) – Former super welterweight champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout returns to the ring to take on former title challenger Terrell Gausha in a 10-round super welterweight bout that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes on Saturday, May 25 from Beau Rivage Resort Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.

In the co-feature, unbeaten super welterweight contender Chordale Booker battles rugged veteran Wale Omotoso in a 10-round bout, while sensational unbeaten welterweight prospect Eimantas Stanionis will open the broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT in an eight or 10-round welterweight fight.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, go on sale Monday, April 15 and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office and through Ticketmaster.

“Austin Trout has one of the best resumes at super welterweight in the sport today,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He’s been in the ring with some of the best boxers at 154-pounds of this generation and I’ve never seen him in a bad fight. Terrell Gausha doesn’t back down from anyone and that will make for an exciting match against Trout. Chordale Booker will be putting his unbeaten record on the line against Wale Omotoso in what will be one of his toughest tests to date. It’s a show that has something for everyone that attends at Beau Rivage or tunes in to FS1 and FOX Deportes.”

Trout (31-5, 17 KOs) has tangled with some of the top super welterweights of this generation, including Saul Alvarez, Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto, Jermell and Jermall Charlo and Jarrett Hurd. The 33-year-old from Las Cruces, Mexico, will look to rebound from a majority decision defeat to Jermell Charlo last June. His knockout victory over Joey Hernandez in 2015 headlined the first PBC show on FS1.

“I’m excited to be back in the ring,” said Trout. “I’m ready to take another chop at the world title and this is my way back. I’m really motivated to get that championship belt again. Gausha is a strong, technical fighter with an Olympic pedigree. I’ve got to get in there and take care of him and look good doing it. A good win over him will get me right back in the mix.”

The 31-year-old Gausha (21-1, 10 KOs), a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team from Cleveland, Ohio, will look to put himself back into title contention with a victory over Trout. He came up short in his first title fight against Erislandy Lara, losing a unanimous decision in 2017, before rebounding with a knockout victory over Joey Hernandez in his last fight in December.

“I feel good about this fight and I think it’s the perfect fight for me,” said Gausha. “With Austin Trout being a former champion and having experience fighting all the top guys in the division, it gives me a chance to show where I’m at. It’s not only about winning, but it’s the way I’ll win that will put people on notice.”

Booker (14-0, 7 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Juan De Angel in January on FS1. The 27-year-old southpaw from Stamford, Conn., was busy in 2018, going 5-0 with three knockouts. Booker is very active in his Stamford community as well, running his charity for at-risk youth and training amateurs for the Golden Gloves.

“My expectations for myself are to put on the best performance I’ve had in boxing period – amateur or pro,” said Booker. “I’m looking to showcase every ability that I have, not just brute strength. I want to show people that I’m championship caliber. What I see from him is that he’s a game fighter and comes to fight. He likes to come forward. He’s going to try to take it to me. But I can do a lot of things, box going forward, backwards, sideways, or anything it will take to get this win.”

The 33-year-old Omotoso (27-3, 21 KOs) is a hard-nosed veteran who will present Booker with his toughest test to date. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Omotoso learned to fight in the streets before honing his skills in the boxing gym. He calls himself “Lucky Boy” because he feels fortunate to have made it off the streets alive and become a successful professional boxer. Now training in Los Angeles, Omotoso most recently defeated Freddy Hernandez in December 2017.

“I got the call to fight a young, undefeated fighter in Booker and I said bring it on,” said Omotoso. “I’m really happy he took the fight because most people say I’m too dangerous and too tough. I will give it all I got. When I go to the ring I put all my effort and training into the fight. That’s the way this sport is. I know he’s going to come in with all he’s got, but the toughest man will win.”

Stanionis (8-0, 5 KOs) is from Kaunas, Lithuania and was a member of the 2016 Lithuanian Olympic boxing team. The 24-year-old, who now lives in Oxnard, California, and trains with Ronnie Shields in Texas, is on the fast track toward being a top contender. He’s continued to impress with victories over durable veterans Levan Ghvamichava and Samuel Figueroa in his last two bouts.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

BROOKLYN, NY –Keith “One Time” Thurman (29-0, 22KO) returned to the ring from a 22-month hiatus and retained his WBA World Welterweight title, defeating Josesito Lopez (36-8, 19KO) by majority decision in the main event of a PBC on FOX card in front of 9,623 fans at the Barclays Center.

The fight was anything but a breeze for the 30 year-old champion, who for the first time in his career found himself in serious danger of being stopped midway through the contest.

But in the early goings, Thurman looked sharp — his movement on point, his punches accurate.  As the second round drew to a close, both fighter’s threw simultaneous left hooks. Thurman’s shorter and crisper hook, however, was the only one that reached the intended target and exploded on Lopez’s chin, sending him to the mat.

In the 4th round, the 34 year-old Lopez began finding his target a bit more, but was seemingly two Thurman punches in exchange for landing one of his own.

In the 7th, Lopez finally caught Thurman with a left hand that wobbled the champ.  For the next minute-plus, Lopez cranked up the heat. The fighter they call “Riverside Rocky” stalked a wounded Thurman and time and again snapped his head back with punches thrown from all angles.  Thurman was somehow able to weather the storm, however, and by the end of the round was landing return fire on Lopez.

Thurman regained his composure and control in the 8th, snuffing out any momentum Lopez hoped to build upon from the previous round.

Credit California’s Lopez, who round after round was willing to take some of Thurman’s best shots in order to try to land a big punch of his own.  And make no mistake, the punches Thurman were landing would have dropped and stopped the vast majority of opponents.

At the end of the championship rounds, Jimmy Lennon, Jr. read scores of 113-113 (Don Ackerman), 115-112 (Steve Weisfeld), and 117-111 (Tom Schreck), for Thurman.  The 113-113 Ackerman was controversially close. 15rounds.com scored the contest 117-110 for Thurman.

It was Thurman’s first time back between the ropes since winning the WBC middleweight title via split decision against Danny Garcia in March 2017.  Since then the 30 year-old Floridian has had his right elbow surgically repaired and also suffered a left hand injury that required months to heal. Due to inactivity, Thurman was forced to vacate his WBC strap in April 2018.

Thurman has stated that he’d like two tune-up type bouts before he rumbles with the other A-side talent in the stacked welterweight division.  Of course, the PBC also has champions Errol Spence, Jr. (IBF), Shawn Porter (WBC), and Manny Pacquiao (WBA interim and Thurman mandatory) under promotional contract.  A less realistic future opponent for Thurman is Terence Crawford (WBO), who is under contract with Top Rank.

The veteran Lopez is now 0-3 in world title fights, having come up short against Canelo Alvarez (2012) and Andre Berto (2015).  His signature win remains his against former world champion Victor Ortiz, who he retired after 9 rounds.

“He had me buzzed and shaken up in the seventh round, but I tried to stay on the outside away,” Thurman said afterward.  “I was a little off in my prediction of how long his arms were. He lunged in and was really willing to commit to the knockout.”

With regards to facing his WBA mandatory challenger, Thurman said, “I would most likely definitely take the Manny Pacquiao fight this year. I feel good. That was a beautiful fight. I’m ready to fight wherever Pacquiao wants it.”

Polish Puncher Kownacki Stops Washington In 2

Polish-born Brooklyn-based heavyweight Adam Kownacki continues to thrust himself into the mix in the heavyweight division.  Tonight, it took the 258.5 lb. man they call “Babyface” less than a round and a half to blast out former title challenger, Gerald Washington (19-3-1, 12KO).

The 29 year-old Kownacki came out firing from the opening bell willingly exchanging with his 6’6” counterpart.  About midway through the opening round, Kownacki hurt Washington with a right for the first time. He continued his onslaught, firing away for the rest of the round, but Washington managed to survive.

In the second, Washington came out recharged, and the big Californian quickly unloaded on Kownacki, who was sporting a cut over his left eye.  Once his offensive attack wish finished, however, it was Kownacki’s turn. The 6’3” Pole threw a hammer of a right hand that wobbled Washington, and he followed it up with a flurry that resulted in Washington hitting the mat hard.  Washington just barely beat referee Harvey Dock’s ten count and was able to continue, only to be met just seconds later by more Kownacki fists, prompting Dock to step in and stop the fight at the 1:09 mark of round 2.

Kownacki has now fought 6 of his last 7 fights at the Barclays Center, which has become his second home.  And as per usual, he again enjoyed enjoyed hometown support as hundreds of his Polish fans decked out in their country’s red and white, filled the arena.

“It’s amazing to have this support from the Polish fans,” Kownacki said post-fight.  “It definitely gives me extra energy.”

Further, in his last five fights, the father-to-be has defeated opponents whose combined records tally 109-6-2.  The win streak now includes victories against former title challengers Washington and Artur Szpilka, as well as former IBF Heavyweight Champion, Charles Martin, who Kownacki outpointed in September.

Washington’s only other career defeats also came via stoppage, first against WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder and later against undefeated contender Jerrell “Big Baby” Miller.

“I trained hard for this fight. I prepared for 10 hard rounds, but I’m glad I got it done and ended it as fast as I did,” Kownacki said.

He continued, “We stuck with the game plan. I’m a pressure fighter. I worked on sitting down on my punches and I proved that I have great power when I do that.”

“King Tug” One Step Closer To Title, Decisions Marrero

In just his eleventh professional fight, Tugstsgot “King Tug” Nyambayar (11-0, 9KO) inched one step closer to a championship belt, defeating veteran Dominican southpaw Claudio Marrero (23-3, 17KO) via unanimous decision in a 12-round WBC featherweight title eliminator that kicked off the nationally televised FOX portion of the card.  Scores were 114-113, 115-112, and 116-11, all for the Mongolian, Nyambayar.

It wasn’t easy and it certainly wasn’t pretty, but Nyambayar, a former 2012 Olympic silver medalist grinded and countered his way past the crafty 29 year-old Dominican, Marrero.

Nyambayar, 26, had his first major success in the third round when he hurt and momentarily wobbled the former title challenger, Marrero, with a right hand.  He followed this up with a brief flurry, but ultimately called off the attack when Marrero quickly regained composure.

As the fight progressed, there were times when Nyambayar was patient, but calculating.  Other times, especially in the middle rounds, he was passive — too passive, letting rounds slip away.

Marrero took advantage of “King Tug’s” passiveness, especially in round 5 and 9, when he aggressively came off his stool, firing away on his almost-unsuspecting opponent.

About a minute into the tenth round, referee Benjy Esteves docked Marrero a point for landing a half-hearted right hand during a break.  Shortly after, Nyambar landed a low-blow that doubled Marrero over in pain. The fight was stopped to allow Marrero time to recover and no point was deducted from Nyambayar.

Nyambayar is now in place as the mandatory challenger for Gary Russell, Jr.’s WBC Featherweight title.

“We had a really good camp so this is just me putting the pressure and pace that we worked on in camp and using it in the ring,” Nyambayar said.  “This sets me up for big fights. Whatever big fights are presented to us, we’ll take it.”

Colbert Earns Hard Fought UD Against Hernandez

Brooklyn’s Chris “Lil’ BHopp” Colbert turned away his stiffest competition to date, earning an 8 round unanimous decision against Chicago’s Josh Hernandez (8-2, 7KO) in a super featherweight contest.

Considering Hernandez’s resume, 7KOs in 8 wins, Colbert fought a smart fight early on, allowing Hernandez to be the aggressor, luring him in close, and skillfully countering.  Colbert was by no means reluctant to exchange with his 23 year-old counterpart, but he had no reason to do so.

But as the the rounds bore on, the 22 year-old Colbert began to tire, and his lateral movement slowed.  Hernandez kept the heat on and seemingly backed Colbert against the ropes or into a corner for long stretches in each of the last 4 rounds.  Hernandez would unload and Colbert would absorb. And then Colbert, who trains out of Atlas Cops & Kids in Flatbush, Brooklyn, would unload and Hernandez would absorb.  But these weren’t 50/50 exchanges and Colbert consistently bested Hernandez when the two traded blows.

In the end, all three judges scored the contest widely for Colbert, 79-73.

The result marks the second career loss for Chicago’s Hernandez, who was fighting outside of Illinois for the first time in his career.  His only other defeat came via stoppage against Gavino Gauman in April 2017, a loss he avenged just three months later.

“He put up a great fight,” Colbert said, giving Hernandez well-deserved credit.  “Today I decided not to give the crowd a boxing lesson, I decided I wanted to show them that I can stand and fight with anybody if I choose to.”

He went on, “I have very high-quality fight and I’m getting better and better as we go. I’m looking forward to getting more opportunities.”

Russell Scores TKO2 Over Almazan

2016 US Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell (8-0, 8KO) easily disposed of Mexican-American Roberto Almazan (7-9, 2KO), scoring 3 knockdowns inside 2 rounds to earn a TKO victory.

Russell, the 22 year-old younger brother of WBC World Featherweight champion Gary Russell, Jr., threw fists fast and furious from the opening bell, smothering his 20 year-old counterpart, preventing him from mounting any counter attack.

About a minute into the bout, after a brief exchange near the blue corner, Almazon took a knee. He claimed he was pushed down, but referee Shada Murdaugh disagreed and administered a ten count.

Maryland’s Russell knocked down Almazon down twice more in the 2nd, once courtesy of left-right combo, and the second via a flurry of punches that culminated with one final right that forced Almazon to a knee for the last time. Murdaugh stopped the fight at the :59 second mark of round 2.

“I listened to my corner’s directions and they told me that the hook was going to be there when he shot his left hand,” Russell said afterward. I went to my hook position and I was ready to catch and fire.”

“This is nothing new to me” he continued. “I just try to execute what I’m told and sharpen my craft. We’re going back to the drawing board and we’ll be patient.”

Booker Gifts De Angel 10th Career Defeat via UD

In the first fight of the FS1-televised portion of the card, undefeated southpaw Chordale “The Gift” Booker (14-0, 7KO) worked hard to earn a wide 8 round unanimous decision against Colombian slugger Juan De Angel (21-10-1, 18KO) in a middleweight contest.

Booker set the range early and controlled most of the action with his jab, peppering in straight lefts with precision.  As the punches added up, De Angel slowed down. Eventually in the 7th round, a Booker left uppercut dropped De Angel down to a knee.  The Colombian beat the ensuing ten count and powered through the rest of the 7th and 8th rounds to hear the final bell.

In the end, all judges scored the bout widely for the 27 year-old Stamford, CT fighter: 80-71 and 79-72.

Booker now joins the likes of Austin Trout and Caleb Plant, who’ve also secured wins against De Angel.  The result makes it 9 losses in 9 fights in America for the Colombian.

“I’m about to make a list of fighters that I want to face to propel me to the next level,” Booker said post-fight. “ I’m going to keep climbing and fighting better opponents. I thought I had a good performance today, but not great. I feel like I showed that I have a lot I can do in this sport.

Fulton Drops Olea Twice En Route To TKO5

Philadelphia’s Stephen Fulton (15-0, 7KO) improved his already perfect record, recording a 5th round TKO stoppage against Colombian Marlon Olea (14-4,12KO) in a featherweight bout slated for 8.

Fulton battered Olea from the onset and eventually broke through late in the 4th round when he dropped Olea to a knee courtesy of a beautifully thrown left hook.  The 24 year-old Fulton picked up where he left off in the 5th and again landed a crisp left on the button that brought Olea to a knee. Referee Shada Murdaugh decided that was enough punishment and called a stop the fight at the 1:39 mark of round 5.

Olea’s winless streak on US soil continues, as he drops to 0-4.  All his wins have come in his native Colombia.

Duncan TKOs Garcia-Flores In 3

Undefeated middleweight Mark Duncan (3-0, 3KO) returned to the Barclays Center for the second time in 34 days and scored a TKO3 against Daniel Garcia-Flores (0-3) in a bout scheduled for 4.

The Maryland-native Duncan, who last fought at the Barclays Center in December on the Charlo brother’s undercard, battered Garcia-Flores early and often.  Punches and damage quickly accumulated and midway through the 3rd round, the ringside physician jumped up on the apron and signaled to the referee to stop the contest.  The official time of the stoppage comes at the 1:15 mark of round 3.

Irby Counters His Way Past Figueroa

Maryland’s Tyrek Irby (6-0, 2KO) remained perfect, earning a 4 round unanimous decision over Jonathan Figueroa (2-2, 1KO) in a welterweight scrap.

It was a contrast of styles as the 27 year-old Connecticut fighter, Figueroa, charged for all twelve minutes, while the 25 year-old Maryland man, Irby, slickly countered his way to an easy decision.  Scores read 39-37×2 and 40-36 for Irby.

Deets Stuns Wilder, KOs Him In 4th

In a shocking upset, 33 year-old veteran William Deets (7-12, 3KO) came from behind to KO Marsellos Wilder (3-1, 2KO) with just :25 seconds remaining in their 4 round cruiserweight contest.

Wilder, the 29 year-old younger brother of WBC Heavyweight Champion, Deontay Wilder, was easily outpointing his rugged counterpart, having won each of the first 3 rounds. The Alabama-native Wilder first hurt Deets with a huge left near the end of the first that put Deet’s on unsteady legs, sending him stumbling back to his corner after the bell.  At various times during the next two-plus rounds it looked like Wilder could stop Deets but he never sealed the deal.

Then late in the fourth, Deets flipped the script.  The Nebraskan connected with a huge left hook — a punch he’d attempted and misfired with at least ten times during the bout — and flattened Wilder.  Wilder initially got to his feet during the referee’s ten count, but stumbled to the ropes where his legs failed to keep him steady. The official time of the KO came at the 2:35 mark of round 4.  The result marks the first professional defeat for Wilder, whose brother was on hand to witness to bout.

Time will tell if anything changes, but as of now, Wilder’s next contest is slated to take place next month in the UK on the undercard of Chris Eubanks, Jr. v. James DeGale.

Cruz Stops Florez In 2

In the second of the non-televised swing bouts, Puerto Rican welterweight Miguel Cruz (18-1, 12KO) made quick work of his Colombian counterpart, Luis E. Florez (24-12, 20KO) blitzing him out of the ring inside 2.  The official stoppage came at at the 2:21 mark of round 2. Cruz bounced back nicely from suffering his lone career defeat courtesy of Josesito Lopez last April.

Glanton Stays Perfect, TKOs Fenderson In 2

In the first of two non-televised swing bouts, Atlanta’s Brandon Glanton (8-0, 7KO) battered fellow light heavyweight Jerhed Fenderson (4-9, 2KO) en route to a second round TKO in a contest slated for 4.  The official time of the stoppage came at the 2:49 mark of round 2

Teal Opens Card With A Bang

In the first of thirteen fights from the Barclays Center, Florida super middleweight Mycheal Teal (2-0, 2KO) needed :30 seconds to dispose of winless Jacob Landin (0-3) of Texas.

BROOKLYN (January 15, 2019) -Junior lightweight Chris Colbert will fight in his hometown as he battles once-beaten Josh Hernández in an eight-round match on Premier Boxing Champions Prelims live on FS1 and FOX Deportes on Saturday, January 26 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

Super lightweight prospect and 2016 U.S. Olympian Antuanne Russell will take on Roberto Almazán in a six/eight round super lightweight bout, and junior middleweight prospect Chordale Booker (13-0, 7 KOs) will fight at Barclays Center for the fourth time when he meets Colombia’s Juan De Ángel (21-9, 19 KOs) in an eight-round match.

The Prelims show begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and precedes Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes live in primetime that is headlined by undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman returning to the ring after a lengthy injury layoff to defend his title against veteran Josesito López.

PBC on FOX action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will also include a co-feature featuring fast-rising unbeaten Polish heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki as he clashes with former title challenger Gerald Washington in a 10-round battle and unbeaten featherweight contender Tugstsogt Nyambayar battles hard-hitting Claudio Marrero in a 12-round bout.

Tickets for the show, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment, begin at $50 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Colbert (9-0, 3 KOs) will be fighting for the fourth time at Barclays Center when he takes on Hernandez (8-1, 7 KOs). In his last fight, Colbert defeated Fatiou Fassinou by unanimous decision after stopping previously unbeaten Austin Dulay prior to that on FS1. He is opposed by the 23-year-old Hernandez who fights out of Chicago. He has scored three straight knockout victories heading into January 26.

Antuanne Russell (7-0, 7 KOs) is part of the fighting Russells from Capitol Heights, Maryland. His older brother Gary Russell Jr. is the WBC Featherweight Champion and his other brother, Antonio Russell, is a top bantamweight prospect. All three brothers are trained by their father, Gary, Sr.

Antuanne was a member of the U.S. Olympic boxing team for the 2016 Rio Games and has a 100% KO ratio in his first seven professional fights, including two knockout wins at Barclays Center last year. He faces the 20-year-old Almazan (7-8, 2 KOs), who is from Brownsville, Texas, and is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Daniel Perales on April 12.

Antonio Russell (12-0, 10 KOs) will also enter the ring, in a non-televised eight-round bantamweight fight against Lucas Baez (34-17-5, 18 KOs). Marsellos Wilder (3-0, 2 KOs), the brother of heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, will be featured in a four-round special attraction.
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ABOUT PBC ON FOX & FOX DEPORTES: THURMAN VS. LOPEZ
Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes is headlined by the return of WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith Thurman defending his title against veteran contender Josesito Lopez on Saturday, January 26 live from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™ and the East Coast home of PBC.

The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features rising unbeaten Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki taking on former title challenger Gerald Washington, plus a 12-round featherweight showdown between Tugstsogt Nyambayar and Claudio Marrero

Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.